It was December when the ominous news started percolating throughout the industry. Nearly 150 agents were suddenly left rudderless, without an agency to call home.

Kristen Dailey, franchise owner of the Hanover office, called longtime peer agent, Cody Rohland. The two had first bonded 12 years ago in a private chat group of top agents that leaned on one another as backups and professional support. 

Many of the agents left in limbo had been telling Kristen, I’m going where you’re going. But, they were also being aggressively courted by competing agencies around the South Shore. 

The decision had to be made, and fast. 

“I had already gotten my broker's license 5-6 years ago,” Cody says, “I always knew I was going to have my own company.” 

“She was like, I’m going to do it. Do you want to partner?” Kristen recalls, who had been at that same agency for two decades.

But the decision was not so clear cut.

The two quickly sought the insights of fellow broker-owners, with many  helpful and generous with their advice. 

Kim Allard at Century 21 was pivotal laying out the pros and cons.  “She sat with us for four hours,” Kristen recalls. “For two hours, she tried to talk us out of it – then gave us the ins-and-outs.” 

The reasons not to move ahead? Crushing paperwork, compliance requirements, juggling management with their own sales, slim margins. 

But ultimately, it felt like fate.

“All these serendipitous things fell into place, the Real Estate board, the licensing board, the MLS,” Kristen recalls.  “People have been amazing.” 

The word spread quickly, and the two found that almost every orphaned agent on the South Shore was eager to join up. Within roughly a month, they had a roster of 53 agents, covering Greater Boston. 

But what to call the new agency?  

"It was important to us that everyone feel included in decisions," Kristen notes. 

So during a group meeting, the recruited agents sat around batting around potential names. Advanced Real Estate Group, Cody’s original idea, got a thumbs down. Too generic. 

And none of the seasoned group wanted to work for a firm named after another agent.

Finally, Doug Govoni threw out a suggestion. How about, The Firm. 

The room went silent. 

“I don’t hate it,” Cody recalls thinking, and everyone agreed. 

Plus, one-name agencies – think Compass, Real – were currently on point. 

The team so far has been creative and collaborative in every way, Kristen notes, crediting Duxbury agent and Real Producer Marni Migliaccio with stepping up to design the cursive logo. 

As to their aspirations for The Firm?  To go “old school,” and have a lot of fun, says Kristen.

“To create a thriving place to work, collaborate and creative,” says Cody. 

Let’s all wish them great….fame, fortune, and triumphs.