Mark Johnson Builds an Environment Where ‘Agents Can Be Themselves’
VITALS:
Mark Johnson
JPAR Real Estate
Years in business: 9
Size: 65 offices, 3,500 agents
Regions Served: 24 states
2020 Sales Volume: $5.6 billion
2020 Transactions: 22,250
www.jpar.com
JPAR Real Estate is one of the U.S. real estate market’s rising stars, with 65 locations across 24 states. In 2018, the company hired noted real estate coach Mark Johnson as its new CEO, and he’s been instrumental in the growth JPAR has seen, relying on his decades of experience examining the inner workings of high-performing real estate companies.
Keith Loria: What makes you a fit for the real estate industry?
Mark Johnson: I’m a human performance student, coach and people person, and I have always worked on developing myself and leaders. And when I was called to enter the real estate industry, it was a natural fit. My team and I have built a company of winners in an industry where our average agent earns two-times the national average, and our per-person productivity (PPP) has increased 8% year-to-date.
KL: How is the real estate market looking as of Q4? Is there any lingering impact from the pandemic?
MJ: The real estate market has been unlike any other. This is a historical moment in time for all of us, and we’ve seen exponential growth. The inventory constraint is forcing us all to be more resourceful and creative. The pandemic has redefined the meaning of “home,” as home is now so much more than it used to be.
KL: What is the key to recruiting and maintaining strong agents?
MJ: We seek a different kind of agent. We are very different from your average real estate company. We aren’t so large that an agent feels invisible. We are innovative, with a strong culture rooted in core values and integrity. It’s not so much about recruiting as it is continuing to build one of the best places to work in America. To that end, we are consistently awarded the best place to work. And we want to help agents build wealthy, and also mentally strong, families. It all goes back to the focus on people.
KL: What makes JPAR unique?
MJ: We aren’t like anyone out there. We aren’t going to make any false promises, and we aren’t trying to be the biggest. We want to be the best. We are focused on people—and process—over profits, yet our goal is to help agents create wealth.
KL: How do you ensure your agents are happy?
MJ: Happiness is the personal responsibility of the agent. We are an agent-centric company, so there’s no smoke and mirrors—and the agents can be whoever they want to be. We provide support, tools and a lot of communication.
KL: How does JPAR stay up on the latest technology?
MJ: Several ways. First, I am highly connected in the industry and maintain great relationships. We also follow all of the industry news media in addition to several outside the industry—trendmakers like Peter Diamandis, author of “BOLD.”
KL: What’s the best piece of advice you like to share with your team?
MJ: Be a solutionist. Be a problem-solver. Solve your customers’ challenges in an elegant, easy way. Also, what makes you productive is more than hard work. Yes, it is hard work, but it is also proper sleep, time off, exercise and nutrition.
Keith Loria is a contributing editor to RISMedia.
