Leah Maieski: Social Media and Circle of Influence

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progressive casualty insurance company and affiliates, potential savings will vary, not available in all states. Hey, this is Leah mayescu with sleep real estate. If you are looking to level up your real estate business, you need to be listening to the real estate excellence podcast with my good friend Tracy Hayes. Welcome to Real Estate excellence making lasting connections to the best of the best in today's industry, elite. We'll help you expand your circle of influence by introducing you to the leaders in the real estate industry, whether it's top agents who execute at a high level every day, or the many support services working behind the scenes, we'll share their stories, ideologies and the inner workings of how they run a truly successful business, and show you how to add their tools to your belt. Now please welcome the host with the most Tracy Hayes,

Tracy Hayes  1:02  

Hey, welcome back to The Real Estate excellence podcast. Your host Tracy Hayes, and if I had my notes correctly, we'd be there we go, right there in front of me today, I think I have one of the fastest growing real estate agents in Northeast Florida. She is nearing three years in the business. She has been recognized by the Jax real producers magazine for her production in 2021 she is consistently month over month on the short list at her very popular brokerage of slate real estate. If you are a new agent, an agent who is just not moving as fast as others may be around you, I'd be taking notes during this episode. It's going to be detailed, because she is making things happen. I want to welcome Leah Maskey to the show. Thank you.

Leah Maieski  4:41  

then ended up going into the field of adults with developmental disabilities, so like, a case manager type role up in New York. And then my husband, now, we started dating, so he's from Long Island also, and I was like, you know, I think we should start looking for jobs in Florida. Like the cost of living in New York is so high the weather, like, all the reasons you know that everybody.

Speaker 1  1:45  

I was gonna ask

Tracy Hayes  1:47  

you before the show, and I forgot all about putting everything together, but yeah, that's pretty good. That's pretty good. So Leah, I appreciate you coming on because I see the post coming out, and you know you're you're not even just coming up on 3536 months now in the business. Yeah, and you know, Cole's got a great brokerage over there. He's you guys got some top people and your names in there, yeah, with some much more experience, or seasoned, I should say, people, but how you've moved your career along pretty quickly, relatively speaking, the most is what I'm really interested in. Hopefully you're sure, yesterday, for sure, excellent. So let's start off with tell us a little

Leah Maieski  2:25  

about where you from. So I grew up on Long Island, New York, the Hamptons is where I'm from. So born and raised out there, and ended up coming to Jacksonville University for my undergrad. So I mean, I loved growing up on Long Island. You know,

Tracy Hayes  2:38  

you selected Jacksonville University from Long Island,

Leah Maieski  2:42  

yeah, I only went to schools in Florida. Oh, pretty small schools too, because where I'm from, it was like less than 200 in a graduating class. There was like five towns that went to each high school, right? So it's pretty country out there, yeah? So I only looked at schools in Florida. I kind of wanted to have a fresh start. You know, not know anyone so interrupted with Jacksonville University, because they had a football team at the time, Beach City. I was like, I like it. Interesting.

Tracy Hayes  3:06  

Interesting. I grew up on Cape Cod and was similar to you. Had you we were we call NASA Regional High School because it was made up of four towns. Now it's actually a few other towns that have come in there because they dissolved with other high schools. But yeah, same type of small class type of thing, but wow, you actually chose Jacksonville University from what did the other schools just not interest you? You just came down, came and visited and

Leah Maieski  3:31  

said, Yeah, yeah. So my mom and I flew down to Jacksonville and kind of hit all the schools, like going south that I applied to. So it was like, Stetson, Florida, Gulf Coast one in Boca, I think it was Lynn University. So we kind of did a whole road trip. That's nice. Stetson was nice. That was really pretty. The price tag was nice, yeah, it was private, yeah. So yeah. I just love Jacksonville, like my mom and I, you know, growing up by the beach, and then having the city and all the sports and different things.

Tracy Hayes  3:58  

Yes, I am, I am saddened that ju did get rid of their football team here a couple years ago. I used to officiate some of their games here in the last decade. And, yeah, see them. See them dissolve that. But anyway, but you went on also, well, you graduated from Ju, and then you, a few years later, you go back to North Central, yeah, yeah. So what did you do between there and what decided you to go get your master's?

Leah Maieski  4:23  

So after I graduated ju I moved back home to New York, so back in with my parents, started, you know, my first job, which I graduated with a sociology degree. So it was kind of like Social Work case management type. Worked with pregnant parenting teens actually as a case manager at 22 and

Leah Maieski  5:00  

Leaves. So, yeah, exactly. So I got him to start applying for jobs in the correctional field. So we ended up, he got a job with the state, and we moved to Ocala. So to get back to Florida, you know, we needed a little stepping stone. So ended up in Ocala for a couple years, bought our first house as a foreclosure. So it was kind of my intro into, you know, buying real estate, and didn't have the best experience with a realtor there at the time. You know, being a first time home buyer, I didn't know you can interview realtors, you know, and kind of pick one. It was just like, you call from Zillow, you get the first person on the phone, and then you kind of, yeah, so didn't have the best experience with her, but we ended up getting a house. It was like 110,000 foreclosure didn't need a lot of work, so that was kind of my first so ended up in Ocala for about four or five years, and then I was like, We got to get back to a coast. So my husband started applying for jobs with the sheriff's offices, and ended up getting on with St Johns County Sheriff's Office. Great, yeah, so he's been there since 2016

Tracy Hayes  5:54  

Oh, awesome. Yeah, awesome. So you decide to go back and get your Masters I saw in higher education. So what was your vision at this time of what you wanted to do?

Leah Maieski  6:03  

So I was kind of over case management. You know, there's not a lot of places to go up until you get your master's degree in that field. So I was unhappy with my job, you know, kind of running around. And I was like, Well, I really loved my whole college experience. I was like, if I can get into higher education and kind of be like an administrator, you know, in a university like that was my goal at the time. So it's like, well, let me at least go online, you know, to get my Master's online. So ended up doing that took about, I think, a year and a half, two years, to get that so working full time, got my master's, and then once we got up to Jacksonville, I started applying for jobs with, you know, UNF and FSCJ, but it's really hard because I had the flexibility. And then they basically want you to start from the bottom. So it was kind of like an entry level position, not having flexibility in my schedule anymore, being there from eight to five and basically taking a pay cut. I was like, I don't think I could do Yeah.

Tracy Hayes  6:55  

So where do you where at this point do you get introduced to real estate?

Leah Maieski  6:59  

So yeah, when we we sold our first house in Ocala and then bought a resale up here in Jacksonville. So the second group of Realtors I had a really good experience is actually the Josh Rogers team that helped me buy and then eventually sell and build. So that was, like, a totally different experience with realtors. So ended up buying a resale. And then I was like, let's see how much they make from when you're, like, going through the process, I was like, Okay, this is like, this could be interesting. Because I always loved going through the process of buying and selling, and just like looking, you know, what homes are worth and all of that. So it kind of piqued my interest going through buying a resale, selling, you know, our house in Ocala. And then, honestly,

Tracy Hayes  7:36  

know, any realtors, though, personally at this

Leah Maieski  7:39  

no, the stage, no. So in New York, you know, a lot of people like, buy their first home and kind of stay there, you know, because homes are expensive. So it's like all my childhood friends in my home, like people were there 2030, years, right? So it's not like, you know, and I was young when I was in New York, so I mean, I had a great experience with the Josh Rogers team. Henny and Amy Korb were actually the two that I worked with. So that kind of piqued my interest, and then moving, we ended up building a home after that, so we were there in that first home, or second home for like, two years.

Tracy Hayes  8:08  

So you're, you're still working with, I had written a Florida agency with persons with disabilities at this time.

Leah Maieski  8:14  

Okay, yeah, so when I was in Ocala, I worked for the State agency and was able to transfer up here, so I was able to keep that job and, you know, continue to grab until I graduated, and then started to kind of look for other jobs. But then we ended up, because my husband's commute down to St Augustine was getting kind of far as we lived off Beach and kernin. So we're like, Well, should we put money into this house, like, a new roof, AC, or just build, like, closer? So we ended up building, and then at that point, St John's County, so we're right, um, Bartram Creek is right down the street. Yeah, yeah. So we've been there now since 2018 and then kind of personal struggles started to happen in 2018 to 2019 I started going through infertility, so it's been years of that at this point. And then my dad passed away in April 2019, and that's when I was like, I need to change. Sorry, I'll get emotional. Yes, that's okay, but that's kind of what pushed me into real estate. Was like, I need a distraction, you know? So I signed up for real estate school, like, the month after my dad passed away.

Tracy Hayes  9:12  

Did you feel you just like you needed more of a challenge, or you just wanted to be more of your life, to be of an impact?

Leah Maieski  9:20  

It was kind of a combination, like, I needed a distraction to, like, something new to focus on. Just so I wasn't because I was actually, like, going through a miscarriage and my dad passed away, like, right in the same month. So it was like, there was just a lot personally happening that I was like, I need a distraction. Life is short. You know, I've been interested in real estate for a couple of years. Like, let me just jump in and try it. So I signed up, you know, the next month, I think it was like may 2019 for real estate school, ended up passing, you know, my first time, which I know was really hard, and I wasn't expecting to pass in July of 2019 and then signed up for Keller Williams, like that month.

Tracy Hayes  9:58  

So at this point, when you. You decided to make, yeah, this. These life things happen. You decide to go into. Are you talking to any real estate? You know, did you call the Josh Rogers team or the agents that? So, were you communicating with them? Or did you just dive in?

Leah Maieski  10:12  

I was so Amy Cora, this who kind of reached out to me when I, I actually think I reached out to her first to say, Hey, I'm thinking about going into real estate school. She had me on the phone. She was like, I'll bring you into Kell Williams to introduce you to all the leadership there. So she did walk me around, and I knew, you know, she did a great job, but she had just sold my house off each and kernin. And so I was like, Well, I did interview, I think maybe two other brokerages, right? But with Keller Williams, and, like, the training that they have for new agents kind of just stood out to me. And I was like, I don't know what I'm doing. You know, as soon as soon as you graduate, I'm like, I have no idea. Yes, so I just signed up for Keller because of all

Tracy Hayes  10:46  

their new endorsement and that. So, so you go, I mean, you just give notice at the state and no, so did you work overlap a

Leah Maieski  10:56  

little bit? I overlapped actually, for like, a year and a half. Oh, so I was no longer at the state agency anymore. I was with us. It was like a subcontracted company that did case management for adults with developmental disabilities. So it did give me flexibility, but I was full time, so I had, like, a caseload. I think it was like 40 to 42 individuals that I, you know, had X, Y and Z, I had to do for the month. But I can kind of do it whenever. So it wasn't like I had to clock in, you know, from eight to five. It was like I could try to get 10 visits done, you know. And then I had flexibility during the week where if I had an inspection or showing things like that, so I was very nervous to leave my, you know, steady like paycheck. So it did take me a lot longer than I was expecting.

Tracy Hayes  11:34  

I think it's almost harder, you know, obviously I've had a lot of women who, like, were like, stay at home moms, and then became realtors. I think it's actually not to take anything away from because what they're doing is tough too. But I think it's almost tougher when you're actually been an employee and that regular check coming in, you're like, oh my god, what now that checks gonna be cut off if I go, you know, in there, versus when you don't have the check coming in, and you got to do something, okay? Well, you got to do something, right? You don't, you didn't have to do something. It's extra, but it's made all the difference for sure. But yeah, I think that's a little tougher decision, especially when a family and your husband, you guys are looking at the bills. And obviously he's in the sheriff's department, so it's not like he's right. The money's rolling right. You're coming off a tree somewhere. So to make that, decisions got to be, got to be difficult. So tell us what those initial roughly 18 months are as you're overlapping. I mean, you go to Keller Williams, everyone will tell you the test doesn't right. Test you for knowledge that you need to know to get a license. But after that, it's up to you to market and all. What are you initially doing? Do you team up with a Senior Agent? What do you do to get your business started? What was it like that first, you know, let's say first six months, and then we'll go on

Leah Maieski  12:50  

from there. So I went through the Ignite program with Keller Williams, which, I think it's changed names in August, and I, as soon as I went through that, I started farming my neighborhood. So I have not missed a month, is that where you're calling so there's different ways to farm. Majority of what I did was in our Facebook group on the community page. So every first of the month, even to this day, I post the market stats like, I do not miss a month. It's, you know, saved in my phone as an alert.

Tracy Hayes  13:15  

He knows you're an expert in that neighborhood. Yeah, yes. So I've coupled

Leah Maieski  13:18  

that now with adding mailers. We do, like local business coupons. Every month, I send that out to my neighborhood, and then I've had appreciation events, like I did a, I think it was an ice cream truck last summer, and just had so just trying to keep my name out there. And it took a while, you know, for that. I mean, it was like a good nine to 10 months of me posting consistently, until I finally got the call to list list the house in my neighborhood, right? And then it's kind of, you know, really just

Tracy Hayes  13:45  

slowly growing. Yeah, that that is what, that's what a lot of people don't understand about our business. And obviously the podcast I listen to, or if you read the books, you know, consistency is number one thing. And if you just tried that for two months and and quit, you'd probably be back with the site right now, right? Yeah, yeah, but you stayed consistent and true to it. And then people, and the people who are close to you also, you know, they know she just started, right? You know, she was worked for the states she was doing, let's see. But after 910, months a year, you know, I'm still, she's still a real estate agent. Okay, now we'll try her hour, maybe recommend her or something, for sure. Yeah, that's so key. So key.

Leah Maieski  14:28  

Yeah, so that was one thing, but then in the beginning, so I never even thought about a team like, I just never really crossed my mind. But I was approached that there was a small team in my brokerage at Keller, hiring. So at that point, I had, like, gone through ignite in August,

Tracy Hayes  14:41  

recruiting, I don't like, yeah,

Leah Maieski  14:46  

looking to recruit their first agent, right? So I didn't even think about it, but it's like, well, let me go see what they have to say. Right? So in October, I joined a small team with Keller, and then between October and December that first year, I ended up closing four. So it was like two that I. Had brought in for my sphere and the two that I got from the team, you know, this is starting pretty good, and then going into 2019 I was on the team, but still working, you know, full time, but I was literally working seven days a week. So do open houses on the weekends. You know, I was definitely running, running myself a little range, starting at this, at that

Tracy Hayes  15:17  

time that you're just talking about, Are you starting to, you know, you had, you had a few sales, you're starting to taste it. You're starting to see what's there. And that's what's driving you to go grab those open houses that other agents may not want to do. Or they maybe they have two open houses and you're doing one for them. Is that what's kind of starting to fire

Leah Maieski  15:37  

you up? It is, yeah, I mean, for sure, it was the personal stuff of me going through infertility because it's not covered by insurance and it's very, very expensive. So it was like I had a goal to save before I can leave my job, but I also was having to pay for all this additional medical stuff. So it was like, the two driving factors for me, I'm like, I want to leave my job. I can't work seven days a week forever. I mean, even though, you know, we kind of always work, but yeah, it was definitely like getting my first couple feeling more confident, and then just continuing to do the farming and different things, and eventually, people finally reaching out and taking me seriously.

Tracy Hayes  16:09  

Yes, tell me. Tell us a little bit about what you took from your previous career because you have a master's degree not directly related to the real estate industry. Someone who said, I want to get in real estate, it's not going to it's not going to get the master's degree that you have, right? But what are the things that you learned in that previous career, going and getting your degrees that you bring to the table now?

Leah Maieski  16:33  

So I was having to manage a lot of different people. I was like, the liaison between the client, the different, you know, the parents, to the different coordinators and things like that. So it was kind of being able to multitask and manage different people and different expectations, but also just being super detail oriented

Tracy Hayes  16:49  

and, like living by my planner, level of communication, yeah, here in it, yeah, yeah.

Leah Maieski  16:53  

So just host, you know, I was basically having to hold meetings with different people, being able to, you know, meet people's expectations, living by my planner, because, you know, it's so every day was different, even in that job, you know, some days I would be doing home visits, other days I would be having, you know, because you were

Tracy Hayes  17:09  

dealing with people with disabilities, is a little emotionally taxing, yeah, for sure. So, you know, understanding different type of emotion, buying a house, but you are dealing with people and their emotions and how, how you can, how you read them, I would imagine. I mean, do you communicate differently with people? Because you understand, right, there's emotions involved, but I need to deal with this person a certain way versus that

Leah Maieski  17:33  

person, yeah, trying to mirror their communication styles. Or, you know, mirror, or try to, like, calm down, you know, right? There's a lot of, like, different fires that you're having to put out in that job, and then now this job, so it's kind of like keeping everyone calm, like trying to come up with solutions and different things like that. So that definitely helped.

Tracy Hayes  17:50  

So what do you do? You know, to keep your your mind. You know you're highly educated woman, to keep going. Are you a podcast listener? You like reading books? Are you in the industry journals? What do you do to keep fresh and educated?

Leah Maieski  18:06  

Yeah. So, I mean, at Slate real estate, we do have different industry professionals that are always coming in to do different trainings to stay, you know, up on what's going on currently in the market. But I do love podcasts. I listen to some for work, and then some just to kind of decompress, you know. And just like listen to something totally different, empowering ones, you know, building confidence. And then I am an avid reader too. So I do that also for fun, you know, just novels, just to kind of like, be able to check

Tracy Hayes  18:30  

it, yes, yeah, exactly, yeah. Take your mind somewhere else off of it. I think, you know, being in this is becoming up in my first full year of the podcast. Your episode 67 or eight, to think about that. But so I see the industry jar. I'm on the Facebook pages for these podcasts that I went to a convention, so I'm on the spot, and I see other podcasters out there and what they're doing. And yet, everyone knows the Gary V's, they know Grant Cardone, he probably does a podcast too, but Joe Rogan, they know the big names. And what they don't realize is there's a lot of people out there that have stories, like yourself, they started a podcast, or they have an interest in something that you maybe you're interested, like crime and stuff is like, actually a big podcast, these people, you know, these unsolved crimes and stuff like that. There's people into that. But to me, probably would agree, it's generally, I've never heard a negative message. It's generally a positive message that you're getting whatever, if you're listening to the industry of real estate or any, anything else generally. The thing is, it's knowledge that people are sharing. They're sharing your experiences. You're like, you know what? I've experienced that too, and this person overcame it, and this is how they did it, and they're it's inspiring. She makes you feel good. As to me, when you're reading a book and you finish the book and say, Well, I just yeah, that whole book, you feel good. First. And keeps you going. How important is it you know when you're when you're rolling regularly at the top, that you've been there at slate to keep that positive momentum every day in coming in? How important is that in your overall, your role plan, and your overall success, just having a mental, positive mental, miles.

Leah Maieski  20:20  

Oh yeah, it's so important. And, I mean, I'm always, like, setting goals for myself yearly, monthly, quarterly, you know, things like that. So always kind of going back to that. And really, you know, remembering my why, like, why I'm in it, why I work so hard? Because there's obviously hard days and hard months. So it's just trying to, I mean, self care now, like, I never really used to, like, buy into that, but I'm like, I have to take care of myself first. Yes, so, and I'm finally in a position where I can afford to do some of those things, you know, so just to take care of yourself, because you obviously won't do a good job, or can't take care of other people if you're not mentally like in a good spot,

Tracy Hayes  20:53  

yeah, whether, whether it's a, you know, positive book, podcast or whatever, mentally staying, keeping fresh, physically, you know, whatever exercise or whatever you like to do, because it is, it is taxing. You're dealing with people. It is a large purchase. They're stressed out. You get stressed out, you know, in this industry, how many times have we wanted to plan something and all sudden someone calls and you're like, Yeah, family, I want to do it, but this is worth, you know, X $1,000 over here. I mean, I'm doing that for you, that kind of thing. So it does drain on you physically, as well as mentally and standing sharp. So you're coming up on these, you know, roughly a year and a half that you're overlapping what gets you to cut the

Leah Maieski  21:41  

so I had, you know, $1 amount goal. I wanted to cover X amount of months, you know, of expenses saved, and then have, you know, some things in the pipeline, right? So I was past that, you know, I had more than what I originally had set. So my husband's like, you just need to do it. Just, you know, he really pushed me to

Tracy Hayes  21:58  

just, so this is, like, summer 2020,

Leah Maieski  22:01  

so this was March 2021, that I ended up officially, like, leaving my job, I think a couple months prior, like January, I went, like, part time, so I was able to cut my case load in half, right? But even then, you know, it was still, like, I had two cell phones, you know, I was running around with my other work phone, and then this phone, and it was just like, yeah, too much. So finally, he's like, you know, you got to do it, you know, he 100% supported me. So I was like, All right, so I put in my notice, and that was March 2021, and then my team that I was still on ended up parting ways that same month. So it was like, I kind of made the decision based off of all this information. And then that kind of changed after I already, you know, left my job. So I was like, yeah. I was like, so I had a choice, either, like, go with one of the team leads or go on my own. Like, what was I gonna do? So it was another big discussion with my husband, just like talking through it all. And basically one of the team leads was leaving Heller to go to sleep real estate. So I ended up meeting up with Cole, talking to him a lot, just kind of really thinking about it.

Tracy Hayes  23:00  

And I ended up when he left it, just, when did

Leah Maieski  23:04  

he leave? I think he started sleep real estate in November like, so it was like, November 2020

Tracy Hayes  23:09  

from November 2020 so it hasn't been quite too nice yet. Yeah, so he, like, didn't,

Leah Maieski  23:13  

we didn't have our office yet, you know, he was like, in his old office. But then he was about to be homeless, you know, until our new one was completed. So it was like, I mean, I really did, like Keller Williams, I probably wouldn't have left if the team had kind of stayed together or whatever. Like, I was happy there, because I got a lot of trainings I was on. I was a red shirt for the ALC, the Leadership Council. Like, it was, like, kind of an up and coming, you know. So I liked it there, but meeting Cole, meeting all of his agents, and then kind of having to decide if I was going to stay on the team and which direction to go in. I ended up going to sleep. I think it was mid March 2021, so we were a smaller team, because now it was just one team lead me and our admin. So I just had to kind of jump in because I didn't have my job anymore.

Tracy Hayes  23:56  

So an interesting statement came up in actually the guess it was the last no two podcasts ago in this broker made a statement that I think is so true, and if you could speak to it is, you know, as as an agent, you were, you know, you felt comfortable in the team setting, because the team, Well, initially you saw that they possibly could add value, but obviously they did add value to your relationship, and when that relationship or that leader, broker who or team leader, or whatever it is, is no longer adding value to you, it might be time to step out, whether step out on your own or change teams, because that person has run its course. I think some people feel like, Oh, I'm here. I can just stop moving. But if you're a leader, you got to constantly be, you know, obviously adding value to your team. What were some of the initial things that, besides, obviously, they gave you, you talked about the month that you gave you a couple and you had your own right, obviously, that's value, because it's dollar. Dollars, but what kind of values did you get from your Team at Keller Williams, and then what did you see in Cole and in his team? And what are you getting out of that from a value standpoint, above and beyond the actual leads?

Leah Maieski  25:12  

Yeah, so I mean, especially in the beginning, like I didn't know how to write a contract, so I was able to go to one of the team leads houses on a Saturday night, and literally, she walked me through it. So it was like having the hand holding and training, like one on one was really valuable, especially in the beginning. So just kind of learning how to literally write a contract and, like, do all of those things that are necessary, but just continuing, like the month weekly meetings we would have kind of just, it just pushed you, you know, because you would be talking about the leads that you had, you know, that you were bringing in and what you were doing with them, what you had going on that week and the closings in the month.

Tracy Hayes  25:45  

Well, tip on the team meetings a little bit obviously, because most of your career has been through the whole covid, right? How important is it to be? Because imagine you were doing a lot of zoom calls, hopefully you're getting back, yeah. But how important Zoom is all you got to be there. But if it's in the office, how important is that to be part of that and show up?

Leah Maieski  26:07  

It really was so important, because you're held accountable, you know, so for what you're doing, what you're bringing to the team, and then also just getting ideas like how to kind of navigate the way that covid was, you know, we were doing virtual open houses, virtual tours, you know, so many things on the Facebook groups, you know, of people relocating to Florida, like, being able to capture leads

Tracy Hayes  26:25  

that way, I would imagine, like, like, doing the virtual tours. There's probably, there's probably was people like, Oh, this isn't gonna work. Yeah, this is not gonna and obviously it did. But you had, you have to hear other success stories from others sometimes, if you're kind of, like, caught in that mental block, is this gonna work? Is this not going to work? Well, so and so is doing it, try it. Maybe it is working. And it goes, yeah, yeah.

Leah Maieski  26:46  

It was definitely challenging. I mean, obviously I was pretty new, so I didn't know too much of another way of doing it. So it was kind of like coming into it when kind of everything was changing and, you know, shifting. But it was definitely challenging. But I think just being held accountable is such an important piece of it. You know, someone else telling you, hey, you know, you got to meet these goals. Or, you know, do that?

Tracy Hayes  27:08  

Do you think that, obviously, we know a lot of agents never, never have made it as far as you have percentage that drop out, yeah, that type of thing that when you use the term holding you accountable. Some of them are not, and for lack of better words and not to demean anyone, but just there's a maturity, I think, as an adult, you look into yourself and like say, Well, what motivates me? What? What situations am I better in than others? You know, some most are better in a structured environment. Which real estate, no one may No one wakes you up in the morning. Cole, ain't saying it's time to get out of bed. You know you have to hold your own self accountable. But when you can rely on the others to kind of indirectly hold you accountable, you know they're doing it. They're going out and doing this that maybe you, hey, you need to get involved, you need to be active, you need to show up. So it means, do you feel some that sometimes that we're being held accountable? Some people look at it as almost a negative thing, and that's probably why they're they weren't successful or not successful.

Leah Maieski  28:15  

Yeah, because you have to be pushed outside of your comfort zone. You know, like, it's not easy in the beginning. Just you don't know very much. So it's like having to show up, you know, put yourself out there and talk to strangers about buying and selling real estate, which is probably their biggest purchase, you know, it was really nice to have that accountability, because it worked for me, you know, like, it really did help for me to I'm like, Okay, on Monday morning, I don't want to say I have nothing going on, you know. So it was like, I wanted to make sure I was contributing, like, my own leads for my sphere, and then also working the team leads.

Tracy Hayes  28:46  

Sarah Rocco mentioned something a couple episodes ago, obviously, a top Keller Williams agent. And she mentioned, like, two months after she got started, didn't know, you know, really, anything about real estate. She was a stay at home mom. Divorce happens, she goes and puts it on a credit card and goes to an event. Totally changed her whole vision of what real estate is. Yeah. Would you agree that, you know, a lot, a lot of people get in they have an idea of what real estate is, oh, yeah, and, but the thing is very small, and you're like, Oh yeah, I'll just, you know, I'll get people, and there's people want to buy houses and so forth. But it's not quite that easy. You actually got to get someone who calls you, because either they probably they like and trust you, or are willing to give you a shot. And obviously, getting to that point is, you know, part of the first initial key in the door. But you know how important is to hang around. Obviously, Kohl's at a high level, talking these people to kind of give you that 30,000 foot level, because you're not quite there, right? You're starting off on a very great you're trying to park through the grass. Yeah, yeah.

Leah Maieski  29:51  

It's so important to surround yourself with people that have obviously done super well in the business and that you can just learn from. You know, I've reached out to Melissa Ricks like, right? When I left the team, just to try to pick her brain a little bit on because I knew that she was on a team, you know, before she took off. So I've had lunch with her. I'm really good friends with Sarah Schwartz, who started just a couple months before me. So we're pretty, you know, right? She did. So just last week, I think it was finally so her and I, I mean, we almost have weekly lunches, and we were, like, texting all day, yeah. So we've become really, really good friends. So it's nice to have people that are going through similar things that you can, you know, because her and, I mean, she's doing awesome, like she's, she's doing so well. So she just started her own team because she's about to have a baby, so she has one agent now under her, which is my goal too, eventually, to have my own small team.

Tracy Hayes  30:41  

So I think, you know, obviously, one of the common themes that I hear from the top agents is surrounding yourself with other successful, you know, agents, in this case, yeah, and you know, like you said, holding yourself accountable, but there's an energy in the room. I mean, one of the things I get from the podcast is obviously sitting next to top agents and hearing their stories and so forth, to me, is like reading a personal development every day. Yeah, it's awesome. Yeah, you know, I get an energy out of it, obviously, getting to know you. But you guys are, you're, you're in the industry, and you're producing it at a top level, and how important it is. And you know, for any of the new agents like stuff you reach, I assume you reached out to Sarah and said, Hey, let's get together. And then it's just blossomed a deeper relationship. And then the reach out to the Melissa Rick's was a shot Shonda Capone, who said on her Facebook a couple months ago that she was gaining weight because all these people wanted but that's what you're you know, if you're listening to the podcast, it's a common reach out to these people. There are enough of them for them to share their stories. So, you know, the real producers magazine, that's the top 500 right? And I think cut off for 2021. Was somewhere almost at the 10 million mark. So, yeah, there's obviously people in there doing 20, 30 million, or someone like Melissa Ricks, I think it was in the, you know, near 70 million is what she did, personally, yeah. Personally did, yeah, that that's a whole nother level. But you got to hang with these people. Oh yeah. You gotta, you know, whether you're having lunch with them or coffee or occasionally happy hour, or whatever it is, and in talk shop. Because would you agree right now is probably, you know, as a real estate agent, is, when it comes to strategy, how you list the house. Know you're going to get multiple offers, but how to list it so you get enough multiple offers that's going to drive me over asking and then, as the buyer's agent, how to strategize and making that offer, yes, and you have to get on the phone and make

Leah Maieski  32:36  

some phone calls. Yeah, for sure. Yeah. All about relationships. I mean, just calling the listing agent when you are representing the buyer, I feel like there's so much because you find out what the seller is looking for, you kind of build that rapport automatically. It doesn't work every time you know, but a lot of times it does, because then when they get my email and my text saying, Hey, I just submit an offer, they can and they feel

Tracy Hayes  32:54  

comfortable calling you back, because you actually broke the ice of calling them and you've had a conversation, which I imagine they a lot of times they get these phantom offers, right? Oh, yeah, come in and, you know, they only know who that is, type of thing, yeah, even as a new agent, if you're working under, you know, let's say a Sarah Rocco, obviously, or something like that, to make that phone call and say, hey, yeah, I'm on the Sarah Rocco team, or something like the name drop a little bit to give yourself some credibility, yep, until you obviously get there, and part of the credibility is the people

Leah Maieski  33:27  

you hang out with. Yeah, definitely. Yeah. I know. I feel like that with slate real estate, because everybody knows Cole. He has such a great reputation. We're always giving back to the community in some way, right? So I feel like everybody kind of knows him, and it kind of gives me that credibility

Tracy Hayes  33:39  

too exactly to say you're on the team, so you make the jump over there. What was the value that Cole imagine? Obviously, met with him before over there. What was the value add that selling you? Because we were sales people, what everyone sold on? A lot of things. He was, he had a sales pitch of why to come over to sleep. So what was, what was his vision? What was the value add that he was gonna give you,

Leah Maieski  34:01  

yeah, so at the time, I was still on my original team that we had just kind of parted ways with, you know, the two team leads, I went with one of them. So for Slate real estate, they don't just do their splits based on production. It was also based on your community involvement, or involvement in, you know, nefar and, like, all these different associations. So I really liked that because, luckily, I had some sales under my belt at that time. So I was already starting, you know, not at, like the base, you know, commission split, but for someone new, you're able to go on and get become involved in a community group, get an extra percentage, you know, and do all these different things. So how does he measure that? So there is a whole form. Yeah, there's a whole formula that he has, you know, because you can, kind of, like, there's different ways, so it's not just based on production, which I really like that he wants, like, well rounded agents, you know, people that are involved in community and different different groups, and, you know, getting the education, getting different designations, you get, you know, more of a percentage. Split for all of those things.

Tracy Hayes  35:01  

Well, as a business person, my immediate thought is, hmm, he just created a comp plan in real estate that actually drives behaviors that are found in a lot of your top agents. Obviously, he's felt he's his success probably comes from the community involvement, and I do see you guys posting your events that you had. He's had a bunch over at the office and these community festival type things that he's doing and to create a compliment. So that is actually quite brilliant, because I think one of the failures in whether even in the loan officer role in the was your broker or lender. But when you just make it about money, as far as how you're getting paid, you can lose some people, but you grab some more in if you can get them, get that person, it might be just doing a few deals, treading waters part, so to speak, in deals, can they move up? How many? A couple more sales a month, a quarter, by getting involved in the community, and he's obviously the comp plan is driving the

Leah Maieski  36:05  

behavior exactly right? And then, obviously, the more people we meet, the more relationships we build. I mean, naturally, you're gonna be gaining clients, right? So, and I've always been involved, like in college, I was involved in different things. Right now, I'm involved. I'm the president of my alumni chapter in Jacksonville. You know, I just like to be around people. I'm very social. So for me, it kind of works, you know, because I'm already naturally doing these things, and it just keeps me, you know, involved.

Tracy Hayes  36:29  

Well, like I said that he probably has a discussion, or maybe it's just the culture there. I talked to some of the new loan officers here. I said, you know, we go to event, you got to have a plan, right? And we all, we often will migrate to those we know that we'll see them and we'll go there. We feel comfortable just chit chat there, and you'll see some people, and probably talk about some people you don't know but never actually engaged. What is Cole he's having these events. His comp plan incentivize you to be involved in these events. But what is, what is the coaching that hopefully he's giving you the how to how to handle yourself, or how to manage these events when you're there and actually come out with

Leah Maieski  37:13  

some value? Yeah. So a lot of them that we do are appreciation events. So we just did a teacher appreciation. We just did, I think we have one coming up in Military Appreciation next week. So it's all about meeting people, like a lot of times, it is past clients, but we're inviting other people and new, new people that we don't know. So I mean, all of us, for the majority, I would say, are pretty outgoing. You know that are there and we are a small group. So just just talking to people, just building natural, you know, relationships well,

Tracy Hayes  37:39  

they know Cole's a sponsor, oh, he's leading up the show that when they come there, those people probably expect to be approached by one or someone else in the brokerage at least say hi. Here's my business card, meaning, let me know. It's not a hard sales thing. It's again, creating those events that create the interaction. Yeah, I have mentioned it probably 50 of the 67 episodes. One of the most powerful things you can do is introduce people to other people. And I imagine those events.

Leah Maieski  38:10  

Oh, yeah, exactly, yeah, yeah.

Tracy Hayes  38:13  

All are all around some community, you know, charity or whatever, right? Whatever he's producing. What is this? Does he have a charity of choice,

Leah Maieski  38:21  

Best Buddies he's been involved with for like, 20 years, but we're just about giving back and appreciating, you know, he does crossing guards, I mean law enforcement, like just every different type of group. We're always trying to appreciate and not really expect anything in return, like we really are.

Tracy Hayes  38:34  

You know, it's, it's not a it's not rocket science that he just created there. It's brilliant that his comp plan actually incentivize that, but he's consistent with it exactly. Notice, obviously rebranding his slate real estate in the last roughly 18 months or so. And then obviously, I'm seeing his festivals. I saw him at rebar. Was joking about the need to show up at one of his, you know, the events. But sometimes, some of these communities people just appreciate, you know, sometimes they're a little difficult to get them there first time, but after they've been there the first time, they keep showing everyone, definitely, yeah, if you, if you show them, show what did you take from Keller Williams in, you know, the team you were there in, what we say you were there, roughly about it, well, rough, about half your time, 18 months. What did you take from there and then bring it to add to what Slate's coaching you or teaching you?

Leah Maieski  39:26  

I mean, I got a lot of trainings. I really tried to take advantage of all the Keller Williams trainings because I was so new. So just being at the office, and, you know, learning as much as I possibly can as a new agent. And then now at Slate, you know, just showing up to the office and working from there, being around all the positive energy and, you know, other people that are working helps, rather than sitting in my home office, you know, and kind of just getting distracted, or, you know, doing other things. How is

Tracy Hayes  39:50  

if you were looking a few things over your almost three years now, how big is education as that pie of success for you? How big was. Not only getting it from Keller Williams, but nefar or whatever. How big does that play in your ramp of success and how fast?

Leah Maieski  40:08  

I mean, pretty, pretty high up there, I'm, like, a natural learner. You know, I like, like taking notes and sitting and being around, you know, people that have more education and more experience than me. So even to this day, I mean, I love going to different retreats or trainings. And I was at re bar camp, you know. And I loved that it was my second time doing it in person. And, you know, you just get so much energy, and do walk away with a couple of really good pieces of, you know, business advice that you can utilize.

Tracy Hayes  40:33  

I preach a lot of times in, you know, because rebar was a whole day event, you had a lot of breakout sessions, yeah, in how many hours you're listening to somebody, or how many hours you're there in, really, when it comes down to it, you probably had maybe 15 or 20 minutes that were aha moments, yeah, that you may have gone back and implemented into your business. I think a lot of people underestimate that part, whether it's going to a rebar or going to a retreat. Oh, and I spend my, you know, this many days there. I listen to people talking about same stuff that I already know, this type of thing, and that rebar, there was a lot of that. I mean, obviously you had other industry professionals that maybe you've either heard before or somebody else said, and you're like, oh, okay, but you add it up all the time, there's probably about 15 minutes there when you're just, like, sets a light bulb off, yeah, and keeps you going. I think a lot of people underestimate that. Going to nefar, how do you are you just, you just go there, just enough to get your CE credits. Are you trying to take as much as that's interesting to you,

Leah Maieski  41:39  

to keep I try to take other classes. Yeah, not just CE, because a lot of that I do online too, right? But no anything that like piques my interest, like at Ari bar camp, it was a lot about video like, I'm really trying to implement that, or different social media reels and different things that you know is currently going on. So the different things that I'm trying to like creating

Tracy Hayes  41:57  

content in your social media, which social media got you started with the Facebook groups in there, right? So now you kind of put a little boost on there. Could get some little bit of content adding in

Leah Maieski  42:07  

Exactly, yeah. So, yeah. So, I mean, I really do try to things that I'm interested in that are are aligning with my goals for the year. Are different trainings and things that I'll like, sort of, you know, look after.

Tracy Hayes  42:18  

And sometimes I got this tip here. I won't try to remember who told me, but it wasn't that many episodes ago. I'm sorry. It was Sarah, Sarah Rocco. That was that's a if you have not listened to an interview, go back a few episodes. Sarah Rocco. She's high end producer. This woman is like I could feel like sitting next to her and her the power of her knowledge and where she's going. In her vision, it was just like bright as lights, right? And she's, she's gone to events and speakers done, and go up and ask, Is she said there was a speaker at her first event two months in the business at she went up and ask them, Can I get 10 minutes with you? Yeah, and sometimes going to some of those places, and even just rebar, where there's just other agents, you may know them, or know of them, they're around, you know they're around. And to say, Hey, I mean, what a great way to influence them a little bit, right? Say, Hey, I'm really interested in you. Can I get five minutes of your time. Yeah, I want to ask you some questions. You immediately, they're immediately, yeah, they got, they do. That's why they're up there. It is an ego thing. If they did not have it, they wouldn't be in front of all. They would be out there selling and could care less. But they're talking in front of you, and the fact you took interest in them, yeah, it's huge, yeah. And for her, it just took her on a whole nother Tracy. So sometimes just being in the room with it might not the subject might not actually be something you're totally interested in.

Leah Maieski  43:47  

Who's teaching it might actually, yeah,

Tracy Hayes  43:51  

see you in there and see you're interested in them. Yeah. From that standpoint, you seem to be in a just going back to your Facebooks where you've posted that you were top in the office, or one of the top persons in the office. What do you think is it you're doing, or have been doing, for the last say, since you went to coal, that you've been doing that's kept you know in that that those top notches each month, what are you doing

Leah Maieski  44:20  

so well, I was on the I came over to Cole with the team, and then so from March to November, I was still on that original team. And then I sat down with Cole to plan for my 2022, goals, and I kind of looked back at all the leads I had, and I said, I've actually brought in a lot more than what I got from the team. And I kind of had to reevaluate and say, Do I think I could do this on my own. So I ended up deciding that I was going to go out and be a single agent under slate real estate. So I think just having the confidence when I do look back and say, you know, I've generated a lot of my own business just from being involved the relationship I've built between, you know, college and then the groups that I'm involved in now. So I think it's just who. Posting consistently, and being consistent on social media has really helped people trust me and like, understand that I'm in

Tracy Hayes  45:06  

it for the long haul like and trust Yeah, social media consistency, exactly you talk. I'm president my alumni club here locally. That's probably, that's one of my probably number one. It would rank up there next to any of the any of my top real referral partners. Is my alumni associate, because they are seeing me, the podcast, online, consistently posting, reminding them, them into the business. What do you do with your alumni group? What do you do with them yourself, that to remind them of your

Leah Maieski  45:34  

so recently, the President, I think it's been, it started in September, so not even a year yet. So just being involved in going to all the events, because we do have events throughout the year. We're involved with the Ju chapter, so just giving back there, but just being friends with them on Facebook and kind of keeping in touch in between all of the different events that we're already doing, and then just having building the relationships and maintaining it. You know, outside of seeing them in person,

Tracy Hayes  45:58  

it's amazing how people will connect here. You're, I'm sure you're talking to alumni, that probably, some of them probably graduated 20 years before, oh yeah. And then some obviously after you they weren't there when you were there, basically. But because you are treaded the same turf as that, yeah, they see a like, like bond exactly together. And then obviously you're backing it up. Backing it up with, Hey, I've been doing this three years now, and I'm pretty good at it. Makes them feel comfortable recommending whether they're going to use you personally or maybe a friend outside of the circle, which is hugely powerful. Yeah, you know, a friend of theirs who might be moving in, you know, to refer you. That's one thing I preach to everyone, find out what your circles are. You exploit them in a positive way. They want to do business with their brothers and sisters of whatever alumni or whatever they really do. So but if you're not telling them that you're exactly, yeah, I mean just just another powerful circle. Dig deep. We all have them again. It could be as little as a ball, ball team your kids playing on, or maybe your softball make sure everybody knows by give them out a ball. Capture my I like to do this right here, the hand sanitizer and that that's valuable covid. So All right, so we, we touched on some of these things already, but I want you to, if you can just what how important it was. And if you have a story to add in there, please do. But these are, these are obviously common themes that we just really talked about, the consistency, and how many months just inconsistency we talked about initially doing the Facebook and all of a sudden started to bear fruit, right? I mean, how many times did you doubt it, like, Oh my goodness.

Leah Maieski  47:47  

I mean, a lot in the beginning, because you're like, I mean, is this gonna turn into anything? But I mean, just having the long game in mind, and I didn't want to be a part of the statistics of 85% you know, of agents drop out the first year, I was like, you know, I really want to make this my career. So just being consistent with that month after month, you know, keeping the reminder, because it doesn't take me a lot of time to do it, you know. So it's like, just be consistent. I have not missed a month, and it really

Tracy Hayes  48:11  

you do. Like, Melissa actually has a VIP page of her pass line.

Leah Maieski  48:16  

Yeah, she told me to start one, and I'm going to now that I'm, like, officially, you know, on my own and everything. She's like, you have to do that this year, like, make a video.

Tracy Hayes  48:23  

It's brilliant. I mean, what a great way. I mean, you think about people, we think about spending money like, hey, let's send them all out a mailer, which is good they do. Like the actually, people are into the real mail again, because, you know, to get with actual get a true card from somebody that knows you send you a card is powerful, but obviously there's costs there, or social media means it's free, right there. And create a VIP page, and then friend your friend, everybody in and then, you know, she does a little giveaway sometimes once a month, I mean, just to make it exciting, and again, make sure people are interacting, yeah, because they can all go through and like or just see your post, and not even just, even just say anything. You don't know if they're there, but if you throw some, you know, some bait out, yeah, see who's you know gonna come in and show up. So everyone has it, inconsistency, that period of doubt, yeah, whether or not it will work, absolutely, yeah. And I think people lose track of the business or in one individual deal, whether it's for a loan officer or real estate agent, pays pretty good. Handful of deals a month. You're, you're you're living pretty good. You could do so much more. Yeah, and that's really what somebody you know, expand that well, what if I do create a VIP list? What if I capture two or three extra past clients who, whether themselves or they, refer me because I'm reminding them on a regular basis. Right top of mind. Yeah, you mentioned social media. How important has that been from from this, from the start, and then you mentioned today, you're even trying to improve it more. How important is digital? Marketing in today's real

Leah Maieski  50:01  

estate world, I feel like it's one of the most important things, just because everybody is on it all day long. So as long as you're consistent, and like you said, I keep reminding people, not, you know, saying, Hey, I'm in real estate every single post, but just consistently showing, hey, I'm doing an open house. I have this one under contract, or, you know, something coming soon, just constantly reminding because everybody's on it all the time.

Tracy Hayes  50:23  

Have you had anyone either directly tell you, that's why they went with you?

Leah Maieski  50:29  

Um, I mean, definitely from my neighborhood page, because that's how people have seen me. I think in the past two years, I've listed maybe 10 homes in my neighborhood, and then I have two more coming up in the next month and and two months. So, I mean, that's really how someone has found me. It's just me being consistent and showing up on that.

Tracy Hayes  50:45  

Now, did you create the page, or you're just tagging into the community page, tagging in, tagging into the community page already. So some of you, if you don't already have a community page, you

Leah Maieski  50:56  

create exactly if you get in the beginning of the neighborhood, you know that's ideal to be the admin, but, yeah,

Tracy Hayes  51:02  

that would be great. There are some others. I know you mentioned Josh Rogers earlier I came over those pre, pre show or during the show, yeah, but like he's consistently building his YouTube page. I know other agents who are living in neighborhoods and they are hosting regularly. You know, whether it's YouTube or whatever their neighborhood. So someone searches that neighborhood, they're going to come up in the search, right? YouTube is the second largest search

Leah Maieski  51:29  

engine besides Google, yeah, that's actually how I found Josh Rogers. So when I was moving here from Ocala, I was Googling different neighborhoods, and he would be the first video popping up. So reached out to him, and then he ended up, you know, connecting me to someone on his team. But That's literally how I became a customer, and I used them three times, you know, before I got licensed to buy, sell and then build.

Tracy Hayes  51:47  

I'll eventually get in, but that's definitely get him into the show. But he's, he's definitely, you know, to talk about that consistency and what that YouTube channel and him making himself the expert of that name, and how much that means, because Do we not have a lot of people moving from outside the area, and they're Googling us in this put a video out there is, yeah, they can go see, flip through your pictures, but they actually put a video to see you talking and interacting. Is so powerful. It is, really, is, yeah, definitely, definitely mover. We talked about education, so you were you talking? If you fairly new agent walks in the cold say, haven't sold a home yet, whatever, just like a kid would come. Why should I, you know, I just need so many hours of CE, why should I go to that class at ne far? Or why should I show up at the office for this guest, the speaker who may be coming in, what would you answer them this

Leah Maieski  52:40  

I mean, the market changes so quickly, so I think just staying on top of what's currently going on, it could be completely different than six months ago or a year ago. So I think just continuing to evolve with the market will keep you, you know, being the top agent, just have knowing you know what's going on different. Our contracts recently just changed our purchase and sale agreement. So we've been going through training for that just to make sure that we know how to correctly fill it out

Tracy Hayes  53:04  

or in hearing other people explain it a different way to be asked a question. And you might pick up something and steal a little bit something from what they say and add it to you and put some people together. I think I call it verbal ammunition, yeah, whether you're listening to a podcast or you read a book or, you know, us telling them I'm stealing phrases from you. I'm stealing you know how to handle because when we're talking on the phone to a customer, you want to or being face to face, you want to sound like, you know. So when they ask you a question, yeah, you know how to properly phrase it. Use examples, right? Just like if someone's interviewing you, yeah. And you they say, Hey, are you good on following up? Yeah, I'm good. I'm following up. I'm so good on following up that when I followed up consistently with my customers for the last six months, I got three sales from it, yeah, and I was calling, you know, 10 clients a day. That's telling a story adds value and makes the person listening to you say this person knows what they're talking about that credibility. So to listen to others read or read or listen to podcasts, to add that mental ammunition, make you sound better when you're talking to people, yeah. I mean, how does that add to your confidence, too?

Leah Maieski  54:15  

Oh, it definitely does. I mean, the more time you're in, you're building confidence because you've experienced some crazy situation. So it's like now I can go back to, you know, different circumstances that have come up with in my real life, but also just hearing other people and how they've, you know, experienced or, you know, probably

Tracy Hayes  54:30  

because you go in the office regularly, and you hear stories, and you've never experienced that yourself, but you bring it into your fold, that when you're talking to somebody, you can say, hey, you really need To have that at home inspection. A friend of mine in the office just had one in this or didn't do it, and this blew up. This is why you need to have it. You just added value to why you're telling someone to have a home inspection, because you had a story and a recent one, exactly, something really blowing Yeah, so true. And your only way you're getting that story is showing yourself more surrounding. Yes, having lunch with that person who tells you that Yeah, right, exactly the number of at bats, I think, is important, whether you're a loan officer or a real estate agent, in your confidence level. Sometimes those at bats, so to speak, those deals, are actually other people's deals. You're just hearing yeah for sure, and you add to your belt, all right, you're sitting in front of a brand new agent or so. Let's say you almost, well, basically almost three years ago. It was three years ago. You're sitting here, what in you had, you could tell them three things that you highly, highly suggest they do and start doing it right from the get go. What would be the three things I

Leah Maieski  55:36  

would say? I mean, relationships are the key. So building relationships with other professionals in the industry, building relationships with your sphere and people that you know, and just maintaining those relationships. So staying in touch, being consistent with that, I think that's key to try to have a business that's referral based. It's just, you know, maintaining those healthy do you feel

Tracy Hayes  55:55  

when it comes to other relationships that actually you can part of maintaining is like, Facebook or, Oh yeah, seeing your family photos and so forth. You don't have to, like, get together, oh yeah, every month or week, you actually just sharing and seeing what each other are doing, yeah, liking

Leah Maieski  56:12  

their posts, commenting, wishing them happy birthday. So it's in different ways, you know, texting, you know, social media, like you said, and then trying to, you know, hopefully meet up with people in person as well, right? And then another one would be like, remember your why, because the business is not easy. So it's like, when you do have those hard days, hard weeks or months, just remember why you're in the business and why you're working so hard. Kind of always go back to that, because that's really helped me get through, you know, some tough months.

Tracy Hayes  56:37  

I don't know if you're if you're a woman of faith or not, but I swear he talks to me through social media. Sometimes, there's sometimes I'm in like, deep thought, or those impasses that we deal with in life, and all of a sudden I'll open LinkedIn or Facebook and someone has posted a quote or one of those motivational videos. There's some great short videos that you know, they've taken some people's speeches, whether it's Tim Tebow or, you know, so that, like, just give you that little shot that you need, that little push that you need because you hit that, you hit a hit a little hole, and you're like, Alright, I gotta get out of this hole. And then all of a sudden you open that, and you're like, Yes, that's what I need.

Leah Maieski  57:17  

Press on. Yeah, yeah. I do love quotes. I mean, all about keeping a positive mindset, you know.

Tracy Hayes  57:21  

So if you're not on Instagram, like some of these motivational stuff on Instagram, oh, my powerful power from very powerful spins me. All right, so relationships, remember your why? What's your third thing?

Leah Maieski  57:34  

I think third is just continue to grow. You know, you can never learn enough. And with the way that the market has changed so quickly. I mean, even now, we're seeing a shift. So it's just kind of staying in touch with people that are also in the industry, but continuing to, you know, broaden your education and stay on top of that, I think will really help.

Tracy Hayes  57:51  

I totally agree. Opportunities that open all the time, and they and they, they're opening because you're staying in front of you're growing, you're meeting people, you're going to trainings, you're hearing things, and now you're putting that with that, and now creates this new door to just in front of you. And I think people miss that constantly. Be what am I doing? I got 30 minute ride. You should be listening to a podcast, yeah? And not some talk radio stations just making me mad. Yeah, exactly. Or when you go home listening that yeah, this is gonna be my last formal question, who has been the most influence in your career? And that could be, that could be all the way just your professional career doesn't have to be real estate. Who would you give credit to has made you, you know, kind of who you are today.

Leah Maieski  58:38  

I mean, honestly, probably my dad, he was always like the person I would call at the end of every day that would give me a positive quote, positive spin, you know, just keep me going on. So he was a hard worker, but he was older and kind of retired by the time I got into my career. But he was always like my biggest cheerleader would always give me, like, a positive, like motivational way to keep going. And even now, like, I always have his words in the back of my head, because he's, unfortunately no longer here, but he's kind of like, how would I make my dad proud? And I wish I could show him all the things that I'm doing now, how

Tracy Hayes  59:09  

important it is to have someone that close to you, that you love, because unfortunately, I think, more times than not, some of our closest people who we want to tell you you can do it. You can do it. They're like, well, you know, you're gonna pay taxes. Yeah, you're not w2 Oh, if you don't sell a house this month, right? How you gonna eat? You know, that's the kind of doubts that you're putting in your mind when they really need to the is, you can do it. You can do it. Let me know if I can help you. Whatever that you know thing is so important, so important. All right, we're gonna go into our Two Minute Warning questions here. Wrap up. All right, if you've listened to any my episodes, I asked this question on everyone so you might already prepped your answer. Is it more important who you know or what

Leah Maieski  59:54  

you know? I mean, I feel like everyone almost says it's like both are so important. But I would on. Say who, like, I am always big on educating, but it's seriously about, like, who, you know, relationships you build, and then that could bring you to the next level.

Tracy Hayes  1:00:08  

It opens doors. It does, you know, I put the WHO with, you know, going to the class and, you know, asking the instructor for 10 minutes or presenting. But, you know, hanging out with someone like Cole slate, right? He's gonna there's it's not he's gonna give you doors. Doors will open because the knowledge that's pouring out of his bucket onto you and the other people that around you it is. You have to do it consistently, though, and when you do it, you'll be amazed by what you know that comes out. Yeah, for sure. Yeah, yeah. I totally agree. What's on your travel bucket list?

Leah Maieski  1:00:42  

Ooh, well, I went to Italy and Greece when I was in college, and I would love to go back to Europe. So I went on it was like a two week like student trip, and that's the only time I ever went to Europe. And I would love to go back, yes, so that's going back to the Greek islands. I mean, I would love to go back.

Tracy Hayes  1:00:57  

Yeah, yeah. I was fortunate enough, actually, in high school to go to Sweden. Yeah. Now me, my wife, have been other other places. And we generally like warmer thing. We like to scuba dive to type of thing. But we do want to get back to Europe, and we do need to take more, more time to do that. Yeah, all right, as a real estate agent, this my loan officer question pretty much. Well, actually, I pretty much have gotten the same answer nine out of 10 times. I think it one slightly different. One, what is the most important? Because to you with your it doesn't have to be just a loan or anyone you refer insurance, home inspector, what is the number one requirement that you require in that relationship?

Leah Maieski  1:01:35  

I feel like I probably have the same answer, communication, just trusting them, what that they're going to do, what they say they're going to do, and then, just like constantly, you know, proving would you agree?

Tracy Hayes  1:01:46  

Initially, you want a lot of communication, but after you build that credibility, or, you know, they understand, feel okay, you build the communication, could probably scale back on us a little bit, because, you know, they're going to call you it's off the rails. They don't have to keep calling and say it's on the real Yeah, good. We're good

Leah Maieski  1:02:04  

emails coming in.

Tracy Hayes  1:02:06  

So communication now you How do you like? Are you a text, or are you like email? Are you really like?

Leah Maieski  1:02:12  

I mean, if it's a quick thing, definitely a text or an email. You know, it's a long conversation about something that could have been an email.

Tracy Hayes  1:02:21  

I'm like, that's big puppies. Scrolling on the text.

Leah Maieski  1:02:25  

So I would say just if it's something quick, obviously, like a text or an email is easiest, because then I can keep track of it and not let something like fall through the cracks, right? But obviously, if there's a big situation going on the phone, yeah, yeah,

Tracy Hayes  1:02:36  

for sure, I appreciate you. Come on. Yeah. Thank you so much. I assure you, you have three years in. There's a lot of people getting in the business. Your information is in the show notes. What's the best way someone wants to talk to you? Maybe they're interested in, like, hey, you know, I thought about Cole, but, you know, I want someone else's opinion. Oh, yeah, what's the best way for someone to contact you?

Leah Maieski  1:02:57  

Um, honestly, a text or an email or even a DM on Instagram. You know any of those ways I'll always give Yeah, just reach out. Excellent Leah, thanks for coming on. Thank you. I appreciate it.

Podcast Intro  1:03:08  

This may be it for today's episode of Real Estate excellence, but we both know your pursuit of excellence doesn't stop here, to connect with the best of the best and really take your skills to the next level. Join our community by visiting Tracy Hayes podcast.com where you'll meet more like minded individuals looking to expand their inner circle and their personal experience that's available at Tracy Hayes podcast.com

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