The Real Deal Podcast
Unlock the door to success in the dynamic world of real estate with your hosts, William Gomez & Alfredo Madrid. Join us as we dive into the inspiring journeys of loan officers and real estate agents, sharing their triumphs, challenges, and invaluable insights. Your key to navigating the ever-evolving landscape of real estate starts here.
The Real Deal Podcast
#19 Navigating New Beginnings in Real Estate
Kimber Whorton, a former deputy assessor in Rogers County shares her story of resilience, determination, and the power of self-belief. Her first significant transaction in Jay, Oklahoma, was a pivotal moment that not only boosted her confidence but also laid the foundation for her career. She opens up about the challenges she faced, including the transition from a stable salary to the competitive world of real estate, all while tackling personal and financial pressures.
Kimber's story highlights the importance of understanding one's "why," driven by family motivations, and emphasizes the necessity of building a solid real estate brand. She reflects on how her environment and relationships fueled her growth, both personally and professionally. From sharing strategies on building a reliable clientele to navigating the emotional and practical aspects of major life transitions, Kimber encourages listeners to remain steadfast in their goals. This episode gives you bothinspiration and practical advice, making it a must-listen for anyone aspiring to succeed in real estate or seeking motivation for their own journeys.
You know, I started working floor shift, that's I didn't really understand how to generate business. I got my first transaction from working a floor shift. It was a $90,000 deal over in Jay, Oklahoma. I was so proud. I was so proud to have this little listing and then I double-sided it. It's like that one moment of getting that listing was a catalyst moment for me, because it immediately just gave me right there. I got confidence. I'm like okay, I can do this.
Speaker 2:Kimber Horton. Welcome to the Real Deal Podcast. How are you doing today?
Speaker 1:I'm great. Thank you so much for having me on.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I'm super excited to kind of dive a little bit deep and get to know your story a little bit more. I've you know I met with Kimber. We actually met at a realtor regional meeting that you guys had that I went and spoke at. And it's funny because I don't remember meeting you but I remember you because you had your two boys with you.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and then I remember you reaching out to me and we finally got together and you have a powerful story, especially with how short you've been in the business and how much business you've been able to do. She's almost done 30 deals the last 12 months and she's going to finish off an amazing year, and so I'm excited for agents and lenders that are listening to be able to get inspired and then hopefully learn a couple of things. So thanks so much for coming on.
Speaker 1:Yeah, thanks for having me.
Speaker 2:And you and Alfredo already have something in common, right? You guys are both from the country, yeah.
Speaker 1:I mean our boots have dirt on them, that's right. There's probably a little horse poop on these for sure. Yeah, mine too. That's what I like.
Speaker 3:You know I loved reading your story. I actually really like how you're so in touch with your story early on in your career. I feel that a lot of people go through their career and it's not till way later that they're like wait a minute, all these lessons I learned and the reason I'm good is because I went through some really tough stuff. Right, and I read your bio and I'm guessing it's a very tip of the iceberg of what all the difficulties you went through in that season. Does that sound about right?
Speaker 1:Yeah, I mean really, you know you try to give a short version and the highlights, but I do. I feel like there's depth and I am proud of what I've just overcome, and I'm not the only one that's had to do what I'm I've been doing. So I think that's why I'm excited to come um speak today and share and inspire others, because I feel like there's going to be a lot of um women maybe not just women, but just a lot of people out there that that maybe have something similar.
Speaker 3:So so take us back to that Start where like hey, this is when I, this is where the seed of being in real estate happened. You were in a, an assessor for the county there for a while, and then so when did that idea pop in your head of, like you know what? I think I got to change course here and start thinking about being a realtor and then just kind of take us through that time for you, cause that's kind of where I want to hear about.
Speaker 1:Well, let me tell you something that's going to make you guys laugh a little bit. So when I was a deputy assessor is what we're called in the assessor's office for Rogers County tax assessor? Um, I had kind of started at the lower level in there and I got to finish out at the as the chief appraiser for them. And, um, let me tell you that if you would have told me when I worked in there that I was going to be a realtor one day, I would have laughed and asked you to leave. So on that side of the desk you're just not treated very well. You know every yeah, everybody's just out to prove you wrong and and um. So but, that being said, I've I've brought so many of those tools over into this that have been so helpful.
Speaker 3:What were some misconceptions about realtors that you had while you were an assessor there? I think?
Speaker 1:maybe this is gosh, going to sound terrible, but some of the arrogance, you know. Realtors would come to me and part of my job was to listen and understand the perspective of that other side. And realtors would come to me and just say you know you're wrong. And I'd say, well, just show me, show me why you know, show me your, show me your comps and I've got comps. And let's look at where we're different, because mass appraisal, which is what is utilized by an assessor's office, is completely different than fee appraisal and what realtors get to do. So just show me where you're coming from and I'm out here to make it work and have defendable numbers.
Speaker 1:But like, let's have the conversation and so many of them didn't want to share the depth of that. Or like, hey, here's what I think, and why can we talk about this? That starts off a whole different conversation. So when I decided that I was going to go into this, honestly, I knew places that I refused to go based on how I had been treated on the other side of the table. I mean, I thought, if that's what that energy is like, I don't want it.
Speaker 2:You mean as far as brokerages?
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah what that energy is like I don't want it. You mean, as far as brokerages, yeah, yeah, and one of the things too that I'm. I'm curious to ask you because, um, you mentioned that whenever you were getting licensed, you know, you were going through, uh, a tough time, to say the least. I mean, you, you were a brand new mom and and you didn't have barely any time. And then you, you were going to take the test and you were like, man, if I don't pass the test the first time which is very common for a lot of agents to take the test two or three times you're like I don't know if this is going to be for me. So do you think that you would be sitting here today like as an agent, with the production that you have, if you wouldn't have passed the test the first time?
Speaker 1:Um, I'd like to think that I just would have collected myself and tried again. I mean I was not okay staying where I was and so kind of the back piece of that story. And really to finish up Alfredo's question, my husband and I our babies are IVF miracles and we had tried really hard to have our oldest, who's now six, and we had two embryos left and IVF is tough, it's not for the faint of heart, but we really just thought, gosh, we have these two embryos left, let's see if we can give Reed a sibling. We had had so much failure that we just really figured this will never work.
Speaker 1:But here's a Hail Mary, and you may not know this about IVF but when you have embryos left like that, you have to make some decisions. You're either going to transfer them or you're going to donate them to science. You're going to donate them to science. You're going to donate them to another family which there's just there's a lot of need. But those are terrifying thoughts. Or what I had told my husband we're either going to go ahead and try to do another transfer I'm getting older like we're gonna now or never or I'm going to pay the storage fee on them till I die because I can't bring myself to come to terms with any of these other choices. And so we did the transfer, and we had transferred.
Speaker 3:What's a transfer?
Speaker 1:It's an embryo transfer where, basically, you have embryos that you have grown, you know, in a lab, so to speak, that are a product of my husband and I, but they transferred them into my body.
Speaker 3:Oh gotcha.
Speaker 1:And so then you're hoping for implantation, and that's how you know. Then the growth happens to, you know, develop into a baby. And so we had done this repeatedly, and we had already transferred six embryos, and the only one that ever took was Reed. And so here we are, we're like going to throw this last Hail, mary. And oh, my goodness, it's like the movies.
Speaker 1:They both they both took. You know, I hyperventilated, I cried. You know, my husband, I will never forget us leaving the doctor's office after the confirmation and he pulls into Cracker Barrel parking lot and I'm just bawling, we can't do that. And he was like why do you think we can't do this? We can do this, we're going to be fine.
Speaker 1:He's the greatest man and so thankful, so thankful for how solid he is. Because that was the moment that I'm like okay, if you say we can do it well, okay, okay, you know, and it just so. Now we're pregnant with twins. I'm on a county salary, which you know is a similar salary that I was making when it was just my husband and I. Now we're going to be a family of five and daycare is outrageous. We were super fortunate. One of my very dear friends and Chad's aunt had watched Reed for us. But my gosh, I didn't even have it in me to try to ask her to watch my twins. She's self-employed, owns her own business too. I'm like, oh my gosh. So I just I had to, I had to change my path and we needed to make more money ultimately. So I was out in the parking lot on my lunch break one day and God just laid it on my heart and I never I mean maybe one other moment in my life have I felt something like that. But it really just was out of nowhere and I thought, oh my gosh, this is what I'm supposed to do, this is my outlet, and you know I'm supposed to do. This is my, my outlet. And, um, you know, I just, I never looked back.
Speaker 1:I, I completed my course while I was pregnant with the twins. Um, my twins were born, uh, one month early, but at 35, at 35 weeks. But, um, I finished my online course three days before I had my boys and I was just really I knew it was coming and I thought I've got to do this because I'm not going to remember anything that I've been committed to for all these weeks. And then I took my licensing exam when my boys were about 30 days, they were about a month old, and I just was at that moment of like I'm going to lose everything I've worked for mentally. I hadn't slept, you know, we spent time in the NICU, um, I mean, and you know, we were just being twin parents is it's wild? And so we had, yeah, we had not slept, neither Chad or I, and um, I finally just I felt myself procrastinating and and just being in this weird space about when to take this test, I'm never going to be ready, just being in this weird space about when to take this test, I'm never going to be ready.
Speaker 1:And so I just set an exam date and thought you have to set that and just shoot for it, go for it. And so that's what I did. And I was, I just, I prayed Um, this has really brought me strong, into my faith. But I mean, I did, I prayed all the way there, like please get me through this moment, because if I don't pass this the first time, I don't have anything left to give. This is all I have. And then I did. I sat in the parking lot when I passed, you know, with a pretty solid score, and I just sat there, involved with, you know, gratefulness.
Speaker 3:Looking back at that season, what's like your biggest takeaway, like your biggest lesson that you learned, cause we learned the most important lessons in life. We learned them through seasons like that. What would you say? Looking back, as you're wanting to help someone else, like you mentioned, what is it like you take away? What's the biggest thing you take away?
Speaker 1:I think the biggest thing that I could take away from that actual moment was you have to choose to believe in yourself. If I didn't believe I was capable of it, I would have failed before I ever left my driveway. I went into that trying to believe that I could do this, and I've tried to hold on to that. You know mindset going through this. You know I have now had transactions. I was working on a $3.2 million deal with people that I consider to be, you know, pretty big money players, and all of a sudden it was like you know pretty big money players and all of a sudden it was like you know, you have to believe that you can belong in that conversation instead of being intimidated by it, and you know, so I've just tried to hold onto that all through there. You have to believe in yourself, in this or anything you're going to do. If you're, if you're going to be successful at it.
Speaker 2:Believe in confidence are two huge biggest keys, but that doesn't mean that you you still don't have doubt. How much doubt did you have as you were heading to take that test? Oh my goodness.
Speaker 1:You know, I just um, it was just definitely there. And then, like, how much doubt do I have still every now and then, I mean, sometimes I look at my schedule in my week and I still juggle my babies. You know, they've been by my side and at my feet this entire time. And so I'm wrapping up my third year and you know, really, aside from that moment of the exam and the doubt that was there, I mean the first year of their life and that whole first year of trying to launch my business. You know, because that's what we are as realtors, we are self-employed and so trying to establish my business, learn how to be a twin mom, um, you know, just just all of that. I mean, gosh, I still have doubt quite often, but again, you have to just believe that you can do it. Yeah.
Speaker 2:And I wanted to ask that, just because it's it's, you know, easy to listen to somebody talk that has had success and it's like cool, you know anybody listening. That's like it's easy to say, just like I'm going to believe that I'm going to be a top producer next year, I'm going to believe I'm going to do this or that Right. But but people don't think that like people like yourself maybe have that doubt when you talk so confidently, like that. But that I mean that right there I think just proves the power of that belief in confidence, right, that people maybe can't even smell that doubt.
Speaker 2:Um so I don't know if you remember the very first time we met that, uh, one of the things that I spoke about was the, the power of your why. Um, and you know there's, there's, everybody out there knows what they do. You know a smaller percentage of people know why, how to do it, and then only the top people know why they do it. It was it's clear from even before you took your test that you knew why you were doing it, and that was your family, that that was your babies, that was just, it's evident. So walk me through after you are crying in the parking lot after you passed your test because you're so happy and thankful. Walk me through the timeline of of like you, like, what did you do before your business kind of started taking off? And when I say taken off, I'm talking even the very first few transactions very first few transactions.
Speaker 1:Um, so, you know, after I passed um that exam, I I had already spoke with Michael Urie at solid rock and um was just, you know, met him to. That was where I everyone told me that I would feel so good there, and they were not wrong. Um, so I wanted to meet him and get that one-on-one and because not everyone's compatible right Immediately thought this is somebody that I would love to work under his umbrella. The atmosphere in that office felt amazing immediately, but really I just hit the ground running. January 1st of 2022 was my day one as a real estate agent with Solid Rock, and so I just, you know, I started working floor shift. That's, I didn't really understand how to generate business, but Solid Rock does great onboarding. They give you, you know, do this, this and this by this date. Reach out to this many people. You know, you know how it goes just to grow your business as basic steps, to get that foundation and some momentum. And so I really was just trying to do what they told me to do and then went in and picked up floor shifts just to be in the atmosphere, because I was just trying to get set, and I got my first transaction from working a floor shift.
Speaker 1:It was a $90,000 deal over in Jay, oklahoma, on the very edge of the state line, like literally could throw a rock up the street and probably cross the state line. So it was on a well, it was really like not much of a home and I thought, oh my gosh, I was so proud, I was so proud to have this little listing, and then I double sided it and so it just it's like that one moment of getting that listing was a catalyst moment for me because it immediately just gave me right there. I got confidence. I'm like, okay, I can do this. And I had tremendous doubt because I didn't know what I was doing, but I had that belief of like okay, we're doing this, All right here we go, and so I had my first transaction close.
Speaker 1:I think it was 60 days and the fact that I got to double side that made it feel pretty good. It was a nice little check, and then I just feel like I kind of you know, burst open from there.
Speaker 3:I love when somebody comes in. I've been in it for quite a while, so I've got to see people come into a lot of different markets and I think it's really good for someone to come in into either a down market or a market that's about to be down, and that's what 2022 was like. You came in and you're probably hearing about all these people talking about how they just had their best year ever and everybody's an expert, everybody you know is a top producer and you see in all these humongous numbers and then you come in early 2022, I think was still good in this market.
Speaker 1:I got the tail end of it and it was like just enough to get me some momentum. So, I was really thankful for that because I felt sorry for agents that I watched come on in 2023. That there's. You know that momentum had fell off, had passed, but I but I think it's.
Speaker 3:I want to hear from you kind of what your mindset was as you start to see that market cool off. Because what? The reason I like somebody brand new to the industry coming in is because they don't know any better, like they don't know that it's supposed to be gangbusters and all these people are supposed to be calling you that they want to buy homes. You didn't know any better, so you're just doing the work Right. And so what was it like to to be in a market that's like that at your first year?
Speaker 1:You know. So, catching the momentum off of that, um, you know just what was that wild, amazing market gave me that start. But then there was. There was like, you know, there's buzz about the shift that's coming, and then of course there's, you know, the doubt that's always in the back of your mind, like, oh gosh, here we go.
Speaker 1:This is what everybody told me was going to happen. And also there's that I refuse to fail at this. I cannot. And so one thing again that and I'm probably going to say this so much but one thing that's so great about Solid Rock is that they were already preparing us for that. So it's like I was surrounded by veteran agents and amazing people that were preparing us. New kids Like, hey, this is, you know what's coming, this is what you have to do.
Speaker 1:And I'm just been reminded at multiple times, different times, that property still sells in every market. You know, are they going to sell for over the list price? Are they going to sell for under? Are we going to sell? I mean, there's, you know. Just, property is still going to move.
Speaker 1:You know, I feel like I've witnessed 72 different markets in my three years already, just this year. I feel like I've witnessed several different types of markets. But you know, here we are right now. I feel like we're in this market where if you have listings, you've got to work at it. You've got to really have a strategic plan to get them moved. You've got to come in there with good pricing. You know you can't just price it 25 over and you know $25,000 more and just hope and negotiate, like, like that's not what we're in, and so, um, you know I do. I feel like I was really well prepared by my peers and my colleagues, um, as that came along, so I just it was on me to do the work. You know, that's something they say. They're like we can give you all of these tools. Are you going to use them?
Speaker 3:yeah.
Speaker 1:I had to use them um.
Speaker 2:That was what I was going to ask you, because you're giving your brokerage a lot of credit, which I have nothing but great things to say about that brokerage as well, but there's a lot of people that came into the business around the same time that you did, whether it was with Solid Rock or whether it was with another brokerage, but they're not anywhere near where you're at today. What was it that truly drove you to do those things though? Drove you to do those things though? Um like even listening to those conversations of of you going to the office just to listen to people talk on the phone, um or um, or or actually do like what your trainers were telling you to do, because it's so simple, but nobody does it.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it's so true. Um, you know, there is always, I think, been a piece of me and I'm lucky to have this but they always just kind of wants a little more. And so, even at the assessor's office, you know, as I worked my way up that ladder, um, you know, I even had my eyes set on possibly running for that position, um, the uh, position of assessor, when it came open. You know, just a thought like a twinkle in the back of your mind. And so I've just kind of always had a piece of me that wants a little more.
Speaker 1:And I just I come from a family and a background of working hard and I think it was just I knew that if I wanted to have success I had to do this. I didn't have an option to not to not succeed. So when they're telling me what to do, I mean I had three mouths to feed, all of a sudden Chad and I wasn't I'm not a single mom, a great partner in life, and but it was just that we had just big dynamic shifts. So it just it wasn't an option not to buckle down and do it.
Speaker 1:So you didn't have a backup plan Like if this doesn't work, I'm going to go back to the, and I think that that's where a lot of people, um, even the we experienced, and we have experienced it this year.
Speaker 2:People are just like hey, I'm going to give this a go, I'm going to give it my all, but if worse comes to worse, I'm just going to go back to my old job. Or worse comes to worse, I mean, some people don't even want to leave that job. I mean you, we see it a little bit on the on the lender side people are like I can only do it part-time until it takes off. It's like it's never going to take off unless you truly give it your all and you don't have that plan B.
Speaker 1:And that's exactly my husband and I had talked about that. Um, you know, and he's he was nervous and he's like should we, you know, should you try to do this part-time? And I just, you know, I told him I want the whole world to know that I am all in on this and I believe in the power of marketing and I believe that you have to. If you're going to do it, and you're going to do it big and well, you better do it a big splash and do it loud. I mean, it's like if you list a property, like your biggest energy comes in the first week of listing, right? Same thing in this.
Speaker 1:I felt like I had one chance to say hey guys, here I am, I'm your girl right now. And so if I was going to have to be like, well, I can't go show that home to you from eight to five, well, I've got to, you know, I just it wasn't going to work. And so I laughed. I will never forget visiting with my broker, jolynn Dotson, and she asked me that question Well, what is your plan B? I was like I don't have one, I don't have an option and there's no. No, turning back.
Speaker 3:How has where you derive your business from evolved these these last three years? Like I'm assuming, at first you're just like straight up sitting on the floor waiting for a phone call calling your COI. Is that still how you do your business? How'd you get your business then? How do you get your business now and then, how structured would you say your business is? So kind of a couple part question.
Speaker 1:So I definitely think that I have evolved in where my business comes from, because when you are new and you just you're trying to figure it out, you do, you just you go in there and you work floor and you go ahead and pay for leads, like I would get, you know, op City leads or Zillow leads, and I would jump on those and I was okay paying the referral because you know, a little bit of something is better than nothing. I won't hardly take those now because I'm going to give you 100% and I want to get 100% of my commission. But so I have really tried to market myself in my community and um I live in chelsea it's very rural oklahoma and um I have just really planted deep roots there and I take pride in trying to service my area and be a local expert I mean really for rogers county, because I I was already having to study their markets for a decade serving in the county position. So I think now I really would say that a bigger piece of my business comes from marketing on social media.
Speaker 1:I do a lot of face-to-face, so I would rather spend time face-to-face than make a phone call I go to. If I drive by a Fizbo, I mean I'll go knock on the door before I make the phone call because I would love to just snag that moment Um. So I do a lot of um. I try to target certain businesses in certain areas repeatedly. I'm a believer in like pick five and stick with those five and work them consistently, instead of five businesses.
Speaker 1:Yes, instead of just you know you can't show up once and then never come back. Um, so I I've tried to sponsor you know? Just really keep my name out there that way.
Speaker 2:Is that for? To try to get business from the business owners or from the customers, like, what kind of? What kind of business? What is your strategy with?
Speaker 1:I just want them to remember my name and what I do. And so when I visit with you, I want, when you hear someone else talking about because maybe you don't need a real estate agent right now, but you might go home next and next weekend your family comes over and you're in your backyard and they're like oh.
Speaker 1:I just met this girl last week. That was awesome. That's what I do. And then not just know what I do, but know that I do it well and that I have. You know, I've tried to brand myself as somebody who is just truly solid. I'm loyal, I'm consistent, I will negotiate hard for you, I'm truly here for you and your situation and that's what I'm just trying to build my brand that way and that connection with people, because when you go talk to five other people and if you remember me, then I'm winning.
Speaker 2:I was just going to say that's just something that I don't think even a lot of agents think about Like I, as she's saying this too. I, I mean, it's something that I I mean, it's so simple. But it's like hey, if I go to the same coffee shop every single week, you know two or three times a week, and I constantly remind that person what I do, there's other people that are going to come in and essentially refer me out there.
Speaker 3:So how much of your business is like repeat business, like people just coming back to you? Part one of the question I like part several part questions. So part one of the questions how much of it is that and how are you ensuring that continues to happen more and more for you?
Speaker 1:So I'm just now in my third year, so I feel like I'm just now at that point where I get to have some repeat business. You know, you definitely didn't have like repeat stuff. It took a while to gain some investor clients, and so I have two investors that I work with really consistently and I'm really proud of that relationship because they have now referred me out to others and I feel like that. You know, of course, that referral is always the highest compliment and I feel like the work that I've done for them kind of proves itself or shows itself. You know, does that answer what?
Speaker 3:was our other part. How are you ensuring like and I'll give a little bit more how are you ensuring it continues to happen Like? Are you systematically reaching out to your database, are you? I know you get on social like. I see a lot of people get on social media and advertise to people that don't know them, but a lot of them are really missing the boat, that they're not paying attention to the people that already know, like and trust them. So what are you doing? What are the things?
Speaker 1:you're doing for the people that already know like and trust you that you may have already done business with. So, honestly, what I do is like cringe worthy to probably you guys, because I know like William I don't know you Alfredo as well, but I know William is like your day is planned out Like you've got strategy from the moment you wake up to the moment you laid your head down and, um, I am probably I'm not consistent.
Speaker 1:I mean that sounds terrible to say, but I know I'm not alone in speaking to a majority of people that are listening. Um, consistency is hard in that matter, so I do. I I this year, in my third year, I've made it a pointed effort to be working on those follow-ups, because now I have a coi of past clientele like we all have a coi, but now I have like a section of past clientele, like we all have a COI, but now I have like a section of past clientele. So I do try to stay in connection with them. I go like the local ones I send like I do a mom delivery every fall on their porch with card. The ones that have kids, I do a little fireworks sparklers delivery with the thing that I create in Canva, um, so I try to nurture those and follow up on those past um, those past clients, and that is I'm I'm understanding as time moves forward, that really is where it's at. Those people have already, uh, trusted you once and and gotten to witness what that felt like, and so I'm learning pretty quickly that that really is where it's at. But then I do, I like to, I love, I love to push out on social media and I'm kind of transparent.
Speaker 1:I'm pretty transparent on social media because I want people to know who I am.
Speaker 1:It makes you very relatable when people see that you know I'm a mom who has kids that are screaming in the background and I kind of just want to go hide in a corner or lock lock myself in another room, um, for just a minute, for five minutes. I'm not alone in that. And when you're relatable to people you know other people look at oh my gosh, how does she do it? She does and she's juggling her kids and this and that, um, when you find that level of um, I don't know trust and they can relate to you and they see themselves and you own it yeah, you do and you have to, you know it.
Speaker 1:Just it really builds. I just feel like it builds your clientele for you. I've become kind of I'm really proud to be the name that people reach out to me in my community and text and say, hey, my sister is using this agent. She's listed with so-and-so, but do you think this sounds right? And like I let everybody know I'm here for all your questions, whether it benefits me or not, and that's who I wanna be, because next time they're probably gonna call me.
Speaker 2:I'm so glad you asked that question because I believe the last that I saw in this is that only 17% of people go back to the same agent that they used before, which is like nothing, and I truly believe, in the short Time that I've been in the business, since 2018, the market has gone from 10% of the agents were doing 90% of the business to now it's like 1% of the agents are doing a hundred percent of the business, and if you're not, if you're not hitting up your database, your COI, in being part of that 17% that people come back to you, you're never going to be able to get to that top 10 or let alone 1%. So one question I have for you and it's funny because as I'm thinking of this question, I am thinking of the story that you're telling me. So you grew up in California. You decided to come out here.
Speaker 1:Don't judge me. I came here before. It was cool and everyone was doing it, I've been here for 17 years now.
Speaker 2:And um you've been judged and, uh, you, you came out here and it was just you and your dad, right? And then, um, she's telling me that, uh, she was, she was, uh, not even 21. And then she turns 21 and she's like trying to go have a beer yeah and chelsea, oklahoma. How many? How many people live in chelsea, oklahoma right now?
Speaker 1:I think our population is like 2100 yeah, so she's like.
Speaker 2:She's like hey dad, can you come have a beer with me because I'm 21? She's excited and uh and he's. There's only one bar that I. I don't even know what it looks like, but I can can imagine Anyone from.
Speaker 1:Chelsea that hears this is going to roll laughing because it is. It is the one bar.
Speaker 2:It's still open. Oh yeah, Her dad goes. Yeah, there's no way I'm going. Dad wouldn't have a beer with me. She goes by herself.
Speaker 1:That's where she met her husband, oh wow, and um, so super funny side note he wasn't old enough to be there, so let's just share that to the world. So it just was, I feel like a divine moment. Honestly, I, you know, I just didn't know a soul was ready to just go have. You know, just wanted to go have a beer.
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 1:And yeah, I walked in and met Chad that night. He was with his cousin and her wife and her best friend and they are still just. They're dear friends to me and him and I have been together ever since. That's crazy.
Speaker 3:So so has your. Have you always been a very faithful person, even when you live in California? But have you? Have you been a faithful person Because You've been through some seasons like you've been through some tough ones, and I'm only asking about this one because you mentioned it in your bio. You lost your sister, and that's one of the catalysts that caused you to move here. Have you always been of that strong of faith Because I've heard you mention it in today's podcast several times or is that something that happened along the way for you?
Speaker 1:It is absolutely a growth that has happened along the way, and we did not grow up going to church or talking about God or praying or anything, and it's just really something that has happened here in Oklahoma for me, I think and you know I was 21 when I moved here, and so your 20s, you're just, it's a season of growth and you know so many things and then it's kind of like whenever you hit 30 or when I hit 30, all of a sudden there really is comfort in your faith. And I've looked back and realized I didn't make it through all that on my own. You know we did. We lost my sister in a car accident in 2006,.
Speaker 1:You know, for some transparency and to touch maybe some listeners, I struggled with some addiction at 18 and 19, went down a really rough road. I was, you know, a world champion, team pinner come from a really strong background of cowboys and things and just great cowboys, and that was all I'd ever known. I didn't have a church life or a church family and we went to practice on Wednesday nights, the way that people go to church here, and so it was a different life. When we lost my sister, it really was the catalyst into something better. It was a hard and dark in that moment, but it has just sent me in another direction. That is just pivotal.
Speaker 1:Um and now, as I've been out here and I've been around people that talk about their faith and things like that, um, now I know it's okay, now I know that it is truly.
Speaker 1:You know, it's like that's my crutch and there's been moments that that's all I had. You know, when Chad and I were going through our IVF transfers and we just had failure after failure. I mean, I had some very deep conversations with God when we lost my sister. I got the opportunity to go work with my uncle for the camp ranch in the mountains in the Sierra Mountains out there in California. You want to talk about having some moments with God up there in the most beautiful mountains in the world. You know, I feel like that was where the seed was planted and, yeah, it's just evolved and grown here and I think it's. I think when I moved here, I got to create my surroundings and I've gotten to choose. You know, sometimes you feel like you, everybody has a choice, but like you're born into your family, you're around that family your whole life and that's kind of who, your circle is and just whatever.
Speaker 1:Well, I came here and, um, I feel like I've created who I've wanted to be and I'm really thankful that my faith has grown in that and gotten to be a piece of that.
Speaker 3:I love it, and you stayed humble through that whole thing, remembering how this all went down.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I've had hey anytime that I feel like I'm getting, you know, less humble. My kids check me hard. You know, william see me like, try to do big things and you know, everywhere I go I got my babies and we were at home inspections today with my babies, had a client, which those were our inspections had a client, um, with that I had home inspections for the other day and uh, you know it is, they're just, you know they're good boys. But yeah, my kids can check me hard if I need a little humbling.
Speaker 2:So the reason I thought of that story is because one you know, alfred, is asking you kind of where your business is coming from and stuff. And I'm curious, right before this, or the person we've had on before you, was a guy that he's from here but he kind of built this thing through YouTube, social media and majority of his business. I think he said 80% of his business are out of state buyers and a lot of them come from California and stuff. So you've talked some about social media and, of course, you growing up in California. I'm curious if in the last three years has that been any part or or you know uh, of your business of moving people that you've known from California here.
Speaker 1:Um, really it hasn't. I haven't, um, I haven't really had that opportunity. But what I have had, um, like I just closed with a precious first time home buyer couple in Bartlesville. They moved from Washington to Arkansas and then here to Owasso and I've had a few others that were coming from out of state as well and I can relate to the displacement and trying to figure everything out, and so I haven't had the opportunity to move my people really from out there to here, but just making that move myself, I've been able to help others understand, like here's what we need to plan for, explain the property tax difference from somewhere else to here, the things that I remember needing to learn when I came here. So I haven't gotten to, you know, really service my people moving out here, but I have been able to just be super relatable to others I've had the opportunity to serve.
Speaker 3:What advice do you have for that realtor that's sitting in her car right now? She? Just passed the test and she's having that now, what moment? Because sometimes it's scarier to have passed it than because then you're just like well, now what.
Speaker 3:And I want you to add some like next steps to this answer, because a lot of times when you're in that moment and somebody's just like, hey, you can do this, I can do what, like you know what I'm saying. So like I like the motivating part about like, hey, it's possible all those things, but I also like, okay, what is the next step for that person? What? Go out and do these three things and you'll see, type thing. What advice do you have for that person sitting in that car right now thinking, okay, now what?
Speaker 1:So I think that you, the biggest piece of this is to make sure that you're surrounded by people that are going to keep pushing you, so like when you start analyzing your circle. If they're not people that are for you and encouraging you and pushing you, fix your circle. But you need to make sure that you just passed your exam and you're super excited, but you also know what you're going to do. You need to go to a brokerage that makes you feel 100% confident that you can do this, and I'm super fortunate to have felt that immediately at Solid Rock. I think that it's important to understand, if you go somewhere for six months and it doesn't feel right, that it's okay to change it up because you can't keep doing what you're doing and get a different result right. So I think my very first piece of advice on that is to make sure that you feel like you're at a brokerage that has people that it's not catty, they're not there to intimidate you. They caddy, they don't. They're not there to intimidate you. They're not there to tell you well, I've done this for 15 years, or I've done this for 35 years, because the agent that says that to me in a text or a phone call when I'm asking questions about their listing immediately drops 10 points in my book. And so make sure you're surrounded by those positive, uplifting, encouraging people and then go do what they tell you to do. I shared in my bio that my cousin, carrie Jo, is a very successful. She's a beautiful, story, beautiful person. She has a brokerage in Fallon, nevada and Bernie Realty, and she shared with me to go find, you know, go into your office as much as you can find the successful people and do what they're doing. And so she said, don't hide in a corner and just settle for whatever just happens to be right, because it's comfortable and easy. And so I think that's another few pieces to that. Quietly watch the successful people in your office or who you deem successful, and there may be a moment that all of a sudden you're like, oh, that person might not be quite as successful as what I thought, what it looked like. You know, but watch their habits, study them. But most likely your brokerage is going to be giving you like homework, right, and they're going to say you need to call 50 people by next Tuesday. Go call them, go call them. It's going to be uncomfortable, you're going to stutter and stumble and then all of a sudden like call 15, you're going to be. You're either going to you know you might want to cry, but you also you're gonna be like well, that was kind of easier. I kind of got, I felt like it had some rhythm, and so do what they're telling you to do. Watch those successful people in your office and just take notes. Um yeah, and then again I will just go back to.
Speaker 1:Even when it gets hard, you have to believe in yourself that you can do this. Like, were you made for this or were you not? I think that's a really direct question and I truly feel like I was made for this. Anyone that knows me will tell you I'm doing exactly what I was born to do. But you're going to have super hard moments that are filled with doubt and we go back to the doubt piece of this conversation and nobody is going to believe in yourself bigger than you do. So if you, if you choose to not believe in you, you know other people eventually are going to lose their belief in you too. So just dig deep, know that you can do this, know that it's going to get hard at times and just truly in in other aspects of your life too, but truly know that if you choose to not fail, like you just refuse, no matter how many times you know you might lose a listing to someone. I've had a couple transactions that you know those people never want to hear from me again and I'm okay with that because you know. But I mean maybe out of all of my transactions there's three of those, maybe two, maybe only two. So you're going to get beat up and it's really easy to focus on the negative, on the things you mess up on. It's super.
Speaker 1:You and I had a quick moment of that on the phone because I was commending your Brokers Open. That was sponsored and you know things don't always go the way you think you're going to go. But don't focus on that Like, focus on your strengths, focus on what you're doing. That's good. Give yourself the win, even if it's minute. Like you know, if you made a call and it finally felt good and they said, oh, you know, my cousin is looking for a realtor, I'll call them for you or I'll give you their number. Like, let yourself have that little win. But again I just go back to do the work you have to. Don't be afraid to put yourself out there, have some one-on-ones. That's kind of been a game changer for me. It really inspires me. At my office we sit down like quarterly and some people might do it more often, less, I don't know but and have like one-on-one conversations and maybe set those goals.
Speaker 1:I didn't come from a goal-setting background. That's not and it's intimidating when that's a new thing to write down on paper and kind of face your goals and then say, well gosh, what if I don't hit these goals? You know my good friend, carrie McKinney. We were both chasing rookie of the year, our first year, and I had set a two million dollar goal for myself and, um, she flat turned around and she said that goal sucks, you need to beef that up. And I was like what and it's those kinds of people I'm so thankful for, cause I did, I bumped it up to three, I closed out 3.2 that first year, you know.
Speaker 1:But, um, so you know, set those goals and then, like, talk to people about how to help you accomplish them, put them in your face. Um, you know, michael is a big Michael Urie. Um owns our company. He's big about um have them out. I think he keeps his index card on his dash where it has your why and several other important key pieces. Um, you know. So you have to do the work, you have to let yourself get uncomfortable and you're going to have an aha moment where what felt super uncomfortable all of a sudden you're like no, I got it, that's fine.
Speaker 3:That's a good answer.
Speaker 2:That was a great answer. Yeah, that was a good one, and actually you answered my last question I was going to ask you and it was about I think the thing that I've heard the most in this conversation is is that cliche saying that says you are who you surround yourself with? Um, one of the things that you said is that you were lucky enough that you moved to another state across the country where you got to kind of pick that new circle there. So anybody that's listening, um, I guess the challenge is to those people that you can, you know, maybe change out, um, maybe start there, right, because, of course, um, if, if you're going home to um, a, um, a home where it's not very positive, right, there's only certain things that you can change to an extent and extent.
Speaker 2:But, like you said, if you've been at a brokerage for six months and you feel like you don't have any support, you feel like you don't have anybody believing in you, like that's not something that you have, that you're married to, so change the people in your life that you can change in order to see that change in your life. So, kimber Horton, thank you so much for being here. I really appreciate you making the time Alfredo got anything else? No, that's it.
Speaker 3:This is Kimber Horton. She's the real deal.
Speaker 1:Yeah, thanks guys.