BrTahne d Playbook
Index 3Mission Statement 4Vision Statement 6Boilerplate 8Brand Story 11Development Program 15The Ten Oaks Story 16Meet the Founder 17Core Values BHAG 24 28Hedgehog Concept 29X-Factor 30Bold Beliefs 36Brand Challenge 38Brand Promises 41Brand Guarantee 42Brand Archetypes 48Brand Personality 52Agent Archetype 55Agent Profile 57Brand Voice Box 60Guiding Lights 64Agent Index
LETTER FROM THE FOUNDER If you’re reading this... ...you’re probably wondering why a small real estate company based in America’s heartland took the time to write down and print out who we are, what we do, and why it’s so important. The big firms don’t even do that. Which is precisely why we did. We didn’t build Ten Oaks because we admired the conventional model. We built this company because we knew traditional brokerages—the ones that have made production into a competition and going at it alone a badge of honor—were failing their agents. They were also failing their clients, their families, their communities, and the industry at large. Burnout is real. Disappointments are constant. Impact is lost. Every agent should know that success—however you define it—takes time. You're not going to create a six-figure income overnight or naturally know how to balance work and home. It takes practice and commitment to create the life you want. Every client deserves a real estate agent team who truly cares about them and their future. Whether it’s their first home or an investment, it isn’t a transaction—it’s a milestone. Honor and celebrate it accordingly. Every community needs 1 active and generous contributors, and real estate agents have a responsibility to help strengthen, beautify, and support the bigger picture.
We knew there was a better way—and that way starts with this little book and a big promise. At Ten Oaks Real Estate, we promise to create a path for you to not only become a great salesperson but to become a team leader, an active member of your community, and a good partner, parent, and human. Because a world-class real estate experience doesn’t start with a listing. It starts with you. This is the kind of promise that deserves to be put in writing. On nice paper. Within reach. Every time you open this book, think of it as opening the door to your success. Let it remind you that you have a team behind you, a paved road ahead, and plenty of opportunities to make this adventure everything you want it to be. Get comfortable. We’re planning to be with you awhile. Brandon Baca Brandon Baca Founder, Ten Oaks Real Estate 2
CMorIeSPSIuOrpNose STATEMENT We are transforming and inspiring the real estate industry—one client, one agent, and one market at a time. 3
VISION STATEMENT A world-class reafrloemstaetveeereyxxpapegererinieetnn,ccee for every client, in eevveerryymarket. 4
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Ten Oaks Founded by Marine Corps Real Estate is veteran Brandon Baca, changing how Ten Oaks Real Estate delivers industry-leading people buy information, mentorship, and sell their education, and support, both to the real estate homes in agents they train and to Tennessee, the clients and Oklahoma, communities they Texas, and ultimately serve. beyond. Explore real estate opportunities, investments, and careers at tenoaksre.com. 6
“Our goal at Ten Oaks is to redefine what it means to invest in real estate. We know our agents, clients, and communities get better returns when we focus our efforts on long-term support, education, and personal relationships.” Brandon Baca FOUNDER & MANAGING BROKER, TEN OAKS REAL ESTATE 7
TBheRTAenNODaks STORY 8
At the heart of every thriving community in America is a real estate agent who loves their job. At Ten Oaks Real Estate, we have a passion for helping real estate professionals achieve long-term personal and professional success—neither of which is possible without a deep commitment and respect for the industry, our client relationships, and the agents we serve. We help agents and clients make the most of every real estate opportunity, so they can focus on building the lives they want—in the places they want to live. Every exceptional client experience we deliver has its roots in powerful agent training, mentorship, and an internal support network. 9
OUR WORLD-CLASS AGENT DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM Attractscompassionate, high-caliber candidates who view real estate as more than “just a job”—and who want more for themselves, their families, and their communities. Balancesprofessional and personal growth. This is key—the client experience is negatively impacted by workaholics who attempt to serve from an empty cup. Createsa clear pathway to success based on a standard of professionalism, integrity, and continuous improvement. It’s one thing to be consistently good, another to be consistently better. Encourages fast, smart, agile solutions. When you deal with hundreds of thousands of dollars and human emotions, any deal has the potential to go sideways—which is why we seek and develop resourcefulness in every agent. 10
“Our agents don’t just form great relationships with their clients—they have created a strong, supportive network with each other. We are a strong community that is building stronger communities.” David Fatke CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER, TEN OAKS REAL ESTATE These are just a few of the ways we’re transforming and inspiring the real estate industry, one agent, and one client at a time. 11
The Ten Oaks Real Estate mentorship and team-building program has been pivotal to my success. I attribute my professional achievements to Ten Oaks’ unique mentorship program that prioritizes hands-on training and team building for agents. Under the guidance of Brandon Baca, founder of Ten Oaks, trainees have the opportunity to attain their full income potential and eventually mentor their own team of real estate agents. The Ten Oaks program provides one-on-one mentorship that empowers the trainee with networking and leadership skills to multiply quality transactions over commission split. Angela Sutherland TENNESSEE 12
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OTAEKNS 14
WHAT’S IN A NAME? The story behind Ten Oaks Real Estate We’d like to say the name Ten Oaks comes from time spent on an impressive lane flanked by ancient oak trees, each symbol of strength, resilience, wisdom, and honor. While that does present a beautiful image, the name of our growing community of real estate agents, clients, and listings has slightly more humble beginnings: Ten (Tennessee) and Oak (Oklahoma), the two states where the first seeds of our company were planted. Over the years, Ten Oaks has grown into its name in all the ways we had hoped. Branches unified by a common core reinforced by heartwood strengthened by an expansive network within a perpetual seasonality of growth and renewal. In the end, where the name comes from is less important than what the name stands for—a brand people trust to help them put down roots, reach new heights, and contribute to something bigger than themselves. 15
MEET OUR FOUNDER Brandon Baca FOUNDING BROKER Brandon Baca traded his high ‘home’ takes on a whole new school cap and gown for a meaning.” United States Marine Corps Reserve uniform. After serving It wasn’t long before he in Ramadi, Iraq, during realized that world-class real Operation Iraqi Freedom in estate agents—ones who were 2004-2005, he returned to the compassionate, resourceful, States, married his bride, and and knowledgeable—were one has been helping others live of the most powerful prime the American Dream through movers in the growth and real estate ever since. success of American neighborhoods and cities. He “I think there’s a reason why founded Ten Oaks Real Estate military veterans are attracted in 2019 to find, develop, and to careers in real estate after support more of them. deployment,” says Baca, who has closed over $100 million in Ten Oaks Real Estate now has personal sales. “When you risk offices in Texas, Oklahoma, your life holding your ground in and Tennessee—and is just another country, helping getting warmed up. people establish and define 16
CORE VALUES Core values represent the incteormnaplamssotthivaattigogunuisdideaenssdouorur extaeatrntnidtauluudbnneeiisffhy,yaavnoidourrasac. ptTiophnerosyaaiicnnshffoa,orrmm company, as individual agents, and as community leaders. 17
Commitment Success is a kept promise. At Ten Oaks, we dedicate our time and resources to the success of our agents and the satisfaction of our clients. It starts with our pay-it-forward approach to training new agents, and it culminates in delivering a world-class experience that puts client interests and outcomes ahead of our own. This commitment also means keeping our promises to our families and relationships, delivering value to our communities, and staying in step with our industry through continuous improvement. 18
Courage Because growth never happens in comfort zones. Life—and real estate especially—give us plenty of opportunities to learn and do better next time. The goal isn’t to create perfection but to build an internal resiliency that allows us to make forward progress and rise to the occasion time and time again. Community We are a strong community that builds stronger communities. We can safely argue that no one knows their way around a community like a great real estate agent. We know where to get the best information, the best donuts, the best paint job, and the fastest turnaround on rush printing. By supporting what works well in every community, everyone benefits. Our Ten Oaks agent community is no different and operates with the same spirit of selfless abundance. Through mentorship and networks, we all benefit from helping each other succeed. It’s not just good karma. It’s good business. 19
These next three are borrowed heavily from Patrick Lencioni’s The Ideal Team Player (a recommended read!). Its central thesis is that a perfect team contributor is a combination of three virtues—hungry, humble, and smart. Here’s how we define these values at Ten Oaks. Drive Going the extra mile is never out of our way. We founded Ten Oaks Real Estate to expand the real estate industry’s impact on careers, clients, and communities. We can’t do that by taking shortcuts. We mean to disrupt the status quo. Delivering a world-class experience—by definition—means doing your job better than anyone else on the planet, including who you were the day before. It’s not a competition or a race. It’s a promise. Resourcefulness Present solutions, not problems. Our agents think before they act, practice patience over panic, and deliver solutions with bold confidence. Everything we’ve built as a company—our internal network, our exhaustive resources, our in-depth training—is designed to help smart people uncover multiple options and make better, faster decisions. 20
Humility Everyone has something to teach —and something to learn. We pride ourselves on having some of the most experienced, intelligent, and successful agents in the industry—and we can say that because our agents won’t. Our brokerage thrives because each agent recognizes they don’t—and can’t and won’t—know everything. We’re better as an organization because of our willingness to learn, teach, help, and trust the process. 21
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I LOVE Ten Oaks Real Estate! When first deciding where to land for real estate, I chose a different group. This was NOT to my advantage. After a year, I was quite convinced I needed to move to Ten Oaks Real Estate. Once I made that difficult decision, I was off to the races! Why I love Ten Oaks: • The mentorship is INCREDIBLE here! • Structured weekly meetings • Bi-monthly mastermind meetings • Team-building opportunities • The ability to sculpt my business my way, with a proven structure to leveraging my experience and pay scale! All the above are the meat and potatoes of Ten Oaks, and I HIGHLY recommend choosing them as your brokerage. Kayla Jarmon TENNESSEE 23
BHAG AudBaicgioHhuaasiirGryyoal From the book, Built to Last: Successful Habits of Visionary Companies by James Collins and Jerry Porras, a Big Hairy Audacious Goal is a powerful and compelling target that excites and ignites an organization (and its people!) to exist to its greatest potential. write your own Take a moment now to flip to the Agent index and write your own BHAG—one for your goals as a Ten Oaks agent and one for your personal life. 24
TENby 2030 OAKS REAL ESTATE haasll efixfptyansdteadtetso & hohuass ehbeoclodmneama e (BECAUSE WE’LL HAVE SOLD THAT HOUSE) 25
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Being an Agent with Ten Oaks has been nothing short of amazing. Not only are we a bespoke family-oriented brokerage that tailors to the lives of our clients, but we cater to the agents’ lifestyles as well. Whether working part-time or full-time—or working another job—pursuing a passion in real estate is obtainable. I’m a living witness. Hershel Murphy TEXAS 27
HEDGEHOG CONCEPT Ten Oaks Real Estate groawgsenintst’atpnaednredsemomnawl aitnhdour professional success. From Jim Collins’ book Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap and Others Don't, the Hedgehog Concept is the one thing a company can rely on to fulfill its potential, engage its passions, and drive its profits. 28
XFACTOR A world-class real estate agent training, mentorship, and mastermind program. An ‘X-factor’ in business is a unique, intangible value that positively and exponentially impacts your product or service. It’s what consistently sets you apart from competitors. 29
BOLDThese are our BELIEFS Bold beliefs define a company’s ‘conscience’ by determining what's right and wrong for the way we do business, working in tandem with our values to accomplish our mission. They are what we know at our core to be true for our industry, company, agents, and clients. 30
The worldW E B E L I E V E T H AT deserves a better real estate experience. Our careers, clients, and communities demand that we do the deep work necessary to grow, to become better versions of ourselves, and to encourage those around us to do the same. Without this, we settle for mediocrity—and we all deserve more than that. This means we seek to understand the needs of everyone we work with and strive for the best possible long-term outcomes for their specific situations. 31
Real estateW E B E L I E V E T H AT agents hold the key to positive and powerful community impact. We know the best and fastest way to impact our industry is to harness the ripple effect of a world-class experience—which is why everything we do is focused on the professional and personal growth of real estate agents. Agents who have transformed their lives go on to transform the lives of others in exponential ways. 32
Mentorship,W E B E L I E V E T H AT structure, and support build the road to success. Success in real estate doesn’t take a magic formula or a secret recipe. It’s a clear, intentional, proven path laid by everyone who came before. How and how well you navigate that path depends on your willingness to lean in, learn, grow, and share your experiences. Our entire community was formed by people who believed we were onto something and took—and keep taking!—chances on themselves and each other. 33
TheW E B E L I E V E T H A T destination of that road isn’t money —but a real, balanced, full life. There's a reason why most brokerages base an agent's performance on transactions, dollar signs, and production values—it's an easy (if superficial) way to determine “success.” At Ten Oaks, we know that a great real estate experience is more than the value of your commission—and that number 34
is worthless if it costs you your health, quality time with your family, and the relationships you treasure. We also know it’s impossible to deliver a world-class experience if you are burnt out, stressed, and spread too thin. That’s why every agent is taught the critical skills of delegation, margin creation, boundary maintenance, and health priorities—in addition to industry insights and education. 35
BRAND CHALLENGE A brand challenge is what everyone in the company accepts when they take on the job, one that stokes and sparks a fire that spreads beyond your castle walls. write your own Take a moment now to flip to the Agent index and write what a ‘World-Class Agency Experience’ means to you. 36
CWLOBeARthLSe DS YOUR COMMUNITY deserves 37
BRAND PROMISES Brand promises build trust, value, and loyalty. They should be credible and affirming, simple and measurable, different and inspiring—whether you say them out loud, put them in writing, or keep them front of mind. 38
We respect your time, money, and objectives with every interaction. We deliver as agreed and outperform whenever possible. write your own Take a moment now to flip to the Agent index and write your own brand promises. What experience or value can your customers expect every time they work with you? 39
Everyone at Ten Oaks is more than willing to help out their fellow agents, and the leaders of the company are always there to answer any questions. It doesn’t matter if you are in real estate part-time or if you are looking to make this your full-time career; you will receive the guidance and experience to help you achieve your real estate goals. Ten Oaks is building something great, and I’m very happy to be a part of it all. Drew Qualls TEXAS 40
OUR step-for-step GUARANTEE Woeungcuearoafneteffoertthyaotueevpveeurrtyy into your career will be mmaaTttcechnheeOdda1k0s0t%eabmy .the 41
BRAND ARCHETYPES Originally developed by Swiss psychiatrist Carl Jung, archetypes are based on the significant part of what makes us us. They describe and define our thoughts, beliefs, and behaviors—often without conscious attention. Jung believed the better we understood, accepted, and integrated our archetypes into our lives, the more easily—and happily—we could fulfill our greater potential and purpose. Since brands and companies are extensions of the people who create and contribute to them, brand archetypes are an essential part of the work we do. They affect the decisions we make as a business, the impression we make on others, and the values and behaviors we admire and cultivate. 42
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The SageP R I M A R Y B R A N D A R C H E T Y P E Gathering and guided by what is right and true. To a sage, acquired wisdom is the only key that unlocks success. They don’t clutch this key and hide it from the world; instead, they present it willingly as a brilliant beacon toward the better—if and when you’re ready to grip it yourself. While Sages can be warm and inviting, this archetype’s true magic isn’t found in snapped fingers, waved wands, and special enchantments. It’s through a quiet—and sometimes fierce—awakening and unleashing of our own deep-seated power. The inviting call of the Sage isn’t to take you above and away from the world but to remind you how much you can build and be within it. There is a reason why this archetype stood out to us so clearly. At their core, Sages are mentors. 45
The CreatorS E C O N D A R Y B R A N D A R C H E T Y P E Imagining a better world —and then building it. When we think “creator,” we instantly think of artists, builders, inventors, and innovators—people who grab ideas out of the ether and turn them into sculptures, houses, and smartphones. But creators go beyond chisels and blueprints—they are those who are driven to build something from nothing. Where a Sage can plant ideas, a Creator brings those ideas to real life in a new and exceptional way. Creators bend and frame chaos into functional order, balancing a wild imagination with a deep desire to “get it right,” going by feel and gut instinct to make something bigger than themselves. Just like an entrepreneur who turns knowledge into services, a livelihood, and an enduring impact. 46
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BRAND PERSONALITY Yes, brands have a personality. They are, after all, made up of real people. If you think about it, the Ten Oaks personality is probably a lot like yours. Here’s how we know... 48
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