David Stultz RE Media Agency Owner & Coach

Your message matters more than your visuals. But a good message with good visuals? I think that’s the sweet spot. Wandered around Portland to grab some example clips. Even if you feel your work is boring and there’s nothing to show, I promise there are captivating and compelling visuals out there that can represent your brand.

We’re making some changes - and you can too. Hopefully this gives you some ideas to keep building your dream agency 🚀

The most meaningful thing to me about running an agency isn’t making money.

I definitely had a different experience than most coming into this space. It’s taught me a lot 🤨

Just because you’re growing doesn’t mean you don’t make mistakes along the way. Sometimes, you need to cut your losses and move forward ⏩

The seasonal swings of this business can be brutal! While it can’t be avoided, it can be mitigated. Some days though, it just feels like survival 🤷‍♂️

There never seems to be enough hours in the day but I’m thankful for each one!

Everyone is selling quick growth. I think chasing quick growth can set really poor expectations for reality. Growing the right way can take lots of time and lots of money. It’s not easy but it’s worth it if you ask me!

A month ago, little Ava entered the world. It’s been a busy time since then… So here are some reflections (long post ahead). She came a week early, and everything went as well as we could have hoped for (we’re SO thankful). 

We’ve tried to push through and wrap up the months-long project of finishing our basement. This was supposed to be done long before baby A arrived. We’re 98% complete. In the past few weeks, I’ve had to make some of the most challenging decisions I’ve faced since starting my agency. Some I didn’t foresee and happened anyway. Other decisions are bets on the future of the business. I’ve tried to be present and not miss time with my family during this special season. I’m not great at disconnecting from work. But I’ve tried to understand why. I think there’s a reality of unpredictability and responsibility that you sign up for as a business owner, but I refuse to believe that needs to define my life. I struggle with always feeling “behind” with work and business. “I should be further ahead”, “I should have gotten more done today”, or “when I reach this milestone, I’ll feel better”. But that hasn’t happened, at least it hasn’t yet. I’m coming to understand that until I can be content with where I am right now in life and business, I won’t be able to truly appreciate any of the blessings in my life or any milestones achieved along the way. I started my business in an effort to work for myself and not need to go back to my 9-5. Growing beyond that hasn’t really changed how I feel or how I approach my work. And I don’t think it’s a “work” problem, it’s a “me” problem. I need to be content with where I am professionally (actually, extremely thankful). As I get better at this, I already can see so much joy in all the blessings in my life and am able to start to let go of my daily level of “productivity”. Hopefully, this next season of life can be defined by “present-ness” with my family and fulfillment in the work I get to do on a daily basis, rather than continuing to chase something I’ll never find.

No agency out there is perfect. You won’t be either. And that’s okay, because everyone goes through it. Realize you’re not alone. Do what you can to make it right, fix your process, and keep going 🚀

There are three levers you get to set for the value you create in your real estate media agency. Do you think I’m off base here? Let me know!

I was always curious what it would be like stepping out of day to day shooting. I realized it’s an entirely different role and skill set than taking photos and videos. While I enjoy it, it’s nothing like what I expected. More dynamic responsibilities, more decisions to make, but also more opportunity to help your agency keep growing. What’s the process been like for you?