We had the good fortune of connecting with Paul Fortier and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Paul, what’s something about your industry that outsiders are probably unaware of?
How valuable a honest, hard working experienced real estate agent can be. It’s like hiring an awesome accountant that knows all the ins & outs of the tax code and can find all the ways you can reduce your tax burden, legally. Speaking of legally, if you hire a terrific divorce attorney that looks out for your best interest you are better off in the long run. A great real estate agent is one who looks out for your best interest, someone that works hard on your behalf with the fiduciary duty to help you achieve your goals is well worth their commission.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
Growing up working in the family dry-cleaning business (Paul’s Cleaners, named after my dad Leo Paul) was not easy. Father was more demanding of his children than the other employees. However, that experience taught me so much about running a small business (dad did his own payroll) having a high work ethic, & most importantly, the value, the skill & art really, of giving tremendous customer service to our clients. My mom (Aline) instilled that high quality service is everything when it comes to being a successful service driven business. From there I became a crew leader in a landscaping company then found opportunities to grow at a restaurant. At 18 years of age I had goals of getting ahead. I had 3 jobs one of which was working evenings as a dishwasher. Within 3 years I worked my way up to being the youngest General Manager in a chain of 7 restaurants then I was promoted to a district manager. Eventually at age 27 I saved up enough money to purchase my first property, a four family apartment building. I did all the renovations, raised rents and over the next 18 years leveraged my properties increasing my portfolio to include multi-family properties, single family homes, commercial & residential investment properties. It all came crashing down after the 2008 real estate crisis. many of my tenants lost their jobs and couldn’t pay their bills. Because of that, I struggled to pay mine. Though I owed a lot of money I chose not to go bankrupt, sold all the investment property and paid off all my outstanding debt. For me it was about being a man of my word. I promised the bank I would pay them back and I did. I’m proud of that. After restaurant management, I spent years in the Healthcare industry managing environmental services & safety teams supervising hundreds of employees in multiple locations. Finally after a difficult divorce, I spent time reevaluating my life. They say you should do what you love to do, so I decided to become a Realtor because I like to give outstanding customer service, I like properties & love meeting new people from all walks of life, backgrounds & cultures. Giving great customer service, means first being honest with your client, then providing excellent communication and follow-up. My wife and I went shopping a few years ago and found a wooden sign that reads “The best things in life are not things”. I love that statement because it embodies one of my philosophies. Even though I’m in sales, I don’t over sell my clients. I put their needs ahead of my own. I could not ask for a better career. I love what I do! Family is everything & this career choice allows me to be there for my children in ways another career would make it impossible. I’ve been able to show up & be present in my kids lives & that’s extremely rewarding.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Nashua NH is a fantastic place to live. Our natural beauty is abundant with lots of opportunities to explore. In the center western part of the city there is a place call Mines Falls, with miles of walking/biking trails and yes even a water fall at a hydro electric dam. Our city has fantastic shopping and world class dining with lots of pubs, breweries and a wide array of ethnic restaurant choices that covers everyone’s budget. In the spring we have the “Taste of Downtown” where patrons have one ticket price & get to walk the city sampling many chefs offerings presented in different settings. We have a vibrant art scene; interesting and historical architecture, many murals & sculptures to discover. Last year the new Nashua Performing Arts Center had its grand opening with big and small acts from near & far. Usually the Saturday after Thanksgiving there is a “Holliday Stroll” that starts at city hall with ice carvings, then with lit candles in hand thousands of people gather to walk all the way down Main Street to watch Santa light the Christmas tree. There are various musicians and family friendly entertainment choices. If it’s March when you visit, I would highly recommend a trip to Parkers Maple Barn in Mason NH where they show you the process of making Maple Syrup, there’s a gift shop restaurant and museum. Any time is a good time to visit nearby Andres Art Institute in Brookline NH. Free walking trails (donations accepted) that go up a small mountain where you discover some amazing sculptures where artists from around the world display some of their work.
Being in central southern NH, Nashua boarders Massachusetts, we are about an hour away from Boston, Portsmouth & the coast or the White Mountains where endless adventures await.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My wife Mindy & my 3 children have been super supportive. Mindy believes in me and has been my biggest cheerleader, encouraging me 100% to finally go all in with being out on my own, something I have always wanted to do, & now wish that a did much earlier in life. Leaving employment security and the benefits that come with working in corporate America took a leap of faith. One I am so glad I did.

Website: fortierproperties.kw.com

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Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/paul.fortier.37?mibextid=JRoKGi

Image Credits
provided by Paul Fortier

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