Each Friday on this blog I enjoy highlighting some of the cool things my friends do in their personal and professional lives.
My friend Lani Rosales has just released her first book; "REAL: A Path to Passion, Purpose and Profits in Real Estate". Lani and her co-authors describe the book as "Not your ordinary book on Real Estate - It's a book about Life, People, Health, Rejuvenation and Habits". In addition to being an expert on the real estate topic, she is also a keen observer of life and quite witty..... thus I imagine this book will be a must have for everyone in the real estate industry. Many Real Estate books fall short (well, the same is true for books on many topics!). REAL goes beyond mere tactics and strategies to focus on the core of what really matters - You. They have featured stories from Real Estate's Thought Leaders including Marc Davison, Spencer Rascoff, Sherry Chris, Krisstina Wise and many more. If building a real estate business that lasts is important to you - this is a book to buy, read, and implement. I know Lani (and her husband Ben) from being involved in and around the Austin business entrepreneurial community. They are cool people who contribute to interesting conversations and help connect people. Together they started "The BASHH" (Big Ass Social Happy Hour), a monthly gathering in Austin, Texas that brings together those who may only know each other online and gets them into the same room to network. I am happy they are my friends, and I can honestly say I wish I hung around them more often. She also gave one of the best Ignite Austin talks several years ago titled "The Etymology of Curse Words". It is worth popping over to YouTube to watch the very clever 4.5 minutes. It is funny! (I miss Ignite Austin.... it only happened a few times... but was always a cool event). Congrats to Lani Rosales on her new book. Very cool stuff. Have A Great Day thom singer
Each Friday on this blog I enjoy highlighting some of the cool things my friends do in their work and personal lives.
My cousin, Jerry Shea, is a successful Real Estate Agent in Palm Springs, California. This week I had the chance to catch up with him while I was in PS to be the Master of Ceremonies and "Conference Catalyst" for the 2012 Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association Aviation Summit. One of the cool parts of my career as a professional speaker is that I get to visit a lot of great cities and see friends and family who live in these places.
Jerry is a busy man, but he made time in his schedule to come and meet me for a beer while I was in his neighborhood. We come from a big family (He and I are two of 26 grand-children on my mom's side... and most of my cousins are well over a decade older than I am). Growing up I was very close to Jerry's family. His sister is my godmother and my youngest daughter is named after his mom (my aunt). And most importantly, when I was in first grade it was Jerry who gave me my dog. I desperately wanted a white female coc-a-poo (which was the type of dog that Jerry had). He secretly worked with my parents to find me the right pet, and I will never forget him coming to our house and sending me out to his car to get a present. There was the cutest puppy, which I named Margo. For that alone he holds a high place of esteem in my world!!!
Jerry works hard to serve the Palm Springs community with their real estate needs. It is a competitive marketplace, but he faithfully represents those who live locally and those from all over the world who have second homes in the booming desert community.
His website, JerryShea.com, is full of information about real estate, his business, and Palm Springs (and the surrounding communities).
The more I learn about my business the more I find that it really is important to remember to always get back to the basics. People often wonder how they can reach the pinnacle of their industry and stay there, I think the answer is to be innovative and creative, but also remember that it always comes back to doing the good old fashioned basics, and doing them well! So, what are the basics?
1. Work Hard- No matter how far along I get in my business, I find that there is one thing that always remains a constant with seeing great success, working my bottom off! I remember starting my real estate career at the age of 24 and not stopping for anything. If someone wanted to see a home on a Friday at 10pm, I was there. Open houses, every single weekend, Saturday and Sunday. Hours, Monday through Sunday open all day-and night! It was necessary to create the momentum that I know get to feel. Even now, as we experience this tumultuous time, I have found that one thing pays great, hard work!
2. Serve people from the heart -If you do not have a servants heart, you will never truly reap the rewards of life. People love to feel your energy, your passion, and they love to feel that you care-ABOUT THEM! I think that you should look at every person you serve, not as a paycheck, but as an opportunity to give someone the greatest experience of their life. To show them that you are a true professional, with a heart. Do this and you will survive in any market.
3. Develop your skills-Be a life long learner, and practice your craft. If you had the great opportunity to watch Shaun White at the Vancouver Olympics winning the half pipe event, you were watching someone who stood head and shoulders above his competition. He made the other competitors look like amateurs, and how did he do it, a huge dose of courage and lots of practice. If you have the opportunity to read about this great athlete you will find a hard working guy who is constantly practicing his craft. Are you in gold medal form? If not, maybe it is time to put in some more practice!
4. Become a lead generation machine!-Let’s face it, no matter who you are or what you do, your ability to generate business will be the main key to your success. Whether you are an actor, a doctor or a real estate salesperson, you need to be able to find leads, and once you do, close them! Business is about sales, and once you figure out how to create lots of sales, you are good as gold. There is nothing of more importance than becoming a lead generation machine, finding and acquiring new leads at all times. What you did yesterday is done, each day you must start anew, looking for those precious leads!
That is it for now, let’s get back to what makes people successful, the basics!
The article, "Tips For Successful One-On-One Meetings", is full of ideas on how to get the most out of meeting with clients, potential clients and others. The advice is for anyone, not just Real Estate Professionals.
