Connecticut agent Danielle McCain combines her healthcare background and an MBA from Sacred Heart University to create a service-oriented real estate business that focuses on communication and problem-solving balanced with strong personal values. To keep her vibe high, McCain leans on the power of exercise, meditation and time spent in nature.
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“I am full of energy, upbeat and naturally driven, as both of my parents were entrepreneurs who taught me the value of having a great work ethic,” McCain said. “I am also very spiritual and try to keep my vibration high by protecting my energy and spending time with people of a similar mindset. I meditate every day and believe in Reiki healing and cleansing your chakras.”
Learn how McCain merges mindset and emotional intelligence to infuse meaning into her real estate business.
Name: Danielle McCain
Title: Realtor
Experience: 10 years
Location: I live in Trumbull, Connecticut, but serve mainly Fairfield and New Haven Counties
Brokerage name: Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Gaetano Marra Homes
Rankings: Top 8 percent nationwide at prior brokerage (joined BHGRE in August)
Transaction sides: 300 units and $100 million in sales (since 2015)
Sales volume: $15,000,000 annually
Awards: Top producing agent for previous brokerage
Community involvement:
- Supporter, ONEHOPE and The Cancer Couch Foundation, proceeds benefit MBC research at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and The Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
- Supporter, Team Woofgang and Company, proceeds benefit adults with intellectual and physical disabilities
- Volunteer driver, American Cancer Society
- Volunteer, St. Theresa’s Church healthcare ministry
- Volunteer, Maefair Healthcare Center
- Former volunteer, Bridgeport Rescue Mission
- Former volunteer, Trumbull Little League
- Former PTA member, Trumbull Public Schools
As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
As a child, I always knew I wanted to help people. That has always been my calling. I wanted to be a nurse, but I can’t stand the sight of someone else’s blood, so that ruled out nursing pretty quickly for me.
When I was in school for my MBA, a nun at a nursing home facility asked me if I was enjoying my studies. I told her I was a business major and chose Health Care Management as my concentration because I felt maybe that would somehow help people, but turns out it was more about the bottom line of the hospital. She told me to stay in the business field because we need more people who have a heart.
While I appreciated my job and was grateful for all I learned working in healthcare, I knew my passion was to work more directly with people to help them in some capacity. Today, I am helping people with one of the biggest decisions of their life and I am very grateful for that opportunity.
What would you tell a new agent before they start out in the business?
I would tell a new agent that in the beginning, you will have lonely days in this business where your phone doesn’t ring, and you may second guess your decision to be a Realtor.
Stay determined. Think out of the box, get out of your comfort zone and come up with a plan. Have the mindset that you will succeed.
For me, when the market was slow, I started a series on social media called Hidden Gems where I travel town to town, highlighting different areas in each town, whether it’s a restaurant, coffee shop, park, neighborhood, boutique, hiking trail etc.
It allows me to educate prospective buyers on towns they may be interested in and shows sellers that I am familiar with the features their town has to offer and am actively promoting their town.
What do too few agents know that would make their lives easier?
This is something I live by every day: “Done is better than perfect.” I apply this to my social media videos, as I am not someone who is comfortable with the spotlight, and could critique my words, appearance, stance, etc. all day long.
I tell myself, done is better than perfect, get the message across in your video, educate the consumer and move on. Don’t be so concerned with you what you look like and what people may think of you! This has helped me a tremendous amount, as most of my videos are completed within minutes on the first take!
What is the one thing everyone should be doing to make their life and business better?
Mindset, mindset, mindset! This is a game changer in all aspects of life. Train your brain to remain positive, have a vision of what you desire and always have gratitude.
If you could do anything other than real estate, what would it be?
This is easy. I would want to be a motivational speaker.
I’ve been told by friends that I have a knack of making them feel better. Many of my friends will confide in me with their problems. I try not to judge and I always try to give them advice, where they feel supported and hopeful.
I’ve been to so many motivational seminars, retreats with Tony Robbins, Eric Thomas (ET), Inky Johnson, Lisa Nichols and Dr. Joe Dispenza. I have so many tidbits from these mentors, and I carry them with me every day and share them with the people around me. Again, ultimately my goal is to help people have a better outlook.
Tell us about your most memorable transaction
One of my most memorable transactions was helping an Army veteran buy his first home. This home was a short sale, so it took over six months to close.
The home was in a wonderful area and very fairly priced but needed a ton of work. He had a bunch of buddies that were going to help him get the home repaired after closing.
I remember viewing the home with him and his wife mentioned to me privately that he had a bad night, was awake with nightmares, as he was a Desert Storm veteran. I was determined to get him this house. It was the least I could do for him.
When we closed on this property, I remember feeling so happy for my client. He was beaming that day with a smile from ear to ear. That moment, I knew I was in the right line of work, helping people and, in this case, helping someone who I would not have been able to help in any other way. It was a feeling I will never forget and think of often.
A second transaction was with a client who was living in Switzerland but wanted to move back home to live near his ailing parents. He flew home from Switzerland to see the house as we were in a bidding war.
Once we won the bidding war, so many issues arose with permits and the condition of the property. The homeowner had put in a heated inground pool and did not get any permits for it. The homeowner also built an outdoor kitchen and pizza oven area, building a chimney too close to the main house, causing issues with permits as well.
Further, the homeowner removed close to 50 trees before closing. It was a complete nightmare. If my client did not agree, they were planning on going to the next buyer.
It took over six months to close the property. It was such a long and stressful transaction, but in the end, once we closed, my client and his family were extremely happy.
To top it off, I was approached by a producer with Hulu who had seen some of my social media videos, asking me if I had any recent transactions that I thought would make a good TV show. So I suggested this one, and they made an episode out of it. It was documented on a Hulu show, called First Time Buyer, season five, episode four. It was a lot of fun to shoot.
