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Lisa Archer: ‘You live and learn with every mistake and win’

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Lisa Archer is the COO of Live Love Homes | Keller Williams Realty.

What’s your favorite activity outside of work and why?

Weightlifting or running … it clears my mind and pushes me to focus like nothing else can.

Are you the first entrepreneur in your family?

No, my grandfather created many of the founding time share resorts in North America, and my daddy started our team.

Why’d you decide to join your company?

My daddy was here. So blessed he made that decision.

Describe a time when you felt particularly insecure about the future of your company. How did you bounce back?

There have been lessons we have learned as a business, and with each getting back up is the only way to move forward. You live and learn with every mistake and win.

What would you describe as your company’s biggest victory since you joined it?

Mega agent expansion; we are learning about business and real estate in many other parts of the country and bringing the best of the best together to reach everyone’s goals.

What’s been the biggest obstacle your business has encountered, and how have you dealt with it?

The biggest obstacle has been in making poor hires. There is a way to hire for the future and a way to hire for relief. The latter will always get you in trouble because you forget to do the most important things to keep yourself from drowning. Reference checks, asking better questions and truly learning to hire is imperative.

What puzzles you most about the industry?

People, but don’t they puzzle us the most in every industry?

What is the most important lesson you’ve learned about building a business?

The most important lesson learned in building a business is to treat it as a business. You cannot move forward if there are certain areas of your business that are not profitable.

Take a look at the profit-and-loss often, and make quicker decisions that will impact the bottom line. Be quick to let go and slow to add.

What’s the most overrated real estate technology?

QR codes.

How will the role of the real estate agent change over the next five years?

The role of the real estate agent will likely continue to evolve, and the strong will survive. Learn to be disruptive and come from pure contribution. Stay innovative and help as many people as you can reach their potential.

What motivates you more: power or money?

I would have to say money of the two choices because money can do so much good for those you are trying to help and to run an effective business.

What is your biggest professional fear?

Biggest professional fear is not reaching my full potential and letting my team down.

What is your biggest personal fear?

My biggest personal fear is not being present enough for my family, which has been a huge goal the last couple of years.

Whom do you respect most in the industry?

Wow, what a hard question … but if I had to choose one, it would be Mark Willis. He is not only my coach and mentor, but a great friend and I am so blessed that he is in my life.

Describe what you do in one sentence: Creating opportunities one person and place at a time.

Age: 37

Degree, school: East Carolina University, B.S./B.A. in financial management

Location: Charlotte, North Carolina, and beyond

Social media: Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn.

Are you a real estate leader who’d like to participate in our profile series? Email amber@inman.com.