Within minutes of chatting with Broomfield resident Robbin Merta, I’d noted the word ‘PASSIONATE’ in all caps. While I expected to first hear about the housing market, the local realtor started talking about holiday traditions, stained glass, and “How are you?”. Robbin is an artist, a mother and wife, a believer in making business enjoyable, and an unsung hero in our community when it comes to lending a hand.
Giving comes naturally to Robbin, especially when it comes to her family. She shares a creative spirit with her two daughters, who are a painter and musician. Robbin herself has been creating panels, mosaics, and jewelry for over 25 years. Several of her pieces can be found in nearby historic buildings and her own home, where you’ll also find a mural painted by one daughter and hints of a love of music throughout.
Robbin describes her parenting style as “empowering.” She believes in supporting a child’s interest and letting them see what it can lead to, including creative outlets and hobbies. Her children were also encouraged to volunteer and seek ways to help others from a young age, especially during seasons when our brains are designed to only think of ourselves. “Helping others helps you get out of your own way. It teaches us to stop questioning ourselves and takes away the fear of walking into a new situation,” she says. How is this? “It’s not about you when you’re helping. You are making a difference and that’s what you think about.”
Robbin's creative spirit pours over into her career. She believes there is truly no place like home, and finding the right one should be a multi-faceted approach. “Your home should feel like a sanctuary, but also your canvas,” she says. A part of her professional duties, she feels, is to help her clients visualize the potential of a home as they tour it- a look through the “possibilities lens” as she calls it.
She loves getting to know her clients and stays in contact long after they close. Robbin will host events with clients and friends a couple of times a year, which double as toy, coat, and school supply drives for local schools. These get-togethers have brought together neighbors who didn’t know each other before and are fun ways to give to good causes.
Robbin’s love for homes started at a young age with LEGO sets followed by a fascination with the process of her parents building a home when she was a teen. She started in the real estate market as an admin before flipping a couple of houses and getting her license. The industry has never felt like tedious work to her, but more of a joy to share. “There is a danger in taking something you love and making it a chore. This way (referring to client relationships and fostering a love for the industry), it never has to!”
Being a part of and contributing to the community is a constant for Robbin. This feel-good term ‘community’ is defined by Oxford as “a feeling of fellowship with others, as a result of common attitudes, interests, and goals.” Belonging to a community is more of a call to action than a passive, geographical happenstance, isn’t it? Broomfield and the numerous sub-communities it serves would not be what they are without contributions from its members, no more so than Merta. One of her favorite and most recent areas of contribution is her seat as an ambassador for the Broomfield Chamber, which she took in January of this year. Through the Chamber, she has been able to meet and partner with heads of different non-profit organizations, such as Broomfield FISH and the Broomfield Community Foundation. She's had the pleasure of being able to volunteer with the latter speed-networking events, which serve to connect local business contacts and try to ignite local collaborations. This journey has introduced local foundations to donate some of her art pieces as Silent Auction items, a recent one being with the Broomfield Council of the Arts & Humanities.
Philanthropy, or even the process of finding a place to plug in and help, can be a bit overwhelming, but Merta offers a gentle nudge of encouragement: “There is no substitute for just getting yourself out there and doing something. You are needed, and your time and talents are invaluable!”
“There is no substitute for just getting yourself out there and doing something. You are needed, and your time and talents are invaluable!”
