What defines success? Is it simply the knowledge that you are among the best? Or is it the feeling of pride that comes from that knowledge?

Is it achieving more than you ever expected, or is it achieving more than you ever expected and then realizing that there's something deeper at stake?

Top real estate agent Sally Forster Jones of Coldwell Banker Previews International in Beverly Hills has had the good fortune to experience all of the above, at one time or another.

When Sally first got into the real estate business in 1975, she found instant success as well as a tremendous amount of satisfaction servicing clients. She rolled that success into her own upstart corporation of several companies that serviced nearly every aspect of real estate, including both residential and commercial, as well as property management, development, and mortgage brokerage - Capri Properties in 1984 and later Forster Jones Realtors. Many years of accomplishments as the head of her own corporation - a designation that later saw her inducted into the National Association of Women Business Owners of Los Angeles Hall of Fame - followed, but by 1998, Sally felt that something was missing.

"I came to realize that despite the success of my companies, I had gotten away from what I loved so much about real estate, so in 1998, I sold off and dissolved ownership of various different entities," said Sally, who merged part of her Residential Group into Fred Sands in 1998; Coldwell Banker purchased Fred Sands in 2000. "I really wanted to move in a different direction, because what I loved the most about this business was what I started doing 30 years ago - focusing on the selling of homes versus the management of all the different entities. Managing the corporation was wonderful, but it did take me away from what I enjoyed the most, and what has always given me the most personal satisfaction."

Ultimately, Sally discovered that for her, success is defined by what is most rewarding on a personal level, and that is working one on one with clients. Fortunately, it has also proven immensely rewarding from a business standpoint. Sally has been a top producer every year at Coldwell Banker, a multi-year member of the company's Society of Excellence, and is consistently a top-ranked agent in her office. She is listed in Who's Who in American Real Estate, representing the top 1% of the top 1% of all agents nationally, has appeared on the "E" channel and is scheduled to appear on a program called "Kicked Out" on the ABC Family Channel as a real estate expert, and has even been quoted in the Hollywood Reporter because of her expertise among celebrity clientele and her wealth of knowledge about Westside real estate.

During 2006, Sally set a new mark for personal achievement with an international ranking that puts her at No. 3 out of 126,000 agents in the Coldwell Banker network,and has been named No. 1 in Beverly Hills and in greater Los Angeles area.

"I have won a number of awards over the years, and have also received recognition from Coldwell Banker and other institutions," Sally said. "I am thrilled to be ranked No. 3 internationally because that goes far beyond the local rankings. Also, being the top agent east of the 405 Freeway for the greater Los Angeles area and in Beverly Hills represents a lot of hard work, and is something I am tremendously proud of."

In addition, Sally has won Coldwell Banker Preview International's intra-office Malcy "Most Successful" award - an honor voted upon by her colleagues - three years in a row. "Our manager did an in-office recognition where all the people in the office vote onwho is the most successful," she said. "It always feels really good to be honored in that way because this award is voted on by my peers.

"Awards and accolades are wonderful inasmuch as they act as reinforcements from another level," she added. "The credibility that they give you amongst the other agents and the public are important, but more than anything, I feel rewarded every time I feel like I have done a good job for my client at the end of a transaction."

Sally's clients feel rewarded as well, knowing that the excellent results she achieves for them are the product of her meticulous attention to detail, unwavering dedication, and impressive experience.

"Sally has helped us buy several luxury properties over the years, and we are now moving into an estate property in Beverly Hills," said clients Daniel and Linda Rosenson. "She listened carefully to the architectural styles, features, and amenities we thought