I Worked So Much, I Went Broke

When I first began working in real estate, I would go into the office every day, often staying until 2 or 3 in the morning. Since I was new, there was a lot of work I needed to do. I had to get a website up and running. I had to work on marketing pieces. I had to create my magazine ads. There was also much that I had to learn so I would pour over the Realtor magazines, take online courses, etc.

I got a lot of work done. The office was small. A lot of times, I was the only one there. No phones ringing, no people walking in through the door. Basically, no distractions. I worked and worked and worked. 

After a few months I felt so disconnected from my kids (I'm a single mom with a bunch of kiddos) that I decided to forgo the office and work from home. I wanted to be available for my kids when they needed me. I wanted them to know that I was there for them. And I wanted them to feel safe.

The only office space available for me in my house was in my bedroom. I had a fax machine, copier, laptop, and a TV tray. I was in business! 

I worked in this environment for three years. I would often take my laptop to bed, set it down on the other side of the bed, roll over and go to sleep. Only to wake up in the morning, roll over, pick up the laptop and check my email. I worked every waking hour. Or so I convinced myself.

I spent a lot of time on Facebook, Twitter, and other social sites. I called this work - and to be honest, I built myself a nice little community. (12,000 followers on Twitter - 1800 friends on FB) I immersed myself in social media. I was building my business, working 15 hours a day. I didn't have any energy because I was "working" so much. I didn't have any money because I was "working" so much. (Does that make sense?) I was convinced that social media was where I would get my clients. And i did get some from friends of friends. What happened though is that I neglected the other aspects of being in real estate. I neglected prospecting. I neglected getting out with people. I was too busy "working" to go meet people face to face. 

At one point I decided that real estate wasn't working for me. Hmmm... maybe I wasn't working for it? I started doing everything but real estate prospecting. I wrote an ebook. I created info products. I worked my tail off! But, I wasn't building my business. 

It was like I fell asleep at the real estate wheel. What finally woke me up? I was going to the food pantry at our church just to feed my children! Yea, that's a big wake up call! 

I blamed the economy and other outside influences. What I didn't do was blame myself for working too hard, on the wrong things. I realized that being a professional real estate agent requires that I work full-time AS a professional real estate agent. This means, prospecting! Did I say prospecting? YES! Not just "doing" social media waiting for the clients to come to me, but going to them. That was the mind shift change.

Then came the environment shift change. I had to do something about my work environment. In the summers my room would be 85 degrees with the A/C on. I decided it was time for a major change. Sometimes moving forward requires major changes. 

I made a major change by moving to a different house and it has made all the difference in the world for me. It has a separate dedicated office space. I stil have my chair and TV tray, but now I no longer sleep with my laptop on my bed. I get up in the morning then "go to work." I find myself making lists of things to do for prospecting, rather than just winging it. 

This is not a business that you can do well by just winging it. 

I made the changes needed. What changes have you had to make to keep yourself out of the food pantry?

 

Ta-Dah! 

Terri Camp, GRI

DFW Texas Homes, LLC

http://dfwhomesrealty.com

817-914-4987

I love to connect!