JASON Living to Lead BELL

Before launching his real estate career in 2016, Jason Bell spent 16 years in the insurance business. His stepfather owned an insurance agency, and when Jason reached adulthood, he eventually wound up in the family business.

Despite Jason’s success, insurance never felt like his true calling card.

“After a few years out of school as a stockbroker, my stepdad suggested I join him. I thought it’d be temporary, but 16 years later, I was running the company,” Jason reflects. “I made good money, lived a good lifestyle, and supported my family, but I never really loved the work.”

After 16 years in the business, Jason had a lightbulb go off. It was time for a change.

“Honestly, I woke up one day and said to my wife, ‘I’m out. I’m done. If I do this for another 20 years, I’ve wasted my life. This is not what makes me happy. I need to do something else.’”

Jason was clearer than ever that his time in insurance had come to a close. Yet, he wasn’t sure what his next move would be. So he got his real estate license, intending to sell real estate as a stopgap to the next big thing — until real estate became the next big thing.

“I thought I could flip a few houses and make some money. I’m a handy guy. But once I started learning about the business, I fell in love with it,” Jason reflects.

As Jason’s sales business took off, his plan of flipping homes fell to the wayside. In real estate, he finally found his calling.

“I realized then that you can really love your job and make good money at the same time.”

Ascending to Leadership

Jason’s real estate career accelerated quickly. He became a top agent with Ebby Halliday in his first few years, and by 2020, he was tabbed as one of Ebby Halliday’s future Sales Leaders. When COVID hit, his path to leadership was fast-tracked.

“There was an initiative to identify the future sales leaders in the company. In that process, my name came up. In my mind, it was something that was going to happen someday, but about a week before COVID started, my manager got another opportunity and was leaving the company. He recommended I take over the office.”

After several interviews with senior leadership, Jason was named the Sales Leader for Ebby Halliday’s Flower Mound office. Not long after, he took over the Irving office, too. Jason no longer actively sells real estate, instead focusing his energy on decision-making, hiring and training agents, and mentoring the agents on his team. The Sales Leader role has proven to be the perfect fit.

“I can confidently say that I am doing what I am meant to do and I am loving it,” Jason says. “My style resonates with most agents. I’m very transparent, matter of fact. I think what people enjoy about me is that I still think like an agent. I analyze every situation by asking myself, ‘How does this impact an agent? How would an agent react to this?’ I have a natural way of putting people at ease. I can relate to people’s lives, and that’s refreshing for my agents.”

Meeting Agents Where They Are

As the real estate market shifts, Jason and his team are shifting with it. He believes that now more than ever is the time to double down on tried and true methods for success. He’s encouraging his agents to stick to the basics, like keeping in touch with their sphere of influence. It may sound simple, but Jason understands that most agents simply don’t do this consistently.

Jason and the Ebby Halliday team are also shifting their approach to meet the market’s new demands. COVID changed how agents use office space, so Jason is changing with them.

“You’ve gotta meet agents where they are. While all of us can struggle with how to get agents back into the office, the toothpaste is out of the tube, so I have to adapt the way I manage and build a culture in the office and virtually,” Jason explains. “Thankfully, we still have great attendance in the office on a daily basis. That’s part of our culture here in this office.”

Another significant change is a consolidation of Jason’s two offices into the new DFW Northwest office. The former Flower Mound office is under going a renovation worthy of the new name; it’ll include open work areas, contemporary styling, and a brighter look — all things Jason believes will help take his brand into the future.

It’s All for Fun

Outside real estate, you’ll find Jason with his family; he and his wife, Amy, have three children, Natalie (19), Jackson (17), and Whitney (14). They enjoy spending time outdoors, hanging on the boat, wake surfing, and spending time with friends and family. Above all else, perhaps, Jason is a family man who is passionate about creating enjoyable experiences.

“I’m that friend or person that tends to always say yes. You can always count on me for fun. I’m all about enjoying life to the fullest with a smile on my face, no matter the situation.”