Meet Roxanne De Guzman | REALTOR

We had the good fortune of connecting with Roxanne De Guzman and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Roxanne, alright, let’s jump in with a deep one – what’s you’re definition for success?
I would define success as the ability to look back on my life one day and know that I took every opportunity that I wanted to take, I exposed myself to unique possibilities, and I did things that I was nervous or scared about. Even if things go wrong and even in moments where I may be unsure about what I want, I know I’ll be happy looking back at the moment just knowing that I tried something new that I might have been curious about. A big part of that is trusting myself enough to know that I will be able to handle scary or difficult new situations when they arise. Success is as much about courage and opportunity as it is about achievement.

I also really like this quote from the book The Alchemist by Paolo Coelho: “When we strive to become better than we are, everything around us becomes better, too.” I think that when we expose ourselves to new situations and ideas, we become better, and it automatically starts to improve everything else around us. Another big part of success is improving yourself enough that you have extra to give back to the world around you.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
I worked for a few years as a Senior Publicist at a PR agency, and through that experience, I got a lot of practice with project management, branding strategy, writing, conflict resolution, and working face-to-face with clients. While I soon realized that public relations wasn’t exactly the right career for me, I was able to leave that position with a solid grasp of the aspects of it that I did enjoy. I knew I loved being in a leadership role where I could help people, and I knew I loved coming up with creative strategies for optimization. I decided that I wanted to venture into the business world.

At around the same time, my mom, Sheila Sanchez, let me know that she was thinking about starting real estate as a side job. I absolutely loved the idea, and we decided to pursue it together. We got our licenses earlier this year, and now we are just working to set up the business and get our names out there! We are now a real estate mother-daughter team in the San Fernando Valley area!

We are just starting out, so every day is a new challenge, but it’s been so helpful to have the opportunity to work with my mom and be able to pick up each other’s slack.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
The best way to show someone around your area is to plan a good mix of tourist hotspots in the city and in nature, spontaneous days, hidden gems, and places that are personal to you.

Although I have lived in the LA area for most of my life, I think pretending to be a tourist alongside anyone who’s visiting really helps me see the city in a different light and appreciate things a lot more. Cliches are cliches for a reason, and it’s absolutely worth it to go to every single tourist destination here. It can be fun to look up your favorite movies, TV shows, or music videos, and visit the places they were filmed. There’s also something really entertaining about just driving around Hollywood or Santa Monica or DTLA and just stopping whenever you see something you find interesting. It’s almost guaranteed that you will stumble upon something that interests you. It can also be a vibe to do one of those tourist bus tours together!

I like a certain level of spontaneity both when I’m traveling and showing people around. While I definitely do have restaurants that I gravitate toward, I find it more exciting to discover a new restaurant together, especially because Los Angeles is so endless that you can constantly find new places. I recommend setting a loose itinerary of areas or attractions we’re going to, then just searching up different cuisines and locally owned restaurants nearby.

I’m also a huge beach person. I love Will Rogers and Leo Carrillo, but my personal favorite way to go to the beach is to just drive up PCH past the huge beach parking lots and just look for small signs that say “hidden beach” or “coastal access.” Usually, they’re a lot less crowded, parking is easier to find, and you feel a lot more like a local when you stumble upon a beach like that! Sometimes, the best places are the ones you find yourself without looking it up on a tourist destination list on the Internet first. If the weather is right for hiking, I’d recommend finding a beach near a hike, then jumping in the ocean afterwards to cool down.

For some actual planned events, I really love going to museums. My favorites are the Natural History Museum and the Getty Villa, so those would definitely be on the list! Checking out seasonal events like pumpkin patches, summer fairs, and Christmas lights showings can be really fun. I’m a huge fan of music, so if the timing aligns, I would definitely take someone to the Hollywood Bowl for a concert. I also love to take people to different lookouts around the city and bring a picnic and just enjoy the view. Griffith Observatory and the Topanga Lookout are amazing spots for this! It’s so magical to see the sprawling city at sunset and just talk or go people watching. If there’s time, it’s always fun to do day trips to Santa Barbara, San Diego, Big Bear, or even the Channel Islands.

Lastly, I like to reserve a day to take people to places that I might have mentioned to them in past stories. For example, I take people to the cafes I used to do homework in when I was in high school, or the place I was where I got some good life-changing news, or the bar that one of my best friends performed in. It definitely adds to the feeling of being a local and helps your guest really imagine living life in your area!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Yes! I’m so thankful to a lot of people in my life for everything that they do.
My mom and business partner, Sheila Sanchez, for her business motivation and general support.
My sister, for her encouragement and excitement in celebrating every achievement.
My lifelong best friends– Ava, Dakota, Leannie, Melissa, Natalie, Sarah, and Victoria– for listening to every rant/story, and understanding.
Every cafe, park, and public library that I’ve done work in for the past few years, for being there.

Website: https://www.century21.com/real-estate-agent/profile/roxanne-de-guzman-P80185633

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/its_rroxanne/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/roxanne-de-guzman-655726218/

Other: https://roxannedgportfolio.weebly.com/

Image Credits
Team pictured: Roxanne De Guzman and Sheila Sanchez