We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Jo Anne Johnson a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Jo Anne , thanks for joining us today. We’d love to hear about the things you feel your parents did right and how those things have impacted your career and life.

Like the book, “All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten,” I would suggest my parents taught me everything I need to know about life. I don’t mean that they taught me answers to nuclear physics equations, global economic conflicts… No. What they rooted in me was humility, a work ethic, problem-solving skills, standing up for those who can’t stand up for themselves, and valuable lessons in faith. We don’t always get what we want – no entitlement here. And most importantly, we should live up to our God given potential with the gifts He’s given us. My siblings and I enjoyed a lot of success growing up in our respective areas of music and sports, as well as friendships that allowed us to be young leaders in student council, first chair or team captain awards, homecoming courts, etc. But my parents kept us very humble in always deflecting any recognition we received by teaching us to thank team members, and to dedicate more time in volunteering at church and various service organizations. And no matter how busy we were, my parents expected us to hold a job from an early age… We babysat, mowed yards as early as 11-12 years old. We didn’t have to work. But my parents believed very strongly that work builds character. So I am thankful for these lessons, as it’s clear to me that yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift. These are guiding values in my business – to serve our clients to our utmost by giving them the very best client experience, and protecting their investment by leading, educating, and advocating in their best interest. I would say this is what my parents did right. God bless them in heaven.

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

Another lesson my parents taught us was not to talk about yourself. lol They would say, “If you’re good at what you do, people know. You don’t have to talk about it.” To elaborate on Who I Am, and About Jo Anne Johnson Real Estate Group, I would share this: – We specialize in residential real estate in The Woodlands & Surrounding Area.
– The lifeblood of our business is comprised of repeat business and referrals. We don’t buy leads online or likes on social media.
– We humbly serve at the pleasure of our clients. And it shows.
– We have consistently served hundreds of families year after year, and graciously acknowledge accolades and recognition for our market share from various organizations like the Houston Business Journal, The Woodlands Development Corporation, Zillow, etc.
– Our clients get the last word by our participation in the most stringent client experience review process via HAR.com – it is mandatory, 100% transparent, and voluntary.
– I have built a team of professionals over the years, and we have non-negotiables – serving our clients and our community with passion, integrity, accountability, market knowledge and unrivaled expertise.

What’s been the most effective strategy for growing your clientele?

I believe this goes hand in hand with another question, re: what helped you build your reputation in the market. In short, I would say the most effective strategy for growing our clientele is creating ‘raving fans.’ How do we do this? – We wake up unemployed every day with a mindset and work ethic to “win” for our clients.
– Winning means we build relationships built on trust and rapport. Trust is created by working in their best interest, and rapport in understanding/anticipating their needs.
– And ultimately, we exhibit the highest competencies in market knowledge and by exhibiting sharp negotiation skills.
– We desire to have a relationship that endures well beyond the closing table. We want to be a resource for helping them transition to a new chapter, welcoming them to our community, or staying in touch with them if they move away.
– In doing so, we become a real estate professional they can rely upon for life.
– If we have succeeded in going deep with our clients, we are their one source for real estate needs, and they tell people about their client experience (referrals).

We drive a warm business and wouldn’t have it any other way… Our clients are our extended family.

Have you ever had to pivot?

Yes, my hard pivot was learning how to leverage! I obtained my license in 2007 upon the encouragement of a Realtor in our community, who offered me to come on part-time that Fall to help her with marketing flyers, open homes for her buyers, on a very part-time basis (Tuesdays and Thursdays) with my youngest starting Mother’s Day Out. Long story short, part of my training was to complete a 3-week broker class that required me to host open houses as an assignment. During my 1st open house, I picked up two clients, and my independent business started 2008 with listing their home, helping them buy a home, and my friends began noticing I was no longer a stay-at-home mom, and began referring me. Wow! I had no home plan, and was very blessed to have my husband’s support. By Year Two (2009), my business was rapidly growing by referral, and I was in a bit of denial about working “part-time.” My husband took notice of my crazy hours, and noted something needed to change, and suggested I hire an assistant. I brought on my 1st employee in early 2010, and began building a team of professional support. In 2012, I sought out a coach with CORE Training, Inc., and learned how to leverage my business by brining on Buyers Agents. Today, I am so proud of the team of Pros on my team, who are dedicated to going the extra distance for our clients.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.JoAnneJohnsonRealEstateGroup.com
• Instagram: realestate_joannejohnson
• Facebook: facebook.com/JoAnneJohnsonREG
• Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/joannejohnsonreg/

Image Credits
Prime Media for picture of home Jason Dotson Photography for individual/team pictures Jessica Kemp for logo