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

Helen, appreciate you joining us today. Do you wish you had started you own firm sooner?

If I could go back in time- do I wish I had started my business sooner? The answer is Yes and No. I was working full time at an international company and was waiting to hear back about a new position/promotion that I was going after. I’d been encouraged to apply for the position a year before, so I was excited to step forward and go after it. The generic rejection email came back so fast that I thought it was a mistake. I was disappointed but I’d just gotten licensed as a Realtor and I saw it as green light to go all in with my business.

I tearfully submitted my resignation letter (I LOVED my company) and mapped my plans to start at my new brokerage. My company asked me to stay on part time in another capacity and promised that it would be flexible enough for me to do alongside the real estate. I agreed and was a dual-career agent at the start of my new career. I started real estate in Houston, TX at the height of the pandemic-era super low interest rates. I thought I would start out nice and slow-after six months of trainings and shadowing and mentoring- I was writing offer after offer-because every house was receiving 20+ offers and all of my clients had very firm budgets, so we were getting outbid left and right. A house would go on the market at midnight and be pending by 1pm – it was crazy pants!

SO, that’s what my “start” looked like. I would’ve loved to have started 2 or 3 years earlier because I understand how much time it takes to learn the industry, understand the cyclical nature of the market, implement solid lead generation and follow up, and build credibility in an industry that has an over 90% fail rate. In theory, If I would’ve started two or three years earlier- I would’ve had double to business during the pandemic and I would’ve had the resources and flexibility to be present for a very difficult and dramatic family event that really overwhelmed my mother and perhaps things would’ve turned out better for my parents.

However, if I’d started earlier- I would’ve lacked the emotional maturity (because of where my character development was at that time), the immense patience it takes to work in real estate, and I don’t know if I would’ve had the discernment to select the brokerage in the way that I did (which I 100% attribute to my high quality of service to this day). I don’t know if I would still be in business today if I’d started earlier.

Helen, 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 decided to bet on myself and get into the real estate industry after feeling like the rungs on the corporate career ladder were being sawed off. Another deciding factor was having an experience where due to my lack of “work leave” – I had to try to help my family while being in another state, when in reality I needed to be there and I couldn’t take off work to do so. Two pains thrust me into an industry I’d been encouraged to join about 7 years previously.

For the last 5 years I have been a Transition Specialist, I help individuals and families manage and acquire wealth by way of real estate. I serve all life transitions-from first-time homeownership, upgrade purchases and downsizing, and end of life. What I have been told by my clients is that I am very hands on and involved from consultation to closing and I work very hard to encourage, empower and educate my clients. I am most proud of the fact that I have never had a negative experience with an agent across the table from me AND that I have a 100% close rate which means that I get my clients whether buying or selling across the finish line every time.

This year will be my first full year as a solo agent, after being on three different teams across two states. I am proud that I chose to build my full brand after years of pushing someone else’s brand.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

Pivot! It was the catchphrase of 2020 – and also the theme for me when I was unexpectedly released from my real estate team. We had just done a huge team bonding and business planning event the week before- so imagine my surprise when my I was told it was in the best interest of the team that I was removed. At that time I had a decision: I could’ve easily joined another team OR I could choose to continue building my business as a stand-alone agent under my personal brand. I chose building myself and it was the best decision for me. As a solo agent, I now have the ability to manage the quality of service my clients receive at every aspect of their process and that provides me a tremendous amount of peace.

Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?

I love to read! These are the books that have impacted how I think, how I navigate tough times, how I treat others and I how choose to run my business:

Believe Bigger by Marshawn Evans Daniels
The 6 Habit of Growth by Brendon Burchard
You Can Live the Dream by Nick Nilson and Joel Osteen
The Garden Within by Dr. Anita Phillips
High Performance Habits by Brendon Burchard
Atomic Habits by James Clear
Givers Gain: The BNI Story by Dr. Ivan Misner
How Successful People Lead by John Maxwell
5 Things Successful People Do Before 8 AM by Terri Savelle Foy

Contact Info:

• Website: www.helennbrison.kw.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/live.lovehom
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/helenbrison.r

Image Credits

Brandon Vos Photography Houston, TX