6 minute read
March 2024 ~ Jacksonville Real Producers - Top Producer Josh Rogers of F3: Faith, Family, Freedom
Congratulations to our March 2024 ~ Top Producer Josh Rogers of F3: Faith, Family, Freedom!
By Zachary Cohen
Photos By Renee Parenteau
2015. After seven years in new construction real estate sales, Josh Rogers set out to become an independent real estate agent with high hopes of building a thriving business. But a few months into his new venture, he had hit rock bottom.
“I was up to my eyeballs in debt — student loans and eight credit cards. It was a mountain I was paralyzed by, stricken with fear,” Josh reflects humbly.
Josh vividly remembers the day it all unraveled. It was 8:00 p.m. on a Monday night, and there was a loud knock at his front door. His wife, Sarah, opened the door to see a police officer who had come to serve lawsuit papers from creditors.
The beauty of finding the bottom is that the only way is up. Rather than letting this moment sink him, Josh rediscovered his strength. He found a way to use this trying time to refocus on what was truly important to him. From this moment, he set out to redefine himself and his purpose as a man, a husband, a father, and a businessperson.
“It takes work, and it’s hard, but it’s worth it. Every step has been worth it,” he says.
RISING UP
Over the next year, Josh put his life back together. He used his newfound strength to create success in business and, perhaps even more importantly, rebuild his relationship with God, himself, and his family. Nearly a decade after that humbling day, Josh has created a richer life than he could have dreamed. And now, he’s an advocate for a new breed of real estate agent — one that doesn’t just put up gaudy sales numbers but is connected to purpose, makes time for his faith and his family, and lives in joy.
“The real estate industry is very much a grind culture, everyone putting their highlight reels on social media, but the large majority are feeling isolated, left behind, and inadequate as a result. They feel like they have to sacrifice much to be successful. I did sacrifice everything to be successful, and realized it’s not sustainable, nor is it how I want to build my career,” Josh offers. “So nine years later, the name of my team is the F3 Home Team with REAL. Faith, family, and freedom — those are our core values. Faith and spirituality through Jesus is everything; it’s eternity. And we’re loud and proud. This life we have right now is but a drop of water compared to the oceans, rivers, and lakes of eternity. When we get that right, our joy, our peace, and our freedom are built upon it. Family: when you ask any agent why they do this, they say, ‘I want to give my family the best life.’ So we work long hours and deal with stress, and the actual people we are doing this work for, we’re sacrificing. There’s a hypocrisy that we give so much of our family time to this business. We have to set professional boundaries. We appreciate hard workers, but if you’re running a race and try to sprint the whole time, you’ll get injured and burn out. And we see cycles of agents. It falls apart, and we do it all over again. Then there’s freedom. So many of us put ourselves last. So it’s important to create a life of freedom in all areas.”
THE F3 HOME TEAM
Today, the F3 Home Team is a group of fourteen agents, two full-time administrative assistants, and three virtual partners. As a team leader, Josh aspires to guide his group to healthy, whole lives. That includes success in business as well as a thriving family life, a strong faith, and good health.
“Our last conversation is about how to do more deals. Our first conversation is all the other stuff,” Josh explains. “We’re going to sell homes, but that’s not why we’re here. If someone joins my team, it’s to grow as a more well-balanced human being and focus on what really matters. The reason I built a team is so I can pour into people and grow them beyond selling another house. That’s my hope through leading this team.”
Josh’s approach is inspiring — and so are the results. His goal has never been to be the #1 team, but alas, the F3 Home Team was the #1 large team in the Northeast Florida MLS for sales volume in 2023.
“As a result of what we stand for and the people we attract, #1 just happened,” Josh says proudly. “I’m thrilled that we are #1 because more people can hear our message, but my goal is really to continue to pour into our agents.”
LIVING IN THE MOMENT
Outside work, Josh lives a life filled with family time and adventure. He and his wife, Sarah, who are high school sweethearts, have six kids ages 2 to 15.
“We homeschool in a private Christian education, and it’s a big, beautiful mess. It’s wonderful,” Josh beams. “We’re living the best days. It’s a constant slowing down, being present.”
Josh and his family love adventuring. For example, he has taken his three oldest boys on a four-day hike along the Appalachian Trail with other fathers and sons for the last four years. He and his family have taken extended vacations in recent years, too: a 30-day road trip to Colorado, a 66-day road trip to Washington State and British Columbia, and they are planning a 60-day trip to Ireland, Paris, and London in 2024.
“This is success for me,” Josh continues. “I started on this marathon, and I crossed the finish line. This is it. Now, it’s about how I can continue to pour into my team members. In the hustle culture, a lot of people sabotage their joy because of this idea of being bigger, faster, stronger, forever. I set out on a journey to create a wonderful life for my family, be healthy, and enjoy it, and I’m here.
“I’m working on being content, finding contentment in where I am. I work on taking that pressure off, realizing that insatiable hunger is just that — insatiable. I am satisfied through God, satisfied through my family, and I’m absolutely enjoying it.”
When we see people who are successful. Let's look at more than just their numbers. Let's look at their life, their health, their marriage, and how they show up as a parent - a full 360 degree view.
