REAM: What first drew you to the real estate industry?

McCluskey: As a property owner in the Treasure Valley I was already invested in the industry. Because of the joy I find living here I wanted to work a job that allowed me to support its growth economically as well as socially. Every client I have the privilege of working with becomes a friend. And really that’s what makes this area so great, its people. Previously, I was in sales and marketing for 18 years. It was a natural evolution for me.

REAM: Who are your real estate mentors? How do you seek to emulate them?

McCluskey: There are so many people that influenced me in this journey. Because of my heavy networking I have had the opportunity to be educated by those currently in the industry, those that are retired, and those that are simply business coaches or marketers. I’m deeply grateful to each of them for the charitable and accepting spirits.

REAM: What is your biggest challenge as a young real estate agent? How do you overcome those challenges?

McCluskey: Experience. Being new at anything means you are not an expert. However, I do believe my lack of experience has contributed to my success too. Because I am so new I find that I’m willing to take more innovative steps. For example, I blog every week. I have very basic – but fun – trailers made that are easily shared through social media. I’m on Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram and Twitter. But when I say I’m on them I don’t just have an account. I’m just as active online building relationships as I am in the community networking.

REAM: As a young real estate agent, what changes do you think need to be implemented to improve the industry as a whole?

McCluskey: Recently I was at a conference in Vegas put on by Berkshire Hathaway Home Services for all its agents nationwide. A speaker (Unfortunately I can’t remember the name.) said, “If you don’t evolve welcome to extinction.” And that’s the cold hard truth. We are an ever evolving society therefore our industry is always changing. There are people who’ve asked me how I have achieved so much in such a small amount of time. Because I am happy to share, I tell them about all my online and community stuff. It never fails that there are those who are completely unwilling to do anything in terms of networking or social media because they have decided it isn’t for them. And that’s fine. It’s not for them. But if they never get out of their comfort zone, I hope it’s cozy with the dinosaurs.

REAM: How are you involved in the local real estate community?

McCluskey: Every day, I read online articles about the industry. I’m always careful to only learn from the most reputable websites. In addition, I post daily on social media about what I learn. Networking is important to me, so I am a part of the Boise Chamber of Commerce as an ambassador as well as active in several other business and social groups. On top of that, I have a weekly showcase called Treasure Valley Thursday (#TVThurs) where I invite business owners in the community to share about themselves and their business which I share on my blog.

REAM: Are there any changes coming in the future that you’re excited to announce?

McCluskey: In April, I will be listing three new properties, which is very exciting as our market has a limited quantity. In addition, I had a builder who is relocating here reach out to me. He was watching me through social media and we have opened up a dialogue to work together here. So I’m very excited about where that could be headed.

REAM: What are some of your hobbies outside of the office?

McCluskey: Since I’m a born and raised Idahoan I’m the classic cliché of all things outdoors, skiing, biking, hiking, white water rafting in addition to enjoying all the local restaurants.

Jennie Johnson – born and raised in Boise, Idaho – loves her job because she loves working with people. After celebrating her third child’s first birthday, Johnson was ready for a new adventure. She earned her real estate license.

“It was really at the encouragement of my father,” she shared. Recognizing her sales skills, her familiarity with the community and her strong people skills, he knew she would be a success. And, 10 years later, she is still going strong.

After working on her own for a while – watching and learning from other professionals – she joined a team. “I learned a lot working with that team,” she said. “I observed and quickly realized this was something I could do.”

So, a year ago, Johnson set out to found the Jennie Johnson Team. “It all came together rather naturally,” she said. Keeping the work in the family, she recruited her brother-in-law to craft together her branding. Her only instructions to keep it pink.

“I started with a team of four agents,” she said. “Including myself. Today, I have five. And I have hopes of continuing to grow as we are able.”

The group is fairly close. “We’re all mothers,” she said. “We have teenage daughters and can relate to the challenges of balancing between soccer meets and client showings. Really, my team is made up of my good friends.”

Once a week, Johnson hosts a meeting for all the buyer agents. They come together as a team to share updates, challenges and strategize. Johnson’s motto, “The team that plays together, stays together.”

Taking the Reins

When Johnson first launched her team, nothing concerned her more than finding success. “It wasn’t just for me anymore,” she said. “This role has made me work so much harder; if I don’t make money, they don’t make money. I have salaried employees who depend on me. It’s a lot of responsibility. You need to be prepared for it.”

Johnson was and is.

Each morning, after a jog to get her energy flowing, Johnson picks up the phone and lead generates for two hours, calling past clients to check in, following up on buyers from a model home showing and reaching out to her contacts. “It’s something we do together a lot,” she said. “We’ll work on our scripts and we’ll just keep calling.”

According to Johnson, this is one of the most important processes to getting more listings. “It’s the three L’s,” she said. “Leads, listings and buyer leads. If you don’t have leads, you can’t get listings.”

For Johnson, this is how she has achieved success in real estate. “We need to define success for ourselves,” she said. “I set goals and sit down and do the work to achieve it. Each of us needs to do the same to find our definition of success.”

Johnson has learned everything she knows from watching others and growing from it. “If I came across something I didn’t know enough about, I researched it. I learned how to work successfully with a buyer. I learned the market because if you don’t know it, people won’t want to work with you.”

The Typical Client

For Johnson, there is no typical client. “I’ve worked with $50,000 buyers up to the million-dollar buyers,” she said. “I don’t have a preference. I sell brand new homes, I sold foreclosures and I sell traditional resale properties. I’ve dabbled in everything.”

Johnson has aligned herself with Brighton Homes, sharing the same values as the company. She has worked in the Ashbury and Syringa communities in Eagle; BainBridge and Paramount in Meridian; and she is excited to open a new community, Century Farm in Meridian later this summer.

Being in a position to help her clients purchase their next home is what makes it all worth it for her. “It needs to be about more than the commission,” she said. “For me, it certainly is. Being able to help someone make a huge change in their life is well worth the effort.”

Working with the clients, Johnson has learned two very important lessons over the years. Firstly, you need to give to others. “Be helpful and good things will come back to you,” she said. Secondly, be transparent. “If you make a mistake, be up front about it. We’re human, so mistakes are inevitable. Coming forward immediately and communicating it to the client will take you one step closer to correcting that mistake.”

According to Lisa Clayton, Johnson’s real estate assistant for more than three years, “Johnson is so kind. She leads with her heart. She wants to say yes to everyone. She looks for solutions before she says no. She’s kind, humble and loving.”

Looking ahead Jennie Johnson is excited to keep forging ahead in her career. “I’m doing what I love to do,” she said.

REAM: What first drew you to the construction industry?

Barton: I was first attracted when I was in high school and my mom decided to build a house. From there in the late ’80s, I spent some time in Southern California where they were building mass amounts of homes. I was drawn to the work – it fit me; being outside, the physical aspect, starting with one piece and putting it together to create something bigger and better.

REAM: What do you enjoy most about working with real estate agents?

Barton: Let’s just say I enjoy them so much, I married one! But really, we share a common goal. We both have the desire to find our buyer a home and work the deal toward a win-win. They’re a valuable asset to CBH Homes and a huge part of our success. They sell over 75 percent of our homes and we’re constantly looking for ways to become more successful together – real estate agents are an important part of the CBH team and I love them for that.

REAM: What do you believe most differentiates you from other builders?

Barton: Of course, I’m biased – there’s not one thing, there’s many. Most important is the team. These aren’t just people that fill positions; they’re special, well educated, personable professionals. We’ve been in the business for more than 20 years and some of our strongest members have been with us for many of those years. These strong members attract similar teammates who thrive with our culture and perform. We’re also constantly trying to improve every day. Not just one day, week or month but every day. We track numbers, attend classes and work to be better.

REAM: What is your vision for your company?

Barton: A vision always starts with what’s possible and what we are capable of. I’m one of the believers that anything’s possible if you put your mind to it. Add a few more people focusing on the same thing and you can accomplish amazing results. CBH continues to attract solid, winning people to our team. Growth is huge for us. We desire growth in the number of homes we build as well as the cities we cover. These visions start with one thing – our people.

REAM: How are you involved in the local real estate community?

Barton: We have several programs currently. With our Outstanding Partner Program, we branch outside our in-house sales team and work with local agents on listings in a few of our communities. With our Most Valuable REALTOR Program, we highlight an agent each month and even rewarded our top selling 2014 real estate agent with a $2,000 travel voucher. I teach a continuing education class, New Home University, where we help educate agents on the processes of new home construction. You can also occasionally catch me speaking at different events like the Women’s Council of REALTORS or at our REALTOR appreciation event, a Taste of CBH. Our main goal is really to just keep in contact with them and find out how to make them successful partners.

REAM: What are some of your hobbies outside of the office?

Barton: Outside of the office, I enjoy time with my wife and kids. As a family we see health as a hobby and discipline. We realize that we need to have health to be together for a long time and to make that time fun. Outside of that, I do occasionally jump out of planes! I enjoy sky surfing and flying aerobatic aircrafts. It may seem crazy or careless, but I like finding that fear and working through it. I like being scared and pressing the limits past where I feel comfortable, and then going onto another level. Maybe that’s what’s so attractive to me about home building.

REAM: What first drew you to the real estate industry?

Van Allen: When I purchased my first home as a young college grad, I had a truly remarkable experience. Many of my friends, however, did not. I heard lots of horror stories. It made me wonder what separates the great agents from the not-so-great. I thought it was something I could excel at.

I have a bachelor’s degree in engineering physics and a bachelor’s in music theory. (I know, I’m a nerd!) I worked right out of college as a semiconductor engineer for a couple of years and learned that I needed more. My entrepreneurial drive took over and I made the plunge into real estate!

REAM: What one trait most differentiates between a successful agent and an almost successful agent?

Van Allen: There’s an it factor that’s hard to put your finger on. The drive to succeed, set big goals and have the confidence to go after them whole-heartedly is probably the biggest part of that it factor. The great agents also find systems that work for them and consistently execute those systems day in and day out.

REAM: What advice do you have for a REALTOR considering becoming a broker?

Van Allen: I received my broker’s license almost as soon as I could qualify for it, not because I intended to be my own broker necessarily, but because I wanted the professional education. Being able to call yourself an associate broker (or designated broker) carries a certain level of clout within the industry as well as with consumers. I think those REALTORS who are also associate brokers have an extra appreciation for what it takes to run a real estate company and keep everyone and everything in compliance.

REAM: What do you enjoy most about your day-to-day job?

Van Allen: Without a doubt, coaching agents and seeing them succeed in their business is the most satisfying part of what I do. Our agents are partners in business. Whenever I see their professional growth, I’m filled with pride for them and our company. I also love visioning for the future of our company and recruiting people to be a part of that vision. From our administrative staff and managing brokers to brand new agents and experienced professionals, I personally like to be involved in hiring as many of these positions as possible.

REAM: Tell us about your mantra, “If you help enough other people get what they want, you will get what you want.” How do you apply that to your business?

Van Allen: I’m a big Zig Ziglar fan, and this mantra has stuck with me ever since I first read it early in my real estate career. We are in a people business, not a property business. We work in relationships, not transactions. You have to give before you can receive, in business as well as in life in general. When we think about the other person’s position and how we can help them, people naturally become attracted to us and want to work with us.

REAM: How are you involved in the local real estate community?

Van Allen: I’ll be honest, it took me a while to become involved beyond my own company, but several years ago I volunteered to be on the grievance committee for the Ada County Association of REALTORS (ACAR). Serving for a couple of years, I learned a lot that I’ve applied toward training and coaching agents. I’m now a member of the board of directors for ACAR and am excited to be involved in the leadership as we advocate for homeownership and navigate the complexities of our industry today.

REAM: What are some of your hobbies outside of the office?

Van Allen: My family is very important to me and I enjoy spending as much time as possible with them. My wife, Erin, and I have been married for 7 ½ years and we have two young boys, Carter and Jack. I like to play golf in the summer and ski in the winter, and I’ve just started getting into woodworking and making furniture. I also put my music degree to good use from time to time and play the piano for community musical events, churches and the occasional wedding.