10 Questions to Get to Know Realtor and CEO, Tyler Smith

Here are 10 questions, silly to serious, to help you get to know me.

When you were a kid what did you want to be when you grew up?

Don’t laugh! I was raised catholic, went to CCD on Sundays and wanted to be a priest. Yep, a priest. Celibacy, robe and all. After getting caught stealing pencils from my classmates at Sunday school, my priesthood candidacy was ruined. I went in the complete opposite direction and decided I wanted to be a Wall Street Broker. And somewhere in between, I thought I could be Danny Tanner from Full House. There is a little bit of a clean-freak trapped inside me. “Dirt is bad, clean is good!”

What do you wish you knew before you started your first business?

Treat yourself like an employee. When I was starting my real estate practice, I didn’t treat my business like a business because I didn’t realize it was a business. I had one bank account and any money I made, I paid myself. I had no idea how to budget. Investing that money into the future of the business or the taxes wasn’t even a blip on my radar. I had money so I spent it. Getting a coach changed the way I looked at my work and forced me to create a business plan.

How do you use social media?

Getting active on social media is one of my goals for 2015. I haven’t been great at it but I know each day that goes by, I’m missing out on great connections. Connect with me!

What did you learn from the worst boss you ever had?

I’ve been lucky to have had great bosses. If anything, I was my worst boss. I started working young and being your own boss is especially tough when you’re young. I had no accountability and it was too easy to lose focus. It’s kinda like a diet. You’re more successful if someone can hold you accountable. I needed a mentor so I got a coach.

What’s your favorite book?

I read “The Magic of Thinking Big” by David J. Schwartz at a young age, and it was game-changing for me. I gravitate towards business books, so “Little Things Matter” by W. Todd Smith and “Behind the Cloud” by Marc Benioff (the Salesforce story).

What inspires you?

Everyone coming into work each day really inspires me. The team at SkySlope works hard and they motivate me to work even harder. I read a lot of blogs, watch a lot of videos and I jot down what resonates. I have this “list of awesomeness” that just keeps growing. It’s therapeutic to write down what inspires me and it helps keep me on my game.

What is the best piece of advice you’ve been given?

“Make it simple.” Tom Ferguson, a family friend and successful businessman said, “If the business idea is too complicated or something you can’t explain to me in one sentence, why would I want to invest in it?” I apply this advice to every decision I make at SkySlope. Can you explain it to an 8-year-old? Awesome.

What do you think is the greatest accomplishment of your lifetime thus far?

Definitely building my real estate practice. I built a business from nothing, made it reputable and profitable, and then sold it. I learned everything about the industry along the way. Skyslope is something I am so proud of and something I never thought would happen but we still have a long way to go. The best is yet to come!

Who would you most like to have dinner with, alive or dead?

I would want to meet my grandpa on my mom’s side or even his parents. Those who ignore history are doomed to repeat it. How cool would it be to travel back in time and see what life and business were like? My grandpa owned a car dealership and I bet he was a hustler in his day. Maybe he’d share his top negotiating tip with me!

What was your favorite subject in school?

Man, I hated school. I liked it for the social aspect and Mr. Little’s English class. He was kinda out there and not your typical teacher. His classes were fun even though I hated writing. Photography was cool too. I liked dipping the film into the different solutions and then–voila!–a finished product! Oh and French. I was horrible at French. But I loved using an accent and pretending I knew what I was saying. Fake it ’til you make it, right?

What did you want to be when you were a kid? What was your favorite subject? Leave it in the comments or tweet me!

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