Shifting Your Perspective from Employee to Independent Business Owner

Imagine this scenario with me if you will:

Sarah's heart races with excitement as she walks into the bustling office of her brokerage on her first day as a brand new Realtor®. She can hardly contain her enthusiasm as she envisions the endless possibilities and potential that lie ahead in her new venture.

The adrenaline rushes through her veins as she meets her colleagues and future mentors, looking to soak in the wisdom of their years of experience and expertise. She is filled with a sense of awe as she imagines the doors that will open for her in the world of real estate. The thought of being her own boss and building her own business fuels her motivation like never before.

She envisions herself helping families find their dream homes, guiding them through the process of buying and selling with professionalism and care. She can already feel the satisfaction of handing over the keys to a happy client and knowing she played a role in making their dreams come true.

The prospect of earning a lucrative income based on her own efforts and successes is both thrilling and motivating for Sarah. She imagines the financial freedom that comes with a successful real estate career - the ability to provide for her family, travel, and live life on her own terms.

Does this sound familiar to you? Attention all new real estate agents: You are not employed by your Brokerage and you do not work a 9-5 job. Your calling to help families buy and sell goes far deeper than that. However, unfortunately, I have seen agents, much like Sarah, filled with initial excitement and enthusiasm, quickly become overwhelmed and dependent on their brokerage to launch their careers. They lose the ability to think big, the spirit of independence, and they begin to treat their career as just another day job. They come in to the office daily for a check-in and sit at their desk with no real plan in sight, waiting for their Sales Manager to give them something to do. Or, in a slightly better scenario, they mingle and chat with seasoned pros hoping to catch a glimpse of what makes them great.

Now, there’s certainly nothing wrong with taking inspiration from those with experience and earned success, I think it’s vital to learn from agents who have been in the game for 10 or 15+ years. They’ve seen market shifts, economic disruptions, seasonal changes, and so much more. They have a lot of insight and the greatest of them, are willing to share openly and spread their knowledge with you.

In short, do not turn up to your Brokerage hoping someone will give you a day-to-day plan. Work with whatever resources are available to you, and remember, you are operating your OWN small business. You run the show. Learn what you don’t know and exploit the things you do. Are you tech savvy? Get on social media and start collaborating and following other agents. Are you comfortable in front of the camera? Put a video series together. Just be curious and hungry and do not become complacent!

Key tip! Don’t lose your initial motivation and remain focused (make a short and long term plan) because real estate is a long haul game. I certainly don’t want you to prematurely ditch your career in real estate because of early disappointments or lack of planning!