PROPERTYSPARK INTERVIEWS: Sam McDadi, Broker Owner

They are industry leaders who want to always serve their clients in the best possible manner and also serve as role models for all realtors.

 Mississauga, ON 

 Sam McDadi Real Estate Inc., Brokerage

 Sam McDadi  |   sammcdadi  |   Sam McDadi|  mcdadi.com

What inspired you to start in real estate and how did you motivate yourself to keep going?

I never set forth to be a realtor. After completing an undergraduate degree and MBA, I worked in the corporate sector for a couple years and realized it wasn’t my calling. I felt real estate would potentially be a great fit as I like homes and interacting with people in general. Once I entered this industry, it never felt like work. It was a labour of love. Until this day, I have the same level of enthusiasm, passion, and commitment that I had from the onset.

Comparing your business from back then to now, what has been the main thing that allowed you to expand your business?

While I am still very much involved in my business, I have also put together a team second to none which has really enabled us to take it to the next level. This team consists of 55 realtors that speak over 25 languages, a full time marketing team, a social media specialist, photographers, videographers, a staging team, a moving division, and the list goes on. We bring a lot of valued added services that are unique to the marketplace, which allows us to continue to grow our business year in and year out.

What’s the most profitable aspect of your business, why do you think this is and how can others apply this to what they are doing?

What I felt would be an integral part of our success was building a well respected and identifiable brand. Today we believe the McDadi brand is synonymous with high level service, integrity and honesty and this has been the cornerstone of our success.

When did you realize you were successful/made it and how did you feel/celebrate?

About 15 years ago, when we became the number one team in the world out of approximately 110,000 in the RE/MAX organization, I felt a sense of joy and accomplishment that we had hit our goal on being number one in the planet. I celebrated with my family, friends, and teammates.

Looking back, what could you have done sooner to get to that point quicker?

The one thing I would have done earlier would have been to bring on an assistant earlier so I can utilize my time and talents where best suited versus doing Administrative duties myself. Therefore my best advise to Realtors that are new to the business is to leverage their time.

What should other real estate entrepreneurs reading this be focusing on to expand their own business?

I believe it’s very important for each Realtor to identify what aspect of the business they enjoy the most. In my travels, I have seen realtors excel in many different areas because they have passion in that element of the market. For example, some door knock, some will farm, while others will go after expired listings. I always advise realtors that as long as it’s an element of the market you enjoy doing, this will be a sustainable model. The mistake many realtors make is that they follow the path of others and often times it’s activities they don’t enjoy doing and in-bearably will quit taking on these tasks on some point. The key message here to my fellow realtors is to find your passion!

How has social media and online marketing affected your real estate business? How much more success have you had now after implementing social media and online marketing efforts?

Social media has become an integral part of our marketing initiatives. We have grown our social media followers to a point where when we send out messages it received by a large targeted audience, which has enabled us to generate lots of business opportunities through these modalities.

How did you build your team?

I built my team organically which is a key message to advocate to our fellow realtors. Many realtors attempt to build a team before it’s the appropriate time to do so. The infrastructure, experience, etc., is lacking and therefore is doomed for failure. My message is to first understand the business sufficiently well, grow the business to a level where you no longer can handle the volume on your own, this would be the time to integrate some team members and start expanding your business.

How did you become a good leader?

A lot of the innate skills I developed and honed over the years were a result of my training grounds from a younger age, which included participating at a high level in the tennis arena, my educational background, and my work experience served me well in developing my leadership skills. Some important elements of leadership qualities in my opinion include exceptional leadership skills, being sensitive to all of your employees needs, being understanding, being passionate and also being a good mentor in terms of how you live your live. I believe I have been able to be a good role model and example for my entire organization as to how to live your life with purpose and integrity.

Did You Experience Failures? If So, What Did You Learn From Them?

Nobody gets to the top of their craft without failures and disappointments. However, learning from those mistakes and having the courage and fortitude to rise above any challenges as been one of the key reasons for my success. Winners never quit and quitters never win.

What do you consider the main differences between those people who have been successful in your industry and those who have failed?

Many people entering the real estate field have this notion that it’s a license to print money but its anything but that. Understanding that you have to build your business on solid footing and it’s never a get rich quick scheme, if you build it with the right foundation and treat your clients with honesty and respect, you will thrive and flourish in this industry. I encourage all realtors to have patience as they grow their business.

What’s Your Approach To Marketing?

I am a big proponent in go big or stay home. From the onset, all the profits I have made in my early years I have put back into my marketing initiatives which was always part of the master plan to build a very identifiable and recognizable brand synonymous with real estate, which I believe we have done a proficient job in achieving this objective.

Final Thoughts

I have been very fortunate to find a vocation that is truly my passion. I encourage everybody to try and find their true passion. If it is the real estate field, you will have great success. I have always lived by the motto “take care of your clients, focus on them as opposed to the money, and the money will take care of itself”. If you live your life by this motto, you will have tremendous success in whichever path you decide to embark on.