Jay Papasan, one of the most recognisable names in real estate coaching and content, is stepping down from his role as vice president of strategic content at Keller Williams, effective August 1.
Papasan announced the move in a LinkedIn post on Tuesday, according to HousingWire, citing a desire to focus on family businesses, writing and coaching.
Papasan joined Keller Williams in September 2000, when the company had just 27 employees and fewer than 7,000 associates.
“It’s been a wild ride,” he wrote, according to HousingWire.
“During my time, we grew to be the largest real estate franchise by agent count in the world.”
For agents, Papasan’s name is likely more familiar from a bookshelf than an org chart.
He is the co-author, with Keller Williams co-founder Gary Keller, of “The ONE Thing” – a productivity book built around a single question: what’s the one thing you can do such that everything else becomes easier or unnecessary.
It has become a staple of real estate coaching programs worldwide, used to help agents cut through competing priorities and focus their time on high-value activities like prospecting and client relationships rather than busywork.
Beyond that book, Papasan’s 26-year run at Keller Williams touched nearly every part of the business.
He started out writing a newsletter for the company’s technology team before going on to work 26 Family Reunions and 25 MegaCamps, co-write multiple books with Gary Keller, and lead divisions including KWU, Research, Publishing, KW Video and Marketing.
In an email to Keller Williams leaders and agents obtained by HousingWire, Gary Keller described Papasan as “my dear friend, my writing partner, my business partner and one of the finest thinkers I’ve ever had the privilege to know.”
“He sees things that others miss,” Gary wrote.
“More importantly, he has the remarkable ability to take complicated ideas about life, relationships, leadership and business and express them in ways that are both significant and memorable.
“That’s one of the hardest things a writer can do, and Jay does it as well as anyone I’ve ever met.”
Papasan isn’t disappearing from the business entirely.
According to HousingWire, he will keep working on Keller Williams book projects, continue hosting The ONE Thing podcast, lead The ONE Thing training and coaching team, and support agents at the Austin-based Papasan Properties Group.
Gary framed the departure as a new chapter rather than a retirement.
“This isn’t an ending,” he wrote.
“It’s simply giving himself the opportunity to take his life and those he can help to a higher level.”
Keller Williams has not commented on plans to fill the vacated executive role.
This story draws on “Jay Papasan to step down as Keller Williams executive“, HousingWire. Read the original here.