Untitled

Not planning a vacation.

Sure, as my “own” boss I could, but I didn’t. I was busy, I let work take over and I didn’t plan for time off. Then, before you know it the year was over.

Funny, this was exactly what happened in my old career as a real estate paralegal. Guess there is truth in the old saying “some habits are hard to break”.

Then, one day my coach and I were talking and she helped me plan a vacation into my schedule. GOSH, it felt good and scary at the same time!

So the next year I planed for another one and then another one.

Sometimes it was just a long weekend. Other times it was a longer adventure in a foreign country.

Each one left me recharged, refreshed and ready to tackle my work when I returned.

My biggest mistake was not planning it into my schedule.

This year, as I work on plans, goals, and dreams for next year you better believe there are scheduled days off on my horizon.

I share this mistake with you – and the lesson I’ve learned so you don’t have to make the same mistake(s). Or if you’ve done this too, that next year, you make a shift and take some time off.

Your vacation doesn’t have to be anything fancy unless you want it to be, you just have to honor your commitment to yourself and TAKE THE TIME OFF!!

You’ll thank yourself for it when you return refreshed and recharged.

One of the questions I ask all my coaching clients when we’re first starting out is “What inspired you to start your business”?

I believe it is one of the most effective ways to discover someone’s passion for the work they do. Sometimes it takes some poking and prodding to get the authentic answer, especially if someone is not feeling fulfilled by the work they do.

For me, I wanted freedom and flexibility with my schedule. I wanted to stop working 60+ hours a week away from home for someone else. My inspiration to start my business was fueled by my 3 young children and wanting to spend more time with them.

So, I did just that, I opened my business, I hung out my shingle, I started marketing and almost immediately working with clients. Pretty fast I got busy, my team grew, and we outgrew my home office. From the outside looking in, I’d become successful in less than 2 years – however, I was utterly burned out.

How did this happen? I thought that being a business owner would give me what I was missing when I had a job working for someone else. Did I have it all wrong about this whole business thing?  The answer was yes, no and sort of.

Yes, I had it wrong – not all of it, but what I had wrong was I’d lost track my vision for my life, and the reason I wanted to work for myself. I’d completely forgotten why I started my business.

And No, I wasn’t doomed, as a matter of fact, the things I wanted to do were totally doable, I just had to figure out exactly what it was that I wanted my life and business to look like.

Sort of, after some deep reflecting, and the realization that the business I was creating wasn’t what I’d longed for initially, I did realize that there as a lot of things I wanted to change, and that thankfully I could.

It took me some time to work through this, and what gave me the power I needed to work through this was being able to reconnect with what I initially wanted, the things that inspired me to start and kept me going in the early days when I was struggling.  Here are a few of the steps I took to get me back into alignment with what I really wanted and how I began to create them:

1)    I got a piece of paper and made a list of the things I wanted to be able to do as a business owner.

2)   I made a copy of the items listed above and then started crossing off all things that I couldn’t do when I worked for someone else. (this was important in helping me see clearly that if I wanted all those things, I would have to find a way to make this business thing work).

3)    From the original list, I picked one or two and started creating a plan to make them happen in order of personal priority.

At the top of my list of essential things on the list was being there when the kids got home from school. By the time I realized I was burned out, I’d moved the team from my home office to a 2,000 square foot office space I rented. So, to solve this problem I had to get super creative. I met with my team, I came up with a plan and then closed the office space.

Some people the business world looked at this as taking a step backward, I looked at it as a giant leap forward. You see the only people around me whose opinion of my success mattered was my kiddos and me. And being able to be home for them was something that they identified as a success and so did I.

It took a while to sort out all the details, it was uncharted waters in my little world, but we made it work.

Then, I took another item on the list and started finding a way to make more of that happen in my life. Then another and another and, well you get the picture.

So, here’s my question to you – “What inspired you to start your business?” Go back to the days where you were thinking of it, and then think about what fueled you to take the leap. What was your inspiration? What was the catalyst for the change you wanted that caused you to be a business owner?

And, after you’ve written down, ask yourself this question; “Am I getting all I want from my business?”

If not, then do what I did and figure out where you can make changes, some may have to be bold, like me closing down my office, others could be small. The best part is that it’s your business, you have the power to make it exactly what you want.

If you’d like some help crafting a business that is in alignment with your inspiration, then let’s chat. I’d be honored to help you find solutions to your struggles and help you create the business you truly want.

Recently I was on a discovery call with a potential coaching client who has her own transaction coordinator company. During our call, I asked her what she wanted her company to look like in a year. She listed a few things such as a certain number of closings each month, another member on her team and having an office outside of her home. The last one surprised me a bit.

I asked her further why she felt having an office was essential. Her first response was that she would get more done in an office as she was distracted easily working from home. Additionally, that would “show” others that she’d reached a certain level of success.

As we dove deeper into this, I asked her about why she initially wanted to start her own business. I could feel her smile through the phone as she told me she wanted to be available more for her children, something her past corporate job didn’t afford her between the hours she worked and the daily commute.

My next question was – “Do you think if you had someone to help you with accountability you could continue to work from home and reinvest the $1,500-$2,000 a month you’d likely pay in rent somewhere else?”

She was silent for a moment, then she said: “YES, this is what I need, this is the piece I’ve been missing.” It was like Oprah says, she had an ah-ha moment. She went onto tell me that she’d always felt she was goal oriented, but really struggling now that she had no one to report to.

She also told me she was so grateful that I’d asked her these questions and helped her realize that what she really wanted the most was to be there for her young children. Which means having a successful business on her terms that includes being flexible.

I told her I completely know where she was coming from and that I too have a coach to helps me come up with a plan to accomplish my goals and with accountability to reach them.

If any part of this sounds familiar and you’re needing help transforming your transaction coordinator company into something is exactly what you want, then let’s chat soon. Complete the application on the coaching page, and then we can  jump on a complimentary discovery call together. It would be my honor to help you create the life and business you want.

I bet I’ve been asked that question about 500 times (or more) over the years by Realtors.

They ask this concerning my team’s availability and the boundaries we have in place around or work.

Each time I ask them to tell me more, to give me an example of an emergency.

Generally, they are a bit stumped for a moment by this and then about 99% of the time they ramble about needing to know the status, getting a document signed or getting a copy of a document.

Oh, I love it when they tell me they are concerned about these things – because I have solutions!

I thank them for their concerns and then let them know that Transaction Coordinators aren’t like agents – we take a proactive approach to our work. Additionally, we provide them with access to our file system, along with instructions on how to use it, so they can instantly view anything they want to, anytime. All the tasks we’ve completed, those we have to work on, all the docs and all the notes. So at ANY moment, they will always know what is going on, just as if we were in their office and they stopped by and picked up an old paper file and reviewed it.

As for getting things signed – I too remind them that in real estate there generally aren’t emergencies, there is just bad planning, and with the help of a Transaction Coordinator, that is all but eliminated.

Here’s the deal – As a Transaction Coordinator, the only way we can ever handle more than what our agents can handle is to work proactively – this means following our ask list, working ahead and keeping everything organized. So for us to grow, be able to make a living doing this work and not lose our mind along the way we have to work proactively, we have to have a system, and we have to follow it.

I decided after being in sales for a year that my team and I won’t work nights, weekends or holidays, nor do we provide our personal cell phone to them “just in case.” Moreover, this has NEVER been a problem with my clients once they see how we work. Sure, there have been people who didn’t want to work with us because of this, and that’s fine, they weren’t a good fit.

One of the most common questions I get from fellow Transaction Coordinators is “how do I get clients”?

A good question for sure to know the answer to as all businesses depend on clients.

I think the first thing you must do is know who your ideal client is – hint, it’s not just any or every Realtor in your market.

Next, you have to actually get your message in front of your ideal client – here’s a few ways I’ve found success in marketing and spreading the word about my transaction coordinator business:

Regular eZine to your email list – (not spam)

Direct mail to targeted list

Postcard announcements

Post cards – thinking of you

Thank you cards

Referral Program – ASK for referrals

Speaking at small groups or events

YouTube – weekly show, how to series, promotional

Host an event or workshop, live, tele-seminar or via a      webinar

Radio show – yours or guest on others

Cross promotion with fellow businesses

Give away – i.e. “Win it Wednesday” or  “Free Gift Friday” via social media

Press Release

Expos or trade shows

T-Shirts that create a conversation

Writing for your blog and/or a guest blogger on another      site

Social media

Network events

Testimonials – Raving Fans

A captivating elevator pitch (on that will make your      ideal client beg to work with you)

Lastly, you have to develop a follow-up plan to stay connected with those you’ve met who you feel would be great clients for your business as well as those who could be referrals. Remember, people want to feel that you’re offering them something of value when they hear from you, not just always asking for them to buy – if you do the latter, you’ll be ignored, or they will unsubscribe.

Yesterday, during a coaching call with one of my clients, the topic of self-care and making time to do things other than work came up. It’s one that I personally have been working on for the last few years and believe as a female entrepreneur it’s one I’ll likely be working on the rest of my life. Funny, when I started my business one of my goals was freedom and flexibility, then I spent years working more hours than I wanted, thinking I had to prove something. Competing in a way with myself to work more, get more done and accomplish more. To PROVE something to an unknown someone.

What did that get me? A business I resented, a body that was exhausted, nearly on the verge of a breakdown and a family that missed me. Now don’t get me wrong, I do know there is value in hard work, and that we have to do things that others won’t do to achieve big goals, but what happens when we’re too tired to enjoy them? Or can’t continue the journey because we’re exhausted physically and mentally? Is exhaustion and burn out the goal? Or is it a business that supports you in living the life you want? I now choose the latter.

Each year I choose a theme for the year, to remind me of the vision I have for the year and help me make decisions. Here is my current theme

“This year, I commit to saying YES to myself. The more I fill my cup, the more I have to offer others.”

I think now more than ever as we enter the busy buying season we have to make self-care and time to recharge a priority. I’ve found that when I take that 20-minute walk in the afternoon or go to lunch with a friend I feel better and surprisingly I actually get more work done. All of the coaching clients’ I’ve polled say the same thing, YET, we all struggle to make the time to do things for ourselves. Is it because we were raised to clean our room before we go out to play? To do our homework before we watch TV? Or is there a tinge of guilt that someone may judge us for not working hard? We may be caught doing something fun or for self care during our normal work hours? Or a combination of all of the above? The reason I am sharing this with you is that I know that without taking the time to fill your cup, you won’t have enough to share with others. That eventually, you’ll be like I was, tired, resentful and exhausted.

When I say the words “customer service” a wide variety of ideas pop into one’s head. Perhaps an example of an interaction with a sales clerk that was pleasant and made you really want to go back to the store again. Or another experience, like the one I had with the cable company that didn’t go so well and left me searching for an alternative to them as my internet provider.

Excellent customer service is one essential element of any successful business. It’s something that in our role as a Transaction Coordinator we must be mindful of how we are interacting with ALL parties in a transaction, not just the agent who has hired us, but everyone else too.

Many years ago when I started my transaction coordinating business and was working with my first client, I gave that file my all and then some. What I mean by that is my work style, and ethics dictated how I worked the transaction and the attention I gave to it, the then some part came from it being the only file I had and therefore I was able to give it a little extra attention.

At the end of the closing, I got a call from the paralegal at the law firm who handled the closing. She told me she’d really seen value in what I did and asked me if I offered my services to others. I resisted the urge to holler ABSOLUTELY, and held my self together and answered, “yes, I do.” She asked a few more questions about my company, my services and then asked me if she could introduce me to her fiancé, he was the Team Leader at a local Keller Williams office, and she said they needed someone in their office to provide these services. Of course, I said YES!

Soon I was on the phone with the Team Leader and answering his questions about my company, my services and if I could come out to their office and speak at a team meeting. I said yes before I could talk my self out of it as I had no experience speaking before a group.

Eventually, I began getting business from that office, then the Team Leader introduced me to another Keller Williams office in the area, and soon I was working with some agents there too.

What has grown my transaction coordinating company consistently over the years has not been my ability to market, or sell, sure those are important, and I have to do them, it’s been the service we provide. My best, least expensive and most fulfilling business growth method has been delivering rock star service to everyone in the transaction and making our clients feel good about choosing my company to provide it.

As my transaction coordinating business has grown and added new team members my philosophy on this is always shared with them in a way that they can deliver the same rock start service. One of the books on this topic that everyone new hire listens to is the audiobook Raving Fans, by Ken Blanchard. You can listen to the audio book on YouTube here https://youtu.be/yejNB9mRs3E. In it Mr. Blanchard describes how to deliver the kind of service that will have your clients or customers telling everyone they know about you. It’s not a huge long book, but it does pack some good examples in it.