When Good Just Won’t Do Series | Milestone

May 6, 2011

By Judy Craft

We have all found ourselves in situations where we panic or don’t know what to do, such as a natural disaster, health emergency or, in our business, a transaction gone badly. When this happens, we all look for that person with a clear head and keen sense of focus to lead us out of danger. A little dramatic, yes, but a good description of our featured agent, Mike Wheatley. Mike is an unusual blend of accountant, counselor, tour guide, and leader, all peppered with a great sense of humor. Those characteristics make Mike a top producer not only within Milestone but also across our region selling Bluegrass homes. In 2009 Mike was the top Individual Agent for all Central Kentucky – an amazing feat, especially in a bad economy. That doesn’t surprise me however, as Mike is not only a great agent but also a team player and a delight to be around. Even if you didn’t need to buy or sell a home, you would want to “hang out” with Mike!! Mike recently agreed to be interviewed for this blog series on what makes a good Realtor® a great Realtor®.

Kentucky Realtor® Mike Wheatley

Licensed since 1993, Mike has his Sales Associate license as well as his Broker’s license. He studied Nutrition in College and worked in the field for a number of years. When asked about his sales background he brought up his paper route when he was 15! The food industry is grueling, so Mike was no stranger to working long hours, 7 days a week. This translated well into his real estate career as the top professionals also work erratic and long hours, especially throughout the Spring Market. Hard work doesn’t scare Mike; in fact, he seems to thrive on it. It doesn’t hurt that his wife, Diane, is very supportive and a constant source of encouragement.

A disciplined person, Mike places great value on Continuing Education and strives to improve his skills whenever possible. His daily disciplines include running and prayer – both vital to his overall health and well-being. He feels his life is more balanced now than it has been in the past but definitely believes there is room for improvement. Along with his sales activities, Mike is also a prolific writer and is in the midst of a series of articles entitled The Recovery which has been featured on our blog and has been quoted by many in our industry. If you have a chance to read Mike’s work you will find it well written and very informative. This is one of the many services Mike provides to his customers and clients on a regular basis providing them with timely and interesting market information.

If faced with starting over again Mike says he “Would have started in real estate even earlier, and not have been afraid to take that plunge into a commission sales lifestyle.” What would he tell an agent starting out in today’s environment? “Work hard, answer your phone messages and email messages promptly, find balance in your life. People succeed in even the worst of markets…there are always business opportunities available.” Great advice, Mike – thanks!!

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When Good Just Won’t Do – Louise Miller

April 11, 2011

By Judy Craft

Louise Miller is an absolute powerhouse – full of energy, enthusiasm, ambition and determination. You will be immediately struck by her candor and down to earth common sense all the while feeling that you have known her your entire life. Her ability to relax and engage you will help you understand why her clients come back to her again and again and also frequently refer family and friends to use her services. You are definitely in good hands with Louise Miller and The Miller Team!

Louise Miller

To my delight, Louise quickly agreed to participate in this When Good Just Won’t Do series of blogs which honestly shouldn’t surprise me as she is always ready to help out Milestone and her fellow agents in any way possible. Louise is the President-Elect for the Greater Louisville Association of Realtors and is active in the Kentucky Association of Realtors®. She has also served on many Realtor® Association committees as well as community and civic organizations. Her husband, Dennis, was awarded the John R. Carpenter Memorial Award for Community Service for GLAR in 2009, so you can see that good works run in the family!!

Louise has been a licensed agent selling Louisville houses for 28 years and also has her Broker’s license. She comes from a teaching background which goes hand in hand with real estate sales as much of her time is spent educating and assisting clients in order to help them make good decisions for their lifestyles. She attends conferences and training on a regular basis and recognizes the value in continuing education. “It is very important. We cannot keep up with our industry and provide service to our clients without it.”

On the subject of working with her husband, Dennis, and balancing family and career Louise says, “It was actually easier when my husband, Dennis, worked in another profession. I find that we actually work more hours now due to the fact that we are both totally involved in the same profession.” Running their business along with the community and professional obligations they fulfill would make for a busy life!!

When asked to what she would attribute her successful real estate career, Louise quickly pointed out, “Attitude, tenacity and systems! Without a plan and systems to implement it, a Realtor cannot succeed. The right attitude will turn a long day into a short one.” What would she do if she were starting over today? “I’m not sure. Real estate is a different career then when I started and it changes daily. I guess if I had to do something differently, I would mentor with someone that I respected for a while to get my feet wet. You don’t know how to sell real estate until you do it with a live audience.” I suppose there have been a few changes in technology in the past 28 years – good point!!

Finally, her advice to new agents just starting out in today’s environment, “Get involved! Being active in your organization and proactive in committee work at your local board is invaluable. This creates new networking opportunities and hands on education that will be helpful your entire career.”

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When Good Just Won’t Do – Deborah Back

April 6, 2011

By Judy Craft

Deborah Back is consistently one of the top producers in all of Central Kentucky and has been featured in numerous articles over the years. Deborah possesses impeccable people skills which have proved to be invaluable as she helps buyers and sellers, particularly in today’s volatile market. We recently asked Deborah about her business philosophy and what she feels are the keys to her success.

Deborah Back

Some background – Deborah has been a licensed agent for 11 years. She graduated from EKU with a degree in Interior Design but her sales background was in the tourism industry. “I was in the tourism business in sales for 16 years with 14 years in a corporate environment where your efforts were measured every day to determine what your return on investment would be of those efforts. It was a people business and you had to build trust & grow relationships in order to reach your goals. You had to have a marketing plan that would show what it would take each year to reach & exceed those goals.” When asked how this helped her in her business today Deborah responded, “It taught me that relationships are the cornerstone of being in the people business. It taught me that all people are looking for someone who is looking out for them & they want that person to have honesty & integrity, but also they want that person to have the knowledge to drill down to the facts & be able to give them a plan to reach their (housing) goals.”

Deborah also places a high value on continuing education and has attended several conferences and training programs over the years. She also holds several designations and certifications.

Family and work go hand-in-hand as Deborah works with her husband Greg and son Todd making up The Back Team. She works hard to maintain balance in both her personal and professional life. “My husband and I have raised two happy & healthy young men & that has been the discipline in our lives, but recently I have taken up the practice of Yoga. Sometimes it is difficult to find the balance but we are fortunate to be able to follow our younger son’s college baseball career at Georgetown College. Every opportunity we get we hit the road to attend his games. Did I mention shopping?”

The Back Team

That family support is vital to Deborah’s success. Even today she states, “I would have never taken the plunge into the Realtor world if it had not been for the love & encouragement of my husband. He has given me unconditional support & I think a supportive family is huge in this business. Our kids were 17 and 10 when I entered this business. In between their activities I would be putting up signs, dropping off contracts, meeting inspectors, etc. etc. One time our younger son waited in the car 30 minutes playing his video game (I promise it wasn’t child abuse) while one of my clients poured out her frustrations over a Lexington home inspection. He politely reminds us (frequently) that he will never do what we do! Too much drama, he says!”

Given the chance, what would she do differently if she could start over again today? “I would have probably gotten my Brokers license earlier in my career. It is something that I would like to have.” Well, Broker’s license or not, we think you are doing just fine Deborah!

Anything to pass on to new agents in today’s environment? “The first thing I would tell them is that you must be able to face rejection well. In this business with over 2000 agents you will find out quickly that buyers & sellers are not always loyal. The second thing is that you have to keep a positive attitude of glass is half full. The third thing is that they should have a marketing plan on paper with set goals to achieve. As new agents they need a list of names called a sphere of influence that they have constant contact with. It doesn’t have to be 500 names. It can be 50 or 100 names. I went to the people that I knew best from my previous career as they already trusted me. You aren’t going to get them all but you will get some of them. Lastly I would say as new agents you need to be 110% committed. Be visible, attend all office functions, ask questions often (I am still asking questions) & don’t forget the Golden Rule”.

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When Good Just Won’t Do – Danielle Dugan

April 4, 2011

By Judy Craft

Danielle Dugan is one of the leading Realtors® in the Jefferson County area and has consistently produced high volume in her real estate sales. I first met Danielle when she spoke with Becky about the possibility of joining the Milestone team last summer and was immediately impressed with her enthusiasm and zest for life. Danielle is clearly passionate about her career and works hard to achieve her goals. I was thrilled when Danielle agreed to contribute to this series and trust you will find her insight helpful and inspiring.

Louisville Realtor® - Danielle Dugan

Danielle has been a licensed real estate agent for 11 years with a sales background in the building supply business. She was also a mechanic in her family business. This background has been extremely helpful to Danielle as she learned about every product that goes into the building of a home. She discovered she had a gift for helping people with home design as well as making their dream of home ownership become a reality. She also learned to help builders achieve success with her design and marketing skills.

When asked about the importance of continuing education and training/conferences Danielle replied, “It is an absolute must. This is an ever changing industry selling Kentucky houses and it can very quickly pass one up who is not paying attention.” Danielle is also very disciplined in her daily routine. “I am pressed, dressed and ready by 7:00 a.m. and make all calls by 10:00 a.m. This has been a proven part of my success. And I tackle the hardest task first.” Great advice Danielle – this alone shows why you are such a successful businesswoman!!

Family is also very important to Danielle. “I feel balanced. I have always taken the time to do things that I enjoy, which is very important in maintaining my sense of self and I feel that keeps me balanced with family and career.” It is apparent that family has played a large role in her success as she credits her father for instilling a strong work ethic and customer service attitude early in life. She says, “I started working for my Father on weekends when I was 12 and the lessons I learned about how important Great Customer Service is to the public and it has stuck with me. I choose to surround myself with supportive and positive people in the real estate industry as well as my personal life.”

Hindsight is 20/20 but in looking back over her career, Danielle is certain she wouldn’t do anything differently. As for advice to new agents in today’s environment? “Take as many classes as possible, always ask for help from friends and family to help get you started. Recognize that if your heart is not in it and you do not like working the many hours with the many demands, you may want to rethink your path. I do not feel that it can be a part time job. To be successful you have to be a full time Realtor® for your clients. When you love what you do, it is not like work at all!”

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When Good Just Won’t Do – We Make it to the Final Four!

April 1, 2011

By Judy Craft

We are all very proud of our University of Kentucky Wildcats for their diligence and perseverance in the SEC and NCAA tournaments. Did we really think they would make it to the Final Four this year? Maybe last season with John Wall and DeMarcus Cousins, but this team – not so much. So it has come as a delightful and welcome surprise that we are looking forward to a great weekend full of sports and Big Blue Mania. So what happened? Let’s face it – the pre-tourney season was good but not exceptional. The Cats lost several road games and at times looked lackluster. Coach Cal seemed frustrated (although not as frustrated as Rick Pitino – haha) and even the SEC Title seemed questionable.

Then Great happened. The team gelled and seemed like a well-oiled machine. At the end of the games we just waited for the inevitable “choke” and loss and were instead thrilled with a determined team focused on the prize. Brandon Knight and DeAndre Liggins came through with clutch shots and sealed the victory. But let’s talk about the real story – Josh Harrellson.

When Good Just Won't Do - We Make it to the Final Four!

Josh is a senior and his previous contribution to the team has been – and yes I will say it – a big YAWN. Sure, DeMarcus Cousins was the “Man” last year so Josh didn’t get much playing time but he also didn’t impress when he had opportunities. So what happened? Josh finally got it. Coach Cal mentioned at the start of the season that Josh worked hard over the summer with strength training and was mentally and physically ready to take on the challenge of being a senior player and leader on the court. Yeah, right. I’ll have to see this to believe it. In your face – says Josh Harrellson – I’m here to play – and he did. Boy, did he play. Josh improved his skills on the basketball court as far as his athleticism, but also as a team leader. The team and the entire Big Blue Nation have been able to count on Josh this year for his tremendous play, cool head under pressure and ability to rally the team when they are down. For whatever reason, Josh decided that good just wasn’t good enough. He had his chance at greatness and he took it. Nobody handed it to him. Josh worked hard in the gym, on the court and in class to prove that he has what it takes to achieve greatness.

So this leads me to ask – what is it that will cause your greatness? Will there be an epiphany or a eureka moment or will you, like Josh Harrellson, decide that you will seize the brass ring? In his book “Good to Great” Jim Collins summarizes by asking “Indeed, the real question is not, ‘Why Greatness?’ but ‘What work makes you feel compelled to try to create greatness?” If you have to ask the question, “Why should we try to make it great? Isn’t success enough?” then you’re probably engaged in the wrong line of work.

Milestone is committed to Greatness and your success. What can we do to help you find or sell Kentucky houses? What can you do to help yourself? It isn’t easy to differentiate yourself from the crowd and be successful. Over the next few weeks I will be interviewing some of our top agents to pass along insight into their success. I trust that you will find their stories compelling and helpful as you travel your journey to Greatness. But for now – GO CATS!

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