We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Kari Jackson. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Kari below.

Kari, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Can you share an important lesson you learned in a prior job that’s helped you in your career afterwards?

Some would say I have a lot of “life experience”, others would say I like to wear a lot of hats. I like the term multi-potentialite! I am a mover and a shaker by nature and am constantly thinking about opportunities to use my talents to serve others.

My whole childhood, I KNEW I wanted to be a teacher. I absolutely love children; watching them grow, nurturing them with confidence and guidance. To see others feel emotions like comfort, pride, achievement and positive self-worth is what fuels me. I did have the opportunity to teach elementary school, in both the urban public arena and conversely in the rural parochial sector. I have such valuable life lesson memories from those years in the classroom and am so thankful I was in education when I was.

Once I had kids I needed to transition into a work situation that worked for our family and I opted to find something part-time. A dear friend approached me about getting my real estate license and that’s where my 2nd career started. It was the best of both worlds, working while also being a parent available to support my own children in their educational journey. I worked in real estate for nearly 11 years, until I knew it was no longer a fit. when the ebbs and flows of the industry started to affect my family, I decided a wanted a “real job”. (gasp)

I searched high and low to find what I wanted to do… and landed in a Director of Communication role for a very high end event/florist/local home gallery here in KC. I learned ALL THE THINGS. My “I can do that…… OR I’ll figure it out” mindset led me to so much opportunity. I went from being the friendly voice behind the business to the marketing department, the social media manager, the Game-Day project manager for things like Valentine’s Day at a TOP PRODUCING local florist, to personal assistant for the business owner and icon. And, I loved ALL OF IT! When given the chance to delegate, it was hard for me. I took such ownership of my work that I just kept taking it on and taking it on…. Here is where the lesson came in.

I realized while I as the serious MVP at work, I was setting an uncomfortable standard at home. I was dropping the ball on my own family’s “business” as my mind was consistently planning for and integrating my over-flowing ideas for the office. It was a very challenging decision to leave, and I still have such gratitude for the opportunity at Trapp and Company in KC.

Leaving that position was hard. The thought of someone else carrying all of those plates and being the hub of the business was hard to swallow. I did transition slowly, as some tasks NO ONE was ready for me to pass on. When they accepted my departure, I found a PERFECT next role. I reconnected with a co-worker from years prior; we had sold each others listings multiple times and had always kept in contact. When I reached out to get some behind-the-scenes insider scoop on a potential job, it came to be that SHE needed exactly what I was considering for another real estate team. It was the perfect combo of using my obvious passion for real estate with my “I can do this …. OR I will figure it out!” mindset. Working as Director of Communications/Client Care for one of the top producing real estate teams in our area filled all the blanks! It was like the ROLE MADE FOR ME.

In 2 years time we had systems for everything. This team doesn’t do anything “a little bit”.. they are ALL IN when it comes to marketing, client care and especially real estate sales. Once again, as my role ebbed and flowed…. I found myself in a position where I LOVED what I was doing. I had so many ideas and visions and ambition. I knew I needed MORE.

So, that’s where Top of Mind KC came to be. I wanted to do what I was doing. I recognized the VALUE of having a support team behind an agent’s real estate business, and I wanted to serve more people. I know so many agents and I also know the realtor-way of flying by the seat of your pants. While I did not miss SELLING real estate, I did want to continue making a difference for professionals in the industry. And that is what I do. That lesson learned, years ago was that I can do anything… but I can’t do EVERYTHING.

This lesson is what drives my professional vision now. I am a “server” by nature. I am a teacher by nature. I am a DO-er by nature. So now…. I serve, and teach, and DO all the things. I use my best talents to showcase the talents of others.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I covered the how i got into the industry in the last question :) so I’ll work on the others

Realtor and lenders are in the service industry, but really they are in a RELATIONSHIP industry. The success of their business is directly relative to the quality of the relationships they have. To work for yourself in a commission based business, the key task that must remain top of mind is creating and fostering relationships.

When that is the priority, the backside of the business tends to get the shaft. Branding is so important. Marketing is a MUST DO. Optimizing the way an agent works through each contract and client experience are VITAL. To go one step further, each real estate professional has their specific natural talents and learned skills. Like my lesson learned message, they can do anything.. but not everything.

I fill in those gaps. I work with each client on a custom basis. I have clients that I have worked with for years now, on a monthly retainer and they know they have me taking care of tasks that are important to them…. but would take them HOURS on end to do, or they just have absolutely NO INTEREST in doing them. We find the right balance between us. Whether it be a team or an independent agent I assist with the business planning, marketing strategy, social media, client care and events, creating professional marketing materials, collaborating with outside vendors like print/mail marketing, sourcing swag and client gifts, finding additional support resources for podcasts and transaction coordination. I wear all the hats….. but only the ones that each client needs.

To go one tiny step further, I did come to the realization that I can only take on so many clients in this format. Therefor, I have created Realtor Rescue: Monthly Marketing in Minutes, which is a membership that covers ALL marketing materials an agent would need each month. For a minimal fee, they get postcards, social media content, scripts and client gift ideas bundled with a few (manageable) business optimization tasks that I KNOW would serve them well if they followed along! So… that’s my attempt at reaching any and all real estate professionals that need a “behind the scenes” support that they aren’t sure they could afford.

The real estate industry is a challenge every single day. These professionals work so hard. They crave success and happy clients with every ounce of their being. To see a new realtor set up for success, to see a long-haul realtor EXCITED about taking their business to the next level…. it’s ALL exciting to me

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

The fact that I have been-there, done-that as a Realtor for many years is one of the biggest keys to my success. I really feel like working in the real estate industry takes a special mindset and life-experience that only a realtor can really. know. Thankfully I have a large network of connections in our local real estate market and those friendships and networking resources are priceless. My clients are my biggest cheerleaders!

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

There are so many executive level operations and marketing professionals everywhere! Connecting with others in the self-employed space has made a huge difference. We refer each other and seek opportunities for each other. When I first decided to go for it, I did enroll in an online course that taught people how to set up their own freelance business. This was the exact push and direction I needed to get the ball rolling. And honestly, once I got started it was connections in that space that brought my first clients to me, through word of mouth and a FB job board. I am happy to report I still have those very first clients! It’s been over 2 years and as I’ve added multiple clients, the growth of these mainstays always fuel my ambition!

I would still say facebook groups and industry related connections are the very best place to find people who need you!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://topofmindkc.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/topofmindkc/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/topofmind.kc
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karijackson-operationsspecialist/
• Other: Marketing Membership: https://realtor-rescue.mykajabi.com/

Image Credits
Avenue A Photography