Start ups need extra love

Before launching last week I had read a few books, countless blogs and spent thousands of hours researching everything from CPM to market on TV vs Billboards (Billboards are better for long term branding) to where to buy staples at the best price (Staples). I prepared and thought, analized and deliberated, argued and conceded, and when I finally started putting it all together it seemed like it was going to be much easier than I expected. That was two weeks ago...

Switching from being the broker at a large real estate company (Coldwell Banker) to my own smaller company has been a big pain in the ass. I left on good terms, of course, so I have had to wait until my replacement was ready to take over the office (tomorrow) and I've had to switch over everyone's real estate license from the old brokerage to the new and file with the Division, who are so backed up with new applicants for real estate licenses that it usually takes days to get a phone call returned, and then the logistics.

Wow- it was a lot more work than I thought. Just the details, like setting up the computers and switching all the operating systems to be the same and networking the printer and organizing where the fax machine and copier will go and parking and coordinating business cards for 13 people at the same time and getting the new for sale signs designed and, and, and... and then the website. Oh, my word- the website... there have been glitches and problems and delays and today it went down for a few hours from the server being overloaded (which is good) and noone warned me (which is not good) and there just seems to be a million little things that need to be changed all the time.

And it's expensive starting a new company with office space and IT and marketing and everything else you can think of. You plan for the expenses but then when you actually see the money leaving your account it's scary. And I'm self-funded so I can't call up my investor and calmly ask for more.

The emotions of helping all these people with their anxiety and the stress that naturally comes with change has been easier than I thought- everyone has either been really good about it or they've fooled me into thinking that they are handling it all well. And either way I'm just grateful.

Every person that goes to the website is so important to me and every contact from someone is so important that I can't imagine how so many companies have such crappy service. My hosting company has the worst service times in the history of the known universe and they don't seem to care. Being an owner of a business that blows me away, even if they are a large company- I would think they would hire more people to make sure they don't lose clients, but obviously they don't.

The support I've received from the local real estate community has been great and it means a lot to hear people saying good things, and the critique's that come with a new idea can be brutal and very helpful. Anyone reading this please go to www.blueroof.com and let me know any suggestions and if you're looking to buy or sell a home in Northern Utah let me know. You'll be smothered in attention.

Greg