Professional Background
I cut my teeth on real estate fresh out of college in 1997 when a buddy introduced me to the world of appraising. He was a successful mortgage broker, and I was a floundering graduate trying to figure things out. He introduced me to his appraiser friend who agreed to accept me as an apprentice, and the “rest is history” as they say.
Early into my appraisal career I began investing in real estate, so getting my sales license seemed only natural. In 2004 I became licensed to sell. I continued doing both — selling and appraising — until I placed both licenses on inactive status in 2008, where they both remain to this day… caked with dust, I’m sure.
Post Real Estate Career
Having a knack for writing, I could easily weave a tale about how leaving real estate was by my own volition — that I was a rockstar agent who just “wanted more of a challenge” or some nonsense. But I’m more transparent than that.
The reality is that I had one foot in each boat, and when the real estate bubble bursted I hadn’t established enough of a base to sustain myself. The abandonment of my appraisal career, on the other hand, was completely voluntary. Newly imposed government regs at that time had strangled the life out of my love for appraising. I’ve never ruled out a comeback, though, especially with sales.
My professional life after real estate has included a mixture of freelance writing assignments, various marketing services, and a few big ideas which flopped in a big way. On December 30th, 2013, I started the Lighter Side and almost immediately it became my full-time gig. This baby ain’t floppin’.
10 Random Facts:
- I believe dogs are nature’s gift of happiness to humans.
- I guess you could say Lighter Side was conceived on my brown leather sofa. Just me and my laptop, and what seems like a thousand hours of solitude in early 2014.
- I’d probably do well on the competitive eating circuit. Seriously, I can eat. Some say my great grandfather must’ve been a Rottweiler.
- Ketchup disgusts me, but I love tomatoes.
- I have a great sense of smell. Maybe my great grandfather was Bloodhound, not a Rottweiler.
- I haven’t told any of my Realtor acquaintances about the Lighter Side. I just wanna see how mainstream it goes. That way, if it ever comes up in conversation, I can have a little fun by saying, “Yeah, I’ve heard of it.” Then tell them the story.
- In fifth grade I petitioned my buddies to start calling me “Rock” because I thought I was tough. It didn’t catch on. That’s when I realized the best nicknames are earned, not self-manufactured.
- My base of true friends is an inch wide but a mile deep. I crave depth and context with people.
- I don’t watch many movies. I get amused at the shock on people’s faces when they reel off famous titles and I’m like, “Nope, didn’t see it… or that one… never heard of that one…” That said, some of favorites are ‘Rudy’ and ‘Shawshank Redemption’.
- I belted a home run in the Dixie Youth World Series. After rounding third base I stopped and began strutting to home plate while taunting the opposing team’s fans. Looking back, I blame this on watching too much “wrasslin” growing up. Anyway, after touching home plate I received an earful from my father who was waiting in the dugout. That was my last day of being a pretentious little punk.