“Are we really doing this?”
That’s what Omar Murillo asked of Nicole Causey as they drove back from Discovery Day in San Francisco in August 2019. Hosted by Side, Discovery Day is a half-day demonstration that showcases how Side helps agents establish a market-leading brand, grow their income and market share, all while increasing their productivity and gaining back more of their time. It lit a fire under these colleagues who had previously collaborated with each other but had never imagined creating something entirely new.
Along with top producing agent Yvette Teng, Murillo and Causey saw a new brand taking shape. A brand where excellence was baked in from the beginning. Where ethics were guiding principles. And where good people could do good work—together.
And from this vision, Everhome Real Estate was born.
Three agents. One vision. Limitless potential.
Causey will be the first to tell you she didn’t set out to create her own brand.
“I was 15 years into working with the same brand and had no complaints,” she recalled. But Discovery Day offered something exciting. “When I saw what Side had to offer, it really illuminated what was possible and what I was missing—and it made all the sense in the world.”
Murillo was in the same boat. “I had no interest in forming my own brand. But anytime I hear technology and real estate, I’m very intrigued.”
For Teng, it came full circle. She had been invited to a Discovery Day the previous month. “I always thought I’d retire as a big-name brand agent, but after Discovery Day, I started to realize that it was time to make a change. After doing the same thing comfortably for 16 years, I had lost sight of my own potential,” she said. “Yes, it would be scary to go out on my own and leave behind what I was so used to, but the benefits of launching my own company together with Side were clear.”
Many agents experience trepidation or uncertainty when it comes to launching their own brand. The ins and outs, and operational framework required to run a successful business can feel overwhelming for one individual. But when Teng, Causey, and Murillo each had epiphanies following Discovery Day, they saw the potential that might be forged from a union.
“Why not just form a superbrand?” proposed Murillo. And he had good reason to want to partner with Teng and Causey. “Not only were they high producing Realtors,” he said, “but I know that they’re really good people. I felt like that was the key thing: we all wanted to build a company that had the highest possible standard.”
Causey followed her instincts as well and was immediately validated. “The three of us joined forces and had a very powerful little brand right out of the gate. There can be a sense of ‘every man for himself’ in this business. But Everhome melted any sort of barriers away. We have an understanding that anything we do together is for the betterment of our brand. We all agree that if you just do the right thing, it will blossom from there.”
The Everhome team
Finding partnership, community, and support
The creation and launch of Everhome Real Estate were that much more exciting and possible because of the support and structure from Side.
Side partners with top-producing agents who are dedicated to developing a market-leading business, taking the heavy lifting off agents’ shoulders. The brokerage combines the agent’s expertise and talent with back-office operations for transaction management, property marketing, lead generation, vendor management, and infrastructure solutions, and state-of-the-art technology.
And that technology caught Causey’s attention immediately.
“I thought it was pretty cool to have access on a mobile device for everything from writing an offer to taking a listing appointment,” she said. “It’s also reassuring that the response time is immediate, even on evenings and weekends.”
Murillo concurred. “I love that I can customize everything. I can tell the Side team, ‘I’d like to see this happen,’ and they get it done for me.”
Teng noted that the community has been incredibly valuable for their new brand, as they all attend bi-annual Side Forums where over 1,000 Side partner teams convene—in-person previously, virtually today—to share insights, exchange best practices, and network with one another.
“I thought the Side Forum was very well put together,” she shared. “It was really inspiring for us to meet the other partners and hear their stories. And [it’s] a great way to network with so many top-notch agents. Causey added, “Now we hop on a call twice a month and share best practices, ideas, and marketing. It reaffirms the decision we made because the community is just like us.”
Starting a new brand from scratch can be scary, intimidating. But as Murillo noted, Side took much of the uncertainty and unknown out of the equation.
“I have such peace of mind about the decision that we made. I feel really happy to have Everhome and to have such a great partner in Side.”