November 12, 2025 • 47 mins
In this episode of Work Hard, Play Hard, and Give Back – A Real Estate Podcast, host Michael Litzner sits down with Lyndsey Gallagher, Chief Financial Officer of Coldwell Banker American Homes, to talk about what it’s really like leading in a family-run company that’s been growing strong for nearly four decades.
Lyndsey shares how she went from answering phones in the office as a teenager to managing the financial operations that power more than 1,000 agents and 100 employees. She talks about building faster, smarter systems that help agents get paid in hours, not weeks, her legendary “Croatia yacht” story, and how compassion, culture, and community remain at the heart of the Gallagher legacy.
You’ll hear about:
- How family values still guide a modern, fast-moving brokerage
- The systems and mindset behind same-day commission payouts
- Balancing business, leadership, and life
- The ongoing impact of the Heart of American Homes Foundation
- And, of course, the “Drop the Mike” moment you don’t want to miss
👉 Like and subscribe for more inspiring conversations from leaders who work hard, play hard, and give back.
Thank you for listening
Stay connected with us:
- Facebook: facebook.com/cbamhomes
- Instagram: instagram.com/cbamhomes
- Twitter: twitter.com/cbamhomes
- LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/cbamhomes
Visit our website:
Interested in a career in real estate?
- Join our team: careers.cbamhomes.com
Need to get licensed?
- New York Real Estate Salesperson Classes: resnys.com/77-hr-new-york-real-estate-salesperson-classes-cb/
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
SPEAKER_03 (00:07):
Welcome to the Work Hard, Play Hard, and Give Back a
Real Estate Podcast.
We're at the studio at AmericanHomes in Franklin Square.
And today we have as our guestinterview Lindsay Gallagher, CFO
of Co-OBanker American Homes.
Welcome to the show, Lindsay.
SPEAKER_01 (00:22):
Thank you for having me.
SPEAKER_03 (00:23):
Absolutely.
If you like what you're seeinghere today, remember to like and
subscribe to our podcast, okay?
And don't forget, by the way, tostay for the drop the mic
question at the end.
It's always a lot of fun.
So we're gonna kind of jump inreally fast here because I I
think we have a great story toshare here.
So um for our audience,obviously you're a legacy
candidate, daughter of the CEOof Cobalt Banker American Homes,
(00:46):
Tom Gallagher.
And since I obviously know yousince you're a child, I mean
literally two years old, right?
So you have some unique exposureto the real estate business,
really having grown up in it.
So um why don't you share withour audience real fast, you
know, a little bit of what thatexposure looks like, you know,
from a from a the eyes of a a akid, teenager slash now adult?
(01:09):
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
I was trying to figure out likecollege, you know, nothing
different uh angles of life, asthey say, right?
SPEAKER_01 (01:16):
Um yeah.
Well, I'll say that probably thecar phone was probably the worst
thing that was invented in Dana,my sister, in my opinion,
because you and dad were alwayson the phone when he was in the
car and we weren't allowed tolisten to music or do anything.
So that wasn't great.
SPEAKER_03 (01:32):
I don't think anything's changed.
37 years later, the same thing'shappening today, right?
SPEAKER_01 (01:38):
Uh-huh, exactly.
We did get disc men, though,which was great back in the day
in those 90s, because then wewere able to listen to music on
our own and we weren't having tolisten to your conversations in
the car, which is great.
Um, yeah, so growing up in this,um it's almost like a contact
high, so to speak.
SPEAKER_03 (01:55):
You kind of don't even realize you're exposed to
real estate and industry andit's probably things in the back
of your brain used to be.
SPEAKER_01 (02:01):
Oh, yeah, since we were young.
It was you we always werehearing it, even if we didn't
know what was going on and whatwas being spoken about.
When a conversation was comingup in our everyday lives, we
were able to, you know, relateor understand because of all the
things that we had heard sinceforever.
Then when you guys were in theEast Meadow office, uh, when I
was a teenager, I was answeringphones for you guys over there.
(02:23):
I mean, back in the day when youwere cutting out the ads in the
newspaper and taping them andtaping them into the books so
that way we like knew the adsthat we were taking out and the
weeks that we took them out andyou know how much we were paying
for them and all that.
I was there.
I was with you guys in ourKaufman back in the day
answering phones.
I was in Merrick answeringphones, and my exposure came uh
(02:45):
pretty early.
I think whenever you wereallowed to start working, or
even maybe before that, I was inthe office answering phones and
learning how it was to be in ain a company.
SPEAKER_03 (02:54):
Now, when did you get your real estate license
exactly?
SPEAKER_01 (02:56):
I got my license when I was 19.
SPEAKER_03 (02:58):
Okay.
SPEAKER_01 (02:59):
So that was um pushed by by my father to go for
that.
I know.
Can you believe it?
Who wants to have their freshmanyear of college summer vacation
start with going to real estateschool?
But I have to say thank you, Ihave to thank him years later
because I do, you know, likefive to seven deals a year to,
you know, friends and familyreferrals and keep it going.
SPEAKER_04 (03:21):
Right.
SPEAKER_01 (03:21):
And I enjoy that aspect.
It's nice to get out there andyou know be in it with people
and it's fun.
But yes.
SPEAKER_03 (03:27):
Yeah, so so from our audience, you know, so sh they
have an understanding.
Um, your main role now as CFO,it's it it's clearly in the back
office.
You're responsible of paying athousand plus agents, their
their commissions, their theirincome.
And we have obviously a hundredplus employees.
SPEAKER_02 (03:47):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_03 (03:48):
So there's a lot that's on Lindsay Gallagher's
shoulders.
So um and in in your spare timeyou still sell five to seven
houses.
Correct.
All right.
SPEAKER_01 (03:56):
So if I can do it anyway, okay.
There we go.
There we go.
No, it's just, you know, youhave to do time management and
you make it work.
And that's half the battle.
SPEAKER_03 (04:05):
Yeah, yeah.
So right now you're running theentire financial side of Cold
Bank American Homes as CFO.
What's the what was the momentyou decided to step into the
leadership role role?
And what's the greatest lessonyou've learned from your dad,
Tom, about the business?
SPEAKER_01 (04:22):
Well, I did learn that I will never be a human
calculator like he is, and Idon't know many that can it
still blows me away every timehe's able to figure out numbers
in his head within like 15seconds.
You I just can't get over it.
SPEAKER_03 (04:36):
He always holds that over me.
I'm really good at math and yethe's like an idiot savant.
Yes, I I know he's gonna hearthis.
I know.
SPEAKER_01 (04:44):
And if you take out a calculator, it's like he's
looking down on you.
SPEAKER_03 (04:46):
Like you're like, what?
Calculate shames you, right?
SPEAKER_01 (04:50):
Oh my gosh.
When did I take on or when did Idecide to take on this role?
Yeah.
Um, I again I had been in manyaspects of the company, so I
feel like I have come up from,you know, answering phones and
you know, helping withrecruiting and helping with like
newsletters and all of thedifferent aspects of the company
from years ago.
(05:11):
Right.
And you guys were acquiring um alarge number of offices at a
time.
And I was asked to, you know,come in to figure out about, you
know, he was nervous about howthe money was gonna be handled.
You guys both work so welltogether because you handle
different areas of the business.
And and he was unsure if he was,you know, gonna be able to keep
(05:36):
doing it all.
So he wanted to kind of, Iguess, prep me for that.
SPEAKER_03 (05:39):
Yes.
By the way, one of my personalgoals is to definitely recruit
and develop more sales than theback office can figure out how
to pay.
You I like to keep you guys alittle overmatched.
Yeah, a little overmatched ifpossible.
SPEAKER_01 (05:53):
But it's it's happened a couple of times, but
we've come back down.
SPEAKER_03 (05:57):
But yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (05:58):
And I started with payroll, just of the employees
originally.
Yeah, and then I kind of we weremoving into a new software
system, and Tom Gallagher doesnot like change.
So with that, I was learning thesystem.
He was a little not reluctant tolearn the system, but also I
(06:19):
think that was his time to likelet me shine and let my wings
expand and um gave me thatopportunity to see if I could
handle it.
And that's where I think itreally happened.
And I think that was around2013-ish.
SPEAKER_04 (06:35):
Okay.
SPEAKER_01 (06:35):
So it's been, yeah, it's been over 10 years now that
I've really like stepped in andtried to expand our
opportunities with that to makeeverything more efficient for us
behind the scenes because youremember he used to write notes
on every single agent'scommission.
Oh my god, yes.
Every single one.
SPEAKER_03 (06:52):
Yes.
Getting him to move from uh, youknow, actually writing the
checks to direct deposit.
Do you remember that?
SPEAKER_02 (06:58):
Yes.
Yes.
SPEAKER_03 (06:59):
You know, we have agents that span, you know, live
literally live a hundred milesapart in the company, and yet he
wanted to have written paperchecks uh delivered with the
notes, was handwritten notes onthe computer.
SPEAKER_01 (07:12):
Which is such a nice touch.
And I give a lot of credit tothat.
But as you were growing, it wasjust becoming more impossible to
do that.
SPEAKER_03 (07:19):
Exactly.
I don't know if I would have wonthe direct deposit war.
I think I eventually would havewon that argument.
SPEAKER_01 (07:25):
I pushed that one.
Yes, yes.
SPEAKER_03 (07:26):
And he always says you and I team up against him
now.
SPEAKER_01 (07:29):
He does say that.
SPEAKER_03 (07:29):
Yes, yes.
I think he's right.
Sometimes it's true.
Yes, yeah.
So I think that was one of thebattles that uh you helped me uh
win.
SPEAKER_01 (07:37):
So I think he, you know, almost 20 years later
agreed with that now.
SPEAKER_03 (07:41):
Yeah, yeah.
I think when you have to closethousands of transactions a
year, which is a good problem tohave, you have to have
efficiency.
So that's awesome.
So coming back to the secondpart of that question, what is
the greatest lesson you thinkyou've learned from your dad
about the business?
Let's we'll leave the life lifelearning.
Life lessons moments, yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (08:01):
His compassion, I think.
He after all these years stillhas the same compassion um that
he's had, I feel like, since dayone.
And I think uh living in thisbusiness, you could get beat
down very easily, and somehow hestill comes out with the
compassion.
And I give a lot of credit tothat because you could be very
(08:22):
you could feel very defeatedsometimes.
SPEAKER_03 (08:24):
Yeah, well, it's a hyper-competitive business.
SPEAKER_01 (08:27):
It's very hyper-competitive and it's
personal and you take thingspersonally.
It's hard not to.
You you put your you know,blood, sweat, and tears into
something, but I'd probably sayit's compassion.
Yeah, I think and his businessmind, he always is able to step
back and really like look at awhole situation instead of
making um an impulse decision.
And I know one of his famouslines to me is wait an hour and
(08:49):
see if you feel that way in anhour.
And then I remember one time Iwent to him and I was like, It's
been 24 and I still feel thesame way.
He's like, Okay, fine, then youcan execute on it.
But take telling me to take astep back and really like look
at the whole picture instead ofjumping on impulse.
SPEAKER_03 (09:04):
Sometimes yeah, it's it's the the impulse, it's it's
the emotional response, whichisn't always the right correct
business response.
So that takes a lesson, yeah.
So there's a little yin and yangwith that because I'm way more
aggressive.
So uh huh.
SPEAKER_01 (09:20):
But that's yeah, that's why you guys work so
well.
SPEAKER_03 (09:22):
Yeah, and he's been the one that pulls those reins
back at times, you know.
Yeah, so I I totally get thatone.
And with the compassionate, youknow, we have Tom's old ego.
So there's Tom Gallagher, andthen there's we have those tea
gal moments.
Oh yeah.
Yes, that's that's the softcompassionate side that comes
out.
SPEAKER_01 (09:39):
So true.
SPEAKER_03 (09:39):
So you're one of the few who serve both as a
high-level CFO and active realestate salesperson.
So how does having your boots onthe ground selling homes inform
your decisions and strategiesfor the brokerage side?
SPEAKER_01 (09:53):
Well, it gives me the opportunity to be out there
and to see like what istranspiring like out in the
field.
So then I'm able to bring itback and either like help anyone
in our company that also needsassistance with that, it it
allows me to make any kind ofchanges that I feel like need to
be made within our back endsystems.
(10:17):
If I'm able to like, I'm seeingnow I'm interacting with other
agents in other companies, andyou know, we're talking about uh
commissions, they'll talk aboutcommissions.
There was an agent that umhadn't gotten uh paid for two
weeks on a deal that I had paidour agent on.
So she had actually that agentfrom another company had said,
(10:38):
Oh, uh, I did a deal withso-and-so in your company.
Um, did your agent get paid?
I'm like, Well, yeah, of course.
Like I pay the agent.
So of course they got paid.
I still haven't gotten paid andit's two weeks.
So I take that back and I say,All right, you know, like I
relay that information and say,We're doing a really great job
here.
Like we pay our agents asquickly as possible, and I think
that's an amazing thing.
SPEAKER_03 (10:59):
So yeah, the feedback I get from my side, and
I'm not on the payroll side,right?
That's Tom and your baby overthere.
But um the average industry isat least a week, you know, and
and in an industry where agentsare working on a deal for three
months, you know, two months,three months, four months,
whatever it is, and finally getthe damn thing to close where
(11:20):
they say, I'm finally gonna getpaid, and then the company that
waits another week or twoleaving them in the wings.
SPEAKER_02 (11:25):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_03 (11:26):
So our our our goal is to pay them in three business
days or less.
But I will say the you know, youknow, kudos to to you because
it's very rarely more than liketwelve hours before an agent
gets you know, you know, themoney deposited and stuff.
And I really think that's atremendous strength and strongly
appreciated by the agent uh, youknow, on the uh American Homes
(11:50):
team.
So I don't see anyone in theindustry doing anything close to
that.
SPEAKER_01 (11:54):
Which, you know, I give you guys a lot of credit
for starting that from so longago and carrying it through, you
know, as you grew.
That's not an easy thing.
SPEAKER_03 (12:04):
Well maintaining it in in scale is definitely a
trick as well.
SPEAKER_01 (12:08):
Absolutely.
SPEAKER_03 (12:09):
Yeah.
So I'm not gonna take credit forasking this question, but I do
have some notes here.
I'm gonna kind of bring thecommittee.
We have a podcast committee.
SPEAKER_01 (12:16):
Okay.
SPEAKER_03 (12:17):
And um, so so the way the question's framed, you
know, Tom, if you're listeningout there, so it says, that
you've been working with yourfather for the last 10 plus
years in the back office.
Is he just napping behind hisdesk while you're doing all the
heavy lifting?
SPEAKER_01 (12:32):
That's funny.
Um, there had been a time whereI would walk into his office and
I'd be like, Are you justsitting there putting words for
friends?
What are you doing?
What are you doing in there?
SPEAKER_03 (12:42):
Um And it better not be agents that you're playing
with.
Stop distracting.
Stop distracting our agents.
SPEAKER_01 (12:48):
Listen, as time has gone on, he does come in a
little bit later because hefeels comfortable and he knows
that you know our back office isbeing handled.
But when he's sitting behindthat desk, he's always running
some type of reporting numbers.
He's always looking atsomething.
So then all of a sudden, I'llget an intercom call and be
like, Do you have a few minutes?
And I'm like, A real true fewminutes, or like, do I need now?
(13:10):
Or like, what are we going overhere?
And he he, yes, he is he is inthere working, but sometimes
also, you know, catching up onshows and playing some games,
but then comes back to it.
SPEAKER_03 (13:23):
Yeah, yeah.
But to his credit, he does havethat analytical mind.
So you know, he'll come up withthat vantage point and uh so I
know it's legendary, ourconversations at five to five
and stuff, but it's like wheneveryone else is slowing down,
we finally get the chance tobreathe and we catch up and we
have our our discussions, youknow, you know, boots on the
(13:44):
ground in the streets, so tospeak, sales side of it meets
you know the analytical, youknow, math side of it and stuff.
SPEAKER_01 (13:49):
So that is when you guys recap the day.
SPEAKER_03 (13:51):
Yeah, exactly.
SPEAKER_01 (13:53):
We will say in the back office that when the phone
rings five to five on a Friday,we're like, no, it's Michael.
SPEAKER_03 (13:58):
Yes, it is.
It's pretty much could be anyday, though.
SPEAKER_01 (14:01):
It could be any day.
You're correct.
SPEAKER_03 (14:02):
It's not limited Fridays.
SPEAKER_01 (14:04):
You're you are correct.
SPEAKER_03 (14:05):
So from your vantage point, obviously you've been
around our business.
You know, Tom and I have beentogether as partners uh closer
to 38 years than 37 years now.
So it's it's it's been a couple,so a couple of decades.
SPEAKER_01 (14:17):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_03 (14:17):
Where do you see our company in the next five years
from your vantage point?
SPEAKER_01 (14:20):
Oh wow.
Um I don't know.
I I like where we're at rightnow.
I think that the Cola Banker umacquisition five year just about
five years ago was pretty huge.
I think that was the biggestundertaking that our company had
ever done.
I think you agree with me there.
SPEAKER_03 (14:39):
Well, we doubled the size of our company during an
insane time in real estate.
Yeah, post-COVID.
SPEAKER_01 (14:44):
Oh, yeah.
So I think that if we could dothat, we could do anything, or
at least me personally.
Wait, wait, don't challenge me.
I'm not challenging you.
SPEAKER_03 (14:52):
I can assemble challenge you.
SPEAKER_01 (14:55):
We do we do love a roll-in.
A roll-in is great.
SPEAKER_04 (14:58):
Rollin is great.
Yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (14:59):
I I think that we're in a really good place.
I think that we have greatagents.
I think we have great officesand managers, and I think that
we're in a good spot to seewhere where we're headed.
Um, I know that you're alwayslooking to grow.
You know that I'm always alittle hesitant because it makes
me nervous.
SPEAKER_03 (15:17):
Right.
SPEAKER_01 (15:18):
But I know that you guys will never do anything that
will put us in a bad situation.
So I also trust you guys to makethe best decisions for us.
SPEAKER_03 (15:27):
There we go.
Well, you you see the theintense discussion that goes on
behind the scenes.
Yes.
So it's not what what someonehears on the street when it when
it's announced, there's there'sa tr a ton of preparation and
discussion that goes into everydecision.
SPEAKER_01 (15:42):
So months, sometimes years.
Yes.
SPEAKER_03 (15:46):
A little on the side here, which is it's kind of
interesting.
So one of the things I'm mostamused about is you you get the
industry news, so to speak,right?
Yes.
Which is uh agents chattering,so to speak, and sometimes even
you know, brokers, managers, andother companies and what have
you.
And I'll hear blatant statementsabout our company that would
(16:08):
have to have started with Tomand I.
And we've never had thatconversation, but it's repeated
back to me as as if it'shappening tomorrow.
I'm like, yeah, that's that'snot true.
Yeah, yeah.
So it's interesting when you seethe inside discussions and paths
and vision, so to speak.
So we've seen so much change inour industry.
(16:28):
So you've seen the change fromyour vantage point.
Yeah, I'm definitely a uh a fewsteps deeper into this business
than you are.
So we've seen technology come inand impact uh our industry, you
know, from uh you know uh theinternet, just bringing the
computers into it to theinternet to you know, GPS to
(16:50):
pictures of the houses.
SPEAKER_01 (16:51):
You don't always have the pictures of the houses.
SPEAKER_03 (16:52):
So we've seen um tremendous change even from
email to text messaging now toAI.
So we we continue to see thatimpact.
But then we've had all the legalchallenges to the industry.
So what's a bit what's a biggerchallenge?
What's a bigger what's a biggerimpact on business?
SPEAKER_01 (17:10):
I think I'd say AI right now is the biggest one
currently.
SPEAKER_04 (17:15):
Okay.
SPEAKER_01 (17:16):
Um I see how it brings so much strength to the
industry, I see that it'shelpful in so many ways.
Um, but then I also get a littlebit nervous that it's taking out
um the authenticity of likeusing your own mind.
Like when you're relying onsomebody else to come up with
(17:37):
everything for you, um, it'staking away from what you bring
to the table and a little bit.
I think that if you use itcorrectly and you use it to help
um bring your strengths out,it's great.
But I think if you rely solelyon it, it's almost making it
inhumane a little bit.
Like it's taking out, it'staking out the the personal
(17:59):
touch that you bring, I think iswhat I'm trying to get at.
SPEAKER_04 (18:02):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (18:03):
But I think I do see all the benefits.
I think it's amazing.
Efficiencies, if it's used.
Absolutely.
The efficiencies if it's usedcorrectly, but I think that's
where our training comes in andwe actually push to train to use
it correctly, which I think isamazing.
Yeah.
Because if you just go and do iton your own and it's not checked
before you publish, I thinkthat's not great.
(18:25):
I think that we do a good jobabout the training to do it the
correct way to help enhance allof our agents and their work.
SPEAKER_03 (18:34):
Right.
SPEAKER_01 (18:35):
But when that's not done, that makes me a little
nervous.
SPEAKER_03 (18:37):
Yeah, ultimately we have to own our own voice.
Whether or not we use an AItool, correct.
Ultimately, it's we have to lookat it like we're we authored it
and we own it at the end of theday.
So in an industry known for slowpayments, your process for
handling agent commissions isfamously efficient.
So, what's the core philosophyand technology that drives that
(18:58):
kind of speed and operationalexcellence?
SPEAKER_01 (19:01):
So in 2000, I think 13 or 14, we um went on with a
uh real estate software programthat is geared towards all real
estate sales.
So I kind of customized ourprogram to be the way that our
company handles oil processing.
(19:22):
So we were able to customizeeverything from the ground up.
I created it with theprogrammers to make it how so
that way our company would berun as efficient as possible.
So it's great, it filters inwith MLS and you know, uh, we
have a system in place with themanagers when everything is
cleared with the paperwork.
(19:43):
That's always important.
Paperwork needs to be cleared.
Like as long as your paperworkis good, you will get paid.
Um, but your paperwork iscleared and the managers know
the system of, you know, how totell to trigger me that
everything is complete.
And I go in there multiple timesa day and I'm closing out deals.
So that way the agents aregetting paid based off of the
(20:04):
work that they, like you saidbefore, spent months putting
into.
Um, it's it's the right thing todo.
And we do our best.
I mean, we say three businessdays, but uh if it takes more
than two with me, it's usuallylike something's happened.
I'm like pretty, pretty quickwith it.
Uh, because I think it's reallyimportant.
Yeah.
I think we value our agents andwhat they bring to our company,
(20:26):
and they should feel that inreturn.
SPEAKER_03 (20:28):
Yeah.
Now you talked about developingprocesses.
SPEAKER_01 (20:32):
Yes.
SPEAKER_03 (20:32):
Um, in order to, you know, I guess scale the
department, so to speak,efficiently to scale, it might
be a better way of saying it.
So um what was what was the whatwas the path that, you know,
from your vantage point ofbringing in new software and
creating those processes?
SPEAKER_01 (20:51):
So actually you had brought me um, it was your idea.
You had been going to, I think,like different technology fairs
and you had found a fewdifferent companies, and we sat
on a bunch of different demosbecause when we were growing and
we were looking at, you know,how my father was paying
everybody and writing physicalchecks.
(21:11):
We were on direct deposit atthat point, but he would still
do like a hand, not handwritten,but kind of handwritten
breakdown of all of thecommission statements.
SPEAKER_03 (21:22):
And it was with a chicken scratch that no one
could read.
SPEAKER_01 (21:25):
That you couldn't even read.
But it went a long way.
So we were looking at differentsystems and we wanted to keep
that same, you know, like howthe breakdowns came out, the
commission statements, but wewanted to automate it for
everybody.
So we were able to find theprogram that we felt worked best
for us.
SPEAKER_04 (21:45):
Right.
SPEAKER_01 (21:45):
And we customized it according to our culture and the
way we process as a company.
SPEAKER_03 (21:53):
You know what's interesting?
It's like it's having kind ofobviously lived through this um
with you, is that when you startbringing in third-party
software, it's typically broughtto us by people who aren't in
the real estate business.
Correct.
So it's always assumed uh howour business should work as
(22:15):
opposed to how our businessactually is actually works.
And and the trick is reallygetting the software, it's not
just getting the software, butit's getting it to customize the
workflow in a common sense,practical approach.
SPEAKER_01 (22:29):
And I think that's what mattered to us most was
this was a real estate companythat were previously brokers, so
they got it.
And even though they work withthe entire country and New York
functions very differently thanpretty much everywhere else in
the world.
SPEAKER_03 (22:46):
Um thanks to that little thing we call attorneys.
SPEAKER_01 (22:49):
Oh, yes, those attorneys.
Um, they were able to customizeaccordingly.
Like we don't hold escrow, butthere's spots in this system for
escrow.
So I didn't need that.
So we customized accordingly towork primarily with us.
SPEAKER_04 (23:03):
Right.
SPEAKER_01 (23:03):
And that was so important because we need
something and somebody that'sable to work with us and
actually knows our industry.
You're so correct because noteverybody does.
SPEAKER_03 (23:14):
Yeah, exactly.
SPEAKER_01 (23:16):
Another world.
SPEAKER_03 (23:17):
Exactly.
So it's it's it's really aninteresting exercise, but it's a
lot of work and ultimately toget it right.
SPEAKER_01 (23:23):
To get it right.
But once you do, then thefunctionality is just so smooth
that it was worth all the workit took to set it up.
And we're still we're stillrevising and revamping, and you
know, APIs come out constantly,we're changing, and it's but
it's changing with us instead ofbeing forcing us to change.
SPEAKER_03 (23:44):
Correct.
Right.
SPEAKER_01 (23:44):
Like it's it's at least it's learning the
industry, it knows the industry,and it's making the adjustments
accordingly with us, which issuper helpful.
SPEAKER_03 (23:52):
Very, very.
So you have a great story abouttaking care of payroll while on
vacation on a boat in Croatia.
Can you share that story andwhat does it reveal about your
personal dedication to theagents and financial help of the
company?
SPEAKER_01 (24:06):
Oh my goodness.
Um, yeah.
So I was on Yacht Week inCroatia a couple years ago.
SPEAKER_04 (24:12):
Yes.
SPEAKER_01 (24:13):
And as all my friends know, I will travel
anywhere around the world withthem.
However, I always have to bringmy laptop.
SPEAKER_04 (24:20):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (24:20):
And they've learned and accepted that because I will
be working from wherever I am.
So, yes, I was in the middle ofthe ocean in Croatia and
Adriatical Mediterranean way.
Mediterranean.
SPEAKER_03 (24:35):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (24:35):
And there was a full-on party going on on our
boat, and I was inside.
Oh, and except Lindsay.
And I had my laptop open, I hadmy glass of champagne, and I was
just like petting everybody,everybody, and the party was
going on around me.
And yes, I did.
I took a pic, I snapped thepicture and sent it so that way
(24:58):
you knew, no matter what, it'sgetting done.
SPEAKER_00 (25:00):
One of my favorite pictures from Lindsay, she was
on a yacht in Croatia.
Yeah.
Okay.
And she sent me a picture, andit looked like one of the corona
pictures where you see 30 peopledancing on the deck, and then
you see a computer, and it's herbehind a computer.
We had over a million dollars inclosings that week, and she paid
everybody within one day from ayacht in Croatia.
SPEAKER_03 (25:21):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (25:22):
Okay.
And I'm like, that's my girl.
SPEAKER_03 (25:23):
I always find that one hilarious.
I'm like, all right.
I'm I I I want to say somethingabout handling that much money
after drinking champagne, butyou know, the job got done.
SPEAKER_01 (25:32):
The job got done.
SPEAKER_03 (25:34):
Exactly.
So, so you've touched onsomething that's interesting.
So, like the personal side ofLindsay.
Like, so Lindsay's a worldtraveler.
SPEAKER_01 (25:42):
I am.
Yeah, become one, yes.
SPEAKER_03 (25:44):
So, what's your favorite?
I know you've been to a lot ofgood places.
So, what's your favorite or mostmemorable spot that you visit?
SPEAKER_01 (25:51):
Egypt.
I brought my mother to Egypt twoyears ago.
Yeah.
SPEAKER_03 (25:56):
Um, so your father refused to go.
SPEAKER_01 (25:58):
Yes, he was not, he did not want to go.
SPEAKER_03 (26:00):
Too many steps.
Too many steps.
No golf course.
It had been He says one biggiant sand trap, and you know,
it's a golf reference, probably.
SPEAKER_01 (26:08):
Yes.
It had been my number one bucketlist since I was probably 10.
And every year for I can't tellyou how many years, I'd say,
Mom, can we go now?
And she's saying, No, Lindsay,it's not safe over there.
Mom, can we come now?
No, it's not safe over there.
And somehow I finally got her onboard and she said yes.
And it was probably one of ourmost memorable trips ever.
SPEAKER_03 (26:28):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (26:28):
It was so cool.
SPEAKER_03 (26:30):
Was it the the whole pyramids experience?
The whole pyramids.
Yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (26:33):
Like even now, like how did they do that?
SPEAKER_03 (26:36):
Or inspiring, so to speak.
SPEAKER_01 (26:38):
Oh, yeah.
SPEAKER_03 (26:38):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (26:39):
Very cool.
SPEAKER_03 (26:39):
All right.
What's the runner-up?
SPEAKER_01 (26:41):
What's the runner up?
Oh, uh, I actually really loveCroatia.
So when I was on that boat, thatwas my third time there.
Okay.
Um, beautiful country.
unknown (26:49):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (26:49):
Beautiful, beautiful country, and they love
Americans.
SPEAKER_03 (26:52):
Okay.
There you go.
It's a good one too.
SPEAKER_01 (26:55):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_03 (26:56):
There you go.
That's fantastic.
So when you step away from thespreadsheets, closing paperwork,
real estate sales.
So, what is the Lindsay Gallicarecipe for truly disconnecting?
SPEAKER_01 (27:10):
Oh, wow.
Um, okay.
So downtime.
What is downtime really like Ilove to travel.
Um, I love to work out.
I strength train, you know,three to four days a week at
least.
Right.
SPEAKER_03 (27:22):
This way you can fight off the attorneys and
yeah, fighting off everybody,fighting off you and you, you,
and dad.
Yes.
SPEAKER_01 (27:29):
I love to read.
I love to go on walks.
I love my nieces.
I'm very involved with them.
SPEAKER_03 (27:35):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (27:35):
Uh, they're my little best friends.
I love to be with my friends andmy family.
SPEAKER_03 (27:39):
Yeah.
So, with the family businessbeing so dominant in your life,
how do you successfully setboundaries to ensure you have
time to focus on your personallife and personal interests?
SPEAKER_01 (27:48):
Oh, I don't.
SPEAKER_03 (27:50):
It's one big giant blurred line, right?
SPEAKER_01 (27:52):
I was in the office till 745 last night.
No, I do.
I've been better about it.
Um, there was somebody that youhad brought back in uh back in
the day, Bill Monopoly.
Yeah.
And he sat down with me one dayand I would tell him all the
things that were stressing meout, and I didn't know how to
handle what to put in front ofthe other, like what held the
(28:13):
most importance.
And he really sat down with meand worked with me to really put
into, you know, uh a list whatholds the most top priority.
SPEAKER_04 (28:22):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (28:23):
And I would list it down.
And then if I didn't get to itby the end of the day, tomorrow
was another day, and nothing badwas gonna happen if I did not
accomplish that task that day.
So it really helped me uhprioritize in what I felt was
truly of utmost importancebecause it might be important to
(28:43):
someone else, but it had to behave that importance to me as
well in order for me to getthrough all my tasks for the
day.
And that was super helpful.
SPEAKER_04 (28:51):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (28:51):
Because I was definitely not doing that.
I I felt like I was a failure ifI didn't get through everything
that I needed to complete forthe day, and that also wasn't
great.
So I had to find a healthybalance and I finally did.
SPEAKER_03 (29:04):
Good.
Good.
I mean, literally, we're in abusiness that really doesn't
have boundaries because for evenfor an agent, right?
There's always another house toshow show, another person to
speak to, another issue goingon, if you're doing it at a high
level.
SPEAKER_02 (29:20):
Correct.
SPEAKER_03 (29:21):
So, you know, it doesn't matter that it's a
weekday, a weekend, you know, amorning, afternoon, or evening,
right?
SPEAKER_01 (29:27):
The phone's ringing at 7 a.m., the phone's ringing
at 10 p.m.
It's uh it's yes, it's constant.
So it is hard to set boundaries.
SPEAKER_03 (29:33):
Yeah.
Shout out to Bill Monopoly.
Right, shout out to Bill Month.
I always great that a a realestate business consultant would
have the last name Monopoly, butthat was his last name.
SPEAKER_01 (29:42):
So um I'll always give him credit for that.
SPEAKER_03 (29:45):
Yeah.
No, he was a uh very good guy,and uh, you know, over the
years, you know, having accessor having crossed paths with
different people or having thatopportunity to lean into like a
business consultant.
SPEAKER_02 (29:57):
Correct.
SPEAKER_03 (29:58):
It's it's uh eye opening.
Because they can bring a a freshp perspective.
SPEAKER_01 (30:03):
Correct.
They don't see you every day.
So they're able to give you anoutside point of view.
Something that you or you or dador anyone wouldn't be able to
really see because they'reliving it with you.
So you need like an outsiderpoint of view.
SPEAKER_03 (30:16):
Also they don't have any preconceived notions coming
in.
Correct.
So it's a fresh pair of eyes, soto speak.
So it's really, really helpfulthings that like that we've done
over the years.
So Linz, just trying to get alittle bit more on the on the
personal side, let's so that ouraudience really can say, okay,
who is Lindsay Gallagher?
So you're a lifelong LongIslander.
I am.
Do you have a favorite localescape or activity?
SPEAKER_01 (30:37):
Yes, I love to go to the beach.
SPEAKER_03 (30:39):
Ah, what's your favorite beach spot?
SPEAKER_01 (30:41):
So growing up it was Fire Island and Robert Moses,
because I grew up out inBayshore.
SPEAKER_03 (30:45):
Okay.
SPEAKER_01 (30:46):
And then um as we moved to Nassau, I belong now to
Sands Atlantic Beach Club, andthat's where you will find me
every weekend from Memorial Dayto Labor Day.
SPEAKER_03 (30:57):
Is it true you've been seen there on the beach
lounge with your laptop uhpaying AC?
SPEAKER_01 (31:03):
Yes.
SPEAKER_03 (31:04):
I'm sensing a theme here.
SPEAKER_01 (31:06):
I will pay you from wherever I am, but yes, yes.
Uh once a week I do end up thereduring the week, and I will have
my laptop there.
And sometimes I'll get a phonecall, and those seagulls are
giving me up.
But yes, I will I will work fromwherever.
SPEAKER_03 (31:24):
There you go.
So, you know, you know,obviously giving back is one of
our core beliefs, and you know,is really at the fabric of the
culture of the company.
Correct.
So um why don't you share yourthoughts on the company's
commitment to, you know,community or and or uh
(31:44):
charitable endeavors?
SPEAKER_01 (31:46):
So I think that the reason I um originally before I
was working with you guys, I wasin event planning um for
non-for-profits, which Iabsolutely love.
Um, and when I had decided totake on the role with you guys,
I did not give that up.
I just now do it and don't getpaid for it.
So um I'd say that's a bigpassion of mine is giving back
(32:10):
to the community.
And I think I learned that fromthe two of you because you said
I've seen all assets of you twoin your company while growing
up, and you guys were alwaysgiving back to the community.
You were doing food drives, youwere doing Thanksgiving dinners,
you were doing community-wideevents, and I think that I
didn't know that there was anyother way.
(32:30):
This is just something that youdo.
Yeah, and I think I personallyloved that aspect and I grew
with it, and now I help uhcommunity events and do things
within our community all thetime.
SPEAKER_03 (32:45):
Yeah.
Um different fundraising effortsand I I credit the uh East Metal
Kwanis Club for giving us thatdirection, by the way, which
both your father and I gotinvolved in at a very young age.
SPEAKER_01 (32:57):
Yeah, and I think that it helped shape you too,
and then helped shape me.
SPEAKER_03 (33:02):
Yeah.
So you've been recently involvedwith the Chamber of Commerce.
You uh ran their what was theirlargest fundraiser of the year.
SPEAKER_01 (33:09):
Um yes, I have been for years.
Correct.
The Culinary Delights, and thatwas a food and beverage tasting
um event that we had beenholding.
Um, it was its 19th year.
I had been involved with it for10 of those years.
Yeah.
SPEAKER_03 (33:23):
And everything you say, by the way, when you say
involved, but like running it incharge of it.
SPEAKER_01 (33:27):
In charge of it, yes.
SPEAKER_03 (33:28):
Committee chair.
SPEAKER_01 (33:29):
Committee chair, yes, co-chair usually had some
great co-chairs um along theyears.
And um, we were trying to giveback to the community and the
restaurants because we haverestaurants in all of our all of
our towns that are smallbusinesses, and some of them
have a really hard time, and wetry and bring attention to them
(33:50):
and show all the amazing thingsthat they do in our community
because they're constantly beinghit up for donations for one
fundraiser or another.
And sometimes you need toremember and attend those places
that are giving back to thecommunity the way that they are.
So we would do that, and it wasa great time.
SPEAKER_03 (34:09):
But it also turns out to be a uh um uh a
fundraiser for the organizationas well.
Correct.
SPEAKER_01 (34:16):
So this year we had done it just for the East Meadow
Chamber, but previously we havedone for East Meadow Quantas,
we've done for uh the MedicalCenter in East Meadow, the
Pediatric Center, we've done forSuffolk Nassau Autism, so and
America's Vet Dogs.
So we've done that in the pastalso.
Um and then we would have uhhalf of the proceeds go to one
(34:38):
of those four charities, andthen uh any of the attendees
would get to choose which onethey wanted it to go to, right?
Um, which is always great.
So it was nice to you know helpother organizations along the
way.
SPEAKER_03 (34:51):
Absolutely.
So um what's the um plan for theuh chamber of commerce?
Uh have you sat in thepresident's chair yet or not?
SPEAKER_01 (35:01):
I have not sat in the president's chair.
SPEAKER_03 (35:03):
I'm gonna love the hearing this because both your
father and and and your father'spartner for 37 have sat in that
chair.
SPEAKER_01 (35:10):
You guys have both been president.
I was treasurer for three years.
SPEAKER_03 (35:12):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (35:13):
I currently sit on the board.
Okay, and I have a running betwith uh Sir uh Ted Rosenthal
that if he is person of theyear, that I would be the
president that year.
And we are both very stubbornindividuals, and apparently he
is more stubborn than I becauseI will not go back on a bet, but
he will not accept.
(35:34):
So I have not become president.
SPEAKER_03 (35:36):
Okay.
SPEAKER_01 (35:36):
So the reason behind that, oh go ahead.
SPEAKER_03 (35:38):
Ted Ted, the official uh challenge is now
recorded in the annals of timenow.
So the balls in your court, TedRosenthal.
SPEAKER_01 (35:46):
But the reason behind me not being president
was I always like to do thingsbehind the scenes.
I'm in the back office behindthe scenes.
I don't always like to be theface of everything.
And if I were president, I feellike you'd be losing me for all
of the behind the scenes thingsthat I do.
Yeah.
And I think that I bring a lotto the table in that aspect.
(36:09):
So I didn't want to take awayfrom that.
SPEAKER_03 (36:12):
So you're sure you're Tom Gallagher's daughter.
I know, I know.
SPEAKER_01 (36:16):
We're like in so many ways, except for this.
In so many ways.
SPEAKER_03 (36:23):
Tom's never met a mic, he didn't like it except
for me.
Exactly, exactly.
So you prefer the thebackground.
The people who do the heavylifting but don't always take
the bow for it.
So look, that's uh an importantrole.
Every organization or everysuccessful event always has
(36:44):
those people that put that extrawork in, and it's not just like
I said, for the for the picture,you know.
Correct.
The photo op.
So uh it's it's a it's a so thatmeans the the commitment comes
from a better place, you know,it comes from a good place.
Yes, exactly.
So you know we have the uh Heartof American Homes Foundation,
(37:04):
right?
Uh we would say that your yourdad's the chairman of the board,
if we will.
So what's your what's yourfeeling about that?
What would you like to see thatorganization accomplish?
SPEAKER_01 (37:17):
I love that this has been a passion of the two of you
for so long and you finallybrought it to life.
And to see uh the impact thatyou're making on families that
we know or that our agents know,I think are so it's so
important.
And it's been really likeheartwarming to see how many
families we've impacted in sucha short period of time.
(37:41):
And it's it's not like you'resending the money to an
organization that you've maybenever heard of or you don't know
who it's helping.
Like you know where your moneyis going and who it's helping
and how it's helping, and you'vechanged somebody's life with
just like a small gesture, andyes, also financially.
But I think it's been prettyamazing to see that we've been
(38:05):
able to do that.
Yeah, and I think continue todo.
And I think that we have a greatvetting system.
I think it's Marie Asher, makesthe phone calls as the requests
come in.
SPEAKER_03 (38:15):
Yeah, yeah.
So the idea is to verify everyrequest, you know.
We always say that we protectother people's money more than
we would protect our own.
So charitable money.
Yeah.
Well, right, exactly, in a lotof ways.
Yeah, exactly.
So um, when a request comes infor a donation, it's always
vetted to make sure that's ait's a need and and uh the money
(38:38):
winds up in the right place.
SPEAKER_01 (38:40):
Correct.
And I think that's amazingbecause how often, I mean, you
guys make donations to, I don'teven know if you know Michael.
We make donations to everybody.
Everybody that sends in arequest, we're sending a
donation.
SPEAKER_03 (38:53):
I get thanked a lot.
And Tom just says just shake theheads, it's not too good.
SPEAKER_01 (38:57):
Because we get so many requests.
Like, think about how manydifferent towns that we're in,
how many different PTAs andfootball teams and blue cross
teams and cheerleading teams,and we're getting all the
requests.
And of course, we're, you know,we we love supporting small, you
know, towns and everything thatthat's what you guys stand for.
SPEAKER_03 (39:15):
Community focused.
SPEAKER_01 (39:16):
It's it's been a huge thing.
And so now it's nice that youguys have your own foundation
that you're able to help ourfamily.
SPEAKER_04 (39:23):
Yes.
SPEAKER_01 (39:24):
Like, because you consider all your agents and
employees family.
And if it's not them, it'ssomebody that they know or
somebody that they heard a storyabout.
And I think that really likehits home.
And I think it puts, you know,it sheds light on what you guys
are really about.
SPEAKER_03 (39:37):
I really uh appreciate that vantage point.
Now officially you're atreasurer of the foundation.
SPEAKER_01 (39:43):
Correct.
SPEAKER_03 (39:43):
Okay, so it's an official tax exempt C 103.
SPEAKER_01 (39:48):
Yeah, it's a 5010 C three.
SPEAKER_03 (39:49):
So it's interesting, and I get again for our audience
that doesn't isn't aware whatthe foundation does, it's when
we say it's uh, you know, it's atruly charitable organization or
foundation, it there's really noexpenses to it.
So it's housed in our officesrent-free.
There's no employees.
Every office nominates uh anagent to or a member to sit on
(40:12):
the board of directors.
SPEAKER_01 (40:14):
Correct.
Um there's no overhead exceptfor when we run any kind of
event.
SPEAKER_03 (40:18):
Yeah, the cost of running a fundraiser, you know,
the cost of the fundraiser, andobviously, but a hundred percent
of the actual net proceeds doesgo back into the community.
SPEAKER_01 (40:28):
Absolutely.
SPEAKER_03 (40:29):
So that's tremendously impactful.
So the commitment that we putinto it yield the results that
we do.
So is there a specific story, soto speak?
Um, because since you'reobviously seeing some of the
close-up things, I mean it'ssuper sad.
SPEAKER_01 (40:45):
But the amount of young children that have passed,
and the parents aren't able toum provide a funeral service or
a burial for their child thathas passed away, and uh uh we've
contributed too many times tothose.
And it's those really touch on,I think.
That's that's difficult.
(41:05):
I mean, for a parent in general,and then to not have the funds
to be able to do that, uh, we'vedone too many times.
SPEAKER_03 (41:13):
So, how do you think the overall success of Cobalt
Bank or American Homestranslates into a better,
stronger local community?
SPEAKER_01 (41:19):
I think your community involvement has added
to your success.
SPEAKER_03 (41:25):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (41:26):
I think that I mean, this is what is it, 38 years
old.
SPEAKER_03 (41:30):
Coming up on, yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (41:32):
And the hard work that you I'm not saying that you
guys don't put in hard work now,but the foundation that you guys
built so early on, and thefundamentals that you put into
place 30 plus years ago, and youjust you just kept on with it
and building on it.
SPEAKER_04 (41:51):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (41:51):
And I think that the community can rely on us a lot
of the times for our not evenjust financials, but also our
participation.
SPEAKER_04 (41:59):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (42:00):
And I think that's huge because yes, we're all here
for business and we're all hereto make money and we're all here
to succeed.
But as far as the communityinvolvement goes, I think that
it has happened so naturally.
It's not like you're out therepublicizing, oh, hi, I'm Mike
Glitzner, Cold Banker AmericanHomes, come come use me.
(42:22):
Like that's not our approach.
SPEAKER_04 (42:23):
Right.
SPEAKER_01 (42:24):
And I think that because we're so involved in the
community and so involved outthere participating, right?
It has come back tenfold.
SPEAKER_03 (42:33):
Yes.
SPEAKER_01 (42:33):
Personally, I think that's I think that's called
karma, right?
You know what?
And you guys deserve some goodkarma.
SPEAKER_03 (42:39):
Yeah, why not?
Couldn't have happened to toonice too nice a guy.
Right, Tommy?
SPEAKER_01 (42:43):
Money is valuable, but so is your time.
And if you are able to give timeand volunteer and bring
something to the table, that'sequally as important.
SPEAKER_03 (42:54):
Exactly.
So if I can run with this ideareal quickly, because we have a
lot of agents who watch ourshow.
So if there's one takeaway hereis participate in the
communities, don't just be aname on a shelf, participate,
show up and be a member.
And the secret sauce, you justsaid it before, is as much as we
give, it's amazing when you getin that lane, the karma brings
(43:18):
it back to you.
So you meet people, you know,um, and your sphere of influence
expands.
And then the type of businesswe've done from the
relationships you develop, youknow, it's this organic growth
of relationships that hasexpanded our business on
multiple l levels.
SPEAKER_01 (43:37):
Because nobody wants to deal with a salesperson.
Like we don't want to be sold,but through the chamber of
commerce at least, we go to themeetings and everyone will their
number one question is what willI get out of it?
SPEAKER_04 (43:50):
Right.
SPEAKER_01 (43:51):
The relationships that you make, and then the
referrals that you then get fromthere because now they know
you're a real person and theyfeel comfortable with you and
they know that you have theirbest interest in mind.
Yes, and that's how it that'show it works.
Like that's the best thing youcould do for yourself.
Put yourself out there, meet thepeople, interact with people,
and then it will come back toyou.
SPEAKER_03 (44:11):
Yes.
We're we're in a servicebusiness.
Yes, and what better way toshowcase your ability to serve
people than to serve a nonprofitor a charity.
SPEAKER_01 (44:22):
Correct.
SPEAKER_03 (44:22):
It's on display, it's correct.
It's a perfect opportunity.
SPEAKER_01 (44:25):
Be your genuine, authentic self, and people see
that.
People want to be with peoplethat are like-minded and it
comes back to you.
SPEAKER_03 (44:33):
Exactly.
That's great, that's greatinformation.
It's time for the drop the micquestion.
Before I get into that, I justwant to remind our audience if
you like what you're seeing heretoday, please like and subscribe
to our show.
Okay, we'd love to have you backfor future episodes.
So, Lindsay.
SPEAKER_02 (44:49):
Yes.
SPEAKER_03 (44:49):
Your father is a well-known jokester.
SPEAKER_02 (44:52):
Yes.
SPEAKER_03 (44:53):
Was there a time you can share with us where you
wanted to die of embarrassment?
SPEAKER_01 (44:57):
Oh boy.
Only one, huh?
SPEAKER_03 (44:59):
Yeah, yeah.
Well, what give us a ahighlight.
SPEAKER_01 (45:03):
So I was 13 years old, and my father would drop me
off to school and then go to thegym.
So he was in East Meadow.
So I was living, we were, we Iwent to Ice Lips high school.
SPEAKER_04 (45:15):
Right.
SPEAKER_01 (45:16):
And then he would drop us off and he would drive
to East Meadow to go to the gym.
SPEAKER_04 (45:19):
Right.
SPEAKER_01 (45:19):
So he was already in his gym clothes.
So picture that, folks.
SPEAKER_03 (45:25):
I heard they used to pay him to stay away from the
gym because he he was like itwas banned for business.
Banned for business.
He was the before picture.
SPEAKER_01 (45:32):
So he would drop me off at school, and there was one
day that I did not give him akiss goodbye before I got out of
the car.
And he got out of the car in hisgym clothes with everybody
walking into the schoolscreaming, I'm her dad, I'm her
dad.
And I'm like, no.
So I never did not give him akiss again.
(45:54):
Like I always kissed him beforeI got out of the car from that
day forward because I wasmortified.
I was like, no, don't do that tome.
So but that was a 13-year-oldgirl.
Now, um, now we say, Dad, youcan't say that.
Daddy, dad, you can't say that.
Yes.
SPEAKER_04 (46:11):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (46:11):
On a on the constant.
So I can't even come up with onegood one because it's literally,
I think, every day of my life.
Everyone's always says, has yourfather always been this way?
And the answer is 100% yes.
He is not putting on a show foryou.
This is what it was like growingup.
SPEAKER_03 (46:27):
I don't think he can help himself.
He cannot help himself.
I think he's what he's mostfamous for.
Yes, he's got every punchline,but the his dead pen delivery,
you know.
SPEAKER_01 (46:36):
Every time.
SPEAKER_03 (46:36):
He's got that straight face when he does it.
SPEAKER_01 (46:38):
And you don't know.
You just don't know if it'sgoing to be a joke or not.
SPEAKER_03 (46:41):
Yeah.
Yes.
Keeps you on the edge of theseat.
Okay.
Yes.
So we have a little hook in heresince we're at the end of the
drop the mic question.
SPEAKER_01 (46:48):
Okay.
SPEAKER_03 (46:49):
So we really want an honest answer.
Okay.
Who's the tougher boss?
Your father, Tom, or hispartner, Mike?
SPEAKER_01 (46:58):
You're a little bit tougher.
What?
Yeah.
SPEAKER_03 (47:01):
No way.
SPEAKER_01 (47:02):
Yes.
And I'll tell you why.
You sometimes have um like aone-stream mind where you're
like so zoned in on what you'retrying to achieve.
SPEAKER_03 (47:13):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (47:14):
That sometimes it's hard breaking through to you.
SPEAKER_03 (47:16):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (47:17):
Sometimes.
SPEAKER_03 (47:17):
Sometimes.
Yes.
You want to get locked andloaded.
SPEAKER_01 (47:20):
I don't have to say equally, because he's equally as
hard sometimes when you'retrying to like get him to change
something.
So equally, you are both pains.
SPEAKER_03 (47:30):
Wow.
That's a double swipe there,Tommy.
Are you feeling me, boo?
All right.
Well, that's that's awesome.
That's awesome.
So I we really appreciate yousharing your unique vantage
point for the real estatebusiness here tonight.
You are awesome guests on ourshow.
And uh we look forward to seeingwhat we can ach achieve going
forward in the future.
SPEAKER_01 (47:51):
Absolutely.
SPEAKER_03 (47:52):
Awesome.
Welcome to the Work Hard, Play Hard, and Give Back a
Real Estate Podcast.
We're at the studio at AmericanHomes in Franklin Square.
And today we have as our guestinterview Lindsay Gallagher, CFO
of Co-OBanker American Homes.
Welcome to the show, Lindsay.
SPEAKER_01 (00:22):
Thank you for having me.
SPEAKER_03 (00:23):
Absolutely.
If you like what you're seeinghere today, remember to like and
subscribe to our podcast, okay?
And don't forget, by the way, tostay for the drop the mic
question at the end.
It's always a lot of fun.
So we're gonna kind of jump inreally fast here because I I
think we have a great story toshare here.
So um for our audience,obviously you're a legacy
candidate, daughter of the CEOof Cobalt Banker American Homes,
(00:46):
Tom Gallagher.
And since I obviously know yousince you're a child, I mean
literally two years old, right?
So you have some unique exposureto the real estate business,
really having grown up in it.
So um why don't you share withour audience real fast, you
know, a little bit of what thatexposure looks like, you know,
from a from a the eyes of a a akid, teenager slash now adult?
(01:09):
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
I was trying to figure out likecollege, you know, nothing
different uh angles of life, asthey say, right?
SPEAKER_01 (01:16):
Um yeah.
Well, I'll say that probably thecar phone was probably the worst
thing that was invented in Dana,my sister, in my opinion,
because you and dad were alwayson the phone when he was in the
car and we weren't allowed tolisten to music or do anything.
So that wasn't great.
SPEAKER_03 (01:32):
I don't think anything's changed.
37 years later, the same thing'shappening today, right?
SPEAKER_01 (01:38):
Uh-huh, exactly.
We did get disc men, though,which was great back in the day
in those 90s, because then wewere able to listen to music on
our own and we weren't having tolisten to your conversations in
the car, which is great.
Um, yeah, so growing up in this,um it's almost like a contact
high, so to speak.
SPEAKER_03 (01:55):
You kind of don't even realize you're exposed to
real estate and industry andit's probably things in the back
of your brain used to be.
SPEAKER_01 (02:01):
Oh, yeah, since we were young.
It was you we always werehearing it, even if we didn't
know what was going on and whatwas being spoken about.
When a conversation was comingup in our everyday lives, we
were able to, you know, relateor understand because of all the
things that we had heard sinceforever.
Then when you guys were in theEast Meadow office, uh, when I
was a teenager, I was answeringphones for you guys over there.
(02:23):
I mean, back in the day when youwere cutting out the ads in the
newspaper and taping them andtaping them into the books so
that way we like knew the adsthat we were taking out and the
weeks that we took them out andyou know how much we were paying
for them and all that.
I was there.
I was with you guys in ourKaufman back in the day
answering phones.
I was in Merrick answeringphones, and my exposure came uh
(02:45):
pretty early.
I think whenever you wereallowed to start working, or
even maybe before that, I was inthe office answering phones and
learning how it was to be in ain a company.
SPEAKER_03 (02:54):
Now, when did you get your real estate license
exactly?
SPEAKER_01 (02:56):
I got my license when I was 19.
SPEAKER_03 (02:58):
Okay.
SPEAKER_01 (02:59):
So that was um pushed by by my father to go for
that.
I know.
Can you believe it?
Who wants to have their freshmanyear of college summer vacation
start with going to real estateschool?
But I have to say thank you, Ihave to thank him years later
because I do, you know, likefive to seven deals a year to,
you know, friends and familyreferrals and keep it going.
SPEAKER_04 (03:21):
Right.
SPEAKER_01 (03:21):
And I enjoy that aspect.
It's nice to get out there andyou know be in it with people
and it's fun.
But yes.
SPEAKER_03 (03:27):
Yeah, so so from our audience, you know, so sh they
have an understanding.
Um, your main role now as CFO,it's it it's clearly in the back
office.
You're responsible of paying athousand plus agents, their
their commissions, their theirincome.
And we have obviously a hundredplus employees.
SPEAKER_02 (03:47):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_03 (03:48):
So there's a lot that's on Lindsay Gallagher's
shoulders.
So um and in in your spare timeyou still sell five to seven
houses.
Correct.
All right.
SPEAKER_01 (03:56):
So if I can do it anyway, okay.
There we go.
There we go.
No, it's just, you know, youhave to do time management and
you make it work.
And that's half the battle.
SPEAKER_03 (04:05):
Yeah, yeah.
So right now you're running theentire financial side of Cold
Bank American Homes as CFO.
What's the what was the momentyou decided to step into the
leadership role role?
And what's the greatest lessonyou've learned from your dad,
Tom, about the business?
SPEAKER_01 (04:22):
Well, I did learn that I will never be a human
calculator like he is, and Idon't know many that can it
still blows me away every timehe's able to figure out numbers
in his head within like 15seconds.
You I just can't get over it.
SPEAKER_03 (04:36):
He always holds that over me.
I'm really good at math and yethe's like an idiot savant.
Yes, I I know he's gonna hearthis.
I know.
SPEAKER_01 (04:44):
And if you take out a calculator, it's like he's
looking down on you.
SPEAKER_03 (04:46):
Like you're like, what?
Calculate shames you, right?
SPEAKER_01 (04:50):
Oh my gosh.
When did I take on or when did Idecide to take on this role?
Yeah.
Um, I again I had been in manyaspects of the company, so I
feel like I have come up from,you know, answering phones and
you know, helping withrecruiting and helping with like
newsletters and all of thedifferent aspects of the company
from years ago.
(05:11):
Right.
And you guys were acquiring um alarge number of offices at a
time.
And I was asked to, you know,come in to figure out about, you
know, he was nervous about howthe money was gonna be handled.
You guys both work so welltogether because you handle
different areas of the business.
And and he was unsure if he was,you know, gonna be able to keep
(05:36):
doing it all.
So he wanted to kind of, Iguess, prep me for that.
SPEAKER_03 (05:39):
Yes.
By the way, one of my personalgoals is to definitely recruit
and develop more sales than theback office can figure out how
to pay.
You I like to keep you guys alittle overmatched.
Yeah, a little overmatched ifpossible.
SPEAKER_01 (05:53):
But it's it's happened a couple of times, but
we've come back down.
SPEAKER_03 (05:57):
But yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (05:58):
And I started with payroll, just of the employees
originally.
Yeah, and then I kind of we weremoving into a new software
system, and Tom Gallagher doesnot like change.
So with that, I was learning thesystem.
He was a little not reluctant tolearn the system, but also I
(06:19):
think that was his time to likelet me shine and let my wings
expand and um gave me thatopportunity to see if I could
handle it.
And that's where I think itreally happened.
And I think that was around2013-ish.
SPEAKER_04 (06:35):
Okay.
SPEAKER_01 (06:35):
So it's been, yeah, it's been over 10 years now that
I've really like stepped in andtried to expand our
opportunities with that to makeeverything more efficient for us
behind the scenes because youremember he used to write notes
on every single agent'scommission.
Oh my god, yes.
Every single one.
SPEAKER_03 (06:52):
Yes.
Getting him to move from uh, youknow, actually writing the
checks to direct deposit.
Do you remember that?
SPEAKER_02 (06:58):
Yes.
Yes.
SPEAKER_03 (06:59):
You know, we have agents that span, you know, live
literally live a hundred milesapart in the company, and yet he
wanted to have written paperchecks uh delivered with the
notes, was handwritten notes onthe computer.
SPEAKER_01 (07:12):
Which is such a nice touch.
And I give a lot of credit tothat.
But as you were growing, it wasjust becoming more impossible to
do that.
SPEAKER_03 (07:19):
Exactly.
I don't know if I would have wonthe direct deposit war.
I think I eventually would havewon that argument.
SPEAKER_01 (07:25):
I pushed that one.
Yes, yes.
SPEAKER_03 (07:26):
And he always says you and I team up against him
now.
SPEAKER_01 (07:29):
He does say that.
SPEAKER_03 (07:29):
Yes, yes.
I think he's right.
Sometimes it's true.
Yes, yeah.
So I think that was one of thebattles that uh you helped me uh
win.
SPEAKER_01 (07:37):
So I think he, you know, almost 20 years later
agreed with that now.
SPEAKER_03 (07:41):
Yeah, yeah.
I think when you have to closethousands of transactions a
year, which is a good problem tohave, you have to have
efficiency.
So that's awesome.
So coming back to the secondpart of that question, what is
the greatest lesson you thinkyou've learned from your dad
about the business?
Let's we'll leave the life lifelearning.
Life lessons moments, yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (08:01):
His compassion, I think.
He after all these years stillhas the same compassion um that
he's had, I feel like, since dayone.
And I think uh living in thisbusiness, you could get beat
down very easily, and somehow hestill comes out with the
compassion.
And I give a lot of credit tothat because you could be very
(08:22):
you could feel very defeatedsometimes.
SPEAKER_03 (08:24):
Yeah, well, it's a hyper-competitive business.
SPEAKER_01 (08:27):
It's very hyper-competitive and it's
personal and you take thingspersonally.
It's hard not to.
You you put your you know,blood, sweat, and tears into
something, but I'd probably sayit's compassion.
Yeah, I think and his businessmind, he always is able to step
back and really like look at awhole situation instead of
making um an impulse decision.
And I know one of his famouslines to me is wait an hour and
(08:49):
see if you feel that way in anhour.
And then I remember one time Iwent to him and I was like, It's
been 24 and I still feel thesame way.
He's like, Okay, fine, then youcan execute on it.
But take telling me to take astep back and really like look
at the whole picture instead ofjumping on impulse.
SPEAKER_03 (09:04):
Sometimes yeah, it's it's the the impulse, it's it's
the emotional response, whichisn't always the right correct
business response.
So that takes a lesson, yeah.
So there's a little yin and yangwith that because I'm way more
aggressive.
So uh huh.
SPEAKER_01 (09:20):
But that's yeah, that's why you guys work so
well.
SPEAKER_03 (09:22):
Yeah, and he's been the one that pulls those reins
back at times, you know.
Yeah, so I I totally get thatone.
And with the compassionate, youknow, we have Tom's old ego.
So there's Tom Gallagher, andthen there's we have those tea
gal moments.
Oh yeah.
Yes, that's that's the softcompassionate side that comes
out.
SPEAKER_01 (09:39):
So true.
SPEAKER_03 (09:39):
So you're one of the few who serve both as a
high-level CFO and active realestate salesperson.
So how does having your boots onthe ground selling homes inform
your decisions and strategiesfor the brokerage side?
SPEAKER_01 (09:53):
Well, it gives me the opportunity to be out there
and to see like what istranspiring like out in the
field.
So then I'm able to bring itback and either like help anyone
in our company that also needsassistance with that, it it
allows me to make any kind ofchanges that I feel like need to
be made within our back endsystems.
(10:17):
If I'm able to like, I'm seeingnow I'm interacting with other
agents in other companies, andyou know, we're talking about uh
commissions, they'll talk aboutcommissions.
There was an agent that umhadn't gotten uh paid for two
weeks on a deal that I had paidour agent on.
So she had actually that agentfrom another company had said,
(10:38):
Oh, uh, I did a deal withso-and-so in your company.
Um, did your agent get paid?
I'm like, Well, yeah, of course.
Like I pay the agent.
So of course they got paid.
I still haven't gotten paid andit's two weeks.
So I take that back and I say,All right, you know, like I
relay that information and say,We're doing a really great job
here.
Like we pay our agents asquickly as possible, and I think
that's an amazing thing.
SPEAKER_03 (10:59):
So yeah, the feedback I get from my side, and
I'm not on the payroll side,right?
That's Tom and your baby overthere.
But um the average industry isat least a week, you know, and
and in an industry where agentsare working on a deal for three
months, you know, two months,three months, four months,
whatever it is, and finally getthe damn thing to close where
(11:20):
they say, I'm finally gonna getpaid, and then the company that
waits another week or twoleaving them in the wings.
SPEAKER_02 (11:25):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_03 (11:26):
So our our our goal is to pay them in three business
days or less.
But I will say the you know, youknow, kudos to to you because
it's very rarely more than liketwelve hours before an agent
gets you know, you know, themoney deposited and stuff.
And I really think that's atremendous strength and strongly
appreciated by the agent uh, youknow, on the uh American Homes
(11:50):
team.
So I don't see anyone in theindustry doing anything close to
that.
SPEAKER_01 (11:54):
Which, you know, I give you guys a lot of credit
for starting that from so longago and carrying it through, you
know, as you grew.
That's not an easy thing.
SPEAKER_03 (12:04):
Well maintaining it in in scale is definitely a
trick as well.
SPEAKER_01 (12:08):
Absolutely.
SPEAKER_03 (12:09):
Yeah.
So I'm not gonna take credit forasking this question, but I do
have some notes here.
I'm gonna kind of bring thecommittee.
We have a podcast committee.
SPEAKER_01 (12:16):
Okay.
SPEAKER_03 (12:17):
And um, so so the way the question's framed, you
know, Tom, if you're listeningout there, so it says, that
you've been working with yourfather for the last 10 plus
years in the back office.
Is he just napping behind hisdesk while you're doing all the
heavy lifting?
SPEAKER_01 (12:32):
That's funny.
Um, there had been a time whereI would walk into his office and
I'd be like, Are you justsitting there putting words for
friends?
What are you doing?
What are you doing in there?
SPEAKER_03 (12:42):
Um And it better not be agents that you're playing
with.
Stop distracting.
Stop distracting our agents.
SPEAKER_01 (12:48):
Listen, as time has gone on, he does come in a
little bit later because hefeels comfortable and he knows
that you know our back office isbeing handled.
But when he's sitting behindthat desk, he's always running
some type of reporting numbers.
He's always looking atsomething.
So then all of a sudden, I'llget an intercom call and be
like, Do you have a few minutes?
And I'm like, A real true fewminutes, or like, do I need now?
(13:10):
Or like, what are we going overhere?
And he he, yes, he is he is inthere working, but sometimes
also, you know, catching up onshows and playing some games,
but then comes back to it.
SPEAKER_03 (13:23):
Yeah, yeah.
But to his credit, he does havethat analytical mind.
So you know, he'll come up withthat vantage point and uh so I
know it's legendary, ourconversations at five to five
and stuff, but it's like wheneveryone else is slowing down,
we finally get the chance tobreathe and we catch up and we
have our our discussions, youknow, you know, boots on the
(13:44):
ground in the streets, so tospeak, sales side of it meets
you know the analytical, youknow, math side of it and stuff.
SPEAKER_01 (13:49):
So that is when you guys recap the day.
SPEAKER_03 (13:51):
Yeah, exactly.
SPEAKER_01 (13:53):
We will say in the back office that when the phone
rings five to five on a Friday,we're like, no, it's Michael.
SPEAKER_03 (13:58):
Yes, it is.
It's pretty much could be anyday, though.
SPEAKER_01 (14:01):
It could be any day.
You're correct.
SPEAKER_03 (14:02):
It's not limited Fridays.
SPEAKER_01 (14:04):
You're you are correct.
SPEAKER_03 (14:05):
So from your vantage point, obviously you've been
around our business.
You know, Tom and I have beentogether as partners uh closer
to 38 years than 37 years now.
So it's it's it's been a couple,so a couple of decades.
SPEAKER_01 (14:17):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_03 (14:17):
Where do you see our company in the next five years
from your vantage point?
SPEAKER_01 (14:20):
Oh wow.
Um I don't know.
I I like where we're at rightnow.
I think that the Cola Banker umacquisition five year just about
five years ago was pretty huge.
I think that was the biggestundertaking that our company had
ever done.
I think you agree with me there.
SPEAKER_03 (14:39):
Well, we doubled the size of our company during an
insane time in real estate.
Yeah, post-COVID.
SPEAKER_01 (14:44):
Oh, yeah.
So I think that if we could dothat, we could do anything, or
at least me personally.
Wait, wait, don't challenge me.
I'm not challenging you.
SPEAKER_03 (14:52):
I can assemble challenge you.
SPEAKER_01 (14:55):
We do we do love a roll-in.
A roll-in is great.
SPEAKER_04 (14:58):
Rollin is great.
Yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (14:59):
I I think that we're in a really good place.
I think that we have greatagents.
I think we have great officesand managers, and I think that
we're in a good spot to seewhere where we're headed.
Um, I know that you're alwayslooking to grow.
You know that I'm always alittle hesitant because it makes
me nervous.
SPEAKER_03 (15:17):
Right.
SPEAKER_01 (15:18):
But I know that you guys will never do anything that
will put us in a bad situation.
So I also trust you guys to makethe best decisions for us.
SPEAKER_03 (15:27):
There we go.
Well, you you see the theintense discussion that goes on
behind the scenes.
Yes.
So it's not what what someonehears on the street when it when
it's announced, there's there'sa tr a ton of preparation and
discussion that goes into everydecision.
SPEAKER_01 (15:42):
So months, sometimes years.
Yes.
SPEAKER_03 (15:46):
A little on the side here, which is it's kind of
interesting.
So one of the things I'm mostamused about is you you get the
industry news, so to speak,right?
Yes.
Which is uh agents chattering,so to speak, and sometimes even
you know, brokers, managers, andother companies and what have
you.
And I'll hear blatant statementsabout our company that would
(16:08):
have to have started with Tomand I.
And we've never had thatconversation, but it's repeated
back to me as as if it'shappening tomorrow.
I'm like, yeah, that's that'snot true.
Yeah, yeah.
So it's interesting when you seethe inside discussions and paths
and vision, so to speak.
So we've seen so much change inour industry.
(16:28):
So you've seen the change fromyour vantage point.
Yeah, I'm definitely a uh a fewsteps deeper into this business
than you are.
So we've seen technology come inand impact uh our industry, you
know, from uh you know uh theinternet, just bringing the
computers into it to theinternet to you know, GPS to
(16:50):
pictures of the houses.
SPEAKER_01 (16:51):
You don't always have the pictures of the houses.
SPEAKER_03 (16:52):
So we've seen um tremendous change even from
email to text messaging now toAI.
So we we continue to see thatimpact.
But then we've had all the legalchallenges to the industry.
So what's a bit what's a biggerchallenge?
What's a bigger what's a biggerimpact on business?
SPEAKER_01 (17:10):
I think I'd say AI right now is the biggest one
currently.
SPEAKER_04 (17:15):
Okay.
SPEAKER_01 (17:16):
Um I see how it brings so much strength to the
industry, I see that it'shelpful in so many ways.
Um, but then I also get a littlebit nervous that it's taking out
um the authenticity of likeusing your own mind.
Like when you're relying onsomebody else to come up with
(17:37):
everything for you, um, it'staking away from what you bring
to the table and a little bit.
I think that if you use itcorrectly and you use it to help
um bring your strengths out,it's great.
But I think if you rely solelyon it, it's almost making it
inhumane a little bit.
Like it's taking out, it'staking out the the personal
(17:59):
touch that you bring, I think iswhat I'm trying to get at.
SPEAKER_04 (18:02):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (18:03):
But I think I do see all the benefits.
I think it's amazing.
Efficiencies, if it's used.
Absolutely.
The efficiencies if it's usedcorrectly, but I think that's
where our training comes in andwe actually push to train to use
it correctly, which I think isamazing.
Yeah.
Because if you just go and do iton your own and it's not checked
before you publish, I thinkthat's not great.
(18:25):
I think that we do a good jobabout the training to do it the
correct way to help enhance allof our agents and their work.
SPEAKER_03 (18:34):
Right.
SPEAKER_01 (18:35):
But when that's not done, that makes me a little
nervous.
SPEAKER_03 (18:37):
Yeah, ultimately we have to own our own voice.
Whether or not we use an AItool, correct.
Ultimately, it's we have to lookat it like we're we authored it
and we own it at the end of theday.
So in an industry known for slowpayments, your process for
handling agent commissions isfamously efficient.
So, what's the core philosophyand technology that drives that
(18:58):
kind of speed and operationalexcellence?
SPEAKER_01 (19:01):
So in 2000, I think 13 or 14, we um went on with a
uh real estate software programthat is geared towards all real
estate sales.
So I kind of customized ourprogram to be the way that our
company handles oil processing.
(19:22):
So we were able to customizeeverything from the ground up.
I created it with theprogrammers to make it how so
that way our company would berun as efficient as possible.
So it's great, it filters inwith MLS and you know, uh, we
have a system in place with themanagers when everything is
cleared with the paperwork.
(19:43):
That's always important.
Paperwork needs to be cleared.
Like as long as your paperworkis good, you will get paid.
Um, but your paperwork iscleared and the managers know
the system of, you know, how totell to trigger me that
everything is complete.
And I go in there multiple timesa day and I'm closing out deals.
So that way the agents aregetting paid based off of the
(20:04):
work that they, like you saidbefore, spent months putting
into.
Um, it's it's the right thing todo.
And we do our best.
I mean, we say three businessdays, but uh if it takes more
than two with me, it's usuallylike something's happened.
I'm like pretty, pretty quickwith it.
Uh, because I think it's reallyimportant.
Yeah.
I think we value our agents andwhat they bring to our company,
(20:26):
and they should feel that inreturn.
SPEAKER_03 (20:28):
Yeah.
Now you talked about developingprocesses.
SPEAKER_01 (20:32):
Yes.
SPEAKER_03 (20:32):
Um, in order to, you know, I guess scale the
department, so to speak,efficiently to scale, it might
be a better way of saying it.
So um what was what was the whatwas the path that, you know,
from your vantage point ofbringing in new software and
creating those processes?
SPEAKER_01 (20:51):
So actually you had brought me um, it was your idea.
You had been going to, I think,like different technology fairs
and you had found a fewdifferent companies, and we sat
on a bunch of different demosbecause when we were growing and
we were looking at, you know,how my father was paying
everybody and writing physicalchecks.
(21:11):
We were on direct deposit atthat point, but he would still
do like a hand, not handwritten,but kind of handwritten
breakdown of all of thecommission statements.
SPEAKER_03 (21:22):
And it was with a chicken scratch that no one
could read.
SPEAKER_01 (21:25):
That you couldn't even read.
But it went a long way.
So we were looking at differentsystems and we wanted to keep
that same, you know, like howthe breakdowns came out, the
commission statements, but wewanted to automate it for
everybody.
So we were able to find theprogram that we felt worked best
for us.
SPEAKER_04 (21:45):
Right.
SPEAKER_01 (21:45):
And we customized it according to our culture and the
way we process as a company.
SPEAKER_03 (21:53):
You know what's interesting?
It's like it's having kind ofobviously lived through this um
with you, is that when you startbringing in third-party
software, it's typically broughtto us by people who aren't in
the real estate business.
Correct.
So it's always assumed uh howour business should work as
(22:15):
opposed to how our businessactually is actually works.
And and the trick is reallygetting the software, it's not
just getting the software, butit's getting it to customize the
workflow in a common sense,practical approach.
SPEAKER_01 (22:29):
And I think that's what mattered to us most was
this was a real estate companythat were previously brokers, so
they got it.
And even though they work withthe entire country and New York
functions very differently thanpretty much everywhere else in
the world.
SPEAKER_03 (22:46):
Um thanks to that little thing we call attorneys.
SPEAKER_01 (22:49):
Oh, yes, those attorneys.
Um, they were able to customizeaccordingly.
Like we don't hold escrow, butthere's spots in this system for
escrow.
So I didn't need that.
So we customized accordingly towork primarily with us.
SPEAKER_04 (23:03):
Right.
SPEAKER_01 (23:03):
And that was so important because we need
something and somebody that'sable to work with us and
actually knows our industry.
You're so correct because noteverybody does.
SPEAKER_03 (23:14):
Yeah, exactly.
SPEAKER_01 (23:16):
Another world.
SPEAKER_03 (23:17):
Exactly.
So it's it's it's really aninteresting exercise, but it's a
lot of work and ultimately toget it right.
SPEAKER_01 (23:23):
To get it right.
But once you do, then thefunctionality is just so smooth
that it was worth all the workit took to set it up.
And we're still we're stillrevising and revamping, and you
know, APIs come out constantly,we're changing, and it's but
it's changing with us instead ofbeing forcing us to change.
SPEAKER_03 (23:44):
Correct.
Right.
SPEAKER_01 (23:44):
Like it's it's at least it's learning the
industry, it knows the industry,and it's making the adjustments
accordingly with us, which issuper helpful.
SPEAKER_03 (23:52):
Very, very.
So you have a great story abouttaking care of payroll while on
vacation on a boat in Croatia.
Can you share that story andwhat does it reveal about your
personal dedication to theagents and financial help of the
company?
SPEAKER_01 (24:06):
Oh my goodness.
Um, yeah.
So I was on Yacht Week inCroatia a couple years ago.
SPEAKER_04 (24:12):
Yes.
SPEAKER_01 (24:13):
And as all my friends know, I will travel
anywhere around the world withthem.
However, I always have to bringmy laptop.
SPEAKER_04 (24:20):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (24:20):
And they've learned and accepted that because I will
be working from wherever I am.
So, yes, I was in the middle ofthe ocean in Croatia and
Adriatical Mediterranean way.
Mediterranean.
SPEAKER_03 (24:35):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (24:35):
And there was a full-on party going on on our
boat, and I was inside.
Oh, and except Lindsay.
And I had my laptop open, I hadmy glass of champagne, and I was
just like petting everybody,everybody, and the party was
going on around me.
And yes, I did.
I took a pic, I snapped thepicture and sent it so that way
(24:58):
you knew, no matter what, it'sgetting done.
SPEAKER_00 (25:00):
One of my favorite pictures from Lindsay, she was
on a yacht in Croatia.
Yeah.
Okay.
And she sent me a picture, andit looked like one of the corona
pictures where you see 30 peopledancing on the deck, and then
you see a computer, and it's herbehind a computer.
We had over a million dollars inclosings that week, and she paid
everybody within one day from ayacht in Croatia.
SPEAKER_03 (25:21):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (25:22):
Okay.
And I'm like, that's my girl.
SPEAKER_03 (25:23):
I always find that one hilarious.
I'm like, all right.
I'm I I I want to say somethingabout handling that much money
after drinking champagne, butyou know, the job got done.
SPEAKER_01 (25:32):
The job got done.
SPEAKER_03 (25:34):
Exactly.
So, so you've touched onsomething that's interesting.
So, like the personal side ofLindsay.
Like, so Lindsay's a worldtraveler.
SPEAKER_01 (25:42):
I am.
Yeah, become one, yes.
SPEAKER_03 (25:44):
So, what's your favorite?
I know you've been to a lot ofgood places.
So, what's your favorite or mostmemorable spot that you visit?
SPEAKER_01 (25:51):
Egypt.
I brought my mother to Egypt twoyears ago.
Yeah.
SPEAKER_03 (25:56):
Um, so your father refused to go.
SPEAKER_01 (25:58):
Yes, he was not, he did not want to go.
SPEAKER_03 (26:00):
Too many steps.
Too many steps.
No golf course.
It had been He says one biggiant sand trap, and you know,
it's a golf reference, probably.
SPEAKER_01 (26:08):
Yes.
It had been my number one bucketlist since I was probably 10.
And every year for I can't tellyou how many years, I'd say,
Mom, can we go now?
And she's saying, No, Lindsay,it's not safe over there.
Mom, can we come now?
No, it's not safe over there.
And somehow I finally got her onboard and she said yes.
And it was probably one of ourmost memorable trips ever.
SPEAKER_03 (26:28):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (26:28):
It was so cool.
SPEAKER_03 (26:30):
Was it the the whole pyramids experience?
The whole pyramids.
Yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (26:33):
Like even now, like how did they do that?
SPEAKER_03 (26:36):
Or inspiring, so to speak.
SPEAKER_01 (26:38):
Oh, yeah.
SPEAKER_03 (26:38):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (26:39):
Very cool.
SPEAKER_03 (26:39):
All right.
What's the runner-up?
SPEAKER_01 (26:41):
What's the runner up?
Oh, uh, I actually really loveCroatia.
So when I was on that boat, thatwas my third time there.
Okay.
Um, beautiful country.
unknown (26:49):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (26:49):
Beautiful, beautiful country, and they love
Americans.
SPEAKER_03 (26:52):
Okay.
There you go.
It's a good one too.
SPEAKER_01 (26:55):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_03 (26:56):
There you go.
That's fantastic.
So when you step away from thespreadsheets, closing paperwork,
real estate sales.
So, what is the Lindsay Gallicarecipe for truly disconnecting?
SPEAKER_01 (27:10):
Oh, wow.
Um, okay.
So downtime.
What is downtime really like Ilove to travel.
Um, I love to work out.
I strength train, you know,three to four days a week at
least.
Right.
SPEAKER_03 (27:22):
This way you can fight off the attorneys and
yeah, fighting off everybody,fighting off you and you, you,
and dad.
Yes.
SPEAKER_01 (27:29):
I love to read.
I love to go on walks.
I love my nieces.
I'm very involved with them.
SPEAKER_03 (27:35):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (27:35):
Uh, they're my little best friends.
I love to be with my friends andmy family.
SPEAKER_03 (27:39):
Yeah.
So, with the family businessbeing so dominant in your life,
how do you successfully setboundaries to ensure you have
time to focus on your personallife and personal interests?
SPEAKER_01 (27:48):
Oh, I don't.
SPEAKER_03 (27:50):
It's one big giant blurred line, right?
SPEAKER_01 (27:52):
I was in the office till 745 last night.
No, I do.
I've been better about it.
Um, there was somebody that youhad brought back in uh back in
the day, Bill Monopoly.
Yeah.
And he sat down with me one dayand I would tell him all the
things that were stressing meout, and I didn't know how to
handle what to put in front ofthe other, like what held the
(28:13):
most importance.
And he really sat down with meand worked with me to really put
into, you know, uh a list whatholds the most top priority.
SPEAKER_04 (28:22):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (28:23):
And I would list it down.
And then if I didn't get to itby the end of the day, tomorrow
was another day, and nothing badwas gonna happen if I did not
accomplish that task that day.
So it really helped me uhprioritize in what I felt was
truly of utmost importancebecause it might be important to
(28:43):
someone else, but it had to behave that importance to me as
well in order for me to getthrough all my tasks for the
day.
And that was super helpful.
SPEAKER_04 (28:51):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (28:51):
Because I was definitely not doing that.
I I felt like I was a failure ifI didn't get through everything
that I needed to complete forthe day, and that also wasn't
great.
So I had to find a healthybalance and I finally did.
SPEAKER_03 (29:04):
Good.
Good.
I mean, literally, we're in abusiness that really doesn't
have boundaries because for evenfor an agent, right?
There's always another house toshow show, another person to
speak to, another issue goingon, if you're doing it at a high
level.
SPEAKER_02 (29:20):
Correct.
SPEAKER_03 (29:21):
So, you know, it doesn't matter that it's a
weekday, a weekend, you know, amorning, afternoon, or evening,
right?
SPEAKER_01 (29:27):
The phone's ringing at 7 a.m., the phone's ringing
at 10 p.m.
It's uh it's yes, it's constant.
So it is hard to set boundaries.
SPEAKER_03 (29:33):
Yeah.
Shout out to Bill Monopoly.
Right, shout out to Bill Month.
I always great that a a realestate business consultant would
have the last name Monopoly, butthat was his last name.
SPEAKER_01 (29:42):
So um I'll always give him credit for that.
SPEAKER_03 (29:45):
Yeah.
No, he was a uh very good guy,and uh, you know, over the
years, you know, having accessor having crossed paths with
different people or having thatopportunity to lean into like a
business consultant.
SPEAKER_02 (29:57):
Correct.
SPEAKER_03 (29:58):
It's it's uh eye opening.
Because they can bring a a freshp perspective.
SPEAKER_01 (30:03):
Correct.
They don't see you every day.
So they're able to give you anoutside point of view.
Something that you or you or dador anyone wouldn't be able to
really see because they'reliving it with you.
So you need like an outsiderpoint of view.
SPEAKER_03 (30:16):
Also they don't have any preconceived notions coming
in.
Correct.
So it's a fresh pair of eyes, soto speak.
So it's really, really helpfulthings that like that we've done
over the years.
So Linz, just trying to get alittle bit more on the on the
personal side, let's so that ouraudience really can say, okay,
who is Lindsay Gallagher?
So you're a lifelong LongIslander.
I am.
Do you have a favorite localescape or activity?
SPEAKER_01 (30:37):
Yes, I love to go to the beach.
SPEAKER_03 (30:39):
Ah, what's your favorite beach spot?
SPEAKER_01 (30:41):
So growing up it was Fire Island and Robert Moses,
because I grew up out inBayshore.
SPEAKER_03 (30:45):
Okay.
SPEAKER_01 (30:46):
And then um as we moved to Nassau, I belong now to
Sands Atlantic Beach Club, andthat's where you will find me
every weekend from Memorial Dayto Labor Day.
SPEAKER_03 (30:57):
Is it true you've been seen there on the beach
lounge with your laptop uhpaying AC?
SPEAKER_01 (31:03):
Yes.
SPEAKER_03 (31:04):
I'm sensing a theme here.
SPEAKER_01 (31:06):
I will pay you from wherever I am, but yes, yes.
Uh once a week I do end up thereduring the week, and I will have
my laptop there.
And sometimes I'll get a phonecall, and those seagulls are
giving me up.
But yes, I will I will work fromwherever.
SPEAKER_03 (31:24):
There you go.
So, you know, you know,obviously giving back is one of
our core beliefs, and you know,is really at the fabric of the
culture of the company.
Correct.
So um why don't you share yourthoughts on the company's
commitment to, you know,community or and or uh
(31:44):
charitable endeavors?
SPEAKER_01 (31:46):
So I think that the reason I um originally before I
was working with you guys, I wasin event planning um for
non-for-profits, which Iabsolutely love.
Um, and when I had decided totake on the role with you guys,
I did not give that up.
I just now do it and don't getpaid for it.
So um I'd say that's a bigpassion of mine is giving back
(32:10):
to the community.
And I think I learned that fromthe two of you because you said
I've seen all assets of you twoin your company while growing
up, and you guys were alwaysgiving back to the community.
You were doing food drives, youwere doing Thanksgiving dinners,
you were doing community-wideevents, and I think that I
didn't know that there was anyother way.
(32:30):
This is just something that youdo.
Yeah, and I think I personallyloved that aspect and I grew
with it, and now I help uhcommunity events and do things
within our community all thetime.
SPEAKER_03 (32:45):
Yeah.
Um different fundraising effortsand I I credit the uh East Metal
Kwanis Club for giving us thatdirection, by the way, which
both your father and I gotinvolved in at a very young age.
SPEAKER_01 (32:57):
Yeah, and I think that it helped shape you too,
and then helped shape me.
SPEAKER_03 (33:02):
Yeah.
So you've been recently involvedwith the Chamber of Commerce.
You uh ran their what was theirlargest fundraiser of the year.
SPEAKER_01 (33:09):
Um yes, I have been for years.
Correct.
The Culinary Delights, and thatwas a food and beverage tasting
um event that we had beenholding.
Um, it was its 19th year.
I had been involved with it for10 of those years.
Yeah.
SPEAKER_03 (33:23):
And everything you say, by the way, when you say
involved, but like running it incharge of it.
SPEAKER_01 (33:27):
In charge of it, yes.
SPEAKER_03 (33:28):
Committee chair.
SPEAKER_01 (33:29):
Committee chair, yes, co-chair usually had some
great co-chairs um along theyears.
And um, we were trying to giveback to the community and the
restaurants because we haverestaurants in all of our all of
our towns that are smallbusinesses, and some of them
have a really hard time, and wetry and bring attention to them
(33:50):
and show all the amazing thingsthat they do in our community
because they're constantly beinghit up for donations for one
fundraiser or another.
And sometimes you need toremember and attend those places
that are giving back to thecommunity the way that they are.
So we would do that, and it wasa great time.
SPEAKER_03 (34:09):
But it also turns out to be a uh um uh a
fundraiser for the organizationas well.
Correct.
SPEAKER_01 (34:16):
So this year we had done it just for the East Meadow
Chamber, but previously we havedone for East Meadow Quantas,
we've done for uh the MedicalCenter in East Meadow, the
Pediatric Center, we've done forSuffolk Nassau Autism, so and
America's Vet Dogs.
So we've done that in the pastalso.
Um and then we would have uhhalf of the proceeds go to one
(34:38):
of those four charities, andthen uh any of the attendees
would get to choose which onethey wanted it to go to, right?
Um, which is always great.
So it was nice to you know helpother organizations along the
way.
SPEAKER_03 (34:51):
Absolutely.
So um what's the um plan for theuh chamber of commerce?
Uh have you sat in thepresident's chair yet or not?
SPEAKER_01 (35:01):
I have not sat in the president's chair.
SPEAKER_03 (35:03):
I'm gonna love the hearing this because both your
father and and and your father'spartner for 37 have sat in that
chair.
SPEAKER_01 (35:10):
You guys have both been president.
I was treasurer for three years.
SPEAKER_03 (35:12):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (35:13):
I currently sit on the board.
Okay, and I have a running betwith uh Sir uh Ted Rosenthal
that if he is person of theyear, that I would be the
president that year.
And we are both very stubbornindividuals, and apparently he
is more stubborn than I becauseI will not go back on a bet, but
he will not accept.
(35:34):
So I have not become president.
SPEAKER_03 (35:36):
Okay.
SPEAKER_01 (35:36):
So the reason behind that, oh go ahead.
SPEAKER_03 (35:38):
Ted Ted, the official uh challenge is now
recorded in the annals of timenow.
So the balls in your court, TedRosenthal.
SPEAKER_01 (35:46):
But the reason behind me not being president
was I always like to do thingsbehind the scenes.
I'm in the back office behindthe scenes.
I don't always like to be theface of everything.
And if I were president, I feellike you'd be losing me for all
of the behind the scenes thingsthat I do.
Yeah.
And I think that I bring a lotto the table in that aspect.
(36:09):
So I didn't want to take awayfrom that.
SPEAKER_03 (36:12):
So you're sure you're Tom Gallagher's daughter.
I know, I know.
SPEAKER_01 (36:16):
We're like in so many ways, except for this.
In so many ways.
SPEAKER_03 (36:23):
Tom's never met a mic, he didn't like it except
for me.
Exactly, exactly.
So you prefer the thebackground.
The people who do the heavylifting but don't always take
the bow for it.
So look, that's uh an importantrole.
Every organization or everysuccessful event always has
(36:44):
those people that put that extrawork in, and it's not just like
I said, for the for the picture,you know.
Correct.
The photo op.
So uh it's it's a it's a so thatmeans the the commitment comes
from a better place, you know,it comes from a good place.
Yes, exactly.
So you know we have the uh Heartof American Homes Foundation,
(37:04):
right?
Uh we would say that your yourdad's the chairman of the board,
if we will.
So what's your what's yourfeeling about that?
What would you like to see thatorganization accomplish?
SPEAKER_01 (37:17):
I love that this has been a passion of the two of you
for so long and you finallybrought it to life.
And to see uh the impact thatyou're making on families that
we know or that our agents know,I think are so it's so
important.
And it's been really likeheartwarming to see how many
families we've impacted in sucha short period of time.
(37:41):
And it's it's not like you'resending the money to an
organization that you've maybenever heard of or you don't know
who it's helping.
Like you know where your moneyis going and who it's helping
and how it's helping, and you'vechanged somebody's life with
just like a small gesture, andyes, also financially.
But I think it's been prettyamazing to see that we've been
(38:05):
able to do that.
Yeah, and I think continue todo.
And I think that we have a greatvetting system.
I think it's Marie Asher, makesthe phone calls as the requests
come in.
SPEAKER_03 (38:15):
Yeah, yeah.
So the idea is to verify everyrequest, you know.
We always say that we protectother people's money more than
we would protect our own.
So charitable money.
Yeah.
Well, right, exactly, in a lotof ways.
Yeah, exactly.
So um, when a request comes infor a donation, it's always
vetted to make sure that's ait's a need and and uh the money
(38:38):
winds up in the right place.
SPEAKER_01 (38:40):
Correct.
And I think that's amazingbecause how often, I mean, you
guys make donations to, I don'teven know if you know Michael.
We make donations to everybody.
Everybody that sends in arequest, we're sending a
donation.
SPEAKER_03 (38:53):
I get thanked a lot.
And Tom just says just shake theheads, it's not too good.
SPEAKER_01 (38:57):
Because we get so many requests.
Like, think about how manydifferent towns that we're in,
how many different PTAs andfootball teams and blue cross
teams and cheerleading teams,and we're getting all the
requests.
And of course, we're, you know,we we love supporting small, you
know, towns and everything thatthat's what you guys stand for.
SPEAKER_03 (39:15):
Community focused.
SPEAKER_01 (39:16):
It's it's been a huge thing.
And so now it's nice that youguys have your own foundation
that you're able to help ourfamily.
SPEAKER_04 (39:23):
Yes.
SPEAKER_01 (39:24):
Like, because you consider all your agents and
employees family.
And if it's not them, it'ssomebody that they know or
somebody that they heard a storyabout.
And I think that really likehits home.
And I think it puts, you know,it sheds light on what you guys
are really about.
SPEAKER_03 (39:37):
I really uh appreciate that vantage point.
Now officially you're atreasurer of the foundation.
SPEAKER_01 (39:43):
Correct.
SPEAKER_03 (39:43):
Okay, so it's an official tax exempt C 103.
SPEAKER_01 (39:48):
Yeah, it's a 5010 C three.
SPEAKER_03 (39:49):
So it's interesting, and I get again for our audience
that doesn't isn't aware whatthe foundation does, it's when
we say it's uh, you know, it's atruly charitable organization or
foundation, it there's really noexpenses to it.
So it's housed in our officesrent-free.
There's no employees.
Every office nominates uh anagent to or a member to sit on
(40:12):
the board of directors.
SPEAKER_01 (40:14):
Correct.
Um there's no overhead exceptfor when we run any kind of
event.
SPEAKER_03 (40:18):
Yeah, the cost of running a fundraiser, you know,
the cost of the fundraiser, andobviously, but a hundred percent
of the actual net proceeds doesgo back into the community.
SPEAKER_01 (40:28):
Absolutely.
SPEAKER_03 (40:29):
So that's tremendously impactful.
So the commitment that we putinto it yield the results that
we do.
So is there a specific story, soto speak?
Um, because since you'reobviously seeing some of the
close-up things, I mean it'ssuper sad.
SPEAKER_01 (40:45):
But the amount of young children that have passed,
and the parents aren't able toum provide a funeral service or
a burial for their child thathas passed away, and uh uh we've
contributed too many times tothose.
And it's those really touch on,I think.
That's that's difficult.
(41:05):
I mean, for a parent in general,and then to not have the funds
to be able to do that, uh, we'vedone too many times.
SPEAKER_03 (41:13):
So, how do you think the overall success of Cobalt
Bank or American Homestranslates into a better,
stronger local community?
SPEAKER_01 (41:19):
I think your community involvement has added
to your success.
SPEAKER_03 (41:25):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (41:26):
I think that I mean, this is what is it, 38 years
old.
SPEAKER_03 (41:30):
Coming up on, yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (41:32):
And the hard work that you I'm not saying that you
guys don't put in hard work now,but the foundation that you guys
built so early on, and thefundamentals that you put into
place 30 plus years ago, and youjust you just kept on with it
and building on it.
SPEAKER_04 (41:51):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (41:51):
And I think that the community can rely on us a lot
of the times for our not evenjust financials, but also our
participation.
SPEAKER_04 (41:59):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (42:00):
And I think that's huge because yes, we're all here
for business and we're all hereto make money and we're all here
to succeed.
But as far as the communityinvolvement goes, I think that
it has happened so naturally.
It's not like you're out therepublicizing, oh, hi, I'm Mike
Glitzner, Cold Banker AmericanHomes, come come use me.
(42:22):
Like that's not our approach.
SPEAKER_04 (42:23):
Right.
SPEAKER_01 (42:24):
And I think that because we're so involved in the
community and so involved outthere participating, right?
It has come back tenfold.
SPEAKER_03 (42:33):
Yes.
SPEAKER_01 (42:33):
Personally, I think that's I think that's called
karma, right?
You know what?
And you guys deserve some goodkarma.
SPEAKER_03 (42:39):
Yeah, why not?
Couldn't have happened to toonice too nice a guy.
Right, Tommy?
SPEAKER_01 (42:43):
Money is valuable, but so is your time.
And if you are able to give timeand volunteer and bring
something to the table, that'sequally as important.
SPEAKER_03 (42:54):
Exactly.
So if I can run with this ideareal quickly, because we have a
lot of agents who watch ourshow.
So if there's one takeaway hereis participate in the
communities, don't just be aname on a shelf, participate,
show up and be a member.
And the secret sauce, you justsaid it before, is as much as we
give, it's amazing when you getin that lane, the karma brings
(43:18):
it back to you.
So you meet people, you know,um, and your sphere of influence
expands.
And then the type of businesswe've done from the
relationships you develop, youknow, it's this organic growth
of relationships that hasexpanded our business on
multiple l levels.
SPEAKER_01 (43:37):
Because nobody wants to deal with a salesperson.
Like we don't want to be sold,but through the chamber of
commerce at least, we go to themeetings and everyone will their
number one question is what willI get out of it?
SPEAKER_04 (43:50):
Right.
SPEAKER_01 (43:51):
The relationships that you make, and then the
referrals that you then get fromthere because now they know
you're a real person and theyfeel comfortable with you and
they know that you have theirbest interest in mind.
Yes, and that's how it that'show it works.
Like that's the best thing youcould do for yourself.
Put yourself out there, meet thepeople, interact with people,
and then it will come back toyou.
SPEAKER_03 (44:11):
Yes.
We're we're in a servicebusiness.
Yes, and what better way toshowcase your ability to serve
people than to serve a nonprofitor a charity.
SPEAKER_01 (44:22):
Correct.
SPEAKER_03 (44:22):
It's on display, it's correct.
It's a perfect opportunity.
SPEAKER_01 (44:25):
Be your genuine, authentic self, and people see
that.
People want to be with peoplethat are like-minded and it
comes back to you.
SPEAKER_03 (44:33):
Exactly.
That's great, that's greatinformation.
It's time for the drop the micquestion.
Before I get into that, I justwant to remind our audience if
you like what you're seeing heretoday, please like and subscribe
to our show.
Okay, we'd love to have you backfor future episodes.
So, Lindsay.
SPEAKER_02 (44:49):
Yes.
SPEAKER_03 (44:49):
Your father is a well-known jokester.
SPEAKER_02 (44:52):
Yes.
SPEAKER_03 (44:53):
Was there a time you can share with us where you
wanted to die of embarrassment?
SPEAKER_01 (44:57):
Oh boy.
Only one, huh?
SPEAKER_03 (44:59):
Yeah, yeah.
Well, what give us a ahighlight.
SPEAKER_01 (45:03):
So I was 13 years old, and my father would drop me
off to school and then go to thegym.
So he was in East Meadow.
So I was living, we were, we Iwent to Ice Lips high school.
SPEAKER_04 (45:15):
Right.
SPEAKER_01 (45:16):
And then he would drop us off and he would drive
to East Meadow to go to the gym.
SPEAKER_04 (45:19):
Right.
SPEAKER_01 (45:19):
So he was already in his gym clothes.
So picture that, folks.
SPEAKER_03 (45:25):
I heard they used to pay him to stay away from the
gym because he he was like itwas banned for business.
Banned for business.
He was the before picture.
SPEAKER_01 (45:32):
So he would drop me off at school, and there was one
day that I did not give him akiss goodbye before I got out of
the car.
And he got out of the car in hisgym clothes with everybody
walking into the schoolscreaming, I'm her dad, I'm her
dad.
And I'm like, no.
So I never did not give him akiss again.
(45:54):
Like I always kissed him beforeI got out of the car from that
day forward because I wasmortified.
I was like, no, don't do that tome.
So but that was a 13-year-oldgirl.
Now, um, now we say, Dad, youcan't say that.
Daddy, dad, you can't say that.
Yes.
SPEAKER_04 (46:11):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (46:11):
On a on the constant.
So I can't even come up with onegood one because it's literally,
I think, every day of my life.
Everyone's always says, has yourfather always been this way?
And the answer is 100% yes.
He is not putting on a show foryou.
This is what it was like growingup.
SPEAKER_03 (46:27):
I don't think he can help himself.
He cannot help himself.
I think he's what he's mostfamous for.
Yes, he's got every punchline,but the his dead pen delivery,
you know.
SPEAKER_01 (46:36):
Every time.
SPEAKER_03 (46:36):
He's got that straight face when he does it.
SPEAKER_01 (46:38):
And you don't know.
You just don't know if it'sgoing to be a joke or not.
SPEAKER_03 (46:41):
Yeah.
Yes.
Keeps you on the edge of theseat.
Okay.
Yes.
So we have a little hook in heresince we're at the end of the
drop the mic question.
SPEAKER_01 (46:48):
Okay.
SPEAKER_03 (46:49):
So we really want an honest answer.
Okay.
Who's the tougher boss?
Your father, Tom, or hispartner, Mike?
SPEAKER_01 (46:58):
You're a little bit tougher.
What?
Yeah.
SPEAKER_03 (47:01):
No way.
SPEAKER_01 (47:02):
Yes.
And I'll tell you why.
You sometimes have um like aone-stream mind where you're
like so zoned in on what you'retrying to achieve.
SPEAKER_03 (47:13):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (47:14):
That sometimes it's hard breaking through to you.
SPEAKER_03 (47:16):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (47:17):
Sometimes.
SPEAKER_03 (47:17):
Sometimes.
Yes.
You want to get locked andloaded.
SPEAKER_01 (47:20):
I don't have to say equally, because he's equally as
hard sometimes when you'retrying to like get him to change
something.
So equally, you are both pains.
SPEAKER_03 (47:30):
Wow.
That's a double swipe there,Tommy.
Are you feeling me, boo?
All right.
Well, that's that's awesome.
That's awesome.
So I we really appreciate yousharing your unique vantage
point for the real estatebusiness here tonight.
You are awesome guests on ourshow.
And uh we look forward to seeingwhat we can ach achieve going
forward in the future.
SPEAKER_01 (47:51):
Absolutely.
SPEAKER_03 (47:52):
Awesome.
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
The Burden
The Burden is a documentary series that takes listeners into the hidden places where justice is done (and undone). It dives deep into the lives of heroes and villains. And it focuses a spotlight on those who triumph even when the odds are against them. Season 5 - The Burden: Death & Deceit in Alliance On April Fools Day 1999, 26-year-old Yvonne Layne was found murdered in her Alliance, Ohio home. David Thorne, her ex-boyfriend and father of one of her children, was instantly a suspect. Another young man admitted to the murder, and David breathed a sigh of relief, until the confessed murderer fingered David; “He paid me to do it.” David was sentenced to life without parole. Two decades later, Pulitzer winner and podcast host, Maggie Freleng (Bone Valley Season 3: Graves County, Wrongful Conviction, Suave) launched a “live” investigation into David's conviction alongside Jason Baldwin (himself wrongfully convicted as a member of the West Memphis Three). Maggie had come to believe that the entire investigation of David was botched by the tiny local police department, or worse, covered up the real killer. Was Maggie correct? Was David’s claim of innocence credible? In Death and Deceit in Alliance, Maggie recounts the case that launched her career, and ultimately, “broke” her.” The results will shock the listener and reduce Maggie to tears and self-doubt. This is not your typical wrongful conviction story. In fact, it turns the genre on its head. It asks the question: What if our champions are foolish? Season 4 - The Burden: Get the Money and Run “Trying to murder my father, this was the thing that put me on the path.” That’s Joe Loya and that path was bank robbery. Bank, bank, bank, bank, bank. In season 4 of The Burden: Get the Money and Run, we hear from Joe who was once the most prolific bank robber in Southern California, and beyond. He used disguises, body doubles, proxies. He leaped over counters, grabbed the money and ran. Even as the FBI was closing in. It was a showdown between a daring bank robber, and a patient FBI agent. Joe was no ordinary bank robber. He was bright, articulate, charismatic, and driven by a dark rage that he summoned up at will. In seven episodes, Joe tells all: the what, the how… and the why. Including why he tried to murder his father. Season 3 - The Burden: Avenger Miriam Lewin is one of Argentina’s leading journalists today. At 19 years old, she was kidnapped off the streets of Buenos Aires for her political activism and thrown into a concentration camp. Thousands of her fellow inmates were executed, tossed alive from a cargo plane into the ocean. Miriam, along with a handful of others, will survive the camp. Then as a journalist, she will wage a decades long campaign to bring her tormentors to justice. Avenger is about one woman’s triumphant battle against unbelievable odds to survive torture, claim justice for the crimes done against her and others like her, and change the future of her country. Season 2 - The Burden: Empire on Blood Empire on Blood is set in the Bronx, NY, in the early 90s, when two young drug dealers ruled an intersection known as “The Corner on Blood.” The boss, Calvin Buari, lived large. He and a protege swore they would build an empire on blood. Then the relationship frayed and the protege accused Calvin of a double homicide which he claimed he didn’t do. But did he? Award-winning journalist Steve Fishman spent seven years to answer that question. This is the story of one man’s last chance to overturn his life sentence. He may prevail, but someone’s gotta pay. The Burden: Empire on Blood is the director’s cut of the true crime classic which reached #1 on the charts when it was first released half a dozen years ago. Season 1 - The Burden In the 1990s, Detective Louis N. Scarcella was legendary. In a city overrun by violent crime, he cracked the toughest cases and put away the worst criminals. “The Hulk” was his nickname. Then the story changed. Scarcella ran into a group of convicted murderers who all say they are innocent. They turned themselves into jailhouse-lawyers and in prison founded a lway firm. When they realized Scarcella helped put many of them away, they set their sights on taking him down. And with the help of a NY Times reporter they have a chance. For years, Scarcella insisted he did nothing wrong. But that’s all he’d say. Until we tracked Scarcella to a sauna in a Russian bathhouse, where he started to talk..and talk and talk. “The guilty have gone free,” he whispered. And then agreed to take us into the belly of the beast. Welcome to The Burden.