As another year winds down, I find myself reflecting not just on deals and milestones but on how I have learned to work and live a little differently over time, particularly the last three years.
I have been in commercial real estate long enough to see cycles come and go, strategies change, and markets reset. One thing has not changed. There are always deals to be made.
But deals do not come from emails, social media, or hope. They come from meaningful conversations. Listening with empathy, curiosity, and a little selflessness. In life and in business, you cannot help people until you understand them.
Rotary changes lives – including mine!
About 15 years ago, a speaker at Rotary changed my life. For years, I set many goals. Each goal was achievable on its own; Just not when stacked on top of twenty others = my good intentions were hampered by ADHD and a delusion. At the end of the day, instead of celebrating a win, I lamented about the incomplete.
Well, that day at Rotary flipped a switch. I learned it was okay to set fewer goals, manage expectations, and cut myself some slack. That lesson still pays dividends.
Rotary showed up again this year in a big way with the Sacramento Century Bike Ride. The event raised about $100,000 for the Sacramento Children’s Home Crisis Nursery.
I did my small part by pledging to raise money by swimming 30 miles in 30 days.
I confess, I only logged in 20 miles.
But on the day of the ride, I traded goggles for a guitar and joined the Rotary Roadies on Capitol Mall.
We played songs like Brandy, Moondance, and Dancing in the Moonlight.
The Rotary Rodies are gearing up for the 2026 Eskaton Tour. Maybe we will see you there J
My Friend Bill
I am especially grateful for friends like Bill. We met a few years ago at Land Park, standing around the short game area, doing what golfers do best: pretending to practice while mostly just talking.
Bill was a better golfer than I, and he was a thoughtful one – A “golf is life” guy. Shot by shot. Decision by decision. Over the last three years with Bill, I have earned honorary degrees in Psychology, Philosophy, and Spirituality with a minor in Humility.
Bill has a way of turning an ordinary walk or range session into a lesson. He even inspired something I once wrote about choosing your shot wisely—on the course and off.
https://sacramentobacon.com/choose-your-shot-wisely/
“Old Man, Look at my life, I’m a lot like you were.”
My son Willy,31, continues his career in archaeology across California (Bodie. Death Valley. Lake Tahoe) and periodically in Maui. It’s nice that he lives in Sacramento.
Emma, 29, has survived several layoffs at Service Titan and was promoted into enterprise sales. She lives in Brentwood (West LA), just minutes from where I lived in the late 80s when I was getting started.
Kim, my fiancée, continues to show remarkable patience and grace. We have been engaged for nearly four years, which tells you almost everything you need to know about her.
Professionally, this year marked an important shift.
I teamed up with the PDF Group and eXp Commercial.
Not only will I continue guiding clients in the commercial real estate space, but I am also equally energized by mentoring agents and building something meaningful with the PDF Group. And with roughly 90,000 residential agents and about 700 commercial agents, eXp is doing something different. And it is working.
Merry Christmas
Wishing you a peaceful Christmas, a healthy New Year, and a little momentum heading into 2026.
Tom