Her Story
About Alexis
I started in real estate in 1978 when I got my license, and it's been an incredible journey ever since. Early on, I was mentored by Matt Kavner, who owned the ERA territory and came over from Jacksonville to do training. He saw something in me I didn't see in myself and really inspired me - he was a hard worker and still is, now serving as president of the Baptist Bible College in Jacksonville. I always say I carried a lot of briefcases for one of the top agents here in town when I first got started. I didn't charge her a nickel for doing anything - I would do whatever she needed done so I could learn how she was doing it and what she was doing. My husband and children were my best cheerleaders and my worst critics. My daughter has her license and has been working with me for 30-some years, though she had a stroke 2 years ago and now works behind the scenes doing computer stuff for me. I became a broker as soon as I could after the required 2 years, and I started teaching at the college in 1980 as a Florida real estate instructor. I didn't have a college degree - we didn't have money for that when I graduated high school, even though I got a scholarship to Montclair State Teachers College in Jersey. So I tell everybody I have 2 degrees that are more expensive than Harvard: my Master's degree in the School of Hard Knocks and my PhD in Street Smart. I've always been someone who reads and learns everything I can. I'm a Dale Carnegie graduate from 1981 and a John Maxwell-certified Trainer. I hold tons of designations - accredited buyer's representative, senior citizens representative, military specialist, master negotiation expert, probate specialist, pricing strategy specialist, and more. I do a lot of probate sales and help attorneys. I contribute content for courses taught by the Residential Real Estate Council on topics like negotiation, scripts and dialogues, dealing with difficult people, and working with buyers and sellers. I got an award for being Content Contributor of the Year. I've also earned my PMN designation with Women's Council of Realtors and I'm a graduate of the Women's Council National Leadership Institute. Over the years, I've served every office in our association except president, and I've chaired our Professional Development Committee, Professional Standards Committee, and our Contracts Committee for about 30 years. I've served at the national level for National Association of Realtors and I'm currently on their insurance committee. Even at my age, I continue to stay relevant - I've learned AI over the past couple years because that's where things are going. People don't look at me like a dinosaur, they look at me like an encyclopedia. My yearbook said I was going to be a teacher or a lawyer, and while I never got to do either through college, I get to speak and teach all over the place, and I get to practice real estate law without a license through all my contract work.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Alexis
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to the people who believed in me and inspired me early on. Matt Kavner, who owned the ERA territory, saw something in me I didn't really see in myself and encouraged me. He was a hard worker and he inspired me to push myself. My husband and my children were my best cheerleaders and my worst critics - they kept me grounded and motivated. I also learned early on to surround myself with people who were doing a lot of business. I carried a lot of briefcases for one of the top agents here in town when I first got my license. I didn't charge her a nickel for doing anything for her - I would do whatever she needed done so that I could learn how she was doing it and what she was doing. That willingness to learn from others and put in the work, even when I wasn't getting paid, really shaped my success. I've never stopped learning - I'm always taking classes, always reading books, always trying to stay relevant. Even at my age, I decided to learn AI because that's where things are going. I think continuing education and being willing to adapt has been key to my longevity in this business.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
Never run someone else's race. If you have to make a choice between liked and respected, take respected.
Give them a day and a half work for a days pay and they will let you do whatever you want. And that is to be
your goal. To enjoy what you do and to be able to do it the way you feel best.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Learn everything you can. Education doesn't stop with getting a license. Hook yourself to a good company that has great training and surround yourself with people who are doing a lot of business. I always say I carried a lot of briefcases for one of the top agents here in town when I first got a license. I didn't charge her a nickel for doing anything for her. I would do whatever she needed done so that I could learn how she was doing it and what she was doing. You have to be willing to put in the work - it's not easy. People think selling real estate's easy. It's not easy at all. And people think they can do it part-time. It's not a part-time job. It shouldn't be, and you don't want a part-time doctor. So I would say roll up your sleeves and get in, and get in for the right reasons. I hear a lot of people say they're getting into real estate because they can make some more money. Well, maybe you can, and maybe you can't, because there's just as many people who get a license that drop out because they can't make it. Don't get in for the wrong reason. This is a service industry. People who do well in real estate are nurses, teachers, waiters and waitresses - people who've been in the service industry, because we're in the service industry, we're not really in a sales industry. When people come to you to buy or sell a house, they need help. They've already made a decision, you're not selling them anything. If I had to say you sell something, it would be your ability to help them. You sell your trustworthiness. If they don't trust you, it's not gonna go well, because they're not gonna do what's necessary to buy or sell the house.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
One of the biggest challenges and opportunities right now is AI. Over the past couple of years, AI's been the big thing. Most agents, particularly those my age and up, are like 'oh my god, now what? Now I have to learn this.' But I decided this is where it's going, and I needed to learn. I'm not as techy as young people are, but I can hold my own with AI now. I want to stay relevant. I don't want people to look at me like I'm a dinosaur, and they don't. They look at me like an encyclopedia. You have to be willing to adapt and continue learning, no matter what new technology or changes come along in this industry.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Service and giving back are the most important values to me. This is a service industry - we're not really in a sales industry. When people come to you to buy or sell a house, they need help. If I had to say you sell something, it would be your ability to help them. You sell your trustworthiness. I really think people need to find something they're passionate about and get involved in the community. We need to be involved in what it is we do, and we need to find a way to give back. That's why I started Christmas for Seniors 20 years ago - I got thinking that many times I go into a house with older people, and they have no children here, and maybe they're estranged from their children, and they're struggling health-wise, and they're living in horrible conditions. Why aren't we doing something to help them? I think you need to get involved in your community, you need to get involved in your association, you need to get involved, period. Continuing education and learning is also core to who I am - I'm always taking classes, always reading books, always trying to learn everything I can. There's always something new to learn, and I want to stay relevant.
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