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Although he’s built a successful independent brokerage, you won’t find Sean Frank recommending that path to others. “With so many models competing in so many ways, it’s a challenge to create something very competitive from scratch. The honest reality is that I would not recommend starting a brokerage to most people. There are much better ways to spend time.”
One of the ways Frank’s brokerage, Mainframe Real Estate, differentiates itself is through its proprietary software development, “providing an all-in-one software that allows high-productivity agents to be extremely efficient and organized.” The emphasis on tech stems from Frank’s early experiences in the industry. “Technology in real estate is still lacking today, but it was horrendous at the time,” he said. “I had a passion for technology and wanted to create phenomenal tech for agents, and that was the driving factor for me [starting a brokerage].”
Name: Sean Frank
Title: CEO
Experience: 23 years
Location: Orlando, Florida
Brokerage name: Mainframe Real Estate
Rankings: Top 1 percent of brokerages in Central Florida
Team size: 53
Transaction sides: 670 (2024)
Sales volume: $270 million (2024)
How did you get your start in real estate?
I got my real estate license when I was 18 so that I could find a professional job while I was in college. The deeper I got into real estate over the years, the more experience I gained, and it became my career path in life. I wish I could say that I had some big dream to get into real estate, but it was much more happenstance.
What do you wish more people knew about working in real estate?
Real estate is not an easy business. It’s not the glitz and glam that it appears to be on social media. With a low barrier to entry, the industry is riddled with amateurs and unprofessional people. I wish consumers understood the huge gap in experience in the industry and what it could cost them.
For agents, even if they achieve great success in real estate sales, it’s at the costly sacrifice of their personal life. Agents always have to keep up sales momentum, and it can feel like being trapped on a hamster wheel. I warn people all the time not to get into real estate, but many people are naive to the reality, though they may not still be young.
What’s something you know now that you wish you knew when you started?
Before starting a brokerage, I wish I knew what it really took. Yes, it requires being nice and likable, but it’s about systems and processes more than anything. Growing a business is creating a monster. The bigger it gets, the more money and time it consumes. It’s not something someone can imagine before they are in it themselves.
These words could never convey the extreme amount of energy it took to get it off the ground. And then it’s a trap — you have to keep going and you can’t turn back. I have no regrets, but I completely underestimated what it would take to grow a successful company.
Tell us about a high point in your brokerage career
Learning to delegate and being able to afford to was a game-changer for my career. It took years of hard work and performing many roles in my company, but eventually, we grew to a point where I could begin offloading the work that I was doing. It allowed me to expand my mind and alleviate stress. Even more than a career accomplishment, it was a huge achievement for my personal life.
What’s your top prediction for next year?
I think the next 12 months of real estate will be a continuation of what we have seen over the last 12: a slowing market with more inventory and fewer buyers. Agents who have not been in the business more than five years don’t understand that the COVID-era market was a fantasy and that the swings of the market can be painful, and everyone needs to be prepared for them.
Tell us about an epic fail you’ve experienced since you’ve been a broker
The hardest part of leading a company is hiring and firing. The biggest mistake I made, especially in the early phases of the company, was not thoroughly interviewing people for positions. Hiring someone is a relationship, and ideally, it should last for as long as possible. But if somebody is underperforming and bringing down the team, they need to go.
The wrong employee is the most expensive person on staff because they are keeping the company from its highest potential. Learning how to hire properly can save unspeakable time, money and headaches.
What makes a good leader?
More than anything, a good leader is empathic. People want to know they are cared for and that their opinions matter. They want to believe they can give feedback, and it will be heard. Even if a leader can’t give everything that is asked of them, they can listen, learn and do their best. Culture is the most important aspect of any company, and it starts with a trusting and welcoming environment where everyone feels valued.
What’s one thing you wish every agent knew?
Relationships matter in this business more than anything. I see agents constantly trying to outshine other people on social media. They watch other agents “perform” and want to be like them. Nobody wants to pick up the phone and create deeper relationships anymore. Everyone is looking for a CRM or AI to build or maintain their relationships, but they will never replace authenticity.
The best part of this business is the relationships we build, so dive deep into them and watch the rewards that are created both personally and financially.
