Connect with Adam:https://www.startwithawin.com/ https://www.facebook.com/REMAXAdamContoshttps://twitter.com/REMAXAdamContos https://www.instagram.com/REMAXadamcontos/

On this episode of the Start With A Win podcast, Adam talks with Carl Bachmann, CEO of Smashburger. Carl has been in the restaurant business since he was 12 years old, so he knows a thing or two about listening to customer feedback and delivering a high-quality product. As a leader, Carl is a strong proponent for treating people right and empowering them to make informed decisions, and then supporting what they create. This ideology starts, he says, with having clearly defined and articulated goals as an organization and then getting your employees to buy into that vision and innovate within it. Carl embraces the fact that he is not the smartest guy in the room, and he wants to provide a space for employees to collaborate and harness their passion into something that will improve the customer experience.When it comes to the customer experience, Carl believes that his job is to listen and learn rather than make decisions in a vacuum. He reviews every social media comment and other forms of feedback every day, so he is in touch with what people are saying and feeling about the business as a whole as well as specific products. Carl and the other Smashburger leaders spend time in individual restaurants listening to their employees because they often come up with the best new ideas. He feels that transparency and honesty are critical components of his business philosophy, so employees and customers alike understand what the company is doing and why. Smashburger has recently started a loyalty program to connect more directly with customers and reward them for their purchases. Connect with Carl:https://www.linkedin.com/in/carl-bachmann-80704110https://twitter.com/carljbachmann?lang=en https://smashburger.com/ Connect with Adam:https://www.startwithawin.com/ https://www.facebook.com/REMAXAdamContoshttps://twitter.com/REMAXAdamContos https://www.instagram.com/REMAXadamcontos/ Leave us a voicemail:888-581-4430

Our guest on this episode of Start With a Win is Dr. Peter McGraw. He is a behavioral economist, professor, author, podcaster, and comedy student. He has recently written a new book entitled Shtick to Business which discusses how humor integrates with business, including the many lessons that leaders can learn from comedians. One of the main aspects of Peter’s research has been the theory of humor. Using an A/B test, he asked participants what they thought of certain things – did they find them funny? Boring? Offensive? Do their feelings towards those things change over time or based on their circumstances? Ultimately, he concluded that the funny things contain benign violations—or things that are wrong and ok at the same time. For both comedians and business leaders, experimentation is key to determining what benign violations will translate well to an audience. Another aspect of humor that business leaders can utilize in the workplace is thinking in reverse to challenge the status quo. Peter has adapted this idea, developing an alternative form of brainstorming, which he calls “shtick-storming.” The concept focuses on encouraging everyone to come up with the most terrible ideas. This exercise allows leaders to actually take the pressure off of the brainstorming process, creating a freer flow of ideas which might make way for something so crazy that it actually might work.Peter also encourages leaders to be good listeners and to champion collaboration, which will lead to innovation. Additionally, he says, leaders have to reckon with the fact they can’t make everyone happy and that sometimes they have to choose the problem they want to live with. For more insights that Peter has learned through studying the science of humor and behavioral economics, be sure to check out his book.Connect with Peter:https://petermcgraw.org/https://www.amazon.com/Shtick-Business-Breaking-Fearless-Building-ebook/dp/B085RSR2K8 https://twitter.com/PeterMcGrawhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/petermcgraw Connect with Adam:https://www.startwithawin.com/ https://www.facebook.com/REMAXAdamContoshttps://twitter.com/REMAXAdamContos https://www.instagram.com/REMAXadamcontos/ Leave us a voicemail:888-581-4430

Connect with Adam:https://www.startwithawin.com/ https://www.facebook.com/REMAXAdamContoshttps://twitter.com/REMAXAdamContos https://www.instagram.com/REMAXadamcontos/ 

What is the first step to leadership? Adam draws from his wealth of leadership training and experience to provide the answer to Start With A Win listeners on this episode. The first step to leadership, he says, is to lead yourself first. It’s counterintuitive because many people assume that the most vital leadership outcome is getting people to do what you want them to do. However, you cannot be an effective leader without first being intentional with yourself. Particularly, it is crucial to have control of your attitudes and emotions.Pastor Chuck Swindoll is famous for saying that life is 10% about what happens to you and 90% of how you react to it. Adam expands on this quote by saying that leaders have a choice every day about how they will feel and interact with others and that this attitude can make or break a leader’s credibility, relationships, effectiveness, and impact. You will attract other people who behave as you do, and those around you will start to mirror what they see in you, so make conscious choices. Demonstrate emotional intelligence and emotional maturity despite the circumstances. You don’t have to put on a fake positive attitude either. You can be realistic and optimistic at the same time. Accept that you will face challenges and know that you can confront them and overcome every adverse situation. You get to decide your mindset when you wake up every morning, so choose to be positive and see challenges as opportunities. Connect with Adam:https://www.startwithawin.com/ https://www.facebook.com/REMAXAdamContoshttps://twitter.com/REMAXAdamContos https://www.instagram.com/REMAXadamcontos/ Leave us a voicemail:888-581-4430

On this episode of the Start With A Win podcast, our guest is Joanna Koltan, an elite broker-owner with RE/MAX Portugal. Originally from Poland, Joanna moved to Portugal for love in a very spontaneous decision despite not knowing the language or having a job. She didn’t let that stop her from getting immersed in the culture and jumping into the real estate industry.Joanna is consistently motivated to be around people who are smarter than her—in hopes of learning from them and becoming a better person every day. She sets high goals for herself and puts in the work to get where she wants to go. After receiving her real estate certification in Portugal, Joanna began working in the posh area of the city where other agents said there was no business. She became very successful by door knocking and being accessible to the homeowners in the community. She began making a name for herself and received recognition by agents near and far for her prolific accomplishments. In 2008, Joanna joined the RE/MAX Portugal team—spotlighted as a Top 30 European RE/MAX office.One of Joanna’s other passions is women’s empowerment and providing leadership opportunities to women, particularly women in Europe who are generally not encouraged in this way. Over the past couple of years, RE/MAX Empowering Ambitious Ladies (REAL) has come together, and Joanna, Michelle, and a few others set the course for the group during an event in Porto. Joanna hopes this community will provide a safe space for women to discuss their struggles and successes and spur each other onto greater things.Connect with Joanna:https://www.remax.pt/agente/joanna-koltan/120741259https://www.facebook.com/joannakoltanhttps://pt.linkedin.com/in/joannakoltan Connect with Adam:https://www.startwithawin.com/ https://www.facebook.com/REMAXAdamContoshttps://twitter.com/REMAXAdamContos https://www.instagram.com/REMAXadamcontos/ Leave us a voicemail:888-581-4430

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Our guest on this episode of the Start With A Win podcast is Marney Andes, a learning and development executive coach, consultant, and author. She attributes her success to her humble beginnings and the lessons she learned from her father on a rural Nebraska farm. In her new book, “Start with the Give-Me Shots,” Marney outlines eight of the core lessons that her father taught her, which she has found herself recalling and sharing with others throughout her life. Her father passed away in 2012. Marney was motivated to write this book to allow his legacy to live on while sharing his message of intentionality and simplicity in relationships and community.Marney discusses two of the lessons from the book on this episode of the podcast. Lesson 2 is “start with the give-me shots,” which underlines the importance of focusing on the basics and practicing them every day. This kind of intentional practice will make those things come naturally, so they are always ready when you need to call on them. This practice is much more impactful than wasting time on the things that don’t matter. Lesson 8 is “what have you done for the good of the community today?” Marney’s father used this question as a conversation starter because he loved connecting with people on more than just a surface level. As Marney has become an adult herself, she has come to appreciate the power of that question and the self-reflection it encourages. Marney says it is helpful to ask these questions as a part of this reflection: What happened today? What do I think and feel about it? What do I want to do about it?“Start with the Give-Me Shots” will be available on Amazon starting March 23, 2021, so check it out there to learn the other six core lessons.Connect with Marney:https://www.marneyandes.com/ Connect with Adam:https://www.startwithawin.com/ https://www.facebook.com/REMAXAdamContoshttps://twitter.com/REMAXAdamContos https://www.instagram.com/REMAXadamcontos/ Leave us a voicemail:888-581-4430

Our special guest on this episode of the Start With A Win podcast is Adam’s daughter, Maggie Contos. She is a freshman at Oklahoma University majoring in psychology on a pre-law track. Her long-term goal is to move to New York City, go to law school, and then work for the FBI. Anyone who knows Maggie would say that she is well on her way to reaching that goal, and after this episode, you will likely see why.Unlike most college freshmen, Maggie hits the gym almost every morning at 5:00 am, time blocks her day, and has a running list of tasks she wants to get done when she has free time. She is intentional about priorities—getting her schoolwork and studying done before hanging out with her friends and seeing things through completion. She is very aware of her big goals and the smaller goals she needs to achieve on the way to the bigger ones. This type of thinking helps her make necessary changes and marginal gains along the way and consistently seeing progress. In conjunction with her commitment to getting enough sleep every night and drinking plenty of water, her routines and habits reduce her stress and help her take on more responsibilities while maintaining a healthy balance.Adam points out that the way Maggie approaches every day demonstrates emotional maturity and an internal locus of control. Maggie shares how her mindset of choosing the pain of discipline over the pain of regret helps her make those daily decisions. This mindset sets her apart from most 18-year-olds and gives her the margin to enjoy the small things while experiencing the realization of her goals. To those who may be listening who tend to get overwhelmed or burned out, Maggie says that the key is to remain focused on the goal and block out the time you need to get there every day. Connect with Adam:https://www.startwithawin.com/ https://www.facebook.com/REMAXAdamContoshttps://twitter.com/REMAXAdamContos https://www.instagram.com/REMAXadamcontos/ Leave us a voicemail:888-581-4430

Connect with Adam:https://www.startwithawin.com/ https://www.facebook.com/REMAXAdamContoshttps://twitter.com/REMAXAdamContos https://www.instagram.com/REMAXadamcontos/ 

Our guest on this episode of the Start With A Win podcast is Dr. Tasha Eurich, New York Times bestselling author of Insight and experienced executive coach and researcher specializing in self-awareness. Tasha and her team have spent the past seven years researching these four questions:What is self-awareness?Where does it come from?Why do we need it?How do we get more of it?Essentially, they have boiled down the definition of self-awareness to: “the will and skill to see ourselves clearly.” This level of self-knowledge includes both internal (who we are at our core) and external self-awareness (how people see us). Self-aware individuals possess both internal and external, which sets them apart from the 80% or so of people who think they are self-aware but are not. Tasha has found that there are many internal barriers that people set up for themselves that keep them from attaining self-awareness and that gathering internal and external feedback helps to break down these barriers. When focusing on internal feedback, Tasha recommends a daily habitual practice of asking yourself these three questions:What went well today?What didn’t go well today?What can I do to be smarter tomorrow?Soliciting external feedback is more about asking the right people than asking the right questions. Tasha says that these people should want you to succeed and be willing to say the difficult thing when necessary. If you are interested in learning more about your self-awareness journey, consider taking the free assessment at the link below.Free Self-Awareness Assessment:https://www.insight-book.com/quiz Connect with Tasha:https://www.tashaeurich.com/https://www.insight-book.com/ https://twitter.com/tashaeurich?s=20https://www.linkedin.com/in/tashaeurich https://www.facebook.com/TashaEurich/ Connect with Adam:https://www.startwithawin.com/ https://www.facebook.com/REMAXAdamContoshttps://twitter.com/REMAXAdamContos https://www.instagram.com/REMAXadamcontos/ Leave us a voicemail:888-581-4430

Our guest on this episode of the Start With A Win podcast is Angelica Olmsted, a flourishing real estate agent in the Denver metro area. Angelica started her career in the real estate industry, working at Booj and creating technology products to assist real estate professionals before leaping into being an agent in 2020. During this big transition, Angelica says that she felt overwhelmed by the big learning curve, but she found success in setting a few small goals at a time. These milestones helped her break down her bigger goals into more manageable tasks. For example, she spent several weeks focused on building out her CRM system with her existing contacts before reaching out to them and starting to track her interactions. Her current project involves filling in the birthday of her CRM contacts. She focuses on two letters of the alphabet per week. An integral part of Angelica’s business is establishing genuine connections with people. She has linked her contacts’ social media accounts to their CRM entries. Before calling someone, she always takes a few minutes to review what they have been up to lately, both because she genuinely wants to know and show them that they are important to her. After every call or text, Angelica always adds a task for her next contact with that person. She follows up by sending them an interesting article, calling them back in a few weeks to see how their recent race went, or dropping a handwritten card and a lottery ticket in the mail for them on their birthday. Angelica tries to find a balance between promoting herself and sharing fun and personal posts on social media. She wants to give her friends and followers a glimpse of her personal and professional lives because if she provides them with insightful and engaging content, she will be top-of-mind for them when it comes time to buy or sell their next home.Connect with Angelica:https://www.angelicasellsdenver.com/https://www.instagram.com/angelica_olmsted/https://www.facebook.com/angelica.polen Connect with Adam:https://www.startwithawin.com/ https://www.facebook.com/REMAXAdamContoshttps://twitter.com/REMAXAdamContos https://www.instagram.com/REMAXadamcontos/ Leave us a voicemail:888-581-4430

Connect with Adam:https://www.startwithawin.com/ https://www.facebook.com/REMAXAdamContoshttps://twitter.com/REMAXAdamContos https://www.instagram.com/REMAXadamcontos/

In this episode of the Start With A Win podcast, Adam shares his insights on leadership and the ways many perspectives on the subject are missing the point. You are not a leader simply because of your job title or having people reporting directly to you. In fact, leading has nothing to do with who you are but rather what you do. Leadership is learned on-the-job, first-hand, by being responsible for other people and their outcomes. This responsibility spans from CEOs to stay-at-home parents, from little league coaches to real estate broker-owners, and is different than just “being in charge."Leadership involves an intentional daily practice of managing your emotions, attitudes, interactions, and actions. Take a moment to evaluate how you are doing in these areas. How are you leading through your attitudes and actions? What are you portraying to those you are influencing? What are people hearing and experiencing from you? This self-awareness should partner with a willingness to lead yourself as well. It is crucial people see you doing what you are telling them to do, setting that example and consistently living it out. Leading by example is especially important when leading within a company. Adam gives the example of encouraging RE/MAX employees to utilize video and directly communicate with clients by demonstrating those actions himself. Leadership is an opportunity and a responsibility that should not be taken lightly. Evaluate how you are doing, and then take steps to be better.Connect with Adam:https://www.startwithawin.com/ https://www.facebook.com/REMAXAdamContoshttps://twitter.com/REMAXAdamContos https://www.instagram.com/REMAXadamcontos/ Leave us a voicemail:888-581-4430

Our guest on this episode of the Start With A Win podcast is Winn Claybaugh, Dean, and Co-Founder of Paul Mitchell Schools, author, motivational speaker, and experienced businessman. Winn got into the business of hair at the encouragement of some of his friends who said he would be good at running a salon. So in 1984, he opened a 3-chair salon and shortly thereafter started a school that would eventually become Paul Mitchell Schools when he teamed up with John Paul DeJoria. Winn found that while he has no experience as a hairdresser, this business is the perfect fit for his passions, helping students learn the craft and find their stride before embarking off in their own directions to serve their clients.At this point in his career, Winn mainly focuses on the philanthropic endeavors of Paul Mitchell Schools, orchestrating support for many charitable organizations including Children’s Miracle Network. He wants to make sure that the schools continue to positively impact the citizens in local communities and also reach out a helping hand to those in need. For Winn, this enthusiasm is grounded in the mindset that everyone who influences other people is a leader and that to make this influence mutually beneficial, it is important for each leader to establish a routine of self-love. Each person should know what things to do and what things not to do to be the best version of themselves and, in turn, improve the lives of everyone around them. Winn points out that there are three basic human needs: to feel safe, to belong, and to have a sense of purpose. To provide these things to others, particularly in a work environment, leaders must approach everyone as if they are saying “Make me feel important.” Understand their fears and sell them hope. This is not an easy thing to do, so it must come from a place of self-love and self-awareness that you might need to put in some work to give people what they need from you.Connect with Winn:https://www.winnclaybaugh.com/ https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/masters-by-winn-claybaugh/id1476413755 https://www.linkedin.com/in/winnclaybaugh https://www.instagram.com/winnclaybaugh/https://twitter.com/winnclaybaugh https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVGPG1wt0dBKB0QZwCJZtYg Connect with Adam:https://www.startwithawin.com/ https://www.facebook.com/REMAXAdamContoshttps://twitter.com/REMAXAdamContos https://www.instagram.com/REMAXadamcontos/ Leave us a voicemail:888-581-4430

Summary:Before you start your day, before every meeting, before every big decision, make sure that your head is right. If you get to a headspace of happiness, you are in the right place to perform at the highest level. Be intentional about focusing on happiness and see the impacts it will have on your personal and professional lives.Connect with Adam:https://www.startwithawin.com/ https://www.facebook.com/REMAXAdamContoshttps://twitter.com/REMAXAdamContos https://www.instagram.com/REMAXadamcontos/ 

Our guest on this episode of the Start With A Win podcast is Lydia Pope, President-elect of the National Association of Real Estate Brokers. Lydia provides a brief history of NAREB by shedding light on unconscious bias and discrimination, including the obstacles Black families have encountered in the homebuying process. Lydia didn’t initially realize how prevalent this discrimination was until she and her husband went to buy their first home many years ago. It was very apparent that their real estate agent was steering them to certain neighborhoods and houses and away from others. This experience motivated Lydia to get involved in real estate, and the rest is history. She has been working with clients to ensure fair housing practices, educate them about the home buying process, and make sure that they feel empowered to look at whichever houses they want to without fear.NAREB launched in 1947, providing education and advocacy for Black homebuyers as they navigate the homebuying process. The organization is proud of its past, relentless in the struggle for equality, and committed to opening doors for others, and they expect the same of each member. Their efforts have gained a new level of purpose over the past seven years since the publication of their first State of Housing in Black America (SHIBA) report, which provides data for the unfair practices in the housing industry that negatively impact Black families. With these statistics in hand, Lydia feels the job set before her is very clear. She is committed to making positive gains in credit scoring, restrictive underwriting, down payment assistance programs, affordability, and the long-term effects of COVID-19 on the economy. On the NAREB website, you will find resources and training about their focus areas, including community, government, and membership. If you are a real estate professional of any ethnicity or any background, consider joining NAREB as they lead the way in positive cultural change.Connect with Lydia:https://www.nareb.com/ [email protected] Connect with Adam:https://www.startwithawin.com/ https://www.facebook.com/REMAXAdamContoshttps://twitter.com/REMAXAdamContos https://www.instagram.com/REMAXadamcontos/ Leave us a voicemail:888-581-4430

On this episode of the Start with a Win podcast, Adam talks with Jay Pitts, broker-owner of RE/MAX Premier Properties in Louisville, Kentucky. Jay says that it was a no-brainer for him to end up in real estate, considering that his dad and uncle were both RE/MAX agents in small-town Kentucky while Jay was growing up. From them, he learned all of the aspects of the business since small-town real estate agents do so much more for their communities than manage home sale transactions. He started his career in finance, but he knew this wasn’t a good fit, and he got into real estate before long.During the Great Recession, when so many real estate professionals were struggling and even failing, Jay drew from his entrepreneurial spirit to adapt his business and bring in consistent income by doing about 20 BPO orders per week. He also invested a lot of time and energy into prospecting, getting his name out there so that he was top-of-mind when people were ready to buy or sell. Eventually, he was so overwhelmed by calls from the signs he had put up that he pulled one of his good friends into the business with him, and they went to work. The brokerage now has about 30 agents, and they have sold over 2,000 homes, so their setup is producing excellent results.Jay says that even in 2021, many agents don’t know how to get themselves out there. He recommends doing content marketing through videos on social media, showcasing behind-the-scenes videos such as documenting a personal real estate investment. He also says some very successful real estate agents have never experienced a down market because they got into the industry after 2010. When that time comes in the economy, these agents will need to learn how to sell availability and educate their consumers. An avid proponent of coaching and mentoring, Jay emphasizes the importance of caring about the development of the people around you as well as your own development. He says that the accountability provided by mentors and coaches is unlike any accountability you could give yourself individually and that these folks are a treasure trove of information on situations you might be facing. He encourages listeners to be intentional about mentoring their employees and providing them with growth opportunities.Connect with Jay:http://www.jaypitts.com/http://www.resourcepodcast.net/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaypittsrealtorhttps://www.facebook.com/LouisvilleKYHomesandRealEstate/https://www.instagram.com/jaypittsrealtor/?hl=en Connect with Adam:https://www.startwithawin.com/ https://www.facebook.com/REMAXAdamContoshttps://twitter.com/REMAXAdamContos https://www.instagram.com/REMAXadamcontos/ Leave us a voicemail:888-581-4430

Connect with Adam:https://www.startwithawin.com/ https://www.facebook.com/REMAXAdamContoshttps://twitter.com/REMAXAdamContos https://www.instagram.com/REMAXadamcontos/

You might think that your best path to reaching your goals is to become more and more specialized as you progress in your career, but former CEO of Sonic, Cliff Hudson, shares with Start with A Win listeners that this does not always have to be the case. In fact, Cliff’s own experience showed that pursuing multiple paths that you are passionate about or even just interested in can make you a very successful generalist and perhaps take you farther than you thought you could go. Cliff majored in history in his undergrad and then went on to law school. After a few years in private practice, he became General Counsel at Sonic at the age of 29. During his career at Sonic, Cliff bounced around between disciplines a few times before taking over the helm of CEO, serving for 23 years. He points out that being a CEO entails being the most resourceful generalist in the company because of the expectation CEOs speak knowledgeably in all areas of business. In this role, Cliff focused on surrounding himself with the best people in multiple areas of the company to help him fill in his knowledge gaps before feeling confident enough to make decisions in unfamiliar areas. Cliff talks about the power of having the right mindset, choosing to see challenges as opportunities by finding creative solutions. A great way to have a toolkit of resources to draw from when challenges arise is by pursuing a variety of interests throughout your schooling and career, even if the things you are naturally curious about don’t seem to relate to your career goals. You will work most diligently on the things that appeal most to you, and the transferrable skills you can develop will only benefit you down the road. Talk with your employer about opportunities they might have for interdisciplinary training. If you are an employer, consider offering these training programs to your team to keep them engaged and learning.Connect with Cliff:https://www.amazon.com/Master-None-Jack-All-Trades-Still/dp/0062889036https://cliffordhudson.com/https://cliffordhudson.com/podcasthttps://twitter.com/jcliffordhudsonhttps://linkedin.com/in/cliffordhudson Connect with Adam:https://www.startwithawin.com/ https://www.facebook.com/REMAXAdamContoshttps://twitter.com/REMAXAdamContos https://www.instagram.com/REMAXadamcontos/ Leave us a voicemail:888-581-4430

Our guest on this episode of Start With A Win is Tony Giordano. He is an author, speaker, coach, and realtor out of the Los Angeles area. Tony got into real estate at a young age, and he quickly achieved success. During the market collapse of 2008-2009, he lost everything—literally. In October of 2009, he decided to start back at the bottom and reinvent himself as a real estate agent, recognizing that sometimes winners lose games, but they don’t have to stay down. He started experimenting with building up his online presence in 2010, and he has never looked back. He says being a digital agent means looking at social media as the “new front door” where you will meet new leads, connect with people, and close deals. Two of the mantras of being a digital agent are “contacts = business” and “virtual = video,” meaning the more contacts you have online, the more business you will attract. If you are going to connect with people, you have to utilize video. You have to practice the habit of getting in front of the camera to create content and correspond with people over text and video. Regarding social media itself, Tony believes that you should be where the people are, having a presence on every platform but prioritizing where you spend most of your time and energy. Despite many people getting wrapped up in the technology and every iteration of changes to the algorithm, human interaction of social media never changes. Tony concentrates on connecting with people. He provides the example of being at the dinner table with a couple of people you know and a couple of people you don’t. If one of the people you don’t know says something funny, you don’t ignore them or try not to laugh—you react honestly and make a connection with them in the process. The same should be true on social media. Tony says he uses his tagline “like them, tag them, and add them” regarding interaction with new people on social media. Think of social media as a never-ending networking event, and you will succeed.Connect with Tony:https://www.giordano.global/https://www.risemastery.com/ https://www.amazon.com/Social-Agent-New-Era-Networking/dp/1466317272https://www.amazon.com/social-agent-2-0-update-evolution/dp/1982051833 https://twitter.com/tony_giordano/mediahttps://www.facebook.com/GiordanoIntl/https://www.facebook.com/giordano.globalhttps://www.instagram.com/tony_giordano/?hl=enhttps://www.instagram.com/tonygiordanoteam/?hl=enhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/thesocialagenthttps://www.youtube.com/c/TonyGiordano/playlistsConnect with Adam:https://www.startwithawin.com/ https://www.facebook.com/REMAXAdamContoshttps://twitter.com/REMAXAdamContos https://www.instagram.com/REMAXadamcontos/ Leave us a voicemail:888-581-4430

Summary:It goes without saying that experts are given that name because they have a lot of experience in a certain area or industry. But what might not be so obvious is that their experience includes successes as well as failures. If you want to become an expert, you will have to put in the time to experience the good and the bad and apply the lessons you learn to future endeavors. Connect with Adam:https://www.startwithawin.com/ https://www.facebook.com/REMAXAdamContoshttps://twitter.com/REMAXAdamContos https://www.instagram.com/REMAXadamcontos/ 

We are almost a year into the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States. Some businesses still haven’t adapted to the new needs of their customers. Jay Baer—a thought leader, keynote speaker, and advisor to many notable clients—shares his perspective with Start With A Win listeners that COVID-19 has provided an unprecedented opportunity for business growth if business owners are willing to take it. Right now, every business is a start-up because every business is having to reinvent themselves to accommodate the restrictions, changes, new expectations, and new needs of the business environment and consumers. People have adopted new ways of making purchasing decisions. Only the businesses that have kept up with their customers and the market are going to grow. Jay and his team have come up with a framework for achieving the coveted customer experience, which means that when you consistently exceed expectations, price and perfection don’t matter any longer. Instead, customers will be won or lost based on these three qualities: quick, clear, and kind. That framework is what people care about right now, and it is the best way for businesses to differentiate themselves from their competitors. Almost every interaction they have had with anyone in 2020 has lacked those specific qualities. Even if you think you are doing a great job of practicing these qualities, you may be astounded to see the positive changes that would result from intentionally focusing on providing customers with a quick, clear, and kind experience. Consumers will be so pleasantly surprised that they will become unofficial brand ambassadors for you and help bring new business in the door.Connect with Jay:https://www.convinceandconvert.com/https://www.jaybaer.com/ https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/social-pros-podcast/id499844469 https://twitter.com/jaybaerhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/jaybaer Connect with Adam:https://www.startwithawin.com/ https://www.facebook.com/REMAXAdamContoshttps://twitter.com/REMAXAdamContos https://www.instagram.com/REMAXadamcontos/ Leave us a voicemail:888-581-4430

While the last episode of Start With A Win focused on recapping 2020 and gleaning lessons learned from past experiences, this episode jumps into setting yourself up for success in 2021. Jon Cheplak joins Adam again on this episode to share his insights and provide a bit of long-distance coaching to Win Nation at the dawn of the new year. Jon talks about the difference between innovation and mastery, saying that while innovators receive praise in our society, they are not known for consistency or follow-through. To achieve mastery, you must have the discipline to handle the monotony that comes with immediate action, personal responsibility, and consistency. He says freedom comes from putting restrictions on yourself to make you stay focused and not be distracted by novelty.To become excited about the process instead of the outcomes, Jon says you should be mission-based and have clarity on your relationship with money. When you understand these two things about yourself, you feel the weight of the requirement to perform, and you are well on your way to setting up micro-commitments to reach your goals. Tiny hinges swing big doors.When it comes to finding alignment and knowing where to start, Jon walks through three topics:What makes you happy? – Spend some time writing down your thoughts.What is the smallest step you can take to move yourself towards that happiness? – Be conscious of the positive triggers, including the things you should say “no” to reach happiness. If you are struggling to see the next step, extend love to other people and see where that gets you.What are the people, places, and things that do (or do not) support your mission? – Take inventory and let go of the judgment of others and the fear of their opinions. Trust is built on consistency. Leaders are the people who stand out regardless of the judgments of others. Jon encourages listeners to think of gratitude as an action word and to see everything as a privilege. Consider whether you are demonstrating gratitude in your daily life and interactions with others. Connect with Jon:https://cheplaklive.com/https://www.instagram.com/cheplaklive/?hl=enhttps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cheplak-live/id934537153 https://www.linkedin.com/in/joncheplakConnect with Adam:https://www.startwithawin.com/ https://www.facebook.com/REMAXAdamContoshttps://twitter.com/REMAXAdamContos https://www.instagram.com/REMAXadamcontos/ Leave us a voicemail:888-581-4430

Summary:If you want to see the impact that a limiting mindset can have on you, think about this: removing the “t” from the words “can’t” and “won’t” turns them into “can” and “won.” So remove that limiting mindset and begin moving forward in life, knowing that you can start with a win every day.Connect with Adam:https://www.startwithawin.com/ https://www.facebook.com/REMAXAdamContoshttps://twitter.com/REMAXAdamContos https://www.instagram.com/REMAXadamcontos/ 

In this episode of the Start With A Win podcast, Adam talks with his good friend and coach, Jon Cheplak. Jon shares his perspective on the ways people have or have not been putting in the work to become emotionally intelligent and emotionally mature during the crazy year that has been 2020 and provides some concrete advice for getting started on this work in 2021. He reiterates that every human emotion and response is rooted in either love or fear, which is not bad if you embrace them. He says that while the perception is that leaders are stoic, confident, self-aware, and intentional, most of the leadership originates from fear and the proper relationship with it. This dichotomy between power and trust is counterintuitive, but viewing fear as an opportunity for courage changes the whole narrative.Among many other things, 2020 has magnified dramas and traumas, putting a spotlight on those who have not dealt with them appropriately. You can’t do anything about past experiences, but you can draw positive lessons from them. You can apply every positive lesson to future experiences to ensure the past hurts and hangups have not been wasted. The most effective leaders have a handle on their pasts, and they are authentic in talking about what they have learned and reaching out for help when they need it. This ability to manage your emotions and find success through them is the foundation of emotional maturity—essential to personal and professional development. Come back for the conclusion of our interview with Jon during the next episode!Connect with Jon:https://cheplaklive.com/https://www.instagram.com/cheplaklive/?hl=enhttps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cheplak-live/id934537153 https://www.linkedin.com/in/joncheplakConnect with Adam:https://www.startwithawin.com/ https://www.facebook.com/REMAXAdamContoshttps://twitter.com/REMAXAdamContos https://www.instagram.com/REMAXadamcontos/ Leave us a voicemail:888-581-4430

Adam and Mark are in the Christmas spirit and want to talk all things sentimental on this episode of Start with a Win. They both tend to be last-minute shoppers, and their wives are known to be very specific about what they want, so it usually isn’t too difficult. Adam is particularly fond of Frank Sinatra and big band versions of traditional Christmas carols, perhaps because they bring back memories of his family listening to them on their record player on Christmas Eve under the light of the Christmas tree. Adam and Mark both love “It’s a Wonderful Life” and the stage versions of “A Christmas Carol” over any of the more modern movies. Mark’s most memorable gift was a B.B. gun when he was ten years old, which his dad pretended that Santa had forgotten before pointing Mark to its hidden location. All of us here at Start with a Win want to wish you and yours a Merry Christmas!Connect with Adam:https://www.startwithawin.com/ https://www.facebook.com/REMAXAdamContoshttps://twitter.com/REMAXAdamContos https://www.instagram.com/REMAXadamcontos/ Leave us a voicemail:888-581-4430

In order to create lift and rise into the air, an airplane has to be aerodynamic, not tethered to the ground, not held back by anything, and not keeping its sights set on the ground. The same is true for you: if you want to create lift and soar to your destination, you have to evaluate what is pulling you down and find a way to eliminate it.Connect with Adam:https://www.startwithawin.com/ https://www.facebook.com/REMAXAdamContoshttps://twitter.com/REMAXAdamContos https://www.instagram.com/REMAXadamcontos/ 

This episode of Start With A Win provides listeners with a framework for planning for 2021 while evaluating the crazy year that was 2020 and regrouping to start next year with a win. Your goal after this episode should be to write out a business plan for Q1 of 2021 that can replicate for the remaining quarters. Take the time to write it down now so you can be intentional with your goals and actions. Your 2021 plan should include these four aspects:Business plan – Walk through these three questions: “Who do you serve?”, “What is their biggest challenge?”, and “Does your product or service solve it?” Consider what business functions are working and which are not, evaluating what you might need to stop, start, or continue.  Remember to spend time working on your business rather than only working in your business.People plan – Whether you are a sole proprietor or you have a team around you, sit down and go through each position to gauge results and come up with a plan for what you need to stop, start, or continue. Perhaps like many businesses, you have had to pivot to a different model or structure due to COVID-19. Consider what changes may be needed long-term or short-term to accommodate safety protocols.Customer plan – Your customers' needs have most likely changed since your last business planning session. Listen to what they are saying through the feedback they are giving you directly or indirectly, and put together a plan for things you need to stop, start, or continue.Profit plan – There is no ROI in a goal, only ROI in action. Evaluate what adjustment you may need to make next year to fill in the gaps or make up some lost margins in 2020. If you need help to structure your thoughts regarding where you are now and where you need to go, head over to StartWithAWin.com to download our business plan format!Connect with Adam:https://www.startwithawin.com/ https://www.facebook.com/REMAXAdamContoshttps://twitter.com/REMAXAdamContos https://www.instagram.com/REMAXadamcontos/ Leave us a voicemail:888-581-4430

Our guest on this episode of the Start With A Win podcast is Katie Lance, CEO and Owner of Katie Lance Consulting, and industry expert on integrating social media acuity into real estate. In the midst of turbulent 2020 we have all experienced, Katie observed a lot of real estate professionals trying to “set it and forget it” regarding their social media, posting things that may or may not be relevant and not engaging with followers. She said some people tend to communicate the bare minimum, such as logistical information about their hours, safety procedures, or their adherence to local ordinances. This practice creates missed opportunities for connecting with audiences on a personal level and being authentic about the state of things. For 2021, Katie’s primary tips for being social smart are to get intentional about how to connect with people and to concentrate on building up a content library that exists outside of social media and can be repurposed for multiple channels. By focusing on these two pointers, real estate professionals can transition from chasing leads to attracting business. The content you create should provide value to your audiences – which could be different depending on the platform – and it should communicate your commitment to serving your clients and prospects, so they want to keep in touch with you.Katie is an avid user of an editorial calendar, a straightforward way to plan and be intentional with your messaging. Sitting down at the end of the year and brainstorming a list of the most commonly asked questions, most engaged with topics, and most common email topics is a great way to jumpstart your editorial calendar for next year. Take a look at your calendar and plot where the topics should go. Consider your business goals and the frequency you’re aiming for, and then leave room for time-sensitive or current events related posts along the way, being conscious of how and where each piece of content can be shared or repurposed. Remember that consistency builds trust.Connect with Katie:https://katielance.com/https://www.facebook.com/KatieLanceConsulting/https://www.linkedin.com/in/katielance Connect with Adam:https://www.startwithawin.com/ https://www.facebook.com/REMAXAdamContoshttps://twitter.com/REMAXAdamContos https://www.instagram.com/REMAXadamcontos/ Leave us a voicemail:888-581-4430

When you face pressure in life or in business, what is your immediate response? All responses could be boiled down to two categories – action or emotion – and only one of these is healthy and helpful. You can set your default response to action, which will lead you to getting things done, rather than emotion, which will cause you to get frustrated, distracted, worried, or many other things before you even consider getting things done. Be conscious of how you react by default and work to shift towards taking action instead.Connect with Adam:https://www.startwithawin.com/ https://www.facebook.com/REMAXAdamContoshttps://twitter.com/REMAXAdamContos https://www.instagram.com/REMAXadamcontos/ 

Our topic on this episode of Start With A Win is the top five ways to engage with customers, starting with the simplest and moving up to the methods that make a lot of people squirm. All of these methods will achieve more customer engagement by allowing you to be more present in the minds of your customers and leads.Phone calls – This is the traditional method of engagement, which was the only option before the technological advances of the past few decades, and it remains the foundational component of the customer experience. Even if you initially reach out to customers through a different method, the ultimate goal is to connect with them over the phone. This personal conversation creates an emotional commitment.Email – This is the next level of communication because it allows you to scale your message, reaching more people in less time. With email, your subject line and subhead are crucial for achieving a desirable open rate, so consider using a “listicle” or a group of three. Analysis after the fact is very important in determining why more people didn’t engage and how you could improve the next email or campaign.Video – Video is the way to scale your message and still be present with each customer. In 2020, more than ever before, video is playing a huge role in business and relationships. Evergreen videos have a long shelf-life because people like to see how things are done rather than just reading articles about it. Studies have shown that most executives prefer video to text. Storytelling – By nature, people are attracted to and fascinated by stories. The chemicals and hormones released by this type of connection and engagement create action and lead to loyalty and long relationships. If you take people on the hero’s journey, presenting a problem, agitation, and a solution facilitated by a guide, they will stick with you and want to hear more.Live streaming video – All of the other methods have been building up to this moment, this opportunity, this unnecessarily terrifying action: combining public speaking with video. Rather than letting the fear of public speaking overcome you, be confident and put yourself out there through live streaming video that is dynamic, authentic, and engaging. Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, and LinkedIn all offer live video options, so go for it!Connect with Adam:https://www.startwithawin.com/ https://www.facebook.com/REMAXAdamContoshttps://twitter.com/REMAXAdamContos https://www.instagram.com/REMAXadamcontos/ Leave us a voicemail:888-581-4430

On this episode of the Start With A Win podcast, we are joined by Kelly Contos, which gave Mark the perfect opportunity to practice his game show host skills during a lightning round of the Newlywed Game. You may be surprised to find out who looks better in glasses and who is the better singer!When it comes to supporting Adam as the CEO of such a large and prominent company, Kelly says that her main objective is to be there for whatever he needs. Sometimes that means making sure he stays on schedule and gets from place to place, and sometimes that means noticing when he needs some human interaction and sending him to the office. Kelly knows how important Adam’s work is to him, but most important are the people around him, so she encourages him to lean into his team.Adam and Kelly are both thankful for their health, the people they choose to spend life with, their freedoms, opportunities, and the successes that have resulted from those opportunities and hard work. Connect with Adam:https://www.startwithawin.com/ https://www.facebook.com/REMAXAdamContoshttps://twitter.com/REMAXAdamContos https://www.instagram.com/REMAXadamcontos/ Leave us a voicemail:888-581-4430

During this Quick Win, Adam outlines the 4 W Process that leads to getting in motion and accomplishing your goals. The first W is wish – to work towards something, you really have to want it. The second W is why – this means that you have a genuine motivation to reach the goal and that it is not just a fleeting thought. The third W is when – this puts a timeline on your action. And the fourth W is what – you have to know what you are going to do or nothing will ever get done.Connect with Adam:https://www.startwithawin.com/ https://www.facebook.com/REMAXAdamContoshttps://twitter.com/REMAXAdamContos https://www.instagram.com/REMAXadamcontos/ 

Our guest on this episode of the Start With A Win podcast is Bryan Greene, Director of the Fair Housing Policy Committee at the National Association of Realtors (NAR). Bryan has spent his career helping individuals, landlords, and real estate professionals understand the civil rights laws associated with fair housing and advocating for equality and nondiscrimination. His goal is for landlords, lenders, and real estate professionals to judge people only by the standards they have put in place for legitimate business practices, not litmus tests that will confirm or strengthen their own biases. The Fair Housing Act protects everyone from discrimination and is enforced by the local, state, and federal levels of government, including the US Department of Justice and the Department of Housing and Urban Development.Bryan has seen the shifts in the housing market due to COVID-19, such as the transition to virtual platforms and higher demand driving prices up. He has also seen the intersection of this higher demand with the recent awakening to racial injustice and inequality in that many more Americans now recognize that populations of color have fared worse during this pandemic due, in part, to the overcrowding of their housing situations. The geographic fault lines are apparent now more than ever. Many now recognize that health and housing are interconnected, spurring on the needs for change and more equitable housing for all people in accordance with the Fair Housing Act and overall compassion for humanity. Connect with Bryan:https://www.nar.realtor/[email protected] Connect with Adam:https://www.startwithawin.com/https://www.facebook.com/REMAXAdamContoshttps://twitter.com/REMAXAdamContoshttps://www.instagram.com/REMAXadamcontos/ Leave us a voicemail:888-581-4430

Our guests on this episode of the Start With A Win podcast are Son Nguyen and Dustin Luce, co-founders of the Veterans Association of Real Estate Professionals (VAREP). Son served in the U.S. Navy for many years, and upon being discharged, he found himself uninformed about the programs available to veterans looking to buy homes, namely the VA Loan program. He made the realization that there must be other veterans out there who feel ill-equipped to start the home buying process. Additionally, veterans and members of the military want to have a rapport with their real estate professionals and know that they can trust them. They want to be able to work with someone who they feel understands them, especially coming from the military context.VAREP was formed in 2011 to organize real estate practitioners who are focused on the military and to provide training to those who want to learn as a HUD Housing Counseling entity. Now they have 36 local chapters in 19 states, with 70% of their 7,000+ members being veterans. VAREP’s local chapters offer educational opportunities, they interview subject matter experts on their podcast, and their certification courses are offered on their website. They hope that more real estate agents, veterans, and civilians will become a part of their organization and learn how best to interact with and assist veterans through the home buying process.Connect with VAREP:http://varep.net/Connect with Adam:https://www.startwithawin.com/ https://www.facebook.com/REMAXAdamContoshttps://twitter.com/REMAXAdamContos https://www.instagram.com/REMAXadamcontos/ Leave us a voicemail:888-581-4430

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Welcome to the second half of this Start With A Win interview with Apolo Ohno, renowned short track speed skater who has become an author, speaker, and philanthropist in his retirement. Apolo has been talking about reinvention, pushing past self-doubt to be able to thrive rather than just survive. Humans, he says, are incredibly adaptable and can reconfigure themselves by mental shifts. Life won’t be easy, but by having the right mindset and being prepared for obstacles, you can experience gratitude and happiness by focusing on the present moment. Apolo’s five principles for navigating any circumstances are gratitude, gift-giving, grit, gearing up personal expectations, and getting into action.Apolo also encourages listeners to remember that you are not alone – you do not have to be alone – and your current situation is temporary – you do not have to live in the what-ifs. He has a few mottos that he consistently reminds himself of: “Don’t think you are – know you are.” And “Process over the prize.” A big part of being intentional with these mottos is setting up micro-routines that will help you track what you need to do to get to the goal. When it comes to limiting beliefs based on your self-doubts or your perceptions of the judgments of others, know that those things will probably happen at some point, so rather than dreading them, create an environment that lifts you. Society is gravitating towards radical authenticity, and you do not need to be afraid to fail. Know that your life is a gift and be conscious of how you are spending it with confidence that you can, and you will accomplish what you want to.Connect with Apolo:https://www.instagram.com/apoloohno/https://twitter.com/ApoloOhnohttps://www.facebook.com/ApoloOhnoOfficialhttps://apoloohno.com/ Connect with Adam:https://www.startwithawin.com/ https://www.facebook.com/REMAXAdamContoshttps://twitter.com/REMAXAdamContos https://www.instagram.com/REMAXadamcontos/ Leave us a voicemail:888-581-4430

In this episode of the Start With A Win podcast, our guest is Apolo Ohno, an 8-time Olympic medal winner, Dancing with the Stars champion, author, motivational speaker, and philanthropist. Apolo's high levels of achievement derived from his childhood by the foundations laid by his father. As a single parent, Apolo’s dad wanted to make sure Apolo was enrolled in plenty of activities and applied the right mental energies to those endeavors. He taught Apolo discipline and work ethic within a growth mindset, emphasizing that he had control over his own effort and consistency. At the age of 12, Apolo watched short track speed skating on television for the first time, and he knew almost immediately that he wanted to get into the sport. Short track speed skating takes place on a 111-meter track with 5-7 athletes on 1.1mm wide skate blades reaching speeds of 35-40 miles per hour and experiencing 2.5-2.7 G’s of pressure at each turn during a race that lasts about 40 seconds. Apolo says that there are hundreds of thousands of variables that could affect each race, so there is great volatility in the outcomes. Speed skating taught Apolo the importance of being adaptable, responding instead of reacting, seeking progress over perfection, and overcoming mental barriers, lessons that he has carried with him into all aspects of his life. When he was 14, Apolo set a goal to go to the Olympics and become the greatest speed skating athlete. While he didn’t fully understand the requirements and sacrifices that would be a part of that process, those ultimate goals drove every daily task and routine he instituted from that day forward. Along the way, he learned the necessity of absorbing inspiration and motivation from all available sources, pushing to see his own potential, and switching on the high-performance mechanism on demand. On a daily basis, Apolo evaluates his final goals, reverse engineers what it will take to reach those goals, and sets milestones for monthly, weekly, daily, and hourly timeframes as necessary. He says that stress and pressure create beautiful things and that pushing past self-sabotage and shifting established paradigms are crucial parts of the growth process.Join us on the next episode for the conclusion of our conversation with Apolo! Connect with Apolo:https://www.instagram.com/apoloohno/https://twitter.com/ApoloOhnohttps://www.facebook.com/ApoloOhnoOfficialhttps://apoloohno.com/Connect with Adam:https://www.startwithawin.com/https://www.facebook.com/REMAXAdamContoshttps://twitter.com/REMAXAdamContoshttps://www.instagram.com/REMAXadamcontos/Leave us a voicemail:888-581-4430

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Our guest in this episode of the Start With A Win podcast is Tiffani Bova, Global Customer Growth and Innovation Evangelist at Salesforce, which is one of the leading enterprise software companies in the world. Tiffani believes business is the greatest platform for change, but many businesses are hesitant to embrace or implement change because they are not sure of the next right steps. Organizations of all sizes and various industries have repeatedly asked Tiffani how to grow, engage with customers, and expand reach. She has compiled her advice and knowledge on the subject into her book, “Growth IQ.”In the book, she says it is essential to understand that there is no prescribed “right move." Instead, companies should focus first on their internal inertia. This means leaders need to stay connected to their employees and stakeholders, listening to their feedback, being willing to change, being intentional with their actions, and training employees to do the same. Salesforce has ramped up their communications during COVID-19 to build community and provide value to their employees and stakeholders by holding more consistent video calls, bringing in prolific speakers, emphasizing overall wellness, and encouraging collaboration. Tiffani sees the future of work as a “work-from-anywhere” situation, which will allow for balance, flexibility, and the ability to adapt quickly to changing environments and needs. With this setup, companies can be sure to serve their employees and stakeholders well by focusing on their internal inertia.Connect with Tiffani:https://www.tiffanibova.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/tiffanibovahttps://twitter.com/Tiffani_Bovahttps://www.instagram.com/tiffanibova/https://www.amazon.com/Growth-IQ-Smarter-Choices-Business-ebook/dp/B078G2Z994https://www.tiffanibova.com/whats-next-podcast/ Connect with Adam:https://www.startwithawin.com/ https://www.facebook.com/REMAXAdamContoshttps://twitter.com/REMAXAdamContos https://www.instagram.com/REMAXadamcontos/ Leave us a voicemail:888-581-4430

In this episode of the Start With A Win podcast, Adam talks about time and the impacts that emotional maturity can have on making the most effective use of the time you have. Every day is filled with choices, which are conscious decisions based on your emotional maturity (or immaturity). You could intentionally make progress on your goals, or you could get stuck in a social media loop and waste a few hours that could have improved your life and personal or professional development. Parkinson’s Law says that a project will take all the time that you will give it. You could be prepared and block off time for it, or you could wait until the last minute and have a more stressful and less fulfilling experience. One thing that is universal to all humanity is that we will eventually run out of time in our lives, so don’t waste any more time. Recognize that your enemies are Parkinson’s Law and perfection, which is rationalized procrastination, and choose to be intentional with the time you are given. A prime example of this that we have all experienced is how productive we all are right before a vacation. Those things that you have been putting off for weeks will suddenly get checked off of your to-do list when you are a few days out from vacation because you are motivated to do so. If you schedule your vacations ahead of time, set up a hard deadline, and communicate that you are going to be off the grid, you will be amazed how much you can get done before you leave. Links:Chrome Motivation extension: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/motivation/ofdgfpchbidcgncgfpdlpclnpaemakoj?hl=en Connect with Adam:https://www.startwithawin.com/ https://www.facebook.com/REMAXAdamContoshttps://twitter.com/REMAXAdamContos https://www.instagram.com/REMAXadamcontos/ Leave us a voicemail:888-581-4430

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Clint Bruce is a former NFL player, former Navy Seal, and founder of TRG Ventures. Adam talks with Clint on this episode of Start With A Win about his military career, his football career, and what he has gleaned from both experiences to help guide leaders in civilian life and assist veterans in their transitions. While watching Magnum P.I. as a young child, Clint decided he wanted to be a football player at the Naval Academy just like Thomas Magnum, which is exactly what he did. Along the way, he recognized the importance of surrounding himself with brilliant people, which is still one of his main life tenants, and one that he coaches others to pursue as well. Clint discovered that everything he loved about football was found in military service. Ultimately, he left the NFL to be a part of the Navy Seals. Once his first daughter was born, he realized that he wanted to be back home with his family and that he had acquired many lessons on the ballfield and the battlefield that could be practiced in the board room and the breakfast table. Since he launched TRG Ventures and has started speaking around the country, Clint has been teaching people to let go of their fear of failure, to choose the others on their team, and to pursue elite leadership by never being “done.” He defines being “undone” as having high ground for hard days, seeing curiosity as courage, tribalism – being a part of something bigger, and authenticity. He advises business leaders to recognize why you’re there and let the “what’s” be small in your daily life, to ask questions, to foster curiosity, and to set the pace for those who are looking up to you.Connect with Clint:Text UNDONE to 555888 to download his app, Hold Fast Harborhttps://www.clintbruce.com/https://www.linkedin.com/in/clintbruce Connect with Adam:https://www.startwithawin.com/ https://www.facebook.com/REMAXAdamContoshttps://twitter.com/REMAXAdamContos https://www.instagram.com/REMAXadamcontos/ Leave us a voicemail:888-581-4430

In this episode of Start With A Win, Adam discusses the next three traits of high-performing leaders. The first is being coachable. Are you willing to get better, to accept advice, and to listen and make changes to unlock your true potential? A coach is typically someone that you pay to help you with a specific aspect of your personal or professional life, and you give them the ability to speak into your life and hold you accountable. Be willing to invest 10% of your income into personal development, and coaching should be a big part of this investment. If you are not in a place where you would listen to a coach without being defensive, then you aren’t truly a leader.Second, high-performing leaders have a strategic mindset or chessboard thinking. Just like chess, life and business contain multiple dimensions, variables, and possibilities that could necessitate any number of strategies and tactics. You have to consistently evaluate where you are, where you want to be, how you are going to get there, what obstacles you are going to face, and how you are going to stay motivated. This means setting short-term and long-term goals that are all focused on the end result and not losing focus along the way.And finally, consistency. Leaders can take a page out of the books of professional athletes who spend their time training doing the same things over and over again. They find success through repetition and making small adjustments over time, rather than trying to abruptly make a change. Patience is a requirement for slow achievements. Be alright with monotony and boredom in exchange for all of the benefits of consistency as a leader.Links:“Trillion Dollar Coach” book: https://www.amazon.com/Trillion-Dollar-Coach-Leadership-Playbook/dp/0062839268Connect with Adam:https://www.startwithawin.com/https://www.facebook.com/REMAXAdamContoshttps://twitter.com/REMAXAdamContoshttps://www.instagram.com/REMAXadamcontos/Leave us a voicemail:888-581-4430

Connect with Adam:https://www.startwithawin.com/https://www.facebook.com/REMAXAdamContoshttps://twitter.com/REMAXAdamContoshttps://www.instagram.com/REMAXadamcontos/

The topic of this episode of the Start With A Win podcast is the traits of high-performing leaders and how to incorporate them into your work. Adam will be discussing the first three traits in this episode and the final three traits in the next episode. Be sure to catch both episodes!The first trait is mindset. Your mindset is made up of your attitude and your values, and this provides you with your leadership foundation. If you have a negative attitude and no articulated values, your foundation will be shaky and destined to fail. However, if you have a can-do attitude, approaching each day as a new opportunity and pivoting when obstacles come your way, you can’t go wrong. This attitude is influenced by your guiding principles or values, the standards of behavior that drive your life and business. It is crucial that you effectively communicate your values and that you have an abundance mentality, rather than being discouraged by difficulties.Second, Adam discusses emotional intelligence. EQ comes down to how you recognize and leverage the emotions of yourself and others. A big part of this is regulating your own emotions, which Adam breaks down into five parts:1.     Self-awareness – Take notice2.     Self-regulation – Assess and align3.     Motivation – Channel your energy to reach your goals4.     Empathy – Watch for a reaction5.     Social Skills – Communicating and setting expectationsThe third trait of high-performing leaders is emotional maturity. This gets into your choice management and being intentional about the things that you will say “yes” or “no” to. Emotional maturity means that you have specific, calculated goals and plans in place. It also means you practice discipline in working towards and reaching those goals. You will seek to fix problems and accept accountability for future decisions, whether they align with your chosen areas of focus. Connect with Adam:https://www.startwithawin.com/https://www.facebook.com/REMAXAdamContoshttps://twitter.com/REMAXAdamContoshttps://www.instagram.com/REMAXadamcontos/ Leave us a voicemail:888-581-4430

On this episode of the Start with a Win podcast, our guest is Carl Carter of RE/MAX Elite in North Little Rock, Arkansas, who is also the founder of the Beverly Carter Foundation. Carl’s mother, Beverly, was a realtor who was tragically kidnapped and killed in 2014 during a house showing. After her untimely and violent death, Carl started to share his mother’s story and realized that many other real estate agents had experienced dangerous circumstances or assaults. This led him to start the foundation as a nonprofit to provide resources and education to the real estate industry. Over the past few years, countless individuals have reached out to Carl with their own stories. Carl and the foundation advocate for policies that will provide agents with safeguards. These policies range from requesting identity verification before taking on a new client, initially meeting in a public place, or scheduling a virtual meeting. When it comes to changes that Carl would like to see in the industry, he points out many leaders are afraid to bring up safety for fear of litigation, but that leaders instigating a safety culture from the top down is crucial to the safety of their agents and clients. For more information about the Beverly Carter Foundation and for downloadable resources, visit https://www.beverlycarterfoundation.org.  Connect with Carl:https://carl-carter.remaxarkansas.com/https://beverlycarterfoundation.org/ Connect with Adam:https://www.startwithawin.com/https://www.facebook.com/REMAXAdamContoshttps://twitter.com/REMAXAdamContoshttps://www.instagram.com/REMAXadamcontos/Leave us a voicemail: 888-581-4430