Jayson Hardie – Managing Partner – (636) 256-5712
What happens when you work in sales, and you don’t quite fit the extrovert salesman mold, but you don’t really belong in the introvert camp either?
Maybe you can’t keep up with the constant handshaking, life-of-the-party types, but you also don’t want to spend all day buried in analytical or technical work. If that sounds familiar, you’re not alone. It usually presents like this:
Some parts of the job, I genuinely enjoy.
Some parts, I can do—but tire of quickly.
And other parts? I’d rather gouge my eye out with a rusty spoon than touch them.
So how do you build a business when you live somewhere in the middle?
I’ve tried everything to find the answer, self-coaching, motivational content, even changing my diet (as if carbs were the problem). Turns out, there’s a much better school of thought. One simple framework built on three principles that we’ll dive into more:
- Do only what only you can do, first.
- Do what’s necessary, accepting that you have a time limit.
- Be honest about what you’d rather not do so your team can complement you.
Do Only What Only You Can Do
This is your superpower, the thing you’re naturally good at, get energy from, and never seem to tire of.
For some, it’s socializing.
For others, it’s analytics.
For some, it’s a blend of both.
Often, it’s disguised as something that feels easy to you—so easy, in fact, that you can’t understand why everyone else struggles with it. That’s usually the clue.
For me, it’s dabbling. A little social. A little networking. A little knowledge across a lot of areas.
Funny enough, being a solid 6.5 out of 10 at many things eventually became a point of pride. I never thought of it as an advantage until I found real estate.
The first step in this framework is leaning into that strength instead of apologizing for it or trying to “fix” it. When you identify what you do best and lead with it, everything else starts to make more sense. You stop wasting energy forcing yourself into roles that drain you and start building momentum by capitalizing on what already works. From there, the rest of the framework isn’t about doing more; it’s about doing the right things first.
Do What’s Necessary (But Know Your Limit)
For me, this is networking.
I can do it, but only for so long. I have a very real time limit on how long I can manufacture conversations. After about 2.5 beers, I’m done.
So, I drink slowly.
This is the heart of point two: doing what’s necessary doesn’t mean doing it endlessly or pretending you love it. It means acknowledging the role it plays, setting clear boundaries, and being intentional with the time and energy you give it.
Some tasks aren’t your superpower, but they’re still part of the job. The mistake is assuming you need to do them the same way or as much as someone who thrives on them. You don’t. You just need to do them well enough, long enough, and with purpose. This way, doing what’s necessary becomes sustainable, and sustainability is what allows the rest of the framework to work.
Share What You’d Rather Not Do
If you don’t want to do something, don’t—but say it out loud.
There’s no shame in disliking part of the job. The only real problem is pretending you enjoy something you hate. When that happens, tasks get delayed, quality drops, and frustration builds quietly in the background.
Your team can’t help if they don’t know where the gaps are.
At Homestead Financial Mortgage, we’re intentional about building teams with this in mind. We don’t hire clones or expect everyone to do everything. We focus on assembling complementary skill sets. People who balance each other out, so each person can spend more time working where they’re most effective.
Being honest about what drains you versus what drives you isn’t a weakness; it’s leadership. When the right people are aligned in the right roles, the entire business runs more smoothly. This is not because anyone is working harder; it’s because they’re working smarter.
Common Referral Personality Types
The Life of the Party
Strengths: Knows everyone. Loves everyone. Everyone loves them. They network, shake hands, and ask for business with ease.
Weaknesses: Attention to detail. A relational brain can come at the expense of analytics.
Solution: An analytical team. Without one, opportunities are created but wasted.
The Star
Strengths: Can create content for days—reels, TikToks, posts, you name it. They generate demand from borrowers and realtor partners through creativity.
Weaknesses: Asking for business. Living in the creative brain doesn’t always lend itself to direct asks.
Solution: Use Homestead’s software to analyze content engagement and focus limited energy where it actually converts.
The Tweener
Strengths: Can do it all: content, conversation, processing, etc.
Weaknesses: Exactly that. Doing everything creates an unintentional ceiling. There simply aren’t enough hours.
Solution: Coaching. Slowly and respectfully learning to let others support their book of business.
In Conclusion
Everyone is different.
At Homestead, success isn’t about forcing people into the same mold; it’s about understanding individual strengths and leveraging them. The real secret sauce is communication. Once you’re clear about what you do best and what you don’t, a team can be built around you. One that allows you to grow without burning out or reaching for the nearest rusty kitchen utensil.