204 - Hear Leigh Browns Story, Interview by Greg Fowler

Plot twist! This episode is an interview of yours truly by Greg Fowler on the Real Estate Titans podcast. Whether you think you already know everything there is to know about me or you've always wondered what I'm all about, this episode is a deep-dive into the real, uncut life and inspirations of Leigh. Listen in to hear my journey, what I've learned along the way, and why I'm so damn excited about real estate.  Please subscribe to this podcast in iTunes or in the Podcasts App on your phone, and never miss a beat from Leigh by visiting leighbrown.com. If you're tired of doing real estate alone, enroll in  Leigh Brown University and be sure to use your special "CSIRE" discount code at checkout for $10 off your subscription. 02:45 – Introducing Leigh 03:00 - She's originally from Concord, North Carolina, has been in real estate for 20 years and previously sold chainsaws, lawnmowers, and weed trimmers  03:45 - She's got a husband, two kids, and three cats; she runs, plays piano, and sings  05:00 – Why Leigh chose real estate 05:05 - Her father has been in the industry since 1978; she helped her dad as a kid and he made her get her license "just in case" 05:24 - She bartended in college, became a stockbroker, then went to Husqvarna to work in sales 06:50 - They moved her around and she didn't want to move anymore, so she called her dad and he recommended she get into real estate 07:08 - She loves the industry especially the spaces she had no idea existed before she dove in, like speaking, training, and brokering 08:20 – Leigh's "WHY" 08:40 - In retail real estate, she primarily works with sellers; she gets excited when she helps people navigate the minefield of real estate 09:10 - She loves the drama and the interesting things that happen unexpectedly 09:13 - One time, a closing blew up because the buyer got in a car accident and no longer had down payment money; she had to problem-solve through it 09:45 - With speaking, Leigh is motivated to help others elevate their position in real estate; she falls in love with other people's potential 12:00 - She's always thinking about the highest and best use of her time and recommends everyone do the same for their unique service offering 14:00 - Leigh learned that her big why wasn't simply in the numbers of homes sold; she wanted to make a difference in a significant and impactful way 15:22 - In 2009 she started volunteering at the association and saw what others were doing in the space; she's been a different person since 16:45 – About RPAC - The REALTORS® Political Action Committee 18:35 - They do the work of what would be a National Association of Homeowners if we had one 18:45 - The RPAC goes in to fight fires with facts about regulatory burdens, bad zonings, and affordability issues 21:00 - REALTOR® political advocacy is powerful; it's been shown to make an impact nationwide 24:00 - It's important to talk about the benefits of homeownership; Millenials are spoiled by swanky rentals and that's why they aren't buying 24:51 - The American homeowner rate is 61.4%, but we should be at 67-68%; the African American homeownership rate is 42.6%, it's too big a gap 26:15 - Homeownership means financial stability and everyone needs to be educated on that; that's where REALTORS® need to come in 27:00 – How to get involved 27:07 - Go to NAR.realtor and look at the resources available; use them to educate people, neighbors, and clients 29:00 - Demonstrate who you serve with your marketing; look at diversity and commonalities 30:35 - Research, go to your association and remember that you are at the cornerstone of homeownership 35:50 – A couple of things that Leigh added to her business to get to the next level 36:05 - Outbound phone calls; all you need for your real estate business is already in your hand  37:45 - In her office, everyone does at least one outbound call a day; say "If you need me call me back" 38:20 - The secret sauce to real estate is hard work and discipline; Millenials who make outbound calls are way ahead of the game 39:00 - Send out stationary and send out snail mail; it doesn't have to be hard, 5 notes a day and one call a day will make your business grow 39:40 - Real estate is about being likable; you need to be competent and knowledgeable but likeability comes first 41:00 – Learning experiences 41:20 - Financial discipline; Leigh learned this the hard way when she got a bill from the IRS for $19,000 at 25-years-old 42:30 - Prepare for lean times; always pay your state DOR first before the IRS because they're more aggressive 43:50 - Get incorporated to benefit your bottom line; give back first and there will always be enough 45:45 - She wants to help more NAR members own homes because 30% don't own 46:30 - She loves her team and realizes how valuable they are; she's also learned how to say "no"  48:30 - She has learned how to thank her client's and appreciate their willingness to accommodate and help, too 50:30 – Advice Leigh would give her younger self 50:42 - She would tell her younger self to give 0 f*cks; she cared too much about what others thought 51:30 - When she found her voice, she didn't what to put it away; she would recommend listening better and hugging people more 52:11 - Slow down, listen, adapt if you want, but don't be afraid to say what you think; the way you say things matters more than what you say 56:00 – On learning 56:30 - She's a bibliophile and she works with Dan Sullivan inside Strategic Coach 01:00:00 - Leigh's books: Outrageous Authenticity, 7 Deadly Sins of Sales, and Peeling the Onion 3 Key Points Speak up and ask!  Don't forget to think about and nurture others.  Reach out, get involved, listen, and build better relationships.