I'm An April Fool For This - Working and 🌺 Blooming 🥷 Ninja-Style!

"I'm a fool for your love"—a timeless refrain echoed in poetry and song. Well, let me tell you, I’m an even bigger fool for Ninja Selling! For the past 26 years, I’ve proudly embraced this methodology, and I continue to bloom in its practices.

My introduction to Ninja Selling came about five years after its inception. It was in July of 1999 during one of our Broker Pitch & Ride caravan meetings at the San Mateo Elks Lodge—a delightful chaos where we stuffed 2-5 REALTORS into cars, after a breakfast meeting pitch session, and explored new listings each week. That particular morning, Walt Fry, a new vendor sponsor with us, pitched an exciting opportunity: a CRS sanctioned Ninja Selling class that would not only enhance our skills but also earn us credits towards the prestigious CRS designation.

Now, the CRS designation—Certified Residential Specialist—is a significant accomplishment. It’s awarded by the Residential Real Estate Council (RERC) to agents who have proven their expertise through substantial sales volume and completed rigorous continuing education. To me, it stands as one of the only designations that truly reflects our skill level, backed by concrete performance metrics.

Ninja Selling isn’t just a training system; it’s a philosophy embracing relationship-building, active listening, and helping clients achieve their goals. It turns away from pushy sales tactics, focusing instead on creating value by solving problems. When you adopt this mindset, the selling naturally falls into place.

Walt was offering an enticing 4-day class at SAMCAR, the San Mateo County Association of REALTORS. I thought to myself, “This will provide a delightful escape from the office for four glorious days, and who knows? I might just learn something.” Little did I know, I was about to open a door to a world that would continue to enrich my career for years to come.

That class would later become known as the Ninja Installation—the essential training gateway for anyone aspiring to become a Ninja, paving the way for advanced training and coaching. Between 1999 and 2024, I’ve participated in five of these Installations in various locations—San Mateo, San Diego, and even at "the mothership" of The Group Real Estate in Fort Collins, CO, where it all began.

The Group - Fort Collins, CO - where it all began!

The whole Ninja Selling concept was captivating; it resonated with me deeply, mirroring what I cherished about my previous career as a Wedding Mobile DJ—a role I held for a decade. It was all about serving people I loved, employing my skills and talents, and getting paid for doing what I enjoyed. My Vision Statement has always been: “Having Fun Serving People Making Money.” It encapsulates my passion for serving others and the joy of earning a living while doing so. In the realm of real estate, my clients relish in that prosperity too, as I take pride in helping them build wealth over the years.

Larry Kendall and Thomas at the 2024 Ninja Installation - Fort Collins, CO

In 2003 I even interned at The Group for a full week and almost moved to
Fort Collins to join them, but San Diego ended up capturing our hearts ( Ailina Nelson and I ) and so we moved here instead. I've had the good fortune of spending lots of one on one time with Larry, even went out to dinner with him once, just Ailina and I with him. I'm blessed that I found Ninja only 3 months into my career, it's enhanced and guided my path for 26 years this summer and I've met and trained with so many great people as a result.

So yes, I’m an 🐰 April Fool for this 🌺 Blooming 🥷 Ninja-style method, and I wouldn’t have it any other way...because The System Works!

Happy Easter!
Written for the April Blog Challenge, are you blooming or being a fool? 
Hosted by Nick Vandekar, 610-203-4543