Our country’s election is next week, and it has most of us filled with emotion. The emotions & opinions vary but they, like the stakes, are high. I encourage you to get out (or mail in!) to VOTE!
I have a good friend, Justin Raithel, running for Folsom City Council. If you live in Folsom please strongly consider voting for him. He currently serves as Folsom’s Planning Commission Chair and was recently recognized as Folsom’s Volunteer of the Year by the Chamber of Commerce. Justin would be a great addition to Folsom’s City Council!
I’ve been looking for ways to support Justin in his campaign, as I want to honor his tremendous courage to run for public office. Justin will likely need to gain 25% of citizen’s votes in order to secure one of the two open City Council seats. While hitting that mark means Justin will win and earn more votes than the other candidates, it also means 75% of voters didn’t believe in him. Ouch, right??!! Even if he wins the election, 3 out of 4 people didn’t vote for him.
When I have a friend take on a risky endeavor, like running for office or starting a band, I often throw my family’s full support behind them. While I’ve never done either, I too know the reality of winning while not having everyone’s support.
As a small business owner in a very competitive industry, I’m always on the “campaign trail.” A big part of my career is tirelessly showing why folks can trust me as their capable REALTOR or mortgage broker over the countless other “candidates” in our marketplace. Thanks to you, we’ve done more business than ever this year, largely through repeat and referral business. I am forever grateful for the confidence so many of you have in my team and me to help you through your real estate endeavors.
Despite crushing every metric we’ve ever set for The Blue Waters Group, I still feel the sting when realizing we don’t get everyone’s “vote” of confidence. Folks choose to do business with other REALTORS, with the big banks out of state and community credit unions down the street. The old adage says there’s plenty of business for everyone, and that’s true! But, as a small business owner, my goals have always looked beyond the bottom line. I constantly strive to be the professional in my hometown that can be trusted by my neighbors, by the parents of my kids’ friends, by the folks who I run into at the grocery store. If I can’t live up to that measure, then the money doesn’t mean much.
I share this with you to remind you how much it means to me when you refer your friends and family and when you come back for your next transaction. Sure, your business helps me to make payroll with my employees and put food on the table with my family. But you’re also fueling the very ethos of what I’m about, which is “earning your trust is far more important than simply getting your business.” Thank you for how you’ve shown your support over the years.
In similar fashion, I’m showing my support for Justin Raithel because he’s earned my trust. He is not running for City Council for the simple sake of winning an election. Justin wants to serve our city because he has the experience, the smarts and the heart to do it better than anyone else. I’d like to think the same could be said for me as your trusted mortgage and real estate professional.
Matt Sundermier's Memos on Real Estate & on Life 