About Heather
Hi! I’m Heather Elias. I’ve spent more than two decades immersed in the real estate industry, learning it from the inside out—from full-time Realtor to executive leader, from industry advocate to PropTech strategist.
I found my niche early, growing my real estate business through blogging—LoCo Musings—about life and real estate in Loudoun County, Virginia. Back in 2008, content marketing was a new frontier in real estate, and it quickly caught attention. I was invited to speak nationally on my approach, and by 2009, I had become a regular teacher, speaker, and trainer at industry events for the National Association of REALTORS®, Inman Connect, BlogWorld, Century 21, and state associations and MLSs. A personal highlight? Writing for the Washington Post’s real estate blog—this journalism grad was thrilled.
In 2012, I stepped into association leadership, heading digital and social strategy for NAR. I led messaging across 70+ channels, created their first organization-wide social media policy, trained staff and leadership, and implemented an enterprise-level platform to bring consistency and collaboration to their digital presence.
From 2014 to 2017, I returned to brokerage life at Century 21 Redwood Realty, overseeing brand, growth, and expansion. I helped the company grow from eight to twelve offices and led their expansion into Maryland. During that time, I launched programs to elevate agent marketing, built a marketing concierge service, and helped bring visibility to agent success across the company.
Since founding Artisan Consulting in 2017, I’ve partnered with dozens of PropTech companies and emerging startups—helping them shape go-to-market strategies, refine product positioning, and craft hero stories that resonate with the real estate industry. My work blends strategy, messaging, and market insight, often guiding clients through complex launches, storytelling efforts, and market entry challenges.
Most recently, I served as Vice President of Real Estate at Pearl, where I helped lead the company’s evolution into a data and insights provider. There, I negotiated a first-of-its-kind integration agreement with RESNET, standardized certification data into RESO Common Format, and built strategic partnerships that deepened Pearl’s engagement across the real estate ecosystem.
In addition to my consulting and leadership work, I’ve proudly served as a mentor to early-stage companies through NAR REach and Moderne Ventures, helping founders navigate the nuances of breaking into and scaling within the real estate vertical.
I’m a proud University of Maryland alum with a degree in journalism, and I still live in Northern Virginia with my husband Michael and a revolving cast of our four grown kids, their partners, and our dog Winnie.