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

Alright, Crystell thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. We’d love to have you retell us the story behind how you came up with the idea for your business, I think our audience would really enjoy hearing the backstory.

I first knew that I wanted to be a broker after several years as an agent and realized that all of my business was generated myself. I was at a point where I was earning the most commission out of hundreds of agents in the brokerage and I was tired of giving someone else a cut of what I worked hard for. In real estate most times, leads are not provided to you and you are responsible for all things related to your business, from prospecting to showing, building a network of reliable lenders, marketing, etc. So I thought to myself, why am I giving away my hard earned money? I can do this myself. I also had a vision for how I would run my own brokerage once I had the opportunity. I want to do things that have never been done in the city and I want everyone attached to my brokerage to thrive, I never wanted to have hundred agents but only have a small percentage of them achieving their goals. I wanted to be a mentor which I think a lot of realtors would say isn’t always a reality in this industry. I wanted to bridge that gap for my team.

Even when it came down to opening the actual building, I was months into the process of renovating a commercial building that I already owned. But God woke me up out of my sleep to tell me that I needed to look for a downtown location, He told me that this next chapter I need to start where I saw myself 5 year from now. I didn’t hesitate I searched for it that day and came across the perfect location just steps away from the Cotton Exchange. I had to completely reverse course and have the downtown building renovated and designed but it was all worth it in the end!

That is something I will always encourage business owners to do, lesson to your gut and never be afraid to change paths. Faith over fear!

Crystell , love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I am the definition of a serial entrepreneur. I am a licensed realtor in Tn, Ga, Ms, and AR. My career started working a 9-5 in staffing and I soon realized I had a way with people and had tons of ideas. I started my entrepreneurial career with my bakery, Tempting Berries and learned how to run a business the right way. This business allowed me to create trust with my clients and expand my reach but I knew that wasn’t where my heart was. I came from nothing and I was extremely proud of the business I created but I wanted to help those around me to become financial literate and free. I had always been a master when it came to credit and I took courses to become a senior tax professional then opened Dream Team Solutions. I used my influence to help those around me get into a better place in life financial. But I didn’t stop there, after doing taxes and credit for years I saw that there was still a void in our community when it came to homeownership and decided it was something I would be good at. I have since been recognized as a multi million dollar realtor and opened my own brokerage. I am most proud of my ability to pivot, God hasn’t put us on this earth to limit ourselves. I will always strive for more and accomplish every goal I set my mind on!

Any advice for managing a team?

Maintaining a high level of morale within a team is super important to creating a productive and positive work environment. As a business owner, there are several key thing that you need to make this happen. First and foremost, effective communication, It is important to me to make sure sure my team feel like their problems or concerns are heard. Open and transparent communication builds trust, encourages collaboration, and ensures everyone feels valued.

Secondly, it’s important to recognize and celebrate achievements. Acknowledging and appreciating the hard work and contributions of team members can significantly boost morale. Whether it’s a simple word of praise, public recognition, or gifts, these things go a long way in motivating people to continue performing at their best. Also, empowering them by providing opportunities for growth and development is crucial. When your team feel trusted and supported in their roles, they become more engaged and invested in the team’s success.

And finally, fostering a positive work culture is key for maintaining high morale. My team knows I love a good party! One thing about HHRG we are going to have a good time while achieving our goals.

Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?

I built my social media following simply by being myself, first off. I understand that’s not the most insightful answer but it’s crucial! A lot of people think that because they are behind a screen they be become the person they want on social media but I have not seen that be the case. People can feel when something in inauthentic including a person’s social media “persona”. People show me love on social media because they know that I am being myself. On top of that I am always looking for useful information to share with my following. I try to to be as informative as I can because if I can help teach someone something or change a person’s mindset on certain things, I am making a difference in my community. So my advice would be to be yourself always and make sure your content is serving a purpose and not just spam for someone to scroll past.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.crystellharris.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecrystellclearexperience/?hl=en
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/homegirlharris/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/crystellyourhomegirl/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@YourHomeGirlRadio