The Family Magazine of Michiana / Sassy Magazine / February 2012 / Painting the Town Red

Painting the Town Red

One Woman on a Mission to Brighten Your Day

At the start of the interview, I notice she was looking at little red in the face.

“I’m excited, but I hate this,” she says, caught red-handed in her honest modesty. “I know this article is supposed to be about me, but “me” is not at all what I’m about!”

Diane Bennett is the founder and team leader of InspiRED Homes, a faith-based team of realtors working together at Remax 100 “to make real estate dreams come true.” Their mission statement is “It’s all about you!” But after an encounter with this lady in red, you catch on pretty quickly that this is not just a company motto or a branding tactic. This is her personal mantra.

When most people think of realtors and the process of buying and selling homes, the words red tape often come to mind: endless forms, appointments, negotiations and a roller coaster of waiting games. But with Diane, the only thing rolling out is the red carpet she and her team are preparing for you and your family.

Selling homes and making dreams come true, while wearing bold red outfits, are only a few of the many plates Diane has spinning. She is also a wife to retired golf pro and local home inspector Scott Bennett who made a point to mention how good he thinks his wife looks in the color red. Together they have three middle school and high school aged daughters, Billie, Sissie and Leslie, along with their basset hound named Dixie.

When mom is home, they know it’s all about them as well. Scott said he loves how her passion for others has been passed down to the next generation. “She always used to sing to the girls that old song ‘Jesus, and Others, and You, What a Wonderful Way to Spell Joy.’”

But Diane’s colorful passion for others isn’t just content to stay in the confines of her home and office. Due to her heart for local business and charities, Diane is literally painting the town red! She participates actively in the South Bend Rotary, a group of business people committed to eradicating polio worldwide as well as giving back to the local community. Their theme of “servant above self” is a perfect fit for the lady in red.

Diane is also a past president of the Alpha Omega chapter of Business Network International, a member of the RPBA, RPNA (River Park Business & Neighborhood Associations) and MBA (Mishawaka Business Association). And her talents aren’t just limited to the business sector. Her love for the arts and humanities has led to her involvement behind the red velvet curtains at the South Bend Civic Theatre and also at Granger Community Church, where she currently volunteers on the drama team, “Campus guides,” and “Voluntour,” where she helps others find their perfect fit for giving back as well.

 

Go Big Red

So where did her passion specifically for the color red begin? Growing up, Diane knew that red was a symbol for unity and community, and she was ready to dive in with the boldness of the crimson hue. Diane attended several schools since her family moved around a lot, but every single school had red as one of the school colors. Diane’s parents said they first noticed her “signature color” in high school. Her father Bill told us a little back story:

“Our move her senior year of high school meant making all new friends – tough for students of that age. Diane asked for my permission to run for president of the student body, saying, ‘Daddy, I won’t get elected, but I will make a lot of new friends this way!’”

To show her school spirit, she put a stick of Big Red chewing gum in every student’s locker, along with her name and her motto “Go Big Red!” Bill shared with pride that “Red won out! The new kid on the block was elected president! And red is still her theme color for her real estate business.”

A team of people in Diane’s life saw her love for the color red and advised her to embrace it as a means to grow her career. Her life coach Rich Nash from Enrichment Strategies and the team at Force Five Media explained the importance of branding to this stay-at-home mom and her team in the beginning phases of her dream. Diane explains, “You want to be able to be remembered and recognized, so you can help more people. My favorite golfer Payne Stewart was always known for his knickers. I’ve always loved the color red, and when they came up with the name Inspired I knew that was it! We want to be a bold team that is inspired, so we can inspire others!”

Although her love for community and real estate plays a huge role in her colorful life, the color red has also been something near and dear to her heart. “I’ve always been about charity and giving back and specifically always had an ache in my heart for the unborn child in America since I had a friend who had an abortion and struggled with regret. After watching the film “The Secret,” I realized that praying against abortion was praying the wrong thing.”

Diane shared how this film (based on the book known for its stamp of red wax on the cover), inspired her to move past seeing red in her anger and grief over the loss of life and move to a love for all those involved in the issue. “Now I pray for life and lives. God loves these babies, but also the mothers, the fathers, their families and the people at the clinics who are just trying to earn a living and help girls who are in trouble.”

Diane is currently in the beginning phases of starting up the Inspired Foundation, which will focus on educating young girls on this issue.

Diane believes in the power of names and felt called from a young age to live up to what she feels is her God-given calling: “Diane means reflector or light. My middle name is Helene and it also means “light.” Troth, my maiden name, means truth or promise. And my married name Bennett literally means “blessings.” God gave me this name for a reason. I’m meant to be a mirror to be held up to everyone I meet in order to reflect the light, truth and blessings that are in your life.” To Diane, Every person matters. Everyone has a purpose. And every day can be your red-letter day.

Diane’s oldest daughter Leslie shared with me: “Mom is able to be herself around everyone she meets so easily, and I think she is the main reason I am able to show my true colors. Her motto "it’s all about you" isn’t just for the workplace and selling houses. That's for everywhere. Especially home. At home, everyone has to get along, and it makes things way too complicated when that doesn't happen. If we use the mindset of “it’s all about you” and think of what the other person wants, then the whole family benefits.”

I can’t help but wonder how much brighter our world would be if all our true colors painted our world with “It’s all about you,” and everyone was family. Let’s pick up a brush and paint the town red, together.

Thoughts on Diane