It pays to surround yourself with the best.
“Does it pay to be outstanding at what you do? Absolutely. But, when you’re in business, it’s also extremely important to surround yourself with excellent individuals. For anyone going into business, any business, I think that in order to succeed, that’s what you need to do.”
That advice comes from Lucas Haun, of Knoxville-based Keller Williams Signature, a businessman who can certainly speak from experience when it comes to running a successful company. Since opening doors as a Keller Williams Signature office in 2008, Lucas has earned his place as one of the highest ranking REALTORS in the Southeast. He’s been named the number one luxury agent in the Keller Williams realty group, Knoxville’s favorite realtor by the Knoxville News Sentinel, best realtor by Cityview Magazine readers, and a host of other accolades.
“There’s this perception out there,” he says, “that the real estate industry is easy to get into and that success comes quickly and easily. Well, that’s simply not the case. Starting a real estate business is just like starting any other. First, you’ve got to look at the numbers. The numbers have to work, and if the numbers don’t work, then you need to wait until they do so you don’t get in over your head. Also, make sure you have a model to work from. Having a model has certainly contributed largely to our success. Like the saying goes, Rome wasn’t built in a day. It takes years of hard work and dedication and even then, there are no guarantees. As I mentioned earlier, I truly believe that the most critical piece is bringing in the right people.”
Lucas has been successful bringing in the right talent by setting high standards. “For starters,” he explains, “we have a minimum production level. Unlike many offices, an agent can’t simply come into our offices and hang their license there.” As you can imagine, the hard work required does two things, Lucas says: One, it discourages those individuals who aren’t completely serious and committed to doing the hard work and two, it attracts and motivates those top-tier performers who are committed and will thrive in this kind of environment. “The Keller Williams organization, as most people know,” he adds, “has a reputation for top talent and our Knoxville office is certainly testament to that.”
While Lucas is a bit reluctant to “boast too much about his really awesome group,” he does admit that his team is quite special. Unlike some offices where there may be one or two of what he calls “powerhouse” individuals, he attributes his success to having a powerhouse team of “mega agents,” who work well together and ensure that every client is well taken care of. “Frankly,” Lucas says, “if we’re simply providing the same service as the group down the road, there’s no success in that. Again, with a high-performing team like this one, our clients are very well taken care of. We all take this very, very seriously. This is not a hobby.”
Lucas contends that for these reasons, he has been blessed with the best clients in the business, clients who can grasp the difference between a team that truly goes above and beyond and a team that doesn’t. And while he’s a firm believer in marketing his services, “because it’s important to have your name and face out there to be recognized,” his clients are still his greatest marketing resource.
As a business owner, Lucas cannot say enough about the Knoxville community. “I’ve found the people here to be extremely loyal,” he says. “If you do right by them, they’re happy to recommend you. So, yes, Knoxville is a great place to do business. It has certainly been a great place for me.”