Career Podcast Featuring Joelle Lewis, a Successful Realtor : Women In Business

On episode #6 of the 2B Bolder podcast, guest Joelle Lewis, the Principal Broker of Lewis and Associates Real Estate Team, reveals her secrets to success. She's ambitious, driven, creative, and a ton of fun to talk to. Tune in to hear her share some advice, some of her challenges, and some lessons learned along the way that have helped her to become successful in real estate.

The 2B Bolder Podcast provides you first-hand access to some amazing women. Guests will include women from leading enterprise companies to startups, women execs, to coders, account execs, engineers, surgeons, doctors, and innovators.

To be inspired visit https://www.2bbolder.com/podcasts

Learn more about Joelle Lewis at https://pdxhomeseller.com/

Transcript

spk_0:   0:00
Hi there. My name is Mary Kill Olia. Welcome to the to be bolder podcast. Providing career insights for the next generation of women in business in Texas. To be bolder was created out of my love for technology and marketing. My desire to bring together Lifeline is women and my hope to be a great role model in source of inspiration for my two girls and other young women like you, encouraging you guys to show up to be bolder and to know that anything you guys dream of, it's totally possible on to be bolder. You're gonna hear inspiring stories of how successful women some I know, some I just want to bring to you guys and they're gonna talk about their careers in business and tech. And they're gonna tell us their stories about their passion in their journey. And they're challenges. And we're gonna learn some of their advice along the way, too. So sit back, relax and enjoy the conversation. Hi. My guest today is a woman I have known and admire for many years. She's kind, bright, athletic, creative, ambitious and driven. She has been in the real estate business for 20 plus years. and has been having huge success pursuing a passionate, slipping a few homes of her own lately. Joel Lewis is the principal broker of Lewis and Associates Real estate team. Welcome to the show, Joel. It's awesome to have you here.

spk_1:   1:14
Great to be here, Mary. And I hate to correct your intro, but I've actually been in the business 32 years now.

spk_0:   1:21
Oh, well, thank you for correcting me. I said 20 plus 30 to start. Yeah, uh, I'm excited for today's discussion for so many reasons. Um, I have so many questions I want to ask you first. I would love for you to tell everyone how you got into real estate and how you got where you are today. And I know that's a lot,

spk_1:   1:45
um, three sentences or less. When I graduated from college, I had a degree in business in a degree in psychology, and I ended up working in retail and then in cosmetic cells, have for a few years and realized that there was a serious limitation to the income and the corporate ladder on Dhe decided I needed to find a business that had unlimited potential. And I knew I wanted to get into real estate within a couple of years of graduated from college that felt I was too young. But I jumped in all in any way and never have looked back.

spk_0:   2:32
I love that about you that you basically blow through any limits. I mean, like, if you feel limited, you're gonna kick down the walls. I just know that about you, which is what I love. Okay, So you've been doing this for 32 plus years, right? What excites you most about it?

spk_1:   2:53
Well, you know, I spent the first 20 years just being in the sales part of it. But now I feel like I'm really in the real estate business. So I'm not just your typical agent that lists homes and helps people acquire homes or investments or works with builders and developers. I do all of that and then some. So I have my own, um, real estate portfolio that I've acquired, and I just completed my first flip, and I love remodeling. And so I have so many little, uh, arms of my business that I wish somebody had shared with me when I was just getting in the business. You to do what I've been doing for the last 10 years because I'd be retired by now.

spk_0:   3:50
Right? So the diversification of what you've designed for yourself in your business has it kind of gives you that safety net, if you will. If a market takes a dump or if things change, you've got different arms. Like you said, That can be lev erred in different ways. Right?

spk_1:   4:09
Well, I would like to think things diversified. It's all the same. Traunch, huh? You know, I have real estate holdings. You know, I am financially diversified, especially at this age, but no, I am all in on real estate. It's all in on black, and we're rolling for that. Marble is rolling around the wheel right now, especially in an election year. Um um, yeah. Ah, but I do have different areas of which I'm able Thio grow my income. That is I'm not focused just on one thing, which I really did for many, many years of my business Now, um, and part of it is just needing to shift my energies to places where I really find joy and what I'm doing. And I think it has prevented the burn out that a lot of people experiencing commission cells.

spk_0:   5:05
Now, that's a great point. So what is a typical day looks like for you?

spk_1:   5:09
Ah, there is no typical day. I'm I'm in the service business. So when my phone starts to ring, I have to be able to pivot and shift and go and, um And then when the phone isn't ringing, I have to create and make stuff happen. I, um I have to get on the phone and, you know, push things downhill or uphill sometimes. But there is kind of a rhythm to a lot of my practice, and I'm often in front of people in tthe e evenings and on the weekends. But if I'm not in front of people, I'm not in the process of generating income. So you know my Mondays start with who needs my attention? What should I be doing on DDE? We have weekly meetings with the team where we all have to go through our priorities and keeping our clients top of mind and what they need and what were, you know, doing for them is always the task at hand.

spk_0:   6:19
I assume that networking and relationship building is one of your primary things that you wake up and say, How my leveraging that today?

spk_1:   6:29
Yeah, and I think it is. My secret sauce is that I have always been extreme extrovert on dhe. Um, I don't like the quiet. I just I like a lot of energy happening around me. And if it's coming from people, all the better we, um we have an expression. There's different gurus you can swallow and one of the most common gurus, or ever want to call it common that more popular? That's the word is he basically has a theory of partying your way to the top. And we do teach this with agents. You always need to put your place yourself in a place where you're having conversations about real estate, and it really doesn't matter where I go. I make money connected with people in the tennis court because it always starts for the conversation. How's the real estate market? Hey, I'm thinking of selling. I'd really like to acquire an investment. Um, my daughter needs to buy a home. You know, those conversations can started a cocktail party. They can start at Happy hour, and so networking is extremely important. Introverts don't do as well in this industry, because again, if you're not putting yourself out there, you're not putting yourself in front of people. It's tough,

spk_0:   7:54
right? Right. So who's inspired you in business?

spk_1:   7:58
You know, when I first got into the industry, I really liked the building and new construction, leg or arm of the business. And I started working with a builder and helped him build his business from one home a year to 15 homes a year over a long period of time, and I invested with him and the Net built into a number of builder relationships. And if there's anything I learned from the builders is they kept the kept in motion, They kept moving, and our tax code is written where if you build a home, you can live in it for two years and then sell it and not pay capital gains tax as long as it's your primary residence. So I watched these builders develop a subdivision, build themselves a home and two years later, build the house next door. And at some point when my kids were old enough to be a little more mobile, we started the process of moving, and my kids have lived in three homes over the last six years. Andi just did this last weekend. So it's, um, something that I watched people dio on and just went, Wow, you're making money. And it's not text so brilliant. And it's a hard thing for a lot of people to even think about doing their home. They root themselves in their home, and I, um I see that a lot, although the average personally stays in a home seven years. And now, of course, everyone's actuated with HD TV and flip and flop in all these home improvement shows, and everybody wants to flip homes. But you gotta be fearless and you have to have capital and you gotta you gotta know what you're doing or you've got a line yourself with a really smart agent that Congar id you through that process.

spk_0:   10:05
Johnny and I totally, always like weekend time. We're watching those shows. We love it. And we also love watching you guys what you do, what you're doing in the transformation that you guys have given in your fearless. That's another thing about you. Um, okay, so what's the biggest challenge is that you faced?

spk_1:   10:23
Oh, gosh, you know, my biggest challenge, and we'll call it a hiccup or a blip in my trajectory. After 25 years with ReMax, I went to work for a startup that was a high tech, cutting edge, bleeding edge marketing real estate firm that had emerged after the housing bubble burst. And they were creating the most innovative, uh, marketing tools. And I was so fascinated by what they were doing that I was stalking them and they had 20 agents that work for this company. And I met with the owner and like, I love what you're doing. When were you gonna bring an office to the gas? We go and he looked at me and he said, Why don't we do that? And so I opened up this small no name boutique check based, um branch with this company and was their business development manager with huge risk, super fun. And unfortunately, after four years of blood, sweat and tears, energy effort, we built the company 225 agents and we had five branches and we were completely undercapitalized and we just couldn't sustain it. The company s ended up selling out to just to avoid bankruptcy. Um, right, it probably the lowest moment in my life, and all of a sudden I was without a home and without a brand without practice, and I had spent so much time helping them build their business. I really took the eye off a building, my personal brand and my business. So it was. It was devastating. Anyway, it's, um

spk_0:   12:22
you bring up an excellent point, and that's building your personal brand. So when someone thinks of Joel Lewis, what do you want them to think of?

spk_1:   12:32
Well, let's go back to your intro. Could you say that all

spk_0:   12:36
kind, bright, athletic,

spk_1:   12:39
energetic, driven? Um, you know, my my brand. I stay. And after the failure of this company, I sat still with it and realized that I had spent 20 years helping builders build their brand. And then I spent another four years helping another company build their brand, and I went, Oh, my gosh, I wish I could just roll it all back 10 years, 20 years and just focus on building my brand. And so I re branded a couple years ago, and it's now Lewis and Associates and went through a really amazing process with, Ah, very amazing woman. Who that is what she does. Iconic details is her business name. And I actually brought her into a company to help other agents build their brands because, um, your brand has to be who you are and how you show up. But also, it has to be everywhere and on everything. And I had just never gone there with my practice. And so I did that a couple of years ago. It was a great exercise. And now everything we do, it has to be on brand. Doesn't matter for throwing a client event party or for marketing. Uh, home. Um, it's our Bible.

spk_0:   14:10
That's it. That's fascinating. And I think a lot of the well known big brands that has lasted over time have had that, and that's part of their success. So I think that's great. That even made that investment. What advice? What advice, Irwin? Sorry. What were you gonna say?

spk_1:   14:25
Well, I was just gonna say I spent 25 years with ReMax, which is one of the most well known real estate brands. And I always thought, Oh, I'm with re Max. That's the brand. That's the Coca Cola. That's the Nike and ignored the fact that I needed to create my brand. And so I teach that now to younger agents and the people I'm mentoring, that they always want to show up. You know, within that corporate umbrella and brand, that's, you know, just get in the hands. What? They're developing again. I always said it was enough. Just a hang on under the corporate umbrella or balloon.

spk_0:   15:11
You just mentioned that the people that you mentor So I think that's fantastic that you're helping, you know, develop skills and guide younger agents. What type of things do you do with them that help them grow?

spk_1:   15:26
I was as Thebes principal at the company that the small startup company, when we had agents come in, I would teach weekly classes. I would teach round tables. I would give lectures. I would teach, um, systems. Uh, just everything you have to have in your tool belt should be a confident real estate agent on DWI would break it down by subject and have a new subject every week. And it did that for four years. Now that I'm with a large company I do teach and I'm a certified educator on Everyone have to have, you know, 30 hours a year of continuing education. I'm sorry. 30 hours every two years. And so they're topics that, you know, I like to show up in a lecture. Speaking in a big group is not my favorite thing, but I've managed to overcome that fear. I prefer a small group, interactive group, and so we have weekly meetings where people can show up in Just ask questions And, you know, often I'm just snagged in the hall with, you know, trouble shooting and problems. But I actually do mentor three younger agents that are on my team, and I say younger, I mean years of experience in the business. There is so much to learn. It really takes about five years as a practicing agent before you really get it before he who are proficient at all things real estate.

spk_0:   17:01
What advice would you give someone who's thinking about entering the field of becoming a realtor like

spk_1:   17:08
I have? You know, I I probably get a call once a month. Hey, will you talk to my friend and we talked to my cousin sister brother, Mother, Um And there's there are a lot barriers to entry now in the real estate field. And just like any small business, the 1st 1 that it always pin people down on is you have to have capital. You may not get a check your 1st 68 10 months in the business, and you're lucky to get a check. Ah, but the cost of getting into the business, you know, the costs are very low, but you have to invest in the business, have to market yourself. You have to market homes. You have to put yourself out there. You have to spend money to attract your first clients and leads. You know, never. One reason all small businesses fail is lack of capital. And for agents, it's the same thing. 80% of newer agents will be out of the business in the 1st 2 years, and part of it is it, you know, commit its commission on the cells. No one is. Have any punch a clock telling you what to do, telling you when to show up how to show up. I mean, there are amazing training programs, books, you know, YouTube. We didn't have you to what? I was trying to figure it all out, but, um, if you don't have money, if you don't have, um it's emotionally too difficult to keep on slugging it out.

spk_0:   18:50
What are some key qualities that are required to be successful in real estate?

spk_1:   18:55
You know, I think that, um let me tell you what don't I have the one? My pet feed is on agents like, Oh, I'm gonna get my license. I just love houses. That's like what it is that why you have to love people. You have to love being with people, and you've got to be compassionate. But you also to be a really confident competitors. If you could say yes to both of those things, then, um, you're built for this business. You can't just like interior design or, um, you know, like staging or like remodeling. Um, it's not about houses. You are in the service business and you have to be there and ask people, How can I help you find your dream? Meet your knee, you know goals. And often we're dealing with people in transition, and, um and sometimes those transitions are very challenging. Divorce, death the loss of a spouse. Job transition, job change. Uh, you know, some of the time, it's just not always a happy place. And we have, Ah, another little joke at the team meetings, and that is that we throw in the counseling for free. So often, Um, and people handle stress at a different level, and you can't take on their stress. And you also can't exacerbate their stress. You have to be the calm, knowledgeable, steady in their process. Otherwise, you know, everyone's just spinning into very anxious state. So, um, you know, I think it's the reason I have loved this business for so long is that I wanted to be a psychologist, and it's just satisfied that need problem. Solve, um and so, Yeah, but my my new goal is, um, to recognize when I'm trying to help someone that just isn't mentally healthy, right? I tend to see that is a huge challenge and take it on. And, um and so my my thing is one a year, just a year.

spk_0:   21:24
Um, how important is it to hone in on a focus area when your realtor, you know, whether its location, you know, you're gonna focus on a special section of town. Or maybe you're looking towards targeting or marketing to young couples or say, I'm just gonna sell homes in this price point. How important is it to be that focused? Or is that a disservice to yourself because you're narrowing your opportunities?

spk_1:   21:51
Yeah, I am. I see a lot of agents taking a shotgun approach to the business, meaning the more they throw it out there, the more opportunities will come their way. And, um, I always tell newer agents two focus on a primary market and then start widening your reach. The whole neighborhood expert people still advertised that, and they will market to the neighborhood they live in, or the subdivision they live in or the H away. And that's great because it is nice that they, you know, kind of know what's going on. But the homeowner typically is the neighborhood expert. The I think the biggest, um, shift in the real estate business is that people are no longer the neighborhood experts, but we are marketing firms were in the business of exposing your home to the market in the best way possible. And that ship, this last decade with technology with the, um with the fact that we're no longer the keeper of all the information. That's all out there on the Web. It's on Zillow. It's hits on realtor dot com. All that information is available for the consumer. We're just helping them filter it appropriately and, um, but also we are marketing firms. Now. We're in the business of marketing their home for sale, and, um so we don't have to live in the neighborhood. We have to be really proficient marketers and, really, you know, experienced at getting a home exposed.

spk_0:   23:48
That's a that's a really good point. So how many people do you deal with who by home sight unseen. And they've just, you know, seen it through marketing online. I mean, I'm sure that's risen. I don't know what percent it is, if you know, but

spk_1:   24:05
once a year I face time somebody, and they make an offer on a home prior to ever physically walking through the door. So they're not only seen the pictures online doing a virtual tour, doing a drone fly over, but I can base time, and sometimes I just have one of you know the couple. The other one's on the phone, and that's always pretty comedic. But this last year I did have ah, um, family from California. And they bought the home side insane came up for the home inspection, and it was everything that they I thought it would be we closed and there, happily living in that new home, that's amazing. It takes a lot of trust on and, um, you know, it's you hope that your agent can reinforce that. Yes, this is a good value. This is a good neighborhood. It is easy for me now to be very confident about saying yes, this is a good bye. Yes, this is a good investment on dhe sharing that, and I could do it with data, but I can also just say, Hey, you know, I know this neighborhood. I know this area been doing this for 32 years, so

spk_0:   25:25
I write. Believe it. So what drives you Joel Lewis to be successful? What's your why?

spk_1:   25:33
Um um I am that confident competitors. I think I've spent the, you know, my entire career, just trying to be better every year that I was the previous year, and that is just in my DNA. I A lot of people think when you get in the real estate business, you're competing against the 5000 other licensed agents that are in town when in fact you're competing with the amount of time that you have to spend on your business practice. And, um, again, I love just having. I always write my goals down, and every time I write him down, I meet or exceed them. So I just keep on pushing him higher and higher and higher. It's just like a game that you know how much, Um, can you do? And I was the number one agent when my second child was born that year. I got the award. I sold 100 and 20 homes that year. That was 10 homes a month, and I had a four year old and a newborn, and I tried to slow it down. I tried T I. I actually physically wrote down goals. It's sad it will sell 20% less and it didn't work. I just became more efficient. I became more focused on working in higher price points. It's what happened after the bubble burst in the housing market in 2009. I had been working with multiple builders, and I needed to re create myself in my brand. So I decided to approach the luxury market and I had a you know, I had a 10 point bullet. Here's what you know, 10 chapters. Here's how I was going to shift my practice and my business, and I made it happen. If it was little things like, I'm gonna go buy that jag wire that's always been on my vision board e i about the car of the success. But, you know, that was my plan. And, um, you know, put on the put on the boots, bought the car, Andrea position myself as a luxury resell listing agent.

spk_0:   27:58
You lived the life that you were visioning, and then it caught up with you. Yes. Yeah, happened. It does, uh, and that's not for everyone. Because some that don't follow through, we'll get themselves in a big heap of debt. But you know, if you're driven and can and follow through, it makes so much sense because visualization, you know, I'm a big firm believer of visualizing what you want seeing it. And I love that you make a vision board, you know, every year and I stay years. What are a few things on your current vision,

spk_1:   28:31
boys? Well, actually had to do to vision boards this year, one for my business in my practice. And, um, I always have a word of the year. A few years back, it was balanced and just keeping in mind that I need to learn how to better balance. This previous year, I was sitting there doing my vision board, and this eagle started hanging out on my lawn, even a fish. And I had an eagle feather, and I loved watching the Eagles in front of my home, and I decided that my word of the year last year was sore. And this year I don't have a word on my vision board yet. I think it's soar higher and the definition of sore is to fly to new heights without flapping your wings. And so it kind of is that combination of a little balance on dhe, Um, and so I want to continue to build my business, even though I'm approaching retirement. But, you know, I don't wantto do it like I used to many, um, yeah, just running myself ragged, trying to be all things to all people. So I'm reusing my word of last year, but I decided it was soar higher this year.

spk_0:   29:57
I love it. What are some of the pros and cons of being a realtor?

spk_1:   30:02
Obviously, the pros are unlimited income. I never, ever thought that, um, that I would make the kind of money that I have made in this business. Um, but it definitely is a a risk reward output. And so, you know, the big pro, of course, is the income potential. The other is just being able to control your schedule. I can't even imagine what it would be like to have a job. But I think I work harder for my with myself is about if there was somebody actually telling me what to dio and how to do it. But, um, just, you know, in the middle of the day, if I am done, I can go get a pedicure, right? Hund, um, And head home. And, um, I don't know, do laundry in the middle of the day. I love working from home. I'm super productive. Ah, lot of people who aren't They have to have somebody cracking the whip or holding them accountable. That's a real problem in our industry is. People just aren't accountable to their goals and nobody's watching over. Um um, so so that is the con is that it's a brutal as a business where people get very complacent and then they don't know why it shows up on their bottom line. They, uh, you know, they just aren't self starters. They aren't self motivated, they aren't as driven. Um, and they really hate rejection. Rejection is a a tough part of sales. And, um, I'd like to say that I have a pretty thick skin, but I still get hurt. I know. Take it all so personally it's like, What do you mean? You're not hiring me, but I'm the best. Are you kidding? But then I always reflect on on my rejection. And that's something I've been really good out and go. Okay. How could I win next time? How could I do better? How can I What I lost? Oh, well, then I need to be more like them if I lost that person. Um so now it's zm. It works with my personality. I'm what I call myself counter phobic. So if something scares me, I I approach it running away.

spk_0:   32:26
That's an amazing quality. Um, what is the craziest thing that you've seen over the years? Always love hearing stories like this.

spk_1:   32:37
Oh, my gosh. I wish I had written the book because I have a stories. After I I could fill an hour just on some of my best stories that that's best over a bottle of wine. You know, we got to see people where they live, how they lived. And that's everything from the hoarders and the emotionally disabled people, the borderline personalities. Um, I once had to Selby house that a CEO of the company had purchased for his stripper girlfriend. Um, you know, before we'd was legal. I've walked into grow rooms because everyone had a medicinal right to grow. And so you see it all but the crazy. Any part of this business is really the crazy people that you end up engaging with. And I have a pretty good emotional i Q. And so when I when I start to fill and see crazy, um, if somebody really needs my help, I am all in, but, um, crazy aggressive people. I, luckily have the pleasure of now saying, You know what? We're not a good fit. I don't think we should work together and I have to fire clients. That's which is really hard to do because you've already invested so much time, energy and effort on dhe. I've fired a client, and then I sent my one of my associates out to pick up the lockbox off the house, and he called me and said, I don't understand why you didn't come and get the lock box yourself. I was thinking we would hire you again when we were ready to sell the house, and I'm thinking, Oh my gosh, I'm so happy. I'm thinking, No, I wouldn't want to work with you again on And it takes a lot. It takes a lot because I can handle I could handle it. So it's not crazy situations. It's crazy people.

spk_0:   34:43
Yeah, I think that's good advice for, you know, women who are looking to get in the business if they ever feel unsafe or intimidated in a negative, psychotic kind of way, that is okay to walk away and that they don't have to stick in it and and be a put themselves in uncomfortable situations? Yes. Do you have any idea how many's Holmes you've sold?

spk_1:   35:07
Uh, you know, um, I get 32 years. If you figure that I've, you know, sold an average of 30 homes a year, it's well over 1000

spk_0:   35:20
on we're going

spk_1:   35:21
home on, Do you know? Then there's probably a quite a few that. Do you think about how many homes I've been in 25,000? It's always fun to go to somebody's house. I've been invited for an event that psycho. I've been here before. Um, I can walk into homes and go, Oh, that's a mask. Word plan. Um, you know, the built in the nineties eso I always love it when there's a street that I drive down that I haven't been down before it. I'm like, Oh, I've never been down this street. This is awesome. So I know Portland pretty well, and that's that's fun. I also have a natural GPS in my brain, And so if I went to your house once and I haven't been there for a year, I don't even need your address. I just know how to get there, So that really was a bonus skill set.

spk_0:   36:15
Do you have a favorite style of home?

spk_1:   36:18
That's, um I do, but because I rescue homes, I can work with a lot of different styles. So my my current project is going to be a retro 19 forties cottage, and the house was originally built in the forties, and then it was added on to and so we're stripping it of all of its eras because I want to bring it back to a 19 forties late cottage, and that is my current home. We moved this last weekend so that we could get that house, and it's a pretty big project in a pretty expensive one, too. But, um, I love any style of home or any error of home as long as it's authentic. Just like my people. You

spk_0:   37:11
prioritize staying fit and travel. How do you manage all that work life balance? Because you guys have gone all over. I mean, you play tennis. Where you in Cuba or where you go?

spk_1:   37:27
Um, yeah, we go annually to Aruba to play tennis, but I do. I play tennis, you know, four times a week on. I love competing. And so, um, I took a sabbatical 15 years ago after I'd already been in the business 15 years and realize that I love sports. I love competing. Um, I love again. I love improving myself. And so a decade ago, I took a plane tennis competitively and chasing little yellow balls around. And it is a perfect stress relief on a daily basis. And so sometimes my day starts with a round of tennis or ends with a round of tennis, or I have a match in the middle of the day. But it fits really well with my practice because I can schedule everything around, you know, taking an hour off. And, um, the travel, I wish you know, my goal this year if you were to look at my vision board back to the vision, is to travel more and more and more. And that's part of the reason I have a team because I care so much about my clients. I always have travel guilt. So when I'm away, I can't stop thinking about what I should be doing to help my client. And so I have an amazing team and they're there for the clients from now. When I When I go, I'll check e mail, but I don't take a phone. And that's just necessary for your emotional mental health. Um, but we do like to travel. And the year I retire, we're gonna travel around the world for a year and have perpetual summer.

spk_0:   39:12
Oh, I love it.

spk_1:   39:14
Yeah. So, um, you can follow me on instagram.

spk_0:   39:21
Well, I'm back home working.

spk_1:   39:22
Yeah. You're working where the world is, Joel. Uh, yeah, I'm trying to get better socially of sharing my own personal projects. I didn't complete flipped last year, and I think I probably sent out, like, five posts s. Oh, my goal is to sit out Weekly Post for all my friends were like, What's going on in the house? What's going on? And, um, but it's confusing, of course, but they seem real estate photos, and then they see my remodel photos, and they don't know what's what. So I'm gonna try to be a little more transparent this year.

spk_0:   39:54
Oh, good, good. Okay. So if you could tell your 20 year old self one thing, what would it be?

spk_1:   40:01
You know, we touched on it a little earlier and that is build your own personal branch. And I think that's true. For you know, everybody. You've got one thing to sell next to you and one thing to promote again. That's my I don't want to call my business. Re correct. But I spent so much time building other people's brand that, um I just wish I had been a little more self absorbed s. So I think I Yeah, I could go back and tell my 20 year old self when I actually got in the business when I was 25. Um, you know, I just wish I'd had the bigger vision of what my practice could be because, um, it has soared

spk_0:   40:50
well, and I think the younger generation today has an advantage over us that didn't grow up with the Internet, I mean, or the HD TVs of the world. You know, they are exposed to endless things and possibilities, even travel places, or how you re imagine your life. And so for that reason, I love social media, and I love you know what the Internet has brought to our lives and the younger generation. So that's one thing I wish that we would have had it are, you know, while we were younger. But at the same time, I don't think I would have ever wanted to be in college with, you know, cell phone cameras.

spk_1:   41:27
Yeah. You know, I watched this younger generation, and they are all trying to be influencers, but they don't have the information, is it? And so as I get into social media and know that I need to be there to, you know, with my brand and with, you know, all of myself, I'm constantly battling this part about just be authentic. Just be authentic. Just just do you regret. And so it's, you know, when you're new in this business, you're told to build a brand new so that you have some clout in that you have influence, and, um, it kind of always done that. But now it's very public, and I see people jumping on to their social media sites and trying to create something that they're just not especially with young real estate agents. They're trying to pretend like they're the expert because they have a real estate license down. It's like No, no, no, no. I'm the expert. You do this for 32 years, you could wear the expert T shirt. I'm the expert on, uh, on. It was funny because a newer agent had put out a fire to neighborhood, just like your neighborhood expert. You Someone set her back a note and said, Really? I just noticed You've only been licensed to hear. It's like perhaps I should use a different attitude. I'm like, Yes, perhaps. Anyway, yeah. So you can build your friend early. Just not too early, right? Yeah. And they want they all want success instantly. Right? And this, you've gotta play the long game. You have to be in this business. I am especially teaching weekly classes. I'd have all these new agents, and I'd have 40 of them in my branch and I'd have sent of them. Show up. And it's just it's like, you know. What are you doing? What? You know, you have to spend the 1st 2 to 5 years just spending half your time educating yourself,

spk_0:   43:38
right? You have to earn respect. It's not given to you. All right. So do you have any good books or podcast that you listen to that you would recommend or wanna share

spk_1:   43:51
well, with the risk of sounding like like the dinosaur iam of my favorite one that I constantly refer back to is seven levels of communication I find. And I think this is probably true in any industry. People are quick to text Texas thank you notes. It's like, Come on, if I think again. Not that I need Thio lecture to the younger self. But sometimes you just have to pick up a phone right and have a conversation and have a higher level conversation and asked the tough questions rather than texting and e mailing, especially in sales. You have to pick up the phone and hear what they have to say. You've got to ask questions. You gotta understand you've got a DYP deep anyway. So that's a book that I often reference when I am, um, talking to agents about troubleshooting, you know, problems they're having in a transaction or with their business. And, um and so I love that book. Outliers is another one that you'll find on my shelf. Although all my books were still in boxes.

spk_0:   45:12
Well, thank you for today. Thank you for taking the time and coming on and being a guest. It's an awesome chatting with you.

spk_1:   45:19
It's always fun. And, um, thank you for giving me the opportunity to share.

spk_0:   45:30
Thanks for listening to the episode today. It was really fun chatting with my guest. If you like their show, please like it and share it with your friends. If you want to learn what we're up to, please go check out our website at to be bolder dot com. That's the number two little be bolder dot com.