About Jon Dwoskin

When I was 18, my dad gave me Brian Tracy’s audiotape series called The Psychology of Success. My dad said, “I know you’ll do well in college, but I think you will get more out of these tapes than you will school.” At that moment, my car became a university on wheels, and my Walkman a mobile classroom. I became obsessed with self-learning. I have spent every day since then studying business, life and how to grow.

When I was 21, I attended a Billy Joel-Elton John concert. I remember one moment when both artists came onstage and the entire audience erupted. I had a voice inside me saying, one day you will fill this arena with your words and you will inspire others. I always knew this was my calling, my purpose, my passion.

My goals were not achieved without some challenges. When I was 30 and unsure of my next steps, I was diagnosed with testicular cancer. I remember thinking that from this point forward in my life, I was always going to follow my heart. Life is just too short and I vowed to not only live it, but to do my part to make it a better place for as many people as possible. Having been recently married and with thoughts of starting a family, this diagnosis was nothing short of terrifying. I underwent 17 radiation treatments and regular checkups for the first five years, plus yearly checkups for an additional five years. At my 10-year checkup, the doctor told me the cancer had returned and was riddled throughout my entire body. He said he had NO good news for me. He also said that he had never seen a case this bad in the history of his career. Around the corner, I would be facing chemo and, most likely, death. I begged him to retake my blood. I needed both of us to be absolutely certain. He agreed to a new blood sample, but emergency CAT scans, ultrasounds and follow-up appointments were arranged. For 48 hours, I was certain that I was dying. My wife and I were at Starbucks when my doctor called with the results. He said, “Jon, you were right. They messed up the test. All your tests came back fine. You are fine. Go live your life.” My wife and I broke down crying. At this very moment, my fear of death was wiped away and a new perspective was made clear to me. I embarked on an aggressive search to get in alignment with my soul.

In Gary Zukav’s book, The Seat of the Soul, he discusses the idea that the ideal human being cannot tell where their personality ends and their soul begins. I remember at this moment feeling just how out of alignment I was. I refreshed my quest for learning and personal growth to get back into alignment and make a career out of bringing the best out of people and helping them achieve their goals and live a better, more balanced, fun life. I had a taste of what it was like to face the end of life and I had a second chance. It was my rebirth. It was my time to be authentic. And this is the path I chose. I will be the first to tell you what I am not good at. But, I am good at many things. This one thing is very true and comes intuitively to me: I have the ability to see what is not being seen, hear what is not being heard and ask questions that are not being asked. In short, I provide critical guidance needed for making the next pivotal business decision. I am a go-to solution expert to whom businesspeople turn for advice, high-level strategy, training and accountability, to grow their companies and achieve their own personal growth. I’m not a “corporate” guy, but I learned a lot and played the game to win at a high degree … and loved it all. Every day in corporate life came with valuable lessons, and for that I am grateful. I’m also grateful for this chance to return to my entrepreneurial roots. It really seemed like it was never going to happen. But, with courage, the proper advisors around me, a lot of faith, and a great wife supporting me, I made the leap. Go big, or go home! (Easier said than done, I know.)

Through it all, I have always had business coaches – as an agent, as a manager, always. Even before I knew about “coaching,” I had advisors to whom I could turn for advice and inspiration to support and fuel the drive I had within me. At times, I have had two coaches. It’s true! In fact, I currently have two coaches and use co-coaching with other coaches in the industry. It is through coaching that I found my voice, especially when I took over at Marcus & Millichap. I learned how to more effectively communicate with all the different agents, both locally and nationally, and how to work with and communicate more effectively with the C-level people of the company. I continue to use coaches because they hold me accountable and facilitate my own growth. After all, even us coaches have dreams and aspirations!

Lastly, I want to tell you that I have a personal life. I live in a suburb of Detroit, Michigan with my wife, Joanna, who makes true the old saying that behind every strong man is a stronger woman. She is a nurse and Reiki energy healer when she is not driving carpools, supervising homework, making meals, and raising our kids – all of which she does selflessly. Our son, Jacob, is an awesome basketball and tennis player with a kind heart. Our daughter, Aria, is an amazing singer, dancer, and pianist with a heart every bit as kind as her brother’s. When I’m not busy growing businesses or guiding people through their next endeavors, I am playing tennis or basketball with friends or the kids, skiing, golfing, reading or listening to books, writing, or focusing on self-development.