When Johnny Swan ’17 graduated from Thomas with a distinguished 3.9 GPA and his Bachelor’s in Sports Management, he successfully negotiated his transition into some impressive experiences working for a variety of top-level professional sports teams. However, after some reflection, he realized he was sure of two things: That he needed to get back home to the great State of Maine where he grew up, and that he needed to be working every day with the special kind of people who live there. Johnny soon discovered that a career in real estate would satiate both those needs; he moved home, and everything was going great…. then the pandemic hit.
This is how Johnny synthesized his natural talents with his resilient nature and his Thomas education to find success at home during the height of the global pandemic.
While he was at Thomas, Johnny earned himself a reputation as an engaging and hard-working student who was also a very active member of the Central Maine community. He was well-liked by everyone he met and when he decided to make the transition back home to Maine, working in real estate seemed to be a natural fit. It would allow Johnny to enjoy a variety of Maine’s geography while simultaneously working to serve the fine people of Maine that he so thoroughly enjoyed being around.
Johnny was experiencing success as a Real Estate Agent with Brookewood Realty, a reputable firm based out of Manchester, when suddenly everything changed due to the pandemic.
“Overnight everyone was scared to buy and sell property with all of the unknowns,” said Johnny.
Nothing like this had ever happened in the real estate market, with so many people being afraid to enter a house or to let someone in, it was a significant change. Quickly realizing the severity of the situation, Johnny and Brookewood rolled up their sleeves and creatively adapted on the fly to the shifting market.
“Being in sales forces you have to be a resilient person both professionally and personally due to the simple fact that every day is different. This situation was a big test, but the changes that I and my company have implemented make us better at what we do in all facets of our job.”
From quickly incorporating CDC guidelines into their business plan to providing online 3D virtual tours, Johnny and Brookewood were able to illustrate that they were there for their clients through whatever craziness the world throws at us, and they have seen the success brought on by their ability to get creative.
“Thomas College helped position me for success… I am proud to work every day at a job that I love for a company where everyone is constantly looking for ways to better serve our clients each and every day!”