More Is Often Less
Do you ever feel like the universe is trying to tell you something? This week, it felt like the universe was serving me the same message on repeat! More isn’t always more—in fact, as the old saying goes, less is more. While this might not fit with our societal norms, I do love it. Lately, I’ve been embracing the idea of less because I believe it ultimately gives us more. Stick with me…
The Trap of Chasing More
For a long time, I think many of us have been building our real estate businesses the wrong way. Entire companies have been doing it wrong for years. Trust me, I’m not here to throw shade. I’ve been there, done that, could write the book—and am now rewriting the script.
Rewind 30+ years, then 10 years ago, and a few versions of myself and my business. At times when I was a solo agent aiming to go from 36 deals to 45, and then to 90, I thought if I built a team, I could hit those numbers. But here’s the thing… chasing more costs more: time, money, and gray hair. Managing people, training people, hiring and firing—it’s all time and money. But at least I had solid systems, structure, and processes in place. What could go wrong?
Well, a lot! Over the years some team members were super profitable, others… not so much. Some cost me too much time and money and gave me plenty of gray hair—even a few wrinkles to boot. I rushed a few support hires because I was overwhelmed. I held on to certain people for too long. I avoided outsourcing because I was afraid of losing control—and adding to my expenses freaked me out.
But those weren’t even my biggest failures. My biggest failures? I was solely responsible for too much. I was focused on volume instead of profit, constantly trading time for money. I grew without the intention I should have. I didn’t have time to invest the money I was making, and all of my income was active. I didn’t take the time to find the right people or fully identify all the necessary roles for my team. I was constantly chasing the wrong things! Some days, I was too busy to even think. How the hell can any of us make good decisions in that state? I was building my business—but not in the right way.
The Wake-Up Call
Ever wonder what would happen to your business if you stopped selling? If the answer is yes, and you know your business would die without you, then it’s not really a business—it’s just a job. If that’s your intention, then great.
But if you want something more than a real estate job—if you actually want to build something that is sustainable, gives you time and money back, and that you can retire on—you need to step into the role of being a business owner.
4 Steps to Get on the Right Track
Unapologetically jump off the hamster wheel and pause. Less busy work and more evaluating + planning will go a long way.
Take an honest look at your business. What’s working, and what’s not?
Get a business plan in place. Have everyone on your team do the same. Here’s the plan I’ve used with over 200 agents. It has 5 parts, and yes—it’s a lot, but my biggest naysayers end up loving it the most. The RGCO Business Plan will help you identify gaps and create a clear roadmap.
Let go of what drains you. The tasks, the people, the systems that don’t serve you or your clients.
And lastly, get yourself into new rooms. Ask new questions. You’ll be surprised by what shifts.
Speaking of Rooms…
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