Debra Esparza: A Reigning Leader in Realty Business
Beth Wiegan: Unlocking Fearlessness
PERSEVERING TOWARDS SUCCESS
Vera Cohen
Embracing Excellence
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VERA COHEN
KATHLEEN BLACK 44
Cohen Bringing Value to Real Estate
Real Estate Broker
Vera Cohen Realty
IF IF
If you are the kind of person who can brighten someone's day just with your presence, then you undoubtedly are a dynamic personality in Vera Cohen's eyes.
As a real estate professional with nearly two decades of experience and as the face of Exeleon's exclusive magazine cover of Women in Real Estate, Vera describes a powerful woman as someone who is hardworking and accomplished. She further notes that such a woman's personality shares the power of positivity, inspiration, and kindness with others.
In this exclusive feature, we take you through the life of Vera Cohen and what makes her a zealous leader in the real estate space and beyond.
THE ROOTS OF HER KINDNESS
Since childhood, Vera exhibited strong emotions of being kind and stood out as a pillar in her
close-knit community. She was raised by a single parent and was unfortunate to not have a lot of inancial resources. She even mentions how she had to sew her own clothing, including her prom dress. As a result of her family's inancial struggles, Vera had to work hard from an early age, take up jobs, put her mind to school, and knew that her only chance at a college education was through scholarships. She always played her best hand at sports and displayed her competitive spirit in Track and Volleyball and was able to obtain a college scholarship.
Although Vera had a humble beginning, she found a silver lining in her childhood as the things that kept her busy also kept her out of trouble.
BRANCHING OUT TO REAL ESTATE
Years later, when Vera started looking for her own house, she wanted to learn the intricate details of real estate by understanding and learning from her experiences, she fell in love with every opportunity the industry offered. She soon
embarked on a journey of delivering the best experience and outstanding service to her clients.
Today, real estate has become a foundational part of Vera's life, and she mentions the industry as something that gives meaning to her life. "Real estate gave me many things that I value in life: my relationships, lifestyle, friendships, passion - I could not imagine myself doing anything else and loving it as much as what I do," she expresses.
Vera also likes to take on challenges that are beyond the ordinary and, more often than not, cannot be accomplished by others. "Selling a listing for a record price or accomplishing a sale for a client that needs to sell quickly. Or sharing your experience and mentorship with my team to allow them to be more ef icient and more successful than without me. Or inding a very lucrative deal for our investor clients. I love all of it!"
At her Real Estate Brokerage, she is not only ready to provide outstanding services to her esteemed clients & customers
Identify someone who does what you are looking to accomplish and ask them to be your mentor.
A Day in The Life of Vera Cohen
If you are anything like Vera, your day will start at around 6 am, depending upon how late you had to work the night before. Vera likes to start the day with a cold shower, a jump in the pool, or a workout outside. She also loves to listen to upbeat music while she is engaged with these activities.
She mentions, "Once I set the day in the right tone, if I feel happy/positive and wake up on the right side of the bed, I provide a stronger foundation for everyone in my life."
By the time Vera takes the irst sip of her coffee, there are three things that she makes sure to follow and achieve every day. First, check up on her emails and bring a resolution to tasks that require her immediate attention. Second, she reviews her goals and creates tasks.
And third, she wakes up her child and gets her ready for school, while having fun with her at the same time. "When she's brushing her teeth, I always tell her to brush only the ones that she wants to keep. I tell her she can absolutely go to school unbrushed and dressed as a mermaid if her goal is to look like an unbrushed mermaid, but if your goal is to look like a knowledgeable, ready-to-learn student, let's dress accordingly."
Following this, Vera gets ready by putting on her ' ireman' suit to go to the of ice and put out all the ires. She inishes the day by enjoying the deliciousness of food with likeminded companionship. “I like to support owners of local restaurants and connect with my past and present clients, team, friends, and anyone willing to have dinner with me,” Vera shares with a chuckle.
but also loves helping her team to attain their individual goals. " Here at Vera Cohen Realty, we use cutting-edge marketing techniques to sell your home at record-breaking prices. Your home deserves top-of-the-line professional photographers, videographers, social media marketing, staging, and relocation exposure, all of which we take pride in providing. All of our Real Estate Experts at Vera Cohen Realty have unique skill sets that allow them to offer exceptionally personalized service you can depend on. Not seeing your dream home listed? Not a problem. We can ind you your dream home whether it's listed or not. "
Vera also compares the likes of her business to that of a chess board. "The ultimate goal is how do I exceed my client's expectations. I've been doing it for over 15 years and have been involved in over 1500 transactions; that experience enables me to ask questions before my clients think about them in many cases."
The in luential leader always thinks outside the box and strives to provide many options and the best results. To her, there is nothing more rewarding than being able to help somebody have a better inancial future through real estate investments.
BEARING THE FRUITS OF EVERYDAY LIFE
Vera comes from an industry that runs impatiently, especially on holidays and festive seasons. The real estate veteran understands this and believes that accomplishing a work-life balance in such an industry is arduous. For Vera, striking the right balance comes in everyday life with a multitude of scenarios.
Vera labels the whole situation based on the understanding that happiness will look different on each day of the week depending upon her needs & attention and what will bring her utmost satisfaction.
For one, it will be like spending the day with her daughter and staging properties together. Others will be spending the day at the of ice and delivering outcomes that would not have been possible without her. Then there will be those where yoga lessons with friends will breathe new light into the day.
"One thing I know for certain, life is too short, I don't know how much time I have, but when my time comes, I will not regret that I could've, would've, should've done something at that moment, if I felt like it needs to be done, I go for it," shares Vera. This is also the exact reason why she does not believe in regrets and is grateful for everything that went wrong because those lessons helped her climb the success ladder step by step.
Talking about the future and continuing her success pathway, Vera eyes 5 locations in the next 5 years to grow the portfolio of Vera Cohen Properties and is open to embracing any possibilities that the universe brings to her.
A FRUITFUL ADVICE
Vera's advice for aspiring women leaders in the real estate industry is simple: Identify someone who does what you are looking to accomplish and ask them to be your mentor.
In her opinion, such a setting always brings the desired results quicker as both involved individuals are trying to accomplish goals in the same place.
She also emphasizes on working hard, caring about the clients, their satisfaction and goals before anything else. "I can probably think of 110 pieces of advice I could give to someone, but these are good ones to start," remarks Vera.
Beth Wiegan
Realtor® | The Real Estate Group
Unlocking Fearlessness
It is a fact that empowered women,
hold the ability to empower others. They are motivated by a strong vision and a sense of purpose. Moreover, powerful women leaders are fearless and strive to dream big to build their own empire. Their energy is contagious, and people want to be a part of their journey.
Beth Wiegan is one such empowering woman in the real estate industry. She believes that a powerful person, regardless of gender, is one who can exude con idence in any situation. For her, the quote, "bravery is not the absence of fear, it is the ability to move forward despite it" speaks volumes.
Beth mentions, “We lead by example. I have always believed con ident people are magnetic. These people challenge us to be the best version of ourselves.” She also understands the weight of being con ident without arrogance. Drawing a parallel between them, she expresses, “Con ident people empower those around them, whereas arrogant people feed on
weakness and shut others down.”
GROWING UP IN RESILIENCE
As a child, Beth was inspired by her grandmother – Mary Adams – a strong, independent woman, who taught her to be truly fearless.
From teaching her to drive at the age of 8, burning a nest of poisonous snakes in her garden, shooting scorpions off the side of her house, to jumping in the car with a grape soda, a loaf of Wonder Bread, and a package of Oscar Myer Bologna, and make sandwiches for their car picnic, they were always heading off on an adventure together. “Nana taught me to keep moving forward and never worry about what others think.”
As she grew up, Beth started her irst venture in a blind and window treatment business in Richmond, VA. In 1994, she unlocked an opportunity to build for higher-end communities. She recalls, “I started out with a measuring tape, a drill,
and sheer grit and then reached out to Hunter Douglas to become my supplier.”
Before long, Premier Windows was a leader in the Richmond market, and she was consistently winning sales volume awards year after year. “I was proud of myself for building a business that required more installers to keep up with my growing sales,” she recalls fondly.
PUTTING HER CLIENTS AHEAD OF HERSELF
For Beth, client satisfaction is the backbone of her business. “I predominantly work with the over 55 active adult/senior market. Nothing gives me more grati ication than helping someone that could be my parents' or grandparents' age
start the next chapter of their life,” she shares.
It gives Beth pure joy in helping people sell their current home and ind their next dream home. She also recognizes that it is a challenge for most of her senior clients to do the things that are required to make a move —packing, estate sales, movers, right-sizing— but she guides them with patience and kindness.
She also endorses setting reasonable expectations and then exceeding them to ensure a satis ied experience for her clients, thereby leading to more referrals.
ALIGNING HER ENERGY EVERYDAY
In a career that has had more
BEACON OF INNOVATION
She learned time and again that empathy and decisiveness go together to create a persuasive and powerful business. Eventually, she sold her previous venture and moved on to her next adventure.
Beth was determined to navigate her way through the maze of real estate. She did this through her dear friend and tennis partner in Richmond
who was a Realtor®. “She convinced me I should get my license and come work with her broker. I did it and learned the business from my broker's semi-retired father,” she shares.
After 10 years of new construction home sales, Beth felt the need for a change and pivoted to join The Perfect House Team at The Real Estate Group in Chesapeake, Virginia.
rough than smooth moorings, achieving and sustaining a worklife balance is challenging.
Beth prioritizes her day by beginning with a Pilates class as it fuels her mind and body for what's to come. After working out and having a healthy breakfast, she then checks her calendar and gets moving on to her next task that consists of listing appointments, follow-ups with lenders, appraisers, attorneys, and helping her clients accomplish their goals.
She shares, “Achieving a work-life balance is a real challenge for me in the real estate business. My husband, Rick, and I both keep busy.” However, from time to time, Beth loves to travel with her husband to tropical beaches where they can rest and recharge from their daily hustle and bustle.
Another aspect of work-life balance for Beth is giving back to the society. In fact, it has long been her practice to donate 10% of all commissions to those that are less fortunate. Just last year, she began a program and allowed her clients to decide where half of the donations went. “It also had the added bene it of making my clients happy to know they helped make a difference to a cause important to them,” she adds.
PONDERING & PROJECTING
When Beth looks back at her journey and thinks about what she would have done differently, she shares that it is dif icult to imagine a better place than where she is right now.
However, she feels there would be two outcomes if she ventured into real estate early: she may have made more money or could have burned herself out. “By following my path, I know that I am where I am supposed to be. I would not have wanted to miss one single opportunity that led me to where I am today. Life happens for a reason,” she quickly adds.
Beth projects a bright future for aspiring and emerging women in the real estate industry and advises them to be true to yourself and treat each client as family. “Always look out for their best interests and ensure to set clear, achievable expectations
ahead of time,” she adds.
She also feels that one of the biggest mistakes that people make is over-promising to win a client and then disappointing them. “We are experts. Avoid making promises that are out of your control as that is a sure- ire way to damage your reputation.”
Designing a ful illing future
Beth's razor-sharp vision to succeed and her values that bring in trust and con idence has elevated her brand to the fast lane.
However, after delivering
unparalleled excellence, Beth aims for an ambitious 10 more years. She then plans on spending the rest of her years in a beach house, watching the sunrise, and doing Pilates every morning.
“Life's good!” she excitedly concludes.
The Woman
CHRISTIAN ROSS
Real Estate Advisor
Majority of any form of leadership is gaining experiences and
learning through it. Christian Ross, a pioneering broker in Atlanta, leveraged her experiences working with varying clients to create her unique identity and reputation in the market.
Today, the top-selling broker is making inroads in the market as an in luential leader. In this Exclusive Interview, Christian Ross talks about her journey and the real estate market.
What according to you makes for a powerful woman? How do you integrate the same thought into your leadership?
A powerful woman is one that genuinely cares. She cares about herself, her community, and is always seeing where she can create bridges. A powerful woman is always respectful of different views and separates herself from ego. Every day I make intentional efforts to be impactful and be a re lection of all the incredible women that have poured into me.
Talk to us about your growing up years. What prompted your interest and subsequently your foray into the real estate space?
I was out of college and working a corporate role with radio stations in the top 10 markets. My interest came from my neighbor at my irst apartment out of college. He had a friend that owned a commercial development irm and said he was looking for an assistant.
After I interviewed to ind out more and saw the developments they were working on, I was in. I had my corporate AmEx card, 401k and my mom said, you have a job, this doesn’t sound smart. I told her if I don’t do it now, when would I do it? I put my two weeks in and started my journey into real estate. To this day my mother says, “I’m glad you didn’t listen to me.”
What has been the approach followed by you to ensure optimal buying and selling experience for your clients?
My approach is client centered every step of the way. I want my clients to have the best experience and feel educated through the process. I have a team that helps me sweat the details, so we manage their transaction with knowledge of the market and sensitivity that this is a large inancial transaction. In addition to real estate investments, my husband and I have purchased 8 homes together.
What does a day in the life of Christian Ross look like? How do you ensure work-life balance?
Every single day is different. I ensure work-life balance by taking breaks throughout the day. Most days I have client check ins, follow up, 1- 3 virtual and in person events, marketing reviews, negotiations, as well as speaking or hosting.
I used to work most weekends for years and now I work maybe one weekend day a month with clients, but I am still working on my laptop or making calls. My husband is my biggest supporter. We have been married for 16 years and it is important that I invest my attention
to him like I do for my clients. When I irst started my career, I sacri iced a lot of that instead of creating boundaries up front with clients.
Looking at your journey, what would you have done differently if you were to start again?
If I were to start again, I would not hop from CRM to CRM. Your customer relationship management tool is your pipeline and your reminder system. You don’t want to break the links that are directly tied to you remaining top of mind and creating income.
What has been the biggest challenges you have faced during this journey?
The biggest challenge was the downturn of the real estate market during the Great Recession. I had nine clients in my pipeline to close and overnight, one person quali ied. Home values plummeted and we were doing the same amount of work at minimum wage but with way higher expenses like gas, marketing, etc. It created an
opportunity for me to work with international investors and with that I started selling real estate to clients from over 27 countries. No matter what challenge comes your way, think your way through it and execute.
What would be your advice for emerging and aspiring women leaders in the industry?
Understand your superpowers and delegate. Delegating allows you to leverage your time to create the life that you want. Do not aspire to some
Instagram “reality.” Understand the income and goals that you want and create a plan for that. Work your numbers backwards, include all of your expenses and always add 1520% on top of any number you think you require to live your lifestyle.
Finally, what does the future look like for you, both professionally and personally?
I will continue to invest in real estate and hand-off more opportunities to my team with a commitment to our same service level.
Personally, I will have extended periods abroad and work on expanding my business, Happy Talks, that was born from my experience in real estate, but is not real estate related.
Debra Esparza A Reigning Leader in Realty Business
REALTOR
There are some people who are at ease
with the way things work, and then there are the visionaries. The changemakers. The modern trendsetters. They challenge the status quo boldly and pave way into a new territory.
Debra Esparza is one such exceptional leader where her drive, empathy and enthusiasm gives her an edge in the realty business. She believes powerful women are incredibly openminded and have a remarkable vision. “They are determined, positive and productive to ind resolutions rather than excuses, and they build for the long-term. Nothing is ordinary for them,” she says.
Debra embraces the same thought into her leadership style where she constantly builds herself up to a better and stronger version. She also believes that these traits are inherited and cannot be taught to people.
SHAPING HER POTENTIAL
Born in the 1960s, Debra's parents were fairly young and came from humble beginnings. With limited means, her parents managed to get their high school education and eventually earned their technical degrees.
Later, her mom started her career as a hairdresser and opened up her own Salon & Spa. On the other hand, her dad earned his license in Commercial Plumbing, Electrical, HVAC, Refrigeration, Back low in the Restaurant industry.
All of 17, Debra borrowed her attitude to be self-suf icient from her parents — who later went on to spearhead their respective careers into rewarding and successful businesses. Later in her early twenties, she was mentored by some of the very best CEO's and business owners which truly transformed her career trajectory.
FINDING HER ENTREPRENEURIAL EDGE
It is often said that success is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration and Debra held her own. From 2010 to 2014, she was working everyday for over 12 hours at an Oil & Gas Law Firm and helped grow the irm substantially.
Since she held a superior position in the irm, it was not easy for her to hit pause from work. This led her to be mentally and physically burnt out and rethink her career decisions.
This was the moment when Debra decided to be in control of her own life and “stepped out in faith” to venture out on her own. She realized that “If I have the drive, motivation, courage, tenacity, determination and ability to make someone else successful and wealthy, then I have the ability to do the same for myself.”
She knew that exploring the real estate industry could be very rewarding, but like anything else, she had to learn and master it in order to bene it from it. Later, she decided to resign from her position with the law irm and signed up for her real estate classes and never looked back.
DELIVERING FLAWLESS CLIENT EXPERIENCE
Of all things, Debra perceives client satisfaction to be the core foundation of her business and will always remain her priority.
“It's very important and it's who and what my brand stands for. With every interaction, it's essential that my clients see the real side of a
genuine, humble and honest person that is working for their best interest, helping them navigate through the process and educating them along the way,” she adds con idently.
Debra understands that real estate is complicated as it has many moving parts. Sharing the information clearly can be challenging and if not communicated in a timely manner, it could feed into clients' feelings of distrust.
To ensure those instances don't happen, Debra follows a meticulous process that includes regular and timely follow-ups, always being accessible and inally seeing the process close in a satisfactory way for all her clients. She also emphasizes on transparency as it is absolutely integral for her brand, company and most importantly, her clients.
BALANCING HER CHALLENGES
Providing great service for your clients means setting them up for success as a whole, even when it involves areas outside your expertise. For that, you need a reliable network of other experts to ill the gaps.
Last year, Debra started a “staging company” where many homes were staged to get the best offers for her clients. She says, “I started building my inventory and housing that inventory around my of ice and home.” Then, word of mouth helped other realtors reach out to her to use her services. She was establishing a different identity from her competitors and built a niche around it.
Later, she began consultation services for “Flippers” where she picked all the looring, paint colors, back splash, light ixtures and more. Her earnest approach enabled her to build strong relationships with contractors and general contractors which gave her an opportunity to understand the process of lipping houses better.
FINDING YOUR NORTH STAR
Real estate is diverse and serves many purposes in a person's life. Though it is a demanding business at times, it's also an impactful one. When you stay persistent and persevere, you create something extraordinary — and that's well worth the effort.
To set your clients up for success, Debra highly recommends asking yourself fundamental questions to understand your purpose. She also believes in doing this with integrity, honesty, and transparency.
Debra shares, “In this industry, there's just too many ambulance chasers in real estate, set yourself apart, be the unexpected difference in this industry and whatever that looks like for you, just do it, but do it with all the right intentions and everything else will fall into place.”
CASTING A BEAUTIFUL VISION
Each facet of real estate —whether it is buying, selling, or building— comes with its own set of expectations and Debra has conquered many challenges by becoming one of the most powerful and trusted advisors in realty business.
Professionally, she doesn't seem to be slowing down. Although the
industry has shifted due to in lation and rising interest rates, she considers this uncertainty as the regular cycle of real estate.
She remains optimistic and patient that her real estate businesses will adapt and will continue to do what her team does best— serve their clients with the best service platform and commit to doing what's right.
Personally, her greatest hope is to witness the presence of her grandchildren.
“My son and daughter are in their thirties now and while they are my greatest love and passion, they don't have any near future plans of having children for now. But, if this Mama can create a vision, then eventually it will be on the horizon!” she concludes.
WINNING THE LONG GAME
Debra has always paid attention to maximize her potential and make the right decisions at the right time. She believes that everything we go through including the journey we traverse through in our lives teaches us so much along the way.
She also believes that God's perfect timing played an instrumental role in her success so far. “I learned so much from some of the very best CEO's, business owners, and community leaders. Everything I learned and gained experience from has all been applied to my own businesses in real estate,” she says.
Balancing her professional and personal life is tough, but it is also essential. Debra understands that while work takes precedence over everything else in her life, it is crucial to look after her well-being. She also plans to unplug from her work by taking vacation time and planning more trips with her family to relax and rejuvenate.
Debra's life motto hinges on “knowing your worth” as she realizes the importance of being self-driven, self-suf icient and working with likeminded people — from Loan Of icers, Appraisers, Inspectors, Escrow Of icers, Surveyors, Contractors, the other realtors and undoubtedly, her clients.
It is widely believed that our parents
are our irst and our best teachers. They are the ones who teach us to talk, walk, behave, and nurture us before we are ready to face the real world. And most of the time, our parents show us the very thing that will go on to de ine who we are; becoming the very reason behind our existence.
For Tori Atwell, it was her father's persistent efforts of taking her to Real Estate seminars as a teenager and young adult that went on to de ine her entire life.
Today, Tori stands tall amongst the most renowned real estate brokers to have served in Silicon Valley since 1986. With over three decades of industry-wide experience, Tori Atwell has been navigating the industry through her arduous work and her mission of delivering a human touch through her services.
A HUMBLE BEGINNING
Tori was born in Redwood City and raised in the Bay area, where she obtained her
Business Administration Degree in the 80s.
While initially she worked in the banking industry, she turned to real estate after starting her own family.
She remembered how his father used to take her to real estate seminars and always encouraged her to work hard.
“Real Estate is the one constant in everyone's life: We all need a place to live.
For those lucky enough to be able to invest, Real Estate is the way to go as part of a healthy portfolio,” mentions Tori.
Listening to her father and perceiving real estate as the foundation, Tori commenced her professional journey in Palo Alto and then later moved her business to the Mountain View, Los Altos area.
A WIDE BREADTH OF EXPERIENCE
Working in the real estate sector for over 35 years, Tori has seen her fair share of transformation and changes in the industry. She still remembers the simpler times when demands and work were less,
and the entire process ran with people patiently trusting each other.
“No cell phones, a receptionist who rarely took a message correctly, short contracts and minimal paperwork, no computers. Our basic tools were minimal, but with those minimal tools, folks were less demanding.”
She further highlights how people had more patience and did not have a constant need for immediate grati ication.
Tori notes that markets and the economy may have come and gone, but the evolution of innovative technology has signi icantly impacted the industry. “35 years ago, we did not write brochures, no one used a professional photographer, stagers were not even a thing. Today, you can do it all without any hassles.”
However, amongst all the developments, the one thing that stands out for Tori is the human touch which can never be removed entirely from the industry.
Even after witnessing so much change over the years, she believes that hard work and being kind to others is what makes you a powerful leader.
While some may think that being tough and stern are the right way to lead, she takes the opposite approach of exhibiting kindness and respect. “Folks know I mean business but working together for mutual goals and admiration goes
much further. It is often harder to be kind in a poor situation rather than hurtful and aggressive.”
This is primarily the reason why Tori prefers to still have one-onone communication directly with all her clients in order to deliver a satisfactory experience. According to her, real estate agents are often busy chasing one deal after another and ignoring the clients they already have.
Instead, she mentions, it is imperative for them to understand that when someone hires an agent, the person trusts you with the most crucial decision of their life. Thereby, they deserve the best of attention and be informed on all levels of the transaction.
Ful illing individuals' needs for these many years and sustaining the human essence have brought much success to Tori. She pays
t’s a Continuous Journey
It's been over three decades since Tori has been helping individuals and families sell and move into new homes. Her attention to detail, providing one-on-one consultation, and adding a personal touch to real estate have led her to attain the unmatched success and a hard-earned reputation within the community.
For the future, Tori would like to continue to serve thousands of families selling or moving into their dream homes.
“We have a saying in real estate; realtors don't really retire, we just slow down as our age goes up,” she concludes.
EVOLVING WITH PARENTHOOD
Amidst the hustle and bustle in her profession, Tori raised two beautiful kids. She recalls how after school time, they would often go look at a house, meet an inspection, and drive-by properties. “My son, Kyle, at age 5, could look at a house/property and tell if it would sell or not,” recalls Tori.
And when Tori is not with her clients or working, she could be found enjoying quality time with her six dogs, four cats, and two mini-pigs.
GET THE BEST TEACHER
Tori feels grateful to have the best teacher in the form of her father who paved the way for her interest and subsequently her successful career.
gratitude to the industry she has served. “I have been blessed enough to start in the business when you had to do everything yourself, including qualifying buyers before they began looking at property. My business roots and experiences are constant sources of inside knowledge and understanding of the industry.”
With her kids growing up, a lot has changed in terms of her lifestyle and approach to real estate. She now practices a new lifestyle, paying undivided one-on-one attention to her clients and going out with clients or co-workers on her off time. “Real Estate is different from most industries; it's not just a job, it is an entire social structure that facilitates getting to know a wide array of people from many different cultures and walks of life.”
Taking a cue from her own life, she advises new young and aspiring entrepreneurs in the real estate space to ind a good realtor. She mentions, “Trust and respect and shadow their every move. If you spend some free time learning from the best, you will get an invaluable education and foundation for a successful career.”
PERSEVERING TOWARDS SUCCESS
Often underrated, perseverance is the hallmark of a
successful entrepreneur. It enables one to steer past adversities, overcome obstacles, and translate ideas into reality.
Kathleen Black is no stranger to the word 'perseverance'. Throughout her life, she has persevered past challenges and created a pathway of excellence.
From having a tumultuous childhood to being an independent mother, from being among the top 1% in real estate to becoming one of the leading coaches in the industry, Kathleen's journey has been nothing but inspiring.
In this interview, she shares about her journey, about the real estate industry, and much more.
WHAT ACCORDING TO YOU MAKES FOR A POWERFUL WOMAN?
Powerful women are willing to make big picture choices based on the future, while staying humble and vulnerable to the needs of the present.
HOW DO YOU INTEGRATE THE SAME THOUGHT INTO YOUR LEADERSHIP?
By empowering my team and giving them the room to ful ill their objectives independently while making myself available for guidance at every point on their path. I am proud to be leading a team who are very entrepreneurial and take ownership over what needs to happen. It's very collaborative, and without a director style delegation, everyone owns their portion of the business. That is how we thrive.
Kathleen Black
TALK TO US ABOUT YOUR GROWING UP YEARS.
I have never done things the easy way. I had a tumultuous childhood that culminated with me leaving my home while still in high school. I then self-funded my university education and completed it as a new mother. Some people are born entrepreneurs, and I would say I it into that.
There are always early signs: the proverbial lemonade-stand, an innate youthful rebelliousness, a way of seeing things differently, and an early discovery of the power to th manifest. I knew as an 8 grader that I could manifest whatever I envisioned. Every milestone I reach comes from an inspired low state –a practice of inner work I leverage now, as one of North America's leading Real Estate Coaches, delivering my proven success techniques to Agents and Teams.
WHAT PROMPTED YOUR INTEREST AND SUBSEQUENTLY YOUR FORAY INTO THE REAL ESTATE SPACE?
An unexpected separation made real estate a fork in the road moment for me. I chose to take a risk for long term security and gain which could better provide for my children. It worked! The ultimate achievement is reaching the Top 1% in production. In my irst year, I accomplished that within North America's top Real Estate Board. I also saw that while this was a female-dominated industry, it wasn't an industry dominated by female voices, and that was something I wanted to learn more about and see if I could break through for myself and lead other
women do it as well.
WHAT HAS BEEN THE APPROACH FOLLOWED BY YOU AND YOUR TEAM TO ENSURE OPTIMAL BUYING AND SELLING EXPERIENCE FOR YOUR CLIENTS?
The Consultant's Approach and here's what I mean: a consultant seeks to establish a need and educate a client. This sets us apart from the public perception of a “pushy salesperson” who pushes a client in the direction that will lead to the salesperson's bene it vs. the client's bene it. We believe in helping the client achieve their desired outcomes, and as a result, the salesperson will also win but it is the client's best interest that should be considered at all times. At Kathleen Black Coaching & Consulting (KBCC), every top team or agent we have ever worked with, who multiplied their business, have all worked with this speci ic approach in order to get the ultimate results.
HOW ARE YOU HELPING EMPOWER ASPIRING LEADERS IN THE INDUSTRY REACH THE HEIGHTS OF SUCCESS?
By bringing an inspiring and holistic mindset to a systematic and process-driven approach to our leadership training. This builds agile teams, and our ability to empower aspiring leaders is due to the fact that we build strong businesses by helping their teams reach their potential. Through our training tools, presentations, and summits, we have been instrumental in guiding iconic brands and high net worth professionals through our unique approach of empowered leadership
and expert mindset-training to add billions of additional sales volume annually to their bottom lines.
WHAT DOES A DAY IN THE LIFE OF KATHLEEN BLACK LOOK LIKE?
My day always starts the night and week before by scheduling my top priorities with calendar updates. I review this monthly, weekly, and always the night before. This allows me to be ahead of big projects, which we break down into microsteps. More importantly, this also allows me to pause and get clear around my intentions and the energy I wish to bring to my day. I also like to start or end my day with yoga, a long walk, or running. I listen to guided meditation several times a week and commit to visualization around all important endeavors.
HOW DO YOU ENSURE WORKLIFE BALANCE?
I don't believe in a balance but rather having on and off seasons for high performers. We all have a unique blend of wants and needs and we can harmonize them based on our unique needs. I have tried to build and maintain a life of more time and money while being surrounded by people I can rely on. This has helped me act in alignment with the many leaders I have admired who already did it, with the exact blueprint, recipe, and values unique to my own path.
LOOKING AT YOUR JOURNEY, WHAT WOULD YOU HAVE DONE DIFFERENTLY IF YOU WERE TO START AGAIN?
I'm not sure I would do anything
differently, but I would have done a few things sooner, like writing my books and the development of my training tools and leadership platform. Getting into real estate was the right career path for me, and now, being able to share my selling success techniques with others is very rewarding.
WHAT WOULD BE YOUR ADVICE FOR EMERGING WOMEN LEADERS IN THE REAL ESTATE MARKET?
Be optimistic. You must stand strong in a storm and rise out of lots of little ires, so they won't engulf you. To be a top woman leader in this industry you need to be unapologetic in order to be capable of carving out an ef icient business. On your way to the top, you will either hit ceilings or plant seeds, you cannot do both. If as a woman, you're looking at your restrictions and the reasons why you might fail, those are not going to propel you further. If you look at those things and create for the future, you can plant seeds and nurture them to create things that aren't even in existence yet – how exciting!
FINALLY, WHAT DOES THE FUTURE LOOK LIKE FOR YOU, BOTH PROFESSIONALLY AND PERSONALLY?
I am always actively planning my future and that means growth. We are expanding our services globally, by building systematically, we're offering teams 16% higher pro it margins than a typical team model would. Having agents on the top teams using our models sell 10 to 20 times the average transactions on most of their local Real Estate
boards. Additionally, we're aiding them in converting at up to 7 times higher when they get to our advanced conversion systems. We are committed to helping our agents build the most ef icient, productive, and pro itable teams in the world.
As for my personal life, I just climbed Mount Kilimanjaro and it reinforced values I have always held dear like being vulnerable, compassionate, and empathetic across all of our relationships.
Reaching the summit was a metaphor for my professional success because every step took an open heart, passion, determination, focus and purpose – all the qualities that I have applied in my business for my success and in helping others!
WALKING THE MILE REALTOR
WALKING THE EXTRA MILE WALKING THE EXTRA MILE ↘
When Michelle Oates-Duda
began The Extra Mile Realtors, it wasn't a fancy marketing ploy or brand positioning strategy.
Rather, it was an indication of the commitment that she was willing to offer; a commitment to go beyond one's expectations.
A powerful woman in every right, Michelle has built a name and reputation in the real estate industry that echoes success. Today, she is one of North Central West Virginia's top real estate producers.
A POWERFUL WOMAN
For Michelle, powerful women come in all shapes, sizes, and ideals. She mentions, “One's power comes from within. It's how you feel about yourself and your connection to the world. Powerful women possess numerous attributes that allow them to be successful leaders.”
Moreover, a powerful woman is one who is committed to never giving up and standing up for what they believe to be right. Irrespective of the obstacle, a powerful woman keeps grinding and ighting.
These beliefs and thoughts are central to Michelle's moral compass,
much of which can be attributed to her growing up years.
“I was raised in a very stable and loving home where I watched my father work hard and become a successful businessman. My mother was a wonderful stay at home mom who was always there for my brothers and me,” Michelle recalls.
From a young age, Michelle's parents encouraged her to pursue leadership roles and ind her voice to be an independent and hard-working woman.
They were both hard workers themselves and inculcated an actionable attitude within the entire
household. “They taught and displayed an admirable value system which I see in myself to this day.”
REAL ESTATE
A lifetime learner and explorer of new things, Michelle started out her career in the banking and accounting space. Following this, she spread her wings across different industries. However, with the real estate industry, she found her true calling.
“The real estate industry is everevolving and sparked my interest in exploring a different career,” she mentions.
Moreover, real estate gave her the opportunity to be her own boss and build relationships with people in her community and beyond.
Within the irst two years of her entering the industry, Michelle generated an enormous interest and demand for her services. She realized she needed help and Zack Pell was her answer.
“Zack started with me as an assistant while attending college. He said he knew right away he wanted to get his real estate license and continue the career full time after graduation.”
Both Zack and Michelle have a similar desire of working hard and continually evolving, thus making for an effective duo that also provides support to each other. “Although there is a signi icant age difference between us, we have found this allows for a sharing of ideas and knowledge from different perspectives,” she further points out.
It was her constant discussion with Zack about pushing the boundaries
and going the “extra mile” for their clients that established the name of their team – The Extra Mile Realtors.
COMMUNICATION IS KEY
For Michelle, communication is of utmost importance to ensure optimal client satisfaction. “My goal when working with my clients is to be available to them 24/7. To provide them with excellent communication, honest discussions, and going the “extra mile” to ensure their needs are met.”
Michelle realizes that dealing with transactions related to real estate can be extremely stressful. She guides her clients through these processes in the most stress-free manner possible.
“If I need to take items off their plate to assist in making their life easier, I do it. I feel that listening to their concerns and talking them through the process helps to alleviate some stress from their lives.”
Furthermore, Michelle believes in providing irst-class service to all of her clients, in every step of the way. Through all these efforts, transparency, and communication, Michelle establishes a trusting relationship with her clients, one that goes a long way in ensuring client satisfaction.
However, amidst this hustle and bustle, Michelle admits that she has some improvements to make with her work-life balance.
She asserts, “I am working on more self-care and making more time for family and friends. Since starting this new career later in life, after many years of the most important job as a
stay-at-home mom, I found I was ready to devote myself to creating a successful business.”
Owing to this, Michelle is proud of the journey she has had thus far and insists that she would not change anything. She claims both the good as well as the bad parts of her journey has positioned her to be where she is today.
“I believe that in order to love who you are, you cannot hate the experiences that shaped you.”
GIVING BACK
Working in her native hometown of Morgantown, West Virginia has given Michelle so many opportunities and bene its, hence it is be itting and essential in her eyes to give back to her community.
“I try to participate in as many fundraisers, events, and community activities that my schedule allows. I have a soft spot for our local West Virginia University Children's Hospital as both my sons were born there and dealt with some health issues,” she mentions.
Moreover, Michelle enjoys providing community tours of her hometown to those looking to move in and sharing the best the town has got to offer.
For Michelle, any cause where she recognizes a need or bene it, she would go the “extra mile” to support that.
CREATE YOUR OWN PATH
Similar to how she has carved her own unique journey, Michelle advises aspiring women leaders in the industry to create their own path, in their own unique manner. “Don't follow in someone else's footsteps or emulate their ideas but ind your own way.”
She continues saying, “That was my goal when starting in a business ripe with seasoned agents. I found my own path.”
According to her, powerful women are courageous, independent, and know who they are to their core. However, it took years for Michelle to
“ ind the core of me, personally and professionally, it's a journey.”
She is quick to point out that the real estate business can seem a bit easy, but it's not the case. One needs to be a self-starter and motivated individual in order to succeed at this level.
