Meet Tyler Russell | Private Office Advisor, Engel & Völkers Atlanta

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

Hi Tyler, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking.
Growing up I learned to be risk averse from the teachings of my family, friends and neighbors. The idea was that you should always take the surest route – go to college, get a steady-paying job, eventually buy a house, build the American dream. I definitely tried that path but it was not fulfilling for me at all. I got into UGA on a pre-med scholarship but knew shortly thereafter that I was chasing someone else’s dream. I decided that first semester to instead pursue a business degree and when I graduated college in the middle of the Great Recession, I took the first job I could get. For 5 years I tried the salaried lifestyle but I never did well in a corporate setting, answering to authority figures and doing as I was told. I needed to shake things up. I needed adventure and autonomy. Getting my real estate license and leaving behind a guaranteed paycheck was the riskiest thing I had done in my life to that point and I was terrified. But I also knew deep down that I had to follow my passion and taking that leap of faith has been the best decision I ever made. When COVID hit I was under contract to buy a home and turn my condo into a rental property. I had the tenant lined up, was pending on my house and the world came to a stop. The tenant was no longer going to rent the condo, everyone said the housing market was headed for another collapse so I was going to lose my income, and I was two weeks away from taking on a lot of new debt. I went back and forth in my mind, asked for advice from anyone who would give it, and ultimately made the decision to move forward because no one knew for sure what was going to happen. It was a huge risk. And it paid off. 2020 was my best year in Real Estate, I quickly placed a new tenant, and the value of my new home appreciated quickly. Looking back I would make the same decision again in a heartbeat. These are just two examples of how my attitude on risk has shifted in recent years and I am by no means reckless when it comes to decision making but I now see calculated risk as opportunity and a chance to grow. Nothing is certain in life so we all take risks but being able to reframe my perspective on risk has been helpful for me in growing my business and finding fulfillment as an entrepreneur.

What should our readers know about your business?
I am a real estate advisor at Engel & Völkers Atlanta. I got my degree in Real Estate from the University of Georgia in 2008 and founded my company, J Tyler Russell Realty Group, in 2014. After graduation, I ended up in retail mattress sales full-time for 5 years. It was never something I had envisioned for myself but looking back it was a wonderful learning period for me and has helped me tremendously in my real estate career. The listening, problem-solving, and sales skills I developed inside the mattress store across tens of thousands of sales presentations directly translate in my day-to-day interactions with Buyer and Seller clients. If it had not been for that crash course in sales I don’t think I would have been able to scale my real estate business as quickly as I have. That’s not to say the road to my current production levels has been easy, I have always had a desire to be the best at whatever I do. I hold myself to a high standard and expect that I will quickly rise to the top of any group of peers. So when it took me almost 6 months to land my first listing I was less than pleased with my performance. But adversity always breeds creativity and resourcefulness so I am grateful for obstacles overcome and lessons learned along the way. In 2021 I was inducted into Engel & Völkers Private Office, an exclusive group of global advisors who are at the top of their fields in production, service, and client engagement. This distinction is reserved for only a couple hundred advisors worldwide and only a handful in the state of Georgia, so to be invited and inducted was truly an honor.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Atlanta has so much to offer that it’s hard to pare down the list – I want to share it all! We would definitely stroll the Beltline and check out the local artists, vendors, and entertainers. Piedmont Park picnics are a great way to appreciate the tree canopy that makes Atlanta such a special city. I love the High Museum, Braves games at Truist Park, and hikes in the North Georgia mountains. Our food scene is top notch and my favorite restaurants right now are Little Sparrow, Ruby Chow’s, and Le Bilboquet so we’d have to hit them all. Colony Square, Ponce City Market, and a local Farmer’s Market would round out the list of must-visit spots. I am sure that I am forgetting some really great options but, again, who could fit it all in with only a week?

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My shoutout is dedicated to my family, whose unwavering support has helped me to take risks, conquer challenges, and flourish personally and professionally. Knowing that there is someone to listen when you need an ear and pick you up when you fall has given me the courage to go out and chase my dreams.

Website: https://tylerrussell.evatlanta.com

Instagram: tylersellsatlanta

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tyler-russell-84400788/