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Health & Fitness

Building My Brand

Going into your own business is always a crap shoot. I think the statistic is something like 9 out of 10 new businesses fail in the first 5 years. So at the ripe old age of 49, after more than 25 years working for large media companies, I was very skeptical about my prospects for going into the real estate business and create my brand.

My timing couldn't have been worse from a pure economic standpoint.  It was the fall of 2009 and our country and our community were still in the worst recession since the "Great Depression." My husband and family were anxious because there would no longer be a weekly pay check, health insurance coverage or matching contributions to my 401K. In addition to no longer having a generous expense budget for entertaining potential clients, I would also need to invest real money in order to build my brand.

Despite these negatives. I felt the timing couldn't have been better. In the media world I always gravitated towards new launches. I found much more satisfaction in creating new brands rather than sustaining/building existing brands.  I had purposely chosen to work for some of the toughest, smartest leaders in the business and like a sponge, absorbed as much of their skills as possible. I was part of the sales team that launched Conde Nast Traveler magazine, played a key role on the management team that lunched In Style magazine and was on the management team of 3 web start ups.

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With all of that experience and always having the itch to be an entrepreneur, it was now time to build MY brand. After all, if I wasn't going to take the plunge at 49 - when would the timing ever be better?

The first thing I did after extensive training was invest in creating my own website. Most Realtors do not do this until they've been in the business at least 5+ years. But I saw the change in how consumers were shopping and researching houses and I needed a presence in order to capture some market share. It didn't prove to be immediately profitable, but I knew it would be a smart long term investment.

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I did not earn one penny in my first two years. No- not even one! But, in my third year things began to change. The recession went into recovery mode and the real estate market bottomed out.  My relentless efforts to create a high quality brand were beginning to bear fruit.  I was making my self known as a professional that customers could trust to assist them effectively to sell or buy a home.

And then in my fourth year my business grew exponentially. It was just incredible. Part of the reason is the fact that while I am an independent contractor, I purposely chose to work under the Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage   corporate umbrella - the global leader in residential real estate. Hands down they provides the best tools to their agents (even though many don't have a clue how to use them effectively).  Additionally, they are great at giving recognition.

My goals for 2014 are every bit as ambitious as my previous 4 years. So, that's why I continue to invest in myself and my brand. I hired a part time employee, reviewed and revised my marketing strategies to yield better return and as always, will continue to plug away. Wish me luck and give me a call if the  entrepenurial bug comes a calling you too. Amy's Cell (917) 327-0701. For More of Amy's Blog Posts go to "What's the Buzz?"

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