Crystal Mills, a real estate consultant with Choose Boston, has leveraged her creative passions into both her real estate career and her flourishing small business. Apart from being a trusted expert for those looking to buy, sell and invest, Mills is the owner of South Boston-based Love Child—the first flower and bottle shop of its kind. Alongside her unique artistry and business management acumen, Mills is able to effortlessly transition her keen eye for detail and design into her real estate transactions.
Here, Mills discusses how her entrepreneurial spirit has shaped her real estate career, how passion projects manifest into professional growth and more.
How has your seasoned expertise bolstered by your entrepreneurial spirit invigorated your real estate profession?
I’ve been a business owner since 2016, and have started two other companies. That second business was Love Child, which is still open in South Boston. Boston’s only flower and bottle shop, Love Child sells flowers, beer/wine/spirits and gifts. It was only natural to incorporate what I’ve learned over the last three years as a cofounder of Love Child and transition those skills into real estate. When considering real estate, I laid out the things that are important to me personally and professionally. My passions are sales, marketing, service and community. Without the experience gained from my entrepreneurial journey, I wouldn’t have been as prepared and confident.
What transferable skills do you see in running a successful business and being a real estate consultant?
I treat every project (whether it’s a client buying or a client selling a development project) as a mini business. This sets me apart because I’m able to observe projects from a birds-eye view and put together a plan to properly market and sell. I’m fortunate in my current business at Love Child to be surrounded by amazing women who have a variety of different skillsets than I do, but I’ve also had my time as the solopreneur who had to do it all. The best way to learn is by getting your hands dirty and learning it all. I find myself doing that daily in real estate, and I’m always eager to learn.
How important is community involvement, and how do you integrate it into your real estate practice?
What is life without a strong community to back you up? I’m proud to say that community is integral in my success and growth as a real estate agent and business owner. Knowing that I was able to help someone grow or achieve a goal is what drives me every day.
You can be a mom while prioritizing your career. You can own multiple businesses, and those multiple businesses can complement each other. Trust your gut, and lean into your skills.
What is your No. 1 piece of advice for women navigating the real estate industry while also pursuing their passions?
You can do both. You can be a mom while prioritizing your career. You can own multiple businesses, and those multiple businesses can complement each other. Trust your gut, and lean into your skills.
As we near the end of 2023, what are you doing to innovate and stay creative?
I want to lean into my unique experience and make sure my clients know why I provide a different level of service. I’ll be focusing on how I can teach people about the different communities in Boston and what makes them special as well as what it would feel like to live in the home they want to purchase with unique lifestyle content that leverages my Love Child business. I hope to continue to bring a fresh experience in real estate for my clients. RE
For more information, please visit https://chooseboston.com.
