Real Estate Bossbabe: Mari Juliette Talks Business Tips & Strategies
Real estate is one of the best careers for women who want to create their own destiny. It’s one of those careers where you can be your own boss, set your own hours and see the rewards of all your work. From the outside looking in, real estate agents have it easy. Make no mistake though; it’s a lot of work. Mari could tell you all about that. From staying up late at the dining room table to find new clients, or researching all the data on a listing to know its true worth — Mari has never backed down from a challenge.
Mari is a successful realtor who has grown her business exponentially through face to face networking and social media. But that didn’t all start out of nowhere.. Mari’s mother has always been the go getter and the bread winner in her family, the one who taught Mari and her sister to be self sufficient to not rely on another person when it comes to goals and finances.
What was it about real estate that drew you to it?
I have always had a bit of an issue with authority since I was a kid, so I liked the idea of being my own boss. I am the type of person to get things done without frills, meaning I don’t need to put exclamation points and emojis on every email, and I don’t think I should have to. When I was in medical sales, I was constantly called out for not being polite enough over email. In my opinion, I was straight to the point and was trying to get the job done in an efficient manner. To be honest, had I been a man, I don’t think I would’ve gotten flagged for that.
I like that real estate connects you to people on a constant basis. I love meeting new people and being friends with everyone. That is also a huge factor in being successful in this business. You have to be open and welcoming to people from all across your network.
What 5 steps would you advise and give our ladies who starting their own business(or as a realtor)?
Step 1: Always connect with your network via social media, text, call, etc.
Step 2: Go above and beyond. I do this by going door to door for every listing, to show people that I am hard working and that I care about my business.
Step 3: Be nice and humble. I can’t count how many people I meet that are very condescending and rude in this business, and there is truly no reason for it. We can all build each other up and help each other succeed with kindness, and not everything needs to be a cutthroat competition.
Step 4: Get out of your own head. So much of being an entrepreneur is a head game. If you constantly feed into the doubt that you’re not going to make it, you won’t make it.
Step 5: Make sure you enjoy what you’re doing. If you are going to sacrifice basically all of your time and the security that comes with a 9-5, and you are still miserable with your job, you may want to go another route.
How do you distinguish yourself as a realtor?
I distinguish myself as someone who is always working as hard as I possibly can for my clients. I am also someone who has always recognized the importance of emotional intelligence and the importance of being persistent, but not pushy. I present myself as a professional, but I do like to make the process fun for my clients. While there are a ton of realtors who have attitudes about just about everything, I have always had an easy time remaining positive in difficult situations.
As a woman in business, it is not always easy to stand up to the men who are trying to project their power over you. I am a strong believer in “fake it till you make it”, so when I was intimidated in the beginning, I just acted like the most confident person in the room. Now, over time and some success, I have become a very confident person who is sure of herself and her abilities.