Love Is the Work

The Professional Standard, Issue 7

The Origin

Allen was born in Bremen, Germany. She got into real estate in 2003 and was licensed in Tucson, Arizona.

"I was mentored by an amazing realtor who saw so much potential in me," she says. He took her under his wing for a year and taught her servant leadership, which meant listening to clients, being of service, and not making a sale about the transaction.

"That really stuck with me," she says. "That is how I built my business."

"It's been about relationships, not how many transactions I do."Debra "Coco" Allen

The Work

Allen works with buyers and sellers across the Phoenix metro area, including Mesa, Gilbert, Chandler, Tempe, Scottsdale, and Paradise Valley. Her specialties include relocation, international clients, divorce, probate, downsizing, and military and veteran clients.

She calls this work Conscious Real Estate. "I help people navigate important life transitions with care, clarity, and intention," she writes. "To me, helping someone find a home is about more than a transaction, it's about supporting the next chapter of their life."

She sees The Love and Laughter Experience as another expression of the same purpose, which she describes as "helping people feel seen, supported, and more at home in their lives."

The Turning Point

Allen says she went through a lot of hardship in her life. The change came when she held herself accountable for the part she played in it. "I had to change myself," she says.

She is most proud of what came from that work. "I finally understand my value and my worth," she says. "I really know how to love myself, set boundaries, and show up in love for my family and friends."

The change had a cost. As she left self-destructive behavior behind, people started disappearing from her life.

"It can get quite lonely," she says. "I was always looking for somewhere to fit in. So I decided I'm just going to create a community."

That community started with three people in 2021. Gatherings are held outside in her backyard, which can fit almost 50 people, because she wants guests present in nature. The group uses sound healing, breath work, and fire circles, and once a month it shares a potluck and talks about life.

"Sometimes we think the things that really hurt us only happened to us," she says. "When we share, we notice it's not just us, and that makes it easier."

Gatherings of The Love and Laughter Experience.

The Year on Camera

Since December 2025, Allen has been enrolled in MITT, Mastery in Transformational Training, in Los Angeles. She credits the training with generating breakthroughs in her life and creating amazing results. It also showed her where she could stretch herself further, and the camera was the area she had been avoiding. Her son and her best friend had been pushing her to get in front of it.

"I was afraid of being judged," she says. "I was afraid I would say the wrong words. And I finally said, no more. What do I have to lose?"

"If I don't do it now, I will never do it."Debra "Coco" Allen

Her videos focus on accountability, gratitude, and what she calls life wisdom. The idea came partly from her gatherings, where people told her they wished they could record what she had just said.

She handled the technical side by asking for help. A couple who have attended Love and Laughter for three years, and who asked her to marry them at their wedding, offered their support. They now come to her house, film her, and ask her meaningful questions.

"We're not good at everything," she says. "The things I can't do, I get to outsource."

The Standard

Asked what impact she wants her message to have, Allen answers directly. "If we come from love, love meets us everywhere, and we create magic," she says. She describes that as genuine care, which means doing kind things for people without needing anything in return.

She holds herself to that standard as a leader. "I see myself as an igniter, someone who brings people together, listens deeply, speaks honestly, and creates space for growth," she writes.

She asks the same of her community. "We rise together," she writes. "We keep our word, celebrate one another's growth, and hold one another accountable with love."

A community gathering outdoors.

Advice for Professionals

Allen's advice for anyone building a career starts with an honest look at complacency. "Sometimes we just get complacent and say, oh, I'm good right here," she says. "I noticed that I have much more to give."

She also wants people to know that the work is real. "It takes energy you have to spend within yourself, and it's okay," she says. "People wait for permission to change something about themselves, but you have to give yourself that permission. You have to have the courage to step into your own power."

"You don't need permission to work on yourself."Debra "Coco" Allen

Off the Clock

Allen journals often, and she sometimes picks up old journals to see how far she has come. "I can reflect and say, I've grown so much," she says. "When you're stuck in the moment, you don't think you're ever going to make it out."

She also refuses to get into road rage. When someone cuts her off, she keeps driving and sends them positive energy. "You must need some extra love today," she says, "because you probably had a really bad day."

Debra "Coco" Allen, center.

Continue reading

More from The Professional Standard

Previous, Issue 6Betty DangSee every issue