RE/MAX Affiliates Take Women’s Empowerment Global

A new group is bringing the brilliant business minds of female RE/MAX affiliates together to exchange ideas, best practices, and – most importantly – personal stories, in an authentic and judgment-free forum.

R.E.A.L., or “RE/MAX Empowering Ambitious Ladies,” began as a means for women of RE/MAX Europe to network via social media but quickly morphed into something so much bigger – both in practice and in geography. From a private Facebook group to in-person R.E.A.L. events to Zoom calls during the pandemic, the group has expanded beyond Europe and into the global RE/MAX network.

Through R.E.A.L., RE/MAX affiliates from around the world participate in mentoring and mastermind calls with some of the network’s biggest success stories. Speakers such as Ilaria Profumi, COO of RE/MAX Italia, and Pamela Alexander, Regional Owner of RE/MAX INTEGRA, serve as examples of the limitless opportunity available at RE/MAX. Just as important – members of the group offer each other encouragement and a vision for their journey to the top.

“We want to get more women into the business, we want more women working in real estate and creating great lives for themselves and their families,” says Joanna Kolton, CEO of RE/MAX Matosinhos and RE/MAX PRO in Portugal. “This group is real female empowerment.”

Koltan co-founded the group with Michelle Goodridge, Senior Executive Administrator for RE/MAX INTEGRA and RE/MAX Europe, in October 2019. Following a kick-off event in Mallorca, Spain, during the RE/MAX Europe Convention, R.E.A.L. hosted subsequent gatherings in Portugal, Canada and at the RE/MAX R4 Convention in Las Vegas. Semi-regular Zoom calls have helped continue the momentum during the global pandemic.

“We are creating a community where we can share and be the best versions of ourselves,” Goodridge says. “That’s what being a part of RE/MAX is all about. We have this incredible network around the world that we can each tap into and learn from and share best practices.”

A space to get R.E.A.L.

The semi-regular R.E.A.L. calls average 90 attendees, dialing in from offices, kitchens and cars as far away as Israel, Germany, Italy, Canada, the U.S. and more. Shawna Gilbert, RE/MAX Vice President of Global Development, estimates that at least one person from each of the 110 countries and territories where RE/MAX has a presence has participated with the group at one point. The community encourages women from all stages of their career – from new agents to regional executives – to share their insight and lessons learned.

Gilbert, who credits RE/MAX with empowering all affiliates, says she values connecting with other women leaders over their shared experiences.

“R.E.A.L. has created a space for me to learn from others in leadership and talk about challenges that only other women can understand and relate to,” Gilbert says. “Many times, the obstacles women face are the result of our own self-doubt, and all it takes is encouragement from others to overcome them.”

Just as important as professional development, the group also serves as a platform for women professionals to openly share their challenges and work together through personal roadblocks.

“I feel such deep gratitude to belong to this brand because this career has allowed me to create something really different in the market,” Koltan says. “It’s the power of transformation that we have, when you bring women on board and start seeing them grow and create this completely new life.”

Part of the power of R.E.A.L., according to Goodridge, is that the group provides role models for women affiliates.

“I think a lot of women will follow suit if they see examples of others’ success,” Goodridge says.

Increasing opportunity for women around the world

What started as an organic movement within the RE/MAX network has grown into a powerful initiative to expand opportunities for entrepreneurs around the globe. With Gilbert’s help, R.E.A.L. is now developing an ambassador program so that affiliates in any country can form their own, smaller groups.

“The whole point is for people to start a movement wherever they are,” Goodridge says. “We are always here, ready to help.”

Koltan says the group has been a great experience for agents in her office.

“I just think RE/MAX is a great place for women,” Koltan says. “My agents who participate in the group love it – they say it’s the best call of the week. Promoting these events is such an icebreaker when I am speaking to new or prospective agents too.”

A far-reaching impact

According to Goodridge, empowering women in their careers has far-reaching effects beyond real estate.

“When you have a woman, who has realized her potential, you’re not just helping her. You’re helping her family and her community,” Goodridge says. “It’s a spark you’re igniting when you build a woman’s confidence that she can get what she wants.”

Koltan says she is an example of what happens when women have the confidence to go after their dreams: “I am the result of this empowerment,” she says.

When Koltan moved to Portugal from Poland in 2004, she found herself in an unfamiliar city that she felt wasn’t overly welcoming to foreigners. Yet she prides herself on the fact that she didn’t give up. Koltan learned Portuguese from the classes she took on real estate, and quickly became the top agent in her office despite having no sphere of influence in the market. Then, she bought the office.

“Everything I have in my life I owe to RE/MAX,” says Koltan. “I don’t think there’s any other company that allows these kinds of opportunities.”

To learn more about R.E.A.L. or to join, RE/MAX affiliates can visit the R.E.A.L. Facebook group or follow on IG @remax_r.e.a.l #bereal