In his own words: C.J. Risley, a Dickson Realty agent

Northern Nevada Business Weekly: Tell us about Dickson Realty.

C.J. Risley: Dickson Realty has been in business since 1973, and is the market leader for full-service real estate needs for northern Nevada.

NNBW: What is your role in the company?

Risley: I am the short sale specialist ... giving advice and taking tough files and making them work. Other agents are asking for my assistance with their short sales because they know I can close 'em.

NNBW: How did you get into this profession?

Risley: Originally from Reno going away for college I moved around the West Coast, and worked in a variety of jobs. I was in San Diego, and I went to play golf with some friends and I beat everyone. I enrolled at the San Diego Golf Academy, getting an associates degree in business administration. I was on the career path to be a head golf professional in Livermore, Calif., and was working toward that goal. When that job didn't work out, I realized I didn't want to start over in the golf industry. I'd gotten my real estate license, so I moved back to Reno and teamed up with my mom Nancy Risley to sell real estate.

NNBW: What is something no one knows about your job?

Risley: How resourceful we have to be to close a short sale.

NNBW: If you could have had any other profession what would it have been? Why wasn't it your first choice?

Risley: Golf was my first choice, but looking back, I'm really thankful I didn't get that job. I like real estate so much better. I like the social aspect, and I like helping people.

NNBW: What do you like to do when you're not working?

Risley: I just started skiing again after 25-year absence, and now I am really into it. I just started mountain biking, too. It's fun, but really challenging me. I cook, golf, exercise at the gym and love to have friends over to eat and drink great wine. Long weekends in Napa.

NNBW: Have any advice for someone who wants to enter your profession?

Risley: Yeah, be ready for the roller coaster ride. This business changes so much; we used to fight banks to give people money, and now we're fighting them to forgive people their debt. You have to be patient and persistent; there are escrows that take six to 12 months, and they still don't get approved. You have to be always looking ahead, and ready to give all the information you have.

NNBW: If you could have one superpower, what would it be and why would you want it?

Risley: That's tough. I'd be invincible, I think. Then I could do all this crazy stuff and never get hurt. Plus you'd never get your heart broken either.

NNBW: What person, living or dead, would you most like to have dinner with, and why?

Risley: I think the Founding Fathers, because they were geniuses.

NNBW: What do you like most about your job? What do you like least?

Risley: I love helping people, for sure. And I love the hours; no more getting up at 5 a.m. to go to the golf shop. I don't like battling banks, but I've gotten pretty good at it.

NNBW: If you were stranded on a desert island, what five things would you want with you?

Risley: Funny. If the basics were taken care of (food, water, TP) I'd say wine, barbecue, a harem, the Internet and my golf clubs/balls. No particular order.

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The basics:

Name: C.J. Risley, Realtor, Dickson Realty

How long have you been in this job? Five years

How long in the profession? Five years

Education: University of San Francisco, B.A. government; PGA of America, PGM

Best book you've read? Green Eggs and Ham count? I am partial to authors like Hemingway, Henry Miller, and Kerouac.

What's on your iPod? IPod? What's that?

The best movie ever? "Caddy Shack"