We were lucky to catch up with Sophie Cohen recently and have shared our conversation below.
Sophie , looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. So let’s jump to your mission – what’s the backstory behind how you developed the mission that drives your brand?
As someone who started their Real Estate Career right out of college working in the title business and then in national level Real Estate brokerages, I was always bothered by the idea of quotas. In the process of trying to meet numbers by the end of the month or year, the quality of customer service and personal connection to the client diminished. I am a strong believer in relationships. We all have a story, and it’s important to me that at Valley Realty, we take the time to hear our clients’ stories so that we help them achieve their goals.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
When I graduated college, I started working at a title company then moved to a Human Resources career at a prominent Baltimore Based investment firm. Realizing a corporate environment wasn’t for me, I decided to get my real estate license. After 5 years as an agent in a National real estate brokerage, I began to understand what the industry lacked. At this point, I pursued my broker’s License with the goal of starting my own boutique brokerage which had a clear focus on people versus profit. I’ve always believed that if you treat people right, the reward will come organically. As a mother to 3 young daughters, it is of utmost importance to me that they see a strong example of independence and success while still remaining true to your beliefs and treating people the way you would want to be treated.
What’s been the best source of new clients for you?
While we obtain plenty of clients through traditional Marketing such as, social media, print ads etc., I find that most of our new clients are via word of mouth referrals from current or past clients as well as our industry partners such as title and mortgage companies. Once they see the level of care and detail we put into what we do, they know we will take care of their friends, families and customers.
Have you ever had to pivot?
After having experienced infertility and going through many intensive treatments and procedures, I finally became pregnant with my first daughter. My plan was to wait several years prior to having another child in order to focus back on my career. Much to my surprise, I became pregnant again naturally when my first daughter was only 6 months old. My first two girls are only 15 months apart. As a result, I took several years to focus on being a mom and raising my girls while still trying to juggle being a Broker. It goes to show that life happens while we are making other plans! I certainly wouldn’t change it for anything and will always cherish that time in my life.
Contact Info:
- Website: Www.valleyrealtybrokerage.com