BusinessLife Spotlight: Paul Bergman

This week’s BusinessLife Spotlight is on Paul Bergman, a residential and commercial real estate broker in Palm Beach. Paul had been in commercial real estate for over 20 years, and recently expanded to the residential real estate industry upon moving from California to Florida. He has been an agent with Douglas Elliman for 7 years on both the commercial and residential side, where he deals with investment properties as well as directly with home buyers and sellers.

As an agent and real estate broker, Paul runs his own business. He has to find and gain clientele, sell himself, implement strategies, know his market, stay competitive, and work hard every day. Paul is solely responsible for how much he makes and how well he does with regards to his real estate brokerage business.  

The value Paul brings

Paul has over 20 years of experience in the real estate industry. He has an in-depth knowledge of the marketplace, providing expertise, experience, and an innovative and creative mindset. He is aware of what is out there, and what is next. He watches markets shift and patterns develop, which enables him to better prepare for the future of his industry. He understands the mechanics of the business from all sides, and has a deep understanding of the functioning of housing and commercial markets.

Aside from his years of expertise, Paul believes in the value of honesty and integrity in his business. The real estate market brings with it legal processes that are complex to the average buyer. Paul takes the time to thoroughly explain all procedures and processes to his clients, so they can always make fully informed decisions. It’s this honest, ethical approach that has given Paul the upstanding reputation that has allowed his business to thrive for 20 years.

Working with Peter

Paul met Peter through a mutual friend 6 years ago, about a year after he moved to Palm Beach. Although Paul was experiencing success with Florida real estate, he knew a coach would help take him and his business to the next level.

Peter became more than a coach for Paul. Peter became a de facto partner, functioning as an active member of Paul’s team and business. Peter became a sounding board for Paul to bounce ideas off of in what Peter deems “collaborative coaching.”

Results of Coaching

Business planning

The most significant result of coaching has been Paul’s rebooted business structure.

Paul’s brokerage business is based on human capital; although he sells real estate, his success comes from client and broker relationships. Each deal is different because each situation and individual is different. Flexibility is vital when working with dissimilar sorts of personalities and people. Paul was struggling to maintain structure in such an ever-changing, ever-diverse market.

Working with Peter allowed Paul to understand how to create and execute a business plan in the real estate world. It has allowed Paul to improve his ability to focus on a goal and refocus when various circumstances arise. Peter helped Paul find the perfect balance to implement a business strategy and be adaptable to situations as they arise.

Paul has learned to balance structure with flexibility, rigidity with agility.

Business peers

Working with Peter has also helped Paul reevaluate his peers. Because Paul functions in a people-based business, he found it beneficial to work with people who function with the same sort of business culture.

Paul has begun focusing on working with people with similar mindsets, values, and goals. This has furthered his business and career, because he and his peers encourage one another to push further, farther, and faster.

Business technology

The real estate business has a lot of established technologies available to clients—almost just as much as they are to brokers and agents. Websites and phone apps like Realtor.com and Trulia.com give clients a way to do their own real estate searching. Thus, in order to succeed in the market, agents need a deeper understanding and insider information about it.

With Peter’s help, Paul has built his business to stay ahead of these real estate technologies. He focuses on relationships with the community, and keeping attentive to what’s going on. He uses his expertise to create a unique client experience and honest brokerage deal.

Looking forward

Paul’s current objectives are to identify new opportunities and innovations while following the roadmap of his business strategy. He plans to practice adapting and changing his roadmap as needed, while still using the process of goal-setting to push forward towards the end result.

For Paul, Peter has been invaluable in the process of gaining structure, setting objectives, and looking at the future of the real estate brokerage business. We look forward to watching Paul continue to grow his business in Palm Beach.