Ep. #21 | Featuring Rachel Austin

Rachel Austin (@chshomeswithrachel) didn't come up through real estate the traditional way. She moved to Charleston in the middle of a pandemic, met a future brokerage leader at a dog park, got licensed, and had her first closing two months later. What she built since then isn't a highlight reel — it's a real career, built through mindset work, structure, and learning to actually ask for the business.

In this conversation, Rachel reveals:

• Why social media is a 'thief of joy' — and why you have to show up anyway
• How she used E + R = O to restructure her days and stop letting bad mornings wreck her business
• The scarcity mindset trap that quietly poisons agent-to-agent relationships and deal outcomes
• What changed when she started time-blocking prospecting instead of just setting goals
• Why she stopped hoping clients would choose her — and started asking them to
• The toughest part of transitioning from teaching (where effort and pay are equal) to sales (where they're not)
• How she applies E + R = O to everything from missed workouts to frustrated buyers
• What she'd tell the 2020 version of herself who was waiting to be picked

No frameworks, no production metrics, no top-of-market strategy breakdown. Just two people being honest about what building a real estate career actually feels like from the inside. If you've ever felt like you were doing everything right and still waiting for it to click — this conversation is for you.

Follow Jake: @jakecummings_homeloans

About Charleston's Leading Producers: Weekly conversations with the highest-producing real estate agents in Charleston. No fluff. No theory. Just proven strategies from agents doing the work and getting the results.

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:00

But I find that like the tighter you grab sometimes, right? The less control you truly have, and you could end up losing it.

SPEAKER_02 0:08

Hey leaders, I'm Jake, a loan officer obsessed with business growth and finding out what's actually working in our market. If that sounds useful, hit follow. Now, this week's leader. This is like pure utility. Yeah. This doesn't represent it's okay. What kind of car would represent who you are? Like if you could pick the color and the kind of car that represents Oh, that's like so I Today I'm here with Rachel Austin, by the way. So she's gonna first tell us what kind of car is is Rachel.

SPEAKER_00 0:42

I honestly would go back to my green Jeep every time. I just feel like for me, yeah, it saw me through so many chapters of my life. Um, maybe updated so that we don't have the mileage or any of those upcoming problems, like a newer version, but just as bright. Yeah. Also, not a big car girl. Like, you know what I mean? I'm like, it has four tires that aren't leaking, no nails in them, and it drives. Great.

SPEAKER_02 1:04

Yeah, as long as I don't have to like I hate going to the car shop. Just the time. Like it's just so annoying to me. Like, I don't want to stop what I'm doing and go and fix my car.

SPEAKER_00 1:14

Yeah, it's also like one of the places where they know they can upsell me right away. And I'm like, okay, I'm gonna need you to repeat that to me, and I'm gonna either need it to be Googled or I'm gonna get my dad on the horn.

SPEAKER_02 1:25

Yeah, I I'm the worst. Like, I know nothing about them. I can't fix anything. I don't know anything about cars. Like, I'm just like I changed a headless time.

SPEAKER_00 1:34

And that was like, that was enough. And I was like, okay, I did as well.

SPEAKER_02 1:38

I think it took me like all day long to do it because I was just and after that, I was like, I'm gonna let the professional step in.

SPEAKER_00 1:44

They'd always tell you, like, stay in your lane. And so I I respect it.

SPEAKER_02 1:47

Gladly pay somebody to do that. But all right, let's let's talk some real estate stuff. Okay. So, um, first thing I want to know, I've got a soft spot in my heart for teachers. Okay. Anybody who's listened to this before knows, but give me the quick version. You were working as a special ed teacher and then transitioned to real estate. What happened?

SPEAKER_00 2:06

Yeah, I moved to Charleston in like the thick of the pandemic. I'd been teaching in Colorado. I'd been a special education teacher and taught fourth grade and Where at in Colorado? Um, I was teaching for Jeff County Public Schools or Jeff Co. Public Schools, like over in um like Westminster. And so, and then I was I was first I was in Aurora for a year, and then I moved over to Jeff Co. Okay.

SPEAKER_02 2:31

And Aurora's like really nice, right? Is that the some parts? I was thinking that was like the upscale.

SPEAKER_00 2:37

No, that was the last time I taught Title I. And then when I moved to the other, um, this other county, it was like a lot different. I was at like a um what's the word I'm looking for?

SPEAKER_02 2:51

Like wealthier side of town.

SPEAKER_00 2:53

Yeah, but like I can't think of the name, but anyways, no, it was just it was a much different population, like a lot more support with parents at home, technology, things like that. But um, no, like COVID hit. And when I moved to Colorado, I knew no one. Like I just moved out there because I was like From where? From Virginia. From Virginia. Yeah. I just I never lived anywhere besides Virginia. And I wanted something new. Like I just wanted an adventure, so I got a new teaching job and I moved out there. Um and then slowly things kind of brought me back to the East Coast and I landed in Charleston due to you know, some family. I was teaching remotely, like, you know, just they they let all the teachers be remote because of um the schools being closed.

SPEAKER_02 3:42

So I was the worst. I taught music, so I was trying to teach music remotely. It was like I I don't even remember. Like I blacked out during the whole thing and was just oh, it was awful.

SPEAKER_00 3:55

Yeah, I would say it was definitely challenging teaching fourth graders because you're like, oh, if I was there, I could just show you, right? But you know, they're all showing up, they're doing their best. But um yeah, my hours were a little bit delayed because I was working on East Coast time, their mountain time, and as we do, got a COVID puppy at the dog park. And I met my like team leader, or like off, well, now he's like our whole brokerage manager, um, Brad. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 4:24

Shout out, Brad.

SPEAKER_00 4:25

Yeah, who I just chatted to him like every day. I guess we were on the same like puppy schedule. And he finally just looked at me one day and he's like, You're pretty chatty. Do you just always talk to strangers? And I was like, Well, yeah. I mean, I don't know anyone here. I just moved to Charleston and he was like, Okay, cool. I think you should sell real estate. And so that was that. I I like went home that night and I think I told you at the time he was driving that his like blue Maserati, and I went, Hey, Blue Maserati guy told me I should sell real estate. And um they were like, Yeah, we think you should, we think you should try that. And so I texted him and I was like, Are you serious? Are you gonna if I get this license, are you gonna hire me? And he was like, Let's go. Um, and that was that. Man, yeah, I think I wonder if he said that to me in May and I was licensed by August.

SPEAKER_02 5:17

Oh, wow. Okay, yeah. I wonder if he had this like planned out the whole time, though. He was like, Yeah, I'm gonna show up at the dog park every day. It's great controlling for people with this girl. It's ambition. Like, yeah, and he's built a whole business this way. We'll have to get his side of the story. I'm sure he would deny that, but probably probably, probably in there. So that was what year? That was 21.

SPEAKER_00 5:37

2020.

SPEAKER_02 5:38

2020.

SPEAKER_00 5:39

Yeah, the very beginning.

SPEAKER_02 5:40

Okay. So then you got licensed in August.

SPEAKER_00 5:44

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 5:45

Quit teaching school, right? Then hopped right in.

SPEAKER_00 5:48

Mm-hmm. So school finished up in May. Um, you know, I kind of tied up loose ends in Colorado. I was already like living almost full time here. It was just really like going back and getting my belongings and like shutting down the classroom. But yeah, I mean, and I had my first closing, I think it was end of September, beginning of October.

SPEAKER_02 6:08

Jeez. Yeah, that's fast.

SPEAKER_00 6:10

I got really lucky. Um, I had a lot of, we didn't have an office space at the time. And even if you did have an office space, you weren't going there right in the beginning. So after I met Brad in like, it might have even been earlier than May that I met him, but I also was already starting to train, right? So thinking about how do you talk about real estate, what are the hard conversations you're having, objections, listening to him on the phone, kind of operating as like an inside sales agent until I could be licensed to do things on my own. Um, and that's an opportunity that not a lot of people get.

SPEAKER_02 6:46

What what was the size of the team at that point?

SPEAKER_00 6:48

Yeah, really small. There was probably six or seven people.

SPEAKER_01 6:52

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 6:52

Yeah. And we don't really have a team anymore. We're, you know, a total brokerage. Um, but yeah, it it was small, and I would say not as like it was so hard to be a team in that time. You know what I mean? You're just so spread out. I just happened to live five minutes down the road from him. So it was easy to get together and learn, just be a sponge.

SPEAKER_02 7:17

So started in August, had a closing pretty much right away. Yeah. But what was the toughest part about the transition and initially getting started?

SPEAKER_00 7:27

Yeah. It's an emotional roller coaster. Like when you're teaching, you show up to work every day and you're thinking, okay, you know, there's bound to be hiccups, but I have like this plan. I know what's happening today. The hours of my work are mostly contained from here to here. Um, real estate is wide open, right? The structure in real estate is what you build. And for someone who was fighting to like, you know, even change systems and structures in school for kids. Like now I have a place where there's none and it's like, okay, now I have to create it for myself. Yeah. That was really challenging. And also, um, you know, I think everyone who gets started in real estate gets sent the meme of like the literal real estate's an emotional roller coaster. And you're like, ha ha. And then you look back and you're you're just, it's so true. It's way true, really. You can't get if you if you hit a low, you can't stay low. You can't dwell, you can't, you know, drown yourself in sorrows because it can change overnight. And so, like, quickly mourn it, say, that really sucks, and move on, right? And everyone says that. And I, you know, I think I did an okay job, but if I could go back, I'd do it sooner. I'd just be like, oh, I would have let that like roll right off my back, you know. Um, because when something fails, you at least in my character type, you take it a little personally. You're like, what could I have done differently?

SPEAKER_02 8:53

You know, thousand percent. Yeah. Um I think that's amplified now too by if you log on to social media and like if you're in this little like down place, and then you see somebody who's like bragging on social media about whatever, I just closed a thousand deals last month, and it's just like, oh my god, I don't know. It just feels like it's amplified and everything's magnified in that way. But yeah, you're so right. As fast as we can get out of that wall as possible, we need to.

SPEAKER_00 9:22

Yeah, I 100%. I feel like we've talked about this before in the times we've met up. Like, I just think that social media, while it's so important for our job, like hence we're here recording a podcast, but it is such a thief of joy sometimes, right? It can bring so much helpful information and help you like create a voice in the market space, but it can be a thief of joy in a hot second, and you have got to toughen up your mind. You know, someone else's success is not taking away from what you're able to build. Yes, it should motivate you. But I find even in my own life, at times it has the opposite effect.

SPEAKER_02 9:58

Yeah, yeah. Yeah, if we're in this mindset of abundance, I've been working on this a lot. Like we've talked about scarcity. Cause there is, I mean, there's a ton of business out there, there's plenty of room for the people that are hustling to all be successful.

SPEAKER_01 10:12

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 10:12

And we've talked before too about like it doesn't have to be this combative thing with all of us. Like, we we really don't need that. And all that we mentioned the stress of this job.

SPEAKER_01 10:22

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 10:23

When you're in that mindset and you're just living in this state of stress, like things are gonna go wrong more frequently by thinking that way.

SPEAKER_00 10:31

If I I mean, I can't even like I feel like I could count on one hand, you know, times where transactions have just been like, oh my gosh, I went to bed and I woke up and that was so smooth. You didn't have to worry about it, you know? And I just I think getting my license in the time of COVID, we've seen a bunch of market shifts since then, right? You know, the house is selling overnight.

SPEAKER_02 10:54

You've experienced a lot in five years. I know.

SPEAKER_00 10:56

So when they're like, oh, the market's getting back to normal. I'm like, what's that? Who knows? Never seen it. Um, yeah, I remember at one point the MLS had under a thousand homes on it. And for the first maybe two and a half or three years, I was in real estate. It was like never, I want to say it was like never above like 1500 or something. It was something insane. Um, it wasn't a healthy market's worth. You know, I've never seen it only this year is the first time I've seen it. Like it's over five.

SPEAKER_02 11:22

It's still not even like completely balanced yet. No, no, no, no.

SPEAKER_00 11:25

It definitely is not.

SPEAKER_02 11:26

It feels crazy, but it's not, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 11:29

Yeah, I just I don't know. I think not I think, I know that in life, when we look around, you know, things happen when stuff comes together and like works together, right? And so like towards a common goal. And so we talked about this in real estate where it's like I might have a buyer, I might have a seller, you might have the person on the other side. Our end goal is the same, right? I think it's unrealistic to think that one side should call all the shots and the other side just gets taken out to to dry. It does happen, it happened during COVID, but can we not get to a place where we go to the closing table and both sides feel like they've walked away like happy and content, right? Like I just went through this with some sellers where they um they had buyers that came in and they were like, okay, like we'll be flexible on our closing time and we'll be flexible with your home sale contingency because you're letting us take our appliances and um you're offering us a little bit more in terms of the price, right? Like you can't just come in and say, no, we want you to give us more. We want our, we want all the appliances, and we're also like not gonna give you anything, like take it or leave it, you know? And maybe that's not the best example, but both sides were like, okay, yeah, I can work with that. I think that's great. And you know, we're gonna close in two weeks. Um, maybe three, I have to look at the math. But it's just, it wasn't an argument between like the agents of like, no, you tell your clients it has to be this, or same with like repairs, right? You know, um, you know, talking with agents about like, hey, the seller wants to work with you on your offer, but there's not a lot of money, you know, or net pro there's not many net proceeds left for them to like make repairs or walk away. We're like weary of going into the contract. Like, how can we work on this? I just did this with a VA buyer. And it's not promising asking for no repairs, but just painting a realistic picture to your buyer too and saying, like, we're gonna get the house inspected, we're gonna go through all of these things, but like let's find a place where you feel secure in getting this house. We're taking care of the big items that would impact like day-to-day life, your appraisal, like functionality, and the seller feels like, okay, I didn't just give away all my net proceeds in this house, you know. I don't know.

SPEAKER_02 14:02

I I think if you talk to like any expert negotiator, they'll say the same thing. They'll probably say, I'm horrible. But no, when both sides feel like they've won, like that's when the best deals happen for sure.

SPEAKER_00 14:15

I just think too, if you go into a transaction just thinking that you're the alpha, like you're the top dog, even if you have what someone's offering on, it creates this just not great energy. Yeah, right.

SPEAKER_02 14:28

So, what is that? Do you think? Do you think it's the actual I the mindset of like I need to win this deal, or is it just like an ego thing?

SPEAKER_00 14:36

I think it could be both sometimes. It probably depends on who you're working with. Um, if you're working with someone seasoned, maybe it could be ego. I think a lot of times when you had, I think it does go a little bit back to scarcity mindset. Like if you have someone that's newer, or maybe there's not a lot in your pipeline, like you're like, I have to clutch onto this with a tight grip. But I find that like the tighter you grab sometimes, right? The less control you truly have, and you could end up losing it. So maybe some of that comes from a defense area. I don't know. But I will say, in the past few months, I have just had really, really nice transaction relationships with the agents on the other side, noticeably different. And it's been like teamwork problem solving or picking up the phone and not being like, your seller better fix this, or you're, you know, my buyer has to have this. It's like, hey, this is what came up. I know it's not great. What can we do to fix it? And putting it in the wee mentality. Um, and it's been really helpful.

SPEAKER_02 15:37

Well, I hope you didn't just jinx it the next ones.

SPEAKER_00 15:40

No, I'm speaking it into the universe that it's gonna keep going that way. Yes. I'm gonna inspire other people to just don't be hostile on the phone, guys.

SPEAKER_02 15:48

Absolutely.

SPEAKER_00 15:49

There's no I'm I know I have done this in the past. You know, it's it's reflective. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 15:54

Let's talk some like sales culture stuff.

SPEAKER_00 15:57

Okay.

SPEAKER_02 15:58

So you are really disciplined at carving out time in your schedule and making time for prospecting.

SPEAKER_00 16:05

I am maybe okay. I am really working on making that a non-negotiable. I would say yes, that like I have a number in my head of like calls I want to make a week, um, you know, how many people I'm looking to kind of, I call it like transfer into like a more serious category of like buyers or sellers, things like that. Um, but I have made a noticeable shift to not just have those like goals for the week floating out, but time blocking them on my calendar. We actually just talked about this at our sales meeting yesterday. Um, and I think I know for me that if I see it on the calendar, I say this all the time. I live by the calendar. If it's on the calendar, I know I'm gonna show up. So I have to start scheduling in these other things too. So when am I making phone calls? What am I following up with emails? Like, am I scheduling some of my social media? But also, as crazy as it sounds, like scheduling my life in there too. You know, this is when I'm getting up. I know in order to make these calls good, I'm gonna get my workout in. This is when I'm having lunch, and I'm gonna build in a break so I don't get burnt out, you know, stuff like that. And I will shift that schedule if I have to. Um, you know, someone's in town, I can only see, you know, things this time, but I'm really trying to protect that time blocking. Um because your pipeline of business is not built overnight, right? Like what we're doing now is going to really manifest in what 30, 60, 90 days. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 17:48

Couple things in there. Um, one, I think that's what true professionals do is they build their calendars and then they stick to it.

SPEAKER_00 17:54

Aspire, you know, to be a true profession.

SPEAKER_02 17:56

Well, and there are probably people who have great careers, you know, just like living by whatever. Like whatever comes up right now is like what I'm gonna do, but they're probably not listening to this podcast anyway. So, you know, but like I it feels like we're kind of wired the same way where we need that structure, you know.

SPEAKER_00 18:16

I also think that like it brings a sense of calm, brings competency for me. And I know I can handle real estate transactions, but when I also know that my like I've built a structure that's not going to fail me, you know, that I feel confident in the things that I'm getting done. I have good time management, task management, it just adds to that.

SPEAKER_02 18:36

Yeah, you can like shut off at the end of the day and feel comfortable. Yeah. Kind of shutting off.

SPEAKER_00 18:41

I used to have like this running to-do list, and that's what it was, right? You know, if you sat down and made a list of all the things that you want to do to grow your business and you're like, I'm gonna do them all today. If you're just not gonna get to the bottom of that list, I'm sorry. Because then I'm gonna see something that like sparks a little bit of interest. I'm gonna add it to that on top of like the daily things that you have to do. So that was like part of the shift for me is like, okay, what are the non-negotiables I have to do every day? And then what's one thing I'm really trying to add to my plate to market myself, build my business, hone a skill, craft whatever that may be. Like, and once I feel like I've done that, then add something else.

SPEAKER_02 19:20

I've been trying to do that with three things. Okay. All right, here's three things that I need to do today that are going to build my business, not the fires that I need to put out, not the, you know, whatever, I don't know, communication that I need to have that's going to happen anyway. Okay. Like, what are the three things that are gonna help me grow?

SPEAKER_00 19:37

So are you doing like the three, like you're are you talking about three different strategies to like network or outreach? Okay, so they can you're doing three things a day, but they can be three different things.

SPEAKER_02 19:47

Something that fits into green time. Okay. I don't know if you've heard that with a calendar. No.

SPEAKER_00 19:51

So anything that's people I'm using the wrong colors. I don't know. I just whatever speaks.

SPEAKER_02 19:55

What color, what color do you use for like prospecting?

SPEAKER_00 19:58

Um, the prospecting was yellow for I mean, I'm within.

SPEAKER_02 20:02

But I don't like the yellow because then it's like, I don't know, I just think yellow light, you know. Like I think green, like, I don't know. For some reason, it triggers in my brain.

SPEAKER_00 20:10

Like, so anything I need a color that feels like no, you have to do this, like it's in your face. Like green seems a little frivolous to me, like, oh, free time.

SPEAKER_02 20:18

Free time. So personal, anything personal I put in my calendar is purple.

SPEAKER_00 20:22

Okay, okay.

SPEAKER_02 20:23

I don't know. Maybe purple would be green time for you.

SPEAKER_00 20:25

Maybe I'm gonna go home and check my colors. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 20:28

The colors probably aren't the important part. The important part that it's in there and that you're doing it, but yeah. So, you know, whatever those green activities are for the day. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 20:37

Yeah. And I so I think what how I'm I'm working is similar in that way. For me, um, what I meant by like, you know, okay, let me streamline this and bring on something else is like it's very easy to say, like, okay, I'm going to um have a fully running Instagram and social media, like Facebook integration. I'm gonna build my business page. I'm gonna have a YouTube, I'm gonna make videos, I'm gonna you cannot.

SPEAKER_02 21:07

You have 12 pages.

SPEAKER_00 21:10

Like, so what is like the one thing that I can consistently do that I can add into?

SPEAKER_02 21:15

Oh my God, I'm a hundred percent guilty of that too. I try to add on five things at once.

SPEAKER_00 21:19

Oh my gosh, I know it's not good for me and I still try sometimes, which is why this is why I'm saying it on record. I am building out my life the way I'm telling you.

SPEAKER_02 21:28

Well, it's gonna be recorded now. Yeah. So someone hold me accountable. Stick to it. But your social media looks great. So that's something that you've definitely focused on.

SPEAKER_00 21:36

I have, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 21:37

Yeah, it looks really good. So how are you time blocking that?

SPEAKER_00 21:40

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 21:41

And what are the activities that you're putting into that time? Um, because I can tell that it's working.

SPEAKER_00 21:47

Um, yes, I feel I had such a love hate relationship with social media for a while. Forever. Yeah, because you're just like, oh my gosh, like, look at how great this person's post is. It's so Like creative, or like, you know, you look so nice, or whatever it might be, right? You're and then you're like, how is mine going to compare? Well, first of all, that was the first like obstacle for me is like, okay, you're putting more pressure on yourself than anybody else. Like, just post something, yeah, just put your face out there. And then the next thing was like, is it a value? You know, is it just just listed, just sold? And I am guilty of that. Those posts of like, you know, under a contract. It's but it's not bringing anything. And I have always prided myself on I'm an educator to my core. You know, you're not gonna have questions because I'm gonna explain the answers to you. And if you still have questions, we're gonna get the answers. Um, I think that's why I have like, I end up with a lot of first-time buyer clients, probably good profile for me. Um and so really trying to think about what is it that I want people to see about my job. You know, so I kind of set up like pillars of topics I want to touch on, which I've been trying to build off of during the week. Also, as cringe as it feels, um, put your face on the internet. Yeah, you know.

SPEAKER_02 23:11

That I think that's it. Like, just start. Just put yourself on the internet.

SPEAKER_00 23:15

I was like, no one wants to hear my voice. Like I was joking with you.

SPEAKER_02 23:18

I was like, um at the end of the day, nobody cares. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 23:23

When I first got those videos done, I was like, most of these views are gonna be my mom. Okay, cool.

SPEAKER_02 23:29

Yeah, shout out Kate out there. She always loves my videos. She'll call me and be like, that was so good. Thanks, mom. Yeah. Is that your mom? Yeah, okay.

SPEAKER_00 23:36

I'm gonna send her mine too, so I get like extra views. Yeah, okay. I'll send yours to my mom. Okay, perfect. She would love to support you. Yeah, love to support you. No, but I think like the biggest I I said this the other day about something else when I I missed like my workout in the morning, and I, you know, your biggest obstacle is your mindset. And I know that about myself. That I like what's going to stop me is probably not I could probably get past anything else. My mindset is gonna be the one thing that like I'm in control of that, like I don't how am I gonna say this? Like, it could present a permanent block for me, and I need to train my mind to just be like, we're gonna work past it, we're gonna keep going. Like, it's it, I don't know how to better explain that.

SPEAKER_02 24:23

No, I think you nailed it in. I mean, when we're in the right mindset too, we just communicate differently. Like the way we talk to people is different, the way you know we just approach the the speed bumps that we're going to hit.

SPEAKER_00 24:36

Yeah, it's like a mindfulness about how you're carrying yourself, and it's not realistic to say that you're gonna be that way 24-7.

SPEAKER_02 24:44

I mean, but you nailed it too. It's like the one thing that we can't control, yeah. And I think that's maybe one of the hardest parts about this business is there's so many things we can't control. You know, it happened to be literally right before we started recording.

SPEAKER_00 24:57

Wait, what can we control? Can we even name any?

SPEAKER_02 24:59

Well, yeah, it's gonna be a very short list. You know, I've been working with this buyer and literally right before we started recording, he's like, Yeah, I was talking to this other lender and blah, blah, blah. And it's just like, oh, wait, did you feel that a minute is so frustrating?

SPEAKER_00 25:11

Yeah, when you did you have like this immediate pay, like a sting, like another lender.

SPEAKER_02 25:16

A thousand percent. Yeah. So part of it's like anger, part of it's like, but you know, but at the end of the day, I can't control if somebody goes. I mean, I can do everything in my power to try and keep that client and educate them and do, you know, the million things that we try to do to keep somebody from shopping me. But at the end of the day, some people are gonna shop you, and we have to be okay with that.

SPEAKER_00 25:38

I think, yeah, I what I've been trying to like live by is like your like the event, it's like E plus R equals O, right? So like the event, your response equals the outcome. And it's so easy to just get negative on yourself and say, like, oh, like, you know, so and so just got this great deal that could have been mine. Like, I caught you. But the thing is, is like you you still can find those things. You still can do those things instead of like dwelling or feeling offended that maybe someone shot. If I had a, I mean, people shop other agents all the time too before you like lock down the buyer agents.

SPEAKER_01 26:16

I can't imagine it's brutal.

SPEAKER_00 26:18

I used to cringe when I had to be like, okay, are you talking to other agents? Because you don't want someone to tell you no. And now I'm like, I want to know, so I need to like, are we wasting each other's time? Like, are you committed to me like I'm committed to you? If not, has that changed?

SPEAKER_02 26:31

So you started in 21.

SPEAKER_00 26:34

End of 2020, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 26:35

What was the um, you know, the buyer's agent agreement like at that time? Because I started in 23.

SPEAKER_00 26:42

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 26:42

And I think it was just starting to get introduced.

SPEAKER_00 26:45

So yeah, during that time, I mean Was it just the Wild West?

SPEAKER_02 26:48

You could talk to anybody, yeah, for sure.

SPEAKER_00 26:50

Once people were under an agency agreement, I would still ask, right? You know, I'd say, hey, are you working with someone? Well, I've talked to an agent. Okay, well, have you signed any sort of paperwork? Because even if other agents don't, you know, even if someone else doesn't expect respect it, I don't want to ever do anything where it's like a gray territory, right? And so a lot of, you know, they would either say yes, and I'd say, like, okay, like I gotta take a step back. Or if not, then yeah, like you're trying to build rapport so like you're the one that they pick. And um, I felt like we had a little bit more time to build in rapport before you get someone to like sign.

SPEAKER_02 27:23

Because now it's like they gotta, yeah, they gotta sign like as soon as they talk to you. Yeah. It's kind of crazy.

SPEAKER_00 27:28

For sure. And that was an interesting conversation to have with people. Like, hey, I know I'm a stranger, but I want you to pick me to help you make this big life decision. And um I just kind of frame it with them, like if you, if we get, you know, through some of these showings and you feel like I'm not a good fit, or you feel like I'm not living up to the expectations, you never have to be afraid to pull me aside and just say, Hey, you know, this is what we were hoping for, or this is what we need from you. And I'm either gonna make those changes and adjustments because I was completely unaware, and we'll keep moving forward, or if you just decide, or if we both decide this isn't like working, then we can part ways. Um, when I was new, I like never said no. You're scared to say that. You're you want all the business, so you're scared to say no. So you get stuck with some colorful, crazy people, and you're just like, I hope I make it, I hope I make it. And then you realize like when they loop back around to you later, you're like, maybe we're not the best match, and that's okay too.

SPEAKER_02 28:37

That that's it a thousand percent. Yeah, we're not gonna be able to serve everybody perfectly. Yeah, we're not gonna be the best fit for everybody for sure. Yeah, going back to this E plus R equals O. I love that. Have you ever read Um The Let Them Theory? Do you have Mel Robbins?

SPEAKER_00 28:51

Yeah, yeah. I know, Mel. Um, yeah, I started listening to the book. I haven't finished. I've listened to, you know, a good amount of Mel Robbins podcasts.

SPEAKER_01 29:01

She's got some great podcasts.

SPEAKER_00 29:02

Yeah. And sometimes when you're listening to her, you're like a little bit annoyed at first. You're like, oh my God, you're so friggin' positive. And then you're just like, what intrinsic grudge am I holding? No, it's just kind of right.

SPEAKER_02 29:14

Like, um, yeah, here I'm hating for so somebody for being positive. Yeah, it's like weird. We don't want to be that person.

SPEAKER_00 29:20

I think I'm jealous of how positive you are.

SPEAKER_02 29:22

Let me just like Yeah, yeah, let's let me mix in some negativity here, Belle. No, I mean that that fits perfectly. That's probably that should be like required reading for anybody in real estate. Like, there's just so many things we can't control, but we can't control how we respond to everything. And that's really important too. It's not this just like drifting through, letting whatever happened, happen. We need to be able to choose how we respond.

SPEAKER_00 29:47

Totally. So I try to, I think it's for me, I know that like I will like not ruminate is the right word, but like, for example, I'll use that just to like keep myself in check day-to-day life.

SPEAKER_02 30:03

The E plus R equals O. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 30:05

Like yesterday I had some stuff going on in the morning, so I couldn't like do my morning routine and work out the way that I wanted to. That was like the event happening, right? And when those days used to happen to me, I, you know, you get to the end of the day because you didn't get to fit in your time. And I was like, you're almost angry at yourself. You're like, oh, I didn't get as much done today because I was off my routine. I was off my schedule, and you feel like you have to like start fresh the next day with your streak or whatever that is. And so I knew the event was happening, and so I wanted to plan my response. I was like, okay, it's not gonna happen for me in the morning. So this is an occasion where I'm restructuring my day so I can fit that routine in for myself later in the day so that the outcome is still I'm on track. Like mentally, I'm like meeting my own needs so then I can meet other people's needs.

SPEAKER_02 30:51

Yeah, we all need to do that.

SPEAKER_00 30:54

It's not a perfect system.

SPEAKER_02 30:57

Start in 21. I know I've come back to this a couple times, but what is one belief that you had at that time that you feel like you've changed your mind on?

SPEAKER_00 31:07

Oh, that's a good one. One belief. One belief. I still when I started, I remember thinking you said still have, right?

SPEAKER_02 31:30

Or you changed your mind on it.

SPEAKER_00 31:31

Okay. I think I'm gonna say changed my mind. Because I'm gonna have to give credit to Brad. Can feel can feel his ego inflating now.

SPEAKER_02 31:44

Um Maserati.

SPEAKER_00 31:48

I have so much respect for him because he has so much like passion when it comes to real estate and very good like business prowess. And like he is the king of like, don't dwell, bounce back up, keep going. And you know, when I started, I was like, you almost like put a limitation on yourself where it's like, okay, I'm brand new, like who's gonna trust me with this? Or like I just started, can I really like hit this much volume? Or like, am I ever gonna sell a house here or of this price point or whatever? And um, Brad's like, you know, he has just this like unwavering confidence about sales, like in a way where it's like, what are the objections we're constantly overcoming? How can we grow? How do we flux? How do we shift? And then also like what are your numbers? Like, how many calls are you making? How many conversations are you having? How many of those conversations are transferring at the end of the month? What does that pool look like? And how many do you think you can realistically close? Because real estate is sales. And although we are creating an experience for people, it's not just, you know, add to cart, it is a numbers game. And so it's not some people are lucky, some people have, I mean, there is a you do have to have some personality traits, right? Like you have to build in that structure and stuff. But like it is sales. And so instead of getting in your own way and questioning, like, what do I need in order to do this job? It's like, are you just starting? Are you just making the calls? Like, look at the numbers. And that's something where like I almost was like, no, that it can't be that. Like, what? No. I'm sorry, that was kind of a long-winded.

SPEAKER_02 33:35

No, that's great.

SPEAKER_00 33:36

I mean, he just has a way of like being right in the long run, and then you have to circle back around and be like, remember when you told me this when I was first starting? I'll be like, Yeah, I remember.

SPEAKER_02 33:44

Well, yeah, I don't know how much of credit we want to give him, but I think having clarity just provides, I don't know, just an such an easier path forward. Yeah. You know, when we are clear, okay, like exactly like you're saying, I need to make this many dials, it's this many phone conversations, and it leads to, you know, this many deals. Like, but just and having those targets, it's when we get into this space of just like, I don't know, whatever's gonna come today, like that, you know, we can't be in that spot. So, um, but that gets back to exactly what we were talking about earlier with the calendar. Like, okay, here's what I'm blocking out to provide clarity for my business. These are the activities that I want to wake up and do, just like when you were at school, you know. Um, it's a little less uh I always joke, like, you know, because when I taught school, like I had bells going off during the day, and there would be a bell that would tell you to do this. But sometimes we need that exact system in our day too. Like at this time, I'm doing this, you know.

SPEAKER_00 34:41

Yeah, and it was also such a shift from being in an environment where you're surrounded by people all day, whether they be nine and 10-year-olds or full-fledged adults. You know, there are times in real estate.

SPEAKER_02 34:55

And I'm sure you love that. Like just being extroverted. Obviously, like being around people.

SPEAKER_00 35:00

Yeah, I'm an extrovert, never run a stranger. Um, but I told you it's dangerous. Don't put this microphone in front of me, you won't give me a shut up. Um, like there are some days, and I'm sure you feel like in lending too, where you're you have to be self-motivated. You can't just be working because somebody's watching. And I have to tell myself that too.

SPEAKER_02 35:19

Like any salesman.

SPEAKER_00 35:21

I'm here to like out myself. Like, hi guys, hold me accountable. If I'm by myself, I'm I'm gonna be working, you know. Um, because it is what you make of it. Like in teaching, I would show up each day and I loved being a teacher. And I think I was a really great teacher, but every great teacher was making the same amount as everyone who showed up and maybe wasn't being a great teacher.

SPEAKER_02 35:45

That was the most frustrating thing for me.

SPEAKER_00 35:48

And I in real estate, I have the ability for the most part to control that trajectory for myself, and so I'm trying to use that to be a motivator.

SPEAKER_02 36:02

So one more thing. Yeah, and then we'll wrap up.

SPEAKER_00 36:05

Okay.

SPEAKER_02 36:06

I want you to think back to that 2021 version of Rachel. So you didn't know you were gonna get into real estate, had just got licensed, maybe even the version of Rachel that like just closed that first deal. But looking back five years ago, what's one thing you would tell that version of Rachel?

SPEAKER_00 36:27

Okay, we've talked about that. I'm an extrovert, right? I've never met a stranger. I don't, it is not intrinsically in my nature to push myself like in a self-network way onto people. Um, I want people to like choose me because they want to work with me. However, we are in sales, and so you I would sit there and wonder, like, oh, I hear so-and-so talking about houses, or I know this might be coming up. Like, I hope they choose me. No, like remind people that you're the realtor in their life, right? Like you're the agent in in their life, you're the expert. And hopefully they do. Like, remind people that you're in this business, you know what you're doing, you can handle a transaction, sell yourself. And I I feel like I didn't do that as much when I was starting. You know, I like put out, I put it out there, but it's the actual asking for business, not just like offering your business, you're asking for it. And the worst that could happen is someone says no, and then you bounce back quickly and keep going.

SPEAKER_02 37:33

Rachel, that's incredible advice. I appreciate you doing this. If anybody wants to reach out to you just to ask follow-up questions, um, talk about something you mentioned today, connect further, whatever it may be, how can they find you?

SPEAKER_00 37:46

Um on Instagram. So Charleston Holmes with Rachel. And yeah, just send me a message.

SPEAKER_02 37:53

Thanks for doing this.

SPEAKER_00 37:54

Yeah, thanks for having me.

SPEAKER_02 37:58

Thanks for listening to Charleston's Leading Producers Podcast. Could you take a moment to hit subscribe on the platform that you're currently listening on? That allows this show to grow and bring you more of the top of the line producers and business leaders. And if you think these stories will help someone you know, please share this with them. New episodes every Wednesday. I'm Jake Cummings. See you next week.