When you're thinking about leaving your company
My first year at 20 Degrees North Real Estate
A year ago, on November 15, 2024, I moved from a large national brokerage (Redfin) to a small, local company called 20 Degrees North Real Estate. I explained my move in this post. I was sure then that God was behind the move, but it’s been quite a year with many changes.
Recently, I met with brokers from two large, national brokerages for lunch meetings to talk about their companies. This is very common in the industry; they are always recruiting. For the past several months I seriously considered and prayed—should I move?
What to consider before deciding to move companies
In my devotional for real estate professionals, The God Layer: Faith Lessons in Real Estate, a chapter called, “Should you leave your company or team?” takes the reader through the following four steps:
Count the blessings at your current company;
Consider any disappointments at your current company;
Consider what might be gained for you/your clients if you move to another company; and
Seek and listen for direction—should you stay, or go?
In this post I’ll share how I followed the steps from the book as I considered a possible move.
Scroll to the bottom of this post to find out where you can buy The God Layer for 50% off!
Steps 1 and 2: Blessings and disappointments at the current company
20 Degrees North is extremely different from most brokerages. The things that make it so unique were both blessings and challenges for me. So instead of reviewing the blessings first and the disappointments second, I will combine steps one and two as I share how a couple of the blessings also created disappointment and frustration.
#1: A mixed blessing in being small
Since it’s a small company, there is manager oversight—only if you need or want it. We have a company policy manual, but not much corporate structure. There are almost no mandates from the top. We agents enjoy a lot of flexibility how we want to run our business.
After working at much larger corporations where I often had to ask my boss’ boss’ boss for approvals, it’s been amazing to have autonomy and freedom to make my own decisions how much commission to charge or to give a client a concession. This was the main reason I came to 20 Degrees North: the owner and Principal Broker, Chris Prendergast, shares the same goal for my business: people over profits.
But every so often, I missed a more organized structure and professional culture. One of the brokers who recently recruited me allowed me to join one of their monthly company meetings. Wowee! The agents were engaged and the meeting material was organized with timely industry updates. I was very envious.
Chris’ priority at 20 Degrees North is to glorify God, and because doing things God’s way doesn’t always make sense in this world, the lack of any kind of business model really frustrated me. But that’s because it’s a ministry model.
#2: A pure blessing in my PB
Chris has been a true partner not only in business and running the brokerage, but as a spiritual partner, something I had longed for in the workplace. He is a humble, servant leader who passes the love of God to each agent in the company. I had the *pleasure* of working with Chris in a 6-month long escrow that had extremely high emotions and tension between my sellers and his buyers. Just to share one chapter of the drama: the buyer started off with another agent, fired that agent, and we couldn’t find another outside agent willing to work with him. So Chris stepped in. The only way we got to the finish line was because Chris and I prayed and prayed and prayed, on our own and together.
#3: A painful mixed blessing in agent training
One of my broker responsibilities has been to do most of the agent training twice a month. The blessing has been that I get to relearn and grow personally as I prepare many hours to teach. I have a passion for training and teaching; it’s a joy to see agents learn and mature in their knowledge and professionalism.
When I signed on to do the training, I envisioned great agent participation. A handful of enthusiastic agents embraced the training, but the majority of our agents have not attended. That’s because a large majority of our agents have another full-time job, and real estate is not their priority. This is a double-edged facet of the company’s ministry model: 20 Degrees North welcomes part-time and even very-part-time agents.
I’ve taught large classes at the Honolulu Board of Realtors and the Hawaii HomeOwnership Center, so having only two or three agents show up for a class was demoralizing for me. As a businessperson, the lack of agent motivation has confounded and frustrated me. I often wish for a more professional and engaged culture.
#4 A pure blessing in clients and transactions
We are now well into the 4th year of a slow real estate market. When I left Redfin a year ago, I worried if I would have enough business at 20 Degrees North. But God has continued to provide enough clients and income to keep me busy—but not crazy busy like I’d been in the past. My sales are consistent with the past two years, and next week I’ll close the 17th transaction and over $11 million in sales for 2025. Thank God and my clients, what blessings!
Step 3: Is the grass greener if you move to the new company?
The third step is to consider how you and your clients might benefit if you move.
For me, I probably will not find anything comparable to the missional, faith-based leadership with Chris and 20 Degrees North. There is no greener pasture for me in this respect.
One thing I sorely lack at 20 Degrees North is support staff and slick marketing tools, and so moving to a larger company would hand me these things on a platter. If I stay at 20 Degrees North, I will have to continue working harder (doing everything on my own without support) and being more resourceful.
When I left Redfin a year ago, I gave clients the option to be connected with a new Redfin agent before I left. A few decided they preferred to stay with Redfin, deeming the company more important than the agent.
But so far, most of my clients have chosen to continue working with me regardless the company. Their loyalty is an honor and I will not let them down as I work hard with all my experience, knowledge, skills, and heart. One amazing seller has graciously waited to sell their home in order to satisfy my separation agreement with Redfin. Now that one year has passed, I am free to serve them!
So, moving companies might boost my business, but maybe not. For a few Redfin clients I “lost,” I’ve continued to maintain friendships. So I really haven’t lost anything!
Step 4: Seek and listen for (God’s) direction
After analyzing and contemplating through the first three steps, the final step is to consult with someone wiser whom you trust. That’s God for me! But it could also be a mentor or honest friend—someone who wants only the best for you.
These last several months, every time I met with God to pray about moving, He reminded me how much He’s overflowed my cup this year. At 20 Degrees North, I can make autonomous decisions that tangibly help my clients. I have earned more than enough without my schedule being jam-packed. I could travel more than usual this year to take care of my father. I had time to work on my second book (it’s getting there!), and I even picked up a new hobby: watercolor painting!
Upon reflection, I have been guilty of the sins of comparison and ungratefulness. God has given me so much, and yet I yearned for more, and “better.” Through quiet time before God, I finally came to realize how abundantly blessed I am.
God also showed me that my disappointments had everything to do with my ego and nothing to do with 20 Degrees North. God humbled me that He is still refining me as an agent and a broker. This small company under Chris’ model leadership is the perfect training ground to grow and refine me. God has nudged me that as one of the brokers at 20 Degrees North, this coming year I can work harder to contribute more toward shifting our company culture just a little more professional and engaging.
In conclusion
I hope that if you are considering a change, these four steps will help you. They worked for me: I will be staying at 20 Degrees North Real Estate. And would you believe, after I decided and committed this to the Lord, the next two training classes had well over a dozen agents participate! God is so good.
Psalm 28:7 (NLT)
The Lord is my strength and shield. I trust him with all my heart.
He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy. I burst out in songs of thanksgiving.
The God Layer book is on sale!
If you would like to purchase or gift a copy of The God Layer devotional for real estate professionals, I recently slashed the price to $12 if you order online from my distributor, JPL Books. Order soon for the holidays!
If you want don’t’ mind paying full price ($24), it’s on Amazon. On O’ahu, there are also copies at Logos Bookstore and Bookends in Kailua. If you are on O’ahu and want to meet me in person, please send me an email or text 808-227-8030. I am happy to honor the $12 price, especially for multiple copies. Thank you!