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When Tahnee Barnes started out in August 2017 as the LJ Hooker Million Dollar Intern, she said that it was going to be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. She said that she was ready to work hard and that she thought she could “really learn a lot” from Bill Malouf, who has been her mentor over the past three months.
Today, as her internship comes to an end, she is reflective about her experience.
“It has been an extraordinary journey,” Ms Barnes told REB.
“I feel like this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity has been amazing. I have gone through so much change this last three months — change that I didn’t even think was possible. Not just in my work-life but in myself as well.”
She said that the transformation has been all-encompassing.
“How I look at things and how I look at real estate and all the hard work and effort that goes into that. How much of a rewarding career it can be,” Ms Barnes said.
“It has been what I expected it to be, although I didn’t think that there would be so much personal change.”
She said that the most significant learning for her has been just how much “time and effort” real estate requires of an agent in order to be successful.
“I’ve watched Bill for three months. I’ve gone around with him and I see that he just doesn’t knock off. To be successful, you just don’t knock off.
“On the personal side of it, I’ve grown so much. The work is what I thought it would be, but I’ve come to realise that it is more of a lifestyle than an actual job.”
Ms Barnes said that, of all the pieces of wisdom passed down from Mr Malouf, the one that stands out is perhaps the most simple.
“He told me [to] never forget that it is a service industry and to not get lazy. You have to do the fundamentals properly and religiously; otherwise, you won’t stay on top.”
In order to do that, Ms Barnes said that she understands how important it is to love real estate.
“I love real estate,” the intern said.
“I don’t think I’ll work a day in my life. I guess that it will be hard and it will be testing at times, and I have seen that. However, the pros easily outweigh the cons.
“I can compare it to the military because that was a big part of my life. But if you live and breathe something and love it, the bads are never that bad. I guess if you love something enough, you just keep going, and not giving up and taking the hits as you go and learning from them.”
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