JUNE 24 marked my 9th year
owning a brokerage firm in
New York City, and in those
years, I’ve learned a lot. Here
are just a few things I wish
someone had told me nearly
a decade ago.
GET OFFICE SPACE AS SOON AS
YOU CAN.
■ And if you can do it in a
shared office environment,
even better. This will help you
save on expenses and give
you a pool of prospects. If
you’re in sales, you feed off of
being around people. If you
work from home too much, a
part of you will slowly dry up
and die.
NEVER SAY “I’M SORRY.” SAY “I
APOLOGIZE.”
■ When you or an employee
screws up—and you will—
using the word “apologize”
has a greater impact. Instead
of admitting you or your staff
did something wrong, simply
apologize for the situation.
DON’T TAKE UNSCHEDULED
PHONE CALLS.
■ I started doing this about 3
years ago and I’m amazed at
how much more productive
I am. When you answer the
phone it takes away your
focus for what you are doing
for someone else, and then
you’ll never get out of the
office. It also elevates you
to instant rock star status if
people know they can only
talk to you if they schedule
first with your assistant.
EMPLOYEES WILL DO THINGS
DIFFERENTLY THAN YOU.
■ Let them be different. I tell
my employees all the time:
There are a million ways to
get from A to B. I don’t care
how you get to B; just get to
B. It allows them to work in
a process that makes more
sense to them.
‘SATURDAY, IN THE PARK...”
■ Only respond to clients on
a Saturday. Don’t respond
on a Sunday. You are entitled
to have your own life. Use
your personal time; it sets up
important boundaries that
you deserve to have.
What I’ve learned
By Susan Combs broker on record
(since starting my own firm)
Photograph by David Johnson
Susan Combs
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