Entrepreneurship is a humbling mountain to conquer. It involves consistently taking risks, pivoting in the face of adversity, and making a strong lasting impact on people’s lives. However, many ambitious leaders unfortunately run into a wall during their entrepreneurial journey by making the wrong move or fumbling in their vision.
While every industry requires intent and hustle, one such industry that needs steady hands is the real estate sector. It is crucial to not just have a strong mindset but also a kind heart to manage someone’s resources and engage it in the most balanced manner possible.
A pioneering example in the realty sector is Bill Sahadi. Bill is the owner and broker of Fore Properties Realty Inc. and believes in doing the ‘right thing’ in every endeavor. He believes in putting his lofty ideals to use for the benefit of his entire community and being a mentor whenever he can.
In fact, Bill Sahadi also integrates the thought of influential leadership in all aspects of his life. Influential leaders are not made in a day. Persistence, resilience, and the intent to make a difference drives them towards their goals.
As a Certified Residential Specialist (CRS), Bill believes in sharing his principles as ‘a truth’. He does this to encourage other brokers to embrace these principles into their own personality and style. He feels that it’s important to set an example in everything you do like treating clients fairly, managing expectations based on curiosity and not judgment, and practicing what you preach by taking an active part in real estate investment.
His first sparkling interest
Our prime years build a solid foundation of values, ethics, and beliefs. It’s a phase to experiment, expand your horizons, and truly realize your potential.
Similarly, during his younger years, Bill Sahadi was on a quest to understand and explore his passions. He navigated through how the world works, asked questions, and challenged assumptions because he looked at things differently.
Eventually, he found his way to real estate and started to learn the ropes of what had always been a strong interest. Little did he know that he would be creating a successful real estate business a few years down the line.
“I am a great believer in investing in something you know; something you can touch; and something you can improve,” he says. “The soup to nuts renovation I recently completed on a mid-century 1940’s home was a labor of love, which I now call home. The previous owner lived there for 58 years and raised 7 children. Bringing the home up to current standards in every way and retaining the original spirit of the property is the best expression of what I feel about our real estate business. Renovating a home like this is a practical application of putting my passion to work.”
He believes real estate spoke to his independent and entrepreneurial spirit more directly than anything. He further adds, “The full control and responsibility of owning real estate always spoke to me more directly than 3rd party investments.”
Going the extra mile with his heart
Independence and autonomy are the two factors that prompted the inception of Fore Properties Realty Inc. “I never looked to others to make me successful. I wanted to create and foster an environment of independent contractors who were initiators and not reactors,” he says. “Brokers who always think the grass is greener elsewhere miss an important point. There is no ‘projecting’ when you are an independent contractor. Own it and don’t blame others. It’s also an insight into who they are really thinking of.”
Bill’s company is composed of the most supportive, ethical, and caring real estate professionals who relate to a common thread — their shared passion to serve others. According to Bill, this is the secret sauce when it comes to delivering the most memorable and reliable real estate experience for all his clients.
With over 22 years of experience in serving clients, Bill’s attitude is what pushes the company by leaps. In his own words, he believes in “working with a servant’s heart and genuinely having your client’s interest at the forefront.”
His empathy towards his clients is of paramount importance to the entire client experience. This includes understanding their motivation, setting realistic priorities, and educating them in the most effective way possible.
While it is a privilege and honor to practice as a real estate broker, Bill feels it also comes with a huge responsibility. Therefore, he vouches for an approach where there is consistent information shared across the buyers and sellers’ radar to make more informed decisions to get both parties across the finish line in a win-win manner.
His dynamic contributions
Bill Sahadi embraces his servant leadership style in his day-to-day proceedings of the firm. His regular day is wrapped in many important tasks like overseeing every single transaction, answering any client questions around the clock, thinking ahead, and collaborating with unique people.
He also takes keen interest in coaching and mentoring people so that they have a better idea and more clarity about the bigger picture. He also mentions that mentoring and guiding younger agents is at the top of his list.
One of his goals is to mold new ambitious brokers into fiercely independent brokers and fuel them to be self-generators. He wants them to ask, ‘What can I give to a client?’ rather than, ‘What is being given to me?’
Apart from being a real-estate leader, he is also an agent of meaningful change. Bill has always been engaged to the Moore County Community since he moved there in 1999. After his involvement in community work with local non-profit agencies, Bill accepted an offer to volunteer to host a radio show host called All Things Real Estate in 2009. The show’s name changed to All Things Moore County and gave him the opportunity to talk about different topics surrounding the community with remarkable people. WEEB 97.1 FM, 104.1 FM, 990 AM.
Chasing success with no fear
Bill has been a strong proponent of defining your own metrics of success. This is not to say that his journey was smooth-sailing and wrinkle-free.
When quizzed about the one thing that he would do differently when he started out, he quickly remarks – “I only wish I had started my career earlier in my life, rather than stay tied to a prior profession that generated income but not the passion my spirit required. I’ve always had good instincts, but I just had to learn to trust them.”
Bill has never retreated in fear and continued to persevere despite the roadblocks. According to him, his biggest roadblock during his journey was “maybe expecting too much out of others and being disappointed in their inability to be givers and not takers.”
He feels loyalty has always been both — his strength and weakness. “It’s one lesson I don’t think I’ll ever learn. It’s hard to change your nature, but I gladly accept it,” he asserts.
Bill infuses his authenticity and honesty to his business at every level. He does not believe in ‘Fake it until you make it,’ and echoes the fact that it takes a robust system to ensure future growth.
This holds true to the simple yet significant lesson that his father taught him – “to never take the responsibility of making a decision away from a client. Present the news and facts accurately.”
One pivotal piece of advice that Bill has for aspiring and emerging leaders is to constantly believe in yourself and your efforts. He also suggests to never feel entitled to things on a platter and to always “Initiate, Self-generate and not listen to your fears.”
Accelerating the firm’s future
For over two decades, Bill has organically built a reputable team consisting of real estate professionals, from attorneys and lenders to contractors. His wealth of knowledge and relationships continues to propel him to an even bigger and brighter future.
With the business’ life span of about 22 years, Bill and his team have already made a significant mark on the Moore County community as a non-franchised boutique firm. Along with his 13 years stint as a radio host of a local show, All Things Moore County, they have solidified their presence in the growing community.
When talking about the upcoming plans for Fore Properties, Bill Sahadi is filled with enthusiasm and optimism. He fully believes in his team’s ability to foster stronger client relationships. He does this by treating them as an equal contributor in every step of the journey. Additionally, he also aims to raise them as well-rounded and experienced brokers.
Moreover, Bill Sahadi has also helped facilitate new relationships between individuals and other business individuals to assist them and Moore County in growth for the greater good. Bill thinks that the real estate business is at the doorstep of momentous change and the nature of how they do business has direct relevance to how the independent contractor conducts and grows their base.
However, he also emphasizes on the changing role of technology in the real estate sector. He feels that the principles of what his team does and how they do it will never change, but the electronic platforms and social media outlets will provide new challenges & opportunities to the independent contractors of tomorrow.
Bill’s clients think the world of him, and he wishes his greatest contribution to be to those brokers that he had the privilege of mentoring and coaching. “Being able to make an indelible impression on someone else’s life is the greatest gift of all,” he concludes.
