On this episode of the Massimo Show Rod sits down with a top broker and former professional hockey player Joe Rullier from Montreal to discuss his transition from hockey to commercial real estate and how life hasn’t changed all that much!

Life moves quickly for a talented young hockey player and Joe is a great example of this fact. At the age of just 15, he went to go play Junior hockey. He was drafted to the AHL when he was 17 and moved to the states at age 20.

Joe is unique in that in addition to having a great talent for hockey he also has a great head for business. He remembers that his father was never a big fan of stocks but believed you should have your money where you could see it - such as brick and mortar. So, it was not a surprise that at age 19, with his first bonus from a hockey contract, Joe invested in 32 apartments back home in Montreal.

Joe’s father explained to him that “you now have 32 people going to work to pay your mortgage” and that stuck with him as he continued to serve his market, his clients, and his tenants. He now owns over 300 apartments and continues to run a successful brokerage.

He describes both of the areas of his professional life as being very similar. In hockey as in CRE you are just as good as your last game or deal, there are a lot of people who want to take your job or clients and overall, they are both incredibly competitive games.

Joe credits a lot of his success, both on and off the ice, to having great coaches and reminds us that the best coach in the world won’t work if you don’t have faith in the process! The best coaches have a passion for what they do and are always able to mentor you through different situations. In CRE as in hockey, having the perspective of someone who can see the bigger picture is always an advantage.

Joe and Rod end the interview discussing Joe’s best habits to be successful in the business including what he’s reading and what how he’s approaching continuing education in his field!