Two & a half years after joining Frank Howard Allen Realtors in Greenbrae, a company-wide contract dispute motivated me to gather other agents to start our own real estate brokerage in 1977. We opened our office at 848 College Ave, Kentfield in June 1978... one week after my second son, Alex, was born. BTW, The Madison Company is still the longest running real estate brokerage in Kentfield.

What path lead me to real estate? It was an Oregon country road I journeyed down to find myself in San Francisco and Marin County. Life began on a humble Oregon farm for Nancie Rayson (Bottmeyer) with three brothers, cattle, chickens, pigs, horses, dogs, cats, potatoes, wheat and alfalfa. I loved the animals and knew them by name. My brothers made me tough and competitive.

In addition to all the responsibilities of the farm and family, mother was a 4-H Club Leader teaching gardening, cooking, and husbandry, which led me to compete in the County Fair with flowers and Guernsey cows. Among the prizes won at the fair with my entries was admission to summer camp at Oregon State University in Corvallis for middle school 4-Hers.

No one in my family had gone to college. The 4-H summer camps inspired me to do well in high school and go to OSU when I graduated. I was the first in the family to earn a college degree. 4-H involvement provided college tuition in a most convoluted way. At 12 years old, I obtained my first registered Guernsey calf that grew to be a mother to my second Guernsey, and my morning and evening feed and milking chores spanned a herd of five milk cows by my senior year in high school. I was so proud when I earned Grand Champion Dairy Showman with my second cow, Twinkle. at the Yamhill County Fair.

My cows made college happen for me, since my parents had no extra money to help, but they did have unconditional love and good advice. Dad said to all four of us siblings, "BE YOUR OWN BOSS!” I learned early about earning my own money and being my own boss.

Real Estate was a perfect fit. And continues to be after 40+ years. I’m a 20 year member and Past President of Rotary Club of Mission San Rafael and Broker/Owner of The Madison Company Realtors since 1978.