hustle > everything
Issue 148 - August 25th, 2023
Hustle is a word that means many things when defined literally, but in the spirit of this post we will use this definition:
Hustle means to work hard relentlessly in the face of discomfort to achieve your goals.
One of the unique things about the real estate brokerage industry is that literally ANYONE who is motivated and able to pass the licensing test in their respective state can become an agent.
You don’t have to have a special degree; you don’t have to go to a specific school to land a job; you don’t have to even graduate from college to get into this business.
TV shows like “Million Dollar Listing” and “Selling Sunset” have glamorized the life of the real estate agent in America, and I believe have made many people in our society assume the role of the agent is “easy and fun” and some people assume that every agent just prints money. The reality is quite the opposite…
Pareto’s Principle is clearly alive and well in the real estate brokerage space where 80% of the output/sales is done by 20% of the agents. Not literally, but the majority of transactions and deals are done by the top producers who HUSTLE day in and out for years and years to make things happen.
At one point, these (now) top producing agents were just getting their license and just getting started. There is no clearly defined path to success in the real estate brokerage industry. If you asked 100 top brokers the question: “How did you get started and how did you become successful in this industry?” then you would get 100 different stories that would honestly surprise you.
The path is not clear.
The industry washes a lot of agent out in the early days of their journey because they cannot handle the uncertainty and the stress of the role, but the people who HUSTLE and stick with it over the long run usually find success.
The exciting part about this industry is that literally anyone who wants to HUSTLE has a chance to make big things happen and that is the American Dream in a sense - just the opportunity for outsized success can be found by working hard day in and out helping people find homes.
The other unique thing (which I think is so cool) about this industry is that you have a built in potential client network right in front of your eyes. Your early customer acquisition costs can literally be zero as you can just reach out to friends and family, and ask “Do you need help finding a place to live, or can I help you evaluate the value of your current home?”
Hard work, showing up everyday, and maybe a little luck can do a lot to bring you success in this industry. Agents are the future of this industry, and they are the ones working tirelessly day in and out to make things happen.