Start With A Win

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Interview with entrepreneur Gj Reynolds Jun 12, 2019

Show notes

G.J. Reynolds grew up in a solid home, and after high school, he joined the US Army to gain exposure to the world and direction about where he wanted his life to go. He was a part of the early version of Verizon and then became an entrepreneur eventually getting into real estate with RE/MAX because of their reputation for being the best. He continued his entrepreneurial journey in the area of satellite communications and telecom and he was eventually encouraged to simplify his branding, which he took literally.

Simply G is hyper-focused on simple processes contributing to a specific direction or purpose because if you are unfocused then you are off-track and could become complacent. It is imperative to be focused on the right things and to set yourself up for success in these areas by surrounding yourself with people who complement you and will hold you accountable. In addition to having peers who are your accountability partners, G.J. recommends that you also have a coach or mentor who has walked the path ahead of you and can guide you.

G.J. is considered an influencer, with over 4 million online followers, but he doesn’t consider this his primary means of leadership. He says that a leader is someone who chooses to have an impact, and he finds fulfillment in impacting others in their journeys, inspiring them to focus on their goals and how to get there. The keys to this relationship are grace, openness, honesty, authenticity, vulnerability, and no judgment. Authenticity, specifically, connects the head to the heart and can open many doors for connecting with people.

Recently, G.J. has become involved in building the Women of Faith brand. He says that what he has learned through this experience can be applied to building any brand: it is all about the people, but it does take time. When people catch a glimpse of authenticity and someone being real, they will embrace it, and this connection is what it is all about. Being in touch with the people and conveying a consistent message is the most important part of building anything.

Links:

https://www.womenoffaith.com/

Connect with G:

https://simplyg.com

https://twitter.com/1SimplyG

https://www.instagram.com/1simplyg/

Connect with Adam:

https://www.facebook.com/REMAXAdamContos

Who Needs A Real Estate Agent Anyway? Jun 05, 2019

Show notes

With the advent of new companies that say they can handle the entire buying or selling process for you without a real estate agent, many people have come to believe that they don’t need a real estate agent to be able to buy or sell their home. On this episode of the Start with a Win podcast, Adam and Mark outline the specific advantages of using a real estate agent – specifically one from RE/MAX – and what you are missing out on if you decide to go it alone. So much of the benefit derived from a real estate agent is the relationship they build with you and their desire to understand your needs.

Think first about the benefits of a real estate agent’s knowledge of the industry, your specific market, their ability to decipher and translate appraisal and inspection reports, and their expertise in the area of negotiation. That human touch of someone who is familiar with your geographic area, the status of the market as a whole, and simply guiding you through the process that might be foreign to you is unmatched by online services because a computer can only work so hard for you. The algorithms and predictive analytics they base their services on are one-dimensional and not created for the benefit of the consumer.

When it comes to selling your home, a full-time real estate agent is able to consider the many variables of your situation to recommend a price that will maximize your home’s value in the marketplace. They will take this recommended price and build the strongest listing they can for you before officially listing your home on the MLS. They can provide suggestions for small changes in the interior appearance and curb appeal of your home that can make a big difference during showings.

In terms of buying a home, your real estate agent anticipates your needs and shows you what to look at in a home. Do you have kids? Do you have a pet? How close do you want to be to the neighborhood pool? Is this home in a flight path? How close do you want to be to a specific grocery or other stores?

Essentially, when you are buying a home, you are buying happiness. You want an expert real estate agent who is experienced, like a RE/MAX agent who – an average – completes twice as many transactions per year as agents at other companies. You want an agent who will go through the sales contract line by line to help you understand the fees and costs involved as well as dispel any unnecessary costs or inclusions that are not in your best interest.

In short, an expert fulltime real estate agent is the best option for you because of their:

Education and experience
Price guidance
Negotiation skills
Commitment to you

Links:

Connect with Adam:

https://www.facebook.com/REMAXAdamContos

https://www.instagram.com/superpower.institute/

Interview with motivational speaker and purple heart recipient Tony Drees May 22, 2019

Show notes

Our special guest on this episode of the Start with a Win podcast is Tony Drees, a Desert Storm veteran, Purple Heart recipient, life coach, motivational speaker, podcast host, and Executive Director of Veterans Passport to Hope. Tony has undergone 74 surgeries in the years since his combat injury and recently lost his right leg to amputation. He has received some recognition over the years for being a war hero, including a spotlight in People Magazine after his 58th surgery.

Tony was heavily impacted by his adoptive parents and the empowerment they demonstrated to their many adopted and foster children, and this influence in conjunction with his military service and the adversity he has faced led him to come up with these 3 rules to live by:

No lies – Do not believe the lies that people say about you and what you can accomplish.
No excuses – Pursue your own expertise and decide how to live your life.
Never quit – Do not believe in limitations but stick with what you have set your mind to.

Veterans Passport to Hope began in 2012, and they pursued Tony to be the Executive Director after becoming acquainted with him through an award they gave him. The purpose of the organization is three-fold: (1) Advocacy, (2) Cooperation, and (3) Fundraising. VP2H does not provide services, but rather provides recommendations for veteran groups and maintains an extensive grant process for awarding funds to those organizations.

Tony starts every day by practicing gratefulness and he welcomes change when it comes, seeing it as a new inevitable adventure. He believes that everyone has a superpower, which is usually the thing that people “accuse” you of as if it is a bad thing. Inspired every day by his children, he says that the key to success is to “manage your beliefs and you can manage your results.”

Links:

“The Magic of Thinking Big”: https://www.amazon.com/Magic-Thinking-Big-David-Schwartz/dp/0671646788/ref=sr_1_1?crid=PYSOXUOLW8IE&keywords=magic+of+thinking+big&qid=1557933130&s=gateway&sprefix=magic+of+thinkin%2Caps%2C145&sr=8-1

Connect with Tony:

https://www.vp2h.org

https://classes.superpower.institute/

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/shock-awe-2-0-saluting-veterans-with-grace/id1459893480

Connect with Adam:

https://www.facebook.com/REMAXAdamContos

Interview With Geoff McLennan Mar 08, 2019

Show notes

Geoff McLennan, a highly-esteemed RE/MAX Advantage agent in New Westminster, Canada, joins Adam for this episode of the Start with a Win podcast. Geoff has been recognized as one of the top 10% of real estate agents in the Greater Vancouver area, was named a Bomb Bomb video influencer in 2018, and co-hosts the Multiple Offers podcast.

Geoff grew up in real estate and got his license at age 25. Just one year later, the left side of his body suddenly went numb, and after a whirlwind of tests, he was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. He went through a season of depression and has had to adjust his work schedule and processes as he experiences waves of exhaustion, but he experienced a mindset shift after reading the story of Michael J. Fox who chooses to be optimistic in the midst of his battle with Parkinson’s. Geoff has found that success is taking the challenges that come with MS in stride and not letting it define him or hold him back.

Geoff is well-known for his creative videos posted on social media and integrated into digital communications, which he credits to MS. He was secretive about his diagnosis until he posted a video letting people know that he had MS, that he was raising money for the upcoming MS walk, and he would appreciate financial support for the MS Society. As a result of that video, he raised $6,000 for the cause, and he realized the effectiveness of the powerful tool that is video. He took a 2-day video bootcamp (link below) that further propelled him into using this media, and he has never looked back. He encourages others to do the same and remember that the key to effective videos is transparency and authentically connecting with your audience.

Links:

“Multiple Offers” podcast: https://itunes.apple.com/ca/podcast/multiple-offers/id1380449996?mt=2

“The 4-Hour Work Week” by Timothy Ferriss: https://www.amazon.com/4-Hour-Workweek-Escape-Live-Anywhere/dp/0307465357/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1550192865&sr=8-1&keywords=four+hour+work+week

“Lucky Man” by Michael J. Fox: https://www.amazon.com/Lucky-Man-Michael-J-Fox/dp/0786888741/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1550192923&sr=8-1&keywords=lucky+man+by+michael+j+fox

Michael Thorne and Jesse Peters’ Video Bootcamp: http://immichaelthorne.wixsite.com/mysite

Connect with Adam:

https://www.facebook.com/adamcontosREMAXCEO/

The secrets to commitment (Part 2 of 2) Mar 01, 2019

Show notes

Adam finishes up his discussion on commitment by integrating the attitude from last episode with the execution. Many people fall short of total commitment because they believe that they just need the right mindset and things will fall into place. Think about a relationship: if both people had decided to be committed and then they only give 50% effort, the relationship is going to fail. Both people have to give 100% effort in order to be truly committed to each other and the relationship.

So how do you turn your commitment into action?

Segmenting your goals into microcommitments – When your alarm goes off, don’t focus on the big goal of making it to the gym or getting to that 9am meeting. Focus instead on putting your feet on the floor, standing up, walking to the kitchen, getting your cup of coffee, and so on. These are microcommitments that are very easy to execute and will give you the momentum to just keep going until you’ve accomplished the main goal without being overwhelmed.
Mastering the art of showing up – As we have already discussed, the hardest part of commitment is deciding to do it, so now you are equipped to conquer the last hurdle of showing up. Don’t overcommit early on, and surprise yourself and others by overdelivering.
Eliminate distractions – Entertainment is the enemy of execution. Designate time in your day for checking social media and set your devices aside when it is time to get down to business. Don’t be fooled into thinking that you will be more productive if you take a “brain break” by mindlessly scrolling your feed.
Create an environment that facilitates success – Set up some ground rules for yourself about what you will do and not do, and be consistent. The intensity of your commitments will have an impact on other people as well, creating a culture that is mutually beneficial and productive.

Links:

“Miracle Morning” by Hal Elrod: https://www.amazon.com/Miracle-Morning-Not-So-Obvious-Guaranteed-Transform/dp/0979019710/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1550070986&sr=8-3&keywords=miracle+morning

“Atomic Habits” by James Clear: https://www.amazon.com/Atomic-Habits-Proven-Build-Break/dp/0735211299/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1550070966&sr=8-2&keywords=atomic+habits

Connect with Adam:

https://www.facebook.com/adamcontosREMAXCEO/