After more than two decades in residential real estate, Todd Shively arrived at a question that would reshape his career: What would a brokerage look like if it were built around the people doing the work?
His answer became Ensemble, a not-for-profit, member-led brokerage he founded in 2023 and now leads as managing partner. Ensemble gives members meaningful influence over its direction and reinvests its resources into their success. “Membership preserves each broker’s independence while asking for participation, contribution and accountability to shared standards,” Shively says. “Turning that idea into a functioning company has been the most challenging and rewarding part of my career.”
Members have access to experienced colleagues, dedicated operational support and a culture of collaboration. When a transaction becomes complicated, no broker relies on individual experience alone; the experience of the entire team becomes a resource. “In an industry that often leaves brokers feeling siloed and isolated,” Shively says, “we’ve turned asking for help into baseline behavior.”
He oversees Ensemble’s strategy, operations, risk management, broker development and culture. He also serves on the board of Northwest Multiple Listing Service.
Leading Ensemble hasn’t taken Shively away from the work of serving clients. He remains actively engaged with the transactions moving through the firm. “I’m right next to my brokers and our clients,” he emphasizes. “There’s no hierarchy or hesitation. You just call Todd.”
In 2025, Ensemble was named a finalist for Most Innovative Brokerage at the Inman Innovator Awards. That same year, Shively was recognized as an Outstanding Voices honoree by the Puget Sound Business Journal and Greater Seattle Business Association.
For Shively, Ensemble is proof that accomplished brokers can remain independent without operating alone. His goal is to demonstrate that a brokerage can be sophisticated, successful and sustainable while remaining organized around people, rather than profit.
“Our bottom line is belonging,” he says.
