Interview with Stacy Allwein
Photography by Stacy Allwein

Frederick, Maryland-based real estate agent Stacy Allwein has been in the industry for over twenty years but is equally known locally for her philanthropy.

Here she explains why altruism is a cornerstone of everything she doesn’t and how it can elevate a business—not only for its clients but also for its leaders and team members.

You seem to enjoy giving back almost as much as assisting people with buying and selling. Have both always been important to you?
I’ve always been really passionate about giving back. In fact, at previous companies I worked for, I was the “giving-back ambassador,” and I often tell people that I’d volunteer full-time if I could swing it financially. But I also love real estate and am so grateful for my business. And because I’ve been successful in my field, I have been able to take care of both my team and my community in various ways over the years, which has been very rewarding.

In what ways do you help others? How has doing so benefited your business?
One of the things we do is support the elementary school that my kids went to and my grandkids now go to, providing however we can—from supplying water bottles for functions to sponsoring their annual 5K. We also sponsor at least one local baseball team and football team every season.

Beyond that, I am the VP of the Phoenix Recovery Academy, the only high school in Frederick dedicated to the educational needs of students recovering from substance abuse issues. It has been a game changer for me personally, and I feel like I fit in so well with my skill set and what I can do to help these kids, including chairing their gala and auction every year and fundraising to help keep the academy going.

When you’re constantly and visibly serving your community, business just automatically follows. It’s all about name recognition—and such efforts get your name out there. I couldn’t say for certain how many transactions or referrals we’ve gotten directly from sponsoring sports teams, but I can tell you that wherever we go in the community, people will say “You’re Stacy Allwein” or “You work for the Allwein team.” They all know us, and it’s for positive things.

Here’s one way it shows: We were making “blessing bags” back in winter for people in need and put the cause out on social media, and the community responded and helped so much. Every time I went to my office, there were boxes of items to put in the bags. I think we just have that reputation for being people who can be called on and relied on to assist others.

Do you consider your philanthropy an intentional or natural part of your marketing?
It’s both. My listing presentation talks about how I’m very active in giving back to whoever needs it in the community. But I do own a business where our clients are always the top priority, and there are only twenty-four hours in a day. So I’ve learned that we need to be focused and set aside a certain budget that we can use to support others as a team in addition to personally giving back.

Then there’s the word-of-mouth marketing that just happens naturally. For instance, within the last three or four years, I’ve had several transactions as a direct result of my work with the Phoenix—I didn’t even need to give my sales spiel! [Laughs] That’s because the academy gives me kudos when I’m introduced at functions, making my association with it and work done for it second nature to people. And it costs me nothing.

Does your family share your values? If so, how have they been impacted by it?
Definitely. I’ll give an example that’s close to my heart. Last year, the Phoenix had a golf tournament, which is a typical event for nonprofits. I have three granddaughters, then nine and ten years old, who have been taught about coat drives and diaper drives and how important an organization like Toys for Tots is. So I decided to bring them to the tournament, even though I was a bit hesitant since they were pretty young for it. And they were amazing! The younger one even helped encourage people to take several turns each at the putting contest to see if they could get a hole in one. They learned a priceless lesson: giving back is important, and it’s what we do as a family. That gave me so much joy.

How do you intend to further your philanthropy?
Truthfully, my reaction to virtually everything I see on social media is “I need to help those people or that person.” Folks always say that I do so much, but I feel like I could do so much more. So it’s on my agenda down the road to set up what’s called a “forever transaction,” through which my agency will automatically donate a certain number of dollars to a charity with each transaction. My kids and I founded the Be Like Bob nonprofit after my husband passed away; maybe we’ll give to that or the Phoenix Foundation or leave it up to our clients to decide. Just as important as donating the money will be making sure there’s visibility around the cause to create the biggest impact.

What advice would you give to other entrepreneurs about giving back?
Just do it. It can only help your business, which can, in turn, allow you to help even more people. It’s vital that you find and embrace what your values are and make sure that you’re crystal clear about them to others. If you remain focused on that, it will be easier to stay grounded and make a true difference.

For more info, visit allweinteam.com

Stacy is well-known throughout the Frederick County area for her community involvement and volunteerism. She is on the board of the Phoenix Recovery Academy and volunteers with the Alzheimer’s Association, Toys for Tots, and many other charities. Stacy received the Frederick County Association of Realtors® 2018 Community Service Award and was recognized as a Frederick County “Do Gooder” for all that she does to give back.