Edward J. Robson
Title: Founder/Chairman
Company: Robson Communities
Describe your very first job and what you learned from it.
I had several first jobs growing up. I knew at a young age I wanted to make money, so I decided to go door-to-door offering to shovel snow in the winter time for just $2. Then, when it got warmer in the summertime, I went door-to-door offering to cut lawns. … I was also a paperboy. All of those jobs made me learn that if you do a good job, you will get hired back.
Describe your first job in your industry.
I was in high school and hand dug a cellar for a home. In other words, I worked in construction. When I moved to Arizona I got into real estate mainly because it was interesting and rewarding. I learned from my first job in the industry that if you don’t sell, you don’t get paid. I had a lot to lose since I was supporting my wife and kids, so I worked hard.
What were your salaries?
I made $2 per home shoveling snow and $5 per home cutting lawns. It didn’t matter how long it took, I still got paid that amount.
Who is your biggest mentor?
I worked directly for Del Webb for one year and learned a lot. Del Webb instilled confidence in myself and gave me a lot of responsibility at a young age. He truly believed in me.
What advice would you give to a person entering your industry?
If a person wants to enter the industry and work for someone else, my advice is to be a producer! You can’t be afraid of admitting a mistake. Mistakes are part of learning.
If you weren’t doing this, what would you be doing instead?
This is a hard question for me because I believe that the sum of your choices directs your life. … I have no idea what I would be doing instead, but I know that whatever I ended up doing, I wanted to be successful.
