Home Business Inspiration Found in Unlikely Places
Read more about: Home Business Tips, Success Thinking
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This post is a great reminder of how much you can do with a tiny business and a big goal. Remember this was written a year ago when the real estate market wasn’t in such a bad place. 
I have a friend Paul who is aiming to become the top Keller Williams Agent in the United States. (Yes, my dear friends have dreams as big as I do!! 
). He wisely decided he was going to speak to the current top 20 agents in the nation, and ask for their insights and advice on what it takes to be that kind of top producer.
Now, I don’t know about you, but I had made some assumptions about success in Real Estate. Things like being in a high-growth market, being near a major metropolitan area, and listing a lot of homes that you and I likely couldn’t afford. 
Boy, was I wrong. The #1 KW agent in the nation is somewhere in Texas, in a market similar to what I just described. But the number #2 agent? She is in Crown Point, Indiana. You read that correctly. Have you ever even heard of Crown Point, Indiana? In the 2000 Census, the population of this very cute and quaint little town was all of 19,806.
This information just fried my brain when I heard it. And it got me thinking…
If the Number 2 KW agent in the nation is doing THIS well in THIS market, what is defining and influencing her success?
- It’s not the market. Crown Point is tiny.
- It’s not the home sale price. Her average deal is a very normal $200K single family home.
- It’s not even high growth - Las Vegas is (was?!) kicking Crown Point’s butt when it comes to development.
So how is it that this woman does so well?
It’s because Jana Caudill has defined her own success. On her own terms. In her own backyard.
Which also got me thinking…
- Have any of you been thinking small just because you run a home based business?
- Would you rather be thinking bigger?
- What could you do to redefine what you are capable of?
- And what lessons can you learn from Jana Caudill about just how much success you can achieve with a small market, average fees and prices, and a low-profile brand?
I realized I had been making some ASSumptions about what I could and couldn’t do.
No more, Jana! Thanks for the kick in the pants.
Sparkplugging Founder Wendy Piersall is dang passionate about helping people start & grow a business while maintaining life balance (somehow). 
Kelly McCausey is an internet marketer, blog publisher, podcaster
and web business coach. Host of 
Bill Parlaman is owner of 
This is a perfect post for meshing with what I’ve been thinking about, and it comes at the perfect time for those 2008 resolutions. Thanks!
I often think about this very sort of thing. My home based business right now is very small, but I would like it to grow some more.
I am defining my success as being able to quit my “day job” and make a decent living while working less than 30 hours per week.
You don’t have to make a million dollars to be happy. My goal is time wealth. I want to be able to spend time with family, spend time performing and traveling.
Wendy, my day job is selling commercial real estate (28 years) and the Buffalo market is considered secondary…rink a dink and all the negative comments you can think of. I ignore them and take my checks to the bank….
You are what you are willing to be provided you are self motivated and self generating. I’ve been successful selling commercial agents for many years in our so called secondary market. 80% of my business is 20% of my clients. If you are willing to allow yourself no barriers. Create a circle of business acquaintances and friends who know and trust you. Understand your market from the ground under. You can be very successful anywhere you please. My job is fun. I live it..love it and have helped several agents enjoy the same.
My focus the last few years has been apartment complexes and too my surprise I’ve sold them in other states..closed on the properties and never seen the actual complexes. One was in Indiana over $18 million and I never stepped foot in the state.
Success is a frame of mind. Of course, you have to be educated in what you do. It doesn’t have to be college there are great courses available for commercial and residential real estate. I continue to keep my education up after 28 years. I was going to take some courses in January however, with my upcoming surgery this will be delayed.
Stay current with trends, read every local paper available to you so you understand your community. Listen to what your client needs and don’t waste their time with products they don’t want. It takes away from your credibility and will cause you to loose the client. Get them to speak more then you. The more they talk, the more you learn.
This was a great post, I hope your readers take a good look at what you offered in information.
Regards, Dorothy from grammology
remember to call gram
http://grammology.com
I found it inspiring that a real estate agent in this market and in such a small town could do so well. As 2007 winds to a close and 2008 gears up, my mind is turning towards my business and personal goals. This story will help me aim a little higher.
EXCELLENT article! Talk about your “leave no excuses” post.
Thank you for the reminder. We all need to hear/read it now and then.