Ed Grochowiak is not afraid of hard work. Known as “the Double Agent” in some circles, he has achieved great success as both a real estate agent and a sports agent—two professions he maintains to this day. The passion he has for both businesses is deeply rooted within the connection he has to his community, his family, and his love of helping others.  

For the past 100+ years, Ed’s family has inhabited the Bucktown neighborhood of Chicago, where Ed was born and raised and lives to this day. As a young Irish dancer, Ed learned early how to train and compete on an international level. But most importantly, he also learned how to lose graciously. 

“Losing taught me to not take things personally, which has especially helped in real estate,” he explains. “Losing is a part of life, and I have gotten used to it. Training and practice are what matter most, not the results. The same is true in real estate as in life: it’s about the development and the training, not the sales number or total volume.”

It was loss that first got Ed into real estate back in 2015. His father and grandmother passed away in December 2013, leaving multiple properties for his mother to manage. “It was devastating to lose my dad and grandma within weeks [of each other],” he says. To learn more about the real estate industry to help his mom, Ed decided to get his license.

He was excited to take on the challenge of learning and navigating a new industry. He’d always thrived in school. Ed earned his bachelor ‘s in sport management at the University of Dayton. Then, after college, he moved back to the city and founded GoEmpire Group, a full-service basketball agency where he works as a basketball agent to this day. He then obtained his master’s in sport administration from Northwestern University in 2013. 

The passing of his father, in particular, was a pivotal moment in Ed’s life. He sought out gratitude and mindfulness courses and practices to help him cope with the loss, but they also helped him grow into the individual he has become. This transformative time helped Ed realize that he wanted to live a life of service to others and that real estate would be the means by which he would accomplish that goal.

“It is heartbreaking when someone you love dies, yet there is a real opportunity to be grateful for the love that person showed you while they were alive. My life is a reflection of all of the scarifies and love that my father and grandmother gave me,” shares Ed.  

There are many people whom Ed expresses gratitude for and even credits for his success. “I stand on the shoulders of at least fifteen people,” he says. “The success is not just about me, but about all the people who came before me, like my parents, grandparents, mentors, friends, and contemporaries.”

Ed’s work ethic is what truly sets him apart. His secret to staying motivated is to lean into the work, as well as having a system that he runs daily. He begins each day with reflection, reading, and a workout to set himself up for a productive day: “When I fill my cup first, I am able to execute and produce at a high level for my clients and businesses,” explains Ed.  

“For me, there is no substitute for hard work and persistence, so simply putting in the work is my recipe,” he continues. “I think of my grandparents who worked in factories and grocery stores—I know that I come from a stock of people who always worked hard and had multiple jobs. The work I do is easy compared to the work they did, so I have no excuse but to keep my head down and produce.”

Family has always been very important to Ed. He spends most of his free time with his mom; his sister, Meg; and their family dogs, Enda and Oisin. In fact, Meg is his business partner and the co-founder of Groho Group with @properties Christie’s International Real Estate. They are a very tight-knit family who love working on their shared business and traveling the world together. Ed’s biggest passion outside of work is travel, but he also enjoys biking around the city and working out with his trainer at Midtown Athletic Club in Bucktown. 

Inside real estate, Ed is passionate about using social media to grow his business. He’s also enthusiastic about mentoring the REALTORS® on his team, showing them how they can level up their businesses and live the life they truly desire. “I want to see other people win,” he says. “Having an abundance mindset and helping coach other REALTORS® build out successful businesses is important to me. When I can help others, I see my true path emerge.”

To his fellow REALTORS® and entrepreneurs, Ed says you can accomplish anything you want in life if you allow yourself to believe that you deserve it. He stresses the importance of self-care—taking care of one’s mind, body, and spirit. 

“If you can clean things up in your personal life, then the business successes flow easily,” Ed emphasizes. “Try not to focus on the sales and money, but instead focus on what you are doing for yourself. Are you working out regularly? What are your eating habits? Are you part of communities that support wellness? Are you cutting out what does not serve you in your life? Prioritize yourself first and you’ll achieve anything you want to in the future. Be selfish! Care for yourself so you can show up for all those you love, fully.”