The error of a recruitment company ultimately changed the life of a man from Liverpool.
Originally from Liverpool, UK, Steven Thomas is currently the CEO of one of the most successful real estate agencies in Las Vegas, having been misdirected by a recruitment agency that sent his CV (or resume, as it is called in the US) to the wrong company.
With a great deal of perseverance and hard work, Steve built The Thomas Group in Las Vegas in 2014 and went on to become one of the state’s most reputable and trustworthy real estate agents in Nevada. Steve’s agency, one of the first in the industry to use YouTube for property marketing, has risen to the top 2% of the 17,000 real estate brokers and agents in operation in Las Vegas.
Known as the “ethical agents,” Steve’s company has grown a stellar reputation for openness and clarity in a highly scrutinised industry. The Thomas Group’s policies, which combine great personal service with uncountable 5-star reviews, include a guaranteed property sale within 30 days or 0%, a commission match, and no penalties for selling privately.
In addition to offering clients personalised gifts for their new home and donating to charities following each property sale, The Thomas Group adopts a no-hard-sell strategy. It’s safe to say Steve has made it in Sin City with a dream team of agents and an ethical approach that breaks down barriers of trust in a business that has had negative press and achieves Top 2% status. Still, it’s all the result of a mistake made by a recruiting agency.
Steve explained:
“Back in Liverpool I was a freelance radio producer, working for the likes of BBC Radio Merseyside. When the work dried up I contacted a recruitment agency and one day they sent my resume to an art dealer in Miami by mistake. Bizarrely, the guy was originally from Chester, liked my resume and was due to come back and visit. We met up for a coffee and my life changed forever.”
“In a crazy twist of fate, I became an art dealer in the US — selling Rembrandts and Picassos. I got assigned to hosting big art events on cruise ships and this is where I met my wife to be, Kristen, who was a dancer on the ships. We fell in love, moved to Vegas for her dancing career and I started running an art dealership there, before getting into the real estate industry. I’ve never looked back since.”
Steve established The Thomas Group in 2014 after completing his real estate agent studies, and the company has since become one of Nevada’s leading real estate firms. Steve and his team achieved the prestigious Top 2% status and have been featured by FOX and USA Today. They did this by selling over $100 million worth of properties, treating every client fairly and transparently, and always going above and beyond for them.
Steve said:
“Las Vegas was certainly an eye opener at first. It’s a really fast way of life here but I soon got up to speed and put the work in. The real estate industry here is very competitive, and some say it can be a toxic one, but I’ve led with a good ethos of treating people right and a good attitude — people have really loved that approach and it’s led to a lot of success for my team and I.”
Steve enjoys playing golf in his free time. He and his wife and young child reside in a bustling part of Henderson. He is undoubtedly living the American dream with a team of 9 specialised real estate agents, but none of this would be possible if the recruitment agency hadn’t made a mistake some 20 years prior.
Steve summarised:
“When I’m enjoying magical moments with my family, playing golf alongside celebrities or living the high life out here, sometimes I stop and think about that resume going to the wrong company. It put me on a completely different path in life and now I feel so blessed to be in Vegas with a family I love and a hugely successful business.”
“It’s crazy to think how a resume can change your life — especially when it’s sent to the wrong company by mistake! Who knows what I’d be doing if the recruitment agency hadn’t made that mistake! Never in a million years did I think I’d end up in Vegas running one of the most successful real estate agencies here. But I’m ever so grateful every day.”
For more information about The Thomas Group you can visit their website.
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