Meet Janine Dzierozynski, Office Business Manager at Essex Realty Group, Inc.
Janine Dzierozynski is the Office Business Manager at Essex Realty Group, Inc. where she is responsible for daily office operations. She was born and raised on Chicago’s Northwest side where she still resides. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree from DePaul University.
Q: How long have you been working at Essex?
Janine: I have been working at Essex for 15 years. I originally started as an administrative assistant and worked my way up to office business manager where I run daily operations.
Q: What is your favorite part of your job?
Janine: There are a lot of aspects of the role that I really enjoy with the most important being maintaining a happy and efficient workplace for the analysts and brokers!
Our office is split up into brokerage teams, with each team usually consisting of a principal, director, junior broker, and analyst. While we all work in the same office most teams do not typically work together on a daily basis, so I also really enjoy the fact that my job allows me to regularly work with everyone.
I also really have enjoyed seeing young analysts develop into successful brokers. Our three year analyst training program has allowed me to witness the growth of a lot of the young analysts over the years. I also really strive to make sure new analysts and brokers who join the company know that they can come to me with anything especially questions or concerns.
Q: Describe some of the changes you have noticed throughout your 15 years of working at Essex?
Janine: There have been a lot of the changes over the last 15 years. For one, the company has doubled in size! We have more roles for people and so for example this year we added a marketing director role which I think is crucial for us to stay on top of trends and to utilize social media to its full potential to promote and gain more business.
Also, technology has obviously advanced in the last 15 years and that coupled with the growth of the company has required my role to continually change to fit whatever it needs to be in a specific moment. Some days I am researching new technology platforms, while others I am teaching our marketing director about our website. Currently, the pandemic has challenged all of us and I take pride in helping implement guidelines that ensure the health and safety of both the office and our clients.
Q: What are some of the key characteristics needed to manage an office of 25 multifamily brokers?
Janine: Patience! I think an office business manager needs to have patience as you are constantly working with a variety of personality types and different teams. It is also important to be extremely organized and communicate clearly and effectively. It helps that in general I have a very easy-going nature and personality because I think that lends well to being flexible with the constantly changing deadlines and plans. You also need to be an excellent listener because you are constantly working with different team members, and each team has its own preferences and processes, so when a broker comes to me for support I need to be able to listen and understand and figure out their exact need immediately. As a central figure in our daily office life, I think it is also important to have a great attitude and have a sense of humor!
Q: What advice would you give someone starting a new career in real estate today?
Janine: Something that I really admire about Essex and our company culture is the value placed on mentorship, training, and continuing education. There are a lot of different ways to become a great broker, but based on what I have seen at Essex, I think that choosing a great mentor and hands-on sponsoring broker is a huge factor in the success of a young broker. A sponsoring broker and mentor who offers regular training sessions and one that offers mentorship is key to long term success!
Q: Do you have a favorite memory or experience you can share from working at Essex for the last 15 years?
Janine: Yes, I celebrated my 15-year work anniversary at the end of February. The actual date of my work anniversary this year was an extremely hectic day. We switched our phone and internet service provider in early February and the anniversary was the day we installed our new phone system. Mid-way through the afternoon Stephanie, the assistant office business manager, pulled me out of the project for a “quick question” she wanted to ask me in the conference room. When I walked into the conference room the entire office was there waiting for me with a cake! I was completely shocked and very impressed that this celebration stayed such a well-kept secret! It was wonderful to enjoy cake, great company, and reminisce on the last 15 years!
Since 1990, Essex Realty Group, Inc. has served Chicago's investment real estate market as a top multifamily brokerage firm. Contact us today to learn more about our recent multifamily and mixed-use property sales.