The Greater Concord Chamber of Commerce’s Concord Young Professionals Network (CYPN) introduces you to our “Young Professionals of the Month,” Melissa and Patrick Starkey.
Melissa Starkey
How old are you? 35.
Where do you live? Loudon.
Where do you currently work? I own Starkey Realty LLC.
How did you find out about CYPN and how has it benefited your business or you personally? When I became a real estate agent, I wanted to do more networking to get my name out there and meet people. Someone recommended I attend a CYPN event and I have been attending them as often as I can ever since. I have built some great relationships and met some of my best friends at CYPN events.
Greatest role model? My greatest role model is my grandfather, Chandler Robbins. He just passed away at 98 years old. He did more with his life in the 30-plus years after he retired than most people do in a lifetime. The impact he made on so many people and his contribution to the world inspires me to be the best person I can be.
What’s your favorite place to go in Concord? Patrick and I love to go out in Concord. Our favorite spots are Angelina’s and Hermano’s. And since we have our office right downtown on Main Street we often walk to Live Juice for a salad then stop at Crust and Crumb for an oatmeal cream pie, which if you haven’t had one you should because they are so good!
What has been your favorite CYPN event so far? It is so hard to pick just one! It’s just great when there is good food and a fun venue and an energy in the room that just draws you into talking to new people. I will agree with Patrick that the tour of the speedway was a very cool way to experience the track, and Krazy Kids was a super fun one too!
What’s your favorite thing to read? I spend most of my time reading emails and real estate articles on my phone. If I get any free time in the summer, I like to read fashion and home magazines to catch up on the latest trends in fashion and interior design.
Tell us a few interesting facts about yourself! I was an art major my first year in college before switching to fashion design, then interior design, before finally graduating with a bachelor’s degree in small business management. My first career was managing a jewelry store. I have also owned a nutrition store and a property management company prior to opening Starkey Realty LLC. I am also a Girl Scout troop leader of a travel troop in Concord. We have about 20 girls in grades 6-12 and we focus on community service and travel. You will see us selling Girl Scout Cookies, wrapping gifts at the holidays, doing a yard sale, volunteering at Harris Hill, OutFITters, and the breast cancer walk among other things.
What is one of your life goals? My goal is to make millions in real estate so that I can travel the world and fill my passport full of stamps.
If you could see anyone’s house, who would you pick and why? I love houses in general so being able to go into different homes every day and seeing the different styles makes my job so fun. Traveling and seeing properties in other climates and areas really helps you experience other cultures. So rather than one person’s house, I would love to have tours of luxury estates around the world.
Patrick Starkey
How old are you? 35.
Where do you live? Loudon.
Where do you currently work? Starkey Realty LLC.
How did you find out about CYPN and how has it benefited your business or you personally? I found out about CYPN through Melissa. I have made great connections through CYPN and feel that if you become involved and stay active with it, it will do great things for both your business and yourself.
Greatest role model? My grandfather. My great-grandfather died in his 50s and my grandfather took over his business at age 17. My grandfather built this business over 50 years and it is still going strong today.
What’s your favorite place to go in Concord? Angelina’s Ristorante with Melissa.
What has been your favorite CYPN event so far? Although I am not a race fan, I enjoyed the tour of the New Hampshire Motor Speedway CYPN event.
Tell us a few interesting facts about yourself! I was a bomb technician in the U.S. Air Force and was later a police officer for 10 years. I was Ben Carson’s bodyguard during all of his N.H. presidential campaign visits. I received a Congressional honor for saving a life.
What’s your favorite thing to read? I like to read books about business.
What is one of your life goals? To be able to travel when and where I want at any given moment with Melissa.
If you could see anyone’s house, who would you pick and why? I would like to see the inside of the White House. I think it would be really interesting to be in a place with so much history and impact on our country.
About CYPN: The Concord Young Professionals Network (CYPN) is a professional and personal development initiative of the Greater Concord Chamber of Commerce. CYPN is a vibrant program that promotes networking opportunities for young professionals (generally 22-40s) by helping them make connections in the community and providing them with a professional, welcoming setting. Complimentary networking events are held on the third Wednesday of every month at various Concord venues. For more information, connect with us on Facebook at facebook.com/concordypn, Instagram at instagram.com/cypn/ and Twitter at twitter.com/ConcordYP.
