Imagine turning your favorite pastime into a thriving career — that’s what Reed Schlender did! Once a software salesman, Reed swapped cubicles and cold calls for trout streams and riverfront properties. From floating down rivers to showcasing off-grid cabins, he brings properties to life by weaving in his personal experiences and building natural connections with people in his community.
Reed’s career shift from software sales wasn’t just about changing jobs; it was about redefining his purpose. Check out our chat with Reed Schlender, Trophy Class agent and The CE Shop alum, about trading a 9-to-5 for open spaces, the lessons he’s learned along the way, and how he’s built a career that’s as personal as it is rewarding.
Q: Tell me a little about yourself. How long have you been in the real estate industry, and what was your learning process like?
A: Hi, I'm Reed Schlender. I’m a realtor here in northwest Michigan, and I’ve been doing real estate for about two years now. When I took The CE Shop’s pre-licensing class, I was doing software sales. So I did it somewhat part time to start, which looking back was probably pretty good.
That first six months was really just like drinking from a fire hydrant. Learning how to write contracts, learning from the people that I'm working with, how to start going out on appointments, speak to stuff, answer clients’ questions — really just the basics of real estate. I did want to jump in kind of head-first, and it worked out really well! So, I can't look back and say I would have done it different if I were to do it again.
Q: What’s one of the biggest things you've learned about real estate? What do you love most about it?
A: Really, it's just connecting with people and finding common ground, which is something I excelled at when I was doing software sales. But more so in the fact that I’m able to speak to like-minded folks that enjoy hunting, fishing, the outdoors, recreational properties, you know, the locations that they live in in Northern Michigan. I’m really able to speak to that because that's really what I love to do outside of real estate. So, finding common ground and being able to connect with people, and hearing other people's stories about what they love about their property or home is really a part of real estate that I enjoy.
Q: Why did you want to become a real estate agent?
A: That's a good question. I was in software sales, since right after college. And I always had people asking me, You're an outdoors guy; you like to hunt, you like to fish, like what the heck are you doing in software sales? And after a while it kind of got me thinking, like, Yeah, why am I in software sales? I spend 90% of my free time either hunting, fishing, or exploring what Michigan has to offer. After a while, it started to make sense. There are some really cool properties that I see while I'm out hunting or fishing, and now it's like I get to be able to represent these properties and really show what they have to offer.
Q: What was the final straw that led you to jump into real estate?
A: It's funny, I was at college and our capstone sales class was running a product demo. And I remember thinking to myself, Why in the heck am I running a product demo? This is never something I'm going to be doing.
I landed my first job at a small company in sales doing cold calling, and then moved my way up to doing account executive work and running product demos. I enjoyed it, but when the company went public, everything I loved about it changed. I bounced around to a couple other companies and just found I didn’t love what I was doing. Then I saw a buddy working for my current broker, representing river properties, hunting properties, off-grid cabins, and second homes. That’s when I realized I could combine my love for the outdoors with my career.
Q: Of all of the options out there, what brought you to The CE Shop for your pre-licensing real estate coursework?
A: The CE Shop allows you to do it at your own pace. Do it after hours, whenever you have free time on a weekend, during a lunch break, or when you have a less busy day. You can hop on, learn everything you need, and go back to reference that stuff to study for the exam. That’s why I always recommend it to anyone interested in real estate. It sets you up for success and helps you pass the state license exam, moving your real estate career in the right direction.
Q: Can you talk a little more about that? How exactly did the pre-licensing coursework help you pass your exam?
A: The CE Shop helped me transition to real estate by being flexible and thorough. Everything I saw on my state licensing exam was covered in the pre-licensing course. I could go back through individual modules, retake quizzes, and double down on areas I didn’t feel confident in. It allowed me to prepare for the exam and pass it the first time. I’m super grateful for that.
Q: What advice would you give to someone entering the real estate industry?
A: Don’t lose your personal spin on things — the way you talk to people, build rapport, and engage. If you’re an outdoorsman, embrace that in your marketing and outreach. I focus on areas where I fish and hunt in my free time, and I can speak to people about those places. Make it your own! It’s your business to build, so make it fun by mixing your passions and hobbies into your real estate career.
Q: It sounds like you definitely found something that you really, really love doing. And you’ve found a way to combine your personal hobbies with your career. Can you talk a little more about that? A: I always tell people, you know, you're getting into the real estate industry, like don't lose your personal spin on things.
For example, I fish a lot in my free time, and I have in the last 15 years found places that I turkey hunt, places that I deer hunt. I can speak to these people. Everyone loves someone that they can talk to. Like, you know, Hey, you're someone that I would go fishing with. You're someone that I go hunting with. You're someone that I’d go grab a drink with. Q: That's awesome advice. It's been great talking to you today, Reed! Any last thoughts? A: Just that the real estate business has allowed me to build a lot of unique relationships. And that's really what it's about. You know, that's one of the biggest things I’ve learned. It's all about networking and building those relationships. Relationships no matter how that looks.
You can follow along with Reed’s outdoor real estate adventures on his website or social media pages:
Business Website:
- Trophy Class Real Estate Personal Page
- Google Business Page
Personal/Business Social Pages:
- Facebook
- Instagram
-LinkedIn
Brokerage Socials (C21 Trophy Class):
- Youtube
- Facebook
-Instagram
