We recently connected with Jen Vasquez and have shared our conversation below.
Jen, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Taking care of customers isn’t just good business – it is often one of the main reasons folks went into business in the first place. So, we’d love to get a conversation going around how to best help clients feel appreciated – maybe you can share something you’ve done or seen someone do that’s been really effective at helping a customer feel valued?
When I began my real estate journey, I wanted to think big picture and create a business plan with a long term vision. I knew that the business would not come overnight and being new in the business, those customers/clients who made the decision to work with me would be building something foundational, whether they realized it or not. I came up with the idea of the Legacy Circle for my first 10 clients as a way of showing them how much I valued their commitment to helping me truly build a long-lasting and sustainable business of serving others and this gave me a chance to illuminate them and memorialize them. I worked really hard to build a brand symbol of the Legacy Circle and as I add a new client, I include their name and photo of the property to always remember their part in my journey and for me to always fondly recall those first clients. After closing, I send them a special email inviting them into the Legacy Circle, sharing the brand photo and what it means to be part of Legacy Circle. I have been amazed by the response and how honored they feel to be part of building my foundation and being a permanent part of my story. In fact, when I shared on social media I was going to be developing this client appreciation program, I had multiple people reach out and share that they were hopeful they would be able to be part of my Legacy Circle. It demonstrated to me that clients want to feel part of something bigger than just a transaction. It validated that I was on the right path with how I was thinking about my business and that putting the client in an elevated position was the correct posture for long term growth!
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
Real Estate is actually my second career. I have spent the first 28 years of my career in the corporate world working for ADP and Johnson & Johnson in various roles. I got to a point in my life where I really wanted to evaluate what I wanted my legacy to be and I determined it was time to follow my passion, which was real estate. Growing up a Builder and Realtor’s daughter I knew that I wanted my final stop to be in real estate and I was willing to walk away from everything I had ever known that was “safe” in the corporate world to pursue it!
It was clear to me that my corporate experience would serve me very well in real estate and after earning dozens of President’s Clubs and numerous other awards, including helping promote 23 associates throughout my career and mentoring numerous individuals across multiple industries, these accolades and my unique corporate skillset was going to allow me to use a lot of cross-functional skills that could be leveraged to serve my clients.
After retiring, I worked on my business plan and started researching brokerages I wanted to be affiliated with long term. I also worked really hard to establish my “why” which would become the north star in my business. Having grown up walking property, helping survey land, watching and hearing contract negotiations be done, looking at blue prints and plats, it just felt like second nature to be in this business….it felt like home to be honest! As I really started sinking my teeth into the business, I was amazed at the crossover my corporate experience was bringing to my new role as a real estate advocate. Negotiating, natural problem solving, incredible attention to detail, meticulous timeline management, along with buyer and seller consults, where really helping to provide a strong foundation for my client interactions and clear processes to allow our transactions to run smoothly.
I lovingly found a true niche in working with first time homebuyers and consider this an area of expertise in my business. The process of buying a home for the first time can be very overwhelming and because I am so process-oriented, it provides a calm for my buyers and they can easily anticipate the steps with the tools and resources I provide at our consult. Furthermore, my brokerage provides a full suite of services for our clients from home warranty services, lender services and insurance options that create a one-stop-shop experience. In addition, I am passionate about working with investors in finding value properties for their portfolio and working with Seniors who are in the process of making a transition out of their long-term homes.
In my corporate experience, I encountered incredible industry changes that forces me to adopt change and pivot very quickly. I was also challenged in the area of continuous learning and always striving to better myself and my skillset for the benefit of my clients and direct reports. These attributes run deep in me and are part of what I believe will make me the ultimate real estate advocate, guiding my clients to the home of their dreams. My single biggest motivator is helping others…..it satisfies the deepest parts of my soul. Working with my clients provides me a personal nourishment that has never been more satisfied than in my role as Real Estate Advocate.
Have any books or other resources had a big impact on you?
This last February, I had the chance to participate in the Ninja Installment. There is a Ninja Selling book, but the actual installment is an intensive 4 day course, that is offered by my brokerage, that immerses you in what it means to truly put clients first and serve them at a whole other level. I see it as the ultimate guide for consulting clients and providing such a clear and thoughtful process that is centered around them, not you, that you cannot help but be successful if you follow these simple processes. My favorite day, the first day of the installment, was completely focused on mindset and we learned the true impact of what we focus on grows. There is incredible evidence and data that supports you can truly manifest your destiny simply through your daily thoughts and you have the power to reset those thoughts at any time…..you are in control. They shared some very specific steps for how to achieve this elevated mindset and daily disciplines that really do make a difference each day! I went as far as to create a 2024 vision board with visual reminders/words/photos that I looked at every day as a reminder of what I was working towards each day. I cannot express the impact of this single action and the intentionality and commitment to my goals it has manifested. It was so timely that the installation was offered right at the beginning of my journey that I truly believe it has set me up for long-term success.
How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?
One of my biggest epiphanies I ever experienced in my business life was moving from being a me-focused sales person to becoming a customer-obsessed consultant who always put my client first, regardless of circumstances. It started with a simple conversation with a client when I was asking her for some very pointed feedback. I had just lost a deal I had been working on for over 3 years and I was seeking to understand where I had gone wrong. Thankfully, I was humble enough to ask because the advice she gave me was truly life and career changing. She said that although I was very talented, helpful and educated about our products and services, she always felt like I was coming from my own point of view and not from hers. It was if I was trying to get things done for my own benefit instead of helping her really solve her problems. Her words hit me hard but was exactly what I needed! I went home that night and rewrote my business plan, by buyer consult document and a set of “rules” for myself that would allow the behaviors in my to shift so I could move to that servant model of consulting! Not only did this change create a more loyal client base, they were now depending on me to solve their problems and I was like part of their team! In addition, I started achieving success beyond my wildest dreams and my cup had never felt more full! I credit that single conversation and the action I took, with making me the professional I am today. It also propelled me into multiple high level leadership roles since I was now developing my talented team through a new lens and they were also experiencing success and fulfillment in new ways! Asking for, accepting and actioning feedback makes us better!
Contact Info:
- Website: [email protected]
- Instagram: @jensellsdawson
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JenVasquezGAPeach/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jen-vasquez-gapeach
