APRIL 2018 MW

EXECUTIVEAGENT MAGAZINE

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Chris Smith Executive Agent of the Month

Inside Features: Blake Baron Finance of America Mortgage

Erin McKeon Keller Willaims Realty

WESTLAKE VILLAGE

FAMILY. INTEGRITY. VALUE.

Finance of America Mortgage Westlake Village is Southern California’s premiere mortgage lender. Our goal is to create value for the community while bringing families home.

Scott Engel

Steve Haddad

Sherrie Nickeas

NMLS-260965

NMLS-238275

NMLS-253906

Samantha Scott

Daniel Gat

James Guzik

NMLS-252312

NMLS-261049

NMLS-486122

Brenda Podesta

Rick Kleinfinger

Kirk Engel

NMLS-507200

NMLS-260526

NMLS-261071

Branch Manager

o: (310) 739-6243 sengel@financeofamerica.com

Senior Mortgage Advisor

o: (805) 200-7680 samantha.scott@financeofamerica.com

Senior Mortgage Advisor

o: (707) 815-9780 bpodesta@financeofamerica.com

Branch Manager

o: (818) 207-4889 shaddad@financeofamerica.com

Senior Mortgage Advisor

o: (310) 363-5800 dagat@financeofamerica.com

Senior Mortgage Advisor

o: (310) 429-7683 rkleinfinger@financeofamerica.com

Senior Mortgage Advisor

o: (805) 380-5363 snickeas@financeofamerica.com

Senior Mortgage Advisor

o: (213) 373-3032 jguzik@financeofamerica.com

Sales Manager

o: (310) 924-5283 kengel@financeofamerica.com

Blake Baron

Business Development & Marketing NMLS-1659682

o: (805) 444-0643 bbaron@financeofamerica.com

FOAmortgage.com/WestlakeVillage

We offer in-house agent marketing support.

Contact us today to find out how we can help grow your business Š2018 Finance of America Mortgage LLC is licensed nationwide | | NMLS ID #1071 (www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org) | 300 Welsh Road, Building 5, Horsham, PA 19044 | (800) 355-5626 | AZ Mortgage Banker License #0910184 | Licensed by the Department of Business Oversight under the California Residential Mortgage Lending Act | Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee #15499 | Illinois Residential Mortgage Licensee | Kansas Licensed Mortgage Company | Licensed by the N.J. Department of Banking and Insurance | Licensed Mortgage Banker -- NYS Banking Department | Rhode Island Licensed Lender

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EXECUTIVE AGENT OF THE MONTH

Chris Smith Pinnacle Estate Properties

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17

Inside Features

28

06 Erin McKeon

Blake Baron

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ExecutiveAgent Magazine

APRIL, 2018 Editorials

E XECUTIVE AGENT

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MAGAZINE

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Fred Arrias Executive Publisher PO Box 73384 San Clemente, CA 92673 Direct: (949) 297-8323 Cell: (949) 702-9577 Fax: (949) 266-8757 FArrias45@gmail.com www.EAMag.net

Potentialize Your Opportunities -Mark Victor Hansen

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The Number One Ingredient For Great Success: Commitment -Patrick Pechmann

ADVERTISERS’ INDEX - MW City of Hope.......................................................34 COMPASS..........................................................36

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The Great Challenge of Life -Jim Rohn

Finance of America Mortgage.............................2 iPhotography Studio...............................................23 NAHREP...................................................................8 SRAR.................................................................................14

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Become Everything You Are Capable of Becoming -Brian Tracy

The Termite Guy......................................................3 VAREP................................................................................9

Photography: iPhotography Studio, Ian Wiant, Rob Paino Graphic Designer: Garon T. Arrias Editorial Manager: Trudy Van Writers: Ben Angel, John Boe, Haley Freeman, Jim Rohn, Walter Sanford, Dirk Zeller, Zig Ziglar Craig Harrison, Simma Lieberman, Chris Widener, Mark Victor Hansen, Brian Tracy, Denis Waitley

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How To Stay Motivated -Denis Waitley

© Copyright 2018 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.

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Achievement In Steps -Chris Widener

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E XECUTIVE AGENT

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MAGAZINE

Blake Baron Written by Haley Freeman

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eet Blake Baron, Director of Business Development and Marketing for Finance of America Mortgage in Westlake Village. Blake and his team create unparalleled value for real estate professionals through service designed to enhance their businesses and make them superstars in the eyes of their clients. Such an outcome would not be possible without also delivering the industry’s most acclaimed service to homebuyers, offering them the best programs and rates, and a seamless journey through closing.

Blake brings a unique set of skills to his position, as he is a licensed California attorney who also holds

an MBA. He has held a real estate license for more than a decade and has developed expertise in the corporate sector in the areas of team building and project management. Blake’s interest in real estate began as a youngster, as his family moved often and bought and sold many properties along the way. With his friendly nature and extraordinary business acumen, real estate became a natural vocation. When he was approached by friend and fellow hockey enthusiast, Branch Manager Steve Haddad, about helping his team sharpen their efficiencies and build iron-clad relationships, Blake saw an amazing opportunity to put his many strengths behind a single purpose.

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Creating Value for Realtors® and the Community In so doing, Blake has assembled a group of exceptional professionals who are enthusiastically advancing the company’s vision. Ken Kastelic, Business Development Manager, is intent upon meeting Realtors® face-to-face and developing meaningful partnerships. Born in Indiana and raised in the San Fernando Valley, Ken’s down-toearth Midwestern temperament and diverse career of relationship building in industries spanning mixology to NHRA pit crew to real estate, Ken is adept at connecting with all kinds of people and providing resources that make their businesses run better.

been on the market too long. They identified that the home had been over-valued, and while it had been marketed as a family home, there was nothing about the property that felt inviting to kids. Blake and his team examined the buyer profile and made suggestions for adjusting staging with details that would make the office a pleasant place to do homework. They also suggested setting up a kids’ teepee in the downstairs bonus room and the addition of wind chimes and speakers on the back patio to mask road noise. With a market-appropriate price and a new image, the home sold in two weeks!

Marketing Coordinator Holden Claus is a California native, born and raised in the Conejo Valley. He recently graduated with a business degree with an emphasis in real estate. During college he worked as an assistant and transaction coordinator to top-producing Realtors®. He brings an insider perspective to his role of overseeing marketing and advertising for branch Loan Consultants, as well as for Finance of America Mortgage Westlake’s real estate partners. He is a talented photographer and visual designer with a knack for creating eye-catching images and developing marketing messages that grab the attention of potential buyers and sellers of real estate.

The professionals at Finance of Amarica Mortgage Westlake are also focused on service to the greater community, putting their support behind many causes and events, including 100 Men Ventura County. The group meets quarterly, and each participant brings a check for $100. Local charities present their causes and the group decides which one will receive their collective donation of $10,000.

According to Blake, the team’s strength lies in its ability to synergize. “We are far more efficient than any team out there. Since we generally work with a high-end clientele, it takes a keener eye and more effort to develop a product that matches the expectations of the marketplace. We brainstorm together and develop our own proprietary marketing here, and then work with our corporate office to ensure industry compliance.”

The team also works together to pinpoint individual needs, rather than imposing one-size-fits-all solutions.

“In order to create value, we need to understand what the client values,” Blake says. “We start by asking questions like, ‘How can I help you?’ and ‘What are you looking for?’.”

“Our goal is to create value for our real estate partners and the community they work in through everything we do,” Blake says. “The support we provide to agents and Loan Consultants makes it possible for them to concentrate fully on their clients. Our Loan Consultants are focused fully on the borrower, so Realtors® can focus on getting the next deal.”

Blake Baron NMLS ID 1659682 Director of Business Development & Marketing Finance of America Mortgage 5655 Lindero Canyon Road, Suite 120 Westlake Village, CA 91362 Tel: 805.444.0643 – 818.483.2599 Email: BBaron@financeofamerica.com Web: www.foamortgage.com/bbaron ©2018 Finance of America Mortgage LLC is licensed nationwide | NMLS

Blake and his team can often help agents tackle challenges from a fresh perspective. For instance, they recently helped a Realtor® rebrand a property that had ExecutiveAgent Magazine

ID #1071 (www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org) | 300 Welsh Road, Building 5, Horsham, PA 19044 | (800) 355-5626 | Licensed by the Department of Business Oversight under the California Residential Mortgage Lending Act.

WEALTH & REAL ESTATE C O N F E R E N C E

MAY 7-9, 2018

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How to Stay

MOTIVATED B

e willing to say to yourself, “I’m on the right road.

I’m doing OK. I’m succeeding.” We too frequently become adept at pointing out our flaws and identifying failures.

Become equally adept at citing your achievements.

Identify things you are doing now that you weren’t doing one month ago… six months ago… a year ago. What habits have changed? Chart your progress.

Doing well once or twice is relatively easy. Continuously moving ahead is tough, in part, because we so easily revert to old habits and former lifestyles. Over the long run, you need to give yourself regular feedback to monitor your performance and reinforce yourself positively.

Don’t wait for an award ceremony, promotion, friend or mentor to show appreciation for your work. Take pride in your own efforts on a daily basis.

Keep the end result in sight. Always see the big picture of the ultimate goal you’re working for and the benefits that come with it. During World War II, parachutes were being constructed by the thousands. From the workers point of view, the job was tedious and repetitive. (Like making “cold calls” on the phone or in person.)

It involved crouching over a sewing machine eight to ten hours a day, stitching endless lengths of colorless fabric.

The result was a seamless heap of cloth. But every morning the workers were reminded that each stitch was part of a life-saving operation.

As they sewed, they were asked to think that this might be the parachute worn by their husband, brother or son.

Although the work was hard and the hours long, the women

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and men on the assembly line understood their contribution to the larger picture. The same should be true with your work.

Each thing you do benefits the health and well being of adults and children throughout the world, not just generally, but specifically. These are the visions that drive us through tedious details to the top.

Set up a dynamic daily routine. Getting into a positive routine or groove, instead of a negative rut, will help you become more effective. Why is the subway the most energy efficient means of transportation? Because it runs on a track.

Think of the order in your day, instead of the routine.

Order is not sameness, neatness or everything exactly in its place. Order is not taking on more than you can manage, without still being able to do what you really choose. Order is the opposite of complication; it’s simplification.

Order is not wasting a lot of time trying to find things.

Order is avoiding a lot of recriminations because you didn’t do something you promised. Order is setting an effective agenda with others, so neither of you is disappointed. Order is doing in a day what you set out to do.

Order frees you up. Get into the swing of a healthy, daily routine and discover how much more control you’ll gain in your life.

Denis Waitley is a leading motivational speaker and peak performance expert. He is the author of The Seeds of Greatness.

ExecutiveAgent Magazine

ExecutiveAgent Magazine

11

Become Everything You Are Capable Of Becoming

T

he turning point in my life came when I discovered the law of cause and effect, the great law of the universe, and human destiny. I learned that everything happens for a reason. I discovered that success is not an accident.

Determine exactly what you want to be able to do.

Decide who you want to become. Describe exactly what you will look like when you become truly excellent in your field and in your personal life.

Upgrade Your Personal Knowledge and Skills…

Failure is not an accident, either. I also discovered that people who are successful in any area usually are those who have learned the cause-and-effect relationship between what they want and how to get it.

Determine Your Personal Growth and Development Values…

To realize your full potential for personal and professional growth and development, begin with your values as they apply to your own abilities. As you know, your values are expressed in your words and actions.

You can tell what your values are by looking at what you do and how you respond to the world around you.

Your values are the root causes of your motivations and your behaviors.

Clarify Your Personal Growth and Development Vision…

Create a long-term vision for yourself in the area of personal growth. Project forward five or ten years and imagine that you are developed fully in every important part of your life. Idealize and see yourself as outstanding in every respect. Refuse to compromise on your personal dreams.

Set Goals for Development…

Your

Personal

Growth

and

Now take your vision and crystallize it into specific goals. Here is a good way to start. Take out a piece of paper and write down ten goals that you would like to achieve in the area of personal and professional development in the months and years ahead. Write in the present tense, exactly as if you were already the person you intend to be.

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Set specific measures for each of your goals. If your goal is to excel in your field, determine how you will know when you have achieved it. Decide how you can measure your progress and evaluate your success.

Perhaps you can use as a measure the number of hours you study in your field each week. Perhaps you can measure the number of books you read or the number of audio programs you listen to. Perhaps you could measure your progress by the number of sales you make as the result of your growing skills.

Develop Winning Personal Growth and Development Habits…

Select the specific habits and behaviors you will need to practice every day to become the person you want to become. These could be the habits of clarity, planning, thoroughness, studiousness, hard work, determination, and persistence.

Action Exercise: Decide today to develop yourself to the point where you can achieve every financial and personal goal you ever set and become everything you are capable of becoming.

Write down your goals and make sure to look at them every day, then ponder ways you possibly achieve these goals.

Brian Tracy is one of the world’s leading authorities on personal and business success. His fast-moving talks and seminars are loaded with powerful, proven ideas and strategies that you can apply immediately to get better results in every area. Be sure to visit the Brian Tracy web site.

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UPCOMING EVENTS & CLASSES FOR MEMBERS • March 07, 2018 Commercial Class: Deferring Capital Gains Through 1031 Exchange

• March 13, 2018 Wake Up YPN • March 13, 2018 Code of Ethics Course • March 14, 2018 Contracts Class (Ft. the Residential Purchase Agreement) • March 15, 2018 Lunch & Learn: Facebook Advertising • March 26, 2018 REALTOR® Property Resource Class

• April 10, 2018 Wake Up YPN • April 11, 2018 Commercial Class: Effective Commercial Purchase Agreement • April 19, 2018 YPN Mixer @ Royce’s Arcade Warehouse • April 25, 2018 MLS Rules Class “How to Avoid Paying Assessments” • April 26-27, 2018 Seniors Real Estate Specialist (SRES) Designation Course

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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: 949.297.8323

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Cover Story

Chris Smith Executive Agent of the Month

ExecutiveAgent Magazine

Chris Smith Written by Haley Freeman - Photography by Ian Wiant

C

hris Smith, Broker Associate at Pinnacle Properties, Inc., has spent more than a decade perfecting the skills that make him a top-producing agent, while also developing deep connections within the communities he serves. Born in Ohio, Chris relocated to California with his family during his teen years. While attending California State University, Northridge with a goal of becoming a medical professional, he began working in the mortgage and real estate sector to offset his student expenses. There, he discovered a career suited to his love of people and bold entrepreneurial leanings, and he became a licensed Realtor® in 2004.

Shortly after he began, the booming tide of the real estate market turned. However, Chris saw opportunity where many of his colleagues saw defeat. “When the

market crashed is when I learned the most,” he says. “It’s actually hard to learn to do this job well in a strong market where everybody is qualified. When a lot of people were getting out of the business, I was really striving. I started working with banks, doing short sales, developing relationships, and also building my own real estate portfolio.

I built a lot of relationships with investors, as well. I got a good foothold in this industry that has carried over to where I am today.”

While Chris has enjoyed success working for companies both large and small, he says he has found the perfect fit at Pinnacle Properties, where everyone is treated “just like family. I really don’t like the corporate thing, and here they truly get behind you and give you whatever you need to catapult you in business.”

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Recently, Chris was invited to open a new office in Woodland Hills with a seasoned industry colleague, Armando Oliva. “I’ve known Armando for 17 years, and he has been one of my mentors in the business. He is a dominant force in the market and has owned several successful real estate enterprises, including a real estate school.

We work together really well, and I’m excited about this opportunity to not just build my business, but help teach other people who want to learn the real estate profession.”

Energized by this new challenge of creating a positive environment where professionals thrive and clients reap the benefits, Chris is recruiting quality individuals and providing them with the tools to succeed. “We’re attracting a lot of newer agents, which has been great. In addition to our regular training, I also put them through a 30-day boot camp. A lot of them have other jobs and want to use real estate to offset their incomes and eventually transition out

of other professions. We can teach them to avoid the mistakes we’ve made and how to do it right from the start.”

Chris is enthusiastic about developing new agents, but he has elevated standards for the professionals he hires.

“We want team players here, family people who want to be part of a bigger family. This is a place where everyone can share ideas, grow together and be excited about it. There is full accessibility to me and Armando, and it’s been great to see our agents happy and opening their first escrows. I think one of my strengths is motivating people and knowing how to get the most out of them. Each person is different. I’ve learned to find their strengths and focus on that. In a bigger company, people tend to get lost in the shuffle. You’re on your own hoping you find a couple of deals. Here, we push as hard as people want to be pushed to help them reach the goals they’ve set for themselves.”

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A producing manager, Chris leads by example as he continues to provide award-winning service to clients throughout Woodland Hills and Simi Valley. He believes that service excellence begins with establishing meaningful relationships. “It’s not about the paycheck - it’s about building friendships. Through real estate, I’ve made lifelong friends. I’m still in contact even with those who are out of state. If they’re local, I frequently invite them over or go to their houses.”

Chris is also a solutions-driven professional who is proactive about clearing the way for a trouble-free transaction. “When people hire a Realtor®, they want to know, is this person experienced? Can they trust you?

I’m a handshake kind of guy. I have the knowledge and experience to be a problem solver, and I try to head off any problems before they happen. It alleviates a lot of stress for my clients.”

While words like “honesty” and “integrity” have become common industry buzz words, Chris’s actions and clients speak for him. Some have even offered to let him publish their telephone numbers with their testimonials, so

that they could recommend him directly to anyone looking for a reference.

One client reported: “Chris is the best to work with.

He is a man of his word and really works hard for you as an agent. He is thorough and diligent and downright gets things done. Chris is an exceptional agent and a man of integrity.”

A repeat client said: “Chris is an amazing guy and Realtor®. He was our Realtor® for the sale of our first home, the purchase of our second home, and then three years later sold it when we moved out of the area. He was not only great at his job, knowing both the sale value and purchase value, he became a good friend to our family. He was even available to give us advice on the purchase of our current home.”

Another noted: “Chris was great. He made our home sale manageable. With unforeseen problems, Chris kept us and the buyers up-to-date daily. He’s the most attentive Realtor® I’ve ever worked with, and I will be recommending him to others in the future.”

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The Pinnacle of Client Service According to Chris, he is able to create such outstanding results because he is willing to do what others won’t.

He invests in the success of sellers with comprehensive marketing that outshines the competition. He also works tirelessly to connect buyers and sellers from his own network, within the community, and from abroad using the exclusive tools available through Pinnacle Properties’ global affiliates. “It’s not cheap to market a home and do it correctly, from professional photography to high-quality printed materials. I’m out there walking the neighborhoods, contacting everyone in my database and marketing through our global marketing platforms with Luxury Portfolio International and Leading Real Estate Companies of the World, which allow us to create a globally accessible website for each property and put them in magazines and print advertising, as well.”

Chris is also passionate about giving back to the community through regular service projects, including monthly trips to assist the homeless in Skid Row. “Every month, I send an email to my database letting people know they can drop off food or clothing donations. We bring tables and give away food, drinks, clothing and Bibles. We feed hundreds every time we go, but my vision is to expand this effort to feed millions of people every year.”

Chris’s faith-based and Midwestern values are reflected in his work ethic, his down-to-earth nature and his genuine desire to build lasting relationships with the people he serves. “Bringing a seller the most money or getting a buyer the best deal - that’s just my job. But I think the little things are what people appreciate most, when you treat them like a friend and put their best interests first. That’s what client service is really about.”

Clients receive the same level of service, regardless of the neighborhood or the price of their transaction. “I treat everybody equally, with the same respect and excitement.

No matter what someone is spending on a home, it’s their biggest investment for their family.”

ExecutiveAgent Magazine

CHRIS SMITH Pinnacle Estate Properties, Inc. 971 S. Westlake Blvd. Westlake Village, CA 91361 Tel: 818.434.1672 - Email: 1reoking@gmail.com Web: www.1Realtor.net - CalBRE # 01437838

ExecutiveAgent Magazine

The Great Challenge of

LIFE

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ExecutiveAgent Magazine

H

ere’s the great challenge of life – You can have more than you’ve got because you can become more than you are.

I have found that income seldom will exceed your own personal development. Once in a while income takes a lucky jump, but unless you grow out to where it is it will go back to where you are.

Somebody once said if you took all the money in the world and divided it among everyone equally, it would soon be back in the same pockets. However, you can have more because you can become more.

You see, here is how the other side of the coin reads – unless you change how you are, you will always have what you’ve got. The marketing plan won’t do it. It’s a good plan but it won’t work without you. You’ve got to work it. It is the human effort that counts. If you could send a sales manual out to recruit – wouldn’t that be lovely? The major thing that makes the difference is what YOU do.

guy says “If I had a good job I would really pour it on, but I have this lousy job so I just goof off.” If that is your philosophy you are destined to stay there. Some people say if I had a lot of money I would be really generous, but I don’t have much so I’m not generous.

See, you’ve got to change that philosophy or you will never have “the lots of money”. Unless YOU change, IT won’t change. Amazingly, however, when we throw out our blame list and start becoming more ourselves – the difference is everything else will begin to change around us.

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. Copyright© 2006, Jim Rohn. All right reserved. For information about Jim’s keynote presentations and seminars, contact the FrogPond at 800.704.FROG(3764) or email susie@ FrogPond.com, http://FrogPond.com.

In order to have more, you need to become more. The

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The Number One Ingredient For Great Success: Commitment

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ExecutiveAgent Magazine

“Commitment is what transforms a promise into reality” — Abraham Lincoln

T

here is a ton of advice out there on how to achieve success, but little is said about the great impact commitment will make on your life. It’s the number one thing you must get down before doing anything else, without commitment your odds on success will decrease drastically.

Being passionate isn’t enough Bill Gates has a great passion for computers and software.

Michael Jordan is extremely passionate about basketball.

Stephen King’s passion is writing.

But did these guys achieve great success with nothing else than passion? Being successful takes hard work, discipline, passion AND most importantly, commitment. You may truly love what you do but there will be a time when you’ll have to work on other tasks which you hate.

And that’s where most people give up. They feel like they’ve lost passion for what they’re doing and decide to quit. The passion’s probably still there, they just can’t seem to get around the tasks that are unpleasant but indispensable to the success of their business or career.

Truly committing to something means going all the way and doing whatever it takes. You may be working as a bartender and hate your job but if you’re one hundred percent committed to saving up enough money in order to open your own business, you will get there in spite of the long and unpleasant hours.

Being passionate about what you do is great and I highly recommend not doing anything else. In order to greatly improve your chances on success however, you should create a plan, envision your goal and commit to it no matter what.

Experts are born from commitment I’m knowledgeable in computer programming, sales, graphic designing, photography and psychology. The

problem is that I didn’t get past the “amateur level” in any of these. Why? Because of my lack of commitment.

Whenever I had to work on stuff I disliked, I discovered something new that I was interested in and started all over again.

Had I stuck to computer programming from the very beginning I would probably be able to make a pretty decent living at it. Finally I made a stop at freelance writing.

Because there’s nothing about it that I don’t like and nothing else interests me? Hell no. I hate it when I have to get an article or blog post written but I just stare at a blank screen and the words won’t come to my mind.

Every time I feel overwhelmed or start doubting myself, I remember that I made a commitment and that the only way to get to the top is by sticking to it. The best part is that after a while it doesn’t only start to pay off financial-wise, it’s a huge confidence boost too. I’m no expert yet but month after month I see improvement in my writing and there’s no stopping in sight.

Commitment is the one and only thing that will make you an expert over time. It’s pretty simple: The more you do something, the better you get at it.

Every successful person committed to something Try and think of one successful person who didn’t commit to something. It’s practically impossible.

Commitment is one of the things all successful people have in common, no matter if you’re talking about Michael Phelps, Tiger Woods, J.K. Rowling or Richard Branson.

All of them committed to something, became experts in their field and achieved great success.

Patrick Pechmann is a freelance writer and the owner of patrickpechmann.com, where he writes about dating, relationship and self improvement. Writing, entrepreneurship and discovering the path to success is what gets him excited.

ExecutiveAgent Magazine

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E XECUTIVE AGENT

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MAGAZINE

Written by Haley Freeman

Erin McKeon

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n his book, “The Alchemist,” author Paulo Coelho wrote, “It’s the possibility of having a dream come true that makes life interesting.” Inspired by that statement, Realtor® Erin McKeon takes it a step further.

She says, “I also love the quote, ‘The dream is free, but the hustle is sold separately.’ For me, it’s about con-

stantly working toward something bigger. I believe so much in life is about mindset and surrounding yourself with positive people. It’s so important to me to work hard and create a successful business. I’m goal-oriented and constantly have them in front of me. I want to feel excited and challenged by what I’m doing every day.”

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A Purveyor of Possibilities A Southern California native, Erin is a lifelong competitive springboard and platform diver who was recruited to the Division 1 diving team at USC. Her athletic experience provided invaluable training for her future as a real estate entrepreneur. “I’ve had coaches my whole life, and it helped me develop the discipline necessary for this type of career. I love working with Keller Williams, where I can have my own company within this organization.”

Erin’s mother, Cheryll, is a California Realtor® who has made the McKeon name synonymous with real estate excellence in Orange County. Erin obtained her real estate license out of college and entered the family business, and then chose to step away during the recession. After working as a senior manager tasked with opening new retail locations for luxury brands like Christian Dior and Salvatore Ferragamo, Erin returned to real estate feeling better equipped to deliver exceptional service to buyers and sellers of real estate.

“Stepping away for a few years was probably one of the best things I’ve done for myself. I’ve been in coaching with the Mike Ferry Organization for years, and I was able to take everything he taught me and apply it to business outside of real estate. Then when I came back, I had learned what I needed to have the career I wanted. I came back with more confidence and a broader perspective on life and business.”

Today, Erin is continuing the legacy begun by her mother and adding her own accent under the banner of McKeon Homes. Together with her assistant and transaction coordinator, she is on a mission to provide unparalleled client service.

While Erin is a self-motivated and competitive individual by nature, she is also compassionate and caring toward the people she represents in a real estate transaction. She puts the best interests of her clients first and acts decisively to reduce worries and move them through a seamless closing.

“We are really proud of our transparency in the way we work. We never try to push someone to buy or sell a home.

We also realize that a home is a big financial commitment no matter how much money you have. It’s naturally a stressor for anybody. We mitigate stress by being in constant communication. Our job is to educate and walk people through it, whether this is their first home or their tenth home. We also offer a concierge service of lenders, escrow and title companies, in addition to a wide list

of vendors who we trust to help our clients through the process. We want our clients to feel supported from all angles.”

A recent buyer described her experience this way: “Erin was such a pleasure to work with! She went above and beyond and worked tirelessly to help us find the right house! Being first-time buyers, we had no idea what we were getting into, but thankfully, Erin held our hands throughout the entire process. Its always such a joy to work with a great team of people who are extremely passionate about their jobs. It makes difficult tasks such as buying a home so much more enjoyable. Thank you again Erin and to the rest of the McKeon team for all the hours you put in and helping us get our dream home!”

A polished professional who is committed to constant self-improvement, Erin makes it a point to surround herself with the best in the business and continue mastering her craft. She certainly has the hustle, starting each day at 4:15 a.m. to get to the gym and make it to the office by 8:00 a.m. She is enthusiastic about expanding her business and building a team of quality agents who share her vision of uncompromising client service.

“I believe that everything in my adult career has led to where I am supposed to be. All of those experiences have led me to where I am now. I’m so excited to help people through this process, whether they are buying or selling a home. I take great pride in what I do, and I do this because I love it.”

Erin McKeon Keller Williams Realty 800 Newport Center Drive, Suite 150 Newport Beach, CA 92660 Tel: 949-842-7032 Email: erin@mckeonhomes.com Web: www.mckeonhomes.com CalBRE # 01464144

ExecutiveAgent Magazine

Achievement in Steps?

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ince this is a time of adjustment for me and a time for me to renew my dreams of what I want to accomplish in life and business, I want to share a few thoughts on achieving your dreams.

It is never too late to dream or renew your dream for a better life. The real question though, is how do we achieve a dream? Well, here are some thoughts that will help you answer that question!

Can achievement be broken down into steps? Well, it isn’t always that clean and easy, but I do know that those who achieve great things usually go through much of the same process, with many of the steps listed below as part of that process.

So if you have been struggling with achieving your dreams, look through the following, and internalize the thoughts presented. Then begin to apply them. If you do that, you will be on the road to achieving your dream!

1. Dream it – Everything begins in the heart and mind.

Every great achievement began in the mind of one person.

They dared to dream, to believe that it was possible. Take some time to allow yourself to ask “What if?” Think big.

Don’t let negative thinking discourage you. You want to be a “dreamer.”

Dream of the possibilities for yourself, your family, and 30

for others. If you had a dream that you let grow cold, reignite the dream! Fan the flames. Life is too short to let it go.

2. Believe it – Yes, your dream needs to be big. It needs to be something that is seemingly beyond your capabilities.

But it also must be believable. You must be able to say that if certain things take place, if others help, if you work hard enough, though it is a big dream, it can still be done.

Good example: A person with no college education can dream that he will build a 50 million-dollar a year company. That is big, but believable. Bad example: That a 90 year-old woman with arthritis will someday run a marathon in under 3 hours. It is big alright, but also impossible. Your dream must be believable.

3. See it – The great achievers have a habit. They “see” things. They picture themselves walking around their CEO office in their new 25 million-dollar corporate headquarters, even while they are sitting on a folding chair in their garage “headquarters.”

Great free-throw shooters in the NBA picture the ball going through the basket. PGA golfers picture the ball going straight down the fairway. World-class speakers picture themselves speaking with energy and emotion. All of this grooms the mind to control the body to carry out the dream. You have to see it in your mind before you can see it in reality.

ExecutiveAgent Magazine

Written By Chris Widener

4. Tell it – One reason many dreams never go anywhere is because the dreamer keeps it all to himself. It is a quiet dream that only lives inside of his mind. The one who wants to achieve their dream must tell that dream to many people.

5. Plan it – Every dream must take the form of a plan.

The old saying that you “get what you plan for” is so true.

Your dream won’t just happen. You need to sit down, on a regular basis, and plan out your strategy for achieving the dream.

Think through all of the details. Break the whole plan down into small, workable parts. Then set a time frame for accomplishing each task on your “dream plan.”

6. Work it – Boy, wouldn’t life be grand if we could quit before this one! Unfortunately for the lazy folks, the successful are usually the hardest workers. While the rest of the world is sitting on their couch watching re-runs of their favorite television shows, achievers are working on their goal – achieving their dream.

7. Enjoy it – When you have reached your goal and you are living your dream, be sure to enjoy it. In fact, enjoy the trip too. Give yourself some rewards along the way.

Give yourself a huge reward when you get there. Help others enjoy it. Be gracious and generous. Use your dream to better others.

When you have become successful and achieved your dreams circle around and go back to number one. And dream a little bigger this time!

Chris Widener is the President of Made For Success. He teaches leaders how to become Extraordinary Leaders.

Chris’ speaking and consulting services have challenged the best to become optimists, to pursue excellence relentlessly, and to dream big dreams. Copyright© 2001, Chris Widener. All rights reserved. For information about Chris’ speaking and consulting services, please contact the Frog Pond Group at 800-704-FROG (3764) or email Susie@frogpondgroup.com; http://www.frogpondgroup. com.

I have an equation that I work with: Your short-term tasks, multiplied by time, equal your long-term accomplishments. If you work on it each day, eventually you will achieve your dream. War and Peace was written, in longhand, page by page.

ExecutiveAgent Magazine

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Potentialize Your Opportunities

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ExecutiveAgent Magazine

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remember watching the movie “Dead Poet’s Society” when it was first released in the theatres. Robin Williams’s character is a professor who wants his students to think for themselves, so he makes them stand on top of their desks to view things in a different way. That really stuck with me.

When you think about it, people hardly ever look at the world through their own eyes. They get their information filtered through the eyes of others, whether they’re the eyes of the media, politicians, friends or family. But what looks like one thing to someone may look totally different to someone else. To really see what’s going on in the world, to see what opportunities exist for us, we have to see the world through our own eyes in our own way. We all need to recognize and potentialize opportunities when we see them.

What do I mean by potentialize? When something has potential it has power, it expresses possibility, it is influential and effective. As we go through each day we should be on the lookout for any situation that expresses possibility. Any situation.

To attain the success you desire you have to recognize possibility everywhere and then stretch and flex your mind to create million-dollar ideas. And you’re not limited to just one. The more you practice seeing the possible in daily life, the better you will become.

Then you take those small possibilities and potentialize them and create great monetary abundance.

We all have the ability to potentialize opportunities and create phenomenal wealth. And the amazing thing is that there are multiple possibilities for potentalizing in every situation! Just because someone comes up with a new way to do something doesn’t mean that there isn’t yet another way to do it.

We have each been blessed with individual characteristics and abilities that no one else has. We each have our own special way of doing things. And that means we each have the ability to potentialize in our own unique way. ‘Be grateful for your problems, for they stimulate an ‘I-can-solve-it’ new attitude.’ Mark Victor Hansen Written by Mark Victor Hansen - Co-author of the wildly successful Chicken Soup For The Soul series of books, as well as many others. For over 26 years, Mark Victor Hansen has focused solely on helping people in all walks of life reshape their personal vision of what’s possible for themselves. Learn more about his best selling program, Rip-Roaring Wealth.

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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

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Buyers that used our Collections tool loved the interface and say it kept them focused by collating their searches and organizing them into one shared location with real time parity with the MLS data.�

— Russell Grether

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compass.com Compass is a licensed real estate broker (01991628) in the State of California and abides by Equal Housing Opportunity laws. All material presented herein is intended for informational purposes only.

Information is compiled from sources deemed reliable but is subject to errors, omissions, changes in price, condition, sale, or withdraw without notice. To reach the Compass Malibu office call 310.230.5744