📍 I face language barriers, I face bullies and all that kind of things. And so that didn't stop me.
There's a beginning when you know who you are, when you dedicate yourself, when you educate, when you train and you have the right mindset and you surround yourself with like minded people, you are going to be just fine.
So number one, you need to identify where you are today.
do a schedule how your day is gonna look like to make it happen.
In order for you to create something big, you need networking. The size of your networking equals the size of your net worth.
Welcome to another inspiring episode of the reveal podcast. I'm your host, Jessica Nieto. And today I've got a remarkable guest for you all. Yisabel Berra is joining us. She is an EXP Realty icon agent in Florida, and just an absolute beacon of leadership and innovation in the real estate industry. Yisbel isn't just an accomplished Realtor and coach, but she is a truly dedicated mentor that cares for people and is transforming challenges into opportunities for growth and leadership.
And today she's going to share her journey from overcoming language barriers and personal challenges to becoming a guiding light for new agents and leaders in this industry. So listeners get ready for a deep dive into building resilient leadership, nurturing talent. Hey, even receiving mentorship and how to take action and the power of authenticity in forging a successful career.
So whether you've got an entrepreneurial spirit, but you're still working your nine to five, you're a seasoned agent or just someone interested in the transformative power of perseverance. This episode promises valuable insights and inspiration. So let's dive into the conversation.
Welcome to the Reveal Podcast. Yisbel Berra. I'm so excited to have you in the studio today. You and I haven't gotten to know each other well, so I'm excited to share your story with the audience. Welcome to the studio.
Thank you so much. I'm so excited to be here. Thank you for having me. Awesome. I love that about the collaboration at our company specifically, I, we can reach out and say, Hey, you want to come have a conversation and share it with the audience? And it's a, yes, I'll see you there. Yeah, no, I love that about our company.
A hundred percent. I love it. So what's going on with you and your world? You're an entrepreneur. You're wearing many different types of hats, Always coming from a place of contribution? What's going on in your world now? Yeah. As of right now I do mentor eXp agents. I'm an eXp certified mentor. I love helping the new agents because yeah it's great when you are able to get wrapped in by their hand and now teach them and so I am also a successful coaching certified and I'm John Maxwell certified as well. And one of the things that I love about John Maxwell is every leader should love people. Every leader and a boss probably would like to love to lead, but a leader loves to love people.
And yeah so I'm a little bit of everything, a mentor, a coach, a speaker. I'm a team leader as well. I'm still in production. I'm an icon agent with eXp. And yeah, always looking the way to add value, collaborate, like you say, always coming from a place of contribution. Yeah I love what you said.
You can't teach people how to care about other people, right? You can teach them how to be of service, but like you said it's really about giving to others and through mentoring and coaching and training other agents, we also grow ourselves and we create new leaders. So it's obviously a very fulfilling place to be, but it all starts with actually caring. Now I'm helping one of my team members. Now she's actually launching her team and I'm looking forward to launch more teams. It's super exciting to be able to build other leaders and create more team leaders that's great. Tell us a little bit about your team.
Where's your real estate team located? What are you all focused on? Yeah. My team is located in the state of Florida. But my office is in the Southwest, which is Cape Cora for Myers. So that's my main market. But again, I do serve the whole state of Florida because they have agents in Miami. Tampa, Sarasota, so I do serve the whole state of Florida as of right now.
And our office is an eXp branch office as well. And we always welcome everyone here. Ah, yeah. Just a little hub for people to find a tribe and find some family to connect with and all of the development that you're doing. So there's a lot of headline stuff going on in our industry, right? So what are you focused on in terms of training and development to get everyone feeling a little bit more confident and prepared for the changes?
Yeah, that's a great question. And I'm training my agents right now in their mindset. So I'm focusing on their attitude, their mindset knowing who they are as a leader, as a real estate professionals. You need to know who you are at this time. You need to specialize. If you don't have the ADR specialty, go ahead and get it.
Be the best at it. because when we add value to people asking for compensation will not be a thing. We're gonna be just fine. I believe that we have to train invest more in ourself and this new way now of doing business coming soon about August 17. They keep changing the dates, but so right now it's August 17.
I will say that for me, we just have to communicate in a different way. But at the end of the day, buyers now are gonna have to pay a commission, if someone is selling, they are buying, whether they need something smaller or bigger Yep. And have to pay in the other side. So it's just a different way of communicating because now we're not gonna be able.
to a seller for compensation for buyer's agent. And then at the end of the day, when you invest in education and you are the best at it you are going to be just fine. You're going to try because again, 80 percent of our business is added to its mindset. So I'm focusing a lot on that. Making sure my have a strong agents and they're they're going to be fine as long as you focus on that you are going to be just fine.
Yeah, I 100 percent agree. I think the one thing that might be right with this change is putting the focus on being more transparent, communicating value to the buyer, helping them understand the process, maybe even more. Doing everything more with more excellence. I think the consumer does deserve that.
And sometimes agents are able to fall short of that and push everything to the finish line with them having a bad experience. So I definitely think it'll level up the experience for the consumer in our industry. And like you said, at every listing presentation, we're also doing a buyer presentation and walking them through that process.
And I think, that's where the big focus is yes, I have to sell the house, but I can't sell the house unless I know where I'm going. Yeah. Yeah. And in covering the whole state of Florida that's quite expansive and you're really able to help the consumer, hand them off to the right team to have a seamless process.
I love it. Yeah. A hundred percent. And now you have to learn how to list a buyer. You need to package your values as a real estate professionals and being able, I really like this switch to be honest with you because I do too. I really, yeah, no, there's going to be an interesting switch.
So we definitely have to take more serious our business being more transparent you say, and now is. It's going to be a law and mandatory to have those buyers agreement be signed. But again we can give legal advice anyway. So. That part. Yeah. I think it's interesting. I've spoken to a lot of team leaders over the last few months about this.
And one of the things that comes up when we talk about buyer packets, buyer presentations versus seller or listing presentations, and the one common thing that typically hasn't been inside the buyer presentation. is talking about agency and commission and why not put it in there? If it's like a new agent coming into the industry, they don't know any different.
They've never seen it any different way. If the consumer doesn't understand it as a brand new homeowner, why not educate them? They feel informed. They see the value. We're done. We move forward. It seems simple in theory. So hopefully everyone's able to adopt. But it brings me to, leadership really matters right now.
And so to be on a team like yours, or even, you're at eXp Realty. We're at eXp Realty. You're building new team leaders and still able to, you're still incentivized to give back to them as they grow their businesses. And one thing that I just can't get enough of is our C suite leadership and our staff at EXP and the way that they're innovating and pioneering the way for us so that we can stay focused on Our value proposition, getting to know ourselves, being more authentic, sharpening our communication skills.
Talk to me a little bit about your experience with leadership at EXP, both our agents. and our C suite and staff. Yeah. I would tell you that I just love this company. Because we have the best training and on point whatever is going on. We have they communicate very well. There's always meeting trainings and on point topics.
And I just love it because the fact that give you a sense of direction. And training for me is non negotiable. And so I feel grateful that me, my agents, my organization is able to partner up with such an amazing company like this one. And we're having fun. Yes. Yes. Making real estate fun again, right?
Yeah, I love it. Let's go a little deeper, Isabel. I haven't gotten to know you. Tell me a little bit about you as a person and you're at the beginning or way before your entrepreneurial journey. What were you doing before real estate and being in business? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I would like to open my heart right here.
I like to be authentic and yes, I'm successful. I could agent three years in a row, three years with the company, all that, but all that has to be gaming. When I started the business, somebody knew me, nobody. Know who I was, if I was good or bad. And number one thing is that I face language barriers.
Number one, I've been here in the state of Florida for the last 20 years. When I came here, I was already a bilingual because in my country I was born in the Dominican Republic. So I grew up fully bilingual over there. But when I came here, I noticed some slang and I was like, cause I learned like in England English, like English. And so I was like and took me some time to get used to the way American way. Let's just say it that way. Okay. So I face language barriers, I face bullies and all that kind of things. And so that didn't stop me. Actually, there was a push for me to be better at it.
And I can tell you so many so many things that I face. What that's why right now on the switch and all that, and everybody's people's life, entrepreneurship and all that. There's a beginning when you know who you are, when you dedicate yourself, when you educate, when you train and you have the right mindset and you surround yourself with like minded people, you are going to be just fine.
And so I was focused on my wife. My wife when I started the business was my kids. It took me it wasn't the heart because my father, my great grandfather, all my family, they all had businesses. So I came from that entrepreneurship Household. So I was working. What a blessing. Yeah. Yeah.
Because I definitely I know that it take a switch when you're used to be an employee. I was an employee for the state of Florida. I actually worked for over five years in the department, children and families helping families approving cases or denying them based on the federal law. And so I really like what I was doing in for the state of Florida serving as a social worker pretty much, but I didn't love it.
I like it, but I didn't love it. And I go, I don't know. I and also I was doing wholesaling, which is another area of real estate. And so I got licensed because there's a very thin line between what you can do legally and what you cannot do legally speaking, when little gray. Yeah, I was finding distress phone for investors and all that.
So I got licensed and then I started the numbers, the selling right away because I already got customers and I'm always being in cell. I never had an issue with communication whatsoever. Even having English as a second language, right? Even that. And so you probably have English as your first language and sometimes you're afraid to talk to people.
Communication in== this business is number one. So regardless of language. Yes. Yes. So communicate. And yeah, so I was working for the state of Florida. I quick and I took the entrepreneurship full time. And it's been amazing. I'm in the top 250 agents here in Lee County where when I'm looking out of 9000 in my county.
So I'm very grateful. And I want to give all the glory to God reXpecting your belief, but I cannot stay quiet that God has been amazing. Yes. That's amazing. I have a question going back to when maybe when you started doing the wholesaling and you just, you have that entrepreneurial spirit, right?
And from your family, take me to a day or a moment or an epiphany that you had that it wasn't just that you were passionate about. unhappy. It was just that you were not fulfilled, right? You were making decisions, like you said, based on a law. You couldn't go with your heart and make a decision who could stay, who could go, what those cases looked like.
So how did you rip away? What were some steps that you could share with other entrepreneurs, entrepreneurial spirited people anyway, that are trying to figure out how to make that transition? Yeah, I would tell you that you need to set priorities. I always encourage set priorities and inside of your priorities, you need to define your why, because there's gonna, there's gonna come rejection.
And so your why is what is gonna keep you going no matter what, no matter rejection, no matter the no, no matter the no's, it doesn't matter. So at the beginning I got rejections. I love cold calling by the way. I know. Me too. For some agencies, I just love talking to people. And so I got a lot of no's at the beginning because again, I didn't have a rapport.
I, so I will say that I, my aha moment was when I got that first deal. That was like my field. I was like, okay, I can do this a thousand times more. It feels good. And one thing, one episode that I can tell you is that I always bring up my kids. Because there are kids. I have three kids. Yes. I have 15 years.
So 11 and in six. So I wanted to provide an option choices in freedom. So for me, the money really doesn't have a meaning, but the meaning for me is freedom. Choices. And so I can see you do it. Yeah. Yeah. And I, it was painful being in one of the theme park and not be able to, okay, we're here, but, I can't buy you anything.
Okay. Yes, we are just here. We're going to enjoy the theme park magic kingdom and I just can't buy you many more stuff. And after that, it's painful. A parent is not able to afford certain things, right? That moment marked me and I'm always paying attention to a lot of elements around me and I go, why this so tiny, small group of people is able to afford and this big, huge group of people is not able to afford.
And I go, I don't want to be in that group. I'm sick and tired. Number one, you need to feel the pain. If you don't have to feel the pain to be fair, Disneyland is pretty expensive.
But exactly, you want the, you want to just show them we have the freedom because of the work that I'm putting in. And now that I'm able to do the trips and all that, of course. course, I encourage parents that, you just have to be careful because if you give them too much, then it's also bad.
So yeah. And so in order to a chance to happen, you need to feel the pain. If you don't feel pain, nothing is going to happen. You're just going to do it, just going to give it a try. That's it. But when you feel pain, you're going to push so hard and you're going to do what, ups and downs that was me.
I was upset with myself like I've been working all these years and I'm not able. Back in the days, my first born, my 15 years old, he was six. I'm not able to I don't know, probably give this or that. I was leaving check to check and I go, No, I wasn't made for this. I was made for more. So number one, you need to identify where you are today.
You need to know your limits because if you don't know where you are today, you don't know what needs to be done in order to get to where you want to go. So it's important to identify where you are today. What are you wearing? What car are you driving? How does your account looks like? Your savings account, your checking account.
You need to know absolutely all the details because you need to be specific with your goals. I was very specific. I wrote it down. Be careful with what you reach and what you wrote down because, ha, just watch. They really happen. And of course, you need to take massive actions like Tony Robbins will say.
Massive actions is no. Okay, I'm gonna write it down. And that's it. No, you need to see it. You need to believe it. And every day you need to set an action plan, a strategy and do a schedule how your day is gonna look like to make it happen. And always check. Is it working? Is it not working when I'm doing?
Okay, let me change my game plan. Let me and you have to be consistent and very intentional with your time with your action plan with your budget. And you will see how your life switch. This is already a masterclass in both resilience and really actionable strategies that you can implement right away as an entrepreneur.
One of the things you mentioned was.\ Assessing. Okay. I've made some progress. I set some goals. I have some priorities. I have a calendar, but now reassessing it, right? Reflecting on what are the results that I'm getting operating this way? What can I refine? How can I do it better? And in earlier you were talking about, getting to know yourself.
And I think the reflection is the key word that comes up for me. Like how often are we taking a pause? looking at what we're doing, taking an inventory of, what we're utilizing, what we're spending, how we're spending our time and our energy, and then making adjustments. How often would you say that you're taking that time to reflect and you're mentoring other agents to take time to reflect on their business and their personal life?
Yeah I will say a different level. I do it every day. For me, number one thing is pray. I, I have a very active pray life, so I pray every single day. And so talking about systems strategy in place, I revise in every quarter. And sometimes you need to revise and before the time that you have set, because for example, now.
That the market is switching. If it's not time to revise your strategy and there's a change happening, then you definitely need to jump in your business plan and jump on your action plan and make some adjustment according what the market is behaving. Yeah, absolutely. So we talked a lot about the team and how you're mentoring, how you're managing your time and building a life of your dreams.
How are you working on client acquisition or prospecting? What's your main focus and is it varied in your team or do you have one main focus? Okay, so one thing about me and my team is that we are huge in the community. We are present. This is a people's business. So you need to be present in the community.
You need to find what is it that you love the most. For example, I can tell you about myself. I love Children. So you always going to see my brand. My company is sponsoring events for the community. Festival of Lion Christmas. You're going to see my banner on one of those games, floating games, so it can be free for the community.
So you need to pick something that you love. Maybe you love elderly. Then find everything about elderly that group of people create a community because this is a community business and people's business. And they are using you to make one of the biggest investment in their life. And so if you are an agent, you must be a community.
And so that's my number one thing. And why I'm saying that because at the end of the day, people will do business with someone that add value. Gift. And so be a giver, be a community person. And 90% of my business is referral, 10% is lead generation. It's, I've been 20 years living in the same seating, so I'm pretty well known.
I'm a community person. That's amazing. And the great thing about that is like you said you have your brand when people think of you they think of you as a giver someone that is a connector someone that is giving value so they're big raving fans and they're connecting you. I think I hear from a lot of agents.
I feel sometimes they think it's like the long game, like it's going to take them a long time to build that. But I always recommend that even before they can have their own events, fund their own events, fund all of the marketing materials that support, their branding and their brand to just get involved in the community wherever they can show up and give, what are their tips would you give to someone that Brand new in a city, just getting started, loves to give to people, figures out a niche, does their research, then any other tips that you would add on how they can be present in the community? I will say line up with a team that lines up with a principle, with your principles and value.
Because you need to start leveraging your name and your business with something, right? If you don't have any, you're new, you have no listings. So when you partner with a team, then you can leverage your name using all the houses. That's what I do with my team members are new. They're using all the houses in the team to do open houses, broker's open house just do an ice cream cone party in one of the houses.
Putting their name out there. So all these things that I mentioned previously and partnering up with the right team is I think is the key for you to get started. And education is huge. Like you can add value to someone. You don't know what you don't know. Like they say, right? If. If you don't take the time to specialize, to take the trainings then you don't know what you're doing.
And so your body language, the tone of your voice, everything will reflect if you don't know how to manage a transaction. 'cause you didn't take the time to take the training, how to reXpond, it's going to reflect. on your body language and all that. So take the time to educate yourself. I think it's out of reXpect to serve the people without taking the time to train, know your contracts and everything about the real estate business or whatever area you are.
I love that. And I think that joining a team is so valuable because you can be resourceful until you are the resource, right? Until you master many things and you can give from a place of contribution with things that you know, and that you're experienced at, then at least you could say, you know what, that's a great question.
And my, I'm going to bring my team leader in, and we are going to make sure you get all the answers. Any person will love you. and reXpect you for wanting to give them the best service and information, but giving bad information, that's it's not a way to go. So definitely as a solo agent, I think coming into the industry, you have so much to give.
If you're coming from a different place, like your experience before you were a realtor, You had tons of skills to apply and a lot of value to give, but you still had to learn how to write contracts and all of these things. So that's really great advice. So tell us more about the future now. What can you reveal that you're working on and you're excited about this year?
Yeah. Yeah. I'm still in production. I am training buyers agent in the team. And I'm in the process of getting out of production. I have a showing agent, a transaction coordinator, a virtual assistant. I'm still in production, but I'm able to speak and coach and mentor because I have it takes a team to create an impact and be able to do it right.
And I'm looking forward to be fully out of production. That's how the future looks like and continue with impacting families. I do have a foundation, Kindle Legacy Foundation. And continue with that and continue growing the coaching business because I love listening and helping and be able to wake up those Sleepy leaders.
There's a lot of leaders that know that they are capable. And so I have that passion yes, you can. Yes you may. And yes, I'm what a great way to articulate that is about the sleepy leaders. It's funny, sometimes people, I think they can, they're waiting to be invited or waiting for permission to give from their heart and their blessings, but it's all there.
It's all inside. So what a blessing to have you unlock that for them and give them that permission to come out and be part of something bigger. Yes. Yes. 100%. And I believe that we are blessed when we give. And it's so rewarding. And the feeling is amazing. It's such a satisfaction being able to help and create other leaders.
And this wonderful company does that very well and provide us a tool, the necessary tool needed. Make it. Yeah, absolutely. So what are you doing with the kids? You got anything fun coming up this summer that you're excited about or anything that you're focused on personally? Yeah this summer I tried to take it easy on summer because again they're going to grow up and you want to spend time with your kids.
So I'm excited. I'm actually going to Quinticana Dominican Republic. I do have a team in Dominican Republic too. So it's going to be fun and business as well. So I'm going there and also we are going on the cruise. I'm bringing my whole family to the conference. Ah, I saw that build on, build at sea.
That looks amazing. Bringing my whole crew with me, my kiddos, my whole family's coming, my mom and my husband and my kids. So I'm excited. What a blessing. And so does your mom live close by? Yeah, she's five minutes from my house. Oh, geez. So she's really seen you grow up. As you, you came to the U S together and now you're giving back in the Dominican Republic.
What is, what's mom up to? What kind of advice was she giving you? Did you live a life where she believed you would be big things or what did that dynamic look like as it relates to becoming an entrepreneur? Yeah my mom is is a hardworking person and I never seen a hub.
Someone that works so hard like her and she always believe in me and advise me and as well. My father that rest in peace. He's not alive, but my father was a politician in my country for many years. I give her and People lover. He loved people. I think our leadership is actually start as soon as we are born.
What we see leadership style. We actually start learning from those early age for sure. And yeah, they're always believing me. I remember my dad telling me, I know you will do great things. And so I'm doing it every time I, About to release a great project. I always think on him, this is for you, dad.
I know you're watching me. And I, yes, want to make him proud. Even though he cannot see it in life. Yeah. It's hard to, it's I always say you, the more you love, the more you lose in life too, right? We have to be resilient and carrying those amazing gifts that we have from people that loved us and that we love so much is so special, eXpecially the kids, your kids, they see you, they're learning through osmosis.
The type of leader you are. Like you said, they're learning so young. Oh, that's amazing. Your summer sounds fun. Will you be at EXPCON? You're in Miami, so I'm assuming you will be in a big way. Yes. I it's actually one of my favorite conference. We used to have shareholder installment and eXpCON now we just.
the eXp console. I look forward to see you at eXp con. Tell me a little bit if you could share about now rep, I know you're involved in now rep locally as well. What kind of impact has it made to connect with others in the industry? and to really be leading change as it relates to homeownership.
Yeah. Yeah. So yes, I'm the NAREP K Corp for Myers Incoming President now. And this organization has been amazing because they are here. Huge and very strong on training. They always are doing this regional leadership events. Their conference are wonderful. And just the fact that they're always fighting and helping the Hispanic community and being part of all that.
And it's really amazing. Also the connection bar is incredible. Credible. It's such a wonderful collaboration and networking opportunity. I believe that in order for you to something create something big, you need networking. Networking. The size of your networking equals the size of your net worth.
That's right. So this has been a plus for me being part of Narre for the last three years. That's awesome. Thank you for your contribution to the industry, but for the consumers, we had a little bit of good news, which is sometimes nice because it's typically, the same big challenges to overcome.
And I know when the homeownership report came out from NAREP, there was a significant increase this year in Hispanic homeownership, which it is, cannot be, Yeah. Spoken enough and celebrated as sometimes it's nice to have a little bit of good news. It drives and fuels the change to keep going, right?
Or the energy to keep pushing forward. Yes. Winning more is more than that. Absolutely. Yes. And then EXP Latino. So you're big involved in the resource group at EXP Realty. How has that helped with building, community and connections for Your agents and for you building new friendships. Like you said, coming into exp same for me.
It was 2020. I didn't know anyone and getting involved and building community nationally and globally has been so powerful and transformational. What could you add in terms of the value of people getting connected? Yeah, eXp Latina one of the ambassador eXp Latina is wonderful. The events, educational activities that we get to prepare.
And now in the process helping to open eXp in Peru. And so this company it's super exciting. I have, about 100 liters a line over there and I've been working since last year. And so it's a whole process opening a country. So I just love this company because you can you can do so many things.
You can create multiple strain of income. You can create so many community. And just the fact that Being helping to open a country is a plus. Yeah. Yes. And just rubbing shoulders with those leaders and seeing the excitement of the people. I'm sure the agents and staff in Peru that are excited about something new, being part of something global, eXpecially something so established as eXp Realty.
I can't imagine. The excitement. Congrats on that. And I'm excited for you to have such a great summer. It's so refreshing to hear entrepreneurs really show by example that it is possible. It is possible to build any dream of any size in the U S and then give back to the people. Someone said, We're most qualified to help a version of who we used to be.
And I love that because they, always not always reaching up or out, but also behind you and like people that are, that will come behind you and that you can support their growth. You're making a huge impact. Yes. Bell and I look forward to seeing you at EXP con. Thank you for being on the reveal podcast today.
I so appreciate it. I'm excited that the. all the audience can listen and hear your message. Thank you so much for being my guest today. Thank you so much for having me and you have a wonderful summer as well
📍 As we wrap up today's powerful conversation with Yisbelle Bear on the Reveal Podcast, let's reflect on a thought that encapsulates today's discussion. Leadership is not about titles, positions, or flow charts. It is about one life influencing another. As famously said by John C. Maxwell, whom Yisbelle deeply admires, And his journey from navigating personal and professional hurdles to inspiring a new generation of real estate professionals embodies this essence of true leadership.
Her commitment to mentorship and empowerment within the industry is a true testament to the impact that 1 individual can have. It's a ripple effect. And if Yisbel's story has inspired you, or if you're seeking ways to enhance your own leadership skills and extend your influence, I encourage you to connect with her and explore the possibilities that she offers through her mentoring and coaching initiatives.
Thank you for tuning into the Reveal podcast. Your engagement makes our community stronger and more vibrant. And if today's episode has moved you, please share it with someone who might benefit from the empowering message of this conversation. I'm Jessica Nieto. I am so passionate about bringing these stories that inspire change and foster leadership.
And until next time, stay inspired and stay connected.
