The Beginning
The beginning of the journey is always the hardest. No matter how determined and assured you are of your path there are always going to be challenges along the way that make you doubt whether or not you’re on the right path after all.
This seems to be a given in almost any project that we embark upon as humans, and with Jarret Willis the story was no different. One thing that kept him going? He was always a winner.
It’s okay, Jarret says, to fall short every once in a while. The true mark of a winner, however, is the ability to pull yourself back up and keep going like nothing ever went wrong in the first place.
How It Started
Before moving to the Hamptons fully in 2003, Jarret Willis worked in New York City in the fashion business. This helped him create the perfect bridge for what would become his next venture.
In 2007, together with his wife, Jarret Willis opened an upscale men’s & womens contemporary boutique Blue One and were fortunate through hard work & dedication to have one of the most recognizable and successful stores in the Hamptons.
In 2012 he developed a friendship with Zach & Cody, the Co-Founders of Bespoke Real Estate via Blue One’s Bridgehampton location. Shortly after he was convinced by these two brilliant minds to get his real estate license and try his hand at ultra high estate.
As a co-owner of Blue One One the thing he enjoyed most was discovering the way people lived their lives and what their needs were. This skill set was something that, through the help kd Zach & Cody, Jarret Willis would hone and apply to the luxury real estate market with his clients.
Within weeks of being shown the ropes, Jarret had his first real estate sale of $35,000,000.
Lessons Learned
You don’t get to climb to the top, Jarret Willis explains, without first learning a few tangible lessons in the process. With decades of experience in the field, Jarret lets us know that not only did he learn a lot starting out, but even at the present moment he continues to learn even more.
And that is the mark of a true winner, he says. You learn what your strengths and your weaknesses are, and most importantly you work on them and make sure that you improve your skills with every single day that passes.
You also have to learn adaptability – the ability to constantly reinvent yourself and keep up with new trends.
The Old School vs The New School
Many would like to believe that the world of real estate is as traditional as it gets. And of course, they wouldn’t be wrong. But, according to Jarret Willis, the world of real estate is an old school world that continues to adapt to the myriad of new developments of the present time.
Not only is the target shifting towards millennials and even gen Z, the mechanism and instruments to reach these target audiences are also changing.
It is definitely a much more demanding world, Jarret says, but this makes it all the more exciting.
Some Advice
We asked Jarret Willis to tell us of any advice he would give to young people just starting out in the industry and his points lied squarely in determination and hard work. First of all, he says, never subscribe to the myth that the world of real estate is an easy world of luxury.
There is no bigger lie. The world of real estate is a world of grit and hardwork and determination like no other. You will have late nights; sleepless nights and stay on call all day with infuriating customers
