Ep. 303: How to start over without a sphere (with Candace Decker)

An Entrepreneurial Mindset to Emulate

Who should listen: Real estate agents and other small business owners who rely on their sphere for referrals but who find themselves having to start over where they have no sphere.

Key idea: Believe, without fear, that you will succeed.

Action items: Be clear about what you want to achieve, and have a plan for how you will achieve it. Write it down. Look at it every day. Do not let fear stop you from doing what you know you need to do.

Fear is an emotion that serves a critical purpose. It’s a natural response to perceived physical and psychological danger. Whether the danger is real or imagined, fear is meant to keep us safe. And despite what you may have heard about deer in the headlights, fear keeps us safe by inspiring action.

For a real estate agent, there may be few things more inspiring of fear than having to pick up your business and move it to where you have no sphere. Imagine spending years developing a successful business only to sever the relationships that served as its lifeblood. Such an impending scenario would, and does, make the staunchest of agents rethink their career choice.

Only 2 years ago, Candace Decker was staring at this precise situation, and the fear it inspired, squarely in the face. Today, she is a highly successful agent who is crushing the market in Southwest Florida.

In this week’s Stay Paid episode, Candace tells us how she managed to move 1,200 miles from Chicago’s suburbs to Cape Coral, Florida, where she had no sphere but managed to sign a listing on DAY 1!

Don’t be quick to act

Recall that one of the actions you can take when confronted by fear is to prepare. Rather than wait until you arrive in your new location, prepare for the move in advance. Candace took 6 months to prepare for her move to Florida.

Before she even left for Florida, she hired an assistant.

That’s right . . . before she made a single dollar in commission, she had the good sense to hire someone who would free her up to spend time prospecting for clients. That act speaks to the confidence and faith Candace had in her ability to succeed. She attributes much of her success to her belief in herself, and it’s hearing her speak about the power of mindset and success that makes her interview so inspiring.

Another step Candace took was to take an inventory of her transferable skills. She knew she excelled at prospecting, so she decided to take that skill and apply it to her new market. Her secret weapon was to call expired listings.

In her own words, Candace “religiously” spent at least 2, typically 4, hours on the phone every day. On her first day, her diligence resulted in a listing for a $99,000 condo. She was ecstatic because she knew that she could pull out all the stops and market the property so that the seller of a much larger property would be impressed. That little condo was her social proof.

Connect with the community

Another action Candace took was to use social media to build trust among the residents of Cape Coral and the surrounding communities.

She hired a videographer (there’s that hutzpah again!) and created a show that features local restaurants and their owners. She placed it on social media, and it’s become exceptionally popular. (One video got 65,000 views on Facebook!) Candace credits her use of social media, and her show in particular, with growing her sphere as quickly as she has. Business owners, patrons, and wait staff are all a part of her network, so they view and share her videos, and her sphere continues to grow.

Candace hasn’t used any strategy to rebuild her sphere that isn’t available to every agent who is looking to do the same or who is just starting out. What is rare is the enthusiasm, determination, and sheer will with which she implements it. We talk a lot about mindset on Stay Paid, and Candace is a prime example of what we mean.

You owe it to yourself to listen and to imagine what’s possible.

Please enjoy this episode, and we’d appreciate it if you would give us a 5-star rating and leave a review on Apple Podcasts. (Not sure how to leave a review? Click here.)

 

Connect | Resources

  • Text “morning” to 239-320-7853 to receive Candace’s daily affirmations.
  • Connect with Candace on Instagram: @candacedeckerrealestate

Subscribe today to get the most actionable sales and marketing tips.