CB Warburg’s Guzman: Being ‘very nice’ key to recruiting

That is the fifth installment of Inman’s Speaking Expertise collection. You should definitely try Half 1 with Compass, Half 2 with The Company, Half 3 with eXp Realty, and Half 4 with Redfin. 

Kevelyn Guzman is aware of everybody in actual property claims that their firm is exclusive. However, she just lately insisted, in the case of Coldwell Banker Warburg, that’s really true.

“I really want to say that we truly here have something special,” Guzman informed Inman earlier this month. “And this year, one of the things that I did was try to showcase what we have. And it’s proven to work because we’ve recruited quite a few agents.”

Following years as Coldwell Banker Warburg’s chief working officer, Guzman was promoted in January 2024 to the position of Regional Vice President — a place that noticed her take over management of the model.

Her rise marked a big turning level for Coldwell Banker Warburg, which had lengthy been a household agency overseen by Frederick Warburg Peters. Guzman’s rise additionally happened two years after Coldwell Banker acquired the New York Metropolis agency, beforehand identified merely as Warburg Realty. And final month, the corporate introduced it was opening its first brick-and-mortar location in Brooklyn.

All of which is to say, the corporate has skilled a interval of great change previously a number of years, and it was as much as Guzman to verify issues continued working easily.

Talking to Inman for the Speaking Expertise collection on agent recruiting, Guzman made the case that, at the least within the eyes of brokers, change has been a very good factor. She described a supportive group that wins over business professionals one after the other, and which values group. The important thing to profitable the most effective expertise, in different phrases, is seemingly standing out, offering assist and simply being good.

“We want someone that is a good person,” Guzman stated of the brokers she seeks out.

What follows is a model of Inman’s dialog that has been edited for size and readability.

Inman: Speak to me about your recruiting philosophy in 2024. How did you go about discovering expertise?

Kevelyn Guzman: We’ve employed about 25 brokers this yr. Once I stepped into this position in January, one of many issues that I instantly did was not solely connecting us to the worldwide community, the Coldwell Banker international community, but additionally internet hosting lots of occasions. And the occasions, we opened them as much as the brokerage group. That allowed us slightly bit extra publicity and to fulfill totally different brokers that have been most likely already eager about leaving their agency. This gave them the chance to discover one thing totally different. And we’re very totally different.

I do know you most likely hear this from the entire companies. Everyone’s doing one thing that makes them particular, and I don’t disagree with what they’re saying. However I actually wish to say that we really right here have one thing particular. And this yr, one of many issues that I did was attempt to showcase what now we have. And it’s confirmed to work as a result of we’ve recruited fairly a number of brokers

The philosophy is that it’s an atmosphere the place collaboration is primary. So day one, when folks are available in right here, they really feel like there’s an atmosphere the place they’ll develop their enterprise, and colleagues which are prepared to leap in and assist them.

So what sort of occasions are we speaking about right here?

I did lots of ping pong occasions in one in all our places of work. That was a success. I really acquired two, three brokers that very same night time. In order that was nice.

I simply would have gatherings somewhere else. I did a Halloween celebration. I additionally host this occasion referred to as What Strikes Her. That’s additionally been key. I did an occasion at Etro, which is a luxurious boutique right here on Madison Avenue. Plenty of partnership occasions as properly. I’ve all the time invited the brokerage group.

The place did the thought for these occasions come from?

All of us get the textual content messages. So, hiring recruiters, they search you and discover a agency that you just’re with, after which they chilly name. Or they ship you a textual content message. And that’s the method that almost all corporations use. I didn’t wish to try this. I needed this to really feel extra private. I would like folks to grasp that we actually are investing in them. I would like them to know that I do a little analysis and I do know who they’re. I do know a few of the issues which are vital to them.

So, what’s one other option to entice folks to return to you? Occasions. Discovering issues that individuals like and are fascinated about.

What types of brokers are you in search of?

It’s a mix of issues. I’d say the primary one is somebody that’s extremely motivated that basically desires to be on this business. We would like somebody that’s moral. We would like somebody that could be a good individual.

And the way have you learnt somebody’s a very good individual? day one. We all know day one that somebody actually is in regards to the group, is about scaling their enterprise. These are the brokers that we wish.

Upon getting recruited any person, what do they let you know about why they joined?

It’s not only one factor. However the first one — and that is going to sound like, actually, is that basically a factor? — is that individuals listed below are very nice. Whenever you be a part of us, it’s a welcome with open arms. There’s no, “Oh my gosh, there’s a new agent here. I have to go hide my files or lock my things.” Everyone’s heat and we welcome everybody.

We’ve got an open door coverage. You could have entry to management, together with myself. My door’s all the time open. There are all the time folks in my workplace.

And now we have essentially the most fabulous PR staff. Our PR right here is for everybody, not simply the highest 1 p.c. At different companies, solely the highest producers get PR. Each single individual, even somebody that has no expertise that’s simply joined the agency, is ready to get some kind of PR.

Then our advertising and marketing funds can be vital as a result of most corporations — and that is one factor that no one actually is aware of about us — most corporations cost the itemizing assist price to their advertising and marketing funds. So sure, they’ll provide you with $15,000 on your advertising and marketing funds, however it’s a must to spend that cash in your itemizing assist, which means images, brochures, flooring plans. That comes out of your advertising and marketing funds.

With us, your advertising and marketing funds is designed on your agent model. If you wish to do an internet site, if you wish to do a life-style shoot, if you wish to, , actually scale your online business, that’s what your advertising and marketing funds is for. It isn’t on your itemizing assist. We cowl 100% of that assist.

I’ll share one other factor that we do very well that almost all corporations don’t have. I don’t know if this, however 75 p.c of the buildings in New York Metropolis are co-ops. And that signifies that to be able to get a purchaser in, it’s a must to do a board bundle. We’ve got somebody in home that’s been with us for 30 years who’s a board bundle lady. She does essentially the most implausible board packages.

Our charges when it comes to what number of board packages get accredited, I believe it’s someplace round 99 p.c, which is unimaginable. That doesn’t price our brokers something. So day one, you are available in and you’re employed for us and you’ve got somebody that may enable you to with board packages.

How does being part of Coldwell Banker match into this equation? You have been with Warburg lengthy earlier than it grew to become part of Coldwell Banker, so that you’ve seen each side. How does being part of Coldwell impression your skill to seek out expertise, and discover the appropriate expertise?

Having been in a small boutique for a few years and now having this huge powerhouse behind us, it has made all of the distinction.

I’ll provide you with an instance. The worldwide community has been unimaginable. We’re in over 40 nations. So what does that imply? Which means I’ve partnerships with places of work in Spain. They get to market our properties there. And vice versa. So there’s this nice international connection.

Simply this morning, we had Portugal right here within the workplace, the primary workplace in Portugal. They have been right here this morning speaking about their market and connecting with our brokers. And a month in the past I had the Caribbean right here. So each month I herald somebody to attach with our brokers. After which in return, we promote one another’s listings. That’s one thing that we didn’t have entry to earlier than.

When you needed to share a message with brokers proper now, what would you say to the folks working within the trenches of the business at this second?

Nicely, , perhaps I shouldn’t say this as a result of it sounds imply, however there’s higher. Discover the corporate that basically will assist you in a significant means. And by that, I imply, Coldwell Banker Warburg, after all.

Replace: What Strikes Her is a marketing campaign Coldwell Banker initiated in 2020. Guzman and Coldwell Banker Warburg launched their New York Metropolis chapter in 2023. This word was added to this story after publication. 

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