Join us as we Shine A Light on Renée Roqué - Realtor® and WomanUP!® WaveMaker, Novelette Witt - Broker/Owner at Morgen Real Estate, Inc., and Kymberley Dumas - Broker at K Dumas Homes!
Welcome, Ladies! Let’s start at the beginning… We would love to hear about your leadership journeys. Please introduce yourself and share the key steps on your path that led you to become the version of you here with us today!
Renée:
Thanks so much!! Women’s Council of REALTORs® has been the most significant key to my leadership journey and showed me that I could lead and have a voice and there are important issues that I am passionate about such as homelessness, housing affordability and homeowner’s rights. Yesterday’s Implicit Bias - playing field is not even.
Novelette:
I arrived at this stage in my life by volunteering. That is, I didn’t just join a committee and sit back or choose one of the top real estate brokerages to teach me real estate by just keeping my head down and “staying in my lane.” That’s merely surviving. I have to constantly push myself a bit and get comfortable with the uneasiness so I can push through it.
Kymberley:
The key steps in my path that allowed me step into my role as a leader were staying positive discipline, and open to change
As you look back, tell us about your favorite business lesson. Perhaps it was learned during a risky move that didn’t pay off, a challenging project, or while hiring or firing a team member. How did you address it? Did you ask for help?
Renée:
Without a doubt, the largest business lesson I had to walk through was leaving my Team at ReMax. I thought I would never work again and I was the breadwinner for the family and I was scared to death! In the Counsel of many there is wisdom so I asked Realtors I admired their advice because I was a fairly new Realtor. Many of those were Council Realtors. Sisters are Top Producers throughout the country in your cell phone.
Kymberley:
My favorite business lesson started very early. I was introduced to trade @ a very young age. I experienced Corporate America early (experience as a general manager) vs my beliefs today
Novelette:
One of my scariest and most challenging moments was when I decided I was ready to open my own brokerage as planned, I had a five-year timeline, which I made no secret of. My Broker at the time felt I was making a big mistake and that I would never succeed on my own. For some time, I took it personally, I did not believe her, but I felt hurt, however, I had to let it go in order to move on.
One of the most voted-on topics this year was Leading Under Pressure. We are working collectively to ditch the pressure to be perfect, striving to never make a mistake, and only raising our hands when we feel we check every single box.
Renée:
Kymberley:
Novelette:
Let’s talk about how each of you has navigated the pressures of leadership - especially with the ever-changing, fear-based media about the market. Peak pressure moments are riddled with anxiety that leaders must learn to manage, not ignore.
Renée:
Kymberley:
Novelette:
What advice do you have for leaders feeling the pressure?
Renée:
Be authentic - acknowledge the challenge as a team & LISTEN to your team. We are gifted in different ways & those giftings may rub you wrong sometimes and can be a blessing. So find Trusted girlfriends to be authentic with - that post “behind every successful woman leader is a group text hyping her up” - find your tribe. We aren’t meant to walk this journey alone - we were made for community! Keep walking through - any issues - resolve in private - not public. Be wise - there is always someone watc
Kymberley:
There is no success without trial . When you're managing so much it is only natural to feel pressure and sometime anxiety.. For me I feel it and once I find my flow it comes natural.
Novelette:
Do or don’t. You can’t be indecisive. And you must be ok with walking away. You have to know your value and shut out the noise. It is not a one and done, it is a journey.
Before I ask you for your final words of wisdom… would you please share a few books or podcasts you LOVE and recommend to other leaders in your life?
Renée:
Bible - Jesus was the ultimate leader - servant leader
Purpose Driven Life - Rick Warren (https://www.purposedriven.com/)
Kymberley:
Crazy Faith by (Michael Todd)
The Purpose Driven Life by (Warren Zondervan)
Novelette:
The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz
Race for Profit by Keenga-Yamahtta Taylor
You can find thousands of books/audiobooks, including the ones recommended here, by borrowing from your local library, including N.A.R.’s library via the Libby App, complimentary. Libby is available for both iOS and Android https://www.overdrive.com/apps/libby
It’s time to share your final words of wisdom. Let’s start with you, Renée!
Renée:
Find trusted - Chris Lee - those who have your back no matter what.
Kymberley:
BE kind to yourself
Novelette:
You must know who you are and trust yourself. And if you don’t know yourself, then you’ve got some work to do. It can be a little scary, but it is good fun. And the rewards are priceless life journeys because we are a work in progress.
Connect with our guests on LinkedIn:
Connect with Renée here:
Connect with Kymberley here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kymberley-dumas-714b0280
Connect with Novelette here: