In this series entitled Agent Success Stories, we sit down with agency leaders to find out their side of the story. From their humble beginnings to the challenges that they have faced on their road to success, we learn that a career in the real estate industry is one filled with boundless opportunities – if you know where to look.
Unlike the story of other agents who had aspirational dreams of entering the Real Estate industry, Donny’s venture into this space was a pragmatic one.
Coming from a humble background, Donny (@donnyleehs) was determined to break the cycle and provide a better life for his family. As the eldest son of traditional parents, there were huge expectations on him to lead and provide for his younger siblings.
Driven by that, Donny knew there were few career options that could help him achieve these goals. He dipped his toes into different sales roles before becoming an agent. Right off the bat, he knew his career in Real Estate was “the one”- this was the first job that gave him the level of satisfaction that he never had across his other roles.
To Donny, being an agent was not about the deals he closed, or the commission he got. It was the relationships built, and the satisfaction he got from helping his clients in their property journey. He nostalgically recalled his experience helping an auntie who was confused over some issues with her HDB. She was not a client but just a stranger he met in a chance encounter. Out of goodwill, he took it upon himself to clarify misunderstandings she had and helped her with her housing problems. He had not expected anything in return, as he did not view her as a “lead” or potential client. However, she was so grateful she ended up recommending Donny to her friends and family who were looking for an agent.
This rewarding encounter cemented Donny’s belief that this career can be a fulfilling one, and is also one of the reasons why he was so excited to have his wife Velisa, join him in this industry.
From spouses to colleagues
Both Donny and Velisa started off as newbies in the industry, each with their own unique obstacles.
Donny had trouble adapting to the lack of structure as an agent, and often stumbled in his communications to clients. Velisa, on the other hand, found herself having to start from the bottom in building a solid network of leads, and establishing a clear brand for herself.
Friends who know Donny and Velisa often commented on how different they were. Despite that, they managed to tap into their strengths and found a way to complement each other. Donny’s charismatic personality opened many doors, while Velisa’s ability to empathise and connect with individuals went a long way in maintaining many of their relationships thereafter.
This dynamic has brought them great success. Individually, both Donny and Velisa were Diamond Award recipients in 2021, where they crossed $100K in a single month. Furthering this, Donny was promoted to Division Director in 2019, and continued to rise with the attainment of District Division Director 2020, Senior Division Director 2021 and recently, achieved another promotion to Group Division Director 2021.
As team leader, Donny also successfully led his team to achieve awards such as Top Team Award 2021, and Top Recruiter Award 2021.
Out of all these awards, the one both held closest to their hearts is the “Top Husband And Wife Award” they won in 2020 and 2021. Never in their wildest dreams did they think they would snag it, especially since they were up against many other experienced power couples.
On doing right by their clients
When you’re driven by a heart to serve like Donny and Velisa, you will find yourself often prioritising the needs of others over your own.
Despite not having a salaried paycheck and relying on monthly sales to keep food on the table, Donny and Velisa often chose to do right by their clients, even if it meant advising them against a purchase if the timing wasn’t right.
“While every client wants to find their perfect home, not many know what their priorities are. That’s why we have to be the voice of reason to come in and help clients see what their must-haves and good-to-haves are.” Donny shares.
They recalled how one client of theirs was set on getting a HDB, but due to the volatility of the market, they advised against it as they believed the time was not right. Instead, they helped their client monitor movements in the market, and kept him updated on trends and prices. Once the market stabilised, they put together a proposal and helped their client secure their dream property at a much more competitive price.
Choosing to do the right thing over and over again has helped build their credibility as trustworthy leaders with a strong work ethic. This reputation precedes them, and is one of the reasons why Donny Lee Divisions has managed to attract individuals from a diverse mix of races and life backgrounds, young and old alike from their early 20s to 60s.
Cultivating a community of agents
From the beginning, Donny understood the key to satisfaction in his career came from helping others. While helping his clients brought him joy, he wanted to further his impact and leave a legacy for himself.
He envisioned a community of agents from all walks of life, coming together to enrich each other’s experience in the Real Estate space. Just like “kampungs” of the past, where having a diverse community of people brought life to the community- Donny believed having a dynamic group of agents meant everyone could learn from a multitude of experiences. Older agents could learn about the modern art of digital marketing, while younger agents could benefit from the experience of older agents.
It was this vision that led him to set up Donny Lee Divisions. Today, they are one of the few divisions with a wide range of agents. Despite their differences, they are all hungry for success, and want to make a change.
Donny’s desire to help strongly influences the way he leads- from his commitment to coaching every member in person, to the systems he built to ensure his agents do not have to undergo the same difficulties he went through in the beginning. He also made it a point to have regular team meetings, where they would celebrate the small wins and learn from each other. To Donny, this was his way of keeping the team close knit, so newer members had regular access to this community he had built up.
Offering training and growth opportunities
In a market as dynamic as Real Estate, Donny understands the importance of staying relevant and up-to-date. Together with his leaders, they develop their monthly training content based on their observations on the ground.
This means every member in the team is able to enjoy exclusive resources, such as their customised “3+2 Checklist”. The team developed this to help their agents identify a future proof property, so clients could find the perfect home that would bring them capital growth and profit in the future.
Apart from property knowledge and analytical skills, Donny takes it another step further by providing training that teaches his team how to adapt to different customer segments during negotiation, to finding the sweet spot in pricing properties in the interest of their clients.
Advice for agents today
When asked about what is important in the real estate industry, both Donny and Velisa voiced, “The work of an agent is not effortless. It takes skill, perseverance and they need to have a system in place. There are many reasons agents don’t succeed, including betting on luck, resistance to change, lack of direction, and making decisions based on their moods.”
Donny added, “Follow the right mentor that will impart skills onto you, learn from him, work hard, and duplicate his success!”
If you are looking to explore a real estate career, feel free to reach out to Donny at 93699635 and check out his website to find out more!
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