zipLogix™ Aims to Dramatically Improve the Real Estate Process
RISMedia’s Real Estate magazine recently had the opportunity to chat with Scott Strong as the one-year anniversary of his appointment as CEO of zipLogix™ approaches. In this exclusive interview, Strong provides a closer look at the momentum that’s propelling the company into the future—and why he’s so passionate about being at the helm.
Real Estate magazine: Tell us a little bit about your background and how you got to be where you are today at zipLogixTM.
Scott Strong: I have 25 years of deep software industry experience, and I’m passionate about building simple technology that takes the complex and makes it easy. Having spent time as an engineer before transitioning into the software space, I’ve always taken great pride in not only solving a problem once, but rather, creating a package or platform that allows people to solve that problem over and over again. My wife is a successful REALTOR®, so I’ve lived in the real estate business for 14 years now with her. When the opportunity came along to merge what we both do successfully into a common world, I jumped at it.
RE: What’s your vision for the company?
SS: From the context of where I’ve been and what I see my wife working on daily, it’s clear that there’s room to dramatically improve the transactional experience for everyone involved in the home-buying or -selling process. While there have been great advances over the last decade, the real estate process is still complex. In fact, I’m currently closing on a home, and going through the process opened my eyes to the fact that there’s still work that needs to be done.
For those of us at zipLogix™, a critical part of our vision is the belief that having a human being involved in the real estate transaction makes for a better decision-making process and a smoother life transition, while keeping us all grounded and connected. People are typically going through a transition within their lives when purchasing a home, and having a human involved not only makes the process easier, but also allows the client to be more confident in their decision. Our goal as a company is to empower agents, brokers and others who are passionate about what they do with great technology, so that they can remain a positive influence in the decision-making process.
RE: How do you plan to take zipLogix™ from where it is today to where it needs to be in order to remain an innovative leader?
SS: We sit in a unique position in regard to our proximity to agents and brokers, so we’re able to continue to take advantage of the ideas and innovations that come from the industry. Being involved with the National Association of REALTORS® is another benefit, as is being on the front line of what brokers are doing to serve consumers, since this gives us insight into being able to create innovative advantages for them to move forward. Our office locations are another key advantage that we have on our side. For instance, I can marry the grind and determination of our Midwest office located in suburban Detroit with the elegance and sophisticated technology that’s at the core of our California office. This unique composition will lead us to great innovations.
RE: What’s your take on the real estate industry as a whole?
SS: I have the benefit of coming from other industries, all of which I’ve watched move toward and live through this constant state of change that’s now part of the way they operate. In much the same way, the real estate industry has been moving through this same state of constant change, which will continue; however, I see opportunity in constant change, and it’s going to provide a wonderful opportunity for those agents, brokers, associations and other providers that want to continue to drive the industry forward. Brokers and agents with a plan on how to embrace the technology and the changing moods and buying behaviors provide an extremely valuable professional component to this industry. We plan to be right there with them providing the technologic edge they’ll need to stay involved in the process.
RE: Where do you see the industry heading in the future?
SS: We’re headed in a positive direction, as we’re all gathered around this moment where a buyer and seller exchange a property with guidance and counsel from both humans and technology; however, the thing that’s making many of us uncomfortable is the accelerated pace at which we’re moving. The more we can pick up the pace and continue to drive that which is understandable and simple to use, the easier it will be to position ourselves as a solid player going forward. As we continue to accelerate and provide agents with the technology that frees them up to be agents, the more they can focus on the creativity and innovation that led to their success in the first place. If we do our jobs right, we’re going to make this acceleration a little more digestible.
RE: What are you most excited about as you complete your first year as CEO?
SS: I’ve inherited a dedicated, passionate team that has an incredible legacy of taking the industry from a paper world to a digital world. Our legacy is in our DNA, so we’ll continue to drive this industry forward as we go through the digital optimization of the entire real estate process. I’ve spent a lot of time looking at what we’re going to do path forward, and I’m amazed when it comes to the amount of spirit this team has. And I’d be remiss if I didn’t take the time to thank all of our zipLogix™ users, as well. They’ve been very passionate over the years and have been an invaluable resource to guide our platform.
RE: What does the future of zipLogix™ look like?
SS: We’re currently involved in some exciting strategy sessions, which will provide us the opportunity to spend time with industry experts, entrepreneurs and innovators so that we can step back and look at what we need, what we want and what we should continue to do in order to empower agents and brokers. I believe with what we have in our DNA, as well as the smart capital we have access to, we’ll be able to leapfrog any outside threat. We’ve got great things coming down the pike, and I’m excited to move them forward and will be announcing them in the very near future.
For more information, please visit www.ziplogix.com.
Paige Tepping is RISMedia’s managing editor. Email her your real estate news ideas at paige@rismedia.com. For the latest real estate news and trends, bookmark RISMedia.com.
