Andre’ Dowdy

The true measure of a successful person is not measured by their failure, but it is the strength of character they have as they rebuild.

 

Andre Dowdy was born and raised in Columbus, Ohio. He went to college in North Carolina then returned home and graduated from Franklin University in Columbus, Ohio. He began his career in the real estate industry after completing college. He has served his community in the real estate market over the past twenty years. The past twelve years he has worked in the commercial real estate market in sales as well as an appraiser.

Real Estate has been a passion for Andre Dowdy. He has ventured out on his own path but remains in the real estate industry. He is also a writer. He is anticipating that his book will be completed within the next six months. (title unknown).

Andre is an avid reader. He enjoys traveling. He is the very proud father of three. He enjoys spending time with his three wonderful children

Where did the idea for your company come from?

I began to own property when I was eighteen years old. I wanted to expand to different avenues of real estate. I have explored selling homes to individuals. I’ve had rental properties. I have been in the commercial real estate industry for the last ten years.

What does your typical day look like and how do you make it productive?

To own your own business, you must be self-motivated. A typical day is dictated by my clients. It is based upon the time frame that my client requests my presence. It is not a nine to five day. Sometimes I am called to meet with clients in the evening and sometimes it can be over a holiday. I meet with clients at whatever time or day that is good for them.

How do you bring ideas to life?

I work hard on each property. I do a lot of research on whatever project I am working on. I try to be very innovative with marketing and advertising with each property. I use different strategies to connect buyers and sellers. I try to reduce the risk with any ideas. I use technology to promote different properties and attract the right buyer.

What’s one trend that excites you?

One trend that excites me is the new innovations with technology. It can be used to make life so much simpler. Not only in the real estate industry but also with things like Airbnb and Uber. It just helps to make our lives more efficient. It is a little scary at what it can do at times, but it continually excites me.

What is one habit of yours that makes you more productive as an entrepreneur?

One thing that makes me very productive is my research. I research the business that I am in, I research the business that I am going too, my competitors as well as my clients. I am very accurate with my research.

What advice would you give your younger self?

I would give my younger self the advice to always be aware of your responsibilities and always make sure that you take care of your responsibilities. Even though it can be hard at the time, if you take care of responsibilities when it is needed, everything will go much smoother in the long run.

Tell us something that’s true that almost nobody agrees with you on.

I would say that Ben Simmons from the Philadelphia 76ers is one of the top five guys in the NBA. There are a lot of people that might not agree with that statement.

As an entrepreneur, what is the one thing you do over and over and recommend everyone else do?

I would tell everyone to build friendships, not just business clients. Friendships last longer. People respect friendships more than they do the client relationship in the long run. The other thing I would tell people to do is to research every project you are responsible for.

What is one strategy that has helped you grow your business?

I believe that the best strategy is networking. It is better than social media. Social media is helpful. But, there is nothing like Old-school face to face networking. This means going to the client’s events as well as seminars.

What is one failure you had as an entrepreneur, and how did you overcome it?

One failure was getting to financial ruin and starting all over again from the bottom. I made some mistakes. I believed in God Almighty and I had a great family support system. I believed that I could pick myself up by my boot-straps and get out there and rebuild. The true measure of a successful person is not measured by their failure, but it is the strength of character they have as they rebuild.

What is one business idea that you’re willing to give away to our readers?

We need to have someone completely overhaul the real estate sales process. It is very antiquated for buyers and sellers. There has to be a better way of doing business. But someone should come up with a better way for how people buy and sell.

What is the best $100 you recently spent? What and why?

I had a reflex reaction to a homeless person and I gave it away freely. I never thought about it until later. I am hoping that I was not supporting a drug or alcohol problem.

What is one piece of software or a web service that helps you be productive?

I use Microsoft Excel. Nearly everything in my business is math and calculations. I use the excel spreadsheet to make my calculations more efficient. Efficiency within my business is something that I aspire to do at all times.

What is the one book that you recommend our community should read and why?

One of my favorite books is The Great Gatsby by author F. Scott Fitzgerald. I believe it tells the struggles between rich and poor. It explains the story of many different kinds of people.

What is your favorite quote?

“It is just that simple”

Key Learnings:

• The true measure of a successful person is not measured by their failure, but it is the strength of character they have as they rebuild.
• There is no better business strategy better than Old-school face to face networking.
• Always be aware of your responsibilities and always make sure that you take care of your responsibilities.