OCTOBER 2016 CALIFORNIA

EXECUTIVEAGENT MAGAZINE

Executive Agent of the Month

INSIDE FEATURES: B. Atchison & R. Miller Zip Realty Mindy Fang RE/MAX Estate Properties The Palanca Group Keller Williams Realty

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Executive Agent of the Month

21 19 Sofia Chacon Keller Williams Realty

Professional Profiles

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B. Atchison & R. Miller

Mindy Fang

The Palanca Group

Zip Realty

RE/MAX Estate Properties

Keller Williams Realty

ExecutiveAgent Magazine

October, 2016 - California Edition

Editorials 36

Customer Impact: The Winner’s Edge -Bill Brooks

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How To Go From Making A Living To Designing A Life -Mark Hunter

E XECUTIVE AGENT

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Fred Arrias Executive Publisher PO Box 73384 San Clemente, CA 92673 Ph: (949) 366-3349 Fax: (949) 266-8757 FArrias45@gmail.com www.EACal.com

ADVERTISERS’ INDEX Benchmark Mortgage...........................................2

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Get While The Gettin’ Is Good -Rich Levin

Finance of America Mortgage...........................29 i Photography Studio.............................................25 Kinecta Federal Credit Union...............................40 PWAOR...................................................................28

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The Best Gift To Give Yourself And Others...

-Jim Rohn

SBAOR....................................................................38 The Termite Guy......................................................3 Ticor Title Company....................................................39

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There Are No Guarantees -Chris Widener

Photography: i Photography Studio, Ian Wiant, Rob Paino Graphic Designer: Garon T. Arrias Editorial Manager: Trudy Van Writers: Lalaena Gonzalez–Figueroa, Shannon Hartsoe, Haley Freeman, Julie Brown

Take Action Or Accept The Results -Dirk Zeller

© Copyright 2016 Executive Agent Magazine. All rights reserved.

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

Recognizing Potential -Zig Ziglar

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E XECUTIVE AGENT

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Mindy Fang Written by Haley Freeman

“Trustworthy, knowledgeable and meticulous.” These are the words one client used to describe Realtor® Mindy Fang, an esteemed professional at RE/MAX Estate Properties with 12 years of experience helping people buy and sell homes in the South Bay. This same client and his wife went on to say that in addition to displaying these

prime attributes, Mindy exceeded their expectations in all areas. “I honestly believe that Mindy not only helped me buy and sell homes for the best value, but also treated the transaction as if it was her own. We bought our home from her eight years ago and she helped us sell our home eight years later, we have become friends. As her friend and her loyal client, I highly recommend Mindy to buyers and sellers in the South Bay area.”

Dozens of people have gone on record expressing similar sentiments, reflecting Mindy’s consummate professionalism and keen attention to detail.

Mindy was born in Taipei, Taiwan and grew up in Torrance. After graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of California, Los Angeles, Mindy went to work for a laboratory. She began taking real estate classes in order to facilitate her own purchase of investment properties, when she was unexpectedly laid off from her lab position.

Rather than folding under the pressure, Mindy made the most of her new circumstances by obtaining her real estate license and excelling in this field.

“When I got into real estate, I not only lacked sales experience, I also lacked friends or family who needed my services,” Mindy explains. “Without any assistance, I simply went out and held open houses in order to meet people. Even though I had no sales background, I relied on my previous job skills. For example, I trained our laboratory technicians at work to learn new procedures. I also had customer service experience at UCLA’s dormitory front desk. When international students came in, I would explain everything to them, sometimes multiple times. I’m very patient and used to talking with people for whom English is a second language.”

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Earning Trust & Exceeding Expectations It didn’t take long for Mindy to establish her reputation as a dedicated and trustworthy real estate professional, whose focus is on helping her clients reach their goals.

She embraces people of different cultures and is trilingual in English, Taiwanese and Mandarin, qualities that enhance her conscientious service in this multicultural community. “I respect other cultures. Sometimes my clients have beliefs like Feng Shui that come into play when they are trying to find a house. For instance, they may want their house to face a certain direction, or they don’t want certain numerals in their address. I try to be patient and listen to people’s needs. I don’t try to sell them anything. ‘You tell me what you want, and I’ll try to find it for you.’”

exceeding expectations. She says, “The most rewarding part of my job is the lifelong relationships I build with my clients.” Finally, another client stated, “I think Mindy was as responsive to us as she was with her higher end clients, and I believe that’s because she’s not just an incredible agent but a really good person. Call Mindy, she’s the person to help you find your new home.”

Mindy empowers her clients with the information they need to make the right real estate decision, and she consistently earns their referrals to friends and family members.

She also earns the trust of fellow professionals who are quick to accept her offers, since they know Mindy’s reputation for closing transactions timely and seamlessly.

In addition, Mindy works with Zillow partner agent, Deborah Naumovski, who shares her commitment to delivering outstanding customer care. One client observed: “These two ladies were always responsive to my questions; they went above and beyond to close the deal. They treated me like family and watched out for my best interest, giving me invaluable advice and support. I know that anyone who is able to work with them will always be in the best of hands.”

In her free time, Mindy enjoys spending time with her South Bay neighbors in a number of activities, including ballroom dancing, Tai Chi and yoga. She gives back by assisting with ballroom dance instruction at the Torrance Cultural Arts Center. “I love learning, and it is a good way to relieve stress.”

Mindy’s genuine connection with her clients and community is the key to her success in earning trust and

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Mindy Fang RE/MAX Estate Properties 1720 S. Elena Avenue Redondo Beach, CA 90277 Tel: 310-985-9871 Email: FangMindy@gmail.com Web: www.remax.com CalBRE # 01436380

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The Best Gift to Give Yourself and Others.....

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’m often asked the question, “How can I best help my children, spouse, family member, staff member, friend etc. improve/change?” In fact that might be the most frequently asked question I receive, “How can I help change someone else?”

My answer often comes as a surprise and here it is. The key to helping others is to help yourself first. In other words, the best contribution I can make to someone else is my own personal development. If I become 10 times wiser, 10 times stronger, think of what that will do for my adventure as a father... as a grandfather... as a business colleague.

The best gift I can give to you, really, is my ongoing

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personal development. Getting better, getting stronger, becoming wiser. I think parents should pick this valuable philosophy up. If the parents are okay, the kids have an excellent chance of being okay. Work on your personal development as parents; that’s the best gift you can give to your children.

If you have ever ridden in an airplane, then you might have noticed the oxygen compartment located above every seat. There are explicit instructions that say “In case of an emergency, first secure your own oxygen mask and then if you have children with you then secure their masks.” Take care of yourself first... then assist your children. If we use that same philosophy throughout our whole parental life, it would be so valuable.

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Written By Jim Rohn

If I learn to create happiness for myself, my children now have an excellent chance to be happy. If I create a unique lifestyle for myself and my spouse, that will be a great example to serve my children. Self-development enables you to serve, to be more valuable to those around you; for your child... your business... your colleague... your community... your church.

That’s why I teach development skills. If you keep refining all the parts of your character, yourself, your health, etc. so that you become an attractive person to the marketplace - you’ll attract opportunity. Opportunity will then begin to seek you out. Your reputation will begin to precede you and people will want to do business with you. All of that possibility is created by working on

the philosophy that success is something you attract by continually working on your own personal development.

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

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E XECUTIVE AGENT

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Written by Haley Freeman

The PALANCA Group

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att and Joyce Palanca know that real estate clients are most satisfied when the details of a transaction are expertly attended, communication is transparent and the terms are fair. The best result happens when everybody wins. The Palanca Group’s

reputation for professionalism and integrity is the foundation for their lasting relationships with both clients and colleagues, who trust them to conduct business with everyone’s best interests in mind.

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Making Real Estate A Win-Win Matt and Joyce are Orange County natives who met while earning their degrees at Chapman University. Matt went on to join his family’s entertainment company, where he took on various roles while earning his way up to executive management. Meanwhile, Joyce enjoyed a successful career as a pricing analyst in the aerospace industry before she took time off to make raising their three children her top priority. They eventually decided to purchase and flip investment properties, and they found that they worked so well together and so loved the challenges of buying and selling homes, that a joint career in real estate was their next logical move.

The Palanca Group is powered by Keller Williams Realty, where Matt and Joyce quickly distinguished themselves as top-producing Realtors®. Married for 25 years, they bring their mutual respect and complementary skills to every transaction, ensuring that clients receive conscientious and comprehensive service.

Joyce’s caring nature, meticulous attention to detail and the experience she garnered working in the REO department of a large mortgage company are just a few of her contributions to the team’s success. “Joyce is our buyer’s agent, and her gift is listening very well to help clients find exactly what they want,” Matt says. “She helps 100 percent of her clients find the right home, but one of the things that makes her so successful is her ability to get such a high percentage of her offers accepted. She packages them really well. I do the listings, and together we offer Nordstrom-style service.”

“Matt is great at sales,” Joyce adds. “He’s a huge communicator, and he’s a confident problem solver who can figure out how to move any type of obstacle out of the way to make sure a transaction completes. Matt is really good at getting the highest price for a home in the shortest amount of time for a seller. His listings never sit around for long. He’s funny as well, and while this is a serious business, he can make a stressful situation less of a worry for our clients.”

Due to Matt’s familiarity with construction, he has the expertise to evaluate the necessity and cost of home repairs. “A lot of agents don’t understand how to make a request for repairs, and they don’t know how much things will cost. Our ability to address these issues is one of the reasons our deals don’t blow up when something needs to be fixed.” Matt is also skilled at guiding clients through complex land and development transactions.

The Palancas are supported in providing world-class service by a group of carefully selected individuals who share their conviction for professional excellence. These include a dedicated assistant and transaction coordinator, as well as a whole team of title, escrow, interior design and lending partners who are leaders in their fields.

Clients express their appreciation for The Palanca Group’s service with their referrals and with reviews like this one: “We purchased our first home with The Palanca Group, by far and away the best home buying experience.

The Palanca Group was knowledgeable of the market, helped us locate and finance our home. They negotiated incredible terms with the previous owners and made sure our best interests were always priority number one. After our home purchase was finalized, they paid us a visit at Christmas time just to check in on us and make sure we were well. Not only are they amazingly experienced Realtors® – honest and helpful – they’re friends. Two years has gone by since our purchase, and we still communicate with Joyce and Matt for home renovations and check-ins. Wonderful experience, great team and thankful for the help they gave and give us.”

Matt and Joyce are also committed to giving back to their community. Joyce is a longtime member and leader of the Orange/Villa Park National Charity League and the North Orange County Delta Gamma Foundation, and she currently serves on the board of Released Time Christian Education. Matt regularly volunteers at the Fred Jordan Mission in downtown L.A., and he loves sharing his passion for surfing by teaching kids the sport.

By living and working with integrity and accountability, Matt and Joyce continue to create win-win scenarios for buyers and sellers. No matter if a property is worth thousands or millions, they take pride in providing everyone with the same quality service. Matt sums up, “We know we’ve done our job when everybody wins.”

The Palanca Group Keller Williams Realty 17822 E. 17th Street, Ste. 101 Tustin, CA 92886-3500 Tel: 714-612-7453 - 714-366-7661 Email: homes@thepalancagroup.com Web: www.palancagroup.com CalBRE 01317936

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Get While The C

oast to Coast the Market is Heating Up. Jan is in Los Angeles. Donna is in Long Island.

Both are selling million and multi-million dollar homes. Kelli is in Florida. Kyle is in Illinois. Both are selling one hundred thousand dollar homes. From coast to coast, border to border Real Estate markets are already busy. All signs indicate that people are realizing that home prices are down, interest rates are down and what is called the house affordability index is the lowest it has been in a century.

WIIFM… so, What’s in It for Me? If you don’t own a home and you are able to buy, that is, if you have a secure job, a modest amount of cash, and decent credit then you can borrow more money and buy more home than people have been able to buy for over a hundred years. It’s crazy but it’s true. You will have a huge tax deduction each year. When you own a home no one raises your rent or limits the use of the space in which you reside. There is more in it for you but this is enough for now.

If you are selling, with the activity in the market this spring, this will inevitably be another time when Buyers are competing for the best homes for sale. Much like what happened during the tax credit flurry. There will be a bump in prices. Follow your REALTORS® advice about the ways to make your house look its best. If it doesn’t sell quickly, adjust the price every three or four weeks and don’t be too concerned over taking a slightly disappointing price if you able to get a great price on the home you are buying.

And if you are an Agent, get on the phone and call all of those people who said they were waiting for the market to get active. It’s active. Follow up on all the leads that come your way. Hold Open Houses, and talk to the Guests who attend. The market is full of people eager to finally make the move they have been thinking about.

Pent-up Demand is Unleashed.

Real Estate Buyers and Sellers will only wait so long.

Families grow. People get new jobs or lose them. Life changes happen. There are a myriad of reasons that people move. When those reasons arise people will wait for a while, even a year or two, then it’s time to get going.

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When the reason people delay is widespread, like concerns over the economy, then lots of people delay and at some point they are willing to take the risk. At that point, many people enter the market at once. We are experiencing one of those times.

Politically, if you like our president then you may believe he has figured out how to make things better. If you don’t like our president, then you may be optimistic that his replacement will make things better. Either way, lots of people for lots of reasons are choosing to buy that home or make that move that they have been delaying.

So, What’s To Do? Trust the smartest most successful people you can find. Billionaire Warren Buffet’s secretary of 37 years, Debbie Bosanek, asked him if he thought it was a good time to buy. She said, “He told me that it will be the best opportunity in my lifetime.”

Nearly all of the economists, successful investors and financial advisors, even the ones that, just last year, were saying it was not yet the time to buy a home are saying that now is an opportunity that is extraordinary. There is widespread, nearly universal belief that we have hit the bottom of the market.

So, what’s to do next? Contact a Real Estate Agent you trust and discuss what you might like to do. And as Larry the Cable Guy says, “Git ‘er done.”

Rich Levin is a Master Real Estate Coach and Productivity Expert. You can order Rich’s complete 2012 Planning Workbook at the number or e-mail below. You can experience Rich Levin live, every weekday on his 1st Fifteen Daily webinars. Register at www.FreeCoachingWebinars. com. For speaking engagements or coaching information you can contact him at Rich@RichLevin.com. ©2012, Rich Levin. All rights reserved. For information about Rich’s Coaching programs, contact the FrogPond at 800.704.

FROG(3764) or email susie@FrogPond.com; http://www.

FrogPond.com.

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Gettin’ Is Good

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Brenda Atchison & Robyn Miller Written by Haley Freeman

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or Realtors® Brenda Atchison and Robyn Miller, real estate is about more than helping clients buy and sell real property. It’s about providing exceptional service to people in all kinds of circumstances, and delivering happiness by fulfilling their real estate dreams.

These ladies deliver on their promises with extraordinary care and proficiency, as they possess the expertise and confidence that come with many years of industry experience. They are both Southern California natives whose love for and connection to this one-of-a-kind community drive them to serve their neighbors with uncompromising excellence.

Brenda spent the early part of her real estate career in property management before she and her husband began purchasing and flipping investment properties of their own. “I never thought I’d ever want to sell real estate,” she says. “I don’t consider myself a sales person. But I love working with people and homes, so I eventually went to work with Keller Williams as a showing agent. It wasn’t long before I realized I might as well do the whole transaction, and I moved to Zip Realty. I really enjoy my role as a trusted advisor, working with everyone from first-time homebuyers to investors, as well as sellers.”

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Robyn began working in real estate as a young adult in her twenties and obtained her broker’s license by the time she reached 30. She partnered with her mother, also an agent, and they worked together selling property in Big Bear for nearly 19 years. She later moved to Orange County, where she joined Zip Realty. After having been involved in more than 2,000 transactions, Robyn says, “I still love helping people make the right real estate decision for wherever they are in life, and it’s important to me to establish long and deep relationships. I call my clients friends.”

Today, Zip Realty is powered by the globally recognized real estate brand Coldwell Banker Residential. Brenda explains, “We have the best of both worlds, since we have the cutting edge technology developed by Zip Realty and the stability and reputation of Coldwell Banker. We can adapt to the needs of anyone who buys and sells with us, whatever their age or preference for the way they like to do business.”

By working as a team, Brenda and Robyn provide more service and greater security for their clients. Their shared values and unique, individual talents make them unstoppable, as they effectively respond to their clients’ varying needs while negotiating powerfully with other professionals. “I think we’re the perfect balance,” Robyn says.

“We play off each other’s strengths, and we both have great communication and follow-up skills. We are excellent problem solvers, who are honest and straightforward with people. It’s not our goal to make millions; we just want to make people happy.”

Brenda adds, “Integrity is very important to us. At the end of the day, we both feel great when we help a family get into a home, especially someone who didn’t think they could achieve the goal of home ownership. Our name and reputation are more important to us than anything, so we always try to do the right thing. We treat everyone the way we would treat our own family.”

Brenda and Robyn are both committed to bettering life for everyone in the South Orange County communities in which they live and work. Brenda is a longtime sponsor of the Avon Breast Cancer Walk, in which participants walk 39.3 miles to raise money for this important cause.

“Everyone knows someone who has been touched by this disease, and not just women or just older women. I’m passionate about this opportunity to give back to the community.”

Robyn loves the ocean, so she volunteers at the Pacific Marine Mammal Center in Laguna Beach. “It’s a great cause,” she says. “They rescue seals and other animals, feed them and then release them back into their habitat. I love being a part of it.”

This talented real estate duo is keeping the excitement of real estate alive by continuing to grow professionally and holding nothing back when it comes to delivering happiness and fulfilling dreams. Clients describe them as “outstanding,” “amazing,” and “highly attentive, professional and communicative.”

“Fulfilling dreams is what keeps us motivated,” Brenda says. “When we close a transaction and somebody has a new home, there’s no greater feeling in the world.”

Brenda Atchison & Robyn Miller Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage Tel: Brenda: 714.642.6855 - Robyn: 949.293.3381 Email: Brenda.Atchison@cbzhomes.com Email: Robyn.Miller@cbzhomes.com Web: www.ziprealty.com/agent/batchison Web: www.ziprealty.com/agent/romiller CalBRE: Brenda: # 01915123 – Robyn: # 00862869

Delivering Happiness and Fulfilling Dreams ExecutiveAgent Magazine

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There Are No Guarantees just read the following story in the Washington Post about four members of last year’s Forbes 400 list: “Four of last year’s billionaires were wiped out entirely - Swiss shareholder activist Martin Ebner, German media tycoon Leo Kirch, Brazilian television mogul Roberto Marinho and Turkish banker Mehmet Karamehmet.”

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are merely means to an end, not the ends themselves.

The true riches of life are people, friends, family, character, faith and the like. Make sure you give these things the proper place they deserve. For example, do not give up your family to get wealth, because one day your wealth may be gone, and when you return to your family, it may be too.

Amazing. One year you have over one billion dollars and the next year - poof! – it is gone. WOW!

Share. When you achieve success, share with others.

I mean, if it is going to go away, you may as well distribute a little to others before it goes! When you get, give. When you have, distribute. Who knows, if you ever lose it all, one of those friends you gave to may be the one to help you back on your way.

So what does that mean? Well, for one it means that your one million could go too. Or your $100,000, or your $50,000.

“That sounds kind of hopeless Chris.”

Not at all. I am not suggesting that we should in any way give up the pursuit of success. I just think we need to understand that there are no guarantees in this life and we should hold all things loosely. The harder you hold on to things, the harder it is for you when you see them go. Wealth and achievement are fine and should be pursued, but they are not the most important things in life, and they can go as quickly as they came. As the old saying goes, “Easy come, easy go.” So what should be our perspective?

I think there are a few things we should keep in mind as we pursue success while understanding that there are no guarantees.

Give it all you have! Above all, give your life everything you have. Go for broke! Try it all, and reach for your dreams. Get to the end of your life knowing you did not hold back.

When you get it, hold it loosely. The tighter you hold on to something the more it is blown out of perspective and the more dangerously close to an unhealthy idol it becomes in your life. And the harder it is when it goes. We should enjoy the things we have, whether it is fortune or achievement, but they should not be our whole life.

Some of you may say, “Chris you are not being a positive thinker.” I sure am! But I am also being realistic.

Think of those four billionaires. Had you met them two years ago and walked through their swank offices and mansions you would have thought they were the greatest possibility thinkers on the planet! Maybe they were. But what are they now? BROKE. There are no guarantees in this life. We should live each day as though it may be the last. Enjoy it to the fullest and plan for what we will do if we are given a tomorrow. If good things come we should enjoy them. If bad days come, we should enjoy them too. It is all part of life and its processes.

Go for all you can but do not sacrifice the good things to get it - and when you do get it, hold it loosely because there are no guarantees in this life.

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

Chris’ speaking and consulting services have challenged the best to become optimists, to pursue excellence relentlessly, and to dream big dreams. Copyright© 2007, Chris Widener. All rights reserved. For information about Chris’ speaking and consulting services, contact the FrogPond at 800.704.FROG(3764) or email susie@ FrogPond.com; http://www.FrogPond.com

Keep the best things in life as central. Money is not the best thing in life. Neither is achievement. Those things

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Written By Chris Widener

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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: FArrias45@gmail.com Tel: 949.366.3349

Name_______________________________ Company___________________________ Phone______________________________ Email_______________________________

Cover Story

Executive Agent of the Month

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Written by Haley Freeman - Ian Wiant Photographer

S

ofia Chacon is more than a broker associate and leader of the award-winning Sofia Chacon Group at Keller Williams Realty. She is an inspirational woman who is never content to rest on her accomplish-

ments of yesterday. She greets each day ready to face the next challenge and create bigger futures for her clients, her team and her community.

Sofia is the oldest of five children and the first member of her family to be born in the United States. From a family of humble means and great integrity, Sofia has lived courageously and decisively to achieve three college degrees and to distinguish herself as a bold entrepreneur. After nine years in mortgage lending, Sofia applied her formidable self-discipline and work ethic to real estate, where she quickly distinguished herself as a top-producer with hundreds of closed transactions to her credit.

Such stunning results are possible because Sofia lives a life of aligned values. She is the same woman at work that she is at home, one whose priorities are God, family, then business. Sofia has chosen to build her business at Keller Williams because it is a place where the same standards are cultivated, and where she and her team can thrive.

A conscientious leader, Sofia set out to build more than a business; she set out to build a lasting culture. She and her team have clearly defined their mission, vision and values in order to communicate to the world who they are and what they stand for.

In practice, they strive each day to fulfill on their commitment to empower and educate their clients to make intelligent real estate decisions that will positively impact their lives and the lives of their families, while helping them to build generational wealth. Sofia has gone so far as to appoint a cultural ambassador for her team, to help bring their message to the industry and community.

“We decided what our core values would be and what we would stand for,” Sofia explains. “We wanted to differentiate ourselves and build a culture while having fun and helping each other build great careers.

Our slogan is “Care. Serve. Give.” That’s what we stand for. We’re here to guide people when they don’t know who else to call. Without our clients, we wouldn’t have the ability to have the amazing lives we do and to touch, serve and lead so many people.”

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The Sofia Chacon Group takes care of people and advocates for those who have been mistreated in a real estate transaction. “We serve a lot of people in the Latino community where there is a lot of fraud. We take a stand and tell them who to call and how to resolve their situations. It is part of our mission to educate our clients. By educating people, we can help to prevent them from falling prey to predatory business practices while building wealth for their families.”

Sofia is her group’s primary listing agent and rainmaker. With her infectious vivacity, she draws clients from Riverside, Los Angeles, Orange and San Bernardino counties, and her team of specialists is standing with her, ready to serve the need. Following the Keller Williams Millionaire Real Estate Agent model, Sofia is building an efficient business that allows her clients and her team to flourish. She also has the pleasure of working with the people she loves most.

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Fearless and Thriving “My daughter, Jay, served in the Navy and is now part of my real estate team, and my husband, George, is my best friend and business partner. He’s a numbers guy who does our business development and keeps track of our profit and loss. We have a wonderful partnership, and I love working with him. With his help, I always know my cost of sales and can check the figures before making a business decision.

We also opened Chacon Capital Investments, LLC, through which we purchase, hold and flip real estate.” Sofia is mentoring other agents and working to expand her business to other locations and counties under the name “Unstoppable Real Estate Group.”

Unstoppable is the perfect word to describe Sofia. Not only is she a business powerhouse, but she has proven herself unstoppable in overcoming obstacles in life that would immobilize others. She has overcome several catastrophic illnesses, including a major heart attack with a low survival rate after five years. Sofia maintains a positive spirit and

healthy lifestyle, and she is currently working on a book to inspire others. “I feel blessed to be alive every day. So many people take life for granted. I feel fortunate to have this mindset at such a young age. In that way, this has been a beautiful experience.”

Community service figures prominently in Sofia’s personal and professional life. She is the founder of Little Lady Leaders, a nonprofit whose purpose is “Empowering Girls to Become Empowered Women.” She has also created a mastermind group for women leaders called “Ladies of Grace,” where women lift one another up to become the best versions of themselves. “I love to teach and give back because of the Keller Williams culture. I have led Relay for Life, blood drives, and have spoken on behalf of the American Heart Association’s Go Red for Women.” Her husband, George, gives back by advocating for the homeless, veterans and animals, and together they are active in their church community.

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Sofia’s genuine care for everyone she meets is reflected in the world-class service her clients receive during their transactions, as well as the numerous post-closing mailings, emails, phone calls and invitations to client appreciation events she and her team convey. Clients respond with their referrals and repeat business, and more than 150 have submitted five-star client reviews on Yelp, Zillow and Google Plus. In addition, Sofia has been repeatedly recognized for her leadership and business success by various groups, both local and national. Here are a few of her accomplishments:

Community Award, Corona Chamber of Commerce; Featured on Outfront Magazine, Keller Williams Realty; “Be Unstoppable - Create Clients for Life,” Inman News; Past Director for Inland Gateway Association of Realtors®; Past Director for California Association of Realtors®; Past Chair for Young Professionals Network, National Association of Realtors®; Past Director for National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals; Invitee, USC Latina Leadership Program; PSI Seminars Transformational Leadership graduate.

Top 1,000 agents in America, Wall Street Journal, Real Trends; Top 250, National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals; 3 years running 100 Most Influential Real Estate Agents in Southern California; Triple Platinum Award, Keller Williams Realty; Ranked National Top 50 Agent, Keller Williams Realty; Emerging Latina Award, National Latina Business Woman Association; Women of Influence in Real Estate Award, National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals; Disney Award, National Association of Women in Real Estate Businesses; Riverside County Citizen Award for continued support of Law Enforcement and Firefighters; California State Legislature and California State Assembly Awards; Golden Seal

Sofia and George live in the Inland Empire and are proud parents of their daughter, Jay, and their son, Stephen. Sofia spends her quiet moments reading, meditating, praying and exercising, but she is often on the go, traveling to new places and exploring opportunities to expand her business.

She knows she cannot continue to thrive if she is standing still. This fearless woman is abidingly committed to the success of everyone around her. “I love people,” Sofia says, “and I’m passionate about teaching and empowering others in real estate so they can help more people. To me, helping someone buy or sell a home is more than business; it’s personal.”

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Sofia Chacon Group Keller Williams Realty, 4160 Temescal Canyon Road, Ste. 500 Corona, CA 92883 - Tel: 951-258-5245 - Email: Sofia@SofiaChaconGroup.com Web: www.SofiaChaconGroup.com - CalBRE # 01763659 ExecutiveAgent Magazine

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Recognizing Potential

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Written By Zig Ziglar

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New York businessman dropped a dollar into the cup of a man selling pencils and hurriedly stepped aboard the subway train. On second thought, he stepped back off the train, walked over to the beggar and took several pencils from the cup. Apologetically, he explained that in his haste he had neglected to pick up his pencils and hoped the man wouldn’t be upset with him. “After all,” he said, “you are a businessman just like myself. You have merchandise to sell and it’s fairly priced.” Then he caught the next train.

potential of others. Fortunately, as we recognize our own ability, it’s easy to recognize the ability of others. Once we see it, we can help them discover it for themselves.

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

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

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

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Take Action Or Accept The Results...

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n all areas of life, taking action is the key to success.

Most people who fail to achieve what they want, fail for lack of action. The ability to take action is the skill that ultimately separates the winners from the losers in the game of life. There are a number of truths that I have come across in my business and while coaching clients.

These truths should be reviewed and lived by to produce the abundance in life that you desire.

Truth #1: It’s more essential to success to be consistent than to be precise.

The power of consistency is one of the most significant forces in the world. It far outstrips the power of exactness.

If you are consistently doing enough things right, you will reap a huge reward. If you are waiting until you have it down to perfection, you are not going to take any action.

In sales, more than any other profession, consistency of your actions pays big dividends, while infrequent action, even when right, pays very little. The daily consistency of prospecting and lead follow-up is the gateway to sales success and high profitability. Again, it’s more essential to success to be consistent than to be precise.

Truth #2: A step toward your goal is a step in the right direction . . . even if it is a misstep.

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Too often, we fail to act due to fear of failure. We can become paralyzed by the need to be right or correct in all our actions. My late friend, Jim Rohn, says that to achieve your goal you need “measurable progress in reasonable time.” That doesn’t mean all the progress we make will be going in the right direction every time.

Earl Nightingale said, “Success is the progressive realization of a worthy goal or ideal.” To achieve a worthy goal, we have to progress toward it through the trials. We must proceed with consistent action. It also says there are times when we will be heading in the wrong direction and have to adjust our course of action.

In the end, success is a poor teacher. The real teacher in life is adversity and short-term failure. You will always learn more from your defeats than your victories. In sales, you will learn more from the sale lost than the sale made.

Most salespeople think that when they make the sale, they did everything right. What happens if that assumption is not true? What if you did just enough right to beat out the other guy, but he wasn’t any good? What will happen when the competition gets tougher or the marketplace gets tougher? Will you have the skills you need to dominate then?

Too often, we fail to face reality. This comes back to us

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in unfulfilled potential. Unfulfilled potential eventually manifests itself as regret. We have to be fixated on taking steps to obtain our goals daily . . . even if they are the wrong steps. It’s better to make a decision and find out it was wrong than avoiding making a decision at all. At least you know what you should not do next time.

Truth #3: Even when you choose not to decide, you have still made a choice.

Far too many of us just hope things will get better.

We hope to become healthier or thinner, or we hope we will earn more. We have wishes and dreams but no commitment or definitiveness to change what we are doing to ensure the desired result. We fail to take action on what we know we need to do now.

Many of us can vacillate over a decision for days, weeks, months, or even years. We must realize that by not making a decision, we have essentially made a choice. We end up making decisions by default because we did not decide and act. The decision was made for us.

As salespeople, by not preparing for a changing marketplace or changing economy, our choice is solidified.

We have chosen, by default, to not do as well or earn as much when the marketplace change occurs. Would it be

reasonable to assume that our marketplace will always remain the same or improve? Would we be protecting our families and assets if we assume that we don’t need to improve our skills and abilities in sales? Our decision to not act in truth means we still have made a choice.

Take ten minutes to evaluate these truths. Are you embracing these truths in how you run your business and life? Are there changes that need to be made? When do you need to make the changes? Here’s a hint…NOW! Don’t get paralyzed by inactivity or perfection. Turn action into your asset. That’s what true Champions do!

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.

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EA

How to Go From Making a Living to Designing a Life

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ontrary to popular belief, to be a successful salesperson, it doesn’t matter how much you know about your product or service. It also doesn’t matter how much of an industry expert you are. It doesn’t even matter how great your mother thinks you are. The only thing that really matters to be successful in selling is your ability to shut-up and listen.

On numerous occasions, everyone in sales has heard how important it is to get the customer talking, so it’s imperative that they have an arsenal of great questions to ask. Despite trying to follow this guideline, every salesperson seems to overstate the amount of time they believe they allow the customer to talk. The many interviews I’ve conducted over the years with customers and salespeople alike confirm this reality. Therefore, salespeople need to take a step back and consider their sales presentation.

To talk less means you have to ask questions that truly engage the customer. However, this doesn’t mean you need to develop complex questions. Instead, the best tactic is to ask shorter ones. Long questions tend to result in short answers, while short questions will generally result in long answers. An example of a great short question is, “Why?” In my opinion, there isn’t a better follow-up question you can ask after the customer has shared with you some infor-

32

mation. Consider how your customers would respond to other short examples like, “Can you elaborate on that?” and “Could you explain more?” These shorter questions elicit detailed responses and that’s just what you want. On the other hand, asking complex questions often tends to perplex customers. Because they are not sure what you are looking for, they respond with the universal answer representing total confusion, “What did you say?” Questions should not be your means of showing your customers that you are an expert. Save that for your statements.

When preparing your sales presentation, a guideline I subscribe to is to limit yourself from talking for more than 20 seconds at a time without asking a question. The question you ask should be one directed at the comments you just made. By doing so, you’re checking with the customer to see if they understood what you just shared with them.

Again, this is something many salespeople overlook. They get caught up in sharing with the customer their expertise and the features of their product or service and forget all about what the customer is thinking. Even if your product or service requires a complex presentation, you should still follow this rule. Whether you’re selling software, high value medical equipment, or technical tools, it’s essential to check your clients understanding by asking a question every 20 seconds.

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Your goal on any sales call is to talk only 20% of the time. To help ensure that this takes place, you have to plan ahead. Before you start developing your sales presentation, create your list of questions. This is contrary to the pattern of most salespeople who often spend a substantial portion of their time developing their presentation and, at the last minute, develop their list of questions. Consider that if you’re expecting to have a 20 minute presentation, you should have 40 questions (2 questions per minute).

Even though you may not use all 40, you’ll definitely be more prepared. In addition, you’ll be able to pick and choose which ones you want to ask. If you’re following the rule of asking short questions, you’ll ensure that the customer is doing most of the talking. You’ll learn valuable information that will help you better understand the customer’s needs.

that no matter what the customer’s response is, some good follow-up questions will naturally arise.

By adhering to these guidelines, you will be able to see dramatic results in the number of sales you are able to close. As simple as it sounds, the more you shut up, the more you’ll sell. And, the easiest way to achieve this goal is by asking more, short questions. So, shut up and sell!

Mark Hunter, “The Sales Hunter”, helps companies identify better prospects, close more sales, and profitably build more long-term customer relationships. Sign up to receive free weekly “Sales Hunting Tip” email at http://www.

TheSalesHunter.com . Copyright© 2007, Mark Hunter.

All rights reserved. For information, contact FrogPond at 800.704.FROG(3764) or email Susie@FrogPOnd.com; http://www.FrogPond.com

If you want to move your questioning process to the next level, make half of the questions you ask be ones that help the customer see and feel the pain they have. By doing so, they will be much more open to receiving your solution. For example, if you’re selling computer backup systems, you might ask, “Can you explain to me what happens when data is lost?” This short, concise question is designed to get the customer thinking about the risks they face. Furthermore, the beauty of this type of question is

Written By Mark Hunter

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Customer Impact: The Winner’s Edge

By Bill Brooks

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any years ago, a racehorse named Achmed became one of the first horses in history to win more than $1 million in a single season. During that same season, there was another horse that came in second in almost every race that Achmed won.

Interestingly, Achmed won 15 times as much money as the horse that consistently came in second. Later, the champion was sold for ten times more money than the second runner. A big difference, huh?

Does that mean that Achmed was 15 times faster than his nearest competitor? That question intrigued a sportswriter, so he made a study of the times logged by the two horses.

Achmed’s finishing times averaged only 3 percent faster than the slower horse.

Simply stated, the champion that year had a winner’s edge of only 3 percent over his nearest competitor, but it was enough to bring his owner 15 times more prize money and give him ten times as much value!

When it comes to making a sale, there are only winners and losers - no one comes in second. You either make the sale or you don’t, and the winner gets 100 percent of the money.

For most salespeople, income is directly proportional to the number of sales made. Although you may be able to change jobs often enough to remain ahead of a draw, or you may jump from one salaried selling job to another and keep some income coming in, sooner or later, it will catch up with you. If you don’t close sales, you won’t make a living as a salesperson.

Don’t Just Show Up For The Game; Play To Win Life is clearly not about “just making a living” - that’s the loser’s mentality. Losers feel privileged merely to be in a

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big game, but winners always play to win it.

As a college football coach for 14 years, I learned that you can almost always predict the outcome of a championship game by listening to what the coaches and players of the two teams say before the starting whistle sounds.

It’s now ancient history, but the 1986 Super Bowl offers a great example of how it works. The Chicago Bears won it decisively.

Make no mistake about it: the New England Patriots brought a great team to the championship game that year.

They had many talented players and excellent coaching, and they had overcome great adversity and defeated some strong teams on their road to the biggest game of the year in the National Football League.

But the difference in the two teams showed clearly throughout the tail end of the season. The Patriots seemed surprised that they had made the playoffs, shocked that they’d won their conference championship, and amazed that they’d earned a right to play in the Super Bowl.

“We’re just glad to be here and have an opportunity to play in this game,” several of their players told the press in the week before the big game.

However, the Bears had decided before the season started that it was to be their year to win it all. They were convinced they could win every game they played that year, and they did win all but one. “No team in football can beat us!” boasted their cocky quarterback Jim McMahon before the big game.

Then he and the Bears confidently went onto the field and backed up their claim with a dazzling performance.

When it was all over, they were clearly the champs.

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Customer Impact: How To Get More Of It

years training salespeople for some of the world’s leading organizations.

I suspect that you want to become a winner at the selling game. The truth is, you probably are already a winner.

Losers seldom read articles like this, but winners read anything and everything that can help them keep their winner’s edge honed to razor sharpness.

It’s clear that the ability to gain and hold the attention of enough of the right people is what gives the top 5 percent of salespeople their winning edge.

If you have a champion’s heart, your next question is likely to be, “How can I get more customer impact?”

In a way, that’s what sales is all about. Every sales idea is designed to do one thing: to enable you to connect with and influence enough of the right people to do the right things to get what they want out of life. Let’s take a brief look now at how to boost your customer impact.

I’ve been around selling all my life. My father sold for 43 years, and I’ve been selling all my adult life. Even when I was coaching, most of what I was doing was selling.

What’s more, I’ve had some excellent teachers and mentors in the selling profession. More recently, I’ve spent many

During all that time, I’ve noticed that the salespeople who have high customer impact reflect three basic qualities: 1. Strong personal attributes and attitudes 2. Specialized knowledge and skills 3. A propensity for doing the right things at the right times What we are talking about are people with positive attitudes, in real situations, dealing with real motivational forces, and taking real-world, tangible actions to produce desired results.

Bill Brooks, CSP, CPAE, CMC, CPCM former CEO of a $300,000,000 corporation and two-time sales award winner from an international sales force of 8,000, Bill has real-world expertise. Bill has spoken or consulted in over 300 different industries while being engaged by at least 150 clients an astonishing six times each. Copyright©2003, Bill Brooks. All right reserved. For information about how to bring Bill to your next meeting or convention, contact the Frog Pond at 800.704.FROG(3764) or email susie@ frogpond.com; http://www.frogpond.com.

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