Phyllis Sagan grew up in Dorchester and Brookline and went to UMass Amherst, where she met her late husband, Chuck. They married and moved to an army base in California, where Chuck was stationed and where their daughter, Shari, was born. They moved back to Winthrop, and then to Swampscott.

Phyllis taught school and then decided to start a real estate agency in her basement. Eventually, her firm expanded, and is now Sagan Harborside Sotheby’s International Realty in Swampscott. She is the mother of Shari and Scott, and has six grandchildren and a great-grandchild. Phyllis lives in Swampscott.

Phyllis, you were raised in Dorchester and Brookline. Can you tell us about your parents and siblings and your Jewish upbringing?

I grew up with my two younger brothers in a thriving, active Jewish community in Dorchester. My mother worked full time and so I helped out with my two younger brothers. My father loved bringing us to Temple Mishkin Tefillah in Dorchester (before the temple moved to Newton) every weekend. I went to Hebrew school five days a week there. Many of my parents’ friends moved out of Dorchester, and so my family eventually moved to Brookline.

You went to UMass Amherst. What did you study, and how was that experience?

I really enjoyed my time at UMass and received a bachelor’s degree in education. Back in those days, women had few choices as majors: teacher, nurse or social worker … but certainly not business.

How did you meet your husband, the late Chuck Sagan? And what were your early years together like?

Chuck was in ROTC at UMass, where we met, and he eventually became a lieutenant in the army. We moved to an army base in Barstow, California, where our daughter Shari was born. It was an incredible experience, living on an army base with a new baby, as I was the only woman and new mom on the base. I was actually the only maternity patient in the army hospital at the time, and every day the nurses asked when I was ready to leave. The cost per day in the hospital was $7, and so I stayed for 11 days. It was a 45-minute drive in the desert to get to the nearest ice cream shop and it was so incredibly hot. We would have stayed in California, but in those days we listened to our mothers who told us to “come back east.” When we returned, we settled first in Winthrop.

You lived in Winthrop, then to Marblehead, and later Swampscott and worked as a teacher. Was that a rewarding experience?

I taught elementary school as a substitute teacher in East Boston and worked full time as an educator at Temple Emanu-El in Marblehead. To this day, my former students at Temple Emanu-El still feel that they are partly responsible for my success in real estate. Whenever I see any of the students I taught, they often tell me that they should be getting a portion of my real estate commissions, since they are the reason I left teaching, given that they were difficult students.

What made you decide to become a realtor and start your own company in your home basement?

After five years of teaching, I realized that I would rather spend my time with adults than children – my own children cringe when I share this – but it’s true. I studied and passed the real estate exam. I worked briefly for someone else in the real estate industry; and then realized that I had this spark to run my own business and really wanted to try it on my own. With my husband Chuck’s encouragement, I started the real estate business in my basement with one typewriter, one telephone and no copy machine. I was convinced then that I would remain a one-woman company. A friend of mine to whom I had sold a house asked if she could come to work for me. I initially said no – that I really intended to stay a one-woman company. When she said that she would eventually be competing with me, I asked her to come join me.

After that, my firm grew [to] five real estate agents. We eventually outgrew the space in my basement and moved to my first office at Olivers Pond and years later to Vinnin Square. From that time on to the present, our community has been unbelievable in helping to make my business a success. I have made so many wonderful friends with everyone who has worked with me, sold with me, and bought from me. Amazingly, some of my colleagues have been working with me for over 35 years!

You’ve been in the real estate business for over 40 years, have dozens of agents in your firm, and own Sagan Harborside Sotheby’s International Realty. What do you think is the secret to your real estate success?

Sagan Realtors and Harborside Sotheby’s International Realty merged in 2018 with the goal of expanding the company’s reach, marketing and global opportunities. The agency has created a global network, all the while maintaining a strong sense of community. Personally, I love meeting new people, finding out where they are from and what they do for a living – I love talking to people about the communities where I live and work. The more involved I became in the community, the more success I had in business. Since I love what I do, I have never felt like it was work and am forever grateful to this community.

What has it been like for a Jewish woman to start one of the most successful real estate agencies north of Boston in the last 50 years?

I still pinch myself as I celebrate the success that my firm has had. I have been lucky and so fortunate to have been associated with so many talented and devoted people in our community. To have had this amazing career, and to have met so many customers and colleagues who have become my friends, has truly been a blessing.

What do you feel is the key to becoming successful in business?

I think being trustworthy and being honest and only wanting the best for the clientele is key. I also believe strongly in living by the Golden Rule and treating others with kindness, respect and fairness. When you are successful, your first obligation is to give back both with your time and resources. I also think that a sense of humor is key to success in life. At the end of the day, the only question I would ask myself … did I love enough, did I laugh enough, and did I make a difference?

You’ve said tikkun olam is a big part of your life and that philanthropy is not an option, but an imperative. Why are you so committed to the community and giving back?

I’ve been active with the Lynn Community Health Center, My Brother’s Table, and Lappin Foundation’s Youth to Israel trip. I have also served on the board of overseers at Salem State University, funded scholarships at Marblehead and Swampscott high schools, and was the co-chairperson of the North Shore Cancer Walk. In addition, I’ve been active with CJP Women’s Philanthropy and Jewish Family & Children’s Service, and served as the chairperson of the North Shore Advisory Board of the Anti-Defamation League. My philosophy is that if everybody got involved in at least one organization or gave to at least one organization, the world would be a better, kinder place. I care deeply about the success of each of the organizations within our very own community and want to see them thrive in the future. Philanthropy is not an option. It is an imperative.

Tell us about your family.

I have two wonderful children, Shari, who is married to Steve McGuirk, and Scott, who is married to Julie. I am fortunate to be able to work in the real estate business with my daughter and daughter-in-law. They are both so accomplished and such an asset to our company. My son-in-law Steve is an attorney who is now teaching constitutional law at St. Mary’s School in Lynn. My son Scott is a CPA who worked with my late husband Chuck, and is now a partner in a large accounting firm in Woburn called LGA. I am blessed with six grandchildren and one great-grandchild. We spend quite a lot of time together … we travel, we laugh, and we share every Jewish holiday.

What do you love most about being Jewish?

I love feeling embraced and supported by the Jewish and greater community – which was most evident when my husband Chuck passed away 16 years ago. It was the love and caring of the community that got me through the loss. I also love celebrating the Jewish holidays at temple and in my own dining room surrounded by family and friends.

You’ve been in hundreds – perhaps thousands – of homes and neighborhoods across the North Shore. What do you love most about this area?

We are so fortunate to live near the ocean. Our community has such array of lifestyles and real estate options from condominiums [to] multi-million-dollar seaside homes. In addition, there is nothing better than living on the North Shore because we have so many active Jewish organizations like the JCC, Epstein Hillel, our temples, ADL, and especially the Jewish Journal.