Jill Still | Colonial Title
In this episode, Jill Stitt from Colonial Title discusses her personal journey, her role at the company, and the importance of fostering a supportive and kind workplace. She reflects on meeting amazing realtors and advocates the significance of homeownership. Jill also highlights the unique culture at Colonial Title and their client-centric approach.
Show Notes:
Guest: Jill Stitt, Colonial Title
Discovering the Heart of Colonial Title with Jill Stitt In this episode of the Tulsa Is Home Podcast, host Rod sits down with Jill Stitt of Colonial Title to explore her background and her recent involvement in the title industry. Jill shares her personal journey from Arkansas to Tulsa, her experiences as a single mother, and how she met her husband, Keith, who has owned Colonial Title for 20 years. They discuss the unique aspects of Colonial Title, including its locally owned, lawyer-operated model, and the primarily female workforce. Jill delves into the relationships she has built within the real estate community and how the business prioritizes personal connections and customer service. She highlights the company’s bilingual services, the importance of creating a welcoming environment, and her passion for fostering a family-like culture in the workplace. The interview provides an intimate look at what makes Colonial Title special and why Tulsa is home for Jill and many others.
00:00 Introduction to the Tulsa Is Home Podcast
01:13 Meet Jill Stitt: Background and Journey
02:37 Colonial Title: Company Overview and Staff
03:41 Experiences and Insights in the Title Industry
12:12 The Importance of Communication in Real Estate
15:43 Hispanic Agents and Language Barriers
16:50 Office Culture and Community
19:08 Educational Seminars and Networking
21:13 The Importance of Kindness in Business
25:08 Tulsa as Home
30:03 Conclusion and Future Aspirations
Transcript:
You know, just gives you a, a bit more of a heart for, um, the people that, that walk through our doors in different situations, different backgrounds, and just remembering, you know, that, that, uh, they’re there because they, they want a safe, secure home. Mm-hmm. And so it has, it has really opened my eyes and I say this truly that it’s really fun.
To get to be part of that process and to be able to really think about the word home and what that means
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Welcome to another episode of the Tulsa’s Home Podcast. Uh, today we get to sit here with Jill Stitt with Colonial Title and, uh, just learn more about, um, a little bit in the title industry, but then more so of your background and, uh, just a little bit behind the scenes of who makes up Colonial Title.
Who’s involved there? And, uh, so first off, um, just introduce yourself, your involvement with Colonial and how you got started with it.
Okay. Um, well, that’ll be the last question you ask because here we go. Um, my name is Jill Stitt. Uh, my background, let’s see. I moved here in 1991 from Arkansas. I moved here in 1991 to go to college.
I’ve been here ever since. Um. I have, have a little girl that I was a single mother for a lot of years and sent her to Regent, which is how I met a lot of amazing people. Ended up meeting my husband there, Keith. Um, he and I were married in, uh, 2015. He’s had Colonial title, um, for, we just celebrated our 20 year anniversary, November the third.
Um, and so he’s had that company for 20 years. He and I have just been married 10, and I’ve only been involved, um. Very recently, um, through really the Lord’s handiwork since, um, basically July of last year. Okay. So I knew, and then, um, two or three years ago, Keith also bought, um, an abstract company in southern Oklahoma.
Okay. So he’s very busy with that.
Yeah, absolutely. So what, what have been, um, the most intriguing part of that industry that you’ve. Learned being in the last, the last year.
I can, I can answer that. Uh, what has been fantastic for me, so I just really started going in, I thought to, um, spend some more time with the staff.
We have a staff of 24 people, I believe that’s right, maybe 25 right now. And almost all women. Uh, there’s, um, three lawyers at, at our, through, through our office. It’s lawyer owned. I do know that that’s something we talk about a lot in the title business, locally owned and lawyer owned. Uh, but there, there are three male lawyers there.
We have a, a, a, a young guy that is our transportation secretary. We call him some people. We call him a courier. Mm-hmm. We call him the Secretary of Transportation. And other than that, um, all women. Um, so I thought I was just going there to really, um, spend time with them and, and maybe give some attention to some areas that had been lacking.
Mm-hmm. Um, but, and that’s been amazing and that has ha that’s been fun. But what has been e far more mind blowing to me has been the number of really amazing kind. And I’m not just saying this kind. Um. Uh, loving res, uh, relational, uh, realtors that I’ve met. Mm-hmm. And I had no idea, um, how many friends I would make.
Awesome. And how many people really, you know, you kind of, at least in my case, I was a, for years being a mom was my mm-hmm. Primary role in life. And through regent preparatory, which is where I met the hands, um, I thought that I was in this magical little. Bubble just with these wonderful, which you are, that’s not un, that’s not untrue.
But I was under some kind of misconception that, that, uh, that the, that the, the greater city, uh, greater area, um, didn’t have, I. Uh, there, that there weren’t a show. I guess I would say there weren’t as many believers or mm-hmm. Or really strong Christian people living their life for Christ. And, and I say this, I, I talk about it quite a lot.
I certainly tell my mom about it. But, um, I have been really, uh, amazed in a, in a beautiful way at how many great people I meet. I have a group meeting, um, once a month, we call it goal getters. Mm-hmm. With some really successful agents or just different people, but. Kind of come across our path and hearing their story of how they got in the real estate business, how they get their clients, kind of their motivation.
Mm-hmm. Um, it’s been really cool. Uh, side story, not really about colonial title, but. One of the gentlemen in that group, I, I can say his name, Jesse Hancock. He, uh, he, he said when he was young, he didn’t have safe housing. Mm-hmm. And didn’t have a secure home. And so as an adult, that’s his, that’s really what God’s dropped in his heart.
Helping people find, even if it starts with apartments leasing or whatever. Mm-hmm. Um, and so I’m like, you know, what a beautiful, what a beautiful thing that, um. I’ve, I’ve, I’ve had a whole new appreciation in this business that also meeting great realtors has been probably primary, but it’s also been really extraordinary for me to give real thought to home.
Mm-hmm. And the, um, the gift we have of getting to, and I said this the other day, but kind of being the gatekeeper, the last place people stop on their journey to the turn the key mm-hmm. Is at, is at the title company. Yeah. And I, I did not know that because I, you know, did not have that background in this industry.
So I’ve been really, um. Beautifully surprised at how much joy there is in that arena. Mm-hmm. Of just getting to see people right before they’re, you know, a big event and some people the largest, um, financial impact investment they’ll ever make, and just the joy that they have the next step in their journey.
Yeah. It’s been really cool.
Absolutely. Mm-hmm. Yeah. So we. I mean, being a brokerage also. Yeah. Mm-hmm. We, I definitely know exactly where you’re talking about with
Yeah.
Was just kinda that experience with, with people. It’s a very big decision.
Yeah. It’s a very big decision. Last week I had of a young lady in, and she had three children, and, uh, they didn’t know.
They didn’t know that the mother was getting a house. And so I’m always, you know, oh, loud and talking and, and I, through the lender found out, um, that this was the secret. And I’m like, oh, thank God you told me. Because I would’ve been, oh, kids, are you so excited about your new room and, you know, whatever.
And, uh, then I later saw, uh, on Instagram. And when one of the children was a teenager, 12, 13 years old, and hugging her mother, and her mother had been able to pull off this surprising. Mm-hmm. I think a single mother had been being able to pull off the surprise of a home for her three kids. Mm-hmm. And I was like, I mean, that can make you cry just thinking about it.
It was really beautiful. I mean, it’s just, I wipe and now I have her address. Mm-hmm. I can pop in whenever I want and say Cute. Oh my gosh. Do you love this? But anyway, that’s been, it’s been amazing.
Yeah. Really
beautiful.
So you touched on, um. About 25 staff. Mm-hmm. Does how many locations do you have in? We have two
locations.
Okay. We have a location at 51, 21 South Wheeling. That’s a new building to us. Mm-hmm. We, it used to be an accountant’s office. A lot of people know that, um, when I mention the address, they say, oh, I think our accountant was there. Yeah. Uh, we bought that building and moved in July, beginning of July, end of June.
And then we also have an office, um, which, I’m sorry, I don’t have the address memorized in Owosso. Mm-hmm. There are two closers in Owosso staff there, and then there are four closer. Closers in the Tulsa office. Our processes processors are primarily in the Tulsa office. All three of the lawyers. Mm-hmm.
Something else, um, that you may not know? Uh, well, you don’t know. I don’t You don’t know this Rod? We also have, um, red Bud commercial title. Okay. And that’s a newer thing that’s happened the last couple years. But when you, when you pull into our Colonial mm-hmm. Main office, there’s a, alongside that on the building is Red Bud commercial and we have a closer for that.
And Jeff Lauer, who’s an amazing guy, um, great lawyer and also just an incredibly good human being. He, um, they do the commercial side. Okay. So that’s kind of fun and new and different. And then they have a real, kind of a separate entrance mm-hmm. At Colonial, um, separate closing area. Um. Yeah, so, so we have that.
And then, anyway, so then there are four or five employees that are always in Owosso, and then the rest are in our Tulsa office. Okay. So,
good deal. Mm-hmm. What do you, um, do you know what like the, the special like residential, um, just the traditional residential home, is that the, the specialty of Colonial?
Yes, that is. Um, other besides the Red Bed, but yes. Residential, um. A couple of things I could say on that one, which I had mentioned. Delsie Lassa is, was the first, um, bilingual closer in Tulsa. Mm-hmm. 15 years ago. Her anniversary, her work anniversaries in August. Awesome. And so that’s a big piece of her business.
Mm-hmm. Is primarily with, with the primary first language Spanish speakers. Uh, and so that’s, that’s one thing. And then the other thing I would say a lot of times what people say about Colonial and I’ve, I’ve. I think this is, I take this as a great compliment. Um, Kurt Bachman said this, that it’s um, kind of like your mom and pop, it’s a locally owned, so we don’t have more of a corporate.
Um. Many offices throughout. Mm-hmm. You will know everyone there. You know, you can go up and see your processor mm-hmm. You know, the face behind who’s helping you via email or your phone calls. Mm-hmm. So it is locally owned and it has a real, and adds a real personal touch. I hope that’s, that’s my goal, um, to really be a, be a family of, of, uh, agents and, and, uh, lenders.
Uh. And, and just be able to, to know that if you needed a, if, you know, if you have a question that you could call, like even during the snow days, I said, I think everyone has my phone number. Mm-hmm. I hope they do. Mm-hmm. Because that’s how I wanna live my life. That’s where, that’s the space I feel comfortable in.
Yeah. At least speaking for myself, um, I wanna know that I can, I can call and I can talk to someone and I matter. My phone call is mm-hmm. Just as important as. The top 500 real producers. Yeah. Phone call or whatever. So I feel like we do a very good job of that. My husband is always very, has been very passionate about not having, um, uh, voicemail.
Mm-hmm. Because he wants the phone answered. And we have a very, very strict rule of that the phone is to be answered on the third ring or before the third ring. Mm-hmm. And he wants that answered. And he doesn’t want, Kyle’s going to voicemail and that’s really important. Um, I was actually on the phone with my mom last night and she said.
That my sister had tried to call their church about, um, something very important, an emergency situation. And, uh, they had, she had gotten a voicemail and then there’s like a separate number for if this is a real emergency. Yeah. And you, you think about that. And so, you know, it’s good that people know if they call.
A real person will answer and they can get a real, and I’ve had a lot of people, I had during the snow day, I had an agent contacting me saying I need to talk to a lawyer about my, this client that’s house is through probate. Mm-hmm. And I asked my husband, he said, yeah, I’ll call her tomorrow, or you know, call her today, or whatever the deal was.
And I told her, I’m like, he’ll call you back. This is the number, expect the phone call. If you haven’t heard back in 24 hours, let me know. Mm-hmm. So I feel like just being able to have that. That, that for sure that that assurance that you’re going to get your answer.
Mm-hmm.
Um, that’s very important to me, and I feel like that’s really colonial’s niche.
Yeah. Awesome.
Which is a big communication is a huge thing.
That’s what I understand in that process. Yeah. Yes. I, I, and I, uh, I’ve learned a lot about that because I’m new to this world, but I’ve learned, I mean, I’m new to this realtor world. I’ve learned a lot about how people, you know, I talked to an agent recently at lunch and he said, I really want an email on Friday.
Mm-hmm. That says, this is where I’m at on all my files.
Even if there’s no real update. Yes. Yeah.
Mm-hmm. And we just got a Tiffany Lay, our office manager. She just got a new computer. Program, I’m sorry, I don’t know the name of it, but it kind of sends that mm-hmm. You get an indication saying, this is where we’re at in this process, this is what happens next.
And Right. I, I like to over communicate. Yeah. Because you can, you, you very rarely will get someone mad at you for over communicating. It’s, it’s lack of communication that really Sure. Drives you nuts. So I’m very big on, uh. I say it and then I re-say it, and then I follow up with what I’ve said. Because it also helps me to remember, because my, my 52-year-old brain, periodically, things get dropped all the time.
Yeah. Um, but yes, so I found that that’s really important that people, but I will say, you know, there’s some agents that, uh, Tina Pendergrass has been with Colonial the longest. She’s been there 20 years. She, and he started the company together. Mm-hmm. And interesting thing about her is. And her clients. She, she is, she is in such a way that you don’t have to contact her.
Mm-hmm. Like I have so many agents who’ve said, oh, I just, once I send it to you, once she’s, once my, um, transaction coordinator has sent the email, that’s it. Like, I’ll only hear if there’s a problem and I have to do something, but mm-hmm. She, they just know that. Whatever date they get to closing, it’s done.
Yeah. And, uh, so hers is a super efficient system. Other people want that hands-on. They want the response. Mm-hmm. They want the communication. So it’s kind of a, a, a boutique experience. Mm-hmm. In that you really just need to have a closer that operates in a way that is, is, uh, most comfortable for you. Yeah.
And so it’s really interesting. We have some very high, um, producing agents and they want the Tina Pendergrass experience ’cause they don’t have time to Yeah. They don’t wanna babysit it. They trust her to get it done. Yeah. And so she just. Knocks it out, you know, she’s got her system. So that’s kind of been fun for me to, to try to part when I’ve gotten new agents, to close with Colonial, to try to partner up, like who would be the best personality fit for them.
Yeah, for sure. Who’s, whose work process works the best for this person? You know, it’s interesting.
Yeah. I hadn’t, I hadn’t thought about that side of it with. Trying to actually
Yeah, accommodate, connect with,
with the right person
Uhhuh Sense. And I had a, I had an agent, uh, saying, you know, I like it when, when they, when, when, when you do a closing and someone stands up to greet you.
Mm-hmm. And everybody’s just got certain things that really, you know, uh. Or the, that it’s a professionalism that they’re looking for that. And so I, I love it when even if someone, even if I’m not able to move someone’s business over or haven’t been able to do so yet, and they, oh, I, I, I do a lot of, I, I’m kind of business development.
I do a lot of prospecting. I’m always reaching out because I feel like Colonial has a new face and they’re, and we’re working really hard and we’ve got a great product and we’ve got a great company. So, um, that’s something I enjoy doing and I enjoy telling that story. Mm-hmm. Uh, but it’s been, um, it’s been fun to hear, um, lost my train of thought.
It’s been fun to hear all the different things that people, um, value in that process. Yeah,
absolutely. And so you mentioned, um, you have a Hispanic
del c mm-hmm.
Staff. Mm-hmm. Or how many, how many of your staff? Um, two are fluent?
Well, cath, well, three actually, Kathy, our hospitality director, um, at the front dress, she’s, she’s been in, she’s been a citizen for.
30 years, I think. Mm-hmm. But she’s originally from Venezuela, as is Delsey. And so, um, because of that, because Delsey’s been there 15 years, um, Kathy’s been there 10, I think. Uh, we have a, a, a large number of, uh, Hispanic agents and that’s, uh, that’s been a big piece of her business. And that’s been really fun for me because I’ve gotten to meet people from everywhere.
And, uh,
we had a transaction with, with a client that. English was the second, second language, which I mean spoke fine, but getting into the details of like the legal
Yes. When
whatever there’s a language barrier is very difficult. And so it was a game changer to have a, a Spanish speaking like interpreter.
Yes. Basically for. For those legal parts.
We have an agent, um, and she, Vanessa is her name. She has said so many times, she used to do the, she used to have to do the interpreting and she said, I don’t want that responsibility. Yeah. I don’t want, you know, I don’t want to be legally responsible that I miss something.
You know, that’s my job is real estate and their job is title. Yeah. And so, um, I’ve, we’ve made a lot of friends, I, I’ve made a lot of new friends and I this year are. Our theme at our office is, you mean the world to us? And when you visit our office, we have globes and mm-hmm. We’re having a lot of fun with that.
And we do certain things for, uh, the first closing and the third and the fifth for our agents and our lenders. Mm-hmm. Uh, but at our, in our four year, there is a globe structure that when you walk in, you, you’ve followed us on Instagram, you’ve probably seen it, but I’d say this often. And it’s very true that when you’re standing underneath that, that, that those globes.
That’s kind of globe sculpture. You, each globe is turned in a different way, so that different angles so that you’ll see the oceans and some, and you’ll see South America or you’ll see, and it’s really been, um, a great, um, picture for the world we live in and what people are experiencing. Mm-hmm. And, you know, just gives you a, a, a bit more of a heart for, um, the people that, that walk through our doors in different situations, different backgrounds, and just remembering, you know, that, that, uh, they’re there because they, they want a safe, secure home.
Mm-hmm. And so it, it has, it has really opened my eyes and I say this truly that it’s really fun. To get, to be part of that process and to be able to really think about the word home and what that means for Yeah, for, you know, individuals, couples, families, whatever. It’s just been really a, a beautiful thing.
So we do have a lot of Hispanic, um, agents and Delsey does a great job. She’s really responsible for me being, working this much. The Lord put it in my life. And, um, and when I would go up to spend time with our staff, I would say. You know, as one does well, let me know if I can help you. Mm-hmm. If there’s anything I can do to help you, you know, don’t hesitate.
Well, Delcy who, uh, I jokingly say cannot be ignored, um, she, she would say, well, would you, would you go to this lunch with me? Would you reach out to maybe this person that you know, we. Something happened, we dropped the ball. We didn’t call back. Mm-hmm. An agent we used to have, but we’ve lost. And uh, so I was like, well, yeah, yeah, I can sure try.
I’m happy to, I’m happy to go and call and invite and try. And, uh, so one thing led to another and then I just got really busy doing that. And then another cool thing about our place, uh, that, that I’ve has been put on my heart to do, we have a beautiful office and there’s several areas in the office that are accommodate.
Large group. And this year one of my, one of my goals that I am doing, we have two seminars per month. Mm-hmm. That includes CE credit and typically we buy lunch or breakfast or whatever the deal is. But, um, we were supposed to have, last week, uh, Chris Hadley was coming to do chat, GPT, marketing and Chat, GPT, and uh.
But it had to be canceled because of the snow. Oh man. But next month we’re doing, uh, this really smart guy from Oklahoma City’s coming over. JJ I think is, he’s an accountant and his, his business is just with realtors. Huh? And how realtors can find different deductions. Yeah. And that, and I looked at his, um, PDF for the, for the seminar, and he talked about, uh, if you’re a realtor, and this is.
This is my wording, not his. I’m responsible for this content, but you could use, have your children and your marketing. Mm-hmm. And that you could pay them to do so. Yeah. And you know this, I didn’t know this. And then you could put it in their 5 29 or Roth IRA or whatever. I’m like,
how smart is, is that, and those cats that we talked about.
Right. Gotta gotta get your cats. I’ve gotta get
my cats involved. Oh, I have posted them on uh, Instagram a little bit. I have no one’s reached out though for a sponsorship opportunity, but. It’s probably going to happen right away. No. Um, but anyway, that’s been fun to open up our office for that and, um,
cool.
Have more people in just, you know, to meet us, or, and I don’t feel like, um, I mean, Keith’s strength is he’s a lawyer. His strength is, is, is, is the legal mind. Mm-hmm. And that’s great. You certainly need that. You need someone that. Can read the law with a fine tooth comb mm-hmm. And get it right. Especially when you’re dealing with title issues.
But you need, um, you need, you need some sort of a hostess to, um, yeah. Welcome people into your space. And that may have been something that, um, had been, that they could have used a little bit more of.
Yeah. You know. Well, awesome. I’m glad that you kinda found your, your niche with, with them and, um. It’s just, it’s cool to see with, uh, just companies how every, every piece, every person plays a different role.
Mm-hmm. And it all kind of comes together and in a messy family style. Yeah. I was
gonna say you are. Yeah. You certainly hope it comes together. Yeah. It really has come together and we really are having a great time. I, I, I said, I, I always tell this, and I hope the girls don’t mind, but there’s a lot of single moms mm-hmm.
In our group, uh, there’s a lot of, uh. Women that are the primary breadwinner for their family, and they deserve to have a great place to come to work. Yeah. And, and people that, um, acknowledge their effort and care about them personally. Mm-hmm. Because it is that it is a family organization and it’s, it’s, it’s, it’s, it’s the right size that you can know everyone really, really well.
And, and it, it’s, each person gets the. You know, has different needs in their life, different requirements, different, we just recently, um, I had everyone do the five love languages at the office. Mm-hmm. And we’ve done Enneagram tests and different value quizzes and things because it’s really hard to do that when you have a huge.
A huge organization, but it’s not when you have a family owned Yeah. Operation where you can really be more one-on-one with each person. And then that’s also true of our agents. Mm-hmm. Because we can, we really do know every agent that walks in the door, you know, we know their name, we generally know their basic information, who they’re with, their family.
And so it’s more of a relationship than just a transaction, which I know everyone says that, but it’s true. Well,
it’s more true than. Than, uh, in some places than others. Yes, definitely. That’s right. That’s right. And you can, and you can feel that.
Well, I believe when you come to Colonial title, you definitely feel that.
People tell us that all the time. Mm-hmm. And we have a great receptionist, Kathy, and people are always commenting. Yeah. And I told my husband that this weekend, he asked me, um. He asked me Saturday morning, he said, can you believe how much success you’ve had being very nice to me, and I’m a word person, so I was grateful for that.
But I really thought about that because we have had a year over which the industry itself has picked up some. Mm-hmm. You, you would, you know this in your own, your own work, but this January was better than last January, but. Ours was up significantly. Mm-hmm. And I, I, I can’t say I attribute that to my effort, but I can certainly say, um, I can’t attribute that to relationships.
Mm-hmm. Uh, but he asked me if I was blown away by the, by the success. And I really thought about that and, and I, and I, uh, I said, well, no, I’m really not surprised by that. I said, because people just respond to kindness. Yeah. They just respond to, they just do, they respond to genuineness. Mm-hmm. Um, sincerity.
They respond to it. I said, what I, what, I guess I am a little bit surprised by what I am surprised by not a little bit is, um, how much people love kindness. Yeah. And how mu and how almost. How unusual it is. Yeah. You know, I don’t know if you find that, but I have Well, people just get
so busy with the day to day and the, and the transaction and, and, yeah.
Yeah.
It’s kind of a hard world, so I, I really, I mean, just being lighthearted and, and, uh, being joyful and, and, and, and trying, you know, meeting the need as well. But I’ve really been surprised by the outpouring of love that I, I, personally am awesome. I, I really am. I’m, I went to an event. Friday night, just for an hour or two, kind of a ribbon cutting deal.
And, uh, people are so, I mean, I left there just, my heart was so full because I felt that there were so many people in the room I loved mm-hmm. And I felt loved back. And I, I’m like, wow, who knew this opportunity? You know? I thought I had a lot of friends before, but I’ve really made just so many fantastic friends and I, yeah.
It’s really been a shockingly beautiful thing that came out of nowhere for me. Awesome. Yeah, it’s really been fun.
Good. All right. Last question. Going off of the theme, Tulsa is home.
Mm-hmm.
So why, and just kind of in a nutshell, why do you consider Tulsa as home to you
r relationships? Uh, I, I mean, uh, I wish I could, I was thinking about this.
I listened to some of your podcasts last week, and I always think of this story. I think it was Ronald Reagan. Who used to tell them, if anyone can find this, I really want, I’ve looked for it. He, he tells, he had this anecdote where he, uh, he, the story was a man walks into a town and he sees a gentleman there and he said, sir, do you live here?
And the man said, yes, I do. And. The guy, well, I’m new to town. Do you think I’m gonna like living here? Have you heard this? And he said, uh oh, it’s very good. Well get, get ready. You’re getting ready. So I’m good. Um, and he said, uh, and the, and the resident said to the man, he said, well, how did you like your last town?
And the man said, oh, I hated my last town. And it was terrible. People were rude and horrible and thieves and whatever he said. And uh, and the resident said, well, I think you’ll probably find this town to be the same. The other day, a guy walks in, same situation except the resident says to the new community resident, he said, um.
The guy said, well, he said, do you think I like living here? And the man said, well, how did you like your last town? Oh, I love my last town. Everyone there was wonderful. They were so kind. Mm-hmm. I had so many friends, I hated to leave that town. Um, and that makes me kind of cry. And uh, the guy said, well, I think you’ll find this town to be exactly the same.
Yeah. And that’s so true. You know, you, um, it’s really just people. I was very fortunate, um, to go to, to have my daughter at Regent. Who knew. I mean, that was a miracle that the Lord did that in my life and I found so many fantastic friends there, which I always said was the special thing about Regent was the main thing that’s special about Regent is people are are doing their dead level best just to do what God asked them to do.
I hope that’s the case. I haven’t been there in a bit, but. Yeah. And I said, and that makes the place very, very special. Mm-hmm. And so I thought that that was kind of a, a unique situation that would never be replicated, but the fact is, it is replicated in my life over and over. Mm-hmm. Uh, and so it’s just, it is 100% people, you can live anywhere, but just, I have, I mean, I, I’m very fortunate and I’m, boy am I ever fortunate that I have so many beautiful friends in my life and beautiful relationships.
And I, for me, I guess it’s kind of a founder family. I moved here senior, or you know. I moved here the day after I graduated high school. Mm-hmm. And my sister has lived here a little, some, a little on and off early on, but, um, my family was always, you know, I didn’t have family here. Mm-hmm. So I had to kind of create one.
And then I was a single mom and it was just my little, my little daughter and I Yeah. And how’s that gonna go? So RET became that family and now she’s moved away. She’s going to Ole Miss. And so you wonder, well, will that family disintegrate? Will that fall apart? Mm-hmm. Because you’re not in that same.
With that same group of people every day at pick up and drop off. Yeah. And doing your thing. But no, I have such beautiful, wonderful, lasting friendships. And so for me, Tulsa is home because I know that they’ll say you can go and they’re nice people. But I do feel like, um, and no, I don’t feel, I know Tulsa is extraordinary in that there are just so many very kind, caring, um.
People with really full hearts mm-hmm. To pour into other people. And so it’s enjoy
who genuinely care.
Who genuinely care. And, and I really believe, uh, very often, genuinely are trying to do the right thing. Yeah. And, and I know that that can, can be a little bit of a gray area, but I really believe that even, you know, I was, um, my young lady that works for us, Maddie is her name.
She had contacted me last week about this organization, which, I’m sorry, I don’t know the name of it. But it’s young people who are doing, uh, these, it’s, uh, a mobile shower, like for homeless people to have a shower and a haircut. Mm-hmm. And it’s this whole thing. And they’ve got a, they received a large amount of money from Transformation Church.
And anyway, Maddie, my, our Maddie Colonials Maddie, she had said maybe we should do something for this, you know? Mm-hmm. Should we? And, and then this terrible cold weather we just experienced here in Tulsa. Uh, but you know, just things like that. And I know, I guess every community has that, but. Maybe they do.
I don’t know. I just feel like from, from the, from the least to the greatest, there’s a, a great deal of care, um, for just, you know, your. The person standing right next to you. Mm-hmm. So I, Tulsa is a very, uh, and, and you hear that, you know, I have people move here all the time. You know, I meet people all the time now in my life and they say that same thing and I’m like, that’s so true.
Mm-hmm. You’ll find that, you know, we don’t have white sandy beaches. I wish we did, but we really have some great people.
So we got some dunes somewhere, right? Well, we do. I’ve heard about these. I haven’t been there. Yes.
I was always gonna take Andy to dig those crystals. Darn it. Why did I not get that done?
Now she’s 19. She couldn’t care less. Uh. No, it’s fun, isn’t it? Yeah. It’s been really, it’s really a neat place
Yeah.
To call home. Absolutely.
Well, thank you for joining us and for just kind of breaking down colonial title and just, uh, a little peek behind the curtain.
Well, and
uh, just kind of how you got started in it and.
So
it’s an honor. It’s an honor to be on. I love Pod. No one enjoys podcasts more than me. I love podcasts and so I said I always wanna do a book tour. Yeah. And I wanna write a book. I hope someday I get to do that. I have no idea how it would ever happen, but you never know. Miracle State all the time happen.
But I said I, this is my third or fourth podcast I’ve done recently, and I. Said this morning at the office. I said, I’m kind of on my podcast tour. Yeah. I’m having so much fun. So thank you. Absolutely. And thanks to your beautiful wife. Absolutely. And I just absolutely adore. Thank you for letting me do this.
For sure. Yeah,
my pleasure.
