From Exhaustion to Prosperity: How Michelle Terry Transformed Her Real Estate Business
Michelle Terry, a seasoned real estate professional, once believed she had it all – a thriving business, numerous credentials, and a robust client base in Massachusetts and Connecticut. In reality, her hectic schedule was taking a toll on her well-being.
As the owner and broker at the Michelle Terry Team at EXIT Real Estate Executives, Michelle’s credentials included being an Accredited Buyer’s Representative (ABR®), New Construction Specialist, Licensed Real Estate Instructor, Real Estate Investor, a Notary Public, and a Graduate, Realtor® Institute. Despite her achievements, the relentless pace of her work left her constantly exhausted.
Michelle couldn’t even find a moment for a break from work. “I could sell a whole lot of houses, but there’d be times when I could count 120 days in a row that I didn’t have a day off,” recalled Michelle. “I felt like the Tasmanian Devil — rushing here and there and constantly putting out fires all over the place! My heart was racing 100 miles an hour.”
Michelle daydreamed of working less but was skeptical her business could thrive without her direct involvement in every aspect.
Making a Daydream a Reality
It wasn’t until Michelle heard Verl Workman, founder of Workman Success Systems, address a conference that she realized she could change the way she ran her brokerage. Inspired by his commitment to helping people succeed, Michelle decided it was time to transform her life. “I met Verl in 2017, and I wish I had met him back in 1997,” she remarked.
Michelle immediately set a meeting with Workman Success System and began transforming her business. “When I started with Workman, I was just an agent running a brokerage, without enough time to help everybody to build their business and foundation — an awful lot of that had to change,” said Michelle. “That first year, I learned a lot of hard lessons as I tried to put my own spin on everything that was already created.”
Embracing Defined Processes
Before collaborating with Workman, Michelle’s brokerage generated just under $350,000 in commissions annually without having any defined structure and processes. Workman’s research reveals that only 56% of real estate professionals have systems in place for activities repeated three or more times.
Determined to implement positive changes, Michelle embraced the systems and processes recommended by Workman. The results were transformative — her brokerage’s annual commissions grew to $521,000 in the first year after implementing Workman systems and an impressive $1.2 million within three years.
Michelle’s team flourished during this period of transformation. Erika Ramsland, a team member, credits Workman Success Systems for the team’s newfound success. “We noticed it really working — just one deal after another, rolling into each other. The systems allowed that to happen. They tell us when to follow up, what to do, what to say, all of that. It keeps us in line and allows us to make those deals continue to happen.”
By moving beyond her daydreams to taking action, Michelle not only achieved significant financial success but also reclaimed the time she needed to recharge and enjoy life.
