Growing up in a multi-cultural family, I lacked a sense of belonging. Fortunately, my family helped me to believe that anything is possible. My journey has proven that to be true.

My family is a wonderful brew of different cultures and languages. I’m the daughter of a Cuban father and a German mother who fled Nazi Germany during World War II. My mom ultimately ended up in Cuba, where she met and married my father. My dad was able to get a job in Puerto Rico since he spoke the language, and my siblings and I were born there.

As a family, we struggled because of a lack of money, yet I would never call us “poor.” My siblings and I had love and support, and my parents always found a way to come up with the money we needed. They did an amazing job of making us feel safe. I learned not to feel ashamed of anything as long as I tried my best, an attitude I carried throughout my life.

Since my parents weren’t native to Puerto Rico, I grew up feeling like an outsider. I felt I had to work harder to prove myself. I learned that you might fail 10 times, but on the eleventh time, you’ll get up and run.

That resilience and belief in the power of hard work led me to one of several turning points in my life — the decision to attend Tufts University in Boston. I’ve always been an entrepreneur, so I majored in economics to get a firm grasp of the business world.

After graduating, I moved back to Puerto Rico to be with my family. I thought I would always live there, but God has a sense of humor. My siblings married Americans and moved to the U.S. Then, when I was 39, my husband decided to live in America, and we relocated to North Carolina. It was painful to leave my parents, but Puerto Rico was gripped by massive economic troubles. Unfortunately, the U.S. was also struggling since it was 2009, right after the economic crisis of 2008 hit.

This proved to be one of the most stressful times of my life. I had owned a chain of 21 stores for a decade in Puerto Rico, and after the move, we were nearly broke. I had to start from scratch and chose to get my real estate license. The work ethic I gained from my family and my own inner resources came into play again.

The obstacles to success were many. My children didn’t speak English, my husband and I had to establish new careers, and my dear father was dying. With the economy crashing, I was trying to make ends meet every single day. Still, I never really lost hope.

For me, one of the secrets to bouncing back was making time for things I love. I started exercising and dancing again – I even had a ballet recital on pointe at the age of 41. I also began to build a community of friends in North Carolina. Soon, my sense of self returned, and with it, my success began to grow.

Today, I am honored to have built my own successful brand and team of dedicated agents. Our office includes two full-time employees working for Patsy Arriaga & Associates, brokered by eXp Realty. I started out in the residential sector, but I’ve expanded my business to include commercial realty, and I work with private equity groups to fund developments. While we are still growing, our focus on each and every client remains the same.

I embrace life fully, and in my free time I travel the world with my husband and two children, of whom I could not be prouder. As a REALTOR®, I love my work and helping clients achieve their dreams. I can’t think of anything more rewarding.

Working as a REALTOR® is a joy for me. I love people and want to help you make the best decision you can for this time in your life. I work to understand where you are currently and what you see as your next step.

Having gone through my own share of hardships, I can understand your struggles. My goal is to help you build equity, but I will always be honest with you and tell you if it’s not the right time to buy or sell. I take pride in being open and caring. My clients become part of my family, and I consider that the only way to treat your family.

As an example, I sold a home to a Cuban refugee 12 years ago. He and his family had never owned a home before. I then helped him sell it five years later, which enabled him to buy his next home with cash and bank an extra $100,000. He cried with joy. “My friend,” I told him, “That’s the American dream.”