Tuesday, December 23, 2025

Working “On” or “In” Your Business

Share

Pulling out hair

“On” or “In” Your Business

The first three years I was licensed in Real Estate, I was coached by Joe Stumpf of By Referral Only. One of the principals Joe teaches is taking time to work “ON YOUR BUSINESS” and not just “IN YOUR BUSINESS.

Working on your business is when you are doing pro-active things to enhance and grow your business. Working on your business is doing the tasks that will bring in new business and help us systematize so they we can continue to grow. One of the ways Joe teaches to do this is to take one day a week or a minimum of 1/2 day a week to set aside time to do this.

Working “in your business” is when you are taking listings, writing offers, negotiating sales, inspections, fielding phone calls, following up leads, speaking with clients or lenders. You know the hundreds of tasks we do to get to the closing table.

Blogging, and social networking is working “on the business”. I blog so I can reach out to consumers, teach others new technology or just communicate with other folks in my industry.

Take a Vacation

The last several weeks has been a “in the business” time. (Overwhelming actually). One of my top team members, a buyer agent moved and I have had to finish up with her buyers. A “short sale” approved that we had been waiting on since June 3rd, a forclosure finally uploaded all the documents, two pre-listing appointments, two offers on my listings came in, (one a short sale, so more paper work to the bank), two new listings up which includes the VT’s, and all we do to get our clients homes sold.

Oh, did I say my assistant is on vacation? This week?

Did I say I’ve had relatives in from D.C. ? This week?

Want more business, go on a vacation, send your assistant on one. Go to a conference…

First Things First

In Michigan our market is seasonal. We sell the most homes between March to August.

Can I say I long for the snow? Well I won’t go that far, but I do long to be back, “working on the business”. My brain is mush, I don’t have a creative thought in it right now.

As my Pastor says, “and that is a slice of my life.”

What’s happening in your slice of life? Working “on” or “in”?

Photo Credit

missycaulk
missycaulk
Written by Missy Caulk, Associate Broker at Keller Williams Ann Arbor. Missy is the author of Ann Arbor Real Estate Talk and Blog Ann Arbor, and is also the Director for the Ann Arbor Area Board of Realtors and Member of MLS and Grievance Committee's.

20 COMMENTS

Subscribe
Notify of
20
0
What insights can you add? →x
()
x