“We have been very lucky to be able to achieve a lot, and it’s all thanks to our real estate investments. I want to help other people do the same,” says investor-turned REALTORⓇ, Tatiana Hernandez of Keller Williams Premiere Properties in Glen Ellyn. 

In the early years of their marriage, she and her husband, Mauricio, bought and flipped properties for profit. The couple’s individual real estate passions blended perfectly: while Tatiana holds an aptitude for interior design, Mauricio loves construction. It’s a combination that continues to fuel their investments and Tatiana’s connection with clients.

Originally from Cali, Colombia, Tatiana moved to the US shortly after graduating from high school. Once here, she tried “the college thing” but it just didn’t stick.

“To be honest, school was not for me,” Tatiana says. “We came to Chicago as immigrants in  December [of that year]. The very next day I was working at a high-paced restaurant and fell in love with the service industry. I worked at restaurants for years and loved every second of it.”

In 2017, a horrific accident changed Tatiana’s life. After a long drive with her mother from Chicago to visit Starved Rock State Park, Tatiana exited her parked car and was hit by an SUV—the driver didn’t see her, and continued to drive with Tatiana underneath the vehicle. In the end, the ordeal crushed ten bones in her body, causing collapsed lungs, damaged organs, a stroke, and a spinal dislocation.

“It was a scene straight out of a movie. About 500 things went through my mind while I was under that car,” she says. “[Immediately after,] My mom held me until the ambulance arrived, and, after saying goodbye, I died in her arms. It was a very peaceful feeling,” she remembers. “But I came back right when the paramedics arrived. They put me in a helicopter and flew me to the nearest trauma center.”

Tatiana would spend the next thirty days in the ICU and then six months in a wheelchair. After many surgeries that included placing two plates in her body, and lots of physical therapy, she finally recovered, extremely grateful to be alive. 

During those long days in the hospital, Tatiana had no shortage of time to reflect on her future.

“The accident and recovery helped define my path going forward,” says Tatiana. “It shaped what I wanted to do with my second chance at life, and who I wanted to be for my family and the world.” She adds, “My mom is incredible. She is my number one hero and my rock. Without her support, I would not be the person I am today.”

Over the next few years, Tatiana stayed home to raise her two young daughters. Eventually, it was Mauricio who suggested Tatiana pursue a career in real estate. By then it was 2020, and much of the restaurant industry was shut down due to the pandemic. Even though she didn’t want to give up time with her girls, Mauricio knew how much Tatiana missed being in the work world.

“We took advantage of being home 24/7, and I studied hard and took the real estate license exam,” she says. “The reason Mauricio pushed me so hard was so that I would have a good career to lean on in case something happened to him. Without his support, I would not be where I am or have the career I have today.”

It didn’t take long for Tatiana to get sucked into the busyness of REALTORⓇ life. In the early days, her inner drive to succeed saw her sacrificing family time for business time: the biggest fear she had about going back to work.

“At the beginning of my career, I wanted to keep up with other incredibly successful agents and pressured myself so much that I was losing hold of both my business and personal life,” Tatiana says. “I came to the realization that each of us has different lifestyles that allow us success. Once I accepted that and stopped putting that [kind of] pressure on myself, I found balance.”

Now that she has mastered the ideal formula for life and work, Tatiana has been able to grow her business while still focusing on her family. Most of her downtime is spent with Mauricio and their daughters, Pia and Camila, traveling and trying new experiences. The couple has also been able to stick to their once-a-year “just for us” vacation—a commitment that allows them to unwind and refocus.

Looking forward, Tatiana looks to continue to expand her network, especially in the Latino community, and grow her investment portfolio. She also aims to gain mentors and mentees—one of the keys to her success in her, so far, only three-year career.

“This is a hustle industry, but it can also be a lonely industry,” Tatiana observes. “We shouldn’t be afraid to ask for help and shadow others. We are an amazing community where most are willing to support each other.”

With her embrace of life, desire to help others achieve financial stability and growth, and love for working, we’ve no doubt that we will see Tatiana’s career continue to blossom.