Kuba Jewgieniew of Realty ONE Group On Five Things You Need To Know To Succeed In The Real Estate Industry
An Interview With Jason Hartman
Build relationships with your buyers and sellers; do not just treat your clients as a transaction. ONE wonderful way to do that is on social media where we learn so much about people and can watch and interact with them and celebrate milestones in their journey which may also signal changes where you as a real estate professional can be involved.
As a part of my series about the ‘Five Things You Need To Know To Succeed In The Real Estate Industry’, I had the pleasure of interviewing Kuba Jewgieniew.
Disruption and change serve as catalysts for Kuba Jewgieniew, propelling him to constantly seek innovative ways to improve and benefit the greater community. Raised by hardworking Polish immigrants, Kuba’s relentless pursuit of his passions led him through various successful ventures, culminating in the founding of Realty ONE Group in 2005, which prioritizes real estate professionals and operates on a 100%-commission model. Today, Realty ONE Group stands as one of the fastest-growing franchises globally, with Kuba being recognized as one of the industry’s most influential figures, continually pushing boundaries and fostering innovation.
Thank you so much for doing this with us! Can you tell us the “backstory” about what brought you to the Real Estate industry?
Before joining the real estate industry, I was a stock trader and financial manager, building computers and software systems as a hobby on the side. ONE day, I overheard a conversation between a couple of real estate professionals, and I was fascinated by the idea, ready for a new challenge. I became licensed in 2004, and in my first year as a REALTOR®, I closed 111 transactions. It was a lot of hard work and grit, but I loved it. During that year, I also realized I split a significant portion of my hard-earned income with a Broker I rarely saw and who offered little support. So I left and created my own 100%-commission company, which is now the most rapidly growing real estate brand on the planet. I’m very proud of Realty ONE Group, but even more so, the large network of people who pour their passion into it every day so that we can share the brand with the world.
For all the details on my background, you can view my formal bio here and my website here.
Can you share with our readers the most interesting or amusing story that occurred to you in your career so far? Can you share the lesson or takeaway you took out of that story?
For one decade beginning in 2005, we experienced significant success as we opened Realty ONE Group locations throughout Arizona and Nevada. We believed we had sufficiently tested the model, and real estate professionals were flocking to our locations, excited about the uniqueness of our offering. In 2015, we decided to begin franchising and ONE woman changed the trajectory of our brand. Barbara Baker was the first brave soul to take a chance on us and she bought the first franchise. While she recently passed away, her vibrant soul and love for her agents live on in her office in Temecula, CA. Barbara proved once again, the Power of ONE.
Do you have a favorite “life lesson quote”? Can you share a story or example of how that was relevant to you in your life?
A few years ago, we created the ONE Manifesto that captures our beliefs, and hope for ourselves and others.
You have ONE life to live. ONE chance to make it meaningful. ONE opportunity to live with no regrets. Take risks, be bold, seize the day, and lead with respect. Your circumstances will change, people will change, you will change. Be open to it, embrace it, live it. EveryONE matters and everyONE has a voice.
These are words to live by; if you start each day with gratitude and a positive mindset, you cannot and will not fail.
Are you working on any exciting new projects now? How do you think that will help people?
I just launched the digital edition of my first book, “The Power of ONE,” and the print edition will be available in the fall before the holidays. This book delivers powerful lessons on entrepreneurship, leadership, building a legacy, and having a purpose, but more importantly, it outlines how together we can all achieve more. That’s truly the Power of ONE and it’s fueled the growth of Realty ONE Group around the world. We believe everyONE matters and everyONE has a voice, and we live it every day.
What do you think makes your company stand out? Can you share a story?
Beyond the Power of ONE and our belief that everyONE matters and everyONE has a voice, the growth of our brand has been fueled by an electric COOLTURE (cool + culture) that brings real estate professionals back into our locations, unites them through the unparalleled personal bonds they form and strengthens the impact we have in our communities. This, combined with our unique branding and our ONE Purpose — to open doors across the globe, ONE home, ONE dream, ONE life at a time — is the reason we continue attracting raving fans around the world
None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?
My mother and father are the reason for any success I’ve had, and they continue to be the inspiration for both my personal and professional life. As Polish immigrants who came to the U.S. for new opportunities and a better life, they had to work exceptionally hard to create their own future. They raised me with a strong work ethic and respect for others. Family has always been the most important thing to us, which is another reason why I created Realty ONE Group. We’re not only a network for professionals; we’re ONE global family who care about each other and, along with the others we touch every day.
Ok. Thank you for all that. Let’s now jump to the main core of our interview. Can you share 3 things that most excite you about the Real Estate industry? If you can please share a story or example.
There are numerous opportunities in real estate for a professional, passionate, and driven person to be successful — and when they are, it opens so many doors to dreams they didn’t even know they had. For this real estate professional, like our Realty ONE Group pros, there are limitless opportunities to build a beautiful life for your family, your friends, and your community.
Similarly, entrepreneurs who launch their own franchises can create a long-lasting and fruitful legacy for generations to come, while inspiring real estate professionals in their community and helping them achieve greater success faster. The possibilities for both are limitless.
As a community of real estate professionals, we have the opportunity to continue helping people realize their dreams of home ownership, which is still very much alive in the U.S. and many countries around the world. Helping first-time homebuyers settle into their new residence, ensuring older generations retire in the perfect spot, assisting people with moves across the world to create new experiences and memories — there is nothing better than that, and we will always believe it’s best left in the hands of a professional.
Can you share 3 things that most concern you about the industry? If you had the ability to implement 3 ways to reform or improve the industry, what would you suggest? Please share stories or examples if possible.
Real estate professionals provide a tremendous service to buyers and sellers, and they need to continue to not only demonstrate the value of what they do but to outright communicate it.
There is so much more we know the real estate industry can and should do, we at Realty ONE Group continue to innovate and think beyond the bounds of what we know and have done. We cannot be stagnant while the world around us continues to change.
Finally, we must meet any market or economic headwinds with a positive mindset. I have seen some in our industry perpetuate fear. We have always embraced change at Realty ONE Group, knowing it is an opportunity to innovate, grow, and be better.
What advice would you give to other real estate leaders to help their teams to thrive and to create a really fantastic work culture?
Start with a great mindset and a true passion for what you do, and continue to bring people on board — parting ways with some if you must — until you have surrounded yourself with the right team whose goals and attitudes align. Building culture takes continuous work at every level of the organization, and you will want to have key figures, again at various levels of the organization, who will champion it.
Ok, here is the main question of our interview. You are a “Real Estate Insider”. If you had to advise someone about 5 non-intuitive things one should know to succeed in the Real Estate industry, what would you say? Can you please give a story or an example for each?
№1 — Start each day with gratitude and the right mindset. You will encounter challenges throughout the day and it is the only way to meet these head on.
№2 — You must be able to motivate yourself to continually generate new business and to be successful. You should always be learning new things, open to new ideas, and meeting new people.
№3 — Build relationships with your buyers and sellers; do not just treat your clients as a transaction. ONE wonderful way to do that is on social media where we learn so much about people and can watch and interact with them and celebrate milestones in their journey which may also signal changes where you as a real estate professional can be involved.
№4 — Learn from other sales and marketing professionals in other industries and explore innovators and innovative ideas outside real estate.
№5 — Do not lose focus on your core business by using too much technology or too many tools. For example, at Realty ONE Group, we vet all the tools and tech you will need to work your business from beginning to end.
Because of your position, you are a person of enormous influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the greatest amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. :-)
An excerpt from my book, The Power of ONE, “Kindness is a purposeful and meaningful attitude that generates positive behaviors: treating each other as you wish to be treated, never forgetting who you are, and never forgetting you have the power to positively impact another person.”
How can our readers further follow your work online?
I’d love for readers to connect with me on social media:
Facebook: facebook.com/kuba.jewgieniew
Instagram: @kubajewgieniew
Thank you for your time, and your excellent insights! We wish you continued success.
About The Interviewer: Jason Hartman is the Founder and CEO of Empowered Investor. Jason has been involved in several thousand real estate transactions and has owned income properties in 11 states and 17 cities. Empowered Investor helps people achieve The American Dream of financial freedom by purchasing income property in prudent markets nationwide. Jason’s Complete Solution for Real Estate Investors™ is a comprehensive system providing real estate investors with education, research, resources and technology to deal with all areas of their income property investment needs. Through Jason’s podcasts, educational events, referrals, mentoring and software to track your investments, investors can easily locate, finance and purchase properties in these exceptional markets with confidence and peace of mind.
Starting with very little, Jason, while still in college at the age of 19, embarked on a career in real estate. While brokering properties for clients, he was investing in his own portfolio along the way. Through creativity, persistence and hard work, he earned a number of prestigious industry awards and became a young multi-millionaire. Jason purchased a California real estate brokerage firm that was later acquired by Coldwell Banker. He combined his dedication and business talents to become a successful entrepreneur, public speaker, author, and media personality. Over the years he developed his Complete Solution for Real Estate Investors™ where his innovative firm educates and assists investors in acquiring prudent investments nationwide for their portfolio. Jason’s sought after educational events, speaking engagements, and his popular “Creating Wealth Podcast” inspire and empower hundreds of thousands of people in 189 countries worldwide.
While running his successful real estate and media businesses, Jason also believes that giving back to the community plays an important role in building strong personal relationships. He established The Jason Hartman Foundation in 2005 to provide financial literacy education to young adults providing the all-important real world skills not taught in school which are the key to the financial stability and success of future generations. We’re in a global monetary crisis caused by decades of misguided policies and the cycle of financial dependence has to be broken, literacy and self-reliance are a good start. Visit JasonHartman.com for free materials and resources.
