KGCI: Real Estate on Air - Building a Real Estate Empire From The Age of 20 Years Old with Jessie Yerxa

Episode Date: April 28, 2025

Thank you, everyone for joining us for another episode of Behind Closed Deal. It is an absolute honor to be sitting down with my dear friend, Jesse Erza, and just an EXP phenomenon to the women out there, to the moment of EXP, we admire you so much. And today we're going to take a deep dive into Jesse's journey and how she came about, how she built the brand that she has built, which is a phenomenal brand. and most importantly how she's built this community for the agents that she works with within her team and outside of her team. So, Jessie, welcome.

And thank you so much for being with us today. Thank you so much for having me. I'm honored. Kind words. It's my absolute pleasure. It's my absolute pleasure. So, Jesse, take us back. When did you start in real estate?

Yeah. So I was young. I was 20 years old when I worked for my mom. who was a real estate agent at the time. Yeah. And I was going to university at the same time. So the whole idea was I would work for mom to pay for university. And that didn't work out.

No. No. Working for your parents didn't work out. Thank you. You know what? I was studying sciences at university. And the book smart thing, I could accomplish it, but it wasn't natural. When I started working with mom to pay for university, the people,

was natural. Working with people was natural. So that just flowed into me saying, you know what, I think I'm more of a people person. Right. Then I am, you know, the side of the like medical studies that I was trying to do. And yeah, get into real estate at the age of 20. And I've been licensed since. I'll be 37 in May. So it's, it's my life. So starting. So stopping you right there for a second, when you got in at age 20. Yeah. What were some of the challenges that you faced being so young in the business? Yeah.

Um, I won't say this happens to just females, but being a young female in the business, um, number one, how to dress and how to present was a really difficult struggle. Um, probably my most difficult struggle because as a 20 year old, I wanted to feel 20 and look 20. Um, but the industry. wasn't really such that I could do that. And adjusting my way of presenting myself was a big struggle at 20. That's why. Is that just dress code?

Is that just dress code or does that, did that have to carry through to your social thing? Yeah, everything. So I'll never forget the day that I went through Facebook was what we was, was the social platform at the time. I went through my entire Facebook and I hid all of my past life, right? Like all of my past life. Who's the new, Jesse?

Here with me, I've only ever been a real estate agent. Yeah, I didn't exist before this time, right? But, you know, kind of sad, but also it's business, right? So that was a sacrifice that I was willing to make in order to take steps forward quickly in my business as a young. professional. So I adjusted my appearance online and I created a brand for myself. There was no suits, really, at the time that were like you could order online. Yeah. So I would borrow my mom's suits and put them on. And they were like shoulder pads to here and just horrible fitting. Wait, you have to go

back so you should do a photo shoot from what you first started. Yeah, the progression. Yeah, the progression was wild and social media wasn't, that wasn't it, right? That wasn't the thing at the time to advertise your business on social. So like, thankfully, there's not a ton of photos out there floating around if we're in mom suits. I don't know I'm going to dig. Yeah, you're going to find some.

You'll find some. I'll hide them after this podcast. But yeah, that that was the struggles like as a young professional in the real estate industry was very much so about figuring out what brand I wanted for my business and how to build that and then publicly market it like how do I get that out there so those were those are big struggles yeah yeah I can imagine I mean that is great advice for agents younger agents that are coming into the business and that's what we're seeing a lot of there's a shift right there's a lot of outgoing agents a lot of you know we're

retirement happening and people just getting out of the business, but the age coming into real estate is just getting younger and younger. And it's the hanging on to, this is who I am, they accept me or they don't accept me. I truly feels the wrong mentality. Like if you are going to own this as a business and this is going to be your lifelong career, you have to dress the part. You have to act the part. And most importantly, you have to have the knowledge and skill set. So what helped you get that knowledge and skill set? because obviously they're not just going to hire you because you look like a professional,

but it's what did you use to build that? I mean, as a 20-year-old, you probably haven't bought a home by then unless you have, but a lot of them have not. So how do you gain that, you know, skill set to be able to give them that you have the knowledge? Yep, a lot of practice, a lot of freebies, a lot of offering to do free home evaluations. Like, I can't count the amount of hours that I work for free. Just to gain knowledge. So a lot of free work, a lot of yes man mentality.

I would host three open houses every week. All of my weekends were dedicated to open houses. So my personal life took a hit. My social life took a hit. But it was in dedication to becoming a professional in the industry. So that, number one, if I could catch an eye with the professional look, I could back it up with the knowledge comes down to. Yeah.

So a lot of free work, a lot of, yep, yep, just saying yes. And gaining the knowledge through that free work. So that eventually I could charge. Yeah, yeah, because I could back it up. That is what investing in your business. You are investing in your business and in any business at the beginning. You're not going to be making money. You're putting a lot in.

And with us, it's time, effort. you know, just trying to get anything that we can out of it. When did you feel the turning point when you first started to, okay, everything that I've been putting in is now starting to come back? It was when I married my true self with my professional self. So I was hosting an open house at 241 Medley Street. I'll never forget it. and I made a video at my open house.

And at this time, video marketing not a thing, marketing on your business on social media, not a thing, social media barely being a thing. And I made a little parody for my open house and did the Cups song. Oh, I have the words. Yeah, change the words to showcase my open house and posted it on Facebook.

And that was beyond the professional brand that I was like really trying to. to build like it was silly yeah but it was more authentically me like I'm I'm I'm fun and I love music and I'm artistic so I combined the two posted it on Facebook all my eyes out because I'm so embarrassed to put this out to whoever might even see it right and the reaction like that's my that was my pivotal point in my business the amount of support from my community that had me on Facebook was unreal. Everyone like got to know me right away. Yeah. As the, you know, personable real estate agent. And I was, yeah, I was willing to step out of a comfort zone,

do something different and airy authenticity with professionalism. So that was it. And like from there, that's my brand is authenticity and fun and professionalism. And what so now you've gotten to that point. now your business is starting to grow, you're achieving more, you're selling more, you're working with more buyers. When did you decide that now I need to have a team? So I got to the point where, number one, my assistant was first. And I got to the point where I was working with sellers and buyers and so many that I was starting to drop the ball. Right. And my service wasn't where I really wanted it to be. So I Like, holy shit, I can't afford an assistant, but I also can't afford not to have an assistant.

So there was an assistant that became available that had worked for a veteran real estate agent for years and word traveled through the grapevine and she agreed to sit down with me and I'm like, holy crap. You know, I'm 23 and I'm interviewing an employee and she's older than me and she's more experienced send me. So what do I have here to give to her? So I asked her a few questions and very amateur questions in hindsight. Like, you know, would you input listings or would you take out a buyer? Would you hang a sold sign? Do you want to work my call? Yeah, do you want to work with me? Because I'd really like that and she's like, sure. So I remember she left and Jane, she's still with me.

like she's my right arm she's everything I couldn't do the business without her she's still with me like 13 years later that's amazing and she said yeah yeah she said yes like I'm shaking telling the story because she she brought my business at that point she doubled it the next year because what happened was she took the burden of paperwork where I was dropping the ball totally off my shoulders so that I could focus on client relations right yeah and sometimes I think a lot of agents miss that part of building the business they want to take on everything when having a quarterback or someone you know as strong as your assistant to be able to take that burden off of you they forget they probably don't know how much their business would escalate had they had

that person taking it off they only think about what i have to pay for that assistant and that's what holds them back so you did the right thing which probably is the stepping stone to you starting to build a team. Totally. Yeah. Yep. Your long, your long site, right? Exactly. BXP in general is long-sighted. Yeah. Like you can't be short-sighted in this industry at all across the board. So you're exactly right. How did you feel that you can start adding team members? Like did you say I'm going to get five right off the bat? I'm going to get three. What was the number for you? It was gradual progression. It was as needed. So delegating weaknesses is kind of always as I've operated. So whenever I saw a weakness in my business, so if I was dropping the ball on paperwork,

or if I was dropping the ball on getting buyers, you know, to a house before it sold, then it's like, okay, well, you need an assistant for paperwork. You need a buyer's agent to dedicate to your buyer. Right. So it's delegating or replacing your weaknesses with someone who has that as a strength. So my next step after the assistant was actually the buyer's agents. So that was. So that was was when my husband came on as a designated buyer's agent. And it was really difficult because I was used to having control. And it's really hard to let it go. No, really?

Because no one can do your job like you can. But then, you know, same thing that happened with Jane, business doubles. Yeah. When you delegate your weakness, right? Or what you don't have 100% energy for it. So he took on all buyers. I took on all sellers and then business doubled. That's amazing.

What is, what numbers your team out right now? As far as volume. Agents, we are eight. Eight agents. Eight and a full-time videographer. That's amazing.

Now, what really, I admire you so much for this is that I remember, um, where did we have that meeting? Was it, uh, New Brunswick or was it,

uh, no, Georgia probably. Okay. Yeah. I remember, Michael Valdez actually we brought him up virtually on screen and he was going to congratulate you guys for your ranking that year and I said I called your name and you said no no my team all needs to be recognized and I love that about you because you don't ever put yourself ahead of your team you're always one with your team and that's what creates that bond that you guys have which is what you know I look at EX P's the opportunity that it's given you, you are not keeping it to yourself. You are giving it to

every single member on your team. And that's what's creating that community for you. Because, you know, it's great to have the business. But if you work with people that are not supportive and and loyal and understanding, and that sucks. Your everyday sucks. Because you have to see these people and you have to talk to them every single day. And it's going to be a revolving door. What brings that strength together on your team. Are they selected? Do they earn their spot to be on your team? Do you pick them based on personality, on production? How do you, how do you choose your team members? Personality is a big, big factor. I'm big on personality profiles. I think that any kind of team environment, you have to be able to at least be open to understanding different points of view.

So number one, it's understanding your personality or at least being open-minded to understanding yours and that of others. So that's number one. Production can be taught, an open mind, not necessarily. So production is something that we work through, you know, maybe second or third. Other than that, just a giver's mentality and hunger to learn. Hunger for knowledge. Yeah. Those are the big things.

Everything else can be taught. Absolutely. I completely agree with you. During your journey or throughout your journey, when was the pivotal moment for you that you felt comfortable enough that your team can take on the work and you can step back and enjoy more family time with your son and your husband? That is still a mental wrestle. Every day. Yeah. every day but I can confidently say that for at least three years now I rarely work a weekend

like rarely work a weekend for at least three years now my weekends are my family time dedicated to my son he's seven so that's it's a important time of his life that I never want to look back on and think I don't even remember that right I always want to be present in his life for as long as he's he loves me, right? Yeah. Like my kids, he's sticking around for a long time. Sure. I heard until 10, they don't care to hang out with you.

So that's kind of like my... It comes back in two folds. Wait till they hit like 18, 19. I'm like, go away. Go away. Yeah, but when you're a cool mom, like you... Yeah, you can't be the cool mom. Yeah, but yeah, for at least three years,

I have not worked weekends. and I've been, you know, very grateful for that because I'm confident in the team. I'm confident in everyone that's able to want the leads, right? Like the hunger is there that they want to build their business. And if it's not them, then it's another team member. So we've got the hunger to be able to handle the business on the weekends. Yeah. Other than that, we go away a few times a year.

And it's guilt-free. Yeah. And it's confident because we just, we have, we have the ability. And I'm so confident in the teamies to be able to handle the client like I would. Yeah. I would say it's been three years of feeling that way. That's amazing. That's like when you feel like you can take a breath.

Totally. Relax and then get right back into it. Moving from another company to EXP. Yeah. Lastly, talk to me about the freedom that it's giving you both. personally and professionally. Try not to cry. I try not to.

Yeah, it's so cliche. And you hear a lot of EXP agents say it. But it, you know, number one, my first comment was, felt like I lived under a rock. It's a big world. It's a big world, right? And I think being a part of something that is so united on a massive scale.

Like how are you such a big company but still so united? Like that in itself is a wild thing to wrap your mind around. Yeah. And obviously the company and the flexibility and not feeling like I'm paying unnecessary things when I'm not in an office, right? I would pay for an office when I wasn't there. Yeah. You know, we all have the ability to work wherever we want.

We're real estate agents. but that doesn't mean you're not expending for it, right? So just having that off your shoulders was huge. On top of that, I mean, I have a downline that I'm so proud of. And our organization of people, it's a vibe. Like, they're all like minds and we all attract the same vibe. And just that energy is valuable. Plus, it pays me.

So it just, there's a light. to the end of the sales tunnel. Right? And I love this business and I will continue to sell real estate so long as I'm serving people as the best real estate agent I can be. When I'm no longer that, I think that would be the most painful thing to do is try to convince somebody that I am the best realtor for them. Like I never want to be that realtor.

I want to be able to step aside at that time and allow the best realtor to be. Yeah. Yeah. How does it feel though to be, I mean, I see like how much it's affected you by your emotional reaction. But you know what gets me every single time is you talk about your organization and the people that you've brought on. To be able, I mean, if you owned your own brokerage and you brought someone on, it is truly 100% to benefit you as the broker. But now that you're building this organization and you are giving every single member that you bring on the same exact opportunity. that you have, that is the most rewarding feeling for a leader that you can ever imagine.

Totally. Oh my goodness. It just, for me, like, I say to myself, how can you not? Like, I am not protecting myself and my family. I am protecting you and your family to be able to have the life that I have if you're looking up to my life or anybody else's. So it's definitely an amazing place to be. And then of course, the unity.

Like we're all the way across Canada from each other. And I can't wait to see you. And I can't wait to talk to you. And I feel so much connected than if you were in my backyard. Because we probably wouldn't see each other. It's definitely amazing. Jesse, thank you so much for taking the time to share your journey with us. And I love you.

You're an amazing, amazing human being. And I hope you achieve your goals. and much, much more because I know if you're not in this for you, you're in this for everybody that you bring to surround you. Yep, thank you so much. I appreciate it. And then you can edit my tears out of this. It's okay, I like that.

Thank you so much. Have a great day, honey.