Seeker of Sound Advice: Joel Pearl knows the power of mentoring. As a real estate rookie, he never hesitated to seek advice from the most successful practitioner he knew: John Beutler, broker of Century 21 Beutler & Associates and the area’s top-producing salesperson. "John’s a busy guy, but I’ll put it this way: I’m persistent," Pearl says. "I called John a lot." Beutler’s good advice paid off; last year Pearl sold more than 60 homes, with a sales volume of $19 million.

Natural work ethic: "I probably work too much, but I enjoy what I do," says Pearl, who has been enamored of real estate since he was a kid. "I don’t feel like I’m selling," he says. "Outside my office window are mountains and lakes. The area sells itself."

Consistent advertising: Pearl, who has a marketing degree from Gonzaga University, is attracted to that side of the real estate business. "When everybody else is cutting back, I ramp up," he says. "People need to know you’re still out there."