Tonya Jones is a real estate agent, consultant and investor company with the Atlanta Metro Properties and Atlanta Women Investing in Real Estate.
What are your daily duties?
My daily activities include a lot of phone time and a lot of paperwork. I work as a real estate agent and that involves getting homes sold for home sellers and helping home buyers find the home of their dream within their budget. In my work with Atlanta Women Investing in Real Estate, I am building a resource for women to use as a step-by-step guide to building wealth through real estate investing. Our tag line is “Smart Women Building Wealth through Real Estate Investing.”
What inspires you to show up to work every day?
Knowing that I am going to solve a problem for someone really inspires me. Sometimes I will have a client who wants to sell their current home to move into a better school district. Getting that mission accomplished makes my clients smile and that is inspiring to me.
How did you determine your career path?
I worked in accounting in corporate America for years and realized that I wanted to own rental property and rent it to Section 8 tenants. That was a good way to supplement my income. After being a landlord for a while, I decided to get a real estate license in 2004 and then I left corporate America for good in 2005!
Describe innovative methods you apply to your business and life.
I look at what the real estate market is doing or what I expect it to do. I spend a lot of time reading and researching market trends so that I can know how to work for my clients. That is how I came up with the idea of Atlanta Women Investing in Real Estate. There were so many investors calling me about my listings, but very few were women. I realized that by teaching women about real estate investing, it would be a way for them to build long-term wealth and help local communities.
Describe goal setting methods you use and how you evaluate you success?
I am an advocate of making lists and writing things down. If I can see it, I am more likely to track it. I write down the names of my current clients and what I am supposed to do for them on a daily basis. I track my success by the number of clients that get to the closing table every year. When I make that happen, I have achieved my goal.
Name your favorite role models for success in two industries?
In the real estate industry, my role model is definitely Herman J. Russell. He was able to build a successful construction and real estate development business despite the turbulence and dangerous climate during the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s. Mr. Russell did not let race be a hindrance to his dreams. In the media industry, my role model is Oprah Winfrey. I really admire the way she knows how to use sponsors to help her promote her message to the masses.
Names 3 books that changed how you saw life and you recommend to others?
1. Succeeding Against the Odds: The Autobiography of a Great American Businessman by John H. Johnson, the founder of Ebony Magazine, Fashion Fair Cosmetics, and many other businesses. This book taught me about not being afraid to fill a void in the market when you see it. He saw that there were no publications that showcased African American achievements and he sought to remedy that by publishing Ebony and Jet magazines.
2. Real Estate and Wealth: Investing in the American Dream by Sonia Booker, local real estate investor and wealth building expert.
3. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey. This book has a wonderful chapter called the Principles of Interpersonal Leadership that discusses the philosophy of interacting with people to create a win on each side. That is what I strive to accomplish in my business with clients.
Describe why lifelong learning is important to you?
Lifelong learning is important to me because the real estate market is constantly changing. Buyers and sellers need to feel confident that their real estate professional is going to get them the best deal possible for the current market. Since one of my goals is to educate more women about real estate investing, I have to stay up to date on what’s happening in real estate financing, property management, renovation trends and neighborhood values.
Describe the voice of success that you hear in your head.
Technology plays what role in your daily life?
Technology is extremely important to a real estate agent. I am constantly on the phone, so having a good phone is vital. Being able to respond to clients quickly is a challenge to any real estate agent, so my phone is my most important piece of technology. People want to know right away how much their house is worth.
What software and technology apps include have made the biggest difference in your life?
The Fiverr.com site has helped me tremendously. I have such a problem trying to do everything, and Fiverr.com has helped me to delegate things to people who can do them quickly and efficiently so that I have time to spend listening to my clients. I also use Dropbox on a regular basis because it keeps my files mobile. The OnStar feature in my car is something that I use a lot because I work all over the Atlanta Metro area, so I am in a different neighborhood every other day.
The Atlanta Women Investing in Real Estate will kickoff its inaugural conference with keynote speaker Sonia Booker on Saturday, July 12, 9:00 am – 3:00 pm at Georgia Piedmont Technical College. To register go to Atlantawire.eventbrite.com. Your registration will include lunch. For questions, contact Tonya Jones at 404-419-6550.
