Transcripts
And I was just trying to fit in wherever I went.
Alex Wolking:And when I finally realized, no, no, people need to fit in with me because I had the value that they were looking for.
Alex Wolking:Completely changed the dynamic.
Grant Alexander:Style is more than just the clothes you wear.
Grant Alexander:It's the essence of who you are and it's in everything you do.
Grant Alexander:Discover it here and unleash your style beyond what you wear.
Grant Alexander:Welcome back to House of Style.
Grant Alexander:I'm your host, Grant Alexander.
Grant Alexander:And today we've got a guest who is a masterful storyteller and an even more fun and interesting human, especially in his professional world of real estate.
Grant Alexander:Joining us today is Alex Wolking, a second generation real estate broker who's become a force in Chicago's real estate market.
Grant Alexander:Known for his exceptional understanding of historic and luxury properties, his team consistently ranks as top producers in Chicago.
Grant Alexander:And today we're going to explore how Alex's passion and style play a big role in his success and how you can take some of that and bring it into your own world.
Grant Alexander:And full disclosure, I love him even more because he was my one friend and broker when we bought our house in the suburbs.
Grant Alexander:Hi, Alex.
Grant Alexander:How are you?
Alex Wolking:Good, how are you?
Grant Alexander:I'm doing well.
Alex Wolking:Thanks for having me.
Grant Alexander:Thank you very much for being here.
Grant Alexander:Of course.
Grant Alexander:You know, when I think of interesting people, I regularly think of you.
Grant Alexander:And I love seeing you post on social media and I love talking with you and texting because I know there's going to be a story.
Grant Alexander:It's like my story time with Alex is one of my favorite things.
Grant Alexander:And I, I think about storytelling and narratives as a huge part of style.
Alex Wolking:Yeah.
Grant Alexander:And one thing that I always still to this day remember, probably a year or two ago, at least a year, was when you got your weird flag and that I.
Grant Alexander:So on social, he posted that he got this weird flag and he's really proud of it.
Alex Wolking:My freak flag.
Grant Alexander:Freak flag.
Grant Alexander:And I, it just hit so well because that's how I think of myself.
Grant Alexander:And I think of myself as this gigantic weirdo that doesn't fit in with, you know, the most of the world.
Grant Alexander:So to be.
Grant Alexander:To see that was so refreshing and fun and it's like I still think about that.
Alex Wolking:Oh, well, thanks.
Alex Wolking:I'm glad to hear that resonate.
Alex Wolking:You know, it resonated with a lot of people that especially when I ward around the office like a cape.
Grant Alexander:As you should.
Grant Alexander:It should be a weekly occurrence.
Alex Wolking:It should.
Alex Wolking:I've always.
Alex Wolking:It was similar.
Alex Wolking:I think where we've connected is just we've always Been the square peg in a round hole and just kind of forged our own path, marched the beat of our own drummer, whatever other cliche you want to throw out there.
Alex Wolking:And what is a flag?
Alex Wolking:It's a symbol of a community.
Alex Wolking:And if you want to find your people, you got to wave your flag proudly and loudly and nice and high so everyone can see it.
Alex Wolking:That's why I bought that freak flag and I hung it up in my office.
Alex Wolking:It's still in my office.
Grant Alexander:It's great.
Grant Alexander:It should never come down.
Grant Alexander:I think one reason that successful people are successful, at least for a lot, are because they're different, because they're weird.
Grant Alexander:And I think so many people, a lot of our viewers and listeners are probably feeling like they're weird, too.
Grant Alexander:And it's not talked about enough, it's not embraced enough.
Grant Alexander:So I love that you're doing it.
Grant Alexander:And you have been doing real estate for quite some time now.
Grant Alexander:Talk to me about you started at a pretty young age.
Grant Alexander:How did those experiences growing up in it kind of shape your, I mean, understanding of the market, understanding of what type of broker you wanted to be, and, like, how that helped develop your style?
Alex Wolking:Yeah, so I.
Alex Wolking:My dad's been a broker for 31 years now, and I started working for him when I was 12 years old.
Alex Wolking:I was obsessed with the industry.
Alex Wolking:I knew what I wanted to do when I was 12, and there was no questioning it.
Alex Wolking:There was no turning back.
Alex Wolking:I pointed at, it went, I want to do that.
Alex Wolking:And I got licensed when I was 19.
Alex Wolking:I was a freshman in college at DePaul.
Alex Wolking:And what's even crazier, I was a student at DePaul but was going back to Iowa to sell real estate every weekend.
Alex Wolking:So I did not have a traditional college career like everyone else did.
Alex Wolking:So that alone was a level of commitment.
Alex Wolking:I was so excited.
Alex Wolking:I just want to get started.
Alex Wolking:And had I had it my way, I probably wouldn't have gone to college.
Alex Wolking:But my mom forced me to do that, and I'm glad she did.
Alex Wolking:No, so, I mean, at 19 years old, when you're selling real estate in Iowa, and that's already a very.
Alex Wolking:That's already a.
Alex Wolking:An uphill battle that I didn't know until now there was an uphill battle, and I knew I had to do something different to differentiate myself from other people.
Alex Wolking:I mean, I'm going up against people who've been doing it 15, 20, 30, 40 years, who've been entrenched in this small town community in the Quad Cities area, Illinois and Iowa, where I'm from.
Alex Wolking:And I had to look and sound and be different.
Alex Wolking:So.
Alex Wolking: all town Illinois And Iowa in: Alex Wolking:A lot different than now.
Alex Wolking:So, you know, style played a big part.
Alex Wolking:Cause I had to look older.
Grant Alexander:Sure.
Alex Wolking:I had.
Alex Wolking:Not only did I have to act and sound older, I had to look older.
Alex Wolking:And you know, when other people, especially in Iowa are very down to earth, you're wearing jeans and flannel and whatever.
Alex Wolking:I was the only one who showed up in fitted pants.
Alex Wolking:And I used to wear a vest.
Alex Wolking:That was my fashion faux pas.
Alex Wolking:It looked like a valet.
Alex Wolking:It was terrible.
Alex Wolking:But that was.
Alex Wolking:But I wore like.
Alex Wolking:But also everyone's wearing, you know, earth tones and I was the one in hot pink and baby blue and yellow and I was in red.
Alex Wolking:There's this.
Alex Wolking:My first headshot is this God awful picture.
Alex Wolking:It's pretty bad.
Alex Wolking:But I was wearing a black vest, black pants, white tie and a red.
Alex Wolking:You remember Express had the MK2 shirts with straps.
Alex Wolking:Oh yeah, I had one of those on.
Alex Wolking:It was terrible.
Alex Wolking:Black buttons.
Alex Wolking:Oh, it was awful.
Alex Wolking:And.
Alex Wolking:But I looked like a valet and.
Alex Wolking:Or a maitre d at a restaurant or something.
Alex Wolking:And.
Alex Wolking:But that was.
Alex Wolking:It stood out because it was different.
Grant Alexander:Yeah.
Alex Wolking:And it was.
Alex Wolking: so well dressed, you know, in: Grant Alexander:Right.
Grant Alexander:I wonder what that compared.
Grant Alexander:I wonder what it's like now.
Grant Alexander:Is the scene gotten better?
Alex Wolking:It's, you know, it's a little different.
Alex Wolking:I mean, it's still very much blue collar Midwest.
Alex Wolking:You know, people are just.
Alex Wolking:People are just living their lives.
Alex Wolking:I mean, no one there is trying to make a fashion statement.
Alex Wolking:Even today.
Alex Wolking:And even then, as I matured in my life and career, even then I was the only one wearing white pants with cuffed legs at the bottom and wearing a fitted polka dot button down with the collar, big collar.
Alex Wolking:When that used to be a big trend.
Alex Wolking:And even then, even as I ditched the suit and I ditched that God awful vest, I still had a.
Alex Wolking:And I would wear.
Alex Wolking:I've been wearing, you know, driving moccasins and slip ons and I don't wear laces because in real estate it's a pain in the butt.
Alex Wolking:I totally, I hate dealing.
Alex Wolking:I only have.
Alex Wolking:I have tennis shoes.
Alex Wolking:I have, you know, typical gay white sneakers, as I call them.
Alex Wolking:Then I have a pair of Ferragamo, like designer shoes that you told me to keep.
Grant Alexander:Yep.
Alex Wolking:And those are the only shoes I have with laces.
Alex Wolking:The rest all slip ons.
Alex Wolking:Like they make sense.
Alex Wolking:It makes complete sense.
Alex Wolking:You're going in and out of people's houses all the time.
Alex Wolking:You just need something easy.
Grant Alexander:I hate having to.
Grant Alexander:I bought a pair of Kizik because you can just slip them in.
Grant Alexander:They look good enough for what you need.
Grant Alexander:Yeah.
Alex Wolking:So even as my style changed over, even in a two or three year window, I still looked very different than most people.
Grant Alexander:Was there a moment when you like realize.
Grant Alexander:I know you said like when you're 12, like when you're older.
Grant Alexander:So let's say 19.
Grant Alexander:Okay.
Grant Alexander:You're licensed and you're like in it.
Alex Wolking:Yeah.
Grant Alexander:Was there a moment that you realized, this is how I want to do this.
Grant Alexander:This is like what I want to be about or embody and embrace and share to be different.
Alex Wolking:Yeah.
Alex Wolking:So I got the bug when I'll never forget my dad was.
Alex Wolking:There was two things that happened.
Alex Wolking:I.
Alex Wolking:My dad was typical, typical realtor where he called me and he's like, I need you to go on the computer and you see this icon?
Alex Wolking:Click on that icon, type in this password, search this address, type this in, and print that sheet.
Alex Wolking:I'm coming around the block, I'm driving by the house, I'm gonna come, I need you to run out, give me that sheet of paper and I gotta run.
Alex Wolking:I'm like, okay.
Alex Wolking:Well, that was the MLS system.
Alex Wolking:And as soon as I got the keys to the castle, it was game over.
Alex Wolking:All of a sudden I could see everything that was happening.
Alex Wolking:Like, this is fascinating.
Alex Wolking:Like, this is so interesting, all this data, pictures of houses.
Alex Wolking:I was like, that was the nerd.
Alex Wolking:Most kids were playing video games.
Alex Wolking:My video game was the MLS system.
Alex Wolking:That's what I wanted to do.
Grant Alexander:Sweet game.
Alex Wolking:But then I became just so curious and I started going to open houses.
Alex Wolking:My mom wouldn't take me to open houses, so I just went on my bike and I went all around my neighborhood and learned everything I could.
Alex Wolking:And then the second thing that happened, that within a week or two weeks of that, my dad had a first time home buyer, single mom with two kids about mine and my brother's age.
Alex Wolking:And we went through that house and I remember there was like a Wendy's across the street.
Alex Wolking:So after we got done looking at this house, we went to the Wendy's and she was so nervous.
Alex Wolking:I saw this other side of my dad I had never seen before, which was.
Alex Wolking:He instantly was very protective but strong and guiding this woman through her first offer And I saw what he was able to do with her.
Alex Wolking:And I remember later that night him calling her, saying, you got the house.
Alex Wolking:And that was the first time I actually got to see what my dad did.
Grant Alexander:Oh, that's cool.
Alex Wolking:And that was when I saw that.
Alex Wolking:I was like, that's cool, I want to do that.
Alex Wolking:And that was just kind of how I started.
Alex Wolking:And I just asked.
Alex Wolking:And the great thing is so many real estate agents, they want to get their kids involved and they force it down their kids throat.
Alex Wolking:My dad was not like that.
Alex Wolking:My dad was very much, I will teach you anything you want to learn.
Alex Wolking:I'm here as a resource if you want it, but by no means am I going to force you into it.
Alex Wolking:I think that's probably why I liked it so much.
Grant Alexander:So I mean, it sounds like there's still, even though he didn't force you, there's still a lot of influence.
Alex Wolking:Oh yeah, do you.
Grant Alexander:Was there ever, like, I'm not going to sell like him, I'm going to sell my way?
Alex Wolking:There was.
Grant Alexander:And is it still like that?
Grant Alexander:You know, have you become him?
Alex Wolking:It really is.
Alex Wolking:So my dad had a niche with, you know, first time home buyers and he had this, still does this phenomenal ability to put deals together with almost no resources.
Alex Wolking:I mean, you've got buyers with no money, sellers with no equity, and you have to find a way to put a deal together and he can do it.
Alex Wolking:I mean, I've watched him put things together I never thought could be done.
Alex Wolking:And he does commercial too, which, that's a whole other animal.
Alex Wolking:So I, and I always wanted him to do the big stuff, like the big houses.
Alex Wolking:The big houses were cool.
Alex Wolking: was, and this was again early: Alex Wolking:And he's like, no, that stuff doesn't sell.
Alex Wolking:That stuff it takes forever to sell.
Alex Wolking:Especially in my hometown of Rock Island, Illinois, which at that time the average home value was like $95,000.
Alex Wolking:A $300,000 listing is a mansion in that market.
Alex Wolking:So he's like, that's nice.
Alex Wolking:They pay really well when they close, but they're a pain in the butt to try and sell.
Alex Wolking:I was like, well, I didn't like that answer.
Alex Wolking:I like nice things.
Alex Wolking:I like n.
Alex Wolking:I remember he had a big sale once and I was so much more interested in that.
Alex Wolking:Not necessarily because of the price, but I could hear in his negotiating and putting that deal together, the transaction was different and I was so much more interested in that.
Alex Wolking:And then of course, the big sexy house was great too.
Alex Wolking:So I knew when I got into real estate, that's what I wanted to do.
Alex Wolking:Because as I was going through these open houses and meeting all the agents at these open houses, they were lazy, they weren't dressed nicely, their listings were not well prepared, their brochures and marketing sucked.
Alex Wolking:I was like, I could do this so much better.
Alex Wolking:Like, I could do this so much better.
Alex Wolking:And they all use the same words over and over again.
Alex Wolking:Like elegant, classy, timeless.
Alex Wolking:Like it doesn't tell me anything.
Grant Alexander:I hate the word classy.
Grant Alexander:It's one of, to me, the least classy words.
Grant Alexander:There are way better descriptors out there.
Alex Wolking:Totally.
Grant Alexander:I'll make a whole separate solo episode on better words than classy and dapper, disgusting, gross.
Grant Alexander:So that all makes sense.
Grant Alexander:And how did you start to.
Grant Alexander:So you went around seeing that you could do better.
Alex Wolking:Yeah.
Grant Alexander:So then you start doing it.
Grant Alexander:How did you kind of narrow in on what you wanted to be?
Grant Alexander:Because for me, like, like I said, you have a story for everything.
Grant Alexander:And I think that's what makes.
Grant Alexander:That's what made buying a home with you so much more fun.
Grant Alexander:It's like, even if the home didn't have a.
Grant Alexander:I mean, for listeners and viewers.
Grant Alexander:Alex sells a lot of important people and big name people's homes, which I won't divulge.
Grant Alexander:He can if he wants to.
Grant Alexander:But I think for some of the homes that we visited, where it wasn't owned by a celebrity or, you know, anybody, I won't say of importance because everybody's important.
Alex Wolking:That's right.
Grant Alexander:But it wasn't owned by a big name.
Grant Alexander:One of my favorite things was the stories you came up with.
Grant Alexander:I could see this house.
Grant Alexander:You're like, oh, no, don't want this house.
Grant Alexander:Like, this is.
Grant Alexander:Somebody was in here in their underwear, walking around with a cigarette, and you just don't want these vibes.
Grant Alexander:And I loved that so much.
Grant Alexander:And I'm assuming that's a part of your style.
Alex Wolking:Yeah, it really is.
Alex Wolking:I'm very.
Alex Wolking:I tell people all the time that my style is very.
Alex Wolking:You can pick up on the folksiness and the small town, blue collar upbringing vibes that I have, but I can run with the best of them.
Alex Wolking:And a lot of it is because I'm unapologetic.
Alex Wolking:I don't care who you are, where you came from.
Alex Wolking:If I've got an opinion, I'm going to tell you if you want to hear it or if you don't, or if you don't.
Alex Wolking:I'm going to give it to you anyway.
Alex Wolking:I'm more tactful with it now than I used to be.
Alex Wolking:But I choose things that I'm drawn to, and I think that's what clients appreciate most.
Alex Wolking:They can feel that I'm genuinely invested.
Alex Wolking:And the story part of it, I think, just.
Alex Wolking:I'll never forget that barn that we went under contract for.
Alex Wolking:So it was, like, a total structural mess.
Grant Alexander:I love it.
Alex Wolking:Grant and his wife Corey decided to buy a converted barn, and we later found out it was a disaster.
Grant Alexander:So, so sad.
Grant Alexander:I mean, I had.
Alex Wolking:I know.
Grant Alexander:So many stories.
Alex Wolking:I know.
Grant Alexander:I mean, every Sunday was gonna.
Grant Alexander:It was gonna be Sunday.
Grant Alexander:Sunday.
Alex Wolking:That's right.
Alex Wolking:That's right.
Grant Alexander:And everyone's gonna come over to this ridiculous plot of land and come to the barn for a bunch of ice cream.
Grant Alexander:So many.
Alex Wolking:And the house was falling down.
Grant Alexander:It was falling apart.
Alex Wolking:I think my exact words to you, because, again, being unfiltered, I'm like, run, don't walk from this house.
Grant Alexander:I started running with one arm still attached.
Alex Wolking:Like, I still want it, like, pulling off the house.
Alex Wolking:But there's a.
Alex Wolking:You know, I think it's that authenticity of people feel like I'm not putting on a show, you know, And I'm not.
Grant Alexander:You are the show.
Alex Wolking:I am the show.
Grant Alexander:You are the show.
Alex Wolking:I am the show, Damn it.
Grant Alexander:You don't have to put her on.
Alex Wolking:But that's.
Alex Wolking:Ever since I was a kid, I actually had this conversation with a friend of mine.
Alex Wolking:I grew up as a loner, though.
Alex Wolking:I didn't have a specific group of friends.
Alex Wolking:I wasn't part of any cliques.
Alex Wolking:I was friends with all the cliques, though, and I knew everybody in every clique, and they all knew who I was.
Alex Wolking:And I was a loner and a floater.
Alex Wolking:I could hang out by myself.
Alex Wolking:I could do bad all by myself, but I could float, and I could mirror and match and not necessarily become a chameleon and fit in.
Alex Wolking:That wasn't what I was doing.
Alex Wolking:Everyone fit in with me because there was a piece of me in every group.
Alex Wolking:And that has served me so well, I'm sure.
Alex Wolking:And that is.
Alex Wolking:And I think that's what it is.
Alex Wolking:Like, people kind of see the facade.
Grant Alexander:But you can connect with anybody at the point.
Alex Wolking:But I think that's where the stories come from.
Alex Wolking:And connecting people with their stories of, you know, this house.
Alex Wolking:I bet you this.
Alex Wolking:I bet you anything this person that lives here wears this, drives this, sounds like this probably does this for a living.
Alex Wolking:A lot of times I'm Right.
Grant Alexander:For sure.
Grant Alexander:Absolutely.
Alex Wolking:But you know, there's a certain kind of client that I get from that because they like the very no holds barred approach.
Alex Wolking:And the other thing too is I'm not afraid to say something if I need to, especially if it's warranted.
Alex Wolking:It's not like I'm just gonna throw my opinion out there, but also cower behind when going gets tough.
Alex Wolking:I think people take comfort in that strength.
Grant Alexander:I imagine that's got to be hard sometimes.
Grant Alexander:Like, oh yeah, there are probably a lot of people that would just bite their tongue and like hope something just works out or like they don't have to address it.
Grant Alexander:Yes.
Alex Wolking:Or you have clients.
Alex Wolking:Sometimes agents just tell clients what they want to hear and don't actually tell them what they need to hear.
Alex Wolking:And you know, I'm not afraid to walk away from a client if I can't help them or if I think their expectations are completely unrealistic or they want to do something unethical.
Alex Wolking:You know, I just, I don't need to do that.
Alex Wolking:And I think one of the things you've heard me say before, and I will die on this hill.
Alex Wolking:There are so many agents who will go into a high end listing or meet with a high end client.
Alex Wolking:And I tell them, if you're looking for an agent who's wearing a blue suit and brown shoes, it's not going to be me.
Alex Wolking:I am not your agent.
Alex Wolking:Whether it's a finance bro or a professor at a distinguished university, physician, whatever, it doesn't matter who it is.
Alex Wolking:Or entrepreneur, C level executive.
Alex Wolking:I mean, I've dealt with tons of those.
Alex Wolking:And what's funny is a lot of times they'll call those well known brokers that are, you know, well established, far more established in the luxury, you know, realm than I am.
Alex Wolking:But you know, they're, they're kind of just a number.
Grant Alexander:Yeah.
Alex Wolking:Or me.
Alex Wolking:It's much more hands on.
Grant Alexander:I think that was one of the things before, before you helped us get the home, like when we started working together on styling was that you said you don't want to be that broker that walks in the same suit that everybody else does.
Grant Alexander:And I think that's so exciting for me.
Grant Alexander:And I say it all the time like those people that are willing to.
Grant Alexander:It's not that different to wear something fun.
Grant Alexander:You still look professional and have fun.
Grant Alexander:Why not both?
Grant Alexander:And I think that resonated with me right away because anytime somebody's like that, I don't have to wear the same thing that I'm like Yes.
Grant Alexander:Let's do this.
Grant Alexander:Let's work together.
Alex Wolking:I think actually one of my first things I mentioned to you is I wanted to take what style I had, but I just wanted a more refined, grown up version of what I was already doing.
Alex Wolking:And you helped me do that incredibly well.
Alex Wolking:And that was a.
Alex Wolking:And it was so important for me to find what my own authentic style was because just like people see a piece of themselves, they need to find what that.
Alex Wolking:Where they connect with that.
Grant Alexander:Yeah.
Grant Alexander:I feel like putting you in the right clothes finally, like mirrored.
Alex Wolking:Yes.
Grant Alexander:Your vibe in everything else.
Alex Wolking:And what was going on.
Grant Alexander:You knew you're at this level, but the clothes were holding you back.
Alex Wolking:Correct.
Grant Alexander:And I know this generally is a podcast, a style podcast, not about clothes, but appearance is so important.
Alex Wolking:Yeah.
Grant Alexander:And to me, it's about the power of matching your appearance to what's in your head.
Alex Wolking:Correct.
Grant Alexander:I talk about it pretty regularly, that your style is a reflection of what's going on in your head.
Alex Wolking:100%.
Grant Alexander:And if you're dressed the same way as everybody else, it means you think you're the same as everybody else.
Alex Wolking:Right.
Grant Alexander:I mean, sure, the guys on Million Dollar listings, they're a little nutty in both their.
Alex Wolking:Right.
Grant Alexander:Fashion and just their general demeanor, their lives.
Grant Alexander:But.
Grant Alexander:But those type of people, they're not dressing like everybody else.
Alex Wolking:No.
Grant Alexander:I mean, they're dressing.
Grant Alexander:It might be wild, but it's their style and it's fantastic.
Grant Alexander:And it matches the ego that they sell with and are successful with.
Grant Alexander:And so with that, like real estate, especially in Chicago, is competitive, especially in kind of like the.
Grant Alexander:The market that you're in.
Alex Wolking:Right.
Grant Alexander:How does your personal style influence your success in it?
Grant Alexander:How has that kind of carried you into more and more success?
Alex Wolking:That's a great question.
Alex Wolking:So what I would say my style is very.
Alex Wolking:I would say high end, but approachable and a little artistic almost, which used to be a nice way to say gay.
Alex Wolking:But the.
Alex Wolking: looking like I could be in a: Alex Wolking:But I was always.
Alex Wolking:Most of my clients, as I looked at this, most of my clients are people who are.
Alex Wolking:It's such, for lack of a better term, I would say like old money, like people who've been around for a long time and established.
Alex Wolking:That was a big word, was established.
Alex Wolking:People that don't.
Alex Wolking:People that are not trying too hard.
Alex Wolking:You know, I see some of these agents who are just blinged out.
Alex Wolking:They've got every Label and brand and it's so obnoxious.
Alex Wolking:And no one wants to read your clothes.
Alex Wolking:No one wants to read everything that's on.
Alex Wolking:And it's just, it's so, it's trying too hard.
Alex Wolking:And what I find too is my charm of, you know, small town vibe and energy where people feel like, oh, I can trust this guy.
Alex Wolking:He's not trying to sell me something.
Alex Wolking:And I think a lot of times when you look at Million Dollar Listing, those people are blinged out to the hilt.
Alex Wolking:They've got everything fitted great.
Alex Wolking:Well, great.
Alex Wolking:Well, they probably are working with, I would say, new money people.
Alex Wolking:People who are, you know, or they've got mommy and daddy money that are trust fund babies that are just, you know, like the Paris Hiltons.
Alex Wolking:You know, they're working with Paris Hilton.
Alex Wolking:I'm working with Warren Buffett.
Grant Alexander:Right.
Alex Wolking:You know, those are, that's my kind of.
Alex Wolking:That's the mentality.
Alex Wolking:A lot of my clients are people that they're far more interested in whatever task is at hand.
Alex Wolking:I always joke.
Alex Wolking:A lot of my clients are like very high net worth individuals that drive Subarus.
Alex Wolking:Those are my clients.
Alex Wolking:Those are my clients.
Grant Alexander:Nothing wrong with Subaru.
Alex Wolking:No, not at all.
Alex Wolking:Not at all.
Alex Wolking:But those are far more.
Alex Wolking:They're about the job.
Alex Wolking:Get the job done and show me how you're going to do the job.
Alex Wolking:Don't put on the dog and pony show.
Alex Wolking:And that's how I have to dress.
Alex Wolking:But I have to have the few statement pieces that I'm known for.
Alex Wolking:For me, and we talked about this, I love shoes.
Alex Wolking:Like my shoe game.
Grant Alexander:It confuses me.
Grant Alexander:I won't say bothers, but it confuses me.
Grant Alexander:How can people not?
Alex Wolking:No.
Alex Wolking:And shoes are kind of a artwork.
Alex Wolking:Absolutely.
Alex Wolking:Plus I'm on my feet all the time.
Alex Wolking:I'm going in and out of properties and showings.
Alex Wolking:I want to be comfortable.
Grant Alexander:Sure.
Grant Alexander:Yeah.
Alex Wolking:And the other thing that I've really gotten into the last two years has been vintage jewelry.
Alex Wolking:This came from an antique store.
Alex Wolking:Thank you.
Alex Wolking:I don't remember where it's from.
Alex Wolking: It was the: Alex Wolking:Especially for people I'm new to.
Alex Wolking:It's a conversation starter.
Grant Alexander:Absolutely.
Alex Wolking:They will always ask and the first things that I was in a class once years ago that when you especially high net worth clients, when you first meet a high net worth client, first three things they notice about you.
Alex Wolking:Your watch, your shoes and your car.
Alex Wolking:The first three things they look at.
Grant Alexander:Absolutely.
Alex Wolking:Before you even know that they're sizing.
Grant Alexander:You up, basically, when I was younger and trying to look older, especially when I was in my consulting days, so that people would listen, like, well, I don't have a nice watch.
Grant Alexander:I don't have a nice car.
Grant Alexander:But I made sure that my appearance was so wonderful that they didn't have to look at anything else.
Grant Alexander:And that's something that's definitely carried me.
Grant Alexander:And now, through all the people I've had the opportunity to work with, my.
Grant Alexander:What I choose to wear.
Grant Alexander:I mean, I wear it for myself because I love getting dressed.
Grant Alexander:I love trying new things.
Grant Alexander:But they're all conversation starters.
Grant Alexander:From the shoes to the lining inside my jackets to the ridiculous way sometimes I layer things.
Alex Wolking:Yeah.
Grant Alexander:Or to surprising people with, like, a neckerchief, which most people are like, what's a neckerchief?
Grant Alexander:I'll wear one sometime soon.
Grant Alexander:It's like those surprising things, it gets you in the door.
Grant Alexander:And that.
Grant Alexander:That's really all you need sometimes is just to get in that door.
Alex Wolking:And, you know, along with that, there's a.
Alex Wolking:I always, again, very.
Alex Wolking:I would say timeless but approachable.
Alex Wolking:That's my.
Alex Wolking:That's my style.
Alex Wolking:So a lot of times I'm just in jeans or, you know, either a nice sweater with the weather the way it is, you know, I mean, a nice T shirt.
Alex Wolking:Like, this is a T shirt, but, you know, it's got some sort of collar that's interesting.
Alex Wolking:The other thing I've gotten really into Joy Coast.
Alex Wolking:Shout out to Joy Coast.
Alex Wolking:This is not a paid ad.
Alex Wolking:I'm just a big fan of theirs in the last year.
Alex Wolking:But they make their jewelry out of wood.
Grant Alexander:Yeah.
Alex Wolking:And they.
Alex Wolking:So I've been playing with that.
Alex Wolking:So I wore the rings today.
Alex Wolking:And I've got their sunglasses, too.
Alex Wolking:They're all made out of wood.
Alex Wolking:But the.
Alex Wolking:But that's the story.
Grant Alexander:Yeah.
Alex Wolking:Because clients will see that and go, is that wood?
Grant Alexander:Right?
Alex Wolking:Is that wood?
Alex Wolking:It's not metal.
Alex Wolking:Like, no.
Alex Wolking:And I tell them, well, yeah, it's a company based in Roscoe Village, and for every piece of jewelry they sell, they plant 10 trees in Africa.
Alex Wolking:I'm like, what a great story.
Grant Alexander:Amazing story.
Alex Wolking:Right?
Grant Alexander:Really?
Grant Alexander:And it's local.
Grant Alexander:Right?
Alex Wolking:And it's local.
Grant Alexander:Could this get better?
Alex Wolking:And I have sent them so much business people like, what's their website?
Grant Alexander:What's their Instagram, if you want to be a sponsor.
Alex Wolking:Yeah, just shout out Joy Coast.
Alex Wolking:They.
Alex Wolking:But those are stories, and those are things that.
Alex Wolking:And it's.
Alex Wolking:Here's the other thing, too, is I'm wearing stuff that not many people know about or have they.
Alex Wolking:And I, again, not just being drawn to old houses like I am, I'm drawn to anything that's old.
Alex Wolking:You know, antique art, antique jewelry, furniture.
Alex Wolking: I mean, I just brought home a: Alex Wolking:From a client's house, because I loved it.
Alex Wolking:It was such a cool piece.
Alex Wolking:It's like that's.
Alex Wolking:That's just.
Alex Wolking:I actually live what it is I'm selling, too.
Alex Wolking:So it's.
Alex Wolking:You know, I think a lot of times when you're meeting with certain clients, especially the last, like, two years, I've gotten so clear on who my clients are and who they aren't, I can.
Alex Wolking:If I walk in that house and I feel like I live there, I know they're great clients.
Grant Alexander:For me, that's, I think, so important for people listening to understand and grasp.
Grant Alexander:I feel when I talk with a lot of entrepreneurs and you say to them, who are you trying to go for?
Grant Alexander:And at first.
Grant Alexander:And I absolutely fell victim to this for quite a while, say that, oh, this is for everybody.
Grant Alexander:And you try to sell and you try to get in with everybody and please everybody.
Grant Alexander:But once you can define who you're working with, I think a lot of people think once I define it, there goes 90% of the people I could work with.
Grant Alexander:It goes all the potential.
Grant Alexander:Where in reality, most often it's the exact opposite.
Grant Alexander:Where once you define it, people see that and they flock to that.
Grant Alexander:And that's when magic happens.
Alex Wolking:Right.
Alex Wolking:Well, you have to your point.
Alex Wolking:I think especially in the early part of my career, I was just trying to get business, and I was just trying to fit in wherever I went.
Alex Wolking:And when I finally realized, no, no, people need to fit in with me because I had the value that they were looking for, completely changed the dynamic.
Alex Wolking:And a lot of that was how I was dressed, how I presented, how I spoke.
Alex Wolking:Cause I was living out what I actually valued.
Grant Alexander:Sure.
Alex Wolking:And that was when people feel that authenticity, like, they instantly feel comfortable with you.
Alex Wolking:And when everything.
Alex Wolking:When.
Alex Wolking:The way your appearance.
Alex Wolking:When your appearance matches your presentation and what's coming out of your mouth and what's up here and actually how you care about people, so many doors open for you.
Grant Alexander:Absolutely.
Alex Wolking:And when I look at my.
Alex Wolking:My client base, as you mentioned, you know, I've had the privilege of.
Alex Wolking:I sold Bryant Urlocker's house up in the North Shore.
Alex Wolking:I'm representing Rudolph Isley's estate, the Isley Brothers.
Alex Wolking:I've gotten celebrities, I've had athletes, I'VE sold a house to a Bulls player.
Alex Wolking:And what's the hockey team?
Alex Wolking:Blackhawks.
Alex Wolking:I don't follow sports ball.
Alex Wolking:That's not my thing.
Grant Alexander:You got it right, though.
Alex Wolking:But that's the thing.
Alex Wolking:The other thing too is people.
Alex Wolking:See, I don't care.
Grant Alexander:You don't care?
Alex Wolking:I don't care.
Grant Alexander:You care about the celebrity.
Grant Alexander:It doesn't matter.
Alex Wolking:No, like you're a person I've had.
Alex Wolking:Right.
Alex Wolking:But those people who kind of had an unconventional life, that's kind of.
Alex Wolking:Those are the people I work with, people who've had an unconventional life.
Alex Wolking:So that's why entrepreneurs are people, you know, I bring up, you know, the old money families.
Alex Wolking:I hate that term.
Alex Wolking:I don't know a better term for it, but it's a people who are born into extraordinary wealth and they honestly, they just want somebody to be real with them for sure.
Alex Wolking:That's what they want for sure.
Alex Wolking:And that informs so much of.
Grant Alexander:That's always how I've treated athletes.
Grant Alexander:Anybody I've worked with that has a name.
Grant Alexander:I just treat them as a normal person.
Alex Wolking:Well, and what you have to keep in mind, too, is those people are bombarded constantly with people who are not being genuine.
Alex Wolking:And when they finally can feel you being genuine and relatable, the guard comes down.
Alex Wolking:I mean, I can't tell you how many clients I have had, you know, big, big name clients who of course I won't divulge.
Alex Wolking:But, you know, I know about when they're pregnant, when they're getting a divorce, when they're filing for bankruptcy, when they just so many things.
Alex Wolking:And I know, and real estate is such an intimate business.
Alex Wolking:Anyway, same with styling.
Alex Wolking:Same with styling people.
Alex Wolking:But you eventually become friends with them.
Alex Wolking:You spend so much time with them that, I mean, I have clients, you know, I've sold houses two or four, five years ago.
Alex Wolking:They still reach out.
Alex Wolking:And my favorite, when I sold Urlocker's house, they loved my shoes so much because I always had designer shoes on.
Alex Wolking:And it took me three years to sell their house.
Alex Wolking:But one of their.
Alex Wolking:I've never had a client do this.
Alex Wolking:I've gotten some amazing gifts over the years from clients that just as a thank you, but they said, we want to buy you a pair of Gucci loafers.
Alex Wolking:Go.
Alex Wolking:Here's our name of our.
Alex Wolking:Of our contact at Gucci down on Michigan Avenue.
Alex Wolking:Go in whatever pair of shoes you want, it's on us.
Alex Wolking:I was like, God, okay.
Alex Wolking:So of course they got the patent leather loafers with the really thick heel on them.
Alex Wolking:I Call them my man heels, but they're great.
Grant Alexander:Big fan.
Grant Alexander:What else would they be?
Alex Wolking:Thanks, Brian and Jen.
Grant Alexander:Yep, no big deal.
Grant Alexander:I think the word.
Grant Alexander:Because you used old money, but the word that kind of like made me perk up, that's related, that I often battle with is established.
Alex Wolking:Yes, established is a great word.
Grant Alexander:Established.
Grant Alexander:There's good and bad to it.
Grant Alexander:I think right away because of how contrarian I am generally and how much I go against established, I think of it as a negative thing.
Grant Alexander:But there's definitely when something's established that there's tradition behind it.
Grant Alexander:So if we think about your real estate strategy, how you work with clients, what kind of balance do you strike between the established or what's traditional versus innovating?
Grant Alexander: Being like, hey, it's: Grant Alexander:And correct me if I'm wrong, there's been a lot of, I think advancements with the technology.
Grant Alexander:I mean virtual reality and virtual staging has been a huge piece of that.
Grant Alexander:And so there's been a lot of change.
Grant Alexander:But I think from what I see, a lot of it's pretty much stayed the same.
Grant Alexander:So how do you balance that innovation with the established and traditional?
Alex Wolking:So I always joke with people, clients, other agents, friends.
Alex Wolking:I'm an octogenarian trapped in a millennial's body.
Alex Wolking:I'm truly an old soul.
Alex Wolking:I hear you.
Alex Wolking:I mean I am born in the wrong era.
Alex Wolking:I should have been born 100 years ago, but it was a.
Alex Wolking:I think people resonate with that.
Alex Wolking:So I'm like, you get the established and the knowledge base of someone who's been in it for a long time, because I have.
Alex Wolking:But you also get the young energy.
Alex Wolking:You have someone who's actually young and vibrant and will go run through a brick wall to get something done.
Alex Wolking:And I just bull in a china shop sometimes double edged sword.
Alex Wolking:But there's been so many changes in the industry too.
Alex Wolking:With the NAR settlement that happened a couple months ago and everything else, I think it's being open to those changes.
Alex Wolking:Being open and trying those new things.
Alex Wolking:You're never going to catch me dead on a TikTok dance.
Alex Wolking:I'm not going to do that.
Alex Wolking:But you know, one of the things.
Grant Alexander:I pay for that.
Alex Wolking:Yeah, God shoot me.
Alex Wolking:But one of the things I have done, you know, I see so many agents and you've actually commented on some of the videos I posted.
Alex Wolking:So many agents are posting these videos on social media of welcome to my new listing at 123 Main street and they pull up in a Ferrari that's not theirs in front of a listing that's not theirs.
Alex Wolking:And they're, you know, it's all smoke and mirrors and they're trying to put on this, you know, top producer, million dollar listing vibe.
Alex Wolking:And that is so not my thing.
Alex Wolking:So the way I went against that was to your point, telling stories.
Alex Wolking:I mean I started making videos.
Alex Wolking:I've got so many unique listings where I was like, you know what, Instead of me walking around telling you where the bedrooms and bathrooms are, I just want to have a stationary chair where I sit in the chair, I walk into the frame, sit down and I'm going to tell you the story about this house that has made a huge difference.
Grant Alexander:I have to imagine that because it is so different.
Alex Wolking:Yes.
Grant Alexander:I feel like it is so warm and it welcomes you in because like, you know the history and the history, especially with homes is the warmth.
Grant Alexander:That's all the memories that went into it.
Grant Alexander:It's the one of your properties, like famous, like the most famous of architects designed it and you see it.
Grant Alexander:What I think is so smart about telling the story instead of taking everybody on a tour is you pull them in with the story.
Grant Alexander:You're in one gorgeous room, like, shit, I have to see the rest of this house.
Grant Alexander:I have to imagine just from a marketing perspective that tweak, it's like little tweaks, like changing SEO in a blog post or YouTube whatever it might be.
Grant Alexander:It's like changes like that that make a drastic shift in who reaches out.
Alex Wolking:Well, and it's a combination of education and entertainment.
Alex Wolking:You know, people love seeing pictures and videos.
Grant Alexander:Entertainment.
Alex Wolking:That's right.
Alex Wolking:People love seeing pictures and videos of big sexy houses.
Alex Wolking:But they don't mean anything if you don't explain anything behind it.
Alex Wolking:Especially the types of listings that I have.
Alex Wolking:You have to tell them a story because otherwise people.
Alex Wolking:And the thing is we connect.
Alex Wolking:People are story, human beings.
Alex Wolking:Our story oriented, story based people, they want to be able to connect with something.
Alex Wolking:And you know, I've got a listing up in Buena park right now where I do a lot of business and It's a big $3 million, 10,000 square foot house on a 200 foot wide lot.
Alex Wolking:Right, that's.
Grant Alexander:Wait, that's a lot.
Alex Wolking:City standard in Chicago is 25ft wide.
Grant Alexander:That's a lot of lots.
Alex Wolking:So this is equivalent to eight city lots and it's a half acre lot with the lake at the end of the street.
Alex Wolking:Unheard of.
Alex Wolking:This is like some suburban living.
Alex Wolking:But the thing was, that was the one with the architect.
Alex Wolking:George Mayer designed that.
Alex Wolking:Architect.
Alex Wolking:But explaining.
Alex Wolking:So I had to explain who George Mayer was, how his upbringing, his knowledge informed the architecture and what that meant, and pointing out things in the house that people would look and go, oh, I love the woodwork.
Alex Wolking:I love the windows.
Alex Wolking:I love this.
Alex Wolking:But they don't actually understand why.
Alex Wolking:And when you understand the why behind it, all of a sudden people go, oh, that's really cool.
Alex Wolking:This is important.
Grant Alexander:Yeah.
Grant Alexander:And if you're seeing a normal tour, you know, from any broker, if you don't like the first room that you're like.
Grant Alexander:But when you hear.
Grant Alexander:You're like, this was Frank Lloyd Wright's, like, mentor.
Alex Wolking:Yeah.
Grant Alexander:You're like, I'm listening to the rest of this.
Grant Alexander:I absolutely finished.
Grant Alexander:And I even re.
Grant Alexander:Listened to it to pick up on all those facts.
Grant Alexander:Like, that's so cool.
Grant Alexander:I'm not buying that house.
Grant Alexander:And I still was drawn into it.
Alex Wolking:Well, and here's the other thing, too.
Alex Wolking:While we're on the topic of that particular house.
Alex Wolking:What's cool about that house is people see this massive side lot, like, well, what's the story on this lot?
Alex Wolking:And then you explain, well, there was a house there at one time.
Alex Wolking:This was the original lot.
Alex Wolking:Then the previous owner in the 60s built a house next door and downsized.
Alex Wolking: Then my clients came in in: Alex Wolking:So they took the lot back.
Alex Wolking:So.
Alex Wolking:And there's.
Alex Wolking:There's.
Alex Wolking:When you understand the context behind something, it help.
Alex Wolking:It becomes a.
Alex Wolking:You know, when, you know, the next buyer eventually buys that home, they can now share that story about, like, how did this happen?
Grant Alexander:Or they can build another house.
Alex Wolking:Or they can build another house.
Alex Wolking:You know, the other thing, too, is the.
Alex Wolking:One of the coolest parts of that house is the, you know, the way the architecture flows and, you know, all the good, warm, fuzzy stuff.
Alex Wolking:But I had a point.
Alex Wolking:I was gonna make it.
Alex Wolking:I can't remember.
Alex Wolking:It's like, lost me.
Grant Alexander:It will come back.
Alex Wolking:It will come back.
Grant Alexander:Okay, so we can switch to like.
Grant Alexander:And when it does come back, stop, pause, and come back.
Alex Wolking:Sure.
Grant Alexander:So with how many things are changed?
Alex Wolking:She's got it.
Alex Wolking:Boom.
Alex Wolking:Yeah.
Alex Wolking:So people see this big house in the middle of Buena park, and it's like, what are all these homes doing in a city neighborhood?
Alex Wolking:Why are all these suburban houses.
Alex Wolking:So then I have the history on the neighborhood, and people go, oh, that's so cool.
Alex Wolking:And I explain the story.
Alex Wolking:You have to come on one of my architecture tours, and I'll tell you the story.
Grant Alexander:I like it.
Alex Wolking:People, then it makes sense to people.
Grant Alexander:Yeah.
Grant Alexander:So with how things are changing in the industry, whether it's trends or the crazy market shifts over the last handful of years, how do you stay true to your style?
Grant Alexander:How do you make sure you keep up with it?
Grant Alexander:Or is there some that you're like, no, that's not for me.
Alex Wolking:So I don't go with trends.
Alex Wolking:I don't go with the new stuff.
Alex Wolking:I think one of the things I've seen now that's happening in style and fashion is I always look at my New York friends, the gays of New York, man, they are always at the forefront of what's happening.
Grant Alexander:Title of a TV show, the gays of New York.
Alex Wolking:I know.
Grant Alexander:It's like the housewives.
Alex Wolking:It really is.
Grant Alexander:Bravo.
Grant Alexander:You have a new show right there.
Alex Wolking:That's right.
Grant Alexander:Alex Wolking.
Alex Wolking:But I see, like, this 80s and 90s fashion is coming back.
Alex Wolking:Like, everything's baggy, everything.
Alex Wolking:You know, the mom jeans and the.
Alex Wolking:You know.
Alex Wolking:But I'm also seeing a lot of, like, you know, the really thin sunglasses, like, from 90s nightclubs that are, like, you know, red lenses or blue lenses.
Alex Wolking:It's so over the top and, like, campy almost, that a lot of the very artsy people, especially in, like, Chelsea or the village or something like that, I mean, I was just there two months ago.
Alex Wolking:I'm walking around.
Alex Wolking:I'm like, my God, I'm in another world.
Alex Wolking:And, I mean, it is New York.
Alex Wolking:But I was seeing that.
Alex Wolking:I was like, this is becoming the new fashion trend.
Alex Wolking:What's old is new again.
Alex Wolking:So if anything, I'm finally starting to be stylish again.
Alex Wolking:There you go.
Alex Wolking:But I've always.
Alex Wolking:What I found works really well for me as long as I've got some sort of designer shoe on, fitted jeans.
Alex Wolking:Cause I'm built like a Bulgarian shot putter.
Alex Wolking:So I'm, like, trying to hide.
Alex Wolking:I'm just a thicc man.
Alex Wolking:Thick and then a broad shoulders, you know, get ready to throw a javelin across the room.
Grant Alexander:Sports balls.
Alex Wolking:I'm really.
Alex Wolking:I love sunglasses.
Alex Wolking:I've got a closet full of sunglasses that.
Alex Wolking:It's a problem, really, but it sounds.
Grant Alexander:Like a wonderful thing.
Alex Wolking:And as long as I've got, like, some statement rings that look like they belong in any time period, and then I just wear something, a basic shirt or sweater, just.
Alex Wolking:And then just kind of dress up the basics.
Alex Wolking:And I've gotten into necklaces finally.
Alex Wolking:At your recommendation.
Alex Wolking:I know.
Alex Wolking:I listen to you.
Alex Wolking:It does jewelry Is one of those things.
Alex Wolking:Remember when you made me buy that leather jacket?
Alex Wolking:And I remember my words to you, you forced me to buy this leather jacket.
Alex Wolking:And I was like, grant, I'm not cool enough for this jacket.
Alex Wolking:I can't rock this jacket.
Alex Wolking:He's like, you are cool enough.
Alex Wolking:Put it on.
Alex Wolking:Okay.
Alex Wolking:And I put it on.
Alex Wolking:It is still in my mind.
Alex Wolking:I remember physically feeling different and like.
Grant Alexander:Mentally I'm like, oh, shit, a leather jacket does that.
Grant Alexander:Oh, I can put one on today.
Grant Alexander:I'm still like, oh, this is.
Grant Alexander:I feel cool right now.
Alex Wolking:I was like, oh, damn.
Alex Wolking:I've never been accused of being cool or popular in my whole life, but I felt cool.
Grant Alexander:Be careful.
Alex Wolking:I know.
Grant Alexander:I was like, cool, Alex, walking down the street.
Alex Wolking:Jackets, so cool.
Alex Wolking:But one of the.
Alex Wolking:But I remember it's like, piece.
Alex Wolking:Sometimes you do need someone like a stylist to push you outside your comfort zone for sure.
Alex Wolking:That was one of the best things you did for me, was get me out of my head in my comfort zone.
Alex Wolking:But the, the.
Alex Wolking:So we're not always willing to try certain things.
Alex Wolking:When I do see those gays of New York wearing something even like the not.
Alex Wolking:I don't even know what material is not.
Alex Wolking:I want to say fishnet, but it's not fishnet.
Alex Wolking:It was like some like a mesh, you know, like, jacket looking thing.
Alex Wolking:I'm like, I personally wouldn't choose that, but now it's being, well, I'll go to a clothing store and I'll try one on just to see how it.
Grant Alexander:That's how you find your style, like from a clothing perspective.
Grant Alexander:That's it.
Grant Alexander:And you try something, you don't like it, you know, and if you do like it, you go to the next step and then you do the same thing.
Grant Alexander:And you.
Grant Alexander:The more you're willing to try, the more you figure out where you want to go.
Alex Wolking:And you know what's interesting is when I first started wearing rings a couple years ago, I.
Alex Wolking:My first ring I bought was at Old Town Art Fair.
Alex Wolking:And so it was a very expensive ring that I bought from this.
Alex Wolking:I just liked it because I thought it was cool.
Alex Wolking:And so I remember the first, like 10 days, I was like, God, I've never.
Alex Wolking:Because I hadn't worn rings before, but I like really long piano player hands.
Alex Wolking:So I was like, God, I feel like I'm missing an opportunity.
Alex Wolking:I've got like the perfect hands for rings.
Grant Alexander:Put eight on one finger.
Alex Wolking:Totally.
Alex Wolking:So I was like, okay.
Alex Wolking:So I started wearing it on different hands, different fingers.
Alex Wolking:And finally I normally wear that one almost every day.
Alex Wolking:I wore this one today just for you, Grant.
Grant Alexander:I love it.
Alex Wolking:But I usually wear it on my middle finger on my left hand because I'm right handed.
Alex Wolking:But what's interesting is that's the.
Alex Wolking:I tend to talk with my left hand, but it's a.
Alex Wolking:Usually when people and I'm meeting people and they're looking at my hands like, where's that ring from?
Grant Alexander:Yep.
Alex Wolking:And I was, oh, Old Town Art Fest.
Alex Wolking:Like, really?
Alex Wolking:Because it's an art piece.
Grant Alexander:Absolutely.
Alex Wolking:So it's a.
Alex Wolking:It's something that's very personal.
Grant Alexander:Yeah.
Alex Wolking:And it's something that until it finally was.
Alex Wolking:I put it on that finger and I wore it for like two, three days.
Alex Wolking:And it's like, this feels like the right one to do.
Grant Alexander:Yeah.
Alex Wolking:And usually I only wear, you know, one on my ring finger on my right hand, and I usually don't have the index finger.
Alex Wolking:But again, today, decided to support Joy Coast.
Grant Alexander:There we go.
Grant Alexander:I do the same thing.
Grant Alexander:I, at this point, my everything that I love, I try to build into my style from brands I love and support and want to see grow to my family.
Grant Alexander:Like my dad necklace.
Grant Alexander:I wear it every day.
Grant Alexander:Often I'm wearing another necklace that everyone stopped, everyone asked about the dad necklace, and everyone asked about this one, that it's an ancient Greek coin, that it's from Athens.
Grant Alexander:I don't remember the year, but it's a really long time ago.
Grant Alexander:And it's got both sides.
Grant Alexander:I can flip and wear whichever heads or tails, whatever I'm feeling that day.
Grant Alexander:But such a great conversation piece.
Grant Alexander:And everyone's like, where are you doing this with ancient coins?
Grant Alexander:And I literally have somebody that I can give them an ancient coin, any coin, and they'll turn it into a beautiful necklace for me.
Alex Wolking:Well, and to that end, you start small.
Alex Wolking:Like, I just started with one ring and then it became an addiction.
Alex Wolking:But the same with shoes.
Alex Wolking:Like, I found shoes that I liked and everyone, like, buys that.
Alex Wolking:You find one piece that, like, looks good on you, so you start buying them in every color.
Alex Wolking:That kind of did that.
Alex Wolking:But also I just found, you know, with loafers.
Alex Wolking:Remember when you were making loafers for me?
Alex Wolking:I just liked the look.
Alex Wolking:I didn't like plain loafers.
Alex Wolking:I had to either have tassels or I had to have that one with the alligator print, or I get so many comments, compliments on those shoes, but they're different and they stand out.
Alex Wolking:The thing that I learned too, one, I already have a very distinct personality.
Alex Wolking:But the having that distinct style.
Alex Wolking:One of the best compliments I ever got from a friend was I hadn't seen him in a long time.
Alex Wolking:And first words out of his mouth, I knew you'd be wearing that today.
Alex Wolking:Like, he remembered.
Alex Wolking:He's like, if someone said, alex walking, I know exactly what he's wearing.
Grant Alexander:Yeah.
Alex Wolking:And that.
Alex Wolking:But it makes you memorable for sure.
Alex Wolking:Especially when you're meeting strangers in a business and sales or whatever people remember, oh, that's the guy that had the ring and the necklace and the shoes I like.
Alex Wolking:But it's not too much.
Alex Wolking:It's not where they're all competing.
Grant Alexander:It's not even just those pieces or the articles of clothing.
Alex Wolking:Right.
Grant Alexander:They felt a certain way for them to remember.
Grant Alexander:Like, that made them happy.
Alex Wolking:And they remember the story that was attached.
Alex Wolking:Like, oh, that was the guy that was wearing that ring that he got at the art fest.
Alex Wolking:Like, people remember that.
Alex Wolking:They may not remember your name, but they remember little.
Alex Wolking:They remember the story.
Grant Alexander:I think that was another great point you just made, was the buying things in every color.
Grant Alexander:When somebody finds something, like, buying it in every color isn't the answer.
Alex Wolking:Right.
Grant Alexander:Those are very.
Grant Alexander:Colors are so different.
Grant Alexander:And all colors don't look good on everybody.
Grant Alexander:Those things, it's so much more important.
Grant Alexander:You found something you like.
Grant Alexander:Don't buy that same thing in all the colors.
Grant Alexander:Buy different things in that same color that you liked.
Grant Alexander:I think that's where a lot of people go wrong in business, in life.
Grant Alexander:It's like they're throwing all this stuff, seeing what's going to stick, rather than, here's what's working.
Alex Wolking:That is go for this.
Alex Wolking:That was something I'll never forget.
Alex Wolking:So Grant came over, peak pandemic, and raided my closet and threw out about 80% of my closet.
Alex Wolking:And I felt violated that day.
Alex Wolking:It was a crime.
Alex Wolking:It was a crime scene in that closet.
Alex Wolking:But that was something that you did really well.
Alex Wolking:Because before, I mean, I had every color of the rainbow in my closet.
Alex Wolking:And then you came in and it was like, life before Grant and life after Grant.
Alex Wolking:Now you look at my closet, everything is gray, black, blue.
Alex Wolking:Because those were, you know, I've got a very fair complexion.
Alex Wolking:I'm not, you know, I'm not a Kardashian.
Alex Wolking:I'm not like that beautiful shade of brown.
Alex Wolking:It's like, you know, sexy.
Alex Wolking:I'm not that.
Alex Wolking:I'm, like, very German.
Grant Alexander:And it's what you felt most confident in.
Alex Wolking:And I felt good in black.
Alex Wolking:I felt good in grey.
Grant Alexander:Stop trying to wear all these other things.
Grant Alexander:That aren't true.
Alex Wolking:No, it's not.
Grant Alexander:And especially because even when you're in the.
Grant Alexander:Oh, I want to, like, I.
Grant Alexander:People can like color, but they don't have to wear it for themselves.
Grant Alexander:And I think a lot of people end up doing that because they think I should be wearing this.
Grant Alexander:Or it's a trend to wear these colors rather than.
Grant Alexander:If you want to just wear black because that's what you feel great in, just do it.
Alex Wolking:My favorite.
Alex Wolking:One of my favorite pieces of clothing in my entire closet, I have two.
Alex Wolking:One is a black J.
Alex Wolking:Crew sweater.
Alex Wolking:I wear that thing too often.
Grant Alexander:Oh, yeah.
Alex Wolking:And I have it in gray, too, because those are still in my color palette.
Alex Wolking:And I have it blue again, matches my closet.
Alex Wolking:And then I have a Lululemon windbreaker jacket.
Alex Wolking:I wear that thing almost every day, starting and on, like, September.
Alex Wolking:From September to March.
Alex Wolking:I wear that thing almost every day.
Alex Wolking:Yeah, because it fits really well, it feels good, and it's a.
Alex Wolking:But people remember I had a client that was buying a condo in the Gold Coast.
Alex Wolking:It was a large, you know, full floor unit.
Alex Wolking:And one day I walked into the showing.
Alex Wolking:Mind you, this was a two, $3 million property.
Alex Wolking:I walked in one day, and I wasn't wearing that windbreaker jacket.
Alex Wolking:She's like, where's your jacket?
Alex Wolking:Oh.
Alex Wolking:And I didn't have a necklace on that day.
Grant Alexander:Oh, my God.
Alex Wolking:And she was just like, are you okay?
Alex Wolking:And mind you, this was a large property.
Alex Wolking:And I.
Alex Wolking:But I still had.
Alex Wolking:You know, I had.
Alex Wolking:I had my brown loafers on, and I had my jeans on.
Alex Wolking:I think I just had a sweater on, and I had no necklace, no rings, and no windbreaker on.
Alex Wolking:And she's like, do you feel naked?
Alex Wolking:Like, you don't.
Grant Alexander:I'm so naked.
Alex Wolking:But also, that's the other thing, too, is, like, the listing agent showed up in a suit and brown shoes.
Alex Wolking:But she was just like, what?
Alex Wolking:Especially at that price point and that, you know, level, so many of those clients are just like, so do they just not sell any real estate?
Alex Wolking:And the.
Alex Wolking:It's like, the less you try, the people like, oh, this guy's not trying to get business.
Alex Wolking:And so then when they.
Alex Wolking:When they connect with your style, then you're not there.
Alex Wolking:They're just like, is everything okay?
Grant Alexander:Right?
Grant Alexander:I think all that continues to lead to more and more evolution.
Grant Alexander:So as you think about how your career and self will evolve, where kind of like, where do you.
Grant Alexander:Where do you see yourself going?
Grant Alexander:Is it.
Grant Alexander:Is it honing in on the definition of your client even further?
Grant Alexander:And just really nailing those stories.
Grant Alexander:So is it honing in on what you already know or do you want to experiment and add something new and try something new?
Alex Wolking:You know, I've experimented with, you know, expanding into different markets, different neighborhoods, different product types.
Alex Wolking:And what's been interesting is I've done enough experimenting and I found what works.
Alex Wolking:Sometimes you find something new.
Alex Wolking:Like I had a really killer listing in Wicker park last year.
Alex Wolking:I actually helped this buyer buy it and then I helped him sell it four years later.
Alex Wolking:And that was a great example because so much of my business is on like the north side, you know, and I sell in Wicker Park, Bucktown, Ukrainian village.
Alex Wolking:I sold plenty of war there.
Alex Wolking:But this was a very ultra modern single family home, which I've sold plenty of single family homes.
Alex Wolking:But this was like ultra modern, sleek.
Alex Wolking:Everything was, you know, super high end and just like clean lines.
Alex Wolking:It just, it was.
Alex Wolking:And the house had a smart home system.
Alex Wolking:And I'm usually dealing with historic homes that have no home systems.
Alex Wolking:So it was a, it challenged me because it was so I'm not used to selling something that's not falling apart.
Grant Alexander:So did you like that?
Alex Wolking:I did because it forced me to think, how am I going to tell this?
Alex Wolking:This house is only five years old.
Alex Wolking:And what actually ended up happening was I knew my client who I've worked with many times.
Alex Wolking:He worked in healthcare and technology.
Alex Wolking:He was in his mid-30s, single guy, self made, did really well for himself.
Alex Wolking:And so again, that was not my usual, yeah, my usual customer.
Alex Wolking:I'm usually dealing with people in their, you know, 65 plus.
Alex Wolking:So I was like, okay, this even.
Alex Wolking:But he kept coming back to me because he loved that I told the truth, right.
Alex Wolking:And it was unfiltered.
Alex Wolking:So I was like, okay, this is interesting.
Alex Wolking:Who are we going to sell this to?
Alex Wolking:Because it's got a really unique floor plan, you know, the floating staircase.
Alex Wolking:Well, you're not going to get somebody with kids to buy this.
Alex Wolking:And it's certainly not going to be an older couple because it was the only single family home that was five level.
Alex Wolking:And it had a full roof deck too.
Alex Wolking:It's like we're gonna find some like young guy just like him, who he was when he bought, when I helped him buy this 4 years ago, lo and behold, we, the way I wove that story was exactly explaining what happened when he bought it.
Alex Wolking:You know, this is a guy that he bought this at a time when his company was taking off.
Alex Wolking:He's now at a point, doesn't need the house anymore.
Alex Wolking:And of course, with client confidentiality, you can't disclose too much, but that was enough.
Alex Wolking:That was like, I kind of dangled the carrot.
Alex Wolking:But I waited until buyers came in to kind of gauge who they were and feel them out first.
Alex Wolking:And I knew if there was a young couple coming in, I was like, oh, God, wait till you guys see the roof deck or kind of building it up.
Alex Wolking:I geared my showings towards what was important to them.
Alex Wolking:But I knew I was like, we're going to sell this to some young guy that doesn't want a condo, but wants the vibe of like, you know, something new and sexy.
Alex Wolking:We ended up getting multiple offers.
Alex Wolking:One of them was a young couple.
Alex Wolking:They did really well, I think in like health insurance or something.
Alex Wolking:And then the other buyer was a Bulls player and, you know, he was in his early 20s, signed a big contract.
Alex Wolking:But also the thing was, all the, all the furniture in the house kind of had like very masculine vibes, you know, just very square, you know, big bulky furniture, very modern, beautiful pieces from like our house.
Alex Wolking:And.
Alex Wolking:But it wasn't like Pottery Barn, that was like, you know, North Shore.
Alex Wolking:It was very modern and contemporary.
Alex Wolking:So I got him to buy the house furnished because I was like, this is like, here you're buying a, you know, 5,000 square foot house.
Alex Wolking:You're coming from a two bedroom condo.
Alex Wolking:So, you know, he bought, he.
Alex Wolking:We got multiple offers, got them competing, and we went with the one that bought furnished.
Alex Wolking:But also I was like, this is a guy who gets what this house is.
Alex Wolking:This house was designed for him.
Grant Alexander:They get it.
Grant Alexander:And also you were seeing where they were at, because for people like that, with that type of job, they want to ideally trust someone to not sell them the bs and they want efficiency to get it furnished so they don't have to deal with that and potentially get more people involved.
Grant Alexander:That's.
Grant Alexander:That's really getting them where they are.
Alex Wolking:So to your point about how I actually had to change my style for those clients, I knew we were going to sell it to someone young, which means they're probably about my age.
Alex Wolking:You know, I'm, at the time I was 31.
Alex Wolking:I'm 32 now.
Alex Wolking:But somebody probably in their late 20s that did really well or to 40 max is how old they're going to be.
Alex Wolking:And I knew if I had a jacket on that wasn't going to resonate with.
Alex Wolking:I knew I needed to wear something cool.
Alex Wolking:So I had like a pair of white sneakers that were, you know, trend on trend, but still something I would pick.
Alex Wolking:So I wore every.
Alex Wolking:For every showing.
Alex Wolking:I had, like, black jeans, I had my white sneakers and, like, a black T shirt on.
Alex Wolking:So I looked very like, West Loop almost.
Alex Wolking:But I was still young, right?
Alex Wolking:So people are like, oh, you look like me.
Alex Wolking:All I had to do was change my shoes, right?
Alex Wolking:That's it.
Grant Alexander:Yeah.
Alex Wolking:And even then, it was just like, oh, and like, instant comfort in connections.
Alex Wolking:Because people.
Alex Wolking:You're not some, you know, stodgy old broker who's been around the block forever, right?
Grant Alexander:You look the part, you're telling the right story that they need to hear what they want to hear.
Alex Wolking:Well, and it's.
Alex Wolking:It's telling a story when you're asked, not just telling one to, you know, put it all together for them.
Alex Wolking:But when he started looking through, like, that kitchen had a lot of really cool features in it.
Alex Wolking:I wasn't gonna bore him with that because he doesn't cook.
Alex Wolking:So he was like.
Alex Wolking:He's like, well, he's like, we want outdoor space.
Alex Wolking:And I was like, well, I'm really excited to show you the rooftop.
Alex Wolking:And he.
Alex Wolking:So then, you know, there was a hot.
Alex Wolking:The rooftop had a hot tub on it and everything else.
Alex Wolking:It's like, well, we can get the hot tub to stay because we weren't going to move it down four flights of steps.
Grant Alexander:But he didn't know that.
Alex Wolking:He didn't know that.
Alex Wolking:But that, you know, it's one of those things where.
Alex Wolking:That's what sold the house.
Grant Alexander:Sure, that's what sold it.
Grant Alexander:I feel like stories, recurring theme.
Grant Alexander:I think it's such a part of you, and I think that's what really resonates with people.
Grant Alexander:If you were speaking to people that wanted to get into real estate, I won't even say young, because I know so many people at all different ages that have got into real estate.
Grant Alexander:So if you're speaking to aspiring successful realtors, what advice, whether it be the stories you tell or the way you treat people, what advice would you give to them to think about their style?
Grant Alexander:In developing that, not from a clothing perspective, but their style as a professional.
Alex Wolking:Your clients are going to fall into one of three groups.
Alex Wolking:Who you were, who you are, and who you're going to be.
Alex Wolking:And if you're still figuring yourself out and you're still learning more about yourself and discovering your personality and your limits and what makes you tick, that will be very telling of who your clients will be.
Alex Wolking:I don't want to say dress for the job you want, but do it authentically.
Alex Wolking:And I think the biggest Mistake I see agents make is they'll go out and spend 5, 10, 15, $20,000 on a new wardrobe because they want to look the part.
Alex Wolking:And then they end up in a ton of credit card debt, and they end up being miserable because they don't like who they're working with, and they feel like they're constantly performing.
Alex Wolking:It's exhausting.
Alex Wolking:Absolutely, it's exhausting.
Grant Alexander:I talk about that pretty regularly.
Grant Alexander:I consider it the price of trying to fit in is so exhausting.
Grant Alexander:It's lonely.
Grant Alexander:It's a terrible place.
Alex Wolking:Terrible place.
Alex Wolking:I mean, it's such a cliche to say be yourself, but when you just look at where you've been and where you are now, that's a story that people, other clients and customers can see in you.
Alex Wolking:And you're best equipped to help people with the same situation you've been in.
Alex Wolking:Yeah, I mean, one of the best stories I can think of is a woman that was fresh out of a divorce, got into real estate.
Alex Wolking:You know, typical foray into real estate, but she found a niche.
Alex Wolking:This woman's in California.
Alex Wolking:She found a niche with divorces and made a fortune.
Alex Wolking:So she built a network of attorneys, judges, mediators, bringing everybody in.
Alex Wolking:Right.
Alex Wolking:Because they usually got a house to sell.
Alex Wolking:But her thing was, I've been a divorced.
Alex Wolking:I'm a single mom.
Alex Wolking:Like, I've been in your shoes.
Alex Wolking:And that made her far more relatable.
Alex Wolking:And what she did to dress the part.
Alex Wolking:That's beautiful segue for this is she knew if it was a straight couple, she had to kind of COVID herself up a little more.
Alex Wolking:And that was a.
Alex Wolking:But knowing how to navigate that in a.
Alex Wolking:That was authentic to her.
Alex Wolking:But for her, her thing was because she had to be kind of a firm personality.
Alex Wolking:Her thing was pearls.
Alex Wolking:She always had to have a pearl necklace on.
Alex Wolking:If she had the pearl necklace on, she was safe.
Grant Alexander:Yeah.
Alex Wolking:Because people, you never be mad at somebody who has a pearl necklace on.
Alex Wolking:And this was.
Alex Wolking:She was in her late 30s, early 40s, but she started kind of late.
Alex Wolking:You know, didn't get in the business like I did when I was 19.
Alex Wolking:Like, she came in late, but she had a network and she had a story and she found what worked.
Alex Wolking:And that is prime example.
Grant Alexander:So let's go.
Grant Alexander:For listeners or viewers that are looking to buy or sell a home, how would you suggest or encourage them to think about the story of their home?
Alex Wolking:Look at what.
Alex Wolking:If you're looking at buying a home, look at your home now and assess what works and what doesn't.
Alex Wolking:That's often what prompts people to buy homes.
Alex Wolking:That's kind of a simple, basic answer, but it's very true, which is what works and what doesn't.
Alex Wolking:Honestly.
Alex Wolking:One of the biggest things I've seen, too, since the pandemic is people reevaluating what neighborhoods they live in.
Alex Wolking:People that are, you know, people that live downtown.
Alex Wolking:They don't want the hustle and bustle of the grind and, you know, concrete jungle.
Alex Wolking:They want to be where there's trees and coffee shops and parks.
Alex Wolking:There's people on the north side or west side or whatever and south side who just go, you know what?
Alex Wolking:I'm sick of this city.
Alex Wolking:I want to be.
Alex Wolking:I don't want to see another neighbor for another hundred yards.
Alex Wolking:I want to be where there's space.
Grant Alexander:I love Saturday and Sunday mornings walking Paddington or one of the girls.
Grant Alexander:Now it's silent.
Alex Wolking:Yes.
Grant Alexander:So lovely.
Grant Alexander:There's trees all along the street.
Alex Wolking:I use you as an example.
Alex Wolking:Quite a bit old Town to Highland park, and I tell people all the time, like, that's a prime example of people just going, this no longer suits me.
Grant Alexander:Right.
Alex Wolking:And when it comes to selling a home, one of the things I always ask my sellers is, who were you when you bought the house?
Grant Alexander:Sure.
Alex Wolking:That's who our buyer is.
Alex Wolking:That is exactly.
Alex Wolking:Like, I've got, you know, clients right now that have got a massive 10,000 square foot home that a beautiful historic property.
Alex Wolking:And, like, well, we think we'll sell this to someone like this.
Alex Wolking:I was like, who were you guys when you bought this?
Alex Wolking:Well, you were in your late 30s, early 40s.
Alex Wolking:You had two kids that were 9 and 12.
Alex Wolking:That's.
Alex Wolking:And you lived in the Gold coast, so you understood and appreciated historic architecture.
Alex Wolking:You wanted a land, you know, and we wanted a yard and space for kids.
Alex Wolking:That's probably who we're gonna sell this house to.
Grant Alexander:Sure.
Alex Wolking:And that actually informs my marketing plan of how we're gonna set up a marketing strategy that's gonna work.
Alex Wolking:Yeah.
Grant Alexander:Awesome.
Grant Alexander:Viewers and listeners, we've had such a lovely conversation today with Alex Wolking, talking about the power of stories and narratives and being true to yourself in style, whether in clothing or in how you go about life.
Grant Alexander:It shapes who we are, it helps us connect with others, especially if you're trying to sell amazing properties, and it pushes us toward success.
Grant Alexander:Alex's journey is a perfect example of how embracing your authentic self, your freak self, your story filled self, can lead to amazing and successful things.
Grant Alexander:Whatever you're trying to do, we are going to continue our conversation with Alex over on Patreon.
Grant Alexander:So don't miss the stories in action there.
Grant Alexander:If you're watching, be sure to subscribe.
Grant Alexander:And if you're listening, be sure to subscribe.
Grant Alexander:Be sure to tune in next week for another inst inspiring episode as we continue to explore the very many layers of style and success.
Grant Alexander:Thanks for joining us on House of Style.
Grant Alexander:And remember, style isn't in your closet, it's in.
