A message to Noah T. Leask, CEO of APC Data Analytics
Hi Noah,
I don’t think we have ever met. I apologize if we have, but I don’t remember meeting if we did. I recently saw a public message you posted on LinkedIn. I’ve put it in a screenshot below.
Listen, I have no idea what your beef is about. Dan and I launched our first CMA software application back in 1998, called Lightning CMA Plus. So that was 22 years ago. Cloud CMA is proudly a presentation tool, we don’t claim to use AI, Big Data, or Machine Learning, just good old fashion math. We think an agent with local knowledge is best suited to price the property of a home, not a computer algorithm. But you do you. You call us a “marketing company”, which is an old insult that was used against Apple. So I’ll consider W+R Studios in good company.
But that’s not why I’m writing this letter. Because as the owner of a company I can take criticism. I’m a big boy. I’m in the arena. But what you have done is quite something different. You are harassing and making personal attacks on my employees directly. Below are screenshots of the LinkedIn messages you sent to them.
Here’s the first one.
I’m not sure if you are aware of this but the father of the person you sent this message to recently died of cancer. His mother was also recently diagnosed. Also, what’s up with the fist and “We will see you soon!”? Is that a threat? I’m going to assume you are not such a terrible person but just another dumbshit with a keyboard.
Your next masterpiece is a doozy. You sent it to a female employee of mine. She doesn’t need my help, she’s been handling stupid men like you her entire career. But I feel if I don’t tell you this isn’t appropriate then who will?
First off, she has no idea who you are. Now again, I am going to assume you are not another “macho man” thinking that you can bully women just by sending them an intimidating message. I’m going to assume again, you had a dumbshit moment with a keyboard.
The two people referenced above have no idea I’m posting this. I may be over-reacting but here’s the thing, you are fucking with my people dude. And that is a complete chicken shit move and unacceptable in my book, hell I think in anyone’s book.
So, instead of posting pictures of gangsters, fists, making personal attacks on my employees and trying to intimidate my female employees, if you got a beef with me then be a man and pick up the phone.
I’m pretty easy to find. I’ve had the same mobile number for 24 years.
Love,
Greg
714.240.3895
Trackbacks & Pingbacks
- Thank you - Vendor Alley | Vendor Alley
- Noah T Leask appears to have been fired as CEO of APC Data Analytics for his inappropriate behavior - Vendor Alley | Vendor Alley
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Noah – Stay classy! I don’t know but I would suggest you remove that MLS #HASHTAG. You don’t represent us or my industry.
Sincerely yours,
Chris Carrillo
THE Metro MLS
Hey Greg. First, congrats (I think) on the reasoned response to the attack on your team. My instinct would have been to take him down another way. One way I suggest we all help is to check out his connections on LinkedIn. I checked and he apparently has over 100 connections with people I know and respect. My guess is if he is indeed behind this, my connections would all do well to sever ties immediately. Again, good on ya Greg.
That guy is off his meds, or needs some better ones – perhaps Lithium. Someone should pick up the phone just to see if he’s alright. Way to stand up for your team, Greg.
This type of behavior is childish. I wouldn’t do business with a company that has someone acting like this as it’s Chief Executive. Definitely not representative of our industry.
I don’t know Noah, but I do know Greg. He and his team understand the industry and their products are widely used. WR is well known and respected in the Association and MLS world. It is never very classy to come out attempt to publicly shame your competition.
I do know Noah. I met him this year at CRMLS in Salt Lake City. We were on a panel together. He’s a bright, very successful entrepreneur. He’s also very aggressive and it appears he has let his aggression get the better of him. I could forgive the overly aggressive initial LinkedIn post, but not the private message to your staff. So, I followed David Charron’s advice and severed my ties on LinkedIn. Major props to you for standing up for your employees.
Just another in a long line of uncontrollable, social media tough guys with a chip on his shoulder and no restraint.
I don’t know Noah.
As a result of this, I will make sure he and I never cross paths.
But I know Greg. And Dan.
W&R and all their people are the good guys.
The best guys.
Part of a small group of people this industry can count on as true, blue friends and supplier of quality tech and products.
His initial post mainly makes him look like an idiot. If he understood that agents who last in the business prefer having agency and adding value then his product wouldn’t be so poorly fit. Or maybe he’s just no good at marketing, which I suppose is obvious given the content of his post.
The messages to your staff are completely unacceptable. Like, _Extremely_ unacceptable. He must have an excessively sheltered existence.
I started in this industry in 1998. From day 1 Greg Robertson has been one of my personal heroes for a number of different reasons. I have never admitted it or told him – I was simply an admirer from afar. This situation and Greg’s response is just one MORE reason to hold him in high esteem. I plan to ignore the criticism of anyone who is not in the same arena as this titan of industry. I suggest the rest of the world do the same.
Kudos to your female employee; I am sure we think we all know who she is.
Bro – this is crazy.
As founding partners of APC Data Analytics, Anton Roeger and I would like to comment on the above. We are both long-time REALTORS® who started this company in 2016 with just an algorithm on a spreadsheet and an idea scribbled onto a napkin. Over the past 4 years we have developed some truly innovative products for use by real estate professionals, just like us. Our ultimate goal has always been to help those in the real estate industry by discovering the voids & the problems and developing the solutions. We appointed Noah as our CEO for many reasons. He is an incredibly talented and intelligent man, and obviously full of passion! He knows how hard we have worked to create this company from nothing and I know that his messages, while maybe not conveyed in the best way, were in an attempt to defend us and what we have developed, as the enhancements to the CMA product we are seeing released this week very much resemble several features of our APC Residential Pricing & Analytics Tool. However, competition in any industry is ultimately a positive for the end-users, as they benefit from the developments that result from it, and they are the ones who we are here to serve.
@Jamie Lee Derrickson It boggles my mind that you would classify sending intimidating messages to a female staff member be the result of someone who is “full of passion.” If you, Noah, or anyone else contacts her, or anyone else from my company again I have the number of the Mount Pleasant, SC Police station, 843- 884-4176 and will report you.
We are all passionate about what we do, and thats ok, but to attack anyone to that level is not ok. Greg is been a great supporter and you can always call on him.
The industry is a small place and we all need to work together. I read the comment above and honestly I think is lame try to make an excuse to something that is totally unacceptable not now or in the future.
Shock marketing is my guess.
Woah for Noah : (
Greg,
Well handled!
Bullies never change, actually they could use some new material. I am surprise Mr. Leask did not end his post with “O’Doyle Rules!!!”
I guess it wouldn’t be shocking that a dude who thinks it’s ok to send intimidating messages to employees of a competitor would be founded by people who are clueless as well. But absolutely wow on the mind-bogglingly inadequacyof Jamie Lee Derrickson. Like what universe does this guy live in to think this way? How can he care so little for the risk he exposes himself to in this way?
There’s no universe in which these messages are merely “not conveyed in the best way.” What kind of message did Leask mean to be conveying to employees of W+R?
Now the entire leadership of APC Data Analytics reeks of chickenshit. There’s enough crazy going on in the world Jamie Lee. Keep yours to yourself and muzzle your barking dog.
Over my years building software solutions for Real Estate I have from time to time run across leaders who take competition personally. I feel Noah has slipped into this bad place. Greg, When I started building products for my own company you were very kind to talk with me and give me some advice, one of those tenets I try to live by is to not get hung up on what the other guy is doing. You will try to play catch up and it will fail and you will lose valuable time that you could be following your own path. I have heard this advice from other successful leaders and believe it is true. Other commentors here have applauded your support of your team and I add mine too. They work hard and do not deserve to be targets of juvenile tantrums and abuse.
Hey Jamie
Think it great you weighed in. My thought is your guy channeled Ruth Langmore from Ozark. I notice you provide a very lame rationalization for his behavior. One thing is certain; you have a major PR issue to contend with. And in an industry that prides itself on relationships, you have an uphill battle. Good luck with that.
So disappointing, especially at this time when our industry should be rolling up its sleeves and helping each other, not trying to drag each other down. And Greg, good for you, for standing up for your team. I once had a client who tried to demean my team and I immediately fired them. We all need to keep it professional…attacks are inappropriate and NEVER warranted. I just unfollowed too….sorry your team had to deal with this drama Greg on TOP of everything else we’re all going through right now. Hang in there. The industry is with you! Prayers to your employee who just lost their loved one.
I agree with David; in the MLS Industry, relationships and your reputation are everything.
Greg and the staff have always been champions for agents and the industry as a whole.
We all appreciate how hard developers work to produce products for the MLS Industry. However, it does not appreciate rude and aggressive behavior in any form.
Vendors come and go, however, the good ones always develop and maintain strong relationships with their current and future customers.
BRAVO Greg … I’ve known Greg from the time I came into the MLS business in 1996 and in fact I think MetroList made the first major purchase of his first product. I learned many years ago that if a company couldn’t let their products and services provide value on their own and that the company had to denigrate a competitor then their products and services probably aren’t as good as they think!
I’m taking David’s advice and severing my contact with Mr. Leask and APC.
Good job Greg.
Noah,
I am sure you are now seeing that Organized Real Estate is a family. We all work together and we all share the same goal of helping agents better serve the consumers.
You’re lucky there are no conferences for at least a few more months man!! You’d be alone at the bar! ????????????♂️
Here’s some friendly advices:
1) Using all these hashtags in your posts and including other vendors is just wrong…
2) MasterClass offers great courses like Marketing 101 and How to be a decent human being in only 3 days . You’d love those.
3) If you’re half as smart as your partner says you are, you will reach out for professional help.
You’re welcome. Stay safe.
Way to go Greg!! Our business is simple and many try to make more of it than it really is. Seems your stalker friend is one of those that has a solution that he is trying to find a problem for. Simple math and some local knowledge is all that is needed to build a CMA. There are always considerations like inventory and demand that can affect the market pricing, but your product is designed for agents that know their market and can build a report that gives their clients an engaging, and easy to understand report so they can make a good offer. Keep on keeping on!!
Greg, You have handled the situation in the same manner you have conducted your business, that is, in a world-class, professional manner. You are one of the best. Thank you for always being so generous with your time and support to all of us in the real estate profession. You are one of the best and have my full support.
@ Jamie, I’d like to offer my assistance. Here is the text for your next response on this thread.
As one of the founding partners of APC Data Analytics I’m embarrassed by the actions of the CEO we entrusted to run our company. In light of his recent posts we’ve decided to part ways. I’d like to publicly apologize to Greg and the staff of W+R. I will follow this post with a personal call to Greg to express the same.
-Jamie
Love it Greg! Sometimes you can ignore, but other times you shouldn’t. Great job backing up your team. True leadership my friend.
Proclaiming dickish behavior as “passionate”? Really?
I’ll be sure to tell everyone I can to avoid APC Data Analytics.
This behavior isn’t “passion.” It’s abuse, completely uncalled for, and speaks volumes about this “CEO” and their company.
“Dumbshit with a keyboard!” Too funny. @GregRobertson I’m stealing that line.
Greg, thanks for being such a good player in the industry and calling Noah out. There’s room for every competitor in this business, but no room for jackholes and intimidation (especially of employees). There is absolutely no call for this. It’s so bad it’s almost impossible to believe until Jamie’s comments confirmed and tried to rationalize Noah’s tirade. What unbelievably boorish and horrible behavior from Noah and APC’s leadership. Ugh.
Greg,
Kudo’s for keeping your professionalism and standing up for your staff. Working with your staff has always been a great pleasure.
It sadly appears that APC does not understand the dynamics of this industry. Yes there is always competition but we all play in the same sandbox and have always treated each other with respect.
I find Noah’s behavior a very poor representation of APC and a complete embarrassment as a CEO.
@Jaime based on this interaction I would be VERY hard pressed to consider APC. Simply put if your CEO is willing to publicly treat anyone and their staff in this manner I could not even imagine what would happen to one of my staff privately.
Freddy
Good on you Greg for calling this out, and standing up for your team.
Good for you Greg! I really admire and appreciate your willingness and ability to stand up for your team. You have always been a stand up classy guy and this kind of treatment will not be tolerated in our industry. Keep doing what you are doing!
This reminds me of that off-the-rails RETS conspiracy guy from a few years ago.
It’s always interesting to see new vendors. From my years in MLS to my current position, I can’t tell you how many newbies I talk to who don’t have a basic understanding of the industry, data privacy/licensing, tried and true concepts.
You and Dan have been leaders for the 2 decades I’ve known you. You put out great products, you always have time for a chat when I need advice. Your employees love their work, it’s obvious from the way they talk at business and RESO conferences.
Plus… ain’t nobody nevah should have a single bad word to say about something DAN does!!! ???? What kind of evil is this guy?!?
My staff tells me APC has a data feed. Let’s see how far that goes not counting tomorrow.
It’s like school during quarantine … no class!