You’ll want to dig into our blogs as we share monthly newsletters and profiles of success EXIT Southeast franchises. It’s important to dig deeper beyond a social media post to find inspiration and help to better your own business today.
Teamwork makes the dream work is one of the driving mantras for EXIT King Realty whose owners Steve and Izabela Forbes say they are creating a family culture with a healthy work environment where agents can feel safe, thrive and be successful.
It’s been our priority to make sure people feel like this is something bigger than themselves says Izabela in the EXIT Southeast profile. . “We are a big family and we spend most of our time with our agents!”Helping agents fulfill their dreams is what prompted Steve to launch his own franchise.  Today he and Izabela have offices in Venice, Sarasota and Bradenton.“There is truly nothing more satisfying than seeing an agent get their first commission check.  In our office, it is an EXIT King Realty tradition to ring a bell to celebrate.  We have a bell in every office and we take a photo too to mark the occasion,” Steve said.
In our interviews, we always asked what drew you to EXIT Realty.  For Steve, it is a family tradition.“My dad was the first person to bring EXIT to the U.S. and he ran the region for 20 years – the largest in the country.  I’ve been in real estate for sixteen years now.  Izabela and I were going to be a husband and wife real estate team but people kept wanting to join our brokerage.  This shifted our focus and today we have over 280+ agents in three offices,” Steve said.
Residual income is the common denominator for successful owners, brokers and agents.“With residual income for agents, they have the ability to earn over 100% without desk fees. EXIT is the best option out there.  As far as retention, the single level residuals help retain agents. And, with the right mentor, the chances of a new agent succeeding are much better,” Steve explained.This is our passion says Izabella who loves helping new agents. “Some brokerages don’t offer marketing support and training.  We offer tools and training to help people succeed,” she said.
With 80% of new agents out of business in the first two years, this is something the Forbes take very seriously.  “Our retention rate is much, much better and it has to do with our culture, training and lead generation,” explains SteveIzabela loves marketing, advertising and supporting the agent’s listings while Steve assists with geo-farming and targeting. “Before anyone registers you are a Realtor, you have to get in front of them eight times. Consistency and brand awareness can take up to a year. We really believe geo farming makes the difference for our agents and some brokerages don’t offer it,”  he said.
For Steve, his best advice for agents it to make sure the broker they select to work with is hands on, available, easy to talk with and supportive.Steve also advises to never stop recruiting – especially in a pandemic year.  “Even at 280+ agents, we keep recruiting and it is never ending.  There’s always attrition so keep on recruiting.The same goes for agents says Izabela.  “Constantly be prospecting and working on lead generation.  Remember, the things you do today won’t come into fruition until three or five months down the road. This should always be a priority.The Forbes also say teach your agents to sponsor which impacts their income and leads to retention. “We feature a residual Monday where we highlight any new sponsorships and welcome people,”  he said.
Connect with Steve Forbes at 941-204-7402  and connect with Izabela Forbes at 941-204-7048 and be sure and follow them on Facebook here. 
EXIT Southeast just earned #1 Region and #1 in Franchise sales again for EXIT Realty Corp. International, after breaking the all-time corporate record for sales in 2019.  Across Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, and Tennessee, EXIT Southeast owners, brokers and agents are respected leaders in the real estate industry. If you are looking to join an award-winning team of professionals, contact EXIT Southeast Regional Owners Kenny Lynn and Stacy Strobl at 412-LOVEXIT (412-568-3948).
As 2020 nears the end, we all deserve a big congratulations for making it through with grace and perseverance!In the latest newsletter, Kenny and Stacy share their best wishes for our EXIT family and Founder/Chairman Steve Morris shares why he is grateful.  You’ll find the latest rankings for November - congrats to each and everyone of you!  We are so very proud. You'll also find a great article on Deep Desire by MIND-SET trainer Erica Nasby.In the December newsletter, you’ll also find a very inspiring profile of EXIT King Realty’s three-city Florida operations.  Steve and Izabela Forbes share their secrets to their success and how their unique culture is helping them grow and prosper.Click here for the full newsletter or the photo below.
Happy Holidays & Wishing You A Blessed New Year![video width="1080" height="1080" mp4="http://exitsoutheast.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Client-Christmas-Cards.mp4"][/video]
Does life happen to you or does life happen for you is a question EXIT owners Sonny Downey and Ray Rivera help their agents contemplate as they grow and develop their career with EXIT Real Estate Gallery - Northeast Florida, now with seven offices and 450 agents and counting![caption id="attachment_4470" align="aligncenter" width="600"]
EXIT owners Sonny Downey and Ray Rivera help their agents grow and develop their career with EXIT Real Estate Gallery - Northeast Florida, now with seven offices and 450 agents and counting![/caption]
People are feeling powerless says Sonny and there are a lot of things we can’t impact.“We help our agents focus on what they can do and attitude. Learn a lesson from everything and apply it.  2021 is already teaching us adaptability which can be difficult.  We are a company of relationships built on engagement and helping develop human potential. Now we are adapting to doing business virtually and keeping our agents engaged. We don’t know what the year has in store for us but we are being flexible and pivoting when needed,” Sonny explains..
Ray and Sonny’s desire to grow leaders definitely makes them different from their competition.“Some brokerages can be fearful in helping people aspire to their dreams due to a fear of losing them.  In our 14 years with EXIT, we take new agents and turn them into top leaders encouraging them to become brokers.  Everybody deserves to dream. We enable them with tools, training and coaching to help them win deals. We look at people for their human potential,” Sonny explains. “In 2010, Bob McKinnon said 40% of the 80% wants to be the top 20%. The 80/20 rule shows that 40% of the 80% wants to be the 20%.  Rather than us focusing on top producers, we focus on the 40% with the human potential to drive and will to climb to the top.”
This definitely starts with our leadership and continues through our agents says Ray.“Any real estate company is as good as the people who run the brokerage, the culture of their office and their agents. This separates us from our competition. We take mentoring our agents very seriously and are always looking to see what is around the corner and helping them get ready for it,” Ray says.
Opportunity drew the duo to EXIT and the dream of a future they never saw possible.We tell our agents we are here to help you grow a business, be happy and successful and this is what we were sold says Ray.
EXIT Realty Corp. International Founder/Chairman Steve Morris and CEO Tami Bonnell did a great job of painting this future we never saw as possible.  If it wasn’t for their belief in us, we couldn’t have done it says Sonny.“They saw something in us.  We knew we wanted to launch a brokerage but did not know to what scale.  When you open, you want a boutique brokerage because it is obtainable. At Broker/Owner training, Steve does a great job of inspiring us.  Agents choose brokers for the same reason because they believe in them or are convinced there is a better opportunity out there,” Sonny said.  “Ray and I don’t sell houses. We sell dreams and help our agents understand there is a better tomorrow.”The residual income helps turns real estate into business and bridges the gap between pay days.  From a brokerage standpoint, it helps with recruiting explains Sonny.“Are you causing opportunities for your agents to be able to sponsor agents into the company or are you hoarding all the sponsoring for yourself.  It will be fine short term but you’ll never be able to grow,” Sonny said. Ray added, sponsorship gives them the understanding of more opportunity and if they don’t have residuals, it is easier for them to leave.The partners take any annual sponsorship residuals and reinvest into their brokerage.
There is no secret to our success because what we are doing other people can do says Ray.“The difference is are you willing to put the work into it.  We also not only tell our agents we care but we show them.  The National Association of Realtors (NAR) survey of consumers showed the #1 reason people choose an agent is trustworthiness. They like and trust an agent.  Same thing goes for us. We have them tools and resources but they also have to trust us,” said Ray.I think a willingness to grow has also been one of the reasons for our success says Sonny.“We were green in the beginning but had a vision to grow and sold people on this as well. Today, there has been a natural disconnect in offices due to the pandemic.  We have had to help our agents develop good habits to thrive. We are working to re-engage, try new things so we don’t lose any relevancy with our agents,” Sonny said.You definitely have to remain relevant in business or you will fall behind Ray added.[caption id="attachment_4494" align="aligncenter" width="600"]
"We have had to help our agents develop good habits to thrive. We are working to re-engage, try new things so we don’t lose any relevancy with our agents,” Sonny Downey shared..[/caption]
Facebook remains a great marketing tool for EXIT Real Estate Gallery. (Click here to connect.) “Your online presence matters and we use Facebook to project the successes of our brokerage.  Long before an agent walks in for that interview, they have an impression of you. Smart brokers use Facebook to their advantage to sell their own story.  At first, I was hesitant to highlight top producers so other brokers wouldn’t steal them and they still might.  But, highlighting our agents accomplishments is important to them and everyone else,” says Sonny.
“Release yourself from any preconceived notions of business and prospecting. Some will say they don’t like cold calling or knocking on doors. I ask have you done it? And, if they say no so, I dig deeper to see if their opinions are formed by history. Be a student of life. Don’t be constrained by uneducated opinions and notions. Do the homework and use what works for you,” says Sonny.
Building on the first mantra shared, Ray returns to things are happening for you by sharing people don’t do things to you, they are doing things for themselves! When an agent decides to go to another company, they are doing it for themself.Years later, Sonny says they still have to remind themselves. In 2019,166 people left their brokerage for multiple reasons.  On the flip side of this, they shared that 185 agents were inspired to join them – a net increase in a difficult year.“It is easy to get focused on the wrong things. You have to be focused on the positive. We make sure we are doing enough positive to off-set the negativity of the world,” said Sonny.
Connect with EXIT Real Estate Gallery owners Sonny Downey and Ray Rivera at info@propertyinjax.com.
On February 24 at 10 a.m. CST/11 a.m. EST,  join us on YouTube as EXIT Southeast Regional Owners Kenny Lynn and Stacy Strobl broadcast our annual EXIT Southeast awards from Jason Aldean's Kitchen & Rooftop Bar on Broadway in Nashville!!You can join the premiere party virtually on our YouTube Channel so subscribe here today! Emcee will be Annette Anthony, EXIT Realty Corp. International VP of Technology & Engagement, with inspiring words by CEO Tami Bonnell. We’ll have guest appearances throughout the morning and there will be an amazing cash prize for most engaged office!!During the event, we'll post the YouTube link on our Facebook page here. In the comments underneath, add your fun photo or comment!You can also comment on the YouTube post during the event underneath. The event link will be shared to Stacy Strobl's LinkedIn page, Kenny Lynn's LinkedIn page, EXIT Southeast's LinkedIn page,Twitter and we'll post a pic on Instagram.  Don't forget if you share to stories, tag @EXITSoutheast and add hashtag #EXITSoutheast.....whew!So many ways to engage, have fun and virtually celebrate all the amazing EXIT Superlatives!Here are more fun details!https://youtu.be/bmuo8FuyYDw
Breaking News!!  On February 24, we will be broadcasting our annual EXIT Southeast awards from Jason Aldean's Kitchen & Rooftop Bar on Broadway in Nashville with all the details in this month's newsletter.The premiere party will be on our YouTube Channel so click here and subscribe today. Emcee will be Annette Anthony, EXIT Realty Corp. International VP of Technology & Engagement, with inspiring words by CEO Tami Bonnell. We’ll have guest appearances throughout the morning and there will be an amazing cash prize for most engaged office!! Subscribe to our YouTube channel today!Inside the January newsletter, find the latest EXIT Southeast rankings and congrats to all!!  We are incredibly proud of each one of you!Trajectory is the 2021 EXIT one word and check out CEO Tami Bonnell’s column on what this could mean to you! Only a few weeks into the new year, we’ve seen trajectory in action with the addition of new franchises, renewals and the exciting list of new agents shared in this newsletter. We’re also pleased to profile EXIT owners Sonny Downey and Ray Rivera, EXIT Real Estate Gallery, sharing  how they help their agents grow and develop in the Northeast Florida area.We announce new franchises and renewals via social media and it really solidifies the excitement we feel every day as we share the message of the unparalleled opportunity offered by EXIT Realty.  We know you feel it too because we see your posts on social media as well.  Facebook has been our way to connect with our huge EXIT Southeast community while attracting others daily.  You’ll see us on Twitter, our LinkedIn pages, YouTube and now on Instagram as we look for new ways to connect our message with people looking for opportunity, change and a way to own their future!  Connect on Instagram @StacyStroblEXIT.Finally, we’ve included our awards page from the December special edition of the EXIT Realty Corp. International where EXIT Southeast earned #1 Region in North America and #1 in Franchise Sales. Find out why we think EXIT Southeast consistently earns these honors (hint, hint YOU) and a reprint of the article in this newsletter!Click for the full newsletter or the photo below!
EXIT Southeast just earned #1 Region and #1 in Franchise sales again for EXIT Realty Corp. International, after breaking the all-time corporate record for sales in 2019.  Across Georgia, Kentucky Tennessee and Florida, EXIT Southeast owners, brokers and agents are respected leaders in the real estate industry. If you are looking to join an award-winning team of professionals, contact EXIT Southeast Regional Owner Stacy Strobl at 412-LOVEXIT (412-568-3948).
Being caught on a Zoom with a cat filter is a great reminder these virtual meetings have to be taken seriously and here’re Zoom meeting pro tips to master this new reality from Annette Anthony, EXIT Realty Corp. VP of Technology Engagement.[caption id="attachment_4510" align="aligncenter" width="450"]
EXIT Realty Corp. International's Annette Anthony shares all of her great experience on mastering the new reality.[/caption]
As we all work hard to connect and keep moving forward, being engaged during a virtual meeting is important!  One of Annette’s biggest pet peeves is not “showing up” for the Zoom.“If I can get dressed with make-up and matching shoes on Mountain Time Zone, you need to show up and show your face,” Annette says. “It is so hard for a presentor or meeting moderator to not see faces and only names.  Be on time and participate.  In offices with great leadership, this happens and it helps everyone get the most out of their time and the experience.”[caption id="attachment_4511" align="aligncenter" width="600"]
Annette says there may be chaos around you but what matters is clutter free, visually appealing setting for those watching.[/caption]
If you are participating in a Zoom, Annette has these great tips.
The ultimate pro tip says Annette is you can choose a filter to soften your appearance.  Click on the video camera icon on the bottom left of your screen.  You can choose backgrounds and filters to change your appearance. And, yes, beware of the cartoon choices!Connect with Annette today on Facebook or Instagram. Annette has been interviewed by nationally syndicated real estate expert Bernice Ross for an upcoming 2021 book so stay tuned for its release!And, in case you missed the Zoom cat filter story!https://youtu.be/KxlPGPupdd8
EXIT Southeast just earned #1 Region and #1 in Franchise sales again for EXIT Realty Corp. International, after breaking the all-time corporate record for sales in 2019.  Across Georgia, Kentucky Tennessee and Florida, EXIT Southeast owners, brokers and agents are respected leaders in the real estate industry. If you are looking to join an award-winning team of professionals, contact EXIT Southeast Regional Owner Stacy Strobl at 412-LOVEXIT (412-568-3948).
