In honor of Women’s History Month we are highlighting the bold, powerful, and talented women of William Raveis who have elevated and shaped the success of our company. This month is a chance to recognize, uplift and celebrate women we find inspiring. We have handpicked some influential women to continue our #WomenAtRaveis series which we began in 2020. These women are mothers, sisters, wives, and friends. They are sales associates, managers, mentors, directors, bosses, and so much more. We want to thank them for their hard work and dedication to making our company better every day.
For our first feature we have real estate agent, Katie Clancy; click here to read more about her.
What do you love about real estate and why?
What excites you about the business? Real estate is a lot like having a baby. There’s an awareness that it’s a serious business and there is a lot that happens between that first nascent thought and the actual finish line, but nothing really prepares you for the reality of it. Like having a baby, buying and selling real estate is a very intimate and personal experience. It’s nerve-wracking, messy, and almost never goes exactly as planned. I see myself a lot like a midwife in this situation. It’s my job to make sure that the family is well-prepared, protected, and actively participating in the process. I head off problems, navigate complications, and clean up the messes so that the family can stay focused on the most important part: the baby (or the house in this situation!). With this perspective I find my work extremely gratifying.
Do you have a mantra that you follow for your business, real estate, or in general?
Our mission statement at The Cape House is: “People are good; we leave them better.” This means all people: Our clients, colleagues, vendors, etc. Our job is to serve people, and that doesn’t always mean we are collecting a check. It might look like giving a price opinion for a friend sorting out their family’s estate, pumping up a new local business, or sharing marketing tips with a colleague. This philosophy of contribution has been a key factor of our consistent high performance.
Describe a typical day in the life.
The first half hour of my day is spent reading and/or writing with a hot cup of black coffee by my side. I lay out my intentions for the day and fill my head with good mojo. Being fit and healthy is a pillar in my philosophy of success, so before the rest of my family wakes up I’m getting my butt kicked at CrossFit Hyannis. This ensures that the hardest thing I will do all day will be over by sunrise, so I go into the day sorted out and fired up. Back at home I tend to my dogs and help my daughter start her day. Then it’s nose-down work time. I give each day a general theme, so I know which kind of work I should prioritize (i.e. client connections, marketing, operations, etc.). Afternoons are for meetings and appointments, then it’s time to turn my focus back to my family. True confession: After dinner when everyone else in the house is watching TV or scrolling social media I go back into my office and dig back into my work. I really love what I do and have to actually set a reminder at night to stop and get myself ready for bed! As hard as I work, I recognize that sleep is powerful fuel, so I do force myself to wind (or wine, let’s be real) down before bed. My favorite pre-sleep obsession: The NYT Spelling Bee puzzle.
What opportunities has working for Raveis given you?
Hands down my favorite thing about working with the Raveis family is the way they embrace and foster the team concept. With their support I was able to refine and amplify The Cape House brand so well that I was crowned champion of a national Battle of the Brands contest in 2019. Successful agents at other firms who seek to create their own brand have to start their own brokerage to do it. But Raveis understands that by elevating the identities of these ambitious teams, we all win. With robust infrastructure, strong global brand recognition and the company’s sophisticated marketing resources at our disposal, they make it easy to grow right where we are without the burden or distraction of owning and running our brokerage.
What’s your best advice for someone new to the industry?
There are a couple of resources I would suggest a new agent consult right away. Read the book: Your First 365 Days in Real Estate, by Shelley Zavitz and listen to The Happiest Person in Real Estate Podcast, (by me!). In general, understand beyond a shadow of a doubt that you are here to serve, and that if you do that well the money will follow. You cannot be only focused on the money. Building the relationships necessary for consistent success in a service business will take a long time—many months and sometimes years before you can really count on the income. I like to say, ‘If you need business right now, you’re in the wrong business.’ But the work and the wait are worth it! I really love what I do and the lifestyle I lead, and it’s all because of the huge investments and sacrifices I made early on.
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For our second feature we have real estate agent, Joanne Conway; click here to read more about her.
How long have you worked in real estate? How did you first start? What attracted you to Raveis?
I have been working as a real estate agent since 1987. I have been with Raveis the last 13 years. I really like working for a family run company and our Hingham, MA office is especially unique because of the professionalism, kindness, respectful and general good nature of my fellow associates and managers.
Describe a typical day in the life.
Every day is different, so, for me, there isn’t a typical day. Each day I do start out with a plan for that day, but there has not been a day where it has gone like it was planned. You must be able to be flexible. There are usually a lot of “balls in the air” at one time. I work hard to manage the top priority items to get done first and then work to get everything else done later in the day. Somehow, it miraculously gets done.
What are your greatest strengths?
I think my strengths are patience, listening (and hearing what my clients are saying), being detail oriented and having some empathy for what the clients are going through. Sometimes your clients need someone to “vent” to no matter what the problem is. I don’t mind being that person. I like to problem solve. Trying to find a solution can be both satisfying to your client, but to yourself as well. Any solved problem leads to learning something new that may be beneficial later to other colleagues and clients that may encounter a similar situation.
What is the key to your success?
I do not think, for me, that there is any “key” to success. Working hard and having pride in helping your clients goes a long way. You may think that some are luckier than others and sometimes that is the case. Mostly, I think, you make your own luck.
What’s your best advice for someone new to the industry?
Be excited about what you do. Do not let others get you down. There are ups and downs in this business and there are times when things happen and it is upsetting. I find that if something upsetting happens, I have a colleague that I can share that information with. By the end of our conversation, we are laughing and moving on to our next prospect. We just need to say it out loud and then let it go. There are also very exciting events that happen and if you work in a great office as I do, then your colleagues make you feel on top of the world, celebrating your successes with you. It is hard work but you can get many rewards from this job (not just financially). I have made some very dear friends from clients that I have sold houses to and those friendships have been very rewarding and long lasting.