FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Stacy Strobl
Regional Owner
EXIT Southeast
4125683948
stacy@exitsoutheast.com
Putting the heart into EXIT Realty Heartland
Franchise owner shares secrets to success, celebrates 100th sponsor
Elizabethtown, KY (Grassroots Newswire) July 9, 2021 --
Putting your heart into something definitely makes a difference and EXIT Realty Heartland Owner Vickie Grimes said this is the foundation for her Kentucky offices. This go-getter just celebrated her 100th agent sponsored!
“So many of our clients have become friends. We treat them all with respect and the same level of care regardless of the price of the property. They aren’t statistics or just a number. They are people who matter which is how we put the heart into EXIT Realty Heartland,” explains the passionate franchisee owner.
On May 26th of this year, Vickie celebrated not only her birthday, but, she has now successfully invited and introduced 100 agents to EXIT Realty. And number 100, Robert Scott, is very special to her family. He is her daughter-in-law’s father.
A Facebook post changed the course of Vickie’s future and it came with a simple invitation. The Kentucky native returned home in 2013 to care for her mother who was diagnosed with cancer.
“I put out on Facebook about our fight and the need for a job with flexibility so I could care for her. One of my son’s friend’s mom replied, ‘if you can sell sandblasted signs on the beach, you can sell real estate. Let me tell you about EXIT’,” Vickie said. “I knew nothing about EXIT or technology. It was really that simple. Recruiting starts with asking. Agents don’t need to overcomplicate it. I’m a great example of this.”
Vickie began with EXIT in 2013 and started her first franchise in 2014 in Elizabethtown. She quickly realized she wanted to help more people and could do it better as a franchise owner. Her second franchise is in Campbellsville. And, as soon as the build out is completed, her third franchise will be in Glasgow, Kentucky.
This passion for helping has also been recognized by EXIT Southeast. Vickie earned Broker of the Year in 2019 and 2020!
Take care of your buyers and sellers and the commissions will follow, she says. “I’m very wary of an agent who is in it for the commission. There is a 100% guarantee in real estate. I promise 100% failure if you concentrate on commissions. Concentrate on people and you are sure to succeed,” she advises. “There are more factors which determine success and you have to be well-rounded.”
This is the advice she gives for her students at her real estate school. The entrepreneur went to an EXIT Realty Corp. International convention and was inspired to start a real estate school and is a pre-license instructor.
A lot of people think you make more money opening a franchise, Vickie says. Owning a franchise can be lucrative. However, it requires a lot of time and dedication. The journey is made a lot easier through systems and support received by EXIT Realty Corp. International. Her goal is not to be the most successful agent in the office but to have an office that has the most successful agents.
“I recently went to an Angel Tucker training in Savannah, GA, ‘Sponsoring is the Heart of EXIT,’ and it was evident that everyone’s mission was to help each other. Angel also says it best. Success is not just having the right people but having those people in the right position,” Vickie said.
As a trainer, she appreciates the need for training and also knows the key to a successful brokerage is to know your strengths and the strengths of those around you.
“Jeff Davis, my office manager has helped me triple my business. He also earned EXIT Southeast’s Admin of the Year in 2019. And, Ashlyn Pawley, my admin, is queen of graphics and the internet. I couldn’t do it without them,” Vickie said.
In addition to staff support, regional and corporate support have been important.
“EXIT isn’t a company where it trickles down. It is more like a pebble in a pond. Support comes from everywhere and it ripples out. From training and Kenny and Stacy’s support (Regional Owners) to advice from EXIT Realty Director of Brokerage Services Janice Petteway, it’s all important. And, Janice reminds me to get out of my own way. Get out of my head and do what works. Keep doing what you are doing! This support has made a difference,” Vickie said.
Staying plugged in to EXIT resources and getting your agents plugged in is one of the secrets to Vickie’s success.
“We have an incredible amount of resources with EXIT which helps and supports our agents while keeping them engaged. I also surround myself with people who have the knowledge and are willing to share that knowledge. Listening to other people is also a secret to my success. Rick DeLuca, Rick O’Neill, Annette Anthony, Angel Tucker and Jennifer Halter are just some of the people that have inspired me,” Vickie said. “The beauty of EXIT is one of the foundation pillars is culture and environment, supporting people like family, and they mean it. They congratulate and support me when I’m on top and lift me up when I’m not.”
Click here to learn more about EXIT’s Five Pillars of Success.
Giving back to her community is giving thanks back Vickie says. Her offices support Forever Homes For Paws, the local high school softball team, Feeding America and Barry’s Mission.
“On Wednesdays, in partnership with a local Domino’s pizza, we go into economically depressed areas of our county and hand out food and sodas. As a crochet fanatic, I also make sweaters, scarves, hats and gloves we hand out with other essentials in cold weather. Being in a position to give back is food for the soul.”
EXIT has a very unique single-level residual system that have kept her going, Vickie says.
“With EXIT you can take listing, make sales and sponsor agents. This residual system helped me during my mother’s illness and my later health challenges. Residuals and a flexible career have made the difference,” Vickie said.
She considered going back to North Caroline where she also had a franchise, however, she says EXIT made her dreams come true.
“As a broker, I found an abandoned, 16,000 square foot mansion on four acres which had been vacant for 12 years. It had been my dream to have a home big enough for my family and extended family. I now have two of my sons and their families living with me and five of my seven grandkids – just like a Kennedy compound!”
To date, she says she’s earned over $380,000 in residuals which covered the price of the home. “I’ll never leave EXIT!”
For more information about EXIT Realty Heartland, please call 4125683948. EXIT Realty Heartland is located at 4611 N Dixie Hwy., Ste 201B, Elizabethtown, Kentucky 42701.
About EXIT Realty:
EXIT Realty is a company founded and built on human potential. A full service, forward-thinking, real estate franchisor with offices across North America, EXIT has to-date paid out more than a half a billion dollars in single-level residual income to its associates. The Expert Marketing Suite™ including geolocation Smart Sign™ technology gives sellers an edge in a competitive marketplace. The Focus on Good Health blog promotes wellness at work and home. A portion of every transaction fee received by EXIT Realty Corp. International is applied to its charitable fund. To-date, more than $6 million has been pledged to charity. For more information, please visit www.exitrealty.com and www.joinexitrealty.com.
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