Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Barkley Romero. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Barkley, appreciate you joining us today. Your ability to build a team is often a key determinant of your success as a business owner and so we’d love to get a conversation going with successful entrepreneurs like yourself around what your recruiting process was like -especially early on. How did you build your team?

Building a team has been one of the most challenging yet rewarding experiences I’ve encountered as a business owner. During the first year and a half of starting my company, I operated as a solo agent, focusing on proving the concept that building a community and uplifting others leads to organic business growth and personal development.

Recruiting our first team members was primarily achieved through word of mouth and social media. People found me and what I was creating with REAL gratitude and REAL change DAO. We were in the process of developing course work on chain to teach our agents how to foster genuine connections instead of solely seeking leads, so we postponed advertising and active team expansion.

Now that the course work is complete, we’re excited to welcome REALTORS of all skill levels to our roster, expanding throughout California, Arizona, and Georgia where I am licensed, as well as across the United States.

Additionally, we’ve made internal hires to support our operations. As a solo-preneur, I learned that decision-making can be quicker, but having a team’s support makes the journey less lonely, despite the necessary time investment in training—undeniably worthwhile.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I am the founder of REAL Gratitude, a unique marketing company that empowers real estate agents to connect with their communities by spotlighting local businesses, non-profits, and artists. Our approach fosters a more symbiotic relationship, building their businesses in a meaningful way.

Moreover, we take pride in being the pioneers of the first REAL estate team on-chain, operating as a DAO (decentralized autonomous organization). This innovative web3 entity creates a shared fund accessible to our agents through democratic voting on proposals.

At REAL Gratitude, we are shaping the future of the real estate industry through the REAL universe, leveraging blockchain technology to bring greater balance to local communities. By revolutionizing tech for streamlined transactions and data management, we aim to create a more regenerative real estate landscape.

One of our greatest achievements is the communal capitalization of real estate transactions, benefiting our agents and equipping them with essential tech tools and skills. This support is especially valuable in an industry where over 85% of agents fail within their first five years. Through our efforts, we have not only witnessed exponential business growth but also gathered thousands of items and dollars in donations to support numerous communities across the United States.

Our message to the community is that they can trust REAL Gratitude for their real estate needs anywhere in the United States. Our dedicated agents, spread throughout the country, are ready to assist in giving back to local communities, whether they are buying, selling, or investing in real estate.

What else should we know about how you took your side hustle and scaled it up into what it is today?

Initially, I obtained my real estate license as a side hustle to support my acting and modeling career, wanting to avoid waiting tables for extra income. However, I quickly fell in love with being an agent, enjoying activities like door knocking and hosting open houses.

Then, the pandemic hit, and my usual methods of connecting with clients became impossible due to restrictions. Feeling a strong urge to help but also prioritize safety, I turned to social media and created a Facebook group called Glendale Gratitude for my neighbors. Within days, the group grew exponentially, and I began assisting with item distribution among the community.

As time passed, people started seeking not only community help but also real estate advice. This inspired me to blend both aspects, incorporating acts of gratitude for every transaction. I delivered coffee and cookies to healthcare workers and organized diaper drives for families in need, further strengthening the sense of community.

When my relationship ended, I considered moving away from Glendale, but instead, I tried a new approach. I initiated a Neighborhood Connection Campaign, collecting clothing for the Santa Monica Mental Health Center through door-to-door interactions. The response was incredible, with over 3,000 pounds of clothing collected from generous neighbors in Pacific Palisades.

Amid the challenges faced by the entertainment industry during the pandemic, my real estate business began to thrive. I embraced this new opportunity and now lead the team at REAL Gratitude and REAL Change, assisting numerous clients each year while still pursuing my passion for acting.

While my initial mission was to deliver art through music or acting, I’ve come to realize that my true purpose lies in revolutionizing the real estate industry, changing the game by fostering a culture of gratitude and community connection. Plus, now I have the access to funding for my own artistry projects, allowing me to have more control over my acting career.

Any advice for growing your clientele? What’s been most effective for you?

Our most effective resources for building our clientele pool are social media and door knocking. Through valuable content and consistent reinforcement of REAL gratitude’s ethos within REAL change, we establish ourselves as professionals focused on fostering community growth within the Real Estate space. By staying top of mind, we attract potential clients and build lasting relationships.

Regarding door knocking, we employ a targeted approach, going door to door in the communities of real estate transactions. Our purpose is to collect donation items for our clients’ favorite non-profits in those areas. This intentional system, combined with an elaborate follow-up program provided to our agents through our tech tools and CRM, yields impressive results.

We achieve a remarkable 45% success rate in generating new community members while door knocking, and this approach also contributes significantly to closing numerous deals each year within the neighborhoods we serve. Our commitment to community engagement sets us apart and helps us grow our clientele while making a positive impact on the areas we operate in.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.realgratitude.homes
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/real.barkley/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/therealbarkley
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/barkley-romero-8b4884196/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/realbarks
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@REALTalkwithBarkley
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/c-barkley-romero-philanthropic-realtor-pacific-palisades-2
• Other: https://www.google.com/maps/place//data=!4m3!3m2!1s0x2c04402007c86d59:0x17f63453239f8046!12e1?source=g.page.m.dd._&laa=lu-desktop-reviews-dialog-review-solicitation