Makenzie Mullin

My faith is what I attribute my success to. It's ingrained in me that if you do the right thing and you treat people nicely, things are gonna work out. People are gonna put you down and try to see how knowledgeable you are, and you can't take it personally. You have to go back to your faith. Because if you're gonna allow other things, outliers, to affect you and hurt you, what is going to be your common denominator that makes you you, that you know that you're better than that? When I really think about it, what has made me level up at the worst of times is having this feeling in me of hope, this energy of, like, kind of like a lion - there's so much more for me. I know that there's so much more for me. So I think it's my faith and just knowing what's right and treating people correctly, and that there's an energy that the universe will respond to you if you're enforcing what it means to be a good human, and that's what drives me. If you're the person that can set the example that did the right thing, who cares about the money? It's the best feeling in the world.

The best advice I ever received was from Bill Curry, a former professional football player, at a legal convention in Arizona. He told me that there are two pains in life: the pain of fear and the pain of regret. You choose. His message was to get uncomfortable and put yourself out there. You're not learning unless you're uncomfortable. It's in those moments you become a better person overall, and then bigger doors open up. Are you gonna be the person that's gonna fear that you're gonna have rejection, or are you going to have the fear of the pain that I got the rejection, but I overcame that pain? The doctors also told me when I wanted to become a physician assistant, if you're not uncomfortable, you're not learning. That has stuck in my mind - when people feel uncomfortable, it's a good feeling. That's not a bad feeling. That means you're putting yourself out there because you want to learn. That's my biggest motivation to people: get uncomfortable.

I would tell young women entering this industry to get uncomfortable. When people feel uncomfortable, it's a good feeling - that means you're putting yourself out there because you want to learn. I think people who are wanting to become healthcare providers should seek out this type of work and put it on their resume when applying to schools, because schools want to see who you are aside from having a good GPA. What's going to separate you apart is that you were doing door-knocking sales and roofing and getting up on the roof while trying to pay for medical bills. There's a lot of connection - you're learning how, as a woman or a man wanting to become a healthcare provider, the essential tools that you need with sales and door knocking to have good bedside manners. These healthcare providers could use some social skills that will help in their practice in the long run. I'd like to help recruit people who are really high-caliber for the sales route, but they have a different future - they're developing good skills through my program and then broadening their future. This doesn't have to be your future. All I'm trying to do is take the pressure off. I would love it if someone said you could help me out with two homes and I could make this and I'd be set for my rent for the next 6 months, so I could focus on schooling and having food on the table. I don't need you to become a roofer - it's dangerous, I know people don't like this. But women are being forced to work now because of our economy, so we need to allow women an opportunity where they can make large amounts of money and they don't have to clock in and clock out.

The biggest challenge is fear of heights. The first time I shadowed a guy and he asked if I was gonna get up on the roof, I didn't have the right shoes, and the first thing I thought was I'm gonna fall. I thought, this is what I have to do to make that kind of money, so I asked where do I get those shoes? When I got the proper shoes, you get more comfortable, but you gotta change the bottom of the pads out because if you don't have that traction, that's not safe. As for opportunities, there's high income potential and a flexible work schedule. For example, yesterday in just 2 hours from door knocking, I got 3 claims which could potentially pay my monthly rent for the next 12 months. If someone could understand, it really doesn't take much. I want you to see what it feels like to have a big number in your bank account and then dream about what you can do with that money, because to me, that's hope, and I think people need that. You don't have to work with me all the time - you could take a break and then come back in 6 months. It's just this trusting relationship that I think companies are missing.

The values most important to me are being kind, understanding, and forgiving. I also value integrity - I'm unapologetically myself. I put my hands behind my back, I call people sir or ma'am, and I think men really respect when you say yes, sir. If I get a feeling that the conversation seems unprofessional, out of respect, to get the conversation back on track, I'll say that, and men really respect it. I'm here to respect and to work with you. I think it comes down to education that I learned in healthcare. The roofing industry doesn't explain things - they want to keep people confused. I like to educate and set the kitchen table and tell them how to read their scope of loss so that they know what money is coming in and where it's going. People really respect that. That's something I'm trying to set the tone in roofing that has been long misunderstood. I'm all about women empowerment and family. People are hurt, and people want to have someone come at their door that is just a different light and energy.