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Understand more. Fear less: Real Estate and the Coronavirus
Real estate leaders, what do we do now?
It’s a wave we have to ride out, but we don’t have to do it alone. Every industry is being driven into mass-tech-adoption at a rapid speed due to social distancing and isolation. Real estate is no exception, but the key difference is we’re already able to handle this.
I had the pleasure of wrapping up the LeadingRE Annual Conference in Las Vegas last week with a presentation on why every real estate brokerage is a tech-enabled brokerage — a claim that some companies are trying to use as differentiation and value-position to compete for talent. But honestly, do you have a cell phone, perhaps you’re even reading this article on your phone right now? You, as a human, are tech-enabled and therefore so is your business.
And if you’re tech-enabled, you’re also a virtual brokerage. Perhaps you won’t want to operate as a virtual brokerage forever, but you are capable of pivoting temporarily to best serve your agents and their clients. Fear in the face of disruption can cause us to fall back into old habits, ruts of non-productivity, or drive us to seek control in the minutia around us.
“Nothing in life is to be feared, it is only to be understood.
Now is the time to understand more so that we may fear less.”
– Marie Curie
A strong woman with wise words, Marie Curie’s quote can remind us that by focusing on the truth we will get through this and recover. As I always say, data tells the truth and data sets you free. In this article, I want to focus on a quick look at our industry’s economic history, what industry leaders need to be doing right now, and my 3 B’s for the time-being: Be Optimistic, Be Supportive, Be Productive.
Going Virtual Brings Us Together
On a ship over rough water, a captain can’t stay silent. At no point during this situation is it possible for brokers to over-communicate with their agents. No one has all the answers but talking it through always helps build confidence and trust.
Everyone is leaning into video communication. We still get to see each other’s smiling faces while preserving our goal of safety. Brokers, leaders, reach out to your sphere with one-on-one video calls. It’s 2020, we’re all capable of having a video chat, and it bridges one more gap that a standard phone call can’t provide. We’re telling agents to keep in contact with their clients, their sphere, their community. Practice what you preach, right? Call your agents, call your staff, call your partners.
Remote work employees have been facing the hurdle of building camaraderie without physical closeness in the workplace for years. At MoxiWorks, we have moxians and partners across the country bridging the gap. Now, we all have gotten a taste of that world — sitting in your house trying to have a meeting as the dog howls at a bird or your children forget their inside voices. The silver lining is this gives us all an opportunity to be sympathetic and supportive of each other.
We’re living this at MoxiWorks for several weeks now, with the entire company working remotely without any service interruption. We have the obvious advantage of being a technology company which helps, but we face the same cultural challenges that you. That’s why I’m saying that over-communication is so important. It’s human nature to fill in a void with the worst possible scenario and without communication, that’s exactly what your stakeholders will do. Don’t let there be a communication void – fill it with honest, transparent, supportive but optimistic communication. It’s not about having all the answers because none of us have them right now, it’s about being present as a leader.
Real Estate’s Response in Bear Markets
While the United States hasn’t entered a bear market due to viral outbreak before, it can be comforting to look at how we’ve bounced back from drops in the past. The good news? Event-driven drops (like our current situation around COVID-19) in the market are typically acute and recover much faster than structural drops (think 2007 Great Recession).
Goldman Sachs sent out a report on looking at severe declines, length in a down market, and time to recover/stabilize.
Make no mistake, this is an unprecedented time in history for everyone, but this is a storm we can weather in the real estate industry. MoxiWorks is proud to work with the strongest partners and clients, companies that survived through the housing bubble bursting and are going to pivot, survive and thrive again.
Real Estate Leaders, here’s what we do.
With that said, this isn’t a time to sit still. This is the time to link arms and lift each other up. In our MoxiWorks Town Hall we held virtually this week, I told all of our moxians: Be Optimistic, Be Supportive, and Be Productive. I’ll give you that very same advice.
- Be optimistic that local markets will bounce back, that your pipeline clients will still be ready when bans and restrictions lift. Be optimistic that your agents are solvent and with time, will help your business flourish again.
- Be supportive of each other, we are all humans in this together. Everyone needs time to reflect, to understand, to acclimate — but the speed we are moving at is going to be fast, so we need to help each other. This is a great time for fostering collaboration.
- Be productive no matter what. Give yourself a few seconds to catch your breath, then get back to work. Work on your sphere, evaluate your data, clean up your business and keep moving forward. We’ve got this. We’ve got moxie.
Competition, new players, technology — every disruptor you’ve faced before has trained you for this whether you knew it or not. Don’t let fear bring you to a crushing halt. Business has always been about inertia: an object in motion stays in motion. Like Marie Curie said, now is the time to learn more so we can fear less.
Let’s do this together,
York Baur
CEO, MoxiWorks
P.S. On that note, at Moxi we’re going to go above-and-beyond to bring continued content for our clients and the industry. We’re kicking this content release off with a guide on how to host an ‘open house’ virtually using our MoxiPresent / M Present product. Check it out.
MoxiWorks Community Service Day 2019
By Bryn Yasui, Customer Support Specialist
MoxiWorks is always hitting the ground running with brand new updates and innovative ways to help real estate agents. However, on one day of the year, we like to switch up the usual Wednesday office environment, ditch the computers, and lend our helping hands for community service day.
Since 2012, MoxiWorks has volunteered at Ryther, a non-profit organization for at-risk children who are healing and finding hope from personal trauma. Ryther offers children and young adults’ guidance, emotional support, and enrichment at their on-site campus or through school visits. Ryther’s ultimate mission is for children who have faced some of life’s worst adversaries at such a young age to lead normal lives in the future.
“Every year, we gather at Ryther to help out those in need,” CEO York Baur said. “In a broader perspective, this day reminds us
that as Moxians, we are creating relationships beyond just software and business. By offering our help to Ryther, we help these children who have experienced horrible tragedies we can’t even begin to fathom gain the ability to relate to the world again.”
Within the past seven years, Ryther and MoxiWorks have grown together, creating a connection unlike that which most companies and non-profits share. Anyone who walks around the campus will notice paved sidewalks, assembled playground structures, and painted fences to name a few.
“We’ve been doing this for the past seven years and we are grateful that Ryther still asks us to return every time. MoxiWorks has built this place from the ground up together with the help of the foundation. It’s a tradition for us to take one day out of the office and make that difference,” said VP of Operations Ring Nishioka.
MoxiWorks donated supplies, and with these contributed materials, the employees split up into groups, each working on different task from painting fences to building a playground and even implementing the very sidewalks the children use every day.
Additionally, numerous employees from MoxiWorks generously put forth part of their earned wages for the day to support Ryther’s cause. Some employees donated their entire day’s pay and other employees even asked those at Ryther if they can come back on their own time to volunteer more.
“This was my first year doing community service day with MoxiWorks and it gives me great pride to not only see how much
MoxiWorks has accomplished for Ryther over the previous years, but also the genuine fun and excitement I witnessed from our company to participate in this event,” said Executive Assistant Zoey Lange.
Although she was in charge of organizing the highly anticipated event, Zoey wouldn’t consider the planning as work due to how much positive elation she felt from her fellow coworkers to serve those at Ryther.
“In my generation, it’s really important to give back because we are living in an age where we need more genuine philanthropic efforts,” said Lange. Employees of all age ranges worked side by side, combining experience with energy to enhance this institution, which MoxiWorks will continue to hold dear to their hearts.
For more articles and stories about what MoxiWorks is up to inside and outside of the office, visit moxiworks.com/blogs!
MoxiWorks Joins Be The Match
By Bryn Yasui, Customer Support Specialist at MoxiWorks
The key to a successful business is thinking outside of the box to help others. Every day we strive to improve the business of agents with our forward-thinking and dynamic approach to bettering the real estate market. But we also donate annually to a non-profit organization from our own paychecks and fundraisers as well as take an entire day off to do community service. Inside and outside of the office, we are continuously striving to better the lives of others.
This year, MoxiWorks decided to do something a bit out of our usual beneficiary sphere and help more than just agents, brokerages, and our local community. Last Friday, a representative from Be The Match came into our headquarters to offer Moxians the opportunity to join the world’s largest bone marrow registry.
Be The Match is a 30-year-old non-profit organization that connects patients with biologically compatible donors around the globe. With their groundbreaking medical technology, they have been able to transplant precious stem cells to blood cancer patients in critical condition.
William Linafelter, Senior Payroll and HR Specialist proposed the philanthropic idea after discovering he could put himself on the registry in the event that his bone marrow matched with a patient. William discovered how valuable a non-profit like Be the Match is for blood cancer patients after someone close to him spent part of their senior year of high school fighting Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, a specific type of lymphoma which attacks the lymph nodes and inhibits the body’s natural ability to battle infections.
“This affects me personally because someone very close to me had Hodgkin’s Lymphoma and although she didn’t need a transplant, if it did get a lot more serious, it could’ve been a case where that was the only option,” said Linafelter.
As a member of the registry for over two years now, William has felt honored to be part of such a huge movement to cure patients who went through similar cases like his sister’s. According to William, when a patient needs a bone marrow transplant, it’s a life or death situation, which is why the need for a robust selection of donors is so great.
Ring Nishioka, VP of Operations at MoxiWorks said, “We are really excited to be able to partner with Be The Match. Donating blood isn’t something everyone in our diverse workforce is able to participate in. We are adding Be The Match so that anyone and everyone can sign up to help out if it’s something that they’re passionate about.”
For a critically ill patient to find a compatible match, there is less than a 1% chance for a patient to match with someone on the registry. Although the chances are slim, MoxiWorks hopes to contribute our diverse demographic to the cause.
“I wanted to get [Moxi] involved because, in most cases, they want younger donors, since they have healthier marrow to pull from. Since we are a tech company, we have a lot of young people and minorities, making a diverse workforce,” said Linafelter. “Every new person who joins the registry increases the likelihood that patients in need can find a match. While even a single new registration counts as a win, I’m happy to report that several Moxians have elected to join the registry!”
MoxiWorks hopes to provide more ongoing support for non-profit organizations in any way possible. Stay tuned with our blog for more news on how MoxiWorks is making an impact!
20 Questions: A Man for Our Clients, A Man with Moxi
Get to know Daniel Bailey, Senior Account Manager at MoxiWorks!
By Bryn Yasui, Customer Support Specialist at MoxiWorks
At the MoxiWorks headquarters in Downtown Seattle, you can always catch Daniel Bailey on the phone with a client giving his all to help their agents with what we have to offer them. In his role, Daniel demonstrates outstanding communication skills to brokerage partners every single day. With our employees, like Daniel and his hardworking team of Account Managers, agents are able to utilize MoxiWorks’ products as smoothly and painless as possible through training, answering queries, and creating business relationships.
It goes without saying that every single individual here at MoxiWorks is unique in their own way. We decided to take a moment to dive deeper into Daniel’s charismatic nature, who he is, and how his personality correlates with his ambitious work ethic.
1. How long have you been at MoxiWorks?
6 Years this summer.
2. What do you do at MoxiWorks?
I am a Senior Account Manager!
3. What’s your favorite MoxiWorks product and why?
My favorite product in the entire suite is MoxiPresent! Simply, it helps agents win more listings. Present can do so much from Lead-gen to personal marketing. It’s a powerful tool agents can use to help themselves stand out from the crowd.
4. What’s your philosophy in life?
“If you are not first, you’re last!” I’m kidding, “Above all things, be sure to laugh.”
5. Where are you from originally?
Charlotte, North Carolina
6. What’s your favorite movie?
Pulp Fiction
7. What’s your favorite thing about MoxiWorks?
I would have to say the people I work with. They are some of the most intelligent and dedicated people I have ever had the pleasure of working with. We have built a great culture and it’s one of the reasons I love coming to work every day!
8. What’s the best part of your job?
Being able to help our brokerage partners solve some of their pain points by leveraging our products and services. I find the most fulfillment when agents tell me how much their business has improved or when they have the “aha!” moment and realize this stuff actually works!
9. What is your greatest accomplishment so far at MoxiWorks?
Helping one of our brokerages see a 316% increase in agent productivity! That doesn’t happen by accident. That happens through strong partnership, setting goals, & and executing to perfection.
10. Would you consider yourself an introvert or an extrovert?
I’m an extrovert. I like to live out loud and try to make everyone I meet smile or laugh.
11. What keeps you at this company?
The team I work with & clients I serve. Each day I’m challenged to think more strategically to help our clients solve their pain points. There’s never a dull moment.
12. What are your biggest pet peeves?
That’s tough because I have a few. The biggest I would say is when someone begins to tell you something then they say… “I’ll tell you later.” UGH!
13. What’s your favorite past time activity?
Spending time with children.
14. What was your first job ever?
My first job was flipping burgers at a local burger joint, “Herfy’s Hamburgers.”
15. What piqued your interest about MoxiWorks in the first place?
It was the job posting that drew me to want to work for MoxiWorks. The posting was so funny I laughed audibly while reading it. Then when I had my first phone interview, I was sold! The hiring manager and I must have talked and laughed for nearly an hour.
16. What is your favorite food?
Asian food! Hands down. I’m from the South, the home of good food, but give me some General Tso’s any day of the week!
17. What does your ideal day off look like?
Errands, errands, and more errands. I start off making my way to grocery store, then cooking a big breakfast for the family, then working on some project at my house or tinkering with one of my cars.
18. How would you describe your work ethic?
I work very hard. Often, I’m told too hard. My goal is to exceed my client’s expectations by giving more in value than I expect in payment. That value is my time, attention, & responsiveness. It is that client experience that keeps them with us year over year.
19. How do you think technology has developed a role in real estate within the past decade?
Over the last decade, technology has completely changed real estate. In years to come, technology will touch every part of a real estate transaction. One thing that will not change is the human element. Contrary to popular belief, real estate is still a people business, and people still need an agent to help them through the transaction experience. You bet your bottom dollar that MoxiWorks will be there to power the agent to do so!
20. What is your biggest challenge at the moment?
My biggest challenge at the moment is to decide what to get my 16-year-old for his birthday. Any suggestions?
20 Questions: A Moxian That Hustles Hard
20 Questions with Alex Jacobs, Director of Business Development at MoxiWorks
Ever heard of the quote, “work hard in silence, let your success be your noise,” by Frank Ocean? Well, that completely and utterly captures Alex. He’s quiet, humble, and polite – and it just so happens that he also happens to be a total Rockstar. When it comes to growing MoxiWorks, helping clients, and hitting goals, you better believe he knocks it out of the park every single time.
For obvious reasons, we wanted to get to know him a little bit better, especially since he lives in California (Moxi is based in Seattle). So, without further ado, here goes 20 questions with Alex Jacobs:
1. How long have you been at MoxiWorks?
Almost two years.
2. What is your life motto?
It’s changed over the years. I actually really like (and it’s sitting on my desk) “what got you here won’t get you there.”
Edit: This is the quote that stands above the door of our CEO. A great reminder for all of us at Moxi!
3. Where is your favorite beach?
I would have to say Hāpuna Beach Park in Hawaii.
4. What would you eat for your last meal?
Sushi – as much as I can have!
5. Who was your favorite character growing up?
Rocky – the underdog.
6. What’s your favorite thing about MoxiWorks?
The people. The team and the people here are really great to work with! I like the vision of the company as well.
7. What is something small that people do that makes you happy?
When someone pays me a compliment.
Edit: Alex – you amaze us! Moxi would be nothing without you.
8. How would you describe yourself to someone in one sentence?
I think if I were to describe myself, I would say that I always tend to be conscious of other people and try to put myself in their shoes. I want to make sure that other people are happy before my own happiness.
9. If you could have a drink with anyone dead or alive, who would it be?
My father.
10. What keeps you at MoxiWorks?
Again, I think it’s really the leadership and the vision of the company and the direction that we’re heading. Getting a chance to help to make a difference in the real estate industry is a plus.
11. What is your favorite thing about the holidays?
I like the family time, but I also just like the spirit of the season and everyone being in a happy, friendly mood.
12. What would you say is your hidden talent and why?
I think I could say one of my hidden talents is that I can be very analytical and tend to look ahead like three or four steps ahead.
13. What was your first job?
I cleaned my mom’s office once a week. After that I worked for store that sold sunglasses.
14. What interested you about MoxiWorks in the first place?
I think what drew me was the vision and the innovation.
15. What do you do when you’re not working?
Whatever my kids want to do.
16. Did you choose this career path, or did it choose you?
I think it kind of chose me. I think it’s because one of my first jobs was in sales and every job I got after that was in some sort of selling environment. My degree was business administration, with a concentration in marketing so my mind was always attracted to that side of it.
17. Where do you live and what’s your favorite thing about it?
I live in Folsom, California and I love the community feel. I also really love that it is a great place to raise a family.
18. What is your definition of success?
I think success can be measured in a lot of different ways depending on what your goals are. From helping my clients achieve their goals, to helping my kids achieve theirs and even achieving my own family goals. That’s success to me.
19. Where is the next spot on your bucket list?
Europe in general.
20. What is your favorite MoxiWorks product to talk about and why?
I love talking about MoxiEngage because it’s really core to an agent’s business. And when they’re using it, it can really help them achieve success in their business – 54% more business in fact.
MoxiFund 2018: Giving Back the Moxi Way
For Moxians, 2018 was filled with many successes, both inside and outside the office. Specifically, it was a year where we all had the opportunity to give back to our community and make an impact.
We have a proud history of the “give back” attitude. Over the years, we’ve raised over $100K for local charities. For example, this year we released $15,000 to the Pike Place Market Foundation and $2,900 to Ryther House. And of course, we have our own holiday traditions as well. Each year we put up the Moxi Giving Tree to give local families what they need most this season.
In addition, we recently expanded our volunteer program beyond our annual all-company volunteer days to include small team events so our employees can get out into the community more often. Here’s an excerpt from our latest Moxi volunteering event at Northwest Harvest Cherry Street Food Bank from our Senior Payroll/HR Specialist, William Linafelter:
“One of the coolest facts about Northwest Harvest, is that they do not require people to show any ID to receive food, which we were told during our initial briefing. If you’re hungry, you get fed. No questions asked. The line for food sometimes goes up the block and around the corner, so the goal in 2019 is to provide enough meals to feed every seat in CenturyLink Field 27 times.
The weather was pretty chilly the day we volunteered, and our team was stationed outside. (Thank goodness for jackets!) Skyler Garrison (Quality Assurance Engineer) was in charge of onions and the most essential of human needs, toilet paper. Jennifer Williams (UX Designer) was in command of celery, turnips and other vegetables. Leading the most popular station of all (apples and pears) was Jessie Trapp (Marketing Coordinator). Ali Lundberg (Data Analyst) helped the packaging team bag oatmeal. I was standing at the very end of the line with the acorn squash and the kale, which tended to have more of a “take as much as you need” mentality.
All in all, an eventful morning as we tried to help our neighbors!”
If you’d like to support Northwest Harvest financially, they are conducting a Home Team Harvest in the month of December. Stop by your local Safeway or Albertsons and purchase one of their hunger bags of groceries!
“Think global, act local” is an important mantra at MoxiWorks. Whether it’s payroll deductions that go to the MoxiFund or our community service days, we can’t wait to see how we can make a difference in 2019!
20 Questions: The Wonder Woman Leading our Sales
20 Questions with Georgia Perez, VP of Business Development and Product Evangelism at MoxiWorks
Our MoxiWorks Business Development Team is led by an insanely brilliant and vivacious women, Georgia Perez. With 10 years and counting as a Licensed Real Estate Broker and Manager, and more than 25 years in the land of tech, she couldn’t be a more perfect fit for her role. Her understanding of what it takes to be successful in the real estate world, combined with profound technical acumen, give her unique insights into the needs and challenges of our brokerage clients. She is a vital piece in the creation of our products and we can without a doubt say MoxiWorks wouldn’t be where it is today without her!
Want to find out more about Georgia? You’re in luck because we got her to sit down for a 20 questions session!
1. How long have you been at MoxiWorks?
Six plus years.
2. How many employees do you manage?
I have a team of 4 at the moment but am excited to announce we’ll be growing by several (so let me know if you know someone wonderful who should join us!).
3. What has been your favorite product and why?
That’s like asking a parent to pick their favorite child! MoxiPresent launched the company and is without question the “best in class” CMA and presentation platform in the industry (we were voted so by an independent review and not just our clients!). There is so much you can do with it; I still get excited about it every day. MoxiEngage is my favorite for accelerating our brokerage and agent’s business by huge leaps, by giving them the road map to success, and coaching them, and their company on how to get them to their goals. I wish I had had something like it when I was building my Real Estate career.
Recently, we’ve added MoxiTalent, and having been a manager – I never had such an outstanding system to help me in recruiting and retention, offering a plan developed by 20+ of the leading recruiters in the nation, combined with the data to track performance, and suggest best matches for your recruiting. Before MoxiTalent, I had to go get a giant data dump from the MLS, or other expensive data products, and then try to read the tea leaves on who to talk to; now, the system tells me who is a high match to my needs, and takes me step-by-step through a sophisticated recruiting plan, while also helping me “re-recruit” my existing agents every day. All of these products are mobile ready, so I can do my job from whatever device I am using in the moment.
SEE – it’s impossible to choose!
4. What makes you feel accomplished?
I’ll let you know when I get there, lol. Seriously, I am super hard on myself, and very driven; I don’t ever feel I have arrived – I just keep moving the goal out. That said, I feel amazing when I see our clients, and their agents truly succeed with us! Living up to our promises every day is a worthy accomplishment!
5. Window seat or aisle seat?
Window. Mostly because I don’t want people hitting me with their bags as they go down the aisle. I typically fly around 100,000 miles a year – so these things matter!
6. What’s your favorite thing about MoxiWorks?
It sounds so trite, but honestly, everything! I love our mission, our culture, and I work with some of the best and brightest people in the industry! I feel lucky everyday (even the hard days)!
7. How long have you held your real estate license?
10 years and counting!
8. What energizes you and brings you excitement?
Professionally: I love being in the field with our clients, or speaking at industry events, helping to shed light on what’s going on with technology, and firing up their businesses.
Personally: I am a Disney nut, so I get excited when I can step into a Disney park and have a little time in the “happiest place on earth!”
9. If you could be famous for anything, what would it be?
To be remembered for being a kind person, that helped others in their lifetime. I have a favorite song by Nicole Nordeman that says, “I want to leave a legacy. How will they remember me? Did I choose to love? Did I point to you enough?” I think that is more important than “fame.”
10. What keeps you at MoxiWorks?
It comes back to the people. It’s called “work” for a reason; when you can do it with people you enjoy and respect, and you are growing every day, it is so worth it. I also really believe in what we are doing for brokerages and their agents. Our systems really do work – so it can literally change the lives of our clients, by helping them make a great living, and achieve their goals! What’s not to love about that?!
11. Who is your favorite Disney character?
It’s like that favorite child question again! I love Mickey, always – but Tinkerbell is also a fav (though my hubbie would say that it is because her color is green, and it’s my favorite color)!
12. What is your most used emoji?
Smiley face for the rest of the world, but for my husband the heart eyes or the kissy one!
13. What was your first job?
Other than the typical babysitting I did as an early teen, my first formal job was at Prospero Mushroom Market in Santa Cruz, California. It was a vegetable market with a delicatessen and ice cream parlor. My job was the ice cream scooper and deli clerk. The owners were friends of our family, and it was a great first experience! My brothers best friend worked in the veggie market side and kept an eye on me (this was all before I was old enough to drive).
14. What interested you about MoxiWorks in the first place?
I felt this was meant for me. I had been in tech for more than 20 years, and for personal reasons changed my career to become a Realtor at Windermere Real Estate. Several years later, after building a successful RE biz, I learned they were launching an independent tech company, building real estate technology. It just seemed like my two careers came uniquely together! I have deep respect and understanding of the Real Estate Industry, and deep roots in the tech industry.
15. What do you do when you’re not working?
Sometimes it seems I am never not working; except for when I’m sleeping, (and even then, I think I dream of Moxi)! That said, my husband and I are actively involved in our church and social causes. On occasion, you can also find me at a Disney Park, and at least twice a year I run in Disney races, and also, when travel allows, dozens of other races throughout the year.
16. Did you choose this career path, or did it choose you?
It definitely chose me. I could never have foreseen that my strange hop from tech to real estate would have opened the door for a Real Estate Tech career.
17. What advice would you give to other real estate agents?
Seek help and push yourself outside of your comfort zone. The real estate business is wonderful but can be hard. Being self-employed is not for everyone, and if you have never run your own business, can get you out over your skis pretty quickly. As humans, we are naturally resistant to change, so even when we go take classes, attend a conference and get all jazzed up about new ideas – as soon as we have to implement, people tend to revert to “old habits” pretty quickly.
I read a blog from Seth Godin today (love him!), it said:
Just because you don’t understand it:
- Doesn’t mean it isn’t true
- Doesn’t mean it isn’t important
- If we spend our days ignoring the things we don’t understand (because they must not be true and they must not be important) all we’re left with is explored territory with little chance of improvement
Allow yourself to feel uncomfortable, without allowing yourself to quit! It’s like going to the gym, and starting to work out for the first time. It may feel awkward (heck it might even make you sore for a bit!), but when you start to see results, it’s easier to build upon that success, and keep growing!
Keep in mind, the only one you hurt when you don’t seek to learn and implement great systems, is yourself. It’s your business, your income, and your life! Seek experts who can guide you on the right path.
18. How would you describe your management style?
Intense, but loving, lol. My role in the company is driving revenue. It’s not something one can afford to fail at; our clients, co-workers and investors are counting on me and my team. I take that commitment very seriously, and I do drive to results. That said, my philosophy is to be the “wind in the sails” of my team. All boats rise together, and we are a team (along with the rest of the Moxi team). I truly want better for my team than I want for myself. We work long hours together, so it’s great when we can genuinely enjoy, respect, and support one another.
19. What do you feel is the biggest barrier to agent tech adoption?
A few things:
- Being overwhelmed! Self-employment is no joke, and agents are very busy taking care of their clients, while simultaneously needing to do everything required to build a consistent business, and take care of all of the things people who have a steady paycheck, vacation pay and benefits take for granted. Pausing long enough to learn anything new, can feel impossible to squeeze in.
- Fear – fear of change, fear of the unknown, even fear of tech. Many agents look a lot like me (a middle-aged woman!), they tell themselves they won’t be able to figure it out. I know, at least with Moxi technology, you can’t break it! So, come on in, the water is fine. You don’t have to jump into the deep end, you can wade in, and gradually find your swim lane.
- Disappointed expectations. Many think that tech, in and of itself, is the proverbial “eat all you want and stay slim pill.” The tech is going to do it all for you, and business will just magically pour in and happen. While technology can definitely automate a lot of functions, contribute to lead generation, and keep you focused on the right things, Real Estate is a relationship business, and there will still be work you must do to build genuine relationships. Our sphere is the greatest asset we have, and some focus and effort here will pay off in big ways – but it requires tech and work.
20. What is one of your 2019 goals for MoxiWorks?
Continued growth and continuing to be thought leaders in the industry – by helping to make the businesses and lives of our brokerages and agents better. I want to accomplish something so big, that we can celebrate with something crazy, like a company trip to Disney!
Want to chat with Georgia about your brokerage 2019 goals? No prob. She’s happy to chat with you!
20 Questions: Get to Know Your Account Manager
20 Questions with Katie Shibale, Account Manager at MoxiWorks
Katie Shibale is on the front lines of MoxiWorks, always working hard to delight clients, making sure they are well taken care of from all angles: training, materials, integration… the list goes on! Being an Account Manager is a tough job, and we’re thankful Katie and her awesome teammates are here to do it.
We thought it’d be fun to sit down with Katie and get to know her just a little bit better. If you’re reading this and happen to be one of our clients, there’s a good chance you’ve experienced Katie’s brilliant work ethic, communication, and determination to deliver the best to your brokerage.
Without further ado, here’s 20 questions with Katie:
1. How long have you been at MoxiWorks?
1 year this month!
2. Best and worst thing about living in the Seattle area?
The traffic, of course, is the worst.
The views are by far the best. Between the mountains, the water, and the trees, it is breathtaking here.
3. What has been your favorite achievement so far at MoxiWorks?
There are two in particular.
The first, is creating and implementing a training process for incoming Account Managers. I took experiences from my career and was able to create a manual that made the transition to being an Account Manager at MoxiWorks more seamless. In doing so, I was able to watch a fellow Account Manager go through that and become a kickass AM quickly.
The second, is completing my first official onboarding with a well-known brokerage in the industry. I created a successful launch and relationship with them, and that’s a great feeling.
4. What’s your philosophy in life?
Do what you love, love what you do.
5. What would you eat for your last meal?
Really good authentic Mexican food (and some whiskey).
6. What’s your favorite thing about MoxiWorks?
The culture, honestly. Looking at how we all work together… and I love the fact that we are a name versus a number (like you tend to be in big companies). Each department actually works together versus everyone just working on their own path.
7. What’s the best part about working with your clients?
There are so many, so I’ll try to keep it short. First, building strong, trusting relationships that allow us to truly partner with one another. I love when they have that “ah-ha” moment once they truly find the value in what we do here. That’s the moment they begin truly promoting the products, helping us (MoxiWorks) further innovate, and agents become more productive. Finally, when I get to meet the agents in person. Watching them get excited about the different tools and how easy they are to use is rewarding.
8. NFL or MLS?
That’s a mean question, but NFL had my heart first!
9. Do you consider yourself an introvert or an extrovert?
Introvert – or maybe the one in-between (ambivert). I think I come off as an introvert, but when you get to know me you can’t shut me up.
10. What keeps you at MoxiWorks?
My team for sure. I love the collaboration between us. I know this may sound corny, but we’re like a family. We’re constantly joking around, supporting one another, and really challenging each other to become better (all around people) each day.
11. Cats or dogs?
Definitely, dogs!
12. What’s your favorite part of the day?
The evening because I get to spend time with my son.
13. What was your first job?
I was a Nike sales associate.
14. What interested you about MoxiWorks in the first place?
I was originally in the mobile apps industry, so getting into the software industry sounded interesting. After I talked to Kylah (Director of Integrations and Partnerships at Moxi), I realized the culture was exactly what I was looking for. Ultimately, I knew this was going to really stretch me, challenge me, and allow me to grow in all areas.
15. What do you do when you’re not working?
I’m on the sidelines at my son’s football, soccer, or basketball games cheering him on.
16. Did you choose this career path, or did it choose you?
It definitely chose me. I started in the education field, that’s what my degree is in. I had a friend who worked at a mobile app company and had an opportunity to work for them too, but as a remote employee. It worked great since I could work from home as a mom. From there, I got into software. I never expected to be here, but grateful that others saw my potential and took a chance on me.
17. What does your ideal Saturday look like?
Start out with a cup of coffee for sure, and then either watch my son play sports (or play sports myself). And if my son is at his dad’s, then hanging out with girlfriends with a nice bottle of wine and a good movie.
18. How would you describe your communication style?
I’m kind of an over communicator and can be assertive, especially if I’m confident in what I am saying. I prefer going up to someone and verbally talking things through, as it is really important in understanding exactly what’s happening to help avoid any confusion.
19. What stands out to you about real estate technology since you’ve joined the industry?
Since I’m newer to the real estate industry, I’d say understanding how technology has increased at such a rapid pace. It’s also fascinating how a lot of real estate agents embrace it, but there are way more who wish it never came to real estate. Being able to create something really simple and professional is essential to technology adoption.
20. What is your biggest challenge right now?
I would say that each brokerage/each client that I work with has different needs, especially based on the market they are in. Trying to create a product or tool that really satisfies each of their needs is challenging and then trying to find a workaround that they’re pleased with has its own challenges as well.
Thanks, Katie for letting us ask you these questions! But more importantly, thank you for contributing to Moxi and our amazing culture! #ItTakesMoxi
Carrot Cake and Inclusivity at Work
By Ringo Nishioka, SPHR – SCP, VP of Operations at MoxiWorks
Today, one of our senior developers brought in a large carrot cake for the entire company. The reason? To mark the 25th anniversary of his immigration to the United States. As the HR guy here at MoxiWorks, I love this for a couple of reasons:
- He is a success story. A hard-working developer and family man, he is making a living in one of the hottest tech markets here in Seattle.
- He brought in cake to share with his colleagues, co-workers, and friends. I find this to be next-level employee engagement. If he didn’t like the company, employees, or the work, he wouldn’t have brought in such a treat for over 70 people.
I am often approached to speak about diversity and inclusivity at work. Just last month I addressed a Fortune 100 company on the subject. As an executive, I understand why a company benefits from hiring diversely. As a minority, I have experienced what it is like to be the only minority in the room in my personal and professional life. I don’t know everything about diversity, but I do feel like I have relevant perspective when it comes to hiring people and creating an inclusive workplace.
Like most technology companies, we appear under-represented when it comes to diversity. However, when compared with other tech giants founded in Seattle, we are more diverse in most categories. Even so, I do receive flak about it here at MoxiWorks and visually, I get it.
We recently hired a VP and I heard that employees were disappointed when they learned it wasn’t a woman. Truth be told, we interviewed both men and women, but in the end hired the best person for the role, who happened to be a white male. The newly-hired VP even heard from employees that if we were serious about diversity, we would have hired a woman of diversity. Ugh.
Here at MoxiWorks, we don’t chase diversity and inclusion. We appreciate it, we embrace it, but we don’t chase it. What I mean is we don’t hire diversely to fill quotas or meet numbers. As a minority myself, I don’t want to be hired just because I filled a quota. I don’t want anyone thinking, “Ring got this job because the company and the executive team needed a minority.” I want to know I landed this job because I was the most qualified. More importantly, I want everyone to recognize they hired the best person for the position.
I was proud of our CEO, York Baur, when he stood in front of the company and said the same thing. “We are going to hire the best person for the role. We are not going to hire diversity for the sake of diversity. Help us hire the right person for the role by referring us the best candidates.” (For reference: We rely on employee referrals and offer a small gesture of thanks when we hire from their networks.)
Here are the reasons I loved the carrot cake gesture that our Senior Developer, Konstantin Kifa, shared with the company:
I didn’t know that Konstantin was an immigrant.
I am a big believer that what a person says or does can convey as much as what he does not say or do.
Konstantin doesn’t make a big deal of being a diverse employee and has never approached me about diversity or inclusion issues in the workplace. He does his job very well and his nationality, gender, and religion don’t impact his work. His life experiences affect his performance, of course, but he doesn’t bring issues to the workplace; instead, he is known for his intellectual horsepower and work ethic. (Note: His email to the company didn’t mention what country he immigrated from!)
I believe that MoxiWorks is organically creating a diverse and inclusive place to work. It isn’t contrived, and HR isn’t practicing “diversity by the numbers.” When employees like their workplace, they bring their families to visit and encourage friends to apply. When they don’t, their families won’t set foot in the building and they don’t recommend the company as a good place to work.
I like to think that because diversity isn’t an issue at MoxiWorks, our employees are comfortable bringing their accomplishments into the workplace.
Thank you, Konstantin, for getting your message across without even mentioning it. And thank you to everyone at Moxi for creating an inclusive place to work.
The Man Behind Our Technology
20 Questions with Mark Carlson, VP of Software Engineering at MoxiWorks
Picture Mark Carlson as the person we all strive to be: hardworking, kind, (tall), and somehow making it to the office before anyone else does, every single day. If you see him he’ll surely have coffee in hand, running off to build bada$$ technology for brokerages and agents across the nation.
Since he is the man behind the machine that is MoxiWorks and because he doesn’t get nearly enough of the credit he deserves (even though he’d rather not have it – sorry Mark!), we thought we’d shed some light on him and what makes him tick – besides coffee that is.
Here it goes:
1. How long have you been at MoxiWorks?
Almost 8 years.
2. How many employees do you manage?
43
3. What has been your favorite product to build and why?
Moxi Talent because we spent a lot of time talking to potential users and learning about the problems they face and came up with a really new and interesting way to help them do their jobs more effectively.
4. What’s your philosophy in life?
Shortcuts rarely are.
5. How do you take your coffee?
Black
6. What’s your favorite thing about MoxiWorks?
The culture.
7. What does the future hold for MoxiWorks’ tech?
Continued innovation in both our product and how we get work done.
8. You were just on vacation. Where did you go?
Scotland
9. Do you consider yourself an introvert or an extrovert?
Introvert
10. What keeps you at MoxiWorks?
The people, the culture, and the work.
11. Apple or android?
Apple, barely.
12. What’s your favorite part of the day?
Early morning.
13. What was your first job?
Worked at a Baskin Robbins ice cream store.
Edit: His favorite flavor was Jamoca Almond Fudge
14. What interested you about MoxiWorks in the first place?
I really wanted to work for a small, innovative, growing company.
15. What do you do when you’re not working?
I play golf as often as possible and hang out with my wife and kids.
16. Did you choose this career path, or did it choose you?
I chose it.
17. What is your biggest pet peeve with modern technology?
Passwords.
18. How would you describe your management style?
Helping people focus on the most important things first.
19. What do you think has been really innovative in real estate in the past 5 years?
Cross-product integration.
*Insert pitch for Moxi Cloud here.*
20. What is your biggest challenge right now?
Transforming MoxiWorks from a small to medium sized company while maintaining nimbleness and drive toward innovation.
Yes, Mark is a man of few words. Yes, he’s a genius. And yes, we approve of his favorite ice cream flavor. Agility and productivity are two must-haves in our world and we mean it when we say – Mark brings it. We can’t wait to see how he helps MoxiWorks continue to grow, evolve, and deliver the ultimate experience to our clients.
