On July 16, 2020 Century 21 Real Estate announced that Kyle Seyboth, the nation’s number one real estate agent* has chosen to affiliate his 12-person team with Century 21 Real Estate. They will operate as CENTURY 21 The Seyboth Team brokerage.
We sat down with Seyboth to understand how he achieved success and his advice for being a relentless agent.
Inman: What can agents learn from your experience as a corporate executive who is now real estate’s #1 agent?
Seyboth: Start with training. Become knowledgeable about your craft and really learn the ‘game.’ Just like athletes know, practicing the fundamentals and emulating people at the highest level is a winning way to get to the top.
My primary strategy was a focus on combining top-level customer service and a thorough understanding of the markets that I served. And that included the ‘ins and outs’ of every locality and the various property types in each town. Too many people only focus on one thing. I wanted to be an expert in multiple things. I put myself in front of investors, buyers, sellers, probate, and attorneys and built a network as wide as possible. I simply would not let anything get in my way. I was relentless. My one and only mantra is, “winners win.”
Inman: Do you think an agent can be as relentless as you were with any real estate brokerage?
Seyboth: Honestly, I think you need both a brand and a broker that have a bit of unexpected ingenuity. It’s those outliers who give 121% to personalize relationships and drive deals over the top that really succeed.
Even as the #1 agent in the country, I felt I couldn’t reach my full potential with my prior company. I didn’t ‘fit in’ and follow their business model. So, be certain to choose a company best suited for your particular mindset and approach to business growth. With Century 21 Real Estate, for example, we were able to collaborate on ‘a little bit of this and a little bit of that’ and sprinkled it all together, with a twist, to develop a very distinct model that works for both of us.
Inman: What is the right mindset to succeed in this industry?
Seyboth: To stay inspired in this crazy, competitive business, you need to have the proper attitude. For me, I am a firm believer of never getting ‘too high’ or ‘too low.’ I do have bad days like anyone else. But, at the end of the day, only you can turn a bad day into a good day. That’s where mindset comes in.
Inman: What would you say is the one characteristic that drives an agent’s success? On the other hand, what can hinder it?
Seyboth: Humility. Many agents, when they start to make money, either forget or lose their ability to remain humble. The biggest detractors of success are being arrogant, cocky, and having a sense of entitlement.
When I look at my career and the choices I’ve made, being humble has led me to where I am today and will help move me forward to where I want to be. It helps me to perform; to open up to who I am and to provide clients with open access to the ‘in’s and outs’ of what makes me tick and how my actions speak louder than my words. Clients appreciate the transparency, and gravitate towards the resulting level of enthusiasm, drive, determination, and self-worth. That way, they feel freer to open up with me. They willingly share their pain points and concerns and then I’m able to deliver personalized, unique moments along every step of our long-term relationship.
Inman: What do you say to agents who believe that Century 21 Real Estate is an older brand that is no longer relevant?
Seyboth: Everyone has their own opinion. Here’s what I know about the CENTURY 21 brand: it’s a family of relentless sales professionals who go ‘above and beyond’ on behalf of their clients. Let’s face it: the CENTURY 21 brand is a legacy brand, and I have my own legacy that I have built that needs to continue. Century 21 Real Estate is the best option for that to happen.
*According to The 2020 RealTrends and Tom Ferry The Thousand ranking July 6, 2020.