In our latest real estate tech interview, we’re talking with Jenelle Isaacson from Living Room Realty. Based in Portland, Living Room Realty is a brokerage I came across several years ago for their emphasis on giving back. I saw Jenelle speak at Inman in San Francisco last summer, and her passion and energy are infectious — it’s no surprise the brokerage is doing well.

Without further ado…

What do you do?

I am the owner and founder of Living Room Realty, we serve a membership of over 100 licensed Realtors, Property Managers, and Commercial Brokers.

Why do you do what you do?

As a former Realtor, I wanted to create a brokerage that I would be proud to be aligned with and that put the focus on the people who lived in the homes not just the houses themselves. I saw a missed opportunity for the real estate industry to show real people, the diversity of what a homeowner looks like, and their individual needs.

What are you most excited about right now?

When we opened 8 years ago, we made the decision to tell the story of each of client we helped. 8 years has resulted in thousands of stories and it’s amazing to see the compounding effect of the depth of stories and content we have amassed.

Our Property Management team is going to start sharing the stories of renters this year. I am excited to see what we learn from the stories of the people in the rental market. For too long the real estate industry was about selling an “American Dream” that, at times, excluded some Americans.

By telling the real stories of American home owners and renters, I think we are learning to appreciate how the American Dream is different for everyone and we’re working towards understanding what needs to be done to make and keep the dream accessible to everyone.

What’s next for you?

I am working on a book on Punk Rock Business Lessons. I was in a punk band in my early 20’s and so many of the lessons I learned through that experience informed my success today as a business leader. I am excited to share my stories and those of other Punk leaders who took chances and weren’t afraid to turn up the volume on their ideas and lives. We need more voices and ideas in business and the world right now to figure out critical world issues and challenges we are facing. I’d like to empower individuals who don’t typically have their voices heard to turn up their voices. We need them!

What’s a cause you’re passionate about and why?

Rock ‘n Roll Camp For Girls. It’s a nonprofit education program that empowers women and girls through music. We know that over 95% of women in C Suite executive positions played team sports but not every girl is an athlete. Rock ’n Roll Camp For Girls gives the iconoclasts and the outsiders a chance to develop skills learned in sports like taking risks, team work, and competition. The program was started in my hometown of Portland, Oregon but there are now camps that exist all over the world.

Thanks to Jenelle for sharing her story. If you’d like to connect, you may find her on Twitter @jenelleisaacson.

Meet The RE Tech EntrepreneurWe’re constantly looking for great real estate tech entrepreneurs to feature. If that’s you, please read this post — then drop me a line (drew @ geekestatelabs dot com).