As most of us know there are many roads to success. We are strong believers that we must each find our own path, our own passion and that no one’s “plan” is better than the rest. We found this to hold true a few weeks ago when surrounded by some powerhouse brokers from the Pacific Northwest.
John L. Scott has franchises throughout Oregon, Washington and Idaho. With 800 agents between the three states, this year the corporate office honored the top eight Brokers and invited them to a reception in Portland. We were humbled to be two of the recipients of this elite award and equally proud to see our company well represented with four recipients of this prestigious award.
DeAnna and I were asked to participate on a panel comprised of a handful of the Top 1%. The VP of the company asked numerous questions to each of us about our business practices, models, systems in place, etc. Although we may have been the ones speaking, we definitely were reminded of some key points when trying to achieve AND maintain success. As we listened to the other three participants on the panel, it became increasingly clear…their business strategies, plans, hours, commitments, models etc. are NOTHING like ours. These people we sat next to where closing tens of millions in volume each year and not a single one of us was doing it the same exact way. One agent mentioned having three licensed brokers giving him the support he needed to achieve at this level, another mentioned taking a total of three months off each year to help him stay focused and goal oriented. One agent primarily sold timber properties so the value in each transaction was incredible and gave him the flexibility to take several months off each year and hunt. It had become his niche and it was working for him. One guy had created a software system to organize his transactions and his “only help” was his wife (God bless her). We let him believe his software was contributing to his incredible success but I think we all know who was really deserving of the glory.
As expected, there were a few common threads among the top producers. We all love what we do. We all know that hard work and determination is essential. We each try to under-promise and over-deliver. Each of us had fallen, made mistakes but learned from them, improved based on trial and error and each us refused to throw in the towel. For us specifically, it is kindness and mutual respect that will keep our business moving forward. We absolutely loved hearing their different approaches to the same exact career. We have often said a trained monkey can open a door, but it is the service that sets us apart and this was never more evident.
When we meet with a client for the first time we often explain that we want to ensure we are a good fit for them just as much as if they are a good fit for us. We will be spending a lot of time together so this seems fair. Given there are hundreds of agents here in Jackson County, each running their business at least a little bit differently, finding the one that supports your style, your expectations and one that you will enjoy spending time with is essential.
When asked about our local presence and how we reach out to the communities we serve we talked about this monthly column. It was baffling how many corporate staff members and top agents LOVED the idea of this column. We explained how we were hesitant when we were first approached about doing it. We were nervous about what topics we would write about, if anyone would read it, let alone care, and above all else, scared of exposing the personal side of “us.” After over a year of writing this column, I think we can safely say it was one of our best decisions yet and it’s because we have such a great and diverse audience. We loved hearing from our fellow realtors, clients, escrow officers and the community that our article made them laugh, help them understand today’s RE market, enlightened them about our personal adventures, etc. The community has really gotten to know a bit more about us and in some cases it is in areas that have nothing to do with real estate at all. We have found that this article is our monthly therapy. It grounds us. It reminds us of what we want for our community, our friends and our family. We are so blessed to be a part of Jackson County and a part of you. Thanks for letting us share a bit of our world. We hope you keep reading. The best is yet to come.
