Irina Alazova on the Mercury Group team: why a strong company is not built on internal competition
07-07-2026
In her new personal article, Irina Alazova, CEO of Mercury Group, shares her view on what makes a strong real estate team. Irina reflects on leadership, team culture and why, for her, Mercury Group is more than just an agency - it is an environment where strong professionals can grow, realise themselves and feel that they are in the right place.
I know that in many real estate teams, it is common to constantly compare results: who sold more, who sold less, who is stronger, who is weaker. Perhaps this works for some companies. But I have never wanted to build Mercury Group this way. For me, real estate is a business within a business. Every broker works with their own clients, their own rhythm, their own transactions and their own responsibility. But a strong company appears only when people are moving in the same direction. I want my team to feel not like a group of separate salespeople, but like part of one shared mission.
Yes, everyone has their own character.
Yes, everyone has their own working style.
Yes, everyone has their own path in the profession.
But when someone is “our person”, it is felt very quickly. I always pay attention not only to experience, but also to a person’s energy. Openness. Honesty. The ability to speak directly. The absence of toxic competition. Because real estate is a field with a high level of stress, uncertainty and human factors. You cannot play a role for long here. Sooner or later, it becomes clear who truly enjoys this work and who is simply trying to sell.
I am proud that Mercury Group has people who stay for years. For me, this means that we have built more than just an agency. We have built an environment where strong professionals can grow, realise themselves and feel that they are in the right place.
