Born and raised just 25 minutes from where she lives currently, Tonya Jones, the top agent for Berkshire Hathaway Home Services in Georgia, expands her business with confidence.
How long did it take to become the top realtor in Georgia?
Tonya: It took 12 years to get there. This is my 18th year in the business, and I’ve had the privilege of that distinction for the past 6 years.
When did you decide to bring Rhett into the business?
Tonya: I never encouraged my children to get into real estate. It may look easy but it is super hard and very demanding. When Rhett mentioned he wanted to get into real estate, we told him he had to go to college and finish a year successfully. He did that while simultaneously starting a real estate class. Coming into the business Rhett knew he would not have an opportunity to join me until he had been in the trenches for a while. He’s done really well on his own so he’s earned it, not been given it.
When and how did this journey start for you?
Rhett: I got my license in September. I would come into the office and watch what Tonya did. It was all so foreign to me. Kerri Hudson [Tonya's assistant] keeps us running, she's invested a lot of time in me. I give them a lot of credit for my success, and then I’ve been just grinding it out.
Tonya: Rhett is just the hardest worker in the world. I had in my head the trajectory he would be on, but he’s exceeding those expectations so I thought this would be a good time.
Tell me about this launch!
Tonya: We’re working with a marketing group in Peachtree City. It’s going to be spectacular. They’ve done a really good job; working really hard on the plans and specifics. We’ve got a video and our logo is complete in preparation for the launch.
What is the vision for the partnership?
Tonya: Our vision is to better serve our clients and our community. With the collaboration, we can do that. While we’ve been blessed to have a lot of success, we do not take that for granted. We have a super high retention rate and that’s because it’s truly not about the transaction for us. It’s very relational, and so we want to take that to a whole other level.
Rhett: I feel like sons have different bonds with their mothers to a certain extent, and I feel like me carrying that on and her passing the torch is super cool to me; that I get the opportunity to have that. I feel like carrying on her name is an honor back to her.
"Our vision is to better serve our clients and our community. With the collaboration, we can do that. While we’ve been blessed to have a lot of success, we do not take that for granted."