Quiet beginnings can produce loud destinies, Kuba Jewgieniew, founder and CEO of Realty ONE Group, writes in this story of his professional journey.
We all start somewhere, usually unsure and unproven, but determined to build a future we see in our minds long before the world sees it with us. That’s what real estate is. That’s what life is. It’s a journey of belief, persistence and taking action even when the path isn’t clear.
My story is no different.
My parents immigrated to the U.S. from Poland, chasing possibilities with no English, no roadmap and no guarantees, only sacrifice, a fierce work ethic and the dream that life could be better. They worked long hours and sometimes held multiple jobs, doing whatever it took.
While they worked, my grandmother raised me, and I spoke Polish first, only learning English when I was 6. I was shy, quiet and always observing, far from the kid you’d expect to one day lead to one of real estate’s fastest-growing brands.
But quiet beginnings can produce loud destinies.
The spark that turned into belief
As a teenager, my mom handed me Anthony Robbins’ books on tape. I listened every day while driving to school and work, and it planted the seeds of belief, confidence and possibility. I didn’t get any confidence from the external world. Instead, I uncovered what was already inside me. And the fire started to grow.
New career
I moved from California to Las Vegas, knowing no one but determined to be one of the city’s most successful real estate professionals. I had no real community or network of friends and certainly no leads. But I had a vision of the future and my parents’ willingness to work hard for it.
I failed the real estate exam four times. It turned out the fifth time was a charm, and that moment forever changed me. It taught me that failure isn’t the opposite of success. It’s just a step in the journey. And know that if I can fail four times and still win big, then you can do it too.
The shift
My first brokerage gave me zero training, no leads, no support, no direction and no motivation. I switched to another brokerage, and it was the same story. Yet, I was still hungry and working hard, never giving up.
In the next step of my journey, I found Brian Buffini and a referral-based approach built on relationships, service, handwritten notes, calls and pop-bys. It was the perfect approach for me because it was built on human connection and relationships.
I went full in on this approach, and the very next year, I sold 111 homes.
It was an interesting time in my life with a young family and a baby on the way. I had to build our life essentially from scratch, but with an algorithm — success equals action plus belief — to get it done.
The strength behind my journey
Two women shaped the core of who I am and continue to do so today. My mother modeled sacrifice, resilience and work ethic, and these characteristics became the essence of who I am. My wife, Luba, continues to be my all-in partner in every season and shares my dreams, every leap and every step of the way.
Then there were two mentors who influenced my professional life. Tony Robbins sparked the early transformation in my career, and Brian Buffini gave me the systems and roadmap to carry it out.
Yet, there was one more ingredient that only I could inject — I had to consistently show up and always, always bet on myself.
Building a global brand
What began with handwritten notes and open houses has now grown into something beyond what that shy kid ever imagined. Realty ONE Group International continues to open locations throughout the U.S. and has expanded its global footprint to nearly 30 countries in just over three years of working to find strategic partners worldwide.
To every new agent, every dreamer, every immigrant family, every shy kid, every person who failed before they succeeded, this message is for you:
If I can do it, you can do it
You don’t need the perfect start. You simply need to believe in yourself, have courage, show consistency and act on your wild dreams, one conversation, one relationship and one step at a time.
Live in the future.
Act with courage.
And dream wild!