“Pain is a good teacher … The silver lining is we don’t have any drama.”

This is what Ravi Singh, team leader of Connexus Group at Re/Max (Connexus), had to say about the fallout of his third major health scare since 2006. After he dealt with a colectomy, cancer, gallbladder removal, degenerative liver disease and 13 emergency room visits in a year, Singh’s team quickly learned what matters and has been extremely motivated to achieve greatness—both for themselves and their leader.

“They work really hard. Our numbers are up 27 per cent (in 2024 from 2023),” Singh notes. “They showed up when (I) needed them.”

He feels that anyone can be successful anywhere but, “Sometimes you want to have somebody to high five. You want to feel like these are my people (and) I can’t wait to share good or bad news.”

Indeed, Connexus saw $1.8 million in gross commissions last year. Of course, this and the rest of their success—including consecutive Re/Max Platinum and Diamond Team awards since 2016—result from very intentional efforts.

 

Habits, rituals and culture

 

Singh says the main things vital to his team’s success are the culture and core beliefs. “We work on an ‘all hands on deck, everyone wins’ philosophy,” he says.

Connexus agents start with the philosophy of contribution. “Giving starts the receiving process,” Singh says, and his team isn’t there for what’s in it for them. “They’re trying to figure out how to grow through giving. To really understand that is at the core of what we do.”

This “servant leadership” approach creates an optimal platform to understand agents and meet them where they’re at, ensuring their version of success is being navigated, not his. “I’m giving them the best possible platform in terms of tools, resources, mentorship, expertise and business best practices that I can to ensure that success.”

 

A balanced view of contribution and value plus quantity and scale

 

Singh notes that agents typically look at quantity and scale, while he looks at contribution and value.

He stresses how important both elements are to success and notes this is where the servant leadership philosophy comes in. “When we serve, the byproduct is kinship and money … It’s about how (we) can make an incredible contribution.”

 

Consistent processes and practices year-round

 

Singh holds two regular meetings that he says are crucial success factors, the first being a weekly “jam session.” There are two components to this.

First, the deals pipeline gives agents a “bird’s eye view and fly-on-the-wall perspective” of what others are working on, to learn through experience, something Singh notes is invaluable to all. The second component is a future focus on marketing initiatives that Singh breaks down into process and projects.

Process involves things like buyer and seller appointments, open houses, showings, offers and paperwork.

Projects are assessed to ensure the team is building a healthy pipeline that targets their ideal client or demographic: an “approachable baller” he describes as very well-rounded, with, say, two kids and a nice townhouse in a walkable, urban Toronto community. Recent projects centred around the holidays and included client gifting, events, drop-bys, annual comparative market analyses, real estate reviews and surveys.

The second regular meeting is a 10-minute agent huddle, where team members stay accountable by reviewing, answering and documenting three questions: What are you working on? What did you do? What is your immediate next step?

Singh also holds an annual offsite for yearly planning, and “all hands on deck challenges” about twice a year. These are proactive campaigns for lead generation with high-touch, one-to-one, personal client transactions. “Nobody leaves until it’s done. I give them what I call ‘rocks’ to call, (or) people and initiatives, like introducing the Re/Max Canada Housing Outlook report to 30 people daily.”

 

An open policy on financials

 

Singh feels his openness around financials sets his team apart. He says the open-book policy has created incredible transparency and trust, and he’s “very comfortable” with the company’s net operating income of 13.5 per cent because he’s being fair to his agents.

The team leader reports that in 2024, his team of seven earned about $1.8 million in gross commission from 83 transactions and 36 leases, growing by about 15 percent year-over-year.

 

Agent profile

 

Singh’s agents have been with him for years, some over a decade, and there’s next to no turnover. They’re very competitive, extroverted high-achievers but, “They have no organization,” he points out with a smile.

This is why Singh hires naturally organized staff who can support the agents with everything from coaching and mentorship, administrative support, listing preparation, database management and programming to increasing lead generation, prospecting or geographic farming and online leads.

Singh’s agents are team-oriented and coachable and don’t need the spotlight. He likens this to a band: “Each band member must play their part … My ideal agents want to succeed but not necessarily do all the parts—(just) be belly-to-belly with clients and thrive in the hot seat.”

Likewise, Singh is intentional about not putting himself in the spotlight. He explains that each team member is their own top producer and could thrive alone. “But the goal is not to create a revolving door of juniors,” he stresses.

 

Advice for agents

 

Connexus has a corporate charter with defined principles or beliefs, including being relevant, energetic and fun. Singh believes this last charter quality is paramount. “If you’re not having fun, why are you here? To shuffle through something you dislike? I don’t want that energy around me.”

He also tells anyone looking to improve to remember that success leaves clues and builds off of mentors, colleagues and models. “Don’t reinvent the wheel,” he advises.

Finally, to truly succeed, he says agents must define what success looks like for them, personally. For Singh, it means retiring on the Amalfi Coast surrounded by his grandkids and his team, looking back on 2023.

“I haven’t built a team, I’ve built a family.”

 

Photo: Connexus Group team