In this episode of On The Rocks, Joe Warren covers the story of Jeff Renzulli and how to know if you’re going in the right direction.
Jeff and Joe met through playing golf nearly 20 years ago and is something they share to this day. Jeff comes from a very tight-knit family. Being the eldest of 3 children, he was always pushed to take on something substantial. From a young age, he was hitting the golf ball around with his brother and grandfather. As he grew older, they started playing on public golf courses. Jeff loved the characters he met and the interactions he had on the golf course. As he grew, his focus was on becoming a pro golf player but quickly came to the realization that he was lacking talent. This was a great realization that you can't be anything you want and sometimes you have to accept who you are and find a way to work around it. Nonetheless, he continued to play out of his love for the game and the camaraderie. Also, he states that nearly 70% of his professional success is due to golf. Meeting people and being comfortable talking to them on the course then helps translate that into a work situation.
As the eldest child, he felt the pressure to pursue a career that would make him successful. Also, out of lack of imagination for what else was out there, he studied law. He graduated from Boston College Law School in ‘92 and worked for a couple of years at a big law firm. After a difficult few years, Jeff decided it was time to move on with his career. He ended up in Virginia concentrating on real estate law. He worked hard to evolve his legal practice while focusing on small practices-helping them navigate the daily issues faced. By chance, he was given an amazing opportunity to work with more experienced lawyers. Out of it, he gained a mentor. Jeff emphasizes the importance of having a mentor in any industry you go into. That it is important to make sure you have a group of individuals that have your best interest at heart and want to help you succeed.
As you get older, now all of a sudden people look at you as someone who has the experience and you have something much more valuable to bring forward. Jeff wants to be around people who enjoy life and make it meaningful. He also wants to help others do so and follow their journey. He has passed the phase of doing work for others and now focuses on guiding them after they have already taken their shot at it.
His biggest piece of advice is to be your most authentic self and have confidence in what you are doing. His 20s were a lot of swinging and missing because he wasn't being honest with himself, those around him, or his family. Somehow everything aligned when he was 30 and he got that confidence to show the world who he was. Thus, coming out at 30 was a big moment that shaped who he is to this day. Jeff believes for him, listening to his body and mind is a great way to handle his stress. Although it isn’t revolutionary, occasionally asking yourself if you’re going in the right direction can help keep you on track in your journey. And one last piece of advice is to not make big changes but take small steps in the right direction.