Who’s 75? Not me, but here’s why it matters to me.
When you’re embarking on a career change from an industry you’ve been in for 30 years, your choice of partners matters trust me, I know. As a professional Insurance Broker, newly licensed as a Real Estate Agent, when it came time for me to make that big decision I was going to do a lot of research.
The Insurance Brokerage I had worked at for the last 10 years was a global company, with great ethics and fantastic people and that was invaluable to me. So here I was, deciding who I could trust to enable me to become the very best that I could be, in my new career and life going forward, no small task!
My research began online, I googled Real Estate Brokerages. Having grown up and lived on the North Shore from a very early age, I knew who the leaders in the local industry were. I scrolled through images of men and women in suits with cars with arms crossed and serious faces. Words and phrases set to entice you to join their fabulous world flowed from every page.
They all had a pitch and what did they have to lose? You’ll have the great privilege of signing up and then paying a fee, then it’ll be up to you to create business for yourself. Then guess what, if you make it, you’ll get the privilege of giving up a cut of that hard earned commission too. The question was, what did I have to lose?
I had spent 30 years in an Industry built around client care, attention to detail and more than anything, good faith and ethics. That was were I had staked my claim and held tight to my reputation. This new industry seemed like it had become a bit of a wild west, from the sophisticated business it had been just 20 years ago.
“Macdonald Realty” not the biggest, not the slickest shiny golden one with fancy tag lines and branding. Just a family name, that I had repeatedly heard of over many years, with a simple logo, a doorway. Feels like me, I thought to myself, let’s see what they have to say. The “joining Macdonald Realty” webpage was pretty straight forward. Centre stage was a video featuring their Director of Agent Development – Mark Winter, I pressed play. The moment he started to speak, something spoke to me. As a girl who had moved to Canada from Britain at the tender age of 12, his familiar accent and tone was pleasingly familiar. His simple message about professionalism, tradition and values was music to my ears, I needed to book an appointment!
One week later I met my Managing Broker Pat Place! The warmth, humour and sincerity she exuded was exactly what I was looking for. From the moment we shook hands, I had a great feeling. The fact that I would have the opportunity to build my business along side and with the support of, this fabulous woman was what I was looking for. Coming from an industry hugely dominated by men, it was an exciting prospect. The next appointment with another brokerage that I had booked right after this one with Pat, was exactly the opposite experience and my decision was made.
So here we are 4 years later, Macdonald Realty is turning 75, a milestone we are celebrating in our office this afternoon. Mark Winter, who’s video inspired me to make that call. Has become a great mentor as well as a friend and Pat Place continues to be my fearless supporter, inspiration and amazingly fabulous friend.
Now that’s a success story or two, don’t you think! Happy Birthday Macdonald Realty!
Julia Stauffer
Direct Line: 604.837.5048!
julia@juliastauffer.ca