Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Dan Gomer, team lead of Dan's Home Team, located in Highlands Ranch, CO, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
I am a team lead for Dan's Home Team at eXp Realty. I work with residential clients who are looking to buy or sell real estate. I am blessed to be able to say that most of my clients are my friends and family. My objective has always been to make sure my client's needs come first in every real estate transaction.
Tell us about yourself
I became a middle school science teacher right out of college. That was my dream job, or so I thought. However, after 7 years, I realized public education wasn't the right fit. After a long self-reflection, I decided that real estate was where I wanted to be. I loved that I could make my own decisions and that I would be responsible for my own successes and failures. I also loved the idea that my level of success was solely based on my level of commitment and execution. Real estate became my playground, where I learned how to fail and succeed. I learned what it meant to work extremely hard over a long period of time. I learned where my boundaries were. I learned that I was actually capable of much more than I ever thought. I learned what I was really made of. Today I still sell homes, but my focus has come back to education. My desire is to help my team grow and expand. Knowing I am impacting the world in a positive way is what motivates me to wake up every day and do what I do.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
As a business owner, there are many successes and many drawbacks. It's hard to say what my biggest accomplishment is, but I would say the thing that makes me the happiest as a business owner is that my commitment to personal and professional growth has given me the opportunity to give back. I am so thankful for my team. Not only are they great people, but they make me a better person. Being in the position to work with and move forward with my team is my greatest accomplishment.
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
Being a business owner is never as glamorous as it seems on TV. Doubt is real! One of the hardest things about being a business owner is keeping faith when the cards seem stacked against you. There have been many times when I ask myself, "why am I doing this to myself? I could get a gas station job and not have all this pressure." But what I have learned is that it's the pressure and the challenges that make me better. I can't help but chuckle a bit these days when I find myself asking that question because I know now exactly why I do this to myself. Because I can only be my best self if I push past my current reality. In the end, it has always been the faith that everything will work out that helped me overcome my doubt. As I said before, doubt is real, so in the moments where it seems like nothing is going right, just remember that it's the tough times that make take us to the next level.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Develop an understanding of what you TRULY want. It's easy to get caught up in all the things the world tells us we want. It's hard to clearly define what WE truly want and then stick to it. We don't all need to 10x our life. Sometimes 10x-ing everything is detrimental. My first tip is to get crystal clear on what you want and passionately pursue that (regardless of outside pressure).
- Be open to new ideas and embrace change. It's good to know where we want to go, but we must also be open to change. Nothing is forever, and business owners who forever stick to the status quo are destined to become marginalized.
- Ask for help. No successful business is built by one person. One person may be the visionary, but it's the team that makes the magic happen. Look for ways to partner with amazing people who see your vision. Seek mentors and extract as much knowledge from them as you can. One day you will get to pay it forward to someone else. Lone wolves starve to death, while team players thrive in a world of abundance.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://danshometeam.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dangomer_/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dan-gomer-62221551/
If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.
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