Today, I have two incredible guests, Valerie Reed from the Jill Biggs Group in Hoboken, New Jersey, and Megan Henry, a MAPS Coach specializing in operations. We delve into what operations mean to them, emphasizing the importance of processes and systems in running a successful business. Valerie shares insights on keeping business running smoothly behind the scenes, while Megan discusses the importance of having clear goals and proven systems to support those goals. They both offer practical tips on refining processes, addressing pain points, and maintaining clarity on business goals to ensure long-term success. They also touch on the necessity for operations managers to support and translate the visionary ideas of business leaders into actionable plans while maintaining organizational efficiency and scalability.
Tune in for a deep dive into the world of real estate operations with these two dynamic leaders!
“I think a lot of agents, especially team leads, want to do everything right. They want to do great marketing. They want to do great social media. They want to have a superpower CRM. They want amazing tracking. And they want all of these aspects of their team to run really well. Well, if you don't have a defined process for those, you're going to constantly be chasing getting one of those done, and making them better. So I think even if they're simple, having your processes in place that get done the things you want to get done. You can always improve them. You can expand them. You can bring in more people. But I think at the basis you've got to have that's like your root system. You've got to have strong processes and great systems to run them on 100%”- Valerie Reed
Key highlights in this episode:
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Definition of Operations: Operations encompass all the behind-the-scenes activities that keep a business running smoothly. This includes anything that isn't directly related to sales but is essential for the functioning of a team or organization.
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Importance of Processes and Systems: Successful operations rely on well-defined processes and systems. These should be clear, clean, and scalable to ensure consistency and efficiency.
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Aligning with Business Goals: Operations should always be aligned with the long-term goals and vision of the business.
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Adapting and Refining Workflows: Continuous improvement is key. Identifying pain points in existing processes and making small, strategic tweaks can significantly enhance operational efficiency.
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Supporting Visionary Ideas: Operations managers play a crucial role in translating the visionary ideas of business leaders into actionable plans.
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Effective Communication: Clear communication between operations managers and visionaries is essential.
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Managing Change: When implementing new ideas or systems, it’s important to consider the impact on the current workload and processes.
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Empowering Team Members: Empowering operations team members to design their own lives and careers within the business leads to greater job satisfaction and long-term retention.
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Small Tweaks Make a Big Difference: Even small adjustments in processes, such as communication protocols, can save significant time and resources in the long run.
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Real-World Analogies: Using relatable analogies, like the pizza sauce recipe, helps in understanding the importance of following proven systems to achieve desired outcomes efficiently.
About Meagan Henry:
When Meagan graduated college she had one goal: become a wandering do-gooder. She left for India where she and a local partner started a school designed to help low caste members acquire basic skills needed to get a job with international companies (who wouldn’t care about caste). From there, she left for Myanmar where she became the Director of Studies for a local business institute as well as the Country Coordinator for a non-profit based in the U.S, and started a microcredit program with a local partner.
When she returned to the U.S. five years later, she joined a real estate company overseeing all aspects of operations and eventually, sales. From there she combined her years of experience in leadership and growth to become a MAPS Coach where she currently serves operations clients who want to grow their own leadership skills, improve company profits, and live a life by design.
In her free time, you will find her outdoors with her family digging in the mud, hiking in the woods, or just running around like a racing airplane. In her *extra free time you will find her climbing mountains, scuba diving, and wondering what adventures she might get into next. She has been diving with whale sharks, ridden elephants into the remote jungle, tackled mountains, and faced down seemingly impossible piles of laundry. Her becoming game is strong.
Connect with Meagan:
Website: youropscommunity.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/meagannhenry/
About Valerie Reed:
With over 12 years of experience in Marketing, Communications, and Branding, Valerie moved into the Real Estate industry to bring her skills to agents looking to spend more time working with clients and less time behind the scenes of their business. After owning a Transaction Coordination company for 10 years she ventured deeper into the world of Operations taking on a Director of Development role in an emerging brokerage. After helping to grow the brokerage from 2 to 20 agents over a year and a half, Valerie has now moved into an Operations role with a team, where she can use her process and system experience on a larger level. Valerie works on team analytics and reporting as well as in creating systems and processes.
Connect with Valerie:
Instagram: @realestatevalerie
Connect with Jennifer Staats:
Website: staatssolutions.com
Staats Solution Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/staatssolutions/
Jennifer Staats Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jennifertherealtor
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/staatssolutions/
