4 WAYS MENTORING 414.531.0723 Julie@NovusHomeMortgage.com

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.

KIM DEVINE

With a talent for communication and a love for helping others, Kim Devine has made great strides as a real estate agent in the greater Milwaukee region. She got her start around 20 years ago, wanting a new path that college couldn’t provide. “I think it’s important for people to know they don’t need a college degree to have a career,” Kim says. “I knew that if I learned the business, that knowledge combined with my interpersonal skills would help me become a good agent.” She was right, and she quickly hit the ground running upon receiving her license. Kim recently brought on another agent to help her grow her business even more, as she has become so busy in the past few years. “It’s been great to have someone help on the back end of things with appraisals and inspections, so I can always be there for my clients and continue to expand at the same time.”

The vast majority of her business consists of repeat clients and referrals, which speaks volumes about Kim’s superior service. “I think it boils down to communication, and being completely upfront and honest about what’s happening,” she says. “I am going to try to make it as fun and as easy as possible, but I also want to be super honest. We’re going to have some difficult conversations, and it might get stressful. My clients appreciate that I’m real and I’m constantly communicating with them.” Purchasing a home is likely the largest investment a person will make in their lifetime, and although there can be some bumps along the way, Kim makes sure her clients know she is always there for them. “I never really leave their side, even when the transaction is over. I’ll still follow up with them and visit. My goal is to become more than just a real estate agent to them.” Afterwards, clients love to spread the word about her work. One recently said, “Purchasing a home when you live out of state can be stressful to say the least. We learned of Kim Devine through a friend and I must say it is the best connection in real estate we have made yet! Her knowledge of homes and market prices in the area were excellent. She was easily able to point us in the right direction for the things we desired in a potential home such as grocery stores, schools, and community. She was quick to answer any question and returned every phone call at our convenience. It is safe to say we have found our ‘forever Realtor ® ’ in the Milwaukee area.”

As Kim looks ahead, she is eager to take on more clients and double her business in the next 3-5 years. “I also want to improve and capitalize on the systems that I already have in place, making sure my database is dynamic, that my social media platforms are the best they can be. I want to fine tune everything.”

No matter how much she grows, she will no doubt continue to love every minute of her work. “I love that every day is different, and there’s a change of pace from one day to the next.”

For more information about Kim Devine, please call 262-227-6462 or email kdevine@remax.net

Julie Zielinski is proud to congratulate Kim Devine

on being featured for the State of Wisconsin in Top Agent Magazine!

Julie Zielinski | Branch Manager | NMLS #279998 414.531.0723 | Julie@NovusHomeMortgage.com

www.juliezielinski.com

20935 Swenson Dr. Ste. 450, Waukesha, WI 53186