Susan Minsk is an experienced realtor who serves the needs of sellers and homebuyers across the Dunwoody and Sandy Springs, Georgia, region. She provides insights into pricing strategies that generate multiple offers, as well as the advantages of home inspections prior to listing. Susan Minsk maintains an in-depth knowledge of the local market, positioning properties to achieve optimal sales and working closely with families to secure the homes of their dreams.
Ms. Minsk began in the property sales sector with Keller Williams Realty First Atlanta in 2009. She has past experience as a loan officer with Homebanc Mortgage, where she advised clients in the selection of loan products appropriate to their needs. Strong relationships with realtors and builders resulted in consistent business opportunities and a robust referrals pipeline. Ms. Minsk also has experience as proprietor of Maggie’s Gourmet Cookies, which achieved a sizable customer base through effective marketing and a delicious product.
Susan Minsk gained early experience in public relations with Atlanta-based organizations such as The Richmond Group (a design-build construction management firm) and Turner Broadcasting. She holds a BS in business administration earned at Lenoir Rhyne University in Hickory, North Carolina.
What is your typical day, and how do you make it productive?
I start my day with a consistent routine that helps me stay focused and energized. I begin with coffee and a quick review of the news to stay informed, followed by exercise to boost my energy and mental clarity. Before work begins, I take a few minutes to prioritize my tasks and set clear goals for the day. This routine allows me to start work feeling organized, motivated, and ready to be productive.
How do you bring ideas to life?
I like to take an idea and map out the steps to make it real. I start by getting clear on the purpose, then organize the details, set a timeline, and follow through. I am very hands-on and detail-oriented, so I make sure nothing gets overlooked while still staying open to improving the idea along the way.
What’s one trend that excites you?
One trend that really excites me is the shift toward more personalized and targeted communication. With better data and tools, companies can tailor their messaging to specific audiences rather than using a one-size-fits-all approach. I find it exciting because it allows for more meaningful engagement and better results, and it aligns well with my experience creating content that speaks directly to different groups.
What is one habit that helps you be productive?
One habit that helps me stay productive is prioritizing my tasks at the start of each day. I take a few minutes to identify what’s most important and time-sensitive, which keeps me focused and ensures I’m using my time effectively.
What advice would you give your younger self?
I would tell my younger self to be more confident and trust my abilities. Over time, I’ve learned that experience and consistency build success, and it’s important to speak up, take initiative, and not be afraid of new challenges.
Tell us something you believe that almost nobody agrees with you on.
I believe that every interaction with a customer matters, even the small or routine ones. Some people tend to focus only on the big issues or key clients, but I’ve found that consistency in every interaction builds the strongest long-term relationships.
What is the one thing you repeatedly do and recommend everyone else do?
One thing I always do is follow up. Whether it’s with a customer or a colleague, I’ve found that a quick follow-up builds trust and ensures nothing falls through the cracks. I recommend it because it strengthens relationships and improves consistency.
When you feel overwhelmed or unfocused, what do you do?
I rely on structure when I feel unfocused. I go back to my task list, identify what’s most urgent, and tackle it step by step. Staying organized helps me quickly get back on track.
What is one strategy that has helped you grow your business or advance in your career?
One strategy that has consistently helped me advance in my career is building strong relationships through consistent, proactive communication. In practice, that means I don’t wait for issues or deadlines to drive contact—I make it a habit to stay connected with clients, colleagues, and stakeholders on a regular basis. I check in, confirm expectations early, and follow up after tasks are completed to ensure everything meets or exceeds expectations.
What is one failure in your career, how did you overcome it, and what lessons did you take away from it?
One challenge I faced earlier in my career was taking on too many responsibilities at once without fully prioritizing them. I was focused on doing everything well, but I learned that without a clear prioritization, it can lead to unnecessary stress and missed opportunities to focus on what’s most important. I overcame it by becoming more structured with my time—using daily task lists and setting clear priorities. The biggest lesson I took away is that being productive isn’t just about doing more, it’s about doing the right things in the right order.
What is one business idea you’re willing to give away to our readers?
A “life admin cleanup service” for aging adults and overwhelmed families.
A concierge-style service that helps people (especially seniors, caregivers, and busy professionals) organize, digitize, and manage their “life paperwork mess”—things like medical records, insurance documents, bills, subscriptions, wills, and account logins. Think of it as a personal assistant and document organizer and digital archivist for real-life administration.
What is one piece of software that helps you be productive? How do you use it?
One piece of software that genuinely improves productivity is Notion. It’s basically an all-in-one workspace that combines notes, tasks, databases, and project planning in a single system. It starts with:
• Daily Dashboard (home page) for three to five priorities, random thoughts, and calendar (it keeps you from juggling multiple apps just to see what you should be doing).
• Task Management (keep it simple)—an inbox, then a today section and later section.
• Work and Projects pages divided into goals, three actions, notes or reference links, and status.
• Meeting/Communication Notes so every meeting or client interaction gets date, key points, action items, and follow-ups.
• Weekly Reset (the real productivity boost) lets you clear the inbox, move unfinished tasks forward, or delete them and reset priorities.
What is the best $100 you recently spent? What and why?
A second monitor setup for a workstation. A basic 24-inch monitor can change the way your brain handles work.
• You stop constantly switching tabs (which kills focus).
• You can keep reference material open while working.
• You can compare documents side-by-side.
• Meetings and notes become easier (no juggling windows).
Do you have a favorite book or podcast you’ve gotten a ton of value from and why?
“Atomic Habits” by James Clear. It stands out because it doesn’t rely on motivation or big life changes. Instead, it focuses on something more useful: systems that make good behavior easier and bad behavior harder.
The core idea is simple:
You don’t rise to the level of your goals—you fall to the level of your systems. A few concepts are:
• The 2-minute rule: if a habit takes less than two minutes, start it immediately (removes procrastination friction).
• Habit stacking: attach a new habit to something you already do (ex. coffee – review to-do list).
• Environment design: make good choices obvious and bad choices inconvenient.
• Identity-based habits: focus on “who you are becoming,” to just what you want to achieve.
What’s a movie or series you recently enjoyed and why?
“Will Trent” blends a strong procedural crime format with deeper character development than most shows in the genre. The main character is built around depth, not cliches. Will Trent is a detective that is highly observant and intelligent. He is emotionally complicated due to a difficult childhood in foster care. He is socially awkward in ways that affect his work relationships. This combination makes him feel more human than the polished TV detective.
Each episode is a case-of-the-week structure, but it follows the GBI, allows slow-building trust between characters, and uses personal histories that actually affect decision-making. Atlanta is the city it is the setting, and they use Atlanta in a meaningful way by showing the different socioeconomic environments, the institutional systems, and parts of the city that Atlantans can relate to.
Key learnings
- Daily task prioritization and goal setting are the foundations for maintaining productivity and structuring time effectively, as well as reducing stress and improving focus.
- Personalized and targeted communication fosters better results, more meaningful engagement, and broadens audience reach.
- Networking and building strong relationships—with peers, colleagues, and customers—are critical drivers of business growth and career advancement.
- Consistency, follow-up, and proactive communication build trust and strengthen relationships.