Francisca Egbunike is one of the prominent players in the burgeoning real estate industry in Nigeria. A pretty face, she is single, ready to mingle and passionate about empowering others. In this interview with Our correspondent, the beauty speaks about her passion for empowering others, why partnering with the right real estate company is important, gender equality and her kind of man.
Tell us how you got into the real estate business
Real Estate has always been my passion. I work as a PWAN Business Owner (PBO) at PWAN Max, one of the affiliates of Property World Network Africa (PWAN Group).
What does a PBO mean?
First, I must tell you about PWAN Group, the first real estate company to introduce network marketing model into real estate business. Within a space of nine years, PWAN Group has left indelible marks in the sector. Many competing firms in the sector have also copied the business model which has gained inviable popularity and stood PWAN Group out as a clear industry leader. PWAN Max is one of the affiliate companies of PWAN Group.
It is precisely one year old, and by the grace of God, PWAN Max has already established 35 exclusive residential in different parts of Nigeria. Now back to your question. Basically, PBO means PWAN Business Owner. As a PBO, one is not just part of the company, but also a team leader. One unique thing about a PBO is that he or she has the opportunity to empower everybody around him or her. The PBO also has a chance to become a proud owner of a piece of land in any of the company’s exquisite estate across the country, within two to five years of partnering with PWAN. Precisely, a PBO is involved in the business of selling lands to prospective property owners, and in aiding the group’s property development efforts.
So, it gives you the opportunity to build your downline. As a PBO, when you make sales, you earn commission of 10 per cent to 15 per cent on each sales. You also earn direct and indirect commission when your downline concludes any deal. The commission can run into millions of Naira depending on the volumes of sales. So it is easy to start your own journey into owning your own home, because as a PBO, on any sales your make or any recruitment or addition you make into your team you earn what we call Point Values which can be converted into money. With your point values, you can buy a property in any of our estates within the group by making N15,000 monthly deposits.
You must be very rich then?
Yes, I am rich in land because we are all about land both at PWAN Max and PWAN as a group. But let me quickly add that I became rich in land not just by recruiting other PBOs on my downline. I became rich in land through sales. Like I said earlier, being a PBO is all about making sales. When you conclude a land deal, you earn generous commission. You see, the good thing about real estate network marketing system is that you can do it from the comfort of your home while doing your regular job. You can do it as a student. You can do it as a father and it is not age restricted. As long as you are 18 and above, you can do it and earn good money. Everybody you meet is your potential client. Everyone needs to have a peice of land to call his or her own because it adds meaning to our lives. You need land because without land there won’t be desired meaning into your future. Saving your money in the bank is just like saving into now, but when you save into real estate you save into the future.
There is no disputing the fact that you have a sweet story to tell as a real estate marketer, will you tell us the secret of your success?
Finding the right firm or platform to work with is one important factor that helps the sales efforts of a practitioner in real estate marketing. PWAN Group has nine years of excellent real estate practice. With over 23 affiliate companies including PWAN Max, the group has the largest land bank across the country and beyond which any client can choose from. That’s a huge marketing advantage that a marketer can leverage on. So, when a marketer partners with such a formidable real estate developer, he or she already has been given a large market. It’s almost impossible for his or her client not to make a choice from our vast land bank or estates. We have properties across the nation.
Now I will narrow it all to having the right network, associating with the right company like PWAN Group, that will give you large options for you potential clients to choose from. We have had several people who have testified that their lives have changed just by associating and identifying with PWAN Group even within one month of working with us.
Another factor that helps our partners to excel is the importance that the group attaches to training. At PWAN, we organise regular, free seminars and trainings on how to make you better; because in real estate, one has to have the right knowledge about the product and the industry requirements. Having the requisite knowledge helps the marketer to speak boldly and sound convincing. All of that helps him or her to sell well. Some people go into real estate practice without being equip.
But in PWAN Group we give you the education you need and make you fit to make exploits in real estate practice. It is something that can change your life rapidly. Sometimes, one thinks he knows something until you are taught. But when someone refreshes your mind about that thing, it becomes clearer.
Tell us about the locations of your properties?
We have lands in Abuja, Asaba, Enugu, Uyo, Calabar, Port Harcourt, Ibadan, Benin, Osogbo, Epe and of course Lagos where we have several signature projects.
We know that you are now a professional in what you do, tell us how you felt when you made your first sales?
It was really mind-blowing. Getting a fat commission on top of a good salary was really nice. I don’t mind flashing back a little. Though I am new in this company as a staff, but I actually heard about the company in 2014. I was in my final years in the university. Then, I didn’t know anything about land, I thought it was all about sale, buy land keep it for a while to appreciate then sell it off. But when I met Dr Augustine, he thought me, and integrated me into the business. Since I started working with him, I have seen people’s live change for the better and mine too.
Apart from the material gains, what have you learnt working as a real estate marketer?
When I joined the company I realised that one of the things PWAN is passionate about is empowerment, and I have a passion for empowering people. Each time I recruit people I am happy because I am empowering people. When they makes sales they are empowered to help people behind them, because they make enough money to solve their personal and families needs. So PWAN Group is extending helping hands beyond PBO and partners, to families. That’s what we do here, we put smiles on people’s faces through real estate. You have all the lands and estates to sale, if you don’t sale, it is because you are being lazy because all the market is there for you to sale. All you have to do is put yourself together, come in for our training sessions and talk to the next person or share a flier and the rest will be history. To put it in a simple way, I am happy that I put smiles on the faces of people by empowering them.
Do you know why a lot of people consider real estate a new business haven?
Imagine that l bought a property in Ajah over seven years ago and discover that it has appreciate by 16 million Naira, won’t I feel very proud of myself? Of course, I will. One thing is sure land appreciates over time, I have never seen the value of land depreciate. It is the best investment any wise investor will never miss. It is one of those areas the bring quick return on investment, and that explains why it is a business heaven.
On a personal note, you are successful and beautiful, are you taken?
No. I am still single.
Are you available?
I believe in having a good home, so I am available for the right man. I would love to spend my life with a man who is a lover of God. My kind of man should be loving, a brother, friend, father and smart worker. Some people work very hard but they don’t work smart.
Knowing that you are in an industry with mega bucks, will you settle down with a man whose income is lower than yours?
The truth is that every marriage demands on financial or economic security. Marriage can become hell if economic security is lacking. So, having a man who is just okay financially is not asking for too much.
How do you ward off unnecessary male attention then?
I meet quite a lot of guys in the process of doing my work. I simply make them understand I am a lady who knows what she want. Most guys respect ladies who knows what they want.
What is your understanding of gender equality?
I believe that women should have equal right to aspire to great heights in any endeavour just like their male counterparts. However, I do not subscribe to fighting for equal power with men. I just feel that women should be encouraged to be the best they can be and not be restricted or hindered through any form of ostracism.