Like many of you, the bonds I share with those nearest to me shape my existence. Naturally, the person who is closest to me is my wife.
She understands me more than anyone else. If you were to ask her about my primary strength, she’d likely say it’s my ability to listen with the purpose of genuinely connecting and comprehending. And without prompting, I can assure you she would readily pinpoint my most significant flaw as well: overconfidence. It might take a combination of these traits to explain how I arrived at the position of the new People Editor for SUCCESS.
My journey with my wife began in college, right before I embarked on my entrepreneurial journey as a real estate agent. Thankfully, she stood by my side when I faced significant challenges a few years down the line. When the real estate market plummeted in 2007, alongside the overall economy, I had to reinvent my business model to endure. It was a transformative experience. I transitioned from traditional door knocking and engaging nearby buyers to pursuing online leads.
By 2011, I was purchasing online leads from Realtor.com and became quite adept at converting them—so adept, in fact, that Realtor.com invited me to speak to an audience of 20,000 agents in 2013. That year marked the beginning of my national speaking engagements for the organization, and I established an online platform where real estate agents could come together, ask questions, and access free educational resources. I named this platform Lab Coat Agents.
It didn’t take long for agents, brokers, real estate technology firms, and mortgage lenders to be attracted to Lab Coat Agents, as our team was providing top-notch education with insights from leading industry experts globally. It became evident that people were drawn to the value we offered, and they flocked to us in
significant numbers.
As we nurtured the community’s growth, I can confidently assert that my primary strength—actively listening to foster connections—paid dividends. I established relationships with individuals from Facebook and Instagram, leading to a robust partnership that benefited the real estate sector. I gained invaluable insights from tech founders who sought to collaborate with us on investment initiatives. The driving forces behind our community’s rapid evolution have been my curiosity about individuals and an urgent drive to collaborate. In recent years, I’ve had to be nimble to match the fast-paced environment entrepreneurs navigate in order to maintain our value proposition.
These are fundamental principles for thriving in interpersonal relationships: Strive to understand their needs and serve them. This approach applies to clients, colleagues, and family alike.
Returning to my wife, for 24 years, she has been my unwavering support and advisor. She keeps me centered and steers me towards the right path. She shares my instincts to serve others, and these are the types of individuals that are essential to have in your life. I also recognize that I’ve been fortunate to have wonderful parents who loved and nurtured me while instilling strong principles that continue to guide me today. Transmitting these values to my children is among my greatest passions.
The primary hurdle I’ve faced in recent years has been cultivating my growth swiftly enough to seize the opportunities that have arisen. I’ve turned to reading more extensively and identifying the right individuals to assist me during these transitions.
Engaging with bestselling authors, billionaires, athletes, leaders, and executives from across the globe has provided me with a rapid education over five years, and I eagerly anticipate continuing this journey in collaboration with the SUCCESS team, not just in this magazine but also through the new podcast we’re launching together and in the online community Achievers.SUCCESS.com—it’s complimentary, and you are warmly invited.
I look forward to connecting with you there. Let’s explore how we can provide value to each other.
