APRIL 2017-INLAND EMPIRE

EXECUTIVEAGENT MAGAZINE

Pete Krebs Executive Agent of the Month

INSIDE FEATURES: Cindy Kao imortgage Sam Tello New American Funding

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Executive Agent of the Month

Pete Krebs Capital Pacific Homes

19 17 Professional Profiles

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Cindy Kao

Sam Tello

imortgage

New American Funding ExecutiveAgent Magazine

April, 2017 - Inland Empire

Editorials 10

Improving Your Intellectual Image -Tony Alessandra

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Are You a Value-Added Agent?

-Carla Cross

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Fred Arrias Executive Publisher PO Box 73384 San Clemente, CA 92673 Ph: (949) 366-3349 Fax: (949) 266-8757 Fred@eamag.net www.EAMag.net

ADVERTISERS’ INDEX City of Hope..........................................................26

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imortgage..................................................................2

The Genius of Team Work -Patricia Fripp

iPhotography Studio...............................................23 New American Funding........................................36 PWAOR...................................................................34

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The Keys to Positive Change -Leslie Hamel

SBAOR...................................................................27 The Termite Guy......................................................3

Visualize Your Perfect Day -Mark Victor Hansen

Photography: i Photography Studio, Ian Wiant, Rob Paino Graphic Designer: Garon T. Arrias Editorial Manager: Trudy Van Writers: Haley Freeman, Shannon Hartsoe Editorial Writers: Linda Brakeall, Bill Brooks, Patti Brotherton, Tamara Dorris, T Scott Gross, Rich Levin, Chris Widener, Dirk Zeller, Zig Ziglar

Wherever You Are, Be There -Jim Rohn

© Copyright 2017 Executive Agent Magazine. All rights reserved.

Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited. Although every precaution is taken to ensure accuracy of published materials, Executive Agent Magazine cannot be held responsible for opinions expressed or facts supplied by its authors.

Recognizing Potential -Zig Ziglar

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Cindy Kao Written by Haley Freeman

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indy Kao and her family came to the United States from Taiwan when Cindy was 13 years old. She later attended college at California State University, Fullerton with aspirations of becoming a teacher. But her professional ambitions changed when she took a position with a mortgage company and began processing home loans. She found that she had both a talent and a passion for analyzing tax returns and complex sources of income. She eventually became an underwriter and gained an even broader understanding of the industry.

In time, however, Cindy found that she was spending more time with loan documents than with people, and

she decided to apply her knowledge and experience to working directly with clients.

Today, Cindy is a loan officer at imortgage in Rancho Cucamonga where she is leveraging some of the industry’s most powerful tools and products to help buyers from all over the world achieve their dream of home ownership. She explains, “imortgage offers a lot of different products for borrowers who can be hard to qualify. We have a niche bank statement program for self-employed borrowers, reverse mortgages, a special renovation program and programs for foreign nationals.”

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Helping foreign nationals, especially those from Asian countries, is one of Cindy’s greatest strengths. She speaks both Taiwanese and Mandarin, a skill which is of great benefit not only to her clients, but to the Realtors® and builders who are partners in the transaction. She is dedicated every step of the way, working at odd hours to accommodate her clients on the other side of the world in different time zones. Her familiarity with their customs and cultures helps her to provide better service, and Cindy’s sensitivity combined with her high integrity earn her clients’ trust.

“Dealing with someone who doesn’t read or speak English is a very different experience. They really have to feel they can trust you before they hand over their bank statements and income information. Also, citizens have some idea of what to expect when they apply for a loan, but our process here in America is different from other countries. There is a lot that needs to be explained so a foreign borrower understands and feels comfortable with what is happening. Because of the language barrier, it takes more time to walk people through it. I always say that one foreign national loan equals at least three regular loans in terms of the work involved.”

loan officer, so they can focus on originating loans and taking care of clients. Everything is transparent, with good communication between everyone working on the loan, and with borrowers and agents. We are all focused on providing the highest level of service.”

Cindy is also an active member of the Asian Real Estate Association of America (AREAA), where she regularly participates in industry education and community outreach projects.

In her free time, Cindy enjoys karaoke with her friends, working out at the gym and weekend getaways to Las Vegas. Every year, she goes back to visit family in Taiwan.

Cindy finds daily inspiration in her work of helping others achieve the American Dream. “It’s a really rewarding experience when I get a card or something the borrower made for me after the loan has funded. I have a great team behind me, and together we’re making it possible for people to come here and participate in the American Dream.”

Cindy’s patience and care continue even past the closing of the loan. “After the loan has funded, many people don’t know how to set up payments. So, I help with that, too.”

Due to the breadth of her experience as a processor and underwriter, Cindy is creative and thorough in her approach to structuring loans. She doesn’t give up just because a scenario is difficult. And when she provides a preapproval, Realtors® and their clients can shop for a home with confidence.

According to Cindy, it is teamwork that makes imortgage unique in the industry. “There is phenomenal support here. The company hires a production assistant for each

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Cindy Kao imortgage 8686 Haven Ave., Suite 150 Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91730 Tel: 909.912.7839 – 626.327.5773 Email: Cindy.Kao@imortgage.com Web: www.imortgage.com NMLS ID 486642

imortgage is licensed by the CA Department of Business Oversight, CRMLA 4131040. NMLS ID 174457. Equal Housing Opportunity. All rights reserved. 2017.

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The Genius of Teamwork

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rue teamwork is the rarest, most exhilarating, and most productive human activity possible. Every business wants to harness this incredible energy, but achieving such a level of motivation and spirit is not always easy.

A team is not just a group of individuals who work at the same location or have the same logo on their business card.

A real team is made up of people who may be unequal in experience, talent, or education, but who are equal in their commitment to working together to achieve the goals and good of the organization, each other and their customers.

If we are going to be successful, we can no longer look at our organizations as departments, divisions, or branch offices.

We must look at the bigger picture and resolve to work together in ways we may never have done before. We may even need to cooperate with the competition. Think of all the mergers and acquisitions in the past few years. Your number one competitor today could be your partner tomorrow.

Futurist Bob Treadway CSP, from Littleton, Colorado often gives the Mensa IQ Test to participants in his seminars.

He has found that many “average” people, when working as a team, test at “genius” level or higher. Participants contribute in different ways. Some brainstorm. Some work alone and then report back to the group. Treadway finds that a team “becomes a genius when everyone works together.”

Treadway also noticed that when a team is working at optimal performance, it is hard to know who the leader is. In other words, the team runs the team.

Such teamwork doesn’t happen by accident. It requires commitment and effort, a willingness to accept the uniqueness of others, and an appreciation of diversity. We build teams in our companies the same way we build relationships with our friends and coworkers. High-functioning teams establish us and our companies as reliable, internally and externally.

We then project this image to our customers, vendors, competitors, and communities.

A very dynamic, productive example was the team led by Mike Powell, when a senior scientist at Genentech. Because of its past successes, his ten-person team was given the most important assignments. I asked Mike how he managed to keep his people highly motivated in an environment with long hours and a great deal of frustration.

“I keep them happy,” he said. Now, every manager wants to do this, so I pressed Mike for details. “Ten years ago,” he continued, “I told team members only what I thought each needed to know. Now I tell everyone everything. It may slow them down a bit while they are filtering through all the information, but they get the big picture. Then they can then decide what it is they need to know and do.”

He added, “I also gave them lots of positive feedback via email and voice mail. One group at Genentech lost their leader, but they stayed incredibly productive. I left a voicemail message for one of them, saying ‘Everyone in the company is talking about how well you all are doing.’ They were really effective as a team and appreciated knowing it.”

Building a real team gets real results, but it can’t be done with slogans and directives. Ed Stair, Senior Vice President at Gap talks about ‘Gap Heroes,’ everyone who uses innovation to find ideas to save money or improve productivity. Start by respecting each person’s individual contribution, showing appreciation, exciting them about their possibilities for achievement, and sharing with them that their group effort has the potential for real genius. Good luck!

Patricia Fripp, CSP,CPAE is a professional speaker on Change, Teamwork, Customer Service, Promoting Business, and Communication Skills. She is the author of Get What You Want! And, a Past-President of the National Speakers Association. For information about Patricia’s Keynote presentations, please contact The Frog Pond Group at 800-704-FROG (3764) or email susie@frogpondgroup.com; http://www.frogpondgroup.com.

With downsizing and restructuring, many managers today are responsible for as many as 250 people. More than ever, these managers need to build responsible and committed team members if they want the best performance from them. But how do they go about it?

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“Building a real team gets real results, but it can’t be done with slogans and directives.”

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Improving Your Intellectual Image T

his aspect of your personal image comes from how well you’ve developed what’s inside your skull.

This is your intellectual self. I’m not talking about a high IQ or your ability to win at Trivial Pursuit. I’m referring to the depth and breadth of your knowledge, your mental fitness. Most of us were given plenty of basic intelligence. We alone decide whether we’ll use it to capacity or let it get flabby or stiff from disuse.

Can your mind lift abstract concepts from The Wall Street Journal, or from the professional journal in your field? Can you grasp the intricacies of a problem explained by someone in a field completely different from your own?

Can you see an issue from a perspective that’s 180 degrees from your own feelings? Can you entertain ideas that come from a different culture, or from people you don’t like? Can you hang in there when it’s going to take a lot of convincing to get people to see things your way, or when it’s going to mean clearing seven committees and the CEO? Training your mind to take on longer-term and more demanding tasks gives you the stamina you need when mental marathons come up. Other ways to strengthen your mind might include: • Taking some classes in a subject you’ve always wondered about-say, art history, acting, or geology-but never studied.

• Learning to play a musical instrument. Or, if you prefer, learning to scuba dive.

• Committing to teaching yourself a new and difficult skill: celestial navigation perhaps, or gourmet cooking, or origami, or winemaking.

• Joining a foreign-affairs group or an investment club or a reading circle where new issues and speakers abound.

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series of books or musical performances. Paying so much, you’ll probably feel compelled to get your money’s worth.

• Here’s a real test of mental discipline: Listening to a daytime TV talk show without making judgments about the intelligence of the participants!

Another intellect-strengthening exercise is to get in the habit of not assigning labels to people. When you’re at a party and another guest is introduced to you as “a life-insurance salesperson,” don’t you, mentally at least, take a couple steps backward? Ditto, perhaps, for “IRS auditor,” “debutante,” “parole officer,” or “yachtsman,” depending on your mind-set.

Thus, the hidden assumptions of language can control your behavior. Your preconceived notions of accountants, say, as bland and boring, or of professors as tweedy and reserved probably does you and them a disservice and may prematurely kill off what could be a valuable relationship.

To maximize your intellectual image, attempt to get past the labels. Don’t overlook, for instance, the opinions of a mere “clerk” while perhaps overvaluing those of a “consultant.” It takes intellectual strength to avoid the trap of confusing the specific for the general. But if you can get into the habit of appreciating people’s unique, human side and not judging them generically, you’ll win their respect-and you may learn something, too.

Dr. Tony Alessandra, CSP, CPAE has authored 13 books, recorded over 50 audio and video programs, and delivered over 2,000 keynote speeches since 1976. Dr. Tony Alessandra is recognized by Meetings and Conventions Magazine as... “one of America’s most electrifying speakers.” Copyright© 2003, Tony Alessandra. All rights reserved. For information about Tony’s keynote presentations, contact the Frog Pond at 800.704.FROG(3764) or email susie@frogpond.com; http://www.frogpond.com.

Buying an expensive subscription to a weighty ExecutiveAgent Magazine

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Written By Tony Alessandra

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Written by Haley Freeman

Sam Tello

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am Tello describes New American Funding in Temecula as “an environment that breeds success.”

It is a place where positivity and teamwork bring people together to create winning results for everyone in a home transaction. A lifelong resident of the Inland Empire, Sam earned his bachelor’s degree in finance from

California State University, San Bernardino, his MBA from the University of Redlands, and began working with a top-producing land sales agent in Victorville. When the market crashed, he went to work for a community banking branch of Wells Fargo and soon discovered his love for home lending.

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“My first manager, Mike, taught me that to be successful, you have to know the lending guidelines and rules. It’s one of the things I pride myself on. I have an underwriter mentality, because I don’t want to lose deals. As a mortgage originator, I will look under every rock and try to find every possible way a loan can be done.”

Having proven himself as a knowledgeable and tenacious loan consultant, Sam is in good company at New American Funding. There, he and his team of like-minded professionals are backed by a wide array of loan products, efficient business systems and a culture of saying “yes” to loans. “One of the biggest frustrations of working for a large bank is getting stuck in overlays and trying to make sure a deal fits with guidelines. Here, our decision-making process is more streamlined, and our team pulls together to find a solution that works for the home buyer. We’re growing, and we’re succeeding. When you work with successful people, it tends to rub off on you. Our clients feel it, too.”

Sam is proficient in all kinds of loans, including jumbo, conventional, FHA and VA, but it is his understanding of down payment assistance programs like CalHFA and GSFA Platinum that are often the real game changer when it comes to helping renters become homeowners. “These programs can make the difference between someone being able to buy a home and begin building personal wealth through home ownership. I can help Realtors® convert that hard-to-place client into a qualified buyer.”

Having previously worked on the real estate side of a transaction, Sam is highly attentive to the needs of agents.

He works hard up front to prequalify buyers, so Realtors® and their clients can shop for a home with confidence. “In land sales I learned that it takes a lot of contacts to make a deal,” he says. “When a Realtor® gives me a lead, I treat that person like gold. I know it’s taken a lot of work to get that one opportunity. Once they’re in my hands, I’m going to do everything I can to help them get the home of their dreams. We also have great marketing tools here that help keep the agent in front of the homebuyer. The Realtor’s® information appears on a customer’s mortgage statement for seven years, and we have an app coming out that will allow us to pull credit and prequalify buyers right at an

open house. Our marketing coordinator can help with flyers and marketing materials so agents can stay focused on their clients.”

An essential element in any successful transaction is communication. Sam is honest and transparent, ensuring that everyone is informed and prepared at each stage of the process. “I think every successful closing comes about because of good communication with the customer and the Realtor®. Even when something goes wrong, that transparency is what helps to get the problem resolved, and it creates trust.”

Sam’s positivity and passion for life motivate him to keep learning and improving himself. He regularly listens to audio books by motivational speakers like Les Brown and Tony Robbins. Last year, he and his wife, Lacey, dedicated themselves to a rigorous fitness routine that has yielded phenomenal results. Sam has lost nearly 50 pounds in just a few months! “Tony Robbins says the secret to living is giving. Being my best self allows me to give more to others. Sometimes we get so caught up in ourselves, we forget to ask how we can help. When it comes to working with Realtors®, I like to ask, ‘How can I help you? What are you missing that I can provide?’”

This upbeat, high-energy professional is ready to do whatever it takes to help his clients, both home buyers and Realtors®, achieve their goals. “I think of myself as a partner to a real estate agent. Anybody should be able to close a deal on time. My value proposition is not just doing the basics, but coming up with innovative ways to help my partners generate more business. We’ll be successful together.”

Sam Tello Business Development Associate New American Funding 27431 Enterprise Cir., W. Temecula, CA 92590 Tel: 909-213-5909 Email: Sam.Tello@nafinc.com Web: http://branch.newamericanfunding.com/temecula

Licensed by the Department of Business Oversight under the California Residential Mortgage Lending Act. NMLS ID#6606. © New American Funding.

New American and New American Funding are registered trademarks of Broker Solutions Inc. dba New American Funding. All Rights Reserved.

Corporate Office is located at 14511 Myford Road, Suite 100, Tustin CA 92780. Phone (800) 450-2010. 04/2017.

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Visualize Your Perfect Day

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very person on the earth has the same number of hours in the day to work with. I have 24 hours, Bill Gates has 24 hours and so do you. It is up to each individual to decide how to occupy every minute.

We can waste our days sleeping late, watching television, hating our jobs and wishing for a better life. Or we can spend most of the time we have been given creating that better life – a world devoted to improving ourselves and the lives of others. How do you want to spend your days?

You have the power to live each day exactly the way you want to live it. Think about that - the resources to create the life you desire lie within your mind.

The truth of the matter is, you are either living your life the way you envision it, or you’re living your life the way someone else is envisioning it.

Don’t you think it’s time for you to take control and begin fulfilling your own dreams?

You’re probably saying, “Yes! Of course I want to live my dream life, Mark. But I don’t know where to begin.”

Well, you begin at the beginning (see “This Week’s Action Step” below to map out your perfect day).

First, you have to realize that the power to having everything you’ve ever wanted exists within you. There is no other person on the planet who can do it for you. Heck, I’d love to be able to give you what you want simply by blinking my eyes, but I can’t. Only you have that ability.

I can show you the door to living your dreams, but you have to walk through it.

Second, you have to have a clear vision of what your perfect life looks like. That entails you visualizing and writing down exactly what you want on a daily basis.

And third, you must believe that your perfect life will manifest itself and become your reality. Remember, whether you believe something is possible or not, you’re right.

“Goals are new, forward-moving objectives. They magnetize you toward them.”

In closing this week, I’d like to offer an exercise to complete in the week ahead: I want you to visualize your perfect day. This day is one where you feel motivated, exhilarated, joyful, healthy and focused. First, take out a journal or notebook and make a timeline of 24 hours, each line of paper should represent one hour of this perfect day. For example, line one should be Midnight – 1:00 AM. Line two should be 1:00 AM – 2:00 AM. And so on.

After you have created this timeline, visualize what you would ideally be doing during each hour. Perhaps from Midnight – 1:00 AM you would be sleeping soundly, or maybe you would be living it up at a nightclub or party.

How will you spend 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM? Will you be at the gym working out or having breakfast with clients who love and respect you?

What about 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM? Is this the hour you’ll pick your kids up from school, or will you be getting a relaxing massage?

Take each hour one at a time until you have created your perfect day. Once you have determined how you want to spend your time, review the timeline often – morning, noon and night. This is going to be your future schedule, so you need to become familiar with it. Believe that this is how you are going to be spending your time and it will become your reality.

Mark Victor Hansen, “that Chicken Soup for the Soul guy®”, inspires NEW VISION that generates innovation, productivity and profitability. markvictorhansen.com.

Copyright© 2005, Mark Victor Hansen. All rights reserved.

For information about Mark’s Keynote Presentations, contact the Frog Pond at 800.704.FROG(3764) or email susie@frogpond.com; http://www.frogpond.com.

Set your goals – What do I want ideally? – add your ‘why’ – Why must I have it? – and your subconscious mind mystically supplies the ‘how.

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Written by Mark Victor Hansen

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Nomination Form Nominate a fellow REALTORÂŽ to be featured in one of our feature stories; on the cover as Executive Agent of the Month, or as a special feature story. All candidates must be nominated by a real estate professional. The selection process includes a questionnaire, personal interview, reference check and final approval by the Advisory Council. Candidates are evaluated based upon professionalism, length of service and uniqueness of story, as well as industry and community involvement.

I Nominate: Name_______________________________ Company___________________________ Address____________________________ _____________________________________ City, State, Zip_____________________ _____________________________________ Phone______________________________ Email_______________________________ Submitted By: Fax/Email nomination to: Executive Agent Magazine PO Box 73384 San Clemente, CA 92673 Fax: 949.266.8757 Email: Info@eamag.net Tel: 949.366.3349

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Cover Story

Pete Krebs Executive Agent of the Month

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Pete Krebs Capital Pacific Homes Written by Haley Freeman - Ian Wiant Photographer

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orn and raised in Buena Park, Pete Krebs remembers how hard his dad worked, often juggling two and three jobs to support the family. Today as a broker/agent and sales manager at Capital Pacific Real Estate, Pete enjoys helping hard-working families to find the perfect home, neighborhood and schools where they can put down roots and create financial stability and cherished memories.

“It all goes back to the bigger things in life,” he says.

“I’ve been through having a baby, getting married and buying a house. They’re all exciting but stressful events.

Being able to get people through the house part of it and keep a level head is very rewarding. I think back on what I went through in my life and try to draw on that when I’m

helping someone else. These things can be stressful, but at the end of the day I want it to be a blessing – a little stress with a great reward.”

Pete moved to Rancho Cucamonga in 1988 and pursued his education at Chaffey College. A personable young man with his father’s work ethic, it wasn’t long before he had worked his way up to a lucrative outside sales position.

He was later hired as an outside sales manager for an automation company, servicing many large accounts across L.A. and Orange counties, including Disney. Raising a son as a single father, Pete did his best to provide for his son’s well-being. Then he met his wife of 18 years, Lisa. “She and her family accepted both of us as part of their family.

She’s a great mom to our son and two daughters.”

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Pete had long had an interest in real estate, so he took on a second job as a loan officer. He found great satisfaction in helping people achieve the American Dream, and in a short time he and a coworker opened their own mortgage net branch, which they ran successfully for three years.

He developed a niche helping homeowners who were in Chapter 13 bankruptcy to refinance their homes at a lower interest rate, pay off their remaining repayment agreements and begin credit counseling.

“I also got my real estate license and began dabbling in home sales. My first real estate job was with GFR Homes, a new home community. After the first year, I decided to further my education and get my broker’s license, and I started doing resale business, as well. I worked hand-inhand with builders, did land acquisition and learned the ins and outs of construction and cost. I sold to a lot of contingency buyers who were buying new homes.”

Pete joined Capital Pacific Real Estate last year, where the customer-focused culture and beautiful new home

communities reignited his passion for the industry. “We’re more about building relationships here and guiding people through the huge decision of purchasing a home. We don’t want them to feel like they’re just a number. We have a different take on it, both with new home sales and with resale.”

Currently, Pete is selling the Greenbrier Lane community in the city of Grand Terrace which borders Riverside and San Bernardino counties. “It’s a small community in a city that’s not well known,” he says. “It’s a quiet little community where there hasn’t been much development in the last 30 years, so we’re one of the few new home developments. Our homes are detached, condo-style living perfect for busy professionals who may work in the Loma Linda and VA hospitals nearby. Lots are not oversized and provide room to entertain in the back yard without too much maintenance. Homes range from 1,866 to 2,027 square feet, with three to five bedrooms, a lot of great features like granite counters and 6-foot master tubs. It’s a nice, safe area with no Mello-Roos, which is very unique.”

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Putting Clients First Pete’s background in home lending combined with his broad real estate experience make him a well-rounded professional with the expertise to advise clients in every aspect of a real estate transaction. “It’s easy for me to walk people through not only the purchase of a home but also the hurdles that come with the mortgage side. I don’t have to push them off on a mortgage company to answer their questions. I can at least point them in the right direction.”

efficient windows, appliances and insulation, and safety items like fire sprinkler systems. You also get the peace of mind of having a new, warrantied home. With new homes also comes the cost of backyard landscaping and window treatments. It all comes down to guiding clients on what to expect when buying a new home versus an existing home.

There is a different mindset of the buyers, and I can help them to weigh the pros and cons.”

He is also skillful at guiding buyers through the decision of buying new construction versus an existing home. “It’s important to me to be straightforward and honest and not push people in one direction or the other. I’m not a pressure sales person. I try to get a sense of what someone is really looking for and what is best for their family. The best thing I can do is make the buying process as easy as possible. A new home has many advantages, like energy

When a buyer decides that a new home might not be for them, Pete is ready to help them find the right home for their family. “One of things I tell people is ‘Don’t live for the home.’ I want to sell someone a house that will be a blessing to them and for them to be able to keep their lifestyle. And I want the home buying process to be remembered as a special moment that the whole family can be excited about.”

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The need for affordable housing options inspired Pete to begin working with the San Bernardino County Neighborhood Housing Services for the Inland Empire (NHSIE). “The program helps people to buy distressed housing and fix it up. It caused me to get involved in buying and flipping homes myself, so I have a lot of insight to offer about the requirements for partnering with the city and repaying grants.”

Pete and his family are active members of their church and regularly participate in outreach initiatives, whether they are packing holiday dinners or sponsoring kids in Africa. “It helps to keep my kids grounded by showing them what life could be like. My son is an Army veteran who is now going to school on the G.I. Bill, so I really have a soft spot for veterans and causes that benefit them.”

The family also shares time playing sports and getting outdoors. Although Pete says he is not musically inclined, his children are all musicians. “I love to listen to them play and sing. It’s great to see them excelling at something they love.”

At Capital Pacific Homes, Pete enjoys working with a company where the customer always comes first. “As a company, we always have people’s best interests in mind.

We not only provide a good building product, but also great service in selling or buying their home.”

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Pete Krebs, Sales Manager

Capital Pacific Homes 4100 MacArthur Blvd., #300 Newport Beach, CA 92660 Tel: 951-733-7915 Email: Pete.Krebs@cpre-inc.com Web:www.capitalpacificrealestate.com CalBRE # 01498223 ExecutiveAgent Magazine

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s there an area of your life you’d like to improve? Do you wish for more loving relation-ships? Less stress?

More time? More money? Better health? Someone to share life with?

Some people call these longings “divine discontent.” We seem to be programmed to wish for more, no matter how much we have. The blessing in our discontent is that it forces us to think about how we might change things.

Usually, our early attempts focus on changing other people (if only he/she would…) or changing our circumstances. In time, however, we learn that trying to change others is a waste of energy – it simply can’t be done. And many of us learn the hard way that even when we decide to change our circumstances and leave what’s causing the pain behind, things turn out much the same with the new love interest, job, or home.

popular psychology of the 1970s, this used to be described as a You’re Okay, I’m Not Okay worldview.) Anyway, common sense told me if I were to treat others as I did myself, they’d all move as far away as they could, as fast as they could.

I was ready for Louise’s advice when I read her bestknown title, You Can Heal Your Life, and started to practice catching and correcting the negative self-talk that went on in my head all day, every day.

Do you know that voice? It’s the one that says things like: You’re not smart enough; you don’t deserve that; you look awful; you’re lazy; and you should lose weight.

As I practiced changing these negatives to positive statements, I found I had a better, brighter attitude about life. By countering those thoughts with positives like: I can figure

The Keys to Positive Change Another trap is getting caught up in self-improvement and goal setting. This kind of wishful thinking promises everything will be great if we just lose those 10 pounds, get the degree or promotion, or move into a more expensive house. Even though these accomplishments are commendable, we find they still don’t satisfy for long.

When all these strategies inevitably fail, some people simply resign themselves to the situation (that’s just the way life is), some fall into depression (is that all there is?), while others use drugs or alcohol to numb the pain.

On the other hand, there are those who are lucky enough to experience some kind of crisis – an accident, illness, or serious addiction – that forces them to finally understand that meaningful change can only come from within.

According to Louise Hay, the world renowned, bestselling author of over 18 books on this subject, there are two simple keys to personal positive change: self-approval and self-acceptance.

Sounds simple enough but, for me, learning to accept and approve of myself took a lot of work. Even as a child I had a hard time understanding the commandment to “love your neighbor as yourself.” Even at an early age, my experience was that I loved other people better than myself. (In the 24

it out; I’m deserving of everything my heart desires, I look wonderful; and I could lose weight, my growing sense of self-acceptance told me I was finally onto something that could make a difference. And it was so simple.

Why not try this yourself? Just experiment with it for a week. It certainly couldn’t hurt and it may help a lot. To get the most out of the exercise, start by writing a brief summary of how you’ve been feeling and list the negative messages you are conscious of telling yourself each day.

At the end of your experiment, summarize how you feel, what you’ve learned, and the new positive messages you are practicing.

It is through small steps like these that we quiet “divine discontent” and learn to love and accept ourselves exactly as we are.

Leslie Hamel, a certified Louise Hay Workshop Leader, is a business and personal effectiveness coach who also offers Body Wisdom Workshops based on the philosophy of Heather Williams, HWM. For information about Leslie’s workshops, please contact the Frog Pond Group at 800704-FROG (3764) or email Susie@frogpondgroup.com; http://www.frogpondgroup.com.

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Written By Leslie Hamel ExecutiveAgent Magazine

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Our bone marrow transplant reunion is now standing room only.

Each year, City of Hope invites bone marrow transplant recipients and their families to attend the “Celebration of Life” event. It’s a joyous time during which survivors of blood cancers such as lymphoma, leukemia and myeloma embrace their health, their life and each other. It began more than 35 years ago when City of Hope created what is now one of the largest and most successful bone marrow transplant programs in the world. In fact, we’ve completed over 11,000 transplants and, according to national reports, our outcomes are among the best in the nation. The goal of curing cancer isn’t just something we work at. It’s what we live for.

If you have cancer, make us your first call. Or ask your doctor for a referral. We accept most insurance.

800-826-HOPE

COH-0726_BMT_Hem_fp_4c_ExecAgt.indd 1

WE LIVE TO CURE CANCER. Science saving lives. cityofhope.org/bmt

11/25/13 6:02 PM

Congratulations to the South Bay Associaiton of REALTORS® Awards of Excellence Winners and the 2017 Board of Directors

REALTOR® of the Year Danny Fredericks The Real Estate Group

Commercial REALTOR® of the Year Steve Notaro DECOMA Industries

Broker of the Year James Sanders RE/MAX Estate Properties

Citizen of the Year Carol Olney The Real Estate Professionals

Affiliate of the Year John Peterson New American Funding

Rookie of the Year Chrissie Grasso Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices

2017 Board of Directors

Rob Morel President

Cheryle Ushkow President Elect

Danny Fredericks Director

Shyrl Lorino Director

Tom Nickl Immediate Past President

Brittny Burford Director

Jack Pharris Director

Jennette PhillipsToderick Director

Paul Clark Director

Mina Semenza Director

David Coe Director

Norma Fernandez Director

Crystal West Director

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Recognizing Potential

New York businessman dropped a dollar into the cup of a man selling pencils and hurriedly stepped aboard the subway train. On second thought, he stepped back off the train, walked over to the beggar and took several pencils from the cup.

Apologetically, he explained that in his haste he had neglected to pick up his pencils and hoped the man wouldn’t be upset with him. “After all,” he said, “you are a businessman just like myself. You have merchandise to sell and it’s fairly priced.” Then he caught the next train.

A

A wise man said, “A lot of people have gone further than they thought they could because someone else thought they could.” How do you see others? The greatest good we can do for anyone is not to share our wealth with them, but rather to reveal their own wealth to them. It’s astonishing how much talent and ability rests inside a human being. Just as the first step to success is knowing your own potential, the second step is knowing the potential of others. Fortunately, as we recognize our own ability, it’s easy to recognize the ability of others. Once we see it, we can help them discover it for themselves.

At a social function a few months later, a neatly-dressed salesman stepped up to the businessman and introduced himself. “You probably don’t remember me and I don’t know your name, but I will never forget you. You are the man who gave me back my self-respect. I was a “beggar” selling pencils until you came along and told me I was a businessman.”

Zig Ziglar is a beloved author and America’s motivator.

He is the author of 25 books and offers training and consulting to organizations all across the globe. To learn more about Zig and his business visit his website at www. ziglar.com.

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Are You a ValueAdded Agent?

I • • • •

’ll bet if I asked ten real estate agents, all ten would answer ‘yes’ to that question. Yet, when I ask agents how they are value-added, they say things like: I communicate regularly with my clients I have a written listing presentation I am honest.

I am trustworthy.

Four Actions Value-Added Agents Take

Are these ‘value-added’ attributes? Or, does the client expect these attributes and services? Are these exceptional services, or average services? I’m writing this article at the beginning of a New Year. It’s a perfect time to re-assess your professionalism and master being that ‘value-added agent.

Client Expectations are Higher than Ever

How can you identify value-added agents? By their actions. Here are 4 actions I believe shows agents are above just ‘average’. The principle here is: Watch the actions, not the words.

If I were a manager, or a seller or buyer, and I wanted to find a value-added agent, here’s what I would look for: 1. Has a database and populates it

Unfortunately, too many real estate agents assume they are ‘value-added’ because they are providing the services they want to provide—the services they think the client values. However, there’s a real client out there, and the client has a different expectation. How do I know that?

Because so few agents regularly survey their clients. In fact, when I’m speaking to an audience, I survey them, and find that less than 25% percent gather after-sale surveys! So, the majority of agents don’t know if the services they are providing are average or exceptional.

Why Bother Being Exceptional?

• Because you want to set yourself apart • You want to create client loyalty • You want to create at least 50% of your business from client referrals (the latest National Association of Realtors® survey Profile of Members found that the average Realtor® got only 18% of his business from refer30

rals. That’s a hard and expensive way to run a real estate business!

• Because you want to run a more pleasant, profitable business

This agent is committed long-term to his clients and to his business. He uses a contact management program (CRM) to manage ‘leads’, so none are lost—and clients do not feel neglected. After all, it takes much longer today to convert a ‘lead’ to a sale than it used to take. Actively using and maintaining a CRM means the agent is committed to forming long-term professional relationships over time.

Other demonstrable actions concerning the agent’s CRM are: • Has a rapid-response method to deal with Internet inquiries and other inquiries via e-mail. (The average client expects a response within 8 hours—but a recent survey showed the average agent responded in 50 hours!).

• Has a method to follow up on all leads until they ‘buy or die’. As a client, that means I won’t get lost. As a seller, it means my agent will follow up with all leads and give it 100% to sell my home.

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2. Invests in the technology and follow-up pros have This agent makes every decision based on his vision of his career at least 3 to 5 years in the future. For example, instead of selling someone a house anywhere just to get a sale, my value-added agent sells only in an area he defines as his ‘target area’. That way, he’ll get known, and can build on his reputation.

The value-added agent has the ‘guts’ to turn down business! Because he cares more about the well-being of the client than getting one grimy commission check, he learns to ‘tell the truth attractively’, and works harder to retain the client than to make one commission.

3. Works for referrals, not just sales I said the agent learns to ‘tell the truth attractively’, even if the buyer or seller may not want to hear it. For example, if it’s in the best interests of the seller to list his home at a lower price, the value-added agent has the strategies and the statistics to prove that the seller will be not well served by pricing higher.

And, this value-added agent has the intestinal fortitude to walk away if he knows the home will not sell at the client’s desired price (but doesn’t have to many times because he creates a stellar reputation amongst his clientele).

4. Keeps the buyers and sellers’ best interests in mind Our value-added agent makes every decision to grow trust, not just to make a fast buck. For example, the agent sits down with a prospective couple, and, finding out they can’t purchase right away, creates a plan with them to save for their down payment. Then, she keeps in touch over a period of months, offering helpful information and market updates.

In other words, this agent practices seller or buyer agency representation, not ‘agent agency’!

Adding those Client Benefits to your Dialogue Of course, it’s not enough to actually take these actions.

You need to explain to the client why these actions are in the client’s best interests, and how you stand apart from most agents by employing them. Why? Because your client won’t know you run your business so professionally. And, the client probably doesn’t know most agents don’t run their businesses this way!

Tip: Always show your clients, don’t just tell them. You do have a Professional Portfolio and evidence on your website, don’t you?

Put Yourself to the Test How many of these actions do you exhibit? What do you want to work on to become a true ‘value-added’ agent?

Tip: Managers, give your agents a ‘test’ on these 4 points. How many pass?

Carla Cross, CRB, MA, President of Carla Cross Seminars, Inc., and Carla Cross Coaching, is an international speaker specializing in real estate management and business planning for all real estate professionals. Her seven internationally published books, including Up and Running in 30 Days, and 20 agent and management programs have helped thousands of real estate professionals to greater productivity and profitability. Reach Carla at 425-392-6914 or www.carlacross.com.

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Wherever You Are, Be There

O

nce we master the art of being, we open the door to a lifetime of happiness.

One of the major reasons why we fail to find happiness or to create unique lifestyle is because we have not yet mastered the art of being.

While we are home our thoughts are still absorbed with solving the challenges we face at the office. And when we are at the office we find ourselves worrying about problems at home.

We go through the day without really listening to what others are saying to us. We may be hearing the words, but we aren’t absorbing the message.

As we go through the day we find ourselves focusing on past experiences or future possibilities. We are so involved in yesterday and tomorrow that we never even notice that today is slipping by.

Lifestyle is learning to be wherever you are. It is developing a unique focus on the current moment, and drawing from it all of the substance and wealth of experience and emotions that it has to offer. Lifestyle is taking time to watch a sunset. Lifestyle is listening to silence. Lifestyle is capturing each moment so that it becomes a new part of what we are and of what we are in the process of becoming. Lifestyle is not something we do; it is something we experience. And until we learn to be there, we will never master the art of living well.

Jim Rohn knows the secrets of success - in business and in life. He has devoted his life to a study of the fundamentals of human behavior and personal motivation that affect professional performance. He can awaken the unlimited power of achievement within you! Reproduced with permission from the Jim Rohn Weekly E-zine. Š 2008 Jim Rohn International. All rights reserved. For information contact FrogPond at 800.704.FROG(3764) or email susie@FrogPond.com; http://www.FrogPond. com.

We go through the day rather than getting something from the day. We are everywhere at any given moment in time except living in that moment in time.

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