Over 20 years ago I had the priveledge of meeting Howard Brinton of "Star Power"  Howard had been hired by our Naples Board of Realtors to be a speaker at an educational seminar.  As the chair person I got to pick him up at the airport that day and that was the begining of a great friendship.  The very first thing I learned from Howard that day was "Let me tell you how I work"  Over the next years, I used that with my customers. I remember the first Star Power Conference I attended in 1997, in Naples.  My career changed that day and over the next 12+ years

Howard has always shared the good and the bad with all of us.  I love his "Pig" story and oh lets not forget the time he went to haver that massage..LOL He has a wonderful funny side and he lets us in.....

Howard is now fighting cancer and needs our prayers, so ask for everyone to pray for him.

Why not share some of your memories of meeting Howard and the stories that are dear to your heart, I would love to hear.......

Today was a great today in our Keller Williams Lafayette Market Center.  We had a great turn out for our first KW Cares Luncheon.  Several of our agents and staff brought in food, salads and deserts to share with our agents.  All the agents had to do was donate $5 for the lunch. We then donate that money to our KW Cares.  Lots of agents showed, food was yummy and we already have 4 of the guys who will provide the lunch next month. Thanks KW.

With the new Keller Williams BOLD program that is.  Life by design..They are getting amazing results from all of the agent participating in this 7 week course.  One day a week they meet and learn what it takes to do more in your business than you ever thought possible. Almost 250 agents from the Mid Region have signed up for their BOLD class starting next week and over 50 signed up today in Indy for their BOLD class starting in October. This class is open for for all agents, not just KW agents.  Interested?  In Getting BOLD that is?

Don't miss the opportunity to see three homes open in Rainey Brook, first one is on Admirals Point Drive from 1-2PM, the next ones on Osprey from 2-3, which has just been reduced to $249,900 and the third is one from 3-4. just follow the signs.  Kevin Fischer, Buyer Partner of the Kristy Sporre Davis Team of Keller Williams will be hosting those for Kristy. You can contact Kevin by text or phone 828-260-3965.

As a business or just running as fast as you can hoping that it is working?  I hope that your answer isn't the latter! As a trainer and coach for agents, too many times I discover that they know it is a business , try to set it up to run like one, but never quite get it.  You can't build a beautiful well built home without a blueprint so what makes you think that you can build a successful real estate career without one?

My advice for 2010, get a business plan in place now and then write the action plan to work it successfully.  Be realistic and don't set your goals so high you can't attain them, but do aim high enough to reach them.  Start with how much money you want to make, how much did you make this year..Now if you want to make the same amount of income or more income, then figure out what you need to do.  Are your expenses going to be the same or have they changed. Do you need to run mean and lean or are you able to spend more next year...  All important questions to ask your self.

If you have never done a business plan, find out where you can go to learn how to do one.  I know Keller Williams offices around the country are holding one day courses, anyone can attend, check in your area.

You know the buyer who after you closed  with them and put your check in the bank, you just went on to the next client and forgot all about them.  We call these orphans and are easy pickens for that next savvy agent who is smart enough to keep in touch.  According to the latest NAR 2008 "Profile of Buyers and Sellers", 43% come from being referred to you by a friend who used your services.  Someone you worked with that was happy with your service.  So what does that tell us?.  Maybe we should spend a lot more time on the clients who we already made happy rather than spending alot of money ontrying to find new clients.  11% used the same agent that they had worked with before.  I bet these agents didn't let them forget who helped them either buy or sell their last home.

NAR also reported that 67% of the buyers only meet with one agent before choosing who they want to work with. So they said it is the first one to the table, not the agent's company.  Great news for my company, Keller Williams, as JD Powers said we were for the second year in a row number #1 for working with buyers.  You rock Keller Williams Lafayette.

"Get a second opinion"  that was one of the messages that the incrediable Nick Vujicic shared with us at Mega Camp in Austin this past week. Nick is 26 years old, from a small town in Australia, a college graduate with 2 majors, owns 2 very profitable companies, a wonderful speaker and.....was born with no arms or legs. Nick's parents were told that he would never do anything with his life, that he would be a vegtable, but someone forgot to tell him.  He is funny,  bright  and so inspiring to all of us.  He doesn't believe that he can't do anything and so far it seems he is right. He has even surfed in Hawaii, now that is aiming high and then accomplishing that.

If you ever get a chance to hear him speak or if not  go buy his DVD, and watch it.  He will change how you think. For Nick he sees only what he can do, not what he couldn't nor can't. Thank you Gary Keller for bringing him to Mega Camp this year.

Stop complaining..Today at the last day of the Keller Williams Mega Camp, I got to hear the most amazing young woman, Liz Mathews.  You might have heard of her, they did a movie of her young life.  "Homeless to Harvard"  She has appeared on Oprah,, 20/20 did a 30 minute segment on her. Liz doesn't want our pity, she has moved on in her young life.  But I have to wonder if it was "I" who had her life, would or could I have done what she did.  Can you imagine being home less, for 2 years, at the young age of 15, living on the subway, while going to day school, night school and even school on Saturday's?  How about  maintaining an 4.0 average while doing it.

Liz also said that while she grew up hungry, poor and living on the streets, she came from a loving family.  She knew her mother loved her, but she also knew her mother was sick.

She graduated from Harvard, with love and grateful for her life.  She only asked today that we do our part in society.  To reach out to others because if her teacher didn't reach out to her as her mentor , if the New York Times had not given her a scholarship to Harvard and if her friends and the strangers did not reach out to her after hearing her story, she might not be the person she is today.  I am grateful that I got a chance to see and hear her today.  Liz MAthews..."you are an awesome young lady"

Today, Gary Keller of Keller Williams Realty spoke to us about thinking bigger. He said 'life doesn't wait for anyone"   Think Big ...start small....and aim high, if you want to succeed in anything in life.  There was this awesome artisit named Patrick Mathews there who paints the most amazing oilo paintings in one day.  he painted 3 for us while our confefrence as going on.   We also got to hear this wonderful talented guitar player, Tommy Emanual.  He shared his life story with us and how he started playing at 4 years old with no training. So many wonderful and amzing prople were there.  keller Williams is a great company to belong to.

I just don't understand why perfectly sane people, speaking of my little brother, can be so damn stupid.  My brother  just had his 3rd heart attack this afternoon.  He is only 55 years old. Course after the first one he was told to quit smoking and he did for about a month.  Then comes the second heart attack, same story, quit for a little while.  Doctor put him on plavix to keep his blood flowing, but he has been out of work for a few months and so he couldn't afford it so he stopped taking it 2 weeks ago. So here comes the next heart attack and this one is worse and now he has to have a triple bypass, that is if they can get his blood from clogging up.

Please  take care of yourselves, follow the doctors orders and don't stop taking your meds, it just might kill you if you don't.  Oh and please say a prayer for my brother Jimmy, he is a great guy. He is stable and with the grace of GOD he will come out of this.  And quit smoking.