Meet Jesse Gemmell: Trusted Real Estate Professional
Welcome to the world of Jesse Gemmell, a dedicated and passionate real estate professional with a remarkable journey in sales and property management. With over six years of experience at Harcourts, Jesse has honed her skills in building relationships, effective communication, and understanding clients’ needs. Her journey began at the age of 19, where she developed her sales acumen through cold calling and various sales roles, including hospitality and used car sales.
Jesse’s transition into real estate was driven by her desire to make a meaningful impact on people’s lives. As a single mother, she faced numerous challenges but never let fear hold her back. Her determination and resilience led her to pursue a career in real estate, where she quickly made a name for herself. Jesse’s commitment to her clients is evident in her ability to overcome obstacles and provide exceptional service, ensuring that everyone feels heard and understood.
In her first year as an agent, Jesse was honoured with the “Rising Star” award, recognising her as the top new agent in the central region. Her success is a testament to her hard work, dedication, and the unwavering support of her family and community. Jesse’s approach to real estate is rooted in gratitude and a genuine desire to help others achieve their dreams.
Join Jesse Gemmell on her journey and experience the difference of working with a real estate professional who truly cares about your success. Whether you’re buying or selling, Jesse is here to guide you every step of the way.
“I had started it (real estate) because I wanted to show my children what they’re capable of when they have to face struggles. I just want them to remember if I can do anything, they can.”
The six pou of Mata Ārahi Manomano drive the questions we have used to profile Māori & Pacific role models, in the Service sector.
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Representing the levels and forms of aroha that can be found throughout our lives across our many communities. We acknowledge the wide range of obstacles and the journey it takes to overcoming everything that stands in our way to expressing aroha within.
I’ve worked for Harcourts for six years, the first three years as a property manager. I would say my strengths are in building relationships; communication is important. Making sure people feel heard, sane, and understood. Being able to relate to people is really important, making sure that you stay authentic to yourself and stay genuine. People can see through things, you know what I mean?
I enjoy getting to know people. You have to love people when you work with them. Negotiating, obviously, being able to ensure that everybody feels like they’re being looked after, and in a service role, you have to be able to do that. Being trusted is very important.
Understanding people’s needs, knowing what people need, and being able to satisfy that. You know people will always have a need.
Overcoming objections and rejection. That is a big thing in our industry, being able to overcome obstacles.
Not everyone’s going to like you, and that’s OK. You have to remember it’s not personal, and you need to carry on and fight and find the people that do want to work with you and love you and like what you have to offer.
Seeking guidance from our kaitiaki Hiwa-i-te-rangi, we take a journey through our different aspirations, goals and dreams. This tohu acknowledges hard work, wisdom, the reach of ones goals and the desire that comes from this mahi.
I’ve always enjoyed sales and helping people. It’s rewarding being able to problem-solve and work with someone to achieve their goal. That’s been a big aspiration.
One big reason I started in real estate came after I just turned 30. My life was not where I thought it should be, and I knew I could be more. I had just left a really hard relationship, so I was a newly single mom. I was in a dead-end job, wasn’t satisfied, and wasn’t feeling good about myself. So, I decided to study real estate.
About a month later, I saw a position for a property manager. I went for it, and I was very fortunate.
Looking back, I wrote down in a journal the things I wanted to be, in a way that made it seem like I already had it. I wrote, “I’m grateful to be a successful sales agent,” “I’m grateful to be a good human,” “I’m grateful that I am financially secure,” “I’m grateful that I have a roof over my head and can provide for my children”.
I wanted to make sure I could still be present for my children, and that’s one big thing I’m grateful for. Now, being self-employed, I can work around my children and make sure I don’t miss anything.
When you come from a place of gratitude, I think things just manifest naturally and they just grow.
With adventure comes challenges as well as obstacles to overcome. We stand proud as we overcome these obstacles. This tohu draws inspiration from the Niho Taniwha and Aramoana patterns. We acknowledge reaching our destination and preparing ourselves for the many new adventures ahead.
When I started my sales journey, I was 19 and I was a hawker. We would fill up our car and a little black bag full of goodies and cold call to residential and business areas.
Cold calling is tough; you’re going into somebody else’s space trying to sell your product. So being able to overcome that was the skill I learned at 19.
I completed the Certificate in Small Business Management, then the Real Estate course. All those small stints I took along the way have led to where I am now.
I’ve sold used cars. What’s weird is I don’t see myself as a typical used car person, but I did that for three years and really enjoyed it.
When I first started at Harcourts, we had just experienced Covid in 2021, and it was a tough market. I’m fortunate I managed to build a really good circle of influence where people supported me because they wanted to see me do well. That’s one thing about Tokoroa I’m super grateful for. I had a lot of friends reach out to say, “Hey, we’re looking to list our house. Can you help?”
They say the best agents are built in a tough market. It definitely makes you hustle harder.
These patterns represent bravery and being strong in the face of adversity. We strive to be persistent and positively challenge anything that threatens to alter, restrict, and put a barrier in the way of our desired pathway.
Taking the dive into becoming a salesperson. I was about three years into property management by that time. I already had my qualification as a salesperson, but I just hadn’t taken that dive.
Being a single mom, it’s very scary. You know, I went from a job where I had a secure weekly pay package to now being fully commission-based. If I don’t sell a house, I don’t get paid. So that was a huge obstacle for me, and it was so scary to the point where it took me two years to finally take that dive.
But my boss actually approached me and gave me this great sales pitch. He told me how he could support me and do all these things to help me. That finally gave me the courage. Plus, my family has been a huge support; I wouldn’t have been able to do it without them.
So yeah, just being brave enough to take that leap. You know, we all feel fear, but we just have to do it anyway.
Here we are drawing inspiration from the Pūhoro pattern. The pūhoro is used here to represent the strength, speed and agility needed to move forward and accomplish ones goals.
It’s important to distinguish why you want to do what you want to do. So, what is your why? What is it that makes your soul light up and gets you out of bed? What makes you excited?
When I first started out, I thought I wanted to make all this money; that was my why. But looking back, it was just not. It’s not my why now. Now, my why – and what makes me want to be better – is being able to help people, especially home buyers or people who have really struggled. It gives me a sense of belonging to be able to help somebody.
So think of your why. Because when things are hard and you’re presented with a challenge, you’re going to want to give up. If you have your why in the back of your head, it’s going to help you push through.
Another tip is to accept failure. We’re all going to fail. But it just means we’re one step closer to success. If we fail, fail, fail, and then give up, we’re never going to truly know what we were able to achieve. And without failure, you don’t know where you need to work on or what you need to do to be better.
Success, best mentioned in the whakatauki “Tūwhitia te hopo, mairangatia te angitū!” Feel the fear and do it anyway!
My biggest challenge would probably be to celebrate my wins. I need to reflect more on where I’ve come from and what I’ve had to overcome to get here. I need to keep reminding myself of that because often I find I keep pushing to want better instead of celebrating what I have achieved.
Memorable wins? Well, last month I was presented with a bronze award. In my first year as an agent, I was given the “Rising Star” award. In the past 12 months, if a new agent is the top agent in the central region, they get an award for “Rising Star.”
Funny thing is, I felt defeated in my first year because I wasn’t where I thought I should be. That’s just how I am, probably too hard on myself. So to get that award was good for me. It just reminded me that I am capable, you know? And bringing it home to my daughters, that was probably the most memorable thing. I had started it because I wanted to show my children what they’re capable of when they have to face struggles. I just want them to remember if I can do anything, they can.
