Independent Brokers Need a Four-Part Foundation

May 20th, 2021

Hey there. What do you need? Or maybe equally importantly, what do you HAVE? If you’re like many (fiercely) independent brokers we know, you’ve got guts, drive and an excellent set of people skills. You’re a multitasking, charming go-getter. A playmaker. A leader.

Independent brokers go out on their own because the cost of working with a firm can increase as you gain success. Maybe you need the freedom to do things the way you know they work best. You excel at getting things done with less bureaucracy, earning more income and helping others do the same.

You may not be as terrific at things like knowing the ever-changing landscape of real estate law. Or financial documentation requirements. Or even creating marketing tools. Wouldn’t it be nice to automate your regular communications with your agents in a way that they’ll ‘hear’ you? What about spreadsheet and CRM best practices? What if someone could handle those for you? Having those elements taken care of for you is what’s great about working for a larger firm.

How do you, an independent, recreate the good parts of working for a large firm, though? Understanding how the different production levers in your business can slow or speed up your profit and increase your agents’ income is key. Agents making money are happy. And happy is good. Are you prepared for the market shifts coming and the impact they will have on everyone?

Our educational support, marketing resources, and financial platforms will allow you to look at every single number in your business. And your agents’ business. And it’s user-friendly and easy. That’s what we do at Flotilla.

A playmaker like you needs the support of a team. A strong foundation. And that’s where Flotilla comes in. We’ll shore up the parts of the business that independent brokers need. The nuts and bolts of a real estate business. Let’s just say it: the less-fun parts.

Here are four things Flotilla can do the heavy lifting on for you.

1. Operations. The business end of things.  Flotilla has a handle on the legal, financial and business end of running a brokerage. We keep track of regulatory changes both locally and nationally and provide you with deliverable info graphics you can use to teach your agents. Flotilla helps you make sure that everything a consumer signs is accurate and in accordance with governing bodies, with training courses for your support team tailored to the local standards in your area. We’ve also got marketing resources like create-your-own brochure and postcard templates, access to mailing lists and more.
   
   

2. Education. You need it and so do your team members. Our offerings include required continuing ed subject matter, and specific topics like how to run a business, lead generation, real estate theory, licensing code, coaching workshops, recruiting workshops, best hiring practices, broker to broker questions, navigating the associations and where you belong, forms and addenda to protect your empire.
   
   If your agents make an error, it’s you who will bear the brunt. The problem is two-fold: you don’t know what you (or they) don’t know, and to quote my first Broker as a Full Time Sales Associate, Gene Lowell-Dunlevy, “It’s not a problem…until it’s a problem.” The very best way to lead a team is to give them the educational tools they need to get it right, with confidence.
   
   

3. Leadership. Leaders are responsible for growing and tending to the people in their care. A broker must lead. Creating leaders and a team of people who feel and behave like an executive level team creates energy and growth.
   A leader will create an environment of shared excellence by identifying great people, and then getting a foundation under them and lifting them up. True leadership is about empowering and sharing information.
   Being a leader is not about a title, a broker who is also a leader teaches the team about leadership, and those team members go on to teach more team members and that leads us to the fourth pillar in the Flotilla structure.
   
   

4. Growth. So often, we see independent brokers who go out and get their logo, office space, signs and business cards, make their opening announcement and hire agents without a foundation rooted in strong business practices, education and leadership development. Agent turnover starts churning, and growth stalls.
   
   

Agents’ needs will change as their careers change, and the savvy independent broker understands this. Perhaps more important, a smart, growth-minded broker needs to understand who they are built for. The $1 million producer needs very different tools than the $5 million producer. And the $10 million producer needs a set of tools that are unique to his or her challenges. Let’s coach your agents to their best potential. Many agents coached by Flotilla’s founder grew from $1M, $5M to $10M, $20M, $30M, and beyond.

With all of this in mind, Flotilla was created. A flotilla is strong because of its ability to adjust as conditions change. Sometimes it’s at anchor, sometimes it’s on the move. It can support large or small boats. Flotilla the best way to create a firm foundation for your team, and peace of mind for you.