April 18, 2022, The Northrop Group
On Thursday, April 14th, over 150+ Compass agents and colleagues gathered at the Compass Denver headquarters in Cherry Creek to connect, learn and share their stories in the real estate industry. The event comes just three years after Compass opened its flagship Denver office and was hosted by Founding and #1 Individual Agent Jessica Northrop. Those three years have seen notable shifts within the industry. Among them, a pandemic changed how agents were able to collaborate and come to work, and Compass itself tilted the landscape of real estate throughout Denver and Colorado becoming the #1 brokerage in the Denver area in sales volume.
In an office which was forced to sit empty for several months during 2020 and 2021, the gathering of these agents from several different offices was not only a collection of many of those who have helped Compass rise to the top, but a celebration of the brokerage’s monumental rise in Denver. Those gathered heard from four agents who have helped push Compass to new heights: Jenny Apel, Kristen Abell and Pamela Helm along with host Jessica Northrop. In addition to the wisdom and experiences shared in the panel discussion and questions, attendees enjoyed food from Wander + Graze, specialty drinks from atoÌ„st Lounge and a complimentary headshot session all provided by The Northrop Group and sponsor Brian Pintar of NFM Lending.
Jenny Apel’s a third-generation Denverite with decades of success in Colorado real estate with buyers and sellers. Kristen Abell got her start in real estate in 2008 after “taking her agent to see 50-75 homes” in her own personal home search. Since then she’s built her Abell to Sell team to be one of the highest producing teams at Compass Denver. Pamela Helm came into residential real estate after a successful 20+ year career in commercial real estate and is part of the highly successful Helm Weaver Helm team. Jessica Northrop’s 25+ year career in Colorado real estate has led to being Founding Agent of Compass Denver, her formation of The Northrop Group and being named the Top Individual Agent at Compass Denver in both 2020 and 2021. Though their paths were different, all four women have successfully helped lead the way in leading Compass to its #1 ranking atop Denver and the United States.
Together, they shared stories and advice ranging from balancing the responsibilities of work and life, tips to get a deal done, how they generate new business and mistakes they’ve made along the way. Said Apel, “Sometimes you have to walk the valley to experience the peak. I’m okay with walking the valley to get to the peak. I can look back at it and say I had to travel that point in order to get to this point to truly appreciate what I learned.”
The women also shared what led them to join Compass in the first place after being successful at other brokerages. “I never needed to leave. I had said if Compass comes to town that’s the only thing that would make it worthwhile,” Abell said. “It’s been the best choice I could have ever made. Their national presence…I had no idea how much I was missing. The collaboration without ego is what I love most about this place.”
“The marketing was exceptional. The national exposure and cutting edge technology was what we wanted…offering more items such as Compass Concierge. The technology sets us apart and they help you create your brand and are there as a support system but they help you build your brand,” Helm added. “Our marketing and advertising is what gets us invited to the party.”
The women continued with their perspectives on how they’ve grown their business and how to get deals done agreeing that communication with all parties involved is crucial though styles may be different.
Jenny Apel: “I’m not texting. I’m going to remember the broker who called me so I do the same.”
Kristen Abell: “I love texting. If you want one of my houses, please text me. But there are so many different styles and ways to communicate. Get to know the other agent.”
Pamela Helm: “In this market, you’re going to have to blow up their phone. Call, text, email. Get creative. You need to make them believe that you can get to the finish line.”
Though they’ve all reached the proverbial finish line hundreds of times with their clients, the winding roads to get to where they are today all shared one notable thing in common: “You gotta be tenacious,” Helm said.
Jenny Apel mentioned: “I never saw that there was an easy way through of doing this, and I never wanted my clients to think that my job was easy…because it’s anything but easy. My dad’s solution to problems was to work harder so that’s what I’ve always done.”
Abell added, “I’m a very competitive person.”
As Apel reflected on some of her best advice she said, “The real wisdom was learning to listen. Listening became paramount to my career.”
Jessica Northrop appropriately added, “Listening is so important. People just want to be heard.”
In all, the event provided a chance to connect, celebrate and listen to women who have been there before and want to help others rise to the top. “Hopefully you learned something today. Hopefully you met someone today, or deepened a relationship. That’s what today was all about. When we collaborate and work together, there’s nothing that can stop us.”
Above (L to R): Braden Fridell, Taylor Whitton, Jessica Northrop, Brian Pintar (NFM Lending), Jayd Wells and Billie Mills of The Northrop Group hosted the Compass Women's Lunch, April 2022.
Above (L to R): Jessica Northrop, Jenny Apel, Kristen Abell and Pamela Helm of Compass Denver
Above (L to R): Braden Fridell, Taylor Whitton, Jessica Northrop, Jayd Wells and Billie Mills of The Northrop Group
Above: Jenny Apel, Kristen Abell and Pamela Helm share a laugh during the eventQuestions about making a real estate decision? You can search all Colorado homes for sale, learn more about working with The Northrop Group or read testimonials from our clients. Follow Jessica and The Northrop Group on Facebook and Instagram.
Contact Jessica directly at [email protected] or 303.525.0200.
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Compass
200 Columbine St., #500
Denver, CO 80206
The Northrop Group
Jessica Northrop
(303) 525-0200
[email protected]