After going through the process of purchasing her first house, Joanne Winston-Spencer was inspired to help guide others through the experience. “My husband had been in the construction industry and thought I’d make a great Realtor,” says Winston-Spencer, a broker with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Chicago. “My sister signed up for a real estate course, and I joined her!”

Winston-Spencer represents buyers and sellers, from first-time to move-up to downsizers and relocation clients in the western suburbs, a territory she knows well. She grew up in Downers Grove, has lived in Addison, Willowbrook and Bolingbrook, and now resides in Darien.

“In this ever-evolving world of real estate, I do my best to adapt, to offer my clients the best service,” she says. Challenged by the uncertainty surrounding the pandemic, she tried new methods of conducting business that proved worthwhile. In 2020, she was in the top 10% of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices agents by gross commission volume and earned the firm’s 2020 Leading Edge Society award.

Always learning, Winston-Spencer regularly takes classes to boost her real estate game and pays close attention to other successful people in an attempt to adopt the strategies that work for them. “When you are open to it, you find motivation everywhere,” she says.

Prior to real estate, Winston-Spencer worked in product development of licensed-character consumer goods, a career that taught her skills she applies to real estate, such as reviewing and negotiating contracts and paying attention to style trends and sales data. “You can’t make someone buy something, she says. “But you can present it in the best way possible. It’s all about the presentation!”

Much of Winston-Spencer’s business comes from repeat clients and referrals, many of whom she originally met while hosting open houses, events that often feel like parties to her. “This is a very social business, and I love it!” she says.