Chick Karin
Age: 43
Occupation:
Author, Radio Show Host,
Syndicated Columnist,
Real Estate Executive
Born:
Minneapolis, MN
Lives Today:
Stillwater, MN
Education:
BA in Communication
from SUNY Buffulo
Marital Status:
Married with 4 children
Karin's Articles » |
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Wow. How did I get here? To make a long story short, I got married shortly after I graduated from high school, to my high school sweetheart, Phil. He jumped right into the National Hockey League (NHL-Phil Housley) while I was attending college, and before you knew it, I had a degree and four children before I could find a house to call home. We spent 21 years moving throughout the U.S. and Canada while he played hockey, that when we finally settled back in our home state of Minnesota, it felt good to sit down for awhile.
I got the idea to start the Chicks Investment Club back in 1997 when our fourth child was born. I realized that I hadn't paid much attention to our financial life and wasn't really sure if we had adequately planned for all of them to go to college. To be honest, I was clueless. Even if I asked our financial planner for help, I couldn't really understand what he was saying because he was speaking a foreign language. Besides, could I really trust someone from Philadelphia to make these decisions?
Bottom line, we were just too busy. How stupid is that? This was our money! This was our retirement and we were too busy?! I'm not saying that getting a financial planner was a bad idea, but, I did have a brain! I could at least try to understand!
Since the Chicks and this amazing journey we've been on, I've grown so much. That whole 'priceless' thing. Being "in" the market with such a great group of women, riding its ups, and unfortunately, its downs, has been the greatest learning experience and metaphor for life. Stay the course, don't act on emotions, sleep on it, it'll get better, don't count your chickens before they hatch, the calm before the storm, etc… We're in it for the long term, though not always easy, there is always light at the end of the tunnel. Patience.
This past decade has been the greatest ten years of my life. I've gone from stay-at-home mom, (which I loved, but when the kids leave, there isn't a lot to stay home for), to creating a successful business that works for me. Now, this is going to sound corny, but it has a lot to do with the Chicks and our investment club. Because of the wealth of knowledge and experience, I've gone from a meek (but still funny) housewife, to a 'Don't mess with me because I know I'm smart, I'm strong, and there ain't nothin' that can stop me,' woman.
There's something to be said about experience, and when you consistently read the business page, online financial websites, and discuss the direction of public companies, after awhile, you look back and say, "Wow, look at how far I've come." Then, to top it off, to test the waters with your own stock purchases, and realize that you aren't as dumb as you think, you gain confidence. Confidence in a woman is killer….and that's what this club has done for me. There's not a finishing school in the world that can polish a woman better than experience.
It was scary and it challenges your whole being. Your brain, your commitment, your limits and your comfort level. But, the beauty of it is, once you've conquered it a few times, you can apply it to everything in life, and as scary as something seems, just jump. Because, everything after the jump is easy.
Karin
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Karin's Real Estate
karinhousley.com
Listen live to Karin's radio show each Saturday 9-10 CST. Go to www.klbbradio.com and click the "Listen Live" link at the top of the page.
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