Lisa LaRowe

Creating an Inspiring Team of Agents Through Mentoring

By Robbyn Moore

Photos by Jermaine Buie with Perfect Light, LLC

Lisa LaRowe, associate broker at Lisa LaRowe Realty — eXp Realty, starts each day from a position of positivity. She mentally prepares her day with affirmations about herself and the week ahead. Her focus is on gratitude for her life and for the people in it.

“It’s imperative to take care of yourself and have fun every day,” Lisa shared. “Life is meant to be enjoyed. If you are not happy, it’s difficult to give your clients and colleagues the best version of yourself.”

As an agent development and training manager, Lisa shares her mindset and optimism through her work as a mentor and trainer for the eXp offices in Trenton and Grosse Ile. She’s currently training 15 new agents directly and offers continuous training support to over 50 agents in other branch offices. “After 17 years of actively selling real estate, I’m privileged to offer my knowledge to others,” Lisa said. Since joining the agency in 2018, Lisa said she’s never been happier. “I’m surrounded with positive, brilliant, top-producing agents who fire me up. I get to train new agents and help experienced agents build their businesses. Since joining eXp, my business and training abilities took on a whole new level.”

Prior to launching her real estate career in 2003, Lisa had plans of becoming a special education teacher. However, after much encouragement from her friends — who saw her potential in sales — Lisa decided to give real estate a try. “It’s funny that my original calling was to teach, and here I am doing my absolute dream job — selling and teaching,” she shared. “In addition to the thrill of finding dream homes for my clients, I feel so energized when I’m training new agents and watching them succeed.”

“Life is meant to be enjoyed. If you are not happy, it’s difficult to give your clients and colleagues the best version of yourself.”

During the housing recession in 2008, Lisa worked with Michelle Saward, who demonstrated the benefits of hard work, the payoff of tenacity and most importantly, the significance of having a mentor. “At the time, Michelle was building her business,” Lisa recalled. “I watched her launch her business in the middle of a downward market and learned so many valuable lessons that I still use and share today. Her role in my life positively influenced my career and my life.” Lisa and Michelle went on to work together for 12 years.

Lisa’s path has been defined by following her instincts and not the crowd. “My training style has been influenced by the many mentors I’ve had in my life,” she said. “I have taken bits and pieces from different trainers and top agents, and developed my own style and approach to the business. I teach my agents to do the same: Take a little from each person, and make yourself into the agent you want to become.”

One of the many things Lisa is grateful for at eXp is the shared mindset of collaboration. “The agency’s philosophy aligns with my own,” she said. “We don’t see each other as competition or a threat. Rather, we genuinely help and support each other because when one of us wins, we all win — it’s a refreshing approach to this business.”

Lisa is a great problem solver and learned early in her career to address issues before they become difficult. “I learned to listen to my clients and give them what they need, especially during one of the most stressful and momentous times in their life,” Lisa said. “It’s a skill set that I am very proud of.” Moreover, Lisa applies her problem-solving abilities to the ever-changing world of technology. “When I started in the business, our purchase agreements were six carbon copies, and we would tell our clients to press hard when they signed,” she said, laughing. “So coming from that background, my challenge has been staying ahead of the most up-to-date tools available to ensure a seamless transaction for my clients.”

While technology is a part of everyday business, Lisa, by nature, is an outdoors kind of girl. She enjoys nature walks, in-line skating, boating, swimming, kayaking and paddleboarding. She has a 20-year-old daughter named Ollie, who goes to the College for Creative Studies in Detroit. Lisa said Ollie is a great reminder to stop and enjoy the best things in life: looking at the moon or a butterfly, walking a little slower and enjoying life’s moments more often. “Real estate is a way of life for me,” Lisa said. “It’s so gratifying to help my clients achieve their real estate dream, and it’s definitely rewarding to see my agents fly and become the agents they want to be — it’s addicting to me, really.”

Lisa’s future plans include building a strong team of agents at her Grosse Ile office. She is passionate about taking care of her clients and training and inspiring other agents. “It is so rewarding to watch a new agent — with very little knowledge — come into this career and see them excel beyond their dreams because of the tools we gave them.”

Lisa LaRowe - Celebrating Leaders