For Mike Incorvaia Sr., his wife Sylvia, their son Mike Junior, and their supportive daughter Gina – who, although uninvolved in the family business, will still provide referrals – real estate is a true family affair. Over the last 15 years, the Cleveland-based Incorvaias have tapped into every aspect of the Keller Williams universe – from profit share, to leadership, models, and systems – leading them to experience exponential growth along the way.
When the family joined Keller Williams in 2006, Sylvia was bringing in $15 million worth of business. Fast-forward to now, The Incorvaia Team, composed of 30 associates and admins, are responsible for more than 600 transactions worth $100-plus millions. And, through Keller Williams, the family was able to reach a new level of financial independence and grow their own net worth to a seven-digit sum.
“The KW opportunity has been instrumental in making our lives so great,” says Mike Incorvaia Sr., who compares his work dynamic with his wife to something you might see on a reality TV show – sometimes heated, but strong, rewarding and fulfilling. “It’s been an incredible journey,” he says.
Adds Sylvia, “As a family, we work really well together, we get things done and we complement each other.”
A wealth-building journey
The family’s business got off the ground in the early 2000s, when Incorvaia Sr. was working as an insurance agent while helping Sylvia market her growing real estate business in his spare time.
The couple wanted to start a real estate team, and were intrigued by KW’s profit share offering. “I thought, this is such a great business model,” Incorvaia Sr. says. Now, the Incorvaias receive about $100,000 per year through profit sharing. “It’s a really nice source of passive income.”
At the beginning of their journey, the family invested in their local market center, and subsequently focused on sharing the message of Keller Williams with a wider agent pool. During that time, in-person open houses were an everyday practice, so Incorvaia Sr. visited agents during their open houses in order to discuss the possibility of joining his family’s team at Keller Williams.
“I knew that if I stayed persistent and if I just built the relationship, eventually they would listen,” he says. Incorvaia’s relationship-building has brought on incredible talent to the company: Three of the agents from the open-house days are currently among the top 100 KW mega real estate agents.
In tandem with Mike Sr. and Sylvia’s growth journeys, Mike Jr. was working toward joining the business. In 2006, he got his real estate license and focused on networking and growing the team’s social-media presence to help boost business. “Mike was so well connected and knew more people than we ever imagined,” Mike Sr. says. “His networking skills as well as his social media proficiency have paid big dividends.”
Related reading: Build Wealth Without Limits Through the Keller Williams Profit Share Model
Treating team members like family
The Incorvaias have built a close-knit team they consider to be family. Agents affectionately call the Incorvaias “Papa” and “Mama.”
All team admins are licensed, which enhances customer service, Incorvaia Sr. says, and members constantly cultivate relationships with agents from across the country, which often leads to referrals.
“We value relationships,” Incorvaia Sr. says. “The greatest thing about this business has been the people.”
Agents – and clients – are attracted to their business’s brand, which the Incorvaias describe as honest, caring and trustworthy. Building a strong, dependable brand is essential for achieving exponential growth, Incorvaia Sr. says.
“You build the brand, (and) people will be attracted to you,” he says. “And, as they’re attracted to you, they’ll come and join your team.”
These days, the Incorvaias link up with potential new team members over social media. Incorvaia Sr. might reach out to a successful agent and congratulate them to start a conversation, and that could lead to a discussion over the next six months to a year.
“People really enjoy working with us,” Sylvia says about agents and clients, “and they know we’re going to do the right thing.”
Leaning into Leadership
Keller Williams has also given Incorvaia Sr. the chance to participate in KW leadership, an experience that helped him grow as a business owner. Previously, he has held operating principal roles in multiple market centers. He grew both from a small agent count to around 500 associates before ultimately selling his interests to focus completely on growing The Incorvaia Team.
“As an OP, I have had the pleasure of watching agents reach their potential,” he says.
Incorvaia Sr. and Sylvia look forward to seeing Mike Jr. excel in leadership as well. They plan to keep The Incorvaia Team in the family for the long haul, eventually passing it on to Mike Jr. to oversee. Ultimately, the Incorvaias hope that one or more of their four grandchildren will want to keep their thriving family real estate business alive.
It’s brought success to their family, and they believe it will continue to do so for generations to come. KW, and what it’s helped them build, “it’s really changed our lives,” Incorvaia Sr. says. “It’s put us in a financial position that we would have never been in otherwise.”