For Barbara Shallue, a successful real estate career wasn’t part of an early-life plan. Instead, it emerged after decades of work, raising children, and exploring different professional paths.
Today, 13 years into her career as an Austin-area realtor with Keller Williams, Shallue has built a business steeped in service, patience, and authenticity.
Her path to real estate was anything but conventional. Early in life, she pursued a career in chemical engineering, then left college to work at a chemical plant while raising a family. Later, after years as a stay-at-home mother and pursuing writing projects, she found herself searching for a stable career.
Encouraged by her husband and sister-in-law, Shallue reluctantly enrolled in real estate courses, fully expecting the work to feel dull. Instead, she discovered a profession that suited her personality.
“I realized I loved it,” Shallue said. “It’s the best of both worlds because I’m my own boss and I’m constantly learning.”
Starting a new career later in life came with challenges. Shallue remembers battling imposter syndrome early on, particularly while competing with younger agents and learning the complexities of the business. Over time, however, she reframed her role.
Rather than seeing herself as a salesperson, she views real estate as a service-driven profession.
“I look at it as advising,” she said. “We’re helping people make decisions, but they’re the ones who decide what’s right for them.”
Shallue believes her life experience has become one of her greatest professional strengths. Years of parenting, volunteering, and navigating family transitions have shaped the way she works with clients.
“Listening to people and really understanding what they need — that’s the most important part,” she said.
She also frequently works with older clients navigating major life transitions, an experience she brings with empathy, having guided her own parents through later-life changes.
For women considering a career pivot later in life, Shallue’s advice is simple: don’t overthink it.
“Just quit overthinking and do the thing,” she said.