Stephanie Sims is Chicago Agent’s managing editor.

Challenges – and overcoming them – are a part of life. Whether personal or professional, everyone goes through them. Even the best agents confront struggles every now and then – that’s how they learned and eventually became top producers at the top of their real estate game.

Joanne McCafferty, pictured on our cover, has seen it all when it comes to struggling agents. With all that it takes to run a successful real estate business, she explains, it’s easy to get lost in diversions.

“Oftentimes, (agents) are so busy, they don’t realize that they’ve dropped all of the basic stuff that they used to do,” she says in our cover story. “It’s just reminders, training and strategies about following through. Some of the more experienced agents didn’t keep up with their databases, don’t subscribe necessarily to CRMs and some of the new electronic tools. (I) help them get involved with that.”

There are also some basics that newer, most likely Millennial agents should follow when starting out in the business, and Chicago Association of Realtors Hall of Famer Millie Rosenbloom graced us with her seven tips for such agents. As the No. 1 agent in Baird & Warner for the past five years, when she talks, smart people listen.

How do you strategize for success in your business? Who do you turn to when challenges seem to overwhelm you? Share your comments (and advice!) with me: stephanie@agentpublishing.com.