October 16 is National Boss Day, an observance dedicated to recognizing great leaders around the country. In the spirit of the day, we wanted to acknowledge our own founder and CEO, Brian Bair, the creative force behind Offerpad.
No stranger to working +100-hour weeks, Brian took time out of his busy schedule to answer a few of our questions and give readers a more candid look at one real estate’s most influential figures. Under his leadership, Offerpad has instituted groundbreaking consumer-centric home buying and selling solutions, empowering more people around the country to move freely. Here’s a look at how Brian got his start and became the leader he is today.
Mama Bair knows best
Before Brian was working to change conventional real estate, he was learning important life lessons from his mom. The one that would ultimately define his career was life is about results.
As Brian tells it, “My mother was a very successful talent agent and one of the best business people I have ever known. She represented models and actors all over the world. When I got out of high school, I assumed I could go work with her and be an immediate ‘big deal’. My mother had other plans,” he said, laughing. “She wouldn’t hire me until I got a job working for someone else for at least a year. So, I did. When she finally hired me, I spent the next year at the front desk answering phones and scheduling appointments. Eventually, I moved from the local booking board to the regional booking board and then the national booking board. In just 6 months and at 22 years old, I increased bookings by 250%. I was off and running! My mother was the first person to teach me life is about results.”
Focused on the results
Working for Brian is truly a pleasure. He is so passionate about what he does, it creates that culture throughout the whole office.” – Jennifer Hunnicutt, operations director
If there’s one thing you should know about Brian Bair it’s that he doesn’t like being told something is unachievable.
Although those around him would be quick to describe Brian as a gregarious guy with a sunny outlook, simply accepting things at face value because “this is the way it’s always been done” is one area where he’s unwilling to compromise.
When Brian originally envisioned a better way to buy and sell homes — one that provided consumers with more convenience and certainty — there was little doubt in his mind it could succeed. Today, under his leadership, it is thriving.
In a word, Brian is a visionary. He has the ability to communicate accurately and passionately enough that those that hear him begin to share in that vision.” – Kit Merkley, customer success lead
Offerpad now operates in more than 700 cities across the country. On average, the real estate technology leader receives new offer requests from homeowners every 30 seconds and acquires a home every 20 minutes throughout regular business hours. Much of the company’s current success can be attributed to Brian’s acumen as a leader.
Despite his success with Offerpad, Brian will be the first to tell you he doesn’t have all the answers. “I’m a lifelong learner,” he says. “There are always things I can do better and I work hard every day to improve at them. You need to hold yourself accountable in order to be successful.”
Leading by empowering others
It’s not often you find a leader you trust in completely, but Brian is that leader for me. He could jump into a lion’s den and I would assume he knows what he’s doing.” – Sam Keller, transaction manager.
Someone wise (who probably had a talent for writing engaging LinkedIn content) once said, “Leaders instill in their people a hope for success and a belief in themselves. Positive leaders empower people to accomplish their goals.” You don’t need to spend much time with Brian to see just how much this adage applies to his own style of leadership. Whether it comes to his own people or the consumers he serves, Brian is utterly devoted to empowering others.
Brian empowers the Offerpad team by giving everyone plenty of autonomy. “People are free to do what they do best when you’re not breathing down their necks,” says Brian. “Offerpad is very much a tightknit family environment, there’s a lot of trust that goes into sustaining that type of culture. I believe the best way to drive results is by empowering people and set them up for success.”
As a key architect of Offerpad’s progressive real estate solutions, Brian empowers consumers by providing them more convenience and certainty whenever they buy or sell a home. With Offerpad, buyers receive competitive cash offers in as few as 24 hours. Sellers can choose their own flexible closing date and forego the stress that a rotary of open houses brings. Since 2015, the model Brian helped pioneer has built a loyal following and completely changed expectations in real estate.
Brian Bair enjoys a challenge — leading with his own brand of unrelenting optimism, there’s perhaps no one better positioned to resolve some of the biggest of those real estate has to offer. With Brian at the wheel, Offerpad will continue to push the boundaries of consumer-driven real estate. Stay tuned.
Be the boss of your next buy or sell situation
Want to be the boss the next time you buy or sell a home? Nobody gives you more freedom to call the shots than Offerpad. Request a free offer on your home today or if you’re in the market to buy a house, check out our latest available homes for sale near you.
Happy National Boss Day from your friends at Offerpad!