After 11 years at an independent Cincinnati  real estate firm, Lisa Phair made the decision to join Coldwell Banker West Shell. She also sent her middle child to kindergarten, a seemingly innocuous school year for most.

“It was a really challenging year,” she said. “Starting with a new company and working so hard to get my business growing was satisfying.  Then we learned that we had a larger issue than just having a tomboy. Leo came home a lot and questioned the norms of boys and girls, not quite understanding how things traditional work in school. Separate boys and girls lines. Boys with crowns, girls with tiaras.  As the year went on, we realized our now 10 year-old son Leo was transgender.”

Amazingly, it was her Coldwell Banker real estate coach and company president who played a major role in helping Lisa accept her new life. She also took a leading role in Cincinnati LGBT and fair housing issues and started helping other parents with trans kids because she knew it was “life or death” for Leo.

“It was a challenge for our family,” she said. “I credit the amazing Transgender Clinic at the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital and Medical Center for helping us. Once they told us that 40% of all trans kids attempt suicide, that made us all realize we needed to show Leo all the love and support he needs.”

Lisa now leads the seven-person Lisa Phair & Associates team, which recently made the Real Trends/Tom Ferry “America’s Best” list as one of the top teams in the nation, along with helping launch the Cincinnati chapter of NAGLREP, which opened with a recent networking event for 70 people.

“I’m so excited it’s Pride Month,” she said. “It’s really special for the LGBT community and our entire family. My oldest, Gracie, is a beautiful high school senior with many friends. People usually see her and smile. Leo also has many friends but sees different reactions from strangers. Confusion, judgement, puzzled looks. But during Pride, I get to hold this amazing boy’s hand and march down the streets of Cincinnati,where he hears the cheers and soaks up the love. He gets to see the world the way Gracie does.”

In the podcast, Lisa  shares Leo’s and her family’s stories and provides tips for real estate leaders on how to embrace the LGBT community and NAGLREP members on how they can grow their business via the community.