The other day, I was in my office at Fillmore Real Estate when Billy Joel’s Piano Man came on my MP3 player. At one point while the song was playing, I got up from my desk to walk away and heard the line, “Paul is a Real Estate Novelist…” – and realized that now that I work at Fillmore – I really am a Real Estate Novelist.

I have worked in many fields in my life; journalism, radio, City Government, public realtions – and even wrestling – but never Real Estate. Truth be told, I couldn’t sell the White House to John Kerry – but despite my lack of ability to sell and my minimal understanding of Real Estate – I am now Fillmore Real Estate’s Director of Marketing – and I know for a number of reasons that I will succeed at the job.

My first day on the job was July 23rd, and from that first day – I knew I didn’t join an office – but rather a family. On that first day, my co-workers invited me to lunch with them despite the fact that my tenure with the company was only hours old. And since then, I have been treated like I have been with the company for decades.

This is my first job in the private sector in five years. When I left City service, I was honestly afraid that I wouldn’t be able to succeed in the private sector after half a decade in City Government. But thanks to President John Reinhardt and the over 500 employees of Fillmore Real Estate who have welcomed me with open arms – I know I for a fact that I will.

When I left City service, I had an idea of what I wanted to do – but no definite plans for my future. I knew that it was time to leave the City for various reasons – and did so without a general direction to take – or a plan ahead of me. What I did have, however, was the confidence that I would find another job and continue my career as a Journalist/Public Relations/Marketing Executive – and sure enough – I ran into John Reinhardt at a chance meeting, found out that he needed a Marketing Director – and wound up inadvertantly beginning a new chapter of my life – just like I knew I would.

While I do miss the experiences that I lived through as a City Official, I am very happy to be back in the Private Sector for the first time since 1999. I am even happier to be working at Fillmore Real Estate. The industry leader in Brooklyn with over 20 offices, 500 agents and almost 40 years of Real Estate experience, I am sure that even I will one day gain enough Real Estate knowledge and experience to sell a house – whether or not it is on Pennsylvania Avenue.