CR Magazine - Winter 2016

HOW I FOUND A MENTOR
The perception the public has is that real estate is an easy career — When my time as the assistant was winding down, I was forced to
you can work the hours you want, you don't have a clock to punch
day in and day out, you get to see beautiful homes, and mortgage
brokers throw you fancy parties. What they don't tell you when
you're fresh out of your licensing test is how hard, how grueling,
how debilitating and how soul-crushing it can sometimes be to
pursue a career in real estate. Finding a mentor is key to protecting
yourself from these career killers.
John Crosby said, "Mentoring is a brain to pick, an ear to listen, and
a push in the right direction." Just because
you passed a test doesn't mean you're
prepared to be a real estate agent. A mentor
is someone who takes you under their very
experienced wing, helps you navigate the
tricky waters of negotiation, advises you on
the best bang for your buck with marketing,
and ultimately will become your biggest
cheerleader.
At 21, I started my career in real estate as a
full-time licensed assistant. During my two years in that position, I
had the opportunity to learn the ins and outs of real estate without
having to shoulder the responsibility that comes with being the
designated agent. I didn't have to prospect, make cold calls, solicit
expired listings, capture leads, or worry about my next paycheck.
"…having someone there
to cheer you on, answer
questions, and be an
example to follow, is all it
may take to get you to the
level of success you seek."
think of the options available to me. While I saw the potential for
some great commission checks, I also saw the unreliability and
instability that a life in real estate could lead to. Having student
loans to pay, I got more than a little scared at the prospect of having
sporadic income. Despite the nagging feeling in my gut that I could
really enjoy a career in real estate, I ended up taking another job.
All that changed when another agent in my office took an interest in
my success. Mary Summerville is a force to be reckoned with -- she
previously owned her own company and
has almost 25 years of experience under her
belt. Before I was out the door, Mary asked
why I wouldn't be pursuing a career in real
estate full time. She told me she really felt I
had the drive, the knowledge and the skills
to be successful in the industry. She saw in
me what she saw in herself when she had
started out: a fire, a drive to be successful
but also the need for someone to help me
know how to channel that into results. She
encouraged me to keep in touch and to reach out to her should
I ever need anything. A few short weeks later I realized my new
position wasn't working for me and gave Mary a call. She offered
me an equal position on her team (very rare for new agents), online
& database leads, the opportunity to tap into her 30-year referral
HOW TO BE A MENTOR
I’ve always loved teaching and sharing — early on in my 25-plus
year career, I became a managing broker; I found it inspiring (and
frustrating) to goal set and guide agents on how to work smarter.
I owned my own company for 20 years, using that opportunity
to recruit and train agents, and I found it very rewarding to pass
on my expertise to others. When I sold my company, though, I
felt like I had a second opportunity at the business. Not being an
owner freed up my time and energy, allowing me to refocus on
what I wanted to achieve in my business and my own goals. But
after much debate and research, I realized I could achieve far and
beyond my professional goals by taking on a mentee. That’s when
I decided to partner with Allie Payne and form a team.
I had been working with Alli for several years and saw the drive,
the innovative marketing ideas and the care for her clients; I knew
she would make an excellent team member. She had just returned
to our office after a five-year absence and needed a “start over”
with her business. We decided to start working together, forming
the MSGroup. This opportunity allowed me to mentor her on best
practices when it came to marketing and clients, which in turn,
helped us both achieve goals we wouldn’t have been able to
alone. After two years, our business had grown so much we started
looking for an opportunity to bring another agent to our team.
Rachel Frangos had been working in our office as a licensed
assistant. We both saw in her what we had seen in ourselves: the
drive to succeed and the willingness to work hard to get there.
After Rachel had left our office for another position, I approached
her, offering a position on our team. I told her we felt she had what
it took to be successful and we wanted to give her the opportunity
to be our mentee: to learn the business from us, getting the
training and tools to succeed. It has been very fulfilling for me to
see both Allie and Rachel learn and grow their careers, and it’s
been great for business, as well. I am able to take some R&R and
can trust that my business is in good hands in my absence.
My advice to seasoned agents is to take advantage of the many
mentoring opportunities available. Every office has a few agents
who are newer, or perhaps floundering, who would greatly benefit
from being a mentee. Mentorship can take many forms, but the
way I chose to mentor was by forming a team, taking on two
agents I felt had the desire to learn and the drive to succeed. The
30 Chicago REALTOR ® Magazine