Father’s wear a great many hats in our families. They are often comedians and pranksters or disciplinarians and rule breakers. All at the same time! Fathers are our personal chefs who moonlight as baseball coaches, tea party guests, wrestling buddies, cheerleaders, tutors and even eventual business partners too?!
In honor of Father’s Day, we’re showcasing several Father/Children teams within the Coldwell Banker network and learning a little bit more about how it is working with your Dad!
Happy Father’s Day!
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Ram Real Estate Group in Cinciannati, Ohio – Rakesh Ram (Father) & Mitchell Ram (Son)
How long have you been in business together?
5 years
Who was in business first?
Rakesh!
What is the biggest challenge of working with your father? Or child?
Do things as a team and not individuals.
What is the biggest benefit?
Having solid input on the business side and being able to spend time together to help make a difference with People
What is the most unique thing about your business that only could occur being family?
Both the wife for me and mother for Mitchell under stands the ups and downs and what it takes from this job where it’s a life style and NOT a job.
Advice for anyone else considering bringing their father or child into the business?
Have respect for each other’s independence and make sure the work ethic is the same.
Anything you are currently doing in this crisis that sets you apart?
We are working closer with customers as a team members.
The DamonSellsHomes Team in Fairfax, Virginia – Damon A. Nicholas (Father) & Ryan Nicholas (Son)
How long have you been in business together?
Since November 2013
Who was in business first?
Damon since 1985
What is the biggest challenge of working with your father? Or child?
At first I thought: “What did I get him into”. Now, I am honored how he has grown and how much he has accomplished.
What is the biggest benefit?
I see him more often than if he worked in another field.
What is the most unique thing about your business that only could occur being family?
His mother and I raised him, I coached him in basketball so he was a willing learner from us in Real Estate too.
Advice for anyone else considering bringing their father or child into the business?
Make sure you have a good teacher-student relationship to start. It will evolve from there.
Anything you are currently doing in this crisis that sets you apart?
We do very COVID-19 conscious videos so Buyers and Sellers know they will be safe with us and our services.
Smith Top Team Realtors in Camp Hill, PA – Lee Smith (Father) & Justin Smith (Son)
How long have you been in business together?
7 years.
Who was in business first?
Dad.
What is the biggest challenge of working with your father? Or child?
No challenge particular to father/son relationship, just normal real estate challenges.
What is the biggest benefit?
Our time together & our relationship. We’ve always been close, but the past 7 years have been such a blessing…my dad is my best friend.
What is the most unique thing about your business that only could occur being family?
We’re so in tune with one another and whats going on in the business because we’re together all the time. Vacations, cookouts, etc.
Advice for anyone else considering bringing their father or child into the business?
Know each others strengths & set up your respective roles to compliment those strengths. Mutual respect is key.
Anything you are currently doing in this crisis that sets you apart?
Selling houses…haven’t slowed down a bit. We had to make some serious adjustments to the way we do business, and quickly adopt a virtual business model.
Dennis Fish (Father) with Tim (Son) and Angela (Daughter) – Albuquerque, NM
My name is Dennis Fish From Albuquerque New Mexico. I began my Career in real estate in 1973 after 4 years in the Air Force and a BBA from Eastern New Mexico University majoring in Real Estate in 1973. My son, Tim was born in 1972 graduated from UNM in 2002 and began a career in Real estate in 2004. My daughter Angela was born in 1975, graduated from UNM in 1999 and began her real estate career in 2002.
Today we are all Licensed in NM and work together as a team at Coldwell Banker Legacy, Realtors.
What is the biggest challenge of working with your father? Or child?
As it relates to the advantages and disadvantages of working together, I find that we are deeply focused on the success one another and our clients. As an example Tim and Angela are very comfortable with various online social interaction while my tendencies lean more to the old
fashion ways of staying in touch. As a result I am learning more of the current ways and they utilize a mixture of both. This most likely would not have occurred if we were not so interactive. I have also noticed that sometimes we are too involved with each other’s business. But we are
careful to tread gently when offering advice.
When I coached them as young athletes I saw them grow beyond my abilities. The same has happened and is happening now; they are far beyond what I taught them. As a team we are successful in our business, we are successful in our families, and we enjoy what we do.
What is the biggest benefit?
Throughout this experience the largest benefit of working with Tim and Angela is we can count on each other to treat everyone with respect and have fun doing it. We cover for each other. We have each other’s back, not only in real estate, but in life.
What is the most unique thing about your business that only could occur being family?
To me, working as a family unit means total commitment. Committed to each other personally, and corporately. It is a desire to help when needed, and step up and sacrifice when needed. It is a wonderful feeling of accomplishment when another excels.
Advice for anyone else considering bringing their father or child into the business?
Just a small piece of advice, when family is deciding whether or not to form a team, be sure to sit down and discuss each other’s goals. Have a clear idea of Business, Personal, and Family goals. Then be prepared to work toward each member of the team’s goals, along with your
own.
Anything you are currently doing in this crisis that sets you apart?
The Health crisis has caused me to become more aware of some basics: Mask up, step back, wash more, sanitize, avoid persons that are coughing and sneezing, sanitize, repeat. Just like mom told me back in the 50’s, except for the mask:)
Team DePodesta in Hamden, CT – Richard DePodesta (Father) & Brian DePodesta (Son)
How long have you been in business together?
21 years.
Who was in business first?
Dad.
What is the biggest challenge of working with your father? Or child?
Making sure we keep business and family time separate.
What is the biggest benefit?
Being able to count on one another for coverage and knowing that the other will follow through on fulfilling our responsibilities.
What is the most unique thing about your business that only could occur being family?
Trustworthiness and knowing that we are always on the same page.
Advice for anyone else considering bringing their father or child into the business?
It is a great experience to be able to work together and bound beyond family time.
How long have you been in business together?
21 years.
Who was in business first?
Dad in 1994.
What is the biggest challenge of working with your father? Or child?
I drive my son Crazy, he is very organized I’m not.
What is the biggest benefit?
Working as a Team from 2 generations.
What is the most unique thing about your business that only could occur being family?
We can’t go on Vacations together someone must watch the store.
Advice for anyone else considering bringing their father or child into the business?
Just remember to be Family FIRST, then business partners.
