Life & Work with Brandon Zellers

Today we’d like to introduce you to Brandon Zellers.

Hi Brandon, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
My journey started back home in Kansas City, Mo. I woke up on August 22, 2019, extremely hungover, hopeless, and ultimately defeated. I knew I needed a change in my life and alcohol was the root of my problems. I began my sobriety journey on this day and on August 28, 2019, I packed a bag and hopped on a one-way flight down to Florida seeking clarity and mental stability. I was exhausted and needed to take some time for myself to figure out my next steps in life. At the time, I had no idea the impact these decisions would have on my life overall.

Fast forward to February 2020 — I was six months sober, working in medical sales, and had just acquired my first rental property. Little did I know the acquisition of this property would expose my passion for all things real estate. I became obsessed with searching for more properties and learning about every possible investment strategy that I could find. Over the next couple of months, I continued consuming all things real estate and upon these deep home searches I stumbled on the one house that would ultimately change my life, 146 Montgomery, also known as, “Mont Blanc.” This property was absolutely stunning from the grand foyer staircase to the unparalleled panoramic views of the Gulf of Mexico. With a list price of $14,995,000 and a Google Maps ETA of 20 minutes, I realized what needed to be done. I immediately googled “Real Estate School Near Me” and found a seven-day in-person course with ONE seat left that was starting the next day. I signed up and walked into that class as I had never walked into any prior school class before, with a mission and purpose. I knew that I had found my passion and that trusting the process was all that was left to be done. On the second day of real estate school, I went back online to see who the Realtor was on Mont Blanc and read “Jonathan Spears.” Remember, I was new here so I didn’t know a ton of people in the area. I googled him and was blown away by his poise, success, and accomplishments at such a young age. I knew I needed to connect with him somehow.

The next day in class I stepped outside on our lunch break and called the brokerage where Jonathan hung his license.

I was in no position to be calling one of the top brokerages in a thriving market, asking for a spot but I did it anyway.

On this call, I introduced myself and explained to the broker how I was brand new to the area and even more brand new in the real estate space. The broker chuckled and told me how they do not hire new agents and that the industry is very competitive. He mentioned there were agents with 20+ year tenures from other markets looking to relocate and join the brokerage who they ultimately have passed on. I was thrown off because I was not expecting to hear that on this phone call but when he left me 10-15 seconds to pitch myself, I made the absolute best of it and ended up closing the conversation with a scheduled meeting set for the following week. I was fired up and spent the rest of the week completing my real estate course and researching the broker to ensure I was thoroughly prepared for our meeting.

Monday came and I had an incredible meeting with the broker. One key point I hit on during this meeting was that although we are selling real estate in a beach town, I do not have a beach town mentality. I explained how I grew up in Kansas City and how the city hustle molds an entirely different salesperson than someone who might have grown up in a beach town. Mind you, I thoroughly did my research on the broker and specifically noted that he also relocated from a big city where he built successful businesses himself. It takes one to know one. He ended the meeting by telling me he would be reaching out to “Spears Group” as he thought I would be a great fit. My mind was of course blown and I became even more fired up once I realized Spears Group and Jonathan Spears were one and the same.

I met with the Spears Group multiple times while waiting to pass my real estate exam and they ended up bringing me on board. During my first year on the team, I closed $34,000,000 in sales while starting Drive Destin, my luxury rental car business. I am currently on pace to close $50,000,000 in sales this year and currently have a fleet of 18 vehicles with Drive Destin.

I look back and question how I ended up on one of the top real estate teams in the country, but then I remember it was the same way I got up on August 22, 2019, and quit drinking cold turkey, or the same way I took a financial risk in February 2020 to acquire my first rental property or the same way I grew a business from 0 to 18 cars in a year in a half with Drive Destin. The greatest things in life are on the other side of fear.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I wouldn’t say it was a smooth road by any means but nothing worth it comes easy. I still have tougher days than others but I continue to take everything one day at a time and not add unwarranted pressure.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Luxury Real Estate Advisor with Spears Group, the #11 medium-sized real estate team in the United States as reported by The Wall Street Journal.

Spears Group’s creed is to deliver exemplary service and provide extensive market expertise to assist customers not only achieve and exceed their real estate goals but pioneer the home buying and selling experience. Spears Group devotes uncompromising dedication and works ethic to every transaction offering an extensive team approach ranging from home servicing vendors and top national lending resources to world-class closing attorneys & escrow agents. This holistic approach is a key factor in the success of Spears Group and we look forward to continuing to serve the luxury marketplace at the highest level.

https://spearsgroupfl.com/

Currently, I’m focused on diving deeper into our market’s statistics and data to become more knowledgeable about certain pockets of our housing market. In addition to that, I’m hoping to utilize this off-season to add 7-10 more vehicles to Drive Destin’s fleet before spring break.

Founder, Drive Destin, a luxury car rental business that services Destin, 30A & Panama City Beach, and has a fleet of 18 luxury vehicles.

https://turo.com/us/en/drivers/9557378

Do you have any memories from childhood that you can share with us?
CHIEFS! One of my greatest childhood memories was attending my first NFL game at Arrowhead Stadium. It was such an incredible time and felt like my initiation into Chiefs Kingdom.

I have since cried over countless amounts of Chiefs losses but it all was worth it when I was able to cry tears of joy in 2020 after we had won the Super Bowl.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://spearsgroupfl.com/agent/brandon-zellers
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bzellas/?hl=en
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JonathanSpearsGroup
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@spearsgroup-compass4900/featured 

Image Credits
Spears Group