I take all my real estate agents through a very thorough onboarding process. I must get to know the person before I can coach them in their real estate business. All the agents I coach take two detailed assessments and we have an in-depth discovery session. My onboarding process takes roughly 4 hours before we have our first real session together! We start out on a very solid foundation!
When a new client is showing signs of severe burnout, I recommend that we work towards getting them in a place of more sober mind before any major decisions are made. Otherwise, decisions are often highly emotional. As we dug into our sessions, it quickly became clear that Sally felt like she was a victim of society and her business. She had no choice. She was stuck! She was obligated! She was committed! But WHY did she feel that way? We discovered that Sally is very compassionate, but her self-esteem was very much tied to helping others. She loves and cares very much about others, but often to her own detriment. As we dug into her real estate business and personal life, she was over serving others severely! She was trying to fill a void by helping others and fixing them. It was an impossible task. Her self-care was non-existent. When I asked her where she finds joy in her life, she said “Nowhere”. Her passion for serving others ironically was leading her to habitual burn out. I find that quite often with my clients.
Once Sally became aware of the profound impact over serving others was having on her business and personal life, we could start to work on it. We worked on reframing some of her mindsets and setting new boundaries. We worked on her saying NO and being at peace with it through reconciliation. Instead of looking at a situation through the lens of compassion, she started to look at some things more logically and ask herself, is it a win/win? If not, I’m OK walking away. Sally started to trust her intuition again. As our sessions progressed, she realized that her non-profit which she thought was a passion was actually a major source of her stress. The cost was too high. It needed to be put on the back burner for her emotional health. Some of the training she had received from another real estate coaching company was actually overwhelming her. We determined that it was not in alignment for her business. We found a way to repurpose that action and actually improve client connections. Sally hired new staff to take some of the load off her back and create margin. We narrowed her business focus to what’s really bearing fruit and she’s shedding the excess. She’s now filling a role in her business that she chose! We found a place for her to grow to! That’s so important.
As coaches, we often question the impact we’re having on our clients. I’ll never forget the day I opened the door to go and get Sally. We’d been working together for quite some time. When I saw her, she was beaming! She was dressed nicely, her hair was done up, make-up on and she had a huge smile on her face. She had never showed up this way before. She was typically frazzled and in mental chaos! Over our time together, Sally had found new inner strength and she started to make time for herself. She was saying NO to things that didn’t align with her top values. She was walking, eating well, and had lost 15 pounds. She now had so much more margin in her business and life. Sally is living by choice now. She is no longer a victim of circumstances. Today, Sally’s discovering new opportunities she had never seen before!
“Todd, I’m so happy now!”
Sally’s operating at a much higher frequency in her business and life today.
The Wall
Denise came to me for real estate coaching in the Fall. In one of our first sessions, she desired to work on “networking in large crowds”. She planned to go to a large luxury conference in the coming weeks.
It would have been easy to focus on what to do and how to do it, but we would have missed what she really needed! As I asked clarifying questions, it came abundantly clear that she was very uncomfortable networking in large crowds. Denise would enter the room and look for a safe space. Then “The Wall” would appear. The wall in psychological terms is social anxiety. As we chipped away at the wall, Denise learned that as she analyzed the room, judgement was very heavy. Her judgment of others created an unconscious wall. One of the problems with judgment is that when we judge others, we think they are judging us. It’s a very unproductive attitude of mind. Now that we had got to the core of her block and it became conscious, we could start to work on reframing her experience. I then educated her on the characteristics of deep connection. Denise then reframed how she desired to approach the room. She would stop judgment immediately and not focus on right, wrong, good or bad. Denise wanted to feel a deep connection/oneness with everybody in the room and she decided to use that affirmation. Next, it became apparent that she struggled in small groups at a table. Her solution was to focus on one person intensely and ask them great questions. We brainstormed 8-10 great questions she could ask that would break the ice, make her more comfortable, and get the other agent talking in great detail about themselves.
When Denise got back from the conference, I asked her to tell me about the wall. She said, “What wall”! She now has new confidence in large crowds and tools she can use in the future.
Denise connected with one of the top luxury agents in Scottsdale, AZ. She connected so well that the agent called her the next week to talk about her marriage! What a great result and potential referral source!
“I was introduced to Todd by a friend (also a high-performing coach) after describing the apathy/laziness I'd been feeling toward my work and career. I believe in my bones that our sessions have created a noticeable difference in my perspective and general awareness. There is - and likely always will be - a lot of work to do on those fronts but have a foundation to build off of now. Todd listens and is unusually good at turning my long rambles of intangible feelings/thoughts/responses into a near spot on label that we can build action and awareness around. This lead us to some "aha moments" quickly vs my writhing with the same thoughts and actions for weeks. Like therapy, it is almost a sure thing that everyone can benefit from this type of coaching and, more specifically, a coach like Todd.”
“Todd has been coaching me over the past year. Everyone needs a coach where if you believe me, then Todd would come highly recommended. At the end of each session, I have an action plan of my making and I am fired up about my new perspective and awareness. Coach has great intuition and you can count on him to ask the right questions that unlock the potential you are looking for. He is also just a great guy, easy to get to know, a man of faith and principles, and someone who truly cares about you. I don’t work in real estate, but I have been in sales for the past 39 years. Todd has helped we with some transition matters that I have been considering where with each session, I get closer to my desired vision. Again, if you need a coach or just want to find out how a coach might help you, reach out to Todd Akes, you will be glad you did!”
“Todd has been a tremendous instrument in the growth of my Real Estate business. He truly takes his time to understand his clients goals and aspirations. Todd has taken my career to the next level in a short amount of time. If you are looking to better yourself and your career, I highly recommend Todd!”
“Todd has been nothing but helpful and motivating during our time together! As a future agent who is in the very beginning stages of real estate, I can say that this experience has given me a great head start on my business. He kept me in line with my goals and ambitions while pushing me to be a better all-around person. Todd doesn’t just coach business, he also coaches mindset which makes all the difference. I would recommend him any day!”
“As a Team Leader in real estate, I was not functioning at my potential. After many years in the business, I was lacking focus, direction and motivation. I decided to gift myself and my team a few months of coaching sessions and immediately felt a shift in attitude, motivation and gratefulness! Todd Akes is non-judgmental, humble and kind. He coaches from a place of comfort, leading you out of your own way without pushing, growing you without crossing boundaries, opening your eyes to what you are truly capable of. If you seek a shift in not only your business, but also your personal life, Todd is a gift worth bestowing upon yourself. My team and I have decided to continue coaching for another year! I'm so excited to see what 2022 brings!”
“I’ve been working with Todd for the better part of a year and I cannot recommend him highly enough to anyone seeking a coach. As a young adult and Real Estate professional Todd has helped me achieve my goals in both my personal and professional arenas. Some of the projects we have navigated with great success include a career change, interpersonal relationships, business strategy, and we have achieved major milestones in personal development. He is a straight shooter, exhibiting high levels of professionalism, communication, accountability while keeping the environment supportive with some laughs along the way. He always tells you how it is and follows through with what he says he’ll do in a timely manner. Integrity and humility are some of the cornerstones to his approach. He has a keen awareness of his own strengths and weaknesses, he is not afraid to admit what he does not know and is always willing to share the lessons from his own successes & failures. During your time together you always know that you are front of mind, and he is mindful to ensure that each session yields as much value for the customer as possible. I’m confident that for those seeking to put in the work, you will get a tremendous amount of support and value working with Todd.”
“After six months working with Todd, I have a renewed passion for my real estate business. I've expanded my team, we're putting up record breaking numbers and I'm excited about my future in real estate. The problems weren't necessarily with my business at the most basic level, the problems were literally everything else. Some things I had the power to change, and for some, I only had the power to react differently. Todd has helped me to value myself, my peace and my voice. He's helped to add structure in my business that is working for my unique situation and goals. He's a confidant, a mentor, a coach and now Todd is a friend. I encourage EVERYONE to consider coaching with Todd. He has quite literally changed my life and I am confident that he can do the same for you.”