Episode 11: Is It a Good or Bad Idea for an Agent to Join a Team?

2019-12-11

In Episode 11 of the Toe-2-Toe Podcast, hosts Jenn Murtland and Monica Weakley duke it out over whether it’s a good or bad idea to join a team. Hear why Jenn thinks joining a team can help new agents, and learn why Monica believes every agent can succeed on their own. This episode covers important questions to ask if you’ve ever considered joining a team. Episode Highlights: Is it a good or bad idea to join a team? Jenn thinks realtors need an apprentice program. In Jenn’s opinion, new agents especially, need to join teams to...

In Episode 11 of the Toe-2-Toe Podcast, hosts Jenn Murtland and Monica Weakley duke it out over whether it’s a good or bad idea to join a team. Hear why Jenn thinks joining a team can help new agents, and learn why Monica believes every agent can succeed on their own. This episode covers important questions to ask if you’ve ever considered joining a team.

Episode Highlights:

Is it a good or bad idea to join a team?
Jenn thinks realtors need an apprentice program.
In Jenn’s opinion, new agents especially, need to join teams to learn sales skills they may not otherwise have.
However, Jenn does not think you should join a team simply because you haven’t had success. If you’ve been in the industry for a while without success, hire a coach.
Many agents that don’t succeed either don’t have sales skills or they aren’t putting in the work.
A number of people get into real estate because they think they can be their own boss but then they forget to work.
Not everyone who leads a team is a good leader.
Monica believes 80% of teams are lacking leadership from the top.
Monica sees many people join teams out of scarcity and panic.
She feels that people inevitably either outgrow the team or continue to flounder.
When joining a team, ask yourself if you want to be an employee.
Jenn thinks many of these variables depend on the team.
You can’t just expect to be handed everything and keep all the money too.
Jenn feels that the whole team system needs to be overhauled. The barrier to entry needs to be higher and team owners need better leadership skills.
Monica points out that in other industries you would not turn a top salesperson into a sales manager.
Monica believes every agent can succeed on their own.
Not all teams are set up to teach their people.
Jenn would like to see a program where agents are funneled through different aspects of the industry over a few years.
In the Lab Coat Agents Facebook group, agents were split on this question.
Whether or not you should join a team depends on a lot of variables.
Jenn reiterates her position that new licensees should join teams to learn.
If you're going to join a team you need to talk to several teams, interview them, have an understanding of what their program looks like, what you're going to learn, and what the end goal is.
Monica believes there’s room to support each other without having to commingle your lives so much.
Monica recounts the drama of team exits.
Monica's coach says that before you ask advice from someone you should find out if they've made a lot of money, or lost a lot of money in that arena. Then, ask yourself if you would trade places with that person.
When you're doing anything new, you need 3-4 months to reflect on whether something is the best fit.

3 Key Points:

Joining a team can be a great idea for new agents who have a lot to learn.
Everyone can succeed on their own, so joining a team may not be essential.
If you do join a team, do your homework. Interview people, understand their system and know the end goal.

Resources Mentioned: