When Mark Faris was playing semi-professional hockey in Sweden and the U.S. he was ever-mindful of popular Wayne “Gretzkyisms,” such as, “You miss 100 per cent of the shots you don’t take.”
Faris first strapped on a pair of skates at age 5 and at 23 he was playing in Texas in the Central Hockey League. While hockey served as the cornerstone of his life, he soon came to the realization that his heart wasn’t in it anymore.
He did a lot of soul-searching and in consultation with his wife, Joanna, he decided to redirect his energy and pursue a career in real estate in 2006. Just as he had gone “full out” as a hockey player, in his new career Faris continued to be influenced by hockey’s work ethic, discipline, dedication and mottos, such as this quote, also by The Great One, Wayne Gretzky: “A good hockey player plays where the puck is. A great hockey player plays where the puck isn’t.”
Mark Faris was a good hockey player. Today, at age 33 and broker and CEO of The Faris Team Brokerage at Royal LePage First Contact Realty, his sales statistics show he is great at real estate sales too.
The Faris Team was ranked the No. 1 Royal LePage team in Canada in 2015; the No. 1 team in Simcoe County, Ont. out of all brokerages from 2011 to 2015; and a top five team on the Toronto Real Estate Board in 2015.
Faris was honoured with the Entrepreneur of the Year Award 2015 from The Greater Barrie Chamber of Commerce and he has received several other team and leader awards for corporate and community achievements. And that’s just in 2015!
Faris grew up on a farm in the Barrie area. One of nine children, he is the oldest boy and has six brothers. He credits a competitive spirit along with Christian values, a strong work ethic, integrity and knowledge of the area for his success to date.
Mark Faris (Photo by Mike Guilbault)
When he started in the business, it was a team effort with Joanna as she took care of staging, photography, marketing and design. Soon they created a brand and a company motto: “Full out for you!”
In the first year they missed their goal of 40 sales by just two, even though they were “run off our feet.” When they realized they could not do it all themselves, they hired Sabrina Staunton. “With the extra help we went from 38 sales to 100 in the next year,” Faris says. “It was a good investment.”
Staunton is currently their sales rep in Southern Georgian Bay, one of 17 cities, towns and townships served by The Faris Team in the Barrie area.
The current team includes more than a dozen sales reps, an administrative department and a marketing department. Mark is CEO and Joanna is chief marketing officer. There is a general manager and a sales manager who is their broker of record. “Together, we oversee things with a bird’s eye perspective,” says Faris. “It’s not always about numbers. We’re not going to go on a hiring spree to get more agents to do more deals. It’s about hiring the right people and training them properly.”
Faris calls his sales reps “sales partners” and he says they are his “super agents.” Several members of the team belong to the immediate or extended family. “We are very careful who we bring in because it is important to have the right people working for us,” says Faris. “In hockey, the best player on the team could be a disruptive influence on the team and that affects everyone.”
When asked his feelings on setting an all-time sales record in Royal LePage’s 100+ year history, Faris says, “We are humbled and proud but we don’t focus on looking over our shoulder and trying to stay No. 1. Instead, we ask ourselves, ‘What is our next goal?’”
He adds that they are constantly setting new goals and improving service. “Growth without sustaining or improving service is not good for anyone because that is short term. We take a long-term perspective. Yes, growth is happening organically but not at the cost of quality of service.”
He emphasizes to his people that they are working in such a competitive market, they must continue to be better “or else your house of cards will come falling down.”
A member of the Connexus Community Church in Barrie and the father of three boys ages 4 to 8, Faris credits Jesus Christ for having the biggest influence on his life and for being blessed “for His unmerited love and favour.” He adds that the principles that guide his life and business come from his favourite book, the Bible.
The word “love” comes up a lot in a conversation with the award-winning broker. “I truly love the culture of the Faris Team and our ability to serve people,” he says. “Joanna and I met in church, so we have a solid foundation. Out of that grew a love for our clients. If you love your client, you will do the right thing and go the extra mile.”
Faris believes real estate agents should spend 80 per cent of their time prospecting because “drumming up business doesn’t cost anything.” When asked what advice he would give to young people entering the business, Faris says it is important to stay focused on your goals and keep your eye on the tiger. (On his way to a listing appointment he will often listen to the Rocky movie theme: “It’s the eye of the tiger, it’s the thrill of the fight. Risin’ up to the challenge of our rivals.”)
He admits things were tight in the beginning and he almost gave up, but he says he had the motivation and strong desire to succeed. “Don’t let anyone tell you it can’t be done.”
Faris says he enjoys the real estate business because of its challenges and “nothing is the same every day.” He adds that he is always learning because the business is always changing. “If you want to stay in this business, and continue to improve and get better, you must accept change.”
His comments are mindful of an observation once made by Sidney Crosby of the Pittsburgh Penguins, who said: “Whether I’m trying to learn in hockey or in life, I’ve always tried to be observant and tried to learn more; tried to evolve, whether it’s as a hockey player or as a person.”
Dennis McCloskey is a contributing writer for REM.
