Weiner (c) often brushes shoulders with top sports executives, including Roger Goodell and Troy VincentDARREN WEINER
DARREN WEINER was a sports and entertainment agent for about 20 years, but these days you’ll catch him leading Celebrity Advisors out of Miami Beach. Weiner serves as President & CEO of the real estate brokerage firm with a significant portion of clientele from the sports and entertainment world. That includes recent draft picks and young celebrities coming into notoriety and fortune, as well as team owners and even founders of television networks. Almost thirteen years ago as Weiner was transitioning away from his agent role, he identified a broken system on the high-end side of the real estate world. Weiner: “There was a low barrier of entry to get a real estate license where there were many people trying to take advantage of clients. I wanted to improve the service and streamline the process."
WHAT’S ON THE AGENDA? This weekend, I have two appointments for a celebrity home showing. The home is owned by rapper BIRDMAN of Cash Money Records and is also the former home of music producer SCOTT STORCH. I’ll be showing that this weekend, and then Saturday night I’m going to Devils-Panthers. I’ve got to take it in because it’s the Panthers’ last game of the season. As for Sunday, I’ll probably be playing golf if the weather cooperates. I try to get out on the links as much as I can living here in South Florida.
IN THE MEANTIME: Travel is another passion of mine, and I’m also in the process of writing a book. It’s something I always thought about doing. It’s about becoming the youngest sports agent in the country, the ups and downs from that industry and then reinventing myself and building up a new business on the real estate side. Really, it’s about overcoming obstacles throughout my life. I’m looking to help others, rather than just putting out what I’ve done from a self-gratification standpoint. I spend time on the book almost every weekend, and during the week I’ll wake up a couple hours early each day to try and do as much as I can before work. I’ve got a pretty good title in the works but I can’t let the cat out of the bag yet.
FAVORITE MEMORIES: The best trip I’ve ever taken was in ’03, the first time I ever went to South Africa. Former Bobcats coach SAM VINCENT had an idea for a basketball camp there with the top 100 high school basketball players all competing against each other in front of college coaches as well as NBA and European scouts. We brought the idea to the NBA, who then put the camp on under the title “Africa 100” in conjunction with FIBA. It was amazing to see that idea manifest into reality. That has since evolved into Basketball Without Borders as well.
POP CULTURE TASTES: "GREEN BOOK" was a great movie. Sometimes we get caught up in our day-to-day and don’t think about what has gone on in other parts of the country, or what life looks like through other people’s lenses. Since I’ve started writing my own story I’ve probably read or listened on Audible to 35 other books. I really enjoyed “FOOTBALL FOR A BUCK: THE CRAZY RISE AND CRAZIER DEMISE OF THE USFL” by JEFF PEARLMAN. I also really liked “CAN’T HURT ME,” an inspirational book by retired Navy Seal DAVID GOGGINS.
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