Our guest on this episode of the Start with a Win podcast is Aaron Walker (“Big A”), Founder and President of Iron Sharpens Iron Mastermind groups. Big A started his first business at age 18 and sold it 9 years later to a Fortune 500 company, essentially setting him up to be retired before most people have even found their careers. In the 42 years since, he has launched 14 businesses and attempted to retire 3 times, all the while participating in mastermind groups. After his most recent unsuccessful retirement attempt, Aaron was encouraged by the members of his mastermind group, Dave Ramsey in particular, to launch his own coaching platform to help ordinary people become extraordinary. And Iron Sharpens Iron was born. The goal of any mastermind group, but specifically ISI is to buy into a group of unbiased and trusted advisors who can provide encouragement and accountability. This is not a place to come to be comfortable and sip coffee, but rather a battleground intended to eliminate your bad ideas, shape your good ideas, and be spurred on to pursue new ideas. Big A believes that if you are breathing, you belong in a mastermind group. He says that the structure provided in these groups thrives on authenticity and transparency and cultivates a willingness to learn and listen to different perspectives. When you are looking for a mastermind group to join, Aaron says that it is of utmost importance that you vet and research the leader of the group as well as the stated mission and format of the group before committing to applying or becoming a part of it. Don’t rush into this decision but wait for the group that is the best fit for you and then commit to it fully. If you are interested in starting your own mastermind group, listen to Mastermind Playbook podcast as you walk through the process and you can find out more about the Iron Sharpens Iron Mastermind groups on his website. Connect with Aaron:https://www.viewfromthetop.com/startwithawinhttps://www.viewfromthetop.com/https://www.amazon.com/View-Top-Inside-People-Power/dp/111890110Xhttps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-mastermind-playbook-with-aaron-walker/id1348461120 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

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

This episode of the Start With A Win podcast might as well be a masterclass taught by RE/MAX Senior Vice President of Marketing and Communications, Abby Lee. Abby is an industry leader not only due to her experience and vast knowledge but also because she is not insulated from what other companies are doing. She is constantly learning by watching others and shifting RE/MAX’s approach to fit the market. Reports have shown that 75% of businesses stopped marketing altogether after the COVID-19 pandemic hit. Meanwhile, a large portion of organizations that continued to market delivered tone-deaf messaging to its audience. Both of these are the wrong responses. RE/MAX’s consumer research early in the pandemic found that people want to hear comforting messages from the brands they support during this time. The goals of marketing have never changed — to differentiate your company and communicate with empathy to your customers. This empathetic communication requires a feedback loop with your customers, finding out how they are doing, what they need from you, and how you can provide them with more value. When looking at marketing campaigns during the summer of 2020, some businesses are not making use of their feedback loops. They are putting out very tone-deaf messages, focusing solely on sales or getting people into their stores. They say things like “don’t worry,” or do not mention any precautions they are taking to keep customers safe. People want to know, first and foremost, that you are there for them and that we are all going to get through this together, and a great platform to convey this message is video content in the digital space. Everyone is craving a personal connection rather than social distancing, and video is the next best thing to face-to-face interactions.Connect with Abby:https://www.linkedin.com/in/abby-lee-2a530428 https://news.remax.com/bio/abby-lee 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

Gary Vaynerchuk (Gary Vee) has built his personal brand on authenticity and industry knowledge that has brought him unparalleled name recognition and opportunities to share his insights in the business world. It is an honor to have him here on Start With A Win to discuss his perspectives on leadership during a pandemic and beyond.Gary has been leading by example during COVID-19 when it comes to being present, providing valuable content, and being transparent even in the midst of uncertainty. Many leaders across the industries have backed away from sharing their thoughts publicly or with their internal teams because they just don’t know what they should be saying. However, Gary emphasizes the importance of being visible, being transparent, and being consistent. Even if you feel like you don’t have anything to say, be present, encourage your people to stay safe, and keep up hope. Reaching out for help if they need it is enough for your employees, customers, and other stakeholders to see you as an authentic leader.A key component of this transparent leadership is emotional intelligence, particularly awareness, empathy, compassion, and humanity. Many leaders have been hesitant to say anything regarding the pandemic or the recent racial justice uprising because they don’t feel like it is their place. However, your followers appreciate contextual messages that tell them how you feel about important topics, and this will likely lead them to become more brand loyal in the future. While Gary recommends LinkedIn as the best platform to garner organic reach that will spur on the most engagement, he points out that every leader should be self-aware enough to choose the platform that will be best for their personality. How do you work best? Which medium is the best host for this method? Choosing the right platform will allow you to be your best self and promote consistency.Connect with Gary:https://www.garyvaynerchuk.com/https://twitter.com/garyveehttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UCctXZhXmG-kf3tlIXgVZUlwhttps://www.instagram.com/garyvee/https://www.linkedin.com/in/garyvaynerchuk 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 Start With A Win, Adam is joined by Chris Ronzio, Founder and CEO of Trainual, a software that allows businesses to document their policies and procedures. Chris started his first business – a video production company – when he was 14 years old and sold it a few years later. By that time, they had contracts to produce videos for athletic groups all across the U.S. He was able to manage this business remotely because of his established and articulated processes and systems. After he sold this company, he was asked by several of his friends and colleagues for help with creating and documenting their businesses’ policies and procedures, so he launched a consulting firm that offered this service.In 2017, Chris realized many people who were contacting him about his consulting services were really interested in the software that had been developed to support the creation of procedures and training practices, which was called Trainual. He transitioned his business to being solely focused on Trainual at that point. The software is now used by over 10,000 clients. Over the years, Chris has found the reason most businesses don’t have documented processes for business operations and training is that they are inconsistent. There is no uniformity in onboarding, continuing education, soft skills training, sales, client communications, follow up, and so on.Trainual helps business leaders figure out the processes and systems they want to have in place. For example, it helps with documentation and delegation. Delegating to other team members enables them to focus on other projects. It is difficult for everyone to delegate, but if you hire the right people and provide them with the right information, you can empower them to perform. This software can be used for employee onboarding, as well as communicating updates to all staff in real-time. The software is continually being improved based on feedback from its users.Connect with Chris:https://trainual.com/https://twitter.com/chrisronziohttps://www.instagram.com/chrisronzio/https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisronzio/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, high-performance coach, Dana Cavalea, talks with Adam about the habits, routines, and planning that set people up to reach their goals and optimize their potential. Dana was working as a trainer for the University of South Florida football team when the New York Yankees came to Tampa for spring training. One day he was watching the Yankees play as a spectator, and the next, his boss at USF asked him if he was interested in a trainer job for the Yankees. Before long, he packed up and moved to New York, where he had a front-row seat to the lives of professional athletes.Over the years, he has coached dozens of professional athletes by helping them set up the right habits and routines to get them the results they desired. He says everyone should come up with the 3-5 non-negotiable daily habits that will lead them to greatness and take a hard look at the bad habits in their lives and take the necessary steps to eliminate them. One of the biggest indicators of your performance and effectiveness is how you spend your time. Ask yourself what you are trying to achieve and what is stopping you from getting there.Establishing and maintaining healthy routines is reliant on proper planning. Dana says if you own your schedule, you will own your life and your results. He recommends that you split up your day into blocks, starting with self-care and exercise, working for a few hours, blocking out time for lunch, working for a few more hours, taking a snack break, working for a few more hours, and then having a hard stop for dinner and family time. He also talks about focusing on your income-producing activities (IPAs) versus your energy-draining activities (EDAs), particularly aiming to get one big thing done per day. Taking charge of your schedule is a process, and you will find that success and failure travel together. The most accomplished people in the world would tell you that they got where they are because of their experiences with failure and overcoming adversity.Connect with Coach Dana:https://danacavalea.com/https://www.amazon.com/Habits-Champion-Dana-Cavalea/dp/1641840382 https://twitter.com/danacavaleahttps://www.instagram.com/therealcoachdhttps://linkedin.com/in/danacavalea 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 Start With A Win, Adam talks with RE/MAX social media experts Heather Holliday, Michele Bellisari, Rebecca Steinhouse, and Inmar Barrera. They discuss how they use social media and their advice to agents looking to enhance their digital presence.Heather Holliday is from RE/MAX Elite in Melbourne, Florida, and her main focus is informing agents of the tools available to them through RE/MAX and training them on effective implementation of these tools. Social media can be overwhelming when you jump in headfirst with no direction. Heather helps agents take their social media platforms step-by-step, setting smaller goals to keep them motivated. Heather recommends that agents mention their listings on social media. However, their primary engagement on social media should be involved in groups and talking about their passions.Michele Bellisari is located in Boca Raton, Florida, and she will be the first to tell you her business is driven solely through social media and referrals. Michelle created the hashtag #soooboca, which also has its own Instagram account. She maintains a personal Instagram account, YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, Snapchat, a blog, and a podcast, so she is fully embracing the digital experience. To agents looking to get started on social media, Michele’s advice is to start on Facebook and get involved in groups. Or, start your own group and then branch out to one or two more platforms where you feel comfortable.Rebecca Steinhouse is also located in Boca Raton, Florida, and serves as the Director of Marketing. She mainly mentors agents by teaching them to start with one social media platform and master it before moving on to the next one to build a presence. She advocates for maintaining your personal Facebook page rather than creating a business page because you should go where your audience is. She says that the biggest challenge agents face is finding the time to maintain their social media platforms and being consistent.Inmar Barrera is with RE/MAX in Tracy, California, and he is a big proponent of using video on social media. Inmar combines his business and personal pages to maintain one personal brand. He focuses his efforts on Facebook and Instagram posts and stories. He says that video is the best way to connect with your family, friends, clients, and leads because it is more personal. People feel like they know you before you have even met in person because you feel familiar with them through video. He says the best thing you can do is be genuine and publish content even if you are nervous about it, and people will gravitate towards you.Contact Heather:https://www.brevardelite.com/heather-holliday/http://socialmarketingnut.com/about-smn/Contact Michele:https://michelebellisari.remax.com/https://www.facebook.com/MicheleBellisariRealtor/https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClnHkZc-r_4eTTBtXbtEc9ghttps://soooboca.com/Contact Rebecca:https://www.facebook.com/rebecca.steinhousehttps://www.linkedin.com/in/rebecca-steinhouse-marketingguruContact Inmar:https://inmar-barrera.remax.com/https://www.inmarsellshomes.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 Start With A Win, Producer Mark becomes the host and interviews RE/MAX’s leader, Adam Contos. In all areas of his life, Adam has a keen interest in understanding people, frequently asking himself, “How is this person or group of people?” and “How can I help them?” Adam has found that using emotional intelligence (understanding the feelings of others) and emotional maturity (an ability to make the most emotionally intelligent decisions) is the key to authentic leadership. Another way to describe his outlook on being a leader is that he attracts, diagnoses, and prescribes the fixes for the problems of others.In his mid-40’s, Adam was encouraged to get his MBA to progress his career at RE/MAX, which he did through the University of Denver’s Executive MBA program. As a lifelong learner who didn’t always enjoy formal education, Adam was surprised to find how much he learned through the program. He found that the curriculum emphasized how you learn more than what you learn, so by adjusting his choice management and creating some beneficial structures in his life, he was able to manage his career, family, education, and grow in the process. To his 18-year-old self, Adam would emphasize the importance of keeping better track of relationships and being more intentional about understanding the people around him throughout life. If Adam were able to have dinner with any three people, his list would be Steve Jobs, Aristotle, and the Pope. The episode ends with a lightning round of questions that you don’t want to miss!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 Start With A Win is Ryan Harris, a 10-year veteran of the NFL, Super Bowl champion, author, thought leader, and motivational speaker. Ryan has been a guest on the show before, discussing mindset and leadership. Today he joins us to discuss financial literacy. He addresses how most children are not taught how to handle money when they are growing up. So, when they grow up and have money of their own, they don’t know what to do, and they could potentially end up in trouble. You may have heard the statistics about the number of professional athletes and lottery winners who end up bankrupt within a few years of acquiring their wealth.  Ryan says that widespread financial literacy would change education, make our communities safer, increase homeownership, create a happier workforce, increase social justice, and reduce mass incarceration. Ultimately, positively impact the number of Americans with savings, and help more people experience the emotional aspects of having purchasing power. Regarding savings, in particular, Ryan says:Saving money is the hardest thing you will have to do as an adult.If you want something, delay your purchase for at least three months, and you might find that you don’t want it anymore, or you can get a much better deal.Understand the difference between price and cost based on your budget.In addition to the books listed below, Ryan recommends that you learn about financial literacy by reading about wealthy people and by looking around you. If you are considering buying a home, talk to a real estate agent about the tax advantages and to understand how it could positively impact your financial well-being. If you have some money and you want to learn more about the stock market, the best way is to invest a little bit and learn as you go.Links:“Think and Grow Rich”: https://www.amazon.com/Think-Grow-Rich-Landmark-Bestseller/dp/1585424331 “Rich Dad, Poor Dad”: https://www.amazon.com/Rich-Dad-Poor-Teach-Middle/dp/1612680194 “Millionaire Next Door”: https://www.amazon.com/Millionaire-Next-Door-Surprising-Americas/dp/1589795474 “The Richest Man in Babylon”: https://www.amazon.com/Richest-Man-Babylon-George-Clason/dp/1505339111 Connect with Ryan:https://www.ryanharris68.com/https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMeTDEXXqzpFVbT4SUq5O4Ahttps://www.instagram.com/ryanharris_68/?hl=enhttps://twitter.com/salaams_from_68https://www.facebook.com/ryanharris68/ 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 outlines the five key principles critical to the success and future of your business, which you may consider common sense. Are you focusing on these principles as much as you should?Emotional leadership – Part of your job as a leader is to truly care about your customers, employees, shareholders, stakeholders, and the community. To listen to them and make them feel safe. Without this, you are not using empathy or a true understanding of your interactions.Digitization – Most businesses have transitioned into some form of digitization over the past few months. Perhaps you have found the benefits of this method in communicating with your customers more directly. By systematizing your processes a bit more, you can attain higher levels of efficiency and measure your goal progress along the way.Agility – Be open-minded and aware of the changes going on around you. Do not stick your head in the sand and insist your way is best.Presence – Presence creates trust and builds relationships with your customers and stakeholders. The race for market share starts with the race for mind share.Kindness – Be intentional with how you treat people and genuinely demonstrate caring, goodness, and a concern for the health, safety, and welfare of others. Choose empathy and deploy love wherever you go.BONUS – Video – Video is a great platform for tapping into all five key principles. Publish video content daily and get in front of people with a concise and valuable message. It demonstrates emotional leadership, agility, presence, kindness, and accomplishes the goal of digitization. If you haven’t started yet, consider this the sign you have been waiting for!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 Start With A Win, Pamela Barnum joins us. She is an expert on body language, trust, deception, and human nature. Pamela delivered a TEDx Talk on what she learned from drug dealers about trust during her time as an undercover law enforcement officer.Pamela shares with Win Nation that we all make initial judgments about people within the first few milliseconds of meeting them for the first time, whether we realize it or not. Our brains read body language and determine if we can trust people or if we have some hesitations. This trust is an essential requirement for business and personal relationships, which can largely predict the outcome of our relationships, positively or negatively.  Today’s work environment primarily consists of video meetings rather than seeing one another in person. Be mindful as there are many aspects to consider as you speak with others via video. Continue to build rapport with your team and trust with others you interact with through video. People are looking for authenticity above all else in these times. While you need to be conscious of your background so it isn’t distracting, it is helpful for people to see your surroundings to gain a better understanding of who you are. Ensure to have your camera at eye level and dress as you would for an in-person meeting, so it feels more like a face-to-face conversation.Empathy should be one of your main goals in all interactions. Take a step back and truly try to understand the other person. Empathy is the gateway to other positive outcomes, such as collaboration, transparency, openness, and creativity. Ask clarifying questions when you don’t understand or to confirm you are comprehending what the other person is saying. When possible, remove any physical barriers between you and the person you are meeting with as well.  Overall, Pamela encourages listeners to be conscious of the subtleties you are projecting to those around you and do your best to communicate with authenticity.Connect with Pamela:https://pamelabarnum.com/“What Drug Dealers Taught Me About Trust”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q2L4eU4iVmcConnect 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

Ward Morrison, President of Motto Mortgage, is back on the Start With A Win podcast to discuss recent mortgage trends as a result of COVID-19, as well as his predictions for the next few months. Since the Fed lowered interest rates earlier this spring, there has been an almost overwhelming demand on mortgage loan originators for refinances and home sales, which is suitable for consumers, real estate agents, and loan originators like Motto Mortgage. Communication is more important than ever to ensure applications and transactions keep moving, considering Ward’s prediction that interest rates will drop a little bit more in the next few months.While this real estate climate may be advantageous for many families who are looking to refinance at better terms or buy or sell, many Americans are on the other end of the spectrum trying to figure out how to pay their bills while on unemployment. Ward shares that people can reach out to their loan servicers to discuss forbearance options that would fit their circumstances. Another current unique aspect of the real estate transaction includes the increasing use of virtual and digital tools, sometimes making the entire process completed without any in-person interactions. Relationships and communication are becoming all the more important for loan originators like Motto Mortgage, just as real estate agents are finding with their clients. Motto Mortgage is a franchise mortgage brokerage firm, which means they can shop around for their clients and provide the best options for their particular situations.Connect with Ward:https://www.mottomortgage.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

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 Vince Malta, President of the National Association of Realtors. Vince is a real estate broker in the Bay Area who volunteers as the NAR President. He was voted California’s Realtor of the Year in 2007. Under Vince’s leadership, NAR created new mission and vision statements and reaffirmed their commitments to their realtors and homeowners across America by extension. During this pandemic, Vince has seen the great resolve and agility of realtors all over the country who have kept their clients safe while still getting more work done than anyone could have predicted. In most states, real estate was deemed an essential business function, perhaps thanks to the efforts of NAR to publicize their national guidelines about the necessity of realtors in providing shelter for so many Americans. Realtors are real estate agents who have aligned themselves with the NAR code of ethics in efforts to serve their clients with the highest levels of integrity, and they have lived up to their name these past few months. Vince has seen first-hand the ingenuity and resilience of realtors as they quickly adapted their normal business practices to handle most of the real estate transaction process virtually while still achieving high levels of engagement with their clients.Vince shares the current opportunities for realtors in this market, including differentiating yourself as an agent and realizing people are looking at their properties differently now. Perhaps people are investing in home improvements to either make their house meet their needs or to prepare it for selling. If you have had your own thoughts about your current living situation after spending three months at home, hopefully, you have a realtor in your corner to help you navigate your questions and any next steps. June is National Homeownership Month. Vince encourages realtors and other listeners of the podcast to check out and share the posts from the Homeownership Matters accounts, as well as share your own stories about home using the hashtag #createhome.Connect with Vince:https://www.nar.realtor/https://www.nar.realtor/coronavirusConnect 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

James Schwartz is a returning guest on Start With A Win because his wisdom and knowledge cannot be contained in just one episode. He and Adam talk about the ways that real estate agents and any client-facing professionals interact with people and how those interactions can be enhanced to create deeper and more meaningful connections.James and his team have just completed the development of the Photofy app that is available to general consumers and to businesses and helps people overcome their fear of creating content. The app provides a simple platform for video creation and sharing that replaces the pressure of a high-production-value product with integrated branding and user-friendly features. They specifically identify their 3 types of clients: (1) custom content creators, (2) those who get a jumpstart with templates, and (3) people who like to reshare content that has already been created on their own platforms. This app is just one of the ways that you can set yourself up as a thought leader in your industry, being what people need and customizing your message to your audience. Along with this expertise, it is important that you communicate in a genuine and approachable way, being uniquely you in your delivery of the message your audience needs to hear. James also emphasizes staying relevant and discusses specific ways that you can maintain your online reputation.  Links:https://photofy.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

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

On this episode of Start With A Win, we are joined in our virtual studios by Jeff Berger, President, CEO, and Founder of the National Association of Gay and Lesbian Real Estate Professionals. The organization formed rather organically, beginning as a digital marketing concept to provide exposure and resources for real estate agents who belong to and/or work with the LGBT community. After the website became the topic of a Chicago Tribune article spotlighting a specific consumer hiring a real estate agent to sell her house solely based on his inclusion on the site, Jeff knew that he had to expand and organize his idea for broader impact.Today, Jeff sees the main purpose of NAGLREP as creating a safe space for real estate professionals and home buyers in the LGBT community that allows them and their needs to be understood and accepted, which doesn’t always occur in the larger real estate world. NAGLREP is very in touch with their 2,800 members, constantly making adjustments based on feedback and compiling member surveys annually to create the LGBT Real Estate Report. This report discusses trends in the gay and lesbian population’s real estate transactions and provides crucial facts and figures to educate real estate professionals about the needs and wants of these individuals and families.For more information, be sure to check out the NAGLREP website to download the LGBT Real Estate Report and go to naglrep.com/remax for a special introductory price on your first year of membership.Connect with Jeff:https://naglrep.com/https://twitter.com/jeffbergerhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/bergerjeff 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 needs no introduction in the real estate world. Jared James came on the podcast to talk about practical ways that real estate and business professionals can set themselves up to have a presence in their marketplaces both right now and once things are back to business-as-usual. The first order of business is Jared’s urging for every real estate agent to start producing video content. Video is an underutilized form of communication because people are afraid to try; they don’t like how they look on camera, they don’t know what to say, they don’t think video makes a difference, etc. When you allow these fears and self-preservation to drive your decision to do or not do something, you are missing out on a huge opportunity to grow personally and professionally.This leads into Jared’s next point about having the right mindset when going into any business scenario. If you are not able to self-regulate or recognize when something isn’t right with you, you will not be successful in your pursuits. However, by focusing on what you can control, you provide yourself with a level of certainty that will lead to confidence and higher performance to help you reach your goal. Jared’s key takeaways for listeners are:Get rid of obscurity – Produce content. Get yourself out there. Be an option.Work on your proximity – Make a list of people you want to network with and work to make that a reality.Prioritize boats over fishing – Focus on your infrastructure before trying to pursue bigger fish.  Connect with Jared:https://www.connectwithjared.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

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 Ashley Twichell, 2020 Olympic qualifier in open water swimming. Ashley has been involved with swimming and athletics as long as she can remember, getting involved with year-round swimming when she was about 7 and committing to swimming being her only extracurricular activity when she was 13. She swam at Duke University and then moved to California to pursue a swimming career after graduation. In the 9 years since then, she has become more and more prolific, competing on the national team, competing in the World Championships and World Cup, appearing in Sports Illustrated, and qualifying for the 2020 Olympic Games. Having previously competed in 5k, 10k, and 25k open water races, Ashley is well-versed in the mental and physical endurance that is required for this sport and she finds that these experiences have helped her hone her mindset in facing all of life’s challenges. She has had to learn to expect the unexpected, be aware of her surroundings while remaining focused on her goal, and adapt when things don’t go as planned.For instance, when the COVID-19 pandemic caused the Olympic Committee to make the decision to postpone the 2020 Olympic Games until 2021, Ashley and the other qualifying athletes were disappointed of course, but they have found ways to remain mentally and physically fit in spite of the circumstances. Without access to a pool to continue their training, Ashley and some of her teammates have taken to virtual crosstraining workouts like Peloton in order to remain connected and strong. Ashley sees this postponement as an opportunity to be flexible and not be conquered by the circumstances that are outside of her control.Connect with Ashley:https://www.teamusa.org/usa-swimming/athletes/Ashley-Twichellhttps://www.instagram.com/atwall616/https://twitter.com/atwich616Connect 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

We are honored to welcome to this episode of the Start with a Win podcast Nada Stirratt, VP Global Business Group for North America at Facebook. Nada has had a prolific and storied career in the technology and marketing industries, and her efforts continue as she leads her team at Facebook to accomplish the mission of building communities and bringing people closer together. Their unwavering commitment to that mission has led them to innovations that have changed the way people connect, which is especially important during times like the current pandemic. Facebook has specifically outlined its four key objectives for helping people navigate this crisis:Build communityProvide accurate informationUse data for goodHelp businesses and the economy recoverIntegral to these efforts is an understanding of the needs, wants, and behaviors of Facebook’s users, which trickles down to the advertisers that Facebooks works with to best serve those populations. This knowledge also informs the marketing efforts of individual businesses and organizations, who are increasingly using video to connect with their consumers. Nada recommends that all businesses look into free resources and course content if they have not yet engaged with their customers through video. In this challenging business environment, many businesses are quickly adjusting their operations and marketing efforts to “meet people where they are,” while others are unsure of how to move forward. Nada emphasizes the importance of being resourceful and in touch with the communities your business serves to know how best to continue to work with them. Connect with Nada:https://www.linkedin.com/in/nadastirratthttps://www.wsj.com/market-data/quotes/FB/company-people/executive-profile/81869227Connect 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/ 

On this episode of Start With A Win, Adam is joined by Lisa Nguyen, RE/MAX Professionals agent, current Greater Denver Chapter President of AREAA, and regionally-acclaimed business leader. The daughter of Vietnamese refugees, Lisa was taught early on the value of hard work and determination in setting and reaching goals. She first got her real estate license in 2005, and after weathering the recession in the industry, she spent 5 years in the corporate world before returning to real estate in 2016 and she has never looked back. Lisa has committed her career to reaching out to Asian-Americans and Pacific Islanders who want to understand the real estate industry and own homes of their own. Through her involvement with Asian Real Estate Association of America (AREAA) and her participation in a metro-area real estate task force focusing on serving minority populations well, Lisa has had the opportunity to educate and guide agents and organizations in fair housing practices. Many people are unaware that they are violating fair housing regulations regarding protected classes, but by providing these resources Lisa and her colleagues are working together for the greater good among this rapidly growing minority population. Her humble demeanor is a direct result of her daily mindset of gratitude and her commitment to continually learning from those around her and through reading topical books that keep her focus sharp and her motivation on point. Links:“Think and Grow Rich” book: https://www.amazon.com/Think-Grow-Rich-Landmark-Bestseller/dp/1585424331 Connect with Lisa:https://www.remax.com/real-estate-agents/lisa-nguyen-lakewood-co/100698453https://areaa.org/greaterdenver/leadership-board/https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisa-nguyen-remax/https://www.facebook.com/lisanguyenremax 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

Beginning his adult life as an elementary school teacher, Sekou Andrews got into acting for a while before finding his niche as a spoken word artist focusing on poetic voice and sharing his gift with leaders across industries. He describes his speaking style as “TED Talk meets Hamilton” in the seamless integration of inspirational speaking and spoken word poetry. It is no wonder why his audiences are so captivated by his message.Sekou emphasizes the importance of both what you say and how you say it, stating that there is power to engage your audience through your words as well as the delivery. He coaches people from stage fright to stage might by having them learn from performance artists and apply the concepts they observe to whatever stage they have. His 3 key concepts for this are: (1) humanize yourself and your content, (2) connect with your audience through storytelling, and (3) storytelling really begins with story-listening.When asked how he taps into the passion within himself, he says that it is important for him to see himself as a storyteller before focusing on his technique, being grounded in his purpose and how he can serve the listener. A big part of this is loving what he does and setting his mindset at the beginning of every day on the purpose he is trying to embody.Connect with Sekou:http://sekouandrews.com/http://www.twitter.com/sekouandrewshttp://www.facebook.com/sekouandrewshttp://www.linkedin.com/in/sekouhttps://www.instagram.com/sekouworld/https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/sekou-tha-misfit/id410616272http://www.youtube.com/user/sekouworld 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/ 

Question 1: The first question on this episode of Start With A Win came from Ryan Anderson of RE/MAX Horizon Realty in Douglas, Wyoming. She asked Adam to give his top five books to read, especially during this time of social distancing and quarantine.Answer 1:“The Compound Effect” by Darren Hardy“Atomic Habits” by James Clear“Influence, the Psychology of Persuasion” by Robert Cialdini“How to Win Friends and Influence People” by Dale Carnegie“Extreme Ownership” by Jocko Willink and Lief BabinQuestion 2: Next, Gary Kelly of RE/MAX Executive Realty in Massachusetts asked Adam to talk about the tension between those people in real estate and business who believe that their work is “essential” and that they should continue to be out and about (while taking the right precautions) and those who believe that we should be working in complete isolation.Answer 2: Adam says that the answer is not binary because it is not as simple as “essential” and “non-essential.” The ultimate goal of all of our business dealings right now should be safety first, so that might look different to different people or in different geographic areas. Avoid any situations where you might put yourself or others in danger of getting sick and make judgment calls along the way that align with that methodology. Question 3: Our last question on this episode is from Sue Deighton of RE/MAX Performance Realty in Winnipeg. She wants to know who has shaped Adam’s positive personal and professional growth.Answer 3: There are 4 sources of personal and professional growth:Mentors – These are usually relationships you have built that are pouring into you for free, asking you the hard questions and calling you out when you need it.Coaches – Coaches typically help you in one area of your life or business in exchange for pay.Masterminds – These are groups that you can join with likeminded individuals who are all on the same journey as you and will hold you accountable along the way.Self-Education – During times like these, many people are taking courses online to learn new skills or attain new certifications. The second half of this self-education is the actual application of this new knowledge.Links:Rodecaster Pro: https://www.amazon.com/Rode-RODECaster-Podcast-Production-Studio/dp/B07M5LQ1YZ “The Compound Effect” by Darren Hardy: https://www.amazon.com/Compound-Effect-Darren-Hardy/dp/159315724X “Atomic Habits” by James Clear: https://www.amazon.com/Atomic-Habits-Proven-Build-Break/dp/0735211299 “Influence, The Psychology of Persuasion” by Robert Cialdini: https://www.amazon.com/Influence-Psychology-Persuasion-Robert-Cialdini/dp/006124189X “How to Win Friends and Influence People” by Dale Carnegie: https://www.amazon.com/How-Win-Friends-Influence-People/dp/0671027034 “Extreme Ownership” by Jocko Willink and Lief Babin: https://www.amazon.com/Extreme-Ownership-U-S-Navy-SEALs/dp/1250067057 “Trillion Dollar Coach” by Alan Eagle, Eric Schmidt, and Jonathan Rosenberg: https://www.amazon.com/Trillion-Dollar-Coach-Leadership-Playbook/dp/0062839268 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

Seeing the size and effectiveness of Buffini and Company now, you would never believe that Brian Buffini stumbled into real estate after a motorcycle accident when he was 19. He tells Adam on this episode of the Start With A Win podcast about that experience and how he built a business around speaking and coaching organically, solely based on the demand for his knowledge and speaking abilities at industry conferences and panels. He was already “on board” with real estate before that point, believing that it is the purest and fairest form of business, but from his first experience connecting with likeminded people at real estate conferences, he knew that this was where he was meant to be.Brian and his team build their business around a few key beliefs, among them: build relationships for life, be a good person, treat people well, and prioritize personal growth. While the way business is done has changed temporarily because of this pandemic, the foundations remain the same. In fact, Brian says that these abrupt changes are serving as a magnifying glass in our lives, pointing out issues at home, in your business, with your finances, with your health, etc. He says that now is the time to address the changes that need to be made and commit the time and energy to work on those issues while you have the time in front of you.When it comes to mindset during this time, Brian emphasizes the importance of keeping the right perspective of “this too shall pass” and being flexible. This is the time to reach out to your friends and business associates to check on them and maintain the relationships. This is the time to prepare through training and working on your systems to make sure you are ready to hit the ground running when we get the green light to begin business as usual. In terms of business adjustments, Brian says that those with strong foundations in the fundamentals will win this round and that it is important to utilize technology to enhance the connections with your clients. Don’t sit back and assume that you should be in “maintenance mode” until the pandemic is over. Take advantage of this time to prepare yourself and your business.Links:https://www.buffiniandcompany.com/resources/bc/https://www.nar.realtor/coronavirushttps://news.remax.com/Connect with Brian:https://www.buffiniandcompany.com/https://www.brianbuffini.com/https://www.thebrianbuffinishow.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

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 Start With A Win needs almost no introduction. Steve Young is considered to be one of the NFL’s greatest left-handed quarterbacks, but he would not consider his athletic success to be among his greatest achievements. Steve says that football is like a laboratory that teaches you about the hard work, adversity, accountability, and constraints that you will face throughout life and many of life’s lessons have started to work themselves out for him on the field.When Steve was a freshman in college at BYU in 1983, an organization called Children’s Miracle Network was in its early days and Steve was asked to partner with them to bring awareness to the need for fundraising for children’s hospitals. At that time in his life, Steve had never been to a hospital and he was shocked to see how many children were suffering. Ever since that day, he has been involved with Children’s Miracle Network and he is continually inspired by the hope and determination displayed by the children he comes in contact with through the organization. We can all learn from the spirit demonstrated by these kids who believe that they will rise above their circumstances and find healing. Steve says that as adults we lose a bit of our innocent belief in ourselves and those around us, thinking that life is a zero-sum game that no one really wins. But in reality, if we embrace the qualities displayed by the Children’s Miracle Network champion kids, we would find that through collaboration and banding together we can all win. So many people are limiting themselves unnecessarily by comparing themselves to others, but comparison is the thief of joy and will never serve you well.Links:https://childrensmiraclenetworkhospitals.org/ 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 one of the best in our field at leveraging excellent managerial skills inside her brokerage, as well as building relationships online in order to bolster her business and create a culture of community. Kendall Bonner became an attorney in 2003 and practiced law for several years before she realized that it was not what she wanted to do with her life. Lacking clear direction about what was next, she got her real estate license “just for fun,” and the rest is history.Kendall has found that one of her biggest motivations is just being a part of RE/MAX and having access to some of the best agents and systems around. She focuses on staying humble and grateful regardless of her victories and losses, choosing to face challenges with a confident smile. Since she started her brokerage in 2014, she has found that her greatest assets are the people she surrounds herself with and the structures they use as a framework, namely the Momentum business system developed by RE/MAX. By having the right staff and systems in place, Kendall says it is easier to face challenges and avoid common pitfalls that may have tripped her up otherwise.When it comes to being present online, Kendall cannot emphasize enough the importance of growth and engagement. She believes in being intentional and proactive, genuinely interacting with the people engaging with her posts and building up a following that knows, likes, and trusts her. Kendall strategically replies to every comment and extends the life of her posts while ensuring that she is continually growing and staying relevant. Right now, she is in the middle of a “100 videos in 100 days” challenge with her team as a way to encourage herself and those around her to finetune their craft.Links:“The Social Agent 2.0” book: https://www.amazon.com/social-agent-2-0-update-evolution/dp/1982051833Connect with Kendall:https://www.instagram.com/improveyourhustle/https://www.linkedin.com/in/kendallbonner/https://www.facebook.com/KendallEBonnerConnect 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/ 

Adam and Mark discuss the recent changes in our world as a result of the coronavirus and talk about ways that listeners can continue to start with a win even when everything seems so different than normal. The response mandated by health officials and governments all over the world is significantly more stringent than the typical response to influenza, and this is likely the only pandemic any of us have ever lived through. Everyone seems to be dealing with these changes and restrictions differently, ranging from crippling fear to careless abandon and anywhere in between.Adam’s advice is to listen to the doctors and government officials and see this as an opportunity to reconnect with your loved ones and be more intentional about spending quality time with them while practicing safe social distancing. He asserts that if you are stuck in a cycle of fear-mongering or doubt, take a step back and evaluate what you can do with what you have, doing everything you can to protect yourself and those around you. For business leaders, the most important thing you can do is be visible and available to your team. Send out daily emails, videos, or texts to encourage and check in on them.In the real estate realm, house showings are still feasible through virtual tours, and if you do meet with clients in person, don’t be afraid to ask them if they are feeling well or if they have been in contact with anyone who has COVID-19. It is in everyone’s best interests if you are honest with yourself and others about how you are feeling and that you demonstrate good hygiene practices to those around you.Take heart that while the markets are rough right now, they will bounce back in time. Do what you can to support local businesses in your community by ordering takeout or patronizing them online when possible. With all of this unexpected free time, be active and create a healthy routine for yourself and your family. Pay attention to those around you and do what you can to reach out while practicing social distancing. We are all in this together.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 2016, Mike Schneider and his team set out to build a better marketing platform, but before long they realized that what they had really created was an opportunity to integrate machine learning into real estate customer relationship management. Every listener of Start With A Win already knows that relationships are the key component to being an effective real estate agent. What you might not know is that almost 80% of individuals only talk to one real estate agent when looking to buy or sell a house. If you have the first conversation with those people, you are more likely to get their business, but you could be missing up to 70% of the listings in your existing network.First is able to combine all of your contacts from all platforms into one comprehensive database and seamlessly curate additional demographic data to provide agents with predictions about when someone in their current network is likely to be in the market to buy or sell a house. Think about how much more productive your day could be if you were able to convert one out of every six conversations instead of one out of every 17. The First app gives you a competitive advantage in your market, nudging you to connect with contacts who might be looking to make a move and helping you prioritize your follow-ups.Links:https://www.first.io/“Inspired” by Marty Cagan: https://www.amazon.com/INSPIRED-Create-Tech-Products-Customers-ebook/dp/B077NRB36N“Measure What Matters” by John Doerr: https://www.amazon.com/Measure-What-Matters-Google-Foundation/dp/0525536221 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/ 

Settle in for this episode of Start With A Win and get ready to drink from the fire hose of Tom Ferry’s insights on real estate, reaching goals, and overcoming fear. Tom’s leadership experience started when he was six years old and his parents divorced. At that moment, he knew he needed to step up and lead in the best way he could. This mindset continued throughout elementary, middle, and high school where he was continually leading his peers into adventures, mischief, and revelry. When he was about 18, he started to steer his focus in a more productive direction, being mentored by the writings of business leaders and coaches who helped him realize that challenges lead to opportunities that lead to experiences.Instead of going to college, he chose to focus on his personal and professional development, joining his father’s company and delving into the new world of performance measurement and management. They realized that measuring performance and then sharing about that performance exponentially increased the likelihood of success and goal achievement, so they started focusing their efforts on this concept. In conjunction with performance measurement and accountability, Tom talks about the ways to attract more clients, increase your average sales price or commission, expand your business, and bring a new product or service to the market that solves a problem. One practical recommendation that he has for real estate agents today is to over-service your clients. This might look like having three assistants that handle different parts of the transaction with clients so you can focus on relationships and making the experience better for your clients. Links:“The Slight Edge” book: https://www.amazon.com/Slight-Edge-Turning-Disciplines-Happiness/dp/1626340463Connect with Tom:https://www.tomferry.com/ https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/coach-tom-ferry/id1076436648 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 Gary Acosta, CEO and Co-Founder of the National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals. NAHREP is celebrating its 20th anniversary as a trade association this year and they are continuing to see growth in their membership numbers, as well as the number of Hispanic homebuyers. Every year, NAHREP conducts a study called The State of Hispanic Homeowners to stay informed about the trends among Hispanic families and gain a better understanding of the statistics.NAHREP aims to educate and empower both their member agents/brokers and their potential clients by advancing sustainable homeownership among Hispanics in the US. Since 70% of Latino homebuyers are first-time homebuyers, it is essential that they find a real estate agent they can trust to walk them through the process and help them make good decisions along the way. More Hispanic families are buying homes than ever before, but some are nervous to take that first step because they are intimidated by the process. Real estate agents must be culturally competent and prioritize helping families over closing deals. Homebuyers should focus on finding an agent they can trust and getting prequalified before looking for a home.Gary is a phenomenal leader because he believes in having a conversation every day with someone who outranks him. He recommends this practice to the members of NAHREP and everyone else he leads in some way.Links:“Zero to One” book: https://www.amazon.com/Zero-One-Notes-Startups-Future/dp/0804139296 Connect with Gary:https://nahrep.org/https://twitter.com/garynahrep  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 topic on this episode of Start with a Win is delivering value through messaging that will impact your audience. By keeping your framework simple, you allow space for depth in thought for yourself and your potential customers. So, what are these Four E’s of Marketing, you ask?Empathy – Show emotional intelligence towards the recipient of your message, meeting them where they are with exactly what they need. Using empathy in your marketing helps your audience develop a connection with you and activate their hearts. A great example of this is the Google Super Bowl ad from 2020.Education – Your audience wants to learn something and if you are the one to teach it to them, then they will come to view you as trustworthy, reliable, and helpful. Content marketing aimed at helping people be better sets you up in this coveted position.Entertainment – People will be drawn in by stories of overcoming challenges, comedy, and thrill. This is why reality TV and watching the lives of influencers on social media is so popular. You can do the same thing in your space as well, inviting people into your story or the story of someone impacted by your business.Execution – No matter your personality type, everyone loves to check things off of their lists. Pieces of content that include checklists or steps that help your audience reach that next goal or conquer a difficult problem will get them into a pattern of micro-commitments and ultimately make them more productive and successful, and they will have you to thank for it!Finally, Adam answers this week’s caller question about his favorite ways of following up. While text and email are the easiest and fastest, they are often the most overlooked and underappreciated. Try instead to leave voice texts or send videos to your leads, current clients, and previous clients. Think about where they are online and meet them there, whether on Facebook Messenger, social media, or email and text. Just reach out in the most personal way you can and give them specific expectations of when they can expect to hear from you again.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 Start with a Win, Bruce Johnson joins us to discuss his family’s story of losing a child and how the commitment to carrying out her legacy has led them on many adventures over the past 20+ years. Before they started their family, Bruce and his wife, Mary, spent 3 years riding their bikes from the Arctic Ocean to Argentina, camping on the side of the road and in people’s yards, and experiencing the best parts of humanity along the way. This planted in Bruce the love of people and a resilient spirit, preparing him and his wife for a future that was still unknown to them. A few years later, Bruce became a RE/MAX agent and the broker of his office told him that he was going to be a Miracle Agent, meaning that a portion of his commissions would be contributed to Children’s Miracle Network. At the time, he had never thought about hospitals where sick kids would go, but all too soon he found himself sitting in the waiting room, pacing the halls, and sleeping on the floor of just such a hospital. Bruce and Mary had a daughter named Alyssa, who was born with a condition that caused some of her organs to be outside of her body. She lived for about 3 weeks, and before he passed away, Bruce promised her that he would remember her always. Bruce started the Alyssa Rae Johnson Fund and Motorcycle for Miracles as a way of raising money for Children’s Miracle Network, the hospitals, and the families taking care of sick kids. Bruce and Mary now have two more daughters. When their daughter, Holly, was in the hospital having surgery, she asked her dad if they could go for a motorcycle trip when she was better. Bruce thought about it for a while and came up with the idea to make their motorcycle ride into a fundraising opportunity. They have faced many perils and obstacles during these rides, but they have also experienced so many kind people along the way. The Johnsons have now raised close to $500,000 for sick and injured children through these rides. Connect with Bruce:NAR video: https://youtu.be/6HMVL--DziA Bear video: https://youtu.be/t4BHbEQBvbo RE/MAX Trip video: https://youtu.be/8OgMQvgASxA Motorcycle for Miracles: http://www.motorcycleformiracles.com/Donation Page: https://www.sickkidsdonations.com/registrant/FundraisingPage.aspx?registrationID=3184197&langPref=en-CA#&panel1-2Connect 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/ Leave us a voicemail:888-581-4430

On this episode of the Start with a Win podcast, Adam and Mark discuss the misconception that “disruption” is a bad thing. So many people are talking about “market disruptors” in a way that unsettles and instills fear in anyone who doesn’t have a firm understanding of what it means to be a disruptor. It has become a buzzword that doesn’t communicate much besides anxiety. Common examples of market disruptors are Uber, Airbnb, and Netflix — companies who recognized a need in the market and created an innovative solution to the problem customers were facing. You can do the very same thing. Rather than running around and making impulsive decisions out of a desire to not be disrupted, you can look at potential disruptions as opportunities to innovate and provide what customers really need and want. You can be one of those innovative companies who creates a new order of business and creatively solves problems rather than sitting on the sidelines admiring what other people are doing. Have your ear to the ground and truly pay attention to what your customers are saying, then create a plan and move forward with a solution. Deliver value to your customers and they will be loyal to you.Adam also answers a caller’s question about the best way to approach goal-setting and growth by encouraging her to publicly share the numbers associated with her goals in order to remain accountable and to show commitment to reaching those goals.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 Tarek El Moussa, star of HGTV’s “Flip or Flop” and real estate industry expert. At the age of 20, Tarek found himself without a degree, without a job, and without a plan for the future. Through the providential placement of an advertisement for real estate school, he enrolled and got his real estate license and within 90 days he had made $120,000. This drastic shift in his lifestyle was the starting point of his career, and when he was faced with the bottoming out of the real estate market in 2007-2008 with everyone else, he decided to stick it out and make it to the other side.In 2010, he pitched the idea of a television show about flipping houses to some production companies and before long, he had received a contract for 13 episodes. The problem was that he knew very little about flipping houses and now he was committed to flipping 13 within 10 months. Like many other things in his life, though, he figured it out and found a way to be very successful doing it. Tarek has flipped over 500 houses in the past 9 years, “Flip or Flop” is about to start its 9th season, and he has a couple of spin-off shows in the works as well.Tarek will be the first to tell you that nothing good comes without hard work, and he has had his fair share of 16-20 hour days trying to meet deadlines. This is exhausting for anyone, and Tarek’s biggest challenge through it all was not quitting when he felt like quitting. He has learned that if you refuse to quit, you never fail, and he lives this out day after day. In recent years, he has shifted his focus to helping other people find their way out of their current circumstances to take advantage of the opportunities in front of them, and he wants to use his platform to impact the world on a larger level. To real estate agents, Tarek’s advice is to be comfortable with being uncomfortable and just stick with it until you figure out the process. Everyone struggles, he says, but the work is worthwhile if you commit to it.Links:“The Section 8 Bible: Part I”: https://www.amazon.com/Section-Bible-Vol-Succeed-Industry/dp/0980175909“The Section 8 Bible: Part II”: https://www.amazon.com/Section-8-Bible-Michael-McLean/dp/0980175917 “The Miracle Morning”: https://www.amazon.com/Miracle-Morning-Not-So-Obvious-Guaranteed-Transform/dp/0979019710 Connect with Tarek:https://www.instagram.com/therealtarekelmoussa/https://twitter.com/tarekelmoussa?lang=enhttps://www.facebook.com/TheRealTarekElMoussa/ https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrW8ZauorjZNz7nwmLaZ6wghttps://tarekandassociates.com/https://www.therealtarekelmoussa.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

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

The topic of this episode of Start with a Win is the fear of people’s opinions and how this fear can hold you back from what you are capable of achieving. Everyone lives with some level of this fear, from being self-conscious of your appearance to a fear of public speaking to a hesitancy to be vulnerable. What you might not realize is that this fear of judgment is ingrained in your brain as a survival instinct as old as the earliest humans. When our ancestors assumed their roles in society as hunters and gatherers, they were aware that what they brought back to their communities at the end of each day made the difference between nourishment and starvation.Today, our fear of judgment from others is not a matter of life and death, but the genetic makeup of our brains does not accept this idea outright. In order to break free of this fear that is holding you back, it is important to have a level of self-awareness that releases you from this life and death mentality. Recognizing that stepping up on that stage or publishing that video on your social media profile will not cause you or those around you to starve is crucial to being able to get your message out there. Sure – it is scary to put yourself out there, but the more you practice and the more positive feedback you receive, the more confident you will feel in doing what you need to do. Smile through your presentation, learn from your mistakes, and have faith that people will listen to what you have to say without judging you as a person, and you will be fine.Links:“The Alter Ego Effect”: https://www.amazon.com/Alter-Ego-Effect-Identities-Transform/dp/0062838636 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