On a recent podcast with Brad Inman, he posed a question to me that got me thinking. The question was: “What advice would you give to a younger agent, and on the reverse end, what advice would you give to an older agent?” My answer to the first half of the question was simple: find a mentor who you can learn from.
Work with someone who will help show you the ropes and teach you what you never learned in real estate school. I was fortunate enough to get started with a team of incredible brokers, and I have been able to learn multiple areas of the industry over the course of the past four years.
It was the second half of the question that really had me thinking. What could I, this 21-year-old kid, possibly have to say to a seasoned agent, much less something meaningful? And then it hit me.
Maybe, just maybe, an experienced agent needs me as much as I need them.
A younger, inexperienced agent jumps into the industry with a desire to learn and to act. What we lack in technical experience, we make up for in creativity, external perspective and an entrepreneurial mindset with drive to succeed.
I believe that experienced agents can become stuck in their ways. In an ever-evolving industry with new technologies, new systems and new practices, experienced agents can often tend to stick with what they know and are less inclined to explore new ideas to improve their businesses.
Although there are plenty of old-school skills that are still highly relevant and necessary for success, there are plenty of new ways to improve our businesses.
Millennials are the generation of disruptors and early adopters. Agents from older generations have an incredible wealth of knowledge. Can you say “mutually beneficial?”
So, my advice to seasoned agents is this: Team up with a new agent. Share knowledge and ideas, continue to grow your business, and strive to improve yourself and the industry that we love.
Jay Luebke is a residential sales specialist and the visual coordinator with The ART of Real Estate in Columbia, S.C. You can follow The ART of Real Estate on Twitter @TheARTeam.