You think you know someone—until they sit across from you on a podcast and casually mention they once had a heart attack while training for a marathon.
That’s how this conversation with Thad started. I thought we’d talk about real estate, brokerage operations, and leadership. We did—but what came out was a story about resilience, purpose, and what it really means to lead from the middle.
The Day Everything Changed
Thad was training for a marathon, running early one Saturday morning near Brookwood Hospital, when he suddenly collapsed.
He had a heart attack 100 yards into the run. His friend sprinted for help, and by the time an ambulance arrived, another runner—a paramedic—was already performing CPR.
Thad was clinically dead for six minutes.He doesn’t remember any of it.
“I thought I could out-exercise every bad thing I did,” he told me. “But I learned I couldn’t outrun neglect in other parts of my life.”
That moment changed everything—his health, his mindset, and eventually, his career path. It set him on the road from agent to leader.
From the Field to the Front Office
Thad wasn’t looking for leadership when it found him.
After years of selling homes, he was getting restless—bored, even. He loved the industry, but the pace was exhausting. When Tommy Brigham, founder of ARC Realty, told him about his vision for the company—a brokerage built around people—something clicked.
He didn’t want to sit in the corner office. He wanted to be with his agents.
“I sit at a different desk every day,” he said. “I like being in the middle of it. Hearing their challenges, celebrating their wins. I don’t want to be behind a glass wall.”
If there’s a label for his leadership style, it might be this: in the trenches. He calls himself “a broker for the people.”
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Leading Like an Offensive Lineman
Thad played college football as an offensive lineman—a position that shapes how he sees leadership to this day.
“The offensive line controls the game,” he said. “They have to be consistent, disciplined, and okay with not being noticed. You don’t get the glory, but without you, the play doesn’t work.”
That mindset has carried into how he leads his team.He doesn’t chase recognition; he builds the structure that allows others to succeed.
Leadership, for him, isn’t about spotlight moments—it’s about process, rhythm, and accountability.
“Football is a controlled fight,” he said. “It’s chaos, but you still have a job to do. Real estate can feel the same way. You can’t think about the last play or the next one—you just focus on what’s in front of you.”
Control in the Chaos
That focus is something he teaches his agents, too.
“When things go crazy, I tell them: don’t focus on the closing. Focus on what gets you there,” he said. “Are you doing your blocking and tackling every day? Are you mastering your skills? Are you deepening your relationships? If you do those things, success takes care of itself.”
In a market that’s shifted from easy sales to skill-based performance, those fundamentals matter more than ever.
Consistency beats intensity.
Every time.
The Power of Tribe
As our conversation shifted from business to culture, Thad said something that stuck with me:
“ARC is a tribe. Each office has its own personality, but we all share the same DNA—collaboration.”
Agents drop into each other’s offices, swap ideas, share frustrations, celebrate wins. That connection—the ability to call any broker, walk into any office, and feel supported—is what makes the culture special.
It’s not competition that drives them; it’s collective improvement.
“I want agents who want to get better,” Thad said. “I don’t care if you sell $2 million or $20 million. Do you want to grow? Do you want to help others? Can you accept help? That’s who fits.”
Never Comfortable
The most powerful line of the day came near the end:
“I don’t want to be comfortable,” Thad said. “And I don’t want agents who are comfortable. I want people who push me to stay sharp.”
Comfort dulls growth.Challenge builds capacity.And the best leaders—like the best offensive linemen—are the ones who quietly keep the team moving forward, one play at a time.
