You’ll want to dig into our blogs as we share monthly newsletters and profiles of success EXIT Southeast franchises. It’s important to dig deeper beyond a social media post to find inspiration and help to better your own business today.
When you ask EXIT Team Realty owner Angela Powell, why EXIT and the origin of her franchise name, she immediately points out the people behind the brand, past, present and future, with the common goal of reaching the next level!
Based in Hinesville, Georgia, Angela has been licensed since 1993 beginning her career with Coldwell-Banker and shared the work environment was very competitive with no one sharing information and caring if you got to the next level. Working together for the past 25 years with her partner and husband, Bob, he began looking for a new opportunity and a video with Steve Morris originally caught their attention. (Here’s more from Steve on the EXIT Realty Corp. International’s recent 25th anniversary. )
Angela’s first convention in 2004 was a game-changer for them. “Everyone was willing to help and I have never felt more like a family – ever – in business. That was the year Bob and I knew we were in the right company and knew Steve cared personally about us. It still means something today!”
The name EXIT Team Realty is significant to the duo because they are a team and it is not about the I. “We all work together and work toward the end result of being successful. Bob and I are pouring the best of ourselves into others to help them on their journey and to succeed,” Angela said.
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EXIT Team Realty Owner Angela Powell says EXIT conventions, broker/owner training and the annual EXIT Southeast events are always important times of growth and development.[/caption]
A big part of the EXIT culture is support and Angela and Bob say this has been key to growing their agents, franchise and themselves.
“We’ve been part of the EXIT family since 2003 and support has been so important,” Bob said. “(Regional Owners) Kenny and Stacy have been incredibly supportive, giving us things we need, and corporate has too.”
All we have to do is hit a chat button on the website, email, text or Facebook message and within seconds there’s an answer says Angela. “I have never seen such a supportive staff like EXIT. When they say they are there, they really are. And, nothing has wavered over the years. It has always been consistent,” she said.
EXIT Realty Corp. International Co-Chair Tami Bonnell has been Angela’s anchor. “She has so much faith in me and just knowing that, I can’t fail. I could go down the line of leadership and share something special about each person because they won’t let me fail and are 100% invested in me. It is more than nice talk. They motivate me on a bad day and help me work through any issues. They are family, every single one of them,” Angela said.
This support has been essential as she has battled cancer twice and the last time impacting her mouth and affecting her speech.
“I had been reflecting should I get out of real estate. I work every day to overcome this issue and handicap. It is difficult but I am still getting the job done. I’m showing people, if I can do it you can do it. My family supports me and pushes me and Stacy knows I am not giving up,” she shares.
That support also extends between different franchise owners and it has been important to the Powells. “Everyone truly wants to help one another. If someone calls me, I’m glad to share. I’ve been in a workplace where no one wanted to help. With EXIT, everyone does,” Angela said.
Rome wasn’t built in a day, says Angela. “The first thing I tell a new agent is to relax because you can’t get it all done in one day. It is a process and you have to believe in yourself because if you don’t, it is not going to happen. Training is also very important,” she said.
“If I’m not training, I can’t expect my agents to. Once you stop, your business stops. There is no lack of training in any of our offices. I also encourage my agents to go beyond what we provide,” Angela said.
Bob says comprehensive training has been important.
“From one-on-one to the EXIT training system, we offer a lot to make sure our agents are well trained. We also have our own learning management system, offer training on how to do videos, good business practices and networking courses.”
EXIT Team Realty also does a lot personally from goal setting.
“Our agents are family. We don’t want to just know business goals but as a complete person. There is a wheel of life for every aspect of your being – finance, business, family, spiritual and health. Our agents are family. We don’t want to just know business goals but as a complete person. When you share your health or spiritual goals and receive support, it helps you achieve them,” Bob said.
“Bob and I say go for it. The EXIT family and system is there to help you,” Angela explains. “There is no way you can fail if you follow everything the EXIT System and The Five Pillars road map. You will succeed!”
Angela said she is grateful every day she wakes up alive! “The secret to our success is we don’t give up! Each day, I can’t wait to learn something new and make it better than yesterday. I thrive off of this and we love real estate,” she said.
Giving back to their community is important for EXIT Team Realty. “We like to support anything in our community from helping the homeless and a community shoe drive to supporting our area animal rescue and Cancer Society." Angela said.
The Powells see a very bright future ahead for EXIT Team Realty as they expand into the Atlanta area.
“I see our future every day! We continue to grow and expand locally. I see us building Atlanta bigger and better and more offices down South. Our goal and dream is to expand. It is something new every day working with our agents and helping them achieve their dreams,” Angela said.
Connect with Bob and Angela Powell and EXIT Team Realty today at 912-408-8000. The go-to team for real estate news and information, check out EXIT Team Realty’s informative blog here.
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Visit EXIT Team Realty's informative blog for great real estate tips![/caption]
Consistently earning #1 Franchise Sales and honored repeatedly as #1 Region in North America for EXIT Realty Corp. International, connect with EXIT Southeast today for real estate opportunities in Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Tennessee and now Texas where Kenny Lynn and Stacy Strobl serve as Regional Owners. Contact us today at info@EXITSoutheast.com.
The latest EXIT Southeast newsletter includes an incredible list of rankings, news and an inspiring profile of EXIT Team Realty who just renewed their Atlanta franchise. Find out owners Bob and Angela Powell's secrets to their success.
Also be sure you check out several columns we share this month from our corporate leaders for insight and inspiration. We were so honored to be with them at our October Rally and we will be sharing more about that epic training and networking event in a special edition coming soon.
Click here to read the full newsletter or the photo below.
Consistently earning #1 Franchise Sales in North America and honored repeatedly for #1 Region for EXIT Realty Corp. International, Regional Owners Kenny Lynn and Stacy Strobl also broke the all-time corporate record for sales in 2019. The award-winning region was also named a 2021 Nashville Business Journal Best in Business finalist! Across Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Tennessee, and now Texas as Regional Directors, EXIT Southeast owners, brokers and agents are respected leaders in the real estate industry. If you are looking to join an award-winning team of professionals, contact EXIT Southeast Regional Owner Stacy Strobl at info@EXITSoutheast.com.
Safety, health and well-being are always a priority for our EXIT Southeast agents, brokers and owners. National Realtor Safety Month is the perfect time to evaluate your protocols when working with potential clients and the public.
The National Association of Realtors (NAR) is a great clearing house on Realtor safety from Covid protocols to day-to-day life tips. Click here for more information.
One of the most important things you can do as leader is create a safety plan for interacting with the public.
“We strongly encourage our owners, brokers and agents to reinforce safety at weekly and monthly meetings,” said EXIT Southeast Regional Owner Stacy Strobl. “It is a good idea to cover this regularly but with new topics, information and guest speakers. We sometimes get busy in the daily minutia and forget to make personal safety and getting home to your loved ones a top priority.”
Your biggest resource is the cell phone. Be sure it is fully charged, bring a charger, share your location and contemplate creating a group “find my iPhone” thread in the event of an emergency with your close contacts. Also, have emergency numbers programmed into your phone for quick activation.
Be aware of the neighborhood in which the open house is taking place looking for anything out of the ordinary. Park on the road so your car won’t be blocked in. Be friendly with the neighbors upon arrival and departure. Limit the ways in which someone enters the home by keeping the garage and back doors locked.
Be sure you tell your clients to put away any personal information, especially mail, during an open house and lock up all valuables and prescription drugs as well as any electronic which could be easy to swipe.
Also, at the end of the open house, don’t assume everyone has left. Check the premises and backyard before locking the doors. Always have a buddy system for an open house so a friend, colleague or relative will know what is going on. Never take this for granted.
This tip is a hard one because the cell phone has become an extension of our hands these days as you can see from so many photos – work and play!
When entering a building for a meeting, or exiting, be sure you are more aware of your surroundings rather than staying up-to-date on social media, texts or emails. One of the top things a mugger is looking for is the person distracted or disengaged with their surroundings.
Social media usage has definitely impacted safety as well. Be cautious when sharing your travel plan or day-to-day activities. Be cautious about what you share and the privacy settings for your social media.
Are you making your online accounts easy for hackers? Be sure to vary passwords, don’t keep them on your phone and incorporate symbols and numbers for complexity while always using more than six characters.
The car is the mobile office these days. Keep it well-maintained for your safety and it will help extend the life of the vehicle. Never allow your gas gauge to hover on empty and keep an emergency kit on hand and up-to-date with water, blanket, jumper cables, snack and a first-aid kit.
Answering a text while driving makes you 23 more times likely to have an accident according the NAR. Turn off your alerts and text after you park. Make this a habit.
Use your office address for your business emails and never share your home address. Also, it is a good idea to have a work email and a personal email.
The real estate market is very hectic throughout the Southeast but you must get to know a client before traveling with them and showing properties. Make sure they know you have a safety system in place and never be shy to let them know you have a buddy system with your colleague, broker or loved one.
And, always, always trust your gut and instincts and leave a situation if you feel uncomfortable.
Safety involves more than just open houses but is it something to consider daily says EXIT Southeast Regional Owner Kenny Lynn.
“We encourage our EXIT family to have updates and reminders at your monthly meetings so it stays top of mind,” Lynn said. “It’s also a good idea to bring in guest speakers so the tips remain fresh and helpful.”
Be sure you check out EXIT Realty Corp. International’s Focus on Good Health tips by clicking here. This site is a great resource on health, wellness, lifestyle as well as healthy recipes!
Ultimately, we want all of our EXIT Southeast family to be safe, healthy and happy!
EXIT Southeast daily strives to provide the 5 Pillars for our owners, brokers and agents which is one of the reasons while we have consistently earned #1 Region and #1 in Franchise sales for EXIT Realty Corp. International. EXIT Southeast will be hosting an epic Rally for agents, brokers and owners in Orlando. Florida, October 20-22 providing on site coaching, training, mentoring and networking. Click here for more information. Connect with EXIT Southeast today for real estate opportunities in Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Tennessee and now Texas where Kenny Lynn and Stacy Strobl serve as Regional Owners. Contact us today at info@EXITSoutheast.com.
Believe in yourself and you will be unstoppable is a mantra and driving passion for EXIT Realty Pros CEO/Owner Jesse Vose, based in Knoxville, Tennessee with three franchise territories.
How the EXIT Southeast franchise owner has grown this unstoppable spirit is definitely inspiring.
Self-employed since he was 16, Jesse has had an interesting history prior to EXIT. He’s owned retail and home décor stores, a marketing firm and a landscape business. He was even a sheriff’s deputy for five years – all remarkable for the 37-year-old entrepreneur.
With a history of building and selling businesses, Jesse approached the local EXIT franchise owner five years ago to assist with marketing and signage needs. After becoming friends, Jesse told him he would be buying him out and 11 months later and did just that!
“He noticed my work ethic and commitment to seven days a week, 24 hours a day. In November of this year, I will definitely be renewing for another five years for several reasons,” Jesse said.
Digging into why EXIT for Jesse, his passion for people becomes very apparent which he says aligns with the EXIT culture.
“I’m a people person and consider my agents family, not a number. I like creating an atmosphere of supportiveness and the role of broker/owner is a perfect fit for me. We aren’t a cookie cutter business like our competitors. EXIT is unique,” Jesse explains.
The residual element for EXIT is something everyone talks about and you won’t find this with any other brand Jesse says. For him, EXIT leadership support has been most important.
“It is the willingness to help and support from Founder/Chairman Steve Morris to Regional Owners Kenny Lynn and Stacy Strobl which has meant so much. We are one massive EXIT family and here to help each other in any way. It is nice to know, easy or difficult, Stacy and Kenny are available 24/7 to help when needed. Steve founded something very unique 25 years ago and EXIT is a perfect match and really who I am,” Jesse said.
In our monthly profiles, we always ask, what is the secret to your success? Jesse says being humble and always available is his secret sauce.
“I would give my agents the shirt off my back if they needed it. Being an average Joe who is not afraid of hard work and staying humble has been key. I’m on call for my agents and they know this. This commitment has led to our phenomenal growth – now at 75 agents and counting. There would be no success without our amazing agents,” he emphasized.
It’s also been key that Jesse and his broker, Patricia Shepherd, take advantage of everything EXIT offers from training and branding to technology for their agents. Jesse says they also go beyond providing everything without a dime from the agents pockets.
“We operate non-compete with our agents and are available 24/7,” he says.
You will be successful as you allow yourself to be says Jesse.
“If you put in the time, you will conquer your goals. In this tough market, you have to put in the time and be available to you clients,” Jesse said. “Invest in yourself, take advantage of all the EXIT offerings. If an agent tells me they are so busy, I ask ‘did you sell something today.’ If the answer is no, then that person really isn’t that busy and needs to look at time-blocking to have success.”
Jesse’s advice is to block out an entire day and plan it in sections. If you don’t, you’ll get to the end of the day with nothing to show for it. His suggested blocks are follow up on leads, make appointments, attend training, networking, marketing and branding and self-improvement.
“For self-improvement, I recommend daily affirmations, exercise or yoga. Do something for yourself for at least an hour every day. It is important to have self-time and I’ve seen top agents forget to do this. You have to take a break and enjoy life or you will get burned out,” Jesse said.
A great book for self-improvement that Jesse recommends is “The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business,” by Charles Duhigg.
Giving back to community is also very important for EXIT Real Estate Professionals. The brokerage volunteers with Love Kitchen, spending days supporting the work of homeless assistance. They have also helped build a Habitat for Humanity home, participated in canned food drives and raised $10,000 for Cystic Fibrosis when one of their agents, Anna Cramer, was nominated as a Knoxville rising star and participated in the fund-raising challenge. The Spirit of EXIT matched their efforts.
In addition to the three franchise territories, Jesse has plans for continued expansion as well as implementing new technology, tools and platforms for his agents. "We definitely lead by example with our agents and firmly think if you believe in yourself, you will be unstoppable,” Jesse said.
Connect with Jesse and EXIT Realty Pros at vosepropertygroup@gmail.com or 865-3838-3948.
Consistently earning #1 Region and #1 in Franchise sales for EXIT Realty Corp. International, EXIT Southeast will be hosting an epic Rally for agents, brokers and owners in Orlando. Florida, October 20-22. Click here for more information. Connect with EXIT Southeast today for real estate opportunities in Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Tennessee and now Texas where Kenny Lynn and Stacy Strobl serve as Regional Owners. Contact us today at info@EXITSoutheast.com.
In the August EXIT Southeast Newsletter, find out latest rankings, Regional Owners’ update, great EXIT Corp. inspo and the secrets to EXIT Real Estate Professionals Network’s success.
You'll also find the incredible list of new agents and brokers who have joined EXIT Southeast!
Click here to read the newsletter or the photo below!
Consistently earning #1 Region and #1 in Franchise sales for EXIT Realty Corp. International, EXIT Southeast will be hosting an epic Rally for agents, brokers and owners in Orlando. Florida, October 20-22. Click here for more information. Connect with EXIT Southeast today for real estate opportunities in Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Tennessee and now Texas where Kenny Lynn and Stacy Strobl serve as Regional Owners. Contact us today at info@EXITSoutheast.com.
