At Inman Join New York, Erik Carlson mentioned he desires everybody to know the actual property franchisor is “open for business.”
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Earlier than RE/MAX CEO Erik Carlson got here to the actual property franchisor in November 2023, he was an empty nester on the brink of depart his place as CEO of DISH Community and go touring along with his spouse.
Then he obtained a name from RE/MAX with “a very interesting opportunity,” Carlson advised attendees from the primary stage at Inman Join New York on Thursday.
Carlson joined the actual property {industry} and RE/MAX at a difficult time. The {industry} had been roiled by antitrust lawsuits, and RE/MAX had skilled 5 straight quarters of income declines.
Carlson famous he was additionally conscious he was taking over a “superb, outstanding brand” with greater than 100,000 “trusted, professional, productive” brokers in an unfamiliar {industry}.
“First and foremost, when I look at the industry, I just see a ton of opportunity,” Carlson mentioned.
“The consumer is more forefront in the industry’s mind, which is one thing coming in that I didn’t quite see,” he added. “We have to understand what buyers and sellers want.”
Requested about challenges coming into his position as RE/MAX CEO, Carlson identified that RE/MAX is a “51-year-old brand” and he desires to verify folks know “we are open for business.”
“I don’t think RE/MAX deserves to be Kodak,” Carlson mentioned.
“We’re trying to get back to growth,” he added. “We’re going to be an innovative brand. We’ve been an innovative brand. The brokerage business right now is really, really hard. We owe it to our broker-owners to … bring profitability back.”
Carlson additionally extolled the chance to be present in a franchise enterprise.
“I think franchising is going to take off,” he mentioned. “We want to be part of that. It can’t just be Chick-fil-A” and different companies.
“I didn’t come here to lose,” he added. “I came here to win. I came here to have a lot of fun.”
Requested what he was on the lookout for in franchisees, he mentioned he wasn’t essentially on the lookout for “an outstanding agent,” however fairly for a dealer who has a ardour for serving to folks and keenness as an entrepreneur — somebody who will get knocked down and will get again up.
“I need people who want to raise the bar,” he mentioned.
