When Jack Conway established his real estate company in 1956, his mission was – to help his neighbors “ably, fairly, and honestly” when buying or selling real estate. It’s the cornerstone of the Conway team’s culture, and it’s what attracted me to join the team.
I believe that culture is so important because it creates a sense of togetherness, trust, and integrity amongst people within an organization. Within this culture there is a collective belief in doing the right thing and being respectful – which is evident in the way people are treated, and the manner in which you serve your clients. Consistently and without question.
Throughout my career, prior to becoming a real estate agent, I experienced cultures that were complete opposites in this regard. The difference is glaringly apparent, as was the impact that each had on the employees and customers alike.
I was fortunate to have worked for a company whose culture was strong and based on doing the right thing for both the business and our customer base. It was present in every interaction, greeting, and business discussion. Customers could feel it, and they knew that they would always receive thoughtful support for any issues or questions that they had, and their best interests were at the core of the decisions and plans that we made at a corporate level. We didn’t intend for our annual customer conference to feel like a family reunion where we couldn’t wait to get together, and no one every wanted to miss those conferences! This just happened naturally as a result of the culture that the company built and shared by the employees. I have lifelong friends that I met there, and when we see each other even more than 25 years later, the same stories are told as we talk about the best job we ever had.
I have also worked in an environment where the things that mattered most were the bottom line, who was at the top, who was trying to get to the top, and really not much else. Trust was rare and decisions made that directly affected customers were based on how the corporation would benefit in every way possible, many times to the detriment of the customer as well as internal staff who wanted to do the right thing but were not only unheard but blatantly disrespected. In an environment like this, directives are about selling as much as possible, tell the customer whatever they want to hear so that they will buy this quarter. If they turn out to be unhappy customers, we may or may not deal with it after the fact.
To say that every day was dreaded is an understatement, and although I’m a firm believer in “to each his own”, I was always amazed at the number of employees that believed it was a privilege to be able to say that we worked at this company. Without exaggeration I would often remember when being able to spend time with clients and do the right thing for them was not only supported, but of primary importance. The lesson for me was that I would never ever work in a toxic environment like that again.
I left that large company, and regretting the fact that I didn’t do it many years earlier, I immediately got my real estate license. It is what I always wanted to do, and I was excited. I dd not forget the lesson that I had learned about the difference between working in an environment for a behemoth where both employees and customers were a number, and who cares if either are unhappy enough to finally leave, vs a smaller sized company that conducted business with a personal touch and cared about people. I looked for a brokerage that had the same culture and beliefs of that smaller company and who are proud to treat customers like family. It may sound corny but the difference is apparent in every aspect.
Jack Conway Ranked on RealTrends Top 500 Brokerages in the U.S.
“With the changes in our world and industry over the past couple years, it is an amazing honor to be once again included on this national list, as a local independent real estate company,” said Carol Bulman, CEO & Chairman of the Board of Jack Conway. “We are grateful to our amazing agents whose dedication to their valued clients helps us continue to grow and evolve from the strong foundation set by our founder, my father, Jack Conway. Steadfast in remaining a privately-owned real estate company, and with our third generation of leadership entering the business, our ability to rank among the largest real estate firms shows the importance of having a local option for your important business.”
I understand that a person’s home is very personal to them. There are a lifetime of memories and stories in a house, and another new set of memories will begin there – that is significant.
When I speak with a person who has decided to buy their first house, I am very aware of what preceded their phone call to me. I know that it is something that they have wanted for themselves and their family, they have dreamed about what kind of home they want and where they want to live, and they have worked hard to be able to financially put themselves in a position to be able to own a home. It is a big deal for them and should be treated with a great deal of respect and excitement, and it is a big deal to me to be able to help them find the place that will be their new home.
The same is true for sellers. They have worked hard to purchase and maintain a home, they have raised families, and have both happy and difficult memories from the years that they have lived in that home. They have now decided that it is time to sell and move on to another place that may better suit their current needs, and quite often this a difficult and emotional time for them.
These are not transactions, they are people with histories, stories and goals. I want to be part of helping them and am always honored to do so.
This is the reason that Jack Conway was my choice brokerage – it is about helping the people in the communities that they serve – “ably, fairly, and honestly”
Many clients know me for providing a level of service above and beyond that of my peers. Now, with my new firm, I can offer an even higher quality of service.
I am now able to offer additional services to clients that were established by the Conway team to better serve our clients:
