Transformative self-leadership. A conversation with Carlos Rentalo
The vision of self-leadership and the importance of incorporating a coach-mentor in the professional path of real estate agents.
1976, Oviedo. Carlos Rentalo has lived in many places. It starts with immo, continues with marketing/personal branding, ends with coaching and strategy. It's a triangle. He grew up in a business environment and his first experiences were in the family business where he thought he would stay. But it didn't go as he expected. He decided to leave and went to England and there he saw that he wanted to travel the world. He did everything and travelled. In 2003 he decided to open his own real estate agency at the age of 27 as a director at Don Piso.
We continue our cycle of relevant conversations with #gentereal by exploring with Carlos Rentalo what we think the future will demand from the profession. José Luis EcheverríaCEO of Monapartwas our guide in a talk that helped us understand why ambitious agents should incorporate the figure of a coach-mentor as part of their "competitive infrastructure" by default.
Rentalo.com what does it offer?
- It offers consultancy for real estate businesses:
- Broker-manager oriented services
- Team-oriented services
- Agent-oriented services
It also has a line of work oriented towards events, conferences, meetings... And another leg is the creation of a community of managers where they work on strategies, recruitment challenges and sharing learning. Finally, it has an investment company aimed at real estate businesses.
Community of managers, how does it work?
By referrals, reputation is key and 60% are managers who have worked with Rentalo at some point.
There are three segments in this community:
- Manager of a real estate agency with more than 25 agents and several offices.
- Manager with office of 3-5 people and looking for profitability.
- Professional with high potential, good turnover and wants to grow.
The interesting thing is that you accompany agents throughout their professional life: from agent to broker to manager.
When I created Rentalo.com I knew that what I wanted to protect was my freedom and not having a ceiling. That's why I have a system that allows agents to train at their own pace as well.
Self-leadership
A real estate agent's commitment to his or her goals is one of the main challenges. Having a mentor or coach is essential.
What is your role?
What drives me is helping real estate professionals to grow. I love this sector. At the beginning of my mentoring I understood that personal connection is fundamental. And it doesn't always happen...
That is why I work with people with values very similar to mine, and they are generally professionals with a track record. Rarely are they just starting out.
The agent with whom my support works best is the agent who wants to go to the next level. It comes from pain but associated with growth. It is not so much: I can't capture, I can't capture exclusives.... comes mainly because it wants to do better.
First what I want to do is to get to know them well, to connect, and I tell you that usually the reason they say they suffer is not what they need. That's where I get stubborn. And that is because there is a lack of self-knowledge.
I also think it is because we find it hard to let ourselves be helped, unlike Americans where the coach or mentor is like the doctor or the lawyer, we find it hard to recognise that we need someone.
Managers often welcome another approach and take them out of their day-to-day. It is important to start with a first step and that gives them optimism and drive...
I don't like to be there if I don't contribute. My plans are between 3-6 months or a year at the most. Beyond that there is no point... I don't like ties, I don't like commitments and I like to be always alert and that is incompatible with long terms.
Is the role of the coach more motivational or structuring?
When I am invited to give a motivational lecture I think: WTF. So much energy is expended in this profession that it is absurd to look for external motivation. At first I thought that my role was more motivational, but I soon realised that this made no sense... That's why I decided to create a system:
- First of all, recognise the talent of the estate agent and I am very good at that. Once the strengths have been identified, you have to make the most of them.
- Winning mentality. We have to get used to losing in order to win. We make more visits than we have closures... it is a profession that must constantly manage the NO and therefore the professional must create their own self-motivation mechanisms.
What do you think is the great deficit of agents in Spain?
Not having a working system. The first thing I did to become a mentor was to create my own method and I turned that method into a brand. Now that brand attracts and gets bigger and bigger. Having a system helps you to plan better, to manage your time better and then that system empowers you.
My method is not common, but is adapted to the strength of each agent. Large real estate franchises offer the same method to very different agent profiles and that is why they have such high turnover. I believe that you have to make a tailor-made suit because no two professionals are the same. The suit certainly has some basic pieces but each one enhances one component of the suit or another.
What do the reference actors have in common?
- Winning mentality... they want to get better every day. No matter the turnover or age, it's a question of growth attitude.
- They are consistent in their own system. In this trade there are peaks and valleys... but the constant is the methodology.
- They are an authority. They are recognised in their area. That is not success in social media.
- Very hard-working.
Winning mentality + Consistency + Reputation + Hard Work
Reputation / personal branding / RRSS
Reputation is only possible through consistency. What has always worked best for me is to invest in my personal brand since 2018 and it has to be linked to reputation. Personal branding is not social media.
What do you do every day to be recognised as a real estate authority in your area? We are one of the most stigmatised professions in the world, so if you stand out for your good work, it is essential. Social media is a bitch and the window of opportunity has closed. It's the valium for stressed agents...
Social media is a complement, but how much time do you waste there? There is very little value left there. You don't have to go for volume, but for quality...
Operational systems for agents
There are many options for real estate agents and more to come. There are agencies, franchises, platforms... I think the big American companies are going to suffer. They are very big and have been doing the same thing all their lives, and that will make them suffer. A platform that promotes personal branding, the freedom of each professional, and the creation of a community of people united by values... that is the future.
How do you see the future of real estate?
I see an ecosystem of real estate agents, technology and using AI.
For all the Monapart community it was an honour to have such an outstanding professional accompanying us and explaining his vision of the real estate sector. We invite you to watch the whole talk here.
