Meet new Principal Beau Fillmore, who recently joined the Century 21 IGNITE program and after his first few months is already kicking goals and finding success. We sat down with Beau to talk about his journey with the IGNITE program to date and what the secret to his early success has been.
So, you've been your own boss for just over 4 months, tell us what it has been like?
I commenced my Century 21 franchise during Covid-19 which many would say is a disaster waiting to happen, yet I have found many ways of helping people and engaging with my local community. It has been an exciting adventure full of personal growth, numerous small wins, and lots of challenges.
I am incredibly grateful for being part of such a supportive network behind me every step of the way. The right advice doesn't just save a lot of money as a new business owner but a lot of time and frustration too.
How has being part of a franchise enabled your business to grow?
Brand recognition has been the most uplift in enabling my business to grow through. I no longer market myself, instead I market the brand which has achieved more than any one single agent could. I was privileged enough to have the reputation of being the most trusted agent in my area so to couple that with the strength of the C21 brand with what I feel is the most trusted real estate brand is a powerful combination.
The additional benefits such as ongoing training, a dedicated support person, and online resources to access marketing collateral and sales templates are things that I just couldn't imagine replicating as an independent operator.
What has been the secret to winning new listings?
Having the C21 brand on my stationery and marketing material has definitely helped me get in front of more potential vendors. Consumers are already familiar with the C21 name and so have been more inclined to not only invite me to pitch for the listing but to trust me with the sale of their property.
What are some of the wins to date?
I don't know if I have good luck, good karma or am blessed but in the first couple of weeks from commencing I was fortunate to have generated new listings and importantly have three properties under contract. This momentum set the business up nicely for a bright future.
How important to you is support?
Six months ago, I did not have a plan nor desire to be a Principal but with the assistance of the franchise team at Century 21 was able to successfully transition to where I am today. The experienced team helped me understand the opportunity that was available which I could not turn down.
More impressive is the fact that the support is ongoing in the form of dedicated service, access to relevant training, strong marketing, and mentoring form senior management.
The path to success is very much driven by the effort and activity I put into the business, so the accountability stops with me, however the benefits of being my own boss under the umbrella of a global grand is immeasurable.
Mr Fillmore operates under the C21 IGNITE model which is a fully supported offering for high performing real estate agents to operate their own business without the need for a traditional office shopfront.
C21 IGNITE is a cost-effective solution for agents wanting to transition to a Principal of their own business while able to leverage the consumer recognition of the Century 21 brand, technology, marketing and training platforms.
Recently announced CEO of Century 21, James Bell, said that "C21 Ignite was created to appeal to the needs of young entrepreneurs looking to start their own business with lower costs. It also allows us to further expand our presence in areas where we are currently not represented by a physical office, so it is complementary to our growth strategy".