From Track Star To Industry Disruptor: How Glenn Sanford Scaled eXp Realty

Forbes

a day ago

TOPSHOT - An overview shows Iran's Hassan Taftian, Nigeria's Kayinsola Ajayi, Cayman Islands' ... More Davonte Howell, Italy's Lamont Marcell Jacobs, Ghana's Abdul-Rasheed Saminu, South Africa's Benjamin Richardson and Brazil's Paulo Andre Camilo taking the start in the men's 100m heat of the athletics event at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at Stade de France in Saint-Denis, north of Paris, on August 3, 2024. (Photo by Antonin THUILLIER / AFP) (Photo by ANTONIN THUILLIER/AFP via Getty Images)
Growing up, Glenn Sanford's high school was so tiny that it didn't have a track team. But that didn't stop the aspiring racer from chasing down his dream. Instead of throwing in the towel, he saw an opportunity. Sanford started a squad from scratch, built up the roster and even coached them, all while running a swift 4:25 mile along the way.
That mindset—identifying a challenge and pursuing a solution—has never left him. Years after starring on the team, Sanford saw an opening in the real estate market. He realized that the future of the business was online. So, he acted and forged a new path. Some mocked his vision, but he pushed ahead and created a company from the ground up that now ranks among the fastest growing in the world—and he did it all by staying ahead of the pack.
'I want to be in the future before anybody else gets there,' said the former competitive runner in a recent interview. But how does he achieve that? 'Pick one or two things that are going to happen in the future and learn them before they become mainstream.'
Founded in 2009, eXp Realty is a mirror image of its CEO's ambition. With a mindset rooted in future pacing, Sanford has constantly looked ahead to anticipate shifts in the market before they take place. That philosophy shaped the moves he's made along the way, from building an online real estate model before it was mainstream to adopting new and emerging technologies today, including AI.
Glenn Sanford
Sanford knows the future is unavoidable. But at the same time, it's not unpredictable. The key, he said, is to visualize what it looks like when it gets here. Then, if you arrive first, you can take advantage of your position in a positive way, including leading the next generation. 'The only way you're going to move fast is if the leader is going to invest themselves into the organization,' he said. 'Opportunities are never missed. They're just given to somebody else.'
Today, the CEO operates his business with a proactive, take-the-reins approach. That was clear when he acquired Success Magazine. Instead of mulling the opportunity ad nauseam, he simply acted swiftly. Just like running a race, a moment's hesitation can lead to falling behind. To steel yourself against doubt, Sanford says, it's important to visualize success—to see the victory long before it happens. That's something he learned way back as a runner in school.
'I remember going to sleep one night,' he said, 'just determined that when we did the laps around the field, I was going to win. It was interesting because it was the first time I realized that the first part of winning is winning in your mind.' Over the years, he's applied that idea to his business life, too. 'I spent a lot of time developing the habits of success, and so much so that they're generally on autopilot,' he said.
Accomplishing important goals, from starting a track team to redefining the real estate market, happen when vision meets teamwork. So, consider developing both, Sanford says. 'I always have to think about it from the perspective of: 'Is my thinking big enough for the people who want to join me on the journey?''
Many notable business leaders, including Nothing Bundt Cakes CEO Dolf Berle, Lokai founder and CEO Steven Izen and Delta Air Lines CEO Ed Bastian– a marathon runner who has raised over $1.5 million for cancer research through his efforts– have taken lessons that they learned on the track as athletes and applied them in high-leverage situations.
For example, Berle, a champion pole vaulter and successful decathlete, says humility in victory is a key aspect to being a successful leader. 'If you are a world champion, it's not something that you have to explain,' he recently offered. Additionally, he said, being a track and field athlete is a major part of his identity that keeps him on course for success. 'I have a whole approach to life around being a competitor and training and trying to be the best version of myself,' Berle said.
Similarly, Izen, a former track star at prestigious Cornell University, says positive outcomes on the field are akin to victory in business, in that neither allows you to skip important steps. 'People know when you're cutting corners and doing things cheaply rather than giving them the best possible product,' Izen told Forbes a few years ago. 'There's no easy way to be successful. It's hard. And taking the hard route is usually the right route.'
Budapest , Hungary - 24 August 2023; Noah Lyles of the United States competes in the men's 200m ... More semi-final during day six of the World Athletics Championships at the National Athletics Centre in Budapest, Hungary. (Photo By Sam Barnes/Sportsfile via Getty Images)
Indeed, these lessons Sanford has also internalized over the years, thanks in part to his time on the track. Whether it's a matter of honing vision, sharpening will, building a sense of teamwork, or maintaining drive, the sport has taught some of the most accomplished in their fields how to always strive for more.