Real Estate. The New Chapter.
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K-Fit Family,
Back in 2013, I put all my credit cards together and emptied out my savings. With a blend of massive ambition, little business knowledge and a whole lot of naivete, I set out to open Studio K-Fit. I was 29 at the time, not married and had no kids. I could take that risk. I had a handful of incredibly special clients that came along with me for the ride. 15 of them to be exact. Fast forward to January 2020 and we hit a new high at the studio. Our biggest month ever and we had our largest team. Seven on staff, and 150 members. A benchmark that I could not ever imagine just a few years back. Then March 16th, 2020 came. Shelter in place. What the heck is that?! Everyone is scrambling to figure out what to make of this pandemic. March 17th was Sofia’s 1st birthday. I now have a 1 year old and a 3 year old, and my first baby (K-Fit) is going downhill fast. I realized early on that this pandemic was going to last more than a couple weeks. Membership cancellation requests came on a daily basis. Even though we were trying to keep people active online via ZOOM, I knew it wasn't the same. The fitness sector took one of the biggest hits ever. There was so much out of my control, and I had to simply accept that fact. To date, 7 studios around Menlo Park/Redwood City have closed its doors. 25% of studios nationwide have closed permanently and there was a 58% revenue reduction in the fitness industry as a whole in 2020. Anxiety and panic hit as I sat at home wondering what I was going to do if K-Fit went under. There was no backup plan. We live in the most expensive part of the country, Angie is a full time mom, and the fitness world that I dedicated most of my life to is under assault. Peloton and related competition is hitting new highs, while the in-person fitness world is struggling to stay afloat. Despite the challenges this past year has brought, we have prevailed and have a lot to be grateful for. Thanks to many of our members who have supported us through this storm, we are happy to say Studio K-Fit will continue onward! It did come at a cost as we had to say goodbye to some excellent trainers and staff. Financially, we had to pivot and make some tough choices in order to keep things afloat. After some vulnerable reflection, I realized I needed to reinvent myself and explore a new direction that offered the flexibility I’d need to still run K-Fit. I didn’t want to give it all up to work full time in the corporate world. I was already considering doing an online MBA program while I ran K-Fit, in order to equip me with a better understanding of how to run a business, so I started the executive MBA with Quantic in May 2020. I also started exploring my interest in learning more about the real estate industry. After seeking counsel with several trusted individuals, I decided to start taking real estate classes in order to get licensed. As part of my due diligence on the industry, I had a very inspiring conversation with a realtor named Terel Beppu, who owns and operates Beppu Group, LLC. Terel sold me and Angie our home 3 years ago and has been in the industry for over 15 years. He has an incredibly genuine and positive charisma that’s contagious. He is one of the best communicators I’ve met, and now I get a chance to be mentored by him. After working as a CPA for over a decade, Terel began his career in real estate with Intero, one of northern California’s premiere brokerages, where he consistently ranked in the top 1% of the company. Thirteen years later, he left Intero and started Beppu Group and enjoys status in the top 1% of realtors nationwide. Once you meet him, you’ll quickly know why. Terel was one of my main motivations for becoming a realtor, as he demonstrated that you can operate in the real estate space and still bring integrity and sophistication to bear. I realized I could still be me and treat people the way I always have while serving their real estate needs. I don’t have to become the cheesy, self-interested salesman Hollywood loves to portray. Terel’s success proves it, and having been a client of Terel’s, I’ve experienced first hand how adding value, honoring relationships, and carrying a mentality of “serving” others instead of “selling” them can lead to success. It's the same philosophy I've carried all along while building K-Fit. When I recognized common mapping with respect to client service my decision was easy when it came time to choose a broker with whom to hang my license. After asking him if he’d be willing to mentor me, he didn’t even hesitate, and we’re both enthusiastic about our new partnership Terel also understands and supports my current situation with K-Fit. During my rookie year, every transaction will be under Terel’s guidance, so despite my inexperience, I’ll be working alongside the best of the best. So, while I’m starting a new chapter in the real estate world, I will still be very much involved with K-Fit. In addition to my administrative duties and managing staff I will also continue training some clients and a couple group classes as well. I’m energized for this new season, as I know it’ll grow me personally and professionally, and yet I remain enthusiastic about Studio K-Fit as well. As a husband, father, and primary bread-winner, I’m eager to develop this new craft and protect both my family’s and the studio’s futures, so as I dive into this exciting change, Angela and I want to thank you again for your friendship and unwavering support! Kind Regards, Kendrick Realtor, DRE#: 02138433 |
