In this insightful interview, Mark Tidd, Founder of Venture Title & Escrow, discusses his personal connection and passion for the industry, including the challenges he’s faced and overcome, as well as his commitment to maintaining strong roots in the community.
How and why did you get into the title and escrow business?
I don’t know anyone who grew up with the dream of being in the title business. Like many kids, I wanted to be a professional athlete, but then reality hit during my somewhat successful football career in college. I learned that there were a lot of guys bigger, faster, and more talented than me. After graduating from the University of Idaho, I spent six years working for Morrison Knudsen on the East Coast and then the West Coast. Wanting to get back to my Idaho roots, I stumbled on an accounting job at a small title agency in the Treasure Valley. So, the title business was a ticket home for me, not a long-term plan. Fast forward, I have been building and leading winning teams in the title business for 30 years now. Those teams set themselves apart by their talent, character, knowledge, team-first mentality, and ability to deliver a great customer experience.
Why another title company in the Treasure Valley?
We saw an opportunity in the market for an independent local and team-owned title and escrow company. Across the country, the title industry has experienced significant consolidation. As a result of the consolidation, the Treasure Valley is dominated by large, public, national, or regional companies. These large organizations have strengths in scale and resources but often are structurally challenged to address customer and employee issues in a timely manner or consider local market dynamics. A smaller organization can be nimble and does not have the same limitations that a larger organization does. Also, as owners of Venture Title & Escrow, our team has skin in the game, and our commitment to our customers’ success is high.
What are some challenges that you have faced in your role, and how did you overcome them?
This question is an easy one! While in my role as a title company leader, I have led organizations through three market contractions, two of which were because the current market was significantly depressed. I am happy to report that we survived and grew during and after each one. I would say the biggest lesson I have learned and can now apply is being transparent with your team about the reality of the situation and issues that you face and including them in the development of how you are going to address the situation. These are hard conversations to have sometimes, but I just find that honesty and transparency builds trust and provides confidence for the team.
Why and what local things do you have a passion for?
I have spent most of my life in the Treasure Valley area. I am a South Junior High and Borah High guy! Being raised by a single mom, I was part of the whole “it takes a village” to build a family idea. My mom and a few of my friends’ parents growing up and my coaches all had a huge impact on who I am today. So, I am passionate about making a difference in people’s lives, especially those around me. In part, that may be why Venture’s mission is to “enrich lives in our community.” I love that I can walk into an Albertson’s store and always run into somebody I know. I like that on many of the transactions we handle at Venture, I personally know or have a connection to the people involved in that transaction, whether it is the buyer, seller, selling agent, or listing agent. While writing this answer, we had an order that came in that I know the selling agent’s in-laws, which provided a nice connection outside of the transaction. I am grateful for what this area gave me, and I hope to continue giving back to it! I suppose at the end of the day, it’s about relationships, and I don’t know of many other industries that are more relationship-driven than title/real estate.