Bekah Cochran had already made a name for herself in real estate when someone called her “Busy” and started a new trend. She was no longer Bekah Cochran, founder of the Bekah Cochran Team, she was Busy Bekah, queen of her own bustling hive of staff and agents.
“They said, ‘Hey, Busy,’ and I giggled because it was a reflection of my natural tempo and energy,” says Cochran as she paces the floor of her office at Keller Williams Greater Downtown Realty. When she tries to stand still, the multitasker in her sets her in motion again, as if it’s itching to do more.
Cochran loved her new nickname, but she didn’t want to be busy for the sake of being busy. Rather, she wanted to be busy with intent.
“I’ve always been busy, but I’m careful about protecting what busy looks like because busy does not mean unproductive. Busy means, ‘What is God’s plan for me in this ministry?’ I’m busy because I’m on purpose and productive and making the most of this life.”
Being purposeful includes returning the blessings she’s received through her real estate business to the community, Cochran continues as she passes the shelf containing the Energizer Bunny trophy she received at KW’s annual awards earlier this year. While Cochran does this in a variety of ways, since 2019, spring has seen the return of her Busy Bekah Scholarship, a $1,000 endowment she bestows to a graduating student from her alma mater, McMinn County High School.
The scholarship has its origin in KW’s BOLD class, a training experience that challenges the company’s high-level agents to “dream big and set outrageous goals,” Cochran says. While taking the class in 2019, Cochran did just that.
“I came home and told my family, ‘We’re going to buy a boat and I’m going to start a scholarship,’ Cochran recalls.
The inspiration for a boat came from Cochran’s love for being on the water. Her idea to award an annual scholarship grew out of her appreciation for the multiple endowments she received as a graduate of McMinn High, all of which helped her to attend classes at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga and earn an education degree.
Cochran worked hard to procure the scholarships, including earning good grades, volunteering with the Special Olympics, going on mission trips, working multiple jobs and penning essays explaining how she’d turn the funds into a fruitful future.
Cochran replicated these criteria for the Busy Bekah Scholarship.
“Applicants write an essay, recruit people to write letters of recommendation and show that they’re active in the community,” Cochran explains.
Candidates also must demonstrate financial need – an important benchmark for Cochran, who was one of three children in a household supported by educators.
“My parents worked hard, but they could do only so much,” Cochran recalls. “The scholarships I received gave me the opportunity to grow. Now, I want to pass it on to others.”
Cochran will start receiving applications this month. Although she’s busy – as the path she’s wearing across the middle of her office floor testifies – she’s looking forward to turning off everything and sitting down to read the essays. It’s her favorite part next to presenting the scholarship in person during McMinn High’s annual senior night event, she says.
“My motto is ‘Living the dream.’ The Busy Bekah Scholarship is my way of helping someone else someday live theirs.”