Yoga can enhance mental clarity, relieve stress and sharpen concentration, but for Michelle O'Neill it brought her true love. Fifteen years ago Arizona natives Michelle O'Neill and Paul Perry met at a yoga class on a Superbowl Sunday. Five years later they ran into each other again at Target and the timing was perfect for the beginning of their love story.

When Paul proposed, it happened in the exact same yoga room where they very first met. They were in the middle of a yoga pose and he rolled over with a custom ring and asked "Will you marry me?" Michelle said yes, and as a true expression of their down-to-earth nature, they left in their yoga clothes and went to grab a pizza and a Dairy Queen ice cream cone to celebrate.

Michelle is the proud mother of triplet sons and she was moved beyond words when she realized that the incredible ring not only was set with an emerald, which was her birthstone, but also three diamonds with each one representing one of her sons. Paul and the boys fell in love with each other, too. “Paul knows that the way to your heart is through the stomach and he cooks everyone lots of food; the boys think that is the cat’s meow,” says Michelle.

The next natural transition to this beautiful relationship was the decision to go into business together. Paul has been in real estate since 1998 in the valley and Michelle already had her license but hadn’t been working in the industry for several years. Paul wanted a partner and asked if she would be interested in getting back into it. The timing was perfect since the kids were starting college, and she decided to jump right in. 

It turns out they're a perfect business match, too. They have different skill sets that allow them to provide a full-service experience for their clients. Paul is a meticulous person who takes pride in everything he does. When he arrives at a listing or an open house, he has his blower in tow. He cleans the interior and exterior of the property so that everything is perfect. He has a great sense of humor, loves people, and engages with his clients to find out what they need and how he can solve any problems that may arise.

Michelle is skilled at handling behind-the-scenes tasks. She loves working on the details of the documentation. She prepares the listing paperwork, taking into account the true value of the home. The compatibility of their relationship makes their workflow seamless and they enjoy every minute of it. Their clients appreciate their mix of personalities as well— clients don’t want to be all business and they don’t want to be all fun and games either. 

Paul had focused his entire career in Paradise Valley and Silverleaf but was friends with Jack O’Keefe, the owner of Russ Lyon Sothebys in Desert Mountain, and he was offered an opportunity to head up to Desert Mountain to try working out of that office. Paul immediately loved the area. Because they had lived in Scottsdale for their entire lives, Michelle was hesitant to make the move until she experienced it, too. They love the calmness of the area, the dark skies at night, the wildlife, and the amenities of the community. "When you are driving up Pima Road you can start to feel the energy becoming calmer and calmer the further north you drive," said Michelle. They both agree that this was one of the best decisions they could make at this time in their lives.

They take full advantage of the amenities at Desert Mountain. They love to golf and enjoy a round at the new No.7 golf course. They aren't bothered by the heat, so even in the middle of summer they'll grab their clubs after work, walk to the course, and then grab dinner afterward. They also hike the nearby trails.

In their day-to-day business dealings, they both put respect and clear communication at the forefront of being a husband/wife team. Michelle states "Paul and I have done a very good job of recognizing each other's strengths and utilizing them to provide an exceptional level of service. We communicate this approach to our clients and help set the expectation that they are working with a team that is going to work together to achieve a successful transaction. I highly recommend thinking about each of your strengths and taking advantage of them if you work with your spouse, or in any team environment." They believe this approach creates the best experience for their clients and helps them feel at peace with the entire process. They each thrive on having each other's back, making things happen, getting creative, and doing whatever it takes to provide an incredible service.

When it comes it achieving a work-life balance, they laughingly admit "We don't! But that's only because we truly love our work, so it moves into our home life." They even have a large whiteboard in their family room where they brainstorm about branding and talk through the next steps of a transaction (or a million other business topics).

Michelle and Paul are also passionate about community involvement, and each year they pick a new organization to support. Michelle is part of the Russ Lyon Foundation, which selects a new non-profit every year as well as encourages office engagement. This first quarter they supported the Southwest Amature, which had its annual tournament on the Cochise Course back in June.

When they aren’t working, Michelle and Paul can usually be found spending time with their family. "Our three boys are super important and we love spending quality time with them! They inspire us to turn work off or 'simmer it' for the opportunity to hang out with them. All three of the boys have incredible girlfriends and they come up to spend time together for family dinners. Paul cooks and we all sit around the dining room table for hours just talking and enjoying each other," says Michelle. They appreciate listening to the boys and feel like this younger generation is incredibly smart and offers so much. Michelle and Paul also are grateful that both of their parents are nearby so that they can spend time with them regularly. Family is the most important thing for both of them and they take every opportunity to share their lives.