This Germantown woman changed careers during the pandemic. Now she's a top real estate agent.

In April 2020, when Alex Derenne suddenly lost her restaurant job in sales, the world also was on pause due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Just two months earlier, Derenne had started a new job as sales & catering manager of The Bartolotta Restaurants. But by April, she was left without any job due to the pandemic. "I felt lost," she said.

Since graduating from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse in 2016, Derenne had worked in the sales and hospitality industry. Now her career was uncertain. What was she going to do?

Trying to determine a new career

But the Richfield native and Germantown resident did not want to wait around to see what would happen. Instead, she wrote down everything she loved about her career to try to choose a new path.

"I wrote down what is similar (to my career) and what has more job security that the pandemic could not take away," Derenne said.

A real estate agent is what she came up with. "I felt it was a career path I would like," she said.

While she knew her customer service and communication skills would help her, she knew virtually nothing about the industry.

Not yet a homeowner and renting a place in Milwaukee, Derenne found an experienced real estate agent, requested a meeting and said: "Show me the good, the bad and the ugly." She then took a 72-hour certification course and set off into the unknown.

Making the National Association of Realtors' 30 under 30 class

Fast forward three-plus years; Derenne was the only Wisconsin Realtor to make the National Association of Realtors' 30 Under 30 class of 2024.

She is a real estate agent through eXp Realty and primarily specializes in Washington, Ozaukee and Milwaukee counties.

How did a young, inexperienced real estate agent achieve this honor in a relatively short amount of time?

'I believe if I work hard, I can do anything'

When Derenne first started researching being a real estate agent, she found the numbers were not promising. She learned many new agents take months and months before selling their first home. And she knew that many may not make it as an agent after the first year. It is essentially starting up a business, she said.

And it takes a lot of work.

She needed to create a website, develop her brand, create a marketing plan and learn everything she could about the home-buying process. She needed to learn about home inspections, invest in sales signs, understand the qualities of a home people are looking to buy and how homes are built.

She used the motto her parents, Ann and Chuck, use: "You live to work." She said her parents worked incredibly hard and know what it takes to be successful.

But Derenne did learn, and she did sell homes.

Since 2020, she has sold over 75 properties ranging from luxury listings to investor flips. In 2023, her success resulted in a sales volume of over $11 million.

"It is challenging," Derenne said of starting her real estate agent career. "But this would not deter me. I believe if I work hard, I can do anything."

Alex Derenne said she takes a 'people's first approach' to selling homes

When Derenne wakes up each morning, she said she loves the challenge of finding the right house for each person. "I think, this is where they are going to spend each day," she said.

With a new client, she often begins with a three- to four-hour consultation meeting.

"When putting people first, you need to understand what is in front of them and what they need from me," she said.

Her mindset is "do the right thing, surround yourself with good people and the business will come." She determines what her potential owner needs and tries to find it. She has helped a first-time buyer navigate the process. She has also helped homeowners by providing a phone number for a roofer, a recommendation for a dog groomer and assistance with holiday recipes.

She has gone on home inspections and crawled around in moldy attics to learn more about the process ― anything to provide the most knowledge and service to her clients. "I am absorbing everything like a sponge," she said.

"What I love is the connection with my clients," said Derenne. "I meet the most unique people and their families. I take pride in finding a quality home."

Derenne said she's 'always been risk taker'

When Derenne first thought of being a real estate agent, she knew it was a bit of a risk. As with starting any new business, she needed to invest money and time to get certified, create a business plan and find time to network.

After she started, it took Derenne six months to sell her first home. It was six months of showing homes and working with no income and uncertainty about when she would get her next paycheck. "I felt I could trust the process if I worked hard enough," she said.

While some may feel it can be a risk to be a young female in the industry, Derenne said she felt none of that.

"I don't feel my gender holds me back. I am named Alex for a reason, and one reason is that I can use it as a gender-neutral name," she said. "I have always been a risk taker."

Since becoming a real estate agent, Derenne has bought a home in Germantown and works on growing her business. She said she enjoys mentoring new realtors and being community-minded.

"As awful as the pandemic was; it shook up people's lives," said Derenne. "But I found a silver lining; It is beautiful."

Cathy Kozlowicz can be reached at 262-361-9132 or cathy.kozlowicz@jrn.com. Follow her on X at @kozlowicz_cathy.