I was watching the first weeks’ shows of Late Night with Stephen Colbert (special thanks to the DVR…that show is well past my bed time!) and a story he told really got me thinking.
I was thinking that the “competition” must be pretty concerned with the new contender on the block. I had visions of Jimmy Fallon in a war room strategizing how he and his Tonight Show Gang would take Colbert out of the late night equation.
But then Mr.Colbert told a story that really struck a chord with me. Rather than being feared and conspired against, he told stories of the reception he received from the likes of Jimmy Fallon, Conan, Seth Meyers, Jimmy Kimmel and various other late night television personalities. He spoke of being worn out by all of the cocktail parties, best wishes, food, gifts and general kindness that he received from the “competition”.
No cold shoulders or hostility here. This was simply a bunch of peers in his industry recognizing a class act and passing along their support. Imagine that. Someone who could steal away market share or attention or ratings opening up down the street was given the welcome mat.
This got me thinking about our industry both from the perspective of a Realtor as well as the general public. If your only interaction with Realtors was found on the various TV shows out there, you may think we’re pushing each other down a flight of stairs to get a leg up. It’s a life of high-end sports cars, $20,000 cocktail parties and drinks thrown in each others faces.
Well, I am here to tell you that is simply not the case.
Sure, some Realtors think that negotiating equals kicking the door down and bullying your way to acceptance. In Niagara, I think you’ll find the best amongst the group are also the most gracious, patient, honest and easy to work with. They recognize that respect is an important ingredient in any situation that requires an agreement.
So, in light of the Late Night Community recognizing each other and offering support and ‘big picture thinking’, we at THEbTEAM, would like to say cheers to all of the local Realtors in Niagara that do the right thing every day. They return calls, chat amicably, negotiate fairly and with honesty, work together, understand and empathize and again, see that ‘big picture’. Yes, in the best interest of their clients, but not at the expense of everyone else caught in the process.
Some of our peers in Niagara (in no particular order) that come to mind include:
Shaun Thoms & Marissa Wong with their Pineapple branding and general hilariousness.
Emily Barry and her fabulous social media and marketing work.
Jerry Hendricks & Shawn DeLaat for their crisp branding and professionalism.
Rusty Kruty for consistently operating with class and a smile.
Doug Rempel for his Library of Congress Knowledge of Real Estate.
Marg Vail for being Marg Vail.
Johnny McDonald for his constantly positive attitude and jump-in-the-air signage.
Karl Vanderkuip for his UPHouse and Beach-renaming skills.
Janis Green for having a great day, every day, no matter what.
Jaime & Anna DaSilva for their excellence in marketing and cool hat wearing abilities.
There are so many more of you out there and you hopefully know who you are. I’m told to keep these b-LOGs short..apparently most people stop reading after 112 words in which case, if you’re still reading this, there’s a high five coming your way.
On this list or not, we members of THEbTEAM nation applaud and salute you for your day-to-day awesomeness.
And if you own a bakery and there’s another one just down the street. Stroll down there and compliment them on the deliciousness of their apple pie.
There is inspiration and growth to be had from someone who you might consider your competition.
Thanks for visiting and have a dyn-o-mite day.
THEbTEAM
Thank-you to Prophsee Journals for the photo.