Megan Conner and Danica Achin hope to carry on family-owned business’ legacy

EASTHAMPTON—When the day was over for Megan Conner in eighth grade, she’d head to Taylor Real Estate for a different kind of learning in the family business. She built up the courage to answer the phone that seemed to always be ringing, and her grandmother, Bernice Conner, taught her to transfer calls to individual Realtors.

Danica Achin remembers taking messages from clients who were calling their home, looking for her father, Chuck Conner. Her first actual job with the company came when she was 17 and answered the phone in the office and helped with administrative tasks.

Recently, Conner and Achin have taken on more responsibility with the business their great-grandfather founded in 1955, marking the beginning of an informal succession plan.

Both women are Realtors with the firm. Conner is also an administrative and advertising assistant with duties that include delving into financial management and handling requests for sponsorships. Achin is the rental division manager.

They hope to one day assume ownership of the company and teach the trade to their own children.

“It’s really important the business stay in the family,” Conner said. “My ancestors put a lot of time and work into maintaining the business and building up our reputation. We now have an opportunity to carry on their legacy.”

Conner and Achin’s great-grandfather Charles Taylor founded the Easthampton business as the Charles W. Taylor Agency in 1955. Taylor then passed the business to his daughter, Bernice, and her husband, Bob Conner—Chuck Conner’s parents, and Megan Conner and Achin’s grandparents.

In 2013, the name changed to Taylor Real Estate.

Chuck Conner started working full-time at Taylor Real Estate with his parents after graduating from college in 1981. Soon after, he took on management responsibilities for the firm.

Megan Conner earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology with a specialty in developmental disabilities and human services in 2017 from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. She obtained a real estate license in June 2017.

Over the years, Conner has prepared listings, photographed homes and apartments for sale or rent, and prepared advertising for listings and open houses.

After high school, Achin worked for her mother’s cleaning business while simultaneously working in the office at Taylor Real Estate. In 2014, she became the business’ rental agent.

Achin earned her real estate license in 2014 and took over the Rental Department.

“Chuck has instilled a great work ethic in both of us,” Achin said. “We work as a team and always help each other out.

“The goal is for us to take care of the business the way Chuck does now and stay as involved as possible in the community,” Conner added. “We are both young and driven, which helps us to work as hard as we can to help people every day. We love our community and the people in it.”

For more information on Taylor Real Estate, visit www.taylorrealtors.net.

The post Daughters Move into Leadership Roles at Taylor Real Estate appeared first on Beetle Press.