What was your motivation for bringing Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices to Quebec at this point in your already well-established career?

I was inspired by my father. He suggested that based on my past success I could run my own company, instead of going to work for someone else and making them profitable. My next chapter was decided, and when the question became which brand to associate myself with, the Berkshire Hathaway name resonated.

I admired the organization for many reasons. Notably, because it is an actual arm of its parent company, unlike other firms who have affiliations to or licensing agreements for a brand. Many of my former colleagues in the U.S. had joined Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices and spoke highly of the company. I also had an existing rapport with some of their executives. When I approached them to acquire the exclusive rights for all of Quebec, I already knew what each party could bring to the table: a synergy between fresh new energy and an exceptional well-respected brand.

What approach do you take to your corporate culture?

I’m building a family. We’ve been extremely successful in bringing on brokers that we’ve built relationships with over time. We’re growing selectively by bringing together talented brokers who will collaborate well together.

Unlike popular brokerage culture, we don’t lead with the brand. We are a people business, working in partnership with our brokers. They already know and believe in what Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices can do for their clients. I simply make them understand that they are more than the name.

For me, the highest compliment is when my team tells me how lucky they feel that they’re part of this organization. The truth of the matter is, I’m the lucky one because I’ve got them by my side.

The residential real estate market in the province is teeming with competitors. What sets you apart?

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Québec offers a recognized name and a marketing platform that adapts and caters to every segment of the market. There are no limits. For ultra-luxury homes we have an international network of over 50,000 sales professionals with targeted marketing campaigns in highly reputed media outlets. For first-time homebuyers and mid-range properties, we have a team of brokers who understand the intricacies of the communities they work in.

What is your leadership strategy to keep the firm on course?     

Constant communication is key. I may be the owner and CEO, but I’m always available. My partners and I lead a great group of people who feel comfortable with each other. We exchange notes, we socialize with one another, and of course—we talk about real estate. An open and honest line of communication ensures our agents feel supported at all times, because we can’t always be there physically.

What is your vision for the future of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Québec? 

Since we opened our doors six months ago, our 16 brokers have consistently outperformed every metric set. I plan to keep that momentum as we roll out our expansion plan over the next few years, and expect to grow to just over 50 brokers five years from now.

That being said, we are not interested in growing too fast. I will forego fast and unpredictable expansion any day of the week. Just like cooking—low and slow brings out the best flavour.

www.bhhsquebec.ca

When did you know you wanted to pursue a career in real-estate development?

I just knew as a kid. I was always creating and building things, taking them apart and putting them back together. As a four-year-old, I would spend all day building sandcastles. It’s who I am.

In which ways is your career similar to your childhood playtime?

At the Museum of Ethnography in Ethiopia, I read: “Children must play because playing fosters dreams, and dreams build nations.” I spend every weekend playing with my girls in their sandbox in the park. That’s where my best ideas are born. The challenge in my job is to never grow up.

Take us through the evolution of Kodem from its inception to today.

We’ve done over 150 projects since starting around 1998. That represents about 8.5 million square feet of building, over 400,000 phone calls and probably 100,000 cups of coffee. I don’t know any other company that has that quantity of buildings developed in every sector of real estate. It’s a David and Goliath story. We’re David; small in size, but innovative, creative, entrepreneurial, and we’re creating the biggest projects in town.

How do you approach projects that require processes and resources that don’t yet exist?

The starting point for me is logic and vision. It’s really about understanding: Who are we developing this for? How do we make sure that the product meets the exact need of the end user? If we do that, the project is a success.

Name a few of Kodem’s biggest projects.

Solstice Montréal is the biggest project we’ve ever done as a single-phase. We delivered the Confédération des syndicats nationaux (CSN) headquarters on time and under budget. One of my favourite projects was Herzliah, a state-of-the-art private high school. The most meaningful project we’ve done was Shumargie School; a $20,000 2-room schoolhouse in Ethiopia, funded through a charity my wife and I started.

Share the Warmth was one of Kodem’s pro bono projects. How did you convince your peers to commit to that level of investment of time, labour, and material resources?

André Miller, who works with me, did everything on that file. He came to me with Share the Warmth as a potential client. As a company, we leveraged our purchasing power and clout in the industry saying, “Hey guys, as a real estate community, this is something we should be volunteering to do.” We forced that vision and rebuilt the whole thing as a donation. André deserves incredible credit for managing it.

How is Kodem changing the world?

We’re a pillar in the development industry in Montreal, creating amazing projects, which are sustainable, which actually change the urban landscape. Our projects actually work. There’s a real return for the investment group, and a real return for the communities they’re built in.

What’s next for Kodem?

The company is growing amazingly well. Aside from being small and nimble, we are very hands-on. I still put paper in my own photocopy machine, I am still on my sites, my construction boots are still in the car. I could see growing our team to a small, medium-size company because of the scale of projects we’re doing, but I wouldn’t want to grow into a bureaucracy.

Where do you see the city of Montreal in 10 years?

I believe that Montreal can be the future for North American cities. We are so innovative, so creative, so entrepreneurial. We do things so differently here, which drives the rest of Canada crazy. I see Montreal as a Rainbow Nation, formed by all of the different cultures in Quebec. I think the more people jump on that holistic, collaborative vision, the stronger Montreal will be.

www.kodem.ca