Breaking New Ground
With Keller Williams Main Line, the team led by Mike McCann extends its family-like culture and proven track record from the city to the suburbs.
Anyone who has spent just a few moments in Mike McCann’s orbit can attest to his zest for life and his passion for real estate—an industry to which he has devoted more than three decades of his life. It is no surprise, then, that while McCann has remained humble, his vision for the new Keller Williams Main Line Office is anything but modest.
“Our goal is to build the best office, not just on the Main Line but in all of the suburbs, and not just in the region but on the whole East Coast,” he says. “We want to have the most collaborative, cooperative, and growing office. That doesn’t just mean the No. 1 in production, but the best in energy, teamwork, and giving back to the community.”
In just 18 short months, McCann and the team at Keller Williams Main Line are well on their way to accomplishing that mission. With a 30-year track record in Philadelphia, and an increasing demand from a long list of satisfied clients, it was only natural to export their expertise to one of the most desirable locales in the country.
The Keller Williams Main Line team bought an existing brokerage in Ardmore in September 2020, and officially moved in last February. Their introduction to the market made an immediate impact.
“We wanted to bring new energy in,” McCann says. “We wanted to take our brand, which has been so successful in the city for 30 years, and bring it out to the Main Line with the Keller Williams brand. So many sellers from the Main Line move to the city, and so many sellers from the city move out to the Main Line. Considering the events of the past two years, the expansion of the suburbs has really exploded, and we wanted to be part of it. The positivity so far has been unbelievable.”
Keller Williams Main Line had approximately 100 agents when McCann took over, a number that has since risen to nearly 240. The additions include a few other industry titans—people with stellar reputations, such as Erica Deuschle and Damon Michels—and others who were long established at other firms.
The Keller Williams Main Line culture is a big draw. Rather than the traditional real estate model where agents are independent contractors basically left to sink or swim on their own, agents benefit from seasoned mentors who are committed to their peers’ development. That group includes Jim Onesti, another highly respected agent who has worked side by side with McCann for over 20 years.
“Our job is to grow an agent with a small business to a medium-sized business, to grow an agent with a medium-sized business to a large business, and to take that large business to the next level,” Onesti says. “Nobody else has that across the region, and that’s why people are coming. They’ve been at a company for so long and they’ve plateaued. They have nobody supporting them, especially someone who has done it and continues to do it on a daily basis.”
Another key difference: McCann, Onesti, and their fellow mentors continue to build their own knowledge and contacts by actively representing buyers and sellers.
“We’re built differently,” Onesti adds. “All of our leaders can teach agents because they are engrained in the fabric of the business every day, as opposed to the traditional brokerage that just has a manager who hasn’t sold a home in 30 years.”
Of course, part of the allure stems from the opportunity to learn from McCann. Onesti likens it to being Tiger Woods’ caddy, picking up useful tips almost by osmosis. “Mike is an incredible mentor, he’s super generous, and he’s got a huge heart,” he says. “He just wants to help people grow, and I think that’s rare. His success is because of that, because he’s so authentic. When you meet him and talk to him, he’s one of those guys who means everything he says and tells the truth. He loves what he does and that’s infectious.”
The firm’s Ardmore headquarters is equally impressive. Rather than rows of gray, drab cubicles, the 8,200-square-foot office features a bright, open, comfortable layout that fosters friendly dialogue and collaboration among the agents. More than two dozen private offices with glass doors provide plenty of light, along with two spacious conference rooms equipped with the latest technology for presentations or large meetings.
The completely remodeled space overlooks a cozy fire pit and seating area in Suburban Square, which offers a modern, community feel with an abundance of restaurants, bars, and shopping. McCann describes the location as “a fun and hip yet sophisticated environment.”
“Everybody calls it their happy place,” he says. “When I walk in here every day, it just makes me smile.”
McCann and Onesti were confident they would succeed on the Main Line, but even they are surprised at how quickly success found them. The office has become one of the most productive in the market, well ahead of schedule.
“A lot of these great people put their trust in us, and it’s a lot of responsibility to have these people who trust you and want to be around you,” Onesti says. “We can’t let them down, and we’ll never let them down—that’s why we work so hard and we love what we do. We’re grateful it all came together, and grateful for everyone who believed in us and became part of the family.”
The family feel at Keller Williams Main Line includes a few literal relatives, including a father-daughter team and a mother-daughter duo. Also, two of McCann’s three children have followed him into the business, which he calls “the greatest gift.”
“What I’m most impressed about is the quality of people we’ve gotten who wanted something new and wanted to be part of something beyond just selling real estate,” he says. “We describe it as, ‘A life worth living and a business worth owning.’ We want people to have a good life and build a good business.
“When you have a client, you’re not just selling them a house,” he continues. “They’ll be your clients for life and you’ll help them with other things, and their friends will buy and sell with you. Keller Williams’ mindset goes above and beyond just selling real estate.”
Keller Williams Main Line
6 Coulter Ave., Second Floor
Ardmore, PA 19003
(610) 520-0100
MainLineMcCann.com
6 Coulter Ave., Second Floor
Ardmore, PA 19003
(610) 520-0100
MainLineMcCann.com
Photograph courtesy of Keller Williams Main Line
Published (and copyrighted) in Suburban Life magazine, February 2022.
