1. Where were you born and raised; current city; family hobbies; past business highlights?
I was born and raised in Birmingham, AL and I currently live in Inlet Beach, FL on the panhandle in FL, between Destin and Panama City Beach, FL.
I have been married to Zack Azar, an attorney, for 31 years and have two sons – Michael (28), who has an accounting degree and is in sales with Warren Averitt and is married, living in Birmingham; and Allen (26), living in Nashville and is a civil engineer. My sons and daughter-in-law (Gigi Azar) are all InteleTravel Independent Agents (ITAs). Michael and Allen are also Representatives with PlanNet Marketing.
Hobbies – I enjoy photography, traveling, playing pickleball, reading, walking on the beach, and sunsets anywhere in the world!
After retiring from a 30-year career with AT&T, having worked with large corporate international business clients, I am now a realtor in FL with a thriving travel business! I segued from corporate America as a W2 employee to a 1099 employee and am loving the "three legged" stool upon which I now focus my energy and efforts that allows me to sit and rest more frequently than when working for AT&T!
2. How have you grown or personally developed since joining PlanNet?
My professional development over the years included quite a bit of personal development, evaluation and guidance, but not on the level in which PlanNet Marketing encourages our team and representatives to read, grow and develop on a daily basis. I have always loved to read and the books selected in the IMV are all excellent and worthy of referring to and re-reading again and again! Being well read and actually learning from the different authors makes you more well-rounded, more effective, more interesting, more informed, more productive, more engaging, more capable, more educated and equipped overall with what we need to be successful in life!
3. What drives you; what motivates you?
Helping others, being a positive contributor in all that I do and making a difference daily!
4. Who would you consider a role model and why?
My father. He was patient yet challenged himself daily to be better and grow personally so that he could help those he knew, those he led and especially those he loved. He came from nothing and built all that he had on his own merit and gave credit all along the way to all, including God, who helped and guided him. He was extremely disciplined, focused and positive. He was guided by principles of integrity, a strong moral compass and an unwavering code of ethics that all those he met easily and clearly recognized, which in turn built and fostered relationships founded in trust and respect.
5. The three words that describe me best are:
Passionate, Ambitious and Charismatic.
6. If you had some sound advice to give to anyone what would it be?
Don't be the smartest person in the room. Surround yourself with others who challenge you to be a better version of yourself, who genuinely care about others and you and who are more focused on giving than receiving. No better way to be successful than to be a Go Giver! Focus on what is within your control and do not get in your own way by telling yourself what you can't do...your subconscious listens to your thoughts...even when you are not actively thinking.
7. What does your life look like five years from now?
Successful personally and professionally due to getting out of my comfort zone and learning how to leverage the ordinary to have extraordinary outcomes due to consistency and leveling up how I show up.