Calling all women Realtors. A new year-long series of motivational, results-focused virtual summits is launching tomorrow (Wed. Jan. 6), and could be just what you need to get a positive start to 2021.
The first event in The Real Resilient Tour, hosted by Calgary Realtor, producer, business coach and event founder Kim Hayden, is the Women in Real Estate Summit.
“The summit is designed to use collaboration and lived experience from established women real estate professionals to inspire agents to reach their full potential and succeed in meeting their goals both professionally and personally,” says Hayden, who started working on the event 15 months ago. “Most importantly we are teaching the emerging generation of women Realtors how to be resilient in such uncertain times and how to build each other up while learning from the best.”
The summit brings together top female industry earners and professionals from business development, marketing, brand development, social media influencing and coaching, as well as authors and academics. Speakers include coaches Lee Davenport, who will discuss How to Profit with Your Personality, and Realtors Leigh Brown (We Get to do Real Estate) and Sarah Johnston (Adventures in Teal Estate).
The summit’s mission is “to shine the spotlight on those who inspire and guide so they can reach those seeking inspiration and guidance…. It’s a way to learn from the best, build each other up and work collaboratively,” says Hayden, a 21-year real estate veteran who calls herself the Queen of Collaboration.
Along with talks and Q&As, attendees will receive the Resilient Real Estate Women book, which features the stories of six successful women in real estate. Other volumes, with leaders in specific industries, will accompany future events.
Hayden says real estate has treated her well, providing an income four times the average Canadian income since her second year in real estate. She’s been in the top one per cent of earners for some of her years in real estate.
She also has more than 300 hours of broadcast television experience as a host and producer, which has come in handy for pulling together the summit event.
She’s come a long way from her first year in Calgary, when she moved from Kansas. “In 1999 I wanted to open a bakery, but my husband said, ‘Go into real estate. It looks easy’.”
She told everyone in her real estate class that she was going to do 15 deals in the first year and did so. She never cold called or door knocked, instead choosing to cultivate community…and create advocates. She has built her community organically.
She is also involved in charity events, contributing to a local shelter. She also donated 30,000 pounds of groceries to the Calgary (Interfaith) Food Bank through various events.
“During COVID-19, we were able to collaborate with food trucks and co-ordinate local events and generate $3,700 for a local community association.”
Hayden was awarded the Alberta Centennial award in 2005 for community contributor and the Diamond Jubilee gold in 2012 for community contributor.
Real estate has been good to her and she wants to share her experience and knowledge and to bring together experienced professionals.
She wants others to have the “same level of success I’ve had. I get irked when I find that less than 30 per cent of those making six figures in coaching are women (according to the U.S. -based National Association of Realtors),” she says.
The summit is her latest venture. “When I think of what we at the Real Resilient Tour and Resilient Series are working to accomplish I think of several quotes: ‘If you want to go fast go alone, if you want to go far, go together’, an African proverb. And ‘The hand that rocks the cradle, rules the world’ by William Ross Wallace.”
The summit offers perspectives from every stage of life and provides help for young agents who are not getting good coaching or core fundamentals, she says.
It provides ideas for career options such as becoming a commercial leasing agent. Benefits include the hours. “It’s a 9-5, Monday to Friday gig and in three years, you know where your revenue is and can plan for a regular income.”
During a time of record-high suicides, it’s important to inspire people, she says. Through coaching, one person who was “broke but not broken learned how to broker her own success.”
Information and inspiration will help people move forward in the business. “Eighty per cent of people who get a license are not in the business after 36 months (according to CREA),” she says.
The summit will run from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. EST but because she says agents are busy and may not be able to devote an entire day, each attendee will receive a five-day playback. There will also be a one-hour after party.
Tickets are $70 and include a full author bundle with a book.
Hayden says it’s important for attendees to know that the list is not sold or shared. The event is open to everyone. “It’s not a recruiting event but a gathering of like-minded women looking to be leaders in their communities. It’s a safe environment. Come and feed your mind.”
Connie Adair is a contributing writer for REM.
