Page 46 - South Mississippi Living - September, 2016

leading the way
Women meeting challenges of new roles and new businesses
story by Alexis Williams photos by Teddy Lewis and courtesy of Kristina Graham and Lynn O’Keefe
Change can be a good thing. Five women along the Gulf Coast are in new businesses and new roles, and enjoying every minute of their new endeavors.
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CHRISTINA CARTER BURKS J. Carter & Co. Real Estate Development
Christina Carter Burks had always
been interested in housing and real estate after living in New York and Tennessee, but for several years she worked in casino marketing. Her brothers worked in real estate and decided to merge two companies. In March 2015, J. Carter & Co. Real Estate & Development was born, and for Burks, it was time to move in a new direction and into real estate.
Burks has enjoyed her change of careers. “It’s been a struggle learning how to sell someone something, but
I have awesome mentors who have helped guide me in the right direction,” she said. “It’s been a wonderful year for me so far.”
Her concentration is mainly residential real estate, but her firm handles commercial properties as well. “I work with a lot of first time homebuyers, and it’s an awesome experience to work with someone who has never bought
a house before,” said Burks. “Every sale is different and you learn something every sale
you make.”