Sara Golan knows that it takes a diverse set of talents to build a successful real estate team. “You can’t just gravitate towards top producers without taking other skills and personalities into account,” says Golan, associate broker and managing director for Nest Seekers Brooklyn, a New York boutique firm. “You need people who can support and manage those top producers as well.”
A 22-year industry veteran, Golan leads a 10-person team that includes two administrators. “We don’t have a team name, because we are more of a collaboration than a typical leader-agents structure,” she says. “Having a team with different backgrounds really helps us connect with the diverse clients in our market.”
A majority of Golan’s real estate “partners” are women who bring a variety of skills and experiences to their roles. “We are building together, sharing our business, growing and learning from each other. That is our strength.”
Golan says she recruits both experienced agents and relative newcomers who bring fresh energy to her team. With newer agents, she looks for confidence and self-motivation, along with a willingness to learn about real estate. “I like to start from scratch and train agents to really work together, when going into a new territory or farming a neighborhood.”
More experienced agents value working alongside partners who know every step of a transaction, and can help them build their networks, she says. “Certainly, the relationships we cultivate are the most important thing for our business.”
Last December, Golan recruited a new agent from an Instagram post who had sold real estate as a sideline in the past. After learning the processes at Nest Seekers Brooklyn, she booked her own clients, did her own showings and found tenants for several units in a rental building. “She is on a fast track to success in less than a year,” Golan says.
Looking ahead, Golan is planning to enter new markets and grow her team to 20 by the end of 2022. “As we help our partners establish their businesses by providing one-on-one training, the right tools and financial incentives, they can bring in junior agents and scale our business effectively.”
