Ivana Bednářová | archiv Luděk Vokoun
For more than a quarter of a century, Luděk Vokoun has been guiding his clients through the world of finance and investments. As a senior regional director at Broker Consulting, he says the biggest reward is seeing his clients’ and colleagues’ lives change for the better.
The title of your position is Senior Regional Director – what does that entail in practice?
It may sound very formal, but in reality it means that I am responsible for a large team of people and for the results we produce together. It’s the second highest management position in the company and I’ve held it for three years now. Our results have been among the best within the company for several years, but for me it’s not just about the numbers. I see my work as a combination of two worlds. On the one hand, there are the clients whom, together with our colleagues, we help steer towards safety and find solutions to their financial needs. On the other hand, there are colleagues whom I lead and encourage to grow professionally and personally.
Broker Consulting had a pretty high turnover last year. How does your head office contribute to that?
Last year, the broader Broker Consulting group achieved a turnover of almost four billion crowns, with our head office contributing approximately three and a half percent to the result. At first glance, this may not seem like a high number, but within such a large company it is an outstanding result, which confirms the stable position of our team.
How should young people start investing and securing their housing?
The advantage of the younger generation is that they can invest in the long run and more dynamically. This means that to achieve a certain amount of wealth, they need to commit smaller amounts than they would have had to commit if they had started later. That’s why it makes sense to start now, even with smaller amounts. In addition, young people can also start considering putting their money into an investment property. It can generate rental income and at the same time open the way to owning your own home over time. Typically, the property is a smaller apartment, for which they use part of their own funds or money from their parents and cover the rest with a mortgage. Rental income then helps pay regular instalments. It turns out that this type of investing can promote long-term financial security and become a step towards obtaining their own homes in the future. That is why investment properties are becoming increasingly popular among young people.
Is today a good time to buy real estate?
Great question. During my career, I’ve been asked countless times when to start investing and when to start saving. The more seasoned among us answer the question by simply saying: any time. The important thing is to start, have a clear strategy and stick to it while exhibiting discipline. If a person is financially stable, has a financial plan in place and has extra funds available, it is almost always a good time to buy a property. In real estate, we have also seen the prices of new apartments rise in recent years, by around ten percent in Prague this year and by almost a fifth in Plzeň last year. In the first eight months of this year alone, we sold hundreds of new apartments. This implies a simple rule: those who have the opportunity to buy should not wait for the ideal moment. Clients who said it was expensive a few years ago are now seeing that prices are even higher and have risen again this year.
Broker Consulting has been around for a long time. How does it respond to modern trends and the younger generation?
Thanks to digitalisation, clients can now sign contracts online and monitor their investments in the BWM app at any time and from anywhere. The younger generation appreciates this option, while older clients see actual results and keep tabs on their investments. But the most important thing is that we don’t rely on speculation. We build on security, safety, reliability and trust, which is why our clients return to us in the long run.
How many people do you lead and what does your working day look like?
At Broker Consulting, I learned that ‘I don’t have time’ is more of an excuse than anything – one can always find time for priorities. I manage a team of 45 salespeople and 20 employees, mostly in Plzeň and Prague, including four directors with their own teams. Together we provide both financial and real estate services, with the real estate part accounting for a large portion of the turnover, especially new apartments and the secondary market. We have recently launched the Nová Doubravka project with more than 300 apartments – most of them were reserved in the first week.
Is there a project that is a matter of the heart for you?
That must be the Nová Papírna project in Plzeň. I bought an apartment there myself and today it is my home. For me personally, that locality is like Prague’s Karlín put to Plzeň. I believe that in a few years the district will become one of the most beautiful not only in Plzeň, but in the whole Czech Republic. It provides housing on a swathe of land between the river and the park, with a historic chimney and two listed buildings of the old paper mill. In addition, a boulevard is being created there, which gives the area a completely new character. The interest in the apartments is huge, so we don’t even need to put them on the web.
Is there a motto or an idea you hold dear and would like to present to others?
I don’t have a particular motto, yet I believe in several qualities that determine success. These include diligence, perseverance, focus and a positive attitude. I follow the rule that it is better to spend twenty percent of the time on the problem and eighty percent on the solution. Loyalty is also important to me, as is the ability to believe in what you offer, look forward to the work and enjoy the results. This is true for me personally and for my clients. At the end of the day, it’s not just about numbers or transactions, but about homes and stories that will last a lifetime.
Thank you, Luděk, for your time and inspiration.
It was a pleasure. I’ve always enjoyed helping people and still do. Seeing their lives change for the better is the greatest reward for me.
