Being Authentic
February 20, 2020
Authenticity
What a word. It’s one that Dan and I are trying to really bring to light in 2020. I think it has always been there. We are authentic people. We are the ones who friends say will be there first. If we have work going on but you call with a problem unrelated, we are there. We truly want everyone to succeed and honestly, it’s sometime at a fault of our own. We are the take the shirt off our backs type of couple. And with that, man it’s really trying when starting your own business.
This is our third year owning Kansas City Realty. We started it because after Dan belonged to some of the big names out there, we saw a gap. We saw a hole in the industry. Why was Dan giving away such a huge part of a commission for name recognition? Meeting with our new business coach, she said it best. Names are names but the agent is the selling point. That’s who the client bonds with when going through this process. That’s what we thought too. So we started our business, the two of us, three years ago.
Right now, we have 13 agents. We pride ourselves on being an authentic brokerage and we offer what we mean. 24/7 broker support. We are, as hallmark as it sounds, your work family. Most agents come into the office to get work done but we also get a crap ton of laughter in. Whether it’s turning our younger agents on to Ska music or churning away on the perfect insta pic. We make work fun. We wouldn’t give it up. These people who trust us remind us why we started. They remind us to stay authentic to who we are and the dream we created.
Now here’s the rest of the story. It’s tough. 24/7 broker support is basically Dan's love and what he does best. Its trying at times but we know that is what our foundation is. Then recruitment. We can’t make it work without agents who believe in our business and mission. To be completely transparent, I am struggling on how to be a go getter and recruit while also wanting every agent to find their perfect work family that suits them the best without pushing a hard sale. I know that we are not everyone’s cup of tea. We are laid back and every day won’t be a Ho-RARA. But life isn’t. And this business isn’t. You have to work hard and somedays you fail. I can say we will be there when you fail. We will remind you that your failure is just a moment in time. It will pass and the learning experience you gain will be ever so valuable as you continue your career.
So, there’s my struggle, being an authentic version of ourselves. Not the cold call. Not the empty promise to say a career in real estate will be all unicorns and butterflies. Mind you, there is zero wrong with that, it’s just not true to who we are a couple and owners of Kansas City Realty. I feel awkward doing it. I want people to like us for us and to see us for what we are. We are a local Kansas City couple, one who did social work for a decade while the other found his way through real estate. We have two kids, live in the city, but want everyone to know they are welcome with us. No matter their gender, religion, or sexual orientation. We aren’t a type of place that recruits and forgets. We recruit and remember. We are about relationships, not transactions. After all, in the end, isn’t that what life should truly be about?