Derrick Luckett

REAL with Derrick Luckett

R e a l E s t a t e E x p e r t

YBNB: Can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today?

DL: I started on my journey to getting into sales by knowing that I could not be an employee’s journey started by me being unemployed and looking for work as a young black man in Chicago IL. I go to store one day and I see an Ebony magazine with the Black salesman of the year on the front page. I was startled to know that I recognized that man on the Ebony Magazine. It was the man that I had seen every day, sometimes two to three times a day. The man of the year was my Landlord who lived directly up over my head on the second floor of the building I was living in. I immediately purchased it and ran home to ask him for a job. He explained he could not hire me because he was selfemployed. I was not familiar with the terminology, so I got a better understanding and said yes that is me. When he stated he was his own boss my ears stood up.

I wanted to be my own boss, determine my own paycheck, and work my own hours. I know this was a double-edged sword, but it was what I needed to be independent. Because I knew if I had no discipline this could be devastating to my family who was relying on me and my income being Self-employed. So I have been Self Employed over 35 years as a Licensed Insurance Agent, Realtor, and Mortgage Broker. To this day I have received numerous Community Leadership awards from my efforts. Awards from Congress, the Senate the U.S Assembly members, Numerous Boards etc. this is my give back to the Community in which I do business in.

YBNB: We strongly believe in the significance of pursuing your passion and loving what you do – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that getting to that point isn’t always that easy… Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?

DL: No, I would not say things have been easy for me. I did not go to College to become a business owner, so my lessons were from the school of hard knocks.

But I always say I have a degree from the school of Hard knocks. Since I paid for mistakes and cost of some the mistakes are as much as a degree would cost in todays society. As a business owner you have to get up and open your shop every day. You have to be on duty for business at all times. You have to be the best marketer, show passion and most of all be the specialist in your craft. It takes diligence, perseverance, and tenacity each and every day. What else can you tell us about your work that we would not otherwise know?

DL: I would say if you do not know what your passion is and want to go in business do not do it.

Because you have to have passion and enjoy what you have to do on a daily basis. You have to be able to smile if you need to frown. You have to get up when you need to lay down. You hold the keys to your future and if you do not use that key on a daily basis you are going to go hungry because you are a Business Owner.

YBNB: Who or what has inspired you to devote your life to your work? How did they or it serve as an inspiration?

DL: My Family is my soul and my inspiration. I look at what do I want to do for my family that my parents could not do for me. I want to leave them in a better position than I was in by teaching them my craft as a legacy so that they can have choices in life for independence of thought. They, would also have the ability and creativity to choose if they want to be an employee or the employer.

YBNB: If there was anything you could tell yourself when you first began your journey, what would that be?

DL: If there is one thing I could do when I first began, it would be established who I was in Business.

Research if you are a LLC, Corporation, independent Contractor. But most of all understand the tax consequences of each. Because if not it could greatly affect your bottom line financially.

YBNB: What would you like to tell our audience of entrepreneurs that are just starting out?

DL: I have owned restaurant, several Barber and Beauty Shops, Mortgage Companies, Real Estate Offices, etc. Being an entrepreneur can be a lonely place if you have no one to bounce things off of. Make sure you create a team of people to help guide you in building your business structure. stay Making sure that watch your bottom-line dollar. And most of all do your homework before going into business. My last and final thought would be to Stay Prayed Up and know that all is possible if you believe in yourself. “If you think you can or if you think you can’t either way you are right”.

Secret to Success Revealed

A secret to Derrick Luckett’s success is his ability to curate and nurture a community. In an industry fueled by referrals, having access to a consistent and engaged audience increases the chances of referrals.

At least once a month Derrick hosts a networking event that connects business owners interested in benefiting from his multiple decades worth of experience and knowledge. With this strategy he has securely positioned himself in his customer’s life as a resource, and not just a salesperson.

Instead of being the person that sells, be the trusted resource that your peers turn to for help. By walking side by side with your customer, when they are ready to make a purchase, it will be your trusted relationship developed over time that will stand out.

Contact Info:

Destiny Six Financial DestinySixFinancial.com Phone (619) 825-9560 Email:destinysixfinancial@DestinySixFinancial.com Instagram:kingofrealestate Facebook: Destiny Six financial

M a k e y o u r c u s t o m e r s c a r e By Brittany Miller

I work one on one with Entrepreneurs to help them identify and develop relationships with their customers. In the real world, your customer may love the individuality of your store, or the fact they remember running up and down your aisles. However, these quaint experiences don’t exist online, leaving many business owners wondering how to continue building these relationships.

To successfully transition your “real world relationship building” online, you must create a virtual ecosystem that allows your customer to “run up and down” your aisles. We have now officially entered the era where companies can’t rely on customers for continued sustainability, they must rely on a community that views their business as essential to their lifestyle.

See below for my favorite top 3 ways to transition your customers :in real life” experience to a virtual experience:

1. The Casual Store Visit- Social Media Remember window shopping? It’s still a thing, it just happens on platforms that are best suited for pictures and video. If you can capture the story of your business visually there are millions of customers waiting to walk by your window on platforms like Pinterest, Instagram, and Tumblr. can capture the story of your business visually there are millions of customers waiting to walk by your window on platforms like Pinterest, Instagram, and Tumblr. 2. The Inquiry- Messenger & Chat

Your favorite salesperson has officially entered the chat. We know by the data that the majority of customers are on Facebook. Now more than ever it’s important to develop a strategy where you can have casual conversations with the customer that is ready for more information where they spend the majority of their time. Your customers no longer come to you, you go to them.

3.The Deeper Dive- Events, Emails, and Text

Your customer has window shopped, spoken with an associate, and is almost ready to make that purchase. Since we can no longer depend on in store events, live online events are the next best thing. Offering webinars, orientations, and special virtual experiences allow your customer to engage with you on a deeper level. Stay connected with attendees of your events through email or text.

In conclusion, your business will benefit more from taking the stance that it no longer serves customers, but is an essential resource to a community.

Take advantage of the platforms where your customers spend their time to build relationships with them where they feel comfortable. Cement that relationship through an event that allows you to capture their personal contact information. Consistently communicate with them directly to continue to nurture that ongoing relationship.