1. Can you please tell us more about your business?
Leapfrog Johannesburg North East is a franchise of the Leapfrog Property Group and is based in Dowerglen, Edenvale. The franchise covers the North Eastern suburbs of Johannesburg. There are in excess of 23 agents that work in the franchise and each agent is suburb specific.
The franchise offers the services of real estate sales, rentals and the management of rental property. The company ethos is “it’s always about the people” and due to the fantastic support that the agents receive from our phenomenal in-office administrative team, the agents are able to make their business all about our fabulous clients and giving them a great real estate experience! I offer my agents regular and up-to-date real estate training enabling them to go into the market with confidence and therefore they give great service to our clients.
2. When, how and why did you start your business?
I started in a franchise on my own in 2008. I had been the sales director for a number of years at a real estate company where I learned a lot regarding the business, but found that I wanted to start to work my business on my own terms which would enable me to build a company in my own way. I started my business by franchising what was then the Edenvale office that I had started for that company.
It was liberating to start on my own and to make decisions based on my own set of values and my moral compass. I was fortunate that I had saved money, had incredible family support and was in a position to start the business. It’s a big financial undertaking if you are to do it correctly from day one.
3. What is your role in the business?
My primary role is to recruit, train and retain the agents. I regularly go on appointments with the agents to assist them in any capacity that they need me to. I run weekly training sessions in the office, I also manage the administration team and look for new ways to update our in- office systems as well as market my agents, franchise and brand. I do all of the company payments and keep a close eye on the income and expenditure of the business. On a quarterly basis I revisit the company processes to see what needs improvement.
I am also the person who identifies and resolves any challenges that we may experience with the sales, rentals and the property transfer processes.
4. Where did you study and what did you study?
I finished high school and travelled for 12 months, therefore, skipping the conventional education that most people opt for. I have an NQF5 qualification in real estate.
5. How did you finance your business?
By saving money when I worked as an estate agent and taking a loan on a holiday property that we owned as a family to get my business started.
6. Describe your average workday, if such a thing exists.
My days are too varied to have a formal structure, however, I am fanatical about keeping a written diary so that I don’t forget anything nor do I drop the ball.
On a daily basis I focus on the sales, rentals and agents as well as admin processes that need attention and the concluded offers and lease agreement. I do training about four days a week with different agents and formalised training as an office once a week.
My focus is very much about keeping the sales and rental team motivated to ensure that we do all of the necessary activities to keep the listings of property, the sales and the leases concluded consistent.
I do a weekly review of all the sales that are in process to ensure that any challenges are attended to before they become big problems. I oversee the rental management book on a monthly basis to ensure that all is in order for our clients’ rentals.
Basically I do whatever I need to do to make the business work successfully!
7. How do you balance your home life and your work life?
Balancing home/work life was a real issue when my kids were small. Now that they are grown up it’s easy! The way that I managed it over the years was by being totally in the moment. When I was at work it was my business time, when at home my family time.
Having said that I‘ve always had to take calls from agents and clients and my family always understood that and supported me. I think being in the real estate business and training agents is so much a part of my life now, 20 something years later, that I am able to step out of the dinner party or wedding or event, without even thinking about it, to take the calls when the agents need me. My family and friends only know me like this actually.
At 6am, five mornings a week, I am in the gym and I don’t take calls. I also don’t take calls when I have golf lessons once a week, and I don’t take calls during my children’s and grandson’s events such as parties, concerts, prize giving and the like.
Once a year I holiday overseas for a few weeks and then it’s WhatsApp only -that’s my switch-off time.
8. What drives you and inspires you?
I do not ever want to be financially reliant on anyone. I love to help other people to find their way in this business and to become financially self-reliant and I enjoy helping people into a home.
I think that building a business is a labour of love – it cannot be just about the money. It must be about a calling that you have, otherwise the road would feel too tough.
Creating this business has been the most wonderful journey, its enabled me to have financial stability, its enabled many of the agents who have been with me for years to have their own financial stability, its created jobs for the administrative team that work in my company, its created my “business family “that I am very proud of, that inspires me every day!
9. Where and when do you have your best ideas?
Anywhere and everywhere. I do a number of different activities to open different pathways in my brain, I recently started learning golf.
I find by learning a new skill – I get coached in boxing two days a week as well – it gets my brain in a creative space to make decisions and to think up new ideas.
Speaking to smart people is another one of my very best past times and excellent for getting a “lightbulb moment”. They say “if you are the smartest person in the room, find a new room” it’s the absolute truth!
10. Where and how do you market/advertise your business for sales leads?
On the usual property portals, on social media platforms, via telephone canvassing (we are working in a POPPIA compliant manner), via my sphere of influence, we market to past clients. I have done a number of “all about property” TV shows with Cornelius Koopman on The Home Channel and at every and any opportunity I love to discuss my business and property with people that I met.
11. What is next for your business?
My plan is to get every one of my current agents to their absolute optimum ability and to grow the number of sales by growing the people.
I would like to have a market share of 20% across the board in the suburbs that we operate in. This doesn’t sound high but it would be an incredible achievement to do so, it’s a big and exciting goal and one that I am determined to achieve.
I am always on the lookout for enthusiastic and ambitious people to join my team of agents. I am selective in the hiring process, so I will expand the team slowly in the next two years.
12. What advice would you give to female entrepreneurs hoping to start their own business?
Make sure that you rest your ladder against the right wall, that way when you get to the top of the wall you will be happy with the view.
Don’t let anyone tell you that you “can’t”. If you want to and you work for it you absolutely “CAN”. Be brave, sometimes you must leap before you look.
Kindness first – but don’t be a pushover- if kindness doesn’t work don’t feel bad to be tough. (as women we sometimes struggle with that).
Make your kids the priority always – they grow up quickly and you don’t want regrets because you neglected them due to your career.
Have “bounceability”, everyone makes mistakes and has hard times but it’s the people that stand up the fastest after that mistake or hard time who succeed.
Most importantly, do what makes you happy and always believe that you are the absolute best!
For more please visit: www.leapfrog.co.za
