The Nashville Business Journal has just announced EXIT Southeast is a finalist for their 2018 Best In Business awards.To assemble their Nashville Business Journal Best in Business finalists, "nominations were taken from the public, and then a panel of judges looked at a variety of criteria to determine the winning finalists."In December, EXIT Southeast leaders, representing Georgia, Kentucky and Tennessee, met with the judges including the president of Austin Peay State University for an in-depth interview. The team was pleased to share EXIT Southeast recently earned EXIT Realty Corp. International’s #1 Region in North America, top in franchise sales and the awards earned by owners, brokers and staff in the EXIT Southeast region. Click here for more information. 
Prior to the interview, these questions were asked as part of the nomination process.NBJ: How did the business start? What were the circumstances, motivation and source of ideas/inspiration for starting the business?EXIT Southeast: After working for many years in the residential real estate and mortgage industry, Lynn and Strobl purchased their own EXIT Realty franchise in 2012. Being a franchise owner, they realized the potential for growing EXIT in Tennessee and were allowed to buy the statewide rights making them the regional owner. With the success of building businesses previously, they knew they wanted to build a company within the residential real estate industry. Timing and opportunity presented itself perfectly for Strobl and Lynn, who knew with the right exposure and EXIT’s revolutionary concept of single-level residuals, they could take the company to the next level in Tennessee. EXIT Southeast recently announced YTD over $2.1 in generated residual income for agents, brokers and owners. In 2016, this hard work was recognized nationally with the EXIT Leaders’ Leader award for being “dynamic regional owners for both aggressively building and carefully stabilizing their region.”
NBJ: What are the biggest challenges the business has had to overcome, and how was that accomplished?EXIT Southeast: When EXIT Tennessee was begun October 1, 2013, prior to expanding to EXIT Southeast, Lynn and Strobl wanted to grow the brand to a household name in the Nashville area real estate industry and faced the usual challenges of beginning a new venture. The partners were diligent in establishing a real estate company which would be known for professionalism, integrity and honesty as well as honoring and supporting the franchise owners and agents as valued team members. Through a grassroots effort, they have turned the company into a family-friendly business where brokers, owners and agents feel part of something bigger and take pride in this affiliation.
NBJ: What lessons have you learned since the inception of your company?EXIT Southeast: When Strobl and Lynn began the business, they realized they needed to emphasis the human behind the transaction and develop positive working relationships with their agents and owners. As a top priority, they have modeled valuing each person representing the EXIT brand. The partners quickly learned in order to reach their goals, growth and potential, they had to adopt the policy of leading with love, motivating people be part of something bigger and taking pride in their brand.   Ultimately, the partners learned their determination had to be contagious in order to help their EXIT team become unstoppable professionals.
NBJ: Other than the people, what do you believe have been the key ingredients to the company's success?EXIT Southeast: The partners have worked hard at creating an atmosphere where everyone helps one another to succeed. They have created an environment where fellow franchise owners, brokers and agents share successes and failures so everyone can learn and grow. This environment of transparency has helped grow the 10-county area into a real estate company that operates as a team helping everyone rise to the top. Other key ingredients include Lynn and Strobl’s support of EXIT from technology and training to team building events like their annual EXIT Realty Smart Race benefiting local charities where agents, owners and brokers race one another!
 The Nashville Business Journal has also asked EXIT Southeast about expansion goals. EXIT Southeast continues to expand its Metro Nashville 10-county area with franchises and agents daily with a goal of reaching capacity for the 10-county area franchises as they continue to expand throughout the state, Kentucky and Georgia.
If you want to connect with the award-winning team, contact Stacy Strobl or Kenny Lynn today for opportunities in your area at 412-LOVEXIT. (412-568-3948.)
