4 WAYS MENTORING

4 Ways Mentoring Up-and-Coming Employees Makes You a Better Agent

In the world of real estate, there are always new agents joining the ranks. Even if you’ve been practicing for just a few short years, you’ve likely learned your fair share of lesson along the way. As an agent, much of your working philosophy is derived from first-hand experience and your work on the ground. This means that new agents are less prepared for the inevitable curveballs of the industry. That’s where you come in.

While mentorship is often pitched as a relationship that solely benefits the mentee, there is actually plenty to be gained from becoming a mentor. After all, personal growth goes hand-in-hand with professional growth, and becoming a mentor asks agents to thoughtfully explore and demonstrate their own ideologies, practices, and rationale. With that in mind, take a look at some of the benefits of mentorship below, and you’ll get a sense of why counseling new agents can be a boon to your own business.

Teaching lessons to others reinforces your own professional values. Showing the ropes to young agents is a great way to brush-up on your foundational skills. Verbalizing and demonstrating processes, or walking through the rationale behind negotiation tactics—all cause mentors to think through their established practices and outline in detail why they’ve chosen this route over an

alternative. This helps older agents fine-tune their routines, while getting back in touch with the critical thinking that went into constructing those habits.

Mentorships allows you to see the big picture. After a lengthy industry tenure, it’s not uncommon for battle-worn agents to lose some steam and begin to burn out. By devoting some time to mentoring up-and-coming agents, you’ll get back in touch with your early days, remembering the excitement, the trials, and the hard lessons gleaned. Spending time with the next generation of real estate professionals can reinvigorate your practice, as seeing the business from the eyes of an eager amateur can inject energy into your working life. surely sharpen your ability as the head of a team. What’s more, you’ll be building skills of empathy, understanding, teaching, and constructive criticism. Working on those skills will better your practice and your ability to lead in your office.

You’ll benefit from seeing things from a new perspective.

Just as working with young agents can help you remember your career’s big picture, you may also benefit from working alongside someone with a new perspective. Young agents bring a different set of skills and awareness to their work, and established agents can benefit from a fresh take. If technology isn’t your strong suit, or you’re interested in tapping the Millennial homebuyer market, working with a younger agent is an excellent way to see through fresh eyes.

Mentoring young agents makes you a better leader. As a mentor, you’ll often direct the flow of your professional relationship—figuring out which issues to tackle, making an agenda, and imparting lessons in a clear way. These are all characteristics of a leader, and acting in a position of authority as mentor can While some may balk at the time commitment or energy required to take on a mentee or two, you might consider it an act of ongoing education or professional development. While your mentee will undoubtedly benefit from access to your expertise, there’s certainly much to be gained from taking the time to cultivate tomorrow’s real estate leaders.

SILVA CHRISTOV

Top Agent Silva Christov is consistently ranked in the top 1% for Realtors® in Southern Fairfield County, Connecticut.

Silva Christov got started in real estate in 2004 while working part-time for a small company. She says that her actual career, however, started when she joined Keller Williams and became a full-time agent, which she has now been doing for over 10 years. Silva had been a leading buyer’s agent on several top agent teams before, until she became ready to successfully lead her own. She is consistently ranked in the top 1% for Realtors® in the area and continues to provide top-notch customer service and real estate expertise to the Southern Fairfield County, Connecticut area. Even while going through chemotherapy, Silva never missed a day of work or the gym. “My business and my clients were what kept me going through this successfully.”

Silva’s superior work ethic and dedication to her clients is so valued that most of her business consists of repeats and referrals. “Solving problems for people is a passion of mine,” she explains. “I am so happy to educate them and help them make the best decisions possible.” This customer service is what Silva attributes much of her growth to. She has worked as a flight attendant, as well as in the hotel industry in the past, so customer service is an integral part of everything she does. “I’m always here to help,” she says, and she strives to make the process as honest and low-pressure as possible. Her expertise in the real estate industry, as well as her high energy level and great interpersonal skills, keep her clients coming back and referring others to her business as well. She spends upwards of two and a half hours each day keeping in contact with former clients, and when it comes to her strategies for marketing properties, she says “I like to have diversity in different venues.” This

includes magazine advertisements, social media, where she applies a high level of creativity and tech skills, and more.

Her clients can see that Silva’s dedication and work ethic make her so successful in every transaction, which in turn gives them great successes as well. One former client shared, “Silva is truly a one of a kind Realtor® & person! She was incredibly patient & understanding with me going through the entire process of buying my first investment property. Silva was always available to answer questions or address issues as soon as they came up. I’m extremely grateful for all she has done to help me find the right property. I will absolutely use her services for my next purchase!”

In addition to her work in real estate, Silva loves staying active within her community. She is on the Board of Directors of her community and frequently contributes through her expertise of the local real estate market. Silva is also very involved with Keller Williams service projects, such as food bank drives. Additionally, Silva says, “Learning and expanding is what I like to focus on in my free time.” This includes researching, reading, and even developing a life-coaching business so that she can further help others meet their potential.

As for the future, Silva hopes to expand her business. “For my dream to continue, I want to grow a powerful team and help hundreds of families each year.” Her favorite part of her job is the interaction with her clients and that she can use her skills to help others. “I turn my relationships with my clients into friendships,” Silva says, and this mentality truly sets her apart as an expert real estate agent.

For more about Silva Christov, please call 203.253.1565 or email schristov@optonline.net

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MATTHEW GUBA

Matthew Guba graduated from Ohio State with a degree in Sociology, and was headed towards working in the social sector. After college he spent some time working in a community corrections facility for a couple years, before realizing that he wanted to make a career change. He then started a home inspection company, which introduced him to the real estate community. Matthew quickly realized that real estate was the change he needed. He jumped in headfirst and got his license in 2017. He currently works as a solo agent at Keller Williams and serves clients throughout Northeast Ohio.

Having been in the business for only a few years, Matthew has already acquired an impressive rate of repeat and referral clients, which he attributes to his excellent customer service. “I am committed to create the best possible

experience for my clients every single time. I start by finding out what they’re looking for, and I do my best to help them achieve exactly that. Sometimes that includes doing things that aren’t in the job description, but that will help you build a long-lasting bond with your customer,” he says. And as an agent who is invested

in long-term relationships, Matthew makes sure that he stays in touch with clients even after the transaction is over.

Strategic marketing is a crucial part of Matthew’s success. He likes to invest in professional video and photography, as well as drone aerial footage for his listings. And when it comes to advertising, instead of casting a wide net he puts his resources into focused social media ads on Facebook and Instagram. Thanks to his marketing techniques he is on track to surpass $6 million in sales volume this year.

Despite the financial success, for Matthew there are more important factors that make his work meaningful and enjoyable. “At the end of the day I just love working with people, and I get to meet a great variety of people in this line of work. I also enjoy the flexible schedule this job provides,” he says.

Outside of work Matthew strives to be involved in his community. He is on the board of the Avon Lake Historical Society, and he frequently donates blood in blood drives—which he also helps to organize. And when he’s not working or volunteering, he loves to spend quality time with his wife, daughter, and son. He also enjoys playing golf and basketball.

In the future Matthew is looking to hire an assistant to help out with his social media, and other time consuming tasks, so that he can spend more time helping his clients. And his advice to young real estate agents is: “Remember to always put yourself in your client’s shoes and look at everything from their perspective first. If you’re providing a good customer experience, they will be more than happy to provide referrals to you.”

To learn more about Matthew Guba call 216–215–1671 or email mjguba@kw.com @RealtorCityWide on Instagram and twitter