RISMedia's Real Edge Podcast

Episode 2: Gino Blefari - Success Stories from Silicon Valley

Gino Blefari CEO HomeServices of America; Chairman, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Overview RISMedia Founder & CEO John Featherston steps in to host a brand new season of RISMedia's RealEdge podcast, designed to help listeners get to know the real people behind some of the most fascinating and successful companies in our industry, and how they gained an edge to vault their success. In this episode, John sits down with industry icon Gino Blefari, who shares his journey from a then rural Silicon Valley to real estate success. Gino gets candid about his family's history, neighborhood dynamics and early job experiences, all of which shaped his approach to business and life. John and Gino reminisce about real estate events, memorable client interactions and the invaluable lessons learned from mentors. You'll also hear Gino talk about the importance of personal development and treating business as a craft, as he offers advice for navigating future challenges. Episode highlights: 1:12 - John and Gino reminisce on their first meeting in the 1980s. 3:00 - Gino shares what it was like to grow up in Silicon Valley before it became a technology hot bed and seeing it change from a  sleepy farming community to a wordclass destination. 5:25 - Gino and John talk about their fathers' experiences as veterans and what it taught them both growing up and throughout life. 10:46 - Gino shares his first odd jobs around the neighborhood 15:30 - Gino talks about his experience working full time through college and how working at a country club opened his eyes to the real estate world 25:52 - Gino talks about transitioning from real estate development into becoming a real estate agent. 29:00 - Gino talks about his time at Fox and Carskadon and his first sales. 40:00 - Gino shares stories from his time at Contempo and how he started his own company. 52:10 - Gino speaks about selling Intero and becoming a national player. 59:29 - Gino shares his thoughts on life, and how having a routine can help you achieve your best. About Gino Blefari is the CEO of HomeServices of America, and the chairman of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices.Blefari has been in real estate for decades and was an award-winning agent, manager and broker/owner. He came to his position at HomeServices of America from Silicon Valley, Calif.-based Intero Real Estate Services, Inc., which he founded in 2002, and through mid-2014 served as its president and CEO. Under Blefari’s direction, Intero became one of the fastest, organically growing companies in the history of real estate. Blefari’s many recognitions include: 2012 Mentor of the Year by Buffini & Company out of 7,500 mentors; the first and only recipient of the Leadership Award from the Tom Ferry organization; inducted into the Mike Ferry organization’s Leadership Hall of Fame; 2014 RISMedia National Homeownership Award for “outstanding achievements among residential real estate’s most influential and charismatic leaders;” board of directors, HomeServices of America. Blefari leads and facilitates a think tank with 13 independently owned and operated companies, and has been a faculty member at DeAnza College, in Cupertino, California for 26 years, where he has educated over 15,600 students on the Principles of Real Estate/Real Estate Practices.

Episode 1: Anthony Lamacchia - The Making of a Leader

Anthony Lamacchia Broker/Owner/CEO, Lamacchia Realty, Inc. Overview RISMedia Founder & CEO John Featherston steps in to host a brand new season of RISMedia's RealEdge podcast, designed to help listeners get to know the real people behind some of the most fascinating and successful companies in our industry, and how they gained an edge to vault their success. In this season's debut episode, John sits down with "one of the fastest-growing superstars the industry has seen," Massachusetts-based brokerage leader Anthony Lamacchia. Well known as one of residential real estate's most outspoken advocates in the wake of the Burnett v. NAR lawsuit, Anthony discusses his newfound celebrity status on the national real estate playing field, along with the many defining moments of his upbringing that fueled his personal drive and ultimate business success. As John says, "There's the persona the industry has gotten to know, but let's take a step back to see what shaped him as a leader." Episode highlights: 1:35 - Anthony shares how he feels about his newfound celebrity status in the wake of the Burnett v. NAR trial. "If that's my reputation now in the industry, as someone who fights back and someone who maybe even overdoes it sometimes, I can live with that." 4:00 - Walking us through the floor plan of his childhood home in Watertown, Massachusetts, Anthony shares his origin story, where he was raised by his father and grandparents—"a nice small home filled with a lot of love, but run by two grandparents that were from the old school. They were exactly what I needed." 11:38 - Anthony explains how his first career with his father's landscaping company sowed the seeds for his future real estate aspirations. 15:14 - While academics were never his thing, Anthony shares the invaluable lessons he learned from high school sports, and how the worst thing that happened to him was also the best thing that happened to him. 19:45 - Anthony shares the business lessons he learned from working with his dad and grandfather, and how it enabled him to "leapfrog ahead" when he got into real estate. 29:35 - Find out what keeps Anthony humble and why he still has to prove himself every day. 36.57 - Anthony shares the opportunities in today's market for brokers, teams and individual agents, along with his goal for the future."It's more than an idea—it's something we plan to do." 41:47 - A master communicator, Anthony talks about the relationship and recruiting power of  Crush it in Real Estate. "The more I educate the marketplace, the more of a following I get." 46:55 - Find out who inspires Anthony, and how he learns from "master messagers," no matter who they are. 50:00 - The advice Anthony would give himself 15 years ago—and something he's never shared in a public forum. 53:56 - Anthony closes by sharing his beliefs on where the industry and market will be one year from now. Links and Resources: Lamacchia Realty [https://www.lamacchiarealty.com/] Crush it in Real Estate Inc [https://crushitinre.com/] lamacchiarealty.com/settlement-impact/ [http://lamacchiarealty.com/settlement-impact/] RECases.com [http://recases.com] From Agent to Advocate: Anthony Lamacchia's 20-Year Real Estate Run—and Where He's Headed Next [https://www.rismedia.com/2024/09/26/anthony-lamacchia-from-agent-to-advocate/]