For my fourth entry in Active Rain's November 2025 Challenge, hosted by Lynn B. Friedman CRS Atlanta, GA 404-617-6375, I’m taking a little stroll down memory lane, back to the late ’90s, big shoulder pads, and even bigger real estate dreams. And right at the center of it all? One unforgettable mentor: Floyd Wickman.
In 1998 and 1999, our Northwest Coldwell Banker office rolled out a 6-week Floyd Wickman training course, touted as one of the most dynamic, results-driven group programs in the industry. Trust me… it lived up to every word. Geno and I didn’t just sign up once, we took it both years because the transformation was that powerful.
Picture this: a sharply dressed, quick-witted coach with a heart of gold, teaching us to build a business not on scripts or slick tactics, but on genuine connection. Floyd reminded us, again and again, that real estate isn’t just about houses. It’s about people. Relationships. Service. Purpose.
Week after week, he taught us how to overcome objections with grace, communicate our value with confidence, create meaningful client moments, and above all else… listen. Those lessons weren’t just business skills, they became life skills. They shaped the way Geno and I worked as a team and how I continue to serve my clients today.
And then came the quote, the one that still sits front and center in my heart:
“It’s what you do when you do not have to, that will determine who you become when you can no longer help it.”
That line has followed me through decades of real estate decisions, tough moments, and opportunities to go the extra mile. It spoke to character. To quiet discipline. To the kind of integrity that builds a career, not for a season, but for a lifetime.
We even earned little pins that read “We get by Giving,” a philosophy Geno and I embraced wholeheartedly. Those words became more than a slogan… they became the compass for our business, our service, and the relationships we built along the way.
Floyd Wickman devoted his life to helping others dream big and take action, even when it felt uncomfortable. His belief in the power inside each of us still inspires me, years later.
So here’s to Floyd, thank you for lighting the spark, shaping the path, and helping me become the best agent I could be… and the one I’m still striving to grow into every day.
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