We had the good fortune of connecting with Ryan Johnston and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Ryan, have there been any changes in how you think about work-life balance?
This has been one of the hardest adjustments for me over the past few years as I know have 2 year old daughter and our second daughter was born a few months ago. The second child really shifted everything schedule wise and for my business it feels like it was hitting a major stride. I try to now time block as much as possible to make sure I am available in the morning and then home each night for dinner. You never want to miss anything with kids as the time goes so quickly. Before children I think I was too much of a “yes man” in my business either trying to cover too large of a territory or help every single client. This was too much of a scarcity mindset and led to burnout being spread too thin. Having kids has really given me power to say no to things in my day that I would have done before as they are not moving the needle forward on my business. It’s empowering to feel like you’re taking time back to be able to allocate it elsewhere as its the only thing none of us can get more of. It’s still a work in progress but recognizing what can be outsourced and trying not to tackle everything myself which for realtors I know can be hard as we wear a ton of hats and always feel like only we can do it the way we want to. I have started to look at my business in a similar way to investing. What keeps people poor is purchasing liabilities, you want to purchase assets and things that put your money to work making more money. Time is the same thing, it is better to pay to outsource a more time consuming task and focus on the income generating activities which can actually enable working less but earning more.

Image description

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I sell residential real estate across Metro Atlanta with am emphasis on Alpharetta where I live. One of my specialities is relocations as I have sold a home in almost every town within a 50 mile radius of the city. As a transplant from New York myself I know how hard it can be to understand all the different lifestyles and personalities to parts of Greater Atlanta have. I am sway introverted which seems odd for someone in sales the loyalty and tactful approach helps me deliver a tailored experience for clients. I’ve talked myself out of more commissions over the years than I can count because helping people is about giving them the advice that you would want yourself and sometimes that means they pass on a house or offer and you don’t get paid. Clients working with me know they get an unfiltered and honest opinion so they can make the best decisions for themselves, which has really helped repeat business. One of my favorite quotes by Maya Angelou — ‘At the end of the day people won’t remember what you said or did, they will remember how you made them feel.’

Image description

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Over the past 10 years I’ve been here I have lived all over Intown and then moved North to the suburbs being in Alpharetta which I am incredible partial too. I absolutely love Downtown Alpharetta with the green space for the kids where you can grab a drink or food from some local favorites like Smokejack BBQ, Citizen Soul or Lapeer for a great night out. Crust Pizzeria is probably the best pizza in all Atlanta. Local coffee and donut spots there are also amazing like Valor Coffee, DaVincis Donuts are great too and then you have to go to the Roaring Social speakeasy under The Hamilton Hotel. Easy stroll on the Alpha Loop to Avalon as well or Wills Park. Venturing outside of the city Canton St in Roswell is tons of fun with Ceviche being a favorite spot for tacos and margs as thats where my wife and I went on our first date and of course Chaplins is great for some terrible karaoke. Vickery Creek Preserve is right there and you can go tubing down the Chattahoochee. Have always been a fan of a Stone Mountain Hike as well as the Atlanta Zoo and the Beltline near Ponce City Market. The High Museum of Art is great and there are so many historical things that can be done as well. For something a bit slower paced we would head up to Dahlonega and the wineries.

Image description

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
This is the easiest answer as it is my family. Being able to provide a better life for them keeps me going back to work to find better ways to work smarter not harder. When I’m gone I want to be able to say I’ve put my children in a better position to forge their own paths and succeed.

Website: https://ryanjohnston.atlantafinehomes.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ryansellsatlanta/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-johnston-4bb0a935/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@LivingInAlpharetta

Other: Client Reviews: https://www.zillow.com/profile/RyanSellsAtlanta/#reviews

Image description

Image description

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutAtlanta is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.