A Minute with Pablo Beach: Jason Babin
Jason Babin, Former Pro-Bowl Defensive End, Jacksonville Jaguar and now Owner of Redzone Realty Group stops by “A Minute with Pablo Beach”.
Jason talks about his transition from the NFL to owning a Real Estate Company, what they look for in new agents, building a winning culture, local philanthropy, and more.
Enjoy our latest episode!
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The Interview
Hello, it’s Shaun Murphy and it’s “A Minute with Pablo Beach”. Today’s guest is Jason Babin with Redzone Realty. How are you doing, Jason?
Jason: Appreciate you having me on today. Your videos you guys do are pretty amazing.
Shaun: Great. Well, we want to ask you a few questions. I know your entrenched here the business community here in Jacksonville. Can you tell us a little bit about Redzone and how you transition from the NFL to be a real estate company owner?
Jason: Well, there’s one thing that I like to say that I am is pragmatic, and I like to recognize talent. In the sense of when I don’t know how to do something, I find the best person that does and I emulate – just like my football career. I had the opportunity to be with Patrick Kerney. I wasn’t an All-Pro at this time. I got to be teammates with him. Got to see what he did. I copied him. I worked out with him. Ate when he ate, I slept when he slept, rehabbed when he rehabbed, and guess what? I was an All-Pro there right after that. So, you know, I’ve kind of done the same thing in the business world.
The other factor is culture. I didn’t know how to frame this when I first started, but I realized, I took what I knew in football and other sports – when we had that locker room right, when the culture was right, when we had guys that were collectively working at the same goal to win a championship, win a game, they were selfless. They were doing all those little things, for themselves but also for the team and they were learning-based. They took criticism. What did we do right? What did we do wrong? Everyone was thick-skinned about it. Those are the teams that were special. Those are the times that were special. So, you know what myself and my team has really spent our time doing, besides the obvious, is creating that standard, that culture here.
Everyone that has a real estate license isn’t automatically, ’come on, join us’. We want to make sure you’re a fit for us and we’re fit you because we’re high level, learning-based. We’re always pushing the level of technology, growth, development because so many times, through our coaching, culture, and everything we do here at Redzone, we take these agents to come aboard and they say ”I want something more. I want a career. I don’t want a job” and we take those people that are willing to do what it takes and we plug them into the coaching, to the one-on-one’s, groups, everything we do, and guess what happens? This is proved time and time again over the last few years – they double! They create a team. They grow. They get time back. Because, at the end of the day the most valuable thing of all is time. And we teach them how to own the calendar, all those unique things that take you to the next level. That’s kind of what I would say is our specialty, so we’re always looking for additional like-minded people. It’s one of those things where when we ever had trainings, pre-COVID, we had 40-50 people in our training center, and if a new person came in because that is sometimes just the best way “come on, come and train, come see what it’s like” so that gives you a flavor of who we are and at the end of training everyone will come to me and be like “oh, they fit in” or “nope, they don’t fit in” and it’s now it’s got a point where the culture grows where it almost creates itself, it keeps growing.
Shaun: So with that, I’ve been in to what you call “The Arena” where you train your agents, which is amazing, the whole concept. How many locations do you have now?
Jason: We have three here in Jacksonville, one in Winter Park, one in Michigan, and we’re working on a couple more in Florida (regionally) and a little further South, and we’re also rolling out our test market franchise in Houston right now. Just trying to work out the kinks so we can roll that franchise out next year. Okay, so obviously you’re in the mode of hiring agents or looking for talent. Yeah, and honestly, I’ll transition people from other Industries, especially now – we’re looking for a certain type of person. Like I spoke about, that wants to learn, that wants to grow, and wants to excel, is willing to be pushed. That’s “all in”. That’s one of the sayings that we used back when I was in sports – you’ve gotta be all in. I use it all the time.
I used it this morning because the gyms are open today, and I’ve started training my 15-year-old son. I’m always talking to him, coaching him about life, about everything, and that ‘all in’ no matter what you do. I told him, I don’t care if you go to college. I don’t care if you’re a welder. I don’t care if you’re a doctor, but whatever you do – you’re all in. You’re going to be the best, going to work to be the best, and that mentality is just something that people have, and those people that have it, that’s what we’re looking for.
Shaun: That’s awesome We were talking the last couple of weeks, and you’ve got some type of special event coming up with The March of Dimes. Do you want to share with us and we can put it out there?
Jason: Yeah, we have a really cool event that we spoke about at The Arena, but we took this time during the COVID and we decided let’s double down, let’s not shut it down. We were already virtual-ready, but we doubled our efforts as far as our webinars, seminars, bringing in speakers. We did a whole new CRM for the entire Redzone offices, and we did a full-on remodel of The Arena so when you’re back you’re going to see it, and be like “wow, I don’t recognize this place”. We are going to have an event for The Children’s Miracle Network at The Arena. It’s going to be a Vegas event. You’re going to see a bunch of ads coming about it. All the money is going to go to, The Miracle Network and we’re going to have a fun night. We’re going to do some gambling, some music, some drinking, and I hope it’s pushed back for enough to where people are feeling more comfortable to come enjoy the evening.
Shaun: What are the dates of it?
Jason: We’re going to get back to you on that because it’s one of those things where it’s gonna be towards the end of June.
Shaun: Okay, great. Well, we’ll put out your contact information if someone wants to get in touch with you and get involved in your network, or even contact you about a possible career move or something. Give us your information we will put it out.
Jason: Just call the main office. We’re all digital, we can route calls anywhere to anyone in the country. So call that number and then we’re gonna get you the right person. Okay, and your website is redzonerealtygroup.com.
Shaun: Okay, great. Well Jason, thanks for taking the time to join us today, and we appreciate it. We’ll see you this week at The Arena.
Jason: Absolutely. Thanks, man. I appreciate you guys.
About Redzone Realty Group
RedZone Realty Group cofounders Jason Babin and Kyle Bosworth are taking the same intrinsic approach for preparation, teamwork, loyalty, and passion they had for NFL football and putting their industry forward concept into the real estate brokerage.
The concept is a true partnership, with both bringing unique skills from their individual backgrounds to RedZone Realty.
Kyle is a licensed agent in multiple states, specializing in customer relations, with the ability to offer a full range of moving experience from your “basic” to a “white glove”.
Jason’s development/construction company has experience in master-planned communities, student housing, new construction, and renovation flips.
RedZone can guide you through the entire process from beginning to end no matter your real estate needs.
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