“Never take no for an answer.”
What makes her special: She’s overcome an age and size deficit—the petite Yoder-Barnhart once appeared at a listing appointment and was mistaken for a friend of the sellers’ teenage son—to become a top performer at her company, reaching $11.7 million in sales in 2002.
Secrets of her success: Persistence, excellent service, and a big dose of confidence. Yoder-Barnhart started working as an administrative assistant at her company as part of a high school work-study program. She became licensed at 19 and now has a team, including three licensed buyer assistants and one administrative and marketing expert.
Don’t tell her no: One of her steady sources of listings is a group that brings together local builders and real estate practitioners. Once when a builder participant said he wouldn’t pay salespeople commissions, Yoder-Barnhart sought to change his view. “If someone says no to me, it fuels my fire,” she says. The builder now provides her with about 20 new listings per month.