Karen Storey comes from a strong background with more than 30 years experience in advertising sales, marketing, teaching, and business coaching coupled with a Master's Degree in Curriculum and Instruction from Virginia Tech. Karen graduated Princeton High School at age 16 in the top 1 % of her class and went on to become an educator and business coach. During the 2006-2007 school year, she encouraged and facilitated 144 students at Ronald Reagan High School in Forsyth County to volunteer more than 4,000 hours of community service with the goal of "connecting and sustaining our community and our world".

Karen believes as does Albert Schweitzer, Humanitarian (1875-1965): "I don't know what your destiny will be, but one thing I do know: the only ones among you who will be really happy are those who have sought and found how to serve". Karen also believes, as does Herman Cain, CEO National Restaurants, "Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful".

Karen's Life Mission: Passionate to help others achieve "the next level" in their business to produce measurable, positive, long lasting results. Believe that life is a "win-win" for ALL, when built on a solid foundation of respect, integrity, and accountability.

Some of the companies she has served include: Majestic Color Studios (sister company to Olan Mills Studios), Monarch Photographs, Realtor.com, Welcome Wagon, eNeighborhoods, and ProStep Marketing.

Some of her degrees and certifications include:

• Post Graduate: Biochemistry & Nutrition -- Virginia Tech
• Master's Degree: Curriculum & Instruction -- Virginia Tech: Magna Cum Laude
• Environmental Educator, Biology Instructor & Chemistry Instructor -- North Carolina & Virginia
• Real Estate Certification: Resort & Second Home Market Specialist Instructor (RSPS), New Home Buyer, Senior Real Estate Specialist (SRES), Accredited Buyer Representative (ABR), Accredited Buyer Representative-Manager (ABRM), Innovative Marketing Techniques, and the e-Buyer.
• Real Estate Educator's Association Speaker & Trainer: Creating, building, and sustaining your brand identity, Effective internet marketing and lead conversion, and Growing your business by building, supporting, and sustaining an effective sales team, Environmental Issues
• Executive Advisory Boards of Majestic Color Studios & Monarch Photographics

Some of her awards include:

• Numerous listings in Who's Who Among American Teachers
• National Merit Teacher
• Presidential Citation Award for Excellence in Teaching
• Commendation for Catalyst Award by the Chemical Manufacture's Association
• Numerous sales and achievement awards

Karen has built her life on the core values of "service to others," and she has served as a fundraising coordinator and/or coach for organizations such as: Jaycees, ABWA, Forsyth Medical Center, St. Jude's Children's Hospital, Life Care Centers, Inc., Easter Seals, Toys for Tots, Red Cross, March of Dimes, Meals on Wheels, Daily Bread, Susan B. Coleman Foundation, United Methodist Church, and others.

Karen is a recognized speaker and trainer with the Real Estate Educator's Association, an  Environmental Educator, a National Association of Realtors Instructor (NAR), and a Real Estate Buyer Agent Council Instructor (REBAC).

Karen is certified to teach the following courses for NAR & REBAC:

The Resort and Second-Home Property Specialist (RSPS) certification prepares REALTORS to service the growing resort and second-home market in their communities. This designation is awarded by the National Association of REALTORS Resort Specialty division to real estate practitioners in the United States and foreign countries who meet the specified educational criteria.This two-day core course focuses on the knowledge and skill base that real estate professionals need to specialize in buying, selling, or managing second homes in a resort, recreational, and/or vacation destination and properties for investment, development, or retirement.

Senior Real Estate Specialist Designation Course (SRES) course explores the different subgroups of seniors, how to communicate with and market to them, as well as create teams of experts. This course delves into financial, legal, estate, aging, and senior housing issues. This course can also be credited toward the RSPS and the ABR. 

The Accredited Buyer Representative (ABRŪ) designation is the benchmark of excellence in buyer representation. This coveted designation is awarded to real estate practitioners by the Real Estate Buyer's Agent Council ("REBAC") of the National Association of REALTORSŪ who meet the specified educational and practical experience criteria.

The e-Buyer Course is a 1 day elective course provides students with mastery of personal computer and Internet basics. Students in this course focus on understanding Internet-savvy buyers and preparing themselves to transact business with this emerging market segment. This course may be used as an elective course for the (ABRŪ) designation or the (RSPS) certification.

Successful Buyer Represention in New-Home Sales Course is a 1 Day elective designed to keep pace with a changing real estate market. Buyer representatives need to find new buyers to serve and new services to bring them. Because of the special complexities of a new-home purchase, buyers are in need of representation and counseling.  This course may be used as an elective course for the (ABRŪ) designation.

Innovative Marketing Techniques is a 1 day elective course designed to inspire novel marketing approaches to create a personal brand. This course encourages students to look everywhere for differentiating marketing opportunities that grab the attention of buyers. 

ABRM Designation Course was developed in partnership with the Real Estate Managers Council of NAR specifically for managers, brokers, and owners who wish to incorporate buyer representation into their companies' service offerings. REBAC awards the ABRM (Accredited Buyer Representative Manager) to those who meet the specified educational and practical experience criteria. Topics include: creating a company vision, company and technology practices, disseminating policy changes, training, marketing, and risk management. 

For NAR/REBAC Instructor Reference Please contact: Dawn Headtke, Business/Education Manager, National Association of Realtors/REBAC; Chicago, IL. (312) 329-8488.

THE FOLLOWING COURSES HAVE BEEN WRITTEN AND ARE TAUGHT BY KAREN STOREY:

ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES Course written by Karen Storey with the purpose of educating Realtors about various environmental issues facing the world today. This 2 day course includes topics such as mold, radon, sustainable "green" practices,  sustainable ecogreen energy alternatives for homes and commercial real estate. This course also covers: sustainable "ecogreen" developments including residential and commercial real estate, environmental laws, riparian rights and water use, human ecology our changing relationship with each other and the environment on a global and local level, biodiversity, land use, air quality, toxicology, and community involvement. This course provides much insight regarding the marketing of resort properties in an ecogreen manner. This course also provides much insight into how to effectively build an "environmentally" focused & trained Real Estate sales team.

CREATING, BUILDING, AND SUSTAINING YOUR BRAND IDENTITY is a 1 day course developed by Karen Storey with the purpose of educating Realtors about how to identify the core values that lie inside themselves, and build upon these core values to create an effective and marketable brand. This course also examines how to effectively identify and communicate with your target audience, which will attracts the clientele you seek and create a "win-win" business relationship

CREATING AN "EXIT STRATEGY" FOR YOURSELF BUT NOT YOUR BUSINESS is a 1 day course developed by Karen Storey with the purpose of educating Realtors how they can design an exit/retirement plan for themselves with the goal of the company continuing to produce, thus providing the Realtor with a retirement plan and residual income. This course is specifically designed for team leaders, managers, and CEO's in showing them how to utilize their skills to effectively attract, recruit, and build their best team.