Dori “The Dominator” Gulick – An Agent that Packs a Real Punch
May 15th, 2010
Dori "The Dominator" Gulick
When buyers want an agent who will fight for them without backing down, they go to Dori Gulick. The Sales Associate with RE/MAX Platinum in Brighton, Mich., has a reputation for being a hard hitter in negotiations for her buyer clients – and she rarely loses.
The same is true in the mixed martial arts ring. Nicknamed “The Dominator,” Gulick got into the sport, known as MMA, three years ago as a way to get into shape and learn self defense. MMA is a combat sport in which competitors use interdisciplinary forms of fighting that include jiu-jitsu, judo, karate, boxing, kickboxing, wrestling and other disciplines to their strategic and tactical advantage in a supervised match.
What started out as merely interest has become a full-blown passion for Gulick.
“The sport came naturally to me, and I look forward to fights like I look forward to Christmas,” says Gulick, who has been in real estate for more than 15 years and now incorporates MMA into her marketing. “The feeling I get is a huge lift. There’s nothing like getting in that cage with my gloves on and beating an opponent. It’s similar to what I do for my clients; I go into negotiations ready to fight for them and I won’t back down.”
Gulick, who trains several hours each week for fights, candidly shares her passion for mixed martial arts on her Web site. Many of Gulick’s leads come from the Web site and her blog, in which she uses a lot of fighting analogies and photos from her fights to drive home important market news. Her edgy appeal and promise to fight for her clients’ best interests (but not literally, of course) has helped Gulick get listings over other agents who have been in business longer.
“Initially, I was worried how people would react to it,” says Gulick, who has shown up to listing presentations and showings with black eyes and stitches in the past. “But I find that people aren’t intimidated; they love that I’m a strong woman with a passion I incorporate into my real estate business. It makes me stand out from other agents.”
And stand out she does. At 41, Gulick is a single mother of three children and a full-time agent. And she’s a cancer survivor, having beaten thyroid cancer in 2005.
If other agents have passions outside real estate, she says, they shouldn’t be afraid to share those interests with clients through their business.
“People don’t want to work with a boring paper pusher,” Gulick says. “Show clients that you have hobbies and interests, and that you’re not afraid to share them. Not only does it set you apart, but it gives you energy to devote time to your business without getting burnt out on real estate. You only have one lifetime; live your life, throw it down and smile.”
Dori has fought in Gladiatorial Games I, II & III.
