From 1 to 33 Real Estate Agents
Agency Tribus, over the past 9 years, has proven itself as a reliable and strong player in the Real Estate market. Not only helping customers, but also constantly growing and developing. The head of the agency, Igors Troshins, who started as one agent, has taken the team to a large team of 33 agents. Below, Igor shares how the Tribus agency started!
What was your story to start working as a real estate agent?
I started as an agent because I have worked in many different jobs and tried to do many things and one of the things that ran through all these jobs was SALES. One of the jobs was Baltcom telemarketing, there was a very experienced environment, but I didn’t feel the return, and how it could be done even more. After that, I looked for other jobs and in the end I decided that I would also go to real estate. It wasn’t one of the first choices, because I hadn’t come across good and professional agents before, so the idea wasn’t the best. It seemed that the broker was a fan of easy money, and I had an idea about these people that they wanted to ask me for something extra. The first agency where I wanted to work did not accept me because I did not know the Russian language. I had gone to a couple of interviews where there was a decent office, connected people and they clearly defined for me what this real estate business is. After that, I began to understand that there is more to it and it is something that I am ready to face with my previous experience and accumulated skills.
3 brothers agents, but who started first?
I started working first – Imperio Estate – a great school near Art. Thanks to him for showing that this business can be approached in a completely different way. At the Imperio Estate agency, I gained great experience as an agent, but over time I developed my own vision and a vision that I can still develop in the field of real estate. I wouldn’t start my agency at all if I didn’t see that I could give something more. Oskar Trošin was the first of the brothers I contacted about this issue, then also Egīls Trošin, who is also in the team’s core.
When was the decision made that it was time to start your own agency?
Again, I probably wouldn’t, but I don’t regret what I’m doing and what we’ve built. It’s very hard work to keep the agency level, with systems and everything in order. You can already create a brand that looks good from the outside, but for 30 or 50 people to be able to say that they are satisfied with everything, are comfortable and are provided with everything they need to work as an agent, this is a substantial long-term investment of work and time. I had ideas on how to make the agency valuable and convenient for agents, but it’s not a business that directly brings profit, these things are a long-term investment that only builds profit and development over time. I knew I had to create something of my own because Artis was doing everything very well and I didn’t want to get in the way with my ambitions. Initially, we didn’t even have an office and we worked from an apartment, then we moved into premises in Old Riga, which I knew from another project could be rented very profitably. We carried out the repairs in these premises ourselves, investing our own private funds.
How did the name Tribus come about?
The main thing for me when choosing a name was that there were no previous associations. I knew that the brand should be developed with my voice, and that associations should be made with this business. Therefore, the name had to be unique, not borrowed by anyone. The color was the most difficult to choose because all the colors are busy. For the name, it was important for me that it sounded safe, reliable, short and easy to remember. It is also important that we are three brothers, we are Trošini, and there are three parties in this business – the buyer, the seller, and us. In the end, it all comes together and we are quite successfully walking this path. There are other companies named Tribus in the world, but you won’t come up with anything new.
What are the main qualities you value to be a good agent?
When I see a responsible and diligent person who is not afraid of work, has an organized mind, likes order and is motivated. These are the ones who will get along as well as the ones who are learning. These are the people who go for growth in life and are not afraid to work! Even for those people who are low in sales and communication, then discipline and organization thoroughly refute it.
What are the biggest differences in the agency today and 8-9 years ago, when the agency was just starting its work?
Currently, many projects have been implemented, which have taken a lot of money and time. Especially time, because you have to balance between managing and developing. There are ideas that have been on my “to-do” list for a year, but still, something is always being realized, slowly coming along and being built. 8 years ago, more things were at the level of ideas, which have now been realized, but now there are new ideas instead. Personally, the biggest difference is that I no longer work as an agent and have completely different job duties. Of course, the way the collective has grown – at first we were like a family, then like a bunch of friends, and now we have grown on a professional level as a team and continue to grow in all spheres.
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