How Lisa Herald Matched Last Year's Production in a Quarter of the Time

Hey everyone, Lars Hedenborg here. I wanted to chat today and have everyone listen to me talk to a client of mine, Lisa Harold, and she's in Texas. And the reason why I admire this woman so much is because we set out on this mission together to build an amazing business for Lisa. And starting for the most part from a ground zero type position. And she has just attacked everything that we've set out to work on. So what it took me a year to do, she's done in three months. And all the punches that I would take in the course of a year, learning new things and recruiting and having agents sort of come and go and work out and not work out. I mean, she's really just consolidated it all into such a short period of time. At the same time, her business is on fire. So we're about a quarter away, a little over a quarter away through the year here. And her production has already matched what she did last year. In addition to building out the systems, we're working on, working on recruiting, building out more of a business infrastructure while she's still producing, which is the hard part of what it takes to really step up and build a sustainable business. So, Lisa, tell us a little about yourself, your background, how long you've been in the business, what experience you might have had with real estate coaching programs. I know you were with, without naming the particular coach, I know you were with a particular coach for a period of time. Go through all of that and kind of just let everyone know, sort of your quote unquote story.

Okay, thanks, Lars. Well, good news is I'm still smiling, so I'm happy about that. It has been a very exciting three or four months, no doubt about that. I have about 14 years as a licensee and I've been primarily with Keller Williams and with ReMax. And I have had numerous coaches throughout my career, always searching, always trying to find a way, a system. I always felt like there was a better way to do things than what I was just finding on my own. And even with the help of some coaching, nothing ever really seemed to click and I'm not quite sure why. I've always had decent production, but I've always been pretty exhausted and I've been under a lot of stress. Self induced, no doubt, but I never really saw the light at the end of the tunnel. And as the years go on and that sort of thing, I really was becoming a little bit despondent. And lo and behold, a friend, a mutual friend of ours introduced me to you had no idea this was coming down the pike for me last November, December. And it is, I can honestly say that it is going to change my life. I know that in my bones. And yes, I have had a lot of coaching. I'm not 100% sure why you and I click so well, but I highly respect the business that you have, what you've done in such a short amount of time. And your systems are clear. You know, they're easy, they're complex, but they're easy enough to understand. And you're there. I mean, you've answered millions of my questions. So it's been a really interesting four months for me. And to hear what you just said a minute ago, I can't say that I feel that I have gone through really, really challenge. Well, obviously I've gone through challenging times, but there's been so many rewards that, you know, what makes me get up in the morning is knowing that I have support now. And I know that you guys, you and Stacy mean that you do care and that means everything to me.

So Lisa, what does Lars have in place that he's doing with you that's different to what has been done that makes this click so well? What are some of the things you're implementing now that you haven't done before?

Well, good question. The first thought that came to my mind was Dropbox. There is a plan for the buyers listings, the team organization, the business organization, and inside each of those folders are dozens and dozens of documents that we can personalize, customize ourselves. You yet not stray too far from what's already working for somebody who has an incredible business. So I was never given those kind of tools before. I was always given like create a business plan. Well, great, that's easy enough to do. But how do you implement the day to day things from taking the big picture and then making it into okay, this week I'm going to be working on this project. So. So Lars has really helped me take the big picture and put it into bite sized pieces where I can actually get traction. And like he said in the beginning, even though I'm still producing, I'm still able to get, for instance in Top Producer, changing certain plans and action plans and listing plans, closing plans so that they're more effective. I have a lot better interaction with my clients. What I'm actually saying has meaning to it. Before I was using canned emails out of Top Producer and so now there's a greater connection. So he's offered me a lot of dialogue and direction in that area.

And one thing just to chime in here a little bit. So the framework, it's the four core building blocks. It's how I learned real estate. It's buyers, sellers, team and then exiting the business. And that's kind of how we teach us the structure. But the underlying sort of there's four key technologies and basically four marketing pillars. And we don't, there's no shiny objects, there aren't squirrels to chase. And so it's every time Lisa or any of my clients want to chase the squirrel, it's my job to look at the squirrel, see if it's worth chasing, but to do the chasing myself. So there's nothing that the industry is rampant with, disks that are being sold that I can't find a single person that's making a certain thing work and everyone is just blowing it up on Facebook. So my job is to come back down to earth. It's going to be okay. This is not going to deliver 100 sales next year. My business is set up with a few more than four marketing pillars, but for the most part, I don't mess with anything unless it has a way to bring me 50 to 60 plus deals a year. And even if you're not selling four pillars times 50 deals, that's what your business is going to be doing a year or two from now. So let's focus on the basics, make these things work really well, go deep on sort of basic marketing systems and do it in a way. I mean, Lisa, one of my clients, not many clients do it at the pace that she's done it. It's a double edged sword in a way because if you implement every system in a month like Lisa did, and I love her for it, it's a lot.

Well, let me ask this, Lisa, I'm curious to know and this could help with getting some great feedback here. Lisa, let's start here. What are your three biggest frustrations or challenges in your business right now that you're dealing with? What are the top three?

Top one, two and three would be the team cohesiveness. Buyers agents. Buyers agents. Buyers agents. I've had my biggest challenges in directing, motivating and keeping them on track and getting them to drink my Kool Aid, so to speak. You know, there's so many things involved that I'm learning. I haven't ever managed a team before. And with as many conversations as I've had with recruiting people and with Stacy and Lars on how to do that, which questions to ask, what the answers might mean. You know, there's still some missing factors in there. And so I'm in a huge learning curve as far as that goes to make sure that I'm asking the right questions and that I'm understanding what they actually mean when they answer me. So it's. I might hear one thing, but that may not be what the person meant. So those are my biggest challenges right now, is really just making sure that the buyer's agents, I have two right now, and you know what their expectations are, are meeting what is delivered at the. At the initial meeting.

Okay, so what makes Lars different? I mean, how long have you been selling real estate, Lisa?

14 years.

So you've probably been involved other training and coaching or whatnot. What specifically could you share about Lars and his approach that is maybe different than someone else's?

Well, what I said in the, in the beginning, I believe that the biggest difference have let me just look real quickly. I mean, I've been with at least six or eight different coaches and high level as well. I'm going to have to say the biggest difference is the systems. You know, the plan is in place. It makes sense. It's easy enough at face level, it's easy enough to integrate, like I mentioned before, to customize. And because the coaching level, the one that I'm in, is really very, very high touch, much higher touch than what I've been involved in before. So I have access to a tremendous amount of knowledge from two different people who are in the trenches themselves. And that's really made the biggest difference. I mean, I'm working with active, very successful Realtors. I'm going to say that's the biggest difference.

So what does your life look like a year from now, working with Lars for a year? What's the end game? What's the benefit? How do you know this is going to be successful? What's the end result you're looking for?

The end result, while there are several, the first thought that I had when you were asking that question, what does my life look like a year from now? I'm going to be planning my round the world trip, which I'm really, really excited to do. And I know that's coming. And I can assure you, four months ago, I did not know that was coming. That's a definite. I will also be able to build and create a business that I'm extremely proud of, have a stronger reputation in the community and actually be able to transition out of the business. At the same time, it's still going to be producing. That's really what I'm looking for. I don't want to be in the trenches, so to speak, every single day of the rest of my life.

So, Lars, what are you working with Lisa on right now? What are top priorities?

You know, team building. Team building, motivating agents. It's a fine line, especially when you're starting a team to sell the vision. For me, it's top 20 team for ReMax 400 transactions. All my agents are making the money they want. There's enough business to go around in the beginning, when you start a team, it's a little bit of a different. You're selling a vision and a future, and Lisa is going through it. It took me two years to get good at what Lisa will figure out in less than six months. So you're going to make some bad hires. You're going to not know what questions to ask. Like Lisa said, you're not going to know when it's BS or when it's legit, their answers. You're going to know the nuances of what to look for, what your perfect buyer agent looks like, and the background of that is putting the systems in place. So when they come into your team, they really do feel like this is a legit operation. Like any major company that has a killer sales organization. Like, you start day one as a newbie salesperson, you're not figuring it out right. I mean, there's a system that works that you're coming into, and there are ways that you're held accountable, and there are technologies that you use, there are scripts that have been used ahead of you, and there's all these things in place. There are presentations, there are buyer packets, There's a way to convert people over the phone. There's a way to convert people face to face, and there's a way to service a client and ask for referrals to build out all those systems while you're building the business and you're selling the future. It's a tricky process that we're working through right now. Lisa, it feels like you're getting beat up some days, but that is just because you are going through this stuff so fast. And I. I've got to say, I'm so proud of your ability to sort of brush off a punch or get up when you're knocked down. And it's really a cool thing to see. So a year from now, you will be on a cruise around the world or plane around the world, and your business will probably even grow when you're out of pocket. And one thing I want you to touch on a little bit, and I'll take 100% credit just because it'll be good for this video testimonial here. But talk about your production last year versus this year. So here's the thing. Lisa's been. She's implemented, like every system I've given her on the buyer side and the listing side. And she's building a team at a rapid pace and learning all the mistakes and getting better and all that. And her production is. I'll let you tell the story on your production, but your pending and close are pretty much in a quarter are more than what you've done all last year. Right?

Yeah. I gotta tell you, here's the other good news. And Frank, you'll like this as well. The first time that Lars and I had a meeting, he wanted me to get my numbers together. I labored, I sweat. I don't know how long I worked and tried and scrambled and I went through files. I never could do it. He finally said, just forget it, Lisa. So he said, we'll start out in a clean slate and whatnot. So I knew the call was coming. I did have a pretty big punch yesterday, and I was sort of thinking of not being on this call, quite frankly. And I got to the office early enough. I pulled my numbers up in record time, like in 30 minutes or less. And so the great news is, well, I don't quite have the system in place where I can just pull them up automatically like you do, but I'm getting there. So I'm looking forward to getting a lot of my spreadsheets in order soon. But anywho, when I put all this on paper, I was extremely, extremely happy to see this. So in 2013, I had 35 total sales. 12 of those were listings. Sales volume, almost 9 million. 2014, right now, my sales volume is right at 3 million. And I have, let's see, 5 million 500 in pending, and my listing inventory is 4 million 400. So I was quite honestly shocked when I saw this on paper.

And then I'll touch on that a little bit, too. Part of it, as someone's going through this process at sort of record pace, it feels it's daunting and change is happening, and there's discomfort in all that. So part of it for me as a coach is to realize and help people. Just be in gratitude more and appreciate the progress you're making. I mean, it's easy for me to see that Lisa's doing these amazing things and. But for her, she's in it, doing it. You're doing what it Took me multiple years to do. You'll have done in less than 12 months. I just really honor you in that. On the business tracking side, don't go too far with any spreadsheets. I've got the most killer tracking tool that the industry has seen. I didn't create 90% of it, but I've got the rights to use it for all my consulting clients. And it is totally awesome. It will change your life when I get this up and running for you. So don't go too far on that front.

So I guess one last question.

Okay, I won't.

So one last question, Lisa. We have a little bit of time left. Is. I just want to ask if someone. What would you tell someone in your shoes that where you're at your level of business? So you did how many deals last year?

35.

35 deals last year. What's your average selling price.

On that last year? My average is probably around 300.

300. Again, remind everyone the market that you're in.

The Woodlands, Texas.

Woodlands, Texas. Okay. So for someone in your shoes, where they're at and they want to get to that goal of being able to lead, to be able to take a trip around the world, what do they need to know based upon your experience right now.

In regard to the coaching.

I'm assuming in regard to the coaching or in regard to what changes, maybe personally or what do they need to take action on to be able to get to where you want to go? Someone in your shoes?

I mean, for me, it's always been a pretty easy decision to search and seek and. And, you know, if I have direction, it's pretty easy for me to follow it, like Lars said. I mean, I didn't realize I'm doing lightning speed, but it doesn't, you know, surprise me that an outsider would say that. Golly, kind of put me on the spot here, Frank.

That's right. Let me ask you this. What? Any tips you can give someone to be successful working with a coach.

Well, why are you.

Why are you implementing this so fast? When Lars says it's so hard to do, that's what I'm getting at.

Okay. Okay. Well, that's. Now I understand the question better. Well, rule number one for me, and I'll probably get a chuckle from Lars on this one, is put your ego away. So I have a pretty big ego, and we've had this discussion before. That has been just this weird challenge for me. And it's not that I don't want to accept help. I definitely do. I didn't realize how kind of stuck in my own ways and my own way of thinking that I was until Lars got a hold of me in a gentle but very. I don't want to use the word forceful, but in a way that I can understand. I mean, he has some techniques that he uses with me that gets my attention, and not many people really get my attention. But Lars not only has my attention, he has my total respect. And I just feel so incredibly blessed that I ran into this guy. And like I said, I know it is going to change my life. I would say to anybody who's out there searching for a better way, a different way, definitely give this a try. I mean, this system is an amazing, easy system. Definitely takes effort and just keep an open mind.

Lisa, thanks for those kind words, Lars. How would someone get a hold of you?

Easiest way is probably to jump on my website, Larshedenborg.com L A R S H E D E N B O R G There's some free resources on there, as well as information on my consulting services. So, Lisa, I just got to tell you that I'm just proud to be a part of your journey. And I could probably almost come to tears at how far you've come and you feel like you're in the middle of it, but, yeah, you're just going to get there and it's just going to be awesome when you're away for a month or two and your business grows while you're out of the country and out of touch with everything. So I just really appreciate you and I really honor you.

Thank you very much. Ditto.

Well, Lisa, thanks for your time. And Lars, thanks for the interview.

Yeah, thanks so much.