Almost fifty years ago, RE/MAX was born as a disruptive startup.
The real estate industry was mostly made up of independent local brokerages that varied by size, reputation, and quality of agents. But one thing was common among most; agents surrendered 50% of their commission to their broker, regardless of their productivity. This didn’t sit right with Dave Liniger, the founder of RE/MAX.
Dave Liniger had an idea and a dream: to build a worldwide real estate network of experienced, productive, and entrepreneurial agents willing to bet on themselves. RE/MAX, founded in 1973, was a unique blend of the 100% commission concept and the support of a full-service brokerage. Agents would share in office expenses, pay a small management fee, and be able to keep more of their commissions while enjoying the freedom to run their business as they saw fit.
Dave chased this dream, persevering through the typical startup challenges, including industry resistance, financial woes, and convincing others to come on board. Today, with more than 125,000 agents across over 110 countries and territories, RE/MAX Is a global powerhouse. Nobody in the world sells more real estate than RE/MAX, based on residential transaction sides.
How did he do it? You can trace the unparalleled success of RE/MAX to a philosophy summed up in two words: everybody wins.
Liniger understood that agents who retained more of their earnings would be motivated to become better in all aspects of the profession. These agents were driven to learn more, be more and do more. They raised their standards, which in turn benefited the buyers and sellers they worked with.
In the book, Everybody Wins: The Story and Lessons behind RE/MAX, authors Phil Harkins and Keith Hollihan explain why the concept of Everybody Wins is such a powerful principle for building a great company, and detail how it played an integral role in the growth of RE/MAX into one of the largest real estate networks in the world:
“In the RE/MAX philosophy, the success of one agent helps drive the success of all others. The network itself grows because other agents see the success of RE/MAX agents and join the team. And the agent’s success is ultimately predicated on the home buyer’s satisfaction. It only makes sense, therefore, to provide agents with everything they need to perform at the highest level. Everybody Wins is really about giving people the space and the care to grow.”
Embracing the Everybody Wins philosophy has driven RE/MAX since day one, but it’s a universal formula that can put into practice by anyone seeking business success.
For example:
- Want to attract more clients? Think about what’s unique about your service, and demonstrate how they benefit from going with you rather than the competition.
- Looking to grow your social media footprint? Ask yourself if your content is enriching the lives of your followers by being educational, engaging or entertaining.
- Want a raise from your boss? Brainstorm ways you can drive new revenue streams that pay for your salary increase.
Whatever your goals or dreams, shift your focus onto those who can help you realize these dreams, and develop how they too can “win” if they join you on your journey.
But don’t take it from me. As Dave Liniger has said himself, “I firmly believe that the RE/MAX formula of Everybody Wins is applicable to all.”