Meet John Rios of Synergy Team Real Estate

by Latin Biz Today

John Rios is a Latino powerhouse real estate broker whose philosophy of success is inspirational.

LBT asked this dynamic Puerto Rican entrepreneur to share some of his lessons with our readers.

What is your background?  Where were you born/raised?

I am Puerto Rican, born and raised in Bronx, New York. My mother named me after my maternal grandfather Juan Jose Rios, aka, John Joseph Rios.

What were the significant experiences/events that shaped your life? Family? Friends? Influencers?

Embarking in a career in the real estate industry would have to be one of the most significant times of my life. Real estate had never crossed my mind at an early age. This was an industry where those who were purchasing homes or apartments would turn to real estate agents for help. That is all I knew about the business. Seeing as I lived in a rental my entire childhood and adulthood, I never would imagine I could one day help someone purchase their home. Or that I would eventually someday purchase my own.

What has been your career trajectory? When did your interest in real estate begin?

I worked in the healthcare sector for the majority of my early adulthood. The transition from being a salaried employee to becoming an entrepreneur was a significant adjustment for me. It was difficult to become acclimated initially, but I eventually hired a coach and he helped change my life forever. My coach is Danny Morel. He is a former real estate broker who built a three-billion-dollar-a-year sales brokerage. He has since sold his company and gotten much deeper into his coaching program which is unlike any other program out there. He teaches us how to work less and earn more money. His ideology is that we must first learn to work on our mind, body and soul before we can take on growing our business. I have faithfully followed his teachings and have quadrupled my business since joining him.

I began my career in real estate back in 2016 as a single agent with Keller Williams Realty. In my first year of business, I was rookie of the year in sales for my office. My ultimate long-term goal was to grow my business from a single agent to a team. When I got on the journey to create my team, I did not want to name it the John Rios team. I wanted to have a name for the team that resonated with everyone and that they would feel comfortable branding as their own. I decided to sit with my team and have a white board brainstorming session where we wrote down names and words that described our team and our mission. In doing so, we realized that a successful real estate transaction requires a high level of synergy between the parties involved in the deal. There are about nine or more people involved in a transaction and usually we are the ones that bring all of the people to the table, so we felt it very fitting for us to be the Synergy Team.  We have since grown to a team of four agents and two administrative employees and 2021 is projected to be our biggest year yet, as we are on pace to close over $50 million in sales volume.

How has COVID impacted your business?

COVID had a severe impact on my business and the NY real estate market as a whole. The government shutdowns prohibited us from conducting business in any manner for almost five months. It nearly put me out of business indefinitely. I started to question whether I had to return to a 9 to 5 position and leave behind the work that I truly enjoy waking up to. I thought, “How can I survive? Will I be able to make ends meet?” However, I did not let that control my desire to push through.

What do you see for yourself and your business in the future?

The future of real estate can be very unpredictable, but for me, I see more than just being an agent. My goal is to transition out of sales, manage my team and focus more on investments. The end game: retire in the next seven to ten years and enjoy the fruits of my labor.

What inspires you in general?

What inspires me is the vision of being completely free to live the life I want to live with no limitations and pursue other interests. Being financially secure would allow me to pursue more philanthropic work, which is what I am most passionate about.

What is a favorite author or creative person whose work brings you joy?

My favorite creative person in my life, who inspires me every day, is my son. He is a music producer and watching him evolve as an artist brings me so much joy. To see him put in the work, watch him in his element of creativity and truly enjoying each moment is what drives me to do well in this business. He inspires me daily and there is nothing he cannot do. He has made so many strides in his early music career and I am so proud of him.

Do you have a favorite quote that you use for inspiration or motivation?

“Everything you’ve ever wanted in life is just on the opposite side of fear.” – Danny Morel

What advice would you give to a fellow Latino/Latina starting out in the business or if they are interested in becoming a realtor?

I would tell a Latino/Latina coming into this industry that this business will give you exactly what you put into it. The opportunities are limitless if you work hard and apply yourself. Invest in yourself and hire coach as soon as you can.

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