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Name: Jen Cameron
Title: Managing Partner
Experience: Over two decades
Location: Seattle, Washington
Brokerage full name: The Agency Seattle
Team size: 18
Sales volume: The Agency Seattle’s agents closed over $275 million over the past 12 months
A top-producing real estate agent with more than 23 years of experience, Jen Cameron has been involved with more than $1 billion worth of real estate sales and brings unrivaled expertise to her role as managing partner of The Agency Seattle.
A lifelong Seattle resident and an Eastsider for more than two decades, Cameron has cultivated an in-depth understanding of the region, from its varied offerings to its evolving market landscape. Her areas of expertise encompass the Seattle area and include the Eastside, Bellevue and the San Juan Islands, with a special focus on the Kirkland region.
Cameron’s notable successes are many and include the recent off-market sale of the highest-priced property on Orcas Island, previously owned by Oprah Winfrey.
What are 3 things you’d like readers to know about you and your brokerage?
What attracted me to the agency was hands down the marketing. The most beautiful in the industry. At Inman Connect in NYC, Mauricio [Umansky] spoke about how The Agency marketing is really tailored to the next generations, millennials and how if you want to know what is next to watch the behavior of your children and the next generation. That was really insightful, and he speaks so well to the overall marketing presence at The Agency.
Additionally, we are an incredibly philanthropic city here in Seattle; it is in our DNA. At The Agency, we are here to provide the most exceptional service to our clients, and we sell a lot of houses, what is most important is that we are here to put good out into the world and that what we put out and how we giving back is most important.
Last and not least, The Agency’s collective knowledge and resources are what give our agents and clients the competitive edge. Maximizing one another’s strengths, talents and ideas allows us to evolve, adapt and grow the business constantly. This culture organically came to be as the firm grew by attracting like-minded, collaborative-driven individuals over the past decade.
The Agency remains committed to continually seeking ways to share, educate and collaborate, whether through technology, events or the strengthening of our referral network. By working together, we can drive referrals, sales, long-term leases and vacation rentals in both primary and destination markets. And, unlike traditional brokerages, our global partners enjoy the same access to information and internal systems as our corporate offices. This is how we can deliver a strong basis for referrals and a network for the sharing of information as we continue our global expansion.
How did you get your start in real estate?
Shortly after my daughter was diagnosed with autism, I found myself divorced and raising two toddlers on my own. I knew that I needed to work, but I had very specific criteria: I wanted to be there when my children woke up to take them to school and to put them to bed. I also wanted the ability to provide a great quality of life for them and myself without a college education, a husband or a significant other contributing.
Real estate was the best option for me that could potentially fulfill all of those things. I also knew that this would be a career path that relied solely on betting on myself. It was the best decision I could have ever made.
What do you wish more people knew about working in real estate?
That it is actually hard work that requires skill and knowledge.
What would you like readers to know about you and your brokerage?
This is a company that is kind, inclusive, collaborative and supportive of one another. The energy is infectious!
Collaboration is real here. Too many people talk about it, but we actually live it.
You will be challenged. Whatever you think is your personal best, raise your bar because you will be inspired to find more.
We sell a lot of homes but more importantly, we believe in putting good back into the world. Giving back is personal to me, to our company and is in our DNA here in the Pacific Northwest.
Tell us about a high point in your brokerage career.
I have had so many, but I have to say the moment I am living right now is at the top!
Making the decision to open The Agency Seattle and being surrounded by so much positive energy after the last couple of years has been nothing short of amazing. For so long I had built brands and brokerages for other people, but no matter how much I wanted to do something better, more efficient or modernize a system or process there was always a limit to what I could affect.
Now I am taking all of my experience as a top-selling broker and someone with tremendous experience in launching and building brands to build the best brokerage that I know how to for all of us agents who want to grow our businesses and provide our clients with the most exceptional experiences, and I am doing it under the brand that I feel represents me in the voice and style that echoes my own.
What makes a good leader?
One of my strongest strengths is having a high EQ (emotional intelligence), which translates to being a good listener, being empathetic and able to diffuse difficult situations. I am often sent into highly emotionally charged situations when people are frustrated and can’t seem to resolve their conflict.
What I have learned is that typically the real issue is that someone is not feeling heard. Oftentimes that is all they want, and it’s not that they really need to have it their way. Everyone needs to feel they have a voice and to feel safe enough that they can share their feelings or opinions without retribution. This essentially is what trust is amongst teams and a lack of trust is what erodes the ability to build a team.
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