Jessica Stanford's journey from 13 years in real estate marketing to sales reveals how unconventional career paths build unexpected strength. Her transition showcases how strategic experience translates into authentic client relationships and market expertise.
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Influential Woman · Real Estate
Jessica Stanford
Licensed Real Estate Agent / New Development Specialist, The Agency Steamboat Springs
Steamboat Springs, CO 80487
13Years experience
1Article published
1Award received
In Conversation
Jessica Stanford for Bold. Brilliant. Unstoppable.
Read the transcript
Jessica Stanford: Growth rarely happens where we're comfortable.
What does being an Influential Woman mean to you?
Jessica Stanford: To me, being an influential woman isn't about titles or recognition. It's about the impact you have on the people around you, and influence comes from showing up consistently, treating people well, and being willing to take chances on yourself. A few months ago, I made the leap after a decade of working behind the scenes in marketing to be on the front lines of real estate sales. It was definitely uncomfortable, but it reminded me that growth rarely happens where we're comfortable. If my story gives another woman the confidence to believe she's capable of something bigger than she imagined. Then that's what being influential means to me.
What's one piece of advice you would give to younger women chasing their dreams?
Jessica Stanford: Don't wait until you feel completely ready because that moment probably won't come. Some of the biggest opportunities in my life came before I felt qualified or confident enough to take them. The difference wasn't that I had all the answers. I was willing to learn, work hard, and trust that I could figure things out along the way. Also, don't compare your beginning to someone else's middle. Focus on becoming a little better every day. Stay curious, ask questions, and be someone people enjoy working with. Your reputation will open more doors than perfection ever will.
Full transcript available
Her Story
About Jessica
Jessica Stanford is a Licensed Real Estate Agent and New Development Specialist with The Agency Steamboat Springs in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, where she focuses on luxury residential properties, branded residences, and new construction projects. With more than a decade of experience spanning real estate marketing, operations, and sales, she brings a strong blend of strategic branding and client representation to every project she leads. Her work centers on helping developers position and launch communities while guiding buyers through the complexities and opportunities of new development ownership.
Stanford began her real estate career in 2013 in Steamboat Springs, working in administrative and marketing roles before earning her real estate license in 2016. She later joined The Agency RE (formerly the Paoli Group), where she advanced through roles in marketing assistant, account management, and creative leadership before transitioning into her current sales-focused position. Over the years, she has collaborated closely with leading developers and firms such as MR Homes, specializing in development marketing, project branding, and go-to-market strategy for high-end residential communities.
A long-time resident of Steamboat Springs since 2013, Jessica combines deep local market knowledge with a strong foundation in business and marketing, earned through her associate’s degree from South Hills School of Business & Technology. She is recognized for her attention to detail, creative problem-solving, and ability to translate architectural vision into compelling buyer experiences. Her approach is rooted in relationship-building and storytelling, helping clients and developers connect meaningfully with each property and the lifestyle it represents.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Jessica
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to Chris Paoli, my business partner and managing partner, who believed in me from the start when I was hosting at a local restaurant. He gave me opportunities, showed me how to work hard and be valuable, and is incredibly creative in storytelling and lifestyle marketing. I owe so much to him for changing my life over the last decade.
02What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Be as curious as possible. Ask as many questions as you can because people love to talk about themselves, especially on a home search. Let your clients talk so you become an incredible listener by being there and being a sponge.
Her Content Hub
Articles by Jessica
From the Marketing Side of the Table to the Sales Side: My Leap of Faith
From Marketing Strategist to Real Estate Agent: A Leap of Faith in Steamboat Springs
For 13 years, I built my career on the marketing side of real estate. I directed the marketing and creative vision behind residential properties and new developments across Steamboat Springs, focusing on the branding, positioning, and go-to-market strategies that turn a listing into a home people can picture themselves living in. I learned how exceptional properties come to life, sell, and leave a lasting impact on the market, whether they were existing residences or communities still being built. What I didn't know then was how well that experience had prepared me for a different side of the business.
This year, I made the leap into sales. And I mean a genuine leap of faith. I was walking away from a role I knew inside and out to start over in one where I had everything to prove. But I wasn't starting from zero. I had 13 years of experience in this market, which meant I already knew the brokers, builders, and developers I'd be working alongside. And when I looked at the marketing and leadership team standing behind me at The Agency, it would have been outrageous not to go for it.
In my first week as a full-time agent, I sold one residence and put another under contract. It wasn't luck. It was the result of 13 years spent understanding buyer psychology, market positioning, and how to translate a conversation into a confident decision.
Today, I represent four new development projects in Steamboat Springs, and every day I'm working to be a valuable resource for people navigating one of the biggest decisions of their lives. Some days, that looks like hosting an open house. Other days, it's cold calling, posting on social media, showing properties, attending community events, or simply being present and involved in the town I've called home since 2013. I'm putting myself out there in a way I never had to when I was behind the scenes, and I'm loving every version of what that looks like. No two days are ever the same.
I've also always been the youngest person in the room. In this business, that doesn't automatically translate into being taken seriously. But I don't see it as a disadvantage. I see it as an opportunity to be part of the next generation raising the bar in this industry, in this town, and beyond.
I wouldn't be in this position without Chris Paoli, my mentor and business partner for the past decade. I've watched Chris close two of the largest residential real estate transactions in Steamboat's history. I've watched him take real risks and identify investment opportunities before anyone else saw them coming. He understands the Steamboat market—and every peak and valley it has experienced—better than anyone I've ever met. More importantly, he taught me how to listen, how to ask thoughtful questions, and how to be a sponge in every room I enter. Those lessons are with me every time I sit across from a client or developer today.
Looking back, I see my years in marketing as the foundation of my career. Directing marketing and creative strategy for residences, developments, and an entire brokerage meant I spent more than a decade in the room with some of the best builders, developers, and real estate professionals in this market, learning the details that make a project successful. That attention to detail has become the foundation of every buyer conversation, listing, and development I represent today.
If there's one thing I want other women building a career—or considering a leap of their own—to take from my story, it's this: your experience counts, even when it doesn't look like the traditional path. Sometimes the best preparation for the next chapter is the decade you spent building the one before it.
Jessica Stanford is a Real Estate Agent and New Development Specialist with The Agency Steamboat Springs, specializing in new construction, luxury developments, and branded residences throughout Steamboat Springs and Northwest Colorado. Her portfolio includes Powderline Steamboat, Basecamp Row, Terrain at Walton Creek, and Eighth Street Steamboat. A Steamboat Springs resident since 2013, she lives with her husband, Jake, and their golden retriever, Kahana.
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