It’s a very simple and short cycle, have an idea, acquire knowledge in relation to it, and put all that knowledge to work with consistent and sustainable action.
Elionora “Ella” Dudayeva was born in a village located in the small country called Ingushetia. After getting married and having 3 kids she eventually made her way to the land of opportunity, the United States of America, in her late 30’s. While raising 3 kids and working full time, Elionora learned English and made her way through college for a second time in her life. After finding a lack of opportunity in her industry, she made her way through a few odd jobs before tackling real estate. At first being a realtor was just a way to provide for her family but after gaining years of expertise, Ella realized that she can provide tremendous value in the industry if she did things her way. So she decided to start Chance Realty LLC. A company focused on 100% customer satisfaction.
Where did the idea for Chance Realty come from?
After graduating from FIU, I noticed the job opportunities that were available for me were limited. The ones that were available were all part of the old way of doing things and I knew I’d constantly have to abide by someone else’s blueprint. At that point, I decided I wanted to be independent and do business my way so I started my own company. It took a lot of time and planning but I finally got it done.
What does your typical day look like and how do you make it productive?
My days never really look the same, sometimes a Wednesday can be a Sunday and a Saturday can feel like a Monday. However, I am always up early and taking calls for appointments by 8 am. Most of my work revolves around helping clients find properties, mentoring my realtors, meeting with my marketing team and seeking opportunities to grow. Sometimes my days require me to be in the office till 9 pm, sometimes I’m home in time for dinner.
How do you bring ideas to life?
It’s a very simple and short cycle, have an idea, acquire knowledge in relation to it, and put all that knowledge to work with consistent and sustainable action.
What’s one trend that really excites you?
This will be biased, but it’s definitely the recent growth in the Real Estate market! Not only will it help my company grow and provide more value but I love the opportunities it’s creating for people to bounce back from the recession.
What is one habit of yours that makes you more productive as an entrepreneur?
It’s definitely practicing self-discipline. People forget that discipline isn’t something you’re born with, it’s something you have to develop daily. I make sure to never procrastinate, if it can be done now, it will be done now, even if it isn’t absolutely urgent. .
What was the worst job you ever had and what did you learn from it?
I once had a job working at a casino. It was dreadful watching the same faces come in daily and lose money they’ve worked hard for. It was a wake-up call for me and made me realize we all gamble in some ways in our life and over time it’s made me more conscious of the decisions I make. It’s important to steer away from speculation and have your choices reflect more of an investment mindset.
If you were to start again, what would you do differently?
It’s hard to say I would want to do anything different. I was a different person in the past than I was today but it was that person that brought me to where I am today.
As an entrepreneur, what is the one thing you do over and over and recommend everyone else do?
I remind myself daily that I love what I do, even when things get frustrating I sit down and think about all the things I’m grateful for. So I would recommend expressing gratitude daily! You’d be shocked at how this can impact your business.
What is one strategy that has helped you grow your business? Please explain how.
100% focus on customer satisfaction. I make sure every customer I work with finished every transaction with a huge smile on their face. Happy clients bring happy customers. Smiles were my marketing when I first started. Since we have expanded into different avenues, but customer satisfaction remains the lifeblood of my business.
What is one failure you had as an entrepreneur, and how did you overcome it?
I was very old school in regards to technology. Everything was done with a paper and pen and I didn’t realize how inefficient it was making me. I’ve learned to embrace technology in my business and productivity has gone through the roof. Recently I made the effort to go digital! From my infrastructure to my marketing, I’m building the real estate agency of the future!
What is one business idea that you’re willing to give away to our readers?
If I wasn’t doing this I would get involved in the food industry. More specifically I would create a better way to feed children at school. It is a crime what our kids are forced to eat during school lunch. A slice of pizza and a fruit juice isn’t a meal anyone should have for lunch during their developing years. So I would design an affordable meal plan for kids that actually provides nourishment. Make it affordable, package it, and change what the school system feeds our children. The goal would be to create a sustainable way to provide affordable nourishment.
What is the best $100 you recently spent? What and why?
For me, the best money I always spend is on groceries to get my family together for dinner. Nothing makes me feel better than to see my kids enjoy a meal I’ve made for them.
What software and web services do you use? What do you love about them?
I love OneDrive for my storage, I can’t stay away from my emails, I use Placester for my web real estate platform and a Prosper crm for lead management. All these things help me be more efficient in my work. No need to have sticky notes and paper trails everywhere. The information I need is with me all the time.
What is the one book that you recommend our community should read and why?
I’m a huge fan of the classics so I would recommend “War and Peace” for anyone who hasn’t read it yet. You’re guaranteed to think deeper about life and what it means to be alive.
What people have influenced your thinking and might be of interest to others?
The persons who have had the most influence in my life is my mother. She was a teacher and a learner. She was the person in my life that has thought the importance of pursuing knowledge despite circumstances. She managed to learn English and complete her studies despite having to raise 7 children while doing so. Memories of her continue to be my inspiration.
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Mario Schulzke is the Founder of ideamensch, which he started a decade ago to learn from entrepreneurs and give them a platform for their ideas.