Marzena Frausto just about proves that nothing is impossible and that it’s never too late to achieve a dream. Having entered real estate in 2018, less than a year after arriving in the United States and moving to Chicago, and with no prior real estate experience, Marzena’s story exemplifies the epitome of determination, adaptability, and the pursuit of passion.

Born in Poland and raised in Canada, Marzena had a multicultural upbringing that wasn’t always easy. “My father was a single father of three,” Marzena shares. “Although we grew up with little money, we were a very tight-knit family, being the only family we had in Canada after leaving Poland.”

Always a hard worker, Marzena started working at age fifteen, maintaining two to three jobs while going to school. Her love for homes started at an early age. She recalls building homes for her Barbie dolls using plastic pizza savers in pizza boxes as tables, battleship pegs to stock the fridge, and samples of carpet and hardwood for flooring. 

This love of homes instilled in her a dream of homeownership that she pursued with tenacity and discipline at an early age, saving every dollar she could to buy her first condo at twenty-four years old. “I remember I would go to my bank and make deposits and be so proud to see my account grow because it meant I was getting closer to homeownership,” Marzena recalls. 

Marzena also had a passion for fashion, which she pursued in college, managing runway shows and learning about textiles and the ins-and-outs of the industry. Deciding in the end that it wasn’t the career she wanted, she entered the corporate world of finance and spent many years working behind a computer for two very large corporations. 

Marzena's entry into real estate was as serendipitous as it was destined. A corporate career in finance provided her with a solid foundation, but it was her passion for travel that led her to Mexico, where she met her future husband, Stephen. This encounter set her on a new trajectory—one that would see her leave her life in Canada for love and a new beginning in Chicago. 

Arriving in Chicago in the winter of 2017, Marzena found herself in a city teeming with architectural beauty and a vibrant real estate market. It was here, while waiting for her work permit, that she decided to immerse herself in real estate studies. 

“I needed something to keep me busy. I get bored very easily if I’m not challenged every day, which makes real estate such a good fit for me. Every day in real estate is a new adventure,” Marzena explains. 

What started as a way to pass the time soon ignited a passion in Marzena that would redefine her career path. She realized that real estate was not just about flipping homes, as seen on TV, but about making a genuine impact on people's lives through one of their most significant decisions: finding a home.

“Thankfully, my studies helped me understand real estate so much more thoroughly because, before studying, I thought we would be flipping homes and become a husband-and-wife dream team just like they do it on TV. Oh boy, was I wrong,” she says, laughing. 

While entering a new field was very exciting for Marzena, it was also very difficult. She had to learn a whole new city, a new country, and even a new lingo. “You would be surprised by the different terms and lingo between the US and Canada: garbage disposal vs. garborator, gyro vs. donair, and Bloody Mary vs. Ceaser, just to name a few,” Marzena elaborates.

All these challenges only made Marzena's approach to real estate more personal. Having navigated the complexities of learning a new city and country, she brings a unique perspective to her clients, emphasizing education and guidance, especially for first-time home buyers. Her drive to challenge herself and not remain complacent has resulted in her being ranked among the top 250 agents in Chicago since 2021,1 selling over $20 million a year.

One of the things that sets Marzena apart is her strong belief in the power of mentorship. Recognizing her own journey's challenges, she advocates for new agents to find mentors who can help them navigate the industry’s intricacies. Her success with Redfin, where she found the opportunity to grow and thrive, underscores her message that with the right support, anyone can achieve greatness in real estate.

“The Redfin model and the people who I work with helped me grow in many ways I could not have on my own. Our team has so much drive. We always pick each other up,” Marzena emphasizes. 

Marzena and her husband are there for each other and pick each other up, too. Her life with Stephen is a reflection of their shared passions: from classic cars and travel to a love for design and architecture. Together, they explore the world, indulge in culinary adventures, and cherish moments of simple joy, like doing a puzzle, watching reality TV, playing a board game, or enjoying a bonfire together. Success for Marzena is finding balance between a demanding career and a fulfilling personal life.

From her beginnings in Poland to growing up in Canada, and establishing roots in Chicago, Marzena has navigated her way through new cultures, languages, and professions with remarkable resilience and energy. Her success in real estate is not just a testament to her hard work and dedication, but also to her belief that with the right mindset and support, anyone can turn their aspirations into reality, regardless of their starting point or the challenges they face along the way.

1 Source: “Top 250 Standings,” Chicago Real Producers magazine, 2021–2023. Please note, Chicago Real Producers magazine’s full disclaimer, found in each issue, applies. An abbreviated version follows: Information is pulled directly from the MLS. Numbers not reported to the MLS within the date range listed [in each issue] are omitted. Real Producers does not alter or compile this data nor claim responsibility for the stats reported to/by the MLS. Data is based on Chicago proper only.