Coaching, Closings, and Learning Mandarin: What My Career Looks Like Mid-Transformation
I’ve been working in the real estate industry for 20 years. I want to believe I've gotten really good at what I do. But lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about the next 20 years. I don’t know what the world of work will look like in 2045 when I’m (hopefully) quitting work forever to live my best Golden Girls life. I do know it will look VERY different than it looks now. Like everyone else I'm watching one unprecedented event after another unfold in the world.
I can't stop thinking- if I want to have as much freedom, control, and variety as I’ve had in my career thus far, (hopefully MORE!) I know that I’m going to need to adapt to what's happening, follow my curiosity, and learn some new skills. Here's my thought process as I'm working to transform my career at 45.
STEP 1. GROW AS A PERSON & DEVELOP THE COACHING SKILL
Studying for my Professional Certificate in Executive Coaching at Henley Business School in Oxfordshire, UK.
The first step was completing the Professional Certificate in Executive Coaching at Henley Business School. I was encouraged to look into the program by my a Swiss friend who had been through the program- which is how I ended up flying back and forth to the UK throughout the summer of 2024 to study with a cohort of British and European professionals. It challenged me to shift from “let me tell you what your problem is” (my default consulting style) to learning how to guide clients toward their own confident, empowered decisions. It was rigorous, deeply rewarding, and pushed me to grow in ways I hadn’t expected.
Henley didn’t just teach me how to coach professionals, it taught me how to be with people in a way that required me to slow down, let go of control, and trust the client. The program challenged me to grow and set aside my well-honed consulting instincts (like spotting the problem and jumping to solutions) and instead hold space for uncertainty, silence, and the client’s own insights.
When I finished, people started asking when I was going to start coaching people as a full time business. While I am coaching some regular clients, doing trainings, and holding retreats (mainly in the real estate business) I realized my ongoing development as a coach isn't the end game. It's just the beginning of a new toolkit I'll need as I feel my way towards whatever is next.
The next step? Learning Mandarin.
Learning mandarin at Shuo Hao Language School in Taipei, Taiwan in Spring of 2025
STEP 2: LEARN MANDARIN. OPEN MY EYES TO THE REST OF THE WORLD.
First Mandarin lesson with Joe at the Shuo Hao Language Center in the Da'an District of Taipei, Taiwan.
I was an exchange student in Italy as a teenager, and after some early struggles, over the years I have learned to speak Italian pretty well. (Per gli italiani: dopo qualche Aperol Spritz di troppo, dovete impedirmi di cantare tutta "Serenata Rap" di Jovanotti). I’ve studied Spanish and French as well.
For a while there I thought I was kind of a woman of the world. But as global events unfold I am finally realizing what a tiny little corner of the world I've been inhabiting. There's a lot more to know and interact with- and I when I consider what will be useful and fulfilling in the years to come, I keep coming back to Mandarin. And to China.
It started when I read all three of Cixin Liu’s Three Body Problem books (shoutout to my friend author Erik Hanberg for the rec!). They cracked my brain open. Especially the second one, The Dark Forest. If you know, you know.
Writer Cixin Liu won a Hugo for writing these books that shifted my view of the universe (and China!) forever.
They made me realize how little I truly understand about Chinese history, language, and thought. That curiosity turned into a persistent urge to see more of the world. Now I’m in Taipei for a month, studyng three hours a day at a local language school with a Mandarin tutor. I’m humbling myself again as a beginner.
When I think about how hard it was to learn Italian, I want to laugh. Or cry. THIS IS HARDER. But I’m here. And I’m doing it. 五声, IYKYK.
Tacoma real estate agent Marguerite Martin recording episodes of the Move to Tacoma Podcast with Doug Mackey in Tacoma, Washington. Photo by David Putnam for South Sound Business Magazine.
STEP 3: REAL ESTATE MATCHMAKING AND WRITING A SELF HELP BOOK
Celebrating 10 Years of the Move to Tacoma Podcast with Producer Doug Mackey at Moonyard Studios in Tacoma, WA
I’m still running MoveToTacoma.com, my 10-year-old podcast, neighborhood guide, and real estate matchmaking business that helps people find their place and their agent in Tacoma, Washington. I’m proud of what I’ve built, and deeply grateful for the clients and incredible agents who make it all work. It goes without saying, if you're looking for a real estate agent in the Pacific Northwest and beyond, I want to help find you the best one for you.
After all these years this funny little business I've made has given me a life that is unusually free and geographically flexible for a real estate agent. I’m grateful for that.
But I’ve also had this long-held dream of writing a real estate self-help book. For years I’ve been scribbling pieces of it in Google Docs, email drafts, and voice memos. I've struggled to find an angle that felt both helpful to others and true to myself. Now I’m finally putting the pieces together into something real. If you’re in the real estate business (and especially if you dream of getting out someday) stay tuned. This passion project is for you.
LET ME TELL YOU WHAT MY PROBLEM IS.
A few weeks ago I asked ChatGPT what my problem was. Do it. I dare you. Among other bits of interesting feedback, it noted I might be a little obsessed with obsolescence. Fair enough, GPT. In fairness to me, I live in a country with zero social safety net. In America our survival depends entirely on how valuable our labor is in the current work environment. Sick pay and pensions are for an elite few. God forbid you're elderly, disabled, or have skills that are discarded by the capitalist meat grinder. Lol, was that too much for LinkedIn? Are you still reading?
In a world where the global order is being reorganized and AI is on the cusp of changing the way all of us live and work- am I the only mid-career person feeling an urgent desire to stay relevant? Whether it’s coaching, learning a new language, or shifting how I relate to the industry I’ve been working in for decades- staying curious and adding tools makes me feel less anxious about the massive amounts of change the coming decades are sure to hold.
So for the next month I’m here. In a little apartment in Taipei, Taiwan. Practicing Mandarin. Running a real estate business. Writing a book. Making peace with the anxiety of the shifting world by proving to myself I can do new things.
About the Author Marguerite Martin is a Tacoma real estate agent, business coach, and lifelong learner currently practicing Mandarin in Taipei. She’s the creator of MoveToTacoma.com, a Tacoma podcast and referral-based business that helps people find their place (and their real estate agent) in Tacoma, Washington. After 20 years in real estate, she’s exploring what comes next, starting with a coaching certification from Henley Business School, a self-help book for real estate professionals, and a commitment to doing hard things on purpose. Follow her journey at margueritemartin.com or on Instagram @movetotacoma.
