York Baur

As the leader of Seattle-based MoxiWorks, York Baur has always lived and breathed tech, especially when it comes to helping salespeople perform. With the heart of an entrepreneur and the self-described “brains of a total nerd,” he has taken Moxi from the small engine that could, to more than 60 brokerage clients representing 110,000-plus agents who make up 10 percent of all transactions in the U.S.

Baur became CEO of MoxiWorks in 2012 with the goal of helping brokerages become more profitable by driving agent productivity, and this year, the firm’s success in that endeavor drew investment from Howard Hanna Real Estate Services, joining Windermere and Long & Foster in that role, and giving the firm capital to fuel further innovation, such as the launch of MoxiTalent, designed to improve a broker’s ability to recruit and retain agents.

While Baur considers technology a tool that can help real estate agents improve their relationships with customers, he cautions that it should not take the place of human interaction. “Everyone’s talking about disruptors, but I see them as distractors. Don’t focus on technology. Focus on the relationships you and your agents already have with consumers, and use technology to help you make those relationships even better,” he advises. “If you keep your eye on the ball, the scoreboard will take care of itself.”