Farewell Real Geeks

Nearly six years ago, I had packed up seven years of my Los Angeles life (working at Hulu, co-founding a gallery, and recording mixtapes with my friend in Berlin) to embark on a new adventure. I moved back to Hawaii, where I'm from, I was living on the edge of the world, on a cliff on the Big Island, recording my first LP while my boyfriend at the time (and now husband) worked at a goat dairy. As sweet as that sounds, I realized quickly that picking fruit, writing songs, and immersing myself in nature might not be the answer at 27. I wanted to apply my love of people and "creative problem solving" toward something new.

So I started job hunting.

The Big Island job market isn't an easy one - I faced some challenges which proved what a tough place Hawaii was going to be. Admittedly, my ego was hurt after being rejected from the "box office attendee" role at the Kahilu Theater in Waimea. I realized if I wanted to stay in Hawaii, I had to make my way back to Oahu. So within a week, I did what my husband will probably say I've done one too many times; I pulled the rug out from under our feet and said, "let's go to Oahu." I had interviews lined up with a Hawaiian music education company, a hula production company, and a real estate software company. The latter of which, we all know, was my next big adventure.

I arrived at the building, parked by Pizza Hut, and couldn't find the office. Brian found me wandering the halls, and my interview with him was straightforward and to the point. I thought I knew exactly what I was getting myself into. Then in came Kevin, this kind, brainy engineer who explained his Indiana to Hawaii journey to me and then moved on to teach me what an IDX feed was. "I can do this," I thought. And then in walked Jeff Manson, and the rest was history.

Those guys, plus Lida, Igor, Sass, Paul, Tori, Keith, Brittany, and everyone else from those early days above Pizza Hut, were embarking on something special and making magic happen in a tiny office somewhere in Kailua. We were indeed a small fish in a sea of big ones.

My journey with Real Geeks has always been a wild one and what I hold in my heart to be true is that from the beginning - we all took a leap of faith to work together on this business, not just to help real estate agents but to help each other. When you collaborate like that, great things happen.

If you told me then, what I know now - that I'd be living in Texas, working with that same company, backed by a fortune 500 business, and collaborating with 84 talented creatives, problem solvers, relationship builders, and engineers to improve the lives of real estate agents, while also raising two little boys amidst a global pandemic - I wouldn't believe you.

We have come so far together.

Sometimes in the chaos of the day-to-day, we forget to take a deep breath and acknowledge how far we've come as a team. When I look back at the last six years, I feel fortunate to have collectively built a business that matters, a brand that matters, and most importantly, a community that matters.

We often talk to our clients about prospecting and nurturing their database to build relationships, and in turn, their business will grow from that. I have realized in time that I've been mimicking that same dance too.

I spent many of my days here prospecting through thousands of resumes, connecting with talent, and building teams. And here's what I've learned...

Real Geeks exudes something unique: when people walk in the door, they can't articulate it, but they feel it. It's not the snacks and the foosball table, the sit-stand desks, the goofy logo on our door, or the Zoom call icebreakers; it's the part of all of you that isn't listed on paper.

Our resumes are the way we package ourselves professionally - for most of us; it describes what we choose to do with 40 hours of our lives each week. But to me, it's that other part of the story, the stuff we don't list on paper, that creates a culture like ours. It's not just being creatives, problem solvers, relationship builders, and engineers; but it's the ability to do all that while also candidly being who we are: the surfer, musician, sailor, soccer dad, baker, drone enthusiast, biker, hacker, super mom, cyclist, gardener, athlete, photographer, the list goes on.

If I could leave you all with one thing, it is the reminder that we, as a company, are the sum of all our parts. Thank you for what we have accomplished together - every one of you is what makes Real Geeks, REAL GEEKS.

I read a quote somewhere that said, "as a member of leadership, your employees don't work for you, you work for them," and I believe in that 100%. It has been an honor to collaborate with everyone here each day. Dedication and the "aloha spirit" are genuinely ingrained in this company's DNA, and that spirit is what inspired me to wake up and give it my all, rain or shine. The experiences here have impacted my life, and I am truly grateful. Thank you for the adventure!

Aloha 'oe,

Samia