One of the top producers in our office, Rick Farren, recently shared some of his life philosophy with me. He spoke of how he and his younger brother were raised on the phrase, “Don’t eat the dessert first.”
Rick studied journalism in college and went to work for the Miami Herald after he graduated. He thought he would have a long, successful career as a journalist, but then his father passed away of a heart attack at the age of 50. Rick moved back home to help his mother run the family dry-cleaning business. His plan was to work in the family business for a few months until things stabilized and then return to his job at the Herald. He ended up working in the dry-cleaning business for 10 years.
In this job he drove delivery trucks and managed the other drivers while also handling customer complaints, pressing pants and shirts, balancing the budget and making payroll for 9 different retail branches. He eventually was active in the sale of all of the branches on behalf of his family. Then, Rick broke into commercial real estate at one of the worst times in the late 80s. After working for 2 firms and struggling through those difficult economic times he began to gradually work his way up to his present level as one of the top-producing brokers in Maryland. He is quick to point out that persevering through those early tough times was essential in his development into what he is today.
Rick’s younger brother loaded up his guitar and everything he owned into an old car and set out for California and a career as a musician. After many years of playing pizza joints, honky tonks and roadhouses, he finally took the advice of many of the producers and agents for whom he had auditioned: although he wasn’t talented enough as a musician to make it in the big leagues, he had a keen understanding of the industry and he became a songwriter and producer. His hard work over many years eventually established him as one of the top producers in the business, with multiple Grammy awards, over 30 top-10 hits and the producer of the year award in 1997.
Rick said he is always amazed how people that he and his brother grew up with will come up to him with a song they wrote and ask him to send it to his brother so he can make it a hit. He shakes his head and says they just don’t get it – you can’t eat the dessert first. You have to put in the hard work and make sacrifices before you get the dessert.
Just like he and his brother did.
Have a great weekend,
Ro