MY STORY
People want to connect. With that in mind I have decided to start a blog and my first entry will be ‘my story.’ I’ll try to keep it short and sweet.
I was raised in Scotch Plains, NJ by a single mom along with my brother and two sisters. My mom was and will forever be my hero. She dedicated her life to being a mom and did the best she could in a very trying environment for a single parent in the 70’s and 80’s when divorce and single parent households weren’t as common as they are today. Sadly, she passed in 2019 and is dearly missed every day by her family and her many, many dear friends.
As a kid in the 70’s every day was seemingly filled with friends and sports, whether it was baseball, football, basketball, whatever.
Although life was far from perfect, I look back on those days with a smile and fond reminiscences. After high school I attended Rutgers University in New Brunswick, but looking back on those times I clearly see now that I wasn’t ready for the responsibilities and independence that is required to be successful at a high level university. I ended up transferring and graduating with an Associates Degree from Union County College.
Through my high school and college years I worked many jobs, including as a clerk and cashier at A&P supermarkets as well as valet parking at a family friend’s business in nearby Springfield, NJ. But as with many kids that age, my life revolved around my friends and the pursuit of good times.
After college I started working full time and my first job with a plumbing and hardware supply company lasted almost 10 years. I learned many invaluable lessons and met many professional contacts who influenced me greatly. Many of those people helped shape the man I am today. I will forever be deeply indebted to them and still keep in touch with many of those people to this day.
This work led me to starting my first business as a manufacturer’s representative. My company represented major manufacturers and distributors and I helped them with product placement and merchandising at some of the nation’s top retailers, including The Home Depot and Bed, Bath & Beyond. I helped major companies like Procter & Gamble place products at The Home Depot for the first time ever and was responsible for their rollout to every Home Depot store in the country.
After about 10 years in this business I took a sabbatical and traveled as much as I possibly could. I was still single at the time and knew I had a unique opportunity that I didn't want to pass up. I traveled extensively (Dominican Republic, Mexico, Colombia, Spain, Denmark, Sweden and more) and decided to study Spanish. Looking back, I am extremely grateful that I made this decision, as it has impacted my life greatly, not to mention the fact that I am damn proud of myself for becoming bi-lingual. Today I speak Spanish every day and my life would be much different if I took another path. Things happen for a reason.
During my travels in Colombia in 2008 I met my beautiful wife, Paola, and what can I say except, when you know, you know. And I knew. For years I never thought I’d get married, nevertheless start a family but when the right person comes along at the right time, it just feels right. I went with my instincts and have zero regrets.
Recently, we celebrated our 15th wedding anniversary and we have a 9 year old son who keeps us very busy and constantly entertained. I frequently say that being a parent is the most challenging yet the most rewarding thing I have ever done in my life, but I know I would not be able to do it without my wife by my side!
Professionally, after my return to the states in 2010, I started working in the energy sector doing title research in Pennsylvania and Ohio for large oil and gas exploration companies completing title abstracts. When Paola became pregnant in 2014 we decided to move back to our home on the Jersey Shore. After doing some consulting work and also working as a title examiner in New Jersey, I studied for and got my real estate license 2017.
I learned very quickly that real estate is a VERY challenging business. I have total respect for anyone who can make a living as a realtor while providing value to their clients. There is a right way and a wrong way to do business. I have seen many examples of the wrong way to do business in this industry. Many realtors follow a model that I could never subscribe to and some agents will say or do anything to make a deal work. That is not who I am.
Real estate can be a brutal business. Ask any realtor. It took me a couple years to build the confidence to know that I am extremely good at what I do and that I can provide tremendous value to my clients. I have learned that many people don’t quite understand what realtors do and the value they provide. But I have also learned that there are many people who do and those are my people.
Those are the people I seek out to help and helping those people achieve their dreams of home ownership is what I love about my work. I am not everyone’s ‘cup of tea’, but I don't have to be nor do I want to be. I am NOT a yes man. I will not agree with someone to avoid conflict and I am not afraid to have the difficult conversations that are sometimes necessary to have with buyers or sellers.
It’s taken me many years to learn how to be comfortable in my own skin and to accept myself as the person I am, so authenticity is paramount to me. And I won’t sacrifice that for any person or any deal.
July, 2023
