Stephanie Mols immigrated to Canada from Germany in 2003. By then, she’d already had a near-lifetime of experience working in her father’s mail-order business — “since I was in diapers,” she jokes. Working beside her Dad gave her serious experience with business management.

“When I came to Canada, it was more or less the idea of a side business, starting real estate,” she says. “My husband and I established a business here in Canada, in Ottawa, producing and distributing high-end home items, like European windows and doors, so a lot to do with homes, inside and out.” Since their business dealt so closely with homes anyway, Stephanie considered real estate a natural addition. “In March 2016, I decided it would be a great idea to add the real estate to the business, and it then became my main business within a year.”

Today, Stephanie has a team of two licenced assistants, and is currently in the process of taking on a third. The team serves Ottawa and eastern Ontario. Though she’s only been in the real estate business a few years, Stephanie is already seeing about a 25% repeat and referral rate.

Stephanie credits her success to her “German attitude” of hard work, straightforwardness, and dedication: “It’s get up, dress up, show up…and really love what [you] do.” And her clients, she says, know that about her. “They feel that I really love what I do and I do what I love, and I take pride in really following through with my clients and I try to completely work through their wish list.”

Stephanie extends that dedication to past clients, as well. “I’m in touch with literally everybody,” she says. She sends out direct, personal emails to check in, along with video messages and handwritten birthday and holiday cards. For those who are interested, Stephanie also sends out updates on the real estate markets, keeping clients abreast of what’s happening so they can make informed choices.

Staying in touch is especially important for Stephanie, because she still has a number of connections in Germany, and helps those clients find either new homes or recreational properties in Canada, many of them higher-end, waterfront properties. Other connections come through C21’s chosen charity Easter Seals as well as other charitable and community organizations, especially those benefiting sick kids. Stephanie is also dedicated to helping younger moms and younger generations. “I’m a so-called ‘older mom,’” she says, “and the younger ones we support, I’m always there for them.” In addition, she’s involved in local autism support groups for young families, providing them with education and resources. As a mom to a son on the spectrum, this is particularly important to her.

When it comes to marketing, Stephanie describes her approach as “innovative.” Her target demographic, both in Canada and abroad, tends to be age 35 and over, and so her advertising tends to run in print form, such as in Valley Homes and Homes and Lands, and ad placement in bank investor windows, as well as posting to realtor.ca and internationally via Century 21 Global. While she does a great deal of social media, Stephanie says that a significant number of calls come to her thanks to her print media marketing. “I’m literally the only one who does that,” she says.

Being so dedicated, it’s hard for Stephanie to pick out her favorite aspect of real estate. “Literally everything” is her favorite part, but it’s the connection with people that sticks with her the most. “I love to be around people, I love to support people. There’s nothing more rewarding than having an absolutely thrilled, happy, satisfied client in front of you who offers you friendship. That, to me, is the most rewarding thing I can get out of whatever business I do in my life.”

In the future, Stephanie’s main desire is to grow. “I’m very much a team player, she says. “I really like the setup of our brokerage. I want to expand.” But she has other goals, too. “I want to make sure I have a little more time for my family, which right now is important — because I’m really growing fast. I really want to be the go-to person for real estate in my area.”

Something else she wants everyone to know? “Everybody thinks Germans do not have any humor. I am very humorous!”

To learn more about Stephanie Mols, please visit https://stephanie-mols.c21.ca/, email stephanie.mols@century21.ca, or call (613) 253-2121 ex.128