The Thoughtful Realtor

After 2 years, The Thoughtful Realtor Podcast is BACK!! Now as the founders and partners of Willowmar Real Estate, Connie Chung and Kenny Gong are joined by Cliff Tsang. In this re-launch episode, we take a quick breeze through what we've been up to and what our business has become since 2020, hear about Cliff's journey into real estate, and get a small glimpse into the world of Willowmar. Oh, it feels good to be back!!

Even the name Jane Bond conjures an image of a suave, savvy international jet-setter. And, you wouldn’t be wrong. But this Jane Bond is even better than you can imagine. Jane is an agent based in Naples, FL, a hidden gem that represents one of most luxurious markets in the country. She’s the Principal of The Bond/Bright Group. From first-class flight attendant to celebrity interior designer and entertainment manager to Realtor, Jane has had several illustrious careers. Jane shares with us how her parents laid her path of grit and entrepreneurship, a path she is now imparting to the next generation of Realtors. You can get in touch with Jane at jane.bond@compass.com, on Instagram @janebond___, on Facebook at Jane Bond, TBG, and on LinkedIn.

Today is a letter from me to you all about gratitude and what makes me feel grateful about 2020. 2020 has been... a year. For all of us, in each of our own unique ways. But I want to talk today about gratitude because, well, this episode is launching on Thanksgiving. Though this holiday has a very complicated history, it is always an opportunity to find thanks and gratitude. And, if there's any year when we need thanks and gratitude, it's this one.

Sarah Desamours of Miami, FL is effervescent. Her heart, soul, and power to bridge cultures are originally from Montreal, BC. We talk to Sarah all about motherhood and being a Realtor mom and why she insists on living in neighborhoods where she looks different. Plus, you know we love talking about social media, but we get insights from Sarah’s experience marketing fashion during the nascent age of Twitter, and how they taught her everything she knows for today’s evolving digital landscape. Get in touch with Sarah at sarah.desamours@compass.com and on Instagram @sarahdesamours.

Haneen Hayder of Burlingame, CA, is a former chemical engineer from Kuwait while Amit Bhuta from Miami, FL, was born in India, started out as a car salesperson. They’ve got two very different stories and very different approaches to their business. We loved bring them together for a roundtable conversation about launching their careers, creating teams, and their distinct real estate practices that lean right into their personal strengths and superpowers. Get in touch with Haneen at haneen.hayder@compass.com and on Instagram @haneenrealtor. You can reach out to Amit at amit.bhuta@compass.com and on Instagram @amitbhuta, while checking out all his content at www.allinmiami.tv.

Farrah Wilder is creating a world that we all deserve. Farrah, based in Oakland, CA, brings her experience as a civil right attorney to her real estate practice, kindly educating and fiercely advocating for her clients. She is also a powerful force for our Realtor community, having served at all level of our profession's leadership. We get into everything from homeownership and intergenerational wealth within communities of color, the importance of mentorship and collaboration in our profession, and Farrah's vision for what we can do better to address systemic racism in real estate. Get in touch with Farrah!Farrah Wilder / COMPASSfarrah.wilder@compass.comfarrahwilder.com

Harrison Beacher was born and raised in Washington, DC, went to school and built his business there, and is now running a successful team in his lifelong hometown. This commitment extends to the prolific community work he does to create a more just and equitable DC, too. We talk with Harrison about DC's rich cultural heritage, the importance of relationship cultivation, and developing the leadership of other folks of color in our Relator community. Get in touch with Harrison! Harrison Beacher / Keller WilliamsInstagram @hlbeach Coalition Properties GroupInstagram @coalitionpropertieshttps://www.coalitionpg.com/

Leonard Steinberg pops into the inboxes of tens of thousands every single day with market insights as the Chief Evangelist of Compass and he still sells as the leader of a prolific team in New York. On top of that, he has published LuxuryLetter, a monthly report on Manhattan's downtown luxury real estate, for over 15 years. A long ways away from the little boy in South Africa. With Leonard, we talk about the value of providing insightful information, always living with an aesthetic mindset, and how his accent contributed to his success. Get in touch with Leonard!Leonard Steinberg / COMPASSls@compass.comInstagram @theleonardsteinbergteamLuxury Letter and more at https://theleonardsteinbergteam.com/

For many of us Realtors, self-sufficiency and self-reliance is our calling card. We are entrepreneurial self-starters, expert problem solvers and stellar solution creators. We grab the reigns of a situation to steer towards closing. But this can lead to a strong tendency to refuse help, especially emotional help. Today's episode asks all of us to... yes — ask for help and HOW to ask for the kind of emotional help that keeps us up at night.

Felicia Mares, of Oakland, CA, is a social media maven. She's turned her social media engagement into solid business with an online presence that is just as vibrant, candid, and passionate as her in person. With a strong role in professional industry leadership — locally, at the state-level, and nationally — she is a powerful advocate for her colleagues, too. With Felicia, we delve deep into what confidence and authenticity look like online, diversifying our industry, and the importance of keeping loves ones at the heart of your business. Get in touch with Felicia!Felicia Mares / Abio PropertiesBRE02028970Instagram @fel.maresfelicia@abioproperties.com

In the world of real estate and life, having difficult conversations is par for the course. While uncomfortable at times, engaging in tough conversations makes us more understanding, compassionate and resilient. We share some of our tips in this episode and would love to hear yours too.

When we talk about branding, there’s no doubt that Kenny Truong AKA #FASTAGENT has built one of the most recognizable and innovative brands in the Bay Area. Having built a niche as a disruptor with an inkling for trying out new tools and marketing campaigns, Kenny shares his passion for being a thought leader in our real estate industry, scaling and building up his team, and leaving a legacy for his community.

We’re all spending a ton of time online during these times of quarantine.Today, we’re talking SOCIAL and how best you can show up on social media during a pandemic. But, really, this is all about how to best show up any time. Especially in this time, where it’s advised that we be socially distant, it’s important to know that we need to be emotionally close.

We chat with San Francisco's premier luxury leasing agent, Inna Rubinchik -- where she shares how giving value and sharing all that she knows has helped fuel and drive her business. Inna's polished, persistent and tenacious -- and her recognized brand reflects that. Tune in to hear what motivates Inna -- how she went from a tax consultant at Deloitte to picking up the Yellow Pages and landing a job in real estate that provides a lifestyle she truly loves -- and where she gets to execute major leases while making dinner with her sons.   Inna Rubinchik Regional Leasing Director, COMPASS DRE #: 01851071 InnaR@compass.com / 415.238.8202 @leasing.agent.415

As today’s pandemic continues to progress, we won't know the full ripple effects for some time, but it sure looks like we’ll be in this COVID-19 situation for quite a while. So, yes, your business will change -- maybe for a single quarter, or maybe for the entire year, maybe beyond. So, now comes a choice… Do you choose to wallow in uncertainty and freeze? Or do you choose to focus on the present - on this moment -and use it as an opportunity to thrive and fortify your business for uncertain times?

For so many of you, you’re likely working from home… acclimating to a new kind of business, a new kind of normal… virtual tours, online meetings and trainings, plenty of check-in calls with clients, looking ahead, and preparing for what’s to come. More than ever, in these unprecedented and trying times, we have to have faith in ourselves -- to know that we CAN and WILL get through these difficult times. So today, we're answering the question: What does it REALLY mean to have faith in yourself? And, how do we cultivate that faith right here and right now?? Tune in to listen!

Is your branding reflective of who you are and your business? When we talk about branding, we’re talking about the look and feel of your business. From your website to social media to your direct mail, to how you show up… your brand matters. And it’s a lot more than just looking pretty. Tune in as we share tactical tools to help you think through your brand and how you want to it be.

  We often get asked by our coaching clients and students, How do I advise buyer clients to move forward? How do you know if it’s the one?   Making big decisions like whether or not to write an offer on a home can feel scary and daunting. After all, buying a home is one of the largest purchases any person will ever make! As a result, decision fatigue is a real thing. In this episode, we share tips on how real estate gents can help guide their clients through their journey — and decide if a home is “the one” worth submitting an offer.

As a Realtor, you may not think of yourself as a storyteller. Heck, you may not think of your story at all. But, we’re here to say that YOUR stories and your storytelling have real and major impact on your brand and your business. Well-told stories are the bedrock of any strong branding strategy. Today, we’re sharing our five top sources of story inspiration and how we use them to find the best stories so that, of course, you can, too.

We love Instagram! It's visual, inspiring, and - when done right - can be a space for authentic connections. It's not for everyone, but for those of you who employ the platform in your branding strategy, it's an amazing opportunity to tell stories -- YOUR stories. We've got 10 super simple and highly-actionable ways to optimize your Instagram presence. Let's get to 'em!

So today’s question is… How do you stay present with the most important people in your life, when you’ve got business on the line or when you THINK you’ve got business on the line? This episode is for those times when you find yourself with your loved ones -- physically -- but with your mind off somewhere completely different. It's time to get present!

Our very first interview! We're talking with one of our favorite Realtors in San Francisco, Paula Rose. Paula is such an elegant professional. Her work speaks for itself and her clients know that they have an agent on their side who they can wholeheartedly trust. We get into how Paula got into the business, how she thrives, and how she’s building up the next generation of Realtors. Paula Y. Rose / COMPASSBRE01347612paula4homes@gmail.comwww.paula4homes.com

We all experience challenges, right? They can have a major impact on us, our business, our relationships. And if we don’t focus on how to better confront them, we can’t truly breakthrough, thrive, and do what we do best. So... How do you confront your challenges? Today, we're talking about the 3 not-so-ideal ways we often show up in the face of challenge, and diving into a better way to go instead.

How did we build our sales business? Prospect by prospect, of course. But, we only used 4 skills to build and cultivate the pipeline of leads that fueled our growth from the very beginning -- all super simple skills but certainly not easy. How do you prospect for new clients, or nurture the existing ones?

We've got our co-host, Connie Chung, in the hot seat! We're going deep into the life of being a powerhouse mom and entrepreneur, amongst so many other hats. Yup, we're talking about being a #momboss! To all the big boss mama's out there, we see you and love you -- this one's for you! We cover:A good typical day in the life of a #momboss (01:10)From business first to baby first (03:25)Optimizing those precious work hours (04:47)Getting through exhaustion (06:20)Mom Powers (07:30)Building community as a mom (08:09)Being a #momboss (09:19)#momboss style and makeup (11:04)The pressure to do it all (12:50)Living the #momboss mentality (15:10) "Treat yourself how you would treat your daughter."

On the first edition of The Thoughtful Realtor: BOBA TALK (yup... caffeine, conversation, and conviviality), we're reflecting back on the past decade and sharing some of our favorite lessons learned. From the front to the back: #1: Make your home wherever you are (02:14)#2: Your story matters (03:56)#3: Be open to whoever you meet, whenever (and wherever!) you meet them (06:09)#4: If it’s not a hell yes, it’s a hell no (08:30)#5: Surround yourself with good friends and travel with them, too (11:19)#6: Align your actions to your values (14:11)#7: There is a season for all things (17:45)#8: The best investments you can make are in yourself (20:30)#9: Appreciate the gift of time (23:17)#10: Stop worrying, stop thinking, just do it (25:51)

Do you ever have a pesky voice inside your head creating doubt, guilt and shame? Yup, we do, too. It’s a voice often behind our fear, inaction and those long, sleepless nights. We're diving into the ways our inner critic can hold us back, and the practical tools to hold it back. You can find our free exercise to escort that inner critic right out of your day at ConnieAndKenny.com. We cover:Let's talk about that inner critic (01:34)How does your inner critic manifest? (04:32)How to handle your inner critic (07:58) “What's different is how we react to those inner voices and critics, whether we can swat them away, get completely dragged into their weird dark anxiety dungeon, or confront them face to face.”

Basking in the crisp air and the crunchy leaves of the fall, we talking all about gratitude, as a life practice AND a business one. With only a few more weeks of the year (and decade), this is the time for reflecting on the present -- and to get introspective about the past year, while dreaming about the future one coming up. In the episode, we cover:What we’re most thankful for (02:00)Our best gratitude practices (07:19) “I’m grateful for the breath that I can take, the small little inhales and exhales that indicate I’m alive and here on this earth, living for another day, hour, minute, or second.”

The holidays are one of the brightest, busiest times of the year -- the parties, the gatherings, the family and friends. But, if you're like us, it can be exhausting. This episode goes out to the introverts out there. With so many events lined up in the span of a few weeks, we’re talking about how to tackle it all with grace, cheer, and maybe a spreadsheet or two. We cover:Kenny, an introvert?! (00:58)What events do you say “yes” to? (02:05)Preparing for an event (03:46)The dreaded (or not so dreaded) “small talk” (06:38)Asking good questions (10:07)To eat or not to eat during a party? (10:42) “Overall, I try to not take it too seriously and remind myself to take it easy. If my goal is to catch up with a friend I haven’t seen in a while, I’ll focus on that. If my goal is to meet 3 potential new clients, I will excite myself to talk to 3 new people.”

A final episode for our launch batch! We’ve got horror stories - some of our favorite scary tales from our experience as Realtors, especially from when we first got into the business. We’ve all been there, and we can all learn from them. And we know you’ve got your own, too.

A second episode for our launch! We’re talking all about business planning, one of the highlights of our year (especially since it usually involves a luxurious ambiance and spa time). Get ready to walk through the questions to ensure you 2020 business AND personal life are solid. Download our FREE 2020 Business Plan: Launch Guide + Worksheet at www.ConnieAndKenny.com!

Our inaugural episode! To our budding real estate agents out there, we’re talking all about how our careers as non-profit fundraisers set us up to for success in residential real estate sales, going from making $40,000 dollar a year to six-figure incomes with a solid referral-based business.