Winston Churchill said, “We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give.”
For seasoned Realtor Barbara Wheeler, the ability to give back to the community and offer mentorship to new agents is one of the primary drivers to her success in her season of being a real estate agent.
“I have been practicing real estate for the last 42 years,” Wheeler said. “By becoming a mentor, it gives me the opportunity to give back to the industry that allowed me to be as successful as I am today.”
Wheeler joined the ARC Realty Mentorship Program in 2020 to provide practical, hands-on guidance to a new agent in the early stages of their real estate career. When Barbara began her professional career she didn’t have anyone to mentor her, and thus today has made great efforts to serve others in giving the next generation “the mentor she never had, yet always wanted.”
“It takes at least three (3) years to build your business,” Wheeler said. “It is a wonderful thing to help someone grow in their real estate career, because, let’s face it, it is rough out there for new agents. They are struggling with the uncertain income, getting leads, and lack of experience.”
Wheeler shares that the pre-licensing education is not enough training to become a successful agent. Mentorship teaches individuals how to work and build their business
“The pre-licensing education is not enough training for you to instantly become a successful agent,” she added. “Becoming a real estate agent is not the hard part, it is how to be successful that is the real challenge.” Wheeler says the structured mentorship program has become a natural part of ARC Realty’s culture.
“Every new agent that joins ARC Realty is offered the mentorship program,” she added. “It is not a requirement, but recommended. I am always available to help or answer a question, and I have always been very active to help new agents whenever they need it.”
Wheeler still is very much involved in the sales portion of the business. One way in which the mentorship program is so successful is going on listing appointments, showing homes and attending closings with the mentor.
“Giving back is important to me,” she said. “It is important for the new agents starting out to develop confidence and knowledge of the business. When I started in the business there was no such thing as a mentorship. We were just told to go to work. That was extremely daunting for me as an agent. Other jobs I had were very structured, this was not..
“This business has many mysteries, given that we are dealing with something as important and emotional as home ownership. What remains crucial is to keep learning and mastering the things we can control.”
