Up Close | Profiles of people to watch
alyce dailey,
CRS, &
seth dailey,
CRS
The Dailey Group of Keller Williams Realty, Baltimore
Alyce Dailey, CRS: REALTOR® since 2005, CRS since 2007 Seth Dailey, CRS: REALTOR® since 2008, CRS since 2011 Contact: alyce@ thedaileygroup. com; seth@ thedaileygroup. com
What’s it like working with your spouse? Seth: There’s not a part of what I do that Alyce doesn’t know or vice versa. The real estate industry can be stressful and requires a lot of energy to do it well. There can be tension if your spouse doesn’t understand your work and the demands that it can have. We have empathy and sympathy for each other. We enjoy working together because we get the opportunity to play to our strengths. We get to do the things within the business that we each really enjoy doing. AD: Even after 14 years of marriage, I love working with my best friend and business partner. We really enjoy being together, so working side by side professionally and personally is very holistic and joy-filled for us. We love that our kids get to see us working together as a partnership. SD: The possible downside of working together is that there isn’t a natural break or an “off ” switch. We have to be really intentional about taking time off and knowing when each of us needs a break individually and together. But overall, the benefits of working together far outweigh the cons. What’s your advice for other couples who want to work together? AD: Have grace with one another. Know when your spouse needs some space or when they need you to jump in and help so they can take a break. If you have young kids like we do (ages 10, 8, 5 and 2), find ways to incorporate your family into your business so that they can be a part of
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what you’re building. Our kids enjoy being a part of our business and our clients love it as well. We also set aside time regularly throughout the year to set both personal and professional goals so that we can track our progress toward things that are most important to each of us. What’s your market like right now? AD: Baltimore is a very affordable city sandwiched between Washington, D.C., and Philadelphia. Our market is a transient area with many government and military jobs. Although Baltimore suffered a decline, like most other markets when the economy took a downturn, we are certainly seeing many signs of health and recovery. Homes in good condition, good locations and priced correctly are receiving multiple offers. Personally, the Dailey Group’s business has increased every year over year since we started in 2005. To what do you attribute your success? SD: We are in the lead-generating business. It’s all about the quality and the quantity of leads. We’re constantly keeping an eye on how to generate more client leads in an authentic referral-driven way. Secondly, we are always lead generating for talented people for our team. Success occurs through people, and we’re always on the hunt for great REALTORS® and administrative team members. What is the best piece of business advice you’ve received? AD: Entrepreneur, author and motivational speaker Jim Rohn’s quote always comes to mind: “Don’t wish it were easier; wish you were better.” Instead of placing blame elsewhere when I have a rough day, my goal is to figure out the lesson in it for me and to figure out how I can become a better person because of it. SD: In this industry, we can get lost in the idea that what we do is about the money when it really isn’t. As Rohn says, “Set a goal to become a millionaire for what it makes of you to achieve it.” The Dailey Group has set a goal to do 200 units this year and to grow to be a 10-person team. The money? That’s the easy part. Set the goal to be a millionaire for what it will make of you and what it requires of your business habits to achieve it. The true profit is in all the lives you are able to impact along the way.
Lexey Swall
How did you both get into real estate? Alyce: Seth and I met in college in the Chicago area and were married shortly after. We moved to my hometown of Baltimore, and I had a successful career in human resources while Seth worked as a CPA. We always knew we eventually wanted to own a business, and we had explored many different options over the years. A college friend introduced us to a Brian Buffini seminar, and it was then when we first saw that we could make a great living and have a balanced family life in real estate. When we learned this was possible, we were very intrigued by real estate as a true business. I became a REALTOR® in 2005 and in the same year, Seth went into the mortgage industry. As we decided to grow our family, it made sense for us to simplify to one business. Seth joined me in real estate in 2008.