For anyone who ever asks me how I did it, I tell them you just have to want it more than you want anything else.”

Roman Novian was not always on the path to be a REALTOR®. In his early years of college, he was working toward a degree in nursing.

“I realized I was headed for a career where I would not have control over my own destiny,” he says. “The thought of being stagnant in a job that would cap out both in pay and in opportunity was very unsettling. It was a tough choice, but I knew I had to make a change and decided to give it everything I had.”

And he hasn’t looked back. Roman established an impressive production volume in his first three years as a REALTOR® and went on to become a Texas REALTORS® Leadership Program graduate. He has been active in his state and local associations, having sat on the Waco Association of REALTORS® Board of Directors, chaired several the local association’s other committees, and participated in the state’s Professional Standards Committee.

Roman also volunteers his time in the broader community, serving on the Board of Directors for the Waco Independent School District Education Foundation and making significant donations to the organization. He has a personal scholarship with Waco ISD called “The Roman the REALTOR® Scholarship,” which supports high school students who have demonstrated community involvement, volunteerism, and character. He also supports the University High School’s Make A Wish Come True program, which grants Christmas wishes to local area school children.

Roman says his greatest challenge in the industry so far has been finding ways to remain relevant in a REALTOR®-saturated community.

“With over 900 agents in our local association, the public has lots of choices,” says Roman. “Building a strong reputation has allowed me to overcome falling through the cracks in a crowded market. Making sure my clients receive top-notch service that is memorable has made the biggest impact on my business.”

One of the ways Roman does this, and what he says sets him apart from other REALTORS®, is his use of social media and levity in his marketing to create a lasting and memorable impression on the public. He also remains committed to education and actively seeks out new classes to help keep him on his game in an ever-changing industry.

“I am a true testament to hard work and determination,” Roman says. “When I got into the business eight years ago, I started from scratch. I don’t come from a well-known family, and in fact, I faced many hardships growing up. I didn’t have a college degree to fall back on, and I didn’t have a second source of income or a spouse to help get things going, but what I did have was a strong desire to succeed. 

“For anyone who ever asks me how I did it, I tell them you just have to want it more than you want anything else.”

About the Award:

The REALTORS® to Watch Award is a Texas Young Professionals Network award recognizing excellence in leadership, community involvement, and everything else that makes a well-rounded young professional successful in real estate. Any active REALTOR® member of Texas REALTORS® under the age of 40 as of August 1, 2020, can apply for this award. Click here to check out past recipients of this award and to find out more.