Des Moines Mom recognizes that moms wear a lot of hats. You are a mom, wife, friend, diaper changer, nose wiper, meal planner, lost toy finder, the list goes on and on!
This summer we are thrilled to feature some local moms who are thinking outside the box and making a difference in our community through the businesses they own, organizations they are involved with, and work they do. Check out the rest of the series and read profiles from previous years here.
Sara Hopkins is a top-producing Realtor in the Greater Des Moines area. She is and the founder of Sara Hopkins Real Estate Team. She is also co-owner of Re/Max Precision Urban office, opening soon in the Highland Park neighborhood. Sara is passionate about helping people find a home.
Tell us a little bit about yourself and your family.
I am a proud Des Moines native who lives, plays, and works in Des Moines. My husband and I met in Australia – I was studying abroad during college and he was traveling the world. After I graduated from college, I moved to England to be with him, and we lived there for four years. In 2010 we sold everything we owned and traveled through Asia and Australia for three months before moving back to Des Moines. We knew Des Moines was where we wanted to start and raise a family. Now I live on the southwest side of Des Moines with my husband Marc, daughter Pippa (10), and son Alfie (8).
What do you consider the biggest challenge of motherhood to be? Biggest joy?
It’s definitely the juggling act that I find the hardest. Running my own real estate business and navigating all the demands of motherhood is hard now – and was even harder when the kids were younger. I’m grateful I have an incredibly supportive spouse – without him I definitely wouldn’t be able to manage. My real estate team is full of women and many of them are also moms. It’s great to work with a team that is willing to help each other out. It really does take a village.
The biggest joy of motherhood is knowing I’m raising these beautiful little humans who will go out and make a difference in the world. Their empathy and compassion and ability to adapt, especially during 2020, makes me so incredibly proud to be their mom.
How long have you been in real estate?
2021 will be my 12th year in real estate.
What’s the best part about being your own boss?
I’m not going to lie, sometimes I crave a 9-5 job so I can actually turn off on the evenings and weekends. But, although working evenings and nights aren’t always fun, it gives me the flexibility to block off my schedule when I need to for kids’ events and activities.
What’s the hardest part about running your own business?
I am in charge of everything and ultimately responsible for whatever happens. I am also responsible for a team of agents. I want to provide the best tools and resources for them so that each of them can achieve their goals. I’ve had a lot of growing pains as I’ve built my real estate career and business. I’ve learned a lot and making those mistakes along the way has definitely helped me grow as a leader and business owner.
What advice do you have for women in business?
Surround yourself with other successful women you look up to and admire. I want to be in a room full of successful women who I can learn from. Always be willing to pass on advice to others. I promise you, there’s enough business for everyone, it’s not a competition.
What do you wish you knew when you started?
I wish I knew I needed to prioritize my mental health. As my business grew, so did stress levels and anxiety. I remember a time when I felt so overwhelmed I just wanted to quit real estate altogether. I’m in a really good place now thanks to a therapist who has helped me not personalize every single thing that happens at work and getting the right processes and systems in place to run my business. I now run my business rather than my business running me.
What do you love about raising a family in Des Moines?
The accessibility to so many things. We live just minutes from a bike trail, we have concerts we can hear from our backyard & a community thriving in arts and culture. Our public schools are wonderful and I’m happy my children attend a diverse school district. I love that my daughter can go horseback riding at a stable located in the middle of our city and my son plays soccer for a league that is also located in the heart of our city. We have so many opportunities to be a part of our community and for that, I am forever thankful.
Quick takes:
Favorite local restaurant: Latin King
Best place to take kids: Ledges State Park
Favorite summer activity: Family bike rides to Captain Roy’s
What’s the last show you watched, thing you listened to, or book you read?
I binge-listen to all the dateline podcasts or any true-crime podcast. But I did just finish a fabulous audiobook, The Firekeepers Daughter. It was so beautifully written but also beautifully narrated.
How/where do you relax? My backyard is a little oasis I love relaxing in
If your life had a hashtag, what would it be? #workhardplayhard
Know a Des Moines mom we should feature? Let us know! Email [email protected] with details and we will be in touch.
