Culture – The New Measure of Innovation

Long story short… It says to me that a company culture can be revolutionary, radical, and yes… innovative.

The Philanthropic Value of The You Factor – The @properties Rebuilding Together Project

On a chilly April day in the Englewood neighborhood of Chicago, I was lucky enough to be part of an epiphany.  Our company, @properties, was sponsoring a home through Rebuilding Together, and April 26th was our work day.  Englewood, a troubled community on the South Side of Chicago had recently had it’s fair share of [...]

More Great Press for the 2007 Chicago Neighborhood @Report

In the latest issue of Chicago Magazine (www.chicagomag.com), Dennis Rodkin has written an article about our recent release of The @Report – A Local Look at the Performance of 21 Chicago Neighborhoods. This report, in comparison to others in our area, was born with the idea in mind that real estate is local… very [...]

When does the map of Web 2.0 become “Clouded”? (Part 1)

I shiver almost every time someone mentions the phrase Web 2.0.  The catch phrase of the millenia, 2.0 refers to “the next step”, NEW, better than the original.  The “official” Wikipedia definition refers to Web 2.0 as, “a term describing a trend in the use of World Wide Web technology and web design that aims [...]

Announcing the @properties Chicago Market Report 2.0

Four score and 7 months ago, I met with our company’s co-owner Thad Wong and discussed doing a Chicago market report. We talked energetically and at length about the different reports offered out by our local papers, some brokerages, and other’s nationwide. The common shortcoming we found while discussing these publications as a whole [...]

“The You Factor” – Differentiation in the age of Choice, Experience and Authenticity

So I have been approached often with the question, “Why The You Factor?  What is it?  What does it mean?”  I’ve been working on a mission statement, (Thanks Jerry McGuire), to address this question, and where it’s not done yet, I’m always excited, “when a plan comes together – Hannibal Smith”. 
Below is an email that [...]