In this weekly column, real estate agents across the nation share stories of the lessons they’ve learned during their time in the industry.
Lisa Robinson
Lisa Robinson’s decades of award-winning experience as one of Atlanta’s top real estate brokers have allowed her to work on everything from Olympic venues to multimillion-dollar, luxury homes.
Along the way, she has built an impressive reputation for professional leadership and a client roster of top-flight executives, athletes and entertainment figures. Find out how she learned to hone in on the quality of her business relationships, rather than playing a numbers game.
How long have you been in the business?
I have been in the real estate business 23-plus years. I worked for the Xerox Corporation as a sales manager for a number of years after attending Spelman College and graduating from Howard University.
Later, I obtained a position as a public relations professional with Fulton County Government, which became the backbone to my real estate career. My last position there was as director of Olympic affairs for the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.
In 1997, I was ready for a change in my career and also wanted to make more money. I realized that I had a gift for sales but did not want to go back to the demands of sales as I had a young child. I took an online career quiz. After completing over 150 questions, it was glaringly clear that real estate was in my future … only one career appeared after my very honest responses to this assessment.
I obtained my license promptly and started providing real estate services to my public relations clients as a value add and eventually became a full-time real estate professional.
Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
In five years, I see myself walking my dog in Piedmont Park and playing with my future grandbabies. I also see myself talking to my team, The Robinson Group, about all of their real estate ventures and plans via some high-tech, virtual interface.
What’s one big lesson you’ve learned in real estate?
The biggest lesson I’ve learned in my real estate career is that the quality of business relationships trumps quantity.
How did you learn it?
At one point in my career, I was focused on broadening my client base with a heavy emphasis on prospecting, which I was very good at.
Eventually, I realized that it was impossible to maintain my model of connectivity and service to so many people. What made sense was deepening the relationships with a smaller base of clients as opposed to expanding the number of clients. Longevity, confidentiality and trust are values at the core of my relationships.
What advice would you give to new agents?
My advice to new agents is to find a great mentor. Do your research before choosing. Atlanta is an amazing city. To be part of our real estate landscape is a privilege! Serve with pride, humility and integrity.
Do you want to be featured on an upcoming “Lesson Learned” column? Reach out to us here!
Christy Murdock Edgar is a Realtor, freelance writer, coach and consultant with Writing Real Estate. She is also a Florida Realtors faculty member. Follow Writing Real Estate on Facebook, Twitter, Instagr
