Winston Churchill once said “The chain of destiny can only be grasped one link at a time.”
For Robbie Briggs, owner, Briggs Freeman Sotheby’s International Realty in Dallas, Texas, the first link in what would become a very successful real estate career came at the ripe age of eight in the form of a love for architecture. Robbie nurtured this interest by going to school for architecture and earning his masters degree. After working in a firm for two years, he became disenchanted with reality of his career choice, which he felt lacked the creativity that initially drew him to it.
“I designed what my clients wanted but not necessity what fed my own creativity.” he said. “And with a family to support, I knew I need to increase my income. So I decided to sell real estate of a small boutiue residential real estate firm my father owned in Dallas call Ben R. Briggs Real Estate, which he established in 1960.”
And the rest, as they say, is history. Literally overnight, Robbie had quit one career and began another. His intention was to sell real estate temporarily while he figured out his next move. Fate had other plans, however.
“When I joined, the nine-agent office was reactive, waiting for calls to come in.” he said. “That approach did not work for me. I learned how to cultivate leads and close deal, and that opened the eyes of the rest of our team to a completely new way to do business.”
This experience proved to be defining for Robbie as it marked a true talent for leading and inspiring others to succeed. Shortly after joint the office, Robbie was running firm, and handling all aspects from operations to sales and marketing. By 1985 he took over the company after his father retired and in 1993 he joined forces with partner Charles Freeman, bringing together more than 73 years’ experience.
In 2005 while the real estate market was still at its height, Robbie left Dallas with his wife and two youngest children and moved to China, where they stayed for the next three years, building a vocational school and helping the underprivileged. When he returned to Dallas in 2008, it was just as the market was entering its downturn and he was faced with reinventing how they did business.
“My experience in China made me aware of the Chinese business world”, he said. “There are 400 companies in Dallas with connections to China, so it gave me a new perspective. It also gave me an appreciation of the importance of having the backing of a truly international company. Dallas at the time was becoming more and more global-minded. No matter how good we were, no one in Beijing was gong to know Briggs Freeman Real Estate but they would know Briggs Freeman Sotheby’s International Realty. This brand offered us a remarkable synergy.”
So in 2010 he bought out his partner and joined the Sotheby’s International Realty brand . With the Dallas market improving, they now are focused on growing their firm by opening new offices and creating farm and ranch, development and investment divisions.
“This brand is doing things for us I could never have dreamed,” he said. “People want this brand want to be a part of it.”
Robbie still feeds his love of architecture by serving on several organizations dedicated to the field. What he loves most about his day-to-day business are the people. “I love that we are involved in people’s lives as they make one of the most crucial decisions they will ever make. That is one of the greatest rewards of this business.”
If you are searching for an extraordinary home in Dallas or elsewhere, please visit Sotheby’s International Realty