Therese Johnson, Owner

abiRiver Consulting (ah-be River)

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Hi, I am the owner and creator of abiRiver Consulting! Born from my indigenous heritage, abi means “to be home”. How do you say our name? Think of that sigh of relief when all the stress is taken off your plate: ahhhhh-bi River 🙂

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I live in Fergus Falls, where my husband and his family have deep roots. While my business is based out of Fargo/Moorhead, I'm looking forward to stretching out and getting to know our own community better.

My background is not what you’d expect but it has given me a mountain of experiences that brought me to the company I’ve founded today!

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I grew up on a reservation in western Montana, where poverty and luxury were just doors away from each other.

As a single mom, I relocated to the Red River Valley where I worked multiple service industry type jobs, put myself through college in Grand Forks, and became a critical care paramedic. I worked as a medic for 12 years in rural communities where I found myself advocating for patients and finding limited resources to advocate to.

It was exhausting not knowing where to turn when a patient didn’t check enough boxes to get the help that was available. In order to stay ahead of the inevitable burn out that comes with emergency management, I turned to real estate for a break.

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Instead of seeing people only on their worst days, I was excited to be apart of happier chapters in my clients’ lives! It was a relief to be able to use my paramedic skills in a new way, crisis in real estate didn’t shake me up, I can still advocate for my clients, communication and coordination all came naturally. But, I was still finding myself in front of clients who needed more help than I could offer. Again, I was frustrated that resources for aging or downsizing clients were so minimal.

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abiRiver was born during the uncertain period of COVID where no on really know what the next year would bring or what the next market would look like. But one thing was for sure, there would always be someone looking for help downsizing or transitioning a parent into their next home. 

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This was the perfect combination of both worlds. Not only do I get to continue advocating and supporting my clients through major transitions in their life, both joyful periods and mourning periods, but I get to be the resource I was looking for. I am now the person someone calls when they don’t know who else to turn to. I might not have the services they need, but I still advocate and find them the right service for them. And as more clients challenge me to grow creatively, I continue to broaden our network of resources and serve my clients in ways I haven’t been able to find through any other company.

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Not only am I able to support my clients through big changes, but I know personally how important it is to have a job that values your time, your efforts and understands how unpredictable life can be.

 

I offer non traditional job opportunities for my staff which mean they can set their own schedules, which is vital with a childcare shortage. It means, we support each other when sick days or sick kids happen.

 

I schedule my clients around staff availability so that my staff can maintain a healthy work-life balance. Just as I want to remove major stressors from my clients’ lives, I want to remove the major stressors that come with employment. I value what each of my staff bring to the table and hope to provide an environment where they can take ownership of their role and provide a safe space for them to continue to grow professionally and support their personal growth as well.

Whether they are in school, picking up hours while kids are in school, looking for a flexible side job, or wanting to stay active in the work force after retirement- my goal is to support my staff so they can thrive moving forward as well.

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How can abiRiver simplify things for you or a loved one?

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Do you or a parent need to relocate to retire, transitioning to senior living or are you stepping in for a family member who has an estate to clean out? Call abiRiver Consulting for more information or to schedule a free consult: 701-430-9209

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abiRiver Consulting aims to serve our local community with compassion, empathy and sincerity.

 

Therese Johnson, REALTOR®, Owner

abiRiver Consulting | abiRiver.com | info@abiriver.com

Licensed agent at Dakota Plains Realty

5302 51st Ave S, Suite B | Fargo ND

therese.johnsonhomes@gmail.com