04/29/2003
Hardin and Company, Ltd. is one of 5,000 businesses in the Bozeman, Montana, market.Dennis Hardin, a single practitioner by choice and design, owns Hardin and Company, Ltd. With 150,000 people in Hardin's trade area, the market is competitive, but after 25 years in commercial real estate, he has carved out his own share of the market. Hardin has a personal assistant, a licensed real estate assistant and some part-time help. The rest of his office work is done in what Hardin calls a "virtual office." He has an outside accountant, bookkeeper and website designer.
Hardin is a commercial and business real estate broker. He got into the business because he liked real estate, loved working with people and had a background in sales as well as financial interests. Since he began, he has done it all including building houses, developing, farm and ranch property sales and business brokerage. Hardin slowly became more focused on commercial property, which now accounts for over 70 percent of his business.
Hardin has seen over 3,000 people in the last 20 years cycle through a real estate career in Bozeman. Currently, there are 469 real estate agents in the market. Despite competition, Hardin has never experienced market withdrawal in his 25 years of business. He is the longest tenured commercial and business broker in the area. So how has Hardin and Company outlasted the competition?
"Education is key," Hardin says. "I have had the knowledge to use conventional as well as unconventional transactions to fit a variety of situations as well as knowing the marketing techniques to meet the needs of my clients. Loving the people you work with is next, if you don't like people, you won't like real estate."
Hardin became involved in grassroots activism while serving as a school board trustee. He and the school's assistant superintendent were concerned about the growing use of tobacco at the school. It was not illegal for persons under 18 to use tobacco, but it was illegal to buy it.
"The law was archaic and needed to be changed," Hardin said. He and the assistant superintendent wrote a bill saying that persons under 18 could not use or possess tobacco. The bill passed with 85 percent approval.
Hardin enjoyed making a difference. Having been involved with the school board as well as the Republican Party, NFIB was a natural extension for him. Hardin joined NFIB because he wanted a voice for issues affecting business people and his community.
"There is a direct correlation in NFIB between activity and results," Hardin said. He joined the NFIB because of the interests it supports.
Quick Facts:
Name: Dennis Hardin
Business: Hardin and Company, Ltd.
Location: Bozeman, Montana
Founded: 1978
Number of employees: 3
Do any family members work with you in your business?
No, I do not employ any family members.
Which legislative issues are you following most closely?
I would like to see better ways for tax dollars to come into Montana. Now, it's through property taxes and income taxes only, no sales tax. I want to see one of these replaced to equally distribute among everyone fairly.
Federally, I would like to see incentives created for businesses. I would like the government to recognize that we have enough laws and that we need to keep government growth and spending in check and focus on the home front and what's good for America.
What do you like best about being a small business owner?
I like being part of the community and having an identity. I enjoy supporting causes and fund raising and playing a part in helping the area and seeing changes take place.
