Glenn Stearns
CEO FOUNDER, Stearns Companies: Lending, Escrow, Settlements, Productions, et
Santa Ana - CA US
RATE Stearns Founder, Glenn Stearns, in FAST Company's TOP 50
What did you accomplish in 2004?
Last year, one of Glenn Stearns' 26 companies in the real estate services industry
received a call of congratulations from the US Dept of Housing and Development for
being named one of its top 100 contracted companies. Upon further review, it was
discovered that Glenn actually had four companies in the top 100 -all under different
names (Carriage Escrow, Carriage Abstract, United Housing, and First American /
Carriage Escrow JV). Glenn determined this a missed opportunity and decided to re
brand all companies under one master brand to leverage the success of each company.
Newly re-branded under the Stearns Corporation, this group of companies was
responsible for over 80,000 transactions and $1.5 billion in real estate sales last
year. Most dear to his heart, Glenn became a Grandfather at forty by his beloved
daughter he had as a teenager.
How did you do it?
Glenn’s key success has always been to hire the best in the industry. After
barely graduating from college with a 2.16 GPA, Glenn became a quick study of people,
not books. His key to success has always been to recruit and surround himself with the
most talented people in the industry. That, in addition to using completely
unconventional strategies in a staid, traditional industry, has allowed his companies
to leap frog competition. It shows in the new brand identity- a mix of Jimmy Buffet,
heroism, and banking. This new brand has allowed the company to grow and diversify in
ways that actually counteract a cyclical real estate market by launching companies in
diverse industries (such as production) that build on the culture and personality of
the company, rather than the industry itself. Glenn left the company for 30 days this
summer to play the role of “The Millionaire” in the much-hyped TV series,
“The Real Gilligan’s island”. As a testament to his recruiting
ability, his companies actually increased revenue during his absence under the
leadership of his hand picked executive team.
What were the major obstacles that you faced?
Glenn has always embraced opportunities that initially revealed themselves as
obstacles. He thought his “life was over” when he fathered a child at
fourteen. Since overcoming seemingly an insurmountable problem - growing up while
raising a daughter, it not only “turned out”, it turned out to be the best
thing in his life today. The experience taught him to see most obstacles as
opportunities- allowing him to help his company surpass its goals year after year.
This year, with the rebranding effort, Glenn’s companies literally received
name changes and face lifts in one day. It had to be a truly “inside-out”
effort, a culture change for employees and executives as they all worked together to
build something authentic and unique for their company, and for the market in which
they compete. Glenn used the enormous press coverage of Gilligan’s Island to
increase awareness of the new brand. Not so coincidentally, Glenn’s TV character
is “MR. Stearns”, liken it the new corporate name! He has been able to
leveraging his free spirited, unorthodox personality to make the Stearns brand hip,
customer focused, household name, almost overnight.
What was the result?
Wait and see…but by the looks of it: the Stearns family of companies have increased in revenues in a declining market, have a new invigorated workforce, diversified holdings, and are actually having fun doing it. This week alone, Glenn donned the cover of three newspapers in southern California, the home of Stearns Corporate headquarters. Stay tuned for how the newly created Stearns Foundation will play a roll in the people and communities where Stearns does business.
What are your goals for 2005?
- Continue national expansion of Stearns Lending, Escrow and Settlements
- Continue the growth of companies investing in minority owned companies (Glenn
recently created a partnership with the Alaskan Native companies, a minority owned
company who Glenn will mentor over the next nine years)
- Increase awareness of the Stearns Foundation, to help troubled youth that
remind Glenn of his own childhood.
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