Ryan@RyanFrance.com I p 512-773-3493 I www.RyanFrance.com

January 29, 2016 Newsletter Subscribers, I haven’t yet had the opportunity to wish you a proper Happy New Year. Yes, I do realize it’s practically February. I hope that your 2016 is off to a hot start. Much has happened since we last left off, just over two months ago. Inside, you’ll find the first volume of my Newsletter for 2016. Most of this edition is dedicated to the important lessons I learned in 2015 – and there were many. 2015 was a transformative year. What a tremendous difference one 12-month cycle can make. For me, 2015 started out anything but hot. Early on last year, I felt like I’d lost my way; neglected my voice for too long. As a result, if you recall back in April, I made the conscious decision to change things up and start writing in a deeper and more introspective tone. No way could I have anticipated the response, nor the dramatic effect that articulating my beliefs and convictions in the written word would have on my direction and my resolve. It literally changed everything. I do not exaggerate. A few months ago, I got an email from someone who has been on my “newsletter list” from the beginning. His email read … “Just a quick note. Suppose you don’t know I keep your newsletters because every so often, I get the opportunity to re-read them and really digest the content. I like to chuckle at your writing skills. I love reading what you have to say. The one you wrote in April about the ‘sign on the wall’ is the most meaningful thing you have ever written…” Now for starters, the fact that someone feels compelled to save my newsletters is humbling. But further, I can attest to the fact that I’ve never received that kind of response to any real-estate-related content I’ve produced. Nor should I. We are talking about communicating on a completely different spectrum. Hence the shift in direction and purpose. Now, I realize that what I have to say is not always going to resonate with everyone. But my hope for others is, perhaps, I am able to articulate something they’ve felt all along but couldn’t find the words. I know that’s the way it is for me… sometimes I don’t know exactly what I think until I hear someone else say something or I come across a passage in a book and think to myself, “yes, dammit, that’s what I’ve been thinking all along .”

Ryan@RyanFrance.com I p 512-773-3493 I www.RyanFrance.com

As you know, I take my communication very seriously, putting a lot of time and effort into what I write. Sometimes these newsletters can take weeks (of daily writing) to put together. I recognize that I haven’t been quite as consistent with the monthly cadence, as I would like. But the bottom line is, I’m not going to sacrifice quality for speed. I’d much rather take the extra time to produce something that I am proud to put my stamp on. Even so, as I write, I often question how much I should share, whether I’m pushing things past the line of susceptibility. It can be nerve-wracking to “show your work.” But when that happens, I remember this quote by Neil Gaiman, who incidentally makes a cameo at the end of my article on page 6. He says … “The moment that you feel, just possibly, you are walking down the street naked, exposing too much of your heart and your mind, and what exists on the inside, showing too much of yourself...That is the moment, you might be starting to get it right.”

In my gut, it feels like I may just be, starting to get it right. Truth is, we all have our highs and lows, struggles and triumphs. Even those who appear, on the outside, to have their act together. At the end of the day, my purpose is pretty simple - to produce content that accurately conveys my beliefs, in a format that my kids will be able to consume and learn & grow from some day. I want to ensure that the work I am doing has actual meaning. As my loyal reader put it, it all boils down to what we do “between the dashes.” I believe lessons like the ones that I discuss in this newsletter, are far more important and impactful than anything my kids will learn in school. I really appreciate your time and your audience. I look forward to continuing to share my story with you in the coming year, as it continues to unfold. And please, I welcome your feedback and response. It means more than you know.

P.S. The new “Ryan France Company” now has an official name and it’s full speed ahead. You can read that story on page 8. Thanks again for all the ongoing support!

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Always More TRUTH to The Story at RyanFrance.com

Ryan France is one of the fortunate few who can lay claim to being a native Austinite, born and raised. Ryan is a proud graduate of the University of Texas at Austin where he was a member of the 2002 National Championship baseball team. In a prior life, France was an aspiring baseball player, spending parts of three seasons with both the Houston Astros and Washington Nationals. Today, Ryan is an entrepreneur and relentless innovator of the real estate industry. Ryan is a creator and author of the book, “The Value-Driven Approach to Sell Real Estate.” He co-founded the Northwest Austin Chapter of Entrepreneur’s Networking Group™ (ENG) and is Broker/Owner of Three Pillars Realty, INC. Ryan can be reached at ryan@ryanfrance.com or through his website by the same name.

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This is the story of apprenticeship. This was the ‘schooling’ of the Middle Ages. This was the passage into adulthood, how a boy became a man. One contributed to society by learning and applying his trade for the general good of others. Completing the first leg of your journey you finally have the privilege to venture out, to travel from city to city, to ‘show your work.’ As a journeyman, you’ll apply your knowledge, your approach in the cold reality better known as, the real world. This is a path you will walk for another two to three years. Assuredly, it’s a path wrought with uneasiness. You’ll find yourself on a quest for new footing; in pursuit of your independent voice. You are on a mission to prove your value, not only to the marketplace but also to yourself. At times, perhaps often, you will miss the comforts of playing it safe under the watchful eye of another. You will second-guess yourself, constantly. And yet, at your core, you will feel liberated because you know this was a path you were meant to walk … and inevitably, walk alone. In the end, the trials of your passage from apprentice to journeyman will either break you or they will fasten your resolve and your grit.

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ou’ve heard the old adage … you cannot fit a square peg in a round hole. But tell me, have you ever stopped for a moment to wonder about the round

pegs and the square holes? There is a massive disconnect there too. That much has become clear to me over this past year. Without even recognizing it, I’d become a round peg. It wasn’t always that way. For a moment, I want to take you back 600-700 years. Back to the Middle Ages. Here’s the scene … you are a young man. Actually just a boy, no older than ten or twelve years old. Sent away from the comforts of home, from everything that is familiar to you. You are seeking permission to learn. If chosen, you will spend the next seven years of life - the balance of your childhood - working for free in the house of a foreign master. Daily, you will humble yourself in front of your craft, learning through observation, application and critique. You will refine your skill under careful scrutiny of the master craftsman. You will shoulder more than your share of the burden and yet you will receive none of the credit. The experience is meant to be your reward.

elings!

Etiam&et&urna&

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to be living in passionate pursuit of ‘a dream.’ I never struggled to define my aspirations or identify role models. I’d like to think that almost every child grows up with a dream. The thing about childhood dreams though, is that they almost always come with an expiration date. Some lengthier than others. Mine was no different. Faced with the necessity of redefinition almost ten years ago, I did what most people do. I quickly defaulted to opportunism. I started running but with little direction. Chasing actually. Chasing what, I don’t know? Perhaps chasing what I perceived to be the next chance for success, just over the horizon. Success I so badly wanted and needed, to extinguish the burn of my own perception of past failure. The trouble, I’ve learned, with the horizon-mentality is that taking two steps forward only results in the horizon moving the same distance. This method of thinking almost always leads to frustration. 2015 was a year that I finally learned it’s not about the shortest path of connection between the dots. In actuality, it’s not about those dots at all. It’s about building bridges. And bridges take time. The opportunist, well, he doesn’t have that kind of time to invest. He’s got places to be, in short order. Failing to find what he’s looking for - something truly gratifying - eventually, the opportunist begins to lose faith. Faith in both the system and himself. Experience is a tremendous mentor. Adversity sharpens character. Perseverance through struggle is crucial to achieving anything worthwhile. It keeps us honest. Nothing meaningful comes easy. I believe all of that. I do.

One final question will remain. Do you have what it takes to earn the designation of ‘master craftsman?’ Better said, do you have the desire to make this your life’s work? When that time comes - when the star has ascended on the horizon - you will return home, a changed man. You will apply for one last test. THE test. You will submit your masterpiece; the summation of almost ten years of toil – in hopes of gaining acceptance. If found worthy, you will graduate to the title of master and earn the right to mentor. In many respects, as master, you become the apprentice all over again, as you guide others on the exploration to find their life’s work. I used to think that the name of the game was velocity; getting from point A to B to C as quick as humanly possible. I used to think that after almost 35 years on this earth, almost ten years at my “craft,” surely I should have it all figured out. My star should have already ascended. THE path would’ve been fully illuminated by now. I wondered …. I didn’t miss it, did I? That all changed for me, early in 2015. I stopped living in fast forward. !

I was at lunch recently with a new friend, someone I know casually but to that point I’m sure did not know my story. I was giving a brief synopsis of the chain of events that led he and I to be sitting at that very table, breaking bread.

I ended by surmising, “I thought that I was put on this earth, called if you will, to be a professional baseball player. Clearly that was not the case.” I’ve already written about this at length. I won’t rehash the details except to reiterate that

for twenty-six years, or call it twenty-one or twenty-two, since I put on my first t-ball uniform, I had one aim, one goal, one purpose. To wear a big league uniform someday.

And for a time, a good two-thirds of my life really, I claimed myself as one of the fortunate few, at ease with living in the land of square pegs and square holes. One blessed enough to apply my God-given skills and abilities in an arena that matched almost perfectly. One privileged

For two-thirds of

my life, I claimed

myself as one of

the fortunate few

to live in a land of

square pegs and

square holes.

Collin Turned Two in November. It’s amazing how much the kid has grown since. 2 inches taller than Sister at the same age.

elings!

3

At the same time, this struggle can be a bitch to reconcile with. Struggle long enough to truly grab hold of your purpose and inevitably, apathy starts to set in. Sit with apathy long enough and, in time, conformity starts to look like the only viable option. The challenge is, we can become so pre-occupied with chasing the next opportunity or so resigned to our compromised surroundings that we fail to give ourselves freedom to stop and reimagine the possibilities. This is a major shortcoming of opportunists and conformists alike. One of my favorite interviews to listen to this past year was with Bob Goff, author or the book, Love Does. And he

said, as adults, we don’t necessarily lose our fervor for life, sadly what we lose, is our imagination. It doesn’t have to be that way. It took me nine years to realize that the loss of a dream, a true north, left a lot of empty space to fill. At some point, you are forced to

admit that the answers you thought you had all along, don’t actually match up with the final test questions. And when that happens, I’ve learned, often the best place to start is to stop and listen. 2015 was a year I finally paused to reengage my imagination and readjust my mindset. !

Let me introduce you to a guy I know, named Jim . . . Jim lived in the apartment directly above mine, my freshman year in college. Jim was, for a season, a teammate at the University of Texas. Jim’s time at UT was not all that dissimilar from mine. A heralded recruit whose career was derailed by arm injuries – his, a serious labrum tear before his sophomore year and mine an elbow ligament tear as a senior. Truth be told, I’m not sure what’s more heart breaking, a career derailed just a few lengths out of the gate or one that stumbles coming into turn four on the final lap.

Jim always had a trick up his sleeve - literally. On my recruiting visit as a Senior in high school, I recall Jim

posted up in the corner of the coed party baffling intoxicated frat boys with his endless assortment of card tricks, while LL Cool J blared over the background speakers. I spent many a night playing game after game of Spades and Hearts with Jim and three of my other teammates. Jim is a guy that I remember enjoying being around but one admittedly I knew very little about. As his time with the baseball team came to an abrupt conclusion, I lost touch with Jim. And quite frankly, I never gave it a second thought. Sure, we are Facebook “friends” but what does that even mean these days? I hadn’t spoken to him in 15 years. That was until, a mutual friend and ex-teammate extended the invitation to go see Jim perform. He was back on the UT campus delivering a performance of his show – The Maze. I’d heard rumblings of Jim’s recent struggles with cancer but had no grasp of what he’d actually been through. Little did I know what I was about to witness. If you Google any of Jim’s videos, you’ll notice he often starts with, “I am either a walking miracle or a medical anomaly.” That night, as the details of Jim’s story unfolded before his audience, you couldn’t help but come to conclusion that there was a higher power at play. You see, less than ten years prior, Jim had a 1 in 9,000,000 chance of survival. Given just a few months to live, regardless. Said differently, his death was about as inevitable as inevitable can be. After giving up, or should I say being forced to give up, on

We can become so

pre-occupied with

chasing opportunity

or so apathetic to our

surroundings that

we fail to give

ourselves freedom to

stop and reimagine

the possibilities.

Maddy & Collin helping pack ‘Winter Break Food Bins” to send home with pre-selected local students for Christmas Break.

elings!

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his dream of playing baseball, Jim started his own production company with a partner. For years, he toured sold-out auditoriums, college and high school campuses, making a name for himself as a master of illusion. By all accounts, he and he team were a huge success. Then his partner committed suicide. A hectic travel schedule and two young kids put a mounting strain on his home life. If that wasn’t enough, to put a nice red cherry on top of it all, he was diagnosed with one of the rarest and most aggressive forms of leukemia. His only hope for survival was a bone marrow transplant and complete blood transfusion. In other words his body, in its present form, had to die first so that he could live again. And if that were even to happen, first he’d need to find a “perfect” match. A match so perfect that, devastatingly enough, precluded even his own biological sister from being a candidate. Out of the 9 million registered donors, there were only 16 potential matches. Out of the 16 potential matches, there was only one perfect match. Miraculously, that match came in the form of a 19-year-old female. The fact that I’m talking about Jim in the present tense tells you what you need to know about the rest of the story The night I returned home from the show, I immediately sent Jim a quick message, telling him that the magic and illusions were great but the true impact was his story. I told him, it’s clear that you’ve found your unique gift and your message, I’m sure, is echoing across more lives than you even know. To the causal observer, Jim is a magician; a very skilled illusionist. But I know better. I cannot begin tell you what it’s like to witness one hundred or more 18-24 year old college students hanging back after the performance to voluntarily register for the Be The Match campaign, helping grow the National Marrow Donor Program database. Think about it … at that age, you’d be hard pressed to round up a meaningful number of college kids with the promise of free pizza and beer, much less by asking them to volunteer a piece of their life, to potentially save another.

That my friends, is the power of a story.

No doubt, Jim was able to throw a baseball with a lot of skill. Sure, Jim was able (and still does) mesmerize a captive audience with his illusions and magic tricks. But it’s clear to me and to anyone who knows what to look for

that Jim was made to share his message. He has a fascinating story and the platform to change lives. Jim opens his performances with a line that is simple yet profound. He says, “I make people take a second look at what they call ‘Truth.’ The truth is, maybe we are all hard-wired for a much bigger story.” 2015 was a year in which I closely reexamined my truth. !

For the longest time, I used to think that there was something wrong with me. Something wrong with the fact that I lacked an inherent passion for “selling” real estate. Should I admit that? Is that sacrilege, seeing as though I make my living, doing just that?” Well, that’s the perception anyway. Truth is, there is way more to it than that and passion isn’t the leading indicator anyway. That said, I think we can all agree on one thing. The world does not need another real estate agent. One quick glance at the community corkboard in your local Starbucks will quickly prove that point. There has always been a tremendous disconnect. Was it just me? I wasn’t willing to sacrifice my integrity and my values at the altar of the almighty dollar. As such, clearly I didn’t deserve the same success as those held in highest regard in my industry because

More times than I can count, I asked myself the question, “Where are the true role models in this deal?” I’ll let you in on a little secret; they do not reside on Bravo TV.

Nope, it was evident that I was never going to line up with their definition of success and frankly, I was okay with it. But then this past year, I stopped being just ‘okay with it.’

From Jim’s Facebook Page: Maze show last night at The University of Tennessee – 800+ in Attendance – Standing Room Only. 109 (Be The Match) Decisions. Boo ya! I love my job.

elings!

5

In 2015, the trials of my passage from apprentice to journeyman to …, finally converged to fasten my resolve. I made a bold decision. Rather than continue to run from the labels and hide from the grief, I decided to give a “conventional” definition of success, the middle finger. I’ve never felt better about a decision in my life. And as it all turns out, I’ve actually been on the right path all along.

It’s been the path of accidental apprenticeship. I’ve spent the past nine years focusing on becoming the most tactically proficient and professionally skilled Realtor that I could be, thinking thought that was the objective. The point. If so, I thought, then this season must be nearing

an end. Mission accomplished. Then again, we all know it’s not so simple. No, life had simply been preparing me for what was to come next. I just couldn’t see it yet. What I didn’t grasp, until this past year, is that this was never meant to be the destination. It was nothing more than the opening act. This was just a place to refine certain skills, perspectives and convictions. A point of aim that would allow me to get far enough along to see the path open up to new possibilities. A platform from which to hear the whispers of discernment. I’ve heard it said that sensible people redefine themselves every ten years or so. And well … for me, 2015 was a year of complete redefinition. !

There was one particular afternoon, late last spring. I was on a walk by myself, listening as an interviewee described the early hiring practices of Air BNB CEO Brian Chesky. If you aren’t familiar, Air BNB is the fast-growing vacation rental website that is quickly redefining the industry. In his initial interviews, Chesky was known to ask the question, “If you had a diagnosis that gave you less than ten years left on this earth, would the two of us be sitting here today.” Presumably, he was looking for the few individuals committed enough to answer ‘yes’ to that question. But more importantly, and this is just a guess, I like to think the purpose of his question was to help those interviewees who were, “just looking for a job,” to awaken something more substantive within. It made me think. If I knew for a fact that I had less than ten years to live, would I spend my remaining days trying to become a better Realtor? Trying to earn respect and achieve “expert status” amongst my colleagues? I don’t think I really need to answer that question, do you? Without a moment’s hesitancy, I would be writing daily, something to leave behind for my kids. I would focus on having deep, meaningful conversations with a choice few. I would get involved in a community, a cause, something bigger than the power of one. I would offer myself up in pursuit of a special mentor / mentee relationships. In other words, each and every thing on my mental list was focused on legacy rather than current relevancy. This left me to ponder… if then, why not now? What is so special about 10, 20 or 30 years from now, that validates the delay? Why should a list of lasting importance remain isolated from what I am doing today? If executed patiently and effectively, wouldn’t these skills and connections actually serve my real estate business in a positive way? Aren’t these the bridges I’ve been looking for all along, the bridges to meaning and impact. In his book, The Art of Work, Jeff Goins writes, “The question of legacy isn’t a matter of if you live long enough … it’s a matter of what you will do with what you have right now. If significance is what matters to you, … structure your life and work in a way that allows you to live your legacy now.”

First time for both kids to sit on Santa’s lap. All things considered, it went well … Maddy’s comment – “Santa was Sweaty”

Long before they

are ready, life is

preparing a person

for the future

through chance

encounters and

serendipitous

experiences.

elings!

Always More TRUTH to The Story at RyanFrance.com 6

Had you come to me 18 to 24 months ago with a complete Get Out of Jail Free Card, a chance to start over from scratch and redefine myself as something else … anything else really, I don’t think I would have hesitated too long to take you up on the offer. I was just about tapped out. The truth is, what I lacked wasn’t necessarily passion or commitment to my “craft.” But I did question, almost daily, “Will this journey one day lead me to the intersection of challenge, skill, impact, meaning and legacy? Am I living up to my potential or down to my limiting beliefs? Have I found my unique gift, like my friend Jim?” And while those are all great questions, I think what I’ve discovered is that “a calling,” as most people define it, is not something you ever find. In fact, I have officially called off the search. Rather, I’ve adopted the belief that a calling, a vocation - your life’s work - is much more reflective of who you become as the experience finds you. It’s something you grow into as you begin to share yourself authentically. It’s the sum total of meaning in the areas of life that matter most. It’s not usually the path you are looking for but it’s the one you can’t help but take. I have chosen, as Goins writes in his book, to embrace The Portfolio Life. I am a father. I am a husband. I am a writer. I am a builder. For once, again I am a dreamer. And yes, I am most definitely a skilled and committed real estate broker. But that is just one of many things that make up my identity. It, alone, does not define me and never will. I have a firm belief that success comes daily by choosing to embrace my true identity. It has little to with whether or not I ever “sell” another house again. With all due respect to the master’s journey of the Middle Ages, one that ironically enough mirrors mine very closely, I do not believe that mastery (of anything) is as simple as putting in ten years of service. Ten years is just the start. The first leg. No, mastery is about understanding your potential and dedicating your life to pursing that ideal. It’s about leaving your own indelible stamp at many different stops along the journey. It’s an evolution that requires both movement and rest. And one that never ends.

Yes, I am most definitely a round peg. A round peg searching for meaning in a world that conspires to tell us that success is defined only by square pegs in square holes. And yet, as a round peg, I know that I will never feel right in just any square hole. There is just too much

empty space. Space that can either be filled by choice or by chance. Meaning, on the other hand, only comes by way of courage to explore the outer edges. I’ve learned, the true possibilities reside just outside of our perception and confines of our current circumstances. You may or may not recall, last January I mailed out a New Year’s card. The back of that card was inscribed with a quote from Neil Gaiman. It read … “May your coming year be filled with magic and dreams and good madness. I hope you read some fine books and kiss someone who thinks you’re wonderful, and don’t forget to make some art – write or draw or build or sing or live as only you can. And I hope, somewhere in the next year, you surprise yourself.” For me, 2015 was a year that checked almost every single one of those boxes. I surprised myself in more ways than I can count. It was a year that I gave myself permission to tell my story; the unedited version. And it made all the difference. I sincerely thank you for reading, listening, and sharing. I’ll leave you with one last lesson I learned from this past year and that is, your story starts to matter when you begin to make a difference with the skills and experience that you’ve acquired on your journey. And when you start to understand your story on a soul level - one that exceeds intellect - you begin to finally share your gift. As Jim says, we are all “hardwired for a much bigger stories.” The world is starving for them. So Speak Up!

Great Picture of Me and the Kids from just before Christmas. Three smiles in the same picture is rare and priceless.

elings!

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Back in my November Newsletter, in an article entitled, The Only Safe Bet – Choose Yourself, I shared with you that after nine-plus years with two different real estate companies, I made the decision to branch out on my own.

Truthfully, it was a decision that was a long time coming. I cannot say for sure what held me back but realistically it all boiled down to those damn ducks. You know the ones we are perpetually waiting to get lined up before we do anything that significantly stretches us outside of our comfort zone.

What you do not know, however, was that at the time I wrote that article, I’d already been out on my own for about six weeks – loosely speaking. I made the decision in mid-September to leave DMTX Realty / Coldwell Banker. At the time, another independent broker was gracious enough to offer me a soft landing spot - with his company - until I got things

figured out. He and I were in discussion about partnering up on a new brokerage idea in the Cedar Park area.

Ironically enough, it was that article - the one that I wrote in the November Newsletter declaring my independence and desire to build something with

personal meaning – that ended our discussion. After reading that article, my prospective partner called me and officially pulled the plug on our business relationship.

At first I was puzzled … clearly, he must’ve misread my intent. For a day or so, I was angry. In hindsight though, I am grateful. He did me a favor. Sometimes, it’s only when Plan B goes completely awry that you are forced to follow through on what you should have done all along.

So there I was, early November, given a deadline of 30 days to get my house completely in order. I needed a company name. I needed a corporate broker’s license. I needed a logo. I needed signs. I needed business insurance. I needed a whole slew of things. The things I’d told myself, for who knows how long, were too much of a hassle to deal with.

Now, I had no choice. My hand was suddenly forced. The rope was getting shorter every 24 hours.

After reading my Newsletter in November, a number of readers reached out to congratulate me on the initiative and to, “Wish the New Ryan France Company well.”

What are you going to call it? Why don’t you just use your name, they’d suggest. I see so and so’s name all over the place and he seems to do pretty well for himself, right?

I’m sure you’ve seen the signs and advertisements too. The John Smith Team - Joe@JoeSellsAustin.com - Mr. Dream Home. Plastered with outdated glamour shots and dripping with originality.

No, that is precisely what I did not want. Having done it for a number of years prior, I can tell you that there is nothing less inspiring than trying to build a business that you can be proud of, underneath someone else’s individual “brand.” I mean, let’s call a spade a spade. The real estate industry in general, glorifies the individual. Ego is the epidemic. Agents want their name on everything. They are the stars of the show. It’s the unfortunate reality of commission-driven industries. Self-interest often trumps the best interest of the client.

In a “Me-First” industry, I’ve never cared to take all the credit. I wasn’t going to start now, just because I was actually in a position to hold the reigns.

The real estate industry certainly doesn’t need just another brokerage. Of that I am certain. But I do sincerely believe, in any industry, there is always plenty of space for a group of willing, humble people committed to making a difference. A group whose scoreboard doesn’t just keep track of homes sold and commissions earned but focuses on personal impact and contribution. This is my aim.

Madeline Turned Five this month. Such a little mother, that girl is. Doing great in school and growing into her personality.

Only when Plan-B

goes completely

awry are you

forced to follow

through on what

you should have

done all along.

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More Still to Come at www.ThreePillarsAustin.com

And Of Course, the Backbone of our Methodology at Three Pillars Realty is the Value-Driven Approach to Sell Real Estate, as I discuss in my book. Showing clients how to protect themselves from Real Estate Greed and Bank Extra Profit by thinking of homes as an investment – like a business with a stock price versus a home with a sale price. You can learn more about our approach by visiting: RyanFrance.com/Book

fight for than the well-being and superior result of our clients. Marcinko continues, “If you aren’t fighting for something that’s bigger than yourself, you’ll be nothing more than one more ambitious, opportunistic asshole who’s trying to claw his way to the top.” I’m afraid to say The real estate industry has more than its share of those

kinds of agents. Others with the “numbers-game” approach may win the battle but we, in dominating fashion shall win the war. Which leads into the final “P,” which is …

III. Philanthropic Mission – at Three Pillars Realty, giving back, attempting to inspire the community and connect with people on a much deeper level will always guide our actions and decision–making. We believe that giving back is not an

obligation but a privilege. Each team member is encouraged to whole-heartedly support the missions and charities that stir the most personal meaning for them. And, as a group, the Three Pillars Impact Fund will direct a percentage of each company-dollar earned, back to a worthy cause. Profit for a Purpose.

Introducing… Three Pillars Realty

For me, this past year has been one of tremendous soul-searching. A quest to determine the best way to more fully synchronize my core beliefs & convictions with my business practices. I wanted this company to have a story, to stand for something. I wanted the brand to be the message. And with that, I am excited to introduce you to Three Pillars Realty, INC

A PILLAR :: a firm standing, upright support. An important, integral, upstanding member of a group or society. A fundamental precept.

I cannot think of a more appropriate connotation for what I’d envision my company, our brand to stand for inside of an industry that historically lacks that type of backbone. At Three Pillars Realty, our decisions are filtered through three important, fundamental mindsets…

I. Purpose Driven – The entire premise of real estate is that it’s “a numbers game.” In other words … hunt, hunt, hunt until you’ve captured your prey. It’s a predatory mindset. Too often, profit trumps everything -including integrity. Like the Hippocratic Oath in medicine that states, “First do no harm,” we live by an equally simple code – Purpose and Impact Before Profit. I am a firm believer that one’s business should be a reflection of one’s personal values rather than one’s personal values being a reflection of the business environment in which they operate. Members of Three Pillars Realty will be encouraged to build a business with personal meaning and purpose rather than solely focusing on profit margin. That leads me to tenet number two.

II. Client Protection – Richard Marcinko, 30-year Navy veteran and commander of the legendary Seal Team Six wrote in his book, “at the core of leadership is one single trait … Belief in a cause … You must, with all your heart and soul believe in what you are fighting for.” Our clients are our cause. I cannot think of a greater cause to