Interview with Anna Tran – Broker

Ottawa’s Favourite Vietnamese-Canadian Real Estate Broker Serving the Nation’s Capital

OTTAWA, ON

RE/MAX DELTA REALTY TEAM BROKERAGE

Anna Tran Real Estate | annatranottawa | Anna Tran Canadian Real Estate Broker | AnnaTran.com

What inspired you to start in real estate and how did you motivate yourself to keep going?

Being a first-generation immigrant of Vietnamese parents, they’ve taught me many important life lessons. Young and scared, my parents got into a boat and escaped their war-torn homeland to seek refuge to a free country. Hoping to create opportunities for their future family, they found a new home in Canada. My parents inspired me to chase the North American dream. As a young girl, I’ve always dreamt of having my own home, a safe home. Now, I get to do that for clients every day. That’s what keeps me motivated.

Comparing your business from back then to now, what has been the main thing that allowed you to expand your business?

I started real estate at 19 years old and felt the need to “prove myself.” I started at RE/MAX’s #1 Team in Ottawa and was compared myself to some of the Nation’s top performers. The truth is, I didn’t know who I was at that time (heck did any of us?!), I was insecure, and I tried to be so many things that I wasn’t. Sure, I could say CRM’s, lead generation, and door knocking helped expand my business, but I only saw massive expansion in my business when I gained confidence in who I am as a person. I stopped comparing myself to other people, and started focusing on growing as a person.

What’s the most profitable aspect of your business, why do you think this is and how can others apply this to what they are doing?

Authenticity in every form from online presence to real life has translated to numerous sales. From gaining clients on Instagram, to networking with colleagues at a conference, I’ve found that being myself through-and-through has attracted the clientele that I’m looking to gain. They say your clients are a reflection of who you are and who you attract, what does your client list say about you? Social media has broken down the barrier of “professional”, the modern day client is looking for authentic and relatable.

Looking back, what could you have done sooner to get to that point quicker?

Looking back, I wouldn’t change a thing. I would have gone through the same route and taken the same failures to get to where I am now. With that being said, I went to many networking events in the earlier days, I wish I would have attended more and said yes to any opportunity to be a sponge and learn from colleagues around North America.

What should other real estate entrepreneurs reading this be focusing on to expand their own business?

If you don’t have a great mentor, get one. Having a great mentor in the industry who shares similar values and business practices has made a huge impact in my business. Having someone who I trust and respect to discuss tough decisions with has been crucial in helping me expand my business. Everyone grows their business in different ways, and at different points in your business, you’ll need different advice. Find someone you look up to and figure out what they’re doing differently. Ask someone you admire out to lunch.

How has social media and online marketing affected your real estate business? How much more success have you had now after implementing social media and online marketing efforts?

I’d like to thank Instagram for bringing me 40% of my business. I don’t have an insane following, but the community I’ve built has translated into many homes sold. Sharing my story amongst thousands of people at the click of my fingertips has allowed me to connect with people I wouldn’t have otherwise met. Many of my real life friends have started with a “follow”. I think it’s a great platform to differentiate yourself in a sea of people.

Did You Experience Failures? If So, What Did You Learn From Them?

My motto is I “fail forward”. I fail all the time. I’m not to be hard on myself because I know I try my best. I dwell in it for a few minutes, sometimes hours, and then I pick myself back up and keep it in the past and learn from it for the future.