When Antonietta Alves moved from Cape Town to Hillcrest to be closer to her family a few years ago, a Soukop franchise seemed a wise-buy, especially for someone who was already in the property game…
And now that Soukop Hillcrest is about 4 years old, there’s every proof that it was indeed a great business opportunity.
Antonietta’s branch boasts a happy, united and successful team and Antonietta’s loyalty and drive saw her win the Soukop Brand Ambassador of the Year Award at their recent Annual Awards Evening – a black tie function held in the spectacular aquarium at uShaka Marine World.
How long have you been with Soukop? Just over four years – since I opened the Upper Highway franchise.
Your secret to success? Determination and drive. Getting out there, persevering and never giving up!
Favourite part of the job? I enjoy all of it: meeting people, seeing properties and most of all the negotiation process.
Working for Soukop? It’s a fabulous team and brand! It is very family orientated and you’re not just a number. Our branch works well together as a unit, and we have really made our mark in the area in a short space of time.
Why Brand Ambassador of the Year? As a new kid on the block in the Upper Highway area, I was determined to get the Soukop brand out there. I never stopped promoting and uplifting the brand and getting the community aware of us. Once people use Soukop, they never want to use any other estate agent. Besides being a visible presence wherever we can, we’ve also gotten involved with the community – we sponsor the Hillcrest Hospital and we’ve just started a beanie drive – where members of the public are being invited to drop off balls of wool at our offices or knit beanies for the children in the Shongweni valley.
Favourite things to do in Hillcrest? I live in a secure estate and enjoy walking and running there with my dogs. I love riding my bike at Giba Gorge, visiting the Shongweni Market, and eating at the great restaurants that we have in the area. The weather is wonderful too, it’s not as humid as Durban and we have lovely winters. Hillcrest is a beautiful suburb, with great schools, shops and our own Private Hospital. The area is growing on a daily basis and more and more people are moving into this beautiful part of KZN.
www.soukop.co.za
