We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Edwin Rodriguez Jr a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Edwin, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Folks often look at a successful business and imagine it was an overnight success, but from what we’ve seen this is often far from the truth. We’d love to hear your scaling up story – walk us through how you grew over time – what were some of the big things you had to do to grow and what was that scaling up journey like?

As the fastest growing Real Estate Brokerage in Hampton Roads, VA, our growth has come from establishing a culture of training and inclusion. Many people get into real estate thinking it will be a fast way to make cash. Just as many learn quickly there in nothing quick about real estate or making money. In fact, once you are a licensed real estate professional, there is little to no guidance on what you should be doing on a daily basis. With that in mind, we created Peak Performance Elite Sales Training. This sales program will take you from establishing daily routines, social media presence, lead generation, lead conversion, buyer and seller consultations and presentations and several other sessions needed to become a successful real estate professional.

Edwin, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

U is a testament of him continuing to gain knowledge to pass onto agents to Edwin Rodriguez, a 23-year Navy veteran, embarked on an extraordinary career that seamlessly transitioned into a thriving realm of real estate. With over 21 years as a licensed real estate professional, his trajectory is a testament to leadership, mentorship, and a relentless pursuit of excellence.
In a distinguished military career, Edwin rose to the rank of Senior Chief Petty Officer, embodying dedication, and leadership. Transitioning to the real estate domain, his experience and guidance paved the way for many real estate agents to ascend to the ranks of brokers, team leads, and top producers.
The culmination of real estate expertise and leadership acumen opened doors to ownership. In August 2022, I became one of the owners of Iron Valley Real Estate, marking the beginning of an impressive chapter.
Under visionary leadership, Iron Valley Real Estate has expanded to six brokerages, recruiting a formidable team of over 300 Real Estate Professionals. In a testament to their strategic prowess, the roster has achieved an astounding $2.2 billion in real estate transactions over the last 48 months.
Edwin’s journey is not just a narrative of personal achievement but a story of mentorship, growth, and a legacy of success. From military service to real estate ownership, his impact resonates in the accomplishments of mentees and the flourishing business of Iron Valley Real Estate. As we continue to shape the landscape of real estate, the journey remains an inspiring testament to the unwavering commitment to excellence and the transformative power of mentorship. Certifying as an instructor under Jeff Glover and Glover U assisting them reach their “Peak Life”

How’d you meet your business partner?

I originally met Micheal Little, one of the founding members, via social media. Mike was a former US Navy Chief Petty Officer, so we had several “Chief” friends in common. I was looking to surround myself around Top Producing Realtors but not many top producers were willing to sit and mentor someone. I reached out to Mike, and he agreed to meet with me that same week. At first sight I was skeptical, as he wore a ball cap, jeans and sneakers. I was expecting the owner of the company to be “dressed up”. Within a few minutes, his enthusiasm and straight to the point answers intrigued me. I followed him back to the office and to my surprise, the entire office had a similar demeanor, I signed on the following week, and it was the absolute best decision of my real estate career.

Do you have any insights you can share related to maintaining high team morale?

Morale is something that takes time to build but can be diminished quickly. My best advice is to hire slow and fire fast. Do not let negativity brew within the team. Address issues quickly and set the standard. Everyone is constantly viewing your actions so you as the team lead has to set a high standard and understand that inclusion is what most people want to feel. Team building events will assist in comradery. Ensure you are doing quarterly events to boost and maintain morale.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/edwinrodriguezvab/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100049590787623