KGCI: Real Estate on Air - Julie Nelson With Michelle Burns

Episode Date: January 9, 2025

Hey, everyone. Welcome to the podcast, and I'm really excited because I have my friend Michelle Burns on the call with me today. Michelle in Austin, Texas. Hey, Michelle. Say hi. Julie? So this is the Success Faster podcast. And the goal here is just to have authentic conversations that add value to other realtors out there. It's really kind of that simple. So Michelle and I go, we go back a ways. And I love, and Michelle's a badass, by the way. She's with EXP Realty in Austin. She's an icon agent, which means she has achieved the top, top level of achievement in the company.

So I'm really excited about that. But more importantly, she has a really cool story kind of like how that happened and how she made that happen and how she got there. And so we just really kind of want to talk about your journey and your story and your business. So, hi. Hi. Hi. Thank you for having me, Julie. Of course.

Play a huge part in my journey as your books, right? The success faster. So, so yeah, it's been a journey. And I'm super excited and thankful. And you've been of such an intrical part of it. Well, and of course I love that. And I remember back, I don't know, was it? three or four years ago, I remember specifically.

We had been at a conference, probably in Vegas. Yes, it was amazing. And we were flying back. So what did you do with my book on that flight? It was hilarious. The entire thing front to back cover. Interesting little side note here. I was struggling with my business was struggling at that time.

I had been in real estate. Let's see, that was 2017, I want to say. That sounds right. And I got my license in 2014. And I had done the roller coaster, right? My business had a kick house first year. And then, you know, had some personal things went on, just busy, busy, crazy life, you know, all of the things. Up down, up down.

Exactly. And then I said, okay, I, well, when I joined DXP now in 2016, I said, I wanted to take, I joined DXP because I was ready to take my business to the next level. I knew AXP was going to do that for me, to help me to do that, right? I just need to utilize the tools that were there. Initially, I had a difficult time doing that. What did that mean to you? I just needed to utilize the tools. What does that be?

Get involved. Lean in. Lean into the culture at E.XP. Lean into the coaches that are there, i.e. Julie Nelson. You know, get involved with the icons. Go to the convention. So I said to myself, I said, OK, I need to, it's time for me to lean in.

Business wasn't doing well. I think I took my last like $1,200 something like that and took it, used it to go to Vegas. I remember that financially you were nervous. I was. I was. Part of your story. It's part of the journey. Yes, ma'am. Yes, ma'am. And somebody gifted me your book. I had always kind of been watching you and paying attention to you and listening to you from afar. You and I connected at that convention. And then somebody gifted me the book, an icon agent in fact, at the airport. I read it front to back.

The following day, when I returned, I implemented, began implementing some of the processes. One of the things that stuck out to me... So it's safe to say that it spoke to you and it just something sparked. There was... So I think that the biggest thing for me, I'm going to tell you, here the biggest thing for me you know I was going to all of these classes and I was doing all of these conventions or you know these all of these things but I didn't know what to do with the information like you get all of this information and then you had said something in the book or at

some point I heard you say pick the couple of things that stick with you that really resonate with you you know and put those to action that was what I did I stayed consistent and What were those things? Like what did you, you said the next day you started. What did you do? I started calling people. I just started calling people. I leaned in. I really leaned into the phrase lean in. And what I did. I wanted to be and I had been working for the past two years, I want to say, to become the neighborhood experts in my neighborhood. and I had made the connections and I had done all of these things and then I got wrapped up in life for a year and it all fell by the wayside and I wasn't consistent. And so I came home and I stayed consistent and I stayed faithful. That first week, I called 50 people a day.

And by that first week, I was calling you, asking you if you could coach me, if you had room to coach me. I had five new listings or something like that, and I was well on my way to I come within like four to six weeks. It was amazing. Something just clicked for you. Yeah. Yeah, exactly. Exactly. And it's been a whirlwind ever since, and I'm just loving it. Now it's because I have to stay consistent, right?

especially, and I'm glad, especially within this market shift, right? Market shift, kid in college, mortgage payment. You bought a really cool house, and that was absolutely a bucket. You built it. So there was a bucket list item for you. And you wouldn't have been able to do that without getting that business foundation solidified. You didn't, is this a correct statement that you were capable, you were doing good business, but then and then you weren't. And then you were and then you weren't. And some of its life

got in the way and some of it and who knows, but it was all over the place. But you needed to get it well, one consistent and two, built. Correct. Correct. You have one child in college. You're about to have a second one. You've got about a year to go on that. She's a senior in high I've got a senior in college and a senior in high school, yeah. Yeah, in the house. So it's like it's a big responsibility to get there. What, so do you, how consistent, do you have, do you have trouble? Do you struggle with the consistency with that?

So you, you jumped in and you said you were calling 50 people a day. So that was intense. You're like, I'm leaning in, okay? And that was intense. I don't think you're calling 50 people a day anymore. But talk to me kind of about consistency and the challenges with that. Sure, sure, sure. Absolutely.

I will tell you what I do, I try to connect with 10 people a day, right? Okay. Now that connection can look like, and I try to explain this to people, that doesn't mean I'm calling 10 people a day. from, you know, 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. It doesn't look like that for me. My connections might be anybody that I talked to that I have a real estate conversation with. So I'm trying to have 10 real estate conversations. Even if it is just me commenting on or responding to a comment on social media.

Okay. And following up with a private message to this person saying, hey, we haven't chatted in so long. Let's go for coffee or something. How is Johnny's football going? Yeah. Maybe. Right?

But I'm making a point to have 10 real estate conversations a day. Now, I will be perfect. They aren't always real estate conversations. A lot of these conversations, I go in with the intention of hoping that we will start real estate conversation. And then I realize that this person's mother just passed away. And now I'm hanging up and sending a card or get well packaged or just my thing, Julie, is my business is relationship based. And I love it. I love building relationships and having relationships and really, really caring for people.

Well, and it, yeah, and in that, and that works and you're, and you're implementing that in your business. Correct. It makes a lot of sense. And you have, you threw a pretty impressive party recently for all, for all your people. Is that, tell me about that a little bit. That was cool. When was that? That was a couple months ago.

It was. It was March. Oh, gosh. Okay. Yeah. I always, I think March or April. I had always, always, always wanted to do a client appreciation party. And then we had COVID. And all of those things got kind of pushed to the side. And I love hosting events. Like I've always done an annual shreddy event for everyone.

everyone. And then I always do a thread event like a you you it's a truck that will shred your paper, right? Correct. It comes in. I pay for them to come in and it's every year people look forward to it. I kind of make it like a little party and it's at the pool parking lot in the neighborhood that I am the neighborhood specialist of. Yeah. So just things like that. And so and then the first day of school, I always do a mom's back to school brunch with, you know, Bloody Mary Bar and my. Oh, absolutely. Yeah. Again, we haven't been able to do these things because of COVID. But, and so the client appreciation thing I've always wanted to do, it turned out beautifully, had it caged. by a local agent, actually, a new EXP agent, Constance, who was also a surferger,

had my lender to sponsor drinks and cocktails and had a friend of mine who just opened a spa. They did chair massages. We had bounce houses galore and games galore and a DJ, and it was so much fun. So what did that like what was the budget for that party? Well, you know, that's a really good question. I started out with a budget of $5,000. Okay. And then I started reaching out to people because that was my max budget.

And I said, let's see how much of this I can get covered by everyone else. And I ended up spending about roughly, complete but 2,500 myself. I mean, exactly. It really worked out well. Had a title company sponsor and donate some money. They came out. It was really, really awesome.

And everybody had a great time and has asked. I've gotten dozens and dozens of questions since. What is going to be the next event? Oh, yeah. That's great. So, I mean, what you're describing is really, it's a successful, but kind of typical referral relationship-based business. I'm not doing anything that nobody else is doing, Julie.

But you've learned through experience, is this a safe statement? You've learned through experience that you can't assume that these folks are gonna call you. Oh, a thousand percent. Yes. Right. So you're getting in front of them,

you're making, calls, you're paying attention, you're staying in relationship. And it works. I want to dial back just a little bit, because I bet some folks listening probably have this question. When you had to really kickstart your business, okay, when you did the kind of 50 calls a day thing for a certain amount of time, how did you, how did you do that? Who were you calling? What? Everybody. Everybody. I started with all of my past clients. And I'm going to tell you this, Julie, any time that I look at my whiteboard,

I have a whiteboard in my office, I'm looking at it right now. And anytime I'm looking at my whiteboard and I see less than what I'm comfortable with. Okay. I will tell you, I immediately jump right back into calling 50 people or contacting 50 people. Okay, let's do, I love this.

So let's let's camp on that for just a little bit. because I did something similar in my business. You have a white board. You could see it right now like in front of you. Yeah. And it has kind of your pipeline, your lead. Basically, it's a lead board for the first part. But you know visually on that board,

kind of how much needs to be on that board for you to be comfortable. Correct. Correct. And as it gets below that number, you're like, and this is where, You said, early on, you said, I leaned into the lean in. So all it takes for you is you walk into your office, you see that whiteboard every single day.

You've got a visual on it. You can walk in, I bet. And in one second, you're like, yep, that's, I'm happy with that, that whiteboard. That part. That's all right. Absolutely. And another day, you'll walk in and say, it's kind of in the middle. And another day, it'll be like, oh, shit.

No, that's, this is. Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. And so you just have to, it's such a simple system to know when you need to lean in. You're like, yep, anytime I know I need to lean in, I just kind of start doing me call 50 people a day thing. Exactly. Exactly. I go back to the basics. It works. I know that's what worked for me and that's what works for me. And so, so that's what I do. So that whiteboard, and someone else might have a spreadsheet or they might have a notebook or doesn't matter. I like the whiteboard version for many reasons. But it's kind of, it's your, it's a visual safety net for where you're at in your business.

1,000%. Absolutely. I keep track of my goals on my whiteboard. I keep track of where I am as far as icon goes, where am I as far as capping goes, all of the addresses for every, all of my transactions and clients names and closing dates and all of these things. I look at that board, I mean, probably two dozen times a day, just as I'm sitting in my office for one reason or another, right? Well, you're being a good business person. Oh, working on that. Yay. You're being a good business person because you're tracking the key metrics in

your business. Okay, okay. Well, there we go. That's what's on your board. Now, those are the metrics that are important to you, but they're the basics. Everyone needs to track that pipeline and kind of financially where they're at and where they're going and their goals. And so there's that basic tracking, but you're tracking, you're tracking progress towards ICON because that's an annual thing. How am I doing? So you can be purposeful with that. You're tracking obviously active and pending.

Those are, that's basic. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Of course we track that. I have also a production goal, a sales production goals that I want to reach. I track where am I in there. And then I have like a couple of sayings. I have KFG on there. What does that mean?

You recall. Or are we at a with. I'll say it. Okay. I'm fucking going. KFG. Yeah. I'm doing a CMA a day for 30 day challenge right now. So I've got that written on my board. Tell me about that. I like that. Tell me more about that.

I am sending now actually this needs to come down because I completed that about two weeks ago. Okay. But I just did a CMA a day for 30 days. Now I will tell you a little A little cheat that I did there, okay? Okay, good. You and I have talked about the CMA a day, and lots of folks talk about CMA a day for 30 days, and just send one comparative market analysis to somebody for one a day for 30 days. Now, what I did do at my shred event in April is I have everybody that comes fill out a little form

with their email address, all of the things, right? Home address, do you want a CMA? Do you want a home cost analysis? And so I use those. All of those I just said. Oh, okay, okay, good. Right? Those were on new contacts for me.

Just to help folks on the call, and particularly the market is shifting right now, but I mean, you could do this at any time, but it's so easy to do when there's a market. market shift because folks are curious. But every single day, you just do a quick market analysis in the MLS, emphasis on quick, just a really simple, hey, what's going on in this neighborhood right now?

Or maybe this price point. Okay, so really simple takes a few minutes, right? So you've got it in front of you. And it's like, who do I know in that neighborhood? Send it to them and then text them. You could text them and say, hey, I just sent you, something I think you're going to want to look at. Do you have a minute to jump on the phone with me?

So now you're having a quality conversation with someone, and you can just say, I'm doing these every day right now, and I just happened to be doing your neighborhood this morning. So I thought of you and wanted you to see this. That's an amazing real estate conversation. Yeah. Yeah. And here it's an easy way to, okay, I'm jumping in with a real estate conversation.

this might help folks that for me it's if i'm one of those people it's difficult for me to just jump into real estate right i want to offer a help i want to check in how are you doing yeah so having the real estate you and i have worked on that over the years in fact and so this is something if i have stuff for me personally if i have something i'm authentically being me if i'm offering something before i'm asking for something so the cma a day just really works for me and my. Yeah, it's easy. Yeah.

It's such an easy way to have a real estate conversation. Exactly. Yes. Yes. You know, and you can say, I wanted you to see this. I know everybody's asking these days. So here's what's going on. But interestingly enough, the data in your neighborhood is going to be different 30 days from now and 60 days from now and 90 days from now.

So we may want to have this conversation again in a couple months. Hey, by the way, while we're on the talk. topic, are you guys thinking of doing anything with your real estate this year? And you listen, listen to their answer, right? You've heard me say this. I'm just saying, for viewers. It's like, okay, cool. Hey, also, and honestly, I wouldn't be doing my job if I didn't ask you this every once in a while.

But who do you know who might need my services? I'm already setting up appointments for this fall. There it is. Basic lead generation you could do. So how long have you been in the business, when you get your license? 2014. 2014. Okay.

So you've been in the years. Eight years. Awesome. So whether you're a successful eight year agent or a year one or a year two agent or the agent that's doing this in the business, this do a CMA a day for 30 days. It's certainly not going to hurt anything, right? And if you end that month and you have nothing, right? at least you have worked those real estate muscles is how I look at it. And anyone can, we can all practice doing a CMA.

Well, and I, I love this activity for anyone who needs to dial up their business. There's one situation. Two is anytime during a market shift, because you're really bringing value. And three, any first or second year agent, just do this anyways. It's good practice. And then you're just going to be having conversation after conversation after conversation. about real estate. It's so basic. I wish I wish I could get every first-year agent out there in the country. Absolutely.

Do one a day and just find someone to call or send that to. Absolutely. I want to talk. So I think there's lots of things that you do really well in your business, obviously. But what would you say? Like, what is something that you feel like you do well in this business? did I do well relationships yeah how to build a relationship based business

yes yes and really being genuine right and just like I said leaning in I know I've overused that term I love it I mean you know

I lean into my people you know and I think that I do that very well well and just stay connected, right? I will tell you, so quick little tidbit. So as we had mentioned, as you mentioned, my kids are a senior in high school and a senior in college now. A huge, huge, huge, if not all of my connections and relationships have been based around for the most part of my kids. And so I'm kind of going through a bit of an identity thing, if you will, right?

Yeah. Like, how do I say relevant, right? How do I, and who with do I? Yeah. On these relationships, you know, obviously so many of the folks that are friends of, parent friends of friends of my kids, they're selling. and moving and moving away, which is great business for me.

But then it's also like, okay, but what happens when they all move away? And then who are I on so many different levels on a personal level as well as a professional level. So I'd like that I'd like that you're thinking about it now. You're aware of it. You're like, oh, this is coming. And you know, it's nice to get happening, you know,

I'm feeling it. But it's been fun and it's been joyous. you know, and what I'm really finding now is, well, why can't I still be friends with these parents that are, why can't I have friends with parents of little kids? Because I sure love the little kids and now I get to send them back. Right. So just build those relationships. So it is an interesting kind of transition. But yeah, you'll, and then you'll bridge it. You'll, you'll, you'll bridge it fine. I think I think you're going to do well with that. Um, uh, uh, So I'm curious.

So you're around other agents all the time. You're talking to agents that are on the other side of your transaction. You have friends in the business. What sort of advice do you find yourself giving to other agents? Stay consistent. And when I give that one, I'm also giving it to myself because that would be my biggest downfall or my biggest weakness. Give back to your community. give back to your sphere and your people and just stay consistent with reaching out to people.

One also little tidbit that someone gave me years and years and years ago, and I think this is so very important to people because we can get so wrapped up in all of the things, but you can never be more motivated than a client. You can never be more motivated than another agent. It just can't wear your self. Otherwise, you'll, you know, find you can burn out real quickly and get frustrated. So what is that? Tell me more about that. So what does that mean to you? To me, that means you can't do all the work for all the people, pretty much. You know, if, if my client isn't willing to, you know, at least meet me have way for documents or for checks or get back to me, there's nothing you can do about it you know can't lose sleep over it i've done it before it doesn't

solve anything if another agent isn't being responsive um or isn't you know meeting you halfway as well there's no sense in getting frustrated about it all you can do is just do the best you can and keep going i think that's maturity in the business really kind of what you just described um Because sometimes, I mean, we've all been there with various challenges in the business. And sometimes we lose sleep over those challenges. But 100%, 100%. And I will tell you the reason why I still say that is because there are so many times when that becomes a challenge, you know? And I'm up at night thinking what is going to happen.

And there's nothing you can do about it. You can only do. There's only so much you can do. There are a handful of agents out there that I, well, there are a lot of agents that I admire and respect. But there's a few people out there that are so good with this thing. It seems like nothing bothers them. They're just, they know what they can and can't do on any given day. They don't, you know, they're very clear with people.

They don't get emotional. They're just like, this is business. this is what we do. I'm with you on that because I'm not that way, right? I do get emotional about it, which is why I have to remind myself to take it out, right? There's only so much I can do. Sure.

And I think it becomes a little easier year after year, but because of the way you're wired, you're very wired relationally and you're wired emotionally. And you're wired emotionally. And so you're never going to be that one agent who's not wired that way at all. Right, right. You and I, we just have to adapt. We have to remind ourselves.

That other agent might have to remind themselves to be patient. Absolutely, Julie, right. Or to throw a good party every now and then. Yeah. I want to wrap this up a little bit. What would you say, and I know I gave you some questions ahead of time, and I'm not necessarily following that at all. So thanks for rolling with me.

I told you this in the conversation. But if there was something that you could fix in your business, like over the next few months or between now and the end of the year, what would that be? Oh, I can tell you right now. If I could stay committed to perfecting and getting together all of my systems, I hate that kind of work. I really, really hate it. Yeah, you don't like it. If it was better, if it was next level. Right. And if I, what it's going to take is just me being committed to, you know, being consistent to implementing all of these systems and making. and happen. What do you have in place that helps you leverage some systems? You don't love this

aspect of right. Right now I really don't. I do have a T.C. who is awesome and I always recommend everybody should have a good TC. Please get a good TC. Okay. So you've got that. Do you have like, do you have a bookkeeper or an accountant? No, I do have an accountant. I do have an accountant. But they help me with my taxes. I need to, it's funny that we're talking about this because I was actually thinking this morning, and I think often about leveraging some of this, just stuff that, you know.

Like listing preparation for the time? No, no, no, no, like CRM, like KVCOR and newsletters and social media and Canva, right? And these are things that I have a very difficult, time with. Okay. Let's let's you and I set up a coaching call and let's let's talk about some of those things and maybe I identify a couple things that that you could put in place. Okay. I'm going to try something new with you. Okay. So this is light. All right. Okay. I saw this done on another podcast recently and I'm like, oh, I'm going to do that. That looks like fun. Okay. So this is, so I want you to

answer the first thing that comes to mind. So this is rapid fire. Okay. All right. And I'll start really easy, so you'll get you'll get you'll get you'll get it. Most of these are a one word answer. Yes, ma'am. On it. You ready? Ready. Okay. Sweet or salty? Salty. Cats or dogs? Dogs. Are you more cautious or are you more bold? Bold. Definitely bold. Last vacation. Disney World. Oh, yeah, that was cool. Is your bed made right now? It is halfway. Okay. Favorite hobby? That's a good one. I would say my kids, but that's, I don't know what kind of weird hobby that is. Okay, we'll work on that. The best food or recipe that you make, the best thing

you make in the kitchen. The best thing I make is going to be soul food. smothered chicken, red beans and rice, colored greens. Okay, sounds good. Describe your style in one word. My style. I don't give a hug. Is that one? Okay.

Oh, I like it. Okay. Okay. Now, what city specifically do you live in? Flugerville. Okay, Flugerville. One fact about your city. one fact about flugerville

oh flugerville was founded by the flugers the fluger family and they are still here in flugerville the family is still here okay okay that's cool um the last book you read dare to lead by brine brown and finishing it oh that's great i've got that one on the coffee table right now if you were a right word to write a book what would you write about

I would write my life story. And I've been told that I should do this many, many, many, many, many times by many people. It's on, I'm thinking about it. Okay, I like it. Okay. And the last one. And thanks for playing this. Sure, this is fun.

What's the best advice you've ever received? Honest to goodness, don't sweat the small stuff. I mean, it seems so just basic, but honest to goodness. If you can't control it, don't stress over it. Don't sweat the small stuff. Okay, cool. And we kind of covered this earlier, but like one final piece of advice for realtors. Consistency.

Stay consistent. And stay true to you, right? There's so much craziness going on in today's society of. well as in the real estate market and there are a lot of people that short do shortcut take shortcuts and short change folks and I just stay true to you don't do that stay true to your client okay I like it very good thank you so much all right well thank you thanks for being on the podcast and guys Michelle is in the Austin area she lives in Fluggerville she knows that the North Suburb very well, but I know she gets all over town. So she's an awesome agent that I'm

really honored to be business partners with. Thank you so much. Likewise. Thank you for having me. Of course.