The Hopper Group

JANUARY 2022

“We serve regardless of opportunity… That makes our group culture contagious.”

A GROUP OUT OF THE NORM

The Hopper Group reflects the unique personalities of those on the team. As Robb Hopper, the team’s leader, explains, “We wanted to have a team that was different from the norm since we are all a little different.”

The real estate industry is known for its competitive nature, but the Hopper Group has sought to make its working environment more “family-like.” Instead of making those who are successful a target, the group celebrates their success. Hopper says, “Our environment is about helping each other succeed… Having a mindset of abundance is key. A ‘mindset of abundance’ means knowing there is plenty of business out there for all of us to be successful. Once that is part of how you operate, it really changes the dynamic and creates a strong culture.”

The team simply shows up for one another – they help each other with showings, write contracts for one another, help with listings and researching. “We serve regardless of opportunity,” says Robb. “That makes our group culture contagious.”

FOCUS: THE CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE

The Hopper Group is about helping people, and they know that one size does not fit all. Each customer comes with a specific set of needs and desires, and the Hopper Group delivers accordingly. Rather than give customers what they think they want, the group creates a personalized customer experience for everyone.

One of the ways The Hopper Group prioritizes their customers is by focusing on what the customers think is important–and delivering. “We–the agents–might think a customer wants to sell their house for the most amount of money and the least amount of hassle,” says Hopper, “but the customer may also feel that selling their home to a good family, who will fit in with their neighbors, is more important. Ours is a relationship business more than a sales business.”

Tailoring the customer experience to the individual takes more time and energy than it might with other agencies, but to the Hopper Group, it is worth it. “Our team is about helping people. In every aspect of our work, we look for ways to help–regardless of the opportunity to make money,” says Robb. “We believe that if your heart is to help people, the money will be there.” For this team, success isn’t about numbers; as Hopper says, “Take care of people, and they will take care of you.”

FINDING BALANCE

The Hopper Group encourages everyone on their team to find balance in their lives. “Balance is only attained if you are intentional about it. One of our rules is ‘take care of you.’ Your family deserves it. Your customers deserve the very best you, and you can’t provide that without balance,” remarks Robb Hopper.

Everyone on the team is encouraged to schedule time off for the priorities in life–family, vacations, time to pursue a passion or hobby. Rather than working in life’s priorities around their work schedules, Robb Hopper encourages his team to “schedule their priorities instead of prioritizing their schedules.” “We encourage our team members to schedule the important stuff first, and then schedule their work life around those priorities,” says Hopper. “Of course, not everyone is good at this–so we try to keep this mindset in front of those who struggle with it.”

Each week, the team sits down to discuss their calendars to ensure that if someone is out, their clients are still provided exceptional service. Covering for one another in this way allows each team member to take care of themselves without worrying that their business will suffer in their absence.

As Hopper reflects, “Being successful in this business means that your business funds your life–it shouldn’t replace it. Too many agents are slaves to their businesses: working 60-80 hours a week, going on vacation and every picture of them is with their phone to their ear, not being present in the lives of those that really matter. We teach those on our team how to create systems or processes to leverage their time well and get back more of it for the things that really matter.”

For The Hopper Group, it is more than possible to take care of the customer–and you. And that is contagious!

Written by Loren Bramble, photos by Ashley Hopper