So… yup it’s one of those. But another chapter in my ever unpredictable life. If you are busy, scroll on because this will take a few minutes to read. If you have time, maybe there is a lesson in here or at the very least, a chuckle and gasp
Well as most of you know these past few weeks, while we have all been hunkering down at home, the family and I were preoccupied with the whole induced coma ventilator pregnant niece thing, complicated by where could we buy toilet paper and eggs thing. This past Monday afternoon with life finally seeming to come back to a bit more normal with Ashley’s improvement, the moment changed instantly with a phone call. But for now, lets take a little side track for context..
The Set Up:
Ever watch Shark Tank or Survivor? I don’t watch a ton of TV (at least when Tennis Channel has real tennis), but these two shows intrigue me because I love watching human nature at it’s worst sometimes and the ensuing recoveries. Those sharks are all so sweet to each other, do commercials with each other, attend parties with each other, but God forbid, you put a REALLY good idea in front of them. They will tear each other apart to be the winning investor. But then the other sharks once they lose, pout for a moment and then seem to immediately turn the switch and go back to playful. With Survivor, quite possibly the most riveting moment comes, when a tribe pulls off the biggest of blind sides and vote off a totally unsuspecting Leading player off the island, and everyone goes WOW, I didn’t see that coming. Everybody is just stopped and dumbfounded and then instantly they go back to the campsite and move on with their game. But now, in these latest seasons, the unlucky person voted off, heads off to Redemption Island to plot a return…
But Ken, how does this relate to your Monday call… Well thanks, glad you asked…
The Plot: (Tribal Council, Survivor)
The call was from a good friend at my company who has been tasked to deliver some important yet disturbing news. Upon hearing the voice, I was pretty sure there was something big up, but little did I expect what was next to come. I now was being told that the decision had come down to close my NEW office that the company opened for me (and several other agents) after my crazy exit from my former company last summer. This absolutely couldn’t be. Didn’t they realize their new STAR agent was happily homestead in said office? Smartly I was directed to call the powers that be and get more direction from those with the ultimate say. I eagerly accepted because obviously someone just didn’t realize how insane this idea was, since they forgot Ken Pecus was in that office. Anyway, moving forward to said important and in control people, I made my case and figured all I needed to do was give them was the flexibility to navigate through this trying economic time. Ok enter Shark Tank. As I naively plead my case for salvation, I start to realize, this was not an economic event that was driving the decision per se. What it was, was, a very successful colleague (said Shark) taking the ECONOMIC event and using it to make a precision, pre-emptive, almost surgical, strike at removing any and all other agents from diluting the Brand of the company; by having anyone else other than Shark’s team, get removed from operating on the island via a physical office (Survivor Blindside). There I am (and I’m sure the other dozen or more agents who found out Wednesday) stunned at what hit me. But you can pout and feel rejected, or you can own up, say wow and marvel at the magic of unmitigated leverage. Slowly the truth starts permeating my being and for perhaps the first time in my career as a SALESPERSON, I felt the sting of being expendable for someone else’s big picture.
Life On Redemption Island!
BUT now… You say… Ken are you telling us you got fired again? Well NO, far from it. I was given and encouraged with the opportunity to stay with said beloved Brand, but from another San Diego office. But anyone who knows me, knows that I will never give up my hometown Coronado or accept secondary status. To my now former company’s credit, they have been awesome the past two days to work with me for a transition. If you don’t keep sprinting ahead, you’ll fall back. They realized that even though they had to make a business decision, they knew I only came to them because of this office location and decided to do the right thing and work with me for my exit. Here’s the end play… Life is going to be great. It took about 30 hours on Redemption Island to realize this was an “Opportunity Knocking” moment.
The Double Blindside: (The Winner)
I have been able to PERSONALLY secure the lease for my existing office including all the existing improvements and fixtures… including the coffee machine and fridge 😊. I have a full new lease under only Ken Pecus. I now have complete freedom how I choose to move forward. In other words I personally control the space for my own sales team and not only don’t need to leave the Crown Isle, I have more than doubled the my space in the same location, a block and a half from one of the best beaches in the world! I now exercise my new freedom immediately.
Come Monday morning, this office will now be branded to:
KenPecusGroup… powered by COMPASS Real Estate.
I’m not leaving, they left me. I have aligned with one of the most powerful national real estate firms emphasizing in technology and sweeping the Top 20 urban markets in the US. What seemed very dark 96 hours ago now seems ridiculously full of endless possibilities. My entire team of Jolee, Thad, Jess, Kevin and Shannon have once again transitioned with me, and now we have the capacity double our size and footprint on the Island and San Diego beyond. I couldn’t have even imagined this possibility last Saturday when I, and my family, were praying in Zoom Rosaries for my niece to recover and get off the ventilator. As a final note, I want to EMPHASIZE I hold NO hard feelings against my former company as they have been extremely professional in my transition. Once again, I come out of this a stronger, better and hopefully smarter agent having learned a whole new strategy. Not one I would have taken mind you, but certainly one I can learn from. So here’s to the end of another crazy week!
Remember stay 6FT apart, Wash Your Hands, Wear your facemask and most importantly…
Cheers!