Jason Vestweber

Jason Vestweber

Realtor

Skogman

Cedar Rapids

What was the last book you read?

“Atlas Shrugged,” by Ayn Rand. A fictional philosophical glimpse into the world of politics, value and truth that will make you extremely glad you live in a democracy.

Where is your favorite place to get away?

One of my favorite ways to escape the real world is on my Harley. My wife and I enjoy spending time with three other couples who also ride. We typically head to LaCrosse, Wisc., and just meander through the central part of the state for a few days.

What's the best day of the week to be in a meeting? What's the best time of day?

For the first time in my career, I don't really feel there is a bad time to have a meeting. As Realtors, we are pretty much on the clock seven days a week, and because I truly love what I do, there is not a bad time to have a meeting.

However, if I had to pick a time, I would say 9 a.m. on a Monday. Maybe it was the 15 years I spent in corporate America, but no matter what my agenda is or what I have scheduled for the week, Monday morning at 9 a.m. always feels like a time I should be in a meeting.

Did you start out in this line of work? What did you think you'd be doing when you “grew up”?

I did not start out in real estate, but I do feel I have been in training for this career my entire life. I grew up selling in my mother's retail business, and growing up on a farm in Iowa I was no stranger to long hours and hard work.

I spent over 10 years selling computer products and managing others who did the same.

I moved into incredible opportunities at places like AEGON, where I worked with some of the brightest and best and was able to learn a great deal from some fantastic people, but not until recently did I fully come to understand what I would do when I grew up.

With just a few exceptions, I have always been happy in my career, but it wasn't until I experienced working with “my own” clients and helping “my” customers that I truly came to understand what job satisfaction is about. I have never worked more hours, spent more time doing a job and enjoyed working more.

When I grow up I'm going to help people buy and sell homes and property.

Did you have a job while you were in school?

No, I usually had two. I worked more than I typically went to school - doing everything from cleaning office buildings, roofing during the summers, farming, bartending/server at Ruttle's Bar and Grill, I worked the line at a Pepsi Bottling company called WIS PAK, and I worked at the front desk of the Holiday Inn while attending Mankato State.

Finally toward the end of my college years, I interned with Hubbard Milling Co. at their corporate headquarters in Mankato, which is how I got into the computer business at Computer Bay, also in Mankato. The rest is history.

What do you always have close at hand at your desk?

My Louisville Slugger. It may sound funny, but it's always right behind my right shoulder and I grab it on a weekly basis.

I think it stems from two places. The first is the movie, “A Few Good Men,” when Cruise made the statement, “I think better with my bat,” and the second is just a leftover from some fond memories I have of my time at AEGON.

AEGON used to give out customized Louisville Sluggers at corporate events, and having my bat in hand at my desk sometimes really helps me focus. You might be surprised how helpful it can be during those tough negotiations, too!