Let's address the elephant in the room.
Calgary has over 8,500 licensed REALTORS® and plenty of brokerages to choose from. RE/MAX, Keller Williams, CIR Realty, eXp, Real Broker, and dozens of smaller independents. The market isn't exactly crying out for more options.
So why on earth would I start another one?
Fair question. And if Associates was just "another brokerage with slightly better splits," you'd be right to be skeptical. But here's what I discovered after years in this industry: there are massive gaps that nobody is actually filling. Not really.
Gap #1: Support That's Actually Supportive
Here's a story I've heard a hundred times in different variations:
An agent has a complex deal. Multiple offers, tricky financing, clients getting cold feet. They need guidance. So they reach out to their broker and... nothing. Or they get a response three days later that basically says "figure it out."
Or worse, they get pointed to a training module or told to post their question in the brokerage Facebook group and hope someone responds.
This is what passes for "support" in most brokerages. Especially if you're not a top producer. If you're not bringing in massive volume, you're invisible.
The gap: Agents need real, accessible, personalized support from people who actually know them and care about their success.
What we built: Small team environment where every agent matters. Direct access to leadership. When you have a question, you're not submitting a ticket or posting in a group. You're reaching someone who knows your name and your situation.
Gap #2: The Culture vs. Reality Problem
Almost every brokerage sells you on culture.
"We're a family!" "Collaborative environment!" "Agent-centric approach!" "Supportive community!"
Then you get there and discover it's actually cutthroat competition for leads. Internal territorialism. Politics about who gets featured in marketing. Top producers getting all the attention while everyone else is an afterthought.
The "family culture" lasts until someone wants the same listing you want. Then it's every agent for themselves.
I'm not saying all brokerages are like this. But enough of them are that agents have become cynical about culture promises.
The gap: Agents need a culture that's actually built on collaboration, where the values aren't just wall art but actual daily practice.
What we built: A model where there's no incentive for internal competition. We provide leads rather than making agents fight for them. We celebrate each other's wins because a rising tide lifts all boats. And we're selective about who joins because one wrong person can poison the whole culture.
Gap #3: Work-Life Balance Is A Joke
Let me say something controversial: the real estate industry glorifies burnout.
We celebrate the agent who does 50 deals a year but is on their third marriage. We admire the hustle of missing your kid's recital to show a house. We wear our exhaustion like a badge of honor.
And brokerages enable this. Actually, they encourage it. Because more transactions equal more revenue for them.
Nobody stops to ask: at what cost?
I've watched talented agents leave the industry not because they couldn't sell, but because they refused to sacrifice their family on the altar of production. And I've watched others stay in the industry while their personal lives fell apart.
The gap: Agents need permission and support to build a sustainable business that doesn't destroy everything else they care about.
What we built: A brokerage built on the priority order of Faith, Family, Work. In that order. Where making it home for dinner isn't weakness. Where taking Sunday off isn't lack of commitment. Where your family comes before your production numbers.
Gap #4: Nobody Actually Puts Agents First
Every brokerage claims to be "agent-first" or "agent-centric." It's the most overused phrase in the industry.
But watch what they actually do:
They spend more on corporate branding than agent support
They make policy decisions that benefit the brokerage bottom line, not the agents
They prioritize recruiting new agents over supporting existing ones
They design systems that make things easier for corporate, not easier for agents
"Agent first" is marketing language. It's not operational reality.
The gap: Agents need a brokerage that makes decisions based on what's actually best for agents, even when it's not the most profitable path for the brokerage.
What we built: Every single policy, system, and decision at Associates starts with the question: "Is this actually good for the agent?" If the answer is no, we don't do it. Even if it costs us money or convenience.
Gap #5: Values Alignment Is Rare
Here's something that doesn't get talked about enough: a lot of agents feel alone in their values.
Maybe you're a person of faith trying to run your business with integrity in an industry that sometimes rewards cutting corners. Maybe you believe in serving clients well even when it's not the most profitable move. Maybe you think success should be measured by more than just your production numbers.
Most brokerages are neutral at best on these things. They don't actively discourage your values, but they don't support them either. You're on your own.
The gap: Agents need a brokerage that shares and supports their values, not just tolerates them.
What we built: A faith-friendly, values-driven culture where integrity isn't just allowed, it's expected. Where serving clients well matters more than transaction volume. Where you're surrounded by people who believe what you believe.
Why This Matters
You might be reading this thinking, "Okay, but every brokerage says they're different."
You're right. They do.
The difference is we're willing to put our money where our mouth is. Our entire economic model is built around keeping more money in your pocket, not ours. Our structure only works if agents actually succeed. We can't hide behind corporate branding or franchise fees to prop up a broken model.
We win when you win. Not before.
And if we're not actually filling these gaps? If we're just another brokerage with good marketing? Then we'll fail. And we should.
But I don't think we will. Because these gaps are real. They're massive. And they've been ignored for too long.
The Bottom Line
Did Calgary need another brokerage? Probably not.
Did Calgary need a brokerage that actually solves the problems agents face every day? Absolutely.
That's the difference. And that's why Associates exists.
Not to add to the noise. But to fill the gaps that everyone else is ignoring.