Embracing change, I was able to build a life that reflects what matters most to me: family, connection, and work that brings true fulfillment.

 

We started spending more time in Minnesota with family at our cabin and over time it started getting harder to go back to our lives in Colorado, where we had lived for 17 years. We had our kids there, I built my career in corporate sales working in software and telecom, and my husband launched his manufacturing business. But the pace of life was too fast. It felt tense and like a race, I just wasn’t willing to keep running.

 

I missed being near family, and I wanted a different kind of life for our kids that was closer to what I had growing up in Mankato. One summer, my husband Tyler said, “I think we should consider moving to Minnesota.” That’s all it took. A few weeks later, we sold our house and were back in Mankato before the new school year started.

 

Life here is slower, more connected, and centered around family and community—and that’s exactly what we wanted. I wanted our kids to grow up with cousins nearby, grandparents close, and a sense of community you don’t get everywhere. Around that same time, my siblings started moving back for the same reasons. Before I knew it, all five of us were here again. Tyler’s brother, sister-in-law, and mom have even moved here too.

 

I’ve had some pretty amazing opportunities in my career, one of the best was working side-by-side with Tyler making CrossFit equipment. We made metal barbell collars for CrossFit and sold them across the U.S. and internationally. I ran sales and marketing, and Tyler handled manufacturing.

That was great for a while, working on something of our own, but eventually we sold that company to our biggest partner, Rogue Fitness. Around that time, I was also co-owning a small home store in town, Salvage Sisters. It was there that real estate started to come up. A local agent, who’s now a mentor and friend, used to stop in to buy closing gifts, and we’d talk about the business. Real estate had always been in the back of my mind, and one day I just decided to go for it.

 

I started in May of 2020, right at the beginning of COVID. I thought it would be a quiet first year as I learned, but it was far from that. People were rethinking their living situations, trying to find homes that actually fit their lives and I ended up closing over 30 transactions that first year. It was intense, but it gave me confidence and set high expectations for myself.

 

Real estate, at its core, is about helping people through transition—sometimes exciting, sometimes really hard. And having gone through many myself, from relocating to changing careers, to understanding the evolving needs of a family, I can connect and empathize with my clients. I’ve learned how to have difficult conversations with care, how to be direct and kind at the same time, and how to be a resource and advocate for the people I’m helping. Every transaction teaches me something, and I’ve come to really love the process.

 

What I’m most proud of is starting a completely new career in my late 40s that has turned into running my own business I love. I get to show my daughters, Maya and Audrey, that if you work hard, you can shape your life and career to be anything you want. At the same time, I’m always working on that balance and being present for my family. We love to travel, play pickleball, wake surf on the lake, and just be together, enjoying the little things.

 

Coming back to Mankato was really about aligning our lives with what mattered most. And now, I get to help people do the same, finding their own perfect place here.

Today, I lead a small team of women REALTORS®. We’re supportive, collaborative, and honestly more like family than coworkers. We’ve been through a lot together—weddings, babies, loss—and that trust carries over into the way we work. Our shared mission is to serve people well, and that shows up in how we back each other up, share knowledge, and make sure nothing falls through the cracks. If something needs to get done, someone steps in. That kind of teamwork makes a difference, especially in this industry where timing and communication matter so much.

 

For my clients, I focus on providing a full, hands-on experience. I help with everything from staging and prepping a home to walking buyers through each step of the process. I take time to educate my clients, so they know what is happening at each step, and stay connected to trusted local vendors, so I always have a trusted professional to recommend if they are needed. I care a lot about how my clients feel during and after a transaction. I want you to walk away knowing you were looked after, heard, and represented with integrity. Most importantly, I want you to feel confident knowing you have someone in your corner if you have any questions, need resources, or simply want to catch up!

 

Sincerely,

Sara Stilson