June 2013 Ezine by GoodLife Team

TABLE OF CONTENTS 03 welcome letter 07 strategic partnerships vs vendors 12 Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Not who you know 22 the art of networking 28 meet the community 35 up nEXT: teambuilding

krisstina wise Goodread

jack miller GoodTech Oscar Davila Goodsocial

Michael mclure contributor

shannon musgrove editor

Ezine issue #6 goodlife team contributors 2

A Message from Krisstina

THE POWER OF RELATIONSHIP N

etworking and relationship building. These two ideas are important for any business. These two ideas are more than important in the real estate business. In fact, if you stop and think about it, is there any industry where a person’s ultimate success or failure is more dependent on networking and relationship building than real estate? But before we go too much further, allow me to stop and explain what I’m talking about in a little more detail.

I think of networking as making connections with new people. It’s a function of reach. It’s the idea of always thinking in terms of expanding one’s population of connections. It’s an attitude of expansion. It’s a philosophy of growth. It’s a quantitative thing. I think of relationship building, on the other hand, as a qualitative thing. It’s taking those new connections made through networking and creating deeper, more meaningful and

“It’s a qualitative thing.”

more powerful relationships. It’s moving beyond the superficial and into the deep. Perhaps even to actual friendships. That’s happened many times for me, where I’ve moved through the stages of relationship with people from cold contact to a quality of friendship that I know will last a lifetime. It’s magical when that happens, isn’t it? And both networking and relationship building are foundational, basic and essential components of every successful real estate professional’s mindset. Slow down and think about how much these things impact your business. If you’re like most quality agents, you get a fair amount of your business via word-of-mouth referrals, which you receive when your past-client raving fans interact with their friends. That’s a 4

manifestation of both networking - your clients speaking to other people in their personal networks about you - and relationship building - your clients valuing you enough based on the quality of their relationship with you that they would want to tell other people about you. In fact, to give you a real-life illustration of how this can work, one of our newest additions to the GoodLife Team is a real estate professional who has received more than 50 word-of-mouth referrals from a single past client. This single connection has resulted in gross commission income to the agent in excess of $500,000. And that “referral tree” now goes three or four levels deep, and it just keeps providing clients for that agent, year after year. If you knew the longer version of the story, you’d clearly see that this is a classic case of networking AND

“Slow down and think about how much these things impact your business.”

relationship building. And this goes to show you that a single quality relationship built can mushroom into a network that can provide income for years and even decades. Because they’re so important, networking and relationship building are the focus of this Ezine. Jack Miller will share how important relationships are in terms of vendor selection, and how there’s so much more to that process than you might imagine. I will be sharing my latest GoodRead about how to take the wonderful principles outlined in Dale Carnegie’s classic “How to Win Friends and Influence People” to the next level with Tommy Spaulding’s “It’s Not Just Who You Know.”

Oscar Davila will share practical, actionable tips in terms of becoming a master at networking events (he even tells you where you should sit on your next flight; you definitely want to check out what Oscar has to say!). And, of course, I’ll be introducing you to 3 more members of our GoodLifer community. I so love our GoodLifers, and we are honored to be able to network and build deeper relationships with each and every one of you. Finally, I want to say thank you again for taking this journey with us to help reinvent the industry. We certainly cannot do it without you! Live a GoodLife, Krisstina

goodTECH with

Jack Miller Chief Technology Officer, GoodLife Team

Strategic Partnerships

vs. Vendors There Is a Difference

At GoodLife Team, we get questions like “What CRM system do you use? Who does your web design? Where can I go for help?” all of the time. In this goodTECH, I’ll share why, here at GoodLife Team, we also ask many questions, and how we find, vet, and establish partnerships with the tech vendors we use.

goodTECH

hen selecting technology tools and building relationships with strategic partners, some of the questions we ask at GoodLife Team may surprise you. Questions like What are the values of your company? Why are you developing this product? What about support? What can we do for you?

The first step in selecting new technology tools for your business is to plug into the technology world. As a personal best practice, I watch dozens of news channels and blogs dedicated to technology. For real estate tech news, I follow leaders like RETech, InmanNews and Geek Estate. In addition, I take the time to talk to other businesses about what they’re using. Krisstina and I have found some great tools by asking other businesses about what their favorite tools are and why!

How do I know it will work? Once you’ve discovered a potential new tool, the next step is doing research. Before we speak with a vendor, we do our research and look for something impressive about their technology. If it’s something new and innovative, or they’re solving a problem in a different way, I’ll schedule a consultation.

You should schedule a series of conversations before you sign up with a technology company. In most cases, we schedule an initial 30-minute conversation with vendors. The initial call is an opportunity to determine if a vendor offers what we look for in a strategic partner.

“Looking for ways to be a better client is one of the things we do... that has helped us become recognized innovators.”

Is this technology a good fit?

Be a better client...

At GoodLife Team, we look specifically for companies that have real estate knowledge and demonstrated accomplishments in the technology world. Additionally, we only work with companies that have a clear vision for where they want to go (including a defined company mission), are innovative, and most importantly the company’s philosophy and values align with ours.

Looking for ways to be a better client is one of the things we do at GoodLife Team that has helped us become recognized innovators . We’re really great customers for our vendors and, in return, they share our story with other companies. We’ve also been beta testers for many technologies.

In the initial consultation, we also ask how the company handles support. I ask questions to assess their ability to support their customers and how many customers they already have. I will also ask for at least ten recommendations to call and then ask about the support experiences of their clients. These questions also open an opportunity for us to discuss how GoodLife Team can help them improve their support and service. 9

We seek to develop strategic partners versus vendors. This means that the relationship is beneficial for both companies. We work together to make both of our companies better and more profitable, and we seek to fulfill our ultimate objectives together. This is a far deeper and more meaningful relationship than a vendor. A great example of this working partnership is our relationship with DocuSign . As beta testers and partners, we have helped DocuSign improve their product for both mobile and desktop platforms.

goodTECH

When to know enough is enough Not all strategic relationships, however, will be mutually beneficial. So, when do you know it’s time to leave a partner? As a general rule of thumb, if your

revenue drops or the tool fails to generate any revenue after two quarters,

it’s time for a conversation. At GoodLife Team, we may also decide to cancel vendors if they produce no improvements or changes to their product. This shows a lack of vision for where their product is going. Next time you’re searching for new technology, take the time to schedule several conversations with vendors so you can fully understand their product, services and company philosophy. If you don’t get the sense that a potential vendor will support 10

you, grow with you and respond to your requests for help, don’t move forward. And don’t forget, the best vendor relationships are those that are partnerships, so ask what you can do for them!

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goodREAD

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Not Just Who You Know Transform Your Life (and Your Organization) by Turning Colleagues and Contacts into Lasting, Genuine Relationships click to purchase!

Tommy Spaulding

KRISSTINA WISE CEO, GoodLife Team

“While what you know is important, and who you know is critical, there is more to it than that.”

was recently at the RealTrends conference and had the opportunity to attend the opening session, where the keynote speaker was Tommy Spaulding. I had never heard of Tommy, and when he started talking, I have to admit my first thought was, “Relationships, again? Haven’t we heard enough about our industry being a people business? What more is there to say?” Well, I was pleasantly surprised from the moment I heard Tommy begin to speak. Tommy’s personal background was formed by Dale Carnegie and his book “How to Win Friends and Influence People.” By his admission, he became obsessed with following Dale’s philosophy, and zealously sent handwritten notes, returned phone calls, sent birthday cards and recognized people, making sure to use their names. What he discovered over time was that in our current market, the timeless principles taught by

Carnegie, while still applicable, require us to go even deeper. For example, one of Carnegie’s principles is who you know is important. What Tommy has discovered is that it’s not just who you know. While what you know is important and who you know is critical, there is more to it than that. This is why he called his book, “It’s Not Just Who You Know.” He broadens the scope of Carnegie’s timeless principles by saying it is no longer enough to use someone’s name strategically; it’s no longer enough to avoid an argument; it is no longer enough to talk about other people’s interests; these are nice qualities, but not giving qualities. You can’t win long-term loyal friends and customers by smiling and remembering their names. There has to be more. Spaulding encourages us to go beyond the obvious all the way to what he calls Penthouse Relationships.

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“it’s quality, not quantity” According to Tommy, it is the quality, not the quantity, that makes the difference in our relationships. In today’s fast-paced world, we network, yet we never move beyond our shallow and immediate needs. Tommy challenges us to go deeper and ask ourselves, “How much do we understand and care about the aspirations of others?” And he takes it a step further by asking how many of us ask what we can do to help them meet or exceed those aspirations. AND then actually help them achieve them. And here is where I think it gets interesting. Most of you know about my relentless focus on ROI. As a CEO and business owner, I am always looking at ROI, and holding my team accountable to ROI for all our actions. So when Tommy mentioned ROR, it got my attention. ROR is what he calls Return on Relationships. What he means is that we can receive life-altering returns from a relationship, and without generating ROR, ROI won’t matter. He challenges us to expand our thinking by stating, 14

“All relationships matter - even those with seemingly random strangers.”

You might be saying, “Well, all this sounds great, but how do I get better at building stronger, more meaningful relationships?” The first step is to learn how to build relationship capital. Building relationship capital starts with what Spaulding calls the 5 Floors of Relationships. Start by thinking of your relationships in terms of a 5-floor building. The deeper and more meaningful the relationship, the higher the floor. My closest and deepest relationships are 5th floor or penthouse relationships. Remember, relationships seldom fit neatly into a box because they are far too dynamic. Five floors gives you a reference point, so you know how much work needs to be done to make them stronger and more rewarding.

“Start by thinking of your relationships in terms of a 5-floor building. The deeper and more meaningful the relationship, the higher the floor.” 1st Floor

First-floor relationships are where we meet and greet, exchange business cards, and put them in our database. 2nd Floor

This is where we begin sharing information. Typically, we share basic information because it is a job requirement, not because we are offering some insight into who we are. This type of relationship can also result from casual friendships with people whom we know to a degree, but not particularly well. Unfortunately, many of us have friends we think of as close who, in reality, are only on the 2nd floor. 3rd Floor

These are people with whom we develop a comfort level that goes beyond facts and information. Instead, we begin sharing opinions and feelings, and often feel safe enough to exchange competing viewpoints. On the 3rd floor, we discover what is called a “wall of conflict.” Relationships often stall here because the inevitable conflict acts as a locked door to the staircase leading up. Genuine relationships aren’t based on our position or on a hierarchy. When we follow someone because she is the boss, we’re responding to her positional authority. When we follow someone because we trust and re15

spect her, we’re responding to our feelings about her as a person - and that is where we get past the wall of conflict. 4th Floor

This is the level where the relationship takes on deeper, more significant meaning. We share common interests, goals, beliefs and causes. We have learned to work through conflicts and respond in ways that show value in the relationships for its own sake. We still may not share all of our flaws and insecurities with 4th floor friends, and they don’t share all of theirs with us. But we don’t judge each other the way we used to in the early stages of the relationship. We have dropped our guards, and we are well beyond deciding whether we like the person or not. We are looking for ways to take the relationship further and maintain the close connection.

5th Floor (The Penthouse) These relationships go well beyond anything discussed in Dale Carnegie’s book. Vulnerability, authenticity, trust and loyalty are off the charts and are based on shared empathy. We literally “feel” another person’s state of mind. We become confidants, advisers, and partners in helping the other person achieve their greatest potential. This level is uncommon because of the amount of time and energy required to develop and maintain such relationships.

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The 13 Relationshifters When building relationships, use the following 13 RelationShifters to help you build each one to the appropriate level: 1. The 5-floor Floors of Relationships Relationshifter

All relationships fall somewhere within the 5-floor structure. The goal is to develop the ability to build relationships at all five levels. This means developing the traits that define “who we are” as well as identifying and practicing the actions we need to take.

2. What You Do Relationshifter

Never try to fake interest in things just to get close to someone. Build your network of relationships around shared passions. When your relationships are built on things you don’t truly enjoy, they likely won’t last long.

3. Do Your Homework Relationshifter You can and should be intentional and strategic about building relationships. This starts with doing research that helps you decide where to focus your time and energy. Proactively researching potential relationships helps you identify the people you most need to know, make introductions, and launch those relationships in a positive way.

4. Breaking the Ice and Stirring It Up Relationshifter

Before diving too quickly into potentially sensitive personal questions, develop rapport. Get to know the other person by asking simple, non-intrusive questions. Patiently explore deeper ground together.

5. Back of the Business Card Relationshifter

New relationships start with basics, but you advance them by focusing on the less obvious and more personal information that’s not found on a business card. Examine your relationships. What don’t you know? Now go about the enjoyable work of finding out the hopes, dreams and interests of the people in your life.

6. Leveraging Philanthropy Relationshifter

Engage in your community by volunteering and attending charity fundraisers. This provides opportunities to strategically meet people you need to know and lay a foundation for a longterm, meaningful relationship.

7. Never Kiss on the First Date Relationshifter

Build relationships by focusing your genuine, sincere attention on the other person. It’s not about you. Take your time. Don’t push the things you might want; figure out what they need.

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The 13 Relationshifters [8-13]

8. Don’t be a Chirping Bird Relationshifter

Chirping birds are out for their own selfinterest. This prevents them from building meaningful relationships based on a position of authenticity and trust. Life as a chirping bird might produce shortterm results, but it will ultimately damage your relationships and divert your path from real success.

9. Pardon Me While I Talk to Your Wife Relationshifter

When building a relationship with someone, remember, you are also building a relationship with the people who are important to that person. What they think of you matters. How you treat other people says a lot about who you are.

10. Relentless Communication Relationshifter

We have to consistently and persistently reach out to people in creative and personal ways. Learn and enter birthdays, anniversaries and any piece of information you can think of - and if possible, put them on the calendar. To examine how well you are doing, ask yourself, “How much do I know about the daily lives of my clients, co-workers, customers and other key relationships?” Then find unique, consistent ways to stay connected to their lives.

11. Play Chess, not Monopoly Relationshifter

Build value-driven relationships through forward thinking strategies that lead to creative ways of helping others. For example, good chess is not reaction driven; it is strategic and challenging. You don’t base your next move solely on the last move of your opponent. You try to see the big picture and act accordingly. Call it relationship chess, but instead of capturing a pawn or trapping a king, we’re connecting people from multiple relationships in a way that benefits everyone. When you approach relationship building focused only on your own benefit, it can be seen for what it is - like playing Monopoly - if you buy all the properties and fill them with hotels, you will never build meaningful relationships. The goal with relationship chess is simple - help and serve people. Work to become known as a giver, not a taker.

12. Seek Advice, not Business Relationshifter

To build relationships that matter, honor the other person by listening to their advice or complaints. Find out what that person thinks, rather than telling them what you want.

13. He Is Just Not That into Me Relationshifter

When a relationship just doesn’t work out, move on. All you can do is reach out in the right way and let what happens happen. Don’t take rejection personally; you might not know what is going on in the other person’s life. Find joy in the relationship, regardless of which floor they are on.

“To significantly impact your business & business relationships, another key principle you can put into practice is NETgiving.”

The 13 RelationShifter’s can help you build more deep and meaningful relationships in your life. To significantly impact your business and business relationships, another key principle you can put into practice is NETgiving. This is NOT the same as networking. In real estate, we have talked for years about networking to grow our business, so when I heard the concept of NETgiving, I couldn’t wait to share this. To start, the concept of NETgiving is about making business personal. The problem with networking is it is a shallow strategy. The truth is, you can’t make people like you. Networking isn’t bad; it’s just not enough. When your heart is centered on helping others, networking is replaced by something far more powerful - NETgiving. The difference? Networking is all about you. NETgiving is all about others. Networking is typically focused on personal gain, winning friends and influenc-

ing people, and business in a world that isn’t personal. NETgiving is focused on building relationships that help others around you succeed, Influencing friends to make a difference, intentionally making business personal. NETgiving is about love, which is the most important ingredient in developing relationships that make life and business something greater than just who we know. Without love, you will never take a relationship to the 4th or 5th level. So, how do you progress from networking to NETgiving? Well, the good news is that going beyond networking can be learned. But here is the rub: it is a choice. We must first make a choice to love others - that means we put the needs of others ahead of our own. It means we are willing to sacrifice - to strive for significance, not just success.

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There are 9 key traits you must learn about and ultimately possess to incorporate NETgiving and achieve 5th-floor relationships: Authenticity Confidentiality Generosity Humility Vulnerability Humor Empathy Curiosity Gratitude These traits offer a reliable filter in evaluating the tactics and strategies we use to build relationships. These traits relate more to who you are than to what you do. They are deeply personal. The things we do in reaching out to people flow out of our inner character. Our actions reflect our character. The trick is to combine the two - who you are and what you do - into a powerful approach.

Authenticity:

Making relationships real Achieving authenticity means the care and concern we show toward others is pure and real. Authenticity is not some19

thing we establish or prove with a one-time act of kindness. It’s something people see in us when they are around us. We need to live it.

Empathy:

Setting a cornerstone for trust Showing empathy for others makes it clear that you care. It creates trust. Most of the time empathy is good for the bottom line. Sometimes empathy leads us to make a decision that goes against the bottom-line recommendations of a dry-cost analysis.

Vulnerability:

We’re most vulnerable with those who don’t judge us When we offer vulnerability, and when we find it from others, we’re able to let go of our pride and take some risks when it comes to letting other people see us for who we really are - not just the parts we’d like for them to see. We have to be willing to open up and go beyond sports, news and weather - and share what is really important, even painful, in our lives. Why? Because everything isn’t perfect.

Confidentiality:

Living the law of the vault Spaulding says that in 4th and 5th floor relationships, you guard sensitive and private information about others like the gold at Fort Knox.

Curiosity:

The power of asking questions We are born curious, but somewhere along the way we settle into comfortable routines and we only ask who, what, when, where and why when we need an answer or solution to a problem. Building meaningful relationships is more about asking questions than answering questions. Fifth-floor relationships are about the deposits we make, not the duration of our investments. When we ask questions and listen, we make deposits rather than withdrawals. Curiosity paves the way for vulnerability.

Generosity:

Acting on your awareness The spirit of generosity leads to simple acts of giving to others in need. Acting out of generosity heightens our awareness about the needs of others and builds trust with those around us.

Humility:

The gift of perspective When we take ourselves too seriously, something almost always happens to bring us back to reality. It’s easy for success to go to our head. When things are

going our way, we tend to take the credit. Over time, however, arrogance poisons relationships. People follow leaders who have humble hearts.

Humor:

Living with levity Seeing the humor in our shortcomings and in the world around us can act as a great stress reducer.

Gratitude:

The art of being thankful Every relationship is a gift worth treasuring. When we are thankful for each breath and each moment and each relationship, we don’t take them for granted and we don’t abuse them. Gratitude allows us to make the most of them.

Continued on p33 >>

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THE Art of Networking OSCAR DAVILA Social Media & Marketing Dir. 22

“The mark of a good conversationalist is not that you can talk a lot. It is that you can get others to talk a lot.” --Guy Kawasaki

ny time I fly, I always request the aisle seat in the very last row of the plane. While 90% of passengers would give their left arm to sit anywhere else on the plane, I love this seat for two important reasons…

1. The flight attendants know this is a “non-reclining, last out of the plane” seat, so, in my personal experience, they usually make an effort to give you a bit more attention.

2. It gives me an opportunity to meet and chat with new people as they wait in line for the lavatory.

You see, I believe ANY time you’re out in public is a chance to meet someone, and you never know when you might make a connection that will change your life. And though I’ve always loved meeting people, it’s taken me years to master my networking habits. Networking is a skill you can learn and perfect, and so I’d like to take this opportunity to share with you those best 23

practices and strategies I’ve found most successful when networking.

As with almost everything in life, a little planning goes a long way. So, the first thing you should do is create a calendar of all the events you want to attend. I recommend going to at least two networking events every week, and remember, not all events will be in the evening. Choosing your events wisely and scheduling ahead of time will make it easier to balance your personal and work life. Once you’ve created your calendar of events, RSVP and start connecting with other attendees. With the advent of social media, most events will have an official invitation posted on a social platform. RSVP to the social event page, and look at the online list of others who plan to attend. Reach out to those people, and talk about how you’re excited about the event and connecting! Then, share the event on your own social channels so other people in your network may join, too.

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“Meeting the host is incredibly important, since they can help introduce you to others at the event.”

Also, before the event, be sure you...

Charge your phone (this is an important tool for capturing data)

Bring your business information in a portable format (a physical business card or digital version)

Invite coworkers to join you to extend the reach of your networking activities

Know where to park before you get there - not knowing can affect your mindset

Research the host/host company and define your objective for the event

Research the venue and know the dress attire (business casual vs. business professional)

Take quick look in a mirror and make sure you have no wardrobe malfunctions

Be in a great mood. First impressions are everything, so the last thing you want to do is make a lasting impression with a bad mood. I recommend arriving early to any networking event because as more people arrive, the noise level in the room makes it difficult to connect and talk with others. Arriving early also enables you to be one of the first people to connect with the event host, and meeting the host is incredibly important since they can help introduce you to others at the event.

After meeting the host, your objective is to meet as many new people as possible, and identify a “value exchange” for each one you meet. You can determine this through conversation as you network, so get comfortable with 3-4 questions you can use while conversing that can help you identify where you can help. These are my personal top three objectives for every event I attend, so be sure to keep them top-of-mind when networking so you don’t lose your focus:

1. Build new relationships in different verticals.

2. Cultivate new/existing relationships in order to become a trusted resource within my network.

3. Help others identify resources to meet their business or personal goals. When you think you’ve met enough new people and you are ready to leave, don’t miss the opportunity to get a second touch. Don’t sneak off -- create your own “goodbye tour,” find your new connections, and let them know you’ll be following up with them soon.

When you get home, follow up as promised within the first 48 hours, then again in the next few weeks. When you reconnect, personalize the message: remind them who you are, where you met, what you talked about, and offer them any type of resource that can help them with their personal or business goals. Keeping in regular contact with your relationships requires time, effort and practice, so keep at it! It’s also a good idea to find a networking buddy. Partnering up with a friend or co-worker will help you stay accountable to your networking practices, and also help you meet twice as many people. The next time you’re thinking about going to a networking event, take the time to prepare by finding out about the events, scheduling them on your calendar and bringing everything you need to the event. Once there, work the room and start meeting people by following the networking Do’s and Dont’s (see next page). And remember, when the event is over, the real work begins, so don’t forget to follow up with your new contacts! Learning to network like a master requires practice and dedication. Practice makes perfect, and if you’re like me, you’ll learn to love it! See you in the final row on the plane!

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The Do’s & Don’ts OF NETWORKING: These tactics will help you make the most of your networking events and meet your objectives:

DO put a name tag on. Write your name legibly and add your company name.

DO approach groups of people and integrate yourself into their conversation.

» »

DO be a good listener. DO come prepared with conversation starters. Try this: “Hi, I’m Oscar! So, what brought you to this event?”

DON’T be a wallflower. You are there to meet people.

DON’T talk “exclusively” with people you already know. Touch base and move on to someone you don’t know.

DON’T consume alcohol in excess. This can create an inaccurate or unfavorable impression.

DO be genuine and talk about why you’re there.

DO seek out and meet the most influential person in the room.

DO talk to the wallflowers, then introduce them to others.

DON’T be “sales-y.” Find out what you can do for others. DON’T be afraid to ask people for introductions to others.

Just wrote a contract @ 13340ft #paperlessagent #goodlife LEARN MORE Âť

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MEET THE COMMUNITY The power of networking and relationship building is alive and well in our Coffee with Krisstina community, which is comprised of people who are very into building quality relationships and helping each other achieve their goals. And I am honored to introduce 3 of these community members: Todd Stonesifer, Stephanie Lanier, and Elliott Sanchez. ~ Krisstina

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TODD STONESIFER Team Leader President | The Moving Experience Delaware Dover, Delaware Area Real Estate http://www.themovingexperiencede.com/

Why are you in Real estate?

YOUR BIGGEST TRIUMPH/struggle?

After college and a short career in music and construction, my best friend’s father told me, “You would be really great in real estate. You’ll make a lot of money, get to travel and have lots of free time.” That all sounded great to a 26-year-old! Little did I know–he told everyone that. So, I went to school, got my license and dove in head first. That was 13 years ago.

My biggest triumph in the real estate industry was when I opened the doors to The Moving Experience, and five of my favorite real estate agents in the local area decided they liked the vision and culture and joined me! My biggest struggle is coping with the vast differences in the level of professionalism and skill in our industry.

I have remained at the top of the game in my local market and am now the current past president of the state association (the best job of all). Working for the association has driven me to attend many of the national conferences where I’ve been exposed to, as Krisstina puts it, the revolution taking place in our industry.

Tell us more!

WHAT DO YOU LOVE/HATE ABOUT REAL ESTATE? As I watched what was going on in our industry, I dreamt of better ways to operate to provide better service more efficiently, and I kept implementing one new system at a time. About that time I stumbled on Krisstina and GoodLife Team. They were the inspiration I needed, and I decided to reinvent and start my own brokerage. I just launched The Moving Experience in April, 2013! 29

My area, Kent County, DE, is a very small, quiet, colonial area. There are 300 members in our local association and only 3,200 in our state association. We’re a great retirement destination because of our low property taxes. Also, tourism is one of the predominant industries. Many people visit since we have NO sales tax and are the only state east of the Mississippi that has legal sports gambling and horse racing. I enjoy it here because I’m only an hour and a half from some really great cultural hotspots (Washington, DC, and Philadelphia, PA)! I’m excited for the future and look forward to The Moving Experience, my new brokerage, carrying the gospel of the CwK community to another part of the country, so we can do our part to help reinvent the real estate industry.

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STEPHANIE LANIER Broker|The Lanier Property Group, Inc. Wilmington, North Carolina Real Estate http://www.thelanierpropertygroup.com/

Why are you in Real estate? I came to the industry to join my husband and to start our own brokerage. I knew I’d like real estate (as my husband had already been a realtor for almost 10 years), but I didn’t expect to outright love it! My education and previous career were in mediation and high-conflict divorce counseling, and it turns out I use those skills all the time in real estate.

WHAT DO YOU LOVE/HATE ABOUT REAL ESTATE? I really love being an entrepreneur; I savor the freedom to create our own brand and the ability to use our business to bless others. One of the challenges is trying to figure out how to spend our limited resources when it comes to marketing, PR, web design, advertising, etc. There are so many choices, and it can feel overwhelming at times.

YOUR BIGGEST TRIUMPH/struggle? Recently, my biggest triumph has been writing our corporate manifesto, which felt like giving intellectual birth. Also, framing all of our thankyou letters and hanging them on the “raving fan wall” in our office - which we hope grows so big that it takes over every inch of wall

space. The biggest struggle has been staying patient as we work to grow in our market and compete with bigger, more established companies.

Tell us more! Our team is quirky, smart, curious and very loyal. Our philosophy is to hire quality, not quantity, and we use a guiding principle to determine this: “Do we want this person on a deserted island with us?” In five years, I’d love to say I’ve become an expert on joy and a deeper listener. I also hope to own a commercial space we can share with local non-profits and charities we support. Lastly, I hope I have found a sustainable rhythm to being a businesswoman, wife and mother!

goodPEOPLE

Elliott Sanchez GoodLife Team | Sales Associate Austin, TX www.goodlifeteam.com

Why are you in Real estate?

Tell us more!

I have a true passion for real estate, and the bottom line is that I’m in real estate to provide a better life for me, my family, and my clients. I earned a degree in finance, but decided to become a real estate agent after my first homebuying experience in 2005. There weren’t very many of homes on the market at that time, so I took it on myself to find our home by hunting down all the neighborhood “For Sale” signs. Even though I ultimately didn’t find our house (yes, I had an agent), the entire process was an interesting experience that inspired me to go into real estate.

I came to GoodLife Team to learn the ropes, mentor from the best, and become a true real estate professional. My favorite part about GoodLife Team is the people. They truly are an extraordinary group, and I learn something from them just about every day.

WHAT DO YOU LOVE ABOUT REAL ESTATE? After being an agent for awhile, the aspects of my job that I enjoy most are the process of the home search, sales, and working with clients.

YOUR BIGGEST TRIUMPH/struggle? My biggest triumph has to be sticking it out in the real estate industry, rather than accepting a corporate job at Dell. My biggest struggle is still my dislike of all the administrative upkeep.

In five years, I hope to be a top producer so I can provide well for my family. I also hope to have multiple investment properties of my own. Lastly, I hope to be working with even more people from my personal and professional networks.

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Life in the Penthouse Now, by utilizing the Relationshifters and mastering NETgiving, you can start to identify and build your 5th-floor all-star team.

So, who should make up your 5th-floor all-star team, and why? When you make a list of the members on your all-star team, remember, it’s not the list of your best buddies or even everyone who is on your 5th floor. It’s more about the role they play in your life and that you play in theirs. Spaulding’s team includes mentors, his attorney, employees, board members, pastors, life coach, business partners and some of my buddies.

Take time to really think about your team: 1. Who is on it and why? 2. What are they giving to the relationship?

Once you know who is on your team: 1. Pick the categories that are important to you 2. Put the names of those that fit into each category 3. Talk to those people about how you can serve a greater purpose in each other’s lives

The RelationShift we must make is to stop approaching others with a self-focused agenda that asks only how the relationship can help us. We must start with the intention of not only helping the person in some basic way but advancing his or her well-being.

Fifth Floor Givers

4. Do they hold you accountable?

Many of us give like we are pre-teens on a diving board - look at me! look at me! but the greatest givers I know go almost unnoticed until someone else points them out.

Spaulding breaks his team into three life categories: spiritual growth, family and health balance, and professional growth.

The 5th floor matrix is a model for excellence in everything you do - not just relationships.

3. What are you giving to them?

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To see if you are following the 5th floor model for excellence, ask yourself the following questions: 1. What do you do professionally? Is it merely transactional? Is it 1st floor work or 5th floor work? 2. Are you a 5th floor real estate sales person or a 1st floor real estate salesperson? 3. What’s your level of customer service? Is it 1st floor or 5th floor? 4. Is your business | team a 1st floor or 5th floor business?

Living Give | Get from the Outside | In

There are two paradoxical realities that work in the lives of 5th floor givers that affect our ability to move relationships from the 1st floor to penthouse. 1. The Law of Give | Get: Investing unselfishly in the lives of others is the most important thing we can do for the health and success of our personal lives, our professional lives, our organizations and communities. 2. The Law of Outside | In: By moving outside ourselves in service to others, we can begin changing who we are on the inside. 33

Fact: Human nature often gets in the way of our best intentions. Because we are sometimes, selfish, lazy, indifferent, fearful or just plain unable to see what we need to do to make lasting change. Why? because it is hard and requires focus, discipline, energy, time and commitment. Furthermore, the payoff often stands far away in the the foggy distance while self-gratifying rewards are immediate. It is hard enough to selflessly serve the people we like at work much less than the people we don’t like. And because it is hard, there’s a part of us that resists doing it. Our emotions and feelings set up roadblocks to our actions. So sometimes we act even if our heart’s not fully engaged, trusting that something good will come of it something good for others and ultimately something good inside of us. We have to go “outside”; we have to leave our offices to view our work through a different lens. Other times it’s more of an emotional journey. We have to leave our comfort zone to experience internal change.

“Putting the needs of others first always has an enormous long-term, positive impact on people and organizations.”

The selflessness I”m talking about simply means there is no quid pro quo. It means going into it with the understanding that we are doing the right things even if the personal benefits never materialize. Not every act or gift can be returned in kind. But putting the needs of others first always has an enormous long-term, positive impact on people and organizations.

The 5th-Floor Movement: Spread the Word Adopting and mastering the 5th-floor practices ensures you spread these practices--through your leadership--to others. Remember, leadership doesn’t reside in corner offices and boardrooms; it isn’t a title or position - its an attitude. Leadership lives on the front lines. And this is how 5th-floor movements spread. It’s the spirit that brings heart and soul to life. And by sharing this spirit through your leadership, you 34

Become and help develop 5th floor givers Bring life to 5th floor philanthropy Help establish and define 5th floor cultures Put your ladder on a wall that really matters Remember, if you are willing to listen and ask meaningful questions, you can fall in love with others. And there is more if you are willing to live beyond an “it’s not what you know it’s who you know” attitude. And then it’s not just who you know - it’s who you are.