THE WAKEFIELDS ACADEMY LEADS TO SUCCESS
Category Residential Property News
At Wakefields, becoming a property consultant is not only made easy, but thoroughly enjoyable. With the Wakefields Academy providing consultants with all the ammunition required for success, and branches throughout the province offering great teamwork and support...it's a career which offers more than you can imagine.
Over the past few years, Wakefields has not only had a large group of brand-new interns, but they've been a wonderfully talented group with fresh approaches and enormous potential for success. Some young, others not so; some entering the job market for the first time, others joining the industry after many years in the corporate world...but no matter where, who or why, they've had the advantage of the fully-fledged on-site Wakefields Academy to provide the practical and theoretical assistance they need to make this a brilliant career.
All the interns to whom we chatted are massively committed to making a success of property. Although each has an entirely different history; brings different skill sets to the Group; have their unique ways of approaching sales and clients, there is a common thread: they love what they're doing and that translates into a winning energy.
There are many advantages to being a Wakefields intern, but having access to the skills of the Academy's training team headed by Nicole Mullins is undoubtedly one of them. Learning from those who've been in the field, who know and understand property from every possible perspective, and who can provide newcomers with all the required tools, gives a Wakefields intern a massive advantage.
Ask Vishay Saikoolal of Chatsworth - he'd spent 15 years as manager of an electro plating company, so his knowledge of property was extremely limited. He says time spent at the Wakefields Academy - and the brilliant training team there - provided him with all the major tools he's needed in the industry, and he applies them daily. Vishay emerged as the branch's number two agent for the 2018/19 financial year, and scooped Agent of the Month several times throughout the short time he has been at Wakefields.
NO IMPEDIMENTS TO SUCCESS
Too young, too old, too anything...? No, there are no impediments to success in the property industry, other than attitude.
Neena Sood is based at the Berea branch. She was concerned her accent would be an impediment; also, her age...but any reservations she had, were overcome almost instantly. In the first year she has been with Wakefields, she has concluded eight sales.
BRINGING SOMETHING DIFFERENT TO THE ROLE
A significant number of interns have made this career their own. They've added something different to their offering, something extraordinary, to set them apart.
Ryan Eatwell in Kloof is an ex-farmer from Mpumalanga. One of his secrets to success is manning Expo stands in shopping centres - for him, that face-to-face interaction is a far more enjoyable way to get to know somebody and build an authentic relationship.
Ushir Shah in Umhlanga, comes from a tech background, and worked extensively with digital marketing. Not content with standard digital marketing tools, he thinks out the box. Ushir produces superb videos of properties, adding text and music - his clients love them!
IT'S MY THING
A number of interns have come from other careers to property and, from the outset, felt entirely at home: "It's my thing..."
Precious Zungu joined the Phoenix branch 18 months ago, after years as a stay-at-home mom. She loves the flexibility it gives her with her children, so she can be a mom, but still have a full-time job to which she gives her all.
Kayleigh Albers has been at the Scottburgh branch for two months and has already concluded her first sale! She joined Wakefields because she no longer felt fulfilled in her teaching career. She loves the adventure, the thrill of property, and lack of predictability.
WORKING WITH PEOPLE, RATHER THAN THINGS
For many, there's something rewarding and satisfying about interacting with people...rather than objects, products and structures. Like these interns.
Angie Walsh in Kloof, was in sales for 20 years...but in the oil industry. She was weary of the corporate life and wanted the reward and good feeling which comes from helping people.
Sonja Arpin has been a year at the Pietermaritzburg branch and from week one, loved it. Her sales background helped - as did having two sisters in other Wakefields' branches egging her on - and it's never boring. She says the Wakefields Academy has made a world of difference to her knowledge.
Sandy Ramdhani is based in Umhlanga Rocks. After years in corporate, she finds making people feel good gives her enormous satisfaction.
RUNNING YOUR OWN BUSINESS
Working for Wakefields, consultants have the benefit of the brand's blueprint, support, and reputation, but within that framework, they can essentially 'run their own businesses.'
Brandon Saunders is based at Shelly Beach. He believes success comes from applying basic business principles. Working in property allows him to be in charge of his own destiny.
Shakila Nair has been at the Berea branch for two years. She's turned Wakefields and her property career into a full family affair - her husband, her extended family, even her children, all assist her with marketing, canvassing and spreading the word.
Palesa Mbatha's been a year on the Berea. What she loves is, contrary to a 9-to-5, she's rewarded for all the work she's put in. She believes success comes from self-discipline, hard work, a never-give-up attitude, and treating it as your own business.
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
Being involved with the community in which you work, is not only immensely satisfying, but a great way to meet everybody and get your name and reputation out there.
Pippa Bowman and Jo Shaw are twins - and a team - who work out of the Midlands office. They've thrown themselves into the community, and in their Wakefields T-shirts, they're gardening at the Hilton Station (which is opposite the Wakefields office). They've asked local residents to donate plants and cuttings, and bring them into the office - great way to meet everybody. Their dedication is also paying dividends, as in the six months since they began with Wakefields, they have concluded six sales worth over R7 million, and they won Agents of the Month in February.
LETTING
Some consultants enjoy letting, others enjoy sales, and others enjoy doing both.
Heinrich Crouse is based in Malvern, and does both letting and sales. He doesn't believe in selling hard, but rather listening hard. His focus is to ascertain exactly what a buyer wants, because once that's achieved, he knows they'll have a home, and he'll have a sale.
Harmfree Nontongoti handles the letting division at Wakefields' Beach branch. Coming from the hospitality industry, he understands about providing the best service possible...whether it translates into repeat business or word-of-mouth referrals.
WORK HARD, REAP THE REWARDS
The idea that, working with property, you are rewarded for the amount of work you put in, is something immensely motivating.
Vicki Rodriguez has been three years with the Berea branch, and does whatever it takes to match clients to the right property. She says there's nothing she won't do to make their job of finding or selling a house easier.
Richard Walters has been at the Berea branch for a year. He owns a surf lodge and surf school on the KZN south coast, so knows about running his own business. At Wakefields, he knows with hard work, there's no limit to how successful he can be. And that's what attracted him to property in the first place. Since joining Wakefields, he has concluded seven sales, securing an average sales price of R1.5 million, and has earned his Bronze status.
Author: Anne Schauffer
