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Everybody Else is a podcast about the invisible people who make life happen. What began as conversations with behind-the-scenes builders in the music industry has grown into a broader exploration of how people think, work, and carry responsibility across industries and across disciplines. Hosted by Wes Luttrell, the show centers on thoughtful dialogue with creatives, leaders, and operators whose work often goes unseen but shapes the world we live in. New episodes streaming every Tuesday.
speaker-0 (00:01.292)
This is the Everybody Else Podcast.
speaker-2 (00:10.39)
Most of the authors of the human story are unnamed. Invisible contributors to the greatest story ever written. So who are the invisible people writing our chapter today? Because behind every great city, industry, movement, and way of thinking are people who dedicate their entire lives to work that'll go virtually unnoticed. Work that builds on where we've been, shapes where we are, and points us towards where we're going.
There are those in the spotlight, and then there's everybody else.
speaker-0 (00:55.374)
So, I first started, I was used to the corporate world. So I was used to, I worked in product management at Berry. So I had spent six years in there.
speaker-1 (00:55.938)
when I.
speaker-2 (01:03.054)
What were you doing before?
speaker-1 (01:05.966)
management.
speaker-1 (01:10.638)
in different working in like marketing and finance and so I that kind of
speaker-0 (01:17.176)
I was used to, you're supposed to be there at eight o'clock, you should go home five o'clock.
speaker-1 (01:23.5)
it and I was fine with that.
speaker-0 (01:27.404)
And then I started at Doby and I stuck to that schedule. And I remember about the second day trip. Right.
speaker-1 (01:29.422)
Remember,
like you know this isn't like that kind of job like you can just do what you need to do and like leave you can leave a little ultimately kind of keep those
speaker-0 (01:38.542)
You need to, yeah. So it got little more flexible, but I still like those hours because I like it. I like that structure, I remember it was like, okay, this is a lot more like, it felt like it was a lot more relaxed. I was like, okay, what I want to be. I started thinking about real estate. So I also was like, don't know, but I'll just figure it out as I go.
speaker-1 (01:48.536)
can remember.
speaker-1 (01:53.506)
Fun?
speaker-1 (01:57.932)
I can kind of make this job want it. Now when I started, didn't know anything about it. I don't know what to do.
speaker-1 (02:08.59)
And that's of what I've done.
speaker-0 (02:09.645)
kind of exactly what I for sure is just figure it out. But I think main was that it was a lot more laid back. But there was also simultaneously a culture of like a hustle because we all work really hard and all the agents there already were working really hard and busting their asses to grow their businesses as real estate agents. So I think it was a of laid back.
speaker-1 (02:13.838)
the difference.
speaker-1 (02:18.865)
speaker-1 (02:25.111)
You
speaker-1 (02:28.44)
work.
speaker-1 (02:31.936)
agents. It was kind of that mixture.
speaker-0 (02:38.54)
Maybe the play hard, work hard.
speaker-1 (02:39.987)
Kind of
speaker-2 (02:42.798)
Do you know why did Trey bring you in? What was he missing?
speaker-0 (02:48.398)
So I think it was the, he wanted somebody, he liked systems and processes. So he had started that framework. It wasn't like it was all chaos, you know, how do it to do? It's just that he was still very much, he wanted somebody to really focus on the systems, the processes. At that point, we were all probably, like, let's just get this done. What do need to do to get through today?
speaker-1 (02:54.53)
work. It wasn't like you had no noise.
and production and sales.
speaker-1 (03:07.982)
at point of doing things more done like.
speaker-0 (03:16.532)
versus really like how are we going to scale this for growth? How do we figure it out for?
speaker-1 (03:21.56)
for long term, you know.
speaker-0 (03:24.268)
so that it doesn't feel like chaos. It's all like.
speaker-1 (03:28.43)
streamlined like a well-oiled machine. I think that's what my interest in joining was.
speaker-0 (03:30.882)
So I that's really what my purpose
speaker-2 (03:34.934)
You didn't really need to know that much about real estate then. You just, you needed to know about systems and processes and workflows. Yeah. And is that, you had a background in that when you came over?
speaker-1 (03:46.83)
Kind of. I worked in marketing and finance.
speaker-0 (03:48.526)
So I would deal with, product line was actually trash bags. So I spent six years working on We used a P &L for that. Like how do you innovate a trash, like how do you make it cheaper? How do we make it more profitable? But then we were also focusing on like
speaker-1 (03:59.539)
on trash bags. And you know, you would manage.
speaker-1 (04:08.598)
Make new products.
speaker-1 (04:14.424)
making the packaging look better.
speaker-0 (04:15.64)
better. So like totally different than what I was about to do in real estate, but all of those you require.
speaker-1 (04:20.695)
things do.
speaker-0 (04:24.248)
having systems and how you're.
speaker-1 (04:25.71)
doing the panel every month or that kind of stuff.
speaker-0 (04:29.752)
how you're working with quality, how you're working with just a full cross-functional team. So not a ton of similarities, but my similarities was that I just figured out what to do before, figured out what to do with this. So that's kind of what operations are like. Like, nobody's gonna tell you what to do, but just...
speaker-1 (04:36.194)
really nice.
I my
speaker-1 (04:44.94)
or and I just.
speaker-1 (04:49.976)
comes down to a lot.
speaker-1 (04:54.68)
kind of get in there and...
speaker-0 (04:57.416)
work through the you have the system to return back to.
speaker-1 (04:59.192)
problems to the next time when you have the...
speaker-2 (05:05.25)
When you first started with Trey, were you alongside Trey a lot? Like, just helping understand what he was going through or understand what the agents were doing? Were you really bouncing ideas off him? Like, how were you getting started in this new role when it didn't really exist yet? How did it even begin?
speaker-0 (05:28.598)
I did some
speaker-1 (05:29.504)
shadowing.
shadowing with them because I need to on our transaction management systems and get all of the in. shadowing there, just asking a lot of questions, just trying to be a sponge. remember
speaker-0 (05:40.77)
that like really die. So I did a lot of shadow on a question.
speaker-0 (05:49.902)
It was probably the first year.
speaker-1 (05:52.674)
just kind of thinking, still don't really know what I'm doing. And it's, you can't immediately go in and create a system on something that you don't know all of the ins and outs on. Now you don't have to be an expert.
speaker-0 (06:00.078)
perfect system.
speaker-0 (06:06.926)
But at first, you just have to do a lot of work. And so I feel like that's what I did for a lot of the first year. And then of course, there's also just a help with as an assistant at that point. Then it wasn't like create anything magical, but just.
speaker-1 (06:08.898)
listening.
speaker-1 (06:16.75)
of random stuff you can help. Kind of point. know, was reading
getting my hands dirty and just doing some of I mean, when I think on the different
speaker-0 (06:29.891)
the stuff.
back from pieces of the business that I've cleared the years where we started.
speaker-1 (06:36.578)
done directly over there. There was a time doing our own photography in-house. We didn't
speaker-0 (06:44.152)
but somebody to do it. So I took our listing photos. Like there's been times I did that. If we would be
speaker-1 (06:50.158)
Between transaction coordinators or something there's been times where And times while in them have been like Autic and you know time-consuming have been where I've learned the most I mean way to learn it than to
speaker-0 (06:55.936)
I absorb that
the most chaotic.
speaker-0 (07:06.648)
because what better way to do it?
speaker-2 (07:11.192)
Yes. Are you a licensed agent? Yeah. Did you do that along the way? Just what's the value?
speaker-1 (07:15.276)
I am, yeah.
speaker-0 (07:20.142)
It is kind of equal parts I want to be able to feel.
speaker-1 (07:21.492)
in and for me
to do and experience what agents do. So even though I'm not on the side, I'm still leading our team and advising our team.
speaker-0 (07:30.382)
sales side.
our team a lot of ways, a lot of ways. So again, a better way to do it.
speaker-1 (07:41.482)
it than to just experience it. Then all my friends and family has just kind of aside and come. Would not make a good personality
speaker-0 (07:44.482)
But also I do get to work with my. So while I. Fit for a real estate agent because I. To like prospect for business people that. And trust me come to me I'd love to work with you. The real estate.
speaker-1 (07:54.658)
don't like.
speaker-1 (07:58.688)
I already know and love and think.
know, is fun, you know, like I can, I'm just not wanting to be roaming out my own business.
speaker-0 (08:07.808)
I can do that part.
out there. So I say I get the best of both worlds. I get to do a few deals. Like I sold three houses last year. it's, it's to keep me relevant, I feel like.
speaker-1 (08:21.088)
nominal but enough yeah
speaker-2 (08:25.088)
and connected to the work. Yes. Tell me about how long have you been at Adobe?
speaker-1 (08:31.502)
It'll be.
speaker-0 (08:32.489)
eight years this August.
speaker-2 (08:34.018)
What was Trey the leader, Trey like eight years ago?
speaker-0 (08:40.438)
So I feel like a lot different. Yeah.
speaker-2 (08:44.77)
Or let's say like eight years ago versus today.
speaker-0 (08:46.882)
Yeah, yeah, I think that he's actually changed a lot in our culture.
speaker-1 (08:48.92)
changed a lot and it goes hand in hand with how teachers changed. So when I joined
speaker-0 (08:55.488)
we were what I would call hardcore. Like, you know, there were expectations, were
speaker-1 (08:56.8)
more rigid. For lack of word, kind of like a lot more hard.
speaker-1 (09:03.406)
requirements, and he knew what you needed to do in relation and really, really wanted that. Over time, think we've all kind of learned more about how motivate people, kind of lead people on that.
speaker-0 (09:06.156)
needed to do to be a successful for other people. over
speaker-0 (09:17.89)
how to better lead people that way. So actually one of our agents Tuesday who was like the first hire and is still around, she will say,
speaker-1 (09:28.056)
been on today. Like she doesn't even recognize the trade now. Then, you know, just lot more relaxed and we just don't have same ridgeline. Then, accountability, but it's more about to
speaker-0 (09:34.648)
compared to Tetre back, because he's so...
of those budget guidance that we did back, we still have a culture of
your goals and less about like, this is the blueprint, you must follow it. that both him, myself and Ultra.
speaker-1 (09:52.001)
You know.
speaker-1 (09:55.406)
I think the culture of all changed a lot too.
speaker-2 (10:01.432)
Do you think that's also a side effect of, or an effect of size? Just because you guys have scaled to that meeting agents where they're at or sort of life work fit or something in there with having as many agents as you do versus having a smaller team where it's like, you really were, you guys all had to be tight and...
speaker-0 (10:26.476)
think it's more evolved because we had to figure out like, people have left the team or there was several.
speaker-1 (10:31.896)
There have been some times where
time in 2020 where we had people leave the team and it was kind of like, what's going on? this, you know, people aren't acting some things in the way that
speaker-0 (10:41.998)
people react to something that you would think. So we just had to take a good look at how we versus what makes people want to stick around.
speaker-1 (10:50.2)
we're running things.
really wants people to stay around and stay long term because, know, he's just
speaker-0 (11:00.718)
have to figure out what people really...
speaker-1 (11:03.406)
need from you and then found out people needed.
speaker-2 (11:07.948)
Yeah. When you think about, like your role today, your role today, you know, and I'm just, don't spend a lot of time in the office, but I'm just like kind of saying this from afar. You almost sense, you have, you've sensed this, or I sense this like a steadiness, like rock foundation sort of energy from you, like this, the ship stays afloat.
and on track because there's some solid people behind it. I know it's not just you, but you carry that presence. Tell me about your role today, what you're responsible for, what you really do, how you see your role. How would you describe it?
speaker-0 (11:53.376)
Yeah, well, when you say that, I'm glad it comes off that way or feels that way because I do try to be a...
speaker-1 (12:00.334)
calm and
speaker-0 (12:02.904)
Realistic emotions can be high. Be the force that's active. I always say like everything is figureoutable like the world. But we have a really good staff that helps that be that way too.
speaker-1 (12:12.878)
thing is not the end.
speaker-1 (12:28.35)
know, and our staff members and everyone.
speaker-0 (12:29.198)
Kate, Office Two, or Full Time. Everybody just does their piece of the puzzle so well. It really just allows us to just be well-oiled. It allows everybody to have that.
speaker-1 (12:37.198)
and it
speaker-1 (12:42.017)
machine that kind of allows
home, you know, you know, not going to lie. We know that we can deal with.
speaker-0 (12:47.18)
Not that there's not time to K. But overall, it's all stuff.
speaker-2 (12:55.63)
What is your, like today when you work on things, what systems are you working on given the size of the team now and like the size of the operation?
speaker-0 (13:07.242)
Mm-hmm. Yeah, so I'd say the Over the years is
speaker-1 (13:09.39)
thing that's changed most of our transaction management evolved many, many times. It's like
speaker-0 (13:13.878)
has evolved. What is that? So like, our biggest priority is always
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our client experience being amazing.
speaker-0 (13:23.918)
our buyers and sellers to be super happy with the service they receive. Everybody to get like a consent.
speaker-1 (13:28.078)
And we want to have experience. instead of, you know, well, we just, know, we need
speaker-0 (13:32.918)
of just, well, we try our best, you know, do whatever we need to do. It's like we have a set system of like, we, and with them at these.
speaker-1 (13:40.832)
of send these emails, we check it points, we make sure we're following up with these is very systematized to make sure we're not missing steps on any clients because, you know, it's stuff we want to keep the ball moving on everybody.
speaker-0 (13:47.032)
parties. So everything is resized.
speaker-0 (13:54.926)
because it's important.
purchase or sale. So I would say that's where it's like to that. what happened here? What hold the fix? Make sure that that doesn't.
speaker-1 (14:04.34)
something we're always working on. It's constant tweaks.
we need to make it happen again, small things like that.
speaker-0 (14:17.56)
But over the years, that's been overhauled. When I started using paper checklists to...
speaker-1 (14:19.47)
from there you go into like a generic management stem. went then into transaction management and now we are in our.
speaker-0 (14:25.954)
Project.
to real estate specific.
speaker-0 (14:34.759)
CRS brevity, which is pretty robust.
speaker-1 (14:37.934)
and has a lot of automation built in.
speaker-0 (14:42.382)
allows us to do all of that at a really high level for a lot of.
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clients at the same time and not skip any stuff. The main one, at any given time, we're improving, improve kind of anything. Honestly,
speaker-0 (14:48.878)
So that's... But...
We're just looking to.
for the most part if I'm like okay I gotta edit the system it's because as a lot of times where it's like okay we have a where this other way is scalable or a mistake or
speaker-1 (15:02.711)
If I'm.
Something happened. Maybe we've grown in this way. It's no longer available. Or, you know, something minor might have happened, but now we need to go whole and make sure it doesn't happen again. So kind of editing that.
speaker-0 (15:18.894)
plug that hole that it's just process.
speaker-2 (15:25.194)
Refining as you go constantly. you guys like brain? Do you as ops brainstorm if there's like consistent challenges going on to even know that it's time to update the CRM? Is it just like a growth problem or is it a we're having like we're just experiencing something and then how do you even go find like a new tool or how do you do you look these things up? Are you interested in that or how do you even like
How do these new evolutions within a company come about?
speaker-1 (15:57.55)
The most recent one that was like a new program.
speaker-0 (16:00.526)
was last year. So, at side of So, all the of the business we have to deal with on our brokerage to do that for us. So, I pay out our
speaker-1 (16:05.772)
mean, like financials company because actually an independent brokerage money, you know, we don't have.
agents and everything.
speaker-0 (16:23.15)
So that's been something I've had to develop.
speaker-1 (16:25.294)
from like Roundup when we went independent in 2021. And a lot of it's been clunky. I'm kind of combining this program and just kind of making do. And then.
speaker-0 (16:30.72)
it is because it's like,
system with this. You with what I have. Last year.
speaker-1 (16:42.702)
some random like rep program and normally I don't at all
speaker-0 (16:45.026)
had reached out about it.
to I had talked to this guy. I even remember what he said to me to get me to...
speaker-1 (16:53.738)
listen to him for a minute, but it sounded like it saved me time. And so that was an example of a time where was like, I'm spending a lot of time doing this and then also manually in a spread thing. I can all just be within that one program.
speaker-0 (17:02.424)
like, hey, like, in like, QuickBooks.
sheet and all this stuff. Whereas I think if I go to this, it's just be... So I made that switch last year. another like official that we got.
speaker-1 (17:19.714)
should see the there.
speaker-2 (17:21.215)
Yeah, that's a... I always have wondered that like you guys are such a... Like on the back end, you guys are such a hustle culture. Not hustle culture, but you guys are always moving so quickly and growing and then I think like when you update something like that structurally, while they're still busy, like you're still busy. It's not like everybody go on pause for two weeks while we figure out how to use this new software. That seems like a...
Do you find those challenges exciting? Do you like, do you find it stressful, overwhelming? Because to be able to incorporate a new system that's unfamiliar, it takes a minute and it's sometimes overwhelming as hell. Yeah.
speaker-0 (18:01.836)
No, you're absolutely right. I would say I'm dedicated to this. Whereas like we have a dedicated to work. So like she has crazy days of directly with.
speaker-1 (18:03.054)
And that's what's kind of nice about being somebody like me.
working like on the business.
of client experience that's dead-end working in the business.
working with clients and directly on all the transactions and with the lenders and the title companies and stuff. I'm not in that day-to-day full where I can more and say, okay, I'm not currently in right now. Like I'm not managing transactions. I can look at it from like a higher viewpoint, if you will.
speaker-0 (18:29.196)
Okay, so that is help easily take that step.
This is
So I can take a step back.
speaker-0 (18:43.694)
Yeah. So yeah.
speaker-2 (18:45.634)
Yes. switching directions a little bit. It feels to me that that Dobie Real Estate does a lot of training and a lot of growth oriented work. On the admin side, what does that look like for you guys? Are you training and learning a lot?
speaker-0 (19:08.128)
Yeah, for sure. We are actually with called play.
speaker-1 (19:09.982)
partnered with a company,
speaker-0 (19:15.16)
So.
speaker-2 (19:15.438)
What is placed technically in relation to Dobie? They're just a partner.
speaker-0 (19:18.424)
So they're
speaker-1 (19:19.086)
partner. Okay. it's not
speaker-0 (19:21.838)
like a brokerage. It's a company that who is like a huge real
speaker-1 (19:24.908)
Ben Kenney, real estate name, he founded the company and they
speaker-0 (19:35.15)
They just have a wealth of resources. They're just very, like a ton of realistic teams all over the country, all over the
speaker-1 (19:39.214)
It's kind of the world banning together and they just...
speaker-0 (19:47.17)
have a wealth of resources available for us. the biggest resource for me is that all of the operations leaders for All Place Teams get together and have like
speaker-1 (19:56.078)
Games.
speaker-1 (20:01.838)
trainings and meetings and things. they're know, hey, are the things you'd be implementing on your team right now, like, that kind of stuff. really amazing for someone like me, because I handed to me.
speaker-0 (20:04.654)
They're super proactive. These are you should.
These are the new things we have in brevity, all that.
basically just get a bloop and it's like just execute this.
speaker-1 (20:22.284)
I mean, that's Ben.
speaker-0 (20:23.938)
huge for us. It's like
speaker-1 (20:25.76)
ongoing training, constantly.
speaker-0 (20:28.142)
And they have, like ourplace.com has everything just housed there.
speaker-1 (20:33.678)
thing we need in the life of your force.
speaker-2 (20:38.446)
That seems like the, I don't know if I would, I don't know Trey that well, but I've hung out with him a bit. And it seems like the, I have other friends who are athletes and it seems like the theme or the pattern sometimes is continual improvement and continual investment in oneself and one's own learning. And I think that it's not a coincidence that you guys do really well as a team because of that sort of culture of improvement.
and wanting to be better and wanting to learn more. And it's like a simple, invisible ingredient that I think is just ever-present through Adobe. It just feels that way.
speaker-1 (21:21.516)
Yeah, no, you're And I think a lot from
speaker-0 (21:22.302)
absolutely a lot of it comes to tray is really passionate about will reach their potential and I really see a lot and all of us do ourselves
speaker-1 (21:29.294)
helping people.
think that he can often see we don't see enough.
speaker-0 (21:38.942)
he will push you to, you know, like if you want to be held accountable.
speaker-1 (21:41.358)
you want accountable and potential more than you think you might.
speaker-0 (21:45.72)
help you to reach your.
Really?
speaker-1 (21:51.394)
be doing.
speaker-2 (21:52.086)
Yeah, it's funny. I went to a leadership conference last week and two keynote speakers, the second one was talking a lot about retention, employee retention, and also culture. And one of the things he said was one-on-ones are essential for really having a strong connection to your team and understanding what your team's problems are. And he said a couple of things and
I was telling Chloe, was like, you know, a lot of the stuff they said about good leadership, it actually, again, creating an environment for others to be successful, it really reflects the leadership at Doby. It feels like those are, like you guys are living out those principles and creating a culture. Like, I don't think it's just like luck, coincidence. I don't think anybody inside your organization does either. But it's really cool that, like, you guys really live this stuff out. You exemplify it.
You have events, have client, the pizza, 457 stuff, know? Do all this stuff that is really investing into a really good business. I think it's...
speaker-1 (23:04.194)
Yeah. Yeah. I'm glad.
speaker-0 (23:05.806)
I want to hear that it prays that way too.
speaker-1 (23:09.784)
I've trying to, you know, know, happening so.
speaker-0 (23:11.522)
be a part of this and make sure that that's
speaker-2 (23:15.96)
You're the quiet engine behind everything. When you look at real estate agents, you've seen a lot over the eight years, I'm sure, and interacted with a lot. What are some of the star qualities or the characteristics that stand out of really effective agents who have made a career out of real estate?
speaker-0 (23:38.69)
That's a question.
speaker-1 (23:39.246)
I number one is
speaker-0 (23:43.702)
is just people who like people, people who houses.
speaker-1 (23:45.678)
connect with other people. think a lot of times like, I love this. That's why they want to get into real estate.
speaker-0 (23:54.732)
Real estate success really comes from people. It's less about the homes and more
speaker-1 (23:56.686)
comes from connecting with people, homes, about your clients and creating relationship and then working with them through the transaction. The other thing that comes to mind is actually something that is one the best I've seen do it, genuine curiosity.
speaker-0 (24:03.426)
with people.
speaker-0 (24:09.294)
But the other.
Your wife, Chloe, is the best.
She has
speaker-1 (24:19.764)
no problem asking, you know, questions she needs to. And I think that can
speaker-0 (24:22.411)
whatever question.
you're really, really far because it's a great way to people, great way to get through a real...
speaker-1 (24:29.23)
connect with and it's a great safe transaction when you're not afraid to be like you don't know but you know let me let me
speaker-0 (24:37.24)
piece this together.
speaker-1 (24:39.042)
I think those two are the main things.
speaker-2 (24:41.39)
Dad's interest, you know, it kind of echoes what, like in terms of the curiosity thing, it echoes what Tuesday told me after maybe it was like the second year closed that Dobie went to the Christmas party or something. were walking out and I was like, hey, what is, I asked Tuesday, like, hey, what is like top agents? What are they doing right? And she's like, huh, they're authentic. And I'm like, I didn't.
Of they are. mean, that's like top people in any field. But I was expecting some sort of like, I don't know, they legit, I mean like some sort of basic habit or something.
speaker-0 (25:21.558)
So that's the other part, I should say too. it's, it's, those are the pieces of it.
speaker-1 (25:27.308)
to kind of be a natural ad.
You're nothing if you don't put the work in.
speaker-0 (25:33.634)
So it's got to be paired continuously with that hustle.
speaker-1 (25:35.522)
Samultane.
and really you don't even have to be willing to put in like
speaker-0 (25:42.69)
the most hours in the world, you just have to be consistent. somebody give it their all focused a couple hours a day, successful agent. It's just if you don't have that discipline to be consistent.
speaker-1 (25:46.966)
who can, you know.
can be a s-
You know, if you don't have a plan to do it all is when, you know, we see some people struggle more.
speaker-2 (26:02.538)
see that yeah, yeah, Chloe had Gary Keller's book. I forget what it's called. Million dollar essay. Yeah, that's what it is. And I was just flipping through it one day and he was like talking about the basically, know, prospecting or doing lead generation, getting your phone calls in. It is the habit that will take you through any, any market shifts. It's the habit that will build you a career.
speaker-1 (26:08.878)
$1,000,000
speaker-2 (26:32.75)
And it's interesting, like when you talk about people getting into real estate because they like houses, it really, it's sales. those habits that are quiet, invisible. I was talking to my friend about that earlier. I'm like, you know, for the first couple months of real estate, didn't make any money because she's just on the phone all the time. And most people hang up. But maybe sometimes somebody's like curious and down to talk. Just like in a good mood and like...
Yeah, what are you doing? like for whatever reason, Chloe said something that was like, oh, okay, yeah, we can spark this conversation. But it's simple, you know. So what are, when you look back, what are some of the biggest challenges that you guys faced as a company that you can remember working through or how you worked through it, if anything comes to mind?
speaker-0 (27:29.56)
The
speaker-1 (27:29.71)
first thing that comes to mind was just kind of like a big undertaking and it's when we went from when we were
speaker-0 (27:36.014)
Keller Williams as our brokerage.
speaker-1 (27:37.831)
and we were independent in 2021.
speaker-0 (27:41.25)
because it was one of those situations.
speaker-1 (27:43.348)
where you just don't know what you don't know. We hadn't done all that before. And you know, your book will you
speaker-0 (27:48.462)
storage will usually provide like office space for you sometimes.
speaker-1 (27:52.046)
technology, they handle all the money side of things. But when we went independent, we needed that on our own. It was a huge undertaking for me.
speaker-0 (27:57.782)
to do all of this.
speaker-0 (28:05.474)
because all of a sudden, okay, got.
speaker-1 (28:06.968)
like how to manage this building, how do you put a sign on a building? Like, I don't know. Not anything that's
speaker-0 (28:12.171)
What do do with that? Crazy hard, you just make some fun calls and you figure it out, but you're just figuring
speaker-2 (28:16.2)
Never done it.
speaker-1 (28:17.166)
Don't
figuring all of it out simultaneously at the same time and then creating all the kind of financial systems.
speaker-0 (28:28.268)
because it's important to get people to get out of That's right. So I think that was the biggest challenge, but it was like really fun a different way and it was the most rewarding because it just, was a crazy
speaker-1 (28:30.414)
That is one thing they will notice.
speaker-1 (28:35.704)
That was kind of one of our challenges.
fun too in a weird wording time, I think.
speaker-1 (28:48.972)
few months. Just kind of taking it one piece at a time and asking the right questions, just trying to connect people and eventually bridge to open. So it was fun.
speaker-0 (28:50.456)
Bye.
speaker-0 (28:55.534)
questions to the right people. We had a broke
speaker-2 (29:02.616)
You guys band together and became a close unit through that, I'm sure.
speaker-0 (29:07.63)
Yeah, it was actually a cool time. I felt like all of a sudden everybody had all this. We had Adobe real estate because before that we were called the Adobe team. So it was like, we all did this thing together at our own space. There was like a great deal of pride. feel like every
speaker-1 (29:09.43)
I'm with the team to. And you know, I've. am of like.
speaker-1 (29:20.782)
kind of together and we have our own space and
everyone had in that too during that time.
speaker-0 (29:28.747)
cool to see for sure.
speaker-2 (29:31.5)
So switching gears, when you're a mom and a professional, tell me about how you balance being a key member of Dobie while being a mom. How does this look in real?
speaker-0 (29:46.988)
Yeah.
speaker-1 (29:47.694)
How do you do it?
speaker-0 (29:53.716)
This is probably opposite of what a lot of people's are. Like I don't think it's a popular answer, but I am at the office. Kids are at daycare and that's what I'm focused on.
speaker-1 (29:59.03)
When I'm working, I'm working my... I'm focused on. And then when I'm at home, I'm at home. That's what I'm focused on. I've turned work.
speaker-0 (30:10.054)
off. So I actually like like a set office schedule. I feel like the more standard to do that is probably like people like flexibility set schedules like my life.
speaker-1 (30:12.92)
having kind of more standard.
speaker-1 (30:22.894)
But for me, having that kind of time blocking way, and I'm in the kind of role I am in that I can kind of do that. I'm not having clients call me at night and stuff, so I can kind of make my schedule. Find it.
speaker-2 (30:28.77)
Yes.
speaker-0 (30:31.683)
for
speaker-0 (30:39.998)
that way. But I just, a good way for me to focus on
speaker-1 (30:46.402)
what I need to focus on at a given time.
speaker-2 (30:49.078)
Do you you are you able to shut off work on your drive from the office to home? Yeah, it gives you a place
speaker-0 (30:55.906)
Yeah, usually my son is a We fully switched over to kids at that time. I'm really blessed to work at a company that produces that. Because everybody actually, Trey really tries to teach agents.
speaker-1 (30:56.654)
than telling me all about my time.
speaker-1 (31:05.175)
And I
family first and encourage and you know encourages
speaker-1 (31:16.184)
to work on boundaries and stuff. We all think that our families come first and stuff. While I might...
speaker-0 (31:18.21)
like that too because.
speaker-0 (31:22.584)
So work like normal office hours, if you will.
speaker-1 (31:26.126)
I can step away and do what I need to do and have a
speaker-0 (31:29.23)
a little bit of flexibility there. And the really good this job is if I ever
speaker-1 (31:32.494)
cool thing about my job or want something to change in my job. Like I just need to make that make sense for the business and I can do that, you know. Like for instance, my son goes to kindergarten in the fall and I intend to come to school and pick him up.
speaker-0 (31:46.474)
He's my oldest, so I just need to...
speaker-1 (31:52.928)
make the same response within that time frame and.
speaker-0 (31:59.714)
That's what I'm going to do. So I have the ability to do that.
speaker-1 (32:01.63)
and I working where I do.
speaker-2 (32:05.922)
That is, it's, but it's not even that. You have the understanding of how, of compensation where, and I don't mean that just money, I mean like, I take away this, I have to add this, or if I add this, I need to take away this. You understand balance within the system that if this is what I want, I can get it. I just have to make it make sense for the business. That understanding, mean, like you might take it for granted, but that.
is such a fundamental understanding that I don't think most people have that sort of cause and effect balancing that if I do this, I have to compensate it here. And I think that that is such a crucial, I mean, I think you could go so far in life just understanding that. Because you can negotiate your way through life knowing if I give you this and I...
speaker-0 (33:00.674)
You don't do whatever.
speaker-2 (33:04.398)
There has to be. Have you always been like that? Have you always understood these sort of?
speaker-1 (33:09.59)
I think so. I've been a person. Yeah.
speaker-0 (33:10.062)
I have a pretty practical, logical person. Like business, if you will.
speaker-1 (33:16.286)
It's been kind of my nature.
speaker-0 (33:21.838)
like my parents were both in the business world. like I think it's just like.
speaker-1 (33:26.19)
been second nature to me to think.
speaker-2 (33:29.518)
Did you grow up around here?
speaker-1 (33:31.258)
I grew up in Crown Point, Northwest Indiana. Okay.
speaker-0 (33:32.174)
Bye.
speaker-0 (33:37.102)
But.
speaker-2 (33:38.542)
Is that by Chicago?
speaker-0 (33:40.046)
by Gary. Yeah. I actually live two years old to fourth. Like my dad just
speaker-1 (33:41.688)
So kind of the Indiana.
lived in Newburgh when I was like, grade. And then work down here, but all my family was from up there.
speaker-0 (33:54.648)
Then we moved up there. We graduated high school.
speaker-1 (33:56.942)
And I from there and then came down to US. I am from Crown Point, but at this point in my life, I only live.
speaker-0 (34:01.582)
Okay. this if I lived there eight years, so I think I'm from here. I don't know.
speaker-2 (34:09.191)
Yeah, and you stayed here after college working at Berry? Is that what you're from?
speaker-1 (34:13.194)
yeah. And I my husband at U S. This is home now for sure. Yeah.
speaker-2 (34:20.063)
What was your, if your parents are both in business, what was your house like growing up? What was your, what was the vibe like?
speaker-1 (34:27.406)
Um, my mom actually stayed home with us until my youngest sister, um, went to school. So then she went into, went to school for accounting, didn't work while I was a kid and then eventually went back into business. Um, was kind of after I had left my, um,
speaker-0 (34:28.341)
My-
speaker-0 (34:32.909)
this school.
I was a business late, that left the house. Dad though, he traveled a lot, worked really hard. So I feel like that's where we were taught to just like work really hard.
speaker-1 (34:56.449)
You know, good things come in the work.
speaker-0 (34:57.932)
if you just put it, he always taught us to just.
speaker-1 (35:02.638)
Put your head down and do what you need to do and good things will happen.
speaker-2 (35:08.366)
Have you always been really organized?
speaker-1 (35:10.346)
No, I'm not actually that organized.
speaker-0 (35:12.75)
I am a person that
speaker-1 (35:17.454)
can make it people think I'm organized.
speaker-0 (35:20.152)
But really I'm chaotic, that's my husband.
speaker-2 (35:23.009)
Hahaha
Husbands do know the inside. The Dolby husbands, yeah, they know a lot.
speaker-0 (35:31.874)
can keep it all together. like.
speaker-1 (35:33.066)
And I have my own things, you know, way of doing things, but I am not a A person. I'm like a type C person.
speaker-0 (35:39.676)
book like
speaker-2 (35:43.758)
Okay. What do you like to do? What are your interests outside of work and your family? What are you interested in?
speaker-1 (35:52.43)
I mean, really just spending time with my
speaker-0 (35:55.502)
kids, I didn't have a of hobbies, honest. I really didn't any puzzles because my husband wasn't a hobby. So was like, I'll do jigsaw puzzles. I mean, really at this phase of life, just spent lot of time with kids.
speaker-1 (35:58.094)
I don't have a whole lot to be honest you. I recently started doing public schools. I was like, need a
speaker-1 (36:11.694)
been with my kids, family, friends, that kind of stuff. Yeah.
speaker-2 (36:16.814)
Pills like that reflects appropriate priorities. Yeah. Our son, Augie, likes puzzles now too. yeah. He's getting into it. Him and my mom, they love puzzles. So if we zoom out and look ahead, where do you see yourself and Dobie heading in the future? What do you think things look like?
speaker-1 (36:26.99)
It's fun!
speaker-0 (36:45.07)
gonna get bigger? Yeah definitely. I feel like we over the last several years ended up
speaker-1 (36:46.51)
It's only getting bigger.
speaker-1 (36:51.764)
kind of like in production wise at the same, near the same amount. And then in 2025, kind of broke the wall that we were kind of hitting.
speaker-0 (36:57.42)
last few years.
that.
speaker-0 (37:04.718)
If you will. So I feel like we've pushed past it feels like a lot of growth. We just have a lot of
speaker-1 (37:08.564)
something and we're on the cusp
like exciting things happening.
speaker-0 (37:16.999)
I feel like where we have our place partnership that that gives it to all
speaker-1 (37:21.56)
tremendous amount of value over agent partners. And for myself, doing the same thing. Done that since I joined years ago and.
speaker-0 (37:26.698)
Like, just see myself, but I've, year's look different. So while I'm.
speaker-1 (37:36.898)
doing the same thing, it changes all the time. And I look forward to new challenges and different things to come with them. It could mean, you know, more agent partners. could mean new... It's, I don't know exactly... You know, big things for sure. Yeah.