Today we’d like to introduce you to Townsend Russell.
Hi Townsend, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
Real Estate & Fatherhood
I was a terrible english student in school. It was my least favorite subject and the subject I struggled with the most. A grade of C was in my youthful opinion, a huge victory. Sometimes I wonder how my grade school english teachers would react if they found out I was a published author!
2024 was the release of my top performing book GOOD DAD to GREAT DAD. After three years of writing while on the 100% DAD Tour, and a team of really talented editors and designers it is a really fantastic book. I love reading books especially non fictions. To toot my own horn, GOOD DAD to GREAT DAD is really well written, has good flow, and more important than readability, it really will change dads lives for the better.
Back in those grade school years I just could not focus very well on the subjects the teacher wanted me to study. They were boring and I wasn’t interested. But…sports had my attention. I knew the players both past and present. I knew stats, teams, the history of the sport and the teams, the value of the collectables and more. That had my attention. As a result that is where I improved my skills.
We improve in the material we have genuine interest in. Its been that way my whole life. When I became interested in business I would read all the business books I could get my hands on. And because of that commitment and dedication that is an area I excelled in before selling my companies and retiring in 2019 at the age of 33. Same goes for Fatherhood, I love being a dad and it has been a subject I have a genuine interest in and as a result my desire to study and learn has been high.
Real Estate has always been an interest of mine. I bought my first home when I was 21 and had it paid off by the time I was 30. I was always on the hunt for commercial warehouse and office space because of the distribution and service businesses I was owned. When I retired we used some of the proceeds from the sale to do hard money loans for investors doing single family fix and flips. Its an are that had and still has my attention and desire to master.
That’s why I eventually got licensed in the real estate industry. I was already involved in real estate and I have a business background. One thing that bothers me to this da is the sheer amount of opportunities I have missed because the person with their name on the sign selling a building or piece of land never picked up their phone or responded to the call. Dozens of buildings I wanted to purchase sat vacant longer than they should have. And I missed out on the buy because when I was busy running my companies’ or traveling I eventually stopped calling the non responsive agents.
I recognize sometimes it looks weird from the outsiders point of view, when they look me up and see the tagline, Real Estate and Fatherhood. But that is exactly the two areas I focus on today. The two areas I continue to study and improve on. The two areas where I willingly share all my knowledge with others.
I realized what I want every Dad to realize. You improve in the areas you focus on and put effort into. It has nothing to do with intelligence. It is simply a commitment to consume content you are interested in. I hope all Dads are interested in being Great Dads and put energy and effort into their fatherhood skills. Reading books, like GOOD DAD to GREAT DAD is certainly a step in the right direction.
I focus on Fatherhood and Real Estate.
I excel in Fatherhood and Real Estate.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I have had a good life but no road is smooth. And honestly if it is an easy path then you simply are not challenging yourself enough. Without hard times we will have no appreciation for the good times. Its a simple reality. We need the bad to appreciate the good. We need the struggle to build up our self esteem and confidence.
I have made tons of mistakes and I rarely regret it. I view every failure as a lesson. I view it simply as education that I paid for with a lost opportunity, penalty, or maybe just a dent to my pride. Sometimes they hit harder than others.
In the 100% DAD journey we took off and did real well on our instagram @100DAD growing from 0 to almost 50,000 followers pretty quick. Then I hit pause because the reality was I was spending too much time trying to figure out internet connections and working on making content instead of enjoying time with my family while we were traveling the country. And our follower count and engagement dropped as a result.
Life as a small business owner is this constant roller coaster of ups and downs that I think I enjoy too much. Any entrepreneur know that lifestyle. Worried about price increases, customers leaving, employees causing problems, liability issues, or simply dealing with vendors and supply chain issues. Its the only lifestyle where you ebb and flow 100 times a day between “Wow, look how amazing this is and the future looks even better!”, and ” AHH Everything is about to collapse and its all my fault!”.
Real Estate is a fun world that just doesn’t have smooth roads. The sheer amount of regulations, change, and don’t forget the unique views and preferences of each buyer and seller will keep any agent or broker on their toes. I am an odd ball that prefers commercial and land transactions over residential because of how many variables and moving parts their typically are. I tend to like the more challenging routes!!
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
100% DAD is a platform that provides encouragement and wisdom geared towards Dads. We want dads to lead their families, be strong men, strong husbands, and strong fathers. We were best known on Instagram under the handle @100dad. My family and I toured the country for 3 straight years promoting the 100% DAD brand in out big blue 5th wheel. We conduct seminars and webinars. We have 2 books published. The Best of 100% DAD release in 2022 and GOOD DAD to GREAT DAD released in 2024.
I love how much time this brand has allowed me to spend time with my family. Every minute of 100% DAD is either with my family or in one way or another thinking about them. As a result it has made me more involved and more accountable as a dad. And I think any dad will agree, that when we make sacrifices for our family we typically have zero regrets. I certainly have no regrets about starting the brand, touring the brand, or continuing to teach Dads how to be the best version of themselves.
As a realtor in Florida I hang my licence with a small boutique firm in Saint Augustine, FL called Great Expectation Realty. I represent buyers and seller in residential, commercial, and land properties. A good majority of my clients are business owners or investors. I over communicate because I hated being on the receiving end of poor communication. On the residential side I want to see my sellers get the top dollar for what is often one of their biggest investments. On the buyer side I want to see my buyers get the best value for their dollars. Commercial and Land is often more challenging because it has more variables than commercial. I am a developer so I have a deep knowledge of land use, zoning, and other variables that affect these types of properties.
What makes you happy?
Without a doubt the thing that brings me most Joy, full heart contentment, and pure happiness is my family. Spending time with them and reflecting on past memories. Nothing else has ever compared to that feeling, No big sale, investment win, physical achievement, sex, drug, or rock and roll song has ever compared to the deep feeling of joy I get from a good time with my family. Oddly enough it’s the reflections and memories of those moments that I think gives me the biggest dopamine hit.
Pricing:
- 19.99 GOOD DAD to GREAT DAD (Hardcover)
Contact Info:
- Website: https://100dad.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/100dad
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/100Dad
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/townsend-russell-100dad/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/the100dad
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/100dad
- Other: https://www.townsendrussell.realtor/
