Brain Teaser...Who Is The Most Famous Realtor Of All?

     Think about it..you've heard of the most famous reindeer of them all  (No..not Vixen..It was the one with the red nose not from a drinking problem or high blood pressure..Rudolph...you know Clarice's boyfriend).  Anyway, back to the question, most famous broker of them all?  Can't think of one that would be nationally known and pop to mind?  Who was the guy who started some big franchise that you recall? It is not like the most famous baseball player, astronaut, lawyer, president, bible character is it?  Names come easily off your tongue when asked about  most famous plumbers, electricians, toll takers, pharmacists and teachers?  Why is that? Now if you are part of a franchise, your head kadoodle founder's picture is on the wall and is a household word around your office.  Before being an independent office, we were part of Strout Realty which was started by E.A. Strout in little old Readfield, Maine.  He had a notion back in 1900 that folks moved from the rural farm areas to the cities where the jobs were.  But just as soon as they had enough money raised, they were moving back to farm or just live away from the hustle bustle of the population centers of the Northeast in particular.  He ker plopped a headquarters in Springfield, Missouri and had a catalog of properties from "All Across America".  That catalog before the days of mls and internet marketing and interstates really showed the attractive areas price wise.  It put us on the map as Maine represents real value, friendly people, four season living with elbow room and a sense of community. There is high quality of life. All the 2000 Strout offices in the 1950's long before Century 21, Keller Williams, ERA and Remax's of the world were scattered in rural areas..not cities.  In Maine there were 25 offices of down to earth mom and pop operators peddling rural farms, land, homes for the most part.  But like the hoola hoop, drive ins and milk delivered to your home, Strout's catalog like the Sear, Penney, and Ward's catalog became out of vogue or failed to change with the times. Great training and concepts retained and offices still exist along with United National chain that's founder used to work for Strout.  He had the same concept of selling rural living.

     So as you work your heart out for your community and your realtor profession to be the best....keep striving to be the most famous innovative realtor of them all.  Good luck!  In your town or city, maybe you already are. As for Rudy's big break..it happened due to poor weather and his "condition" suddenly coming in handy  prior to his big night (and his ability to fly and lead).  Before he was heckled, laughed at as different...he came to life in 1939 in an advertising campaign for Montgomery Ward department store. Ad copy writer for Ward's Robert L. May brainstormed the idea of Rudolph the flying reindeer based partly on the fairy tale of "The Ugly Duckling".  Ward's gave away Christmas  coloring books from the campaign with the star the little neon four legged deer with sprouting atlers.   May was shy as a boy and picked on and Rudolph almost was called Rollo and Reginald.  And you thought "Olive, The Other Reindeer" was also pretty famous after all these years.