5 minute read
Top Producer - Leigh Jones
LEIGH JONES - Constructing a Business and a Life She Loves
Written by Susan Marquez
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Photography by Abe Draper Photography
Over the years, Leigh Jones has developed a strange affection for power tools and equipment. And while she knows her way around various saws and drills, she jumps at the chance to crawl into a CAT 320 excavator and move some serious dirt. Leigh’s affinity for construction has mirrored her own journey in life as she has built up to the successful woman she is today.
Leigh Jones
Leigh started her career in real estate in the Birmingham area. She was a top producer and closed a huge amount of volume each month. She had become a great negotiator and was very strategic in her business. After a few major life events, she became exhausted and burned out and never wanted to sell real estate again.
Leigh Jones
There was a different plan for Leigh’s life, however. Leigh says her brother-in-law, who is pastor of the Word of Life church, talked her into moving to the Jackson area, where he utilized her construction skills to help build their new church campus. “He told me he knew I would be walking away from a lot of money; but it’s just money. He said I would have the opportunity to live a peaceful life in a place where I could raise my children right.”
Leigh decided it was best for her and her children to move to the area, where she helped with the church construction and started a door refinishing business. She started selling real estate on the side for extra income. Although Leigh had previously given up on the idea of real estate being her main career, she found that it came so naturally to her, as if she wasn’t really working. As her real estate business grew again, she could not deny this was what she was meant to do. She is grateful to her brother-in-law for encouraging her to move to the area and for helping to open her eyes to her true passion, which is quite simply, loving and helping people. She realized that was what had been missing from her real estate business in Alabama. When Leigh made her passion for people her top priority in her business, she found herself truly thriving and happy.
As Leigh’s real estate business continued to grow, she happened upon an orange dog with broker Ryan Porter. The orange dog is the mascot and part of the branding genius behind NextHome Realty. “It didn’t look like any other real estate company,” says Leigh. “There was something different about it and I wanted to know more.” She did her research alongside Ryan and they fell in love with the NextHome brand and marketing strategies. “I found that if you can work a smartphone, you can sell real estate with the unique tools NextHome has created. I have never thought of myself as a risk taker, but I followed my heart.” Soon after, Leigh helped Ryan open the first NextHome Realty Experience franchise in Central Mississippi. “Our office is not a ‘normal’ office,” she says. “Our conference table converts into a ping pong table. We have a creative environment. Clients, agents and other REALTORS® love to get together at our office. It’s a good connection spot.”
Doing things out of the box has become the norm for Leigh. Once again, her love for construction has directed a good portion of her real estate focus towards creating and bringing new marketing strategies to local custom builders. She is taking her team and partnering with builders that have never used a REALTOR® before. “We became their exclusive agent, and we are helping them sell out of everything they have, even before they are built! We have developed a unique and proven system not seen in this market, connecting the homebuyer with the homebuilder and their product.”
Leigh continues to build an all-star team around her. The most recent addition is Dana Marsalis, formerly of Mad Genius, a marketing and account specialist who also happens to be a REALTOR® and home designer as part of their team.
More than Leigh’s obsession for construction, equipment and real estate is the love for her family. Her children have been actively involved in her business. “My son Jackson Jones (17) plays soccer for Hartfield. He also does all kinds of miscellaneous work for us around the office, as well as putting out signs, helping people move, and doing work that my clients do not want to do. My daughter, Kaylei Atchley (26), lives in Austin, and she has built out our website and the back-end SEO. It’s a dream come true for me to be building a business with my children involved.”
Leigh is currently building a home on the water where she and her family can jump on their jet skis at the end of the day and enjoy quality time together. “I have a great life. I have a career that I love. I have two awesome kids, and a crazy Goldendoodle. Life is good!”
It is apparent that Leigh loves all things that involve building. Whether it is building a business, homes, or relationships you can be sure to find Leigh fearlessly constructing all aspects of her life towards true success which starts with a strong foundation of her loving and helping others.
"Our office is not a 'normal' office..."
