“I always operate under the principle that the less I worry about money and ‘wasting’ my time, the more my business will grow,” says Patrick Dodd, REALTOR® with Mynt Properties and Keller Williams. “I’ve always enjoyed helping people in tough situations, and while those are always some of the most challenging situations, it's always nice to know that those in need have the care they deserve.”

Because Patrick has faced and overcome his own life challenges, he has a soft spot for people who have lived in tough circumstances. Growing up in Michigan, Patrick had what he would describe as “a very tough childhood.” Although he was a naturally gifted student, he didn’t have the best time with teachers. After high school, he moved to Texas with a friend to start fresh in a new environment. At age twenty-three, when he began to feel that he was again ready to get more out of life, he moved in with his brother in Chicago.

“My brother had lived in Chicago for some time, and I visited him frequently,” says Patrick. “The city enamored me. After a bad breakup, I knew it was time to make a move, and I didn’t have anything holding me back anymore. I had a vacation scheduled here for the next week anyway, so I packed as much as I could into my suitcase and never got on my return flight.”

After settling in Chicago, Patrick worked for many years in the restaurant industry, most recently at the premier steakhouse, Swift & Sons. As a “student of life,” Patrick dove into learning about fine food and wine, eventually becoming a certified sommelier. After many years in the restaurant industry, he began to look for his next challenge, eventually deciding on real estate. Despite having no prior knowledge or experience, Patrick made the leap.

“I started this [real estate] business with essentially no sphere of influence,” says Patrick. “I knew that my gift is understanding people—what they want and need, and how to mold the experience for them. I felt like most of my days at restaurants were spent helping people with special moments in life, and I think the purchase of a home definitely qualifies as special.” He adds, “I’ve been able to draw on my skill to describe wine to make it approachable and apply it to my current business—such a big part of what I do is try to simplify the process and make it less intimidating for clients.”

At the beginning of his REALTOR® journey, Patrick continued his restaurant job at night. He would wake up at 5:30 am, head to the gym, spend the beginning of the day at the office, and then work at the restaurant until 11 pm.

“I had to hustle to build my client base in the beginning; I was doing four open houses a weekend and cold-calling like crazy,” he recalls. “It took an immense amount of determination and sacrifice in the beginning to get things off the ground."

But once he got his feet under him and saw success, he switched to real estate full-time. A few years later, he bumped into Ryan McKane, fellow REALTOR® and former gym buddy, at a showing and as the two commiserated, they formed a plan to create their own team. They looped in Raymond Melencio, a contact of Patrick’s from his restaurant days, and Mynt Properties was born. Now, about a year into their partnership, the three are thriving.

“Having three unique minds together creates a more dynamic business, and helps all of us be better and do more,” says Patrick. “Very few people who enter this industry are equipped to do the job from day one, let alone have the business acumen to build things simultaneously. There is no shame in admitting you don't know everything.”

About a month ago, Mynt Properties added their first new team member. Katie Mendez currently helps with administration and everyday task management. The goal is for her to move into an agent role and to add more agents in years to come.

“It’s been really important for us to get different perspectives on how other people look at the business, and to lean on each other’s skill sets,” says Patrick about his team. “Together we keep everything rooted in what is best for the client vs. our own opinions. It doesn't matter what we think. What matters is what is best for our clients.” 

When not working with his team to build Mynt Properties and serve their clients, Patrick spends his downtime enjoying and discovering Chicago’s restaurant scene with his wife, Gillian. Good food and wine are a passion for both, and they value traveling and experiencing new cultures for giving them a greater perspective on the world and always bringing them closer together.

Thinking again about the future, Patrick adds, “I hope to one day be active in an organization like Big Brothers Big Sisters. As someone who had a very challenging childhood, I know how important it is to have positive role models to look up to. I think it would be great for them to see someone who has been in a similar place overcome the hand that life dealt them.” 

In the meantime, Patrick is putting his energy into growing his business, improving his services, and building out the team. He also aims to eventually transition from being in the field to holding more of a strategic role in his and other businesses.

“I'll always have a foot in the door of real estate somehow,” he says. “This industry is just too addictive to ever fully walk away from.”