The minute I pulled into the driveway, I knew the homeowner was in good hands. Bryan Cummings and his assistant, David were sitting in their truck, waiting patiently for me to arrive. In his ever gallant way, Bryan approached, opened my car door and followed me to the entrance. An engaging fellow, and a master craftsman, Bryan is a painter I love working with. In his self effacing way, he's also a great teacher of life's lessons.
I'm in a service industry, both as a real estate agent and as a stager. What I bring to the table, if I do it just right, is my expertise, good advice, top notch artisans to work with and a real concern for my clients' welfare. Having been a stager and a REALTOR® on Long Island for many years before staging even had a name, I've been exposed to many a worker, skilled and otherwise. More of them than not, bring a level of talent to the table, but are severely lacking in communication skills. Some are downright rude.
I couldn't help but think of that today as Bryan met me with his gracious, old world charm. The perfect combination of talent and refinement, with more than a fair measure of accommodation, he's always top of mind when I need a painter. Interesting too, at least for me, he's not the least expensive alternative.
The lesson for all of us, I suspect, is that people like to work with people they like. Home selling and buying can be stress filled. How much nicer it would be for all concerned if we could be the person who brings reason, calm, and knowledge to the table, with a soupcon of grace.
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