Women Who Thrive In Real Estate | Lindsey Treadaway
An Interview with Lindsey Treadaway of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices + Founder of LT Premier Portfolio
Hi Lindsey! Tell us your story! Why did you decide to become a Realtor in the first place? What made you want to get into the Real Estate industry?
One of the things I love about Real Estate is that everyone who works in it has such a personal reason for doing so. For me, I spent over a decade in corporate sales and leadership roles, building international brands from the top down-from design to complex negotiations. During this time, I completely threw myself into as many growth-oriented situations as possible, and I completely exhausted myself. It wasn’t until I was sitting across from the CEO of my last “corporate job” that I realized just how tired I was, and at a relatively early stage in my career lifetime. He called me into a meeting to discuss a sales VP to C-suite track he wanted me to consider. It was in that moment that I realized not only how burnt out I was, but how capable I was at building a premium business. I will forever be grateful to him for believing in my capabilities, but I will never forget how excited he was for me when I, without a plan, graciously declined his offer to actualize my personal goal of starting my own business. After taking a much-needed break, I assessed what my skills were, what my passions were in my previous roles, what I wanted to do more of, and definitely what I wanted to less of. In making that assessment, I found Real Estate and I have not looked back.
What inspired you to start LT Premier Portfolio and how do you decide which Realtors you will bring on board alongside of you?
I got into real estate because I wanted to “be the boss”, for lack of a better phrase. I always knew that I wanted to build my own brand, but the idea for LT Premier Portfolio was very encouraged by a close, professional confidant and creative director. This vision I had for myself and my career I had not yet vocalized, much less actualized, and he sat me down and told me to go for it. That level of unprovoked encouragement was exactly the sign that I needed to know that what I was doing was working. I have so much gratitude for the positive supporters of my career because I would not be able to build this business without the team of enthusiastic individuals I have in my corner. Anyone that steps into my team will need to have that same level of respect and gratitude for our team members and clients. LT Premier Portfolio would not be doing any of this business without this community, and like-minded individuals are always welcome!
What has contributed to your success in this business so far?
This is going to sound so simple, but one of the major contributing factors to my success thus far has been maintaining a schedule. I wish there was some sort of groundbreaking advice I could offer, but for me, it really is as simple as staying focused and consistent, having a daily game plan, and seeing my schedule through. Plenty of people thrive with rogue post-it notes of tasks and fluid start times, so success can be found multiple ways. For me, though, I need to stick to my morning routine and using my iCal, Google calendar, written agenda book, and email reminders.
How do you keep emotions in check and overcome the highs and lows that are inevitable within this business?
I am really lucky that I entered the industry after having been in corporate leadership roles for over a decade. Because of my tenure in working with high stakes, high stress communications and negotiations, I have learned how to separate myself as a person from the transaction. If I am working with an exceptionally challenging aspect of a sale, I remind myself that, that is the nature of this work. As agents, we are being entrusted with some of the largest financial and emotional investments our clients and customers will make. Sales professionals coach on managing the expectations of our clients; however, as sales professionals, before we step into any deal, we need to manage our own expectations. If we don’t expect for emotion to creep into the transaction from our clients and customers, and potentially even from our cooperating agents, we aren’t doing our best job of being prepared to respond with our best work. If acknowledging that stressors in the deal aren’t “about you” doesn’t work, taking a break from communication to get recentered before responding is always a great idea.
This industry can keep you busy all day - every day, how do you find such a great balance between work-life and personal-life?
This can be tricky because I am absolutely empathetic with clients needing close support in transactions, or wanting real-time information regarding their investments, but I fundamentally believe that service and experience starts with ourselves. If we aren’t protecting our boundaries, how can we show our teams and clients that we respect theirs? I make sure that during my personal time, if business needs pop up, I minor on the minors and major on the majors.
Choosing a brokerage and surrounding yourself with the right team is so imperative in this industry, how did you decide that Berkshire Hathaway was the best choice for you?
I intentionally spoke with a plethora of brokerages and teams before deciding where I wanted to start my career, and I am so thankful that I did. There are endless paths to success and so many companies in this industry, it can be overwhelming for new agents to know how to do their due diligence before signing on with a brokerage. When I ask my colleagues across all brokerages and structures this same question, they always reference “feeling at home” during the signing conversation. While I agree with this statement, it’s important to remember that in real estate, we are all professionals at making people feel at home. BHHS stood apart by taking our conversations a step further; they showed me what “home” should look like in this industry. I don’t want to only feel comfortable in my career; I want to feel supported, challenged, encouraged, and motived and that’s what BHHS and my managing broker brought to the table when I spoke with them.
What has been your best avenue for generating leads and building your clientele?
Lead gen is where chemistry meets work ethic. There is no wrong way to lead gen, but with the way I work I see the highest ROI from face-to-face networking and social media. I know myself well enough to know where I thrive in personal marketing, and while I do operate within other lanes of lead generation, I don’t spend active time in those lanes. I automate where I don’t thrive, and that allows me to stay focused and personally present in what I do best.
What would you say is your #1 tip for others to start thriving in their careers?
Make a list of what you do well. Put 75% of your time into that. Make a list of what you don’t do well. Put 25% of your time into that. Grow your business as you grow your skills.
What’s one thing you wish you could go back and tell yourself on day one as a licensed Realtor?
I wish I had spent less time trying to do what other people were doing. Real estate is a highly visible career, and I lost my own authenticity when I was trying to fit into a shoe that wasn’t mine.
What advice would you give to empower other women within their real estate careers?
Only you get to define what success looks like in your life and career. Define what that looks like for you long-term, and don’t be afraid to redefine what your daily successes look like as frequently as you need to pivot. No one ever won a race by never taking any steps forward, even the small ones count.
The secret to success is…
That there is no secret to success, no special unlock. More than anything or any spectacle, success demands commitment.
Touché! Such fantastic advice and words of wisdom! Thank you so much for sharing your story with us Lindsey!