Growing up in Boston, Nicole Vermillion’s family life was stressful. Her mom, who was a single parent, was always such “a hard worker,” but the question of how to pay the bills was always looming.
Throughout college and into her early 20s, Nicole herself worked long hours, with the goal of buying her first home.
“By age 24, I was a homeowner, and that was very important to me,” she recalled. “And somehow that little house made me feel like, ‘okay, I’m safe, I’ve got it.’”
That sense of security also sparked a new idea. As Nicole explained, it made her wonder whether real estate could be a good career choice.
So she decided to get her license, but didn’t start working as a REALTOR® until a few years later. It was the “drunk monkey syndrome,” she said, that held her back, filling her head with self-doubt.
Once Nicole overcame that doubt, she jumped in, even as she kept her other full-time job. Although she was successful, the pace — and the price — was untenable.
“I was literally up from 4 a.m. to 12 a.m., and I had more days like that than I’d care to admit,” she said. “It was always just like, ‘where can I fit this in?’”
A New Business Model
For the young woman who always felt she had to “work so, so, so hard,” working with her Buffini coach has shown her a different way.
“I thought the best way to make this a career was to get a coach,” Nicole explained, “because a coach is going to keep you accountable, see you outside of yourself, problem-solve, call you out, and help you see why you function the way you do.”
That shift in mindset hasn’t been easy, she acknowledged, but it has been worthwhile.
“It’s not easy, but I’m trusting that the business will come because I’m doing the right things,” she said. “I’m doing the work — coaching helps me realize when you do the fundamentals, you’re going to reap the rewards.”
Time for Giving Back
Helping others has always been an important part of Nicole’s life. Now that she has more flexibility and time in her schedule, she can volunteer with many community organizations, as well as in her children’s schools and activities.
For Nicole, community involvement is non-negotiable.
“Even as a REALTOR®, you just have to be involved in the community you’re serving,” she said. “I just feel like that’s a no-brainer. You can’t be all about the sale. You have to be about the human. And being a human is giving back to your fellow humans.”
That compassion for others was acknowledged in 2023 when her brokerage, Lamacchia Realty, honored her with its Meghan A. Martin Award. The award, named in memory of its namesake, recognizes REALTORS who give back to their community. That same year, Nicole was named the recipient of the South Shore Realtor Association’s Spirit Award for her generosity and support of other industry practitioners.
Nicole’s Good Life
Today, Nicole says she feels like she is living a life that offers not only happiness and financial security, but also purpose.
“Success now means being authentic and true to myself, a fabulous mother to my children, a good wife, and a good friend,” she said.
Reflecting on her journey, she added, “I feel like the life I’m living now is more about the opportunities I have. Taking advantage of them and seizing the day, instead of just checking off the boxes. There’s more life to live.”
