Before Sonia Graham ever showed a house, she survived a childhood most people can't imagine — and came out the other side fearless, funny, and determined to build something better.

She was adopted at age five, removed from horrific abuse and welcomed into a military family. Military life meant growing up across different states, including three years stationed in Spain. In eighth grade, she was placed in a group home, BoysTown, where she remained until her junior year of high school.

After graduating high school in Kansas, Sonia dove into the next chapter — working a wide range of jobs, from receptionist to 911 dispatcher, radio station receptionist to paralegal, she got married to someone in the military and bartended at a military installation in Italy.

Those experiences, she says, continue to shape who she is today.

"My past made me who I am," Sonia shares. "All the trauma and difficulties made me almost fearless... well, maybe not fearless — I'm scared of a lot. What I'm most afraid of is not trying to be the best I can be, and letting the people who tried to keep me down be right."

She also credits her past with giving her an open mind — and a strong sense of humor.

Sonia entered real estate in 2015, though the career was never part of a lifelong plan.

"I always wish I had something cool to say when people ask this," she says. "It wasn't a calling or a passion. I didn't even want to own a home, much less sell one, before I got my license."

After PCSing from Italy to MD, Sonia needed work that offered flexible hours and a solid paycheck. A "we are hiring" flyer at a local real estate office caught her attention, and she decided to apply.

"I knew nothing about being a REALTOR®, so I figured, why not?" she recalls. "Eleven years later, here I am."

What began as an unexpected career choice has grown into a lasting profession and a business Sonia is deeply proud of.

Today, she hangs her license at Douglas Realty and leads the Simple Moves Group. She considers herself an individual agent who runs a team, working alongside a transaction coordinator, business partners, and one agent she helps guide through the complexities of real estate, offering hands-on, personal support along the way.

Her approach to leadership has evolved through her own experience in the industry. Rather than becoming a traditional coach, Sonia built her own version of a team — serving as a trainer, providing support all while giving her agents room to build their own client relationships and grow within the Simple Moves Group brand.

The drive to train is now taking shape as something bigger: a 3.5-day "How to REALLY Real Estate" course Sonia is working to grow, built around the fundamentals she believes new agents are rarely taught — the unglamorous, business-building basics that actually determine whether a career lasts.

"I've found that actual, simple, good training is something this industry lacks and desperately needs," Sonia says.

Sonia's accomplishments include Rookie of the Year, CRP Top Agent, and BRP Top Agent honors. She has also completed the Leadership Academy, earned her GRI, and is now eligible to sit for her broker license.

For Sonia, though, the most rewarding part of the business isn't the recognition — it's helping people.

"The most fulfilling part is helping others. Hands down," she says.

That philosophy shows in how she works with clients. Sonia believes in staying directly involved throughout every transaction rather than handing off the most important parts of her job.

"I won't lie about how hard this job is, and I'm not looking for someone to delegate the important parts to," she says. "I want to be front and center for the client from start to finish."

Her advice to newcomers in the business is just as direct: learn everything you can, understand and be clear on your numbers, and stay committed through the hard years, even when progress feels slow.

"Go all in on learning," Sonia advises. "This business is hard, and it's even harder if you skip the important parts — the ones that aren't sexy or exciting."

Outside of work, Sonia enjoys time with her family, which recently grew as she became a grandmother for the first time. You'll also catch her at the beach, shopping, catching up with friends over tea, traveling, and going to movies and concerts — and, when her schedule allows, a well-earned nap.

For Sonia, real estate has become more than a career. It's a natural part of the life she has built, woven into the rhythm of her everyday routine.

"Real estate is in harmony with my life, and my life is in harmony with real estate, and I am so proud and grateful for it. My class gives me the opportunity to teach others how to set their business up for true success and do the same."

Her business philosophy is captured in a simple tagline: "I help homes find their people, simply."