Rob is the owner of Proctor Investment Group LLC
Let's Get to Know Rob
What inspired you to start your business, and what keeps you going?
Firstly, I'd like to say I appreciate the recognition and opportunity. I am honestly a behind-the-scenes guy but let's talk about it. My inspiration was/is my family. It was always about making my Grandmother and Mother proud. Nothing can compare and it's just that simple.
As a social entrepreneur, how does your business positively impact your community?
As a social entrepreneur, my business is designed to make a positive impact on the community in several ways. I want the generation under me to know that all things are possible. I do this by investing in areas where "we" aren't present.
Can you share a time when you took a significant risk in your business? What did you learn from that experience?
I could write a book called "Significant Risk". All jokes aside, I'll talk about the one I can be the shortest about. One was my first multi-family purchase. What made it a significant risk was I was all in. I had a few properties before that I went through a lender to acquire so the process was very familiar. This was different for me because I put up my own money. I leveraged my entire prior portfolio for this one purchase. Without going into too many details, it was definitely a gut-check moment but it paid off. What did I learn? BET ON YOURSELF.
How do you define success, both personally and in your business?
Success to me is measured by the amount of people you have helped. Once you have positioned yourself to be an asset to others without the expectation of reciprocation; that's a success.
What’s the "why" behind your business? What motivates you to keep pushing forward despite challenges?
My "Why" now is to create a foundation that my descendants can build upon. From the beginning, it was more of the thought of not wanting to be capped. Although I've worked for some great companies and held some great positions I've always felt like I had more to offer. My motivation now is the endless amount of possibilities. With any entrepreneur, you are in control of your outcome so that itself is fuel.
How do you see your business evolving over the next few years?
Upward and onward. Along with continuing to acquire single and multi-family properties, the plan is to make more of an impact in the community. We are in talks with another group currently about a big project aimed towards the housing of homeless teens in the near future. I'm not necessarily focused on rapidly scaling as of now. It is more about the impact that can be made on the next generation.
What advice would you give to someone considering starting their own business, especially in your field?
The first thing I would say is, "Don't Overanalyze." Now, I'm not saying don't do your due diligence. Any good business professional definitely should before you make any investment. What I'm saying is, you can become your worst enemy by over studying anything. There's a term for that and it's called "Paralysis By Analysis." Digest enough information to make a confident decision. At the end of the day, we are all investors who take risks. We just minimize our risk through calculations. Lastly keep in mind that it rains, just like the sun shines.
How do you maintain balance between your business life and personal life?
For me, they easily conflate so it's not necessarily a balance needed. A lot of people I do business with, I also have personal relationships with. I believe being "overwhelmed" is the current mind frame you are in. There are ways to prevent yourself from ever getting to that point. For me I'd like to think I have a firm grasp on reality. It's either I can or I can't. First you separate those tasks, then you can put them in the order that best coincides with your time/effectiveness.
We shine brighter together. What we are looking for:
- Location:
The entrepreneur must be based in the State of Georgia. - Business Stage:
Businesses that are less than 3 years old. - Impact:
The business should have a positive impact on the local community, either through its mission, community involvement, or other contributions. - Innovation:
The entrepreneur should demonstrate creativity and innovation in their business model, products, or services. - Resilience:
Consideration of the challenges the entrepreneur has overcome in building their business. - Ethics and Integrity:
The entrepreneur and their
business should operate with a high standard of ethics and integrity. - Nomination and Support: Self-nominations are allowed, but be sure to include supporting stories or testimonials.