Many members of the Sotheby’s International Realty® leadership team were in attendance, in addition to top brokers in markets around the country, from Florida and Boston to Arizona, California and beyond.
“We knew we’d have an extraordinary audience, dynamic speakers and the synergy that comes when we are all together (with a little surprise and delight for good measure). We were especially pleased to share the day with corporate leadership including Julie Leonhardt LaTorre, Jon Meschke, Anthony Urcinoli, Alexa Johnson, who all traveled in from the East Coast, and of course, our panel of experts and thoughtful presenters that offered enriching content. Our brand is amazing.” – Dean Jones, president and chief executive officer, Realogics Sotheby’s International Realty.
The Brand Highlights
Julie Leonhardt LaTorre, chief operating officer of Sotheby’s International Realty Affiliates, LLC, began with an examination of momentum: it’s movement, it gets faster, gains speed, and is relentless. She then tied the concept of momentum into the brand and real estate industry at large.
As Leonhardt LaTorre outlined, when we think about the uneasiness in the market right now, it comes down to trend followers; they feel uneasy because they are relying on the status quo. “We are not trend followers, we are leaders,” she said. “We step out and do things, taking risks time and time again.” A changing market is an opportunity to lean in and step out, to be bold and daring, to serve as an adviser and not just survive, but thrive.
Drawing upon the brand’s trusted heritage, Leonhardt LaTorre talked about how we were the first to build a truly global network in 72 countries with real partners on the other side. To know where we are going, we have to know who we are, and as Leonhardt LaTorre told the audience, “never forget that you are part of the most incredible brand in the world — it’s about expertise, people and a fantastic culture.”
Leonhardt LaTorre also addressed the new “Leading in Luxury” partnership with Inman and discussed how the Curate app works.
From the audience, Stacy Jones asked Leonhardt LaTorre to discuss what makes her excited for 2019. “I am excited about our people and culture, and what we are doing and can do with data. Are analyzing and using data to confirm assumptions we are making about our clients and to find areas of opportunity we may not have seen before. We are also looking for ways to create more connections within the network, on local, national, and global levels.”
Sotheby’s International Realty® Market Makers Panel One
The first Sotheby’s International Realty® Market Makers panel of the day brought Anthony Urcinoli, senior manager of global operations with Sotheby’s International Realty Affiliates, LLC, to the stage to moderate a panel of premier brokers from around the network: Neill Bassi, San Francisco Sotheby’s International Realty; Dennis Carvajal, ONE Sotheby’s International Realty; Ryan Preuett, Jameson Sotheby’s International Realty; Shen Schulz, Malibu Sotheby’s International Realty; and Marc Noah, Beverly Hills Sotheby’s International Realty.
When asked about “a day in the life” of a top agent, a theme immediately emerged: rising early. Noah said he starts his day at 4 a.m. with a gym session and takes care of priority items as early as possible, while Bassi rises early to ensure he can take care of all priority work items by 2pm. Preuett said that by waking an hour earlier each day of the work week, he picks up an extra six, 40-hour work weeks annually — and he has now transitioned into waking two hours early, which translates to twelve work weeks per year. For Schulz, it’s about beginning the day in the right mindset; for him, it’s a two-minute focus on gratitude before he does anything.
The panelists discuss what it’s like to live a “day in the life” of a premier real estate broker.
Panelists also described how they utilize technology in their businesses. Responses ranged from Dropbox and Contactually to Google Places and DocSend. Though as Bassi put it, he is leery of integrating too much technology because “it’s a people business; we get paid because of trust. It’s not that technology it’s bad, it’s that it should be used to strengthen the relationship with a client.”
The brand served as much of the foundation of the discussion, as Noah—the self-proclaimed biggest brand cheerleader—immediately interjected, “this is my absolute favorite topic.” Noah covered not only the doors that the brand opens, but also the way in which it provides networking opportunities. Preuett added that the Sotheby’s brand heritage is older than the U.S. and said it’s truly all about taking advantage of referral opportunities. “I know if I send anyone to them in their market, that I know they’ll be taken care of,” he said.
Bassi said it’s critical to know your feeder markets and visit them, and Carvajal echoed that sentiment, saying the half dozen or so trips he takes annually gives him referral and networking but also a break from his own market, friendship, and the ability to “talk to people that are at your level but not in your market — there is nothing like this brand in the world.” For Schulz, his decision to align with Sotheby’s International Realty stemmed from the recognition that clients move to Malibu, California from around the world, and he wanted to best position himself to assist those clients.
Finally, when asked to touch on the moment when they elevated to the next level in their respective businesses, key points included time maximization (Preuett), utilizing the social aspect of the business and endlessly honing the pitch (Bassi), knowing your competition and being authentic (Noah) and getting out of your own way (Schulz).
Sotheby’s International Realty® Market Makers Panel Two
When the second set of premier Sotheby’s International Realty® agents took to the stage, Jon Meschke, vice president of Sotheby’s International Realty Affiliates Western Region, jumped right into the conversation by asking panelists about their motivations. Lauren Holleran of Gibson Sotheby’s International Realty said its hyper-competition, while Lisa Westcott of Russ Lyon Sotheby’s International Realty took the opposite approach. Tye Stockton of LIV Sotheby’s International Realty is driven by passion, while J Kuper of Kuper Sotheby’s International Realty remarked on the thrill of problem solving.
The second Market Makers panel discusses what motivates them in their respective businesses.
As Meshke told panelists, “winter is coming,” referring to the cooling pattern across many markets. “How do you keep going amidst a changed cycle?” he asked. Stockton said his team always asks “what’s next” so they may feel better prepared for the next cycle, Westcott said her key is to remain professional and on top of the market, and Kuper added that it’s about being vocal (with clients, friends, whoever) because it makes you the “go to” person in times of uncertainty. Holleran said that the market in Boston has yet to cool yet, but she’s looking forward to the impending slowdown because it will give her an opportunity to begin to leverage the brand’s marketing materials.
There were a number of parallels to be drawn among the team members, as Meschke noted their use of teams and their strong referral businesses. All felt that adding to the team helped them focus on the aspects of the business that matter most to them and accommodated growth. Holleran talked about the pattern she has gotten into, where she knows that business will slow slightly following a new hire but that six or seven months in, business grows exponentially. In terms of referrals and bringing intention to building spheres, it ranged from Holleran and Westcott saying nearly all of their business is repeat or referral, to Kuper, who invites groups of people out to events and welcomes them to invite others so he can meet people the “old-fashioned way” and Stockton, who began networking in New York just days after aligning with the brand.
Header Photo Credit: Saskia Potter Photography