Thrive & Inspire ’24: For Mahlstedt, ‘Sincere Desire to Help People’ Is Key

Phoebe Rourke
Thrive & Inspire ’24: For Mahlstedt, ‘Sincere Desire to Help People’ Is Key

Mike Mahlstedt, Top Producing Agent for Compass Real Estate

WHAT'S THE SECRET to running a successful business? Achieving success as a Realtor requires unwavering dedication and continuous effort. The industry is evolving to be more technology-driven and is much more competitive. To thrive in this ever-changing landscape and establish a strong brand, you must truly care about the end result and possess a sincere desire to help people. Moreover, it’s not a solo journey; I am fortunate to have a diligent team that works long hours and a firm, Compass, which provides the support necessary to be a top producer.


What’s unique about your approach or your mission? My personal mission statement is “Work hard and be nice.” My reputation is paramount for future success, so my goal is to be respectful and available at all times. I train my team to do the same, so the client sees their transaction being handled by professionals who work closely together on their behalf. I want them to feel more than satisfied with the service I have provided and the knowledge I’ve conveyed. It’s such an achievement to have clients refer me to their friends and family and to continue to call me first when they are buying or selling their second or third house as their needs change.

Who or what inspires you as you seek to reach greater heights of success? Every day, my sons serve as my source of inspiration, motivating me to strive for excellence and provide a comfortable life for our family. My parents have been my lifelong role models, instilling in me a profound work ethic and a strong sense of support. It is my sincere hope to impart these same values to my boys, carrying forward the legacy of hard work and support that my parents instilled in me.

Artist Tierney Malone

IN 1968, IN the summer months of the Vietnam War, when musicians across the country were gleefully stretching the boundaries of funk, rock and psychedelia to express the fears, hopes and dreams of a draft-age generation, the number-one jam on Black and White radio stations was “Tighten Up” by Archie Bell and the Drells.

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The gallerist's beloved dog Tuta, Anya Tish, and artist Adela Andea with Anya

LAST THURSDAY, DAWN Ohmer, gallery director of Anya Tish Gallery, called to tell me Anya died on June 12 in her hometown of Kraków, Poland. It was a tearful call, the kind of call I am resigned to receiving more often as I get older. For many of us in Houston’s art community — gallery owners, artists, collectors, and arts writers — the news was sudden and unexpected. Death is a look away from rationality, and it is hard to imagine someone you cared for and who cared about you no longer being present physically, in the flesh, in the here and now.

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