Meet Aaron Hendon | Managing Broker, eXp Realty

We had the good fortune of connecting with Aaron Hendon and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Aaron, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
My dad left his corporate VP job to pursue his passion when I was very young. He poured everything into it and became very successful. It was a demonstration of never settling, giving everything to what you love, and building a life you love based on doing what you love. So it was never really much of a stretch for me to think about starting my own business.

In fact, that “pouring everything into it” kind of phenomenon became the context for every job I’ve had, regardless if it was one of my own businesses or where I was technically working for someone else. I don’t ever think anyone works for someone else – you are always working for yourself. I’ve never thought of this before but I am pretty sure that my siblings (I have 3) all think and operate that way.

So after the last recession, and I was laid of from my job, my skill set being what it is, made a career in real estate a solid bet. There was for sure a conversation with my family about the risks of starting my own business, given I’d be working for myself no matter where I worked, the opportunity to keep everything I built was what had us jump in.

While I don’t think anyone grows up with a dream of slinging houses, the opportunity to build a business where I can become a trusted advisor for people in guiding them through the most expensive, least performed, most complex and impactful transaction of their lives, well, that’s pretty cool.

What should our readers know about your business?
In my mind, there is no profession with a lower bar to entry than real estate. The person that gets $20 to cut my hair studied for 1000 hours to get licensed. Getting licensed to sell a house takes 90 hours. 90 hours to deal with the most expensive, least performed, most complex and impactful transaction of someone’s life. This is the case in every state, by the way.

Add to this that the testing, the actual material one is required to learn to get licensed is the least useful information you could ask someone to know. There is almost nothing in the tested material that actually helps in the day-to-day, fiduciary duty of a Realtor.

This for me is problem #1.

Problem #2 is, while I don’t think it’s news that people make irrational, suboptimal decisions in a lot of areas of life and it’s equally obvious that marketers have organized their activities to take advantage of our irrational behavior. In fact, in today’s hyper-fast, technology-driven culture everything is pulling the consumer down the road of speed and convenience, with less and less chance for them to really know what is happening and that means less opportunity to slow down and make rational decisions.

So you have barely trained people, serving people who are constantly pushed to make faster decisions, using less information, that those barely trained agents couldn’t provide anyway.

For the most expensive, least performed, most complex and impactful transaction of their life.

It’s a mess.

This needs to change – my mission is to help people slow down, see what is behind their decision-making, and see what has been hidden by marketers and by their own biases – all so they can be confident that are making the best possible decision for them.

It’s how I run my business as a Realtor, it’s how I train my team as a Managing Broker, it’s the subject of the books I’ve written, the last of which is, Sell Your Home Like a Boss, Secrets of a Five Star Managing Broker.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
We’d start on Vashon Island, where I live and we’d walk the dog on the beach, or walk in the forest, then we’d have some of the best food I’ve ever had at the Ruby Brink (along with a few specialty cocktails).

I’d recommend we hit Pike Place Market, and a few museums, Chihuly and Seattle Museum of Art being faves.

In summer we’re going to see the Mariners, and in winter we’re going to the Seahawks and/or Kraken.

A night out for sushi, a Sunday at the Ballard Farmers Market, or just chillin’ for an afternoon reading and writing at any number of coffee shops is my idea of a good time.

It’s also hard to imagine that in a given week there wouldn’t be some live music worth seeing.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
While I believe it to be true that nobody does anything worthwhile on their own, I think it’s particularly true for me. I’ve been contributed to by so many great people I could never list them all so this list is far from comprehensive.

First shout out goes to Werner Erhard and all the people doing the work at Landmark Worldwide. I’ve done a lot of training programs but nothing comes close to the freedom, power, and peace of mind I have developed over the last 28 years applying the work Mr. Erhard created. There is nothing of real value in my life that hasn’t been exponentially enhanced by that education.

Second, my business partner, Christine Andreasen, who attracts wealth like a magnet. When it became obvious that my next career would be in real estate, she was my only choice. Upon approaching her and saying, “I’m ready to join your team”, her response of “I don’t have a team” was met with “You do now” and I am grateful that she accepted that situation. Her partnership is a gift.

Finally, my brilliant and beautiful wife, Kael Balizer. The best part of knowing me is eventually you might get to meet Kael. She is a miracle worker in the field of Ayurvedic Medicine and in EFT therapy. She is the greatest mother I have ever seen, and without her listening I’d be nothing. That I get to live in her space is a blessing over which I will never get.

Website: https://www.aaronhendon.work/content-hub1636600208419

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aaronhendon_therealtorsedge/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaronhendon/

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Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCT6e-v4Op37lKCinYiApCyg