Julien Raffin has an atypical career. After his studies, which took him from business school to university, he gradually developed a passion for real estate. This passion gave birth to a company that was so successful that he was discovered by the TF1 group and collaborated with them on the program Proprio à Tout Prix on TMC. For Business Cool, Julien Raffin agreed to return to his story.
The Journey of Julien Raffin
Can you come back to your academic background?
I’m from Nimes. After my ES-baccalaureate, I started at an IUT in business administration and administration. I was able to discover topics such as management, accounting, marketing and corporate strategy and I really enjoyed it. So I did a technical-commercial management degree at the IAE in Montpellier when I left my IUT to do further training in sales, communication and marketing.
After my bachelor’s degree, I passed the business school entrance exams and joined TBS Education as part of a dual degree. I worked at Bouygues Telecom Entreprise for two years before doing an M2 in Strategy and Economics at the University of Grenoble Alpes remotely.
My school career was rather random, my friends and family didn’t necessarily have a degree. I ended up at IUT because of the sport option, after all the driver’s license was the logical continuation of my DUT. I knew about business schools because my girlfriend at the time had told me about them. I was convinced that with a business school degree and a master’s degree in strategy and economics, I could work in my passion, football.
How did you get into real estate?
Something clicked the last time I visited TBS Education. I was in a hotel room in Grenoble to do my exams at the UGA. I turned on the TV and came across a Capital show that featured a real estate entrepreneur in Dubai. It was December 2006. I wrote down his name and called him after my final exams. He told me about investments and I became interested in real estate investments in many countries.
I then came across Bulgaria and bought 7,600m² of land there. I had taken out a student loan of €100,000 to invest €50,000 in Bulgaria and €50,000 for an apartment in Nîmes. At that time I was a real estate consultant for Bulgaria. At the same time, I was still a student and started having my first clients. At the end of my dual studies, I was offered several jobs that I didn’t like and so I decided to return to Nîmes. I joined Xerox as a Sales Engineer but left the company after four days.
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The entrepreneurial adventure of Julien Raffin
What got you into entrepreneurship?
Bulgaria took a lot of time, so I got into the real estate industry. Of my 200 applications, I only had two unsuccessful interviews. So, in 2008, I decided to start my first real estate agency, with which I discovered the hardships and joys of entrepreneurship.
However, by 2014 it was financially complex. I made a lot of mistakes, so many that I only had two choices: liquidation or receivership. And it was healthy! During the backup plan, I had some goals to accomplish and started to see some bright spots. So I decided to launch a new box that offered both real estate advice and a more classic agency model.
I manage to increase my sales and open a second agency, then a third… In 2019 I started my first advertising for independent real estate consultants.
What effects did the lockdown have on your entrepreneurial projects?
During detention, I conducted live sessions every Monday night to help counselors with their business or organizational problems. I had a lot of visibility and was able to nationalize my company: C2I, for Real Estate Investment Council. At the end of 2020 I had 100 consultants with me, this year it is 200. My goal is to reach 500 consultants and 30 agencies by the end of 2023.
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Restoring the image of real estate agents is Julien Raffin’s mission with Proprio à Tout Prix
How did the collaboration with the TF1 group come about?
They are the ones who contacted me. They discovered me with my life and asked me if I wanted to be a real estate consultant and I said: Go! The guideline of the Proprio à Tout Prix Show is quite professional. The idea is to give the profession of real estate agent recognition again. This profession was not always appreciated on television.
What are your other projects today?
Within the C2I group we have a very strong hunger for training. My consultants are trained every month. I am also asked to train and coach negotiations. A year ago I launched the idea of a book that I will publish on February 14, 2023. In it I present my methodology and my work processes. His name is Manifesto for real estate agents and consultants. It is a Maestro method in four chapters: self-knowledge, art of pleasure-seeking, exclusivity mission and from disorganization to efficiency. There is also a bonus chapter all about the “no”. This book will be accompanied by the market launch on January 1stah March 2023, from the Maestro Academy.
There is also the Event’Immo, a seminar on the subject of real estate, in which I also involve top athletes. In 2021 we welcomed Philippe Croizon, David Laroche, Djibril Cyssé and Hapsatou Sy. 2022 Fabien Olicard and Anthony Bourbon. The aim is to attract 400 real estate consultants from all over France in 2023!
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