There is a misconception in our business that “sales agents” and “clients” can put on a façade long enough to get a deal done. That if you are polished enough, charming enough, rehearsed enough, you can glide through this industry untouched.
But real estate has a way of stripping away pretense.
Maybe it is the pressure. Maybe it is the fact that every interaction carries weight: financial, emotional, and deeply personal. Whatever the reason, people in our world reveal who they really are sooner or later. Sometimes it is their best selves. And sometimes it is not.
That is one of the quiet emotional burdens of this business.
And one of its unexpected gifts.
My very first development project nearly thirty years ago introduced me to someone who is still one of my closest friends today. That alone tells you everything about the kinds of connections this work can create.
Clients who become mentors.
Colleagues who become friends.
Strangers who appear at exactly the right moment and become anchors during seasons of chaos.
These are the relationships that keep me coming back. Because as much as this business can attract its share of ugliness, it also reveals the rare ones. The people who steady us, lift us, and remind us who we are at our best.
Side Bar
Staying loyal to your principles while building a company without compromise often feels like a Herculean task. I was reminded of this while reading Dirtbag Billionaire by David Gelles, the biography of Yvon Chouinard. He founded Patagonia and built a multibillion dollar company rooted not in cutthroat capitalism, but in environmental activism and integrity.
A rare story.
And proof that building something meaningful is still possible if you are willing to stay anchored to your core.
Let’s do this!
Shaun