Real estate doesn’t care who you are. 

It doesn’t matter if you are a star on HGTV or are related to a public figure. 

Leads will not magically appear in your pipeline because of who you are or what you have accomplished in the past. 

What matters is one thing: you are willing to do the work.

Liz Novello spent the first two years of her real estate journey head down, learning the business and executing on goals. Even with Gary Vaynerchuk as a brother, she has not skipped any steps on her way to success. 

On the most recent Byron Lazine podcast, we spoke about her first two years in real estate, her family life, and how her mindset has shifted. Keep reading for some of the key takeaways from our discussion. 

Build a Pillar Business

After seven years of being a stay at home mom, Liz went to real estate school and got her license. Forty-eight hours into the industry, she attended Agent 2021 and met real estate coach Tom Ferry. She signed up for real estate coaching and started working. 

Within a couple of months, however, she hadn’t made much progress. 

“I was showing up to the office every day. But just showing up to the office means nothing,” Liz said. 

Sure, Liz was keeping busy, but she wasn’t being productive. A call from Tom Ferry changed that. He told her she needed a pillar business and gave her a task: call expired listings. Liz’s reaction was the same as most new agents: I don’t want to make those calls!

But, as Liz said, “When Tom Ferry tells you to make the calls, you better make the calls.”

In the months that followed, Liz called every expired listing she could. Here’s the catch: she wasn’t asking for business. 

Instead, she spoke with homeowners, asked questions, learned what went wrong, and found out the frustrations people were having. In short, she was collecting data. By making calls without the expectation of gaining a listing, the pressure lifted. It became a learning opportunity.

That first year in the business, she squeezed in just one sale. 

But what she gained was more important: the knowledge required to help clients.

Don’t be a Secret Agent

While Liz was busy collecting data from expired listings and learning about the real estate industry, there were still people in her life who didn’t fully know about the transition she made. So her next step was to let her world in on what she was doing. 

“I stopped being a secret agent. I stopped being unsure of myself,” she said. 

Using Instagram as a tool, Liz began documenting what she was doing daily. She shows both the highlights and challenges she encounters. That authenticity quickly began to attract clients, as well as other agents. Her following grew from about 500 people to over 40,000 – but those numbers are not what matters. 

What matters is consistently communicating the message: I am a real estate agent, I am getting better every day, and I am ready to educate my clients. 

When you let your sphere know what you are doing, you will be top of mind the next time they (or someone they know) needs an agent. So by reminding people every day of the work she is doing, people are naturally associating Liz with real estate. 

Educate your Clients

As a former first grade teacher, Liz is a natural educator. Whether working with buyers or sellers, her objective is not to close a transaction. It is to do what is best for each individual. 

Sometimes that means downsizing.

Sometimes it means renting for another year.

Sometimes it is simply minimizing the stress of a transaction during a challenging time. 

In a world where people consume headlines and 30-second clips of videos, Liz is aware of the opportunity she has to educate clients. Both on social media and in person, she provides the full spectrum of information people need to make decisions for their future. 

She provides so much, in fact, that when Liz reached out to her first clients and asked why they chose to work with her, the response was simple: 

It was your heart. 

A New Mindset

Before signing up for real estate school, Liz had some common fears: What if I can’t do it? What if I don’t pass the test? What if I’ve been out of the workforce for too long?

After her first two years, her mindset has shifted. Throughout the journey, she has focused on learning and executing. By creating a pillar business, building a brand, and leading from the heart, she is eager for year three. 

“The bottom line is you can do anything if your heart and mind are connected to it. No one is holding you back.”

Watch the full episode for more insights from Liz!