Q: Denise, I’m discouraged by the business, and I’m actually thinking about leaving it entirely. Any words of wisdom before I take the plunge?

A: I do have some questions for any agent who is thinking about leaving real estate to get a “real job”. First question – do you still love the business? If you don’t love the business then I do think you should look for other options. No one should be in an industry they don’t enjoy. Second – have you really done everything you can to be successful? So many agents have gaps in their business (ones they’re sometimes not even aware of). Have you branded yourself? Do you have great marketing tools? Have you put together a client communication plan? What kind of follow-up do you have in place? Do you consistently generate leads? If you aren’t doing all of these things, you aren’t truly practicing real estate. Before you give up entirely on a business you love, take a look at what you could do to amplify your efforts – then take action.