Sir Richard Branson, the British billionaire, entrepreneur, business magnate, and Founder of Virgin, said, “When making experiences, attention to detail matters.” For our 55 relentless sales professionals in three offices serving Oahu and Maui, delivering extraordinary experiences to homebuyers, sellers, and property investors here, and around the world, starts with me and the leadership team at CENTURY 21 Island Homes providing them with the personalized attention they deserve to grow their businesses and have a bigger impact on the people and communities they serve. All totaled, we grow with a value proposition package built to give our family of agents the opportunities, knowledge, and support that is difficult to find.
In terms of getting to our goal of having the most sophisticated, most educated, and most knowledgeable REALTORS® in the marketplace, the Leadership Team takes on the role of trainers and mentors. By connecting and engaging with each agent individually, we are helping them improve where they need it most and enhancing their skill sets to create memorable client moments. We take the time to show them not only how it’s done but the ‘why’ behind it, helping agents navigate the industry and any market challenges with ease.
For example, our Brokers thoroughly review every contract. If there are areas to be corrected, we take it as an educational opportunity to teach best practices. In doing so, we do the work together to get to the answers. As one of our most recent recruits said, “They don’t feed us fish; they teach us how to catch our own.”
When we opened the brokerage in 2018, we never wanted numbers and bodies for the sake of bodies and numbers. We only want ethical professionals who want to learn and be involved in a collaborative environment while being able to produce as solo practitioners. In this industry, we have freedom, but that type of independence might not work for all personalities. Hence, the importance of being an attentive Leadership Team that also serves as trainers and mentors who deliver personalized advice and recommendations.
When approached by outside agents, the typical comment is, “What you offer is special and not easy to find on the island.” For example, I spoke with an agent with only one year in the business, and although she’d closed 20 deals, she disclosed that she had no office fees and a higher commission split, but she felt alone. She confided in me that she was lost and liked the idea of having storefront locations where agents gathered to mastermind and also a place to meet clients. She also liked our awards recognition program. Building on that, we have several agents now who were once with the CENTURY 21® brand and left have since returned to us and the CENTURY 21 brand.
The bottom line: your vibe is your tribe, and we attract ethical professionals that want to learn in a supportive environment and yet be able to produce as a solo practitioner. I go back to support and open communication about anything, and coming out on the other side of it, knowing that the goal is getting the right answers. I really value that, and so too do our agents. Like Sir Richard Branson said, “When making experiences, attention to detail matters.”