Brad Chandler

Brad Chandler has been shaping Express Homebuyers into a customer-driven real estate company since 2003. But Brad’s been fascinated by real estate since the 9th grade when he read a book on how to buy houses. As Express Homebuyers’ CEO, Brad leads EHB with a solid moral compass and is proud of helping build a team of hardworking homebuyers who care.

After completing his undergraduate degree at Virginia Tech and his Master’s degree at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Brad moved back to his native Charlottesville, Virginia, where he co-founded the company with Judson Allen, EHB’s president.

While CEO is his job title by day, at the end of a work day, he’s just “Dad.” He enjoys spending time outdoors with his two children and his mini golden doodle or decompressing with a good workout.

What is your typical day, and how do you make it productive?

As a CEO I act as a visionary setting the strategy and direction of the company. I always start my mornings with meditation, workout, sauna, steam room and cold shower. I focus my day on the one most important thing that day that will lead me to achieving my daily goals. Clients are always the number one priority.

How do you bring ideas to life?

Typically by vetting through my management team and having a discussion around should we do it and if yes what is the best timing. Once that is agreed on we decide to start, delay, or kill. If we start or delay we implement a plan with markers to track progress.

What’s one trend that excites you?

AI actually excites me. I think it will really change the way a lot of businesses operate and I am excited to learn about it and use it as a valuable resource.

What is one habit that helps you be productive?

Daily workout, sauna, steam room and cold shower keeps me physically and mentally sharp so I can be productive. I also eat extremely cleanly and do not take any medications.

What advice would you give your younger self?

Go back to your early childhood years and figure out the meanings and beliefs you placed on certain stressful events that are likely negatively affecting your adult behavior.

Tell us something you believe almost nobody agrees with you.

That 99.5% of all problems in the world come down to an individual’s lack of self-love that was created in childhood as a way to protect them from painful times.

What is the one thing you repeatedly do and recommend everyone else do?

Workout and eat healthy.

When you feel overwhelmed or unfocused, what do you do?

Breathe and tell myself it will all be okay.

What is one strategy that has helped you grow your business or advance in your career?

Focus on systems and people. Document everything and hire only talented people who have a good attitude and history of success doing what you want them to do.

What is one failure in your career, how did you overcome it, and what lessons did you take away from it?

We once lost $932,000 on a house we thought we could knock down and develop into 2 homes on 2 lots. I learned that you should not venture into businesses without expertise.

What is one piece of software that helps you be productive? How do you use it?

I use Evernote pretty much every day of my life. Not sure how I ever lived without it.

What is the best $100 you recently spent?

Buying a MoBay pass to get through customs at Montego Bay Jamaica airport. The regular line took almost 4 hours and my daughter and I made it through in less than 10 minutes.

Do you have a favorite book or podcast from which you’ve received much value?

I’ve gotten a ton of value from How To Be Happier For Entrepreneurs podcast as I am the host and have learned a ton from the amazing guests. The book I recommend most is The Way to Love by Anthony DeMello.

What’s a movie or series you recently enjoyed and why?

Becoming Nobody by Ram Dass as it outlines how to lead a happy and fulfilled life

Key learnings:

• Your self-limiting beliefs are often buried in your subconscious mind and unknowingly affect your life as an adult.
• People and systems are critical to scaling a successful business.
• Each day do the one thing that will help you reach your daily goal, which will feed your weekly, monthly, and yearly goals.