What I Would Say to

My “Rookie Self”

March marks 11 years in the real estate industry and since then, I have learned a lot!

It was March 14, 2011, when I embarked on my real estate journey, deciding I was finally ready to jump headfirst into a career I had thought about for years. Real estate, for me, represented two opportunities, the ability to guide people moving into another stage of their lives, along with fulfilling my entrepreneurial spirit and drive. Now, with over ten years of experience, I have learned a ton – adapting, pivoting and innovating have all been fundamental in building a solid foundation for my career.

What advice would I give my “rookie self” 11 years ago? Along with some tough love, these are my top ten pieces of advice that I believe have contributed to my success:

Find a Mentor.

Find someone who exemplifies the career you would like to model and someone you respect and can collaborate with.

Build a Community.

Surround yourself in a positive and supportive environment. Choosing the right Brokerage (thankfully I did) and partnering with the right people can heavily influence your success in this business, not to mention your happiness.

Establish a Routine.

Get up. Show up. Everyday. Opening the Chestnut office on Main Street was pivotal in my career as the Brokerage did not have a physical location in North Muskoka for several years. I wanted to change that. With corporate’s amazing support, we opened the 59 Main Street Office in April 2019, expanding the brand’s market share from attracting some fabulous new agents.

Set Best Practices.

Have systems and processes developed to keep you organized and efficient with communication needs. You’ll want these in place before you get too busy to focus on how to set them up correctly.

Communication is Key.

Master the ‘3F’ model (thanks Ryan Serhant) Follow Up/Follow-Through/Follow Back. One of the #1 complaints I hear from the public is lack of communication. The busier my career has become the more I rely on processes I have in place to continue what I pride myself on. Getting back to people!

Create Digital & Social Content.

Start a Newsletter right away. I have learned the importance of keeping in touch with my clients and developing a consistent high-value newsletter (that people want to read). Delivered monthly is a great way to keep in touch!

Social Media is also a great tool to communicate with your network.

Manage Social Schedule.

Time blocking my day is pivotal for staying on track. It’s easy to get pulled in different directions, especially with all of the distractions out there (my phone goes on silent when I am in “the zone”). I am still working on mastering this skill, and thankfully I have wonderful coaching to keep me on track.

I also don’t have lunch dates unless it’s business. As much as I love leisurely lunches, the value of time has become increasingly important. For me, my “workday” is just that. I keep my social time out of my workday and that has been a huge contributor to my focus.

Stay in Your Lane.

Real estate is a very competitive business so it is easy to get ‘pulled out of your lane’ when you see other realtors doing things. I found this especially hard early in my career when I wasn’t as busy. I felt like I was never going to make it, but I did.

Continue to Learn.

LEARN ALL WAYS! Consistently reading, listening to podcasts, investing in coaching, and courses fill my cup. I want to constantly ensure that I am delivering the most relevant and up-to-date strategies to market for my clients.

Get Personal & Schedule ME Time.

Get personal with your personal life. If there are things that prevent you from being your best self, fix them. If your own house is not in order, you cannot positively guide people in making some of the biggest financial decisions of their life.

Lastly, don’t forget ME time! This is still a hard one for me, however, I am getting better. Setting personal time helps me stay accountable to myself. A better ME makes a better WE!

The real estate industry is evolving and expanding in so many ways. Over the past couple of years not only have we experienced historically low-interest rates, significant increases in average sale prices, but we have also had to adapt to a new way of doing business.

Embracing change, remaining relevant and innovative is the driving force behind this amazing business. Focused intention, persistence and the opportunity to work with some exceptional people have been my “secret ingredients” to success.