It’s never too late to reinvent yourself. Real estate is Scott Fishman’s third career. And even now, he continues to reinvent his business, at least its bandwidth, as he plans to double his team of three in the Fishman Group over the coming year.

 

While Scott is always looking to take things to the next level, he takes his time to establish a consistent beat and waits for the right moment to take things up a notch. As a lifelong drummer and musician, he understands the importance of consistency and timing.

 

Scott started playing the drums in fourth grade. His band in the early '90s was very close to being discovered by Pearl Jam. “Our keyboard player went to grade school and high school with Eddie Vedder,” Scott shares. “He got Vedder a copy of our demo tape and they were listening to it on their tour bus. Unfortunately, about three months later our lead guitarist moved to Ohio, so that was the end of that band.”

 

In addition to learning to harmonize with people and make music, Scott, who grew up in the south suburbs of Chicago, looked up to his dad who worked in retail. “I learned so much about working with and serving people from all walks of life,” Scott recalls.

 

Scott’s plan going into college was to become a teacher. After minoring in music and majoring in history at DePaul University, he taught high school social studies for a few years. Wanting to reinvent himself, however, he decided to return to school and earn a master’s in public administration, which won him a job working in public relations and advertising.

 

Scott worked in marketing and advertising with various media companies for twenty years. He even started his own marketing/branding company before realizing he wanted to reinvent himself again. In fact, running his own business is what led him to real estate.

 

“I was looking for a new job that would utilize all my skills along with my love of Chicago and Chicago history,” explains Scott. “I wanted to find a position that would let me help people and be of service to my community.”

 

Scott had been doing a lot of networking to promote his branding company, and that’s how he met Jayne Alofs. Jayne was a real estate agent in a networking group he frequented, and the two became very good friends over the years. When Scott began looking for a change in careers, she suggested he get his license and come work with her.

 

Starting his real estate career in 2012, Scott joined Berkshire Hathaway (then Koenig and Strey) under Jayne’s tutelage. “She was a great mentor and north star on how to be a successful agent while putting your clients’ needs first,” expresses Scott.

 

While Scott had solid mentorship, starting in real estate at an age when all his contemporaries had been agents for years was a challenge. This was also at the time when much of the industry was transitioning into the digital world. As an early adopter of technology, Scott overcame his lack of real estate experience with his willingness to embrace new ways to serve his clients at a higher level.

 

Scott built his business on providing excellent service to his clients. While he works with a variety of buyers and sellers, he especially enjoys working with first-time home buyers, as he recalls what it was like for him back then:

 

“I was thirty years old and didn't know anything about real estate. I could have used so much help and guidance from my agent, lender, and attorney, but I didn’t get that from any of them. So, I keep that in mind with every buyer I work with, never wanting them to have that experience.”

 

Scott founded the Fishman Group five years ago on those same principles: to get to know their clients, learn their “why,” and keep them on track and focused on their goals so that when they do achieve their goals, they are happy and excited about the outcome.

 

The Fishman Group currently consists of agents Heidi Drennan and David Anthony Marshall, both of whom have a background in acting and music. 

 

While Scott is extremely pleased with his current team, he feels the time is right to take things up a notch. “We are a fun and dedicated group of people who really love real estate, and we are looking for more people like us to grow our team and make our team stronger. If you feel you are on an island with your business, feel you are not getting mentorship, or want to be part of something bigger, you should come and join us,” Scott emphasizes.

 

Scott also hopes to make a bigger impact in underserved communities. He supports and was on the board for Housing Opportunities for Women (HOW), and he serves on the City of Evanston’s Citizen Police Review Committee.

 

Outside of real estate and his community initiatives, you can often find Scott playing music with his band, Judsonmain. They perform throughout the Chicagoland area. He is also a huge baseball fan with a deep love for the Chicago White Sox. Scott and his wife, Jenny, are celebrating twenty-four years of marriage this year and have three grown children: Patrick, Eve, and Nate.

 

As Scott looks to double the ensemble of the Fishman Group, it's clear that he's composing a future not just for his business, but also for the communities and individuals he serves. His journey from the classroom, to the corporate world, to the heart of Chicago's real estate scene is a reminder that it's never too late to chase a new dream or to rewrite your score.