We recently connected with Rachel Jackson and have shared our conversation below.

Rachel, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. What were some of the most unexpected problems you’ve faced in your business and how did you resolve those issues?

As the founder of a nonprofit organization our biggest issue was, how are we going to get the capital to help complete our mission. We had a vision and had every idea in mind as to how to implement that mission ,we just didn’t completely factor in that completing that mission was going cost money.. After-all the services we were going to be providing to the community were going to be free workshops. At this point we were at a stand still and this made us feel that we were not going to be able to provide the services we had planned. I know, I know, your thinking how could you not think it would cost.. As we grew, the need for services grew. We started to add additional programs for community engagement. Now this is where we came to a crossroads. Providing free speaking engagements is one thing, but providing additional services is another. So, we amped up our effects and started to connect more with other like minded individuals, local businesses, fundraising, and having raffles to help with cost. Once we started to speak with others in the community we say just how much others were actually striving for the same goal as we were. This is when I think we finally hit that point we started to see the revenue we needed to get the services we wanted to provide possible.

Rachel, 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 got into the business of real estate in 2015. Being in real estate , I have meet so many individuals and family that want to buy a home and don’t know where to start and I have also many people who believe they are ready to buy a home and find out after speaking with other professionals (lenders), they are not as ready as they thought. So, when I started this nonprofit it was all about educating people about everything they needed to do before they started the buying process, what they needed to doing once they got into the buying process, and also what they needed to do and what services where available to them after they purchased. As we are now in our second year of being established we offer a variety of free home ownership workshops. What makes us different is that we offer these workshops several time a month. An individual doesn’t have to wait several months for a home buying workshop. They can just sign up for the workshop they need and start their journey. Our nonprofit helps break down the home buying process in a way that anyone can understand. We offer a safe environment where people can ask any question(s) they may have and not feel that their question doesn’t matter. We want them to know what the entire home buying process is going to feel like before they even start theirs. We are most proud when we have a previous client when attended our workshops come back and tell us they have purchased their dream home and by attending our workshop(s) it helped them so much. We want people to that you can own your own home, if you are willing to put forth the effect. My goal is to get you and your family in the home of your dreams.

We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?

Social media is a beast all by its self. We may not have a million follower, however we do attract the right people and business we need to in order to carry out our mission. We started out as Youtube channel, just doing short videos providing real estate tips. Branching over into Twitter, Instagram and Facebook were also difficult. Looking for the just the right groups that are doing the same as you, but also needing your unique services is always a changeling. I would advise anyone that is seeking to build their brand to social member to have a real plan as to when post are made, the tags included in your post, and which groups you share your information in. We’d suggest to join and following groups that are specific to what you are currently offering. No, we do not mean spam the groups with your services. Example: We provide real estate workshops for home buyers, so we join groups that were created for people who are looking to buy and when some in the ask a specific question that we know the answer to, we provide them with the answer. This builds dialog for you and that person as well as others that are in the group who will be reading that thread. We have had many people began to follow us just because we answered a question rather than us pushing our services in their faces. I would say stick to what you know and the right people will follow you, rather that be customers, or even people/business who are looking to support what you are doing. I would say, if you believe what you are doing is making a difference, then don’t stop putting that information out there.

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

The most effective strategy I can say that has worked for us growing our clientele is simple our presence in the community, Our flexibility with the services we offer. The rapport we build with the current people we serve. We are always looking for ways to improve, so we offer surveys and we are not shy to asking for referrals. Our main and the biggest source of our clientele comes from our sphere of influence.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.theteaonrealty.org
• Instagram: @theteaonrealty
• Facebook: @theteaonrealty
• Twitter: @theteaonrealty
• Youtube: The Tea On Realty