Ever wonder the benefits of having your business certified as a women owned business? NAWRB explains that, and more, during the #ReadySetCertify event on September 7 from 10am-11:30 am. While attending the Five Star Conference, NAWRB will be hosting an exclusive seminar about how our certification can help your business.  As the only third-party, industry-specific certifier, NAWRB strives to help promote and support women business owners across the country. When considering certification options, ask yourself these questions: 


Which categories of certification are most representative of my business? Women-Owned? Small? Minority? Veteran? This will narrow down the options available by identifying the certification most applicable to your business. Many business owners have multiple certifications, such as an 8(a), women-owned business located in a HUBzone. 

Who am I seeking to do business with? The federal government? The state? Industry-specific targets? Identifying those businesses or entities which will be on the receiving end, or "user end" of your certification is a key component when deciding on which certification to pursue.  

Next, sign up for the #ReadySetCertify event on September 7 to learn more about how to diversify your business with certification. To sign up and/or learn more, click here. 

This time next week I will be arriving in Dallas, Texas for the Five Star Convention. I will be traveling with Cade Holleman, Executive Director of NAWRB, and meeting members of NAWRB at the convention. I am really looking forward to attending Five Star because the past years have been so successful. If you will be attending, please stop by booth #232 in the Great Connection Exhibit Hall on 9/6 and 9/7, and I would love to see you! #ReadySetCertify is also back by popular demand and will be held on Friday morning from 10am-11:30am for interested diverse business owners. There is lots to get ready for and deadlines to meet, but I am looking forward to seeing everyone. For more information, click here. 

NAWRB will be taking the mortgage message to the Hill on September 11 in Washington D.C. Join NAWRB, REOMAC, and American Legal & Financial Network to partner together and raise awareness about the changes in residential loan servicing industry. I would love to see you all there in attendance and support for this significant cause. To learn more about this Legislative Day, click here. #LawyersLadiesLenders

It's the last weekend before school starts and the sun is no where to be found. Two of my sons will be going back to school next week, and I was looking forward to enjoying their last weekend all together. I personally am enjoying the cooler weather, but for typical summer fun, the sun is an important factor. The weather in California has been very different this summer. The last few weeks have been hot and enjoyable, but before that there was a different weather pattern each week. My plants are also enjoying the cool down. I am looking forward to the winter and skiing with my family in Lake Tahoe. What was your favorite summer memory?

I still am not feeling 100% like myself and the battle is not over yet. I just recently found out that my house is infested with beetle termites. Beetle termites are not just any ol` termite. They take twice as long to get rid of and will go from one side of the house to the other side, destroying any wood in their way. They are also five times harder to kill than the average termite. If you ever had termites, especially beetle termites, you know what a pain this can be. I am hoping the stress will not worsen my sickness and I can still continue recovering. I am looking forward to Dallas and the Five Star Conference in just a couple weeks! Will you be there? I'd love to connect! 

AREAA LA partners with Bank of America Housing to host a Housing Seminar and Expo in Universal City tomorrow. I am looking forward to attending and learning more about connecting with industry experts, and learning more about managing and growing my business. Real estate professionals have the opportunity to learn resources to help home owners become successful. I would love to meet if you will be attending as well. Tweet me: @DesireePatno. For more information about this event, click here. 

I have not been feeling my best the last couple days. It started Thursday and carried through the weekend. The weather was great outside but I am not sure if all this heat and sun is getting to me. It's Monday, so it's time to get back to the grind, sick or not. I've got lots of catching up to do and planning all my traveling destinations is a full time job itself. Stay cool, drink lots of water and enjoy your week! 

These next few months are going to be very crazy and filled with lots of traveling. Not only are the holidays coming up, but a lot of real estate buzz is in the air. From Dallas to LA to Vegas back to Irvine to DC and Anaheim, I  hope I have the chance to see many of you. I am looking forward to speaking on different panels during these events. I enjoy speaking in front of people and sharing my expertise with those willing to listen and grow from each other's lessons. If you are attending Five Star in Texas, I will be speaking on the "The Other Side of the Coin: Reimbursement" panel, and at the C.A.R. Expo in Anaheim I will speak on "Tackling Short Sales, REOs, and Foreclosures". Plans for Desiree Patno Enterprises will be expanding to local seminars being hosted in the Orange County area. If you missed #ReadySetCertify at the REO Expo, stay tuned for other sessions! 

I went to an estate sale yesterday located in Irvine. I had a great time looking around at all the beautiful craftsmanship and décor. An antique collector had put most of their belongings up for sale and as an avid antique collector, I could not resist. I found a beautiful wooden chair decorated with burgundy and golden fabric. When I was browsing through the estate sale, it was hard to control myself from so many impulse buys. A hobby of mine is collecting antiques and I am a third generation antique collector. It is so interesting to me to learn about the history of different antiques from diverse regions of the world. I have recently purchased various teaspoons from around the world, which is a great find and fun to display! Do you enjoy collecting antiques? Tweet me what your favorite antique you've collected! @DesireePatno

 "He Said, She Said" in the latest issue of NAWRB's N Magazine features two opposing sides of the modern work ethic and opinions. Cade Holleman, NAWRB Executive Director, and I compare our different views and generations. I feel that young professionals benefit a company with their natural knowledge focusing on technology  and strategies in modern times, but the older generation is programmed with strict work ethics to benefit the employee, employer, and business. Generation Y needs to revert business back into their careers and industry to help the business grow and promote itself. A career isn't a 9-5 spot in your life, it should become apart of who you are and what you do on a daily basis, whether or not you are clocked in. "It is a team effort to make the company run efficiently and create the opportunity to grow. As the company grows, so does the need for the company to retain quality staff." To hear more about my opinions and read the full article,  click here.