When Herbert Spencer coined the phrase ‘survival of the fittest’ to draw parallels between his understanding of economics and Charles Darwin’s idea of ‘natural selection’, he probably never realized how apt the phrase would become as a basic description of all the fields with cut-throat competition at its core. The phrase has now perfectly amalgamated with almost every sphere of life. From human psychology, to politics, from biology to entrepreneurial ventures, it has emerged as one constant truth. Perci Pietro, the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of OWN Realty, learned it the hard way.
Perci had come from an aristocratic, Persian and Italian cultural heritage and an affluent immediate family, with both parents as physicians. His future was sealed as the ambience nurtured him to follow his parents’ footsteps in healthcare. In fact, since his childhood days, that is what he wanted to do. But things changed once he entered college. He had an opportunity to come out of his family’s legacy and ponder what he would like to do with his life. He realized that he had an entrepreneurial spirit and, like an explorer, he wanted to chase it and build a life around it, to experience something unprecedented, something he never imagined doing while safely nestled at his ancestral home.
Of course, this decision was difficult for his family to accept. They tried to dissuade him by giving him a tough choice – either follow what the family has decided for him i.e., attend medical school and complete the curriculum, or he would need to go on his own. It was a catch-22 situation since he had no savings and no prior experience of running a business.
But it could not bog Perci Pietro down and with a visionary spirit ‘to seek, to strive, and not to yield’ he ventured out. The going was tough and yet he was happy to embrace it as he wanted to realize his dream.
The Beginning
The decision to move out and start the entrepreneurial journey was not a wellchalked out one for Perci. It was a gut feeling that drove him on. He had no financial backing, so he had chosen to work hard and earn his way out, and that is when Perci joined a friend’s construction company where he labored to make around $400. He used those funds to move to Florida, where his dream started taking shape.
Although the amount was not much, it gave him a base. From there, he worked three jobs and got his real estate license to launch his entrepreneurial aspirations.
For some, this is a simple story of hard work and then success. But it is not always that straight forward. The equation also includes several pitfalls, clogging of ways, relentless thrust to create opportunity, and then, not giving up. If ‘survival of the fittest’ is true, then one has to emerge as the ‘fittest.’ That is what Perci did to get the foothold he always wanted to have.
Piloting the Passion
The driving factor, as time goes by, changes. Perci is no different. In his early days, his family was his guiding force, as he wanted to make them feel proud of him. Then, it was the money he was getting out of the ventures that steered him forward for a brief moment. But he was quick to realize the ephemeral nature of it.
Then his zeal to do better got governed by his urge to prove something to himself. Although it was a close enough possibility, it was still not what kept him awake at night or got him involved in brainstorming sessions.
“It is the idea and the positive impact on society that inspires us. The ability to face adversity and impossible odds, then turn it around and rise from the ashes, without quitting and then do it again if needed, ultimately bringing an idea to fruition.” It is what Perci Pietro believes drives entrepreneurs all around the world. He took a long time to grasp that “nothing in this world builds character more than empty pockets and failure. In the end, it will help you rise higher than before. Once you learn to face your darkest fears, anything is possible if you just believe.”
Owning OWN
Perci’s current venture, “OWN Realty is an International Real Estate and Business Consulting Firm.” OWN stands for One World Network bringing a myriad of “real estate industry brokerage brands from around the world under one umbrella, for referrals in business and creating synergy, despite varying customs.” This creates a platform which “allows collaboration between OWN and dozens of real estate firms, on a global level.”
This concept is the first-of-its-kind, as the alliance it creates, does not confine it by factors such as firm size or brand. It helps build an all-inclusive, nondiscriminatory platform, with a massive reach, for all participating firms to explore for opportunities.
In 2007, Perci started the company without any business partners, on his OWN and then witnessed his idea’s astonishing unfurling.
His firm always puts a particular emphasis on “accurate information, education, and strong business ethics, while sharing new ideas, through thought, creativity and service,” Perci believes, that it is these values, which ultimately gives OWN clientele confidence, while working with the firm. It has earned and is still earning accolades for him.
Putting On Boots And Moving On
The journey is never about dwelling in the past. It is about how to accept the past, learn from it, and then move ahead to shape the future. This little trick has always forged Perci’s belief. In his heart, he knows that jumping on the entrepreneurial wagon without any prior knowledge of a particular industry, could prove to be fatal at times and in his case, caused numerous failures, which led him to the verge of bankruptcy. But he never lingered there for long. His hard times taught him that investment and hard work are not the only pillars of success; it requires knowledge about the field.
That is where adaptability comes in and helps businesses flourish. It is all about being agile enough to transform as per market needs. The recent COVID-19 crisis is going to be a big lesson for many companies as it is already exposing industries with rusty infrastructure. As a countermeasure for this crisis, before things got out of the hand, Perci Pietro and his associates “adjusted protocols, based on CDC guidelines,” for their Licensed Consultants, which would protect all parties while maintaining relationships.
Perci always challenges himself. He draws inspiration from where he fell short, which helped him in learning. After all, one can only learn from circumstances and failures, then continue to grow.
Perci does not have any regrets and draws strength from his failures. His aspirations, center around disappointments and chances he missed while growing up while always moving forward. It is those beliefs, which drive him ahead and inspire him, not to hold back on anything, after setting his sights on a goal.
His Take On Leadership
A leader should lead by example and for that, he needs a proper, tangible vision of the future. He has to inspire people, so that they are excited to join him in innovation. A leader should always have an aura that would make others comfortable enough to share their ideas and goals without the fear of a catastrophic blunder or a debacle. When it comes to discussing let-downs, Perci’s metaphoric representation is quite simple and encouraging. He opines, “People who wonder if the glass is half empty, or half full, are missing the point, the glass is refillable.”
What he does is elementary. Perci Pietro takes life one day at a time, to live the fleeting moments to their fullest. He does not want to waste the minutes he has chasing after fortune, when he can lure success, by creating value. That is his interpretation of the evolution theory.
