My Good Ol’ Trusty Toolbox

Monday Morning Match is a quick post – maybe a quote, inspirational story or idea – intended to spark some motivation inside each of you so your week gets off to a fantastic start on Monday morning.

Q: What does a professional golfer, a successful salesperson, a dedicated educator and a Carpenter have in common?

A: They all need a toolbox filled with the best tools available.

I should know because I’ve been the first three at some point in my career and I’ve been a Carpenter my whole life. After today, it’ll be time to restock my toolbox and get back to work on a renovation of my career. For those who might not know my back story, let me quickly fill you in…

13 years ago I left a successful sales business to move into a leadership position in the Hilliard office for Coldwell Banker King Thompson. Over the last 11 years I’ve served as the Director of Agent Development for the NRT companies in Central Ohio and Greater Cincinnati, assisting all associates from the newest licensees to the top producers. Although I wasn’t selling real estate any longer, I’ve always been “selling” the art of sales, the real estate industry, and specifically the Coldwell Banker brand each and every day. Recently my desire to return to the sales side of the business and start working directly with buyers and sellers in Central Ohio has returned.

My other great passion is speaking around the country. Over the last few years I have had to decline some amazing opportunities to speak to audiences around the country and help more people learn how to build relationships, solve problems and have fun.

Effective August 2, I will pursue my passion for real estate sales out of the Upper Arlington office as well as seek to leverage additional opportunities to speak on national level.

Where it All Started

Before beginning my career as the Director of Agent Development, I was invited by our current President Joe King to present at a new company-wide event called Passport to Success in the fall of 2005. I decided to create a class that could be enjoyed by the most experienced of agents while also giving new agents a boost of confidence. Using my “Nobody Knows Homes Like a Carpenter” slogan as a basis, I created a class called The Realtor’s Toolbox – Tools, Tips and Techniques to Build a Successful Real Estate Business. I received great feedback from my peers that day. I also really enjoyed being the one if the front of the room sharing ideas that I know would help salespeople better serve their clients and communities.

That Realtor’s Toolbox class has gone on to become my signature class. It was the first class I ever delivered on a national stage in 2007 at the Coldwell Banker International Business Conference. I’ve since delivered it at state conventions for real estate associations, local Boards of Realtor events and other sales rallies and gatherings ever since. I also have delivered to countless times to my own associates and guests over the last 11 years.

That’s why it seems fitting that The Realtor’s Toolbox will be the class I deliver on my last day as an employee today.

Oh, I’ll still teach CE classes in the future and I’ll hope to be sharing “tools, tips and techniques” with audiences for many years to come. It’s also time for me to open up that toolbox and dust off some of the classic tools that I know work every time. No doubt, I’ll need to learn some of the new power tools that people use these days but just like every toolbox has the basics like a screwdriver, hammer, wrench and pair of pliers, I’ll need to figure out what works best for me every day.

I’ll be sure to have the necessary tools like a positive attitude, my business plan and personal accountability. I’ll seek to remain in control of my schedule, deliver a pre-listing packet every time, stay current on the best web tools and use meaningful touches whenever I can. It’s not always about having the tools, it’s oftentimes about know how and when to use them.

No matter what tools you have in your toolbox and what you’re trying to create, compose or construct, simply make sure you find ways to build relationships, solve problems and have fun. That assures that whatever you make will be an amazing work of art.