Last time you heard from me, I was highlighting three lessons I have learned while working alongside Ryan Serhant — my mentor and the leader of The Serhant Team at Nest Seekers International.
Since our fateful meeting at the Battery Park studio I was selling in 2012, Ryan and I have worked together up through the present day.
Although I only had six months of experience under my belt as a real estate salesperson at the time, I did bring 12 years of real estate and corporate experience with me.
So I sat down with Ryan to find out what, if anything, he has learned from me. After all, I am (a little) older than him, and I entered the industry with a completely different career trajectory.
It turns out Ryan has picked up on a few lessons from me along the way, too. Here are three things Ryan said he has learned from me, in his own words:
1. Be diplomatic.
Katherine has always been a great communicator with her co-workers and clients. Since our first interaction, she has been resourceful, engaged and, in turn, more persuasive.
To be a great communicator and diplomat, one must be an excellent listener. Katherine embodies this every day.
Whether dealing with buyers, sellers, developers, renters, landlords, management companies or her teammates, Katherine listens.
Listening allows you to understand what the other person is truly saying as opposed to just trying to formulate your response.
I often find myself listening and watching Katherine negotiate on the phone as she takes careful notes and never lets ego get in the way of getting a deal done.
2. Be fair.
When I set out to build a team a few years ago, I knew that I wanted to build my team around the principle of respect — respect for yourself, your business, your clients and your team.
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When I asked Katherine what principles guided her business, she aptly replied “You always catch more flies with honey than vinegar.”
From the very first deal we did together in a tiny one-bedroom in Battery Park City, Katherine has proven herself to be both polite and respectful in all aspects of her professional career.
Although her interactions with others are always cordial, Katherine never loses her focus and strategy to get the deal done.
3. Maintain focus.
If one word defines Katherine more than any other, it’s “focus.” With the added pressure of being a working mom, Katherine balances an extremely busy work schedule with her family life — like a pro.
To do so, Katherine is proactive and focuses on the big picture. These principles apply to anything including powering through emails, organizing an event for the entire brokerage community or hosting a string of open houses on a Sunday afternoon.
Focus applies beyond the day-to-day tasks of a real estate agent for Katherine though. She has been able to focus on developing her personal brand and growing the Serhant Team’s exposure by partnering with companies such as Little Swappies and Big City Moms.
These two local organizations work to enhance the lives of moms living in the city and seamlessly tie into Katherine’s life and further develop the Serhant Team as full-service.
So there it is. Although Ryan has still yet to embrace my all-black dress code, he has picked up a few other lessons along the way.
Katherine Salyi is a top producer on Ryan Serhant’s New York Team. You can follow her on Twitter at @ksalyi.