JULY 2018 WLA

EXECUTIVEAGENT MAGAZINE

GUILLERMO MANZO Executive Agent of the Month

Inside Features: Elizabeth Kammen Keller Williams Realty

Eugene Prince Nationwide RE Executives

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Finance of America Mortgage Westlake Village would like to thank all of the Servicemen and women who have proudly served our nation.

FOAmortgage.com/WestlakeVillage This is not a commitment to lend. Prices and guidelines are subject to change without notice. Some products may not be available in all states. Subject to review of credit and/ or collateral; not all applicants will qualify for financing. It is important to make an informed decision when selecting and using a loan product; make sure to compare loan types when making a financing decision. ©2017 Finance of America Mortgage LLC is licensed nationwide | | NMLS ID #1071 (www.nml sconsumeraccess.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

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EXECUTIVE AGENT OF THE MONTH

Guillermo Manzo Pinnacle Estate Properties

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Inside Features

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Elizabeth Kammen

Eugene Prince

Keller Williams Realty

Nationwide RE Services ExecutiveAgent Magazine

JULY, 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.ExecutiveAgentMag.com

The Importance of Constant Self-Improvement -Craig Impelman

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How to Get Agreement from Someone Saying No -Rick Kirschner

ADVERTISERS’ INDEX - WLA City of Hope.......................................................34 Finance of America Mortgage..................2 & 36 iPhotography Studio...............................................23

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Working And Living A Successful Day, Every Day -Rich Levin

NAHREP...................................................................8 SRAR.................................................................................14

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

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3 Money Habits That Separate the Rich From the Poor -Jim Rohn

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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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© 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.

VALUE OF SILENCE -Dirk Zeller

Yesterday’s Impossibles -Zig Ziglar

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E XECUTIVE AGENT

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MAGAZINE

A Vibrant Real Estate Experience Written by Haley Freeman

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t’s rare for someone to know from childhood exactly what they want to be when they grow up, but Elizabeth Kammen did. “Even in elementary school, I would tell my mom I didn’t want to watch SpongeBob SquarePants.

I wanted to watch HGTV,” Elizabeth laughs. These many years later, Elizabeth is a successful young Realtor® at Keller Williams Realty in Westlake Village who is delivering a vibrant real estate experience via her own brand, Kammen Homes.

Before embarking on her real estate career, Elizabeth earned her degree in communication with an emphasis in business at Cal State University, Channel Islands. She simultaneously earned her way to a sales manager position for a luxury retail brand. “I worked with so many different personalities, and I learned how to truly serve

clients versus solely selling a product. I kept a client book with personal details like their birthdays and their jobs, because my focus was to truly connect with the client.

I preferred and still prefer to approach clients as people rather than approaching them for a sale.”

While completing her degree and managing a luxury retail store, Elizabeth obtained her real estate license and began diligently interviewing with various companies, looking for the right place to launch her career.

She found the perfect fit at Keller Williams, a peoplecentered company that invests in the success of both agents and clients, while giving back to the community.

“I liked Keller Williams’ strong training program and the fact that Keller Williams agents help each other succeed instead of being in competition.”

Elizabeth Kammen

ExecutiveAgent Magazine

Inspired by Team Leader Terri Arias, Elizabeth brought her considerable passion and energy to bear on her new career, earning the Keller Williams Culture Award, which was awarded to Elizabeth for exemplifying Keller Williams’ belief and value system. In her second year, she became an assistant team leader, helping to recruit and inspire agents, while maintaining her full time real estate sales career. “Terri is such a motivator and makes you feel like you can do anything you set your mind to.

She believes it for everybody, and that confidence is contagious. She truly inspired me to inspire, and still does!”

Elizabeth is tireless when it comes to helping her clients achieve their goals. She doesn’t just put up a sign and wait for something to happen. “I go the extra mile. I will door-knock and send mailers in the neighborhood of my clients’ choice to find an off-market buying opportunity.

If I have a listing, I door-knock the whole neighborhood to let everyone know the home was just listed, send mailers, circle-dial the neighborhood and much more. I also keep my word. If I tell someone they’re going to get updates from me every Tuesday and Thursday, I put it in my calendar and stick to it. Communication is something I pride myself on.”

Both buyers and sellers are raving fans of Elizabeth’s conscientious and professional care. Elizabeth created these extraordinary results for a recent buyer: “It was a pleasure working with Elizabeth on our condo purchase. What I most appreciated about Elizabeth was her casual, no-pressure sales and the excellent communication throughout the process. Each day, she provided updates on our transaction and literally walked us through each step. At one point, when it looked like our purchase was falling through, she hired a contractor to strengthen our negotiating in getting repairs completed by the seller, (which she paid for). This crucial action resulted in us getting a great deal, (appraisal came in $20,000 over purchase price). You can’t go wrong working with Elizabeth.”

A happy seller commented: “Talk about a first class, smooth experience. Elizabeth is so easy to work with and does everything with a smile. She sold my grandmother’s house for us, and the entire transaction was a breeze.

From the listing process to escrow, I can’t imagine everything getting much easier. I refer her one hundred percent of the time when I hear that friends or family might be in the market for buying or selling a home. Thanks again Elizabeth!”

Elizabeth’s lively personality energizes everyone around her. While real estate is a serious business, she still likes to show people her great sense of humor to lighten the mood and help them see her as the down-to-earth person she is. Outside of real estate, Elizabeth does improv at The Groundlings theatre in LA. “Growing up, everybody said I should be in sales, or an actress or comedian. About three years ago, I decided to just jump for it. It’s a great way to let loose.”

Elizabeth’s earliest instincts about her calling in life were exactly right. As a Realtor®, she is a high-energy, high-integrity problem solver who is making a contribution by helping others navigate one of life’s most significant milestones. “What inspires me most about real estate, is that it’s like a puzzle. I love solving that puzzle and knowing that I’m helping people along the way.”

Elizabeth Kammen Kammen Homes - Keller Williams Realty World Class 30700 Russell Ranch Rd., Ste. 200 Westlake Village, CA 91362 Tel: 805.279.0727 Email: ElizabethKammen@KW.com Web: http://www.KammenHomes.com CalDRE # 01981773

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Introducing: L'ATTITUDE !

NAHREP is partnering with L’ATTITUDE, a new event concept that highlights the powerhouse of Latino buying power, political capital and technological innovation that is propelling the American economy forward. Engaging entrepreneurs, business leaders, artists, politicians and industry influencers, NAHREP at L’ATTITUDE is more than an event, it is a movement.

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HELPING MILITARY & VETERAN

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WHO WE ARE Established in 2011, the USA Homeownership Foundation, Inc. DBA Veterans Association of Real Estate Professionals (VAREP), is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to increasing sustainable homeownership, financial-literacy education, VA loan awareness, and economic opportunity for the active-military and veteran communities.

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WE WANT YOU!

View the full VAREP Events Calendar at:

https://varep.net/eventsfront/advocacy VAREP SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA CHAPTERS

Coachella Valley Riverside San Bernardino

San Diego Los Angeles Orange County

info@VAREP.net | w w w .VAR EP. n e t | 951-444-7363 VAREP IS A 501.C.3 NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION AND YOUR CONTRIBUTION IS TAX DEDUCTIBLE. USA HOMEOWNERSHIP DBA VETERANS ASSOCIATION OF REAL ESTATE PROFESSIONALS TAX ID: 45-2458485

How To Get Agreement From Someone Saying No

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iddle me this: What technique works as well with a negative person at work as it does with a two-yearold at home? Answer: The Polarity Pattern! What happens when you tell a two-year-old to go to bed when the older kids are still up, or you tell a negative coworker that things “aren’t so bad”? The conversation descends along these lines. You ask a person to do something. You ask nicely. You are reasonable. And then they say, “I don’t want to (do what you want them to).” To which you reply, “But you have to do it.” And it’s straight downhill from there. Want a better idea? Use the polarity response!

Because it turns out that when people don’t want to do something, they’re having a polarity response, and using what’s there is more likely to work than fighting or withdrawing from it.

The good news is that this pattern works well with negative people, probably because they are in a polarized position already. I once had an opportunity to observe a brilliant therapist use this technique on a depressed patient who was doing his best to convince the therapist that he was completely hopeless. When all else failed, the therapist playfully agreed with him, saying, “Okay, you win. Of the thousands of unhappy people that I have worked with, you have convinced me that you are the most hopeless, worthless human being I have ever seen! There’s no point in trying to help you. You are doomed, completely beyond help.” The patient looked shocked as he considered that for a long moment, then replied, “Come on. I’m not that bad.” To which the therapist replied, “You’re not? You sure?” To which the patient replied, “Yes, I’m sure.” And that’s when the change work began.

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Another time, I was there when a CEO was complaining to his assistant how the employees in his company were inefficient, incompetent, and utterly incapable of doing a single thing right. His assistant, with a look of utmost earnestness on his face, suggested, “You’re right. Let’s take them all outside, shoot them, and burn the building down!”

The CEO laughed at this idea, then admitted, “Alright, it isn’t that bad!” There are two ways to apply this polarity principle when dealing with your negative person. The first is to bring up the negatives before they do. If you can anticipate that they are going to attack your idea and point out its flaws anyway, might as well invite them to do it so that they are on your side! You say, “Here’s my idea, and here’s where I see it has problems. Bill, break it down for us.” The negative person hears that you are approaching your idea realistically, and may actually be satisfied. “No, that’s okay. As long as you’re aware of the shortcomings, I’m onboard.” A second way to use this is to just agree with the hopelessness of the situation, and take it one step further. Throw down the gauntlet by insisting that even they would be incapable of finding a solution to this problem. “You’re right. It is hopeless. In fact, not even you could find a way to solve this problem.” And that’s when you get the polarity response. Because the only way a negative person can stay negative to a person agreeing with them is to go positive. Don’t be surprised to see your negative person go in the opposite direction, telling you that it can be done and how to do it.

Dr. Rick Kirschner is a motivational speaker, trainer, coach and bestselling author. Learn more by going to his blog.

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Working And Living A Successful Day, Every Day

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he coaches of Rich Levin’s Success Corps are asked this question regularly: “Do you have an outline of a day in the life of a top producing Agent?” This was a challenging question to get answered because it varied so much from one Agent to the next.

On one hand it is clear that there is no such thing as a universal schedule of a perfect day. Each Agent creates their own best schedule based on personal and professional style and substance.

After all Real Estate Agents are the truest form of independent contractors. We are the most independent group of employed people on earth. When it comes to scheduling, this independence is also a great challenge.

After speaking to many Agents we were finally able to distinguish many common elements that will make every day more successful for you.

As you create your best daily schedule, enjoy the process. Enjoy your independence and the tremendous opportunity for success that is available to you.

Take advantage of your profession’s flexibility and experiment with a daily schedule that works for you. You will know if it works for you by the results you obtain. If your number of appointments, listings, and sales increases while at the same time you are able to carve time for yourself and your loved ones you have found your ideal structure.

You may experiences changes – don’t panic. Each change in the market, each change in your family, in your age and health, in your priorities and changes in unlimited other things affect the structure of your day. Those challenges and those changes are wonderfully human and consistent

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with the freedom and independence of our profession. Work through the changes and adjust your schedule accordingly.

What follows are suggestions for your personal schedule to help ensure a productive and successful day.

First, there is a comprehensive list of activities broken down into categories. Second, these activities are broken down into a schedule that includes the most common days’ times and time frames of our highest producing clients.

These suggestions can be valuable tools and information to guide you in creating the schedule for your successful day, and how to make that day every day.

Communication Checking and corresponding by e-mail – Daily first thing in the morning Check and correspond to voice mail – including ‘A’ buyers - Daily first thing in the morning Setting up Showings, inspections, Appraisals, etc. – Scheduled daily as necessary Returning phone calls – Scheduled time in the morning and afternoon Service Hour during which you call and report to all listed sellers, all pending clients and high ‘B’ buyers -Scheduled one day each week, Rich chose Thursdays Success Hours during which you contact leads, referral sources, past clients, and people in your Spheres of Influence – Three or four scheduled days each week Administrative functions: Paperwork, Processing, and Preparation – Daily Listing admin Sales admin Handling personal finances Personal Marketing

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Conducting Broker’s Opens Servicing yard signs, brochure boxes and other errands – Planned into daily travel Sales Functions – Daily late afternoon Buyer presentations and rehearsals Show houses Write offers Present offers and Negotiate contracts Attend mortgage appointments Attend closings

In Summary The same schedule will not work for everyone, but use these suggestions to help you create a successful schedule that works for you. Experiment with your daily schedule.

Judge its success by the results you obtain. If your appointments, listings, and sales increase while at the same time you are able to carve time for yourself and your loved ones you have found your ideal structure.

Listing functions - Daily late afternoon Listing presentations and rehearsals Price reduction presentations Staging listings Attend and negotiate inspections Lead Generating Functions Success Hours and e-mail correspondence as above under communication Conducting Open Houses – Sunday afternoons Network meetings – Lunchtimes Preview property - Daily late afternoon Opportunity time – As scheduled Planning Organize the day – First thing each morning Leadership Hour – Scheduled one day each week, Rich chose Friday morning.

Miscellaneous – As scheduled Attend sales meetings and office caravans Conventions and Continuing Education Do research on new tools and services Education time

Personal Days off – At least one full each week, Rich chose Saturdays Meals – Three times daily, Recreation – Something daily Exercise – Three to five times weekly Loved one’s time – As often as possible Worship or Meditation - Personal decision Day’s end – Choose a time and honor it

Please remember to enjoy the process of discovering your best daily routine. Enjoy the independence of this profession. And look forward to the tremendous opportunity for success that is an inherent benefit of a Real Estate career. You are in a tremendous business at a great time.

Please call on us to help you take advantage of it.

Rich Levin is one of the most successful Real Estate coaches in the nation by virtue of the measurable results of his clients and creator of the Real Estate Hierarchy of Success, a working model for understanding and planning your business. © 2008, Rich Levin. All rights reserved. For information contact FrogPond at 800.704.FROG(3764) or email susie@FrogPond.com; http://www.FrogPond.com

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UPCOMING EVENTS & CLASSES FOR MEMBERS • July 10, 2018 Wake Up YPN

• August 13, 2018 Dodger Night

• July 18, 2018 Keys to Financing Commercial Real Estate

• August 14, 2018 Wake Up YPN

• July 19, 2018 Lunch & Learn: Financial Planning for Realtors w/ Tax Benefits

• July 24, 2018 Education Class: All About Disclosures

• August 15, 2018 Commercial Class: Effective Commercial Lease Agreement • August 16. 2018 Lunch & Learn: State Wide

Buyer & Seller Advisory Key Inspection Topics

• August 29, 2018 Deadline for Accepting Donations to Blanket & Socks Drive • August 29, 2018 Blood Drive

Visit www.SRAR.com for more information on all events and classes!

Accepting Donations Until August 29, 2018 Bring all Donations to SRAR: 7232 Balboa Blvd. Van Nuys, CA, 91406

YPN BLANKET & SOCKS DONATION DRIVE If you would like more information or a collection box for your office, call Kathryn Cooney at 818-947-2250

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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

GUILLERMO MANZO Executive Agent of the Month

ExecutiveAgent Magazine

Written by Haley Freeman - Photography by Ian Wiant

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ealtorÂŽ Guillermo Manzo has hit on a winning formula for outstanding real estate representation: experience + commitment = results. With these assets, he is consistently guiding his clients through successful and profitable real estate transactions.

Born and raised in Southern California, Guillermo says he was fortunate to grow up with parents who gave him 100 percent confidence in anything he did. It is no surprise that Guillermo developed an entrepreneurial spirit early in life. He began his career working for a private lender, funding and packaging loans for sale in the secondary market. When the housing market crashed,

Guillermo took the opportunity to reinvent himself. With partners, he purchased and expanded a high-end bike shop in the San Fernando Valley catering to an elite clientele.

Guillermo always had a love for home building and design, and he enjoyed visiting open houses. He began successfully investing in real estate and developing/flipping homes in 2015, beginning with a house that had burned and needed to be rebuilt. He also enjoyed staging his own properties and sitting in on his open houses with the RealtorÂŽ he hired to represent him. As his passion for real estate grew and he achieved a number of record sales with his own properties, Guillermo realized real estate was his true calling.

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As he launched his career as a Realtor®, Guillermo chose to build his brand, Manzo Realty, under the banner of Pinnacle Properties in Woodland Hills because of the business acumen of the agency’s leadership. Guillermo is thriving in this positive team atmosphere, where he has the support he needs to refine his own business systems.

“I consider myself a business man who also happens to be a Realtor®,” he says. “I am utilizing the tools and everything I have done in business before to exceed my clients’ expectations. I prefer to talk about accomplishments rather than just being in this business for years. I think results are what truly sets an agent apart. I’ve sold many homes for myself and for clients over asking and had many record sales. I can guide my sellers on how to maximize their value with minimal investment. I also

think you can’t sell homes without knowing homes. I’ve built them and own several. I can advise people on successfully investing in real estate because I’ve been able to do it for myself.”

In addition to his comprehensive real estate and business experience, Guillermo demonstrates extraordinary commitment to the success of his clients. He says, “There may be other agents with my experience, but I guarantee nobody is as committed as I am to my clients’ success. I take pride in truly putting my clients’ investment ahead of everything else! I’ve let deals go when I knew it didn’t really make sense for my client. The effort I put into looking out for their future always comes back to me through referrals to their friends and family.”

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Guillermo jokes that his goal is to do such a phenomenal job, his own clients get mad at friends and family if they don’t follow their advice and use Guillermo. He has already developed quite a number of raving fans who wouldn’t think of going anyplace else for real estate representation. Here is what some of them are saying: “Guillermo is awesome! He sold our house in less than two weeks and over the asking price. He was always available and very quick to schedule showing of houses.

I have dealt with several Realtor® who disappointed us in the past, and Guillermo set our minds at ease by being so attentive to our specific needs. He is very knowledgeable and extremely helpful. His warm personality makes you feel as if he is a member of your family. I

will proudly recommend Guillermo to anyone in need of a professional Realtor® and, most importantly, someone you can count on. Thank you Guillermo for making our family so happy.”

“We had the pleasure of working with Guillermo as our agent and I am glad we did! He was able to find our home and was able to negotiate below our asking price, thus saving us money needed for some renovations. He was very attentive and was really good on updating us with any status. Highly recommend him for his knowledge he provided throughout our home buying process. What agent will go above and beyond to compare home prices around the neighborhood to make sure you are paying what it’s worth, not what’s asked for? 5 stars!”

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Guillermo doesn’t shy away from the tough transactions - he embraces them. “I’ve been working with a lot of firsttime homebuyers or people who feel they can’t get a loan and helping them get grants and credits. Selling that in LA’s aggressive market can be difficult, as it’s hard to go up against cash or conventional buyers. But I’ve been having success helping to get these buyers into homes.”

Guillermo proves that the person you choose as your Realtor® matters. “With the internet, people don’t always realize that who they have representing them is a very big deal. That person is an extension of you. I’m the face everyone in the transaction sees, and likability can be a huge factor in getting a deal closed, as well. I got an offer accepted last month even though it was not the highest offer, because every step of the process, I was showing professionalism. I’m an aggressive advocate, but still professional. Other Realtors® want to know the transaction will go smoothly, and we can have a drink together when it’s over.”

elects to work only with the best. He often relies upon Steve Haddad and his team at Finance of America Mortgage to get his clients across the finish line with flying colors. “I just had a situation with a well-qualified buyer who had not been pre-approved. They happened to stumble upon my open house on a Saturday afternoon and fell in love with the home. I called my lender then and there, gathered everything we needed, and had an approval by Monday. We were in escrow by Wednesday. Lenders are also an extension of who you are as a buyer and as a Realtor®. I’m very selective about who I work with.”

Guillermo’s experience and commitment yield extraordinary results for his clients. But more than that, his success is driven by his genuine care for the people who trust him with their greatest asset. “I care about their success during this process ahead of my own,” he says. “I don’t take lightly that this is someone’s biggest investment ever.”

The lender you choose also matters. With Guillermo’s sophisticated understanding of the mortgage process, he ExecutiveAgent Magazine

GUILLERMO MANZO Pinnacle Properties 5850 Canoga Ave., Suite 210 Woodland Hills, CA 91367 Tel: 818.314.7911 - Email: gmemo415x@gmail.com Web: manzorealtyla.com - CalBRE #01994469 ExecutiveAgent Magazine

Yesterday’s Impossibles

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ExecutiveAgent Magazine

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remember the media coverage which accompanied Sir Edmund Hillary’s feat of being the first person to scale Mt. Everest. He became an instant celebrity, even though he had failed in his first effort and left five of his guides dead on the mountainside. England recognized Sid Edmund Hillary’s tremendous effort by giving him the highest honor awarded a foreigner. Years later he was back in the headlines when his son climbed to the peak of Mt. Everest and a radio-phone conversation was held between father and son.

Today, according to the government of Nepal, it’s very common for climbers to reach the peak of Mt. Everest. As a matter of fact, a one-day record of 37 people reaching the summit of Mt. Everest has been reported. Seven teams arrived within a half-hour period and created a climber’s traffic jam. Yes, yesterday’s impossibles often become tomorrow’s standards. On September 6, 1995, one of the world’s “unbreakable” records was broken. I speak of the “Iron Man” stunt of Lou Gehrig, who played in 2,130 consecutive baseball games. Gehrig’s record was thought to be unbreakable, but Cal Ripken broke that record and extended that streak to make it even more “impossible.”

Another record considered unbreakable was the number of hits Ty Cobb had gotten, but several years ago Pete Rose broke that “unbreakable” record. Today 12-year-old girls are swimming faster than Johnny Weismuller swam when he was the Olympic Gold Medal winner. Most of us get excited when we read about super-human achievements, but something that is much more important is when we break our own personal best records for accomplishments.

Achieving better grades, a better work record, a better record of “being nice,” and a host of other records will make you a better person in the most important game of all - the game of life. Think about it - give it your best shot - break your own personal records and you will be AT THE TOP! 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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VALUE OF SILENCE

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he difference between great and good is very little. It’s the last inch, or two, that separates great from good. It could be the smallest detail that gets overlooked by most people, but to the person who wants to achieve greatness, it is never overlooked.

In selling, it’s the little nuances of what we say and how we say it. It’s the properly selected words we use to convince the client to move forward. Too often, we wing it without spending the time to properly craft the questions. When the questions are delivered well, they will elicit the response we desire. In selling, we need to be a wordsmith. Just as a master silversmith works with silver to craft an elegant tea service, we must work with our words to craft a compelling reason to do business with us. A master silversmith spends time refining the silver over fire. The heat of the fire removes the impurities from the silver. The mold is then built for the silver to be poured into. Once cooled, the silver piece is polished to brilliance.

Your words must go through the same steps to achieve perfection. As a good salesperson, you must think, write, and rewrite your words; especially the key words contained in your prospecting scripts, listing presentation, and objection handling scripts. You then need to mold these words into a comprehensive and cohesive presentation. The presentation needs to address the benefits of doing business with you, versus anyone else. It must focus on the client and clearly answer the question: Why should I hire you?

Just as the silversmith will fail if the mold is inferior, so will the salesperson. Check your mold.

Next, you must polish the presentation. You need to spend hours perfecting the delivery. The silversmith polishes the silver until it shines with brilliance. He will spend hours upon hours making it perfect. Then, when it is perfect, he stamps his logo, or signature, on the piece. When was the last time you practiced your scripts? When was the last time you taped your listing presentation? You stamp your signature on every presentation. How good is your signature?

One of the key areas between good and great in the presentation is the silence. It’s the silence after a 26

direct question. Too many sales people fear the dead space in a conversation and think they have to fill it up. That need to fill the void will keep you from greatness in sales. The void of silence causes our client or prospect to think. At this moment the sale is made.

Arthur Rubenstein, the world famous pianist, was once asked, “How do you handle the notes on the page as well as you do?” He responded, “I handle the notes no better than many others, but the pauses… ah! That is where the art resides.” Your sale process needs to be like a great piece of music. It causes a reaction and emotion from your client or prospect.

The real artistry is in the pauses. It’s in the void of quiet after the question. Don’t run through the pauses with another question or statement. Let the power of the pause take over. Rubenstein would let the note resonate throughout the hall. Let your question resonate in the conference room, living room…wherever you are making your presentation.

If you step into the pause you invalidate, or soften, the last question. You are at the moment of truth. You will find out valuable information about your client or prospect at that moment The power of silence is deafening. Make sure to use it to your advantage.

Becoming a great salesperson requires watching the little things. Spend time daily breaking down the words and your delivery. Invest your time into practice. Perfect your craft of sales. Lastly, work to create and leave the pause in the presentation. There is immense power in the pause.

Dirk Zeller is an Agent, an Investor, and the President & CEO of Real Estate Champions. His company trains more than 350,000 Agents worldwide each year through live events, online training, self-study programs, and newsletters. He’s the widely published author of Your First Year in Real Estate, Success as a Real Estate Agent for Dummies®, The Champion Real Estate Agent, Telephone Sales for Dummies®, and over 300 articles in print. You can get more information by visiting www.RealEstateChampions.com. © 2009, Dirk Zeller. All rights reserved. For information contact FrogPond at 800.704.FROG(3764) or email susie@ FrogPond.com; http://www.FrogPond.com.

ExecutiveAgent Magazine

SILENCE ExecutiveAgent Magazine

27

E XECUTIVE AGENT EUGENE PRINCE TM

MAGAZINE

Written by Haley Freeman

The Zen of Real Estate

R

ealtor®-yogi-mom Eugene Prince is helping people bring new possibilities to life. With her global outlook, positive spirit and savvy business sense, Eugene guides people home to California from

Eugene’s own journey began in South Korea. After earning her bachelor’s degree in international business, Eugene came to the United States and continued her education at California State University, Northridge, and later, UCLA. While working as a litigation paralegal, Eugene deepened her study of yoga and pilates, earning her credentials as an instructor in both disciplines.

A few years ago, Eugene saw real estate as an opportunity to bring her many professional passions together, leveraging her understanding of legal processes and her genius for connecting with people to help people enjoy a seamless real estate experience. Her established community of clients and students naturally trusted her to shepherd them through the momentous process of buying or selling a home with the same care and grace she brings to all her endeavors. In just a short time, Eugene developed a thriving practice based entirely upon referrals.

She is willing to go wherever her clients need her, serving families across LA, Orange and Riverside counties.

all around the world, and she brings a refreshing vitality to the process of buying and selling both residential and commercial real estate.

People frequently comment on Eugene’s contagious energy and positivity. She is upbeat and compassionate, and her genuine care for people puts them at ease as they grapple with the many life changes that accompany a change of residence. “People get super emotional when they are in the middle of a real estate transaction,” Eugene says. “Being able to comfort people is such an important skill for a Realtor® to have. I feel like my ability as a Realtor® is directly related to how much I care about the people who are my clients. I think that keeping strong relationships with clients and being a good negotiator are some of my greatest strengths.”

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Even commercial real estate transactions can place emotional demands on clients. Eugene’s commercial real estate experience began when one of her pilates students, a doctor, was interested in purchasing a distressed property. Eugene had the acumen to navigate the complex legal process and appear before the bankruptcy court to help her client obtain the property. “Although my client is a well-educated professional, she had never been to court before. It is very intimidating for anyone. I told her, ‘I’ve been going to court for 10 years. I can handle this for you.’ It all went very smoothly, and we were able to get the deal done.”

Eugene has a natural gift for languages and is fluent in Korean and English, and conversant in Japanese and Chinese. Due to her linguistic skills, she often works with foreign nationals who are making a home in the U.S. She has recently been refining her grasp of Chinese in order to accommodate the large influx of Chinese-speaking buyers. “It really helps to be able to talk to someone in their own language and understand their culture. They appreciate me trying to help them when everything for them is brand new. I help with translation during their transaction, and with other things that are not just about selling or buying a home. There are a lot of Japanese companies in Irvine, so many people relocate here for work. I can help them with finding the right preschools, schools, doctors - anything to make a smooth transition.”

Being a mom to a young daughter has added a whole new dimension of joy to Eugene’s life. “Becoming a parent requires lots of patience and love. As a mom, I’m lucky to have lots of opportunities to teach and love someone without any expectations. It helps me be a better Realtor®, as well.”

According to Eugene, one of the things she loves most about yoga is the opportunity it gives everyone to be their authentic selves, and she brings that same transparency to her real estate practice. “When you teach people, you build trust. In yoga, I’m there to help people resolve personal issues and improve themselves emotionally and physically. We’re all wearing yoga pants and sweating together. I’m showing who I am, and they’re showing who they are. In real estate, much is the same. It’s not about the car you drive or how you dress. It’s about getting to know and accept each other. I want to show people who I am and what I can do for them with a sincere heart.”

Eugene Prince Nationwide Real Estate Executives 9170 Irvine Center Drive, Suite 100 Irvine, CA 92618 Cell: 818.271.8250 - Office: 949.334.2900 Email: Eugene.Prince@gmail.com Web: EugenePrince.nre.cloud CalBRE # 02013469

Eugene also makes a significant contribution to the community. She often partners with local companies to offer free yoga and pilates classes. She is also a past board member and frequent volunteer with the Orange County chapter of the National Association of Asian American Professionals (NAAAP) and a regular supporter of 100 Women Who Care Orange County.

ExecutiveAgent Magazine

3 Money Habits That Separate the Rich From the Poor

H

ere is an exciting thought! Why not work full time on your job and part time on your fortune? And what a feeling you’ll have when you can honestly say, “I’m working to become wealthy. I’m not just working to pay my bills.” When you have a wealth plan, you’ll be so motivated that you’ll have a hard time going to bed at night.

So if you will indulge me, I would like to share a simple formula for creating wealth. Here’s my thought on how money should be allocated.

The 70/30 Rule After you pay your fair share of taxes, learn to live on 70 percent of your after-tax income. These are the necessities and luxuries you spend money on. Then, it’s important to look at how you allocate your remaining 30 percent. Let’s allocate it in the following ways: Charity Of the 30 percent not spent, one-third should go to charity. Charity is the act of giving back to the community and helping those who need assistance. I believe that

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contributing 10 percent of your after-tax income is a good amount to strive for.

The act of giving should be taught early, when the amounts are small. It’s pretty easy to take a dime out of a dollar. But it’s considerably harder to give away a $100,000 out of $1 million. You say, “Oh, if I had $1 million, I’d have no trouble giving $100,000.” I’m not so sure. $100,000 is a lot of money. Start early so you’ll develop the habit before the big money comes your way.

Capital Investment With the next 10 percent of your after-tax income, you’re going to create wealth. This is money you’ll use to buy, fix, manufacture or sell. The key is to engage in commerce, even if only on a part-time basis.

So how do you go about creating wealth? There are lots of ways. Let your imagination roam. Take a close look at those skills you developed at work or through your hobbies; you may be able to convert these into a profitable enterprise.

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In addition, you can also learn to buy a product at wholesale and sell it for retail. Or you can purchase a piece of property and improve it. Use this 10 percent to purchase your equipment, products or equity—and get started. There is no telling what genius is inside you waiting to be awakened by the spark of opportunity.

Savings The last 10 percent should be put in savings. I consider this to be one of the most exciting parts of your wealth plan because it can offer you peace of mind by preparing you for the “winters” of life. Let me give you the definition of “rich” and “poor”: Poor people spend their money and save what’s left. Rich people save their money and spend what’s left.

Twenty years ago, two people each earned a $1,000 a month and they each earned the same increases over the years. One had the philosophy of spending money and saving what’s left; the other had the philosophy of saving first and spending what’s left. Today, if you knew both, you’d call one poor and the other wealthy.

So, remember that giving, investing and saving, like any form of discipline, has a subtle effect. At the end of the day, the week, the month, the results are hardly noticeable. But let five years lapse and the differences become pronounced.

At the end of 10 years, the differences are dramatic.

And it all starts with the same amount of money—just a different philosophy.

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.

ExecutiveAgent Magazine

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The Importance of Constant Self-Improvement

C

oach John Wooden challenged himself every day with constant self-improvement: Never be satisfied.

Work constantly to improve. Perfection is a goal that can never be reached, but it must be the objective. The uphill climb is slow, but the downhill road is fast.

He believed that valid self-analysis is crucial for improvement. In order to improve a little each day, we must constantly be learning, and to do that, we must be observing constantly and stay open-minded.

A key component of Coach’s constant self-improvement program was how he worked with his assistant coaches. He encouraged them to challenge his ideas, thus creating the valid self-analysis he knew was critical to self-improvement.

In his book A Game Plan for Life: The Power of Mentoring with Don Yeager, Coach describes how Abraham Lincoln inspired his approach: An incredible example of Lincoln’s wisdom can be seen in the people with whom he chose to surround himself. I pride myself on having read just about every major book ever published about Abraham Lincoln, but the one that has affected me the most in recent years is Doris Kearns Goodwin’s exceptional text Team of Rivals. In this book, Goodwin examines in profound depth a well-documented but not widely discussed political decision: When Lincoln was elected to the presidency, he appointed a number of former political opponents to serve as his advisers and to fill various posts.

By selecting men whom he knew disagreed with him or differed from his own platform, he assured himself, he would be confronted with legitimate challenges to his ideas, rather than finding himself in a pool of yes-men.

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“Based on Lincoln’s example, I encouraged my assistant coaches to speak up with ideas that might differ from or even completely contradict my own. Those disagreements never got heated, but sometimes they were very intense. Just as I imagine Lincoln would have been, I was pleased when those challenges arose because it meant that my fellow coaches were as passionate about our team as I was. Nothing ruins a team more quickly than apathy.”

In Coach Wooden’s book Wooden on Leadership with Steve Jamison, Denny Crum, one of his former assistant coaches, describes working with Coach: “Coach Wooden never thought he knew everything.

In spite of the fact that he’d been winning championships every year—four or five of them when I got there as an assistant coach—he wanted to keep learning and improving as a coach and leader. When I came up with an idea, he would never tell me, ‘Well, this is the way we’ve always done it and we’re winning championships. So, no, I’m not changing.’ He was open to change. His approach was to listen; if he thought it made sense, try it. If it works, great. If not, move on. He was always searching for ways to improve.”

As Coach liked to say: A leader destined for success asks, “What can we do to improve?” A leader destined for failure says, “That’s the way it’s always been done.”

As Coach Wooden’s grandson-in-law, Craig Impelman had the opportunity to learn Coach’s teachings firsthand and wrote about those lessons for his site, www. woodenswisdom.com. He is a motivational speaker and the author of Wooden’s Wisdom, a weekly “e-coaching module” that is distributed to companies nationally.

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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

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Purchase and Rate & Term Refinance loan amounts greater than $1,500,000 are permitted with the following requirements:  $2,500,000 max loan amount  1-Unit properties  100% LTV/CLTV  720 credit score  Max DTI 43%

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FOAmortgage.com/WestlakeVillage This is not a commitment to lend. Prices and guidelines are subject to change without notice. Some products may not be available in all states. Subject to review of credit and/ or collateral; not all applicants will qualify for financing. It is important to make an informed decision when selecting and using a loan product; make sure to compare loan types when making a financing decision. ©2017 Finance of America Mortgage LLC is licensed nationwide | | NMLS ID #1071 (www.nml sconsumeraccess.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