It must have been the mid to late 90s, so pre-internet.  We were either exhibiting at a CAR trade show or maybe NAR Annual was in Anaheim that year.  IRIS was still a relatively new company and we had launched our Lightning product, which gave real estate agents a quick way to log in to different MLS systems (Moore Data and PRC).  In the booth next to us was a guy, who was solo at the time, selling software to create flyers and other marketing materials (Flyerware I think it was called) for agents, and it was Mac only.  His name was Renwick Congdon.

Typically when you are standing in a booth all day you strike up a conversation with the company next to you.  Maybe watch the booth while the other guy goes on a bathroom break.  I could tell Renwick was a smart guy, and like us he was a bootstrapper.  We started a friendship that would last over 25 years.

We would see each other at shows, check up on how our businesses were doing, grab dinner sometimes, share insights, and he talked about his family and that one of his daughters getting married.  He was very proud of his family.

I think he was one of my first interviews on my Listing Bits podcast.  We even flirted at joining forces back in 2015.  Kind of a “roll-up” strategy that never happens.  He didn’t need us.  With Imprev he created a monster of a business, I think he had all major franchisors on his platform.  He absolutely crushed it.  In late 2019 he sold his business to MoxiWorks.  I remember Dan and me talking about how great it was that “one of the good guys” got paid.  We called and congratulated him on his success.

When Covid hit, he reached out to Dan and me to check in and ask how we were doing.  He called to congratulate us in 2020 when Dan and I sold the business.

Renwick passed away last week.  I don’t know the details. But, I do know this, Renwick was a true innovator and his persistence should be an example to us all. 

My sincere condolences to his family.  He was truly, “one of the good guys”. Damn.