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Springfield, MO

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From left: Mike Brown, Tim McCall, Rachel Lusk and Dan Holt
Cynthia Reeves | SBJ
From left: Mike Brown, Tim McCall, Rachel Lusk and Dan Holt

2022 Dynamic Dozen No. 6: Keller Williams Greater Springfield

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SBJ: What has been key to your recent growth?
Dan Holt: It’s really no different than it was before – we’re an agent-centered business. We’re continually focused on developing the agents to help them get what they want, whether that’s more home sales, more clients or more listings. It’s really competitive for listings right now and getting clients under contract. We build out our educational plans according to the market demands.

SBJ: What are your top issues when it comes to managing growth?
Holt: The challenge for any organization as they grow is continuing to make it feel small. The challenge in being big is, with 414 agents, not letting anyone slip through the cracks and (making
them) feel like their business is the most important to us. Our agents are 1099 independent contractors, and they have the choice of where they work. We make sure we add the level of value that is market relevant. It’s a fiercely competitive market right now. There are more agents in our business and fewer transactions per year.

SBJ: What has the company’s growth enabled you to do?
Holt: Agent count always helps us get more market share, and gaining market share makes it easier for each of our agents to do business. As the public sees more Keller Williams signs in yards, it instills more and more confidence. It makes our agents’ jobs easier to secure buyers and listings to sell. When consumer confidence is high, they know we’re going to get the job done.

SBJ: Is your fast growth sustainable?
Holt: Yes. We’re never going to feel comfortable that we’re done growing. We feel it’s our job to get better every day … continually growing and adding value through education and helping agents hit their goals.

SBJ: Where is the tipping point?
Holt: A 100% market share. All jest aside, I don’t think there’s a tipping point because until we have 100%, we’re not done growing.

SBJ: Have your goals changed as business has taken off?
Holt: Organizationally, I would say no. Our goal is to be the real estate company of choice for our agents, our customers. For me personally, I think I had a shift in my mindset not too long ago: Market share, yes, that’s my transactional goal, but my goal now has become doing that by engaging the top talent in the market. So, my goal is also being in a relationship with the people who are going to take the market share.

SBJ: What do you see on the horizon for your industry?
Holt: The biggest thing I see is the affordability index is changing. There’s some inflation, some increases in sales price and interest. The three things combined are making it really challenging to afford a home someone might have three years ago. We still have record sales. We don’t have a housing shortage, per se. We have a days-on-market shortage. But there will be buyer reluctancy eventually, and that will change the affordability issue.

SBJ: What is the worst business advice you’ve received?
Holt: That there’s enough out there for everybody. That’s not a growth mindset to me. I believe we have a value proposition that exceeds everyone else’s. If I actually believe that, I will never achieve that until I have 100% market share.

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