Welcome to the Pursue You Podcast, where we are empowering you to continually reflect, design and pursue who you were created to be so you can give the gift of your best self to your family, community, and business!
I am so excited to share Sheena Saydam with you today! We have known each other for a while now and has a fantastic real estate team (Saydam Properties Group) in Maryland/DC area. Most of her team is entirely remote and has been for 10 years! I am so excited for you to hear her advice because she has been doing this for such a long time. This episode is full of tactical and practical advice.
There has been so much conversation with working remote/working from home. Many of us were forced to make a shift very suddenly. Some people work from home and love it and others work from home and hate it. I am excited to bring in Sheena because she built a remote team (pre-COVID) and is thriving.
[3:43] Sheena shares a little about herself. She has been in real estate for about 10 years. As her business grew, she realized she needed a little help but not necessarily full-time. Her business is in the Maryland/DC area and is entirely referral-based, so there is a good amount of traveling in any direction on any given day. I hired my first team member, a virtual Transaction Coordinator. She lives in Texas and we are in DC. She has hired and trained all of our operations staff virtually.
[6:59] Sheena explains that adaptability (and kindness) is the #1 thing she looks for in hiring remote members for her team. She has an adaptability test that she uses when hiring. Whenever she interviews an agent or a local operations agent, she takes them to the Bubble Tea drink shop in her city. It is a slightly complicated process and she lets them take the reins. If a future agent gets overwhelmed with the menu or is slightly rude, we know he/she is not the agent for them. You don’t have as much hand holding when you are working remotely so it is important that employees can be adaptable on their own.
[11:47] She discusses systems they have in place to help support virtual work. She requires constant check-ups throughout the day. They have to be strategic and planned so it is not disruptive and does not derail trust. Sheena explains the check-ups that her team has each week.
[21:35] Sheena explains some challenges she has seen in a remote work environment. She noted that everyone goes through the first month overwhelmed and tired. So, she completes a time audit with them to help determine the best way to break down their day. It helps her team members take responsibility for their time, acknowledging clarity and power. Mandy explains how her Director of Operations and her daughters went on a walk each morning to signify work starting and walked each evening to signify work ending.
[29:10] Sheen shares a few nuggets of wisdom with those that might be struggling a bit working from home. Patience and open communication as well as the ability to be adaptable are three she emphasizes.
To learn more about Sheena and her business, visit www.saydamproperties.com.
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