What did you do before real estate and how did
you get started in the business?
Tom: I was just shy of 24 when I graduated from
UMass-Amherst with a degree in Italian Literature and Political
Science. My dad wanted me to go to law school, but I needed a
break. My uncle, Jack Matthews, suggested real estate. I marched
down to the local real estate office in my hometown and handed the
owner my rsum. She said, “You have a rsum? You are hired!” Her son
was friends with
Joanne, who I met when she was a Junior at
Boston College. She was studying communications and marketing. I
was so impressed that she was a varsity swimmer, had a job, was
doing well in school and still had time to have a good time. I had
been thinking about a male/female partnership because I like the
dichotomy. I asked my four sisters and they all turned me down. I
had a vision to build a business, but everyone thought I was crazy,
including Joanne. However, fate dealt her some misfortune which
included marketing jobs that paid less than her last year at BC,
and from there the door was open. I always had the knack of knowing
when to strike the deal, but lacked other skills, marketing being
one. We launched our team in January of 2005!
What is something your clients find comfort in that
makes them turn to you for their real estate
needs?
Tom: When I was starting out, my personal goal
was to build a business where I would treat people the way I would
want someone to treat one of my four sisters. No matter what, we
would always put the needs of our clients first and our goal was to
build Clients for Life. This, coupled with the Great Recession of
2008, caused us to have painfully slow growth, but we built a rock
solid foundation that now 17 years later is supporting our
exponential growth. We have done over twelve transactions with one
family, having helped all three sons and their father buy and sell
real estate. They have referred us to over twenty clients. This is
the business Joanne and I dreamed of building when we first met at
a Starbucks back in the winter of 2005.
What are some of your favorite local hobbies,
activities or organizations that you participate
in?
Tom: For 15 years, I have been a member of
BNI-Minutemen, which meets at the Tri-Con church in Concord. Every
Wednesday at 7am, I attend a meeting to help other business owners
grow their businesses and, along the way, earn a few referrals for
the Tom and Joanne Team. One of the best referrals I got from this
group was from a credit card professional in 2009,when he
introduced me to his niece who was looking for a home. He told her
I was single and President of the organization. That referral was
my now wife Amanda, and we have been together ever since. I enjoy
hiking with Amanda and our three children at the local Musketaquid
club.
What do you love most about where you live and
work?
Tom: I grew up in Maynard, went to high school
at Acton-Boxboro and now live in Concord. I love having intimate
knowledge of the local towns and being able to help buyers
relocating to the area to make a great lifestyle purchase. I can
help them best understand the pros and cons of the different
communities. Joanne and I are creeping up on 600 career sales and
have a wealth of knowledge of the communities in our
marketplace.
What are three sources of joy in your
week?
Tom:
- We love as a family to walk into Concord Center for a hot
chocolate and spend that valuable time together.
The Tom and Joanne Team Tuesday meetings, which, pre-pandemic,
began at 7am (we now meet at 9am over Zoom). We discuss team
business, catch up on deals, and plan for the future. I look
forward to thesemeetings every week. They represent a simple
structural move that has changed our business.- My BNI meeting on Wednesdays, which I’ve been a part of for 15
years. I value my relationships with people and this format has
allowed me to make so many lasting relationships.