An Interview With Fotis Georgiadis
“Failure is part of the process but never the end result”. I used to get quite disappointed everytime something did not work quite as planned in the beginning, but I learned that it is just the way it works sometimes, and you just have to look at the problem a different way and overcome it.
As a part of my series about “Big Ideas That Might Change The World In The Next Few Years” I had the pleasure of interviewing Juan Carlos.
Juan Carlos is a Mexican Canadian entrepreneur devoted to helping people save money while changing the real estate market with his innovative approach. He is the founder of ourpropertyteam.com
Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we dig in, our readers would like to get to know you a bit. Can you please tell us a story about what brought you to this specific career path?
I became very interested in real estate when I was 25 years old. However, as I learned more, I realized that there were a lot of issues and inconsistencies with the way real estate was sold. In other words, I thought agents were overpaid and that there had to be a more efficient, transparent, and easy way to achieve even better results. This is why I created ourpropertyteam.com. Our goal is to help people keep more of their hard-earned money while selling faster and for more.
Can you please share with us the most interesting story that happened to you since you began your career?
My very first Client was a referral from a realtor I met once. These people were her true friends, and she sincerely wanted to help them save money without leaving money floating in the air. I have to admit, I was both shocked and happy she did that. Later their house sold for even more than what their friend suggested it was worth and they were so happy, that one of the owners of the property was an uber driver, and he used to send a lot of people every month. We are good friends now, and our families became close.
Ok thank you for that. Let’s now move to the main focus of our interview. Can you tell us about your “Big Idea That Might Change The World”?
At this point my idea is actually a reality. Our Property Team is changing the way we sell real estate forever! With both, technology and a team of local professionals. We are capable of delivering an incredibly extensive service for a very small flat fee, instead of commissions. Our nature makes us unbiased, and we also have made the whole process of selling your home both easier and more convenient. Our Property Team will change the world!
How do you think this will change the world?
People won’t have to worry anymore about overpaying someone and not getting enough in return. Let’s face it. We are not in the 70s anymore. Everything works in a very different way. So, why are we stuck in such an old model? It is time to move forward in the real estate sector, like we have done everywhere else. An give people a smarter way to sell real estate.
Keeping “Black Mirror” and the “Law of Unintended Consequences” in mind, can you see any potential drawbacks about this idea that people should think more deeply about?
None at all. We give work to local businesses in every area, save people money, and create jobs for all people. Including those with the skillset of a real estate agent. It is a win-win for everyone
Was there a “tipping point” that led you to this idea? Can you tell us that story?
I got very interested in real estate when I was around 25 years old. I looked into getting my license and all, but the deeper I got into it. The more I realized how broken and outdated that system was. Look at the world around you. It is completely different from what it was 50 years ago.
We do not need to go to Blockbuster Video just to get disappointed because the movie we wanted is out of stock. Like we do not need to wait in the cold rain while trying to flag down a cab.
Now, we can do everything from the comfort of our homes, and without paying unnecessary fees to a third party.
So why would we be stuck in such an old model in real estate? The world is not the same, and things in real estate work differently.
Back in the 70s selling real estate was all about the realtor’s network, all about the people they knew. And nowadays it is about marketing! Think about it. Now, your house needs to be listed on all major sites, and look and feel amazing, while doing digital and traditional marketing to get the most people interested. So, why would you hire a networker to do the job of a marketer, to begin with? Makes no sense. This is why we have created a system that puts you in front of the right professional right when you need it. No more middle man! And our Savvy Sellers save on average $15,000. On commissions. Not to mention, the whole process is a lot more professional, complete, transparent, and easy.
What do you need to lead this idea to widespread adoption?
We need to keep working hard on reaching more and new audiences. We need to create more free informative content people can use daily.
What are your “5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Started” and why.
- “Everyday will be a challenge”. I love being challenged and have to figure a way to make everything work, I hob=nestly would have started my entrepreneurial life at a younger age.
- “Failure is part of the process but never the end result”. I used to get quite disappointed everytime something did not work quite as planned in the beginning, but I learned that it is just the way it works sometimes, and you just have to look at the problem a different way and overcome it.
- “You’ll get a lot of attention” Both positive and negative, it brought a lot of attention to me. Even though I was planning on “flying under the radar” haha.
- “You’ll help a lot of people” I just can not describe the feeling when people celebrate their big savings and start planning ways to spend or reinvest their money.
- “Everything will change” You learn to see everything in a different perspective. My entire life has changed a lot, because of it.
Can you share with our readers what you think are the most important “success habits” or “success mindsets”?
Stay hungry, and Learn to fall in love with the process, more than the end result. Otherwise, you will never be happy. Money will come, don’t worry.
Some very well-known VCs read this column. If you had 60 seconds to make a pitch to a VC, what would you say? He or she might just see this if we tag them 🙂
Remember that time when you could have invested in Bitcoin, Netflix, or Uber in the beginning for next to nothing but for whatever reason you didn’t? Well… Here is your time to jump in with the company that is doing the same to the real estate market.
How can our readers follow you on social media?
https://www.linkedin.com/in/juan-carlos-barrera-velez-57588417b/
https://www.facebook.com/juanitocb1
https://twitter.com/OurPropertyTeam
Thank you so much for joining us. This was very inspirational.
No Commission Realtors: Juan Carlos Barrera Velez ’s Big Idea That Might Change The World was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.
