Jenn McMurray of Bachelorette Pad Flip is a single gal in Northwest Arkansas, and a former teacher turned Realtor. Thanks to her side hustle of house flipping, Jenn paid off all of her student loan debt in 5 years and it allowed her to quit her job and pursue her passion in real estate. She is now the Executive Broker at her family-owned real estate firm.
Jenn focuses on encouraging women to learn how to use tools, to tackle DIY projects they thought they couldn’t, to jump into real estate investing, and to live a financially-free life!
Q&A with Jenn McMurray
What interests you most about taking on DIY projects?
My interest in DIY started initially because I was broke, & I couldn’t afford to hire things done. Since then, it’s become a badge of honor. I’m constantly learning new tools, creating new things, and that’s empowering!
What creative areas do you prefer to focus on?
With house flips, I’m always focusing on making a big statement with little money. I focus primarily on kitchens, bathrooms, and curb appeal…so most of my creative juices are directed towards that.
What do you consider to be your greatest business accomplishment thus far?
When I started flipping houses, I was drowning in $70,000 of student loan debt while grossing $24,000/year. Through my house flipping side hustle, I paid off all of that $70,000 in student loan debt. And that catapulted me into a new career, new income status, and new goals.
What has been your most difficult project that you’ve tackled?
There have been many! That’s part of DIY- monitor & adjust always. The most difficult one was also a failed one! I tried a DIY plank ceiling in a garage I’m converting into an apartment. I think that’s the key with DIY– some projects are really hard & you pivot your design…and that’s okay!
Do you have a brand partner that you consider to be your favorite?
I met Homes.com through Haven 2 years ago. Since then I have been a regular writer & Ambassador for them. I feel like part of the family, and they are amazing!
Which platform helps you to reach your audience the most, and how do you keep them engaged?
I think Instagram helps with my “introduction” but my blog is where you really get to know me. I do prefer Instagram because I get to interact more. By far, my stories are one of the biggest ways I engage with my followers.
Based upon your personal experience, what’s one piece of advice that you’d give to blogger/influencers?
I was in a social media class and they preached that our Instagram photos all must be high quality, finished professional shots. I tried that for a while, and it was not authentic to what I do. Most of what I do with house flips is messy & construction zones…I get pretty finished rooms for about 10% of the time I own a house. To keep my feed authentic to that, I threw out that rule I was taught, and I share several unfinished rooms, I alternative text images with photo images on my feed. That doesn’t work for everyone, but finding the voice that matches what you truly do takes pressure of you and your followers will appreciate it. Moral of the story: Not all rules apply to everyone.
What’s one fun fact about you that our readers would be surprised to know?
I was invited to do an internship at the CIA after graduating high school. One of life’s biggest regrets is that I declined the opportunity because of a stupid boy.
What do you like most about HAVEN Conference?
I have made so many connections through HAVEN – both personally and professionally. Some of the brands I took the time to introduce myself to have been game changers for me.
What do you want your audience to take away from your presentation at the Heart of HAVEN virtual conference?
When I started my side hustle of flipping houses, I was in a career I hated. I think a lot of people can relate to that. Whether you have a job you love, or hate, or no full time job at all, side hustles have POWER. Had I never ventured into my side hustle, I would still be miserable. I’d still have student loan debt. I’d still be in my old career. I’d be in a totally different financial scenario. My side hustle was a life changer. Treating your side hustle not just as a hobby, but as something that has the potential to be a game changer is critical to success!
Q and A with a HAVEN 2020 Speaker Series
(This section will be updated as more articles are published)
Amber Kemp-Gerstel
Heather Cooke
Carmen Smith
Jessica Litman
Corey Hudson
Wendy Zock
Racheal Jackson
Jessica Russell
Cara Newhart
Jess Crow
Tracy Pendergast
Brittany Norman
KariAnne Wood
Karen Snyder
Yuni Min
Kera Jeffers
Kate Smith
Erin Marshall
Erin Ruoff
Rachel Rosenthal
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