Interviews
Cameron Paine: Creating the Future of Real Estate
May 31, 2024
By Arianna Marino
Meet Cameron Paine, the dynamic President & CEO of MARIS MLS, home to over 15,000 brokers and agents spanning 67 counties in Missouri and Illinois. Before joining MARIS in February 2024, Paine had become renowned in the industry as a trusted speaker, futurist, and innovator, earning a recognition from Inman News as one of the Top 100 Most Influential People in Real Estate. Throughout his career, Cameron has worked to promote cutting-edge technology, including founding Broker Public Portal and notable roles in SMART MLS, Inevate, and PropTech Buzz. He has also served on the Board of Directors of the Council of MLSs, working to nurture leadership qualities in those around him and reaching across borders in the real estate industry.
Beyond his professional accolades, this feature also offers insights into Paine’s life beyond real estate. Impressively, he is a GRAMMY Award-winning artist with Chanticleer for his work on the album Colors of Love. A devoted family man, Paine also balances his professional pursuits with his role as a husband and father. As he prepares for his daughter's journey to Vassar in the fall, Cameron cherishes every moment and finds solace in his hobbies, from traveling and amateur photography to indulging in his passion for aerospace and history. The following conversation delves into the mind of a leader who not only envisions the future of real estate but is also instrumental in shaping it. From leveraging technology to streamline processes to fostering a culture of continuous learning and growth, Paine unveils his strategies for driving sustainable success in the industry.
Industry Innovation
How do you approach adapting to industry change and disruption?
I actively loathe the phrase, “we’ve always done it that way.” In my opinion, nothing highlights a total loss of direction, creativity, and abdication of leadership. “We’ve already tried that” runs a close second. The best way I can think of to adapt to change is to create it. Evolutionary change is happening all around us, every single day. Taking the time and energy to understand what the change is, what it affects, and where it’s leading is my approach.
What do you think are the biggest challenges facing the MLS industry?
MLSs make it too difficult for brokers and agents to get cross-market data and/or access. We have tons of rules about who can have the data and how it can be used, but the reality is that while it might cost a broker roughly $5 million to gain national scale and a national data set, the same data can be bought illegally for around $200k. We need to build a model that gives brokers easy access to data on a local, regional, state, and national level.
How do you see technology transforming real estate in the next five years?
All eyes should be on the consumer and what technologies they are adopting! When they begin to understand just how much better, more secure, and flexible their own smart lock is compared to lockboxes provided by Realtors, it will change access to property on demand and shift access control to the consumer. In addition, as smart devices are added by homeowners there will be questions of whether tech like a Nest Thermostat (for instance) is an appliance or a fixture, whether and which devices convey with the property, questions surrounding PII and remote access to devices left in the property, etc. Every broker and agent should be able to provide the name of several tech companies to help buyers and sellers navigate the very choppy waters technology will bring to real estate.
What emerging PropTech trends should we be paying attention to?
As I mentioned above, smart tech adoption by consumers - and the ramifications - is something everyone in the industry should have their eyes on. Similarly, eVTOL (electric Vertical Take off and Landing) technology and the way it will change where people choose to live is a big one. Another biggie is the evolution of the property search away from the “limitations box” search, and into a natural language one.search. Whoever gets there first at scale will totally shift how consumers interact with real estate data online. We’re working on some things at MARIS, so stay tuned!
Leadership Wisdom
How have your previous experiences shaped your approach to your current role?
From my career as a musician to my formative years in business working in sales and marketing in New York City, every step has informed my next one. I’ve made mistakes; I try to learn from them. I listen closely to the people I think are smart and try to get to know them. Lastly, it’s intentionally hiring people who know more than I do in their field, then synthesizing their expertise into my strategic vision.
What is your leadership style and how has it evolved?
In a word, collaborative. I want to hear from my team about ideas on how to make things better, and I ask them to shoot holes in ideas I bring to them. I think of it as pressure testing the concept. If it’s sound, it will hold up. If the idea needs work, pressure testing usually finds the flaws. Over time, I’ve learned to start with the strategic vision, lay out my reasoning, then let team members riff off of or challenge the idea. I want the discussion to happen naturally and I’ll occasionally redirect or ask pointed questions to keep it focused.
How do you foster innovation and creativity within your team?
Unless you were given your job by your dad or mom, most everyone in the MLS world has a history and background outside of the industry. Some may find this shocking, but many other industries have dealt with, or are currently dealing with very similar issues to the MLS world. I mentioned before that I hire people who know more than I do in their given area. I foster innovation and creativity by listening to them, giving them space and the opportunity to bring their own experience and ideas to bear at the MLS. It may not be rocket science, but it works.
How do you approach decision-making and strategy in your role?
I once had a president who derided my leadership style as “delegation” because he could not truly understand a world where he didn’t make all the decisions personally. At scale, of course, the idea that a CEO could - or should - make all decisions is absurd. So, instead I choose a path of leveraging the knowledge of the team I assembled. I offer my strategic vision and ask them to improve upon or dismantle it. Through open, directed discussion, I arrive at a better, well vetted concept and have buy in from my team. There are occasions when I choose a different course than what my team recommends. When that happens, I explain the logic of my decision and my reasoning for taking a different direction. They may not agree, but they will understand my decision.
Musings & Reflections
What advice would you give your younger self?
Be more patient. I am not naturally patient and when I think I see something that could be improved or needs fixing, patience is hard for me to come by.
What's the best piece of professional advice you've ever received?
When you’re a professional musician you go to a lot of auditions – and therefore also get a lot of rejections. I got a great piece of advice one day when I was feeling the weight of knowing I had auditioned well, but still hadn’t gotten the part. It was, “You could be the best person in the room, but unless you fit what they are looking for, it just doesn’t matter. You have to fit the role.”
What do you consider your biggest professional achievement?
Way back in 2006, I was hired to build the Connecticut MLS (CTMLS) basically from scratch. On December 6, 2006 I had one employee, a lease, an agreement with Core Logic, and $50,000 in the bank. I had to provide full, live operations for 14,000 subscribers (and a conversion of the 1,000 member ECAR Association owned MLS to Core Logic) by February 1, 2007 - less than three months later. With exceptional teamwork and some great hires, we got it done and the Connecticut Statewide MLS made history. Or the GRAMMY™. That was cool, too.
Who in the industry, past or present, do you admire the most and why?
I’m going to preface my answer by saying what I value most is people who look at things differently and who actively work to improve the world around them. There are many people I admire, but Tim Dain, CEO of Northstar MLS is at the top of my list for someone who embraces a unique perspective and is constantly looking for ways to improve the industry.
How do you balance work and personal life in such a demanding industry?
Honestly, I struggle with this one. I have to be deliberate about scheduling into my day the non-work things that are important to my health and happiness. I don’t always succeed, but I’m trying to bend the trend line in the right direction.
What book has recently inspired you or impacted your thinking?
The most influential book I have read in the last 20 years is entitled, “Boyd: The Fighter Pilot Who Changed the Art of War” by Robert Coram. It’s the biography of John Boyd, a fighter pilot turned mathematician turned strategist, and has had a profound effect on how I view the world. Stay tuned – there’s more to come on how John Boyd’s work can help the real estate industry.
Favorites & Fun Facts
What is a surprising fact about you that not many people know?
I trained to try out for the US Bobsled team immediately after college, but the audition for Chanticleer was the same week as the tryouts. I auditioned three times for Chanticleer before being accepted.
If you weren’t working in MLS-PropTech, what would you be doing?
Obviously, I’d be a billionaire philanthropist supporting all the artists and artisans who make the world a beautiful place to live. But apparently the lotto gods haven’t seen the value in that just yet.
Where is your favorite vacation spot?
It’s a tough call, but I have to say Florence, Italy. The history, art, architecture, and food are magnificent, and the Florentines kind, and generous with children. The proximity to all other parts of Italy make it the absolute perfect location for me.
What is your favorite quote?
I wish I remembered where this came from, but it is definitely not mine and it is not solely religious in intent: “How strong can your faith really be if it can’t survive a little questioning?”
What is your favorite book?
I made the terrible, no good, very bad mistake of discovering the Game of Thrones from the Song of Ice and Fire series when I was in the middle of finals in college. I devoured the first book – and the succeeding ones were only better. I love the fantasy and sci-fi genres, so I am totally willing to pass up the chance to sound smart by picking some other much fancier book. My heart is with George R.R. Martin’s writing.
What’s your favorite family activity?
Traveling with my family is one of my great joys. I love seeing the world through their eyes and enjoy the delight they take in things that are different from my own. It’s a wonderful reminder that perspective – how you choose to view the world around you - is everything.
What do you do to unwind or relax after a busy week?
Music, art, and travel are my therapy, but even just experiencing something new can be a really great way for me to take my mind off work and activate another, different part of my brain for a while. I recently picked up my sketchbook again on my last trip to Italy. I’m not good, but I really enjoy it!