Friday, June 20, 2008

Day Three With Remax

Well, I am definitely more comfortable than I was on day one. You know, I am 46 years old and an old dog learning new tricks...well...it just takes longer sometimes for my computer to process input. But truly, I am getting it. What I mean by that is I am getting the administrative process of working for a Realtor. The selling part I know like the back of my hand.

I started in Sales 25 years ago. As an administrative assistant at Aaron Rents, Inc., home office in Buckhead, I asked for a meeting with the Vice President of the Sells (the rental division was Aaron Rents, the sales division was Aaron Sells) division. I told him I wanted to manage a store. He leaned across his desk, folded his big hands, squinted a little for effect, I guess, and told me I didn't have what it would take to go into sales. No, I should stay behind a desk answering phones and typing. Boy, that was absolutely what I needed to hear. Within a month, I'd secured a position managing a custom order sleeper sofa store in Norcross. It didn't take me long to show Mr. VP of Sells how wrong he'd been. I kicked butt and ran that store for three more years. From there I went on to manage a rattan and wicker specialty store. A year later, my oldest brother, a sales rep for an international waste hauling company, told me about an opportunity coming up in Lawrenceville, Georgia. The waste hauler was expanding and building a district office to service the Northeast section of Metro Atlanta. I interviewed and landed a sales rep position covering Rockdale county, which in the late '80's was still up and coming. Undaunted, I was so successful in this territory, that I was promoted to Major Account Manager a year later, a position I held for the next five years, landing and managing the largest revenue producing accounts in the company. I also handled all municipal bids and contracts (after I left, municipalities was separated as another position and what I had done before now required TWO people).

I left that company for a competitor and managed to work my way quickly into the Major Account Manager position there, also, and successfully sold the largest grossing account in that location's history. After two years here, I had my first daughter and took time to be a mom to her for the next few years. Another daughter followed in 1999 and I wound up doing some various contracting work for yet another national waste hauling company with a location here in Atlanta. Again, doing some market research from home so I could be with my darling girls, I managed to sell waste services to one of the largest property management firms in Georgia with 46 properties that amounted to nearly $30,000.00 a month in revenue for this company. Score another record breaker for the girl who should "stay behind the desk and type"!!

Now, I am on Team Coker and anxious to start selling houses. Selling is what I do best. And many years have gone by since I was told I couldn't do it. My reason for keeping on is not to prove anything to anyone anymore. I do it because of the sheer joy of helping someone get what they want or need. Whether it is finding the perfect color couch to go with the olive green carpet, or helping the facilities management director of a major university finally implement a long needed recycling program for 30 or so buildings, my joy is seeing goals achieved and dreams come true. I tell you, it's a beautiful thing to witness a dream come true and know I had a hand in it. I am ready to help wherever I am needed, buying, selling, or both.

So, for now, that is my story and I am sticking with it. See ya later with more news!