Today we’d like to introduce you to Andrew Skirde.
Hi Andrew, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I once had two dreams: building skyscrapers as a real-estate developer or slinging soufflés as a celebrity chef, because why choose one kind of heat when you can have both? Fast-forward to dropping out of college and shifting my focus towards the world of advertising. I worked my way through managing small accounts and creative projects at a boutique marketing agency in Seattle before somehow convincing T-Mobile and Microsoft to let me play in their creative sandbox at their big marketing agency of record. After nearly six years in the business, my résumé got so much street cred that I was whisked off to San Diego to help lead accounts at a local media agency until two partners and I said, “Why not start our own marketing agency?”
Several years into our journey of growing paid media and event activations for our clients in the CPG and hospitality space, 2020 happened, and “pivot” became everyone’s new favorite buzzword. I hit pause, had the altruistic conversation with myself that I believe a lot of us were having, and reflected on if I was still waking up excited. Wanting to explore my first dream in real estate, I dove headfirst into the absolute wild west of the pandemic-era housing market. It turns out most agents were marketing homes like they were selling VHS tapes in 1998. So I leaned on my brand-builder superpowers, raced up the sales charts, and earned a spot among San Diego’s top producers.
Now I’m on a mission to help other agents break the mold with, KNOCK. We’re a multimedia agency that proves great real-estate branding is anything but same-old, same-old.
(And yes, I still secretly harbor culinary ambitions.)
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It hasn’t been a seamless journey. Far from it. Stepping into real estate in 2021 meant not only learning a new industry but also integrating into tightly knit communities of agents and clients. Finding my footing required intentional outreach and clear communication, especially when I was still wrestling with the burnout and self-doubt that come from reinventing yourself in the midst of a global slowdown.
Early on, I realized that hard work alone wasn’t enough; I needed to own my contributions. I made a conscious decision to advocate for my ideas and stretch beyond my comfort zone. That shift, from quiet persistence to confident collaboration, became one of my most valuable turning points.
I also had to build resilience around feedback. Putting creative work into the world invites critique, so I learned to separate constructive observations from my own self-worth. Today, I thrive on partnering with driven, exacting creatives who push me to raise the bar for our clients.
We’ve been impressed with KNOCK, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
KNOCK is a full-service creative agency built exclusively for premium real-estate professionals who refuse to look or market themselves like every other agent. We specialize in three “done-for-you” power moves:
Digital Audit & Cleanup. We deep-dive into your online presence, which includes your website, social channels, and review sites, to turn chaos into clarity.
Marketing Systems & Automation. From CRM integrations to channel communications that actually drive ROI, we hook up your tech stack so you can spend less time clicking buttons and more time closing deals.
Branding & Design. Logos, collateral, video storyboards, you name it, we craft it with premium art direction and a healthy dose of “Wait, who did this?” envy from your peers.
What sets KNOCK apart? We’re not a jack-of-all-trades agency that “does real estate.” Our clients live and breathe both high-end branding and luxury transactions so we know what speaks to affluent consumers and how to make our agents the obvious choice. Our proudest brand moment? Turning a freshly minted Realtor® into one of San Diego’s top producers within their first 12 months on market.
Do you have recommendations for books, apps, blogs, etc?
As for books and podcasts, I’m a big fan of those that focus on the stories behind iconic sounds or art. Two I’ve been really enjoying lately are, Twenty Thousand Hertz and Song Exploder. When I’m getting my day started, I tend to catch The Daily podcast from NPR, or a Freakenomics episode.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.theknockagency.com
- Instagram: @andrewskirde / @theknockagency
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/theknockagency
Image Credits
KNOCK
