Growing up, I saw my father struggle as a business owner. He was the true E-Myth... always the technician in his business and had no freedom whatsoever. And I saw that take a toll on his personal life. Alcohol abuse got the best of him and my Mom left him when I was just 4 years old. I was not going to have the same fate as my father.
I got into real estate in 2007, the same year my wife Julie had our first child Anders. I left a cozy six-figure Corporate job and so my new career had to work!
By the end of my first full year in real estate, I sold 71 homes for over $500,000 GCI. But I was always on my phone, stressed all the time, working 7 days a week and missing out on the stuff that mattered. I was failing as a husband and father.
On our first vacation as a family, I worked every day to hold a big deal together. Again, I was failing in the areas of my life that mattered most to me. Have you been there?
One of the most important days of my life was April 10, 2010 where I publicly declared that Jesus Christ was my Lord and Savior. Everything would change as I was now playing the long game with an eternal perspective.
April 22, 2010, our daughter Kendal came into the world. I was working more than ever and was stressed all the time. That year I sold over 50 homes personally and my small team sold another 70 or so homes. I had increased responsibilities at home and work. Something had to give if I were going to succeed in business and life.
I had a lot on the line. I had to make the commitment to build my business in a way where it didn’t rely on me. Most real estate team leaders are slaves to their businesses. They have no freedom whatsoever. That wasn’t going to be me. I had too much on the line.
I used sustainable systems and empowered people to go from 58 homes sold in 2009 to 118 in 2010 to 178 in 2011 to 248 in 2012 with me just selling 1 home that year. During that same time I went from working 7 days per week to working only 1 day per week in my real estate business. While it wasn’t perfect, it was intentional. And I finally had true time and money freedom.
