Hello there! My name is Katie Thompson and I am the Owner of Rhema Agency and Thompson Real Estate Services. This is a blog that I wrote initially back in 2020. Think waaaaay back to 2020, guys! I tell you this bit of our story because I believe in authenticity, and that there will be so many of you that can identify with this small piece of my story. Head on over to my Bio to learn about how far I have come since writing this original blog! It's been an amazing journey over the last two years! Here goes...
Que 2020...
Okay, I have a secret that I'm going to tell you. Are you sitting down? Exactly one year and one week ago, we were closing our business in Vancouver, WA after almost 6 years in business. That's right - we lost a business. Here is the thing about failure: it can stop you in your tracks or it can drive you to help others to not make the same mistakes. Failure can be a catalyst to new and improved things if you let it!
While in Vancouver I (Katie) had loved working in the real estate industry doing Marketing Management, Title and Escrow Sales, and finally making a change over to Business Consulting with Salsbury & Co. When we closed the business and started to walk all that that entails, we decided we needed to hit "reset" for a time. Nothing like a good reset! Ryan and I decided to pack up and move to Grants Pass to be closer to family. For awhile I managed a local real estate brokerage in Grants Pass, but when quarantine hit and I found myself laid off things began to shift and I began to pick up that old dream of owning a company again. Has there been fear? Yes! (I'll talk on that more in a piece I am writing about making the decision to start a company.) If we allowed our doubts to stop us - any of us - so many great things would never be accomplished. Ryan and I decided to build a business again, but to change how we started out. For us, we did not want to start the business by accruing a lot of debt. There is the old adage that "you have to spend money to make money" which is very true, but patience, planning, passion, and know-how can allow you to get on your feet without breaking the bank. Trust me, it is possible.
Why the name Rhema Agency? Rhema means "spoken word" or "inspired utterance." It means to express or speak something aloud. Not just something, but something significant; something that inspires, changes, or guides. Through strategy, experience, and inspiration we position your business for continued growth. We fully believe that when the small business sector is strong, communities are strengthened. Community. That becomes more important every day.
We look forward to meeting you, working with you, and seeing businesses grow and communities blessed!
- Katie