When Mike Rolewicz was diagnosed with stage III cancer in March 2016, his life was turned upside down. Up until that point, Mike’s life was an image of success. He had been running the HR staffing & recruiting firm he founded for over twenty years. He was happily married, comfortable financially, and rooted in his community. Then, the cancer diagnosis came.

The next several months were a struggle. He underwent twice-daily radiation to the head and neck and weekly chemotherapy for more than six weeks. He lost around 35 pounds during the radiation treatments, resulting in needing to be put on a feeding tube. A few months later, he needed surgery to remove the final remnants of the cancer.

Despite the obvious physical and mental challenges, Mike found a way to make his battle with cancer a positive event. He took a painful few months and found renewed purpose.

“During that time, I thought, ‘What is God’s lesson? Why am I here?’ I knew there was a purpose but didn’t know what it was yet. As I was getting dragged face-first in the mud, I had faith. I was one step closer to remission, one day closer to the old me.”

After regaining his health, Mike returned to the office at his staffing company. But as he got back to work, he had a realization: he was not passionate about his work. He was going through the motions, uninspired to create something truly extraordinary.

“It was a sustaining lifestyle business. It provided for the family, but I didn’t love it anymore,” he shares honestly. “I was just going through the motions.”

After such a close encounter with death, Mike’s zest for life was renewed. He knew he had to make a career change and was driven to find work that inspired and engaged him. After some soul-searching and deep conversations with his wife, Mike decided to take a leap of faith into the real estate business.

“That battle with cancer encouraged me that I could do this,” he offers.

Mike’s draw to real estate lied in the ability to help individuals and families on the ground level of their lives. So, he sold his staffing business in February 2018, took a few months off, and launched his real estate career.

“I was excited to get back to three-foot conversations,” Mike offers. “In staffing, as we grew and the clients grew, the intimacy was lost. Everything was done through a portal. It was all commoditized. I really enjoy relationship-building and negotiating, and we just weren’t doing that anymore.”

Mike sold 28 homes in his first year, and he was off. Realizing the need to scale and getting back to his business building and entrepreneurial roots, he started his team, The 904 Home Guide Team brokered by eXp Realty, in 2020.

Today, the 904 Home Guide Team is a group of four agents and an operations director; they closed 70 homes for over $35 million in the first nine months of 2023. Mike is proud of his real estate success, yet he remains grounded in what is truly important in life — health, family, and faith.

“Truthfully, I am not worried about the next transaction, I am deeply committed to serving and building relationships. I care that I'm alive and that I have had this chance to reflect and change my direction and do something I love,” he says frankly. “I believe there is no testimony without a test. When I came out of this, part of the discussion with my wife was to get out of our comfort zone. What a message to show our kids who were in middle and high school, to show them if you are on a path that isn't serving you, don't wait for cancer to shake you from it. I did this at age 48. You can pivot to a new career. It was a wonderful lesson. It’s never too late.”

Mike and his wife, Natalie, have two children, Lindsey (21) and Hayden (19). When he’s not selling real estate or assisting his team, you’ll find Mike spending time with his family, trying new restaurants in the area, traveling, catching sunrises, and working out.