Back to the blog
Author
Kristo Kaur
ELLIX real estate agency recently celebrated its first anniversary. During this time, we have helped clients sell, buy, and find new homes, built new partnerships, and shaped ELLIX into a real estate agency we would turn to ourselves as clients.
More happened during this year than I could have ever imagined.
The name ELLIX comes from the word elixir, which metaphorically means a simple solution to a complex problem. This idea also well describes how we wanted to build ELLIX from the very beginning. To achieve this, we set two core principles at the start:
First, we wanted to provide real estate services professionally, thoroughly, and from the client's perspective. For most people, a real estate transaction is one of the biggest financial decisions of their lives, so the entire process must be clear, understandable, and secure.
Second, we wanted to create a company where people enjoy working. In our field, this is not a given because brokers often work alone, purely on a commission basis, and "team" largely just means a logo on a business card. A year later, I am still convinced that a broker who feels supported does better work for the client.
The most important result of our first year is the trust of our clients. They have returned to us and recommended us to friends, colleagues, and family members. In real estate, this says more about the quality of service than any single transaction.
I am equally proud of our people. Professionalism, helpfulness, and a sense of ownership towards one's work have become a daily part of ELLIX. I have always believed that good results come when people take their work seriously and feel responsible for the collective outcome.
Of course, not everything during this year has been straightforward or easy. The winter was a more challenging period – long holidays, people resting and traveling. The workload quieted down and the pace dropped. The thought crossed my mind that perhaps we wouldn't make it. Fortunately, that thought passed. Today, I believe that this difficult time taught me more about management than any good month ever could.
The most important thing was how we came out of it together. The team started looking for solutions, making suggestions, and taking on more responsibility. That is where the understanding arose that the success of ELLIX is truly a shared matter for all of us.
One thing I would do differently today as a leader is goal setting. In the beginning, I thought that good people would find their own way to success, and in part, they do. But a person who does not have a clear and agreed-upon goal also does not know when they have done a good job. A leader's task is to formulate these expectations and set the goals. Today I know I should have done this sooner and more consistently.
In our second year, we want to double the size of our team. Every new person needs to know what is expected of them, receive the necessary support, and understand their responsibility. We also want ELLIX to have a secure place and reputation in the Estonian real estate market. For us, the best recognition is when clients trust and recommend us.
Thank you to all the clients who, in our first year, trusted their real estate transactions to an agency with a still brand-new name. And thank you to our people, who contributed even in the more difficult moments.
See you in year two.
Kristo Kaur | CEO and Partner | kristo.kaur@ellix.ee | +372 5398 6679
