NORTH CAROLINA 11-15-21

NORTH CAROLINA EDITION

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THINGS SUCCESSFUL PEOPLE NEVER DO

HOW TO

FEATURED AGENTS

SUZETTE GRAY MELANIE EATHERTON TERESA RUFTY

OVERCOME YOUR WORKPLACE FEARS

Google Ad Words:

HOW TO MAKE GOOGLE DO THE WORK FOR YOU

CONNECT BEYOND REAL ESTATE TO ATTRACT FUTURE CLIENTS

COVER STORY

BRIGIT CLEVENGER

NORTH CAROLINA EDITION

TERESA RUFTY MELANIE EATHERTON

Melanie Eatherton is a realtor bro-clients like family, and focused on obtainingBy u “Treatand your 7 17 23 24 ker working with Porch Light ships for students infon theyProperties will come back,” Teresa Rufty while discussing her career rar LLC of Keller Williams inexplains, Mooresville, member of Homes for an agent.

This is a motto she lives cli North Carolina. After 30+asyears in the program which allow by she and develinstills in her agents. It has he medical field, during which 30% of her commission resulted in the TM oped a lifelong and powerful drive to vast majority of her teachers, and emergen from repeats and help other people, Melanie business decided itderiving was workers save money ve on referrals, ev time for a change and began lookingand forhas allowed her to lead a thriving brokerage called TMR Realty. bu AT Y O U R S E RV I C Eavenue another professional for helping When asked about her Her journey into real estate started in others. She didn’t have to search for long, states that she simply BRIGIT CLEVENGER SUZETTE GRAY MELANIE EATHERTON TERESA RUFTY 2003 after she left her corporate job.

Co though, and dove straight into the real estate industry; things grow.” At work, it’s her bus “I received my contractor’s Te after having worked as a realtor for 6 years now, that license otherwise it’s her family vineyard. at the time as my real component estate inv passion for service and support hassame only increased. of Melanie’s plans for license, intending to be a general contractor, and of Directors business is the growth of her team. S CONTENTS wanting to use my real estate license for the buildAssociation, a Reared all across the US and with influences from a 30% team growth rate per year eve ings I would sell,” she explains. “But when the Presbyterian C abroad, Melanie brings to her practice a unique comto keep her team large and efficient.

4) CONNECT BEYOND 20) 8 THINGS t Brigit Clevenger is the Broker/Owner of market crashed in 2008, I thought I might as well be found hangi bination of Southern hospitality and Northeastern have satellite offices in multiple othe ESTATE TO ATTRACT SUCCESSFUL PEOPLE put my realNC. estate license to work.” After just a band, Mark, tw at Keller REAL Williams Realty in Sneads Ferry, tenacity.

This combination garnered her a 95% rate FUTURE CLIENTS has DO and hit the her grandbaby, few months, she startedNEVER her brokerage of repeat business and referrals from other agents.

When Ultimately, Melanie puts her trust in this is where the journey – Broker/Owner of Real- town of Pasadena TX, ground running. began as a maintained coast guard spousesuch and where had s Realtyasked in Sneadshow Ferry, she has an she impressive rate, HOW ground, her to work w AD WORDS: 25) TO which allows The to rethink her path professionally.

The military lifeed, hardworking 14) and trulyGOOGLE next chapt simply states, “because I put my clients first, no of people.

“I help people in every style has brought so many new adventures as well nal who isshe wholeheartedly HOW TO MAKE GOOGLE OVERCOME YOUR $50 by settling In 2021, TMR Realty is on track to complete into cross country moves, many grateful buyers and as challenges, from multiple matter what.”

Melanie cannot emphasize enough how says, “from the million dollar price having a daughter while her spouse was overseas, customer serviceDO that hasTHE WORK FOR YOU WORKPLACE FEARS million in transactions, despite being a small bou- 2022. “As for being stationed in Hawaii, and then ending upbeen, in er brand.much Having built her of a people person she has always and she dred-thousand dollar God priceguided point. th I tique Based in Salisbury, North Carolina newly firm. transplanted to dy foundation of integrity North Carolina!!! Being displays great confidence seasoned in and everysurrounding one of those TMR price world,” points.

Hawaii, and struggling toin findher new career opportu- ability to wledge, there are few betwhere they serve Rowan County nts with exceptional real nities in the banking field, Brigit and her husband to understand their and because you get to k the timing was perfect towants pursue dreamneeds. der and read Onslow people, counties decided areas, it’s her Teresa’s high qualityimportant, service and solid then others, Teresa of achieving a degree in Business Administration and back.”

If great you’re am looking for a that have resulted in her success.

“I have so passiona Phone(which 310-734-1440 Fax 9310-734-1440 she had originally|team began year prior at Sam University in role Huntsville, Texas).

This quality also State plays a key in Melanie’s mar-honest Carolina who truly cares about all of und sheds light on who Houston people,” she says. “We’re and trustworthy. mag@topagentmagazine.com | www.topagentmagazine.com er husband in her home- After 2 years of hard work Brigit graduated from the keting.NoWhile she does utilize unique marketing touch witha Melanie Eatherton today!

We willain any do everything ensure smooth portion of this issue may be reproduced manner whatsoeverpossible without priorto consent of the publisher.

Top Agent Magazine platform whichbyis linked to experience.” allGA,major social media outis published Feature Publications Inc. Although precautions are on taken to ensure the accuracy of published materials, Top Focusing education and guidance, ne Agent Magazine cannot be held responsible for opinions expressed or facts supplied by its authors. lets, Melanie’s great strength lies in a comprehensive TMR Realty equips their buyers and sellers with To subscribe or change address, send inquiry to mag@topagentmagazine.com. understanding of U.S. her marketknowledge and, most significantly, of Published in the so they can make the best decisions people. When posting a listing, sheWith says,Teresa’s the critical possible. background as a contractor, thing for her is to be able toshe predict which area prois alsoinable to provide advice about remodeling, 2 Top Agent Magazine the then quality of repairs, and more. Patient throughout spective buyers might be and preemptively reach the process, only wants what is best, out to that area. For her, it really all boilsTMR downRealty to truly

SUZETTE GRAY

mailto:mag@topagentmagazine.com

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CONNECT BEYOND

REAL ESTATE

to Attract Future Clients What kind of content are you sharing on your blog, website, and social media? Does most of it have something to do with buying or selling a home? While sharing the latest market information or tips on how to qualify for a mortgage, or when someone should buy or sell is important and demonstrates your value as a REALTOR®, it shouldn’t be the only subject you cover. If you only focus on real estate, you’ll be missing the chance to connect with future clients that might not be ready to move just yet. By sharing a lot

of industry-heavy content, you are only going to appeal to those who are currently in the market rather than a broad base of potential clients.

To pull in those other future clients you want to provide fresh, interesting content that will appeal to those possible future clients that aren’t quite ready to move yet. However, you also want to still tie this content back into your business goals.

So, how do you share content that will speak to a wider audience, but also still be relevant to your business?

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Talk About Your Philanthropic Activities

The philanthropic work you do to support your community says a great deal about who you are as a person. Many people will be attracted to working with you because of the charitable works you are involved with. While you may be hesitant to share these efforts because you feel it may come across as bragging, you also need to remember that sharing information about the charitable organizations you support will actually help those organizations. Many of them have small marketing budgets, so any free exposure you can give them helps to promote their cause.

In fact, they want and need you to promote them.

And you can promote them without coming across as a braggart. Focus your content entirely on the organization. Talk about why you support them, how they help the community, and how others can also get involved. This turns what could have been bragging into something that benefits everyone. n

Your Local Community

We humans are connected to each other through our community – our local sports teams, parks, churches, schools, and much more. What better way is there to connect with people in your community than to talk about your community? Demonstrate that you are an expert on your community, and bring that community to your followers. Share information about a local event; perhaps even share the actual event through live-stream video. Interview city officials to get the low-down on the latest development project. Share information with your followers about things they didn’t know about their community. Consult with local historians or the historical society to share interesting information about your community that your followers will want to read. You could even turn it into a series of podcasts or videos. n

Use Your Creativity to Connect

Find creative ways to engage your followers on the topic of real estate. Try engaging your followers in an interactive project such as posting photos of interesting front doors. Doors are the entry point into our homes as well as our private lives. The way we adorn our front door can give someone a sense of our style and personality. Ask followers to submit photos and choose one to post each Friday. Make sure to watermark each photo with your logo at the bottom and include an inspirational quote that ties back to the importance of home. You could also ask your followers to provide a little story or caption to go along with the photo that tells something about them and their home. These kinds of projects are interesting and unique, and clearly connect back to your business. n

Share Your Hobbies

Are you an adrenalin junkie who has bungee jumped from some of the tallest bridges in the world? Are you a foodie that grows your own organic vegetables and fruit? Do you have a Top Agent Magazine

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secret passion for photography? Everyone has hobbies that they enjoy outside of work. When you look past the surface people become quite interesting. People also happen to find interesting people interesting, and tend to remember people based on their distinctive traits. We humans love discovering a person’s behind the scenes story, the mind behind the face. While you don’t want to talk too much about yourself, sharing pieces of your personal life and things that interest you can be a great way to connect with followers. By sharing interesting facts about your life, you will find that many followers will feel a strong, personal connection to you based on your hobbies and personal interests. n

Divulge Interesting Experiences

This is somewhat similar to the idea of sharing your hobbies. Sharing some of your more interesting personal experiences such as a fateful conversation with a stranger or an exciting adventure you had while in another country can be a great way to connect with followers as long as it also relates to some kind of life or business lesson. Talk about experiences you’ve had with clients or purchasing your own home. Experiences that relate to your business are great ways to connect with future clients in a manner that goes beyond the world of business. n

What and Who Inspires You

No matter what you’ve chosen to spend your life doing, you didn’t get there alone. You may have had a mentor that made a special impact on your life or someone already in the business that you looked up to and who perhaps inspired you to get into real estate. You may have found inspiration through a love of architecture or design. People want to know why others do the things they do. Sharing who or what influences you in your personal and business life is a great way to connect with followers. Recognizing that you didn’t get to where you are now by yourself shows humility, and talking about those people that had an influence on you shows others that you stay connected to the world and people around you.

Connecting with potential clients is something that is essential to any REALTOR’S® business. If you’re doing the work to create interesting blog posts and make those connections, you want to make sure that you’re sharing the right kind of content to draw in those future clients. It takes a lot more than simply providing the latest market news. To get the most out of what you share, you need to provide a wide array of interesting content

that will draw in a broad range of followers.

Providing the right kind of content can make all the difference when it comes to connecting with future clients and building the right kind of relationship with them right from the start. Connecting through your website or social media and sharing more than just real estate advice will help you build confidence and trust with future clients before you even meet them.

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BRIGIT CLEVENGER

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Top Agent Brigit Clevenger is the Broker/Owner of Realist Homes at Keller Williams Realty in Sneads Ferry, NC. Top Agent Brigit Clevenger – Broker/Owner of Realist Homes at Keller Williams Realty in Sneads Ferry, North Carolina – is a talented, hardworking and truly ethical real estate professional who is wholeheartedly committed to providing her many grateful buyers and sellers with the top-notch customer service that has become synonymous with her brand. Having built her booming business on a sturdy foundation of integrity and extensive industry knowledge, there are few better suited to providing clients with exceptional real estate representation in Pender and Onslow counties in Coastal North Carolina!!

Knowing Brigit’s background sheds light on who she is today- Brigit met her husband in her home8Copyright Top Agent Magazine

town of Pasadena TX, this is where the journey began as a coast guard spouse and where she had to rethink her path professionally. The military lifestyle has brought so many new adventures as well as challenges, from multiple cross country moves, having a daughter while her spouse was overseas, being stationed in Hawaii, and then ending up in North Carolina!!! Being newly transplanted to Hawaii, and struggling to find new career opportunities in the banking field, Brigit and her husband decided the timing was perfect to pursue her dream of achieving a degree in Business Administration (which she had originally began 9 year prior at Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, Texas).

After 2 years of hard work Brigit graduated from the Top Agent Magazine

University of Hawaii-West Oahu with a Bachelor’s degree. She then made the decision to push herself further and received a Masters degree in Business Administration with a specialization in Human Resource Management. Soon after completing this endeavor her husband earned a promotion that came with PCS orders to Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.

Brigit’s professional career had begun in banking while she was in Texas, climbing the corporate ladder through personal banking, lending, and advancing Top Agent Magazine

her way up to a Mortgage Loan Officer. After getting her degrees and moving to Jacksonville NC, she thought she would explore that profession again.... yet it only lasted for a short period of time. This was due to Brigit realizing things were different when you are a military spouse with an unknown number of years at each duty station. The career she thought she would always be in was not the same and it had never crossed her mind that regardless of experience or education that it was really years working at a specific company that would dictate advancement in Copyright Top Agent Magazine9

“I’m incredibly straightforward with my buyers and sellers. They will always get the truth from me, even if it’s something they don’t want to hear. I will also go out of my way to help them with anything they need.” her role. That understanding was the turning point and where Brigit made the decision to pivot. She put in her notice, left the security of working at the bank, put her daughter’s daycare on a credit card, and went on to get her real estate broker’s license. Once she had her license she did not hold back, she started on the phone 6 days a week calling anyone who would talk about real estate and did whatever she could to build relationships.

Brigit made it a goal to take her personal experiences and passion for learning full circle to help her clients succeed in accomplishing their real estate goals. She initially joined an amazing large Copyright Top Agent Magazine 10

team within Keller Williams and she found success quickly. Then she took that experience and desire to create closer relationships to go out on her own and to establish Realist Homes associated with Keller Williams Realty late 2016. This grew organically and still to this day she has what is considered a smaller, yet equally dedicated and like-minded team of agents and specialists collaborating with her. As a team they have continued to grow year over year, at this time they have closed nearly thirty million in sales in the first three quarters of 2021 alone.

That noteworthy statistic is the result of many factors, including Brigit’s thorough and intelligent Top Agent Magazine

marketing strategies that combine tried and true old school techniques like open houses and door knocking, and cutting-edge, technology-based efforts that include targeted marketing and a heavy utilization of social media- with changing the platform with the times. These previously mentioned tactics, combined with Brigit’s unparalleled negotiation skills, result in quick sales times, top dollar sales prices for sellers, and a team of professionally skilled agents who have no problem working hard to find their buyers the perfect home.

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As a result of focusing on the client relationship, nearly two-thirds of Brigit’s overall business is based upon repeat clients, referrals, and positive word-ofmouth, an impressive statistic by any measure but even more so in her highly competitive market.

“Much of that has to do with the long-lasting relationships I form with my clients,” says Brigit. “I’m also incredibly straightforward with my buyers and sellers. They will always get the truth from me, even if it’s something they don’t want to hear. I will also go out of my way to help them with anything Copyright Top Agent Magazine 11

they need.” Brigit carries this all with her day to day, whether it is coming up with a creative marketing plan, going out to find properties for clients, walking clients through the steps to reach home ownership, partnering with vendors who she respects to handle there steps of the process, and as a culmination of this - creating an environment to grow new opportunities for those around her. Her motivation comes from providing the tools and a culture of growth, taking the business to fund personal goals and giving to those who need it.

Knowing this was going to be possible stemmed from the beginning of Brigit’s career at Keller Williams Realty when she was given a book- The One Thing. In his book there is a quote by Jay Papasan that she refers back to at every step of her business, “Money is good

for the good that it can do.” Success to Brigit is based on knowing that nothing is given to anyone or promised, if we all have a focus of giving more to others then to ourselves then we have no limit.

Moving forward, the future of Realist Homes is full of infinite possibilities. Brigit is in the process of obtaining a larger office space for the wonderful teams/agents in her office, and to offer continued mentorship and more leadership positions to people from within -who truly believe in the client-first culture.

Above all, however, she strives daily to continue to improve and to provide clients with her no-nonsense, get-the-job-done business ethics and white-glove customer service.

For more information about Brigit Clevenger, please call 910-333-2247 or email Brigit@RealistHomes.com Copyright Top Agent Magazine 12

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Google AdWords:

How To Make Google Do the Work for You There is no denying that the internet is the first place a buyer begins looking for a new home in this digital age. Knowing how to put the powerful tools available on the internet to work for you can give you a decided advantage when it comes to attracting prospective buyers to your listings, as well as you as an agent. Google is easily one of the major superpowers of the internet, and they have one of the most powerful advertising tools available. Knowing how to utilize Google AdWords in the correct manner can make your internet advertising immensely powerful and possibly your best way to reach prospective buyers.

Google AdWords is also extremely cost-effective. This multifaceted tool gives you much more control over your advertising campaign than other more traditional methods. You can target specific audiences, choose the specific search terms, also known as keywords, that will bring up your ad in someone’s search results, and you can set a budget for each campaign that will dictate it’s reach and how long the campaign will run. Here are some tips for how to put Google AdWords to work for you.

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ent websites. You want to set yourself apart from every other real estate website users are viewing in their search for a house.

MAKE SURE YOUR ADS ARE GOING TO SEND USERS TO A SITE THAT WILL CAPTURE THEIR ATTENTION

You can spend an infinite amount of money on Google advertising campaigns, but if those ads don’t send users to a site that will capture and hold their interest, then you’ve just wasted all that money. Don’t put your cart before the horse. Make sure you are considering exactly where these ads are going to send users. To set up your website for success, at the very least you want to make sure users are greeted by clear call-to-action, such as a message that will encourage them to sign up for your newsletter or subscribe to your blog. You want to set up your website to maximize and capture the leads the ad campaign sends your way.

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BUILD CUSTOMIZED OR CUSTOM-MADE WEBSITES RATHER THAN TEMPLATE WEBSITES It is easy and tempting to use template websites, or to offer your agents template websites if you are a real estate manager or broker. While this offers a cost-effective solution to providing every agent with a website, it does little to set you or your agents apart and capture the attention of users that are used to seeing a wealth of differ-

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MAKE SURE YOU ARE OFFERING VALUE ON YOUR WEBSITE

Don’t simply use your website as a kind of brag sheet. Let users know what makes your particular services valuable to them. Highlight your expertise in a certain location through tools such as blog posts, providing market updates, or giving pertinent information on a unique type of property. This will ensure that your online advertising campaigns are much more successful.

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LOCATION IS EVERYTHING!

Location is everything in real estate, and the same holds true for Google AdWords. You can target specific locations in your ad campaign. While one approach is to focus on the area around your location, a more advanced approach would be to link AdWords campaigns to your Google My Business account. This is a Google service that includes your address in the ad, allowing people to then click on it and see exactly where you are located on a map.

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USE GOOGLE ADWORDS IN YOUR CAMPAIGN TO EXPAND YOUR BUSINESS IN GENERAL

Focus an AdWords campaign on expanding your business by incorporating specific zip codes and neighborhoods that will help you establish a presence in an area where you would like to increase your real estate business. Making sure that your ad appears in search results that are related to the real estate in a specific area will help shape the image and brand of your business as well as bring in new leads.

HARNESS THE POWER OF DATA

When you run a Google AdWords campaign Google Analytics captures a wealth of information about your target client demographic.

You can gain real insight into your online visitors, such as when they visit, what they do and look at on your site once they get there, and what search terms they use. You can use all of this information to grow your business. Use Google Analytics to determine which users (location, gender, age) are utilizing specific aspects of your site, such as looking at multiple listings, reading your blog, etc. You can then use this information to target these specific demographics in your AdWord campaigns, Gmail ads, the Google Display Network, and other advertising.

Using the internet to help advertise your business and your listings is one of the smartest moves you can make as an agent in this modern age. However, you don’t want to simply go into the process blind or you’re wasting a lot of potential resources and data that could make all the difference. To reap the benefits of Google AdWords, you must apply an intelligent strategy to using these campaigns.

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AT Y O U R S E RV I C E

SUZETTE GRAY

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SUZETTE GRAY

Suzette Gray doesn’t spend her days working.

She enjoys what she does too much to call it that. “I get to help people with something that is very consequential for their lives,” she explains. “And I get a lot of satisfaction from bringing buyers and sellers together and creating a happy outcome for both.”

Born in New Jersey and raised in an immigrant Italian family, Suzette first got involved in real estate in the late 1980s. She left the industry for 16 years to go to work for a media company when her husband’s construction job took them to Florida, but she remained very involved with the Northeast Florida Realtor’s Association and Builder’s Association. She returned to real estate after moving to Charlotte with her family in 2006, weathered the mortgage crisis that hit two years later, and has been building a thriving business ever since.

These days she serves clients with Coldwell Banker, primarily in Charlotte, North Carolina, 18

as well as the areas of South Carolina bordering Northwest Union County. She has earned recognition as the #1 Agent in the Charlotte Region, Top 1% in the Nation and Top 2% Worldwide. But her unofficial motto is “Do What It Takes,” and if one of her clients needs her somewhere else, she’ll always go the extra mile. “Wherever my car will go,” Suzette laughs.

Averaging nearly 50 transactions a year, she’s on track to do over 60 in 2021, the majority of that business coming from repeat clients and referrals.

Suzette is aided by two outstanding assistants, John Bankston and Stephanie Riviere, who share her passion for delivering over-the-top customer service. “I can’t speak highly enough about their character, their heart or the quality of the work they perform,” Suzette gushes.

“And all of us put helping people first, regardless of whether or not there will be any sort of monetized reward for the effort. That’s how we earn people’s trust and then their business. We Top Agent Magazine

are here to serve. We may practice real estate, but we are in the helping business first.”

She uses a creative and comprehensive marketing strategy for all her listings, guaranteed to position clients’ homes in a way to attract the maximum amount of buyers and garnering the best price and terms on their investment.

Suzette helps clients stage their homes before creating professional photographs aimed at making buyers fall in love. Those photos are posted with the listing to all the social media platforms and hundreds of dedicated real estate websites. Suzette also utilizes virtual tours and lifestyle videos to suggest to potential buyers what it may be like to live there.

Suzette tends to form close bonds with her clients, and confesses to actually feeling a bit melancholy when the transaction is over. But she doesn’t lose touch with them, and so can look forward to congratulating them on birthdays and other special life events, as well as getting together with them for the occasional coffee or lunch. “They become like an extended family to me.”

Suzette is conscientious about supporting her community, both at home and abroad.

She donates to the American Cancer Society, St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital, Operation Christmas Child, The Brookstone School and supports missionary work in Peru. She also contributes frequently to charities that are important to her clients.

Leisure time is spent watching sunrises and sunsets at her lake house or lounging poolside and getting together with her whole family on the weekends. As for the future of her business, she plans to keep doing what she loves as long as God will allow her to do it. After all, it’s fun, not work!

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Contact Suzette at 704-401-7737 or email sgray@cbcarolinas.com.

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8

Things Successful People Never Do

There always seems to be people around you who find success with ease, but trust me, that is NOT the case. Although luck can often times play a role in someone’s success, most of the time it’s due to hard work and avoiding bad habits.

The best way to find your own success is to implement some of qualities you see in people you admire into your own life. The hard work part is still up to you, but by shifting your perspective a bit, and NOT doing some of the following

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things, that success might happen a little quicker.

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DON’T JUST WING IT

Successful people plan everything. Not only do they have yearly goals, but weekly and sometimes daily ones as well. By giving your time a purpose, and a clearly defined goal, you’ll eliminate the time you spend haphazardly doing things that might not be a priority. It will also make you feel less scattered, which is always a good thing.

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THEY DON’T TAKE ON MORE THAN THEY CAN ACHIEVE

Successful people take on what they can do well, and no more. That all starts with a daily ‘do to’ list. They always make sure their list is manageable and then they don’t sleep until that list is completed. If you find yourself not finishing your list, assess whether it was too much or if you slacked off. You’ll be surprised at the feeling of accomplishment you feel when you finish your list. Not finishing will bring you down, so make sure you aren’t biting off more than you can chew.

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THEY DON’T WORK HARDER, THEY WORK SMARTER

Yes, having a strong work ethic is key, but that doesn’t mean you should waste time on things that will have less of an impact on your success. Focus on the things that will give you the most bang for your buck. Better to spend the majority of your time there, than spread yourself thin on numerous tasks.

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THEY DON’T TRY TO PLEASE EVERYONE

This might seem like a bad call in business, but successful people know when to cut your loses and move forward. Anything or anyone, that frustration into your life, is never a good thing.

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REPEAT THE SAME MISTAKES

Similar to not trying to please everyone, successful people are also diligent about accepting when something isn’t working Top Agent Magazine

and moving on from mistakes. Yes, you learn from them, but don’t repeat them. Part of being innovative is trying new things, that will keep you fresh and energized, but learning how to let go is an equally important part of the equation.

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GO FOR THE SHORT RUN SOLUTION

Successful people are in it for the long haul and therefore thinking long term. When you have a plan for success and the patience to see it through, while you might have a slow start, you’re establishing a foundation for long term success. Going for the easy fix, usually doesn’t pay off.

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PAY ATTENTION TO THE NAYSAYERS

Lets face it, we all have people in our lives who might be a little more pessimistic than is healthy to be around. You can’t change them, all you can do is not let them drag you down into their ‘glass half full’ mentality. Have your plans and goals, be confident about them. When you’re insecure, that’s when you’re most vulnerable to those types of people.

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THEY NEVER QUIT

That doesn’t mean letting go of things that aren’t working. It means having an end goal.

Whatever obstacles or challenges come up, you take them on, always with that end goal in sight. Successful people know that adversity and overcoming those challenges, is how you grow, and will ultimately make you a better business person.

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Laughs!

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MELANIE EATHERTON Melanie Eatherton is a realtor and broker working with Porch Light Properties LLC of Keller Williams in Mooresville, North Carolina. After 30+ years in the medical field, during which she developed a lifelong and powerful drive to help other people, Melanie decided it was time for a change and began looking for another professional avenue for helping others. She didn’t have to search for long, though, and dove straight into the real estate industry; after having worked as a realtor for 6 years now, that passion for service and support has only increased.

Reared all across the US and with influences from abroad, Melanie brings to her practice a unique combination of Southern hospitality and Northeastern tenacity. This combination has garnered her a 95% rate of repeat business and referrals from other agents. When asked how she has maintained such an impressive rate, she simply states, “because I put my clients first, no matter what.” Melanie cannot emphasize enough how much of a people person she has always been, and she displays great confidence in her seasoned ability to read people, to understand their wants and needs.

This quality also plays a key role in Melanie’s marketing. While she does utilize a unique marketing platform which is linked to all major social media outlets, Melanie’s great strength lies in a comprehensive understanding of her market and, most significantly, of people. When posting a listing, she says, the critical thing for her is to be able to predict in which area prospective buyers might be and then preemptively reach out to that area. For her, it really all boils down to truly knowing people.

The same goes even outside of work for Melanie. She puts a lot of time and energy into community service: a member of the Exchange Club, Melanie is able to harness her love of people to help solve issues of child abuse, homelessness, and other hardships. She has Top Agent Magazine

focused on obtaining university scholarships for students in need, and is also a member of Homes for Heroes, a realty program which allows her to donate 30% of her commissions to help military, teachers, and emergency and healthcare workers save money on housing.

When asked about her hobbies, Melanie states that she simply “loves to make things grow.” At work, it’s her business that grows; otherwise it’s her family vineyard. Similarly, a key component of Melanie’s plans for the future of her business is the growth of her team. She has maintained a 30% team growth rate per year every year, and aims to keep her team large and efficient. She also plans to have satellite offices in multiple other states.

Ultimately, Melanie puts her trust in her eclectic background, which allows her to work well with all types of people. “I help people in every walk of life,” she says, “from the million dollar price point to the hundred-thousand dollar price point. I’ve touched lives in every one of those price points. And I think that’s important, because then you get to know people front and back.” If you’re looking for a Realtor in North Carolina who truly cares about all of her clients, get in touch with Melanie Eatherton today!

You can contact Melanie at (704) 775-9926, email melanieeatherton@kw.com, or visit porchlightpropertiesllc.kw.com for more information.

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TERESA RUFTY “Treat your clients like family, and they will come back,” Teresa Rufty explains, while discussing her career as an agent. This is a motto she lives by and instills in her agents. It has resulted in the vast majority of her business deriving from repeats and referrals, and has allowed her to lead a thriving brokerage called TMR Realty.

Her journey into real estate started in 2003 after she left her corporate job.

“I received my contractor’s license at the same time as my real estate license, intending to be a general contractor, and wanting to use my real estate license for the buildings I would sell,” she explains. “But when the market crashed in 2008, I thought I might as well put my real estate license to work.” After just a few months, she started her brokerage and hit the ground running.

In 2021, TMR Realty is on track to complete $50 million in transactions, despite being a small boutique firm. Based in Salisbury, North Carolina where they serve Rowan County and surrounding areas, it’s Teresa’s high quality service and solid team that have resulted in her success. “I have great people,” she says. “We’re honest and trustworthy.

We will do everything possible to ensure a smooth experience.” Focusing on education and guidance, TMR Realty equips their buyers and sellers with knowledge so they can make the best decisions possible. With Teresa’s background as a contractor, she is also able to provide advice about remodeling, the quality of repairs, and more. Patient throughout the process, TMR Realty only wants what is best, and will do whatever it takes to help their clients achieve their goals. For marketing, they focus on the internet, where they post listings to the various real estate websites and social media.

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By creating an enjoyable experience for all involved, Teresa’s business rarely needs to be advertised, as past clients love spreading the word about her. One recently said, “Hands down TMR and Teresa are the best! She was very thorough and very professional every step of the way during our home buying process.”

Community is an integral part of what Teresa does, so she makes sure to stay involved. She served on the Board of Directors for Salisbury Rowan REALTOR™ Association, and is an active member of First Presbyterian Church. During any free time, she can be found hanging out with family, including her husband, Mark, two adult children, Dylan and Nicole, her grandbaby, Emmy, and furbaby, Meisha.

The next chapter for Teresa is to grow as a company by settling into a new TMR home in Faith, NC in 2022. “As for our choice of Faith, I truly believe God guided the way as he does every day in our TMR world,” she explains. With a love for helping others, Teresa can’t imagine a better career path. “I am so passionate about what I do.”

For more information about Teresa Rufty, call 704-433-2582 or email tsrufty@aol.com Copyright Top Top Agent Agent Magazine Magazine

How To Overcome Your Workplace Fears Fear is something that can help protect us from danger, but it is also something that can be a hindrance to us in our lives, especially when it keeps us from potentially thriving and growing as a person. This is especially true in the workplace. Here’ a look at some proven ways to overcome common workplace fears.

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ASSESS THE FEELINGS BEHIND THE FEAR

Really owning the emotions that are putting you in a place of fear, is the first step. By just naming it and then talking it out in your head, what exactly you’re feeling and why, it can help deflate the fear. Think of it as releasing some of the fear into the ether. Yes, you’ll still be nervous about your presentation, but a lot of what was holding you back is gone. You’ll feel lighter, and hopefully have just enough butterflies to make your soar.

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TALK ABOUT YOUR FEARS WITH A TRUSTED CO-WORKER

Nothing can make you feel more isolated than going down the path of “This is something that only happens to me.” Trust me, it doesn’t, and you might be surprised to find out that some people have had it even worse. Talking to someone you trust and admire, hearing their own fear horror stories and how they overcame them, will help normalize what you’re feeling. Releasing yourself from the idea that it’s something about you, will be an enormous relief.

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THINK OF THE WORST CASE SCENARIO

Although it might seem counter-productive, truly assessing what the worse outcome of the situation you’re afraid of serves two purposes. It might lead you to realize the worst case scenario isn’t that bad Top Agent Magazine

after all. Of course it could also lead you to a really uncomfortable thought, you could lose your job. As bad as that is, it also gives you an opportunity to start focusing on what really matters, and how you might grow from the experience and possibly end up better off. Countless people in their dream jobs now, were once fired and thought it was the end of the world.

Hopefully, that won’t happen to you, but learning to have confidence in your abilities to always find a way, will be a great tool in overcoming fears.

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COMPARTMENTALIZE

If you’re a super-organized type, you might try actually setting aside time in your day to focus on your fears. It might seem odd, but it will let you NOT focus on your fears during the other hours of your day. Think of it as a task, you aren’t just sitting there worrying, you’re taking in your fears and figuring out ways to overcome them.

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START THINKING OF YOUR FEARS AS OPPORTUNITY FOR GROWTH

Start thinking of fears as challenges. As scary as it might seem to face them, for the most part they are things that can be fixed. A lot of fear is based on inexperience which leads to a lack of confidence.

A common fear is workplace evaluations. Instead of looking at it as hearing everything that is wrong about you, think of it as an opportunity to see where you can improve. Going into it with a positive attitude rather than a defensive posture, will make the whole thing better for both parties.

Overcoming fears is oftentimes about a simple attitude adjustment. Like anything it takes practice, but the results of that practice will lead to a life that you’re able to thrive in both personally and professionally.

Top Agent Magazine

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