Having the support and guidance of educated and passionate real estate professionals can be the difference-maker in finding your own success in the industry. In today’s episode of Women Who Lead, our host, Teresa Palacios Smith, is joined by three powerful women in the real estate industry who motivate and empower their team members to find success and accomplish their career goals.
Meet the Motivators:
How ‘The Motivators’ got their start in real estate:
- Brenda’s contractor convinced her to get a real estate license, and she left her sales position to become a realtor. Her goal was to foster and support a healthy work environment to make it a better and more sustainable career for everyone.
- Amye’s legal work led her to a job involving property law. She called her real estate law professor for help, and they arranged the necessary paperwork to help a client prove she owned the property in question. Amye found a passion for helping people who could not help themselves.
- Kalani worked in corporate America prior to her real estate experience. Working in information security, she transitioned to real estate to make a difference.
Each ‘Motivator’ was inspired to become a broker-owner:
- Brenda had a gut feeling that she should be a part of a franchise. She jumped in right when the market started to tank, and she knows her success was thanks to her family's support when she needed to persevere.
- Growing up in rural Kentucky, Amye went to college in South Carolina, studied Literature, and married way too young. After coming out as a part of the LGBTQ+ community, she married her (now) wife. Amye wanted to show other realtors that there are many agents in their community who are able to support and guide them.
- Within Kalani’s own family, she has family members who weren’t able to achieve homeownership until Kalani was able to help them overcome that barrier. She wanted to continue that work to help others beyond her family accomplish that.
Facing biases and how they overcome them:
- When Amye was a team lead (for a different company), one of her employees refused to work for her because she was a lesbian. While her CEO supported Amye and fired the employee, that woman still works in the industry, and there are times Amye encounters her.
- When Kalani recruits people, and they realize she represents a minority-owned brokerage, there is hesitancy. She presents the firm as an inclusive workplace, and she was surprised when a particular man wanted to work in a male-dominated firm.
- For Brenda, brokerage ownership in her area is still a boy’s club. Blazing a trail for women in leadership is difficult. However, when she helps others, especially women-owned businesses, find and obtain land space is incredibly meaningful.
The importance of mentorship:
- Kalani has many mentors: a religious mentor to help her focus on helping others, business mentors who bring knowledge, wisdom, and experience to the table, and her mother. She believes in giving back and always strives to have people look forward and look back.
- Brenda spends a great deal of time mentoring newer agents in her brokerage. She looks for younger women who she knows can provide meaningful business and life advice.
- Amye’s first and most influential mentor was her mother, but within the industry, Amye was mentored by Jim Harris. She also learns a lot from her kids - they catch her on every mistake she makes and keeps her accountable.
Their biggest accomplishment:
- Kalani gives back. From a corporate perspective, BHHS supports Sunshine Kids, which is fantastic. However, there are also many local nonprofits and community needs that we should find a way to help.
- Brenda doesn’t think she’s reached her most significant accomplishment yet, but her biggest so far is creating a family, especially her blended family.
- Amye can’t imagine anything more important than her kids. Of course, her other work is important, and she wants to change the industry to be more inclusive and representative of its people.
Book Recommendations:
Remember, always bring women up the ladder with you as you climb to the top. For more great content from Teresa, connect with her on LinkedIn, join her Women Who Lead Series on Facebook and subscribe to her YouTube channel. You can find more episodes of Women Who Lead on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and anywhere else podcasts can be found.
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