MAY 2018 WLA

EXECUTIVEAGENT MAGAZINE

Executive Agent of the Month

Inside Features: Escrow of the West Company Profile

Jason Rowland Seven Gables Real Estate

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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.

ASK US ABOUT VETERAN LOANS

The VA programs are flexible lending solutions designed to make homeownership more affordable for qualified U.S. veterans. With favorable terms, competitive interest rates, and no monthly mortgage insurance premium, VA loans are a great option for U.S. veterans.

VA PLUS

Manufactured homes are permitted on Purchase, Rate & Term Refinance and IRRRL transactions with the following:  Conforming loan limits  100% LTV/ CLTV  640 credit score

Scott Engel

Branch Manager NMLS-260965

c: (310) 739-6243 o: (424) 291-2570 sengel@financeofamerica.com

Steve Haddad Branch Manager NMLS-238275

Cash Out Refinance:

 Minimum credit score reduced to 620 for conforming

loan amounts

 Loan amounts up to $1,000,000 at 100% LTV/CLTV are

permitted with the following:  1-unit properties  740 credit score  $500,000 cash out

VA PLUS JUMBO XL

CONTACT US TODAY TO LEARN MORE

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%

c: (818) 207-4889 f: (855) 495-6882 shaddad@financeofamerica.com www.stevehaddad.com

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

WHEN EXPERIENCE AND PROFESSIONALISM COUNT Open escrow

Call The Termite Guy Termite work

Schedule work

Review termite report

Fumigation

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The Termite Guy has helped real estate agents close over 65,000 escrow transactions since 1997.

FOR A FREE TERMITE INSPECTION, CALL [877] TER-MITE OR VISIT 877TERMITE.COM FREE SECOND OPINION TERMITE INSPECTION FIVE (5) YEAR WARRANTY ON FUMIGATION 24-HR REPORT TURNAROUND LICENSED GENERAL CONTRACTOR

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BR. 3 LIC #PR5121 B GENERAL CONTRACTOR & C-39 ROOFING & WATERPROOFING LIC#771813

EXECUTIVE AGENT OF THE MONTH

JP Peña Douglas Elliman Real Estate

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17

Inside Features

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Jason Rowland

Escrow of the West

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ExecutiveAgent Magazine

MAY, 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

Happiness as a Priority -Richard Carlson

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You Succeed By Ignoring Reality -Jim Donovan

ADVERTISERS’ INDEX - MW City of Hope.......................................................34 Finance of America Mortgage.............................2

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“I Am A Habit” -Jim Di Lemme

iPhotography Studio......................................23 & 36 NAHREP...................................................................8 SRAR.................................................................................14

The Termite Guy......................................................3

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How to Solve Any Problem That Gets in Your Way -Jim Rohn

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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A Message to Women: You’ve Got This!

-Margie Warrell

© 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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Investing Yourself -Zig Ziglar

ExecutiveAgent Magazine

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E XECUTIVE AGENT

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MAGAZINE

Written by Haley Freeman

Setting a New Standard of Excellence and Service

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personal escrow experience. This is what the dynamic team of professionals at Escrow of the West promise every client who walks through their doors. This dynamic company was founded by Principal

and Director of Sales, are equally committed to ensuring that Escrow of the West clientele - from consumers to real estate and lending professionals enjoy the same professional standard of service excellence.

Tracy explains, “My favorite quote is: ‘Perseverance and trust are a potent combination.’ The most important thing in our industry is to find people you trust and will trust you in return. We earn trust by our integrity, honesty and going above and beyond to meet professional expectation. We go a step above regular customer service, and we want every client we serve to feel like they are our only client. I have an amazing ‘wingman,’ Ciara, and together, we work hard for every person we meet.”

and CEO Galit Ofengart, a successful escrow officer whose passion for real estate and uncompromising client service has made Escrow of the West a Premier leading Independent Escrow Company. Galit remains a practicing escrow officer who leads by example, radiating positivity and proficiency through every tier of her robust organization.

“Bringing Tracy and Scott on board was a vital piece of my expansion plans. With their sterling reputation in the industry, we set our sights on them from the beginning, now that we have them on board, I feel very comfortable in handing them the reigns and watching this new office provide the community with the highest level of escrow service available and taking our business to new heights,” stated Galit Ofengart.

Tracy Standridge, Senior Escrow Officer and Westlake Village Branch Manager, and Scott Mazza, Vice President

“Trust is what this business is all about,” Scott adds. “We appreciate the trust real estate agents place in us when they send us their clients, and we want to do our part to reciprocate on that trust by not only providing excellent service, but also being a force in the community. We want

to entrench ourselves in every aspect, so consumers will also recognize who we are and choose to use our service each and every time.”

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Giving back is a hallmark of Escrow of the West’s culture. The company is widely known for its philanthropic work in the community. The team regularly gives back through hands-on participation in events that support local business and community causes, and they frequently head up charitable initiatives of their own.

You have only to walk into Escrow of the West’s business offices to feel the cheerful warmth of the people who work there. Every office is an inviting space, where people can conduct one of the most important transactions of their lives in beauty and comfort, surrounded by people who exude a spirit of welcome and professionalism.

Tracy says, “Everybody who visits our office says it has a great aura. Escrow of the West recognizes the need to be proactive when helping a client with what is typically the most important financial transaction of their life.”

“We work well as a team,” Scott comments. “We’re like a family, and I think consumers and agents see our positive attitude and how happy and excited we are to do business with them.”

new standard of excellence and service. Their sizable staff of top professionals is ready with the resources to serve every need. Tracy says, “It flows from our working CEO, to our beautiful offices and the atmosphere we create when agents entrust us with their clients, to our investment in the community. We want to be known as upbeat, caring professionals who are eager to make your next escrow your best-ever experience.”

Tracy Standridge, Senior Escrow Officer Westlake Village Branch Manager Scott Mazza, Vice President, Director of Sales Escrow of the West, Westlake Village 2659 Townsgate Rd., Suite 200 Westlake Village, CA 91361 Phone: (805) 410-1400 Email: tracy@escrowofthewest.com Email: Scott@escrowofthewest.com Web: www.escrowofthewest.com

Accuracy and security are also vital to delivering the industry’s finest escrow services. Escrow of the West utilizes state-of-the-art cybersecurity and aggressively trains its professionals to safeguard their clients’ most valuable assets.

The experts at Escrow of the West are truly setting a ExecutiveAgent Magazine

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

MAY 7-9, 2018

MIAMI BILTMORE HOTEL CORAL GABLES, FL NAHREP.ORG/WEALTHCONFERENCE

HELPING MILITARY & VETERAN

FAMILIES REALIZE THE

AMERICAN DREAM! 2,600 + VETERANS

EDUCATED ABOUT HOMEOWNERSHIP

1,500 + FAMILIES

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.

WERE HELPED THROUGH VAREP CARES

750 VETERANS PLACED IN HOMES THROUGH OUR PROGRAMS

UPCOMING LOCAL VAREP EVENT VAREP Los Angeles chapter Veteran Charity Fundraiser - Golf Tournament

66 HOUSING SUMMITS

Friday • August 24, 2018 Rio Hondo Golf Club 10627 Old River School Rd • Downey, CA 90241

TO EMPOWER VETERAN HOMEOWNERSHIP

WHO CAN JOIN? Any individual regardless if you have served or not. VAREP and its members represent and work within all sectors of the real estate, housing and financial services industries...

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

A Message to Women: You’ve Got This!

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hat would you tell your younger self?

It’s a question I’ve reflected on many times and have asked many women. A common thread weaves through most of the answers: Believe in yourself.

You can do more than you think.

Don’t let others define your worth.

Take the chance!

Do what you want.

Dare to be more ambitious.

Don’t settle!

You are no exception.

You do that by refusing to let the voice of your inner critic dictate your decisions or limit your action. After all, when you buy into your doubts, it amplifies your anxiety about your current challenges and chips away at your confidence to take on new ones. In the process, you miss out on sharpening your talents, and the world misses out on the gifts they hold.

Admittedly, I’m biased, but I believe we women are powerful beyond measure. We excel at multitasking. We are innately compassionate. We are natural bridge builders, peacemakers and cheerleaders. We have nurturing hearts and can move mountains when we set our minds to it.

Yet too often, we sell ourselves short. Way short.

The voice of our inner critic rarely rests. It thrives on pointing out our flaws, focusing on our shortcomings, and dwelling on what we don’t have or haven’t done. It keeps forever striving, never arriving—waiting until “one day” when we finally have it “all together” before we can feel worthy or claim what we yearn for most.

Yet as Kirsten Neff wrote in her book Self-Compassion, “There is nothing to be gained for beating ourselves up for beating ourselves up.” Rather, what serves us is taking a fresh look at where we are unconsciously allowing this well-worn habit of dwelling on what we perceive is missing in us and around us to keep us from taking the very actions that would connect us to our innate sufficiency, and from truly knowing that we are enough already. Always have been; always will be.

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No one is born with an immunity to self-doubt or fear of failure, yet as I wrote in Find Your Courage, each of us has the ability to reclaim the power it can hold in our lives.

So how do you conquer the doubts and find the courage to live the biggest life you are capable of living?

You stop talking yourself down and start embracing the “flawsome” woman that you already are—fabulous and fallible, brilliant and blundering, innately lovable and wholly imperfect—all at the same time.

You stop letting self-doubt call the shots and start acting with the confidence you wish you had.

You stop dwelling about what you don’t have and start making the most of what you’ve got. (Which is plenty!)

You stop punishing yourself for past mistakes and start applying their lessons to live more deeply and choose more wisely.

You stop thinking about what you’d like to say and start having the brave conversations you’ve been putting off.

You stop saying yes to keep people happy and you start saying no to anything that doesn’t align with the boldest vision for your life.

ExecutiveAgent Magazine

Written By Margie Warrell

You stop waiting for permission or perfection and start putting yourself out there, ready to fail forward and forge a bigger life rich in meaning, connection and contribution.

Because here’s the deal: The only way you can become the woman you most want to start acting like you are that woman already.

Strong. Brave. Resilient. Persistent. Worthy. Bold.

Creative. Focused. Trustworthy. Compassionate.

Respected. Valued. Influential. Unstoppable.

E-N-O-U-G-H. Now before you start second-guessing yourself (that path has is well-worn groove in your brain!), don’t think you need to know precisely what you are doing or exactly where you are going before you take the first step.

As I discovered when I set off on a new path in my second career—with four children under 6, a fire in my belly and not much else—you just have to have faith in yourself that you’ll figure it out as you go along. Be kinder to yourself when you slip up. (Because chances are, that will be often!)

So if you decided right now to “own your enoughness” and to live from the belief that you are capable of more than you’ve given yourself credit for…

What inspiring goals would you take on (however audacious)?

What changes would you make (however hard)?

What chances would you take (however scary)?

at your heart and to take one step (though two is also OK) in that direction.

Then tomorrow, repeat.

If you could time travel ahead 20 years from now, I’ll bet your older self would be whispering in your ear, “Go on, be bold. Take the chance. Trust yourself. You’ve got this!”

Because you know what… you have!

And you know what else? This world needs more women to own their power, embrace their difference and to dare to make their boldest mark on the world like never before.

So get to it!

Margie Warrell is a best-selling author and international speaker who is passionate about helping people be more courageous in work, leadership and life. Margie has learned a lot about courage, resilience and risk since growing up on a small farm in rural Australia. Drawing on her background in business, psychology and coaching, Margie runs “courage building” programs with organizations worldwide, from NASA to Wells Fargo and the UN Foundation. She has also lectured at Columbia, Georgetown and SMU. Her best-selling books—Find Your Courage, Stop Playing Safe and Brave—have been published in seven languages. A mother of four teenagers and ambassador for Women in Global Business, Margie walks her talk when it comes to living bravely. More info at MargieWarrell.com.

Just for today, I challenge you trust that you have all the resources you need within you to do whatever tugs most

ExecutiveAgent Magazine

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How to Solve Any Problem That Gets in Your Way

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hen you’re faced with a problem, ask yourself these practical questions to solve it.

You know the importance of applying discipline and effort to overcome any problem that stands in your way. But some problems call for more than steely determination—they require you to step back and apply some mental power.

If you’re faced with a roadblock like this, put it all down on paper. When you write a problem down on paper, you take the emotion out of it. With the emotion gone, you can look at the roadblock objectively. You can figure out what you did right. You can figure out what you did wrong. You can figure out how to change it.

Here’s what you do: Pick a problem out of your head and pull out a piece of paper. Draw a line down the middle of the paper. On the left-hand side, jot down the problem in detail.

We’ve got so much going on in our heads that it may just be difficult to isolate this particular problem. Just state it the best you can.

On the other side of this paper, you’re going to write some solutions. There are three questions to ask yourself to generate those solutions, to solve almost any problem.

The first question you need to consider is this: What can I do? You don’t want to go any further than that if you can solve the problem yourself. Start jotting down any options that come to mind. Lay out the alternatives. Then begin analyzing them. “Let’s see, number three… no, that one would take too long. I haven’t got that much time. OK. Number two? Not sure. OK. Let’s look at number one. Maybe the one I thought of first is my best one.”

problem-solving question: What could I read? Maybe there’s a book on your problem. Somebody may have spent a lifetime trying to figure out this problem. You could receive the instant benefit of this person’s advice if you take the time to look. Maybe it’s concisely written somewhere. You don’t need to reinvent the wheel. If you do your homework, you just may find the solution.

Start taking notes on what you’re reading. Book number one: This guy’s crazy. Book number two: This guy’s too shallow. Book number three: This guy’s got some interesting things to say about this problem.

If that still doesn’t work, then ask question number three: Who could I ask?

What should you have ready when you ask somebody to help you? You’ve got your notes to show them.

You say, “You know, I’ve tried my best to figure it out myself, and it has left me short. Here are some of the books I’ve read. Here are my notes. I’ve researched this material, and I’m still confused. Could you possibly help me?”

You can’t believe how willing people will be to help you if they know that you’re willing to help yourself.

I promise you, if you try these ideas and ask these questions when you’ve got a problem, you’ll be able to solve just about anything that gets in your way.

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.

If that doesn’t seem to work, here’s the second 12

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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

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

Save The Date!! Monday May 7, 2018 Woodland Hills Country Club

2018 ANNUAL CHARITY GOLF CLASSIC $150 Per Person or $50 for Awards Dinner Only

Benefiting Hope of the Valley Rescue Mission & Bridge To Home Sign up on www.SRAR.com or call Yvonne Cuevas at 818-947-2298

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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

Executive Agent of the Month

ExecutiveAgent Magazine

Written by Haley Freeman - Photography by Ian Wiant

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ealtor® JP Peña is a paragon of the American Dream. His parents, both immigrants who fled El Salvador to escape the ravages of civil war, worked hard to make a life in this country. JP remembers leaving their Hollywood apartment with his mother at 3:45 in the morning and taking public transportation to the grand homes she cleaned. “I enjoyed going to work with her and having the experience of running up and down the stairs and playing in the yards of these homes you would only see on TV. I fell in love with the architecture.”

After high school, JP joined the United States Marine

Corps, where he served with distinction for more than eight years. He was injured while deployed in Iraq, and after several surgeries, he was limited to clerical work. Then something happened that inspired JP to a new future. “One of my buddies who was serving with me, it was his last day, and a friend picked him up in a Lamborghini. I’ll never forget it. I said, ‘What do you do?’ And he said, ‘I do home loans.’ That night, I got off base at 4:30 and drove down to a West Covina mortgage boiler room. I got $1,000.00 for every appointment I set.

That week I made $12,000.00 I’d never seen that much money before.”

ExecutiveAgent Magazine

We believe in creating relationships not commissions Due to his strong work ethic and raw determination, JP became a top-producing loan officer and branch manager, and eventually transitioned from mortgage lending to real estate development. When the market crashed a few years into his career, he found himself facing some new challenges. His wife was pregnant with their first child, and he began searching for a real estate sales position where he could also get better professional support. But he was discouraged to find that nobody wanted to hire a military veteran.

“Every broker told me I should consider being a cop or a security guard instead. I took it really hard. But then a funny thing happened. I decided to drive into the Hollywood Hills where my mom cleaned homes for inspiration. I remember calling out in the universe, ‘I will be here and be dominating this market someday!’ I drove down the hill and ran into a Coldwell Banker office, and I went in and asked for an interview. I’ll never forget meeting the manager, Fran Hughes. I said, ‘All I want is an opportunity. Give me a chance and a

blueprint, and I won’t fail.’ Her eyes started tearing up, and it turned out that her son was a Marine and passed away while in service. She said, ‘I’m going to take you in and help you.’

That year alone, I sold over $2.5 million in real estate.”

Today JP is a top-producing Realtor® at Douglas Elliman Real Estate and leader of an outstanding team of highly motivated professionals. Douglas Elliman Real Estate is the nation’s fourth largest residential real estate company and, through its alliance with London-based Knight Frank Residential, is a global luxury market leader in 60 countries. “I’ve experienced a whole new level of leadership and mentorship here,” he says. “Our leadership is open to new ideas, and they’re here to back you up and give you the support to put those ideas into action. I have a great team of young, hungry guys and an amazing assistant who is the backbone of our business. We’re on track to break every record we have set this year.”

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Grateful for his opportunities to succeed and proud of his military service, JP is committed to helping other service members attain their American Dream of home ownership.

Eighty percent of his practice is dedicated to veterans, and the remaining 20 percent is focused on high-end luxury homes, real estate development and income property. “I think as you succeed in life, you transition to different whys and passions. One passion I’ve found is giving back to vet-

well as to help industry professionals understand how VA loan programs work.

“I feel every agent should be part of VAREP and get educated about how to help veterans find home ownership.

One of the biggest problems, besides veterans not being educated about their VA benefits, is that the industry isn’t educated about VA benefits. I’ve assigned team members to go all the way to different counties to help veterans because their agents weren’t educated on the VA product and could not get a home. Realtors® need to get educated and realize that a lot has changed. They aren’t up-to-date, and they’re misinforming their sellers. As a result, veterans are being discriminated against using their VA benefit and missing out on opportunities to purchase homes.”

JP employs a three-point strategy when he sends an offer on behalf of a veteran buyer, one that engages all parties

erans. I feel so many are under-supported. Vets are thrown out into the civilian world with no idea of how to succeed.

I’d like to see the Marine Corps and other branches start internally, during active duty, helping service members start planning a better track so when they exit, they can be more financially and mentally stable.”

JP’s passion motivated him to serve as the president of the LA chapter of the Veterans Association of Real Estate Professionals (VAREP) for four years, where he spoke on VA housing issues before the United States Congress and led numerous educational initiatives designed to help veterans understand and use their VA housing benefits, as

in personal communication, humanizes his veteran buyer and ensures the seller that the veteran is fully qualified to close the transaction. “When we send offers like this, 9 out of 10 get accepted.”

ExecutiveAgent Magazine

“Find your inner wealth and everything else will just fall in place.”

JP is creative in all areas of his business, with a goal of helping every client succeed at building wealth through real estate. He is currently engaged in developing an inspirational television series called “Home Tactical.” The show’s theme is “One City, One Veteran, One Home,” and its focus is true stories of veterans who are achieving the American Dream. He is also shooting innovative promotional listing videos modeled on music videos, featuring an entertaining home showing set to a hot music track.

“I used to do hiphop background dancing in my younger days. Putting both passions together, real estate and dancing makes a great way to showcase a home.”

Yet another layer to this multi-faceted entrepreneur is his abiding love for family. He says he enjoys every moment with his two children, John and Camilla, and is grateful for his wife, Liney, who has been “supportive from day one through everything. She has never given me a negative thought.”

sionals. For those building teams, he says, “Work on systems and scalability. The first thing you need is an assistant when you start seeing production. You need a strong foundation at the bottom to scale up. If you don’t have a structured system in place, it will collapse on you.”

Clients loyally return to JP and his team because they know their best interests always come first. JP says, “We believe in relationships, not commissions. We often tell buyers and sellers not to buy and sell because the timing might not be right or the property might not be the deal we are looking for. We are very transparent and honest, we want all our clients to win. We care more about the relationship than the money. We’re advisors to our clients, and we’re passionate about helping them succeed as homeowners. I’ve learned how important it is to live life, and that means finding whatever it is you really care about. Then you can spend your life doing what you love.”

JP has some words of wisdom for other industry profes-

ExecutiveAgent Magazine

JP PeĂąa

Douglas Elliman Real Estate 9470 Wilshire Blvd.

Beverly Hills, CA 90212 Tel: 323.632.9904 Email: jp.pena@elliman.com Web: www.elliman.com/Jppena CalBRE # 01883397 ExecutiveAgent Magazine

“I Am A Habit”

H

-A-B-I-T…When 95% of people hear this word,

a negative thought pops up in their minds.

Typically, most people think of a habit being negative. The secret to your future lies in your daily habits so ask yourself right now, “Are my habits today going to help me achieve my WHY in life?” This is a life-empowering question if you truly ask it and listen for the answer.

I received the following excerpt from a very dear friend of mine and felt that it is definitely the best explanation of a habit that I have ever heard: The Habit Poem I am your constant companion.

I am your greatest helper or your heaviest burden.

I will push you onward or drag you down to failure.

I am completely at your command.

Half the things you do, you might just as well turn over to me, and I will be able to do them quickly and correctly.

I am easily managed; you must merely be firm with me.

Show me exactly how you want something done, and after a few lessons I will do it automatically.

I am the servant of all great men.

And, alas, of all failures as well.

Those who are great, I have made great.

Those who are failures, I have made failures.

I am not a machine, though I work with all the precision of a machine.

Plus, the intelligence of a man.

You may run me for profit, or run me for ruin; it makes no difference to me.

Take me, train me, be firm with me and I will put the world at your feet.

Be easy with me, and I will destroy you.

Who am I? I am a HABIT! One of my daily habits that is the foundation of my life is spending 45-60 minutes each and every morning feeding my body physically by exercising and feeding my mental spirit by reading or listening

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to a motivational message. This habit warms me up for the day ahead. Everyone washes their physical body and feeds their body every morning, but 95% of people will find an excuse about why they can not find the “TIME” to invest in a habit of feeding their MINDS! This parallels the statistic that 95% of people are dead or dead broke by the age 65. I consider this particular daily habit of mine to be the driving force behind my ability to consistently maintain my intense focus on the journey of success and living a dream life.

Is it easy all the time? Of course not, but when it becomes a habit – you will do it! If you commit today to begin each morning warming yourself up for the day ahead by feeding your mental spirit, your entire life will change in a positive fashion very quickly. It is like driving a race car with the emergency brake on and you try to go ahead, but you can’t move. You stay in the same location with your wheels spinning, burning up, making a lot of noise, but not going anywhere!

All it takes is to release the brake and you will fly towards your WHY in life!! You need to review what your habits are and ask yourself…“Would I recommend MY habits to someone I truly love and care about?” Your entire future lies in your daily habits—positive or negative. You have the most powerful force right now in your hands, the ability to decide what your habits will begin to be.

Find Your WHY & FLY!!

John Di Lemme was a 24-year-old stutterer working in his family art gallery that dreamed of becoming a world-renowned motivational speaker. Over a sevenyear period of hardships, challenges and obstacles, John remained focused on his dream and ultimately built a massive marketing team of over 25,000 representatives in 10 countries and earned the financial freedom that he had always dreamed of.

Visit John Di Lemme’s website.

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You Succeed By

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istening to the reports about what’s presently going on in the economy I’m reminded of a time, a number of years ago, when we were going through what many people are going through now.

The end of the month was approaching and we were experiencing a cash flow challenge. It was, in all honesty, one of the greatest tests of faith I had experienced in a very long time.

Interestingly enough, I stayed positive throughout, knowing somehow that it would all work out for the best.

During the last week or two of the month my resolve was tested several times.

Using everything I have learned about the law of attraction, and staying focused on what I wanted, I managed to stay “locked on,” to borrow a phase from Lynn Grayborne.

The tricky part and where I believe many people get tripped up, is holding your attention on what you want, while ignoring the “reality” of what is.

Visualizing what you desire while being careful not to notice what has not yet happened.

Let me explain.

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When facing challenging times, a drop-off in revenue for example, most people devote a lot of time and energy noticing the lack of business.

This is generally the opposite of what they want. What they want is lots of business.

The law of attraction, a universal law as valid as any other law, like gravity, tells us essentially “we attract of what we focus on.”

The subtlety here is that if we are noticing the lack of revenue, we will attract that. In other words, we will attract more lack of revenue.

The challenge and I believe the real test of ones faith, is to ignore reality and only look at what we want.

We then let go and trust in the Divine Power, that it will appear in the perfect way in the perfect time. The only way it cannot is if we block it by holding our attention, our power as a co-creator, on less than what we want.

During my recent challenge, I knew deep within my being, at the cellular level, that everything would work out. I went about my business taking appropriate actions, holding my attention on what I wanted, being appreciative for everything I already have (counting my blessings) and yes, ignoring reality.

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Ignoring Reality I know that there people who will say I was crazy or foolish and that we have to “be realistic!” There was a time when I might have tried to convince them I was right.

Now all I do is smile for I know better.

A few days before the end of the month, in the middle of a phone call with a friend, I went on-line to check my bank balance and see what was happening, to see what checks had cleared and what yet had not cleared. When I looked at the screen I almost fell over, because what I saw there was a very large deposit sitting in my business account.

A small part of me still thought it might be a mistake, but I rejoiced in what could only be described as a miracle. I realized right then and there that all of our positive focus and refusal to accept lack had in fact produced a significant result.

Step 2 – Know what you DO want.

Write it down.

Then, here’s the “secret”, spend some time each day feeling the feelings that you will experience when you have what you want. See and feel yourself as you would if you already had your desire.

For example, if what you want is more money, you probably don’t want little pieces of paper with numbers on them. You most likely want some feeling associated with having the money. Maybe it’s joy, freedom, security or some other good feeling.

I believe this was a “sign” that our faith was not in vain.

Focus on this feeling and recreate it in your body.

Imagine you already have the money and are feeling the feelings it brings. Experience all of the good feelings that will come with your desires.

“What so ever you ask for in prayer, believe you have received it and it will be given unto you.” This quotation from the Bible explains it all.

Give no attention to the fact that you do not yet have it.

Ignore reality during this “Feel good” time. Do this simple exercise for a few minutes each day.

Activity Step: In your journal complete the steps below: Step 1 – Know what you DON’T want.

Write it down.

Jim Donovan is the author of the International bestsellers, Handbook To A Happier Life and This Is Your Life, Not A Dress Rehearsal. You can visit his website at JimDonovan.com.

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E XECUTIVE AGENT

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ealtor® Jason Rowland has great memories of time he spent with his dad, a builder in Orange County, going to job sites and watching homes being built from framing to finish work. Jason always knew that someday, he would play a part in this exciting industry.

He spent the first few years of his career as a licensed gemologist, working for a local, family-owned business.

Written by Haley Freeman

When the owner retired, Jason found himself at a professional crossroads, and his path led him back to homes and real estate. He obtained his license at the peak of the market in the mid-2000s, and just as he began to get a foothold in the industry, the market’s momentum and values reversed. As agents around him dropped out of the business, Jason’s innate drive and positive spirit urged him forward.

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Perfecting the Four C’s of Real Estate “I looked at that market as an opportunity,” Jason says.

“Since values were way down, from my perspective, it allowed people my age the opportunity to buy real estate, when they couldn’t have done so a few years before. I represented a high volume of buyers on bank-owned and foreclosure properties. I still have lunch and/or dinner with many of those past clients, and their properties are now worth double what they paid. I’m proud to say that, to my knowledge, in my 12-year career, I’ve never sold a property to anyone who ended up losing it.”

Communication figures prominently in Jason’s service.

From his days as a gemologist, he has adapted the four C’s of diamonds - cut, clarity, color, carat - and developed his own four C’s of real estate: Communication Creates Comfort and Clarity. “In my experience, one of the things that upsets clients most is when an agent isn’t there when they need them, or they don’t feel like they’re being informed. It’s all so vital. I also think Realtors® often overcomplicate real estate transactions. The world we live in is already complicated enough. I try to simplify the process and make it more comfortable for the client by making it easy to understand. I try to explain things in a way the client connects with, and make sure they’re well-informed during each phase. This is a relationship business. My goal is to provide a quality experience, so they will remember me the next time they buy or sell.”

After establishing his reputation as a hard-working and conscientious real estate professional among his respected colleagues at Century 21, Jason joined Seven Gables Real Estate in Tustin, a company with a name for service excellence and a strong presence in the Central and North Orange County communities where he focuses his practice. “Our core values really aligned. The company is run by people of high quality, and it means a lot to me that they are always focused on putting the client first and providing an experience they won’t forget. Another thing that differentiates us is the quality of our marketing, and the fact that everything is done in-house, which saves me time and helps me to be more efficient.”

varied ages and backgrounds, and he understands the nuances that come with different transactions, including short sales, first-time buyers, right-sizing seniors, luxury estates and contingent sales. “I’m not afraid to try new things, and I think that’s important, since the market is always changing. I’m happy assisting someone with buying a $250,000 condo or selling a multi-million dollar estate. No matter the price point, real estate is the biggest decision, with the most money on the line. It’s their biggest chapter, so I look at it that way, too. I’m going to do everything I can to make their transaction go smoothly.”

In his free time, Jason enjoys playing sports of all kinds, and he is a loyal fan of the Ducks, Angels and Denver Broncos. He is also continuing a family tradition of honoring those who have served in the armed forces.

“My dad just passed away, and it meant a lot to him to help veterans. It’s something I strongly believe in and will continue to do.”

Jason sums up, “My goal is to put every client in the best financial leverage position I can. I like to simplify each transaction and come to it in an honest and professional way, putting the client first and making sure their needs are met. I always strive to exceed their expectations.”

Jason Rowland Seven Gables Real Estate 12651 Newport Ave. Tustin, CA 92780 Tel: 714.904.4152 Email: JasonR@sevengables.com Web: www.JRSellsOC.com CalBRE # 01507551

Another hallmark of Jason’s real estate practice is diversity. He is adept at connecting with people of ExecutiveAgent Magazine

Investing Yourself

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ne of the most fascinating stories I’ve ever heard comes out of Holland. The citizens in the little village of Ida in Holland were astonished when Hans Bergen died because he left an estate of $40,000 to a young girl named Anne Martin. She, of all people, was the most surprised villager of all, for she had never spoken to Hans Bergen. How could such a thing happen to her?

avoided him like the plague. Perhaps Anne Martin saw the extreme loneliness in Hans and gave him the only thing she could—a smile. It’s amazing how much we can do for others when we invest a little of ourselves in them.

That builds winning relationships because people don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care—about them.

Well, Hans Bergen’s will told the story. It seems that one day Anne Martin smiled at him. It was the only smile he had ever received in his lifetime. Grotesquely ugly, Hans had lived a lonely, affection-starved life. His ugliness frightened and repulsed the villagers and they

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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Happiness as a Priority

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t’s always been interesting to me that the average person (go ahead and ask them), spends ten times (or more) the amount of time watching television than he or she does even considering happiness.

In fact, in one pole that I conducted, not a single person out of more than 30 people admitted to spending even one second thinking about how they might go about becoming happier!

Some of these people spent anywhere from 2-7 hours a day in front of a television set, yet not one minute contemplating what could amount to the most important question of one’s life—how can I be happier?

One of the first rules of any venture is that in order to get somewhere, you need at least a general idea of how to get there and, at the very least, where you are going!

We’re really lucky in a way as learning to be happy is a very easy thing to do. In fact, happiness is our natural state.

If left to our devices and if we could find a way to stop interfering with the flow, we’d be extremely happy right now. So while life did not come with a instruction book on happiness, it really didn’t have to. By following some really simple principles and also knowing how to get out of our own way, we can become extremely happy, regardless of our present circumstances.

Most people would agree with the notion that when a baby is born, he or she is a fairly clean slate. In other words, they aren’t vicious, reactive, judgmental, dissatisfied, prejudice, jealous, or angry. Instead, they are simply little beings who are curious and open to learning. Unfortunately, most of the time they eventually learn some pretty negative thinking which leads to some pretty unhappy times.

We are taught that our thoughts are real and that we should pay attention to them. Problem is, they aren’t real,

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they are just thoughts.

Think of a time when you were, say, driving home from a baseball game and on the last play of the game, your favorite player, dropped an easy ball and blew the game and the season for your team and all the fans, you being one of them. You’re now in the comfort of your own home and the outcome of the game is brought up by other members of your family. You start to think about the dropped ball and you start to get depressed. You launch into a lecture about how the team needs new outfielders!

Yikes, it’s happening all over again!

It’s as if the dropped ball is happening all over again in your living room. As you think about it, you get more and more distressed, after all, you rationalize, he “did” drop the ball!

That’s true he did drop the ball. But let me show you how easy it is to dismiss that thought now that the event is over. You’re about to see that while the unfortunate event did occur, it’s now only a harmless thought with no power over you other than that which you give it. And once you realize this, happiness will be moments away.

Have you ever been driving and some other driver nearly knocks you off the road—maybe even comes within a foot or two of killing you? It’s happened to me a few times in the almost 30 years that I’ve been driving.

Whether it has ever happened to you or not, pretend for a minute that it did.

Imagine the thoughts that would be running through your mind while you were still heated. I can imagine the thought “I should kill that guy,” being one of your thoughts, or something similar, relating to some sort of revenge. Now the question becomes, “would you do it?” I mean it. Would you kill the driver? Of course you wouldn’t.

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And other than the fact that it’s against the law and that you’re a moral person, why wouldn’t you act on that thought? The reason is simple: The thought was just a thought—like the thousands of other thoughts that run through your mind every single day. You realize it was just a thought and you promptly dismiss it.

This doesn’t mean you aren’t a little spooked or that you don’t care—of course you do. But by dismissing the thought, you put the event behind you, opening the door for you to move into the present moment and be happy in this moment instead of caught up in a thought that is just a thought, like all other thoughts—including the thought of the baseball player dropping the ball.

Today, as we live our life, that event is merely a thought carried through time, via our own thinking As long as you see it, not as a reality to contend with, but as a simple thought, you are free to live right now, in this moment.

Because thoughts are just thoughts (all of them) you have the power to drop any thought, at any time. You are absolutely in charge and have the last say! This is the ultimate in taking responsibility for your own thoughts and feelings.

Here’s a little more food for thought. Let me ask you a funny question. Would you ever, even for a moment, consider writing yourself a nasty, mean-spirited letter and then mailing that letter to yourself? Then, when you get the letter you open it and you’re immediately offended by the mean and obnoxious content! You storm around the room and act all out of sorts!

Of course this would never happen in a million years, but why? The reason is that you would be aware that it was you who wrote the letter. How silly would it be to write a letter and then become upset by that very letter?

thinking. Think about it carefully. Why would you ever have a thought—any thought, no matter how negative or scary—and then become nervous, reactive, angry or in some other way bothered by it? Remember, it’s just a thought you’re having, just like all the others. And what’s more important, you’re the one who produced the thought to begin with.

Being upset by your own thoughts is a little like smashing your head against a wall and wondering why your head hurts. Remember, you wouldn’t act on a scary thought like killing another driver, no matter how bad he or she was—why? Because it was just a thought. The secret to a happy life is to realize that all of our thoughts are just thoughts. True things happen all the time, but once they are over—or if they haven’t happened yet, they are just thoughts.

Before I close, take one last look at that ball player who dropped the ball. Regardless of how high the stakes were, it’s now, today, right now, nothing more than a thought— no more or less important than any others! Try applying this logic to all of the thoughts that run through your mind and, pretty soon, you’ll be dropping any negativity you’ve been burdening yourself with—and what you’ll be left with is, you’ve got it—happiness!!

Richard Carlson, PhD, was considered one of the world’s foremost experts on happiness and stress reduction. As the author of thirty popular books, which have sold more than 26 million copies worldwide, including the #1 New York Times bestseller Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff, he showed millions of people how to not let the small things get the best of them.

Well that’s the exact same logic we can apply to our

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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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