Name: Jill GordonProfession/ Title/ Name of Business: Jill G Consulting, LLC and Mega Level producing REALTOR® with Keller Williams
Hometown City/ State: Brandon, MS
When did you know that you wanted to be an entrepreneur?
Nine years ago I started exploring options, learning new skills and asking the right people the right questions. I learned absolutely everything I could about each job role I had and the time it took to master each job got shorter and shorter. It took me 6 more years of working for other people before deciding to work for myself. I knew I would work hard for myself and knew I had the right support system.
My last 25 years of working I had spent building a large professional network, and they believed in me. Additionally, I had so much peace in knowing I had the drive and motivation to do it. After all, in real estate and consulting you are working for clients! I knew I could do that! In my career, I had been coached and trained professionally on how to deliver best in class client service, negotiation, critical thinking, and value-based selling techniques.
I am creative and craved flexibility and the ability to work remote. Keep in mind I left corporate America right before Covid, so I was ready when Covid hit and was totally virtual immediately. I thrived in that environment! I suffered a large income loss with Covid. but I was not only able to grow from that but had a record year of my career the next year. I looked for the things I could do. I couldn’t wait to wake up and work. I had the passion, and I put the work in to build a foundation worth building on by setting up systems and models that are proven to be successful from people all over the world.
Here I am 3 years later and it was the most beneficial move thus far. Being self employed is a lifestyle worth living to me.
Who have been some of your role models in business? My Mom. I saw her get up every day and grind at her job, and she loved what she did. She and my step dad took us all over the world on vacations and experiences, but she earned her living and I respected that. She always told me that when it gets too hard keep at it and get through it---keep plugging.
Another role model is my late Grandmama, Lorraine Hearron. She was one of the only working women in Meridian, Mississippi in the 1960s. She sold real estate to send my Mama to college at Mississippi State University. Back in the sixties, few women were at college to get an education and go to work. Her and my late grandfather ran a real estate brokerage in the prime part of Meridian, Mississippi. I was too young when my grandfather passed to remember what kind of man he was but my Grandmama was the apple of my eye. I admired her style and gentle spirit so much. She was beautiful, classy and smart; and I loved being around her. She would take me to the country club for lunch and if you know me you know that’s why I love country club lunches so much! She was a straight hustler and built her own house and ran her business several years after losing my Grandfather. She built her dream home, and it looked like a mansion to me. It wasn’t, of course, but I remember her taking me to her office. Back then you had to lick the envelopes and she had that sticky thing that did it for you. I thought that was so fancy. At both my grandmother’s homes when I would visit I would pretend work like some little girls play school.
I had many great role models in my career. Many male mentors that taught me tools that I still use today and will forever be grateful for those relationships. My first boss Andy and my first exceptional visionary leader Curt were two favorite mentors. Both those men taught me things I still use to this day in business: Relationships matter, do the right things and the right results follow, and ask for the business.
Going out on your own is not easy. What helped you to take the first step?
What helped me was a boss telling me I made too much money. They had evaluated jobs and had talked about it for 3 months before they did it, so I evaluated my own job, with the same company they used. I realized I was grossly underpaid for what I was contributing. I had just finished a two month event planning stretch where I sold it out and made them a huge profit. I delivered and was exhausted from it.
When they approached me and even made the comment my salary was too high, I resigned with a 30 day notice so I could offload my responsibilities safely and respectfully. And that was it. There was no changing my mind after that! I wanted to work for myself. I am smart, and I knew that if I was able to accomplish the things I had done for them, in the timeframe I did it, then I could do it for myself and my clients.
How important was learning or honing your craft to your success? I believe things happen for a reason. I also believe that each step of my career perfectly aligned me to do the things that I’ve worked on the last three years. God’s plan was well in place before mine. My first year in business, I founded and started a nonprofit for the state of Mississippi on vaping prevention in children. However after suffering a divorce this last year, I had to make the choice to donate the work I had done so that it could continue. I needed to focus on real estate and marketing as my life changed as a single parent - on a commission only job. It is a very successful program for our state and I donated all of my work to the state department of health office of tobacco control. And it needs to continue.
My real estate business and my consulting business had both grown at that point. I believe true entrepreneurs can thrive in a lot of different markets and industries. I taught myself a new things every day and stopped waiting around on a job to train me.
Fear stops so many from going for their ls and dreams. What helped you to overcome the fear?
A large professional network and a super strong support system of people that believed in me. I could not have done it without that and God. People had watched me work in the community long enough to know I was a good person, that I had peoples genuine good interest in mind, and I am hard-working when no one is looking.
I have been so inspired by your consistency. What advice would you give to others who look at you and want to follow your path?
Here are some principals that have served me well:
- Surround yourself with people that know more than you - even if it means you have to keep looking.
- Look for systems and models already developed to accomplish what you’re looking to do.
- Consult people more experienced than you and people especially that will tell you no and provide honest feedback, offering a different perspective.
- Realize your value and know what you’re bringing to the table.
- Listen.
- Know when to use leverage and what it means—this was a game changer for me.
- Express and show gratitude.
- Do the right thing by the client – 100% of the time. If you do I promise you that you will get more business from it.
- Never shrink yourself to fit in someone else’s box.
- Keep emotions between the lines in business. Get therapy when you need to heal.
- Keep your resume updated.
- Be coachable.
- Give yourself grace and schedule some time off.
- Know when to hold 'em. Know when to fold 'em.
- Not all ideas are good ideas
- Not everyone needs to be your friend - business first.
Stay connected with Jill below:
https://jillgordonre.kw.com/yourrealtor
