This week, we're sitting down with Cameron Weavil. Cameron is the Associate Broker of the Weavil Company Commercial Real Estate in Mobile, AL. Listen to this week's episode to hear his story.
Produced by Blue Fish in Mobile, Alabama.
Transcript:
Cameron Weavil:
My name is Cameron Weavil, and I'm the Associate Broker of the Weavil Company Commercial Real Estate.
Marcus Neto:
Awesome. Cameron, it is amazing to have you here today.
Cameron Weavil:
Thank you.
Marcus Neto:
Yeah, well, to get started, one of the things that we normally do is get some of the backstory. So tell us the story of Cameron. Where are you from? Where'd you go to high school? Did you go to college? I know you did, but tell us where you went. What'd you study? And just give us some of your history.
Cameron Weavil:
Yeah, absolutely. So I was born and raised here in Mobile. I went to St. Paul's Episcopal School. Graduated in 2003 and then went up to Ole Miss, University of Mississippi. I was actually born and bred a University of Alabama fan, but my sister who's 16 months older than me, went up to Ole Miss. We all thought it was pretty strange, but I went and visited her and just had a blast. And so I went up there, and I was a Sigma Nu, in the fraternity, which was great. I studied Risk Management and Insurance. I really did not want to get into the real estate world and follow my father, but stuck with that, and then left there and went to Austria and studied International Business Law at the University of Innsbruck in Austria, which was a cultural experience for me. I was over there for three months and traveled all of Europe and really was one of the most awakening things that I've ever done. And certainly I recommend it to any other human, as well.
Cameron Weavil:
So I went there for a while, came back to Oxford, Mississippi, continued school. Then I went to Washington, DC and interned for Senator Jeff Sessions when he was on the Defense Appropriations Committee. So that was pretty interesting because my grandfather was United States Congressman Jack Edwards. And he was on the Defense Appropriations Committee when he was in Congress from '64 to '84.
Marcus Neto:
I did not know that.
Cameron Weavil:
Yeah, so it was pretty neat growing up, seeing all that, and then actually being able to work in the same office, and also worked with Joe Bonner for a while. Then I came back to Mobile and decided that insurance wasn't for me. And so I went ahead and got my real estate license and went up to Birmingham to interview, but they all had heard about my father's company and they all said, "Listen, we're not going to train you, and then in four years you leave us and go work for your father." So I told him that and he was like, "Well, I guess you could come work for me." Anyway, I started doing that and been there ever since. Been there since 2008. So what? 13 years.
Marcus Neto:
Nice. That's really cool.
Cameron Weavil:
Yeah.
Marcus Neto:
Now, when you go back and look at high school and college, would you consider yourself a good student?
Cameron Weavil:
No, I really wasn't into school. Not until I got into college. When the fraternity ... We had the highest GPA of any Greek organization on campus. The SGA President, Treasurer, they were all Sigma Nus. And then all of a sudden, it became a competition to have good grades. So I really got in-
Marcus Neto:
Which is not what you typically think of with a fraternity.
Cameron Weavil:
I really got into studying and I created a habit where I said, "I have an eight hour day. I'm going to wake up and I'm going to go straight to the library. And I'll only leave the library to go to class. After class, go back to the library." So I spent eight hours a day in the library. I had a little nook and I loved it. I'd leave to go to the fraternity house to eat lunch, or I'd leave to go to the gym. But after my last class at 4:00 or 5:00, then I was out of there. Unless I had a big exam, then I'd be back at the library. But I didn't really start that until second semester sophomore year where it really got intense. And then my grades went from a 2.9 GPA to a 3.7. And so I just kept going up, which was kind of exciting. But my freshman year and my senior year, they kind of skewed the grade point average.
Marcus Neto:
Yeah. No, I get that. So now go back for me, what was your first job? And were there any lessons from it? And by first job, I mean like flipping burgers. That first job.
Cameron Weavil:
So the first job was with Wesley May Construction. He was a land clearer. So I was just a laborer. And so I was working the shovels, the chainsaws, and then eventually, at $7.50 an hour, started running the bulldozers, front end loaders. And that was right when I was 16 and I loved vehicles. And so all my friends were getting these brand new pickup trucks. And so my father was not going to buy me a brand new pickup truck. So he bought me a 1985 Chevrolet K5 Blazer. And I worked my tail off all summer just to be able to put a lift kit on there and speakers.
Marcus Neto:
Nice.
Cameron Weavil:
It was my motivation.
Marcus Neto:
Yeah.
Cameron Weavil:
So it was humble beginnings. It was a husband and wife bosses and they worked together and they were big Christians and we prayed all the time and it was just a good experience coming up.
Marcus Neto:
No, it's really cool because I know that oftentimes, our first job or first experiences in the workforce train us in things that we find rudimentary now in all of our experience, but that when we look back at it, there are still habits that we have from those first experiences. And so it's just cool to look back sometimes and see what those are. Now I know you didn't start Weavil Company, but how did you find getting started in that? Do you remember maybe the first deal that you put together or the first contract that you ... or a building that you sold or something that made you think, "Hey, there really is something to this. I'm not just following in my dad's footsteps. I get it. This is fun."
Cameron Weavil:
Right. Well, my goal was to get to his level as quick as possible. And with that comes education. And in every business, there's always this threshold that you have to reach to become or considered the best, whether it be your doctorate or PhD, your MAI for appraisers. In our business, it's called a CCIM, which is Certified Commercial Investment Member. It's like getting your master's in commercial real estate. Only about eight of us in Mobile have it. And so he was one of the first ones in Mobile, my father was, to get that. And so that was my goal is to get that. In terms of our first deal, he put a file on my desk one day and said, "Sell this property." And it was on Mill street and Crighton, and it was $90,000. And I said, "How do I sell it?" He said, "Call the neighbors, see if they want it." So I called the neighbors and I said, "Are you interested in the next door?" And he's like, "Yeah, I am actually." Wrote up a contract. Two weeks later, closed it. I made $6,000. I thought I was rich.
Marcus Neto:
Yeah, because you had worked all summer earlier in your life to put lift kit on and still hadn't made the $6,000.
Cameron Weavil:
It was awesome. So I said, "Wow. Is it this easy?" Well, it's certainly not this easy. But that was the first deal. One on Mill Street for $90,000.
Marcus Neto:
Too funny. No. Well, if you were talking to someone that wanted to get started in running their own business, what's the one bit of wisdom that you would impart to them?
Cameron Weavil:
I'm with the Weavil Company, and dad and I are basic partners, but we never did any residential real estate. And so I wanted to be able to do a little bit of that, or at least have an avenue to maybe purchase foreclosures. So with that, you need funding. You need access to financial aid, basically. And I learned that it's easier to get access to money if you have a business partner and you can create an LLC, a business. And when you go in and ask for a line of credit or something along those lines, it's a lot easier if you have a partner.
Cameron Weavil:
And so a high school friend of mine and I started Premier Real Estate Company, which is my residential company that I'm owner/broker of. And we don't do a lot of residential, but it's certainly something that we focus on when we do foreclosures. So I like the idea of having a partner, but it's also important to know your role as a partner. So my business partner, he's the numbers guy. He kind of stays behind the scenes and makes sure everything right. And I'm kind of the sales guy. So I'm always out there in front. And you got to know your role and you got to pull your weight, but my advice would be to probably find a good, strong partner.
Marcus Neto:
Yeah. I know they can definitely help. I don't have a partner, but there've been many times over the years where I felt like it would be nice for some simple things like being able to go on vacation and know that things were going to continue on, but also because sometimes in business things get tough and having somebody to bounce things off of is extremely helpful. Now, is there anything that you guys are currently working on that you can talk about or anything of any interest?
Cameron Weavil:
Yeah, I think before the podcast, we were mentioning the downtown area. I've always had a passion for downtown. Renovating buildings, helping people find tenants. So I'm working on buildings downtown. I've sold seven buildings in the last two years. And I have about five that I have for sale. Developing old properties. Like I developed the Serda Brewing Company. I bought that building and built it out for them. I held it for three years and then sold it for a nice profit. But turning old buildings into something usable is something that's a real big passion.
Marcus Neto:
Nice. Very cool. And tell us what a typical day looks like for you. So I know the life of a realtor is kind of varied in the sense that depending on what you need to get done that day. But is there some consistencies? Even if you wanted to talk to us about like, "Hey, you get up every morning and you have a cup of coffee and you check this website or you do this email or whatever." You can even get that granular if you want.
Cameron Weavil:
Well, it's actually not structured whatsoever. I just finished Donald Trump's book, The Art of the Deal. And he just says too much structure stifles entrepreneurism. And so it's all based upon what I did the previous evening. So when I get done with work, if I'm sitting at home, then I'm not networking. So I'm always out socializing, whether it be taking people to dinner, meeting them for drinks after work, it's constantly going. And the next morning, I might get up at 8:00. Then I might have a meeting on a Thursday and I'm up at 6:00. So there really is no structure.
Cameron Weavil:
But I get up and I'm at the house for 30 minutes and I go to the office and I answer 200 emails, and then I'll try to go do my showings if I have any in the afternoon. And then I'll run to the gym for a little bit and then go out and meet new friends and socialize and network because there's a lot of brokers or agents that kind of do the same thing. It's almost like an insurance agent. A lot of them do the same thing, but whenever they're ready to buy real estate, you want to be the name that pops in their head. And the only way to do that is to be everywhere, whether it be social media or seeing them out or networking. That's what's important.
Marcus Neto:
And oftentimes, if you've got a personal connection with them, they're more inclined to do business with you, as well.
Cameron Weavil:
That's right. And so you go out, not because you're trying to drum up business, it's because you're trying to drum up relationships. Business might come later on down the road.
Marcus Neto:
And it's a genuine thing.
Cameron Weavil:
Yeah.
Marcus Neto:
Now, when you look to the business world, and I don't mean the Mobile business world. I mean the business world at large. Who is the one person that motivates you?
Cameron Weavil:
It's a kind of a cliche, but my father really does. He's one of the most respected real estate agents, brokers, in Mobile in the industry. He has an old school approach. I'm a little younger and I like to do things fast. So I work extremely fast getting things done. Because sitting at the office is not something that I just love to do.
Marcus Neto:
Right.
Cameron Weavil:
Whereas I think the older generation, that's what they do. They love sitting there and having long conversations. They'll talk about Alabama football for 30 minutes and then they'll talk about business for five. I'm like, let's talk about business for five and then maybe I'll meet you for a drink later.
Marcus Neto:
Yeah, exactly. So are there any books, podcasts, people, or organizations that have been helpful in moving you forward?
Cameron Weavil:
I think it's important to, whatever you do, just be the best at it and get involved. So a lot of industries have trade organizations. Obviously, a real estate agent is the Realtor Organization. So I got involved with the Realtor Organization right from the start and started chairing committees and moving on up. And so now this year, I happen to be the President of the Mobile Area Association of Realtors. And it is volunteer. We don't get paid for it, but it is because you have a passion for things. There's legislation that is always coming up that could potentially negatively affect home ownership, whether it be insurance or mortgage interest reduction. Those kinds of things, if you're not paying attention to, they can slide right past you and it'll affect you long down the road. So it's important to stay on top of those legislation and certain types of events that we have to go to promote. We love our legislators. We certainly support them and we want to make sure that they are looking out for our best interests, as well. So I would certainly ask that people get involved with their organizations.
Marcus Neto:
The Mobile Area Association of Realtors. And it's interesting to me because I have some familiarity with the real estate world. Right? And most people don't realize just how much work goes into all the things that realtors do. What's your 30 seconds on the benefit of working with a realtor to get deals closed, whether it be residential or commercial? Because I have my answer and I would just say, "Making sure that people do how it is that they say they're going to do."
Cameron Weavil:
Right. Well see, what people don't understand is, you can have your real estate license and not be a realtor. So you can have a lot of real estate agents that are rogue agents that just fly by the seat of their pants. The Realtor Organization, we all have a code of ethics that we follow and we sign off on. And it's extremely important because the passion that we have is much higher and there's no greed. We're willing to split fees with people. Our job is to look out for the best interest of the public and put them first. So that's why the realtors are such a strong organization.
Marcus Neto:
No, that's very cool. Now, how do you like to unwind? Actually, no. Scratch that. You're going to have to edit that. What's the most important thing you've learned about business?
Cameron Weavil:
Well, I think patience. When you're doing it by yourself, you have a little more control and sometimes that's probably smart in the long run. When I mentioned about having a partner, I think a partner is important to do at the beginning of your career to get a business started. I do think that long term, you see a lot of partnerships split up once they have their feet on the ground. Because like I was saying earlier, my partner is the numbers guy and I'm the sales guy. At a certain point, I can handle numbers and sales. And so there's always that possibility of splitting off. So it's patience with your partner and knowing when to separate.
Marcus Neto:
Yeah. And making it amicable instead of-
Cameron Weavil:
Of course. Absolutely. It's never going to be a rude separation, but I think it's sometimes greater for both parties. And you don't know when that time is.
Marcus Neto:
No, that's awesome. Now, how do you like to unwind?
Cameron Weavil:
Well, like I said, I go to the gym and I listen to books on tape in the gym. I'm not blaring hardcore music. I'm just unwinding. My phone rings a hundred times. I just screen the calls. After that, then I'd like to go meet my friends. If I'm going to dinner, half the time I'm in gym clothes. I don't really care.
Marcus Neto:
Yeah.
Cameron Weavil:
But it's mainly just seeing my close friends, like my Marcus right here, is a close friend of mine. I like to go off-roading a lot with my little Jeep. Basically find some woods where there's no cell phone service, at Jason's hunting camp, wherever it may be.
Marcus Neto:
Yeah, we have a mutual friend, Jason Pilcher, who owns a couple of dealerships in the area and he's got a tremendous hunting camp. And the first time we went up there, you brought your Jeep. And I just remember we were out there at like, I don't know, 11:00 at night and you've got all your lights on and music blaring and we're just cruising through the woods. And of course, Chrissy and I are in the Polaris just kind of following behind everybody. But it was just the best thing. So much fun.
Cameron Weavil:
It was great. Just with best friends. The way things work with friendship is that you can't ever force it because it's so natural. You have, okay, this person, I was forced to be friends with him when I was in high school. But as I grow up, we don't have anything in common. I don't like his negative attitude. So I'm going to move on to people that are positive.
Marcus Neto:
Yeah.
Cameron Weavil:
It's like an organic type of thing. It just happens on its own and it keeps evolving and every year just keeps getting better.
Marcus Neto:
That's cool. So tell people where they can find out more information about the Weavil Company and the types of services that you provide.
Cameron Weavil:
Yeah. So we have a website, theweavilcompany.com. It gives a little about us, but we are just a full service commercial real estate brokerage and development firm. We're family owned and operated. We're small. It's my father and I and our secretary. We have a family approach to things and that's how I like to be. Some of these big, big firms, sometimes you lose that personal touch. So we'll be the first ones to tell someone, "Don't do this deal." Even though we have a commission on the line, we'll say, "Don't do this deal." And then now they're so glad that we told them not to. And there's not a lot of that around. But so also my residential real estate company is premierrealeastatecompany.com, which also shows us a little of what we do.
Marcus Neto:
Very cool. I mentioned this to you before. I'm driving around town and I'm seeing more and more of your signs popping up and I'm sure that's a testimony to the work that ... I know you and I know the kind of work ethic that you put together. And I I'm hopeful that in the not so distant future that we'll be working on some deals together too. Anyway, I want to thank you again for coming on the podcast. To wrap up, any final thoughts or comments you'd like to share?
Cameron Weavil:
Well, I just really appreciate you doing things like this. This is bringing members of the community together and it's sharing ideas. It's brainstorming. It's awesome to be able to really get a life story about people, because what you see sometimes is not actually accurate, or all you see is them in their professional world. It's great to know what people do in their private world, as well. So I look forward to looking at all these podcasts that you've done in the past and really getting to know people in a better sense.
Marcus Neto:
I do it out of selfish reasons. I just like hearing people's stories. I think it's cool. I've learned a couple of things. I didn't know what CCIM meant. I didn't know that that was a rare thing, that there were only eight people. You know what I mean? I very much am curious about what drives a business owner or entrepreneur. So it's purely out of selfish reasons, but I do appreciate you participating.
Cameron Weavil:
So thank you, Marcus, for having me.
Marcus Neto:
It's not easy being in the hot seat. So Cameron, I appreciate your willingness to sit with me and share your journey as a business owner and entrepreneur. It's been great talking to you, man.
Cameron Weavil:
Thank you, Marcus. Thanks for having me.
