Today we’d like to introduce you to Amy Hartmann.
Amy, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
The story of how Strada began didn’t start in the real estate industry. In fact, on the day the story really began, in 2010, real estate wasn’t really even on my mind. On that particular day, my husband was on a business trip in Africa and I didn’t hear from him at the scheduled time. I found out later that he had been kidnapped and held hostage at gunpoint for an entire day. At that time, my husband and I had been running a business consulting company that had him on the road more than at home. On that day however, everything changed. He was eventually released and made it home safely, albeit very changed by the frightening experience.
On that pivotal day, we decided that we no longer wanted to do the kind of business consulting that would have him traveling to dangerous places for work. We decided to shift our focus to a new industry. We realized that our business development and growth skills would translate really well to the real estate industry where every REALTOR is running their own small business.
We set out to bring a different kind of brokerage to the industry. Initially, we purchased into a franchise, but when the time came to renew the franchise agreement, we made the decision to non-renew. Over the years as our business grew and evolved I took the lead on the day to day operations and so when it came time to make a decision on what to do next, I took the lead on the creation of Strada.
Strada is one of my proudest accomplishments. It is the culmination of years of learning what Real Estate Agents want and need to not only be successful in their businesses, but also in their lives. I am also proud of the culture of collaboration and ongoing learning that we have created so that our agents have everything they need to support and guide their clients every step of the way.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The biggest struggle along the way has been the desire to truly make a difference in the real estate industry and in the lives of our agents and having our hands tied by the rules of a brand that didn’t belong to us. Strada affords us the opportunity to change the conversation and challenge the status quo. We are able to be dynamic and change as the market changes.
Strada – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
Strada is a full-service residential and commercial real estate brokerage. We are known for high quality, personalized service. We take care of our agents so that they can focus on taking care of their clients.
I am most proud of leading a strong group of agents that work with joy and integrity. We are a tech-forward company that is constantly innovating. I work transactions with our agents, but I do not compete with them. In other words, my job is to help them grow their businesses. Unlike other brokerages, I am not actively growing a real estate business, I am growing a real estate brokerage. In addition, I have set out to provide everything our agents need to give them peace of mind while they run their businesses. Strada provides not only training, mentorships, and tech tools to help our agents stay current in the industry, we also provide access to a full range of benefits and perks including access to health and dental insurance options and many more.
What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
My proudest moment was the launch of the Strada brand and being able to finally make the impact that I want to be able to make in the lives of the real estate agents that trust me with their businesses.
Contact Info:
- Address: 1906 Avenue D Suite 200
Katy, TX 77493 - Website: www.stradatexas.com
- Phone: 281-371-4300
- Email: hello@stradatexas.com
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/stradatexas
Image Credit:
Sandra Showalter – It’s Your Turn Photography
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