Chris Tierney spent nearly two decades serving as a firefighter before he ever thought about selling homes. But the seeds were there early. He grew up in a firehouse, followed his father into the service, and later ran a landscaping company where clients often called him before putting their homes on the market. “If I had a dollar for every time a client said, ‘We want to beautify the house because we’re selling,’ I could have been the agent,” he said.
That perspective became real when he met Abby Torres, a mortgage lender at Guaranteed Rate. Abby didn’t just become his wife. She also became the voice nudging him into real estate. She told him he had the database, the people skills, and the network to thrive. Chris took it seriously. Soon after, he earned his license and jumped in.
But his transition wasn’t only about sales. “At the core, firefighting and real estate share the same value—it’s public service,” he said. That belief shapes his entire approach. When people call, Chris doesn’t just see a transaction. He sees a chance to help, whether it’s with a pre-approval, a home valuation, or even a recommendation for a plumber.
Partnership also plays a role. Chris teamed up with Joel, a fellow firefighter who had been sidelined by injury and discovered real estate as a new career path. Joel had gotten his license years earlier and built momentum. Sitting together in the firehouse, the two friends decided to launch a team that combined their values of service, family, and trust.
In just one year, their group grew to seven agents. Several are firefighters, one is a police officer, and another comes from customer service. Some balance dual careers, while Joel went all in full-time. What unites them is a simple mantra: “What in the world can we do to help you?” Chris repeats that line often, because it’s not about flashy sales tactics. It’s about showing up for people whether or not they’re ready to buy or sell today.
That mindset has guided them through a tough market. Chris calls it their “off season,” a period where many agents exit the business. But he sees challenge as opportunity. “Real estate is a contact sport,” he said, quoting Gary Keller. “Our goal is to stay in contact with as many people as possible.” Instead of retreating, his team doubled down on lead generation, knowing that the agents who endure the hard seasons will be the ones capturing market share when conditions shift.
Balancing everything isn’t easy. Chris still works as a firefighter, still runs his landscaping business, and still shows up for his family. “It’s definitely a lot of time management, and support from you,” he said, looking at Abby. “But we always put family first. Whatever the boys need, that comes before anything.”
Abby sees the same qualities that drew her to him years ago. When she first met his landscaping crew, most of whom spoke only Spanish, she noticed how Chris treated them like family. That same care extends to his agents and clients today. “You’re nothing without your employees,” he said. “We treat them like family because they are family.”
The result is a business model rooted in trust. Instead of being defined by sales numbers, Chris wants his clients to feel like they belong. For him, service isn’t just about closing deals. It’s about building a community where people know they can call his team for anything.
For you, the takeaway is simple. Building a brand doesn’t start with the product. It starts with how you treat people. If you lead with service, the business will follow. If you build with values, you can endure hard seasons and grow stronger when others quit.
Or as Chris puts it: “We didn’t want to be those agents that felt like used car salesmen. We just want to help. That’s who we are.”
In the end, that’s what makes his story stand out. Real estate isn’t just another career. It’s an extension of a life built on showing up for people—at the firehouse, in the yard, in the office, and at home.
