The Purple Realtor: A Modern Approach to an Aging Industry

“If you want to go fast, work alone. If you want to go far, work together”. This is a quote that has been deeply rooted in the foundation of my business and has ultimately led to my success through building an online community and collaborating with locals. 

My name is Mike Sherrard, also know as @ThePurpleRealtor on Instagram, and I’m a local Real Estate Agent here in YYC who has taken a unique approach to an aging industry with quite a stigma. Now… before you see the words “Real Estate Agent” and close this window, please read to the end to allow me this opportunity to change your mind.

Let's get the “About Me” stuff out of the way so we can focus on what’s truly important, making an impact. Within my first year of Real Estate, I was recognized as one of the Top 30 Realtors on Social Media, worldwide, just behind the cast of Million Dollar Listing, I managed to become a Top Producer and a “Local Influencer”, and speak on stage in front of hundreds. All of this was achieved after I quit Engineering with no real estate experience, no business or marketing background, and no network. You might be wondering… How? The answer is simple…

… Community and collaboration.

When getting into Real Estate, I realized there were two fundamental problems here in Calgary. In a city full of millennial’s who crave unique and fun experiences, the average agent was more focused on their commission cheque than making the buying or selling process exciting. Also, people were behind the times and weren’t active on social media to build relationships with the local community.

So… What did I do? I made sure each and every person that buys or sells gets a truly unforgettable experience, regardless of price range. From hosting their first housewarming with a wine sommelier and charcuterie to gifts tailored to their passion, I’ve made sure each and every person will forever remember that purchase or sale.

Secondly, I built a personal brand. Some of you might recognize the purple BMW that drives around the city, which is owned by yours truly! Now… Why purple? Many think it’s to be flashy but the reason I chose it is when you look at color psychology, purple represents ambition, luxury, and royalty, which is exactly the type of experience I wanted to provide each and every client, again regardless of price range. Whether you’re buying your first $200,000 condo or your $2,000,000 dream home.

So… What’s next? (Hint… let’s focus on community and collaboration.)

With the rapid growth of my online community through platforms like Instagram, I’ve realized that whether it is my demonstration of hustle from door knocking or creative branding in a dinosaur aged industry, many have reached out saying they have implemented my strategies to completely change their lives, and others are asking for help. One call, in particular, was from a local Calgarian who watched a Podcast that I was featured on, who called to tell me that he’s a single dad with his son and mother living with him in a basement and hasn’t done a deal in 5 months, but after implementing some of my social media techniques, he’s been closing 2 per month and it’s not only changed his life, but his families. After getting these calls, I’ve realized there is absolutely nothing that means more to me than when I can help make a positive impact on someone’s business and life.

In the New Year (2019) my focus is two-fold… Helping as many people around the world take their business to the next level through community and collaboration, while also trying to help as many local Calgarian’s have the best Real Estate experience they could ever imagine. 

It’s time to give back, and for those like Local Laundry who’ve supported me each step of the way, I truly thank each and every one of you from the bottom of my heart. I look forward to meeting some of you and thank you for taking the time to read this. If you follow me, I hope to inspire you to become the greatest version of yourself and achieve your dreams, as we are all in this together, and if you ever see the purple mobile around, make sure to say hi or wave, as both of those go a very long way :)