About Stephen
Stephen O’Hara, EVP and Partner, has always seen the world—and opportunity—through a different lens.
An entrepreneur since childhood, Stephen opened his first Kool-Aid stand at age five, sold stationery door-to-door at twelve, and became the first salesperson to widely distribute Pentel® pens across the United States. Dubbed America’s Youngest Entrepreneur, he quickly became a media favorite, earning television and press coverage and a place on Entrepreneur Magazine’s Franchise 500 list by age 17.
Legally emancipated at sixteen to manage his growing business interests, Stephen opened three used-car dealerships while still in high school and negotiated directly with Chrysler to secure his first new-car franchise. His understanding of asset law led naturally into real estate, and he earned his Florida real estate license in 1976 to acquire investment properties. Always ahead of the curve, Stephen later developed the concept of “Certified Pre-Owned” vehicles, franchising it in 22 states.
After a whirlwind rise — and a $43M business failure that would have stopped most people in their tracks — Stephen dusted himself off and re-entered the arena, this time focusing on high-value real estate. Licensed in California in 1987, he closed 176 transactions in his first year alone before opening three CENTURY-21 offices, where he trained and mentored more than 500 agents.
Stephen eventually moved his business to RE/MAX®, where he consistently ranked among the top agents in the world, culminating in a Lifetime Achievement Award and rankings of #1 in California, #11 in the USA, and #14 worldwide among 106,000 agents. His unique journey earned him a place in Billion Dollar Agent – Lessons Learned by Steve Kantor.
Stephen often says, “You can connect the dots forward — but first you have to collect them.” Today, he helps successful real estate agents connect their dots — values, talents, experiences, and hard-won lessons — into aligned action that produces extraordinary results in the luxury marketplace.
Known for his authentic people-skills, Stephen teaches that true luxury isn’t sold — it’s earned through trust, relationships, and consistency. In any economic climate, demand for luxury property remains strong — and Stephen is committed to helping forward-thinking agents elevate their status and seize their place as leaders in the luxury sector.
