I’m sure that when you were a kid, you had a dream of what you wanted to do when you grew up. Every one of us had some grand idea. For me, that dream was to play professional golf. Even as a kid, I was actually a really good golfer. But part of me knew a different path lay ahead of me.
When I was fourteen, I started working in the family sheet metal business, taking home $2.10 an hour. At first, I was doing simple janitorial work; only later would I move into the manufacturing plant. In truth, I had literally grown up in the company. My mother used to bring me into work when I was a baby, crib and all.
As a child, you’re influenced by your surroundings. Growing up there gave me a great business sense—hearing phone conversations with vendors and communication between employees—and I knew I would have to run the family business someday. It just happened sooner than I thought. In 1980, my father died after suffering a massive stroke. I was sixteen years old, and suddenly shouldering the weight of being the man of the house.
At the time, my mother took over the business, but I knew I would have a larger role to play as well. I not only went to attend business school, but also made a point to spend time working in every department of the company, from accounting to production to data processing to sales. When my mom retired, I took over the CEO position, and ran the business for nearly ten years.
When my mom retired, she had gone on to found a bed and breakfast on Bodega Bay. She and my dad had always been big entrepreneurs. In 1997, she received her third cancer diagnosis, which is why I sold the family business and went up to the coast to help her out.
My mother was inspirational beyond measure. She was first diagnosed with breast cancer when I was twelve, and the doctor gave her six months to live. She vehemently disagreed. Back then, there wasn’t much cancer treatment available, but that didn’t stop my mom. Six months came and went, and she was still going strong. Ten years passed, and she was diagnosed again with kidney cancer. That doctor told her she had three months left. You can imagine how unconvincing that was to her.
She was absolutely determined that she would not die of cancer, no matter how far it spread. She decided not to undergo chemo or radiation, electing instead to deal with it through surgery, diet, and positive attitude. In total, she lived with cancer for over twenty years, all the while running a major sheet metal company—a powerful woman in a male-dominated industry. And wouldn’t you know it, she never did let cancer win, instead passing away after a pulmonary embolism in 1998.
After her death, I sold the bed and breakfast. I had been there for my parents and their businesses for my entire life, but as you know, my dream was never to be an innkeeper or a sheet metal CEO. The broker who helped me sell the B&B actually recommended that I get into real estate. I thought about it, but I was intent on returning to my true passion of golf.
It really is an amazing game. A game of integrity, honor, skill, and challenge. One of the most rewarding and frustrating games God ever created. After six months of eight-hour golf days at the Butch Harmon School of Golf in Las Vegas, I was apparently living my dream. But as I thought about going pr o, and what that would mean, I realized I would be spending 40 weeks out of the year on tour. And I knew I couldn’t leave my wife and son behind for that long.
I had never thought, “What do Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus’s families do when they’re golfing?” My commitment was to my wife and son. I just picked up my golf bag, went home, and told Kim.
“What are you going to do?” she asked.
“I’m going to be a Realtor.”
It wasn’t the dream I had as a child, but being in real estate has proved to be a different kind of dream come true, and placing my family first has been well worth it. I believe that this was the path that God set me on to serve others. It’s not just about buying or selling a house: it’s about all the monumental things that happen in a home. All the ups and downs, all the joys and sadness, everything that happened in this story—it all takes place right where you live.
That’s why I would love nothing more than to lend my knowledge and experience toward helping you with your real estate endeavors. I don’t expect your business simply because of our relationship—I only ask that you take the time to interview me and see if I might be the best agent for you.
Buying or selling real estate is often an enormously important transaction, and the representation you receive from your agent can have significant impact on your results.
It is important for you to choose the person who will do the best job for you, and who is the right fit for your particular needs. I’ve worked hard as a professional to be able to provide the highest level of service, so I mightbe a good choice for you. I want you to know that if you do not choose me, I will never be upset. But if you do, I promise to work diligently to exceed your expectations.
Thank you for taking the time to learn about me. When you or someone you know is in need of a real estate agent, I hope you give me the opportunity to demonstrate my services and interview for the job.
Sincerely,
Fred Miller
REALTOR®
Realtor
Address
9089 Foothills Blvd Suite #910
Roseville, CA 95747
Arrow Realty
