The Alimond Show
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The Alimond Show
Suhile Alami: Real Estate Expert and Philanthropic Leader of the Real Husbands of Loudoun County
Have you ever witnessed the transformative power of community and generosity? Suhile Adam Alami, a renowned real estate expert with a heart for philanthropy, joins us to share his remarkable journey from luxury retail to the challenging yet rewarding world of real estate in Loudoun County. As we unravel his story, we discover the inception of the Real Husbands of Loudoun County, a group that started as a social haven for men and flourished into a philanthropic force. Events orchestrated by this powerhouse have not only brought neighbors closer but also provided substantial support for first responders, showcasing the rippling effect of community-led initiatives in the face of adversity.
Shifting gears, Suhile opens up about the intricate dance of fatherhood, the pressures our daughters face in the throes of adolescence, and the resilience forged through life's challenges. He doesn't shy away from the significance of parental self-care either, emphasizing that a strong foundation at home is essential for communal strength. The group's commitment to bettering men's mental health through support networks and resources like affordable mental healthcare reflects a broader mission: to create an environment where men over forty can thrive through holistic wellbeing, including hormone optimization. Together, we celebrate the ethos that unity and shared action are the bedrock upon which we can build a more supportive and empowered community.
It's Suhail Adam Alami. I've been doing real estate for 13 years now, and how I serve my clients is through trust and experience. At the end of the day, if you trust someone and you like them, it's referral business. It always comes back. Being a local expert, I've been top producer for many years. Yeah, I mean, you basically want to treat people how you want to be treated yourself. That's the way I look at it.
Speaker 2:How long have you been in Loudoun County?
Speaker 1:Oh wow, I've been in Loudoun County for altogether. I grew up in Herndon, so all of it, I would say, since 84, so a long time.
Speaker 2:A long time. Yeah, yeah, a very long time. And what got you into real estate?
Speaker 1:So I did luxury sales, I worked for Montblanc high-end retail management and then you're basically capped of how much money you can make right and growing up here. A family of seven raising five daughters.
Speaker 2:Five daughters.
Speaker 1:It's very expensive here, right?
Speaker 2:Yes, five daughters. Yes, it is Well, congratulations, thank you, thank you.
Speaker 1:So I said to myself what else can I do that can be lucrative, but something that I really enjoy. And so I did real estate. I would say the first two years are really really tough because it's all commission. I almost lost the house, the cars. It was brutal. But the third, fourth year I just started growing it and growing it. So actually the third year R2LC I know we're going to talk about it, but that kind of goes into my real estate business I was at home and my wife was going with the Real Housewives group right Vendor events, high Heel Happy Hour with a different group, and I'm at home doing nothing right.
Speaker 1:And my friends, they started having kids a little later. So my kids are getting older. And I said what can I do? That could be great for men to get out of the house, because what do men usually do? They sit at home like Al Bundy with a hand in their pocket doing nothing right. So I said what can we do? That could be great for my business, good for me mentally just to meet and connect with the community. And my daughter Sophia, she says, dad, why don't you do the real husbands of Loudoun County, since mom goes to the other group. We all chuckled, we all laughed, and then the next day I created the group and when was that?
Speaker 2:What year was that?
Speaker 1:2014. 2014. So this is the 10-year anniversary. Nice, 2014. So this is the 10-year anniversary. It really started with just guys getting together for happy hour, just socializing, and then some tragic things happened. One person passed away from PTSD Henry. He passed away and we raised, I think, $20,000. And then other things happened, raised, I think, $20,000, and then other things happened. Somebody's house burned down. We decided to raise money for them and then 2018, we started. We created our Chelsea foundation so it's a non-profit, we are a 501 c3 and then we started doing golf tournaments. My buddy, chris Olson, decided a great golf tournaments would be, would be great to do. He he's actually now the president of my foundation, of our foundation, and I'm the VP and the founder, of course, but we started doing golf tournaments for Tattoo Tom.
Speaker 2:I'm sure you're familiar with him. Yes, if it does ring a bell, he's still brave, amazing, phenomenal guy.
Speaker 1:He's like a brother to me and we did that for him. We did one for stackuporg and we've done three of them for Loud and First Responders Foundation, which I'm sure you're very familiar with. So just for, I would say, we probably raised since 2018, when we created the foundation, probably half a million dollars.
Speaker 2:Wow.
Speaker 1:And what's unique about our foundation is we raise money for other foundations. I mean, at some point we've got to start raising money for our foundation as well, because we need to keep growing. So we create, we raise money for other foundations.
Speaker 2:And what's also unique is so each golf tournament will go to a different foundation.
Speaker 1:Well, it usually does, but for the past three years it's been Loudon First Responders. We're really committed to helping first responders right now and we're just near and dear to our heart, I think. For Loudon First Responders. We raised about $205,000 in the past three years. Wow, that's great in the past three years. Wow, that's great. And you know the fire explosion that just happened on February 16th we did a fundraiser with Rescue Barbecue.
Speaker 2:I know them. We're at Rescue. Barbecue.
Speaker 1:They're great. Oh, Chuck and Val, they're just amazing. They're great they are.
Speaker 2:They're what a community is right, they are yeah, and they give back. They're fantastic.
Speaker 1:They are, yeah, and they give back. They're, they're fantastic, they do, yeah. So we rented a 3 000 square foot tent. We got sponsors. Um, you know, rescue did all the food. We're hoping to raise 20 25 000 if we're lucky. Uh, I don't we, I don't think we really announced it yet uh, but we raised 51 000, yeah, yeah. So thank you to all the sponsors out there, everyone that attended. Thank you to the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office for sharing it. Loudoun County Fire and Rescue, so many other great organizations partnered with us to share it and promote it, and we hit a home run.
Speaker 2:That's great. Yeah, it was amazing watching the community come together.
Speaker 1:It really was To rally and support in such a tragic event.
Speaker 2:Oh yeah, it was amazing watching the community come together, it really was To rally and support in such a tragic event.
Speaker 1:Oh yeah, it was unbelievable. Now all the money that's now from the ones that got injured and you know, unfortunately Trevor Brown passed away. You know they came to allow first responders to you know request you know some help. They came to Loudon First Responders to request some help and we're very proud of that because RHRLC raised $205,000 the past three years at our golf tournament. Now we're seeing where that money is going. It's helping these first responders but also that money also goes to people first responder kids that need scholarship programs. Loudon First Responder Foundation is a great organization.
Speaker 1:It is One of the reasons why we chose it and we love working with them.
Speaker 2:Yeah no-transcript.
Speaker 1:Oh, it's a great question. So at the fundraiser there's many.
Speaker 2:I can see you. You're speaking with a lot of joy.
Speaker 1:I really am, because I feel like that's my purpose and my good friend, chris Olson. That's why we're so connected. We both have that same passion. So many great stories. But at the fundraiser a couple of weeks ago for the explosion that happened, stephen Young from Sterling Volunteer Fire Department Company. He came up to me and said, hey, thank you so much. It means a lot. And he told me his story. They have a wealthy new Trevor Brown and also the ones that are recovering right now. They're not in great shape, but he gave me this coin. It's just funny. You ask that because I've been carrying this since and he gave me this coin that is in memory of Trevor Brown. Let me get my glasses out. I can tell you exactly what it says. I'm turning 49 soon. I just started wearing these. I'm right there with you exactly what it says.
Speaker 2:You know I'm turning 49 soon. I just started wearing these. I'm not happy about it.
Speaker 1:I'm right there with you, I get it. So it says the last alarm box 61821. You know, fallen but never forgotten. And it's got his, you know, set 1978 to 2024. Just a really cool coin Just to remember him. And Stephen shared this story and told me how much it meant what we're doing for the first responders. It just makes it all worth it. Just appreciation for giving back. We've seen what an impact that we've made. It's a beautiful thing.
Speaker 2:This is beautiful.
Speaker 1:Thank you. It's very cool, isn't it?
Speaker 2:Just a little reminder, right.
Speaker 1:It really is, yeah.
Speaker 2:So you guys have another big event coming up in September.
Speaker 1:We do, we do. I don't have a date yet. It's going to be September. So every year we've had a couple of different courses. Last year was at Piedmont. A couple years, two, three years before in a row was Pleasant Valley Okay. But this year we're bringing it to Loudoun County. It's always for Loudoun County, but we're actually going to be doing it in Loudoun County at Belmont.
Speaker 2:Oh, great yeah.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and I think we're going to stay there.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:And how are you promoting this? How are you getting people in? So, basically, it happens all through RHOLC Foundation Facebook page, the LinkedIn page and the Real Husbands of Loudoun County Facebook page, and also RHOLC, our group as well, which is really robust and active. We're very fortunate that we really never had to really lean on the public or the media to really raise money. We'd like to start doing that. But, like for the golf tournament every year and, Chris, we announce it Literally. I'm not even joking. It's sold out within hours, if not maybe 24 hours. Wow.
Speaker 2:And is it?
Speaker 1:already up and ready for people to register. We haven't actually announced it yet, but it's going to happen really soon. The beautiful thing is we're getting sponsors coming to us asking about the golf tournament. Hey, we want to be first on the list, so we have some really, really, um, good things coming up. I can't, uh, share too much, but we're excited about this year.
Speaker 2:So stay tuned for good things. Stay tuned, yes, it's a good way to put it Right. What do you like to do for fun outside of real estate and this foundation?
Speaker 1:And you're nothing more large family. I was going to say. You know a lot of people like to. You know I like to golf, but it's not. I like to start doing it. But you know people go to games and do other stuff, but for me nothing's more important than spending time with my wife and my daughters. That's my fun. We love going to wineries, we like going to the park or just sitting at home and just enjoying life.
Speaker 2:That sounds like you guys have a busy schedule.
Speaker 1:We do we do? My oldest is in college, she's phenomenal. My second oldest is at home. Well, they're all phenomenal. Let me say that yes they're all. We were coming up here, my daughter Elena. I have twins, oh nice, they're 12 years old, seventh grade, and Elena says, hey, when you get there, make sure you tell them I'm the pretty one and that.
Speaker 2:I'm your favorite. So did they say. If they ask about your daughters, this is what you should say. That's what she did.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I said no, I can't do that. It's going to hurt feelings, but they're all wonderful. They make life meaningful. Just like Arch, I'll see that everything I do has a purpose. I'll give you a quick story. When a lot of people find out that I have five daughters, what they say is oh God bless you. What did you do wrong in life? And I said I didn't do anything wrong. I mean, god has a special place for a man. And I said I didn't do anything wrong. I mean God has a special place for a man.
Speaker 1:He has to pick a man that has a lot of patience and tolerance and that has done good by women, which I have, so that's why I look at it.
Speaker 2:I'm blessed to have them and I have the capacity to do it. I recently saw somebody talking about that he gets. It was somebody that has several daughters as well and that he gets that comment as well. Really and how we need to really start changing the narrative on that instead of saying oh gosh, you know. Right but you know what did you do? Or oh gosh, you must have your hands full, instead of just saying, oh, how blessed you must be.
Speaker 1:Oh yeah, no, I agree.
Speaker 2:I agree.
Speaker 1:Most of the time I'm gonna pray for you, yes, but I do have to say when I was younger, you know they were all young and people used to say I'll pray for you. I'm like this is easy changing diapers, blah, blah, blah. Then they get older, you run around with them 10 year old. But the teenage years, the teenage years, are tough, and then I understand how hard it is with kids nowadays, with social media, with all this stuff they have so much coming at them. Uh, it's tough it's tough.
Speaker 1:I have teenagers myself oh yeah, how many kids do you have?
Speaker 2:I have three kids, three kids, okay 18, 15 and 10 18 boy, girls or one boy and two girls, two girls, yeah, yeah, so I don't know how the boys are, but you get the girls right, yes, 100%.
Speaker 1:So we've had our moments, but at the end of the day, when any of my girls go through a tough time, I think when kids go through adversity at a young age, it builds character and they become leaders and it molds them. It shapes who they are.
Speaker 1:It absolutely does leaders and it molds them. It shapes who they are. It absolutely does. So I always like to stay optimistic as much as possible, because, at the end of the day, we also have to take care of ourselves, because if we don't take care of ourselves as parents, as human beings, we can't take care of the people that depend on us.
Speaker 2:You can't take care of anybody else. Tell me a little bit more about where you see the future going of Real Husbands of Loudoun County.
Speaker 1:Continue to grow and make an impact in the community for everyone, but especially men, because we are a men's group. I think I'm glad you asked that question because there's something else I wanted to add. From this group, I've seen so many men, women, women suffer too many. Women have a lot of things that they deal with as well, but the man also in the group, you know two out of three men, I mean two out of three people, that commit suicide in America. Are men? Right, because to be a man it's, it's very different. Right, it's, it's it. We're living in a different time right now. Men have a hard time, sometimes not all of them dealing with relationships Women too, but men in general relationships with their life partner, husband, wife, girlfriend, husband, wife, girlfriend, relationships with finances those two are the biggest ones that push people over the edge, and I can't fathom anyone committing suicide because you think it's selfish.
Speaker 1:Right, you have people that love you, but it's actually a disease for somebody to to do that to themselves. There's a chemical imbalance, there's depression. It's real, and so I want to take this platform, still doing a lot for the community, but also I want to really help men. So I'm creating a men's platform in the process and I've been meeting with a lot of community leaders in the area. Some are going to be involved. There are going to be therapists, doctors, accountability coaches, life coaches and I want to create a platform for men that they can go to for affordable health care, I should say mental health.
Speaker 2:Care, because mental health, you know it's expensive and it's expensive. Care because mental health, you know it's expensive and it's expensive, right, and often not covered by insurance.
Speaker 1:Exactly so if I can create a platform and I've seen one out there, I want to kind of emulate it where they can get telehealth, they can get, you know, face-to-face help, you know, just basically resources for men. But also, I think physical health is important for men. To some men don't take care of themselves, you know, maybe they sit at home too much or the stress they go to eating the wrong foods, smoking, drinking, and there's no, there's no mod. It's not, there's no moderation, is just just indulging because they're miserable, they're going through a rough time. So I really want to focus on helping them with their physical health, to get their blood work. I'm a big, big advocate of hormone optimization. I think that's important because a lot of men, as we get older, especially after 40, our testosterone levels start decreasing and once you get the replacement and you start getting treatment, it's really life-changing. All of a sudden you could be 50. All of a sudden you could feel like you're 30 again. Have you heard of this?
Speaker 2:TRT stuff A little bit, a little bit. My husband follows some of this stuff. Oh, okay, he's all into the cold plunging and all things health-related.
Speaker 1:Yeah, those are awesome too. Those are awesome my buddy Chris Cagle. He owns iCryo.
Speaker 2:Oh, yeah, and.
Speaker 1:One. Loudon, yeah, yeah, that's a great place. I'm a member there as well. But the testosterone replacement is very cool because you can do it yourself and you're truly unlocking your own cells to its full potential. So I'm really excited about that project. So in that platform, it'll be not just mental health support, but physical as well.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, full mind, body, spirit.
Speaker 1:Very much so. Yep, there's a guy I met yesterday. His name is Harsh, he has a optometry business in Brambleton and we had coffee yesterday and he said, hey, I want to have coffee with you because I heard about this platform you're building and he told me all the stuff that he's gone through a lot of hardship and you know. So we're relating a lot. So he's creating an app that can. He's doing AI technology. He's creating the app. So the technology the app asks you the same questions as a doctor would. So he's actually partnering with multiple doctors in the area, creates a nutrition plan, a workout plan. So I'm going to collaborate with him and have that app available in the platform as well. So I'm really just having talks with people that are doing good things and that want to help others, and I've been doing that for the past maybe two months and I'm just meeting some amazing people in the community to get together and just help people.
Speaker 2:Well, thank you for all that you're doing in the community.
Speaker 1:Oh, you're welcome, You're welcome.
Speaker 2:Community building. It means a lot to us.
Speaker 1:Thank you, and I can't take all the credit because everybody in the community, including the group that I have, I mean, if we didn't do all of this together as a community, one of us can't do it. We all have to do it together, somehow Do it together.
Speaker 2:Absolutely Always stronger together.
Speaker 1:Always, of course, of course.
Speaker 2:Thank you for coming in today.
Speaker 1:Of course, this has been an absolute pleasure and I appreciate it.
Speaker 2:Thank you, pleasure having you.
Speaker 1:Thank you.