First of all, I want to extend my thanks to Mr. Brian Brady for the usage/borrowing of a term he coined (as far as I'm concerned) on this forum. I've wanted to tell the story for awhile now, hoping that maybe others may see the light through the dim darkness of the current market or any market for that matter. After all, you can never have too many good people in one profession.
I wanted to get into this industry for a good 6 months before I had a chance. I left message after message and never got called back. I guess I was about as highly sought after as Pac Man Jones as a guest speaker at your local church. While I didn't know what a mortgage was, I did know that I wanted out of the restaurant industry. With all the respect in the world to those that are in it, I thought my being better at something else was eminent.
While I never much gave thought about coin or power or prestige, after working at the Federal Grill and serving the yuppies, political powers, snobs, and the rest of the often-times spoiled population in this neck of the woods....I wanted to enter the game and give it a good flush or two before I laid my head to rest.
One day, while working a lunch shift, two gentlemen entered and sat at the bar. They were in suits and looked and acted, quite frankly, like car salesmen who had just won the lottery. About 5 minutes after they entered, another young gent walked in, dressed in attire that was purely ‘Street'. After about 5 minutes of this guy being ignored and avoided by the staff, I figured out that he was mentally handicapped and was looking for a job....and a lunch. I was right on both accounts.
The manager of ‘The Fed' at the time saw this and said in no uncertain terms, "I'm not dealing with this....I'm going to have to get him out. This could be very bad for business." My retort was simple. I said, "Bob, can I take care of this one, this situation, do your thing! The lunch is on me and I'll handle him personally...Fair Enough?" He agreed, thankfully.
The young man got a lunch on me and I listened to what he had to say about anything that was on his mind. 30 minutes later, he left and I felt as if I accomplished nothing, hadn't helped him a bit. To this day, I wonder where he is now. Then, one of those gentlemen sitting across the bar , got my attention. "Excuse me, what's your name?" I responded the only way I knew how, "Ed Baumcratz, pleasure to meet you!"
"I'm Angelo, are you looking to change professions? What I just saw you handled very well. If you handle people that well, you will be a perfect fit for what we do!"
I was already on my way back to live with my parents and forget the whole thing. I'd gone off course, I didn't need this. I didn't need being a Corporate Hog or Financial Thug to live in this world. At the time, I figured I would find my muse at the very place I left my soul....in writing while living this little life of mine. My cooler head prevailed.
Two weeks later, I was hired. Two persistent and somewhat agonizing months after that, I closed my first deal and netted a whopping $450.00. (I had to admit in the interim that my name wasn't Ed Baumcratz so I could bank the check.) The birth of Jason Sardi, ‘Pretty Fly For A Loan Guy', had begun. I quit the Fed and became a full-time Loan Hack, er, Officer. Then, I started to do a hack, er, heck of a lot of digging.
I read everything I could about my side of the industry, I digested everything. I remained poor, poorer than I'd ever been, still all the time trying to learn. I was sponge without a clue of how I would dig myself out. I didn't have a shovel and the ground was hard, I didn't have an umbrella and the rain was falling.
And then, even though I hated what I was going through and where I was from a commission-based financial point of view, I fell deeply in love...with the industry. So many facets of it were so appealing to me. I got to and get to touch people on a financial basis which helps control the Capitalistic World we live in. I also got to touch them on a personal level, which makes things....well, more personal. I like that!
There are missing parts of this story, very many, yet this is a blog and not a book. So, I'll leave the details out and continue on....
Continuing on!
Can't wait to hear more of your story, Jason. And it is SO GREAT to see you posting again! :o)
I'd have fed the guy and talked to him, too. I'm glad you did that. Great starting out story.
Hello again! So refreshing to read your writing once more. Lil Bro...I am sure you are wonderful at what you do and in my book of LO professionals...thank you.
Thank you Tracey, I'm a bit rusty...bear with me:-)
Hi Jason: One of your biggest fans here. Good way to start again, by going back to the beginning. Good story....actually a love story. It is funny how you can get bitten in this industry and totally consumed. I still love learning every little thing I can, and during the years I was in the car business yearned to be involved with real estate again.
Welcome back, you have been missed!
Jason,
Nice post. Thanks for the free lunch, BTW, probably on behalf of one of my compadres in the title business. Thanks, Fran
Hey Dude,
Glad you are back up and running. Hey we just closed the quickest loan I ever saw and no probs. 10 days.holy moly!
Janet - That is a fact and thank you for the kind words. That is a honor coming from you.
Michael - Again, thank you very much amigo!
Fran - Lol. Never a problem.
Neal - You should blog about that, we all here the horror stories, it's nice to concentrate on the reality of good that happens as well. 10 days is impressive, especially in this market. I think our firm's shortest was 7 days, mine was right around 13.
WOW WOW WOW Jason, What a great story. It is such a pleasure to have you back. I flagged this post for featuring rated it a 5 and told the AR gods why I requested it. I expect we will get the answer soon. Welocme Back my friend. I have so missed you!
Jason... You should have come back with a curly perm.... I've got the Welcome Back Kotter theme song playing in my head.... LOL....
Jason
Great story - can't wait for the rest - Glad your back!
Sandra
Jason,
Once again, Welcome back I see your up and running like old times :0)
Keep it up, I need someone to whoop me on any contest that comes around,
Tom Weiss
Welcome Back!
Just remember, "You're a slave to money then you die" ; )
A rather poignant pick for a song, but I got it.
B.B./Dad - It's nice to see I'm not totally paranoid:-)
Ginger - Shoot, does this mean I have to write a follow-up?
William - Thank you sir, not sure I totally agree on the 5 but I missed you too amigo!
Dan - Me and a perm don't mix. Actually, any human being and a perm don't mix in my book.
Missy - Thank you so much, don't forget to unsubscribe to my blog:-)
Desire with an Extra E - HELLLLLLLLLLOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO TO YOU TOO!
Sandra - Thank you and tell Dan no perm for me!
Linda - Thank you, you want to make me be a better blogger in every way.
Lola - I am going to have to write another one aren't I? I knew I should of kept a diary when starting this gig:-)
Carole - You and Ed R. are probably right there.
Matthew - Much thanks man, good job on 'The Week In Review.'
Tom - Hey brother, I think you may just kick my keister next time around. As long as it makes us both better, I don't mind at all.
Mike - You got it! Somehow, I knew you probably would.
Chris - And I love Chris Elizabeth Griffith, just don't tell Al. :-)
Tracy - Thank you my dear, it's a pleasure to be back!
Jason You are #1 in my book, but Google thinks Ed Baumcratz is #1.
Google Search: Ed Baumcratz
Jason,
Great Story! I had a similar start in the Real Estate business. It makes sucess that much sweeter. Keep on keeping on and live the dream. Giving back is what its all about. Good for you.
Thank you Cyndee, I only hope I live up to the billing.
Neal - Jericho has nothing on little old me:-)
Hey Lane, thank you for stopping by.
Mike - Ed is a tough guy to beat, for sure:-))
David & Kristin - As the days grow, I continue. Thank you always for your contribution and nice words!
Kory - Excellently put amigo. Nuff said.
Thesa - Hit the Unsubscribe Button! Lol:-) Thank you my dear!
Jason,
I like this one a lot better that opinions and belly buttons.
I must say I'm impressed, not surprised, but very impressed. I was surprised when the bum turned out to really be a bum. When your in the people business or for that matter just living you've got to follow the "Golden Rule" and never so much as when you realize "there but for the grace of God go I" You did the right thing, and what did it cost you a cheep lunch and a smile? I also believe "what goes around comes around" you were the big winner that day.
(Enough platitudes now I'm going to switch to name dropping.)
I was surprised about the bum because what came to my mind was the last week of August 31 years ago. Brenda, Eric and I were at the Experimental Aircraft Association Convention for the 6th year in a role. As usual we had our RV camped in front of the War Birds. An old man in very old worn-out grease soaked cover all was working on the dirtiest greases airplane in the show. The only thing on the field dirtier than that P-47 "Jug" was the old man himself. He was trying to tighten a bolt on the bottom of the plane, he clime into the belly put a socket on the bolt head and then clime out and crawl under the plan with a wrench of course the socket would fall off. I walked over and offered to help, ten minutes later we're done I start to leave and he walks over sticks out a very dirty hand shakes mine and says "By the way, I'm Pete Parish" That dirty old workman that once sold me gas at the airport in Kalamazoo was none other that the Chairman of the Board of the Upjohn Company! I was right he had sold me gas, he owned the FBO! I wished I could tell you we did a lot of business but there was none. He did send me two other Board members, there business helped me open my own office that fall.
One cold spring day I stopped to look at an old 1850's town, Jones being restored in Southern Michigan. The place was closed, but I got out and peeked in the windows. An older man in a heavy coat approached said hello and talked about the project. He then took me through most of it. I assumed he was the watchman. At the end of the tour I bought us both Cokes and tipped him $20.00. As I started to leave he asked my name, I gave him my card. He looked at it and asked about The Farm and Land Institute, did I sell farms? No I sold commercial and investment properties. He ask could I help him. I reached in my pocket for another $20. He stuck out his hand and said I'm Ed Low, yes Mr. Kitty Litter, you're just old enough to have seen his TV commercials. I sold a lot of Southern Michigan property for him. You have to know that a kind word and a smile may well bring you your next client.
Carl Hottavie is not a name you know. GM had announced a new plant to be built in Three Rivers Michigan, I was there looking for acreage to build apartments and a subdivision. A billboard in the middle of a field proclaimed it for sale by owner, I was sitting in the street tacking pitchers and looking it over with my binoculers when I started to leave my car was cut off. A little man in a blow torch convertible filled with 55 gal. drums of horse manure, had rushed ahead of me and stopped. Now I raised horses from 10 until I was 30 I'd shoved a lot of that stuff, but I was never that covered. The guy turned out to own the property and was arguably the richest man in town. GM never built there and neither did we, but we did a lot with Carl. At that time I worked with a lot of survey, plat maps and blue prints, so I always carried those 6 inch plastic rulers which I was always losing, late one afternoon I was looking for a ruler in my breif case while Carl was driving he turned into an alley and said come on. We entered a narrow stairway and climbed to street level stopping several times to shut down a security system. It turned out that Carl owned a large jewelry store. Carl gave me a small $3.00 tape measure saying it would go in my pants pocket so I wouldn't drop it like I did the little rulers. You never know what a small jester will do, I've carried and used that tape for over thirty years.
You just never know when the smallest kindness will come back to bless you. Look how much that lunch and a smile returned to you.
Personally, I'm glad I healed the wrench, I'm glad I bought the Coke (Ed keep the tip.) And I'm ever so grateful that I was polite to a walking pile of... And I'm glad you bought lunch.
Bill
HI Jason, I think the real estate and mortgage industry are a lot like the restuarant business...once you're in, it's hard to get out. It gets in your blood. 13 years later, my husband still has to tell me to take off my restaurant hat when we go out! I am new to AR and I really enjoyed your post. Looking forward to more!
Bill - I could listen/read your stories for hours amigo. Great stuff!
Marlene - I said it before and will say it again, you are too good to me!!
Mr. Geary - That's a sly grin you see my friend:-)
Yolanda - Look at this, I'm kind of like a newbie again.
Bridget - Thank you Bridget, I look forward to your contribution here.
LOL Jason! Hello, and welcome to AR where everybody is warm and supportive. If you have any questions please post them in the Newbie Group and we'll try to find the answers for you! : )
Welcome home, Old Newbie!