A teenage job at a pharmacy sparked a lifetime of caring for others.

I’ve been a business owner for most of my adult life. Yet before real estate, my world revolved around health care. It started in high school, when I worked at a pharmacy, and intrigued by the medical field, I went to nursing school.

In those days, both my parents had cancer. Caring for them through their final days shaped me. Death, I came to see, is a deeply spiritual process—an ending in the physical sense, but also a beginning. It reminded me how short life really is.

Although I lost my parents young, I married at 23, eager to start a family. I also jumped into the nursing field, ready to continue caring for others. The only problem? After three months, I hated it. Instead, I returned to the same pharmacy where I had worked as a teenager.

Around that time, our first son, Brock, was born, and later our second, Davis, so I opened a fireworks stand for extra income—and that’s when I fell in love with entrepreneurship.

Inspired to own a bigger business, I bought a commercial property and opened my own pharmacy. I had no investors or partners; it was all on me. That business blended two things I loved—running a business and working with seniors. I honored their wisdom and wanted to help them genuinely. I expanded into medical equipment—wheelchairs, hospice beds—and eventually had to purchase a bigger property to accommodate everything.

Still drawn to helping seniors, I bought another commercial property and opened a hospice. I remembered what it felt like to care for my parents. I wanted to support, not just patients, but their families, who are often dealing with so much. It was my honor to be present at such sacred moments as someone’s death. One small but meaningful practice was to remove the bed after someone passed away so their loved ones wouldn’t face the painful sight of an empty bed.

But the hospice world also had a dark side…specifically, corruption. I ran into power struggles with Medicare since my values and customer service approach didn’t match theirs. Maintaining the hospice became increasingly difficult. I had seen enough corruption and I wanted to leave the health care industry altogether. It was time for a change.

By then, I had experience buying and remodeling properties—skills I’d gained through all my ventures. In 2014, I sold the pharmacy and the hospice, earned my real estate license, and became a full-time REALTOR®. I opened an office, partnered with a trusted broker, and haven’t looked back. Real estate lets me keep my entrepreneurial spirit alive while truly serving people, this time helping them find homes rather than health care (although I still value the health care industry).

I’ve learned a lot along the way—some lessons the hard way—and I use those experiences to keep growing as an entrepreneur. What I’m proudest of, though, is being a father to Brock and Davis. They are now in their twenties and exploring entrepreneurship themselves. We love fishing together—bass is my specialty—and golfing when we can. We’re massive Auburn fans when it comes to college football. And of course, I have to mention Stanley, my English bulldog. He’s more than a pet; he’s family.

For me, real estate — like any business — is ultimately about helping people. My focus is guiding clients from point A to point B with care, persistence, and problem-solving. I’m not afraid of challenging situations and pride myself on finding intelligent solutions that move things forward. Communication is at the heart of how I work: I listen closely to each client’s needs and respect their tastes. I look at every property with a critical, experienced eye, aiming to spot red flags or prevent issues later on. I’m straightforward about whether a home is a good fit, offering honest advice rather than telling people what they want to hear.

Integrity is my foundation. In an industry that can sometimes be driven by commissions, I pride myself on doing what’s right, even if that means advising against a deal. My goal is to build trust, not just transactions, and to be a reliable partner throughout the process. If you’re looking for an experienced advocate who puts your interests first, I’m ready to serve as your trusted advisor.

Sincerely,

Brent Lawley