The company culture at Climate Change Realty is unlike any other for profit-business. Our business is firmly dedicated to the principles of Enlightened Self Interest and will always handle decision-making by considering the second and third-order consequences. Scroll down to learn more!
I’m Ethan, a 24-year-old CU Boulder Grad from Ringwood, NJ. I started CCR on January 1st, 2020 with the idea to create the maximum positive impact from my direct actions.
I define success as the progressive pursuit of a worthy ideal, and the most worthy ideal in my mind is Enlightened Self Interest. This theory proposes that by always considering others before yourself you ultimately serve yourself at the deepest and most fulfilling level. Through my experience, I’ve found that the giving of oneself to others is the most effective way to live a successful life.
This page has been designed as the first draft of our employee handbook and is structured to give you everything you need to understand if Climate Change Realty is a community you would like to be a part of.
Company Outline
A brief outline of the company fundamentals.
Employee Model
A full explanation of the pivotal role you have to play in supporting a solution to the most pressing challenges of our time.
Work Principles
Specific rules and maxims for achieving long-term success as the company grows.
Company Outline:
The golden circle is a conceptualization of an organization proposed by Simon Sinek. This framework allows a company to be explained in three sections; Why, How, and What. The most important section is Why which explains the reason the company exists and guides all of its decisions.
Why: Company Vision
We envision a world where the global economic system has transitioned to a fully regenerative economy.
What this means is that every transaction conducted between a customer and product/service provider directly contributes to an increase in the amount of prosperity and life on our planet. Similar to a worthy ideal, a vision may not be realistically achievable in its entirety, but it is worth striving towards.
Why: Company Mission
To support a business oriented solution to the most pressing challenges of our time, so that future generations can focus on the distinct challenges of their time.
This mission clarifies how all of the decisions should be made at the company. If an action doesn’t support a solution to a pressing challenge, we won’t be pursuing it. The mission also explains who we are working for and why.
What We Do
We act as a service provider to connect customers with the best real estate professionals in their area and work to ensure they receive the best possible service and the most competitive commission rates on the purchase or sale of residential real estate. We also offer professional representation on the purchase and sale of homes in Boulder, Colorado, and work to elevate the voices of individuals and organizations working on climate action through our content creation and marketing efforts.
What we do is much less important than how and why we do it, at this time we have a viable model with unlimited income potential and we will continue to utilize this model until it stops serving our mission or a better model becomes apparent.
How We Do It
Our purpose in everything we do is to help elevate the voices and power of individuals and corporations working on solving the most pressing challenges of our time. At this point, our company has determined that efforts to decarbonize the economy and remove carbon waste from the biosphere are the actions that will work to solve the most pressing challenges of this time. We are committed to using the economic system to support those working on these two areas of problem-solving.
When we connect a buyer or seller of a home with a real estate professional we collect a fee known as a real estate referral. In most cases, this referral fee will be 50% of the commissions earned by the agent representing the buyer or seller. Real estate commissions in the United States typically fall between 2-3% of the final sales price of the home, so this referral fee will typically fall between 1-1.5% of the final sales price. In the case of a home purchased or sold in Boulder, Colorado the following explanation will apply equally to a 100% share of the earned commission rate.
50% of all net commissions earned by CCR will be donated to 501(c)(3) non-profit organizations that are dedicated to decarbonizing the economy or removing carbon waste from the biosphere.
Net commissions are defined as the commission share earned in a real estate transaction minus the costs directly associated with the transaction in question. In the case of a referral fee, there should be no costs directly incurred by CCR, so net commissions would be equal to a full 50% of the earned fee. In most cases, commission fees earned by CCR when representing a buyer of a home in Boulder, Colorado, will require no additional costs, so net commissions would be equal to a full 50% of the commission fee earned on the purchase of a home in Boulder, Colorado. In the case of a sale of a home in Boulder, Colorado several marketing expenses will be incurred to facilitate the successful sale of the home, so these costs will be deducted from the commissions earned to calculate the net commission rate, at which time 50% of these funds will be donated to 501(c)(3) non-profit organizations.
50% of all after taxes profits earned by CCR will be donated to for-profit organizations with compatible mission statements.
Employee Model:
**NOTE** - Phase 1 changed to 30 weeks, BONUS now earned at week 30, see below. Cold calls may or may not be limited to over-the-phone conversations and could include social media, email, and other methods of direct outreach.
This position is filled by Ethan Shapiro. The company manager maintains complete control over the direction of the company, maintains 100% ownership, and must always be compensated less than all full-time employees. Yes, less. The final say in all decisions for the direction of the company must be made by the manager, but also completely directed by the idea meritocratic decision-making process. The manager will be compensated based on after-tax earnings of $30,000 pegged to inflation beginning January of 2020.
Sales Officer
This position is filled by employees that have completed the 700-hour Climate Action Networker Training Program. They are responsible for lead generation, lead follow-up, and partner research. Their mission is to find clients and make sure they feel cared for throughout the transaction and donation process. Paid 100% commission.
Climate Action Networker Training
This entry-level position is filled by those who work directly on lead generation and lead follow-up. Their mission is to find leads and send them to a licensed broker to convert them into clients. Paid hourly plus commission.
New Positions
Other positions will be created as necessary. Expect new opportunities to appear as the company grows. Our main focus is connecting buyers and sellers of homes with real estate professionals nationwide, but we also conduct transactions locally and produce a weekly podcast. Salespeople can transition into other roles (if desired) as they appear.
Climate Action Networker Training Program
This is the Climate Change Realty sales and entrepreneurial training program. You will likely learn everything you need to know to start your own business. A majority of your time spent in the program will be comprised of prospecting-focused cold calling and lead generation, but will also include paid 1-hour weekly performance reviews and, beginning in Phase 3, open hours to try different lead generation methods or assist with other aspects of the business.
Phase 1
Salary Total- $1,650 + 20% Earnings Share.
Estimated Minimum Pay - $3,500 or $23.35 Per Hour.
$15 Per Hour
20% Earnings Share
5 Hours Per Week
30 Weeks
150 Hours Total
8 Weeks Unpaid Trial
$600 Bonus After 30 Weeks
Phase 2
Salary Total- $4,375 + 25% Earnings Share.
Estimated Minimum Pay - $6,500 or $26 Per Hour.
$17.5 Per Hour
25% Earnings Share
Up To 10 Hours Per Week
25 Weeks Or More
250 Hours Total
Option To Increase From 5 Hours A Week Up to 10
Phase 3
Salary Total- $6,000 + 30% Earnings Share.
Estimated Minimum Pay - $9,750 or $32.5 Per Hour.
$20 Per Hour
30% Earnings Share
Up To 12 Hours Per Week
25 Weeks Or More
300 Hours Total
Option To Begin Working From Home
Phase 4
Salary Total- $11,250 + 30% Earnings Share.
Estimated Minimum Pay - $16,875 or $33.75 Per Hour.
Must complete training program Phase 3 before becoming a Sales Officer. Work from anywhere. 100% commission-based pay.
Rank is based on total closings during your time working for CCR.
Rank 1 will be at least 25% complete after finishing training program Phase 3.
Rank 1
1-50 Closings
65% Earnings Share
50 Closings To Next Level
Rank 2
51-150 Closings
70% Earnings Share
100 Closings To Next Level
Rank 3
151-350 Closings
75% Earnings Share
200 Closings To Next Level
Rank 4
351-600 Closings
80% Earnings Share
250 Closings To Next Level
Rank 5
601-900 Closing
85% Earnings Share
300 Closings To Next Level
Climate Hero
900+ Closings
95% Lifetime Share
Work Principles:
We will be hiring primarily based on values and abilities, we are happy to teach you the skills you will need to assist the company. If we are aligned on values and you are willing to learn, there is nothing we can't accomplish together.
Company Values
The most pivotal values employees at Climate Change Realty must share.
1. Enlightened Self Interest
By always considering others before yourself you ultimately serve yourself at the deepest and most fulfilling level.
2. People Over Profit
We will most effectively accomplish our mission by prioritizing relationships and customers over profit maximization.
3. Know Thyself
One must acknowledge their strengths, weaknesses, and the undeniable impact that their origin story has on their future progression.
4. Self Improvement Improves Society
To most effectively accomplish our goals, we must continually work on improving ourselves.
5. Radical Truth
It is in everyone’s best interests that the truth be told in all circumstances.
6. Radical Transparency
It is in everyone’s best interests that nearly all information flows openly and is easily available for review.
7. The Free Market Is The Best System We Have And It Is Our Responsibility To Make It Better
Markets exist whether they're regulated or not. Our system is by no means perfect, but a free and open system has created greater prosperity for more people than a state-controlled system.
8. Systematic Change Outranks Temporary Solutions
It is unacceptable that the current economic system produces extremely unfavorable outcomes. The most effective way to prevent the extremely unfavorable outcomes produced by the current economic system is to reform it. Therefore, it is imperative to prioritize the systematic reformation of the current economic system over easing the suffering caused by its current formulation. In other words, we don’t just hand out fish, we spend our time teaching people how to fish.
9. The Economy Is Reformed From The Bottom Up
The current economic system is comprised of and reformed by the behavior of producers, consumers, and legislators. The behavior of a great majority of legislators has proven to be mostly influenced, if not completely controlled, by the will of extremely impactful producers. The impact of a producer can be directly contributed to their relationships with consumers and other impactful producers, and then enhanced by their capacity to exert their will on legislators. As a producer’s impact increases, their capacity to exert their will on legislators also increases, creating a positive feedback loop and further increasing their overall impact on the entire economic system. It is also important to recognize that without a continued relationship with consumers, producers can not continue to increase their impact. Therefore, to operate most effectively and achieve our company mission, we will focus on maximizing the impact of enlightened producers and consumers. (An Enlightened Producer or Consumer operates in harmony with our most pivotal company value of Enlightened Self Interest.)
10. The Infinite Mindset
Our lives are not a journey with a definite endpoint in mind. By operating in the progressive pursuit of a worthy ideal you choose to prescribe meaning to your actions. Our company mission is designed to be for something, inclusive, service-oriented, resilient, and ultimately unachievable so that we always have a more positive future to strive towards. We support solutions to the most pressing challenges of our time, so that future generations can focus on the distinct challenges of their time. If we do our jobs well, there will always be future generations whose challenges won’t be the same as ours. In other words, you don’t go to a party just so that you can “complete” the party, you go to a party TO PARTY! You can think of our company mission as a never-ending party.
Fundamental Work Principles: From Ray Dalio
An organization is a machine consisting of two major parts: culture and people.
A. A great organization has both great people and a great culture.
B. Great people have both great character and great capabilities.
C. Great cultures bring problems and disagreements to the surface and solve them well, and they love imagining and building great things that haven’t been built before.
Tough love is effective for achieving both great work and great relationships.
A. In order to be great one can’t compromise the uncompromisable (this means facing issues, weaknesses, and pain head on.)
A believability-weighted idea meritocracy is the best system for making effective decisions.
Make your passion and your work one and the same and do it with people you want to be with.
On Company Culture
From Ethan Shapiro
1. Trust In Enlightened Self Interest
A. Enlightened self interest, self-giving love, do unto others as you would have other do unto you, recognize that ancient wisdom has persisted for millennia for good reason.
B. Try not to forget that a life of service is most fulfilling for those who are serving not those being served, even if it takes a long time to materialize in daily life.
From Ray Dalio
1. Trust in Radical Truth and Radical Transparency
A. Realize you have nothing to fear from knowing the truth.
B. Have integrity and demand it from other.
C. Foster an environment in which everyone has the right to understand what makes sense and no one has the right to hold a critical opinion without speaking up.
D. Be radically transparent.
E. Meaningful relationships and meaningful work are mutually reinforcing, especially when supported by radical truth and radical transparency.
2. Cultivate Meaningful Work and Meaningful Relationships
A. Be loyal to the common mission and not to anyone who is not operating consistently with it.
3. Create a Culture in Which It Is Okay to Make Mistakes and Unacceptable Not to Learn from Them
A. Recognize that mistakes are a natural part of the evolutionary process.
B. Don’t worry about looking good-worry about achieving your goals.
C. Observe the patterns of mistakes to see if they are a product of weaknesses.
D. Remember to reflect when you experience pain.
E. Know the difference between acceptable and unacceptable mistakes.
4. Get and Stay In Sync
A. Recognize that conflicts are essential for great relationships because they are how people determine whether their principles are aligned and solve their differences
B. Know how to get in sync and disagree well
C. Be open-minded and assertive at the same time.
5. Believability Weight Your Decision Making
A. Recognize that having an effective idea meritocracy and in turn the best possible company culture, requires that you understand the merit of each person’s ideas. B. Find the most believable people who disagree with you and try to understand their reasoning.
C. Think about whether you are playing the role of teacher, student or peer and whether you should be teaching, asking questions, or debating.
D. Understand how people came by their opinions. E. Disagreeing must be done efficiently.
F. Recognize that everyone has the right and responsibility to try to make sense of important things.
G. Pay more attention to whether the decision-making system is fair than whether you get your way
6. Recognize How To Get Beyond Disagreements
A. Remember: Principles can’t be ignored by mutual agreement
B. Make sure people don’t confuse the right to complain, give advice, and openly debate with the right to make decisions
C. Don’t leave important conflicts unresolved.
D. Once a decision is made, everyone should get behind it even thought individuals may still disagree
On Our Team
From Ethan Shapiro
1. Your Desire To Create A Positive Impact Due To Your Direct Actions Should Rank Highest On Your List Of Values
From Ray Dalio
1. Remember That the WHO is More Important than the WHAT
2. Hire Right, Because the Penalties for Hiring Wrong Are Huge
A. Match the person to the design.
1A Values, abilities, and then skills. B. Remember that people are built very differently and that different ways of seeing and thinking make people suitable for different jobs. C. No one person possesses everything required to produce success, yet everyone must excel.
D. Pay attention to people’s track records.
E. Don’t hire people just to fit the first job they will do; hire people you want to share your life with.
3. Constantly Train, Test, Evaluate, and Sort People
A. Understand that you and the people you manage will go through a process of personal evolution.
B. Provide constant feedback.
C. Evaluate accurately, not kindly.
D. Recognize that tough love is both the hardest and the most important type of love to give.
E. Don’t hide your observations about people.
F. Make the process of learning what someone is like open, evolutionary, and iterative.
G. Knowing how people operate and being able to judge whether that way of operating will lead to good results is more important than knowing what they did.
H. Recognize that when you are really in sync with someone about their weaknesses, the weaknesses are probably true.
I. Train, guardrail, or remove people; don’t rehabilitate them.
J. Don’t lower the bar
On Our Company Machine
From Ethan Shapiro
1. Every Action Taken By The Company Should Move The Global Economy Closer To A Fully Regenerative System
From Ray Dalio
1. Manage as Someone Operating a Machine to Achieve a Goal
A. Look down on you machine and yourself within it from the higher level. B. Remember that for every case you deal with, your approach should have two purposes: 1) to move you closer to your goal, and 2) to train and test your machine (i.e., your people and your design). C. Understand the differences between managing, micromanaging, and not managing. D. Know what your people are like and what makes them tick, because your people are your most important resource. E. Clearly assign responsibilities. F. Probe deep and hard to learn what you can expect from your machine. G. Think like an owner, and expect the people you work with to do the same. H. Recognize and deal with key-man risk. I. Don’t treat everyone the same-treat them appropriately. J. Hold yourself and your people accountable and appreciate them for holding you accountable. K. Communicate the plan clearly and have clear metrics converting whether you are progressing according to it.
2. Perceive and Don’t Tolerate Problems
A. Design and oversee a machine to perceive whether things are good enough or not good enough, or do it yourself. B. Be very specific about problems; don’t start with generalizations. C. Don’t be afraid to fix the difficult things.
3. Diagnose Problems to Get at Their Root Causes
A. To diagnose well, ask the following questions: 1. Is the outcome good or bad? 2. Who is responsible for the outcome? 3. If the outcome is bad, is the Responsible Party incapable and/or is the design bad? B. Maintain an emerging synthesis by diagnosing continuously. C. Keep in mind that diagnoses should produce outcomes D. Understand that diagnoses is foundational to both process and quality relationships.
4. Design Improvement to Your Machine to Get Around Your Problems
A. Build your machine. B. Systematize your principles and how they will be implemented. C. Remember that a good plan should resemble a movie script. D. Recognize that design is an iterative process. Between a bad “now” and a good “then” is a “working through it” period. E. Build the organization around goals rather than tasks. F. Create guardrails when needed-and remember it’s better not to guardrail at all. G. Keep your strategic vision the same while making appropriate tactical changes as circumstances dictate. H. Have good controls so that you are not exposed to the dishonesty of others. I. Have the clearest possible reporting lines and delineations of responsibilities. J. Remember that almost everything will take more time and cost more money than you expect.
5. Do What You Set Out To Do
A. Work for goals that you and your organization are excited about and think about how your tasks connect to those goals. B. Recognize that everyone has too much to do. C. Use checklists. D. Allow time for rest and renovation. E. Celebrate victories.
6. Use Tools and Protocols to Shape How Work Is Done
A. Having systemized principles embedded in tools is especially valuable for an idea meritocracy.
7. Don’t Overlook Governance
A. Must have checks and balances. B. A single CEO is not as good as group of leaders. C. No governance system of principles, rules, and check and balances can substitute for a great partnership.
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