Spotlight: Mike Gain, President and CEO
Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices
Northwest Real Estate
Seattle, Wash.
Maria Patterson: When and why did you choose to make the switch to Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices?
Mike Gain: The minute we heard that Berkshire Hathaway would be part of this brand, myself and everyone in the company were so excited.
MP: Beyond a stellar brand name, what else does the brand bring to the table?
MG: From a national website to lead generation and stay-in-touch tools, this technology platform will be the best in the business. The brand is using top vendors for its technology platform, marketing and PR, among other key alliances. It’s so exciting for our agents—this is not just about a name and a brand; the real excitement is about the tools that will be delivered.
MP: How will the new branding help you better connect with consumers?
MG: The name Berkshire Hathaway is associated with success, stability and integrity. This is a game-changer for us in our marketplace. I do believe this will make us the company that people will want to be a part of. This is our one opportunity in time to start fresh and reinvent a company for now and the future.
Spotlight: Linda Sherrer, President and CEO
Prudential Network Realty (transitioning as Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Network Realty in January 2014)
Jacksonville, Fla.
Maria Patterson: Why is affiliating with the new brand important to your firm’s future?
Linda Sherrer: Our goal is to raise the level of professionalism in the real estate industry, and what better way to do that than to have the most respected company in the world as your namesake? The Berkshire Hathaway brand is in sync with qualities that are important to us: integrity; operational excellence; financial strength; and a highly respected, global name.
MP: How will the Berkshire Hathaway name impact your business?
LS: Berkshire Hathaway is among the world’s most admired. This is an exceptional opportunity to merge the power and prestige of the Berkshire Hathaway name with the strong, local reputation of Prudential Network Realty. This is a win/win for our clients and associates.
Spotlight: Michael Slevin, President
Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Colorado Properties
Vail, Colo.
Maria Patterson: How quickly did you decide to join the Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices brand?
Michael Slevin: When the announcement was made last year, we knew immediately that the brand would elevate our business. The strength and reputation of Berkshire Hathaway, combined with the leadership and commitment to the best and most innovative practices was evident from the start. To be one of the first companies to transition was valuable for our timing (before the 2013/2014 ski and snowboard season) and to be on the initial wave of the new brand is exciting.
MP: How will the affiliation benefit your company in new ways?
MS: In the resorts of Vail and Beaver Creek, the brand is well known and respected by our clients who travel from around the country and around the world. The Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices brand is recognizable and generates interest; it is respected and trusted. What more could a real estate client want from their company and broker than those attributes? The brand will elevate everything we do and how we do it.
MP: How has the transition process been?
MS: The transition has been a great experience for our company. It has allowed us to look at our business in its entirety and emerge stronger, with more tools and resources for our brokers and well-defined marketing plans for our clients. The communication of the brand has been a fun and exciting process. We have targeted our market through digital outreach, direct mail, public relations, print, television and more. The brand is a conversation starter and it is a fun conversation to have. It has piqued the interest of the market.
For more information, please visit www.berkshirehathawayhs.com.