- Stepping back from day-to-day operations will reveal the weak points in your systems.
- Networking with business owners outside of real estate can spark new ideas and a fresh perspective.
- You can manage a “local” real estate business remotely.
Real estate is often a 24-7, 365-day job.
When I was a solo agent, I was putting in 70 hours per week between client meetings, paperwork and networking events. When I added agents to my team, instead of lightening my workload, it simply changed the kind of work I was doing.
I was exhausted and ready to quit. My business coach encouraged me to focus on improving my business systems, but I couldn’t find the time.
Then someone introduced me to the concept of a “digital nomad,” or someone who works while traveling.
At first, I didn’t think it was possible for me to work remotely because real estate is such a local business.
But the more I researched the concept, I realized it was a great opportunity to free myself from the day-to-day operations of my company and focus on the big picture before I burned out. Sometimes you have to step back to move forward.
As an entrepreneur, it’s scary to let go of the reins. But if your business will truly fall apart the minute you take our eyes off it, then you’ve got a problem.
I decided that trying to run my business from overseas for three months would help me take some key steps. These were my goals:
- Stop spending my time running errands, like picking up mail or delivering lockboxes, and figure out how to automate or delegate.
- Test out the systems I had in place for things like processing new leads to see where the gaps were and then fix them.
- Surround myself with other entrepreneurs for encouragement and collaboration.
- Try to find better work-life balance.
I’ve been on the road for five weeks now, and there are definitely challenges, such as a 15-hour time difference. But my team is closing deals, and I’m picking up new clients.
Here in Jeju, South Korea, our community of 40 digital nomads includes people from a variety of industries. We live and work together, share ideas and help each other with problems.
I’ll be giving a talk to the group specifically about investing in real estate while working remotely. Who knows? I might have found a whole new niche of clients.
There are many ways to take a step back from your business, not all as dramatic as traveling overseas. This series will cover how real estate agents can manage their business remotely from planning your technology to setting expectations with clients.
I’ll also share the biggest challenges I’ve experienced while on the road. If you’re feeling overwhelmed by your business, let me reassure you that you can fix things, and even though stepping away feels counterintuitive, it can make a huge difference.
Stay tuned for the next installment of this series tomorrow.
Micki McNie is the owner of 33 Zen Lane in Denver, Colorado. Follow 33 Zen Lane on Facebook or Instagram.
