Meet Deann Dillard | Real Estate Agent, Coach & Nationwide Team Leader

We had the good fortune of connecting with Deann Dillard and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi DeAnn, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking.
Risk is essential to growth. If you want to live big you have to risk big, if you want to be comfortable and safe, don’t risk. People are afraid of risk but everything you’ve ever desired is on the other side of fear and risk.

Taking risks has been the theme of my life and career. I risked my corporate steady little job to become an entrepreneur and build my own business through real estate after getting a divorce and becoming a single mom. Had I not taken that risk, I would never have been able to afford to put all 4 of my girls through college.

I have learned to pivot in almost any situation and to take the road less traveled and think outside the box to further my life and my career. In 2020 after my 21 year old daughter passed away, I left a thriving real estate business in the desert, 28 listings under contract and moved my family to the coast. I didn’t really have a plan but I knew that I could figure it out and I knew how to build a business. I felt if I didn’t just take a risk and do it without figuring it all out, I would never make that dream come true for myself and my girls. It turned out to be the best decision I had ever made in business. I took a huge risk and joined a company that was fairly new that hardly anyone had heard of, eXp Realty. This was a completely new platform and model for real estate brokerages but I saw a future here that I didn’t see anywhere else. Now 5 years later, that company sells more real estate than any brokerage in the country! That first year I sold more volume in sales than any of my previous 10 years in real estate. That risk has provided me the platform to build a nationwide organization and become an owner in the company.

I joined in 2020 just a few weeks before the country was on lockdown. I saw a need to pivot again and take the risk of not building a traditional community based real estate business but instead to reach out to other agents nationwide and build a professional referral network. I didn’t see anyone else doing this but I saw the value in these partnerships to sustain business in any market. This became the most successful component in my business. As interest rates steadily rose after the pandemic, community business came to a halt. People stopped moving in their local areas, but kept moving in and out of states. This took my business to another level, and that is because I took a huge risk to build a non traditional real estate business model.

What should our readers know about your business?
I started my business in Real Estate 15 years ago as a single mom of 4 girls needing to support my family. I had no idea what I was doing and didn’t get a lot of help. In this industry, you get a license and then are told go sell real estate. There is not a lot of direction. So I joined what I thought was a great company because they sold a lot of houses. I soon found out how competitive the industry is and there isn’t a lot of direction training or support. It was extremely difficult to navigate alone so I used google and YouTube to find my way. My first year I was Rookie Of The year, selling more homes than any other new agent in the largest company in my area.

Because I am a risk taker and think outside the box I quickly learned to do things that no one else was doing. I saw that as a way to stand out and find untapped business opportunities. I started selling land, which no one else wanted to do, but found it to be a gold mine. My thought was, if I can have more listings than anyone else, and my sign in more lots for longer periods of time, everyone in my town would have to drive by my signs everyday. And it worked, I started to use Social Media, 15 years ago, when no one else was using it, and no one else wanted to get in front of a camera. I used a few other tactics that weren’t the same old school ways that everyone else was doing. I quickly became the number one listing and selling agent at my company over and over. Then I became the #1 selling agent in my entire community. It wasn’t as easy as it sounds, I had a lot of haters and people thinking what I was doing wasn’t very smart. But I could see something that other’s weren’t seeing and knew it had to pay off. It did.

I then took a huge risk and moved my business to another market. Many said I was crazy and I wouldn’t make it because it was “too hard” to break into the luxury market of San Diego. Or the market there is “saturated” with top agents. I knew if others could do it, I could, and I went from selling $200,000 homes to selling $2,000,000 homes!

I have really learned that for so many people it is hard to pivot, to take a risk, to think outside the box and to see their blind spots. Over the years I have helped many agents with their businesses which has brought my business down another path. Now, I coach and support other agents all over the country. This may be the most rewarding side of my business yet. Because I have had to pivot so many times and do things others haven’t done, I have a very good eye at looking at other peoples lives and businesses and helping them reach their goals. Accountability, support, coaching, mentorship are essential to thriving in business and this is what I offer agents. This is what I wish I had when starting out 15 years ago. Even though I was successful, I would have been able to go so much further in less time had I had someone like that helping me.

One of the biggest lessons I learned right away was, always ask questions. Always reach out to people who are where you want to be. Figure out how to get into rooms with the big dogs and then take a risk and get in front of them and ask questions. I did that and now people who I never dreamed I could even get to talk to me are my best friends. This is how you learn. Whenever someone reaches out to me for a few minutes of my time, I always give it to them. They are the hungry ones who will make it, and it’s one of the things that made me successful.

I want everyone to know, in any business, that no matter what tragedies and difficulties you face, you can rise up and be successful. I have been through the worst things imaginable, loss of a child, divorces, homelessness, single mom, losing both of my sisters, all while building a business. It will not be easy, it will be very hard, but it can be done, just don’t give up. It can make you a better human and a better business person. It has taught me in any situation how to pivot.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I live in Carlsbad . I would plan a local itinerary.
Definitely spend a day at Tamarack beach. We would set up a barbeque and stay until late Night.
Next morning we would walk on the beach down to Better Buzz and grab a coffee. Grab some lunch and drinks at Crackheads. Get dinner at the famous Dini’s By The Sea.
Next day we would plan to take the Coaster from Carlsbad to downtown San Diego. Grab some dinner at The Smoking Gun and then catch a Padre’s Game.
Next day we would do some hiking in Calavera Hills in Carlsbad and then walk to dinner at Vigulucci’s on Carlsbad Blvd and watch the sunset.
On Thursday, take the Coaster to Oceanside for the Outdoor Market and then grab dinner and drinks at the Rooftop Bar.
If there’s time for another night out, definitely visit Cowboy Star downtown San Diego for a great steak and an amazing culinary experience!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My partner Bill Larson for standing by my side through so many amazing trials, tribulations and extraordinary life experiences.

My 4 girls for always supporting me, following me and loving me through all of it.

eXp Realty, for taking a risk and going way outside the box with an innovative platform for agents to create their own businesses and brands. For putting us agents first and giving us many opportunities to build wealth.

Website: https://DeAnnDillard.com

Instagram: @deanndillard.realestate

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deann-dillard-a48052b0/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/deann.dillard

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@deanndillardrealestate3997

Image Credits
Christian Arias