Coffee, Culture and Curveballs

Author: Ana Roberts

  • Is Real Estate Just a Numbers Game — or Is There a Different Way to Win?

    Is Real Estate Just a Numbers Game — or Is There a Different Way to Win?

    Numbers racing the clock
    Photo by Black ice on Pexels.com

    For decades, the real estate world has celebrated the numbers game.More listings. More calls. More showhouses. More deals.
    The hustle was the hero.

    But somewhere between the spreadsheets and the “how many units this month?” updates, we started losing something — the why.

    The industry is changing. And maybe, just maybe, “more” isn’t the metric that matters anymore. It may just be time to stop chasing numbers and chasing the clock

    The Old Game: Volume Over Value

    The old playbook said success was about scale: hit targets, close deals, repeat. It rewarded busyness over brilliance and equated activity with achievement. Service was forgotten as the next deal was chased.

    But the truth? Chasing numbers alone is exhausting. You end up managing chaos, not growth. You lose the spark that made you love property in the first place — the human connection, the creativity, the joy of helping someone find their space in the world.

    The New Game: Quality and Innovation

    Real success today looks different. It’s not in the number of listings you post, but the experience you create. It’s not how many doors you open, but how meaningfully you open them.

    Innovation isn’t about tech alone — it’s about thinking differently.
    About refining every touchpoint, from how a tenant logs maintenance to how a landlord receives their statement. About delivering peace of mind, not paperwork.

    The same is true for sales.

    Quality and innovation turn transactions into relationships and agents into trusted advisors. That’s where longevity lives.

    The Sweet Spot: Blending Heart with Strategy

    Data still matters — of course it does. But data without direction is just noise. When numbers serve your purpose, not the other way around, you’ve found the balance.

    So maybe the question isn’t “How many properties did you rent this month?” Maybe it’s “How many people would choose you again?”

    The Curveball

    The agents and agencies that thrive in the next decade won’t just be the ones with the biggest portfolios.
    They’ll be the ones who innovate with empathy, serve with substance, and play the long game — not the numbers game.

    Because in real estate, as in life, quality isn’t a statistic. It’s a standard.

  • The Art of Recruiting the Right People

    The Art of Recruiting the Right People

    Everyone is unique. Find the right match for your culture.

    Because coffee is essential for survival, culture makes or breaks a business, and life… well, life always throws a few curveballs.

    Recruiting isn’t about filling seats. It’s about shaping the future of the business. The people you bring in define the culture, the reputation, and the ability of the business to grow. Which means every hire is either a step forward… or a step back.

    And let’s be honest: we’ve all had that one hire who looked fantastic on paper but turned out to be about as useful as a screen door on a submarine. That’s why the rule is simple: don’t just hire smart people — hire the right people. Experience in the industry can be the biggest setback when trying to move forward.

    Culture is like Wi-Fi: you can’t always see it, but when it’s weak, everyone notices.

    A company’s culture is the invisible framework that drives how people think, act, and treat clients. When someone aligns with that culture, they amplify it. When they don’t, they disrupt it.

    The best hires see their career as an ongoing project, not a final product. They’re the ones who read, ask questions, seek feedback, and occasionally send you an article at 11pm because they’ve just discovered a new trend (you can curse them for the late-night email, but you’ll secretly admire it too).

    A team made up of these kinds of people raises the bar for everyone else. Growth-minded people are contagious — in the best possible way.

    The business world changes faster than the hairstyle choices of a teenager. If your team can’t adapt, you’ll be stuck playing catch-up.

    The right people don’t just tolerate change — they lean into it. They’re the ones who suggest smarter ways of doing things, who aren’t afraid of new tech, and who look at disruption as a chance to get ahead. The wrong people, meanwhile, will still be clutching their flip phones while the rest of the industry moves online.

    It’s like dating…

    Recruiting is like dating — if you rush it, you’ll regret it. Filling a vacancy with the first available option usually ends in heartbreak (and possibly legal fees). Be intentional.

    • Hire for values, not just skills. A great CV means nothing if the values don’t line up.
    • Ask culture-driven questions. “Tell me about a time you chose long-term gain over a quick win.” If they stare blankly, you’ve got your answer.
    • Look for curiosity. People who ask good questions in an interview are more likely to keep learning.
    • Test resilience. Ask how they’ve handled failure or change. If they’ve “never failed,” either they’re lying, or they’ve been asleep for most of their career.
    • Don’t rush. A short vacancy is less painful than a long-term mistake.

    The right hire is like planting a tree: the benefits grow over time and provide shade for years to come. The wrong hire is more like planting a weed: it spreads quickly, chokes the good stuff, and takes forever to remove.

    The impact of recruiting the right people shows up in team energy, client satisfaction, and business sustainability. And the impact of hiring the wrong ones? Let’s just say it’s the gift that keeps on giving — and not in a good way.

    Examine the detail.
  • What You’ll Find Between the Coffee and the Curveballs

    What You’ll Find Between the Coffee and the Curveballs

    Because coffee is essential for survival, culture makes or breaks a business, and life… well, life always throws a few curveballs.

    Every good series needs an introduction, so here’s mine. It’s not a blueprint, not a textbook, and certainly not a “10 steps to guaranteed success” kind of thing (if only it were that simple). This is just me — sharing what I’ve learned, what I’ve messed up, what I’ve tried, and what I’ve seen in business, leadership, and life.

    The series is called Coffee, Culture & Curveballs for three reasons:

    1. Coffee is essential. Without it, most of us wouldn’t make it through the first email of the day, never mind a board meeting.
    2. Culture is the heartbeat of any business. It’s what keeps strategy alive, teams motivated, and clients coming back. Get it right, and everything flows. Get it wrong, and… well, you’ll be needing more coffee.
    3. Curveballs are inevitable. Life, leadership, real estate, business — they all have a way of throwing surprises when you least expect them. Some you swing at and miss, some you connect with beautifully, and some smack you square on the head and leave you dazed for a bit.

    I’m not writing this series because I have all the answers. Far from it. If leadership has taught me anything, it’s that nobody really has it all figured out. We’re all just trying, failing, adjusting, and trying again. But along the way, I’ve read books that made me rethink everything, worked with people who taught me lessons (sometimes the hard way), and lived through experiences that were equal parts humbling, frustrating, and funny in hindsight.

    Some of what I’ll share will be lessons in leadership, some in running a business, and some in just navigating life when it feels like the universe is throwing curveballs faster than you can duck. I’ll share what worked, what didn’t, and what I’d never, ever do again (consider this a gift to your future self).

    You’ll find stories about hiring the right people, protecting culture like your life depends on it, stepping out of comfort zones, avoiding the dreaded “rotten apple hire,” and the ongoing battle of resisting easy wins when the long game matters more. And yes, there will be dinosaurs, apples, and the occasional dodgy metaphor involving Wi-Fi.

    This isn’t about being perfect. It’s about being intentional. It’s about leading in a way that balances business goals with human realities. And it’s about remembering that coffee, culture, and curveballs aren’t just catchy words — they’re the daily reality of anyone trying to lead, grow, and survive in business. So grab a cup, settle in, and join me for the ride. I can’t promise I’ll always be right, but I can promise it’ll be honest, light-hearted, and hopefully useful. And if nothing else, at least you’ll get a laugh or two along the way.