Steve Morris named one of
"Real Estate's 25 Most Influential Thought Leaders."

Steve Morris CEO and founder Exit Realty Corp. International, Mississauga, Ont. Why: Introduced a residual business model that let associates earn a percentage on the sales of their recruits. Article published in "REALTOR Magazine" December 2006 - (see below for full section on Steve Morris.)

This article was published on: 12/01/2006 - REALTOR Magazine.

Real Estate’s 25 Most Influential Thought Leaders Magazine lists of most influential people usually focus on the movers and shakers of the moment—individuals or companies that have done something high-profile in the last year or so and have gotten plenty of attention. In compiling our 2006 list of real estate leaders, we’ve taken a longer view. Our influencers aren’t just those with the latest gizmo or hot idea; they’re also thought leaders who are reshaping how the real estate industry functions—today and probably tomorrow. Not all are veterans—some are relatively new to the industry. Yet each has had a profound impact on the present and future of real estate. To choose our 25 most influential, we solicited nominations through our Web site and directly from select brokers, association executives, and industry watchers. We whittled down the nominees to the group you see here. Of course, like any good ecosystem, the world of real estate is affected both by what happens inside it and by the forces acting upon it from outside. That’s why we’ve also compiled a second list of influencers who work outside the real estate industry—in technology, government, finance, communications—but who have nonetheless had a major impact on the business, whether for good, bad, or somewhere in between. We know that these lists leave out many who’ve had a significant impact; that’s the nature of such lists. So write and tell us who you think we’ve missed. We’ll publish some of your choices in future issues of the magazine. For now, here’s who the editors of REALTOR® Magazine think have left a unique imprint on our industry. View 25 most influential View 15 others who've had an impact

Steve Morris CEO and founder Exit Realty Corp. International, Mississauga, Ont. Why: Introduced a residual business model that let associates earn a percentage on the sales of their recruits.   Taking a page from the insurance sales industry, where he’d worked, Steve Morris built a franchise by giving each sales associate a share in the success of the entire enterprise. Exit offers sales associates 10 percent residual bonuses from the corporation on the transactions of other associates they bring to the company and mentor. This unusual compensation offering has enabled Morris to grow the franchise to 1,007 offices and more than 30,000 sales associates in less than a decade. Exit’s training is also getting rave reviews with its emphasis on mentoring and coaching as well as classes. After a stint with The Permanent, Canada’s third-largest real estate company at the time, Morris joined RE/MAX in 1984 and within a year was named Top Manager in North America by the franchise. During his tenure, he was also named Broker/Owner of the Year for multiple offices. A dozen years later, Morris launched a model that gave associates a shot at more than 100 percent earnings through residuals.