Cue the SF Ballet Nutcracker
A commemorative watercolor commission painted by Laura Ann Studio for the 2020 San Francisco Ballet Nutcracker.
November 2020
Window to The Bay #8
Happy Tuesday! I hope you had a safe but pleasant Thanksgiving. I’m switching up from my usual Friday news for a Giving Tuesday announcement - with a gift to the San Francisco Ballet, you might just receive some Laura Ann Studio-San Francisco Ballet Nutcracker artwork as a donor thank you (SEE AND DONATE HERE)! I'm beyond excited to share a glimpse of my recent commission and collaboration with the San Francisco Ballet for a commemorative watercolor painting of the SF Ballet Nutcracker. It's hard for me to articulate what a pleasure and honor this was for me personally - I have loved the Nutcracker since viewing my first production at age 3, reading and listening to a beloved Nutcracker book with music throughout childhood, and declaring in preschool that if I ever had a daughter I would name her Clara, which I did! I've cherished attending the San Francisco Ballet Nutcracker every year with my sister since moving to San Francisco, and had the pleasure of bringing my son for the first time last year.
The Nutcracker Queen and King of Snow character vignette from a commemorative watercolor by Laura Ann Studio for San Francisco Ballet.
Although the 2020 Nutcracker cannot be live this year due to COVID-19, SF Ballet has kept the joy alive bringing the production into homes throughout the Bay Area and beyond through a filmed production and a virtual, interactive experience (purchase tickets now through December 31st). To capture the moment, I painted a "Window to The Bay" portrait of the characters of Artistic Director Helgi Tomasson's Nutcracker in watercolor dancing on the balconies, doorstep, and in the windows of a San Francisco Victorian home. I was thrilled to be able to paint the details of the gorgeous costumes designed by Martin Pakledinaz. Pictured here is the Queen and King of Snow. This is one of a handful of character vignettes from the painting that will be featured on commemorative greeting cards for donors to the San Francisco Ballet Nutcracker Fund. Limited edition art prints of the full painting will also be available through donations to the fund. Reveal of the full painting and the making of the commemorative art coming soon!
Earlier this year I painted a very special watercolor portrait for San Francisco Berkshire Hathaway real estate agent Robert Collett, MBA. I decided to share this painting on the heels of Thanksgiving given how much gratitude his client felt toward the beloved home she sold with Robert, and how grateful she was to receive it from him as a closing gift. The painting captures how much she cherished the outdoor spaces of her home and garden, including the view from where she sat outside for her morning cup of coffee. Read on for a Window to The Bay interview with Robert.
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A “Window to The Bay” watercolor house portrait painted by Laura Ann Studio as a closing gift for San Francisco Berkshire Hathaway real estate agent Robert Collett, MBA.
Meet Robert Collett, MBA
1. What’s the “why” of your business?
RC: Freedom! We love being independent entrepreneurs, helping people achieve their independent dreams and house goals! We love meeting new people, architecture, the Bay Area, geography, construction, business, economics, negotiating, networking, investments, dwelling units of every kind; and real estate sales is every bit of all of that wrapped into one! We're constantly learning and meeting exceptional people to be connected to and grow with. Every aspect of real estate sales is applicable learning for your own life: finance, maintenance, responsibility, accounting, planning, professional trades, cooperating with people, being reasonable, etc. It's like the hardest job you've even had, 7 days a week, that at the same doesn't really feel like work; because it just feels like real life! You make commitments to help people, and you work your magic and implement your speciality skills, to make the buyer's and seller's transactions and moves happen in real life. San Francisco and Bay Area history are so rich and interesting! The best thing of all about real estate sales, is the trust a client bestows in you, when a client decides to appoint you as the real estate agent for their sale or purchase. Buying and selling properties is such a big deal, to be entrusted to help with such an important responsibility by someone, well there is no higher compliment. Anyone who trusts us that much; we would never let them down! And my team knows how to get the listings sold, and how to find the best properties and deals to purchase for buyers (plus which ones to avoid!), so there is real value in the agency relationship with us, on top of the successful transactions. We find working with people and families on their important housing needs to be very worthwhile and enriching. We also love learning the history of the buildings and neighborhoods and the history of people who owned them and lived there, which is endlessly fascinating and enlightening! We love every minute of the Bay Area real estate business and we're able to execute successful sale transactions, thrive, and have fun, alongside our clients, all at the same time!
2. What is the key to developing a relationship with a client?
RC: Well the silver bullet is hitting a grand slam for a client at the end of a listing or purchase, a transaction that propels a client's prosperity and personal enjoyment further forward. Clients will well remember your contributions when that happens! You can make some great friends in this business. If you hit a grand slam for a client on a sale, purchase or investment transaction, they'll go out of their way to refer friends, family and colleagues, genuinely wanting to wish that same positive experience for others! But this all starts with trust. We're open, honest, real, frank, funny, straight up, candid, and we are not in it for the money. We are in it for the love. We want the customers to be happy, and for the transactions to close. If that happens, prosperity is bound to follow. But the focus only needs to be on doing a good job for one person at a time, and living up to the commitment and their expectations. If you can do that, people will call you back every time they want to buy or sell. Think about it, when you need a product or service, you just want quality products, services and reliable people to deal with. And once you know you have all that, you can make your moves. So, we tell people the truth, good news or bad, we don't overstate or downplay, we don't push, and we let the clients make the decisions after we give them our suggestions. I'll tell you what I think every time, but I won't tell you what to do. When you don't push people, and instead you truly listen to their needs, and help them track down exactly what they want, it's an entirely different process and experience. If you don't push people, you can instead think clearly together, and truly advise the client for the situation. The clients will make their own decisions, once you've successfully afforded them the needed information and context. People like encouragement, and to validate their big decisions with experts before pulling the trigger. If you can give reliable advice over and over, thinking exclusively about the client's needs, the universe seems to align with limitless opportunity and business for all. The key to developing a great relationship with clients, is building trust through reliable actions, gradually over time, and being sincerely to the client's interests and with all advice. When you can do this, it shows. It's almost like achieving nirvana; people sense it and they want to work with you because they know they can trust you. We're also not afraid to make mistakes! And we outright admit them and take responsibility for them, and that humility and openness adds trust and signals accountability. We also bring value to our client relationships by offering new ideas, suggestions and offering perspectives. We bring something to the table each time. For example, we point out that owners can gain value in appreciation, they can gain value in an enjoyable place to live, or gain value in both; it's not just about "appreciation". There's also just "not paying rent" and "having a nice place to live". That's value! That's worth it right there! Your own home is the single most best investment one could make (no rent, can appreciate, potential write offs [talk to qualified CPA], freedom, can improve). It may not be necessary to go out and look for additional investments, before capturing that beautiful opportunity for yourself first.
3. What do you love most about where you live?
RC: Life is a postcard (except for this year! 😝) in the Bay Area. Beautiful nature, geography, weather, wildlife, the one of kind coastline, the talented diverse people leading the world forward in many sectors. I feel honored to live in San Francisco and to be an SF and Bay Area native. It feels like home always. I always feel the adventure of the west coast in the air in the San Francisco Bay Area; the enthusiasm, brightness, aspiration, and hard work that embodies the American spirit is palpable around here. May we get through this tough time together, and unite, and then continue to rise to new levels of peace and prosperity. We love the land and nature in the Bay Area, and all the amazing, talented, cool people!
robertcollettrealtor.com
realtor.rbc@gmail.com
What’s Your #WindowtoTheBay?
Take a moment to restore your spirits with therapeutic coloring. I’ve transformed Robert Collett’s house portrait commission into a “Color-On” Coloring Book (DOWNLOAD HERE). Print, color, post, and tag @LauraAnnStudio and @robbietherealtor415 with the hashtag #WindowtoTheBay so that we can see and repost your work.
Wishing you a safe and festive holiday season!
With love for the every day and special days,
Laura Ann Elbogen
PS Do you know a friend or realtor who could benefit from these relationship building tips or closing gifts? Or do you want to spread the joy of the home streaming Nutcracker this season? Share this page!