MISSOURI 9-26-22

MISSOURI EDITION

3 SUREFIRE METHODS THAT

HOW TO CUT DOWN ON DIGITAL DISTRACTIONS AND UP YOUR PRODUCTIVITY CONNECT BEYOND REAL ESTATE

TO ATTRACT FUTURE CLIENTS

MAKE FOR A PRODUCTIVE MEETING FEATURED AGENTS

DAWN RIGGINS KAT LAXAGUE

HOW TO BUILD A TEAM THAT WILL WIN BIG NO MATTER ITS SIZE

COVER STORY

EMILY POPA

MISSOURI EDITION

Whether it is a luxury home client, a first-time home buyer

KAT LAXAGUEinvestor, DAWN RIGGINS or an experienced

Laxague’s talent for real estate Top Specializing Riggins of Kansas City,KatMissouri, “We don’t offer Agent Emily Popa ofa one-s 7 16was Offerpad.

20 ® from the very beginning. She all, traditional listing service.

Missouri, K who has ird generation REALTORapparent We ha Murney Associates is focused produced over $4 million in sales during ned her inherited industry expertise eral listing options and exponentiall we allow her first year, and hasn’t slowed down the issues th on having highest and tailored listing services to When grow it comes to working hard, to choose her whatclients’ best suitstransition, their need since. b l estate enterprise for theKat pastnever twenmeans we have more funds available hesitates, always wantingand to best interest at heart. different bea years. “I guess I got started whento reach new heights. “I was pairs and staging work, ifto needed; push herself move here raised by aonsingle mom, and started my also make a cash offer forway of list life n junior high, typing up contracts every firstappointjob at age 14,” she explains. Kat took our clients writer and going on listing can fall backtoday-to-day on atclients anya ® REALTORS live a life of service their first job as a server and transformed nities. Some and showings with my that dad.

After in flexibility affords Da helpingThis them built to navigate the sometimes-convolute it into a successful career as a regional with land an process of making what will likely be the the bigges to college, I realized realPOPA estate was to better serve grouf EMILY DAWN RIGGINS KAT LAXAGUE manager of a national food chain. This opportunity help them purchase of their lifetime.

It is always a situation o ssion, so I ended up in realledestate at the most about assisting: “I love her tofull entertime the distribution side ofpassionate the goals.being She o ‘What can I do for you?’ But for most REALTORS eighteen.” work with first one-and-done time buyers, educate the food industry, becoming a district sales one home to include features of aPop pr it’smanager never a to transaction.

Emily of the largest geographical areas in Arizona. like tractor orget lawi work through entireneed, process. didn’t of Murneythe Associates knows thataIwell.

Since 200 those she– e ® CONTENTS whento she a ask REALTOR inhouses Southwes her early start in the profession, Dawn has ex- business get became rich quick or to questions,” flip to take on new challenges, it Missouri was onlyshe natural focused on serving, having clients d her endeavors to keep Eager up with the burgeonthis because I like helping people, and the I don’t for Kat to explore a path in real estate.

She and first best con-interest Giving back While is an import highest atAheart. keepin 4) CONNECT BEYOND 17) HOW TO BUILD ecommunications marketssidered around Kansas City. see anybody struggle.” ® it after moving to the west good central Missouri withwas head of the Henry relationship other REALTORS , EmilC ESTATEarea TOfrombut TEAM THAT WILL WIN used to beREAL an agricultural town, in the past California and Arizona. “I will decided to move in Clinton for twoavailabl years. not stop exploring all the options ATTRACT FUTURE CLIENTS BIG NO MATTER ITS SIZE to twenty-five years, things haveoutreally shift- soHer for extends well beyond he my mom of California, we passion started looking for achieve tion there inreal order to goals serv ensuring hersupport clients their estate Whether it is that a Kansas luxury home a first-tim a housewith for Facebook’s her here,” Kat explains.

“And with Women’s Council of REA ’re going through big changes and into the greater City client, community.

Sh 14) 3 SUREFIRE METHODS 21) HOW TO CUT DOWN ON homethen buyer, an experienced investor, wil time to her Leadership role came moving family, myorsiscompany, Meta, announcing their plansmy to niece houseand her larly mentors up-and-coming agents, andPopa volunt dedicate her full attention and provide the service MAKE FOR DISTRACTIONS AND eXp Kansas & Missouri S ter.

So everyone was moving hereDIGITAL I was having so warehouseTHAT here, and several other large compatimeand aiding new homeowners with home repai they need and deserve. muchMEETING fun looking for homes for UP them.”

BeforePRODUCTIVITY long, A PRODUCTIVE YOUR e following suit.” This transition has advice, and industry In theconsultations. coming years, Whe Kat Kat decided to bolstered earn her licensenancing and become an agent.

As Emily often says, “My clients are my friends. s business to exponentialShe’s heights: at the time of not busy chasing her goal of two hundred trans cation even more, as she’ since landed at eXp Realty, where she is now Thus, she will strive to have the best ever g in 2022, August is not yet complete, andteam.

Dawn she can be found in thecertified stands of outcome a Mizzou mentor, relocatio growing her own single time, every single transaction. This is wh and military relocation p eady closed one hundred and three transactions game,most where shebusiness watches hera from daughter cheerlea of her comes repeat clients an Phone 310-734-1440 | Fax of 310-734-1440 certified with the National this brokerage is that by helping othyear. “My goal is to clear“The twomagic hundred transacword of mouth referrals. She is trustworthy, pas and serves on three differe successful, successful,” she mag@topagentmagazine.com | www.topagentmagazine.com about her work, open minded, and is alway n a single year.

That willers be become one busy year, butyou becomesionate meTop to Agent haveMagazine sonew. muchEmily morei Their inbusiness is vastly different from No portion of this issueexplains. may be reproduced any mannermodel whatsoever without prior consent of thetopublisher. looking at ways learn something it will happen soon!” is published by Featureothers Publications Although precautions are taken ensure theto accuracy Top so wematerials, aren’t waiting on oth in GA, theInc.industry, allowing theirto agents take of published there for her clients and her community.

Agent Magazine cannot be held100% responsible opinions expressed or facts supplied by its authors. home of for their commissions after reaching their To subscribe or change address, send inquiry to mag@topagentmagazine.com. tremendous sales volume, Dawn prides findsYet immense in h I love their Published in the U.S. annual cap. “I was drawn to eXp because Usually, Emily keeps itKat private. this timejoy aroun

e her estateshedreams.

She can’t cutting technology they provide on her ability (with the help ofedge a dedicated co-and the freedom she decided to share what does outside of reai “My clients depend on me agents.

It’s aclients. fast-paced environment, and I thrive tor) to keep in touch withtheir all of her past to Top make decisions. in that.”

2 Agent MagazineAnd tha oordinator helps me make sure our celebratory Copyright Top Agent Magazine g gift basket makes its way into every home, and

mailto:mag@topagentmagazine.com

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CONNECT BEYOND

REAL ESTATE

to Attract Future Clients What kind of content are you sharing on your blog, website, and social media? Does most of it have something to do with buying or selling a home? While sharing the latest market information or tips on how to qualify for a mortgage, or when someone should buy or sell is important and demonstrates your value as a REALTOR®, it shouldn’t be the only subject you cover. If you only focus on real estate, you’ll be missing the chance to connect with future clients that might not be ready to move just yet. By sharing a lot

of industry-heavy content, you are only going to appeal to those who are currently in the market rather than a broad base of potential clients.

To pull in those other future clients you want to provide fresh, interesting content that will appeal to those possible future clients that aren’t quite ready to move yet. However, you also want to still tie this content back into your business goals.

So, how do you share content that will speak to a wider audience, but also still be relevant to your business?

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Talk About Your Philanthropic Activities

The philanthropic work you do to support your community says a great deal about who you are as a person. Many people will be attracted to working with you because of the charitable works you are involved with. While you may be hesitant to share these efforts because you feel it may come across as bragging, you also need to remember that sharing information about the charitable organizations you support will actually help those organizations. Many of them have small marketing budgets, so any free exposure you can give them helps to promote their cause.

In fact, they want and need you to promote them.

And you can promote them without coming across as a braggart. Focus your content entirely on the organization. Talk about why you support them, how they help the community, and how others can also get involved. This turns what could have been bragging into something that benefits everyone. n

Your Local Community

We humans are connected to each other through our community – our local sports teams, parks, churches, schools, and much more. What better way is there to connect with people in your community than to talk about your community? Demonstrate that you are an expert on your community, and bring that community to your followers. Share information about a local event; perhaps even share the actual event through live-stream video. Interview city officials to get the low-down on the latest development project. Share information with your followers about things they didn’t know about their community. Consult with local historians or the historical society to share interesting information about your community that your followers will want to read. You could even turn it into a series of podcasts or videos. n

Use Your Creativity to Connect

Find creative ways to engage your followers on the topic of real estate. Try engaging your followers in an interactive project such as posting photos of interesting front doors. Doors are the entry point into our homes as well as our private lives. The way we adorn our front door can give someone a sense of our style and personality. Ask followers to submit photos and choose one to post each Friday. Make sure to watermark each photo with your logo at the bottom and include an inspirational quote that ties back to the importance of home. You could also ask your followers to provide a little story or caption to go along with the photo that tells something about them and their home. These kinds of projects are interesting and unique, and clearly connect back to your business. n

Share Your Hobbies

Are you an adrenalin junkie who has bungee jumped from some of the tallest bridges in the world? Are you a foodie that grows your own organic vegetables and fruit? Do you have a Top Agent Magazine

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secret passion for photography? Everyone has hobbies that they enjoy outside of work. When you look past the surface people become quite interesting. People also happen to find interesting people interesting, and tend to remember people based on their distinctive traits. We humans love discovering a person’s behind the scenes story, the mind behind the face. While you don’t want to talk too much about yourself, sharing pieces of your personal life and things that interest you can be a great way to connect with followers. By sharing interesting facts about your life, you will find that many followers will feel a strong, personal connection to you based on your hobbies and personal interests. n

Divulge Interesting Experiences

This is somewhat similar to the idea of sharing your hobbies. Sharing some of your more interesting personal experiences such as a fateful conversation with a stranger or an exciting adventure you had while in another country can be a great way to connect with followers as long as it also relates to some kind of life or business lesson. Talk about experiences you’ve had with clients or purchasing your own home. Experiences that relate to your business are great ways to connect with future clients in a manner that goes beyond the world of business. n

What and Who Inspires You

No matter what you’ve chosen to spend your life doing, you didn’t get there alone. You may have had a mentor that made a special impact on your life or someone already in the business that you looked up to and who perhaps inspired you to get into real estate. You may have found inspiration through a love of architecture or design. People want to know why others do the things they do. Sharing who or what influences you in your personal and business life is a great way to connect with followers. Recognizing that you didn’t get to where you are now by yourself shows humility, and talking about those people that had an influence on you shows others that you stay connected to the world and people around you.

Connecting with potential clients is something that is essential to any REALTOR’S® business. If you’re doing the work to create interesting blog posts and make those connections, you want to make sure that you’re sharing the right kind of content to draw in those future clients. It takes a lot more than simply providing the latest market news. To get the most out of what you share, you need to provide a wide array of interesting content

that will draw in a broad range of followers.

Providing the right kind of content can make all the difference when it comes to connecting with future clients and building the right kind of relationship with them right from the start. Connecting through your website or social media and sharing more than just real estate advice will help you build confidence and trust with future clients before you even meet them.

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EMILY POPA Top Agent Magazine

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Whether it is a luxury home client, a first-time home buyer, or an experienced investor, Top Agent Emily Popa of Murney Associates is focused on having her clients’ highest and best interest at heart.

REALTORS® live a life of service to their clients, helping them to navigate the sometimes-convoluted process of making what will likely be the biggest purchase of their lifetime. It is always a situation of ‘What can I do for you?’ But for most REALTORS® it’s never a one-and-done transaction. Emily Popa of Murney Associates knows that well. Since 2007 when she became a REALTOR® in Southwest Missouri she focused on serving, having the clients’ highest and best interest at heart. While keeping good relationship with other REALTORS®, Emily will not stop exploring all the options available ensuring her clients achieve their real estate goals.

Whether it is a luxury home client, a first-time home buyer, or an experienced investor, Popa will dedicate her full attention and provide the services they need and deserve.

As Emily often says, “My clients are my friends.”

Thus, she will strive to have the best outcome every single time, every single transaction. This is why most of her business comes from repeat clients and word of mouth referrals. She is trustworthy, passionate about her work, open minded, and is always looking at ways to learn something new. Emily is there for her clients and her community.

Usually, Emily keeps it private. Yet this time around she decided to share what she does outside of real 8Copyright Top Agent Magazine

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estate field in hope of encouraging others to be part of the change our communities need. One of the projects she’s part of, is that since 2018 together with her husband, Emily is involved and contributes on a weekly basis to help the needy and the homeless people in Springfield area. “We started by taking the time to listen, talk, help, and pray for those in the neighborhood who asked for support.

Yet I knew more was to be done,” says Emily.

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In 2019, as the number of people requesting help grew, she took a leap of faith and asked the church board members to grant permission for her to prepare healthy homemade meals at church. Free meals were given to those in need from the neighborhood.

More business professionals and church members got involved in the local community by working together in providing emotional and financial support, encouragement, guidance, along with healthy

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homemade meals. On a weekly basis, more than 200 people receive free meals along with other individualized help. During the summer, the number has been increasing to around 250 weekly attendees, and the number of the participants is constantly growing.

“It is heartwarming to see that we can bring help, joy, and hope to those in need. To see people back on their feet, free from addictions, and into a safe place after they have been homeless for extended period of time, it is indeed a miracle we rejoice witnessing” says Emily. “While I never dealt with addiction or poverty at personal level, in a way, I know what it means to start life again from the most basic things. I’ll forever be thankful for my family’s support when I came to the United States.

Therefore, I wish to pay it forward and help others who need help and encouragement.”

Emily migrated from Romania. She is also donating or volunteering in various other groups, providing help for low-income families, abused Copyright Top Agent Magazine 10

women, single parents, supporting education for children in undeveloped countries, and help for the veterans. Together with a team, Emily is working and aiming to create rehabilitation centers in Southwest Missouri for those who are determined to exit homelessness and addiction lifestyle, providing individualized support and training, as well the encouragement for the participants. “I just love helping people and this is my drive force,” she said.

It’s this giving spirit that attracts people to Emily and has her paying forward, helping others in every possible way she can. Whether it’s selling homes in Greater Springfield market, or volunteering in the local community through various means, Emily strives to be a positive influence and focuses on giving back in a big way. “I consider myself a simple woman. So, if I can make it this far to have a thriving business and to touch so many lives, I believe everybody can achieve their dreams and goals if they work hard, put heart into all they do, and stay focused,” she said.

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With every possible chance, Emily loves spending time together with her husband Ionel (John) Popa and their three children. They love God, helping people, listening to music, reading books, enjoying nature, and creating artwork painting among other activities.

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Going forward, Emily is looking to a bright future, building a team with a focus on creative ways to continue improving her business model as well as greater involvement in the community.

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www.

Emily can be contacted by email at Emily@EmilyPopa.com or phone at (417) 693-5445, Emily’s profile can be found at realtor.com/realestateagents/5673659d0fa4170100716ab5 and her website is emilypopa.murney.com https://

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3 Surefire Methods that Make for a Productive Meeting Sometimes a business meeting can achieve exactly what it sets out to do: communicate, assess actions, set goals, or otherwise. Other times, meetings can feel like a drain on your time and energy, and only advance your agenda in marginal ways. While meetings are an integral form of communication in the professional world, how can you ensure that they are both productive and worthwhile?

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The truth is, it takes intentioned planning to make a meeting a success. A well-curated meeting makes partners and employees feel unified as a team, excited about what’s to come, and motivated to achieve a collective goal. With that in mind, consider a few approaches below to maximize your next meeting and ensure that all parties involved leave with a renewed sense of direction and inspiration.

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1. Create a detailed agenda in advance Oftentimes meetings are scheduled with a loose goal in mind—to hash out the terms of a contract or to strategize a new marketing campaign, for example. To ensure your meeting is productive, time-efficient, and achieves its end, create a detailed agenda in advance. This means breaking down your overarching goal into pieces and outlining what’s required to complete each component. You might also consider making time blocks for each respective component, so there is a clear structure and hierarchy in place. Not only does this ensure that time is used wisely and evenly, but it also creates order and momentum for the greater task at hand. What’s more, you’ll want to distribute this detailed agenda in advance of your meeting, so that all attendees will be familiar with the format and delineated goals of your gathering. This will set a professional tone, while keeping team members and conversation on task.

2. Reserve off-topics ideas and comments for later Too many meetings are derailed when an off-topic question or comment is made and hijacks the attentions of attendees. While it’s natural that outlying issues may arise when all team members are gathered, you can ward off distractions by creating a so-called holding area for off-topic talking points. This holding area will serve as the receptacle for any off-topic or lower priority addendum, and you can create a chunk of time towards the end of your meeting to readdress those Top Agent Magazine

points separately. Once you’ve achieved the highest priority goals of your meeting, you can then return to the items in your holding area. Note: be sure to familiarize your staff with this approach so that the expectation is already in place and interruptions won’t distract from your meeting’s true intent.

3. Conclude every meeting with a brief summary and action items The very last thing you should do before concluding your meeting is to reemphasize the main takeaways of your gathering and outline a specific list of action items. Again, successful meetings are clear and give attendees a sense of direction. That’s why reiterating action items—or next steps in need of completion—to each respective employee is an essential component of a productive meeting. Likewise, summarizing main takeaways unifies a team’s understanding of what’s important and why the meeting was called in the first place. Ending on a concrete yet proactive note helps launch team members toward the next event in their day and gives them a sense of confidence as they tackle their duties.

Meetings don’t have to be a formality or a bore. When planned and executed with incisiveness, they can inspire your talent roster and streamline productivity in your office.

Especially in the world of real estate, ensuring everyone is on the same page and doing their jobs effectively is key to success and longevity. Put a little planning into your next meeting, and you’ll save yourself valuable time and energy as you move forward.

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DAWN RIGGINS Dawn Riggins of Kansas City, Missouri, is a third generation REALTOR® who has combined her inherited industry expertise with hand tailored listing services to grow her real estate enterprise for the past twenty-four years. “I guess I got started when I was in junior high, typing up contracts on a typewriter and going on listing appointments and showings with my dad. After I went to college, I realized real estate was my passion, so I ended up in real estate full time at the age of eighteen.”

Since her early start in the profession, Dawn has expanded her endeavors to keep up with the burgeoning telecommunications markets around Kansas City.

“This used to be an agricultural town, but in the past twenty to twenty-five years, things have really shifted. We’re going through big changes with Facebook’s parent company, Meta, announcing their plans to house a data warehouse here, and several other large companies are following suit.” This transition has bolstered Dawn’s business to exponential heights: at the time of writing in 2022, August is not yet complete, and Dawn has already closed one hundred and three transactions for the year. “My goal is to clear two hundred transactions in a single year. That will be one busy year, but I think it will happen soon!”

Despite her tremendous sales volume, Dawn prides herself on her ability (with the help of a dedicated coordinator) to keep in touch with all of her past clients.

“My coordinator helps me make sure our celebratory closing gift basket makes its way into every home, and we touch base with our clients quarterly throughout the first year. After that, we check in for anniversaries and celebrations.” Her dedication to interpersonal connectedness helps Dawn maintain a book of business that is over seventy percent repeat and referral clients.

In addition to her extensive network, Dawn attributes her success to the refined marketing techniques and flexible services supported by her brokerage, 16

Offerpad. “We don’t offer a one-size-fitsall, traditional listing service. We have several listing options and we allow clients to choose what best suits their needs. This means we have more funds available for repairs and staging work, if needed; and we also make a cash offer for every listing that our clients can fall back on at any time.”

This built in flexibility affords Dawn the opportunity to better serve the group she is most passionate about assisting: “I love being able to work with first time home buyers, educate them, and work through the entire process. I didn’t get into this business to get rich quick or to flip houses – I chose this because I like helping people, and I don’t want to see anybody struggle.”

Her passion for support extends well beyond her clients and into the greater Kansas City community. She regularly mentors up-and-coming agents, and volunteers her time aiding new homeowners with home repairs, refinancing advice, and industry consultations. When she’s not busy chasing her goal of two hundred transactions, she can be found in the stands of a Mizzou football game, where she watches her daughter cheerlead!

To learn more about Dawn Riggins, email dawn.riggins@offerpad.com, or call 816-937-3985.

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How to Build a Team That Will Win Big No Matter its Size In the real estate world building a team is a goal almost every agent strives towards achieving. Doing business with a team as opposed to solo has numerous advantages. With more agents handling clients as well as other employees specialized in areas such as marketing and administrative support there to assist you; you can greatly increase your business and sales.

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So, when creating a team, logic would tell us that the bigger it is, the better, right? Wrong. When it comes to real estate teams, size doesn’t matter so much as the players you bring onto that team to work with you. A team doesn’t have to be big to win big, and here are the secrets to building a team that wins big no matter its size.

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Hire the Right Team Members

Put Your Team Members in the Right Positions to Win

You’ve probably heard the saying, “you’re only as strong as you’re weakest link.” That idea holds true for any kind of team, including those in real estate. If you have weak members on your team, then it’s not possible to have a strong team. Drawing strong team members to your business is essential.

Finding strong team members is just one part of the equation. As the leader of your team, you now have to assess each member’s strengths and weaknesses and position them appropriately. You want the best player for each role playing that part and catering to their strengths. Choose your team member’s roles wisely, and place each individual in the position where their strengths can shine and they can best contribute to a win for the entire team. Every role is important to the team working smoothly and winning as a whole, so it is important to place each team member in the role most suited to his or her skills.

To better understand what kind of person would make a strong addition to your team, you need to ask yourself what skills and characteristics you want your team members to possess. The strongest members are often ones that share their leader’s values. When you share values with your teammates, you are all running along the same course towards the same goal as one. Your definition of a victory in this case is also your teammates’ definition of it. This helps strengthen even the smallest of numbers because you are all working together toward a common goal.

Another characteristic too look out for in potential team members is a positive attitude. You can teach someone the skills needed in real estate, but you can’t teach someone how to have a positive attitude.

Positive members tend to achieve more due to their optimistic nature, but more importantly, they spread that positive attitude to the rest of the team, which improves every members’ performance.

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Communicating Your Vision to Your Team

Your team members are the key ingredients to ultimate victory, but what recipe do you follow now to lead them to victory? That is what communication is for a winning team; the recipe you will use to

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help best utilize each team member and instruct them on how they need to work together to fulfill the recipe that will lead them to be a winning team. Your team members need to know the plan and you must give them the tools to successfully execute it.

It is up to the leader of a team to help your players see your vision and help them understand what a victory looks like. The goal may seem simple and obvious to you, but you must communicate it over and over again to your team members, so they understand it as well as you do. With different personalities coming together to form a unit, you are going to be dealing with numerous challenges such as competing agendas. You will find this on any team. You must keep the goal and at the forefront of your player’s minds in order to encourage them to put aside their own personal desires in order to come together as one cohesive, single-minded unit and push towards the team’s goal.

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Give Your Team Members the Tools to Help Them Perform at Their Best The final thing all great leaders do is equip their team members with the proper tools and training needed for them to succeed. You have to show them how they can each come together with their different strengths to work as a team towards one unified goal. This involves more than simple skills training, but also endurance, so they can last as a team and win even those matches that seem unending and impossible.

Think of all the challenges that they could possibly face ahead, and clear their path to victory by giving them the necessary training and tools they will need to get past any obstacle. As the leader, you must be prepared to continually communicate the team’s goal and your vision. Use that vision to motivate your team members throughout the journey towards victory.

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KAT LAXAGUE Kat Laxague’s talent for real estate was apparent from the very beginning. She produced over $4 million in sales during her first year, and hasn’t slowed down since. When it comes to working hard, Kat never hesitates, always wanting to push herself to reach new heights. “I was raised by a single mom, and started my first job at age 14,” she explains. Kat took that first job as a server and transformed it into a successful career as a regional manager of a national food chain. This led her to enter the distribution side of the food industry, becoming a district sales manager to one of the largest geographical areas in Arizona.

Eager to take on new challenges, it was only natural for Kat to explore a path in real estate. She first considered it after moving to the west central Missouri area from California and Arizona. “I decided to move my mom out of California, so we started looking for a house for her here,” Kat explains. “And with that came moving my niece and her family, then my sister. So everyone was moving here and I was having so much fun looking for homes for them.” Before long, Kat decided to earn her license and become an agent.

She’s since landed at eXp Realty, where she is now growing her own team.

“The magic of this brokerage is that by helping others become successful, you become successful,” she explains. Their business model is vastly different from others in the industry, allowing their agents to take home 100% of their commissions after reaching their annual cap. “I was drawn to eXp because I love their cutting edge technology and the freedom they provide their agents. It’s a fast-paced environment, and I thrive in that.”

Specializing in helping people move to Missouri, Kat has seen her business grow exponentially. “I help people navigate the issues that may come up during this transition, because this state is a whole different beast,” she says. Those seeking to move here tend to appreciate this area’s way of life, where residents enjoy the day-to-day and form closer knit communities. Some newcomers want a property with land and a farm, and Kat is eager to help them find the right place for their goals. She often negotiates with sellers to include features of a property that the buyers might need, like a tractor or lawn mowers. “I’m not afraid to ask those questions,” she explains.

Giving back is an important part of Kat’s work. She was head of the Henry County Community Outreach in Clinton for two years. Kat resigned from her position there in order to serve as an active member of the Women’s Council of REALTORS® and to devote more time to her Leadership role in the Executive Team of the eXp Kansas & Missouri State Leadership Council.

In the coming years, Kat plans on expanding her education even more, as she’s a lifelong learner. She’s a certified mentor, relocation expert, foreclosure expert, and a military relocation professional. Kat is also C2EX certified with the National Association of REALTORS®, and serves on three different MLS boards. “This allows me to have so much more information at my fingertips, so we aren’t waiting on others for answers.”

Kat finds immense joy in helping people with their real estate dreams. She can’t imagine a more perfect path.

“My clients depend on me to be their eyes and ears, and to make decisions. And that is so important to me.”

For more about Kat Laxague, please call 602-332-2302 or email katlaxaguerealestate@gmail.com

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How to Cut Down on Digital Distractions

and Up Your Productivity As a real estate professional, staying tethered to your phone and computer are likely par for the course. When your office is on-the-go and you’re fielding round-the-clock questions from clients, it’s only natural that you’ll be drawn to your phone for professional updates. From refreshing your inbox and engaging with clients on social media, to drafting email blasts and coordinating with colleagues by text message— Top Agent Magazine

it can feel impossible to untangle yourself from the worldwide web.

As a professional, you may not be able to withdraw from the digital world completely, but there are a few techniques you can use to limit your extraneous digital distractions and streamline the time you spend online. After all, it’s entirely common to faithfully begin one task and then

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get unexpectedly drawn down the digital rabbit hole. To save yourself time and virtual burnout, here are a few ways to unplug, recharge, and make the most of your time online and off.

Focus on one digital task at a time.

While multi-tasking may seem like a sound approach to productivity, this method usually results in surface-level progress across a few tasks, rather than reaching the finish line on any.

Instead of opening multiple tabs and trying to do it all at once, hone in on one digital task at a time. Have emails to return? Allocate an hour to work exclusively on this to-do list item. Need to post a new blog entry? Pencil in a dedicated half hour. If you focus on one task a time and exclusively devote your energy and productivity to it for a set period, you’ll make a far bigger dent in your list of duties for the day.

Give yourself a curfew.

In the real estate business, the hours may seem never-ending, but if you don’t want to slow your productivity with fatigue, you’ve got to set some boundaries. Try setting up a digital curfew for yourself and put your phone away after a certain hour. Devote an hour or two before bedtime to time away from your computer and your phone—read a book, prep your lunch for the next day, or try a round of mindful meditation. Carve out space and time to disconnect from your technology and stick to the habit. By morning, you’ll be refreshed and ready to dive back in.

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Mute social media notifications and create dedicated check-in times instead.

Instead of taking a reactionary approach to social media—waiting for the dings and pings that lure you back to your screen—try muting some of your social media alerts and instead dedicate three timed windows per day to check-in on your timelines and engagement. If you’re constantly interrupted at unexpected intervals when someone likes a post or leaves a comment, your whole workflow can be derailed. Instead, unchain yourself from the instant gratification of responding to every buzz and beep your phone emits. Systematize your professional social media life and you’ll stay organized and on task.

Keep your inbox organized.

While it may take some time and effort to create a sorting system for your email inbox, it can go a long way to limiting distractions and stress. Create folders and an organizational flow and every communication will have a place and a priority.

That way, when you open up your inbox and have to go digging for old emails or exchanges with past clients, you won’t have to waste time sorting or feel overwhelmed by the clutter. If everything has its place, you’ll have an unobstructed, streamlined canvass to conduct business from.

Digital distractions don’t have to derail your day or sap your productivity. Email, internet, social media—all are tools to be commanded. With the right planning, understanding, and consistent execution, you’ll be able to wield the power of each without the downside of distraction.

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