Start With A Win

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Quick Win - How ADAPTABLE are YOU?

Adam Contos — Fri, 15 Sep 2023 15:00:00 -0600

Adaptability is a key trait of great leaders. Leaders who are willing to notice pressures and change with their business are most likely to succeed. Now don't get me wrong, don't start chasing every squirrel that runs past your business. But, DO understand that noticing pressures and trends that you must adapt to and around is imperative to continue a humble growth in your business. Leaders learn and implement, that's adapting to the marketplace. Be adaptable. How adaptable are you?

How to UNLEASH your POTENTIAL with Jeff Lerner - Part 2 of 2

Adam Contos — Wed, 13 Sep 2023 05:00:00 -0600

Part 2

Description/Main Topics/Connect

If you missed part 1, please go back and listen, there are great insights on how to unlock your potential and find your personal and business success.

Do you want to learn how to move from the minimum necessary to the maximum possible?

In this episode, part 2, Jeff discusses his journey as an entrepreneur, his experiences during the 2008 recession, and how he managed to overcome challenges.

The conversation delves into the concept of "maximum possible" in entrepreneurship, encouraging listeners to explore their true purpose and potential. Emphasizing the importance of accountability, using psychological principles of persuasion to drive positive behavior and productivity. Adam and Jeff touch on the difference between staying busy and being truly productive in the entrepreneurial world.

The podcast aims to inspire and educate listeners on achieving success, both personally and professionally by unlocking your potential.

In 2008, Jeff Lerner faced adversity but turned his life around. He founded three multimillion-dollar businesses, found happiness in remarriage, got into great shape, and became a father to four. He credits his unique "ENTREpreneurial" life system. In 2019, he launched ENTRE Institute, which enrolled over 250,000 students in four years, becoming a leader in online education. He expanded with a podcast, "Unlock Your Potential," and a bestselling book in 2022. Today, he manages ENTRE, various ventures, podcasts, writing, speaking, and family life while maintaining his fitness and piano playing.

01:21 What is maximum possible?
02:16 Minimal necessary!
05:01 Retirement?!?!
08:42 How to create your purpose?
13:13 The A word!
18:48 Busy vs productive
20:39 Value daily deposits & NAP
23:33 Consistent daily routine!

www.jefflernerofficial.com

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Notes from part 1:
Do you want to unlock your potential and find your personal and business success?

Adam welcomes guest, Jeff Lerner, in this episode they delve into Jeff's journey, the importance of a mindset shift from traditional employment to entrepreneurship, and how his life operating system, with its three pillars (the three P's, three legs of successful action, and three phases of legacy), has enabled him to achieve significant success in business and life. The discussion also emphasizes the significance of personal beliefs, autonomy, and the need for individuals to understand the trade-offs between freedom and financial security in the pursuit of their goals.

In the upcoming second part of the series, Jeff will further discuss how to move from the minimum necessary to the maximum possible and the role of ambition in achieving success.

02:03 It’s true, you make your bed, you sleep in it…
05:13 Failed a dozen times and kept going.
08:50 The three Ps of success
13:20 The three legs of successful actions
14:33 The three phases of legacy
16:36 The fourth P
19:01 Where are people breaking the most in the process?

Quick Win - Active LISTENING works

Adam Contos — Fri, 08 Sep 2023 05:00:00 -0600

What's a great way to improve your culture, leadership, and relationships? It's Active Listening. Reality is that we only remember 50% of what hear - so in order to remember more - start LISTENING more intently. This is called Active Listening. This is your quick win for the day. Try it!

How to UNLEASH your POTENTIAL with Jeff Lerner part 1 of 2

Adam Contos — Wed, 06 Sep 2023 05:00:00 -0600

Do you want to unlock your potential and find your personal and business success?

In the upcoming second part of the series, Jeff will further discuss how to move from the minimum necessary to the maximum possible and the role of ambition in achieving success.

02:03 It’s true, you make your bed, you sleep in it…

05:13 Failed a dozen times and kept going.

08:50 The three Ps of success

13:20 The three legs of successful actions

14:33 The three phases of legacy

16:36 The fourth P

19:01 Where are people breaking the most in the process?

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Quick Win - Your Customer is your Compass!

Adam Contos — Fri, 01 Sep 2023 05:00:00 -0600

How is your customer doing? In this quick win, Adam talks about how to look at your customer. Look at them like your compass - they tell you which direction your business is going.

Just like a ship sailing, when you want to check in on your direction and progress, you look at your compass. So, look at your customer. Listen to your customer, understand how they feel. Because that is how your business feels.

Listen to your customer!

That's your quick win for the day.

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How to build GREAT LEADERSHIP.

Adam Contos — Wed, 30 Aug 2023 05:00:00 -0600

How can you build GREAT LEADERSHIP?
and...
Can holistic leadership help your leadership?

Build great leaders in your organization, it is a full time job!
How can you build a company around leadership? We answer that here!

In this episode, Adam discusses holistic leadership and personal development with Dr. Jeanne Porter King exploring the concept of leading from the inside out, emphasizing the importance of self-awareness, purpose, and values in leadership. They highlight the significance of aligning personal values with organizational values and creating a thriving, values-driven culture.

They delve into the idea that unhealthy leaders can harm organizations, emphasizing the need for leaders to prioritize their mental, emotional, and physical well-being. Find out how leaders balance between reflection and action, ensuring they don't burn out and negatively impact their teams.

Dr. Jeanne Porter King is a multi-talented author, business leader, inspirational teacher, ministry leader, and board-certified coach. With over 30 years of experience, she's dedicated her career to helping women discover their purpose and identity. As the Founder and President of TransPorter Group Inc, she specializes in leadership development and diversity, equity, and inclusion strategy. Dr. Jeanne has worked globally, training, and coaching leaders in 20 different countries. She holds degrees from The Ohio State University, McCormick Theological Seminary, and Ohio University. Dr. Jeanne's transparent and genuine concern for others shines through in her mission to help individuals reach their highest aspirations. She also serves as an executive pastor at Christ Community Church in South Holland, IL, focusing on women's ministry, leadership development, and new ministers' training.

03:13 We all can pinpoint our leadership…
05:30 What is holistic leadership?
07:03 This is the spirit of the organization!
09:38 What must be lived out?
11:15 Unhealthy leaders, hurt…!
12:56 Is leadership, leadership no matter where we are – work, home, communities?
15:53 Permission to go to the well!
18:42 Burn out, what happens?
21:28 Start by going to the well!

www.drjeanneporterking.com
https://www.instagram.com/drjeanneporterking/

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How does Culture affect your Business? With CEO of Christian Brothers Automotive, Donnie Carr

Adam Contos — Wed, 23 Aug 2023 05:00:00 -0600

How does culture affect your business?
On this episode of Start With a Win, we talk to Donnie Carr, the CEO of franchise company, Christian Brothers Automotive, an amazing organization that has a great culture and is growing as a result.

Donnie goes into how he struggled early in life but found his way to become a service writer in the company, working his way up to be President and CEO of the company.

We talk about business relationships, franchisee and franchisor relationships, getting things done, accountability, and success/happiness.

Donnie Carr serves as President and CEO of Christian Brothers Automotive. His career at Christian Brothers Automotive began eighteen years ago, working as a Service Writer. This gave him the necessary first-hand experience of serving guests with compassion and excellence. In 2007, he joined the Christian Brothers Automotive Home Office team, where his primary responsibility was assisting with new store openings and providing support to existing locations. During his time with the Home Office, Donnie has held the positions of Franchise Performance Consultant, Director of Store Performance, Vice President of Operations, and President. While in those roles he assisted in creating coaching, training, and support teams for CBA franchisees, and helped drive both top and bottom-line revenue streams for all stores. Donnie has also been instrumental in developing the company’s Core Values and Culture Commitments, encouraging team members in their personal and professional growth, and leading the company with excellence, transparency, joy, and being neighborly at the forefront. Donnie has also been pivotal in the CBA Foundation’s pursuit of donating $25 million by 2025. In his personal life, Donnie enjoys watching sports, volunteering at his church, and spending time with his wife Beth and two kids. He is a native Houstonian and currently resides in Katy, TX.

Main Topics and Connect

01:49 An ah ha moment…
04:13 Path from Service Writer to CEO.
08:01 Who is in control of the journey?
09:25 Long-term relationships?
10:40 Their culture…
13:43 How are they different?
15:20 Top franchisee challenges
17:48 Keeping up with technology.
18:51 Biggest leadership advice!

www.cbac.com

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Networking Never Sleeps - Why should you network? Quick Win!

Adam Contos — Fri, 18 Aug 2023 05:00:00 -0600

In this short quick win, Adam discusses why networking works. It works because when you stay top of mind, you are first in line. Not just for you but for your entire network. When you are top of mind, people remember you and talk about you to THEIR network, thus spreading your business message.

Always be networking! Networking never sleeps!

That's your quick win for the day!

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No Excuses - How to stop making excuses and TAKE YOUR LIFE BACK!

Adam Contos — Wed, 16 Aug 2023 05:00:00 -0600

Do you make excuses? Excuses are what kill dreams! They prevent us from doing the things we know we need to do but somehow rationalize a way around not doing.

On this episode, Adam discusses the top excuse people use and how to avoid that. He talks about the emotions behind making excuses as well as about the most common excuses and three things leaders should never say.

Also, how do you know someone is going to make an excuse as well as how to overcome excuses.

Once you eliminate excuses, this is what you gain...

Main Topics

01:38 #1 Excuse

01:51 People operate off of these two emotions

05:20 Most common excuses

06:44 Three things leaders should never say

09:25 How you know a person is going to make an excuse

11:15 Overcome excuses

13:54 Can others help you

15:25 Eliminate excuses and this is what you gain

No excuses, business coaching, unlock freedom, I don't have time, I didn't know, no one told me, it wasn't my fault
How to grow your business, how to live a productive life

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https://handandstone.com/

How to Grow a Franchise Business

Adam Contos — Wed, 09 Aug 2023 05:00:00 -0600

Today, we talk to Jack and Meghan, two executives with Hand & Stone Massage and Facial Spa, a fast growing franchise business with over 500 units across the US and Canada.

They dig deep into how to gain customers, establish a strong community brand, and build a business for long lasting results. If you want to learn how leaders grow businesses, this is a great episode for you!

Jack: Jack’s background includes 30 years in the franchising industry, 15 years in the health and wellness industry, and seven years with Hand & Stone. He believes this is a marketer’s nirvana – the brand positioning aligns perfectly to consumer sentiment, a great corporate team at every level that all share the same passion for the brand, and awesome franchisees who not only bring forward awesome concepts but execute on the plans they develop to perfection.

Meghan: Beginning her journey with Hand & Stone as a Spa Associate in their flagship store in 2007 Meghan, now SVP Franchise Operations where she leads a team of 17 passionate professionals that are dedicated to supporting their franchisees. She is humbled to work alongside such talented business owners and team members. Meghan is also pursuing her MBA to further her career at Hand & Stone.

Main Topics and Connect

03:40 Business is about what or who!

07:17 Magic of the franchise world

09:04 How they get consumers to be undistracted

11:18 Community connection

15:17 How should a franchisee be spending their time

19:52 Best practices in marketing & operations

24:30 Coffee and what at the end of the day!

https://www.handandstonefranchise.com/

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Quick Win - Master the Art of Delegation

Adam Contos — Fri, 04 Aug 2023 05:00:00 -0600

What is a business leader superpower? It's delegation. This is why it matters and why you should become great at Delegation.

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How's your awareness of your employees? The secrets in this episode.

Adam Contos — Wed, 02 Aug 2023 05:00:00 -0600

Leadership is Awareness. Awareness of Self, Awareness of Others, and Awareness of Business. But, do you have an awareness of your employees' needs? Do you know where they sit emotionally? This all plays in to how your company functions and the results... and PROFIT that you realize from their actions.

In this episode, we dive deep in to understanding the psychological needs of your employees and how to use this awareness to maximize their experience and the performance of your company. It also helps to understand where your customers sit on this hierarchy when working with them for the same reason - getting things done that are mutually beneficial and fulfill their needs/overcome their challenges.

Main Topics

01:33 Maximize your people with the Five Categories of Needs

04:25 Compete on this… not salary or benefits!

05:37 Bottom need #1

07:57 Next need #2

11:27 Half-way – Need #3

13:51 Getting to the top needs, #4

14:46 Use these two things in your business and see MAJOR changes from Dale Carnegie!

17:58 Need #5

19:56 Secret need… #6

22:16 What level are your employees?

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https://www.tiffanibova.com

The Employee Experience with Tiffany Bova

Adam Contos — Wed, 26 Jul 2023 05:00:00 -0600

We always talk about customer experience. But truly, what matters is what comes before that - Employee Experience. Tiffany Bova is the global customer growth and innovation evangelist at Salesforce, and the Wall Street Journal Best Selling Author of Growth IQ. Over the past two decades, she has led large revenue-producing divisions at businesses ranging from start-ups to the Fortune 500. As a Research Fellow at Gartner, her cutting-edge insights helped Microsoft, Cisco, Salesforce, Hewlett-Packard, IBM, Oracle, SAP, AT&T, Dell, Amazon-AWS, and other prominent companies expand their market share and grow their revenues. She has been named one of the Top 50 business thinkers in the world by Thinkers50 twice. She is also the host of the podcast What’s Next! with Tiffani Bova.

Main Topics and Connect

04:22 What is the fastest way to get customers to love your brand?

05:25 Customer experience vs employee experience, when does one override the other?

08:28 Research: three studies and unpeeling the onion.

13:01 Technology not helping employees.

16:04 It’s not just about tech!

20:11 Who owns the responsibility?

26:43 We are talking about this aspect of the business podcast, not a tech/process podcast.

29:05 If you want to be a leader, listen-up!

https://www.tiffanibova.com/experiencemindset/

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Quick Win - Cashflow is King!

Adam Contos — Fri, 21 Jul 2023 05:00:00 -0600

What is one of the most important parts of your business you should be worried about EVERY DAY? It's cashflow. How do you

CEO of Sport Clips Edward Logan shares business advice

Adam Contos — Wed, 19 Jul 2023 05:00:00 -0600

What are the secrets to growing a business to over 1,000 locations and into an empire? CEO of Sport Clips Haircuts Edward Logan shares his perspective and advice on this episode of Start With a Win podcast.

Edward Logan grew up in hair salons, so he knows a thing or two about the business. His mom is a licensed cosmetologist, and he now runs the business his dad founded in 1993 as CEO & President of Sport Clips Haircuts franchise. He grew up in Georgetown, Texas, where Sport Clips is headquartered, graduated from Southern Methodist University in Dallas and then spent time as a business consultant with Deloitte Consulting before officially joining the family business as a single-store operator. He worked his way through several segments of the business, beginning with company-owned store operations and then stepping into franchise operations, first as VP of Operations and then COO. After leading day-to-day operations across the entire franchise system, he was named President and COO. In 2020, he was named CEO and President, and was instrumental in leading Sport Clips through the Covid-19 crisis. Edward is passionate about quantifiable results but is most proud of continuing Sport Clips’ legacy of being a culture-driven and values-oriented family business, helping franchisees build income and wealth for their families, while continuing the brand’s philanthropic focus on veterans and children. And speaking of children, he and his wife Christy, are the proud parents of daughters Mackenzie and Cayman, and are thrilled to have another little girl on the way. Please welcome CEO & President of Sport Clips Haircuts and proud girl dad, Edward Logan.

Main Topics

01:58 In my blood, seeing the magic of franchising.
03:51 How they separated their brand and made it unique!
06:19 Core values as the foundation.
07:42 What is your daily focus, biggest challenges?
12:14 Does your company have a 5-point play?
15:02 Subscribe to your Principles.
18:57 Franchise wisdom!
23:43 Find your lead domino.

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The top trends in business and franchising in 2023 with IFA CEO Matt Haller

Adam Contos — Wed, 12 Jul 2023 05:00:00 -0600

Matt Haller, CEO of the International Franchise Association brings it to the table to update us on the latest in business... What are the leading trends in 2023 in franchising? How is regulation impacting small business and consumers? How is tech and AI impacting business? And, what should we do as business leaders to work in today's environment?

Matt Haller is President and CEO of the International Franchise Association (IFA), the world’s oldest and largest trade association representing franchising worldwide. IFA represents thousands of franchisors, franchisees, and suppliers and works in Washington DC, across the country, and around the world to protect, enhance, and promote franchising.

Matt has been with the IFA for over 12 years. In 2021, Haller moved into the role of President & CEO from his previous position as head of government relations and public affairs. Under his leadership, the IFA continues to grow, expanding educational, event and promotional offerings across all of franchising while leading the charge to protect the business model in new and innovative ways.

Bio
Matthew Haller is President & CEO for the International Franchise Association.

Matt has been a key member of the IFA team for 10 years, building extensive relationships with all three segments of the IFA membership: franchisors, franchisees & suppliers. During that time, he has held a number of roles including Communications Director, Vice President of Public Affairs, Chief of Staff to the CEO and Senior Vice President, Public Affairs. In 2017, he was promoted to Senior Vice President, Government Relations and Public Affairs: the leadership role he has held until today.

During his tenure leading IFA’s advocacy strategy, Matt expanded the association’s lobbying, coalition building, grassroots, research and communications capabilities and took on some of our more difficult challenges, including defending the business model against the joint employer threat and significant legislative and regulatory issues at the federal, state & local levels. During the pandemic, he led the team’s focus on helping the franchise business model survive, ensuring the Paycheck Protection Program and other relief efforts included eligibility for franchise businesses, while working with the internal team to innovate how to provide IFA members real value for their membership in the association.

Prior to joining IFA in October 2010, Matthew was director of industry relations at the Pharmaceutical Care Management Association, where he developed PCMA’s member and affiliate initiatives surrounding key industry issues. Previously, he served as manager of political affairs at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, where he managed the Chamber’s $20 million budget for political and issue advocacy campaigns during the 2004 and 2006 election cycles. Matthew has also held positions as legislative assistant for UPS Corporate Public Affairs and as a director of public affairs at Levick Strategic Communications, LLC.

Matthew received a bachelors degree in Political Science from North Carolina State University in Raleigh, NC. He resides in Washington, D.C.

https://www.franchise.org/our-team/staff/matt-haller

Main Topics

01:57 Insights into the current state (2023) of the franchise industry
04:47 Disconnect of franchise development (regulations)
07:52 Trends in franchising
09:20 Tech/AI innovation in the industry
12:10 What is Franchise Development?
13:00 How will AI interact with business and personnel?
16:16 The future of franchising!
18:28 The Talent – Franchisor & Franchisee

www.franchise.org

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Quick Win - Never Fear Failure

Adam Contos — Fri, 07 Jul 2023 05:00:00 -0600

What stops you from succeeding? It's the fear of failure. Check out this quick win.

Secrets of a Franchise CEO with Jeremy Morgan

Adam Contos — Wed, 05 Jul 2023 05:00:00 -0600

Adam talks to Jeremy Morgan, CEO of WellBiz Brands. They discuss the secrets to being a successful multi-brand CEO as well as how to run a small business effectively with highly engaged employees. This leads to exceptional customer experience! Listen to this episode for some of those great secrets that Jeremy shares.

Jeremy Morgan is the Chief Executive Officer for WellBiz Brands, Inc, the nation’s premiere franchisor of five beauty and wellness franchise brands: Drybar®, Amazing Lash Studio®, Radiant Waxing™, Elements Massage® and Fitness Together®. With nearly 900 locations, 350,000 members and $600 million of system-wide sales across the portfolio, WellBiz Brands builds profitable businesses by catering to the needs of the affluent female consumer.

Jeremy began his tenure at WellBiz as the as the CEO for Elements Massage, where he worked diligently to support and build relationships with over 250 Elements Massage franchise owners, a community of 4,000 massage therapists, and over 120,000 members nationally. As a result, he led Elements Massage to achieve its most successful year in performance in 2018, as measured by studio revenue, client growth and customer satisfaction. Due to his open leadership style, he was recognized with a 91% Glassdoor CEO approval rating from the Elements system.

Previously, Jeremy was a Senior Vice-President of Marketing and Consumer Insights for Smashburger, and the CEO of Tava Kitchen.
In addition to his professional achievements, Jeremy is an active member of the community and supports Colorado Succeeds Board of Advisors, The Denver Boys and Girls Club, The Denver Chamber of Commerce and Duke Alumni Committee Denver, and is a member of the Kellogg Alumni Club of Colorado. Morgan was a member of the Denver Chamber of Commerce 2015 Leadership Denver Class, was recognized by the Denver Business Journal as a member of the 2018 40 Under 40 class of leaders, and is an active member of Young Presidents’ Organization (YPO).

Main Topics

03:10 How does a CEO divide his time with multiple brands?
06:26 Brands are unique, here is what it takes to run a brand.
09:25 What does customer experience mean to you?
11:49 The number one challenge in a small business!
13:35 Best First Day Ever?
17:05 Can you transfer culture from HQ to the franchisees?
19:53 Best piece of advice

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Mind your Mindset with Michael Hyatt

Adam Contos — Wed, 28 Jun 2023 05:00:00 -0600

What's killing your ability to succeed? What is standing in your way to happiness? The science behind mindset and how your brain works is a fascinating topic. We talk to CEO and Business Coach Michael Hyatt about his latest book Mind Your Mindset on Start With a Win. Michael dives deep in to stories of him learning about his mindset and failures, why he researched brain activity, and how this can drastically impact you and your business.

Michael Hyatt is the Founder and Chairman of Full Focus.

He has scaled multiple companies over the years, including a $250M publishing company with 700+ employees and his own goal-achievement company that has grown over 60% year over year for the past 4 years. Under his leadership, Full Focus has been featured in the Inc. 5000 list of the fastest-growing companies in America and in 2020 and 2021 the company was named to Inc.’s Best Work Places list.

He is also the author of several New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling books, including Living Forward, Your Best Year Ever, Free to Focus, and his newest book Mind Your Mindset. He has been married for 45 years to his wife Gail, has five daughters, and ten grandchildren.

Main Topics

02:14 Get your thinking right, get meaningful change!
03:42 Difference between the facts & the meaning assigned to the facts
08:13 Business Coach, if they get the person right, they get the business right!
09:00 Know what the narrator is saying, narrator?
15:40 Three steps to take to have a better mindset
18:38 When the negative happens, what does this make possible?
20:24 Once you understand your narrative, then what?
23:08 Engineer your morning to set yourself up to win the day!

Connect with Michael Hyatt:
www.Fullfocus.co
www.mindyourmindsetbook.com

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https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamcontos/
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https://www.youtube.com/@LeadershipFactory
http://twitter.com/AdamContosCEO

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Quick Win: Have you ever said "I didn't have time?" Here's what that means...

Adam Contos — Fri, 23 Jun 2023 05:00:00 -0600

Quick Win! Have you ever said "I didn't have time?" Sorry, but that's a copout. What you are truly trying to say is that you didn't make the time. We all have the same amount of time.

5 Small Business Secrets for 2023

Adam Contos — Wed, 21 Jun 2023 05:00:00 -0600

I have done some research and here are 5 small business secrets for 2023 that I have uncovered. This is a great way to ensure you are up the right things... and not doing the wrong things in your business.

Main Topics

02:17 Stats on small businesses

03:54 Five trends of small businesses - Trend One

06:06 Hoteling, what is that?

08:30 Trend Two

11:23 How can a small business thrive?

12:03 Trend Three

14:15 Trend Four

15:58 Trend Five

17:21 A pop-up experience?

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What is a Franchise with Dr. Ben Litalien. Part 2 of 2

Adam Contos — Wed, 14 Jun 2023 05:00:00 -0600

Guest Intro/Bio

Dr. Ben Litalien is the Founder & Principal of Franchise Well, a consulting practice dedicated to the improvement and enhancement of franchising. He is also on staff at Georgetown University in Washington, DC where he created and teaches the Franchise Management Certificate program for franchise professionals from across the country and around the world. He is also an Adjunct Associate Professor at University of Maryland Global Campus where he teaches Entrepreneurship, Small Business Management and Venture Planning in their online undergraduate program.

Ben’s three-decade career in franchising includes building multiple franchise concepts to scale and running ExxonMobil’s U.S. franchising program, where he developed a pipeline of 1,000 locations in less than five years. He is involved in the development of social franchising across the globe including JIBU, a network of retail water store franchises in eight East Africa countries where he serves as a founding board member. Ben’s consulting clients include IKEA, RE/MAX, Snap-on Tools, Brain Balance and eXp Realities new co-work concept SUCCESS Space.

Ben is a recognized speaker on "Franchise Development" and "Franchising for Good" and is a Contributor for Forbes.com on franchising. Ben completed his doctoral program at the University of Maryland Global Campus and received his CFE (“Certified Franchise Executive”) designation from the International Franchise Association in 2003. Ben and his wife Raeann have been married for 37 years and they live in Fredericksburg, Virginia. They have three grown children and four grandsons. He is an avid golfer and fly fisherman.

Main Topics – Part 2

01:10 What are you buying - the Franchise systems and processes

07:02 You save on two things if you are systemitazed

09:13 What builds brand value?

10:44 Community connectedness to the franchisee

13:59 Best way to launch your business

16:43 What is the #1 small business challenge?

19:18 Last bit of great advice before owning a franchise

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Quick Win - Best way to make meetings productive.

Adam Contos — Fri, 09 Jun 2023 05:00:00 -0600

What's the best way to get things done in a meeting? Adam discusses his process for making meetings productive in this Quick Win. Here's a clue - it begins with A. Check it out for a quick WIN!

What is Franchising with Dr. Ben Litalien Part 1 of 2

Adam Contos — Wed, 07 Jun 2023 05:00:00 -0600

Guest Intro/Bio

Main Topics – Part 1

03:07 What is a franchise, it started in the middle ages!

05:21 A franchisee has two clear competitive advantages over the franchisor

07:56 Franchising terms

11:00 What are the requirements to file an FDD?

14:14 Difference between Franchisee (zee) and a Franchisor (zor)

17:20 Franchise fees?

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Franchise Marketing with Madeleine Zook

Adam Contos — Wed, 31 May 2023 05:00:00 -0600

Marketing is incredibly important in business and franchising. Madeleine Zook dives deep in to how franchises market, key points on customer experience, and other fun franchise conversations on this episode of Start With a Win. Madeleine Zook is a multi-unit, multi-brand franchisee, former franchisor, and current marketing supplier. She's the host of the award-winning franchise podcast, The Art of Franchise Marketing, and has landed coverage in Forbes, Entrepreneur, Fortune, and INC. She is also the founder of a 501(c)3 nonprofit called Together She Can, which strives to help homeless communities with hygiene care.

Main Topics

02:36 Give Back to your Community/Charities
05:38 Biggest Challenge in Home Service Franchisees
07:32 Three components of business
08:24 What do people want, a paycheck, NO!
13:00 Number #1 thing people want
15:00 Is good enough, ok?
17:39 Need a wow factor, an unexpected gift, a gesture!
19:44 The BIG AH HA moment
21:00 Lead generation success today
23:50 How many times does a customer need to see your ad before they say YES?

Connect with Madeleine Zook:

www.togethershecan.org
www.linkedin.com/in/mpark141/
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-art-of-franchise-marketing/id1651430743
www.netsertive.com

Connect with Adam:

http://www.startwithawin.com
https://www.facebook.com/AdamContosCEO
https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamcontos/
https://www.instagram.com/adamcontosceo/
https://www.youtube.com/@LeadershipFactory
http://twitter.com/AdamContosCEO

Listen, rate, and subscribe!

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Quick Win - What do customers want? They want video!

Adam Contos — Fri, 26 May 2023 05:00:00 -0600

What do customers want? They want to see you. This quick win explains how to connect with your customers the best!

Connect with Adam:

What would an investor do? Interview with Real Estate fund manager Steven Pesavento

Adam Contos — Wed, 24 May 2023 05:00:00 -0600

What would an investor do? An interview with Steven Pesavento Host of The Investor Mindset Podcast and active investor who curates Commercial Real Estate Investments for clients at VonFinch
Capital. He has raised $10’s of Millions dollars, which has
successfully cycled through multiple assets. Beginning in
Single Family as an operator he flipped over 200
houses in under 3 years, prior to expanding into
Commercial to focus on building a business around
working with his ideal client - successful high income
earners like himself who are investing to create flexibility
and independence.

Steven and Adam uncover where investors are looking today and some thoughts on how to strategize for yourself. Should you max out your 401k? Or, what should you do to grow your assets. This episode is about business growth, financial growth and health, and family security.

Main Topics

04:44 Big opportunity in Multi-Family
07:30 Is it better to become a partner with the investor?
10:13 Private Equity is an asset class!
13:10 Don’t invest until you understand
13:48 Not, where should I invest but what do I want from life?
15:44 Three biggest mistakes in wealth
18:45 Biggest impact to change your life!
21:22 Four Ms to SWAW

Connect with Steven Pesavento:

www.investormindset.com
www.vonfinch.com
@steven.pesavento on Instagram and Linkedin

Connect with Adam:

http://www.startwithawin.com
https://www.facebook.com/AdamContosCEO
https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamcontos/
https://www.instagram.com/adamcontosceo/
https://www.youtube.com/@LeadershipFactory
http://twitter.com/AdamContosCEO

Listen, rate, and subscribe!

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https://www.startwithawin.com/
https://www.facebook.com/AdamContosCEO
https://twitter.com/AdamContosCEO
https://www.instagram.com/adamcontosceo/

Please Like and subscribe!

You're not going to believe what happened on my trip to the DMV.

Adam Contos — Wed, 17 May 2023 05:00:00 -0600

I had to go to the DMV, and thought... this is going to take my whole day, ugh ☹. If this is the way you feel about going to the DMV, then you will want to listen to this experience and take away the lessons to incorporate into your own business!

Huge business and personal EQ lessons in this episode. As I reflect on my experience at the DMV, I keep finding myself wishing that other companies and businesses were more like the.... DMV. Weird to day!

Main Topics

03:42 Mindset is everything!

04:00 Why give your contact information?

10:06 Business lessons from the DMV??? (Department of Motor Vehicle)

10:43 The best customer (obsessed) experience

13:18 Ease of doing business

14:49 Welcoming experience

15:29 Care…personalize your customer’s experience

17:00 Are you collaboratively working with your customers?

17:55 Do your customers have THIS DMV experience?

Connect with Adam:

Listen, rate, and subscribe!

Quick Win: Compare Yourself To Yourself

Adam Contos — Fri, 12 May 2023 05:00:00 -0600

We will never get better if we compare ourselves to others. Progress only comes from setting our own benchmarks and comparing ourselves to... OURSELVES! It's time for some self-evaluation and determine areas in our life where we can do better. Then commit to 1% better every day and watch yourself grow!

Connect with Adam:

https://brownrudnick.com/

Discover the Secrets to Unlocking Personal & Business Growth + Winning Happiness

Adam Contos — Wed, 10 May 2023 05:00:00 -0600

Want to find ways to grow and be happy? Do you feel like you're losing in life or business? Are you looking for a way to identify and create wins? The conversation between CEO Adam and Coach JM unpacks winning mindsets and strategies from these two business and leadership coaches on one podcast!

What losses should we look at? How can we interpret how we feel in life?

JM Ryerson is an International Speaker, Mindset & Business Coach,
host of Let’s Go Win Podcast, and Best-Selling Author of "Let's Go
Win, The Keys to Living Your Best Life" and “Champion’s Daily
Playbook”. He helps high-performing leaders define and execute
their individual leadership styles in order to grow the impact and
profits of their businesses. His passion is to help others succeed at
work, at home, and in life by offering simple tools that provide a
work/life balance.

Main Topics

01:38 Be YOU!
05:04 Our Insecurities and where they start.
09:34 When leaders are insecure.
11:25 Inspire Your Team!
12:55 Why limit yourself…Raise your Bar!
15:25 A person in wrong position at your company.
18:23 You can’t hire & teach integrity…hire their values that align with companies.
18:56 Be better in personal life, be better professionally!
21:39 How you do one thing is how you do all things!

Connect with JM Ryerson:

http://www.letsgowin.com

Connect with Adam:

http://www.startwithawin.com
https://www.facebook.com/AdamContosCEO
https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamcontos/
http://twitter.com/AdamContosCEO
https://www.instagram.com/adamcontosceo/
/ @leadershipfactory

Listen, rate, and subscribe!

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Franchise Talk and Employee Engagement Insight with Attorney/Author Andrew Sherman

Adam Contos — Wed, 03 May 2023 05:00:00 -0600

Have you ever wondered exactly what a Franchise is? We dig deep in to the difference between a license agreement in a business and a franchise in this episode with our guest, Andrew Sherman. We also talk about employee engagement and disengagement. Great episode FULL of business information.

Andrew J. Sherman of Brown Rudnick is a partner in the Firm’s Corporate Practice Group and co-practice group leader of the Emerging Growth Companies & Venture Capital Group. A recognized authority on the legal and strategic aspects of business growth, Andrew’s practice is concentrated on domestic and international franchising, mergers and acquisitions, and corporate counseling.

Andrew has written nearly 30 books on the legal and strategic aspects of business growth, franchising, capital formation, and the leveraging of intellectual property, most of which can be found on Amazon. He also has published many articles on similar topics and is a frequent keynote speaker at business conferences, seminars, and webinars.

Main Topics:

02:13 What is a UFOC, now a FDD?

03:52 If you have these 3 legs of the stool, you have a franchisee!

06:20 Are you licensing a concept or franchising a concept?

09:26 Where does a business cross the line into Franchising?

16:23 The biggest challenges & what can we do better

19:09 Percentage of Employee Engagement by a Gallop study

23:11 What Leaders of Franchisors need to actively include in their strategic planning meetings!

25:05 What is the foundation of the disengagement & what do people need?

28:00 Tolerate is a very dangerous word

29:55 What was the goal of today?

Connect Andrew J. Sherman

https://www.amazon.com/stores/Andrew-J.-Sherman/author/B001JP9TUC?ref=ap_rdr&store_ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true

Connect with Adam:

https://www.startwithawin.com/
https://www.facebook.com/AdamContosCEO
https://twitter.com/AdamContosCEO
https://www.instagram.com/adamcontosceo/

Quick Win: Your Attitude Leads To Your Success

Adam Contos — Fri, 28 Apr 2023 05:00:00 -0600

Your attitude means a great deal as a leader. How do you come across when you walk in a room? Are you smiling, frowning, looking angry? Your attitude is everything! Your attitude will lead your actions which will lead to your success as a leader.

Connect with Adam:

Franchise Expert Kim Daly shares her knowledge about growing a business 2 of 2

Adam Contos — Wed, 26 Apr 2023 05:00:00 -0600

Ever wonder about how franchising works and the secrets of franchising? In this episode of Start With a Win, we talk to franchise expert Kim Daly about franchising, business growth, and overcoming challenges in life. Episode 2 of 2

Show Outline:

Three things a CEO should never say (01:16)

Don’t quit…Appreciate the good times by struggling (06:14)

Don’t buy your hobby (07:10)

When you work on your business you create multi-units and wealth (10:50)

Hardest part of running a business (17:33)

Connect with Kim at:

www.kimdaly.tv

Connect with Adam at:

https://www.facebook.com/AdamContosCEO https://twitter.com/AdamContosCEO https://www.instagram.com/adamcontosceo/

Listen, rate, and subscribe! Apple Podcasts Spotify Google Podcasts

Franchise Expert Kim Daly shares her knowledge about growing a business 1 of 2

Adam Contos — Wed, 19 Apr 2023 05:00:00 -0600

In this episode of Start With a Win, we talk to franchise expert Kim Daly about franchising, business growth, and overcoming challenges in life.

Show Outline:

What is the Dream? (02:33)
Freedom – Defined (04:14)
Solo or Partnership with framework, why pick franchising? (05:40)
Biggest challenge in franchising – The Silent Killer! (09:59)
It’s about the Journey! (10:50)
Shift your Mindset…Locust of Control (13:33)
Busy vs Productive…Maximize what you can control (16:04)
Three A’s of Leadership (19:36)
Do you remember how your felt? (22:21)

Connect with Kim at:
www.kimdaly.tv

Connect with Adam at:
https://www.startwithawin.com/

Listen, rate, and subscribe!

Quick Win: Stop Complaining, Find Opportunities!

Adam Contos — Fri, 14 Apr 2023 05:00:00 -0600

Do you have a lot of complainers in your life? Is it preventing you from getting stuff done? Take a moment and don't consider them as complaints—instead, turn them into opportunities that lead to solutions that lead to forward progress!

Connect with Adam:

https://twitter.com/emandowsky

Follow the Playbook: Systems for Sustainability with Ernesto Mandowsky

Adam Contos — Wed, 12 Apr 2023 05:00:00 -0600

Systems engineer Ernesto Mandowsky is the CEO of CPD Advisors where he helps founders and leaders scale their organizations. His passion is in working with early-stage founders and entrepreneurs to transform their operations by utilizing his proprietary 6P Playbook. Drawing on his experience in management systems and the hospitality industry, he developed his powerful playbook for business growth and sustainability by focusing time and attention on the following six principles: priorities, people, projects, promotion, playbooks, and planning.

When working with founders, Ernesto found that many people actually set goals incorrectly. Instead of focusing on the results they want to see, he helps leaders visualize effective goals that put plans into action. Establishing procedures for each cycle a business goes through on a daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly basis ensures efficient time management and clear feedback for moving forward. Playbooks also provide concise training and professional development programs that promote the bigger vision of a company. Working within systems specifically designed for your business supports growth in the implementation of both internal and external operations.

Main Topics

Applying systems engineering in the hospitality industry (02:00)
Ernesto’s 6P Playbook (04:00)
Identifying priorities in business (06:27)
Maintaining relationships for business success (08:53)
Managing projects so they don’t take over your day (12:26)
Benefits of video email to build connection (15:27)
Promotion strategies for sharing the mission of your business (17:11)
Playbooks are repeated, coordinated sets of actions (18:50)
Different levels of planning (20:13)

Episode Links

Connect with Ernesto:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/ernestomandowsky/

https://www.instagram.com/ernesto_cpd/

Connect with Adam:

Listen, rate, and subscribe!

https://www.youtube.com/@ZachSchaefer

How to Handle Conflict with Confidence with Zach Schaefer

Adam Contos — Wed, 05 Apr 2023 05:00:00 -0600

For many people, conflict in the workplace is something to avoid at all costs. For Dr. Zach Schaefer, he sees an opportunity to grow. Zach has honed his career around the people problem in business. As a founder, CEO, entrepreneur, and executive mediator and coach, he spends much of his time helping people navigate conflict in their professional and personal lives. On average, companies spend very little time and attention on strategies for conflict resolution. Without a game plan, small issues can fester into big problems that harm businesses and relationships when they explode.

Zach believes that when a company has conflict confidence, they are able to adjust to unexpected changes and are more resilient in challenging scenarios. His coaching program encourages leaders to expect disagreements among team members and therefore create a strategic plan for resolving conflicts when they come up. Rather than avoiding hard conversations or addressing them via text or email, he encourages face-to-face interaction. It’s also important to be proactive when issues arise. Successful leaders practice their sensitivity to conflict by anticipating where the disagreements will occur and making a plan for how to address them with grace and clarity. One of the best tools for using conflict in a positive way is by creating space between the trigger and the response. When conflict is treated as an opportunity to grow, teams strengthen their individual and collective impact.

Main Topics

Redirecting how we view conflict (01:50)
Avoid passive aggression in difficult situations (04:05)
Definition of conflict confidence (06:35)
3 levels of conflict to address (07:50)
Establishing rules around conflict management (09:24)
Biggest mistakes a leader can make in conflict management (11:55)
Conflict resolution strategies during seasons of change (13:15)
Including conflict resolution coaching in professional development (15:55)
Zach’s Conflict RADAR (17:40)

Episode Links

https://www.sparkthediscussion.com

Connect with Zach:

https://www.facebook.com/SparkSolver/

https://twitter.com/SparkSolver

https://www.linkedin.com/in/zschaefer/

Connect with Adam:

Listen, rate, and subscribe!

Quick Win: Party With The Beast

Adam Contos — Fri, 31 Mar 2023 05:00:00 -0600

Internal fear, which I like to call "the beast," is what often stops people from accomplishing their goals. This beast's goal is to create fear, doubt and overwhelm in us and keep us from reaching our potential. The key to fighting it is to "party with the beast" and learn to embrace it and grow with it!

Connect with Adam:

Staying Focused in the Age of Information Overload

Adam Contos — Wed, 29 Mar 2023 05:00:00 -0600

Americans today encounter up to 10,000 advertisements per day. With limitless information and endless options for distractions at our fingertips, many people experience the negative effects of information overload. Especially for entrepreneurs, too much information can lead to procrastination, decision fatigue, analysis paralysis, and burnout. Since the world will only keep expanding, it is important for business owners to learn coping skills that help them focus in a world where everyone is vying for attention. Adam suggests three tools to assist entrepreneurs in this opportunity for growth:

Prioritize the things that need your immediate attention. Think about what actions you can take to grow your business. Then remove anything that may distract you from those tasks.
Limit your exposure to irrelevant information. It can be helpful to use apps or other tools for managing your time, setting intentions, and choosing the best sources from which to receive your information.
Schedule time to unplug from information and technology. The brain needs time to rest, even during waking hours. Spending time in meditation, nature, engaged in a favorite activity, or being with loved ones resets and refreshes the brain.

By being proactive in regards to information input, business leaders take daily, necessary steps to avoid burnout. Building a healthy relationship with our exposure to information is one of the best ways to increase productivity and overall quality of life.

Main Topics

Information overload impacts entrepreneurs (02:45)
Consequences of too much information (04:15)
“Get your ass to market” (06:40)
Overcoming information overload (07:17)
Limiting exposure to irrelevant information (10:11)
Using research time with intention (15:30)
Unplug and allow the brain to rest (16:25)
Allowing the subconscious mind to solve problems (18:35)

Episode Links

https://www.thesocialdilemma.com

Connect with Adam:

Listen, rate, and subscribe!

https://www.facebook.com/KarlMecklenburg

No One Succeeds Without a Team with Karl Mecklenburg

Adam Contos — Wed, 22 Mar 2023 05:00:00 -0600

Former All Pro Linebacker for the Denver Broncos Karl Mecklenburg applies the lessons he learned from football to all areas of life. As an inspirational speaker, author, and podcast host, Karl uses his winning mentality to guide leaders and team members to function as an efficient unit. He helps founders identify and evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of their team so that everyone is placed in a position that sets them up for optimal performance. Karl uses his 6 Keys to Success to practice clarity and consistency in personal relationships and business. He sets the example of what it means to live life with the courage to evaluate himself honestly. One of the biggest challenges in overcoming obstacles to success is offering forgiveness for ourselves and others. Once we give ourselves permission to move forward despite perceived failures, we can experience explosive growth as individuals and a team. On and off the field, honesty and dedication help us set goals that are both reasonable and attainable on our path to success.

Main Topics

Converting sports principles to all areas of life (02:13)
Maintaining leadership in the face of criticism (05:03)
The power of positive feedback from leadership (07:50)
Working with strengths and weaknesses on a team (11:20)
Using vulnerability as a tool for problem solving (13:30)
6 keys to success (16:25)
Clarity and consistency in setting goals and achieving them with deliberate practice (17:30)

Episode Links

https://karlmecklenburg.com

Connect with Karl:

https://twitter.com/KarlMecklenburg

https://www.linkedin.com/in/karlmecklenburg/

https://www.instagram.com/karlmecklenburg/

Connect with Adam:

Listen, rate, and subscribe!

Quick Win: If You Want To Fix Your Business, Fix Yourself!

Adam Contos — Fri, 17 Mar 2023 05:00:00 -0600

Want to fix your business? You've got to fix everything else first! Our lives are interconnected—personal, financial, health, relationships—so in order to experience success in business, you must have success in your life. It starts with building micro routines and wins that turn into macro wins! Build the habits that create successes in your life, and watch your business thrive!

Connect with Adam:

https://www.facebook.com/jongordonpage

Choose Positivity, Choose Success with Jon Gordon

Adam Contos — Wed, 15 Mar 2023 05:00:00 -0600

Think positive. Seems simple enough. Best-selling author and speaker Jon Gordon champions the power of positive thinking in his numerous books and leadership training programs. But he wants to be clear; he’s not talking about seeing the world through rose-colored glasses and ignoring reality. He’s referring to the power every individual has to choose resilience and faith in the face of challenges in order to create the life they want.

Jon considers himself a naturally negative person, so he’s worked diligently throughout his life to choose positivity and see the potential in each day. Living out the truths he’s teaching is what makes his message so powerful. He trains leaders to work from the roots of their organizations upward, enjoying the fruits of their labor later. In this way, strong leaders seek to serve their employees and clients by choosing to be a source of love rather than fear. Change can trigger a fear response, which might lead to making excuses or jumping ship when things get hard. But Jon teaches that the way leaders view change determines their ability to succeed or fail. Embracing the highs and lows of life and business equally leads to deeper levels of integrity that allow a company to flourish when others fail.

Main Topics

Jon’s personal journey to becoming an expert in positivity (02:15)
Rewiring the brain to choose positivity (04:51)
Love vs. fear to manifest your dreams (09:11)
Relationship to change determines success (14:00)
Avoiding pitfalls in leadership (17:40)
Jon’s upcoming book The One Truth about oneness vs. separateness (20:00)

Episode Links

https://jongordon.com

Connect with Jon:

https://twitter.com/jongordon11

https://www.instagram.com/jongordon11/

https://www.youtube.com/jongordonselects

Connect with Adam:

Listen, rate, and subscribe!

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/wise-words-whisky-with-wylie-mcgraw/id1649548407

Are You Uncomfortable? Good! with Wylie McGraw

Adam Contos — Wed, 08 Mar 2023 05:00:00 -0700

Former star pitcher, competitive bull rider, and combat veteran Wylie McGraw lives every day in peak performance mode. By intentionally putting himself in situations that pushed him to his limit, he discovered his superpower: exposing negative beliefs and behaviors that prevent people from tapping into their greatest potential. Now he works with powerful CEOs and business leaders to radically accelerate growth and promote optimal performance.

Many people are plagued by their own personal demons created by stress, trauma, and setbacks seen as failures. Instead of facing them head-on and learning to pivot, most give up. Wylie’s approach may seem countercultural in that he challenges people to push themselves outside of their comfort zones. Rather than simply touting this theory as the next self-help hot topic, he expects clients to actually put it into practice by doing the things that scare them the most. This is where real growth occurs. Self mastery demands a willingness and tenacity to show up every day ready to push life to the limits. With discipline and accountability, leaders hone themselves into the best version they can be in order to powerfully impact their relationships and communities.

Main Topics

How Wylie discovered his superpower (02:14)
Practicing awareness through stressful situations in combat, baseball, and bull riding (05:20)
Excuses for quitting vs. learning to pivot (10:11)
Maximizing potential by getting uncomfortable (13:44)
Accountability is freedom (17:20)

Episode Links

https://www.wyliemcgraw.com
“Wise Words and Whiskey” podcast

Connect with Wylie:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5eB02vV_S78ryDCra7BnZw

https://twitter.com/WylieMcGraw

https://www.linkedin.com/in/wyliemcgraw/

Connect with Adam:

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Quick Win: How Often Should You Eat?

Adam Contos — Fri, 03 Mar 2023 05:00:00 -0700

Food is energy and power for your brain and focus to get things done. Get some protein-packed snacks and plug them in between meals. This will power your brain to be more focused and more successful in your day! And, don't forget to hydrate!

Connect with Adam:

5 Trends Business Leaders Need to Follow in 2023

Adam Contos — Wed, 01 Mar 2023 05:00:00 -0700

This might surprise you, but the priorities of successful leaders in 2023 aren’t simply increasing revenue and productivity. While these are certainly important goals for any business owner, this year leaders are focusing on building relationships and practicing clear communication. Here are the top trends for feeding the momentum of growth and expansion in the new year.

Be Present: In order to retain loyal employees, bosses need to be actively involved in the day-to-day environment. When people feel seen and heard, they are more likely to stay with a company and work with higher levels of productivity. (02:40)
Use Video: To enhance virtual correspondence and build a more authentic online presence, utilize visual forms of communication rather than simply using text. (04:55)
Create Valuable Content: Offer something of value to those you influence and lead. This builds branding and creates a relationship of reciprocity. When you provide what someone needs, they are more likely to do business with you. (09:55)
Use Extreme Clarity: Embrace the power of the word “because.” When leaders take the time to explain their reasoning, employees are more likely to acquiesce to requests or expectations. (12:43)
Communicate Regularly: Create a routine of checking in with clients and employees on a consistent basis to invest in relationships and address any issues. (16:00)

Connect with Adam:

Listen, rate, and subscribe!

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonloduca/

The AI Revolution is Here: Harnessing the Competitive Advantage of Human Connection with Jon LoDuca

Adam Contos — Wed, 22 Feb 2023 05:00:00 -0700

In the age of artificial intelligence, how can entrepreneurs offer products and services that hold value beyond what a machine is capable of providing? Jon LoDuca believes that going back to the basics of authentic human interaction is the new million-dollar idea. Jon is founder and CEO of PlaybookBuilder, an award-winning knowledge management software that helps leaders and teams capture and share best practices, core process, and story to drive performance, scalability, and sustainability. Wisdom is a company’s best asset, and Jon’s software programs help organizations monetize their intellectual property in a world where humans find themselves competing with AI.

With conversation software such as ChatGPT and Google’s LaMDA replacing entire industries like customer service, business owners are doing their best to adapt and grow within new technological and cultural parameters. Current AI software passes the “deity test,” meaning it is omniscient, omnipresent, omnipotent, and immortal. This reality demands that entrepreneurs address how AI will relate to their business. To prevent being disintermediated, Jon encourages leaders to come back to their core values that motivated them in the early days of their careers. The best way to offer a unique experience is by boldly preserving human interaction, creating a sense of intimacy in communication, and offering deep empathy. Entrepreneurs can guarantee their success by playing a trump card that’s outside the wheelhouse for AI: human-to-human interaction. In the near future, it may just become the world’s most valuable commodity.

Main Topics

Jon’s start in the technology industry in San Francisco (02:00)
AI passes the “deity test” and what this means for entrepreneurs (08:20)
Jon’s 2017 TedTalk predicted trends in AI that have come to fruition (11:33)
Future demands for face-to-face interactions to confirm identity (16:00)
Changing definitions of intimacy (19:55)
Avoid the Metaverse to prevent being disintermediated (24:00)
Two types of business models: wide and deep (30:23)
How to compete with AI by emphasizing the human component of business (36:00)
Return to original values that focused on building relationships with the client (40:10)

Episode Links

Connect with Jon:

https://twitter.com/jonloduca

https://www.instagram.com/therealjonloduca/

Connect with Adam:

Listen, rate, and subscribe!

Quick Win: Write it Down, Get it Done.

Adam Contos — Fri, 17 Feb 2023 05:00:00 -0700

Do you ever get to the end of your day, feeling like you accomplished nothing? Adam shares an easy way to focus on productivity, using notecards with ideas and to-dos that you can cross off as you get them done. You'll go home feeling fulfilled and accomplished at the end of your day!

Connect with Adam:

https://www.facebook.com/thejoyproject.amandagore/

Fuel Yourself With Joy with Amanda Gore part 2

Adam Contos — Wed, 15 Feb 2023 05:00:00 -0700

In part 2 with dynamic speaker and business leadership coach Amanda Gore, she offers heart-centered advice for building impactful relationships in business. In a climate where half the workforce is considering moving to a new job, leaders of organizations seek to make meaningful changes to keep team members on board. Amanda takes the approach of doing her inner work first. She is able to create a culture that values each individual for their unique gifts by first uncovering her authentic self. Once she is able to show up as the most genuine version of herself, she can empower those working with her by acknowledging their gifts and placing them in roles that set them up for success. By connecting human to human, heart to heart, leaders invest in the wellness of their employees and thus receive massive margins of return.

Main Topics

Keep employees happy by creating a human-to-human environment (03:00)
What leaders can do to be present and create a culture that nurtures joy (06:20)
The value of feelings and authenticity in business (10:28)
We are not our stories (13:00)
Cultivating presence in every moment by slowing down (14:05)
Effects of intentional leadership flow from the top down (17:20)

Episode Links

https://amandagore.com

Connect with Amanda:

https://twitter.com/amandagore_joy

https://www.linkedin.com/in/amandalgore/

https://www.youtube.com/user/amandagoretv

Connect with Adam:

Listen, rate, and subscribe!

https://www.facebook.com/thejoyproject.amandagore/

Fuel Yourself With Joy with Amanda Gore Part 1

Adam Contos — Wed, 08 Feb 2023 05:00:00 -0700

What’s the point of achieving your goals if you’re miserable doing so? With decades of experience helping organizations build dynamic teams centered around authentic communication, Amanda’s personal mission is to remind young, over-achieving entrepreneurs to stop and breathe. Building a business can be overwhelming at times. With burnout rates skyrocketing for both C-Suite and entry-level employees, mental health in the workplace has become a priority for sustainability. According to Amanda, pursuing joy is a lost art that has the potential to counteract feelings of fear and insecurity that stifle productivity.

Everyone’s perception is built from stories we’ve created around our life experiences, especially those from early childhood. Negative experiences can create narratives that disrupt our capacity for joy without us even realizing it. Amanda refers to these unconscious beliefs as malware because they essentially infect the computer of our minds. She challenges listeners to first become aware of those stories and then be willing to do the work to rewrite them. By choosing a different reality for ourselves, we can navigate triggering situations with more ease. The best tool for reprogramming our minds is pausing to take a breath. Observe beauty in nature. Slow down so that consciousness can catch up. In a culture that has traditionally valued face-paced productivity, Amanda leads the way with a more peaceful approach. Joy is the new high performance fuel. The best part is, it’s free!

Main Topics

Joy is the new high-performance fuel (02:17)
Relaxation leads to higher levels of efficiency (06:25)
The stories we tell ourselves influence our behavior (08:47)
Stressful situations trigger unconscious beliefs and narratives usually unrelated to the current scenario (12:00)
Rewriting the stories with a slower pace of life (14:45)

Episode Links

https://amandagore.com

Connect with Amanda:

https://twitter.com/amandagore_joy

https://www.linkedin.com/in/amandalgore/

https://www.youtube.com/user/amandagoretv

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Quick Win: F.O.C.U.S.

Adam Contos — Fri, 03 Feb 2023 05:00:00 -0700

F.O.C.U.S. Follow One Course Until Successful. Focus on what you need to get done and put 100% of your effort into the task at hand!

Connect with Adam:

https://www.facebook.com/founderforcemultiplier

Dynamic Duos: Empowered Executives and Aligned Assistants with Adam Hergenrother and Hallie Warner

Adam Contos — Wed, 01 Feb 2023 05:00:00 -0700

Despite the challenges for entrepreneurs created by the pandemic, many businesses have experienced explosive growth in the past few years. When organizations rapidly expand, it can be easy for leaders and team members to lose cohesive vision. Successful leaders recognize and utilize their own strengths and empower team members to do the same. Another important role for an executive is making meaningful decisions every day that push the company toward clearly communicated goals. Sometimes that means onboarding an executive assistant or chief of staff to share the responsibilities of leadership. An executive assistant maximizes efficiencies by allowing everyone to work within their strengths, including the founder. In this way, the force multiplier aids the executive in offering descriptive and prescriptive points of action so that everyone is operating at maximum potential.

One of the best parts about adding an executive assistant to the leadership team is that it creates accountability to prevent burnout. Adam and Hallie work diligently to be proactive against corporate burnout by building mindfulness and wellness into their daily routine. Leading by example, they encourage team leaders to create a schedule that includes regular check-ins and one-on-one time so that they have a pulse on the community. Another way they prevent burnout is through intentional hiring and onboarding processes. As thriving business leaders, their goal is to find team members who are aligned with the organization’s vision. By working in tandem, they are living examples of how partnership at the top level creates a powerhouse organization that produces high-impact products and services.

Main Topics

Three values of a successful founder and how an executive assistant can leverage those values (03:40)
A chief of staff delivers the prescriptive vision and translates that vision across the organization (08:05)
A breakdown of the roles of virtual assistant, executive assistant, and chief of staff (09:12)
Creating a schedule that allows you to be proactive against burnout (16:17)
Importance of emotional intelligence in self and others to prevent burnout (20:30)
Practical tools from Adam and Hallie’s book about how founders and force multipliers can work together to grow a business exponentially (24:00)

Episode Links

www.founderandforcemultiplier.com

Connect with Adam and Hallie:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/halliewarner/

https://www.instagram.com/founderandforcemultiplier/

https://www.youtube.com/@founderandforcemultiplier

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Owning Your Mistakes

Adam Contos — Wed, 25 Jan 2023 05:00:00 -0700

Business is all about relationships. It requires give and take, especially when everything doesn’t go according to plan. Much like a bank account, we can evaluate the health of our relationships by tracking both deposits and withdrawals. Good leaders constantly deposit in employees’ and customers’ relational bank accounts so that when it comes time to make a withdrawal, there is enough in the account to sustain the cost. Recognition and appreciation are some of the most powerful tools for making deposits. Gratitude and compassion build trust. When mishaps occur, people need to be able to fall back on positive past experiences in order to offer grace in the current situation. When we are honest about our mistakes, then we can make necessary pivots for getting back on track with clear communication and purposeful redirection.

Main Topics

Mark’s first “own it” of the year (01:11)
Accountability is witnessing, not judging (04:16)
Relationships are like bank accounts (07:35)
Balancing deposits and withdrawals in business and personal relationships (12:06)
What does inflation in relationships look like? (13:25)
Call to action- what have you done since the first of the year to make relational deposits? (15:57)

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Quick Win: When is the Last Time you Said Thank You?

Adam Contos — Fri, 20 Jan 2023 05:00:00 -0700

People are hungry for personal attention and appreciation. So it's important for you as a leader to intentionally take time to tell people THANK YOU for the hard work they do. Schedule it—no really! Put it on your calendar, and go tell five people this week that you appreciate them. It's the one thing they can't give themselves, so it's up to you!

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https://twitter.com/patflynn

Monetize Your Dreams with Pat Flynn Part 2

Adam Contos — Wed, 18 Jan 2023 05:00:00 -0700

Every successful entrepreneur asks the question, “How do I differentiate my product or services?” In a world where infinite information is available at the click of a button, it can seem daunting to create something new. In Pat Flynn’s experience, customers will pay for quick and easy access to information that will bring value to their lives. One of the best ways to build customer loyalty and increase retention rates is by monetizing the community as the product.

After launching a membership-based community within his company, Pat asked members to complete surveys for his market research. He was shocked by the results. Digital training content received the lowest level of interest. He discovered people valued the networking platform the most. The membership revenue ended up being the first recurring income for his business, shifting his whole profit model. Leaning into a community-centered approach takes the emphasis off those running the business and lets the magic take shape organically. Human connection and experiential learning draws lifetime customers, allowing businesses to draw in more passive income.

Main Topics

Coming from a place of giving rather than taking in business (01:25)
Reciprocity as one of the most powerful aspects of successful businesses (05:35)
Pat leans in to the power of community (07:55)
The money is in the membership (12:15)
Make the value clear for the customer through intentional messaging and positioning (16:54)
The product is the community (20:47)

Episode Links

https://www.smartpassiveincome.com/all-access

Connect with Pat:

https://patflynn.com

https://www.facebook.com/patflynn

https://www.instagram.com/patflynn/

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGk1LitxAZVnqQn0_nt5qxw

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https://twitter.com/patflynn

Monetize Your Dreams with Pat Flynn Part 1

Adam Contos — Wed, 11 Jan 2023 05:00:00 -0700

As a trailblazer and respected leader in the entrepreneurial world, Pat Flynn has spent over a decade navigating the highs and lows of running his own businesses. Through trial and error, he discovered powerful tools for helping people expand their business reach and monetize their skills. His company, Smart Passive Income, offers training programs and community support from a vibrant network of international entrepreneurs. He speaks with honesty on his podcasts about how to turn challenges into opportunities for growth.

Transparency in business is one of Pat’s core values. His authenticity attracts a wide range of listeners and learners, and his messages about serving others resonates with the shifting trends in business culture. Anyone can start a podcast, and Pat provides tips and tools for getting started. Using audio/visual media, such as podcasts, creates human connection not found in text. The power of voice allows people to speak from their heart, make an emotional connection, and create loyal listeners who relate to the content. This is just one of the ways Pat uses his influence to encourage the success of others. Working from a community mindset creates a culture of abundance where everyone can claim their piece of the pie.

Main Topics

The origin story of Pat’s business Smart Passive Income (03:15)
Effectiveness in business is about empathy (08:33)
The importance of creative play and experimentation (10:35)
Anyone can start a podcast (12:10)
Tips and recommendations for starting your own podcast (16:18)

Episode Links

https://www.smartpassiveincome.com

Connect with Pat:

https://patflynn.com

https://www.facebook.com/patflynn

https://www.instagram.com/patflynn/

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGk1LitxAZVnqQn0_nt5qxw

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Quick Win: Don't Just Set a Goal

Adam Contos — Fri, 06 Jan 2023 05:00:00 -0700

Don't just set goals. If you want to actually accomplish your goals, you have to go a step further and also set the steps, accomplishment benchmarks and the dates to check in on your goals. And don't forget an accountability partner!

Connect with Adam:

https://www.instagram.com/quintaviusburdette/

Overcoming Odds to Becoming a Top Performer with Quintavius “Q” Burdette

Adam Contos — Wed, 04 Jan 2023 05:00:00 -0700

As one of seventeen children growing up in Mississippi, Quintavius “Q” Burdette learned at an early age that nothing was going to be handed to him. He achieved his goals of attending college and playing football for a division one team through sheer will power and a work ethic that wouldn’t quit. When other kids from his community went to parties, Q was on the field honing his skills. In college, he stood out to coaches and professors because he prioritized his education over football. During this time, he shifted his perspective. Everything he thought he wanted in a football career actually wasn’t the path for him. So his plan B because plan A. After graduating with an accounting degree, the first in his family to ever do so, he set his eyes on his future goals.

Quintavius worked at one of the country’s top accounting firms before setting his sights on real estate. His choice to change careers brought out the naysayers who doubted that his dreams of being a top performer in real estate would ever come true. But Q’s mindset and determination sets him apart from others in his field. He chooses a mindset that uses challenges in the market as fuel for revising his strategy. His adaptive approach to anything life throws his way is one reason why he sold a record-breaking number of houses in his first year as an agent. He embodies the message that we can’t always control what happens around us, but we can control our mindset. Now a staple in his community, Q serves as a role model for children who want to build a better life for themselves despite the difficulties of their environment.

Main Topics

Quintavius’ family life as a child and how he developed his unwavering work ethic (02:20)
Q achieved his dreams of playing college football despite odds stacked against him (05:32)
Q’s example of breaking through walls inspires kids who look up to him (07:53)
Q shifts his perspective to prioritize education over football (11:10)
Transitioning from accounting to real estate (14:16)
Q’s inspiration for succeeding in the real estate market and other areas of business (17:45)

Connect with Q:

https://www.facebook.com/quintavius.burdette.3

https://twitter.com/QMB_4

https://www.linkedin.com/in/quintavius-burdette-a82158181/

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https://twitter.com/heathevans44

Leadership Training in the NFL Part 2 with Heath Evans

Adam Contos — Wed, 28 Dec 2022 05:00:00 -0700

Having played for one of the greatest coaches in NFL history as a New England Patriot, Heath Evans knows a little something about strong leadership. Witnessing Bill Belichick’s unwavering humility despite monumental success, Heath learned to apply lessons of selflessness and service in all areas of his life, not just football. But when a scandal destroyed everything Heath had built, he turned to his faith to give him the courage to rebuild.

Resiliency in the face of suffering is imperative for success in leadership, whether on the field, at the office, or at home. Through these challenging experiences, Heath now uses decades of leadership training and fitness expertise to coach groups of men seeking optimum performance in every facet of their lives. His program Built Ready is a supportive community for men who want to push themselves physically and spiritually. Together they examine how the Bible defines manhood. Embodying integrity is the foundation on which Heath lives his life and builds his programs, helping others achieve peace, power and purpose.

Main Topics

Key leadership lessons from Heath’s time in the NFL (01:00)
Heath’s overwhelm before one of his first games as a Patriot and how his team supported him through it (05:15)
Lessons implemented from Heath’s career as an NFL analyst (07:00)
Building resilience in leadership after a great fall (11:40)
Development of Built Ready, a community focused on faith and fitness for men (16:09)

Episode Links

https://www.builtready.com

Connect with Heath Evans:

https://www.facebook.com/HeathEvans44/

https://www.instagram.com/heathevans44/?hl=en

Connect with Adam:

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Start With a Win’s Holiday Office Party

Adam Contos — Wed, 21 Dec 2022 05:00:00 -0700

Just as it should be for the holiday season, the whole crew is here! Listeners are invited to the office Christmas party where Adam and his team kick back and have some fun. In this episode, test your Christmas knowledge with a rousing game of trivia and enjoy spontaneous bursts of caroling. Not every day is about gains. Slowing down and enjoying the company of the people in our lives is equally important. Adam and producer Mark express their gratitude for a year of growth and for all the listeners walking the winning journey with them.

Main Topics:

Start With a Win’s team’s favorite Christmas movies (03:00)
Christmas trivia game (07:32)
Shout out to our listeners! Gratitude for the year (17:40)

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Quick Win: Deliver Results In A Positive Manner

Adam Contos — Fri, 16 Dec 2022 05:00:00 -0700

Don't focus on looking for positive or negative—look for results! You will actually discover more positives when you are looking for results.

Connect with Adam:

https://www.builtready.com

Leadership Training in the NFL Part 1 with Heath Evans

Adam Contos — Wed, 14 Dec 2022 05:00:00 -0700

Even as a child, Heath Evans knew what his future was going to look like—he believed in his dreams of becoming an NFL player and eventually being on TV. Having fulfilled those dreams, Heath now uses the experiences from his decade-long career in the NFL, the lessons taught by his parents, and his faith in God to coach men on mastering their manhood from a Biblical perspective.

As the son of a marine, Heath learned early on that believing in his dreams would only take him so far. To make them a reality, he had to work hard every day toward his goals. He learned to continually raise the bar on his own definition of excellence. When NFL coaching legend Bill Belichick told him with brutal honesty that he needed to create his own position with the New England Patriots or be dropped from the team, Heath accepted the challenge. Instead of dissolving into a victim mindset, he prioritized the needs of his team over his own. He worked hard to improve his skill set, thus earning his place alongside some of the greatest athletes in the game.

Main Topics

Heath’s journey to his career in the NFL (03:06)
Battling fear and self doubt (06:30)
How Coach Bill Belichick helped shape Heath’s success as a player (09:30)
Advice for those who receive tough feedback (13:45)
Facing honest reflection with courage (17:20)
Enterprise leadership: putting the business first (20:07)

Episode Links:

Connect with Heath:

https://twitter.com/heathevans44

https://www.facebook.com/HeathEvans44/

https://www.instagram.com/heathevans44/?hl=en

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https://www.daphneejones.com/

Utilizing a Growth Mindset: Win When They Say You Won’t with Daphne E. Jones

Adam Contos — Wed, 07 Dec 2022 05:00:00 -0700

Raised by immigrants who came to America to pursue the dream, Daphne received one message at home and a very different message in school. In school, she was told that as a black woman, she would not be successful in business. But at home, her mother taught her the importance of embracing a mindset that broke through limitations imposed on her by other people and broken systems. Daphne chose to reject seeds of misdirection and believed she could do anything she set her mind to. She built her own success story by learning from each experience and honing her skills for optimum performance.

Through her own experiences of breaking through type casting and prejudice in the world of technology and business, Daphne now coaches women to serve on executive boards and excel in leadership, despite the challenges of inequality they face daily. She takes a communal approach, teaching that prioritizing diversity, equity, and inclusion is best for all people and businesses. When one person succeeds, everyone succeeds. In this way, Daphne’s leadership is a powerful reminder that the work being done today leaves an impact for those who come after. Transformation is a result of shifting to a mindset that embraces challenges and uses them as fuel for building a life of influence.

Main Topics

Daphne’s humble beginnings as an administrative assistant (02:50)
Daphne credits her success to lessons from her mother (05:24)
Growth mindset vs. fixed mindset (07:35)
The role of giving back in leadership (09:58)
Daphne’s experience being a black woman in the technology industry (12:20)
Improving equality for people in organizations (16:50)
Four steps for changing your life as outlined in Daphne’s book (20:15)

Connect with Daphne:

https://www.instagram.com/destinysdoor/

https://twitter.com/DaphneEJones

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Quick Win: What is willpower?

Adam Contos — Fri, 02 Dec 2022 05:00:00 -0700

What is willpower? Focus + Energy = Willpower! It's focusing on the task at hand without getting distracted and how engaged and excited you are about the task.

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https://www.instagram.com/hamzak

Riding the Waves of Chaos Through Inspired Leadership with Hamza Khan

Adam Contos — Wed, 30 Nov 2022 05:00:00 -0700

Hamza Khan believes the hardest months of the pandemic, March through May of 2020, were a portal into a new world—one that required leaders and managers to reassess old systems and start making foundational changes from the top down. As many businesses failed and others thrived, conscientious leaders began to ask hard questions about the efficacy of a leadership structure that remained disconnected from human needs. What successful leaders like Khan have found is that productivity increases when employees are encouraged to prioritize holistic wellness.

In a world of constant change, leaders must learn to accept chaos and work within it. This requires frequent, structured opportunities for employees to provide feedback about their work environment. Leaders have to ask the hard questions to which they may not want the answers and also foster a culture that encourages honesty and vulnerability. A lack of emotional safety in the workplace has led to global burnout and mass resignations. Maintaining calm within a work environment requires conscious management of time, energy, and attention. Encouraging employees to practice wellness at home and at work is an important step in building resiliency and increasing productivity.

Main Topics:

A brief overview of Hamza’s professional journey from education to entrepreneurship to empowerment coach (02:50)
How the pandemic forced reassessment of leadership culture (05:55)
Increasing levels of engagement from employees (09:26)
Advice to leaders about accepting chaos and creating an emotionally safe work environment (13:55)
Creating a culture of peace through intention and attention (19:17)

Episode Links

Connect with Hamza:

https://twitter.com/hamzak

https://www.linkedin.com/in/khanhamza

https://www.facebook.com/HamzaKhanAuthor

Connect with Adam:

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https://www.startwithawin.com/
https://www.facebook.com/AdamContosCEO
https://twitter.com/AdamContosCEO
https://www.instagram.com/adamcontosceo/

Revisited: Real Talk and Thankfulness with Adam and Kelly Contos

Adam Contos — Wed, 23 Nov 2022 05:00:00 -0700

On this episode of the Start With A Win podcast, we are joined by Kelly Contos, which gave Mark the perfect opportunity to practice his game show host skills during a lightning round of the Newlywed Game. You may be surprised to find out who looks better in glasses and who is the better singer!

When it comes to supporting Adam as the CEO of such a large and prominent company, Kelly says that her main objective is to be there for whatever he needs. Sometimes that means making sure he stays on schedule and gets from place to place, and sometimes that means noticing when he needs some human interaction and sending him to the office. Kelly knows how important Adam’s work is to him, but most important are the people around him, so she encourages him to lean into his team.

Adam and Kelly are both thankful for their health, the people they choose to spend life with, their freedoms, opportunities, and the successes that have resulted from those opportunities and hard work.

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Quick Win: Where Does Energy Come From?

Adam Contos — Fri, 18 Nov 2022 05:00:00 -0700

Physical energy comes from three places: nutrition, hydration and movement. If we want to show up and continue to be our best self both in our professional and personal lives, it's important that we prioritize all three!

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How to Achieve Measurable Gains Using the 4 Disciplines of Execution

Adam Contos — Wed, 16 Nov 2022 05:00:00 -0700

Business school classrooms and boardrooms alike are stacked with strategies for maximizing business success. But truly effective business models move beyond powerful planning into efficient execution. Franklin Covey—a global company that trains businesses in leadership development and individual effectiveness—teaches four major disciplines that help companies maximize execution.

The first discipline is about focusing on what is most important. Narrowing the focus allows people to set achievable goals and delegate specific tasks. The second discipline is utilizing leverage to determine which tasks will produce the most desirable results. The third discipline of engagement is based on the premise that people will work to their maximum potential when they are part of the process of keeping score. Finally, the fourth discipline is focused on accountability. A regular system of vulnerable reflection and feedback builds an environment where all three previous disciplines are made possible. Implementing this intentional methodology to achieve personal and professional goals leads to lasting changes that build cultures of greatness.

Main Topics

Discipline 1: Narrow the focus (03:13)
Discipline 2: Use leverage to determine lead measures (06:03)
Discipline 3: Individual engagement (09:45)
Discipline 4: Create a cadence of accountability (12:26)

Episode Links

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https://www.facebook.com/kelly.contos.3

Setting Expectations to Prevent Miscommunication with Kelly Contos

Adam Contos — Wed, 09 Nov 2022 05:00:00 -0700

The majority of challenges business owners face can be boiled down to a lack of communication surrounding expectations. One way to troubleshoot issues in business and personal relationships is by setting the stage with clear expectations for time commitments, scenarios, outcomes and goals. By providing clarity through helpful boundaries, business leaders can give their employees and customers more confidence and direction when it comes to production, collaboration, and the overall success of a project.

Expectations prevent surprises. They make potentially difficult conversations easier because there are previous, foundational conversations to which people can refer. If people are given clear expectations from the beginning, they are less likely to feel defensive when it comes time to evaluate efficiency and productivity. Setting expectations for customers also gives them a sense of your own expertise, which in turn relays trust through transparency. This communication tool applies not only in business, but also in personal relationships and parenting. It’s important to set clear expectations, communicate often, and revisit those expectations again and again. Practicing this process for success eliminates many miscommunication issues so that time and energy can be spent elsewhere in more productive ways.

Main Topics

Setting the expectations to prevent confusion, lack of direction, and miscommunication (02:00)
How setting the expectations helps us have potentially hard conversations (06:43)
Establishing yourself as the expert (11:15)
Appropriate expectations support long term goals (13:00)
Kelly’s experience training for a fitness competition with a coach who helped her manage her expectations (15:20)
A consistent communication regimen provides accountability (18:20)
Apply the strategy to parenting (21:30)

Connect with Kelly:

https://twitter.com/kellycontos

https://www.linkedin.com/in/kellycontos/

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Quick Win: Accountability Creates Results

Adam Contos — Fri, 04 Nov 2022 05:00:00 -0600

Want better results? Here's the secret: Get accountable! Accountability causes action with intention, and that creates results.

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https://www.youtube.com/user/noahstjohn

Change Your Thoughts, Change Your Life with Noah St. John

Adam Contos — Wed, 02 Nov 2022 05:00:00 -0600

Many popular self-help books promote the use of affirmations to help people change unhealthy thoughts and behaviors. Dr. Noah St. John has spent the last 25 years teaching a different and more effective approach. Instead of using a disempowering “I am” statement that the brain immediately recognizes as false, he directs people to ask an empowering question that exemplifies who they want to be. By asking a question, the brain becomes engaged in finding the answer, thus creating a plan of action to achieve a specific goal.

Noah’s strategy pushes people beyond magical thinking. The first step someone must take in order to live an empowered life is to gain clarity on what they actually want. Once the goal is clear, ask a question that confirms the goal has already been met. It is important to accept the truth of this new reality; in doing so, neural pathways in the brain are rewired towards a different end. Finally, the most important step is to take action based on the new reality created through powerful afformations. When people take responsibility for establishing new patterns of thinking and behaving, nothing can stand in their way on the path to a successful and fulfilling life.

Main Topics:

The difference between AFFORMATIONS vs. affirmations
Working with the law of sowing and reaping
Noah’s success with a client who lost over 200 pounds
Lying to ourselves or rewiring neural pathways to create new realities?
The Four A’s of Noah’s Afformations strategy

Episode Links

Connect with Noah:

https://www.facebook.com/noahstjohnfan

https://www.instagram.com/noahstjohn/

https://twitter.com/noahstjohn

Connect with Adam:

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Adam’s Fool-Proof Time Management System

Busy vs. Productive: Tips for Successful Time Management

Adam Contos — Wed, 26 Oct 2022 05:00:00 -0600

Everyone is busy, but not everyone is productive. Time is a precious resource that many squander away on social media or mindless entertainment. Rather than being the victim of time, successful people view time as a currency which can be used intentionally to accomplish daily goals.

In order to gain clarity on how to most effectively use time, leaders and entrepreneurs must learn the value of saying no. Saying no to some opportunities frees up resources so that people can say yes to the things that matter. Adam encourages listeners to document their use of time each day to create accountability. Use this data to reflect on how time is currently being used and set goals for increasing production. This is also a helpful tool for tracking an individual’s circadian rhythm, which is the internal clock that helps the body carry out its daily functions. Working with the body’s ebb and flow of energy allows people to make informed decisions for scheduling activities throughout the day. Establishing a schedule fuels productivity for those willing to consistently practice focus and willpower.

Main Topics

The difference between busy and productive (02:10)
Harnessing the power of saying “No” (03:30)
Utilizing a time audit system to evaluate daily time management (8:00)
The importance of reflection and gratitude at the end of the day (13:34)
Using your circadian rhythm to build an effective daily schedule (15:12)

Episode Links:

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Quick Win: Better Choices Lead To Better Choices

Adam Contos — Fri, 21 Oct 2022 05:00:00 -0600

How can we get to the results we want? It's simple. Better choices lead to better choices! And the more good choices you make, the better your results will be!

Connect with Adam:

https://www.instagram.com/warhoggtactical/

1% Better Every Day: Embracing Failure to Achieve Gains with Rick Hogg

Adam Contos — Wed, 19 Oct 2022 05:00:00 -0600

A lifetime of dedication to greatness has earned Army Veteran and entrepreneur Rick Hogg a multitude of accolades. As owner of War Hogg Tactical, Inc., co-author of The Firearms Training Notebook: 1% Better Everyday, and founder of In Honor of Duco Project, Rick proves himself a superachiever by setting an example of excellence.

Instead of being defined by his rank or position, Rick defines himself by his core values and encourages those in leadership positions to do the same. He has achieved his success through a daily commitment to setting goals and establishing a plan to accomplish them. In leadership, Rick teaches the power of repetition and the importance of fully supporting his team. In this way, they achieve greatness together through a common vision. But business isn’t the only area of life to which these principles apply. In order to be successful in one area, achievement must be a motivating factor at all levels, including physical fitness, family, and spirituality. One of the greatest lessons Rick has gleaned from a life of challenging, life-threatening situations is that each day is a gift and should be lived to the fullest.

Main Topics

The mindset of a superachiever (02:40)
Using failure as an impetus for growth (05:55)
Rick’s transition from soldier to entrepreneur (08:46)
Building incremental gains into life and business (11:40)
The importance of writing a daily plan of action (14:50)
The Wheel of Life and the need for growth in all areas of life (21:38)

Episode Links

Connect with Rick:

https://www.warhogg.com/

https://www.facebook.com/warhoggtactical

https://twitter.com/warhoggtactical

Connect with Adam:

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https://www.youtube.com/user/TriFundracing

Transforming Fear into Power with Adam Hill

Adam Contos — Wed, 12 Oct 2022 05:00:00 -0600

As CEO of a 4th generation family business, elite triathlete and author Adam Hill has led his century-old family company through economic, cultural, and leadership changes on the path to long term sustainability. After overcoming more than a decade of alcoholism and unhealthy life habits, Adam transformed his inner fear and anxiety disorder into a superpower. Today he is a highly sought after international speaker and Amazon bestselling author of Shifting Gears: From Anxiety and Addiction to a Triathlon World Championship.

How can a crippling anxiety disorder actually be a superpower? Adam Hill has proven that his greatest weakness isn’t actually a weakness. Instead, he sees it as a launching pad into a life of inner healing and dynamic leadership. After years of using alcohol to cope with debilitating fear and anxiety, Adam bravely pursued recovery by asking himself how he could turn his inner enemy into his friend. By shifting his mindset, he now recognizes the value in using fear as an encouragement to lean into challenges. Constantly pushing himself out of his comfort zone, Adam is able to have hard conversations with compassion and has built a team that transcends fear of the unknown into clarity in business. He encourages leaders and entrepreneurs to accept personal struggles as gifts. This shift from judgment to acceptance leads to growth and big wins, allowing people to achieve more than they ever dreamed possible.

Main Topics

Coping with the cultural norms of anxiety and overstimulation (03:38)
Using anxiety as a superpower and learning to “party with the beast” (05:40)
How facing fears in leadership positively impacts business (09:26)
Having difficult conversations with care increases confidence in leadership. (13:30)
In his book, Adam uses his story to encourage others to courageously step into their power. (17:48)

Episode Links

Connect with Adam Hill:

https://www.facebook.com/adam.hill.39982

https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamchill/

Connect with Adam:

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Quick Win: Celebrate Your Team Wins

Adam Contos — Fri, 07 Oct 2022 05:00:00 -0600

Never miss an opportunity to celebrate wins with your teams! Studies show the top thing employees want from their employers is to feel appreciated. So be sure to give a few shoutouts during your next team meeting!

Connect with Adam:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/steven-izen-5620323b/

Humble and Hopeful: A Young CEO’s Guide to a Balanced Life with Steven Izen

Adam Contos — Wed, 05 Oct 2022 05:00:00 -0600

The journey of life is made up of highs and lows, pain and joy, challenges and triumphs. Even at a young age, Steven Izen came to understand this truth that connects all humans. The key to success is figuring out how to find balance in all of life’s extremes. Out of this concept, Steven created his brand Lokai. Lokai bracelets serve as a reminder to stay humble on the mountain peaks of life and hopeful in the valleys. More than simply offering consumers an excellent product, Lokai’s mission extends beyond retail into mindfulness and active participation in the global community.

Izen attributes much of his success to staying focused on his values— fitness, family, and business. As a young leader in a quickly changing world of business, Izen builds relationships with his team with intentionality and isn’t afraid to have the hard conversations. Company values are woven into the fabric of every day operations, primarily open communication, work/life balance, and giving back to the community. This is how businesses maintain integrity and support a growth mindset within a company’s culture.

Main Topics

How Izen developed the concept, values, and brand for Lokai and the meaning behind the name (02:16)
Izen’s personal exploration of mindfulness in leadership (06:30)
Current shifts in employer/employee relationships and the importance of balance in the workplace (10:36)
How entrepreneurs can be growth-oriented by giving back to community (14:40)
Special offer for listeners! (16:54)

Episode Links

https://lokai.com/
Use code PODCAST15 to get 15% off on any purchases made on elementsdrinks.io or lokai.com

Connect with Steven:

https://www.instagram.com/stevenizen/

https://www.facebook.com/steven.izen

https://twitter.com/StevenIzen

Connect with Adam:

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The World is NOT Ending! How to Thrive During an Economic Downturn

Adam Contos — Wed, 28 Sep 2022 05:00:00 -0600

The world is changing at lightning speed. The media seems to only offer discouraging news about the current economic situation. While it is natural for some businesses to suffer during these times, many will actually thrive. Adam discusses strategies for achieving health and happiness in the midst of challenging shifts in the economic cycle. First and foremost, people need to take care of their own wellbeing before they can engage in positive relationships with others. When personal health is top priority, only then can someone create meaningful friendships and strong familial bonds. The ego must take a back seat. When people’s relationships to themselves and others are in order, they can bring positivity and problem-solving skills to their business.

Fostering a thriving business in the midst of an economic recession means making yourself as valuable as possible to your clients, employees, shareholders, and your community. Personally connecting with a targeted audience on a human level is now more important than ever. And never underestimate the power of hope. So instead of believing the news and assuming the worst about the future, expect good things to come out of tough situations.

Main Topics:

In a recession, people tend to hide, suffer, or thrive. Tips for being one who thrives (03:17)
Becoming the most valuable version of yourself (05:57)
How physical health can literally save your life (10:25)
Applying strategies for health and happiness in business (14:30)
Big picture overview for direction of the economy and what to do with your cash (18:40)

Episode Links

I Can't Make This Up: Life Lessons by Kevin Hart

Connect with Adam:

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Quick Win: Next Play

Adam Contos — Fri, 23 Sep 2022 05:00:00 -0600

Next play.

Connect with Adam:

https://evolveleadership.com

Resilient Leadership: Promoting Wellness in the C-Suite with Caren Kenney

Adam Contos — Wed, 21 Sep 2022 05:00:00 -0600

Why are up to 70% of the world’s CEOs considering quitting their jobs? According to Caren Kenney, CEO and Founder of Evolve Leadership and co-author of the book Leading with Character: 10 Minutes a Day to a Brilliant Legacy, most of the world’s C-Suite executives are not trained in sustainable practices for overall wellness. Observing this need, Caren combined her passion for leadership and mental health to create developmental programs that support all aspects of the individual’s needs. Her holistic approach addresses physical, mental, emotional and spiritual health, and asks leaders to get clear on their purpose. By prioritizing character development within a company’s culture, leaders build a strong foundation for purpose-driven lives.

Main Topics

The “why” behind Caren’s personal and professional journey developing wellness in executive leadership (02:38)
Trends emerging as a result of recent global events that have impacted mental health in the executive realm (05:14)
Holistic approaches to creating sustainable work environments (06:10)
Predominant challenges for executives in the evolving world (09:57)
How to train the next generation of CEOs and what it will take for them to thrive (13:21)
Leadership qualities that build thriving workplace cultures (15:52)
Action points for creating resilient leaders who invest in human relationships and overall well-being (18:30)

Episode Links

Connect with Caren:

https://www.instagram.com/carenkenney

https://twitter.com/carenkenney

https://www.facebook.com/caren.kenney

Connect with Adam:

Listen, rate, and subscribe!

https://www.kurtwilkin.com

How to Hire Better and Level-Up Your Team with Kurt Wilkin, Co-Founder of HireBetter

Adam Contos — Wed, 14 Sep 2022 05:00:00 -0600

Kurt Wilkin is a trusted advisor for high-growth, middle-market companies as founder and managing partner of Bee Cave Capital and Co-Founder of HireBetter. With a passion for growth and a hard-earned, proven set of tools in his toolbox, Wilkin works with other entrepreneurs and CEOs to help them escape the start-up mindset and achieve next-level success.

His debut book, Who’s Your Mike? A No-Bullshit Guide to the People You’ll Meet on Your Entrepreneurial Journey, Kurt reveals how entrepreneurs can transform their companies by minimizing hiring mistakes, investing in high potentials and making the difficult decisions to drop dead weight from their team.

Main Topics

Kurt’s professional journey, from becoming a CPA to launching his own firm to buying the company HireBetter (2:13)
Why Kurt believes The Great Resignation is a myth and how to find employees who are dedicated to making an impact rather than just a paycheck (5:25)
Are employees looking for more money or more fulfillment? (9:07)
How to hire people beyond just what you can see on a resume and how to hire “A-players” (11:00)
Kurt’s book Who’s Your Mike? and how to know when it’s time to move on from an employee (15:10)

Episode Links

Leadership Tactics with Sergeant Major Kyle Lamb
- Episode 203: Part 1
- Episode 204: Part 2
https://whosyourmike.com
https://whosyourmike.com/quiz/

Connect with Kurt:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/kurt-wilkin-7345255/

https://twitter.com/kurtwilkin

Connect with Adam:

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Quick Win: Be a Sponge

Adam Contos — Fri, 09 Sep 2022 05:00:00 -0600

Be a sponge!

Connect with Adam:

https://www.patrickthean.com/

Systems, Habits and Disciplines to Accelerate Growth with Patrick Thean

Adam Contos — Wed, 07 Sep 2022 05:00:00 -0600

Patrick Thean is an international speaker, CEO coach and serial entrepreneur—and a USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author. With his book Rhythm: How to Achieve Breakthrough Execution and Accelerate Growth, Thean shares a simple system for encouraging teams to execute better and faster.

Main Topics

Patrick’s journey as a young entrepreneur, leading his first company to #151 on the Inc. 5000 list and how to avoid failing as a CEO (2:25)
Patrick’s system for measuring KPIs and the frameworks to put in place to build your business (5:27)
Training the next generation of leaders to not just look for short-term, overnight success and instead committing to consistency and rhythms to build long-term success (11:15)
Defining your goals and committing to them (15:25)
The importance of employees taking ownership in their own growth (21:08)
Patrick’s book Rhythm: How to Achieve Breakthrough Execution and Accelerate Growth (22:30)

Episode Links

Connect with Patrick:

https://twitter.com/pthean

https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrickthean/

Connect with Adam:

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https://www.merchantsfleet.com/

Values-Driven Leadership with Brendan P. Keegan

Adam Contos — Wed, 31 Aug 2022 05:00:00 -0600

Brendan P. Keegan is CEO of Merchants, a company that provides customized fleet management and fleet leasing solutions to a wide range of businesses. He is an award-winning six-time president and chief executive officer, leading companies ranging from 500 to 10,000 employees. Brendan is currently leading Merchants to be an industry disruptor in the transportation industry, making a string of bold commitments toward sustainability

Main Topics

The everyday life and role of a CEO and focusing on the vision, values, people, culture and goals of the company (2:20)
How to keep company values top of mind for your employees (6:25)
Turning goals into habits and how to create goals in an organization (10:55)
How goals lead to results and evaluating leading and lagging indicators in your business (15:15)
How to inspire as the leader of the company through helping people recognizing success in themselves (18:39)
Establishing a disciplined morning routine (22:00)

Connect with Brendan:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/brendanpkeegan/

https://www.instagram.com/bpkfearless/

Connect with Adam:

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Quick Win: What Fuels Your leadership?

Adam Contos — Fri, 26 Aug 2022 05:00:00 -0600

As a leader, what are you doing to build yourself—meaning your health, happiness, sleep, hydration, etc.? You are the one who fuels your leadership, so you have to be sure to take care of you!

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Nobody is Born a Leader

Adam Contos — Wed, 24 Aug 2022 05:00:00 -0600

Leaders are not born, they are built through ongoing leadership development and learning the soft skills of leadership. Adam explores how this looks both in the corporate world as well as entrepreneur leaders.

Main Topics

The evolution of the Mark and Adam’s facial hair (0:30)
How the economy boom of 2015-2020 impacted leadership development and how money flow hides the need for leadership (3:39)
The definition of a leader and how to develop yourself as a leader (9:55)
The three perspectives of leadership—leading yourself, leading others, leading your business—and how Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs influences each of these perspectives (17:00)

Episode Links

"3 Key Leadership Secrets to Leading Your Business Like the CEO of a Multimillion-Dollar Corporation”: https://adamcontos.com/leadership

Connect with Adam:

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https://www.vikingtactics.com

Leadership Tactics Part 2 with Sergeant Major Kyle Lamb

Adam Contos — Wed, 17 Aug 2022 05:00:00 -0600

Sergeant Major Kyle Lamb spent over 21 years in the United States Army, with 15 years of that time with Delta Force. He has participated in many conflicts, including Desert Storm, Bosnia, Iraq, as well as in the battle made famous by the movie Black Hawk Down in Somalia. Sergeant Major Lamb is the Founder and President of Viking Tactics, a tactical training and tactical gear business. He has also written a number of books, including his latest Leadership in the Shadows.

Main Topics

Why COVID was the best thing to happen to Kyle’s family, his business and his leadership (1:12)
Our country was founded by business leaders and entrepreneurs. (7:12)
How Viking Tactics began with shooting classes and grew into into tactical gear sales and leadership resources (9:06)
Leadership and entrepreneurship tactics needed in seasons of change (11:32)
How to live every day with a mission (16:30)

Episode Links

Leadership in the Shadows: https://www.vikingtactics.com/product-p/vtac-lits.htm
Sig Sauer Academy: https://www.sigsaueracademy.com/instructors/kyle-lamb

Connect with Kyle:

https://www.facebook.com/Viking-Tactics-Inc-170871879632771

Connect with Adam:

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Quick Win: How to Get Above Average Results

Adam Contos — Fri, 12 Aug 2022 05:00:00 -0600

If you're tired of average results, you have to go above and beyond in order to achieve the above average results you're seeking!

Connect with Adam:

https://www.vikingtactics.com

Leadership Tactics Part 1 with Sergeant Major Kyle Lamb

Adam Contos — Wed, 10 Aug 2022 05:00:00 -0600

Main Topics

Kyle’s journey from his childhood in South Dakota to a career in the United States Army Special Forces (2:45)
Leaders are built, not born (7:35)
How negativity can inspire your leadership and the importance of meritocracy in leadership (11:54)
Pulling leadership inspiration from everybody, even if you don’t agree with them (15:56)
Teaching leadership tactics across different sectors (18:40)

Episode Links

Leadership in the Shadows: https://www.vikingtactics.com/product-p/vtac-lits.htm

Connect with Kyle:

https://www.facebook.com/Viking-Tactics-Inc-170871879632771

Connect with Adam:

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https://www.mindsetdigital.com

How to Communicate with Extreme Clarity with Debra Jasper

Adam Contos — Wed, 03 Aug 2022 05:00:00 -0600

International speaker, Debra Jasper, is the founder of Mindset Digital, which is a digital transformation company that provides in-depth training, strategy and consulting to companies around the world. She serves as a Faculty Fellow at Ohio State University and has been named one of the top 12 Winning Women entrepreneurs in North America by Ernst & Young.

Main Topics

How COVID-19 impacted our work in the digital world and the need for extreme clarity in our communication (02:00)
The formula for extreme clarity: write for action, deliver powerful presentations, deliver a powerful online presence (6:48)
How to build a great LinkedIn profile (10:00)
Write for attention by using strong copywriting skills (11:38)
Debra’s upcoming book, Extreme Clarity: Break Through in a Hyper-Distracted Hybrid World (16:08)
Rapid Visual Storytelling and how it applies to doing business (19:00)

Connect with Debra:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/debrajasper/

https://twitter.com/debrajasper

Connect with Adam:

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Quick Win: There is no Easy Button in Life or Business

Adam Contos — Fri, 29 Jul 2022 05:00:00 -0600

No easy button for business or life, however the EASIER button is to deploy leadership for yourself and for others.

Connect with Adam:

https://twitter.com/mikeohearn

Building a Life of Consistency with Mike O’Hearn

Adam Contos — Wed, 27 Jul 2022 05:00:00 -0600

Mike O’Hearn is a bodybuilder, personal trainer, actor, model and community ambassador. He holds four Mr. Universe titles and was voted one of the twelve greatest physiques of all time by the fitness industry. Mike is a true champion and well-rounded athlete who has graced over 500 fitness covers.

Main Topics

How Mike got the title “The Titan” and what it means to him (01:24)
The importance of living with intentionality and being all in on what you’re doing in order to achieve your goals (02:38)
Mike’s community called The Titan Crew—a group of people around the world who want to get healthier and understand how the body functions (07:50)
Setting goals and living life as a slow journey and not a race to a quick result and how Mike viewed competitions as something for himself and not to gain the approval of others (11:19)
Avoiding distractions while you’re on your journey (14:13)
Planning a weekly schedule and how it will set you up for success (18:35)

Connect with Mike:

https://mikeohearn.com

https://www.facebook.com/groups/mikeohearn

https://www.youtube.com/mikeohearntitan

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Download Adam’s free guide: 3 Key Leadership Secrets to Leading Your Business Like the CEO of a Multimillion-Dollar Corporation

200th Episode Celebration

Adam Contos — Wed, 20 Jul 2022 05:00:00 -0600

Happy 200th Episode, Win Nation! Join Adam and Producer Mark as they reminisce on some of their favorite moments and favorite guests of the last couple of years!

Adam’s Top 3 Favorites:

Producer Mark’s Top 3 Favorites:

Honorable Mentions:

Episode Links:

Connect with Adam:

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Quick Win: What Are People Really Buying?

Adam Contos — Fri, 15 Jul 2022 05:00:00 -0600

What are people really buying? It's not just a product or service—it's a desired outcome! So when thinking about your customers, sell to them with their desired outcome in mind.

Connect with Adam:

https://jennifercassetta.com/

The Art of Badassery with Jennifer Cassetta

Adam Contos — Wed, 13 Jul 2022 05:00:00 -0600

Jennifer Cassetta is a nationally recognized motivational speaker and empowerment coach with a third-degree black belt in Hapkido and a master’s degree in nutrition. Over the past two decades, she has helped tens of thousands of women feel strong, safe, and powerful from college campuses to corporations. Her keynotes and trainings guide women to tap into their innate power, speak up against predatory behavior, and level up their mind, body, and spiritual well-being.

Main Topics

How Jennifer discovered strength, confidence and peace through martial arts after surviving the 9/11 attacks in New York City (03:29)
Making your “Greatest Shifts List” and uncovering moments of learning and personal growth (8:55)
Everyone has it inside themselves to be a badass (12:40)
How to get back up and fight back after life knocks you down (14:11)
Why Jennifer wrote her upcoming book and her desire to create something that will give people the tools to stand up for themselves and for others (16:59)
Becoming a black belt in leadership (18:08)
The Art of Realtor Safety program (21:38)

Episode Links

Preorder The Art of Badassery: Awakening to Your Power, Peace, and Purpose

Connect with Jennifer:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifer-cassetta/

https://www.instagram.com/jenncassetta/

https://www.facebook.com/JenniferCassetta/

Connect with Adam:

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Everybody Wins: The Story and Lessons Behind RE/MAX

Growing a Business Through Building Relationships with Gary Mauris, Dominion Lending Centres

Adam Contos — Wed, 06 Jul 2022 05:00:00 -0600

Adam is joined by Gary Mauris the co-founder, president and CEO of Dominion Lending Centres, the leading mortgage company in Canada. Gary shares about his entrepreneurial journey to starting DLC through building relationships, humility and creating a loyal customer base.

Gary Mauris is the co-founder and President & CEO of Dominion Lending Centres; CEO of Mortgage Centre Canada; and Chairman of Mortgage Architects. Together, these companies account for almost 40% of all broker originated mortgages in Canada. He is a serial entrepreneur, having sold two prior companies to the public market.

Gary has also led multiple social initiatives as the co-founder and President of the I AM SOMEONE Ending Bullying Society and recently co-founded “Bikes for Kids”, a National program that collects new bicycles for underprivileged children across Canada.

Main Topics

The beginning of Dominion Lending Centres—Canada’s leading mortgage company (03:06)
Growing the business through retention and ongoing recruiting (05:20)
How Dominion Lending Centres modeled their business model and model for growth after RE/MAX and the leadership tactics of Dave Liniger (09:11)
Growing a business and creating a loyal customer base through executive presence, developing relationships, being humble, building up others and creating an environment of success (11:01)
The three things that kill a relationship and how to overcome them (15:00)
Balancing multi-intentional goals and maintaining a healthy work-life balance (19:28)

Episode Links

Dominion Lending Centres

Connect with Gary Mauris:

https://garymauris.ca

https://www.linkedin.com/in/garymauris/?originalSubdomain=ca

https://www.facebook.com/gary.mauris

https://twitter.com/garymauris

Connect with Adam:

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Quick Win: Leaders Create Other Leaders

Adam Contos — Fri, 01 Jul 2022 05:00:00 -0600

Leaders create other leaders. They lead with presence and with clarity. Leading isn't a title—it's the action that you are taking to lead people and create new leaders!

Connect with Adam:

Get Adam's “3 Key Leadership Secrets” Guide!

How Technology is Driving the Future of Franchising with Dave Liniger

Adam Contos — Wed, 29 Jun 2022 05:00:00 -0600

There are more than 750,000 franchises in the United States, meaning that more than 10% of American businesses are part of the franchise model.

Adam welcomes back Dave Liniger to talk all about franchising and how technology is likely to be one of the biggest drivers of the industry moving forward.

Dave Liniger started RE/MAX in 1973, and it has become the largest real estate company in the world with a record year in 2021. He also runs a private equity company, Area15 Ventures, focused on emerging franchisors and high-growth businesses and franchise concepts.

Dave tells story of beginning of RE/MAX and selling his very first franchise in Kansas City. Over the course of the next two years, Dave sold more than 100 franchises across North America.

Dave explains the concept of a franchise as a system of methods, training, advertising and more that can be imparted on franchisee. The franchisee pays a fee to buy into the concept and pays the cost of opening a business, making the franchise model a great way to rapidly expand a business concept without it being cost-prohibitive.

Dave shares the four key elements of franchising:

Unique product or service
Brand, advertising and market share
Purchasing
Training Technology and Systems

Dave shares the story of the success of the McDonald’s franchise and how it transformed the fast food franchise industry.

One of the biggest benefits of owning a franchise is the access you receive to a network of peers. You get to learn from each other and share ideas and insights to grow businesses. Dave also shares that every significant, good idea for RE/MAX came from his franchisees. He tells the story of how breakfast, the filet o’ fish and the Big Mac started at McDonald’s thanks to the ideas of franchisees.

Adam and Dave talk about a new franchise concept they have acquired through Area15 Ventures called Daddy’s Chicken Shack. This business is a great example of how technology is driving the future of franchising. As a walk-up concept, the restaurant blew up during COVID, generating over $1 million in revenue. The owners designed a prototype with curbside pickup and limited seating, and featured technology that enables guests to order food via their phone, on the app and through food delivery services. The technology tracks the order and geo-targets the customer, and when they are 8-minutes away from the restaurant, they begin preparing the food. The drive-thru is also only for pick-up orders. This technology is eliminating the need for waiting in lines for pickup. The restaurant also features in-person ordering via artificial intelligence.

Episode Links:

DaddysFranchising.com

Area15Ventures.com

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Join the Leadership Factory and get early access to courses and exclusive content from Adam!

Developing a Team Mentality with Scott “The Sheriff” Parker, NHL Stanley Cup Champion

Adam Contos — Wed, 22 Jun 2022 05:00:00 -0600

Scott Parker is a former professional ice hockey right winger who played for the San Jose Sharks and the Colorado Avalanche in the NHL. Scott earned his nickname, "The Sheriff,” from his reputation as a feared fighter and enforcer.

In 2006, Parker and his wife Francesca, started a charity called "Parker's Platoon.” Parker’s Platoon is dedicated to helping military veterans and retired professional athletes who deal with PTSD and traumatic brain and body injuries.

The conversation kicks off with Scott’s story about growing up in Alaska and discovering hockey—a sport he new nothing about. But in the second grade, after seeing a flyer for hockey tryouts, he learned to skate with the family, and his love for the game was born.

Scott also shares about some of the leadership lessons and skills he learned as an enforcer in the National Hockey League for the San Jose Sharks and the Colorado Avalanche.

One important skill he developed was how to have a mindset of always learning through studying opponents. Scott had to spend hours studying his opponent, learning their tendencies and their weaknesses. “And if you didn’t, you got your head kicked in. …The sport is 80% mental and 20% physical."

Scott and Adam chat about the 2022 Stanley Cup Finals between the Colorado Avalanche and the Tampa Bay Lightning.

The two round out the conversation with the story and heart behind Parker’s Platoon, the nonprofit organization started by Scott and his wife, Francesca. The Parkers have a passion for helping our military veterans, as Scott’s father-in-law served as a Marine and his father was a gunner in the U.S. Army.

Following his own diagnosis with a traumatic brain injury, he saw the need for mental, emotional and physical support for veterans who might be suffering from injuries like TBIs and PTSD. And since his retirement from the NHL, Scott found that he really missed that locker room dynamic and the way he and his teammates bonded through shared experiences.

So, through Parker’s Platoon, the organization is able to partner wounded veterans with wounded athletes so they can grow in relationship and go through the healing process together. From meeting physical needs through meals and health access to meeting emotional needs through retreats and mountain getaways, Parker’s Platoon provides an avenue for holistic care and support.

Episode Links:

ParkersPlatoon.org

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Quick Win: The Two Most Important Times of the Day for Business Leaders

Adam Contos — Fri, 17 Jun 2022 05:00:00 -0600

The two most important hours of your day are actually the two most important things you can work on in your business: Client Hour and Content Hour. So build these into your calendar, and stick to it!

Connect with Adam:

Lindsay Pinchuk Marketing & Consulting

From Start-Up to Seven Figures: A Conversation with Lindsay Pinchuk

Adam Contos — Wed, 15 Jun 2022 05:00:00 -0600

Lindsay Pinchuk is a former high-powered magazine publishing executive turned business owner and leader. She is the founder of Bump Club and Beyond --- a community of resources, support, and educational tools for millions of parents and parents-to-be across the country. In year one, she turned a profit, and then grew her company to a 7-figure revenue each year and her community to over 3 million users. Less than a decade later, she led her company through the acquisition of a large agency holding company.

Lindsay shares about the origins of Bump Club and Beyond, which began out of her need for community and resources as an expectant mother. Through the organic promotion of prenatal workouts, shopping events and workshops, the community continued to grow and expand. Soon, Lindsay left her job in Corporate America and took the company national and partnered with major brands, growing into a 7-figure company. And, after nine years, she sold her very successful company and stayed on to run Bump Club.

In 2021, she made the decision to leave Bump Club and Beyond and now she owns and runs Lindsay Pinchuk Marketing & Consulting where she helps female solo entrepreneurs and large female-founded brands through coaching, consulting and courses.

Through her transition from the corporate world to becoming an entrepreneur, Lindsay took a couple key principles with her: networking and the sales process. She shares with Adam how she took these skills that she had learned as a magazine sales executive and plugged them directly into her new endeavor.

Lindsay also talks about the importance of being willing to ask for help. And she gives listeners some practical ways to be creative in getting help as a beginning entrepreneur with a small amount of revenue. And to round out the episode, Lindsay shares the best leadership lesson she has learned is to know when to say no and to be able to actually say no when it’s not the right opportunity or the best place to spend your time.

Episode Links:

Dear FoundHer podcast

https://www.instagram.com/lindsaypinchuk/

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Join the Leadership Factory and get early access to courses and exclusive content from Adam!

Create Winning Systems in Your Business with Misty Lown

Adam Contos — Wed, 08 Jun 2022 05:00:00 -0600

Misty Lown is the founder, president, and energized force behind More Than Just Great Dancing, a licensed dance studio affiliation program that has a positive impact on over 100,000 dance students around the globe each week. She is a sought-after speaker and business leader. She has been recognized as “Teacher of the Year” by Eclipse, “Outstanding Businesswoman of the Year” by the YWCA, as well as many others. She is also the author of One Small Yes an Amazon #1 Bestseller.

Misty shares her story of how her dream of teaching dance began with one small studio and grew to what it is today with 296 studios around the world. She was a talented dancer in high school and was accepted into a prestigious dance program. But, in her heart, she knew the classroom was going to be her stage. Even when people questioned why she would give up performing for teaching, she felt called to it and knew it was the path for her.

Misty shares with Adam about some of the pivots she made in her business to take it to the next level. She knew it had to be about more than just dance. She wanted to teach dance as a vehicle for life lessons and to have an impact on her community. Internally, she started to referring to the program as “more than just great dancing.” And that name just stuck. And as she looked to grow, she considered many options like multiple studios or franchising. But she landed on licensing which would enable her to equip existing studios and teachers with personalized tools and resources and coaches.

Misty and Adam dive into creating systems and how they empower leaders to win in business. Misty shares that the idea that we need to build everything for ourselves seems to be uniquely American. And rather than trying to do everything and create everything for themselves, businesses need to be more willing to take advantage of the wonderful resources that have already been created. Through MTJGD, Misty uses her ability to create business systems and to train people into that system and helps studios around the world. Stop searching, start executing. There’s some level of discomfort in some area. Until someone gets to that level,

Misty also shares about the importance of getting small wins. Business owners and leaders tend to struggle in certain areas that prevent them from growing their business. Misty’s goal is to show them how to get a win in that area and getting them some breathing room to start working on the next things in their business. Then, it becomes a domino effect as they choose the next thing to work on to get another small win.

We’re in a time of intellectual obesity where we’re consuming so much content online but not exercising what we’re learning. So Misty’s last piece of advice to business owners and leaders is to find one or two voices that you trust and go deep with those.

Episode Links:

https://mistylown.com

https://morethanjustgreatdancing.com

https://www.instagram.com/mistylown/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/mistylown/

Order your copy of Start With A Win: Tools and Lessons to Create Personal and Business Success:

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Quick Win: Are You an Order Taker or a Deal Maker?

Adam Contos — Fri, 03 Jun 2022 05:00:00 -0600

Are you an order taker or a deal maker? If you're always in business and always waiting for something to happen, you're an order taker. But those who are out there, growing their business and making things happen—they're the deal makers! It's up to you to decide if you're going to be an order taker or a deal maker!

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The Two Most Important Hours of the Day

Adam Contos — Wed, 01 Jun 2022 05:00:00 -0600

In this episode of Start With A Win, Adam is joined by Producer Mark to talk about the two most important hours in the day for any business owner or entrepreneur: Client Hour and Content Hour.

When it comes to sales, there are two types of people: order takers and order makers. An order taker is someone who expects the business to happen and to have sales dropped in their lap. They often get their sales leads from those “lead fairies” like web forms and lead-generating companies. But the truth is, less than 1% of leads close and generate actual revenue!

So, in this episode, Adam talks to the order makers. The ones go out and make the business happen!

The two most important hours of your day are actually the two most important things you can work on in your business.

Client Hour

This is obviously best done during business hours. It’s the time that you spend talking to your current and future customers. Pull out that contact list of your current and potential customers, and look for ways to talk to them. Send an email, pick up the phone, shoot them a text—whatever you need to do! But this isn’t cold-calling hour. This is relationship-building hour!

In his small, boutique agency, Producer Mark has a network of relationships that he checks in on periodically, nurturing those relationships so they develop into new and repeat business.

Adam shares the three ways we get business:

Get new clients
Get more deals per client
Get more money per sale per client

Content Hour

Just like it sounds, this is the time to write content! Think about the challenges your customers have, and write about it. This content can be for a variety of purposes, whether it’s a blog post, video, podcast or social post.

Here is a great format you can use to guide your writing:

Get their attention with a problem
Agitate the problem
Bring in your value piece that solves that problem
Accentuate that value piece
Serve up the call to action.

But during content hour, the key is to just write, don’t edit! Step away when you’re finished, and then go back and review.

Client Hour and Content Hour should be what you do first thing in the morning, because that’s when you have the most clarity and the greatest attitude in the day. If you do these things in the morning, your day is going to change. So build these into your calendar, and stick to it!

Episode Links:

Ryan Stewman’s Episodes on Start With A Win:

Part 1

Part 2

Order your copy of Start With A Win: Tools and Lessons to Create Personal and Business Success:

Connect with Adam:

http://www.daveliniger.com

Become a Lifelong Learner with Dave Liniger - Part 2

Adam Contos — Wed, 25 May 2022 05:00:00 -0600

Dave and Adam pick up their conversation from last week by talking about the importance of being a lifelong learner. Dave shares how the early days of building RE/MAX began a pattern of lifelong learning that he’s carried on throughout his entire career.

The only constant is change, and the world is changing faster and faster as we’re sitting here. And Dave believes that one of the worst things a leader can do when a learning opportunity comes their way is to assume they already know everything they need to know on that topic.

Another aspect of becoming a lifelong learner is taking full advantage of personal experience. Dave shares that no one is born a leader. It comes from a cumulated lifetime of experience. And getting a college degree gives you a great head start, but that can really only give you theoretical knowledge, not practical experience with people. Leadership comes down to how you influence and control and encourage the team. And you can only learn that through personal experience.

Dave addresses the importance of having a coach in your professional life. The purpose of a coach is to get more out of you than you can get out of yourself. Using their wisdom, their job is to analyze you and make suggestions on how you can improve. And the money spent on a coach almost always will multiply your financial benefit. Dave recalls that nearly all of the most successful RE/MAX agents utilized professional coaching.

Lastly, Dave and Adam discuss the benefits of participating in masterminds. Dave defines a mastermind as a group of people that support you in where you want to go and are going in the same direction themselves. Masterminds are an incredible opportunity for like-minded people from different backgrounds to encourage each other.

The two round out the conversation by talking about the importance of establishing good habits in your life in order to achieve your goals. One of the best ways to develop good habits is by establishing the right systems in your life. These are systems and processes that set you up for the best chance of sticking to your habits. And, if you have the right systems, the goal will accomplish itself.

Episode Links:

https://www.area15ventures.com

Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill

Atomic Habits by James Clear

Order your copy of Start With A Win: Tools and Lessons to Create Personal and Business Success:

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Quick Win: Overcoming the True Enemy

Adam Contos — Fri, 20 May 2022 05:00:00 -0600

When facing a challenge, the enemy is not what's actually in front of us, it's how we FEEL about what we have to overcome. What is the solution? Make a plan, execute that plan, and overcome that enemy!

Connect with Adam:

http://www.daveliniger.com

How to Lead with Transparency and Cultivate Confidence with Dave Liniger - Part 1

Adam Contos — Wed, 18 May 2022 05:00:00 -0600

Dave’s experience in business and leadership is extensive and diverse—from four tours in Vietnam to owning and running a NASCAR team to building dozens of companies over the years. So he understands what it takes to start and grow a successful business. He believes that may leaders are arrogant, believing that they were the ones to create the success. But the truth is that it’s nonsense. Success isn’t about “me,” it’s about “we.” It wasn’t just Dave who made RE/MAX happen, it was the many people around him and in the company who made it was it is today.

Dave shares about the mistakes he’s also made along the way and how he overcame them. You can make mistakes, but don’t let mistakes make you. And he believes that a leader has to be transparent to his or her team. If you make a mistake, you should own up to it and commit to not doing it again. “We’re human beings, and we make mistakes. Just don’t make the same mistake over and over again.”

Dave provides insight on the importance of creating the right environment in a company. He shares that one of the major functions of a great leader is to create an environment where the individuals on the team can collectively succeed better than they can by themselves—and to achieve their personal goals as well as team goals. And it’s more than just being a good motivator. He believes that motivation is superficial and doesn’t work in the long-term. Instead, create an environment of self-motivation where people can achieve what they want to achieve. Because not everyone has the same goals.

The conversation shifts to cultivating confidence and courage in the people you lead. Courage comes from experience, and experience comes from confidence—or vice-versa. Dave shares stories of how he learned to cultivate that confidence in the leaders around him, and part of that came by being an encourager. Part of the job of leading is encouraging and praising others. You lead by example, but also by heaping praise on your people. If your employees know they have someone who cares for them personally, they pick up on that.

“I wish I could buy people for what they think they’re worth, and work with them for a while, and then sell them for what I know they’re worth,” said Dave.

Adam and Dave round out this part of the conversation by talking about the difference between a family environment and a team environment in a company. RE/MAX was built as a team, with people relying on each other and their leaders to contribute and make the team better. But Dave shares that you can have team accomplishments with family values. A team that’s accountable to each other but also there for each other when it’s needed most.

Episode Links:

https://www.area15ventures.com

Order your copy of Start With A Win: Tools and Lessons to Create Personal and Business Success:

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The Power of Love in Leadership with Monty Moran, former CEO of Chipotle Mexican Grill

Adam Contos — Wed, 11 May 2022 05:00:00 -0600

Monty Moran is the former co-CEO of Chipotle Mexican Grill. Prior to joining Chipotle, he was head of litigation and CEO at a Denver-based law firm for ten years.

Most recently, Monty realized his lifelong dream of becoming a pilot, and flies his airplane throughout the United States to pursue his interest in better understanding and serving Americans, a quest he documents through his startup, Old Tale Productions.

He is also the author of the book Love is Free. Guac is Extra: How Vulnerability, Empowerment, and Curiosity Built an Unstoppable Team.

In our world, most people are uncomfortable with using the word “love” when it comes to business. Monty helps us understand that love doesn’t have to just be a “fluff” word but that it can mean truly caring about your people, empowering them, and bringing the best out in them.

Monty shares about his time at Chipotle and how he worked to build a culture of empowerment. We all know what it’s like to feel disappointed after a lack-luster retail experience where the staff appear less than enthusiastic to be there. Monty believes that often comes from a culture where the employees are not empowered. He defines empowerment as feeling confident in your ability, encouraged by your circumstances, such that you feel motivated and at liberty to fully devote your talents to a purpose. And when you have a culture of empowered people, you can then feel that energy across the counter.

In order to create that culture, Monty knew he couldn’t spend all of (or most of) his time in the corporate office. As the CEO, he spend most of his time in the restaurants in one-on-one conversations with employees. In this conversations, he got to know who they were as people as well as how they felt about the company and what was going well—and what wasn’t so great.

Monty also shares about the importance of vulnerability in leadership and being your real, genuine self. Because he believes the only source of power for a leader is the people who choose to follow that leader. So we have to ask ourselves as leaders: Why would someone follow me? People won’t follow you if you’re not worthy of being followed—or if they don’t believe you’re being real or genuine. He shares the story of leading his first meeting at Chipotle and how a moment of true vulnerability set the tone for how he was perceived as a leader.

Monty and Adam round out the conversation by talking about Monty’s “controversial” view of work-life balance: He doesn’t believe in it! Work-life balance implies that life and work are completely separate, but we don’t stop living when we go to work. Everyone wants something different from our work and our life, and the key is to determine what amount of overlap is going to fulfill us.

Episode Links:

Order your copy of Start With A Win: Tools and Lessons to Create Personal and Business Success:

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Quick Win: Why Are So Many People Terrible At Sales?

Adam Contos — Fri, 06 May 2022 06:00:00 -0600

Why are some people terrible at sales? The truth is they skip the first, and maybe most important step: Building relationships. People don't want to do business with someone they don't trust. And relationships are the conduits to trust. So build those bridges, build those relationships, and the sales will happen.

Connect with Adam:

https://www.giordano.global

The Five Steps to Overcoming Adversity

Adam Contos — Wed, 04 May 2022 06:00:00 -0600

Tony Giordano is a top real estate agent, business consultant, renowned international speaker and owner of four successful businesses. He is a national and international best-selling author of the books 'the social agent,’ which teaches clients, and sales professionals the correct ways to integrate online presence and grow their business. Tony is also passionate about helping others find success through his company, R.I.S.E. Coaching.

Adam and Tony talk about overcoming adversity and why we should even welcome setbacks in life. Because extraordinary success doesn’t come without a lot of failure. Tony even says, “I hope you fail so much in your life because that means you tried." Tony encourages listeners to not become the people who never try because they’re afraid of failing—or who immediately quit after a setback. “You just have to be willing to get back up and take the hit.”

Overcoming adversity begins with mindset. You must always have the mindset of being willing to accept setbacks. Having a positive mindset like that is what gets us through the setback. Tony also warns of the “naysayers” in our lives. Most people are afraid because they have people in their life who are always telling them they can’t or shouldn’t do something because it’s too risky. When we let these voices live in our minds, they compete against that positive mindset we’ve worked so hard to cultivate. “Anyone who tells you you can’t succeed in something is never anyone who has succeeded,” says Tony. He encourages us to surround ourselves with people who have succeeded and who will propel us toward our own success.

Tony walks listeners through his method to overcoming adversity called the Five Rounds to Success. The same way a UFC or MMA fighter faces an opponent in the octagon, we face adversity in life.

Size Up: How we’re tested
Mind Set: How we respond
Accountability: How we learn
Heart: How we overcome
Finish: How we succeed and win

Every day we get another opponent—or three. If you follow these steps, you will succeed.

Episode Links:

RiseMastery.com
Discount code: TGVIP

https://www.facebook.com/GiordanoIntl

https://www.instagram.com/tony_giordano/

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What’s Next?

Adam Contos — Wed, 27 Apr 2022 06:00:00 -0600

In this episode of Start With A Win, Adam Contos and Producer Mark dive into the subject of change and how to decide what’s next when life presents you with new opportunities.

Adam is in the midst of his own season of change after making the decision to leave his role as CEO of RE/MAX.

Whether change happened to you or you’ve made the decision, change is an opportunity. But that doesn’t mean you should jump at every single opportunity that comes your way. Adam shares his own process for avoiding “shiny object syndrome” and how to decide on the best opportunity for you.

Start by writing down your “what’s next” list. Write down all of the opportunities that are available to you and begin to make a pro/con list. Then, on a scale of 1 to 10, how excited are you about each opportunity? Pretty soon, you’ll be able to start crossing off opportunities that aren’t right for you in this season! Once you get down to a handful of them, rank them from most important to least important, which will help you to see whether or not your “what’s next” will take you beyond what you’ve already accomplished.

What’s next also doesn’t have to be a massive, wholesale change in your life. Maybe is small pivots you can make in your life or in your business that could have big results. If you’re a real estate agent, that might look like finally deciding to go after a $1 million listing instead of another $200,000 listing (do those even exist anymore??).

Adam wraps up the discussion by sharing three questions to ask yourself when you’re thinking about what’s next:

What do you have?: What are you good at or what can you bring with you to the next opportunity?

What do you want?: What are you trying to get out of this change you’re about to make?

What do you need to get?: What are the skills, knowledge or resources you need to be successful?

Episode Links:

Order your copy of Start With A Win: Tools and Lessons to Create Personal and Business Success:

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QuickWin: Do You Focus On The Right Things?

Adam Contos — Fri, 22 Apr 2022 06:00:00 -0600

What's the best way to get things done in your life? Focus on what you can control and control what you focus on. When you make a conscious effort to control your focus, you can control what we get done!

Connect with Adam:

https://www.hardcorecloser.com

The Hardcore Closer Part 2 with Ryan Stewman

Adam Contos — Wed, 20 Apr 2022 05:00:00 -0600

In this two-part episode of Start With A Win, we are joined by Ryan Stewman, the CEO of Hardcore Closer, an online learning resource for salespeople, including topics like advertising, marketing, funnel, sales and social media. His online courses have everything you need in order to start marketing your business online and crushing your competitors.

Part two picks up the conversation between Adam and Ryan where he talks about the importance of not only leading in the business world but even more so in your family. Just as you do for your employees, you have to lead by example. By consistently working hard and being the best that he can be, you are laying down a foundation for a legacy that will far outlast your lifetime.

Part of leading by example includes establishing systems and habits. Ryan shares how consistency in many areas of his life has led to long-term success, even if that success hasn’t come right away—one example being his podcast that is now nearly 1,000 episodes strong! One of the keys to being consistent is not only having a to-do list, but assigning a time to every single time. Let your calendar be your boss!

Ryan and Adam dive into the topic of sales and marketing where Ryan coaches listeners on how to write and speak to potential customers. Start by finding who you want to do business with and learning the insider’s language of your audience. Make sure that you’re conveying that you know them and you speak their language. Then, authentically communicate your story and/or services in language that will resonate with them and their industry.

Once the leads start coming in from your marketing, it’s crucial to capture their information, because data is the biggest asset you can have as a business. It’s the one asset that can be monetized over and over again. Ryan shares how his service, Phonesites, can help your business communicate with leads on auto-pilot until they’re ready to become full-on customers.

Episode Links:

http://jointheapex.com

https://www.facebook.com/realryanstewman

https://www.instagram.com/hardcorecloser

https://twitter.com/ryanstewman

https://phonesites.com

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nVJ_MRugU0Q

https://challenge.dailygcode.com/

Order your copy of Start With A Win: Tools and Lessons to Create Personal and Business Success:

Connect with Adam:

https://www.hardcorecloser.com

The Hardcore Closer Part 1 with Ryan Stewman

Adam Contos — Wed, 13 Apr 2022 05:00:00 -0600

Ryan Stewman is a genius loan officer turned rogue Internet marketer. He is the CEO of Hardcore Closer, an online learning resource for salespeople, including topics like advertising, marketing, funnel, sales and social media. His online courses have everything you need in order to start marketing your business online and crushing your competitors.

But his success did not come easily.

Ryan likes to say that he is a prime example of what’s possible in America. He was adopted as a baby but grew up in a rough neighborhood. He dropped out of school with only an eighth-grade education, his “business success” began with selling marijuana and cocaine. After spending two years in prison, Ryan went to work at a car wash with a goal to never go back to jail. One of the regular customers noticed his hard work and offered him a job in the mortgage business. Within two years, he was a multi-millionaire at only 26. But after a federal gun charge led him back to prison for 15 months, he lost everything. And it was far from the last hurdle Ryan would encounter.

After overcoming so many hardships in his life and yet still finding his way back to success, Ryan has a simple question for you: what is your excuse? He believes it is all about the mindset plus the work ethic. We always have to have the mindset to work harder. Once we adopt that mindset in our lives, we really can be unstoppable.

Ryan believes it is also important to establish a mission for our lives. His personal mission is to help as many people as possible to become the best version of themselves. He also has three words he lives by: Fuck Your Excuses.

Ryan and Adam round out the conversation by talking about accountability. Ryan’s accountability is found in God and knowing he will have to give an account for how he stewarded his life and talent here on earth.

Be sure to join us next week for the second part of this interview!

Episode Links:

http://jointheapex.com

https://www.facebook.com/realryanstewman

https://www.instagram.com/hardcorecloser

https://twitter.com/ryanstewman

Order your copy of Start With A Win: Tools and Lessons to Create Personal and Business Success:

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Leave us a voicemail:

888-581-4430

QuickWin: Work on Your Business Instead of in Your Business

Adam Contos — Fri, 08 Apr 2022 05:00:00 -0600

One of the biggest challenges faced by those who are running a business is that they are often spending more time working in than business instead of on the business. You should be hiring people to do the day-to-day tasks of the business while you are scaling the results of your business—finding more markets, more price per transaction or more customers. Work on your business, not in your business!

Connect with Adam:

https://www.frontdoorhome.com

Leaders Run Toward the Problem

Adam Contos — Wed, 06 Apr 2022 05:00:00 -0600

Rex Tibbens is the president and CEO of Frontdoor which is the parent company to several home warranty brands, including American Home Shield. He is former chief operating officer of Lyft and the former vice president at Amazon, where he led the technical and product development of Prime Now, Amazon’s one-hour delivery service. Now, he is bringing his former tech leadership into the traditionally lower-tech home warranty industry.

Adam and Rex open the conversation by talking about Frontdoor and how the company is working hard to serve the homeowner of the 21st Century through innovation and forward thinking. Throughout his career, no matter the company or industry, Rex’s number-one priority has been obsessing about customers. He knows that customers are the ones who choose your business and decide whether you’re worth sticking with or taking their business elsewhere.

Rex also believes in running toward the big problems. He says the leaders who want to step into the fire and solve the problems are the ones who rise to the top. And when you are a leader who runs toward the problems, you have to be okay if you get knocked down.

Rex shares how you can grow when you encounter defeat or problems as a leader. It’s important to take a step back, think about what transpired and how you would do it differently the next time. Growing through adversity as a leader is how you build trust within your company and among your employees. And that’s also how you develop employee retention. Because people don’t leave organizations, they leave leaders.

A common misconception of leaders when it comes to problem solving is that they always have to be the one with the answers. But the truth is, you don’t have to be the one with the solution. It’s your job to hire good people, build them up, and then trust them to come up with the solutions.

When working with his leadership team, Rex says that he will often come at a problem as if he is wrong. He shares that the higher up you are within an organization, the more filtered the information is that you have, and you often don’t have the context you need. So you have to ask probing questions in an understanding manner. His approach is always trust, but verify. Allow your team to challenge you as much as you challenge them.

Rex and Adam round out the conversation by talking about the transitions Rex has made throughout his career and the advice he has for leaders who are looking to make a major change in jobs or industries. What excites you about the opportunity? Once the fanfare ends, what’s the real work you’ll be doing? Does that get you out of bed in the morning?

Episode Links:

Order your copy of Start With A Win: Tools and Lessons to Create Personal and Business Success:

Connect with Adam:

Leave us a voicemail:

888-581-4430

Leadership is a Relay Race

Adam Contos — Wed, 30 Mar 2022 05:00:00 -0600

After nearly 20 years with RE/MAX, and four years as the CEO, Adam Contos is turning the page on a successful chapter of his life. In this very special episode of Start With A Win, Adam is joined by Producer Mark and another very special guest, Kelly Contos—his wife!

The three talk about Adam’s time with RE/MAX and the lessons he’s learned and the company’s achievements over the years.

One of the things Adam has taken from his time around the RE/MAX agent family is that hunger causes success. You can achieve anything you want to achieve if you put forth the effort on a daily basis. The agents who are growing their businesses are doing it because they’re intentional—which is true no matter what business you’re in! To continue to grow, you have to continue to take risks. And that means doing the habits every day to see the long-term success.

Mark asks Adam the question that everyone seems to be asking: Why leave now? After a record-breaking 2021 for RE/MAX Holdings, LLC, most people would never expect the CEO of the company to choose to leave. But another thing Adam has learned over the years is that life and leadership is a relay race. In a relay race, the runner with the baton doesn’t pass the baton as they’re slowing down, they speed up to pass it on to their teammate! Adam’s job as the CEO is to create a succession plan that is beneficial to everyone within and around the organization. Running his fastest—at the top of his game—he’s is ready to hand off the baton to the next season of leadership.

What’s next for Adam? He’s ready to take his leadership experience and knowledge to develop the next generation of leaders through coaching and consulting. He has a passion for helping other people and helping them find success.

But no need to fear! Your favorite podcast, Start With A Win, will live on! We will continue to bring you encouraging, motivational, winning content from Adam and other ground-breaking thought leaders.

Order your copy of Start With A Win: Tools and Lessons to Create Personal and Business Success:

Connect with Adam:

https://donyaeger.com/corporate-competitor-podcast/

Leave us a voicemail:

888-581-4430

QuickWin: Don't Try To Impress, Try To Be Impressed

Adam Contos — Fri, 25 Mar 2022 05:00:00 -0600

If you're trying to impress someone when you first meet them, the truth is you're about it all wrong! The key is actually to be impressed BY THEM! Ask great questions and be really interested in what they have to say. This will build a bridge to a positive relationship!

Connect with Adam:

https://www.startwithawin.com/

https://www.facebook.com/REMAXAdamContos

https://twitter.com/REMAXAdamContos

https://www.instagram.com/REMAXadamcontos/

Excuses are the Killers of Leaders with Don Yaeger

Adam Contos — Wed, 23 Mar 2022 05:00:00 -0600

Don Yaeger is a nationally acclaimed inspirational speaker, longtime Associate Editor of Sports Illustrated, author of over 30 books—eleven of which have become New York Times Bestsellers. Today he studies how playing sports shapes Fortune 500 CEOS on his podcast, Corporate Competitor. He has interviewed CEOs of Delta Airlines, Disney, Bank of America, and even ADAM CONTOS!

Don grew up reading Sports Illustrated, so joining that team of talented storytellers was like a dream come true! One thing that quickly became apparent was that within this small community of world-class talent was the complete lack of jealousy among the writers and editors. Everyone viewed each other as a highly respected peer. And throughout his career, Don came to understand that the true greats are comparing themselves against their potential, not other people.

Don also shares the story of the time he played one-on-one against Michael Jordan—and won!

Through years of interviewing some of the greatest athletes of all time, Don realized that what made them successful was not their athleticism. It is their ability to be more mentally, emotionally, spiritually disciplined than their opponents. He shares how their insights can become our lessons in how to manage adversity, fostering teamwork, and how to be a servant leader.

Adam and Don also dive into the topic of excuses and how they can truly become the killer of leaders. Don shares a favorite quote from his former opponent, Michael Jordan: “A loss is not a failure until you make an excuse.” This is the mindset you see in high performers, whether in athletics or the business world. “Making excuses is human nature, but to be exceptional [is to] defy human nature every day,” said Don.

Excuses—or dwelling on past mistakes—can be difficult to overcome. Don shares the Coach K model of overcoming mistakes, “Next Play.” It’s okay to take time later to reflect on what might have just happened, but you can’t reflect now.

“It’s more like a West Point thing, like what’s your next mission? So, whenever you got knocked back individually and collectively [as a team], they taught you, ‘OK, next play. What am I going to do next?’” - Mike Krzyzewski

Don encourages listeners to develop a phrase that can remind them that their job is not to dwell on their excuses or the past.

Adam and Don also discuss the importance of communication in leadership. We saw how important this was during COVID-19 and how this crisis actually uncovered some of the cracks in leadership. And we can’t develop that trait in a crisis, it has to be an effort that we’re working on all the time! Because we don’t know what’s ahead of us.

Episode Links:

Don Yaeger:

https://donyaeger.com

Corporate Competitor Podcast:

Coach K’s Next Play Philosophy:

https://www.peaksports.com/sports-psychology-blog/krzyzewskis-next-play-philosophy-for-letting-go-of-mistakes/

Order your copy of Start With A Win: Tools and Lessons to Create Personal and Business Success:

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https://vernicearmour.com

Leave us a voicemail:

888-581-4430

Leveling Up with Vernice “FlyGirl” Armour

Adam Contos — Wed, 16 Mar 2022 05:00:00 -0600

Vernice “FlyGirl” Armour is a former police officer and Marine, and she is America’s first African-American female combat pilot. After serving two tours of duty in Iraq, FlyGirl revved up her career in the private sector as an entrepreneur, consultant to business, and author of Zero to Breakthrough: The 7-Step, Battle-Tested Method for Accomplishing Goals that Matter. As a speaker and executive coach, FlyGirl unleashes hard-hitting advice and amazing anecdotes from her adventures on the battlefield and in business.

As the daughter of a former Marine, FlyGirl’s parents always encouraged her and told her that she could do anything. She took that encouragement to heart, always keeping her eye on what she wanted. At the age of four, she knew she wanted to be a cop that rode a horse downtown. and that’s exactly what she got to do—on a Harley Davidson “steel horse” that is…

But when pursuing your dreams, obstacles are inevitable. And as a black, gay female, FlyGirl doesn’t have to look far for an obstacle to overcome. But throughout her life, she’s learned to view these obstacles through a different lens. She looks to one of her favorite quotes: “Most of the time, opportunities come disguised as an obstacle.” Napoleon Hill, Think and Grow Rich (1936) When people look at her life and see the obstacles she’s overcome, she is quick to remind them that they are just opportunities she’s chosen to take advantage of.

FlyGirl shares her battle-tested method for achieving your dreams and goals:

Create Your Flight Plan
Pre-Flight
Takeoff
Navigating Minefields & Obstacles:
Review, Recharge, Re-Attack

Flygirl also talks about her new book coming out in 2023, The Gutsy Move. The gutsy move is found in your gut—your intuition and your instincts. You know in your gut what the gutsy move is, but you have to take action. If you don’t take action, it wasn’t a gutsy move. It was only a gutsy thought!

Episode Links:

The Gutsy Move: 5 Tips to Navigate Challenges and Achieve Your Visions and Dreams

https://vernicearmour.ac-page.com/the-gutsy-move

Order your copy of Start With A Win: Tools and Lessons to Create Personal and Business Success:

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Leave us a voicemail:

888-581-4430

QuickWin: The Three "A" Questions

Adam Contos — Fri, 11 Mar 2022 05:00:00 -0700

Ask yourself these three questions each day, and it will no doubt set you up for success in your day!

Connect with Adam:

https://www.startwithawin.com/

https://www.facebook.com/REMAXAdamContos

https://twitter.com/REMAXAdamContos

https://www.instagram.com/REMAXadamcontos/

3 Ways to Build Trust

Adam Contos — Wed, 09 Mar 2022 05:00:00 -0700

According to a study done by Newsweek and Brand Spark a couple years ago, RE/MAX agents are the most trusted by Americans. Based on the data, consumers want trust, safety and inclusion in the companies they do business with—in that order. In this episode of Start With A Win, Adam unpacks three ways you can build trust with people and in business.

1. Build Positive Relationships

We all have those people in our lives who we call friends, but every time we talk to them, they're gossiping about other people. Which can make you feel like you wouldn’t want to share anything really personal with them because you don’t necessarily trust the communication that occurs in that relationship. Instead, when you have really trustworthy friends, those friends also typically have trustworthy friends. This develops a web of trust going through those relationships.

Positive relationships also come from learning how to resolve conflict in a positive, reciprocal manner.

2. Develop Good Judgement & Expertise

When people trust you, they're trusting that you make decisions that are mutually in the best interest of the situation. So you can’t one-sided, selfish or an egomaniac. And this doesn’t just affect you; it impacts other people, businesses, employees, your family, your reputation. You have to use good judgment in order to create trust. You're determining what is best for this situation. And often what's best for our situation is an everybody wins outcome.

And then when you've done that, you build expertise, and people trust expertise. Expertise is the culmination of your perspective, your opinions and your ideas based upon past experience. It’s important to develop your expertise by seeking it out—seeking the experience and the knowledge necessary to make you an expert on something.

3. Be Consistent

If you're an executive in a company, one of the key aspects that your employees seek out is consistency. Why? Because they know what you expect from them. And they know what to do in the company. There's clarity in consistency, and both of those things create trust.

It’s also about consistently honoring your commitments and promises. And being willing to go above and beyond for people by giving them more than they expect on a consistent basis.

Episode Links:

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https://chrishadfield.ca/books/

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Developing Habits to Achieve Your Dreams with Colonel Chris Hadfield

Adam Contos — Wed, 02 Mar 2022 05:00:00 -0700

Referred to as “the most famous astronaut since Neil Armstrong,” Colonel Chris Hadfield became a household name as the first Canadian commander of the International Space Station. A heavily decorated astronaut, engineer, and pilot, Hadfield’s many awards include the Order of Canada, the Meritorious Service Cross, and the NASA Exceptional Service Medal. Hadfield is also a bestselling author of four books, an acclaimed musician, and the host of two internationally acclaimed television series, including National Geographic’s “One Strange Rock.”

The conversation kicks off with stories of Col. Hadfield’s out-of-this-world music career and viral performances, including his cover of David Bowie’s “Space Oddity” performed on the International Space Station.

Col. Hadfield also talks about the moment he was inspired to become an astronaut as he watched the first steps being taken on the moon back in 1969 as a young boy. As a fan of science fiction and all things space, it was like watching fantasy come to life. It was that moment when he made the conscious decision at 9 years old to become an astronaut—and he’s been working toward (and achieving) that goal ever since.

When it comes to developing habits to achieve your dreams, Col. Hadfield believes it begins with having a few “right on the edge of crazy” goals you want to accomplish in life. You always have to have dreams or something you’re trying to accomplish. If you don’t know what your goal is, how do you decide what you’re going to do next?

Then do personal inventory of what you don’t have or can’t do yet in order to achieve the goals you’ve set. Ask yourself, “What could I do now to learn a skill that will inch me forward toward achieving my goal?”

“It is a joyful thing if every single day you are shifting your life a little bit away from where you were toward [what] you really value,” said Col. Hadfield.

Adam and the Colonel also discuss how to stay motivated when pursuing your dreams. He reminds us to have the maturity and pause as we enter into a new situation and to always have our long-term dreams in mind. As you’re working toward your goal, find a way to make a daily living that is somewhere within that field or involving those things you find interesting.

“Don’t let life randomly choose for you what you’re going to do. Be active in choosing your own life.”

Episode Links:

“Space Oddity” Cover: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KaOC9danxNo

Order your copy of Start With A Win: Tools and Lessons to Create Personal and Business Success:

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888-581-4430

QuickWin: How Do We Get Better?

Adam Contos — Fri, 25 Feb 2022 05:00:00 -0700

We get better by changing and growing! If you want to get better, make growing and changing as natural as breathing. Accept change, accept growth, and go after it!

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https://twitter.com/REMAXAdamContos

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Elevating People by Creating Workspaces of the Future

Adam Contos — Wed, 23 Feb 2022 05:00:00 -0700

As a founder and the CEO of Vari, Jason McCann’s mission is to help companies create environments that elevate people. Jason co-founded VariDesk in 2013, and the brand quickly became synonymous with sit-stand desks. Today, the company name is Vari, and it has grown into a workspace innovation company that provides everything high-growth businesses need to unlock the potential of their workforce. Jason and his leadership have been widely celebrated over the years, including recently being named CEO of the year by CEO Magazine in 2021.

Adam and Jason start the conversation by talking about the origins of VariDesk and the sit-stand desk. Jason developed the product with his co-founder, and they started by listing the desk in Sky Mall Magazine. It quickly became the #1 selling item in Sky Mall’s history! After years of success with the original VariDesk, the company began to expand into other functional workspace products just for their own company. But when people visited their headquarters, most people said, “I want this!” Jason and his team realized it wasn’t just the products, it was the culture that had been created. This prompted them to elevate their vision and push into creating workspaces of the future.

Our bodies were designed to be active, and when we sit down, that’s when our bodies go into recharge mode. Over the last 50-60 years, we made it so easy to sit down, and we removed all of the things that encourage movement. Jason believes that innovation happens when people get to interact and move. So Vari creates “moving workspaces” where walls and seating move, transforming static offices into living, breathing spaces.

When people shifted to working at home when COVID first hit, people were sitting on futons hunched over a laptop. Chiropractors have had record years due to tech neck! So, through COVID, Jason’s focus has been: How do we create healthy, productive workspaces so you can continue to thrive and be at your very best when you need to be?

Considered an essential business, Vari’s team returned to their office in June 2020 due to the ability to have a moveable office that could be transformed into a safe working environment. Over the last 24 months, Vari has transformed over 2,000 offices across the country.

When it comes to the future of work, Jason believes that flexibility is here to stay. We must continue to embrace change as leaders and adopt the mentality of “innovate or die." The ability to be flexible, moveable and innovative allowed the company to thrive throughout this season.

The company was addressing a pain point. First was back pain, then it was how to buy office furniture. Vari wanted to simplify and sell furniture direct. Today, more than 4 million uses of Vari’s products can be found in 120 countries around the world. And it’s all happened by listening to the customer and doing what’s right. Adam shared a study which found that customers are twice as likely to pay for something that stops pain than something that makes them feel good.

The two round out the conversation by touching on the importance of leading with empathy, love and grace in this new season of business. Listening as a leader is more important than ever, and we have to put ourselves in our team’s shoes. We have to understand what they’re going through so we can serve them better. That’s what we as leaders have been put on earth to do.

Episode Links:

https://www.vari.com

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How to Become More Productive by Becoming More Focused

Adam Contos — Wed, 16 Feb 2022 05:00:00 -0700

It’s easy to lose focus with so much going on in the world today—between social media, streaming and the constant influx of news. We have so much coming at us, and it’s trying to steal our focus!

In this episode of Start With A Win, Adam dives into the topic of focus and how to become more focused so you can be more productive in your everyday life.

Focus consists of two things:

Will Power
Attention

Will power is our internal energy. Our will power can be stolen through criticism, burdens, distractions, lack of sleep and nutrition, etc. So how do we build up and maintain our internal energy?

One of the best things you can do to ensure you have plenty of internal energy is to get enough sleep! When you wake up in the morning, do you feel rested? That determines a lot of your energy for the day. It’s also important to make sure you’re getting QUALITY sleep. You’re supposed to sleep when it’s dark, you’re supposed to be awake when it’s light! That’s what’s called circadian rhythms. And that means… Remove the blue light from your room! A good night’s sleep leads to a good energy level in the morning.

Ultradian rhythms are the cycles of energy throughout your day. Look for the times when you have the highest level of focus, and those are the times when you should plan to do your best work.

Check out Adam’s morning routine, beginning at 4:30am!

Drink a glass of water, take vitamins and MCT oil, have a cup of coffee
Work for an hour
Go to the gym, listen to a podcast
Creative time

Attention is a learned habit or skill. Figure out what you’re going to work on, and shut down everything else!

The combination of will-power and attention is how you develop focus.

If you feel like you’re burdened and running around all day long, you’ve not found that window. You need to look for those times when you’re looking for a pad and paper because you’ve got an idea to write down. When those ideas are generating, your brain is saying it’s ready to go to work!

When is your window of focus in your day?

Episode Links:

Circadian Rhythms: https://www.sleepfoundation.org/circadian-rhythm

Ultradian Rhythms: https://www.bluezones.com/2020/06/how-taking-breaks-can-increase-productivity-boost-energy-levels-and-help-you-show-up-in-your-life/

Adam’s Whoop Band: https://www.whoop.com

MCT Oil: https://www.webmd.com/diet/mct-oil-health-benefits-common-uses

Baroque Music Playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4DvteColbVCrs7iIgc4r6x?si=33fc11a8997f4db6

Lo-Fi Beats Playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/71d99pLh0TpbdIJESHAsDN?si=0be9d1740f6c4aa3

Bullet-Proof Coffee: https://www.thecookierookie.com/bulletproof-coffee-recipe/

Collagen Powder: https://www.amazon.com/Vital-Proteins-Collagen-Peptides-Pasture-Raised/dp/B00K6JUG4K

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Quick Win: When You Lead, You Influence

Adam Contos — Fri, 11 Feb 2022 05:00:00 -0700

When you lead, you influence. So that means it's crucial that you take your role seriously as a leader!

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Take Back Your Time Through Organization

Adam Contos — Wed, 09 Feb 2022 05:00:00 -0700

Ría, the Founder and CEO of RíOrganize, is a SoCal native who is loving life in Texas as a wife, mother, and business owner. She's always had a knack for creativity, but it wasn't until becoming a mom of 3 that she began to appreciate the stress relief organization can offer, which was the foundation of her luxury home organization business. As someone who is messy by nature, Ría loves sharing her tools with others. As she says, “You don’t have to be born with it—organization can be learned, practiced and perfected.”

Since starting RíOrganize, her company has helped thousands of families transform their spaces and has equipped each one with the tools and knowledge needed to make organization stick long after the team is gone. She has also grown a following on Instagram where she loves pulling the curtain and sharing behind the scenes of her family life.

Ría shares about her journey from a naturally messy person to owning a nationwide company that helps others organize their homes. Organization was something she had to practice and teach herself. After getting married and having children, she realized how prioritizing organization actually gave her the freedom and ability to be a better wife, mom and professional.

Ría started RíOrganize in 2016 as a side hustle after years in the commercial real estate industry. What started as a few jobs here and there for friends and family has now grown to a dozen employees and four locations across the country. She’s now had the opportunity to work with many celebrities, including Chrissy Teigen and James Charles. “At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter the money or fame, everyone needs organization in their life… It’s less about gifting people organization and more about giving people back their time.”

Ría explains that the state of your home is going to affect you mentally. Organization systems and processes set you up for little wins throughout your day. Having systems dialed in are the most important part of that.

She also shares that one of the most important things you can learn is knowing when you can’t do something by yourself. It’s what helped her business scale—like knowing that accounting was just not her thing and hiring someone to help with that instead!

Episode Links:

Instagram @RíOrganize

https://www.RíOrganize.com

Order your copy of Start With A Win: Tools and Lessons to Create Personal and Business Success:

Connect with Adam:

https://acesocial.rismedia.com

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Information is Currency: A Conversation with RISMedia Founder & CEO John Featherston

Adam Contos — Wed, 02 Feb 2022 06:00:00 -0700

John Featherston launched RISMedia in 1980, and it has since become the leader in real estate information, servicing more than 500,000 of the residential real estate industry’s most productive and successful agents, brokers and related service professionals.

A thought leader and frequent speaker, John was awarded the 2015 RE/MAX “On the Shoulders of Giants” Award, recognizing his longtime support of the real estate industry.

Whether you’re in the real estate world, or a completely different line of work, how information affects your industry is important. Information is currency, and information in the real estate sector has to be accurate, it can’t be speculative.

John shares about the beginnings of RISMedia when there were no personal computers. If you had information, it was difficult to parse it out and get it to potential clients. John understood that the value of information in real estate is not location, location, location; it’s the ability of purveying information to prospects. It’s also about proving to potential clients that you are the right person to be guiding them through the process.

John encourages listeners to spend time every morning looking for the latest, bite-sized piece of information that they can share with someone that day. He commissions us to be the purveyors of the information our neighbors want to know about the real estate industry.

“You need to be up on what’s happening, and you need to be pushing [it] out to your sphere of influence, so they look at you as their go-to resource.”

John and Adam also explore the topic of good information versus bad information, and how to make sure you are always getting the best information possible.

John also shares about the many tools and resources available through RISMedia that can equip them with the knowledge and information they need to be the best real estate professionals possible.

RISMedia's CEO & Leadership Exchange, Washington, DC Sept 6 - 8, 2022
RISMedia's Premier - exclusive content for members
RISMedia's 2022 Real Estate Newsmakers, announced Feb. 1
RISMedia's 2022 Power Broker Report, launching April 1

Episode Links:

https://www.rismedia.com

ACESocial

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QuickWin: What Creates Unstoppable Results?

Adam Contos — Fri, 28 Jan 2022 05:00:00 -0700

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Vulnerability in Life and in Business

Adam Contos — Wed, 26 Jan 2022 05:00:00 -0700

Brian Reese is the founder and CEO of VA Claims Insider, and he is one of the world's leading experts in veteran benefits. Through his company, he’s helped millions of veterans secure their financial future since 2013. A former active-duty air force officer, Brian deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. A veteran himself who personally struggled with the disability claim system, Brian started a company that coaches veterans through the claim process. Now, he has written the book, You Deserve It: The Definitive Guide to Getting the Veteran Benefits You’ve Earned.

Following his last tour in Afghanistan in 2011, Brian faced many mental and physical issues upon his return home. However, he didn’t want to talk about these things which led to some very destructive tendencies. However, it was through this journey that he learned how to open up and be vulnerable. Brian challenges listeners to ask themselves these questions: Are you being the real you? And are you being honest with family and friends?

Brian’s true breakthrough was getting out of his own way by being honest about what he struggled with. Outside of his wife and children, his family and friends didn’t previously know any of his true struggles. But when he started opening up, it was as if he saw his entire life open up. Eventually, other veterans started reaching out and sharing how much they resonated with his struggles and his stories. He watched that vulnerability lead to a movement of veterans helping veterans, paving the way for VA Claims Insider.

Through VA Claims Insider, Brian’s team helps veterans get the benefits they’ve earned for their service. They partner them with an expert coach who will walk with them through the VA disability claims process from beginning to end, ensuring they are never alone and making what’s confusing very simple and easy.

Brian talks about the process of writing his book, You Deserve It: The Definitive Guide to Getting the Veteran Benefits You’ve Earned, which sold 10,000 copies in its first month of release! The book details all of the federal and state benefits as well as many other discount programs available to veterans and their families.

The two round out the conversation by talking about Brian’s journey as an entrepreneur and how he carried his military experience into a growing, thriving business. And his two pieces of advice to fellow entrepreneurs? Be a self-motivated self-starter and persevere through adversity by being willing to constantly re-invent yourself.

Episode Links:

Free E-Book: You Deserve It: The Definitive Guide to Getting the Veteran Benefits You’ve Earned:

https://www.youdeserveitfree.com/freedom1

Order your copy of Start With A Win: Tools and Lessons to Create Personal and Business Success:

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Put Your People First

Adam Contos — Wed, 19 Jan 2022 05:00:00 -0700

In this episode of Start With A Win, Adam talks with Ryan Estis about the importance of employee well-being and how it can impact the long-term success of an organization.

Ryan has more than 20 years of experience as a top-performing sales professional and leader. Twelve years ago, he decided to put that experience into practice and launch is own learning and advisory organization. He developed the Virtual Wellness series, a live, interactive program, complete with a curriculum grounded in original research on what employees need to thrive. The series features five modules focused on employee well-being:

Peak Performance: Unleashing Your Potential Into the World
Emotional Resilience: Responding to Change, Challenge & Adversity
An Introduction to Mindfulness: The Art of Presence
The Communication Revolution: Building High Trust High Value Relationships
Fit for Service: An Introduction to Physical Wellness & Nutrition

Ryan shares that the COVID-19 pandemic was really just a tipping point for employee wellness and well-being. People have felt overworked, lonely and burned out for years, but it has been a call to action for leaders to get more involved in this issue.

People are reconsidering their relationship with work. Ryan shares the statistic that the average white collar worker worked three more hours per day during the pandemic. But the Great Resignation is showing us that throughout the last 18 months, our perspective has been reset. Unhealthy balance in life and work just might not be worth it anymore.

That’s where a bigger focus on employee wellness must come in. And the programs must be about more than the apps for meditation or Bring Your Dog to Work Day. People seek balance and flexibility and want to have fulfillment. They are shifting from organizing their lives around work to now wanting to organize work around how they want to live their life.

Ryan also shares that the impact of focusing on employee well-being goes beyond the productivity and fulfillment of the individual. It has a great impact on the long-term success of an organization. If your focus as a leader or board is only on quarterly performance and maximizing shareholder value, you’re missing the longer-term opportunity. It’s not just a moral obligation, it’s speaking to the long-term health of the organization.

Episode Links:

Virtual Wellness Series: https://ryanestis.com/topics/corporate-training/virtual-wellness-series/

Connect with Ryan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanestis/

Follow Ryan on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ryanestis/

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Quick Win: What Are The Two Magic A-Words?

Adam Contos — Fri, 14 Jan 2022 05:00:00 -0700

Adam shares how employing these two simple, magic A-words can help you see results in your life!

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How to De-Crapify Work and Make Time to Think

Adam Contos — Wed, 12 Jan 2022 05:00:00 -0700

In this episode of Start With A Win, Adam talks to Juliet Funt, the founder and CEO of The Juliet Funt Group, an efficiency training firm. Juliet and her firm are on a mission to “de-crapify” work, helping business leaders and organizations unleash their full potential by unburdening talent from busywork. She is a renowned keynote speaker and tough-love advisor. Juliet is the author of A Minute to Think: Reclaim Creativity, Conquer Busyness, and Do Your Best Work.

Between meetings, emails, reports, and decks, there are so many low-value tasks that sit on top of the talented people in organizations today. It keeps our teams from being able to do their best work. And COVID has only made the problem worse with more Zoom meetings, over communication, and extra emails.

Juliet shares her analogy of building a fire and how creating space between the materials is essential to allow oxygenation to happen. In the same way, people need to have space to not only recuperate, but to step back and think and let ideas build. Team members and leaders can be more creative and engaged when they’re allowed a strategic pause to think purposely about the next chapter of a project or the business.

Juliet believes that leadership is often over-focused on the logistical questions of “where” (where people sit, where should people work, where we sell) when they should be focused on “how” (how do we want to communicate, how do we want people to work). These questions pave the way for a redesign opportunity in how organizations operate.

Juliet also shares about what she calls The Wedge, which is a wedge of time inserted between two activities in your day—between a meeting and a meeting, an emotionally challenging email and your response response. By taking a few micro-moments to process what just happened rather than just jumping to the next thing, our brain can actually better retain information and think more critically. And even if it’s only for a few minutes, that “white space” should be completely open time, think about anything we want in those times, which also gives our brain time for ideation and creativity.

Episode Links:

A Minute to Think: Reclaim Creativity, Conquer Busyness, and Do Your Best Work
https://www.julietfunt.com/book/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/thejulietfunt

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julietfunt/

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https://gunning4fitness.com

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5 Ways to Start 2022 With A Win

Adam Contos — Wed, 05 Jan 2022 05:00:00 -0700

It’s time to kick off 2022, and Adam Contos is here to help you make it one of your best years yet! Whether you’re listening to this episode at the beginning of the year while you’re making your resolutions—or you need to hit that reset button in July—Adam’s 5 Ways to Start 2022 With A Win will give you the tools you need to take ownership of both your professional and your personal lives this year.

1. Write it Down

Grab a good ol’ fashioned pen and paper (don’t worry, we won’t be mad if it’s your favorite notes app), and write yourself a contract that says, “In 2022 I am going to do the following,” and make a list. Make a list of the things you want to commit to doing this year—and sign it! Be accountable to yourself. This is often scary for people, because they don’t want to fully commit to something that feels like a fleeting decision based upon their feelings. But remember: Your feelings will keep you from achieving more than not!

And in the spirit of 2022, go beyond what you think you can do and employ the plus-two mindset. Make your list of goals, and add two! You always want to be one step better than what you think you can be, but what if you were two steps better? Want to make 10 sales calls per day? What if you made 12 instead? Whether in business or exercise or relationships, those additional two add up over time!

2. Learn to Love Learning

Make a learning list of what you want to accomplish this year, and make a plan to make it happen. And if you actually learned to love learning, what would the results be?

3. Give What You’ve Learned

Now it’s time to put that learning into action! Take the things you’ve learned and give it to people. Look for opportunities to help other people get better by sharing what you learned. The best way to improve upon what you’ve learned is to actually put into practice.

4. Create Your Stop Doing List

This is probably the most painful one! But it’s time to get rid of the dead growth in your life. What are those things in your life that are sucking up your time, resources, and mental space? Is it a game on your phone? Grabbing a handful of chips from the pantry? Online shopping? Make this list and keep it growing, because you’ll continue to run across things.

5. Take Stock of Your Relationships

Ask yourself this question: Are the people I spend the most time with helping me become the person I want to be? Adam proposes that the people you spend time with will dictate the way your 2022 will look. So, switch your minutes to the people you want to become.

Episode Links:

Jessica Gunn, Gunning for Fitness

The Compound Effect by Darren Hardy

https://www.amazon.com/Compound-Effect-Darren-Hardy/dp/159315724X

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Quick Win: How Do You Lead?

Adam Contos — Fri, 31 Dec 2021 05:00:00 -0700

Leading is about demonstrating the actions that you think you should see in others. People see what they see what their leaders do. Simply put? Lead by example!

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Revisited: How to Set Yourself Up for Success in 2021 with Jon Cheplak

Adam Contos — Wed, 29 Dec 2021 05:00:00 -0700

As 2021 comes to a close, we invite you to reflect on your year as we revisit one of our most popular episodes of 2021. Take this time to reflect on how you did in 2021. Where were you most successful? What were some areas for improvement that you can tackle in 2022?

Jon Cheplak joins Adam again on this episode to share his insights and provide a bit of long-distance coaching to Win Nation at the dawn of the new year. Jon talks about the difference between innovation and mastery, saying that while innovators receive praise in our society, they are not known for consistency or follow-through. To achieve mastery, you must have the discipline to handle the monotony that comes with immediate action, personal responsibility, and consistency. He says freedom comes from putting restrictions on yourself to make you stay focused and not be distracted by novelty.

To become excited about the process instead of the outcomes, Jon says you should be mission-based and have clarity on your relationship with money. When you understand these two things about yourself, you feel the weight of the requirement to perform, and you are well on your way to setting up micro-commitments to reach your goals. Tiny hinges swing big doors.

When it comes to finding alignment and knowing where to start, Jon walks through three topics:

What makes you happy? – Spend some time writing down your thoughts.
What is the smallest step you can take to move yourself towards that happiness? – Be conscious of the positive triggers, including the things you should say “no” to reach happiness. If you are struggling to see the next step, extend love to other people and see where that gets you.
What are the people, places, and things that do (or do not) support your mission? – Take inventory and let go of the judgment of others and the fear of their opinions. Trust is built on consistency. Leaders are the people who stand out regardless of the judgments of others.

Jon encourages listeners to think of gratitude as an action word and to see everything as a privilege. Consider whether you are demonstrating gratitude in your daily life and interactions with others.

Episode Links:

Connect with Jon:

https://cheplaklive.com/

https://www.instagram.com/cheplaklive/?hl=en

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cheplak-live/id934537153

https://www.linkedin.com/in/joncheplak

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888-581-4430

Christmas Movie Showdown 2021

Adam Contos — Wed, 22 Dec 2021 05:00:00 -0700

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas here on Start With A Win, and we’re starting off the holiday break with a good ol’ fashioned game of Christmas movie trivia! Adam and Producer Mark are joined by Social Media Manager Kayla and Engineer James as they test their knowledge of the season’s most beloved movie quotes. So put on that ugly sweater, grab an egg nog, and join in the festivities and play along with us!

And as the end of 2021 is upon us, we just want to take a moment to thank everyone who makes Start With A Win possible—and that includes you, Win Nation! Have a Merry Christmas, a joyous holiday season, and let’s get ready to start 2022 with a win!

Episode Links:

Order your copy of Start With A Win: Tools and Lessons to Create Personal and Business Success:

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Quick Win: How Do You Deal With A Crisis?

Adam Contos — Fri, 17 Dec 2021 05:00:00 -0700

When a crisis hits, and fear and overwhelm threaten to take over, it's time to go to plan B—be present, be kind, be helpful!

Connect with Adam:

https://www.startwithawin.com/

https://www.facebook.com/REMAXAdamContos

https://twitter.com/REMAXAdamContos

https://www.instagram.com/REMAXadamcontos/

Uncovering The Recipe for Happiness

Adam Contos — Wed, 15 Dec 2021 05:00:00 -0700

Becky Morrison is a mom, wife, and lawyer turned Happiness Coach. Her mission is to spread joy. She believes most people can live happier, easier lives if they establish what matters most to them and develop a plan to do more of that and less of the rest. She is the author of The Happiness Recipe: A Powerful Guide to Living What Matters.

People and processes are at the heart of the work that she has done for the last 20+ years in corporations, law firms—as both a lawyer and administrator—and small businesses. Now she’s using that experience coupled with her own journey to help people supercharge their success and happiness by finding clarity, taking the next steps in their career, overcoming overwhelm, going from idea to action, and stepping into their authentic leadership presence.

Becky tells the story of her transition from a successful, busy lawyer and mom to building a life for her and her family and her happiness. She shares how a life-threatening pregnancy loss led to a wake-up call that would change the course of her life.

As a fellow high achiever, Becky often coaches people who struggle with the fact that they have every type of success they could want but are still waiting for the moment when they are happy with their life. Through this coaching, she has developed The Recipe of Happiness, which is to do more of what matters to you and less of the rest. It’s a simple recipe, but it’s not always easy to execute. She shares about the three things get in the way: the authenticity gap, the execution gap, and the emotional energy gap.

Becky believes in the importance of stepping into your authentic self. We have so much coming at us, and we’re moving so quickly, we are really disconnected from who we are at our core. We’re not sure what actually matters to us, because we’re being told by social media and the world what should matter to us. So Becky shares two ways to get to the core of our authentic selves:

Get clear on the season you’re in, because what matters most to you will shift with your seasons of life.
Dial into what brings you joy by making a list of simple things that make you happy and evaluating why those things bring you joy.

One of the biggest obstacles in this process is fear and overwhelm. And overcoming that obstacle starts with saying and naming the story of your fear and overwhelm. Sit down with someone and talk about why you’re feeling afraid and overwhelm. More of than not, it’s not true fear—it’s really that you’re just a human with a nervous system that does not like change

Episode Links:

UntangleHappiness.com

The Happiness Recipe: A Powerful Guide to Living What Matters:

https://amzn.to/2ZMFxaQ

Order your copy of Start With A Win: Tools and Lessons to Create Personal and Business Success:

Connect with Adam:

Leave us a voicemail:

888-581-4430

How to Make More Meaningful Contributions at Work and in Life

Adam Contos — Wed, 08 Dec 2021 05:00:00 -0700

In this episode of Start With A Win, Adam sits down with Tom Rath, an author and researcher who has spent the past two decades studying how work can improve human health and well-being. His 10 books have sold more than 10 million copies and made hundreds of appearances on global bestseller lists. Tom’s first book, How Full Is Your Bucket?, was an instant #1 New York Times bestseller and led to a series of books that are used in classrooms around the world. His book StrengthsFinder 2.0 is Amazon’s top selling non-fiction book of all time. His newest book, Life's Great Question: Discover How You Contribute to the World, released last year.

During his 13 years at Gallup, Tom led the organization’s strengths, employee engagement, wellbeing, and leadership consulting worldwide. Tom has served for the past five years as an external advisor and Gallup Senior Scientist.

The conversation begins around the idea of making more meaningful contributions and work and in life. Tom shares that he typically starts each day by asking the question: What could I do today that will continue to grow and contribute to the people I know and love, and my community, that will continue when I’m gone? What am I going to do today that makes someone else’s life better? These contributions can be big picture, but they can also be daily tasks or interactions that improve the lives of others in the long term. He believes that if we are spending a little time in our day making a contribution like that, we can accumulate those over time, and make our work more meaningful and more effective.

Tom also shares about a rare condition that causes him to be more susceptible to many cancers, but for him, having the reminder of mortality is a very powerful force for good. It’s something we’ve seen in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic—a sense of urgency to evaluate our daily routines, how we impact people around us in the immediate and the long-term, and our relationship with our work. Prior to the pandemic, the way we worked on a daily basis was a relic of an industrial era when work was just plain bad for our well-being. Tom believes that most people have had a dysfunctional relationship with work for too long.

Organizations have been so structured around profits and productivity. So each individual needs to ask themselves: Are my relationships, family, community and life better off because I joined this organization?

We went into pandemic with horribly low expectations of what we get out of our work. But it is possible to have a job where you feel like you help people every day and not just enrich the pockets of your employer. Tom would love to see a great restructuring of how we work, and explains how companies can play a part.

Well-being in a job is key. Tom shares about his experience with big employers who spend tens of millions of dollars on employee wellness programs, but their leaders are the ones working around the clock and expecting their employees to always be on. But then they ask why the programs are not working; “When employees see the people they look to us leaders eating over their keyboard every day and not taking time to move around…and not talking about these things, no one in the organization even feels like they have the permission to take care of themselves or their own health.”

Episode Links:

https://www.tomrath.org

Twitter: https://twitter.com/TomCRath/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authortomrath

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/trath/

Order your copy of Start With A Win: Tools and Lessons to Create Personal and Business Success:

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facebook.com/REMAXAdamContos

twitter.com/REMAXAdamContos

Leave us a voicemail:

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Quick Win: What Causes Fear?

Adam Contos — Fri, 03 Dec 2021 05:00:00 -0700

Fear is worrying about something that hasn't happened yet. And when we sit in that worry but don't do anything about it, that's when the fear sets in. So what do we do? We overcome fear by taking action.

Connect with Adam:

startwithawin.com/

https://marksanborn.com/leading-the-future-workforce-now/

How COVID-19 Accelerated the Future of Work

Adam Contos — Wed, 01 Dec 2021 05:00:00 -0700

In this episode of Start With A Win, Adam talks to Mark Sanborn, president of Sanborn & Associates, Inc., an idea studio dedicated to developing leaders in business and in life. Mark is an international bestselling author and award-winning keynote leadership speaker. He holds the Certified Speaking Professional designation from the National Speakers Association (NSA) and is a member of the Speaker Hall of Fame.

The two kick off the conversation with a discussion about Mark’s newest keynote presentation, Leading the Future Workforce Now. It examines how COVID-19 actually accelerated the future trends that were inevitable in the workplace. Mark also shares insights into his national research project that was done into generational perspectives about the future, revealing that the younger generations are actually more optimistic about the future post-COVID versus pre-COVID.

They also explore additional takeaways from this past season of leadership in the face of constant change, including:

The importance of showing genuine care and and concern for your employees.
Taking the lessons we’ve learned from COVID and applying them to future unexpected events.
The need to communicate better, not more.
Forgoing the bare minimum and doing the maximum essentials.

Episode Links:

“Leading the Future Workforce Now” Presentation:

The Fred Factor book:

https://www.amazon.com/Fred-Factor-Passion-Ordinary-Extraordinary/dp/0385513518/?tag=marksanborn04-20

Fred 2.0 book:

https://www.amazon.com/Fred-2-0-Delivering-Extraordinary-Results/dp/141436220X/?tag=marksanborn04-20

The Fred Factor Online Training Experience:

https://marksanborn.com/fredfactor/

Connect with Mark:

https://marksanborn.com

https://twitter.com/mark_sanborn

https://www.instagram.com/marksanbornspeaker/

Order your copy of Start With A Win: Tools and Lessons to Create Personal and Business Success:

Connect with Adam:

Leave us a voicemail:

888-581-4430

Put Your Gratitude Into Action

Adam Contos — Wed, 24 Nov 2021 05:00:00 -0700

It’s Thanksgiving Eve, and we’re mentally, physically, emotionally preparing for a day of feasting and giving thanks tomorrow surrounded by family and friends. Producer Mark and Social Media Manager Kayla join Adam to talk all things Thanksgiving!

The conversation begins with, you guessed it, food! The trio discuss the best ways to arrange all of the courses on your plate at Thanksgiving and whether or not you should eat breakfast before the feasting commences. Mark quizzes Adam and Kayla on Thanksgiving-themed trivia, including: the most expensive Thanksgiving dinner on record, the U.S. president responsible for instituting Thanksgiving as a national holiday, and the average calorie consumption on Thanksgiving (hint: it’s probably way more than you think).

Adam rounds out the conversation with a few words of wisdom when it comes to putting your gratitude into action and how you can implement that in your life this upcoming holiday season.

Episode Links:

Order your copy of Start With A Win: Tools and Lessons to Create Personal and Business Success:

Connect with Adam:

https://acuff.me/podcast/

Leave us a voicemail:

888-581-4430

QuickWin: How Do We Create Results?

Adam Contos — Fri, 19 Nov 2021 05:00:00 -0700

How do we create results? You have to create action! Adam shares his simple, foolproof formula to achieving results—every time.

Connect with Adam:

https://www.startwithawin.com/

https://www.facebook.com/REMAXAdamContos

https://twitter.com/REMAXAdamContos

https://www.instagram.com/REMAXadamcontos/

Transform Overthinking From a Super Problem to a Superpower with Jon Acuff

Adam Contos — Wed, 17 Nov 2021 05:00:00 -0700

In this episode of Start With A Win, Adam welcomes bestselling author and motivational speaker Jon Acuff. Adam and Jon dive into the topic of overthinking and how it can cripple us in so many areas of our lives.

According to Jon, overthinking is when what you think gets in the way of what you want. Overthinking is the sneakiest form of fear that keeps us from achieving our goals, taking on new opportunities, or just getting through that tough meeting at work. That overthinking writes soundtracks in our minds—those repetitive thoughts that weigh us down.

Jon breaks down his proven plan to change overthinking from a super problem into a superpower through The 3 Rs: Retire broken soundtracks, Replace them with new soundtracks, Repeat those new soundtracks.

Jon is the New York Times bestselling author of seven books—his latest, Soundtracks: The Surprising Solution to Overthinking, released April 2021 and is already a bestseller. He's an INC Magazine Top 100 Leadership speaker and has spoken to hundreds of thousands of people at conferences and companies around the world including FedEx, Nissan, Microsoft, Lockheed Martin, Chick-fil-A, Nokia and Comedy Central. He lives outside of Nashville, Tennessee, with his wife and two teenage daughters.

Episode Links:

All It Takes Is A Goal podcast

Soundtracks: The Surprising Solution to Overthinking
https://soundtracksbook.com

Connect with Jon:

https://www.facebook.com/authorjonacuff

https://www.instagram.com/jonacuff/

https://twitter.com/JonAcuff

Order your copy of Start With A Win: Tools and Lessons to Create Personal and Business Success:

Connect with Adam:

https://www.amazon.com/Leading-Anywhere-Essential-Managing-Remote/dp/0358533279

Leave us a voicemail:

888-581-4430

How to Lead From Anywhere with David Burkus

Adam Contos — Wed, 10 Nov 2021 05:00:00 -0700

This episode of Start With A Win features David Burkus, a keynote speaker, organizational psychologist, and one of the world’s leading business thinkers. And his forward-thinking ideas and bestselling books are changing how companies approach innovation, collaboration, and productivity. His most recent work, Leading From Anywhere: The Essential Guide to Managing Remote Teams, has helped leaders learn how to best adapt to the new world of remote work.

Adam and David begin the conversation by reflecting on the events of the last 18 months when COVID-19 sent nearly 50 percent of the American workforce to work from home. David talks about studying organizations that employed alternative workplace practices prior to the pandemic and how he predicts that those practices may now become less of an anomaly and more of the norm. And with that shift, leaders have to start learning now how best to manage remote teams and become intentional about fostering connection, productivity and good communication.

David believes that the extremes of making policy decisions around remote work for the organization as a whole—or having no structure around it at all—could both be disastrous for all involved. Instead, organizations should provide guidance but let decisions be made for what that looks like on a team level.

Adam and David also discuss the importance of company culture and how that spans far beyond pizza parties and team outings. It spans from core values of the organization to guidelines for communications to how you maintain a sense of connection in a remote environment, which takes intentionality. If you’re not intentional about your culture, it falls apart. Organizations that are renowned for their culture have been very intentional about building culture.

They wrap up the conversation by discussing “The Great Resignation” and why so many companies have experienced larger than normal numbers of employees leaving their positions and how best to handle these transitions as leaders.

Episode Links:

https://davidburkus.com

https://twitter.com/davidburkus?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor

https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidburkus/

https://www.ted.com/speakers/david_burkus

Order your copy of Start With A Win: Tools and Lessons to Create Personal and Business Success:

Connect with Adam:

Leave us a voicemail:

888-581-4430

Quick Win: What is the First Step to Winning?

Adam Contos — Fri, 05 Nov 2021 05:00:00 -0600

The first step to winning is to make your latest excuse your last one! If you find an excuse, you will never find a way.

Connect with Adam:

https://www.startwithawin.com/

https://www.facebook.com/REMAXAdamContos

https://twitter.com/REMAXAdamContos

https://www.instagram.com/REMAXadamcontos/

Life is Not a Spectator Sport with General Martin E. Dempsey

Adam Contos — Wed, 03 Nov 2021 05:00:00 -0600

In this episode of Start With A Win, General Martin E. Dempsey joins Adam for a conversation about how effective leadership begins with becoming a good follower.

General Dempsey was the 18th Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and retired in 2015 after 41 years of military service. He now teaches leadership and public policy as a Rubenstein Fellow at Duke University and serves as Chairman of USA Basketball. General Dempsey was named one of TIME magazine's most influential people, is the author of the new book, No Time For Spectators: The Lessons That Mattered Most From West Point To The West Wing.

General Dempsey opens the conversation by talking about his perspective on how best to lead a diverse group of people. He points back to his time in the military when he learned the important responsibility of a leader to always foster a sense of belonging.

Adam asks General Dempsey about his reasons behind writing his newest book, No Time For Spectators. The General shares that in writing a book on leadership, he realized that some of those most important principles he learned about leadership actually originated from his years of being a “follower” in his career.

General Dempsey rounds out the conversation by talking about his current role as a professor at Duke University and his philosophies on teaching the practical application of public policy and giving students an insider’s perspective on the decision-making process of national leaders.

Order your copy of Start With A Win: Tools and Lessons to Create Personal and Business Success:

https://www.generaldempsey.com

Episode Links:

Teddy Roosevelt’s speech, "The Man in the Arena”
https://youtu.be/A311CnTjfos

Connect with General Dempsey:

https://twitter.com/Martin_Dempsey?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor

https://www.defense.gov/About/Biographies/Biography/Article/602694/general-martin-e-dempsey/

Connect with Adam:

https://twitter.com/pattymccord1

Leave us a voicemail:

888-581-4430

Let’s Not Do Normal Anymore with Patty McCord, Former Netflix Chief Talent Officer

Adam Contos — Wed, 27 Oct 2021 05:00:00 -0600

This episode of Start With A Win features former Netflix Chief Talent Officer Patty McCord. During her 14 years with Netflix, Patty was the co-creator of the Netflix Culture Deck. Since it was first published online, the Culture Deck has been viewed more than 15 million times. She is the author of the best-selling book, Powerful: Building a Culture of Freedom and Responsibility, published in 2018 and translated into 12 languages. Currently, Patty is a consultant and executive coach for CEOs and their teams to help in defining leadership and company culture. She also speaks to groups and teams around the world.

During their conversation, Adam and Patty dive into all of the change that has come about in the workplace since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Within 48 hours, leaders went from believing that remote work could never work for them to being fully remote companies. And it worked.

Patty believes the pandemic has also transformed the way leaders should view work, enabling them to pay closer attention to final results and the work that’s being done rather than solely on effort and productivity. It’s shown them that their employees can do the stuff that needs to get done without having to be watched, and it’s instilled a greater sense of accountability into their teams.

Adam and Patty also talk about the importance of note forgetting the lessons we’ve learned in this season. As the world begins to return to a sense of normalcy, Patty warns that we will lose it all unless we pay attention and ask ourselves the questions: What have we learned here, and what is working?

Episode Links:

https://pattymccord.com

https://www.amazon.com/Powerful-Leaders-Culture-Freedom-Responsibility/dp/1939714095

Order your copy of Start With A Win: Tools and Lessons to Create Personal and Business Success:

Connect with Adam:

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888-581-4430

Quick Win: Find a Way, Not an Excuse

Adam Contos — Fri, 22 Oct 2021 06:00:00 -0600

Adam answers the question many of us ask ourselves: Why do some people get everything done that they want to? It’s because people who are effective in what they do go into each situation with the mindset that they are going to find a way instead of finding an excuse. So, Adam’s challenge to you: Make the situation important to you, and find a way.

Connect with Adam:

https://www.amazon.com/Start-Win-Lessons-Personal-Business/dp/1119807077

Start With A Celebration!

Adam Contos — Wed, 20 Oct 2021 05:00:00 -0600

In this special episode of Start With A Win, there is a lot to celebrate! Adam and Producer Mark return to the brand new recording studio on the 12th floor of the RE/MAX World Headquarters in Denver, Colorado. And, with the new digs comes a fresh look and feel for the SWAW podcast along with a new website. Be sure to check it out!

Adam and Mark also chat about the long-anticipated release of Start With A Win: Tools and Lessons to Create Personal and Business Success. Adam shares that one of the biggest things he’s learned as a new author is the importance of carrying around a Sharpie at all times. You never know when you may need to sign an autograph, right?

They take a walk down memory lane as they review listener submissions about their favorite SWAW episodes. And last but certainly not least, Mark announces the winner of the free signed copy of Adam’s book. (See? We told you, Sharpies are important!)

Pre-order your copy of Start With A Win: Tools and Lessons to Create Personal and Business Success:

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/start-with-a-win-adam-contos/1138838681

https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/start-with-a-win-tools-and-lessons-to-create-personal-and-business-success_adam-contos/28078881/#edition=58850831&idiq=46017298

Episode Links:

The Influence of Transparent Leadership with Gary Vaynerchuk

Audio:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-influence-of-transparent-leadership/id1438598347?i=1000488542270

Video:

https://youtu.be/UwdPUNkwXoA

How To Set Yourself Up For Success in 2021 with Jon Cheplak

Audio:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-to-set-yourself-up-for-success-in-2021-with-jon-cheplak/id1438598347?i=1000504496469

Video:

https://youtu.be/uOl8xF3w634

Investing in Long-Term Success with Maggie Contos

Audio:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/investing-in-long-term-success-with-maggie-contos/id1438598347?i=1000513387984

Video:

https://youtu.be/dlFO0-LV6FY

Interview With Geoff McLennan

Audio:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/interview-with-geoff-mclennan/id1438598347?i=1000431347098

Get Social Smart with Katie Lance

Audio:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/get-social-smart-with-katie-lance/id1438598347?i=1000501821442

Video:

https://youtu.be/D_ndYIGSJeo

Befriending the Inner Beast to Overcome Fear and Create Success

Audio:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/befriending-the-inner-beast-to-overcome-fear-and/id1438598347?i=1000535406692

Video:

https://youtu.be/kk60tfDf7Fo

Sharpies: https://www.amazon.com/Sharpie-30001-Permanent-Markers-Point/dp/B00006IFHD/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=sharpies&qid=1634077688&sr=8-2&th=1

Connect with Adam:

https://www.amazon.com/Start-Win-Lessons-Personal-Business/dp/1119807077

Leave us a voicemail:

888-581-4430

Lose the Ego and Celebrate the Wins

Adam Contos — Wed, 13 Oct 2021 05:00:00 -0600

In this episode of Start With A Win, Adam and SWAW producer Mark pick up the conversation about Adam's first book, Start With A Win: Tools and Lessons to Create Personal and Business Success. Adam discusses the final chapters—chapters eight, nine, and ten. He discusses the role of the ego and how it has the potential to destroy humility. Adam elaborates the ego as the manifestation of insecurity, creating an emotional response triggered to protect vulnerabilities. Good leaders maintain emotional control by recognizing and acknowledging their egos and maintain transparency with themselves. Controlling your ego enables you to be vulnerable and accept others' mistakes, harnessing your abilities for positive attributes like confidence and decision-making.

Adam discusses three keys to accountability and growth—mentors, coaches, and masterminds. Find a mentor who will challenge your thoughts and inspire you to take action with newfound perspectives. A mentor is someone willing to share time and wisdom in exchange for your attention and deliberate action to be the best version of yourself. A coach is someone who will unlock your potential and help you attain your goals and other pursuits. Ask yourself—are you coachable? What do you hope to accomplish with new insights? Mastermind groups provide peer accountability (challenging you and pushing you to be vulnerable) and establish the power of association—you are the average of the five people you accompany most.

Adam emphasizes the importance of celebrating your wins, no matter how big or small. When leaders celebrate the wins of their team members, they instill hope, give appreciation, and provide recognition. Celebrating wins creates opportunities to surpass goals, build motivation, and exceed the maximum thought process in all endeavors. Uphold a transparent dynamic of analyzing, communicating, and celebrating wins to lead your team to maximize their potential and produce consistent results.

Pre-order your copy of Start With A Win: Tools and Lessons to Create Personal and Business Success:

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/start-with-a-win-adam-contos/1138838681

https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/start-with-a-win-tools-and-lessons-to-create-personal-and-business-success_adam-contos/28078881/#edition=58850831&idiq=46017298

Connect with Adam:

Leave us a voicemail:

888-581-4430

Quick Win: End Each Day Expressing Gratitude

Adam Contos — Fri, 08 Oct 2021 05:00:00 -0600

How do you end your days daily? Instead of going home and turning on the TV first thing after working all day, begin writing what you’re grateful for on a piece of paper. This habit will take away your desire to watch TV and align you to be happy for the rest of the evening. When you are proactively grateful, you will gain more energy. You will also become motivated in the mornings as your first thoughts will focus on your gratitude.

Connect with Adam:

https://www.storiesthatstick.com/

How Storytelling Transforms Your Business with Kindra Hall

Adam Contos — Wed, 06 Oct 2021 05:00:00 -0600

In this episode of Start With A Win, Adam introduces President and Chief Storytelling Officer at Steller Collective, Kindra Hall. Steller Collective is a consulting firm “focused on the strategic application of storytelling to today’s communication challenges.” Kindra’s interest in storytelling sparked at a young age during a family vacation road trip after listening to a storytelling tape by the National Storytelling Festival. She reflects how this experience unified her family, despite different age gaps and interests. Since then, she transformed her passion for storytelling into a career.

Kindra explains how storytelling is co-creative, differentiating it from other forms of communication. This co-creative process enables people to create their own versions of relatability, creating a shared experience with the interpersonal connection. She elaborates how this applies in business—people say yes to the story of the products or services rather than its features. Kindra’s book, Stories That Stick: How Storytelling Can Captivate Customers, Influence Audiences, and Transform Your Business, provides insights into why storytelling is an effective business strategy, including a framework for creating compelling stories.

Kindra addresses the #1 common mistake for storytelling in business—people try to convey big concepts, resulting in vague stories. This approach prevents opportunities to connect with others emotionally. Instead of persuasive language, Kindra suggests focusing on one moment. This moment should address a person’s hopes, struggles, or fears, producing a story that reveals a solution people can resonate with and understand. Paying attention to your audience is key. Consider what you want your audience to think, feel, know, or act after engaging with your story. Having clarity of the objective and understanding your audience will guide you into the story you should tell.

Links:

Stories That Stick: How Storytelling Can Captivate Customers, Influence Audiences, and Transform Your Business

Connect with Kindra:

https://www.kindrahall.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/kindrahall/

https://twitter.com/kindramhall

https://www.instagram.com/kindrahall/

https://www.stellercollective.com/

Connect with Adam:

https://www.amazon.com/Start-Win-Lessons-Personal-Business/dp/1119807077

Leave us a voicemail:

888-581-4430

Lead Your Team with Accountability, Presence, and Passion

Adam Contos — Wed, 29 Sep 2021 05:00:00 -0600

In this episode of Start With A Win, Adam and SWAW producer Mark pick up the conversation about Adam's first book, Start With A Win: Tools and Lessons to Create Personal and Business Success. Adam covers takeaways from chapters five, six, and seven. He explains how success takes time and does not occur overnight. Adam elaborates the core differences between managers and leaders—managers tell people how to do things, leaders provide direction and inspiration. Good leaders work to make other people great leaders rather than devote entirely to self-improvement.

Adam breaks down the concept of accountability—witnessing without judgment. Accountability is the first step of understanding but is often mistaken for the beginning of condemnation. Accountability enables people to evaluate processes and goals and adjust as needed. Adam addresses fear and overwhelm, revealing a leadership spin-off from the VUCA concept (traditionally an acronym signifying volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity)—vision, understanding, clarity, and action. This concept focuses on creating a plan to overcome overwhelm, accomplished with a concrete action plan. Otherwise, overwhelming feelings will spiral if not addressed and resolved.

Leading is about creating teams with a shared vision and direction. Adam emphasizes the importance of presence and passion for people and your work. Implementing this mindset enables better relationships with your employees and customers. Lack of communication is often the leading cause of issues within teams and businesses. Adam recommends connecting with your team and customers at least twice a week face-to-face, if possible, to maintain relationships. Two communication takeaways:

Ask yourself: If you are your customer, would you choose you?
Don’t center all communication about your business or selling.

Pre-order your copy of Start With A Win: Tools and Lessons to Create Personal and Business Success:

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/start-with-a-win-adam-contos/1138838681

https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/start-with-a-win-tools-and-lessons-to-create-personal-and-business-success_adam-contos/28078881/#edition=58850831&idiq=46017298

Connect with Adam:

Leave us a voicemail:

888-581-4430

Quick Win: Attitude Determines Behavior, Behavior Dictates Actions

Adam Contos — Fri, 24 Sep 2021 05:00:00 -0600

How do you approach daily obstacles and challenges? Your attitude determines the reality and outcome of any situation. Your attitude determines your behavior, and behavior dictates your actions. If you want to create success in any circumstance, reflect on your mindset and adjust as needed. Ask yourself: What attitude do I need to overcome and succeed in the best possible way? Positive attitudes result in flourishing behavior.

Connect with Adam:

https://www.ted.com/talks/jia_jiang_what_i_learned_from_100_days_of_rejection

Overcoming Fear of Rejection Creates a More Fulfilling Life with Jia Jiang

Adam Contos — Wed, 22 Sep 2021 05:00:00 -0600

In this episode of Start With A Win, Adam welcomes Jia Jiang, CEO of Rejection Therapy and CEO and Founder of Wuju Learning. Jia discusses how he transitioned from the corporate world into a career dedicated to rejection. Jia initially experienced failure in the early stages of his entrepreneurial endeavors after leaving the corporate world. Instead of giving up, he decided to document his failed experiences via blogging, which led to the concept of rejection therapy.

Jia discusses how innovation and entrepreneurship require taking risks, which can lead to rejection. He explains that people must learn to convert rejection into personal fuel to stay motivated and persevere after rejection. This technique requires practice, which entails intentionally pursuing rejection. For example, Jia committed 100 days to experience daily rejection. This exercise trained his mind to become accustomed to rejection, removing the fears associated with it. He performed unusual tasks such as asking for burger refills at restaurants and requesting a haircut at a pet store. He advises to start small and focus on daily habits—if you are not comfortable with solely asking for things in return, approach by asking to give acts of service. The more you face rejection from “silly” things, the more you can overcome any rejection, no matter the significance.

Fear of rejection creates internal conflict, causing regrets and missed opportunities. He explains people often experience the most remorse when they prioritize living up to other people’s expectations instead of their own. Once you incorporate rejection into daily interactions, you will feel more prepared and confident in business endeavors. He explains how the fear of rejection can cause people to prefer a path with the least resistance in hopes of remaining in their comfort zones to achieve success. Jia emphasizes that the most successful people have experienced challenging decisions and situations, ultimately shaping who they are and contributing to their success because they chose to take risks.

Links:

TED Talk - What I Learned From 100 Days of Rejection

Connect with Jia:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jiajiang/

https://twitter.com/jiajiang

https://www.rejectiontherapy.com/

https://www.loveinvestor.com/

Connect with Adam:

https://www.amazon.com/Start-Win-Lessons-Personal-Business/dp/1119807077

Leave us a voicemail:

888-581-4430

Befriending the Inner Beast to Overcome Fear and Create Success

Adam Contos — Wed, 15 Sep 2021 05:00:00 -0600

In this episode of Start With A Win, Adam and SWAW producer Mark pick up the conversation about Adam's first authored book, Start With A Win: Tools and Lessons to Create Personal and Business Success. Adam covers the main takeaways from chapters two, three, and four. He explains how experiencing both successes and failures is necessary for personal and professional growth. Failures serve as learning opportunities, while challenges develop opportunities to create success or learning moments.

Adam outlines the two questions you should always ask yourself as a leader:

1) How do we create an environment in which people want to perform at their highest levels?

Tip: Create a trusting environment where it’s okay to fail.

2) How do you unlock potential instead of pushing others to barely get by?

Tip: When it comes to performance and earning wins, pushing others creates resistance. Encouragement and enthusiasm result in increased drive, efforts, and performance.

Adam discusses how fear is the reason why people do not try to pursue new endeavors or challenges. This mental roadblock creates self-limiting beliefs, hesitation, self-doubt, often resulting in imposter syndrome. Adam breaks down the concept of fear as an inner beast that resides in everyone. The first step to overcoming fear requires acknowledging and befriending the beast, which requires self-love and acceptance. As a leader, it is crucial to be a sponge for knowledge—learn from others, nurture your mind—and reciprocate that wisdom to others.

Pre-order your copy of Start With A Win: Tools and Lessons to Create Personal and Business Success:

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/start-with-a-win-adam-contos/1138838681

https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/start-with-a-win-tools-and-lessons-to-create-personal-and-business-success_adam-contos/28078881/#edition=58850831&idiq=46017298

Connect with Adam:

Leave us a voicemail:

888-581-4430

Quick Win: The Power of Empathy

Adam Contos — Fri, 10 Sep 2021 05:00:00 -0600

How empathetic are you? Adam defines empathy as your feelings understanding someone else’s feelings. And it’s an important key to living well in relationship with those around you. Because if you don’t understand how someone else is feeling in a specific situation, then you’re not going into that situation with their best in mind. So be sure to ask yourself this simple question each time you’re in contact with someone: How do they feel?

Connect with Adam:

https://www.sethmattison.com/

How to Lead Your Team During Uncertainty with Seth Mattison

Adam Contos — Wed, 08 Sep 2021 05:00:00 -0600

In this episode of Start With A Win, Seth Mattison, CEO of FutureSight Labs, joins Win Nation to discuss how leadership has evolved during the COVID-19 pandemic. FutureSight Labs is an organization dedicated to helping leaders and their organizations navigate challenging moments of inevitable transformation and build a future-ready framework. Seth has studied leadership and the ongoing future of work for 15 years.

Seth opens the conversation by reflecting on some of his key leadership takeaways during the early weeks of the initial COVID-19 outbreak in the United States. He emphasizes how keeping yourself grounded during uncertainty enhances your adaptability, enabling you to lead with more confidence and devote energy to others. Seth explains the concept of a leader’s role to “normalize the struggle”—how leaders confront challenging situations and implement a plan to resolve them. He elaborates how the transition of the workplace structure (remote, hybrid, in-office) will vary for each organization—dependent on organizational values and goals—and how it will require intentional and strategic planning regarding its future framework.

Seth addresses how the pandemic has impacted mental health. Studies have shown that many individuals are experiencing languish—a mental state between depression and flourishing. He further discusses how others have begun to reflect on who they are and their sense of purpose personally and professionally. Seth outlines two fundamental skills that significantly impact how people navigate challenges:

1) Learning agility: Knowing what to do when you don’t know what to do; how you navigate uncertainty and challenging situations

2) Maintain your agency: Believe you have control over your life; simply believing in your actions and claiming your path will lead to higher performance and improve quality of life.

Seth explains the concept of psychological safety—creating an environment where people feel safe enough to show up and express their true selves while confidently asking questions and asking for help. Genuine curiosity creates understanding and unity, which is crucial in multi-generational workplaces. He emphasizes how love creates an essential foundation in leadership dynamics and workplace satisfaction. Leaders must have solid self-love as it enhances self-awareness and love for other people.

Connect with Seth:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/sethmattison/

https://twitter.com/sethmattison

https://www.instagram.com/sethmattison/

Connect with Adam:

https://www.amazon.com/Start-Win-Lessons-Personal-Business/dp/1119807077

Leave us a voicemail:

888-581-4430

How to Shape Your Mindset with One Simple Question

Adam Contos — Wed, 01 Sep 2021 05:00:00 -0600

In this episode of Start With A Win, Adam and SWAW Producer Mark pick up the conversation about Adam's first authored book, Start With A Win: Tools and Lessons to Create Personal and Business Success. Adam announces he will be donating all book proceeds to Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals.

Adam initiates the conversation by addressing two common questions that determine life approaches:

“Do I get to?” Or “Do I have to?”

These questions not only shape your mindset but force you to stop and reflect on how you think about yourself. Once people become conscious of their attitude and choices, it can potentially create doubt. Doubt generates from fear and overwhelm, challenging people to push beyond capabilities. Confront challenges with an “I can” attitude—rather than “I can’t.” Adam explains how lacking the proper attitude/mindset will create barriers to seek and overcome daily challenges. Without seeking challenges, people will never experience victories—victories power, educate, and inspire us.

Adam always asks himself three questions in every situation:

1) What is the challenge?

2) What is the necessary attitude to get started?

3) What actions are needed to overcome the challenge?

Adam outlines the significance of appreciating micro-wins/moments. Enjoying the tiny actions and commitments will enable your thoughts to build momentum as you navigate daily life. He shares the concept of falling forward in life and how it teaches us how to create wins as people are consistently psychologically training to respond to future situations. Life is a compilation of missions—experiences and interactions that shape who we are and how we respond. Start With A Win provides insights to turn mindsets into actions, which create successes and ultimately build upon each other.

Pre-order your copy of Start With A Win:

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/start-with-a-win-adam-contos/1138838681

https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/start-with-a-win-tools-and-lessons-to-create-personal-and-business-success_adam-contos/28078881/#edition=58850831&idiq=46017298

Connect with Adam:

Leave us a voicemail:

888-581-4430

Quick Win: You Are A Product Of Your Decisions

Adam Contos — Fri, 27 Aug 2021 05:00:00 -0600

What happens to you in life is important. But the truth is, your choices are more important and they shape who you are! You are a product of your decisions, not your circumstances. While you can’t always change what happens to you, you can change your choices. Take control of your decisions and let your own choices be what change you.

Connect with Adam:

https://www.shifthappensbook.com/

How Strategic Planning Creates Unity with Christine Riordan

Adam Contos — Wed, 25 Aug 2021 05:00:00 -0600

In this episode of Start With A Win, Adam introduces Christine Riordan, President of Adelphi University and RE/MAX board member. She is the 10th President of the university and the first woman to serve in the role. Christine developed a strategic plan for Adelphi University, known as Momentum. She is also an internationally recognized expert in leadership, career success, and diversity and inclusion.

Christine explains the purpose behind the strategic plan—Momentum—and how every organization will benefit from developing strategic initiatives. She emphasizes how strategic plans provide efficient foundations for defining clear organization goals, aligning jobs, and providing language depth. This structure enables people to focus on a collective objective, creating consistency and direction within organizations.

In an ever-changing workplace, Christine reveals that by 2030, a prediction of 375 million employees will have to transition jobs due to automation, technology, and business changes. Her book, Shift Happens: How to Adapt and Thrive in a Rapidly Changing World of Work, helps people successfully navigate through any change in personal and professional endeavors while explaining the different types of change and how it impacts how people adjust and transition.

Christine provides an overview of her TED Talk, “Dare to Be Extraordinary,” which presents three key attributes of extraordinary people—passion, courage, and resilience.

1) Passion for what you do

2) Courage to make hard decisions and do the right thing

3) Resilience to not give up and get back up when something doesn’t go well

Links:

Shift Happens: How to Adapt and Thrive in a Rapidly Changing World of Work

Dare to Be Extraordinary | Dr. Christine Riordan | TEDxAdelphiUniversity

https://youtu.be/FnUo4D-Taqc

Connect with Christine:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/christineriordan/

https://christineriordan.com/

Connect with Adam:

https://www.amazon.com/Start-Win-Lessons-Personal-Business/dp/1119807077

Leave us a voicemail:

888-581-4430

The Journey Behind Writing the Start With A Win Book

Adam Contos — Wed, 18 Aug 2021 05:00:00 -0600

In this episode of Start With A Win, Adam, and SWAW producer Mark, discuss Adam's first authored book, Start With A Win. Adam shares his inspiration and process for creating the book, referring to the project as a compilation of the SWAW podcast and a reflection of his “why” in business and leadership.

Adam emphasizes the impact of having a firm grasp on understanding yourself, as it determines the effectiveness of your pursuits in business, leadership, and life. He explains how he views life as a series of missions. Everything we do in life is a mission—working towards goals and executing them.

Adam describes how he reflects on every experience to measure and make an intentional effort to make improvements. Consider these questions in your experiences—how is your attitude? What challenges have you overcome? What actions did you take to overcome obstacles? Attitude plays a significant variant in defining the outcomes in all life and business endeavors. It is a matter of choosing between a positive or negative mindset.

Adam reveals the book is divided into two parts, with the first section focused on the reader and the second part delivers tools to succeed. He outlines the topics per chapter:

Chapter 1: Attitude
Chapter 2: Our Mission Sets the Playbook
Chapter 3: Party with the Beast
Chapter 4: Be a sponge
Chapter 5: Leadership Learnings
Chapter 6: From Chaos to Calm
Chapter 7: Presence and Passion
Chapter 8: Lose the Ego
Chapter 9: Coach, Mentor, & Mastermind
Chapter 10: Celebrate the Wins

The book is available to pre-order, with the official release date set for October 19.

Links:

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/start-with-a-win-adam-contos/1138838681

https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/start-with-a-win-tools-and-lessons-to-create-personal-and-business-success_adam-contos/28078881/#edition=58850831&idiq=46017298

Connect with Adam:

Leave us a voicemail:

888-581-4430

Quick Win: If You Fail Enough, You’ll Eventually Find Victory

Adam Contos — Fri, 13 Aug 2021 05:15:00 -0600

Want more success? Who doesn’t? Here’s how to increase your success: fail. That’s right! Getting to victory requires trying and failing. Be willing to fail enough and you’ll find success.

Connect with Adam:

https://www.ericpapp.com/

How to Effectively Manage Your Time and Development with Eric Papp

Adam Contos — Wed, 11 Aug 2021 05:00:00 -0600

In this episode of Start With A Win, Adam welcomes Eric Papp, Keynote Speaker and Founder of Agape Leadership, LLC. Eric begins the conversation by sharing his background in the leadership development and sales industry and his inspiration for initiating Agape Leadership. Agape signifies the highest form of love, which inspired the name of Eric’s business since he believes the highest form of leadership translates into the highest form of love.

Eric discusses the importance of personal development, emphasizing if you’re not consistently improving, you’re gradually getting worse. He reveals how a lack of investment in yourself and not educating the mind will result in negativity, self-doubt, and worrisome thoughts. He also recommends reading 15 minutes a day devoted to your personal development, business, or spirituality.

Eric explains people tend to habitually overcommit, overpromise, and under-deliver with obligations and responsibilities. As a result, people extend beyond their capacities. He further explains that activity impacts thoughts, interfering with the bandwidth to think strategically and develop ideas. In turn, this dynamic creates a lack of certainty, which prevents people from reaching their goals. He breaks down the concept of better thinking versus more effort, emphasizing the importance of planning time strictly for thinking and brainstorming. This consists of two components:

Preparation = Establishing a clear game plan
Priority = How you will spend your time and debrief

End Result = Measuring your progress and evaluating what needs to be changed

Eric shares one of his core time-management concepts—micro to momentum. This concept focuses on developing an unconscious habit by starting small on tasks and working your way up. He elaborates how this coincides with overcoming procrastination and perfectionism.

Connect with Eric:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/ericpapp/

https://twitter.com/ericpapp?lang=en

Connect with Adam:

https://www.remax.com/real-estate-agents/quintavius-burdette-germantown-tn/102051157

Leave us a voicemail:

888-581-4430

Building Organic Relationships in Real Estate with Quintavius "Q" Burdette

Adam Contos — Wed, 04 Aug 2021 05:00:00 -0600

In this episode of Start With A Win, Win Nation will meet Quintavius “Q” Burdette, RE/MAX real estate agent. He is a former D1 football and track athlete from the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) who integrated his work ethic as an athlete into his real estate business.

Q has been in the real estate industry for two and a half years. During his first year, he closed 106 transactions and eventually achieved Diamond status—a million dollars in gross commission—in August 2020. He has built his success by developing a four-point system, which measures his daily activity and maintains productivity. The concept is to achieve any combination of four points daily, outlined by these tasks:

4 points = contract
2 points = listing agreement
1 point = showing buyers
1/2 point = meeting potential clients looking to do business within 90 days

Q also attributes his success to building organic relationships and focusing less on paying for leads and marketing. One of the common ways Q meets others in the community is by going to the local Kroger store and assisting customers with bagging groceries. This type of networking enabled him to talk to 6,000 people in his first 30 days as a real estate agent. Presentation is vital, as it is essential to be aware of your tone, delivery, and what you’re going to say. Q explains how the real estate business comes down to heart. It’s about how much you’re willing to work, network, and build relationships.

Connect with Quintavius:

https://www.instagram.com/quintaviusburdette/

https://www.facebook.com/quintaviusburdetterealtor/

Connect with Adam:

https://ruben-gonzalez.com/

Leave us a voicemail:

888-581-4430

Quick Win: Increased Focus Leads To Increased Results

Adam Contos — Fri, 30 Jul 2021 05:00:00 -0600

Do you want more and better results in whatever you do? It might be simpler than you think. Poor focus leads to poor results, so you can increase your results by increasing your focus. Focus may be easier said than done, but your results will be worth the effort!

Connect with Adam:
https://www.startwithawin.com/
https://www.facebook.com/REMAXAdamContos
https://twitter.com/REMAXAdamContos
https://www.instagram.com/REMAXadamcontos/

Shaping Your Mindset to Succeed with Ruben Gonzalez

Adam Contos — Wed, 28 Jul 2021 05:00:00 -0600

In this episode of Start With A Win, Ruben Gonzalez, a four-time luge Olympian, reveals how his experiences in the Olympics shaped his mindset to succeed in business and how he continues to thrive as an Olympic athlete.

Ruben emphasizes how performance—whether in business or sports—is strongly dependent on a person’s mental state. He breaks down how the mental foundation requires a conscious understanding of your thoughts and process. For example, consider these questions:

How does your mind prepare before a performance/deal?
What does your mind think during a meeting, performance, or other endeavors?
What do you think/feel after completing the goal/task at hand?
How do you process lessons and apply them?
How do you reinforce your habits?

Ruben discusses how internal and external fears often integrate into personal and professional endeavors, which typically prevents individuals from overcoming self-limiting beliefs and challenges. Ruben explains that fear will gradually disappear once you focus more on what you need to improve and implement one step at a time. Ruben reveals that setting intentions in all pursuits influences the subconscious mind, which is key to development, consistency, and success.

Ruben shares how he consistently strives to be better, which requires training, practice, mental strength, and trust in your abilities. As the oldest Winter Olympian in history, he hopes his story will inspire others to dismantle their self-limiting barriers, pursue their goals, and live their dreams.

Connect with Ruben:

oldestolympian.com

https://www.linkedin.com/in/ruben-gonzalez-olympian/

Connect with Adam:

https://www.tracywalder.com/

Leave us a voicemail:

888-581-4430

How Tracy Walder Went From Sorority Sister to CIA Officer & FBI Agent - Part 2

Adam Contos — Wed, 21 Jul 2021 05:00:00 -0600

The conversation continues with Tracy Walder, beginning with her recollection of her transition from the CIA to the FBI and the cultural differences she experienced between the organizations.

After leaving the FBI, Tracy began teaching in hopes of inspiring more young women to pursue careers in national security. As a teacher, Tracy quickly realized foreign policy curriculum was not available to students. This discovery inspired her to build and teach a course focused on national security and foreign policy. Tracy also carries her teachings to Girl Security, a nonprofit organization committed to changing the gender narrative of national security careers while preparing girls and women for these careers through mentorship. Tracy has contributed teachings to the organization, and she is currently on the board of directors.

Tracy finds fulfillment as a teacher by introducing young women to the issues in criminal justice and foreign affairs, as it initiates their curiosity. She discusses the impact of stereotypes and gender narratives for careers in these fields, which often discourages women from pursuing these job types. She reveals how femininity is a “disqualifying” myth and how women are often taken less seriously or regarded as less intelligent with this trait. Tracy hopes to instill open-mindedness and realistic expectations for everyone who wishes to pursue a career in the CIA or FBI, hoping this mindset will contribute to finding their paths to success within the organizations.

Connect with Tracy:

https://www.amazon.com/Unexpected-Spy-Secret-Notorious-Terrorists/dp/1250230985

https://twitter.com/tracy_walder
https://www.linkedin.com/in/tracy-schandler-walder-026547130/

Connect with Adam:

Leave us a voicemail:

888-581-4430

Quick Win: If You're Determined To Learn, No One Can Stop You

Adam Contos — Fri, 16 Jul 2021 06:15:00 -0600

Don’t leave reading and learning behind after you finish school! Instead, be someone who reads, frequents bookstores, and buys books. Why is reading important? If you want to learn in order to lead, reading is an essential part of the process. Gather information through reading, then go out and share what you know.

Connect with Adam:

https://www.tracywalder.com/

How Tracy Walder Went From Sorority Sister to CIA Officer & FBI Agent - Part 1

Adam Contos — Wed, 14 Jul 2021 05:00:00 -0600

Tracy Walder joins Win Nation as a USC alum, Delta sorority sister, author, and former CIA officer and FBI special agent.

While majoring in history at USC, Tracy was recruited at a career fair by the CIA, and she spent most of her career as a Special Operations Officer for the Agency’s Counterterrorism Center. After her time in the CIA, she became a Special Agent for the FBI, specializing in counterintelligence operations. Tracy’s five years of service earned her numerous awards during her time with both organizations.

After her time with the CIA and FBI, Tracy authored The Unexpected Spy, an apolitical memoir of her experiences—such as debriefing terrorists—and insights as a young woman in intelligence and law enforcement. She hopes the book will help and inspire others who aspire to pursue a career in these fields.

Tracy is currently a criminal justice professor at Texas Christian University and a teacher at an all-girls high school, teaching curriculum she created on terrorism and national security. As students have turned to her for advice over the years, she reveals that no specific “formula” will determine career success in the CIA and FBI. It requires more than learning the right curriculum to be successful in these organizations. Tracy explains that soft skills, like empathy, collaboration, listening, problem-solving, and not allowing preconceived notions to interfere with work, are critical in pursuing a career in the CIA or FBI.

Tracy identifies as an introverted-extrovert person with a strong sense of curiosity, judgment, and confidence. Tracy seeks to ask questions to gain a better understanding of others and their situations.

Tune in to next week’s episode to hear part 2 of this conversation!

Connect with Tracy:

https://www.amazon.com/Unexpected-Spy-Secret-Notorious-Terrorists/dp/1250230985

https://twitter.com/tracy_walder
https://www.linkedin.com/in/tracy-schandler-walder-026547130/

Connect with Adam:

https://www.amazon.com/Dream-Big-Youre-Going-About/dp/1400219493

Leave us a voicemail:

888-581-4430

You Have Permission to Dream Big with Bob Goff

Adam Contos — Wed, 07 Jul 2021 05:00:00 -0600

Our guest on this episode of the Start With A Win podcast is Bob Goff, a recovering lawyer who has found his life’s purpose in helping other people find theirs. Bob spent his first career of 32 years as a lawyer, commuting daily from San Diego to Seattle and only missing dinner four times in 25 years. He has always prioritized his family, recognizing that they are the most important thing to him. Even while he was practicing law, he was doing incredible work through his nonprofit called Love Does, where he now spends much of his time and energy. They have built schools in eight countries in the middle of their own civil wars because Bob does not want the next generation to suffer despite the political climates in their countries.

Bob has written several books, and he just recently released “Dream Big.” This book encourages people to find and reach their biggest dreams and lets them know that they don’t have to ask anyone for permission to do so. In the book, he guides people to strip away barriers and baggage holding them back and letting go of the self-limiting beliefs that have affected them for too long. It is also crucial for readers to clearly define their dreams and think through what they want to do that will outlast them. One aspect of this process is focusing on your passions rather than obsessing about the wrong things. Bob says he has been amazed working with people and how taking a genuine interest in those you come in contact with can make a drastic difference.

Bob has a relevant story to demonstrate every lesson, one of which is the story of The Oaks retreat center. He and his wife purchased the camp right before the pandemic hit. They weren’t able to do anything with it immediately, but Bob started looking at the adjacent properties and realized that if he purchased a nearby horse racing track, they could host horses and their trainers there. This opportunity would not have come their way had Bob not been intentional about looking around his current circumstances. Bob encourages listeners to get unstuck and unleash their potential.

Connect with Bob:

https://bobgoff.com/

https://twitter.com/bobgoff

https://www.instagram.com/bobgoff/

https://dreambigframework.com/podcast

https://www.oakscenter.com/

Connect with Adam:

Leave us a voicemail:

888-581-4430

Quick Win: Success Happens After Many Failures

Adam Contos — Fri, 02 Jul 2021 06:00:00 -0600

Planning to succeed the first time you try something? Think again. Failing — and failing many times — is typically an essential part of success. Take it from Henry Ford’s five failures before Ford Motor Company became an incredible business or Thomas Edison’s 1000 failures before he successfully created the lightbulb. Don’t stop trying after one failure. Success comes after many failures!

Connect with Adam:

https://www.amazon.com/Living-Your-Best-Year-Ever/dp/1733513345

Four for the Fourth: Business Development Q&A with Adam

Adam Contos — Wed, 30 Jun 2021 05:00:00 -0600

In this episode of Start With A Win, producer Mark asks Adam a series of business development questions that might change your perspective on some aspects of your business.

What is more important: maintaining your current clients or growing your business? – In classic CEO-form, Adam converts this either/or question into a both/and question, specifying that you need to strike a balance between investing in your existing customers while also marketing yourself to prospects. The best way to do this is by providing products, services, or thought leadership that is of value to people, which will cause your business to be top-of-mind for them.
What is the best strategy for converting a “no” into a “yes”? – Adam will have a lot to say on this topic in his upcoming book, but his main piece of advice is to know the no. Understand that some people will default to “no” out of fear – either of the unknown or of missing out on something else – so your best bet is to give value to them in love.
If you were dropped off in an unfamiliar city and told to start a business, what kind of business would it be, and how would you grow it? – The key to starting any business is to talk to the people, to get to know what is working for them, what isn’t working for them, what they need, and how they need to receive it. You won’t be successful without customers, and you won’t have customers if you aren’t providing them with a product or service that solves a problem for them. The same concept applies to real estate; talk to people, get to know local business owners, start telling the stories of the community, and watch as clients come your way.
What is your best advice for getting unstuck in business growth? – Adam points out that stagnation or issues in business typically reflect personal struggles, so before you can work on your business, you have to work on yourself. Think and journal through the various aspects of your life and gauge how you are doing. Only when you get your life back on track will your business start to grow again.

Links mentioned:

Connect with Adam:

Leave us a voicemail:

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How To Influence People - Part 2

Adam Contos — Wed, 23 Jun 2021 04:00:00 -0600

In this episode of Start With A Win, Adam and Mark pick up the conversation from last week, discussing Carnegie’s How to Win Friends and Influence People. The first episode highlighted an overview of the six principles that help to win people over as friends. Adam sets the stage for this episode, which focuses on how to win people over to your thinking. So how do we influence people?

The first of these points surrounds argument. Adam advises not to argue with people. Instead, simply appreciate that they have an opinion on the issue at all. He calls on martial arts wisdom when he says, “the best fight one is the one not fought at all.” In other words, avoiding fighting with someone is better than winning an argument.

And this can be magnified by the next point, which is to respect differences in opinion. If you can appreciate the fact that someone thinks differently than you, you humanize them and humble yourself. Admitting when you’re wrong can only make this effect stronger. Apologize for mistakes to show that you need grace, too.

Another trick is to begin in a friendly way, which can be as simple as responding enthusiastically from the first interaction. Building on this positivity, another tip is to simply get people to say yes. But instead of thinking about these yesses as finalizing sales (or some formal agreement), think about them like micro yesses, as Mark says. The sheer act of saying yes—even to a simple fact—gets them agreeing with you early, which can help set the tone of the conversation moving forward.

To influence people, you need to first be aligned. We want people to feel that our opinions are valued. And the reality is that no one will care about your thoughts unless you care about theirs. “And someone has to take that first step,” Adam says. When you don’t have mutual trust and understanding, it is virtually impossible to get them to care about what you have to say. You can also call praise and appreciation to their efforts, which can be framed so as not to blame. If you can suggest a change without saying that it’s their fault, you’re that much closer to winning them over to your own thinking.

To avoid feelings of condemnation, try to avoid giving orders. Instead, try asking questions. No one likes being told what to do, but asking questions opens up creative problem-solving. This allows you to sacrifice your own ego to let the other person’s ideas shine. “When you sacrifice your ego, you maintain control of your emotions, and emotions drive behavior,” Adam says. So much of this hinges on emotional control, so offer praise if you want to see motivation.

Finally, this framework of influence is based on building an emotional connection to establish a common team. Influencing is about establishing a framework to work together. And at the end of it all, be sure to reward them. Everyone likes a pat on the back and feeling like they are appreciated. These tips will only help you to succeed. And as always—start with a win.

Connect with Adam:

Leave us a voicemail:

888-581-4430

Quick Win: How You Do One Thing Is How You Will Do All Things

Adam Contos — Fri, 18 Jun 2021 05:00:00 -0600

Connect with Adam:

How To Win Friends - Part 1

Adam Contos — Wed, 16 Jun 2021 01:15:00 -0600

In this solocast of Start With A Win, Adam and Producer Mark talk about some of the key insights in Dale Carnegie’s 1936 classic, How to Win Friends and Influence People. Adam calls it one of the best books for showing how we should treat each other. Although the book is nearly a century old, its lessons on understanding the intrinsic desires of human beings resonate even today.

One of the first tips they explore is the idea that “if you want to gather honey, don’t kick over the beehive.” In short: don’t criticize, condemn, or complain. Usually, this is because it’s human nature to react when someone criticizes you. So try to be nice to people, even when it doesn’t necessarily serve you to do so. People don’t want to help you if you’re beating on them. It takes a specific maturity to consider external forces unfolding when a situation doesn’t go the way you want.

Another principle they discuss is that you should show honest and sincere appreciation. Adam shares a story of a time that he and his family were in the drive-thru at a coffee shop. Seeing that the barista had spent a lot of time on what you’d say was a unique face of makeup, Adam’s daughter, Ashley, tells her that she loved her makeup. Her eyes lit up, Adam recalls, and it changed the entire tone of their interaction. It was remarkable how an honest and sincere compliment elevated a routine coffee run into a memory.

The book also suggests that the only way to influence people is to arouse their “want.” As often as he can, Mark sets an example for his children to intentionally say the names of people he interacts with while in stores. He shares a story about how he once left a grocery store with his children, and they asked him how he knew everyone’s names. He took it as an opportunity to teach them about acknowledging people in service positions and how valuable it can be.

Finally, and perhaps most importantly, you should seek to elevate others’ interests. Show that you are interested in them rather than in yourself. Think about how you can help others rather than yourself, and see how many people you can make smile.

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Communication, Preparation, and Energy-Management in Sports and Life

Adam Contos — Wed, 09 Jun 2021 01:15:00 -0600

In this episode of Start With A Win, we hear from Molly Fletcher, a speaker, author, and former top sports agent. In her professional career, she spent two decades as one of the world’s only female sports agents and negotiated over 500 million dollars of contracts.

Molly shares a bit about her career, including key points she has learned over the years of negotiating contracts and working with people. She notes that negotiation is simply a conversation, and the better the relationship, the better the outcome will be. Understanding where the other person is coming from is vital, as are good preparation and communication.

On the other hand, Molly lists two of the top mistakes people make in negotiating: not asking the tough questions early on and not taking the time to pause. To wrap up, we learn about the idea behind Molly’s new book, “The Energy Clock” — that the linchpin for performance for athletes, coaches, and business people alike is not time management but energy management. Show up for your big moments with the energy you need!

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https://Training.mollyfletcher.com
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Comfort First, Then Find a Win

Adam Contos — Fri, 04 Jun 2021 01:15:00 -0600

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Polar Ben and His History-Making Expeditions

Adam Contos — Wed, 02 Jun 2021 01:15:00 -0600

Our guest on this episode of Start With A Win is Ben Saunders, a polar explorer and motivational speaker who has excellent nuggets of wisdom for listeners on the show. Growing up in a rural area of the UK, Ben spent much of his childhood outside, learning about the world around him and struggling to sit still in school. After high school, Ben worked with John Ridgway, who had rowed across the Atlantic in a wooden boat in 93 days, and was inspired by Ridgway’s fortitude and accomplishments. Ben decided to stay beyond his gap year to teach at Ridgway’s adventure school, where he also spent a lot of time reading about adventurers.

In 2001, Ben and his friend spent 59 days skiing to the North Pole, but they were unprepared and didn’t complete their goal. A few weeks later, Ben got a bill in the mail for his portion of the trip expenses – close to $50,000 – and he decided to plan a second trip and fundraise for the trip and cover his debts. This trip was a success and his first solo venture. In 2004, he completed his solo trip from Russia to the North Pole, and then in 2014, Ben and his partner completed the 1800-mile journey to the South Pole, retracing the steps of Scott in 1912.

Through all of Ben’s experiences, he has learned that self-belief is essential to overcoming challenges. This human quality must essentially develop because confidence follows courage. Ben says that either you are winning or you are learning, and no experience is a waste. He also discusses the importance of being intentional. Be intentional about how you are focusing your time and energy, not dwelling on things that are outside of your control. To that end, Ben jumped into entrepreneurship in 2020, creating Scroll Bands that help people be aware of the time they are spending on their phones.

Connect with Ben:

https://bensaunders.com/

https://twitter.com/polarben?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor

https://www.ted.com/speakers/ben_saunders

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Emotional Mastery

Adam Contos — Wed, 26 May 2021 01:15:00 -0600

Adam shares his insights on leadership and emotional mastery in this episode of Start With A Win. He says many people neglect emotional intelligence and emotional maturity, pursuing financial- or performance-based goals. However, pushing your people to reach those KPIs without establishing a foundation of emotional mastery is counterproductive. The two aspects of emotional mastery—the ability to control your emotions—are emotional intelligence and emotional maturity.

Emotional intelligence boils down to empathy, being aware of your own feelings, the feelings of others, and how they fit together. It is vital to understand that there are only two core emotions: fear and love. Fear is the default emotion and often accompanied by the word "but" or the phrase, "I’m busy." When you operate through fear, you can not master your emotions. Love, on the other hand, requires intentionality and leads to unconditional giving.

Emotional maturity is essentially choice management, Adam says. Your choices will determine your results, so it is best to create your own good choices to get the results you want. Love and fear come to play here, too, because the ego enters into the arena to fight back when you make a bad choice because it has an inherent fear of failure. Adam’s mantra, which fits in well here, is “stay hungry, stay humble.” It is essential to learn from others constantly and to own your choices. Leaders control their emotions while demonstrating an example to others.

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Quick Win: Leaders Create Hope and Empowerment

Adam Contos — Fri, 21 May 2021 01:15:00 -0600

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The Ingredients for Creativity with Scott Landers

Adam Contos — Wed, 19 May 2021 09:13:48 -0600

Whether you are fully aware that fonts are more than just options in your word processing software, or you had no idea that there is a company called Monotype that creates and distributes licenses for typefaces, this interview with Scott Landers, the company’s CEO, is just for you. In this episode of Start With a Win, Scott expands the understanding of how typefaces fuel creativity and help brands establish themselves in the market.

Monotype is the world’s leading provider of typefaces, and their offerings and product reach are consistently expanding as technology continues to grow onward and upward. Scott provides a helpful illustration of everything you could have interacted with on a typical morning that contains a typeface created by Monotype. This example helps listeners recognize how influential Monotype is and all of the ways they have to adapt to innovations. When Monotype started, fonts were strictly for print. Eventually, they had to grow into typefaces for screens linked to printers, and in recent years they have grown to create fonts solely to be used and consumed on screens. This growth curve over the past several decades is quite steep. Despite this growth curve, they have excelled amidst the challenges. This success resulted due to close communication with their customers every step of the way. As a result, they remain ready to help individuals and brands express themselves through creativity centered around typefaces.

Scott’s sage advice to creators trying to choose the right fonts—if the font is executed right, you won’t notice it. The font provides the body language and the tone of voice for the words on the page, so regard this process as half art and half science. Monotype has consultants on staff available to help businesses choose the right typefaces for their brand. They recognize how integral this part of the process is to the brand’s identity for years to come. When it comes to leading through change, Scott says that the most important thing is to keep the customer at the center and give your employees more authority because if they know that you trust them to do the right thing, they will do the right thing.

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https://monotype.com

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https://www.jeremyryanslate.com/

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Consistently Building Trust with Jeremy Ryan Slate - Part 2

Adam Contos — Wed, 12 May 2021 01:15:00 -0600

This episode is the conclusion of Adam’s interview with Jeremy Ryan Slate. We pick back up in the conversation on building trust and why brands aren’t able to establish their presence. Jeremy says that people forget about public relations until something goes wrong, and they suddenly want to make sure that everyone knows all of the good things about them to offset the bad. PR should be integrated into daily, weekly, and monthly rhythms within the business so that leaders always have open lines of communication with their customers. This approach allows brands to proactively answer objections and solve problems before customers even get to that point in the process.

This presence and communication is epitomized by overdelivering in every customer exchange, focusing on building relationships rather than closing transactions, and eventually creating brand evangelists that will be the best PR you can hope for. Many businesses strategize their communications months in advance and try to be on all of the social media platforms. However, over-planning can take the spontaneity out of interacting with customers in real-time on the platform(s) that best fits your niche. Jeremy encourages leaders and entrepreneurs to focus on doing one thing well and stay in their niche and then expand your footprint as your business grows and your team expands.

To sum up this two-part conversation, Jeremy breaks down his recommended action items for those people looking to start something new, particularly a podcast:

Find out what’s out there already
Articulate how you are different
Research the influencers in that space
Curate your audience based on the audiences of those influencers
Focus on one platform at a time
Interview people in the niche
Get interviewed by people in the niche

Connect with Jeremy:

https://twitter.com/JeremyRyanSlate

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremy-ryan-slate-bb7b284a

https://www.instagram.com/jeremyryanslate/?hl=en

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Quick Win: Take Action and Stop Failure

Adam Contos — Fri, 07 May 2021 01:15:00 -0600

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Pursuing Brilliance with Jeremy Ryan Slate - Part 1

Adam Contos — Wed, 05 May 2021 01:15:00 -0600

Our guest on this episode of the Start With A Win podcast is Jeremy Ryan Slate, host of the “Create Your Own Life” podcast, self-proclaimed nerd, and opinion leader who prides himself in building trust. Perhaps the most unique thing about Jeremy is that he and his wife have a pet pig who used to live indoors but was evicted to live an outdoor existence when their first (human) child was born.

Jeremy was introduced to podcasts by one of his college professors. When his initial attempts at teaching and sales after college didn’t pan out, he launched a podcast himself as a way of manifesting the life he wanted to have. The show had immediate success, so Jeremy decided to jump right in and utilize the opportunity in front of him and see where it would lead. Throughout his 850+ episodes since 2013, Jeremy has interviewed professional athletes, entrepreneurs, members of the military, and many other high-achievers, and he has noticed a few similarities between them. First, most of them experienced and overcame adversity, viewing it as an opportunity for growth. And second, they were committed to continued learning through training programs, mentorship, apprenticeship, and an internal curiosity.

While Jeremy was forming his personal brand through his podcast, he struggled to define how he wanted to be known. In hindsight, his advice to others going through this process is to let people know how you are different, have courage, and learn from your failures. From a tactical standpoint, Jeremy recommends extending the experience of the content you’re creating by implementing strategies to repurpose it for different channels. He also says that every landing page should have a Getemails.com code and a Facebook Pixel embedded into it so that you can collect email addresses and have the ability to retarget ads to website visitors. When it comes to developing new content ideas, one of his suggestions is to write down a list of all of the objections you receive and start producing content to address those objections. This approach provides value, answers the concerns, and builds trust.

Join us on the next episode for the conclusion of our conversation with Jeremy Ryan Slate!

Links:

“Positioning” by Jack Trout and Al Ries: https://www.amazon.com/Positioning-Battle-Your-Al-Ries/dp/0071373586

Connect with Jeremy:

https://twitter.com/JeremyRyanSlate

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremy-ryan-slate-bb7b284a

https://www.instagram.com/jeremyryanslate/?hl=en

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Learning How to Effectively Deal with Stress

Adam Contos — Wed, 28 Apr 2021 02:00:00 -0600

On this episode of the Start With A Win podcast, Adam talks to SWAW producer Mark with a hot round of interview questions. They include questions about friendship, relaxation, and how to deal with stress.

Mark initiates the conversation with the question, "Who is your oldest friend, and how did you meet them?" Mark and Adam share a bit about their oldest and closest friendships, dating back to their early childhoods.

Adam and Mark also dig into how stress affects us. Mark says you can’t think clearly when stressed, which often results in making bad decisions. He has seen the most growth in pushing through stress as opposed to trying to avoid it. Avoiding stress can cause depression. Stop worrying and start doing, Adam says.

Stress, Planning, Action—the SPA acronym for how to deal with stress. Much like the word spa itself, this tool is designed to help people push through stressful situations instead of avoiding them altogether.

Action overcomes stress. Reviewing the stressful environment perpetuates stress. The best way to deal with stressful situations is to make a plan for what you’re going to do next. And it is in the action that real moments of growth and learning unfold. Adam and Mark reveal their own thoughts about how this strategy can help you reap more out of your life. Stress is a killer, so we need more chances to survive.

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Quick Win: Be Nice and Help People

Adam Contos — Fri, 23 Apr 2021 02:00:00 -0600

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https://www.linkedin.com/in/carl-bachmann-80704110

Smashing Burgers and Treating People Right with Carl Bachmann

Adam Contos — Wed, 21 Apr 2021 02:00:00 -0600

On this episode of the Start With A Win podcast, Adam talks with Carl Bachmann, CEO of Smashburger. Carl has been in the restaurant business since he was 12 years old, so he knows a thing or two about listening to customer feedback and delivering a high-quality product. As a leader, Carl is a strong proponent for treating people right and empowering them to make informed decisions, and then supporting what they create. This ideology starts, he says, with having clearly defined and articulated goals as an organization and then getting your employees to buy into that vision and innovate within it. Carl embraces the fact that he is not the smartest guy in the room, and he wants to provide a space for employees to collaborate and harness their passion into something that will improve the customer experience.

When it comes to the customer experience, Carl believes that his job is to listen and learn rather than make decisions in a vacuum. He reviews every social media comment and other forms of feedback every day, so he is in touch with what people are saying and feeling about the business as a whole as well as specific products. Carl and the other Smashburger leaders spend time in individual restaurants listening to their employees because they often come up with the best new ideas. He feels that transparency and honesty are critical components of his business philosophy, so employees and customers alike understand what the company is doing and why. Smashburger has recently started a loyalty program to connect more directly with customers and reward them for their purchases.

Connect with Carl:

https://twitter.com/carljbachmann?lang=en

https://smashburger.com/

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https://www.amazon.com/Shtick-Business-Breaking-Fearless-Building-ebook/dp/B085RSR2K8

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What Comedy Teaches Us About Business with Dr. Peter McGraw

Adam Contos — Wed, 14 Apr 2021 02:00:00 -0600

Our guest on this episode of Start With a Win is Dr. Peter McGraw. He is a behavioral economist, professor, author, podcaster, and comedy student. He has recently written a new book entitled Shtick to Business which discusses how humor integrates with business, including the many lessons that leaders can learn from comedians. One of the main aspects of Peter’s research has been the theory of humor. Using an A/B test, he asked participants what they thought of certain things – did they find them funny? Boring? Offensive? Do their feelings towards those things change over time or based on their circumstances?

Ultimately, he concluded that the funny things contain benign violations—or things that are wrong and ok at the same time. For both comedians and business leaders, experimentation is key to determining what benign violations will translate well to an audience. Another aspect of humor that business leaders can utilize in the workplace is thinking in reverse to challenge the status quo. Peter has adapted this idea, developing an alternative form of brainstorming, which he calls “shtick-storming.” The concept focuses on encouraging everyone to come up with the most terrible ideas. This exercise allows leaders to actually take the pressure off of the brainstorming process, creating a freer flow of ideas which might make way for something so crazy that it actually might work.

Peter also encourages leaders to be good listeners and to champion collaboration, which will lead to innovation. Additionally, he says, leaders have to reckon with the fact they can’t make everyone happy and that sometimes they have to choose the problem they want to live with. For more insights that Peter has learned through studying the science of humor and behavioral economics, be sure to check out his book.

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https://petermcgraw.org/

https://twitter.com/PeterMcGraw

https://www.linkedin.com/in/petermcgraw

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Quick Win: Clarity Removes Fear

Adam Contos — Fri, 09 Apr 2021 02:00:00 -0600

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The Impact of Attitude

Adam Contos — Wed, 07 Apr 2021 02:00:00 -0600

What is the first step to leadership? Adam draws from his wealth of leadership training and experience to provide the answer to Start With A Win listeners on this episode. The first step to leadership, he says, is to lead yourself first. It’s counterintuitive because many people assume that the most vital leadership outcome is getting people to do what you want them to do. However, you cannot be an effective leader without first being intentional with yourself. Particularly, it is crucial to have control of your attitudes and emotions.

Pastor Chuck Swindoll is famous for saying that life is 10% about what happens to you and 90% of how you react to it. Adam expands on this quote by saying that leaders have a choice every day about how they will feel and interact with others and that this attitude can make or break a leader’s credibility, relationships, effectiveness, and impact. You will attract other people who behave as you do, and those around you will start to mirror what they see in you, so make conscious choices. Demonstrate emotional intelligence and emotional maturity despite the circumstances.

You don’t have to put on a fake positive attitude either. You can be realistic and optimistic at the same time. Accept that you will face challenges and know that you can confront them and overcome every adverse situation. You get to decide your mindset when you wake up every morning, so choose to be positive and see challenges as opportunities.

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Setting and Reaching High Goals with Joanna Koltan

Adam Contos — Wed, 31 Mar 2021 02:00:00 -0600

On this episode of the Start With A Win podcast, our guest is Joanna Koltan, an elite broker-owner with RE/MAX Portugal. Originally from Poland, Joanna moved to Portugal for love in a very spontaneous decision despite not knowing the language or having a job. She didn’t let that stop her from getting immersed in the culture and jumping into the real estate industry.

Joanna is consistently motivated to be around people who are smarter than her—in hopes of learning from them and becoming a better person every day. She sets high goals for herself and puts in the work to get where she wants to go. After receiving her real estate certification in Portugal, Joanna began working in the posh area of the city where other agents said there was no business. She became very successful by door knocking and being accessible to the homeowners in the community. She began making a name for herself and received recognition by agents near and far for her prolific accomplishments. In 2008, Joanna joined the RE/MAX Portugal team—spotlighted as a Top 30 European RE/MAX office.

One of Joanna’s other passions is women’s empowerment and providing leadership opportunities to women, particularly women in Europe who are generally not encouraged in this way. Over the past couple of years, RE/MAX Empowering Ambitious Ladies (REAL) has come together, and Joanna, Michelle, and a few others set the course for the group during an event in Porto. Joanna hopes this community will provide a safe space for women to discuss their struggles and successes and spur each other onto greater things.

Connect with Joanna:

https://www.facebook.com/joannakoltan

https://pt.linkedin.com/in/joannakoltan

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Quick Win: How To Live Up To Your Potential

Adam Contos — Fri, 26 Mar 2021 02:00:00 -0600

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https://www.marneyandes.com/

Start with the Give-Me Shots with Marney Andes

Adam Contos — Wed, 24 Mar 2021 02:00:00 -0600

Our guest on this episode of the Start With A Win podcast is Marney Andes, a learning and development executive coach, consultant, and author. She attributes her success to her humble beginnings and the lessons she learned from her father on a rural Nebraska farm. In her new book, “Start with the Give-Me Shots,” Marney outlines eight of the core lessons that her father taught her, which she has found herself recalling and sharing with others throughout her life. Her father passed away in 2012. Marney was motivated to write this book to allow his legacy to live on while sharing his message of intentionality and simplicity in relationships and community.

Marney discusses two of the lessons from the book on this episode of the podcast. Lesson 2 is “start with the give-me shots,” which underlines the importance of focusing on the basics and practicing them every day. This kind of intentional practice will make those things come naturally, so they are always ready when you need to call on them. This practice is much more impactful than wasting time on the things that don’t matter. Lesson 8 is “what have you done for the good of the community today?” Marney’s father used this question as a conversation starter because he loved connecting with people on more than just a surface level. As Marney has become an adult herself, she has come to appreciate the power of that question and the self-reflection it encourages. Marney says it is helpful to ask these questions as a part of this reflection: What happened today? What do I think and feel about it? What do I want to do about it?

“Start with the Give-Me Shots” will be available on Amazon starting March 23, 2021, so check it out there to learn the other six core lessons.

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Investing in Long-Term Success with Maggie Contos

Adam Contos — Wed, 17 Mar 2021 02:00:00 -0600

Our special guest on this episode of the Start With A Win podcast is Adam’s daughter, Maggie Contos. She is a freshman at Oklahoma University majoring in psychology on a pre-law track. Her long-term goal is to move to New York City, go to law school, and then work for the FBI. Anyone who knows Maggie would say that she is well on her way to reaching that goal, and after this episode, you will likely see why.

Unlike most college freshmen, Maggie hits the gym almost every morning at 5:00 am, time blocks her day, and has a running list of tasks she wants to get done when she has free time. She is intentional about priorities—getting her schoolwork and studying done before hanging out with her friends and seeing things through completion. She is very aware of her big goals and the smaller goals she needs to achieve on the way to the bigger ones. This type of thinking helps her make necessary changes and marginal gains along the way and consistently seeing progress. In conjunction with her commitment to getting enough sleep every night and drinking plenty of water, her routines and habits reduce her stress and help her take on more responsibilities while maintaining a healthy balance.

Adam points out that the way Maggie approaches every day demonstrates emotional maturity and an internal locus of control. Maggie shares how her mindset of choosing the pain of discipline over the pain of regret helps her make those daily decisions. This mindset sets her apart from most 18-year-olds and gives her the margin to enjoy the small things while experiencing the realization of her goals. To those who may be listening who tend to get overwhelmed or burned out, Maggie says that the key is to remain focused on the goal and block out the time you need to get there every day.

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Quick Win: Every Day is an Opportunity

Adam Contos — Fri, 12 Mar 2021 02:00:00 -0700

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The Journey to Self-Awareness with Dr. Tasha Eurich

Adam Contos — Wed, 10 Mar 2021 02:00:00 -0700

Our guest on this episode of the Start With A Win podcast is Dr. Tasha Eurich, New York Times bestselling author of Insight and experienced executive coach and researcher specializing in self-awareness. Tasha and her team have spent the past seven years researching these four questions:

What is self-awareness?
Where does it come from?
Why do we need it?
How do we get more of it?

Essentially, they have boiled down the definition of self-awareness to: “the will and skill to see ourselves clearly.” This level of self-knowledge includes both internal (who we are at our core) and external self-awareness (how people see us). Self-aware individuals possess both internal and external, which sets them apart from the 80% or so of people who think they are self-aware but are not. Tasha has found that there are many internal barriers that people set up for themselves that keep them from attaining self-awareness and that gathering internal and external feedback helps to break down these barriers.

When focusing on internal feedback, Tasha recommends a daily habitual practice of asking yourself these three questions:

What went well today?
What didn’t go well today?
What can I do to be smarter tomorrow?

Soliciting external feedback is more about asking the right people than asking the right questions. Tasha says that these people should want you to succeed and be willing to say the difficult thing when necessary. If you are interested in learning more about your self-awareness journey, consider taking the free assessment at the link below.

Free Self-Awareness Assessment:

Connect with Tasha:

https://www.tashaeurich.com/

https://www.insight-book.com/

https://twitter.com/tashaeurich?s=20

https://www.linkedin.com/in/tashaeurich

https://www.facebook.com/TashaEurich/

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https://www.angelicasellsdenver.com/

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The Power of Genuine Connections with Angelica Olmsted

Adam Contos — Wed, 03 Mar 2021 02:00:00 -0700

Our guest on this episode of the Start With A Win podcast is Angelica Olmsted, a flourishing real estate agent in the Denver metro area. Angelica started her career in the real estate industry, working at Booj and creating technology products to assist real estate professionals before leaping into being an agent in 2020. During this big transition, Angelica says that she felt overwhelmed by the big learning curve, but she found success in setting a few small goals at a time. These milestones helped her break down her bigger goals into more manageable tasks. For example, she spent several weeks focused on building out her CRM system with her existing contacts before reaching out to them and starting to track her interactions. Her current project involves filling in the birthday of her CRM contacts. She focuses on two letters of the alphabet per week.

An integral part of Angelica’s business is establishing genuine connections with people. She has linked her contacts’ social media accounts to their CRM entries. Before calling someone, she always takes a few minutes to review what they have been up to lately, both because she genuinely wants to know and show them that they are important to her. After every call or text, Angelica always adds a task for her next contact with that person. She follows up by sending them an interesting article, calling them back in a few weeks to see how their recent race went, or dropping a handwritten card and a lottery ticket in the mail for them on their birthday.

Angelica tries to find a balance between promoting herself and sharing fun and personal posts on social media. She wants to give her friends and followers a glimpse of her personal and professional lives because if she provides them with insightful and engaging content, she will be top-of-mind for them when it comes time to buy or sell their next home.

Connect with Angelica:

https://www.instagram.com/angelica_olmsted/

https://www.facebook.com/angelica.polen

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Quick Win: Systems Create Results

Adam Contos — Fri, 26 Feb 2021 02:00:00 -0700

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Solocast: The Truth About Leadership

Adam Contos — Wed, 24 Feb 2021 02:00:00 -0700

In this episode of the Start With A Win podcast, Adam shares his insights on leadership and the ways many perspectives on the subject are missing the point. You are not a leader simply because of your job title or having people reporting directly to you. In fact, leading has nothing to do with who you are but rather what you do. Leadership is learned on-the-job, first-hand, by being responsible for other people and their outcomes. This responsibility spans from CEOs to stay-at-home parents, from little league coaches to real estate broker-owners, and is different than just “being in charge."

Leadership involves an intentional daily practice of managing your emotions, attitudes, interactions, and actions. Take a moment to evaluate how you are doing in these areas. How are you leading through your attitudes and actions? What are you portraying to those you are influencing? What are people hearing and experiencing from you? This self-awareness should partner with a willingness to lead yourself as well. It is crucial people see you doing what you are telling them to do, setting that example and consistently living it out. Leading by example is especially important when leading within a company. Adam gives the example of encouraging RE/MAX employees to utilize video and directly communicate with clients by demonstrating those actions himself. Leadership is an opportunity and a responsibility that should not be taken lightly. Evaluate how you are doing, and then take steps to be better.

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https://www.winnclaybaugh.com/

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Making an Impact by Loving Yourself First with Winn Claybaugh

Adam Contos — Wed, 17 Feb 2021 02:00:00 -0700

Our guest on this episode of the Start With A Win podcast is Winn Claybaugh, Dean, and Co-Founder of Paul Mitchell Schools, author, motivational speaker, and experienced businessman. Winn got into the business of hair at the encouragement of some of his friends who said he would be good at running a salon. So in 1984, he opened a 3-chair salon and shortly thereafter started a school that would eventually become Paul Mitchell Schools when he teamed up with John Paul DeJoria. Winn found that while he has no experience as a hairdresser, this business is the perfect fit for his passions, helping students learn the craft and find their stride before embarking off in their own directions to serve their clients.

At this point in his career, Winn mainly focuses on the philanthropic endeavors of Paul Mitchell Schools, orchestrating support for many charitable organizations including Children’s Miracle Network. He wants to make sure that the schools continue to positively impact the citizens in local communities and also reach out a helping hand to those in need. For Winn, this enthusiasm is grounded in the mindset that everyone who influences other people is a leader and that to make this influence mutually beneficial, it is important for each leader to establish a routine of self-love. Each person should know what things to do and what things not to do to be the best version of themselves and, in turn, improve the lives of everyone around them.

Winn points out that there are three basic human needs: to feel safe, to belong, and to have a sense of purpose. To provide these things to others, particularly in a work environment, leaders must approach everyone as if they are saying “Make me feel important.” Understand their fears and sell them hope. This is not an easy thing to do, so it must come from a place of self-love and self-awareness that you might need to put in some work to give people what they need from you.

Connect with Winn:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/masters-by-winn-claybaugh/id1476413755

https://www.linkedin.com/in/winnclaybaugh

https://www.instagram.com/winnclaybaugh/

https://twitter.com/winnclaybaugh

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVGPG1wt0dBKB0QZwCJZtYg

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Quick Win: Happiness

Adam Contos — Fri, 12 Feb 2021 02:00:00 -0700

Summary:

Before you start your day, before every meeting, before every big decision, make sure that your head is right. If you get to a headspace of happiness, you are in the right place to perform at the highest level. Be intentional about focusing on happiness and see the impacts it will have on your personal and professional lives.

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Lessons in Leadership with NAREB President-Elect Lydia Pope

Adam Contos — Wed, 10 Feb 2021 02:00:00 -0700

Our guest on this episode of the Start With A Win podcast is Lydia Pope, President-elect of the National Association of Real Estate Brokers. Lydia provides a brief history of NAREB by shedding light on unconscious bias and discrimination, including the obstacles Black families have encountered in the homebuying process. Lydia didn’t initially realize how prevalent this discrimination was until she and her husband went to buy their first home many years ago. It was very apparent that their real estate agent was steering them to certain neighborhoods and houses and away from others. This experience motivated Lydia to get involved in real estate, and the rest is history. She has been working with clients to ensure fair housing practices, educate them about the home buying process, and make sure that they feel empowered to look at whichever houses they want to without fear.

NAREB launched in 1947, providing education and advocacy for Black homebuyers as they navigate the homebuying process. The organization is proud of its past, relentless in the struggle for equality, and committed to opening doors for others, and they expect the same of each member. Their efforts have gained a new level of purpose over the past seven years since the publication of their first State of Housing in Black America (SHIBA) report, which provides data for the unfair practices in the housing industry that negatively impact Black families. With these statistics in hand, Lydia feels the job set before her is very clear. She is committed to making positive gains in credit scoring, restrictive underwriting, down payment assistance programs, affordability, and the long-term effects of COVID-19 on the economy. On the NAREB website, you will find resources and training about their focus areas, including community, government, and membership. If you are a real estate professional of any ethnicity or any background, consider joining NAREB as they lead the way in positive cultural change.

Connect with Lydia:

https://www.nareb.com/

Lydia.pope@nareb.com

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http://www.resourcepodcast.net/

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Pursuing Personal and Professional Development with Jay Pitts

Adam Contos — Wed, 03 Feb 2021 02:15:00 -0700

On this episode of the Start with a Win podcast, Adam talks with Jay Pitts, broker-owner of RE/MAX Premier Properties in Louisville, Kentucky. Jay says that it was a no-brainer for him to end up in real estate, considering that his dad and uncle were both RE/MAX agents in small-town Kentucky while Jay was growing up. From them, he learned all of the aspects of the business since small-town real estate agents do so much more for their communities than manage home sale transactions. He started his career in finance, but he knew this wasn’t a good fit, and he got into real estate before long.

During the Great Recession, when so many real estate professionals were struggling and even failing, Jay drew from his entrepreneurial spirit to adapt his business and bring in consistent income by doing about 20 BPO orders per week. He also invested a lot of time and energy into prospecting, getting his name out there so that he was top-of-mind when people were ready to buy or sell. Eventually, he was so overwhelmed by calls from the signs he had put up that he pulled one of his good friends into the business with him, and they went to work. The brokerage now has about 30 agents, and they have sold over 2,000 homes, so their setup is producing excellent results.

Jay says that even in 2021, many agents don’t know how to get themselves out there. He recommends doing content marketing through videos on social media, showcasing behind-the-scenes videos such as documenting a personal real estate investment. He also says some very successful real estate agents have never experienced a down market because they got into the industry after 2010. When that time comes in the economy, these agents will need to learn how to sell availability and educate their consumers.

An avid proponent of coaching and mentoring, Jay emphasizes the importance of caring about the development of the people around you as well as your own development. He says that the accountability provided by mentors and coaches is unlike any accountability you could give yourself individually and that these folks are a treasure trove of information on situations you might be facing. He encourages listeners to be intentional about mentoring their employees and providing them with growth opportunities.

Connect with Jay:

http://www.jaypitts.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaypittsrealtor

https://www.facebook.com/LouisvilleKYHomesandRealEstate/

https://www.instagram.com/jaypittsrealtor/?hl=en

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Quick Win: Awareness

Adam Contos — Fri, 29 Jan 2021 02:00:00 -0700

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https://www.amazon.com/Master-None-Jack-All-Trades-Still/dp/0062889036

How a Jack-of-All-Trades Can Still Reach the Top with Cliff Hudson

Adam Contos — Wed, 27 Jan 2021 02:00:00 -0700

You might think that your best path to reaching your goals is to become more and more specialized as you progress in your career, but former CEO of Sonic, Cliff Hudson, shares with Start with A Win listeners that this does not always have to be the case. In fact, Cliff’s own experience showed that pursuing multiple paths that you are passionate about or even just interested in can make you a very successful generalist and perhaps take you farther than you thought you could go.

Cliff majored in history in his undergrad and then went on to law school. After a few years in private practice, he became General Counsel at Sonic at the age of 29. During his career at Sonic, Cliff bounced around between disciplines a few times before taking over the helm of CEO, serving for 23 years. He points out that being a CEO entails being the most resourceful generalist in the company because of the expectation CEOs speak knowledgeably in all areas of business. In this role, Cliff focused on surrounding himself with the best people in multiple areas of the company to help him fill in his knowledge gaps before feeling confident enough to make decisions in unfamiliar areas.

Cliff talks about the power of having the right mindset, choosing to see challenges as opportunities by finding creative solutions. A great way to have a toolkit of resources to draw from when challenges arise is by pursuing a variety of interests throughout your schooling and career, even if the things you are naturally curious about don’t seem to relate to your career goals. You will work most diligently on the things that appeal most to you, and the transferrable skills you can develop will only benefit you down the road. Talk with your employer about opportunities they might have for interdisciplinary training. If you are an employer, consider offering these training programs to your team to keep them engaged and learning.

Connect with Cliff:

https://cliffordhudson.com/

https://cliffordhudson.com/podcast

https://twitter.com/jcliffordhudson

https://linkedin.com/in/cliffordhudson

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https://www.giordano.global/

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The Evolution of the Virtual Agent with Tony Giordano

Adam Contos — Wed, 20 Jan 2021 02:00:00 -0700

Our guest on this episode of Start With A Win is Tony Giordano. He is an author, speaker, coach, and realtor out of the Los Angeles area. Tony got into real estate at a young age, and he quickly achieved success. During the market collapse of 2008-2009, he lost everything—literally. In October of 2009, he decided to start back at the bottom and reinvent himself as a real estate agent, recognizing that sometimes winners lose games, but they don’t have to stay down.

He started experimenting with building up his online presence in 2010, and he has never looked back. He says being a digital agent means looking at social media as the “new front door” where you will meet new leads, connect with people, and close deals. Two of the mantras of being a digital agent are “contacts = business” and “virtual = video,” meaning the more contacts you have online, the more business you will attract. If you are going to connect with people, you have to utilize video. You have to practice the habit of getting in front of the camera to create content and correspond with people over text and video.

Regarding social media itself, Tony believes that you should be where the people are, having a presence on every platform but prioritizing where you spend most of your time and energy. Despite many people getting wrapped up in the technology and every iteration of changes to the algorithm, human interaction of social media never changes. Tony concentrates on connecting with people. He provides the example of being at the dinner table with a couple of people you know and a couple of people you don’t. If one of the people you don’t know says something funny, you don’t ignore them or try not to laugh—you react honestly and make a connection with them in the process. The same should be true on social media. Tony says he uses his tagline “like them, tag them, and add them” regarding interaction with new people on social media. Think of social media as a never-ending networking event, and you will succeed.

Connect with Tony:

https://www.risemastery.com/

https://www.amazon.com/Social-Agent-New-Era-Networking/dp/1466317272

https://www.amazon.com/social-agent-2-0-update-evolution/dp/1982051833

https://twitter.com/tony_giordano/media

https://www.facebook.com/GiordanoIntl/

https://www.facebook.com/giordano.global

https://www.instagram.com/tony_giordano/?hl=en

https://www.instagram.com/tonygiordanoteam/?hl=en

https://www.linkedin.com/in/thesocialagent

https://www.youtube.com/c/TonyGiordano/playlists

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Quick Win: Expert Starts With Experience

Adam Contos — Fri, 15 Jan 2021 02:00:00 -0700

Summary:

It goes without saying that experts are given that name because they have a lot of experience in a certain area or industry. But what might not be so obvious is that their experience includes successes as well as failures. If you want to become an expert, you will have to put in the time to experience the good and the bad and apply the lessons you learn to future endeavors.

Connect with Adam:

https://www.convinceandconvert.com/

Creating a Coveted Customer Experience with Jay Baer

Adam Contos — Wed, 13 Jan 2021 02:00:00 -0700

We are almost a year into the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States. Some businesses still haven’t adapted to the new needs of their customers. Jay Baer—a thought leader, keynote speaker, and advisor to many notable clients—shares his perspective with Start With A Win listeners that COVID-19 has provided an unprecedented opportunity for business growth if business owners are willing to take it. Right now, every business is a start-up because every business is having to reinvent themselves to accommodate the restrictions, changes, new expectations, and new needs of the business environment and consumers. People have adopted new ways of making purchasing decisions. Only the businesses that have kept up with their customers and the market are going to grow.

Jay and his team have come up with a framework for achieving the coveted customer experience, which means that when you consistently exceed expectations, price and perfection don’t matter any longer. Instead, customers will be won or lost based on these three qualities: quick, clear, and kind. That framework is what people care about right now, and it is the best way for businesses to differentiate themselves from their competitors. Almost every interaction they have had with anyone in 2020 has lacked those specific qualities. Even if you think you are doing a great job of practicing these qualities, you may be astounded to see the positive changes that would result from intentionally focusing on providing customers with a quick, clear, and kind experience. Consumers will be so pleasantly surprised that they will become unofficial brand ambassadors for you and help bring new business in the door.

Connect with Jay:

https://www.jaybaer.com/

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/social-pros-podcast/id499844469

https://twitter.com/jaybaer

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaybaer

Connect with Adam:

https://www.instagram.com/cheplaklive/?hl=en

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How to Set Yourself Up for Success in 2021 with Jon Cheplak

Adam Contos — Wed, 06 Jan 2021 02:00:00 -0700

While the last episode of Start With A Win focused on recapping 2020 and gleaning lessons learned from past experiences, this episode jumps into setting yourself up for success in 2021. Jon Cheplak joins Adam again on this episode to share his insights and provide a bit of long-distance coaching to Win Nation at the dawn of the new year. Jon talks about the difference between innovation and mastery, saying that while innovators receive praise in our society, they are not known for consistency or follow-through. To achieve mastery, you must have the discipline to handle the monotony that comes with immediate action, personal responsibility, and consistency. He says freedom comes from putting restrictions on yourself to make you stay focused and not be distracted by novelty.

When it comes to finding alignment and knowing where to start, Jon walks through three topics:

What makes you happy? – Spend some time writing down your thoughts.
What is the smallest step you can take to move yourself towards that happiness? – Be conscious of the positive triggers, including the things you should say “no” to reach happiness. If you are struggling to see the next step, extend love to other people and see where that gets you.
What are the people, places, and things that do (or do not) support your mission? – Take inventory and let go of the judgment of others and the fear of their opinions. Trust is built on consistency. Leaders are the people who stand out regardless of the judgments of others.

Connect with Jon:

https://cheplaklive.com/

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cheplak-live/id934537153

https://www.linkedin.com/in/joncheplak

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Quick Win: Removing Limiting Mindsets

Adam Contos — Fri, 01 Jan 2021 02:00:00 -0700

Summary:

If you want to see the impact that a limiting mindset can have on you, think about this: removing the “t” from the words “can’t” and “won’t” turns them into “can” and “won.” So remove that limiting mindset and begin moving forward in life, knowing that you can start with a win every day.

Connect with Adam:

https://www.instagram.com/cheplaklive/?hl=en

Personal Development Makes the Difference with Jon Cheplak

Adam Contos — Wed, 30 Dec 2020 02:00:00 -0700

In this episode of the Start With A Win podcast, Adam talks with his good friend and coach, Jon Cheplak. Jon shares his perspective on the ways people have or have not been putting in the work to become emotionally intelligent and emotionally mature during the crazy year that has been 2020 and provides some concrete advice for getting started on this work in 2021. He reiterates that every human emotion and response is rooted in either love or fear, which is not bad if you embrace them. He says that while the perception is that leaders are stoic, confident, self-aware, and intentional, most of the leadership originates from fear and the proper relationship with it. This dichotomy between power and trust is counterintuitive, but viewing fear as an opportunity for courage changes the whole narrative.

Among many other things, 2020 has magnified dramas and traumas, putting a spotlight on those who have not dealt with them appropriately. You can’t do anything about past experiences, but you can draw positive lessons from them. You can apply every positive lesson to future experiences to ensure the past hurts and hangups have not been wasted. The most effective leaders have a handle on their pasts, and they are authentic in talking about what they have learned and reaching out for help when they need it. This ability to manage your emotions and find success through them is the foundation of emotional maturity—essential to personal and professional development.

Come back for the conclusion of our interview with Jon during the next episode!

Connect with Jon:

https://cheplaklive.com/

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cheplak-live/id934537153

https://www.linkedin.com/in/joncheplak

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Merry Christmas 2020

Adam Contos — Wed, 23 Dec 2020 02:00:00 -0700

Adam and Mark are in the Christmas spirit and want to talk all things sentimental on this episode of Start with a Win. They both tend to be last-minute shoppers, and their wives are known to be very specific about what they want, so it usually isn’t too difficult. Adam is particularly fond of Frank Sinatra and big band versions of traditional Christmas carols, perhaps because they bring back memories of his family listening to them on their record player on Christmas Eve under the light of the Christmas tree. Adam and Mark both love “It’s a Wonderful Life” and the stage versions of “A Christmas Carol” over any of the more modern movies. Mark’s most memorable gift was a B.B. gun when he was ten years old, which his dad pretended that Santa had forgotten before pointing Mark to its hidden location.

All of us here at Start with a Win want to wish you and yours a Merry Christmas!

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Quick Win: Eliminate Drag

Adam Contos — Fri, 18 Dec 2020 02:00:00 -0700

In order to create lift and rise into the air, an airplane has to be aerodynamic, not tethered to the ground, not held back by anything, and not keeping its sights set on the ground. The same is true for you: if you want to create lift and soar to your destination, you have to evaluate what is pulling you down and find a way to eliminate it.

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Being Proactive with Your 2021 Business Planning

Adam Contos — Wed, 16 Dec 2020 02:00:00 -0700

This episode of Start With A Win provides listeners with a framework for planning for 2021 while evaluating the crazy year that was 2020 and regrouping to start next year with a win. Your goal after this episode should be to write out a business plan for Q1 of 2021 that can replicate for the remaining quarters. Take the time to write it down now so you can be intentional with your goals and actions. Your 2021 plan should include these four aspects:

Business plan – Walk through these three questions: “Who do you serve?”, “What is their biggest challenge?”, and “Does your product or service solve it?” Consider what business functions are working and which are not, evaluating what you might need to stop, start, or continue. Remember to spend time working on your business rather than only working in your business.
People plan – Whether you are a sole proprietor or you have a team around you, sit down and go through each position to gauge results and come up with a plan for what you need to stop, start, or continue. Perhaps like many businesses, you have had to pivot to a different model or structure due to COVID-19. Consider what changes may be needed long-term or short-term to accommodate safety protocols.
Customer plan – Your customers' needs have most likely changed since your last business planning session. Listen to what they are saying through the feedback they are giving you directly or indirectly, and put together a plan for things you need to stop, start, or continue.
Profit plan – There is no ROI in a goal, only ROI in action. Evaluate what adjustment you may need to make next year to fill in the gaps or make up some lost margins in 2020.

If you need help to structure your thoughts regarding where you are now and where you need to go, head over to StartWithAWin.com to download our business plan format!

Connect with Adam:

https://www.facebook.com/KatieLanceConsulting/

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Get Social Smart with Katie Lance

Adam Contos — Wed, 09 Dec 2020 02:00:00 -0700

Our guest on this episode of the Start With A Win podcast is Katie Lance, CEO and Owner of Katie Lance Consulting, and industry expert on integrating social media acuity into real estate. In the midst of turbulent 2020 we have all experienced, Katie observed a lot of real estate professionals trying to “set it and forget it” regarding their social media, posting things that may or may not be relevant and not engaging with followers. She said some people tend to communicate the bare minimum, such as logistical information about their hours, safety procedures, or their adherence to local ordinances. This practice creates missed opportunities for connecting with audiences on a personal level and being authentic about the state of things.

For 2021, Katie’s primary tips for being social smart are to get intentional about how to connect with people and to concentrate on building up a content library that exists outside of social media and can be repurposed for multiple channels. By focusing on these two pointers, real estate professionals can transition from chasing leads to attracting business. The content you create should provide value to your audiences – which could be different depending on the platform – and it should communicate your commitment to serving your clients and prospects, so they want to keep in touch with you.

Katie is an avid user of an editorial calendar, a straightforward way to plan and be intentional with your messaging. Sitting down at the end of the year and brainstorming a list of the most commonly asked questions, most engaged with topics, and most common email topics is a great way to jumpstart your editorial calendar for next year. Take a look at your calendar and plot where the topics should go. Consider your business goals and the frequency you’re aiming for, and then leave room for time-sensitive or current events related posts along the way, being conscious of how and where each piece of content can be shared or repurposed. Remember that consistency builds trust.

Connect with Katie:

https://katielance.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/katielance

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Quick Win: Set Your Default To Action

Adam Contos — Fri, 04 Dec 2020 02:00:00 -0700

When you face pressure in life or in business, what is your immediate response? All responses could be boiled down to two categories – action or emotion – and only one of these is healthy and helpful. You can set your default response to action, which will lead you to getting things done, rather than emotion, which will cause you to get frustrated, distracted, worried, or many other things before you even consider getting things done. Be conscious of how you react by default and work to shift towards taking action instead.

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Top Five Ways to Engage with Customers

Adam Contos — Wed, 02 Dec 2020 02:00:00 -0700

Our topic on this episode of Start With A Win is the top five ways to engage with customers, starting with the simplest and moving up to the methods that make a lot of people squirm. All of these methods will achieve more customer engagement by allowing you to be more present in the minds of your customers and leads.

Phone calls – This is the traditional method of engagement, which was the only option before the technological advances of the past few decades, and it remains the foundational component of the customer experience. Even if you initially reach out to customers through a different method, the ultimate goal is to connect with them over the phone. This personal conversation creates an emotional commitment.
Email – This is the next level of communication because it allows you to scale your message, reaching more people in less time. With email, your subject line and subhead are crucial for achieving a desirable open rate, so consider using a “listicle” or a group of three. Analysis after the fact is very important in determining why more people didn’t engage and how you could improve the next email or campaign.
Video – Video is the way to scale your message and still be present with each customer. In 2020, more than ever before, video is playing a huge role in business and relationships. Evergreen videos have a long shelf-life because people like to see how things are done rather than just reading articles about it. Studies have shown that most executives prefer video to text.
Storytelling – By nature, people are attracted to and fascinated by stories. The chemicals and hormones released by this type of connection and engagement create action and lead to loyalty and long relationships. If you take people on the hero’s journey, presenting a problem, agitation, and a solution facilitated by a guide, they will stick with you and want to hear more.
Live streaming video – All of the other methods have been building up to this moment, this opportunity, this unnecessarily terrifying action: combining public speaking with video. Rather than letting the fear of public speaking overcome you, be confident and put yourself out there through live streaming video that is dynamic, authentic, and engaging. Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, and LinkedIn all offer live video options, so go for it!

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Real Talk and Thankfulness with Adam and Kelly Contos

Adam Contos — Wed, 25 Nov 2020 02:00:00 -0700

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Quick Win: The 4 W Process

Adam Contos — Fri, 20 Nov 2020 02:00:00 -0700

During this Quick Win, Adam outlines the 4 W Process that leads to getting in motion and accomplishing your goals. The first W is wish – to work towards something, you really have to want it. The second W is why – this means that you have a genuine motivation to reach the goal and that it is not just a fleeting thought. The third W is when – this puts a timeline on your action. And the fourth W is what – you have to know what you are going to do or nothing will ever get done.

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https://www.nar.realtor/fair-housing

Providing Equality through Fair Housing with Bryan Greene

Adam Contos — Wed, 18 Nov 2020 01:00:00 -0700

Our guest on this episode of the Start With A Win podcast is Bryan Greene, Director of the Fair Housing Policy Committee at the National Association of Realtors (NAR). Bryan has spent his career helping individuals, landlords, and real estate professionals understand the civil rights laws associated with fair housing and advocating for equality and nondiscrimination. His goal is for landlords, lenders, and real estate professionals to judge people only by the standards they have put in place for legitimate business practices, not litmus tests that will confirm or strengthen their own biases. The Fair Housing Act protects everyone from discrimination and is enforced by the local, state, and federal levels of government, including the US Department of Justice and the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Bryan has seen the shifts in the housing market due to COVID-19, such as the transition to virtual platforms and higher demand driving prices up. He has also seen the intersection of this higher demand with the recent awakening to racial injustice and inequality in that many more Americans now recognize that populations of color have fared worse during this pandemic due, in part, to the overcrowding of their housing situations. The geographic fault lines are apparent now more than ever. Many now recognize that health and housing are interconnected, spurring on the needs for change and more equitable housing for all people in accordance with the Fair Housing Act and overall compassion for humanity.

Connect with Bryan:

bgreene@nar.realtor

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Providing Homeownership Resources to Veterans with VAREP

Adam Contos — Wed, 11 Nov 2020 01:00:00 -0700

Our guests on this episode of the Start With A Win podcast are Son Nguyen and Dustin Luce, co-founders of the Veterans Association of Real Estate Professionals (VAREP). Son served in the U.S. Navy for many years, and upon being discharged, he found himself uninformed about the programs available to veterans looking to buy homes, namely the VA Loan program. He made the realization that there must be other veterans out there who feel ill-equipped to start the home buying process. Additionally, veterans and members of the military want to have a rapport with their real estate professionals and know that they can trust them. They want to be able to work with someone who they feel understands them, especially coming from the military context.

VAREP was formed in 2011 to organize real estate practitioners who are focused on the military and to provide training to those who want to learn as a HUD Housing Counseling entity. Now they have 36 local chapters in 19 states, with 70% of their 7,000+ members being veterans. VAREP’s local chapters offer educational opportunities, they interview subject matter experts on their podcast, and their certification courses are offered on their website. They hope that more real estate agents, veterans, and civilians will become a part of their organization and learn how best to interact with and assist veterans through the home buying process.

Connect with VAREP:

http://varep.net/

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Quick Wins: The Power Struggle

Adam Contos — Fri, 06 Nov 2020 02:00:00 -0700

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https://www.instagram.com/apoloohno/

Prioritizing the Process Over the Prize with Apolo Ohno

Adam Contos — Wed, 04 Nov 2020 01:00:00 -0700

Welcome to the second half of this Start With A Win interview with Apolo Ohno, renowned short track speed skater who has become an author, speaker, and philanthropist in his retirement. Apolo has been talking about reinvention, pushing past self-doubt to be able to thrive rather than just survive. Humans, he says, are incredibly adaptable and can reconfigure themselves by mental shifts. Life won’t be easy, but by having the right mindset and being prepared for obstacles, you can experience gratitude and happiness by focusing on the present moment. Apolo’s five principles for navigating any circumstances are gratitude, gift-giving, grit, gearing up personal expectations, and getting into action.

Apolo also encourages listeners to remember that you are not alone – you do not have to be alone – and your current situation is temporary – you do not have to live in the what-ifs. He has a few mottos that he consistently reminds himself of: “Don’t think you are – know you are.” And “Process over the prize.” A big part of being intentional with these mottos is setting up micro-routines that will help you track what you need to do to get to the goal. When it comes to limiting beliefs based on your self-doubts or your perceptions of the judgments of others, know that those things will probably happen at some point, so rather than dreading them, create an environment that lifts you. Society is gravitating towards radical authenticity, and you do not need to be afraid to fail. Know that your life is a gift and be conscious of how you are spending it with confidence that you can, and you will accomplish what you want to.

Connect with Apolo:

https://twitter.com/ApoloOhno

https://www.facebook.com/ApoloOhnoOfficial

https://apoloohno.com/

Connect with Adam:

https://www.instagram.com/apoloohno/

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Seeking Progress Over Perfection with Olympic Champion, Apolo Ohno

Adam Contos — Wed, 28 Oct 2020 01:00:00 -0600

In this episode of the Start With A Win podcast, our guest is Apolo Ohno, an 8-time Olympic medal winner, Dancing with the Stars champion, author, motivational speaker, and philanthropist. Apolo's high levels of achievement derived from his childhood by the foundations laid by his father. As a single parent, Apolo’s dad wanted to make sure Apolo was enrolled in plenty of activities and applied the right mental energies to those endeavors. He taught Apolo discipline and work ethic within a growth mindset, emphasizing that he had control over his own effort and consistency.

At the age of 12, Apolo watched short track speed skating on television for the first time, and he knew almost immediately that he wanted to get into the sport. Short track speed skating takes place on a 111-meter track with 5-7 athletes on 1.1mm wide skate blades reaching speeds of 35-40 miles per hour and experiencing 2.5-2.7 G’s of pressure at each turn during a race that lasts about 40 seconds. Apolo says that there are hundreds of thousands of variables that could affect each race, so there is great volatility in the outcomes. Speed skating taught Apolo the importance of being adaptable, responding instead of reacting, seeking progress over perfection, and overcoming mental barriers, lessons that he has carried with him into all aspects of his life.

When he was 14, Apolo set a goal to go to the Olympics and become the greatest speed skating athlete. While he didn’t fully understand the requirements and sacrifices that would be a part of that process, those ultimate goals drove every daily task and routine he instituted from that day forward. Along the way, he learned the necessity of absorbing inspiration and motivation from all available sources, pushing to see his own potential, and switching on the high-performance mechanism on demand. On a daily basis, Apolo evaluates his final goals, reverse engineers what it will take to reach those goals, and sets milestones for monthly, weekly, daily, and hourly timeframes as necessary. He says that stress and pressure create beautiful things and that pushing past self-sabotage and shifting established paradigms are crucial parts of the growth process.

Join us on the next episode for the conclusion of our conversation with Apolo!

Connect with Apolo:

https://twitter.com/ApoloOhno

https://www.facebook.com/ApoloOhnoOfficial

https://apoloohno.com/

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Leave us a voicemail:

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Quick Wins: Master Monotony

Adam Contos — Fri, 23 Oct 2020 02:00:00 -0600

Connect with Adam:

https://www.tiffanibova.com/

Discussing the Future of Business Growth with Tiffani Bova, Global Growth Evangelist

Adam Contos — Wed, 21 Oct 2020 01:00:00 -0600

Our guest in this episode of the Start With A Win podcast is Tiffani Bova, Global Customer Growth and Innovation Evangelist at Salesforce, which is one of the leading enterprise software companies in the world. Tiffani believes business is the greatest platform for change, but many businesses are hesitant to embrace or implement change because they are not sure of the next right steps. Organizations of all sizes and various industries have repeatedly asked Tiffani how to grow, engage with customers, and expand reach. She has compiled her advice and knowledge on the subject into her book, “Growth IQ.”

In the book, she says it is essential to understand that there is no prescribed “right move." Instead, companies should focus first on their internal inertia. This means leaders need to stay connected to their employees and stakeholders, listening to their feedback, being willing to change, being intentional with their actions, and training employees to do the same. Salesforce has ramped up their communications during COVID-19 to build community and provide value to their employees and stakeholders by holding more consistent video calls, bringing in prolific speakers, emphasizing overall wellness, and encouraging collaboration.

Tiffani sees the future of work as a “work-from-anywhere” situation, which will allow for balance, flexibility, and the ability to adapt quickly to changing environments and needs. With this setup, companies can be sure to serve their employees and stakeholders well by focusing on their internal inertia.

Connect with Tiffani:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/tiffanibova

https://twitter.com/Tiffani_Bova

https://www.instagram.com/tiffanibova/

https://www.amazon.com/Growth-IQ-Smarter-Choices-Business-ebook/dp/B078G2Z994

https://www.tiffanibova.com/whats-next-podcast/

Connect with Adam:

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888-581-4430

Maximizing Your Time and Ending with a Win

Adam Contos — Wed, 14 Oct 2020 01:00:00 -0600

In this episode of the Start With A Win podcast, Adam talks about time and the impacts that emotional maturity can have on making the most effective use of the time you have. Every day is filled with choices, which are conscious decisions based on your emotional maturity (or immaturity). You could intentionally make progress on your goals, or you could get stuck in a social media loop and waste a few hours that could have improved your life and personal or professional development.

Parkinson’s Law says that a project will take all the time that you will give it. You could be prepared and block off time for it, or you could wait until the last minute and have a more stressful and less fulfilling experience. One thing that is universal to all humanity is that we will eventually run out of time in our lives, so don’t waste any more time. Recognize that your enemies are Parkinson’s Law and perfection, which is rationalized procrastination, and choose to be intentional with the time you are given.

A prime example of this that we have all experienced is how productive we all are right before a vacation. Those things that you have been putting off for weeks will suddenly get checked off of your to-do list when you are a few days out from vacation because you are motivated to do so. If you schedule your vacations ahead of time, set up a hard deadline, and communicate that you are going to be off the grid, you will be amazed how much you can get done before you leave.

Links:

Chrome Motivation extension: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/motivation/ofdgfpchbidcgncgfpdlpclnpaemakoj?hl=en

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Quick Wins: Success Starts with Sucks

Adam Contos — Fri, 09 Oct 2020 02:00:00 -0600

Connect with Adam:

https://www.clintbruce.com/

The Five Gifts of Elite Achievers with Clint Bruce, Founder and President of Trident Response Group

Adam Contos — Wed, 07 Oct 2020 01:00:00 -0600

Clint Bruce is a former NFL player, former Navy Seal, and founder of TRG Ventures. Adam talks with Clint on this episode of Start With A Win about his military career, his football career, and what he has gleaned from both experiences to help guide leaders in civilian life and assist veterans in their transitions. While watching Magnum P.I. as a young child, Clint decided he wanted to be a football player at the Naval Academy just like Thomas Magnum, which is exactly what he did. Along the way, he recognized the importance of surrounding himself with brilliant people, which is still one of his main life tenants, and one that he coaches others to pursue as well.

Clint discovered that everything he loved about football was found in military service. Ultimately, he left the NFL to be a part of the Navy Seals. Once his first daughter was born, he realized that he wanted to be back home with his family and that he had acquired many lessons on the ballfield and the battlefield that could be practiced in the board room and the breakfast table. Since he launched TRG Ventures and has started speaking around the country, Clint has been teaching people to let go of their fear of failure, to choose the others on their team, and to pursue elite leadership by never being “done.” He defines being “undone” as having high ground for hard days, seeing curiosity as courage, tribalism – being a part of something bigger, and authenticity. He advises business leaders to recognize why you’re there and let the “what’s” be small in your daily life, to ask questions, to foster curiosity, and to set the pace for those who are looking up to you.

Connect with Clint:

Text UNDONE to 555888 to download his app, Hold Fast Harbor

https://www.linkedin.com/in/clintbruce

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Leave us a voicemail:

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Six Keys to Effective Leadership with Adam Contos, Part 2

Adam Contos — Wed, 30 Sep 2020 01:00:00 -0600

In this episode of Start With A Win, Adam discusses the next three traits of high-performing leaders. The first is being coachable. Are you willing to get better, to accept advice, and to listen and make changes to unlock your true potential? A coach is typically someone that you pay to help you with a specific aspect of your personal or professional life, and you give them the ability to speak into your life and hold you accountable. Be willing to invest 10% of your income into personal development, and coaching should be a big part of this investment. If you are not in a place where you would listen to a coach without being defensive, then you aren’t truly a leader.

Second, high-performing leaders have a strategic mindset or chessboard thinking. Just like chess, life and business contain multiple dimensions, variables, and possibilities that could necessitate any number of strategies and tactics. You have to consistently evaluate where you are, where you want to be, how you are going to get there, what obstacles you are going to face, and how you are going to stay motivated. This means setting short-term and long-term goals that are all focused on the end result and not losing focus along the way.

And finally, consistency. Leaders can take a page out of the books of professional athletes who spend their time training doing the same things over and over again. They find success through repetition and making small adjustments over time, rather than trying to abruptly make a change. Patience is a requirement for slow achievements. Be alright with monotony and boredom in exchange for all of the benefits of consistency as a leader.

Links:

“Trillion Dollar Coach” book: https://www.amazon.com/Trillion-Dollar-Coach-Leadership-Playbook/dp/0062839268

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Quick Wins: The Key To Transformation

Adam Contos — Fri, 25 Sep 2020 02:00:00 -0600

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Six Keys to Effective Leadership with Adam Contos, Part 1

Adam Contos — Wed, 23 Sep 2020 01:00:00 -0600

The topic of this episode of the Start With A Win podcast is the traits of high-performing leaders and how to incorporate them into your work. Adam will be discussing the first three traits in this episode and the final three traits in the next episode. Be sure to catch both episodes!

The first trait is mindset. Your mindset is made up of your attitude and your values, and this provides you with your leadership foundation. If you have a negative attitude and no articulated values, your foundation will be shaky and destined to fail. However, if you have a can-do attitude, approaching each day as a new opportunity and pivoting when obstacles come your way, you can’t go wrong. This attitude is influenced by your guiding principles or values, the standards of behavior that drive your life and business. It is crucial that you effectively communicate your values and that you have an abundance mentality, rather than being discouraged by difficulties.

Second, Adam discusses emotional intelligence. EQ comes down to how you recognize and leverage the emotions of yourself and others. A big part of this is regulating your own emotions, which Adam breaks down into five parts:

1. Self-awareness – Take notice

2. Self-regulation – Assess and align

3. Motivation – Channel your energy to reach your goals

4. Empathy – Watch for a reaction

5. Social Skills – Communicating and setting expectations

The third trait of high-performing leaders is emotional maturity. This gets into your choice management and being intentional about the things that you will say “yes” or “no” to. Emotional maturity means that you have specific, calculated goals and plans in place. It also means you practice discipline in working towards and reaching those goals. You will seek to fix problems and accept accountability for future decisions, whether they align with your chosen areas of focus.

Connect with Adam:

https://carl-carter.remaxarkansas.com/

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Agent Safety Month with Carl Carter

Adam Contos — Wed, 16 Sep 2020 01:00:00 -0600

On this episode of the Start with a Win podcast, our guest is Carl Carter of RE/MAX Elite in North Little Rock, Arkansas, who is also the founder of the Beverly Carter Foundation. Carl’s mother, Beverly, was a realtor who was tragically kidnapped and killed in 2014 during a house showing. After her untimely and violent death, Carl started to share his mother’s story and realized that many other real estate agents had experienced dangerous circumstances or assaults. This led him to start the foundation as a nonprofit to provide resources and education to the real estate industry. Over the past few years, countless individuals have reached out to Carl with their own stories.

Carl and the foundation advocate for policies that will provide agents with safeguards. These policies range from requesting identity verification before taking on a new client, initially meeting in a public place, or scheduling a virtual meeting. When it comes to changes that Carl would like to see in the industry, he points out many leaders are afraid to bring up safety for fear of litigation, but that leaders instigating a safety culture from the top down is crucial to the safety of their agents and clients.

For more information about the Beverly Carter Foundation and for downloadable resources, visit https://www.beverlycarterfoundation.org.

Connect with Carl:

https://beverlycarterfoundation.org/

Connect with Adam:

Leave us a voicemail: 888-581-4430

Quick Wins: Historical Bias

Adam Contos — Fri, 11 Sep 2020 00:00:00 -0600

Connect with Adam:

https://www.facebook.com/REMAXAdamContos

https://twitter.com/REMAXAdamContos

https://calgaryyycrealestate.com/

Finding a Point of Differentiation with Brad McCallum of RE/MAX First in Calgary, Alberta

Adam Contos — Wed, 09 Sep 2020 01:00:00 -0600

On this episode of the Start With A Win podcast, our guest is Brad McCallum of the McCallum Group in RE/MAX First Calgary. Brad started in renovation and design, but he pivoted about three years ago to get his GED and his real estate license and has never looked back. Entering the Calgary real estate industry, which is comprised of more than 5,000 agents, Brad knew immediately that he needed to find a way to differentiate himself in order to generate leads.

Brad knew that clients expect a high level of service as well as superior value and that he would need high exposure to rise above the other agents in the area. He soon found that publishing video content was the most personal way to connect with prospective clients and gain referrals because of the level of authenticity he was able to provide through this medium. Video provided Brad an avenue for reaching beyond his sphere of influence and to gain followers who became fans, people genuinely excited to work with him who would tell their friends to work with him too.

When it comes to creating the type of content that is engaging and could help drive business your way, Brad recommends that you document your day. He recommends you practice by recording videos on your phone and then watching them back to see how you need to improve and then post the content, pushing past the fear. Know that you have knowledge that needs to be shared and by publishing video content, you are making personal connections to people who feel like they know you before they ever pick up the phone to give you their business. Brad says that the keys to effective videos are to be, "you times two," when it comes to your excitement level, and to commit to learning one new video skill per week. He also recommends posting good content on multiple platforms: Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and LinkedIn, but with different focuses and/or captions based on the audiences.

Connect with Brad:

https://www.facebook.com/brad.mccallum.remax/

https://www.instagram.com/brad.mccallum.remax/?hl=en

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvyPq6HwC332dfjW8DPuoKQ

https://ca.linkedin.com/in/brad-mccallum-08a8ab1b

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-bob-brad-show/id1509311462

Connect with Adam:

https://www.viewfromthetop.com/startwithawin

Leave us a voicemail:

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Investing in Personal Growth Through Mastermind Groups with Aaron Walker, Founder and President of Iron Sharpens Iron

Adam Contos — Wed, 02 Sep 2020 01:00:00 -0600

Our guest on this episode of the Start with a Win podcast is Aaron Walker (“Big A”), Founder and President of Iron Sharpens Iron Mastermind groups. Big A started his first business at age 18 and sold it 9 years later to a Fortune 500 company, essentially setting him up to be retired before most people have even found their careers. In the 42 years since, he has launched 14 businesses and attempted to retire 3 times, all the while participating in mastermind groups.

After his most recent unsuccessful retirement attempt, Aaron was encouraged by the members of his mastermind group, Dave Ramsey in particular, to launch his own coaching platform to help ordinary people become extraordinary. And Iron Sharpens Iron was born. The goal of any mastermind group, but specifically ISI is to buy into a group of unbiased and trusted advisors who can provide encouragement and accountability. This is not a place to come to be comfortable and sip coffee, but rather a battleground intended to eliminate your bad ideas, shape your good ideas, and be spurred on to pursue new ideas. Big A believes that if you are breathing, you belong in a mastermind group. He says that the structure provided in these groups thrives on authenticity and transparency and cultivates a willingness to learn and listen to different perspectives.

When you are looking for a mastermind group to join, Aaron says that it is of utmost importance that you vet and research the leader of the group as well as the stated mission and format of the group before committing to applying or becoming a part of it. Don’t rush into this decision but wait for the group that is the best fit for you and then commit to it fully. If you are interested in starting your own mastermind group, listen to Mastermind Playbook podcast as you walk through the process and you can find out more about the Iron Sharpens Iron Mastermind groups on his website.

Connect with Aaron:

https://www.viewfromthetop.com/

https://www.amazon.com/View-Top-Inside-People-Power/dp/111890110X

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-mastermind-playbook-with-aaron-walker/id1348461120

Connect with Adam:

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888-581-4430

Quick Wins: Provide Clarity

Adam Contos — Fri, 28 Aug 2020 00:00:00 -0600

Connect with Adam:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/abby-lee-2a530428

Communicating Empathy in Marketing with RE/MAX Senior Vice President of Marketing and Communications, Abby Lee

Adam Contos — Wed, 26 Aug 2020 00:00:00 -0600

This episode of the Start With A Win podcast might as well be a masterclass taught by RE/MAX Senior Vice President of Marketing and Communications, Abby Lee. Abby is an industry leader not only due to her experience and vast knowledge but also because she is not insulated from what other companies are doing. She is constantly learning by watching others and shifting RE/MAX’s approach to fit the market.

Reports have shown that 75% of businesses stopped marketing altogether after the COVID-19 pandemic hit. Meanwhile, a large portion of organizations that continued to market delivered tone-deaf messaging to its audience. Both of these are the wrong responses. RE/MAX’s consumer research early in the pandemic found that people want to hear comforting messages from the brands they support during this time. The goals of marketing have never changed — to differentiate your company and communicate with empathy to your customers. This empathetic communication requires a feedback loop with your customers, finding out how they are doing, what they need from you, and how you can provide them with more value.

When looking at marketing campaigns during the summer of 2020, some businesses are not making use of their feedback loops. They are putting out very tone-deaf messages, focusing solely on sales or getting people into their stores. They say things like “don’t worry,” or do not mention any precautions they are taking to keep customers safe. People want to know, first and foremost, that you are there for them and that we are all going to get through this together, and a great platform to convey this message is video content in the digital space. Everyone is craving a personal connection rather than social distancing, and video is the next best thing to face-to-face interactions.

Connect with Abby:

https://news.remax.com/bio/abby-lee

Connect with Adam:

https://www.garyvaynerchuk.com/

Leave us a voicemail:

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The Influence of Transparent Leadership with Gary Vaynerchuk

Adam Contos — Wed, 19 Aug 2020 00:00:00 -0600

Gary Vaynerchuk (Gary Vee) has built his personal brand on authenticity and industry knowledge that has brought him unparalleled name recognition and opportunities to share his insights in the business world. It is an honor to have him here on Start With A Win to discuss his perspectives on leadership during a pandemic and beyond.

Gary has been leading by example during COVID-19 when it comes to being present, providing valuable content, and being transparent even in the midst of uncertainty. Many leaders across the industries have backed away from sharing their thoughts publicly or with their internal teams because they just don’t know what they should be saying. However, Gary emphasizes the importance of being visible, being transparent, and being consistent. Even if you feel like you don’t have anything to say, be present, encourage your people to stay safe, and keep up hope. Reaching out for help if they need it is enough for your employees, customers, and other stakeholders to see you as an authentic leader.

A key component of this transparent leadership is emotional intelligence, particularly awareness, empathy, compassion, and humanity. Many leaders have been hesitant to say anything regarding the pandemic or the recent racial justice uprising because they don’t feel like it is their place. However, your followers appreciate contextual messages that tell them how you feel about important topics, and this will likely lead them to become more brand loyal in the future. While Gary recommends LinkedIn as the best platform to garner organic reach that will spur on the most engagement, he points out that every leader should be self-aware enough to choose the platform that will be best for their personality. How do you work best? Which medium is the best host for this method? Choosing the right platform will allow you to be your best self and promote consistency.

Connect with Gary:

https://twitter.com/garyvee

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCctXZhXmG-kf3tlIXgVZUlw

https://www.instagram.com/garyvee/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/garyvaynerchuk

Connect with Adam:

Leave us a voicemail:

888-581-4430

Quick Wins: Fall in Love with a Journey

Adam Contos — Fri, 14 Aug 2020 00:00:00 -0600

Connect with Adam:

https://twitter.com/chrisronzio

Developing Effective Systems and Processes with Chris Ronzio, Founder and CEO of Trainual

Adam Contos — Wed, 12 Aug 2020 00:00:00 -0600

In this episode of Start With A Win, Adam is joined by Chris Ronzio, Founder and CEO of Trainual, a software that allows businesses to document their policies and procedures. Chris started his first business – a video production company – when he was 14 years old and sold it a few years later. By that time, they had contracts to produce videos for athletic groups all across the U.S. He was able to manage this business remotely because of his established and articulated processes and systems. After he sold this company, he was asked by several of his friends and colleagues for help with creating and documenting their businesses’ policies and procedures, so he launched a consulting firm that offered this service.

In 2017, Chris realized many people who were contacting him about his consulting services were really interested in the software that had been developed to support the creation of procedures and training practices, which was called Trainual. He transitioned his business to being solely focused on Trainual at that point. The software is now used by over 10,000 clients. Over the years, Chris has found the reason most businesses don’t have documented processes for business operations and training is that they are inconsistent. There is no uniformity in onboarding, continuing education, soft skills training, sales, client communications, follow up, and so on.

Trainual helps business leaders figure out the processes and systems they want to have in place. For example, it helps with documentation and delegation. Delegating to other team members enables them to focus on other projects. It is difficult for everyone to delegate, but if you hire the right people and provide them with the right information, you can empower them to perform. This software can be used for employee onboarding, as well as communicating updates to all staff in real-time. The software is continually being improved based on feedback from its users.

Connect with Chris:

https://trainual.com/

https://www.instagram.com/chrisronzio/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisronzio/

Connect with Adam:

https://www.amazon.com/Habits-Champion-Dana-Cavalea/dp/1641840382

Leave us a voicemail:

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Habits for High Performance and Success with Coach Dana Cavalea

Adam Contos — Wed, 05 Aug 2020 00:00:00 -0600

In this episode of Start With A Win, high-performance coach, Dana Cavalea, talks with Adam about the habits, routines, and planning that set people up to reach their goals and optimize their potential. Dana was working as a trainer for the University of South Florida football team when the New York Yankees came to Tampa for spring training. One day he was watching the Yankees play as a spectator, and the next, his boss at USF asked him if he was interested in a trainer job for the Yankees. Before long, he packed up and moved to New York, where he had a front-row seat to the lives of professional athletes.

Over the years, he has coached dozens of professional athletes by helping them set up the right habits and routines to get them the results they desired. He says everyone should come up with the 3-5 non-negotiable daily habits that will lead them to greatness and take a hard look at the bad habits in their lives and take the necessary steps to eliminate them. One of the biggest indicators of your performance and effectiveness is how you spend your time. Ask yourself what you are trying to achieve and what is stopping you from getting there.

Establishing and maintaining healthy routines is reliant on proper planning. Dana says if you own your schedule, you will own your life and your results. He recommends that you split up your day into blocks, starting with self-care and exercise, working for a few hours, blocking out time for lunch, working for a few more hours, taking a snack break, working for a few more hours, and then having a hard stop for dinner and family time. He also talks about focusing on your income-producing activities (IPAs) versus your energy-draining activities (EDAs), particularly aiming to get one big thing done per day. Taking charge of your schedule is a process, and you will find that success and failure travel together. The most accomplished people in the world would tell you that they got where they are because of their experiences with failure and overcoming adversity.

Connect with Coach Dana:

https://danacavalea.com/

https://twitter.com/danacavalea

https://www.instagram.com/therealcoachd

https://linkedin.com/in/danacavalea

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Leave us a voicemail:

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Quick Wins: Stop Comparing

Adam Contos — Fri, 31 Jul 2020 00:00:00 -0600

Connect with Adam:

https://www.brevardelite.com/heather-holliday/

Social Media Insights and Best Practices with RE/MAX’s Social Media Socialites

Adam Contos — Wed, 29 Jul 2020 00:00:00 -0600

In this episode of Start With A Win, Adam talks with RE/MAX social media experts Heather Holliday, Michele Bellisari, Rebecca Steinhouse, and Inmar Barrera. They discuss how they use social media and their advice to agents looking to enhance their digital presence.

Heather Holliday is from RE/MAX Elite in Melbourne, Florida, and her main focus is informing agents of the tools available to them through RE/MAX and training them on effective implementation of these tools. Social media can be overwhelming when you jump in headfirst with no direction. Heather helps agents take their social media platforms step-by-step, setting smaller goals to keep them motivated. Heather recommends that agents mention their listings on social media. However, their primary engagement on social media should be involved in groups and talking about their passions.

Michele Bellisari is located in Boca Raton, Florida, and she will be the first to tell you her business is driven solely through social media and referrals. Michelle created the hashtag #soooboca, which also has its own Instagram account. She maintains a personal Instagram account, YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, Snapchat, a blog, and a podcast, so she is fully embracing the digital experience. To agents looking to get started on social media, Michele’s advice is to start on Facebook and get involved in groups. Or, start your own group and then branch out to one or two more platforms where you feel comfortable.

Rebecca Steinhouse is also located in Boca Raton, Florida, and serves as the Director of Marketing. She mainly mentors agents by teaching them to start with one social media platform and master it before moving on to the next one to build a presence. She advocates for maintaining your personal Facebook page rather than creating a business page because you should go where your audience is. She says that the biggest challenge agents face is finding the time to maintain their social media platforms and being consistent.

Inmar Barrera is with RE/MAX in Tracy, California, and he is a big proponent of using video on social media. Inmar combines his business and personal pages to maintain one personal brand. He focuses his efforts on Facebook and Instagram posts and stories. He says that video is the best way to connect with your family, friends, clients, and leads because it is more personal. People feel like they know you before you have even met in person because you feel familiar with them through video. He says the best thing you can do is be genuine and publish content even if you are nervous about it, and people will gravitate towards you.

Contact Heather:

http://socialmarketingnut.com/about-smn/

Contact Michele:

https://michelebellisari.remax.com/

https://www.facebook.com/MicheleBellisariRealtor/

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClnHkZc-r_4eTTBtXbtEc9g

https://soooboca.com/

Contact Rebecca:

https://www.facebook.com/rebecca.steinhouse

https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebecca-steinhouse-marketingguru

Contact Inmar:

https://inmar-barrera.remax.com/

https://www.inmarsellshomes.com/

Connect with Adam:

Leave us a voicemail:

888-581-4430

Getting to Know RE/MAX CEO, Adam Contos

Adam Contos — Wed, 22 Jul 2020 00:00:00 -0600

In this episode of Start With A Win, Producer Mark becomes the host and interviews RE/MAX’s leader, Adam Contos. In all areas of his life, Adam has a keen interest in understanding people, frequently asking himself, “How is this person or group of people?” and “How can I help them?” Adam has found that using emotional intelligence (understanding the feelings of others) and emotional maturity (an ability to make the most emotionally intelligent decisions) is the key to authentic leadership. Another way to describe his outlook on being a leader is that he attracts, diagnoses, and prescribes the fixes for the problems of others.

In his mid-40’s, Adam was encouraged to get his MBA to progress his career at RE/MAX, which he did through the University of Denver’s Executive MBA program. As a lifelong learner who didn’t always enjoy formal education, Adam was surprised to find how much he learned through the program. He found that the curriculum emphasized how you learn more than what you learn, so by adjusting his choice management and creating some beneficial structures in his life, he was able to manage his career, family, education, and grow in the process.

To his 18-year-old self, Adam would emphasize the importance of keeping better track of relationships and being more intentional about understanding the people around him throughout life. If Adam were able to have dinner with any three people, his list would be Steve Jobs, Aristotle, and the Pope. The episode ends with a lightning round of questions that you don’t want to miss!

Connect with Adam:

Leave us a voicemail:

888-581-4430

Quick Wins: Climb Big Hills

Adam Contos — Fri, 17 Jul 2020 00:00:00 -0600

Connect with Adam:

https://www.ryanharris68.com/

Discussing the Impact of Financial Literacy with Ryan Harris

Adam Contos — Wed, 15 Jul 2020 00:00:00 -0600

Our guest on this episode of Start With A Win is Ryan Harris, a 10-year veteran of the NFL, Super Bowl champion, author, thought leader, and motivational speaker. Ryan has been a guest on the show before, discussing mindset and leadership. Today he joins us to discuss financial literacy. He addresses how most children are not taught how to handle money when they are growing up. So, when they grow up and have money of their own, they don’t know what to do, and they could potentially end up in trouble. You may have heard the statistics about the number of professional athletes and lottery winners who end up bankrupt within a few years of acquiring their wealth.

Ryan says that widespread financial literacy would change education, make our communities safer, increase homeownership, create a happier workforce, increase social justice, and reduce mass incarceration. Ultimately, positively impact the number of Americans with savings, and help more people experience the emotional aspects of having purchasing power. Regarding savings, in particular, Ryan says:

Saving money is the hardest thing you will have to do as an adult.
If you want something, delay your purchase for at least three months, and you might find that you don’t want it anymore, or you can get a much better deal.
Understand the difference between price and cost based on your budget.

In addition to the books listed below, Ryan recommends that you learn about financial literacy by reading about wealthy people and by looking around you. If you are considering buying a home, talk to a real estate agent about the tax advantages and to understand how it could positively impact your financial well-being. If you have some money and you want to learn more about the stock market, the best way is to invest a little bit and learn as you go.

Links:

“Think and Grow Rich”: https://www.amazon.com/Think-Grow-Rich-Landmark-Bestseller/dp/1585424331

“Rich Dad, Poor Dad”: https://www.amazon.com/Rich-Dad-Poor-Teach-Middle/dp/1612680194

“Millionaire Next Door”: https://www.amazon.com/Millionaire-Next-Door-Surprising-Americas/dp/1589795474

“The Richest Man in Babylon”: https://www.amazon.com/Richest-Man-Babylon-George-Clason/dp/1505339111

Connect with Ryan:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMeTDEXXqzpFVbT4SUq5O4A

https://www.instagram.com/ryanharris_68/?hl=en

https://twitter.com/salaams_from_68

https://www.facebook.com/ryanharris68/

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Five Key Principles for a Successful Business

Adam Contos — Wed, 08 Jul 2020 00:00:00 -0600

In this episode of the Start With A Win podcast, Adam outlines the five key principles critical to the success and future of your business, which you may consider common sense. Are you focusing on these principles as much as you should?

Emotional leadership – Part of your job as a leader is to truly care about your customers, employees, shareholders, stakeholders, and the community. To listen to them and make them feel safe. Without this, you are not using empathy or a true understanding of your interactions.
Digitization – Most businesses have transitioned into some form of digitization over the past few months. Perhaps you have found the benefits of this method in communicating with your customers more directly. By systematizing your processes a bit more, you can attain higher levels of efficiency and measure your goal progress along the way.
Agility – Be open-minded and aware of the changes going on around you. Do not stick your head in the sand and insist your way is best.
Presence – Presence creates trust and builds relationships with your customers and stakeholders. The race for market share starts with the race for mind share.
Kindness – Be intentional with how you treat people and genuinely demonstrate caring, goodness, and a concern for the health, safety, and welfare of others. Choose empathy and deploy love wherever you go.
BONUS – Video – Video is a great platform for tapping into all five key principles. Publish video content daily and get in front of people with a concise and valuable message. It demonstrates emotional leadership, agility, presence, kindness, and accomplishes the goal of digitization. If you haven’t started yet, consider this the sign you have been waiting for!

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Quick Wins: What Makes a Great Day?

Adam Contos — Fri, 03 Jul 2020 00:00:00 -0600

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https://pamelabarnum.com/

Building Trust and Empathy to Enhance Relationships with Pamela Barnum

Adam Contos — Wed, 01 Jul 2020 00:00:00 -0600

In this episode of Start With A Win, Pamela Barnum joins us. She is an expert on body language, trust, deception, and human nature. Pamela delivered a TEDx Talk on what she learned from drug dealers about trust during her time as an undercover law enforcement officer.

Pamela shares with Win Nation that we all make initial judgments about people within the first few milliseconds of meeting them for the first time, whether we realize it or not. Our brains read body language and determine if we can trust people or if we have some hesitations. This trust is an essential requirement for business and personal relationships, which can largely predict the outcome of our relationships, positively or negatively.

Today’s work environment primarily consists of video meetings rather than seeing one another in person. Be mindful as there are many aspects to consider as you speak with others via video. Continue to build rapport with your team and trust with others you interact with through video. People are looking for authenticity above all else in these times. While you need to be conscious of your background so it isn’t distracting, it is helpful for people to see your surroundings to gain a better understanding of who you are. Ensure to have your camera at eye level and dress as you would for an in-person meeting, so it feels more like a face-to-face conversation.

Empathy should be one of your main goals in all interactions. Take a step back and truly try to understand the other person. Empathy is the gateway to other positive outcomes, such as collaboration, transparency, openness, and creativity. Ask clarifying questions when you don’t understand or to confirm you are comprehending what the other person is saying. When possible, remove any physical barriers between you and the person you are meeting with as well.

Overall, Pamela encourages listeners to be conscious of the subtleties you are projecting to those around you and do your best to communicate with authenticity.

Connect with Pamela:

“What Drug Dealers Taught Me About Trust”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q2L4eU4iVmc

Connect with Adam:

https://www.mottomortgage.com/

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Transitions in Real Estate and Mortgage Trends

Adam Contos — Wed, 24 Jun 2020 00:00:00 -0600

Ward Morrison, President of Motto Mortgage, is back on the Start With A Win podcast to discuss recent mortgage trends as a result of COVID-19, as well as his predictions for the next few months. Since the Fed lowered interest rates earlier this spring, there has been an almost overwhelming demand on mortgage loan originators for refinances and home sales, which is suitable for consumers, real estate agents, and loan originators like Motto Mortgage. Communication is more important than ever to ensure applications and transactions keep moving, considering Ward’s prediction that interest rates will drop a little bit more in the next few months.

While this real estate climate may be advantageous for many families who are looking to refinance at better terms or buy or sell, many Americans are on the other end of the spectrum trying to figure out how to pay their bills while on unemployment. Ward shares that people can reach out to their loan servicers to discuss forbearance options that would fit their circumstances. Another current unique aspect of the real estate transaction includes the increasing use of virtual and digital tools, sometimes making the entire process completed without any in-person interactions. Relationships and communication are becoming all the more important for loan originators like Motto Mortgage, just as real estate agents are finding with their clients. Motto Mortgage is a franchise mortgage brokerage firm, which means they can shop around for their clients and provide the best options for their particular situations.

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Quick Wins: How to Strengthen Relationships

Adam Contos — Fri, 19 Jun 2020 00:00:00 -0600

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https://www.nar.realtor/coronavirus

Creating Opportunities for the Future of Real Estate with NAR President, Vince Malta

Adam Contos — Wed, 17 Jun 2020 00:00:00 -0600

Our guest on this episode of the Start With A Win podcast is Vince Malta, President of the National Association of Realtors. Vince is a real estate broker in the Bay Area who volunteers as the NAR President. He was voted California’s Realtor of the Year in 2007. Under Vince’s leadership, NAR created new mission and vision statements and reaffirmed their commitments to their realtors and homeowners across America by extension. During this pandemic, Vince has seen the great resolve and agility of realtors all over the country who have kept their clients safe while still getting more work done than anyone could have predicted.

In most states, real estate was deemed an essential business function, perhaps thanks to the efforts of NAR to publicize their national guidelines about the necessity of realtors in providing shelter for so many Americans. Realtors are real estate agents who have aligned themselves with the NAR code of ethics in efforts to serve their clients with the highest levels of integrity, and they have lived up to their name these past few months. Vince has seen first-hand the ingenuity and resilience of realtors as they quickly adapted their normal business practices to handle most of the real estate transaction process virtually while still achieving high levels of engagement with their clients.

Vince shares the current opportunities for realtors in this market, including differentiating yourself as an agent and realizing people are looking at their properties differently now. Perhaps people are investing in home improvements to either make their house meet their needs or to prepare it for selling. If you have had your own thoughts about your current living situation after spending three months at home, hopefully, you have a realtor in your corner to help you navigate your questions and any next steps.

June is National Homeownership Month. Vince encourages realtors and other listeners of the podcast to check out and share the posts from the Homeownership Matters accounts, as well as share your own stories about home using the hashtag #createhome.

Connect with Vince:

https://www.nar.realtor/

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Using Video Content to Connect with Your Audience

Adam Contos — Wed, 10 Jun 2020 00:00:00 -0600

James Schwartz is a returning guest on Start With A Win because his wisdom and knowledge cannot be contained in just one episode. He and Adam talk about the ways that real estate agents and any client-facing professionals interact with people and how those interactions can be enhanced to create deeper and more meaningful connections.

James and his team have just completed the development of the Photofy app that is available to general consumers and to businesses and helps people overcome their fear of creating content. The app provides a simple platform for video creation and sharing that replaces the pressure of a high-production-value product with integrated branding and user-friendly features. They specifically identify their 3 types of clients: (1) custom content creators, (2) those who get a jumpstart with templates, and (3) people who like to reshare content that has already been created on their own platforms.

This app is just one of the ways that you can set yourself up as a thought leader in your industry, being what people need and customizing your message to your audience. Along with this expertise, it is important that you communicate in a genuine and approachable way, being uniquely you in your delivery of the message your audience needs to hear. James also emphasizes staying relevant and discusses specific ways that you can maintain your online reputation.

Links:

https://photofy.com/

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Quick Wins: Be Happy, Make Great Decisions

Adam Contos — Fri, 05 Jun 2020 00:00:00 -0600

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https://twitter.com/jeffberger

Growth Trends in the LGBT Community with Jeff Berger

Adam Contos — Wed, 03 Jun 2020 00:00:00 -0600

On this episode of Start With A Win, we are joined in our virtual studios by Jeff Berger, President, CEO, and Founder of the National Association of Gay and Lesbian Real Estate Professionals. The organization formed rather organically, beginning as a digital marketing concept to provide exposure and resources for real estate agents who belong to and/or work with the LGBT community. After the website became the topic of a Chicago Tribune article spotlighting a specific consumer hiring a real estate agent to sell her house solely based on his inclusion on the site, Jeff knew that he had to expand and organize his idea for broader impact.

Today, Jeff sees the main purpose of NAGLREP as creating a safe space for real estate professionals and home buyers in the LGBT community that allows them and their needs to be understood and accepted, which doesn’t always occur in the larger real estate world. NAGLREP is very in touch with their 2,800 members, constantly making adjustments based on feedback and compiling member surveys annually to create the LGBT Real Estate Report. This report discusses trends in the gay and lesbian population’s real estate transactions and provides crucial facts and figures to educate real estate professionals about the needs and wants of these individuals and families.

For more information, be sure to check out the NAGLREP website to download the LGBT Real Estate Report and go to naglrep.com/remax for a special introductory price on your first year of membership.

Connect with Jeff:

https://naglrep.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/bergerjeff

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https://www.connectwithjared.com/

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Getting Ready for What’s Next with Jared James

Adam Contos — Wed, 27 May 2020 00:00:00 -0600

Our guest on this episode of Start With A Win needs no introduction in the real estate world. Jared James came on the podcast to talk about practical ways that real estate and business professionals can set themselves up to have a presence in their marketplaces both right now and once things are back to business-as-usual.

The first order of business is Jared’s urging for every real estate agent to start producing video content. Video is an underutilized form of communication because people are afraid to try; they don’t like how they look on camera, they don’t know what to say, they don’t think video makes a difference, etc. When you allow these fears and self-preservation to drive your decision to do or not do something, you are missing out on a huge opportunity to grow personally and professionally.

This leads into Jared’s next point about having the right mindset when going into any business scenario. If you are not able to self-regulate or recognize when something isn’t right with you, you will not be successful in your pursuits. However, by focusing on what you can control, you provide yourself with a level of certainty that will lead to confidence and higher performance to help you reach your goal.

Jared’s key takeaways for listeners are:

Get rid of obscurity – Produce content. Get yourself out there. Be an option.
Work on your proximity – Make a list of people you want to network with and work to make that a reality.
Prioritize boats over fishing – Focus on your infrastructure before trying to pursue bigger fish.

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Quick Wins: Two Ways to Look at Performance

Adam Contos — Fri, 22 May 2020 00:00:00 -0600

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https://www.teamusa.org/usa-swimming/athletes/Ashley-Twichell

Maintaining a Champion Mindset with Ashley Twichell

Adam Contos — Wed, 20 May 2020 00:00:00 -0600

On this episode of the Start With A Win podcast, Adam talks with Ashley Twichell, 2020 Olympic qualifier in open water swimming. Ashley has been involved with swimming and athletics as long as she can remember, getting involved with year-round swimming when she was about 7 and committing to swimming being her only extracurricular activity when she was 13. She swam at Duke University and then moved to California to pursue a swimming career after graduation.

In the 9 years since then, she has become more and more prolific, competing on the national team, competing in the World Championships and World Cup, appearing in Sports Illustrated, and qualifying for the 2020 Olympic Games. Having previously competed in 5k, 10k, and 25k open water races, Ashley is well-versed in the mental and physical endurance that is required for this sport and she finds that these experiences have helped her hone her mindset in facing all of life’s challenges. She has had to learn to expect the unexpected, be aware of her surroundings while remaining focused on her goal, and adapt when things don’t go as planned.

For instance, when the COVID-19 pandemic caused the Olympic Committee to make the decision to postpone the 2020 Olympic Games until 2021, Ashley and the other qualifying athletes were disappointed of course, but they have found ways to remain mentally and physically fit in spite of the circumstances. Without access to a pool to continue their training, Ashley and some of her teammates have taken to virtual crosstraining workouts like Peloton in order to remain connected and strong. Ashley sees this postponement as an opportunity to be flexible and not be conquered by the circumstances that are outside of her control.

Connect with Ashley:

https://www.instagram.com/atwall616/

https://twitter.com/atwich616

Connect with Adam:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/nadastirratt

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How Facebook Uses Community to Navigate Crisis with Nada Stirratt

Adam Contos — Wed, 13 May 2020 00:00:00 -0600

We are honored to welcome to this episode of the Start with a Win podcast Nada Stirratt, VP Global Business Group for North America at Facebook. Nada has had a prolific and storied career in the technology and marketing industries, and her efforts continue as she leads her team at Facebook to accomplish the mission of building communities and bringing people closer together. Their unwavering commitment to that mission has led them to innovations that have changed the way people connect, which is especially important during times like the current pandemic.

Facebook has specifically outlined its four key objectives for helping people navigate this crisis:

Build community
Provide accurate information
Use data for good
Help businesses and the economy recover

Integral to these efforts is an understanding of the needs, wants, and behaviors of Facebook’s users, which trickles down to the advertisers that Facebooks works with to best serve those populations. This knowledge also informs the marketing efforts of individual businesses and organizations, who are increasingly using video to connect with their consumers. Nada recommends that all businesses look into free resources and course content if they have not yet engaged with their customers through video. In this challenging business environment, many businesses are quickly adjusting their operations and marketing efforts to “meet people where they are,” while others are unsure of how to move forward. Nada emphasizes the importance of being resourceful and in touch with the communities your business serves to know how best to continue to work with them.

Connect with Nada:

https://www.wsj.com/market-data/quotes/FB/company-people/executive-profile/81869227

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Quick Wins: It's Easy to Be a Hater

Adam Contos — Fri, 08 May 2020 00:00:00 -0600

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https://www.remax.com/real-estate-agents/lisa-nguyen-lakewood-co/100698453

Serving Diverse Communities with Lisa Nguyen

Adam Contos — Wed, 06 May 2020 00:00:00 -0600

On this episode of Start With A Win, Adam is joined by Lisa Nguyen, RE/MAX Professionals agent, current Greater Denver Chapter President of AREAA, and regionally-acclaimed business leader. The daughter of Vietnamese refugees, Lisa was taught early on the value of hard work and determination in setting and reaching goals. She first got her real estate license in 2005, and after weathering the recession in the industry, she spent 5 years in the corporate world before returning to real estate in 2016 and she has never looked back.

Lisa has committed her career to reaching out to Asian-Americans and Pacific Islanders who want to understand the real estate industry and own homes of their own. Through her involvement with Asian Real Estate Association of America (AREAA) and her participation in a metro-area real estate task force focusing on serving minority populations well, Lisa has had the opportunity to educate and guide agents and organizations in fair housing practices. Many people are unaware that they are violating fair housing regulations regarding protected classes, but by providing these resources Lisa and her colleagues are working together for the greater good among this rapidly growing minority population.

Her humble demeanor is a direct result of her daily mindset of gratitude and her commitment to continually learning from those around her and through reading topical books that keep her focus sharp and her motivation on point.

Links:

“Think and Grow Rich” book: https://www.amazon.com/Think-Grow-Rich-Landmark-Bestseller/dp/1585424331

Connect with Lisa:

https://areaa.org/greaterdenver/leadership-board/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisa-nguyen-remax/

https://www.facebook.com/lisanguyenremax

Connect with Adam:

http://www.twitter.com/sekouandrews

Leave us a voicemail:

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The Power of the Spoken Word with Sekou Andrews

Adam Contos — Wed, 29 Apr 2020 00:00:00 -0600

Beginning his adult life as an elementary school teacher, Sekou Andrews got into acting for a while before finding his niche as a spoken word artist focusing on poetic voice and sharing his gift with leaders across industries. He describes his speaking style as “TED Talk meets Hamilton” in the seamless integration of inspirational speaking and spoken word poetry. It is no wonder why his audiences are so captivated by his message.

Sekou emphasizes the importance of both what you say and how you say it, stating that there is power to engage your audience through your words as well as the delivery. He coaches people from stage fright to stage might by having them learn from performance artists and apply the concepts they observe to whatever stage they have. His 3 key concepts for this are: (1) humanize yourself and your content, (2) connect with your audience through storytelling, and (3) storytelling really begins with story-listening.

When asked how he taps into the passion within himself, he says that it is important for him to see himself as a storyteller before focusing on his technique, being grounded in his purpose and how he can serve the listener. A big part of this is loving what he does and setting his mindset at the beginning of every day on the purpose he is trying to embody.

Connect with Sekou:

http://sekouandrews.com/

http://www.facebook.com/sekouandrews

http://www.linkedin.com/in/sekou

https://www.instagram.com/sekouworld/

https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/sekou-tha-misfit/id410616272

http://www.youtube.com/user/sekouworld

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Quick Wins: The Catalyst to Success

Adam Contos — Fri, 24 Apr 2020 00:00:00 -0600

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Quarantine Q&A with Adam

Adam Contos — Wed, 22 Apr 2020 00:00:00 -0600

Question 1: The first question on this episode of Start With A Win came from Ryan Anderson of RE/MAX Horizon Realty in Douglas, Wyoming. She asked Adam to give his top five books to read, especially during this time of social distancing and quarantine.

Answer 1:

“The Compound Effect” by Darren Hardy
“Atomic Habits” by James Clear
“Influence, the Psychology of Persuasion” by Robert Cialdini
“How to Win Friends and Influence People” by Dale Carnegie
“Extreme Ownership” by Jocko Willink and Lief Babin

Question 2: Next, Gary Kelly of RE/MAX Executive Realty in Massachusetts asked Adam to talk about the tension between those people in real estate and business who believe that their work is “essential” and that they should continue to be out and about (while taking the right precautions) and those who believe that we should be working in complete isolation.

Answer 2: Adam says that the answer is not binary because it is not as simple as “essential” and “non-essential.” The ultimate goal of all of our business dealings right now should be safety first, so that might look different to different people or in different geographic areas. Avoid any situations where you might put yourself or others in danger of getting sick and make judgment calls along the way that align with that methodology.

Question 3: Our last question on this episode is from Sue Deighton of RE/MAX Performance Realty in Winnipeg. She wants to know who has shaped Adam’s positive personal and professional growth.

Answer 3: There are 4 sources of personal and professional growth:

Mentors – These are usually relationships you have built that are pouring into you for free, asking you the hard questions and calling you out when you need it.
Coaches – Coaches typically help you in one area of your life or business in exchange for pay.
Masterminds – These are groups that you can join with likeminded individuals who are all on the same journey as you and will hold you accountable along the way.
Self-Education – During times like these, many people are taking courses online to learn new skills or attain new certifications. The second half of this self-education is the actual application of this new knowledge.

Links:

Rodecaster Pro: https://www.amazon.com/Rode-RODECaster-Podcast-Production-Studio/dp/B07M5LQ1YZ

“The Compound Effect” by Darren Hardy: https://www.amazon.com/Compound-Effect-Darren-Hardy/dp/159315724X

“Atomic Habits” by James Clear: https://www.amazon.com/Atomic-Habits-Proven-Build-Break/dp/0735211299

“Influence, The Psychology of Persuasion” by Robert Cialdini: https://www.amazon.com/Influence-Psychology-Persuasion-Robert-Cialdini/dp/006124189X

“How to Win Friends and Influence People” by Dale Carnegie: https://www.amazon.com/How-Win-Friends-Influence-People/dp/0671027034

“Extreme Ownership” by Jocko Willink and Lief Babin: https://www.amazon.com/Extreme-Ownership-U-S-Navy-SEALs/dp/1250067057

“Trillion Dollar Coach” by Alan Eagle, Eric Schmidt, and Jonathan Rosenberg: https://www.amazon.com/Trillion-Dollar-Coach-Leadership-Playbook/dp/0062839268

Connect with Adam:

https://www.buffiniandcompany.com/resources/bc/

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Post-Pandemic Preparation with Brian Buffini

Adam Contos — Wed, 15 Apr 2020 00:00:00 -0600

Seeing the size and effectiveness of Buffini and Company now, you would never believe that Brian Buffini stumbled into real estate after a motorcycle accident when he was 19. He tells Adam on this episode of the Start With A Win podcast about that experience and how he built a business around speaking and coaching organically, solely based on the demand for his knowledge and speaking abilities at industry conferences and panels. He was already “on board” with real estate before that point, believing that it is the purest and fairest form of business, but from his first experience connecting with likeminded people at real estate conferences, he knew that this was where he was meant to be.

Brian and his team build their business around a few key beliefs, among them: build relationships for life, be a good person, treat people well, and prioritize personal growth. While the way business is done has changed temporarily because of this pandemic, the foundations remain the same. In fact, Brian says that these abrupt changes are serving as a magnifying glass in our lives, pointing out issues at home, in your business, with your finances, with your health, etc. He says that now is the time to address the changes that need to be made and commit the time and energy to work on those issues while you have the time in front of you.

When it comes to mindset during this time, Brian emphasizes the importance of keeping the right perspective of “this too shall pass” and being flexible. This is the time to reach out to your friends and business associates to check on them and maintain the relationships. This is the time to prepare through training and working on your systems to make sure you are ready to hit the ground running when we get the green light to begin business as usual. In terms of business adjustments, Brian says that those with strong foundations in the fundamentals will win this round and that it is important to utilize technology to enhance the connections with your clients. Don’t sit back and assume that you should be in “maintenance mode” until the pandemic is over. Take advantage of this time to prepare yourself and your business.

Links:

https://www.nar.realtor/coronavirus

https://news.remax.com/

Connect with Brian:

https://www.buffiniandcompany.com/

https://www.brianbuffini.com/

https://www.thebrianbuffinishow.com/

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Quick Wins: Two Types of Motivation

Adam Contos — Fri, 10 Apr 2020 00:00:00 -0600

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https://childrensmiraclenetworkhospitals.org/

Determination on and off the Field with Hall of Fame Quarterback Steve Young

Adam Contos — Wed, 08 Apr 2020 07:00:00 -0600

Our guest on this episode of Start With A Win needs almost no introduction. Steve Young is considered to be one of the NFL’s greatest left-handed quarterbacks, but he would not consider his athletic success to be among his greatest achievements. Steve says that football is like a laboratory that teaches you about the hard work, adversity, accountability, and constraints that you will face throughout life and many of life’s lessons have started to work themselves out for him on the field.

When Steve was a freshman in college at BYU in 1983, an organization called Children’s Miracle Network was in its early days and Steve was asked to partner with them to bring awareness to the need for fundraising for children’s hospitals. At that time in his life, Steve had never been to a hospital and he was shocked to see how many children were suffering. Ever since that day, he has been involved with Children’s Miracle Network and he is continually inspired by the hope and determination displayed by the children he comes in contact with through the organization. We can all learn from the spirit demonstrated by these kids who believe that they will rise above their circumstances and find healing.

Steve says that as adults we lose a bit of our innocent belief in ourselves and those around us, thinking that life is a zero-sum game that no one really wins. But in reality, if we embrace the qualities displayed by the Children’s Miracle Network champion kids, we would find that through collaboration and banding together we can all win. So many people are limiting themselves unnecessarily by comparing themselves to others, but comparison is the thief of joy and will never serve you well.

Links:

Connect with Adam:

https://www.instagram.com/improveyourhustle/

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Building a Brokerage Through Intention with Kendall Bonner

Adam Contos — Wed, 01 Apr 2020 00:00:00 -0600

Our guest on this episode of the Start With A Win podcast is one of the best in our field at leveraging excellent managerial skills inside her brokerage, as well as building relationships online in order to bolster her business and create a culture of community. Kendall Bonner became an attorney in 2003 and practiced law for several years before she realized that it was not what she wanted to do with her life. Lacking clear direction about what was next, she got her real estate license “just for fun,” and the rest is history.

Kendall has found that one of her biggest motivations is just being a part of RE/MAX and having access to some of the best agents and systems around. She focuses on staying humble and grateful regardless of her victories and losses, choosing to face challenges with a confident smile. Since she started her brokerage in 2014, she has found that her greatest assets are the people she surrounds herself with and the structures they use as a framework, namely the Momentum business system developed by RE/MAX. By having the right staff and systems in place, Kendall says it is easier to face challenges and avoid common pitfalls that may have tripped her up otherwise.

When it comes to being present online, Kendall cannot emphasize enough the importance of growth and engagement. She believes in being intentional and proactive, genuinely interacting with the people engaging with her posts and building up a following that knows, likes, and trusts her. Kendall strategically replies to every comment and extends the life of her posts while ensuring that she is continually growing and staying relevant. Right now, she is in the middle of a “100 videos in 100 days” challenge with her team as a way to encourage herself and those around her to finetune their craft.

Links:

“The Social Agent 2.0” book: https://www.amazon.com/social-agent-2-0-update-evolution/dp/1982051833

Connect with Kendall:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/kendallbonner/

https://www.facebook.com/KendallEBonner

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Quick Wins: Create Videos

Adam Contos — Fri, 27 Mar 2020 00:00:00 -0600

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A Coronavirus Message from Adam

Adam Contos — Wed, 25 Mar 2020 00:00:00 -0600

Adam and Mark discuss the recent changes in our world as a result of the coronavirus and talk about ways that listeners can continue to start with a win even when everything seems so different than normal. The response mandated by health officials and governments all over the world is significantly more stringent than the typical response to influenza, and this is likely the only pandemic any of us have ever lived through. Everyone seems to be dealing with these changes and restrictions differently, ranging from crippling fear to careless abandon and anywhere in between.

Adam’s advice is to listen to the doctors and government officials and see this as an opportunity to reconnect with your loved ones and be more intentional about spending quality time with them while practicing safe social distancing. He asserts that if you are stuck in a cycle of fear-mongering or doubt, take a step back and evaluate what you can do with what you have, doing everything you can to protect yourself and those around you. For business leaders, the most important thing you can do is be visible and available to your team. Send out daily emails, videos, or texts to encourage and check in on them.

In the real estate realm, house showings are still feasible through virtual tours, and if you do meet with clients in person, don’t be afraid to ask them if they are feeling well or if they have been in contact with anyone who has COVID-19. It is in everyone’s best interests if you are honest with yourself and others about how you are feeling and that you demonstrate good hygiene practices to those around you.

Take heart that while the markets are rough right now, they will bounce back in time. Do what you can to support local businesses in your community by ordering takeout or patronizing them online when possible. With all of this unexpected free time, be active and create a healthy routine for yourself and your family. Pay attention to those around you and do what you can to reach out while practicing social distancing. We are all in this together.

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Successfully Managing Client Relationships with First

Adam Contos — Wed, 18 Mar 2020 00:00:00 -0600

In 2016, Mike Schneider and his team set out to build a better marketing platform, but before long they realized that what they had really created was an opportunity to integrate machine learning into real estate customer relationship management. Every listener of Start With A Win already knows that relationships are the key component to being an effective real estate agent. What you might not know is that almost 80% of individuals only talk to one real estate agent when looking to buy or sell a house. If you have the first conversation with those people, you are more likely to get their business, but you could be missing up to 70% of the listings in your existing network.

First is able to combine all of your contacts from all platforms into one comprehensive database and seamlessly curate additional demographic data to provide agents with predictions about when someone in their current network is likely to be in the market to buy or sell a house. Think about how much more productive your day could be if you were able to convert one out of every six conversations instead of one out of every 17. The First app gives you a competitive advantage in your market, nudging you to connect with contacts who might be looking to make a move and helping you prioritize your follow-ups.

Links:

https://www.first.io/

“Inspired” by Marty Cagan: https://www.amazon.com/INSPIRED-Create-Tech-Products-Customers-ebook/dp/B077NRB36N

“Measure What Matters” by John Doerr: https://www.amazon.com/Measure-What-Matters-Google-Foundation/dp/0525536221

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Quick Wins: It's Up to the Receiver

Adam Contos — Fri, 13 Mar 2020 00:00:00 -0600

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https://www.tomferry.com/

Ways to Improve Any Business with Tom Ferry

Adam Contos — Wed, 11 Mar 2020 00:00:00 -0600

Settle in for this episode of Start With A Win and get ready to drink from the fire hose of Tom Ferry’s insights on real estate, reaching goals, and overcoming fear. Tom’s leadership experience started when he was six years old and his parents divorced. At that moment, he knew he needed to step up and lead in the best way he could. This mindset continued throughout elementary, middle, and high school where he was continually leading his peers into adventures, mischief, and revelry. When he was about 18, he started to steer his focus in a more productive direction, being mentored by the writings of business leaders and coaches who helped him realize that challenges lead to opportunities that lead to experiences.

Instead of going to college, he chose to focus on his personal and professional development, joining his father’s company and delving into the new world of performance measurement and management. They realized that measuring performance and then sharing about that performance exponentially increased the likelihood of success and goal achievement, so they started focusing their efforts on this concept. In conjunction with performance measurement and accountability, Tom talks about the ways to attract more clients, increase your average sales price or commission, expand your business, and bring a new product or service to the market that solves a problem.

One practical recommendation that he has for real estate agents today is to over-service your clients. This might look like having three assistants that handle different parts of the transaction with clients so you can focus on relationships and making the experience better for your clients.

Links:

“The Slight Edge” book: https://www.amazon.com/Slight-Edge-Turning-Disciplines-Happiness/dp/1626340463

Connect with Tom:

https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/coach-tom-ferry/id1076436648

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https://twitter.com/garynahrep

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Advancing Hispanic Homeownership with NAHREP's Gary Acosta

Adam Contos — Wed, 04 Mar 2020 00:00:00 -0700

On this episode of the Start With A Win podcast, our guest is Gary Acosta, CEO and Co-Founder of the National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals. NAHREP is celebrating its 20th anniversary as a trade association this year and they are continuing to see growth in their membership numbers, as well as the number of Hispanic homebuyers. Every year, NAHREP conducts a study called The State of Hispanic Homeowners to stay informed about the trends among Hispanic families and gain a better understanding of the statistics.

NAHREP aims to educate and empower both their member agents/brokers and their potential clients by advancing sustainable homeownership among Hispanics in the US. Since 70% of Latino homebuyers are first-time homebuyers, it is essential that they find a real estate agent they can trust to walk them through the process and help them make good decisions along the way. More Hispanic families are buying homes than ever before, but some are nervous to take that first step because they are intimidated by the process. Real estate agents must be culturally competent and prioritize helping families over closing deals. Homebuyers should focus on finding an agent they can trust and getting prequalified before looking for a home.

Gary is a phenomenal leader because he believes in having a conversation every day with someone who outranks him. He recommends this practice to the members of NAHREP and everyone else he leads in some way.

Links:

“Zero to One” book: https://www.amazon.com/Zero-One-Notes-Startups-Future/dp/0804139296

Connect with Gary:

https://nahrep.org/

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Quick Wins: How Do You Delegate?

Adam Contos — Fri, 28 Feb 2020 00:00:00 -0700

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The 4 E's of Marketing

Adam Contos — Wed, 26 Feb 2020 00:00:00 -0700

Our topic on this episode of Start with a Win is delivering value through messaging that will impact your audience. By keeping your framework simple, you allow space for depth in thought for yourself and your potential customers. So, what are these Four E’s of Marketing, you ask?

Empathy – Show emotional intelligence towards the recipient of your message, meeting them where they are with exactly what they need. Using empathy in your marketing helps your audience develop a connection with you and activate their hearts. A great example of this is the Google Super Bowl ad from 2020.
Education – Your audience wants to learn something and if you are the one to teach it to them, then they will come to view you as trustworthy, reliable, and helpful. Content marketing aimed at helping people be better sets you up in this coveted position.
Entertainment – People will be drawn in by stories of overcoming challenges, comedy, and thrill. This is why reality TV and watching the lives of influencers on social media is so popular. You can do the same thing in your space as well, inviting people into your story or the story of someone impacted by your business.
Execution – No matter your personality type, everyone loves to check things off of their lists. Pieces of content that include checklists or steps that help your audience reach that next goal or conquer a difficult problem will get them into a pattern of micro-commitments and ultimately make them more productive and successful, and they will have you to thank for it!

Finally, Adam answers this week’s caller question about his favorite ways of following up. While text and email are the easiest and fastest, they are often the most overlooked and underappreciated. Try instead to leave voice texts or send videos to your leads, current clients, and previous clients. Think about where they are online and meet them there, whether on Facebook Messenger, social media, or email and text. Just reach out in the most personal way you can and give them specific expectations of when they can expect to hear from you again.

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Turning Loss into Inspiration with RE/MAX Agent, Bruce Johnson

Adam Contos — Wed, 19 Feb 2020 00:00:00 -0700

On this episode of Start with a Win, Bruce Johnson joins us to discuss his family’s story of losing a child and how the commitment to carrying out her legacy has led them on many adventures over the past 20+ years. Before they started their family, Bruce and his wife, Mary, spent 3 years riding their bikes from the Arctic Ocean to Argentina, camping on the side of the road and in people’s yards, and experiencing the best parts of humanity along the way. This planted in Bruce the love of people and a resilient spirit, preparing him and his wife for a future that was still unknown to them.

A few years later, Bruce became a RE/MAX agent and the broker of his office told him that he was going to be a Miracle Agent, meaning that a portion of his commissions would be contributed to Children’s Miracle Network. At the time, he had never thought about hospitals where sick kids would go, but all too soon he found himself sitting in the waiting room, pacing the halls, and sleeping on the floor of just such a hospital. Bruce and Mary had a daughter named Alyssa, who was born with a condition that caused some of her organs to be outside of her body. She lived for about 3 weeks, and before he passed away, Bruce promised her that he would remember her always.

Bruce started the Alyssa Rae Johnson Fund and Motorcycle for Miracles as a way of raising money for Children’s Miracle Network, the hospitals, and the families taking care of sick kids. Bruce and Mary now have two more daughters. When their daughter, Holly, was in the hospital having surgery, she asked her dad if they could go for a motorcycle trip when she was better. Bruce thought about it for a while and came up with the idea to make their motorcycle ride into a fundraising opportunity. They have faced many perils and obstacles during these rides, but they have also experienced so many kind people along the way. The Johnsons have now raised close to $500,000 for sick and injured children through these rides.
Connect with Bruce:

NAR video: https://youtu.be/6HMVL--DziA

Bear video: https://youtu.be/t4BHbEQBvbo

RE/MAX Trip video: https://youtu.be/8OgMQvgASxA

Motorcycle for Miracles: http://www.motorcycleformiracles.com/

Donation Page: https://www.sickkidsdonations.com/registrant/FundraisingPage.aspx?registrationID=3184197&langPref=en-CA#&panel1-2

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Quick Wins: Create Raving Fans

Adam Contos — Fri, 14 Feb 2020 00:00:00 -0700

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Finding Opportunity in Disruption

Adam Contos — Wed, 12 Feb 2020 00:00:00 -0700

On this episode of the Start with a Win podcast, Adam and Mark discuss the misconception that “disruption” is a bad thing. So many people are talking about “market disruptors” in a way that unsettles and instills fear in anyone who doesn’t have a firm understanding of what it means to be a disruptor. It has become a buzzword that doesn’t communicate much besides anxiety. Common examples of market disruptors are Uber, Airbnb, and Netflix — companies who recognized a need in the market and created an innovative solution to the problem customers were facing.

You can do the very same thing. Rather than running around and making impulsive decisions out of a desire to not be disrupted, you can look at potential disruptions as opportunities to innovate and provide what customers really need and want. You can be one of those innovative companies who creates a new order of business and creatively solves problems rather than sitting on the sidelines admiring what other people are doing. Have your ear to the ground and truly pay attention to what your customers are saying, then create a plan and move forward with a solution. Deliver value to your customers and they will be loyal to you.

Adam also answers a caller’s question about the best way to approach goal-setting and growth by encouraging her to publicly share the numbers associated with her goals in order to remain accountable and to show commitment to reaching those goals.

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https://www.instagram.com/therealtarekelmoussa/

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Overcoming Challenges with Flip or Flop's Tarek El Moussa

Adam Contos — Wed, 05 Feb 2020 00:00:00 -0700

On this episode of the Start with a Win podcast, Adam talks with Tarek El Moussa, star of HGTV’s “Flip or Flop” and real estate industry expert. At the age of 20, Tarek found himself without a degree, without a job, and without a plan for the future. Through the providential placement of an advertisement for real estate school, he enrolled and got his real estate license and within 90 days he had made $120,000. This drastic shift in his lifestyle was the starting point of his career, and when he was faced with the bottoming out of the real estate market in 2007-2008 with everyone else, he decided to stick it out and make it to the other side.

In 2010, he pitched the idea of a television show about flipping houses to some production companies and before long, he had received a contract for 13 episodes. The problem was that he knew very little about flipping houses and now he was committed to flipping 13 within 10 months. Like many other things in his life, though, he figured it out and found a way to be very successful doing it. Tarek has flipped over 500 houses in the past 9 years, “Flip or Flop” is about to start its 9th season, and he has a couple of spin-off shows in the works as well.

Tarek will be the first to tell you that nothing good comes without hard work, and he has had his fair share of 16-20 hour days trying to meet deadlines. This is exhausting for anyone, and Tarek’s biggest challenge through it all was not quitting when he felt like quitting. He has learned that if you refuse to quit, you never fail, and he lives this out day after day. In recent years, he has shifted his focus to helping other people find their way out of their current circumstances to take advantage of the opportunities in front of them, and he wants to use his platform to impact the world on a larger level. To real estate agents, Tarek’s advice is to be comfortable with being uncomfortable and just stick with it until you figure out the process. Everyone struggles, he says, but the work is worthwhile if you commit to it.

Links:

“The Section 8 Bible: Part I”: https://www.amazon.com/Section-Bible-Vol-Succeed-Industry/dp/0980175909

“The Section 8 Bible: Part II”: https://www.amazon.com/Section-8-Bible-Michael-McLean/dp/0980175917

“The Miracle Morning”: https://www.amazon.com/Miracle-Morning-Not-So-Obvious-Guaranteed-Transform/dp/0979019710

Connect with Tarek:

https://twitter.com/tarekelmoussa?lang=en

https://www.facebook.com/TheRealTarekElMoussa/

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrW8ZauorjZNz7nwmLaZ6wg

https://tarekandassociates.com/

https://www.therealtarekelmoussa.com/

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Quick Wins: Habits Create Results

Adam Contos — Fri, 31 Jan 2020 00:00:00 -0700

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Overcoming Other People’s Opinions

Adam Contos — Wed, 29 Jan 2020 00:00:00 -0700

The topic of this episode of Start with a Win is the fear of people’s opinions and how this fear can hold you back from what you are capable of achieving. Everyone lives with some level of this fear, from being self-conscious of your appearance to a fear of public speaking to a hesitancy to be vulnerable. What you might not realize is that this fear of judgment is ingrained in your brain as a survival instinct as old as the earliest humans. When our ancestors assumed their roles in society as hunters and gatherers, they were aware that what they brought back to their communities at the end of each day made the difference between nourishment and starvation.

Today, our fear of judgment from others is not a matter of life and death, but the genetic makeup of our brains does not accept this idea outright. In order to break free of this fear that is holding you back, it is important to have a level of self-awareness that releases you from this life and death mentality. Recognizing that stepping up on that stage or publishing that video on your social media profile will not cause you or those around you to starve is crucial to being able to get your message out there.

Sure – it is scary to put yourself out there, but the more you practice and the more positive feedback you receive, the more confident you will feel in doing what you need to do. Smile through your presentation, learn from your mistakes, and have faith that people will listen to what you have to say without judging you as a person, and you will be fine.

Links:

“The Alter Ego Effect”: https://www.amazon.com/Alter-Ego-Effect-Identities-Transform/dp/0062838636

Connect with Adam:

https://buffiniandcompany.com/

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The Importance of Being Coachable with Dermot Buffini

Adam Contos — Wed, 22 Jan 2020 00:00:00 -0700

Dermot Buffini and his five siblings grew up in Dublin in a home environment steeped in entrepreneurship and treating people the right way. Their parents taught them to take pride in their work and have high personal standards, constantly considering whether they would be confident in putting their names on the job they had completed. These values sparked Dermot’s entrepreneurial spirit as a young adult and were the catalyst for his brother, Brian, to start his own real estate coaching company over 20 years ago. After Brian had been running with Buffini and Company for some time, Dermot hopped on board and the rest is history.

Dermot has learned many business and coaching lessons first-hand, first from his parents, then as the founder of his own company, and now as the CEO of Buffini and Company. When it comes to finding clients through sales and marketing, he has found that you will attract people who share your values, and if you consistently build trust and act with kindness towards them, you will find your business growing. Providing value to clients and consumers through hospitality and generosity is the best way to build this trust and nurture relationships.

Leaders should be self-aware enough to take charge by casting the vision and delegating the workload rather than taking control and diminishing the people they have surrounded themselves with. Dermot says that leaders would be wise to consider what they really want before feeling pressured into taking action that might not serve their broader goals. Like Adam, Dermot is a big proponent of leaders being coachable, saying that it is better to be humble than to be humbled. Admitting that you don’t have all of the answers and building up a network of people who can support you along the way shows true character and will ultimately lead the company in the right direction.

Connect with Dermot:

https://www.thebrianbuffinishow.com/

https://twitter.com/dermot_buffini

https://www.linkedin.com/in/dermot-buffini-04316431

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Quick Wins: Judgmental Society

Adam Contos — Fri, 17 Jan 2020 00:00:00 -0700

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https://www.amazon.com/Little-Prince-Antoine-Saint-Exup%C3%A9ry/dp/0156012197

2020 Real Estate Trends with RE/MAX CCO, Nick Bailey

Adam Contos — Wed, 15 Jan 2020 00:00:00 -0700

Nick Bailey, RE/MAX Chief Customer Officer, joins Adam for this episode of the Start with a Win podcast to discuss how consumers, agents, and brokers should approach the new year. Having spent his career working with RE/MAX and Zillow as an agent, a broker, and an executive, Nick has had a front-row seat for the changes in the market as well as industry trends over the years, and he has been digging in even more over the past 6 months in his role as Chief Customer Officer.

In 2020, Nick says that consumers should recognize that they are driving more of what agents are doing than ever before. Because of the impact of the internet, families are often finding houses through their own research and then going to an agent for help navigating the process rather than the more traditional setup. Consumers see their agent as their advocate in the process, guiding them as they make their decisions. While relying on the agent quite heavily in this aspect, consumers should consider making housing decisions sooner rather than later since interest rates are low and the market seems to be turning over rather quickly.

Agents should focus on building relationships with their leads and past clients, following up when appropriate, keep in touch with past clients even if they are not currently looking to buy or sell, and be careful not to let another agent take their clients just because they aren’t paying attention. The best lead is a free one, and the best way to get a referral or repeat customer is by being engaged and providing value to them even when they don’t know they need it.

Brokers should focus on growth in 2020, looking into providing ancillary services that will help scale the business to relieve some of the pressure felt while trying to increase margins. The advantage that RE/MAX brokers have in this market climate is the brand recognition of the RE/MAX name, providing credibility to the agents before they ever interact with a consumer.

Links:

Connect with Adam:

https://global.remax.com/AgentProfile.aspx?AgentID=1006139096

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Race Cars, Real Estate, and Reality TV with The Bachelor’s Arie Luyendyk Jr.

Adam Contos — Wed, 08 Jan 2020 00:00:00 -0700

Our guest on this episode of the Start with a Win podcast is a man of many talents: Entrepreneur, television celebrity, and Indy racer Arie Luyendyk Jr. Arie has had his real estate license since 2004, but when the market took a turn in 2007, Arie decided to focus on racing and his television career for a few years before jumping back into real estate in 2016. He is very passionate about helping people buy and sell homes in the Scottsdale area and beyond — and he actually finds it a bit easier to find clients than it was for him to sign sponsors on the racetrack.

The key tools that Arie uses to find success are having a system for time management and being surrounded by the right team of people. He recognizes that solid relationships are the basis for all aspects of his career and life and he takes every opportunity to network and connect with people. He has a daily routine of expressing gratitude and setting goals for that day and then circling back at night to check in with himself and plan for the next day. His time management recently hit a speed bump with the birth of his daughter, making him want to spend much more time at home with his family than he used to, but he wouldn’t trade that time for the world.

Links:

https://bestself.co/products/self-journal?variant=18866398068805

Connect with Arie:

https://www.instagram.com/ariejr

https://twitter.com/ariejr

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Quick Wins: Pay the Price for Success

Adam Contos — Fri, 03 Jan 2020 00:00:00 -0700

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Resolutions for 2020

Adam Contos — Wed, 01 Jan 2020 00:00:00 -0700

Welcome to a new year – a new decade – of the Start with a Win podcast! You are already starting 2020 with a win by listening to the show, but hopefully you are also setting your mind to making other positive choices in the new year. There is always a lot of buzz around New Year’s Resolutions, which may be realistic or unrealistic, but Adam wants to challenge the way you think about resolutions and suggest beneficial resolutions to take on.

Be all in – Commit to being all in on every activity you undertake every day by being on time, working hard, expressing gratitude, and being emotionally intelligent. This is not an easy thing to do and you will slip up sometimes, but your personal and professional goals and relationships will see drastic improvement once you make this decision.
Ask more questions – Be curious and genuinely interested in others, not just waiting for them to stop talking so you can have your turn. You can gain so much knowledge by being hungry and humble through the practice of asking questions without judgement.
CICD (continuous integration, continuous delivery) – This is a term that was borrowed from the IT industry which means to make things better and deliver on it. No matter how good you are at something, there is always room for improvement, and resolving to do better can make all the difference.
Be a global leader in your field – For RE/MAX, this means striving to be a global real estate technology leader. View this new year as the beginning of a new chapter in your journey, filled with opportunity just waiting for you to seize it, and then put in the work it takes to reach that goal.
Start with a win – Resolve to start every day with a win, be kind to everyone and share wins with each other.

Adam also responded to an audio question submitted by Mark regarding RE/MAX’s most valuable asset. Adam and the leadership of RE/MAX are very proud to say that the people are the most valuable asset, based on the culture that Dave Liniger created when he founded the company and lived out through the 128,000+ RE/MAX agents around the world who are closing a real estate transaction every 30 seconds as a team.

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Carrying Kindness Beyond the Holiday Season

Adam Contos — Wed, 25 Dec 2019 00:00:00 -0700

When you break down Christmas traditions beyond the events and quirky activities that each family participates in every year, you find that the real purpose behind those traditions is to build community and provide a platform for unconditional sharing. These traditions draw families and friends together like little else can, and Adam suggests that this unique cohesion should become a bigger part of our lives day-in and day-out, from the end of December to the middle of March to the beginning of August.

The people in your life are all there for a season, and you never know when your life circumstances are going to change, so why not spend time with the people who matter most to you right now? Reach out a helping hand, send that encouraging text, show up for them when they need a friend, treat them to coffee, and be quick to serve. When you make giving and caring a part of your daily life, you will start anticipating the needs of others and thinking of yourself less and less, but within a true community, your acts of kindness will be returned right when you need them most. Don’t overthink it when someone comes to mind: give them a call, send them a text, or pop by their office over lunch to check in with them and strengthen those bonds. You will never regret giving the gift of happiness.

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Quick Wins: Not Every Day is a Win

Adam Contos — Fri, 20 Dec 2019 00:00:00 -0700

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https://www.remax.com/real-estate-agents/kissimmee-fl-34741-daisylopez-cid-id13264321.html

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The Power of Community in Business with Daisy Lopez-Cid

Adam Contos — Wed, 18 Dec 2019 00:00:00 -0700

On this episode of the Start with a Win podcast, we are joined by Daisy Lopez-Cid, broker-owner of RE/MAX Premiere in Kissimmee, Florida. Daisy took the leap into the real estate industry in August of 2007, and while it was not easy going, she and her agents banded together with the community to weather the storm of the recession and come out stronger on the other side.

Daisy has set up a culture in her office of truly caring for her agents, their clients, and the community, and many of her agents have been with her for more than 10 years as a result. She strives to mirror the values and practices of the broader Hispanic culture: giving, welcoming, warmth, and persistence. As one of very few Latinas in the real estate space, she has a unique perspective and also unique opportunities to work with Hispanic families as they navigate the real estate market.

She does her best to help her clients in any way that she can and build a relationship with the community, as evidenced by the numbers of past clients that still attend her annual Christmas party and just stop by her office to bring her food or say hi. Many people appreciate Daisy’s straightforward but eloquent way of explaining the way things really are.

Daisy has been involved with the National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals (NAHREP) since early on in her real estate career, and in 2018 she served as the organization’s president. She speaks so highly of NAHREP and its members who demonstrate hospitality and persistence day-in and day-out. She brought Adam with her to a NAHREP convention several years ago and he was blown away by how inviting the agents were and their vocal commitment to their communities.

She starts each day thinking about what she needs to execute before the day is over and then she gets out there and does it. Her father raised her to be strong, independent, committed, and resourceful, recognizing that there is no success without discomfort, and this is the message that motivates her to start with a win.

Connect with Daisy:

https://nahrep.org/

https://www.facebook.com/daisy.lopezcid.3

https://www.instagram.com/daisylopezcid/

Connect with Adam:

https://torresteamia.com/

Creating an Attitude of Abundance with Shane Torres

Adam Contos — Wed, 11 Dec 2019 00:00:00 -0700

Our guest on this episode of the Start with a Win podcast is Shane Torres, Broker/Owner of RE/MAX Concepts out of Polk City, Iowa. Shane got into real estate in 2009 after beginning his career as a homebuilder and seeing his business dry up during the recession. He and his wife had to make a lot of tough decisions to take care of their family during that period, and while becoming a real estate agent was a long shot at the time, this career shift has proven to be for the best.

Having gone from the brink of bankruptcy to $20 million in production within three years, Shane has a lot of insights to share with others in the real estate industry and in business in general. He has written a book on the topic and he also operates a coaching business called “The Road to $20 Million” to help his clients find their paths and avoid some of the mistakes that cost Shane precious time and money. He finds this work extremely fulfilling, being able to help his clients obtain a life balance, understanding the importance of both revenue and having a life that will let you enjoy it. One of his key points is to set upfront expectations and communicate honestly with your clients and loved ones about this balance.

The biggest business challenges that Shane has faced and has walked his clients through are mostly related to mindset. If you adjust your mindset to reflect an attitude of abundance by being focused on your “why,” you can set and attain very high goals and set up systems to support you along the way. Shane tells his clients that it is important to work toward their goals one step at a time with consistent effort. Shane starts his days with a win by spending some time listening to podcasts and Bible studies, getting to the gym by 5:00am or 5:30am, answering a few emails, spending time with his family, and then getting his workday started. Shane ended his time with us by dropping a new classic truth bomb: Don’t stoop to stupid.

Connect with Shane:

https://www.facebook.com/REMAXSHANETORRES

https://www.instagram.com/shane.torres/

https://twitter.com/REMAXTorresTeam

https://www.amazon.com/Road-20-Million-Bankruptcy-Multi-Million/dp/0578497816

https://www.roadto20million.com/

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Quick Wins: Remember How They Feel

Adam Contos — Fri, 06 Dec 2019 00:00:00 -0700

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https://www.instagram.com/homes217/

Building Your Personal Brand on Social Media with Kristen Long

Adam Contos — Wed, 04 Dec 2019 00:00:00 -0700

On this episode of the Start with a Win podcast, Kristen Long talks with us about her experience generating business using social media and how effectively building her personal brand on social media allowed her to become an independent agent in 2017. After working with a few teams in the Champaign, Illinois, area, Kristen realized that she was generating about 85% of her business herself and she decided to lean into her marketing background to get herself out there.

The most effective method she has found is through social media, specifically Instagram. In 2018, 25% of Kristen’s business came from Instagram interactions, and it is likely that many people who like and engage with her content now will reach out to her when they have a real estate agent need down the road. While many people spend a lot of money to boost their posts, advertise, and buy followers, Kristen emphasizes that you can reach thousands of people at no cost to you if you have the right type of content.

Another unconventional way that Kristen generates business is by aligning herself with Target. It is her happy place, so it is very common for her to be posting about going to Target or something she bought at Target or someone she saw at Target, so when people who are familiar with her go to Target or pass a Target or think about Target, they automatically think about Kristen. This immediate connection sometimes turns into a referral when people think about Kristen and realize that they have a friend looking to buy or sell a house and recommend that they reach out to her.

Overall, Kristen sees the value in being present on multiple social media platforms, but she recommends that people focus on the one or two platforms that they are most comfortable with. When you are comfortable, you can show your authentic self and not come across and pushy or sales-y, but rather just provide value to your followers. Kristen says that the key to generating business on social media is to build relationships by being authentic and responsive. She also urges everyone to run their own social media accounts rather than paying someone else to manage them because you need to be the one interacting with people and listening to what they want and need, and they expect and deserve to hear from the real you.

Connect with Kristen:

https://www.instagram.com/Lkristen/

https://www.facebook.com/kristen.long.9803

https://www.linkedin.com/in/homes217/

Connect with Adam:

http://instagram.com/sugarwishgirl#

Delivering Happiness with Sugarwish CEO, Elisabeth Vezzani

Adam Contos — Wed, 27 Nov 2019 00:00:00 -0700

Elisabeth Vezzani, CEO of Sugarwish, joins us on this episode of Start with a Win. Elisabeth and her co-founder noticed a paradigm shift in gift giving when sending e-gifts started to gain traction and the mentality switched from the giver choosing the gift to the receiver having the power to decide what they wanted. They started Sugarwish as a way to provide the receiver the joy and satisfaction of choosing their ideal candy box which has already been paid for by the giver, featuring over 80 different types of candy and over 50 types of popcorn to choose from.

The magic of Sugarwish is that there are multiple touch points that feel magical to the receiver and that also serve the purpose of keeping the giver top-of-mind. Elisabeth says that 80% of Sugarwish’s clients are business professionals who are looking for a creative and fun way to send gifts to their own clients for various reasons. Many business professionals wonder if they are striking the right note in their interactions with customers and leads, but by sending them something from Sugarwish which they get to pick out themselves, you can rest assured that your interactions will always end memorably.

Elisabeth speaks to building and maintaining a startup, emphasizing the importance of prioritizing your next tasks and steps, and realizing that you can’t do everything. She also talks about the impact of a good culture by investing in your human capital while your financial capital is still getting where you want it to be. Like many other successful people, Elisabeth starts her day with a win by making her bed and setting her mind on the priorities of the day.

Connect with Elisabeth:

https://sugarwish.com/

http://www.facebook.com/sendasugarwish

https://twitter.com/Sugarwishgirl

http://pinterest.com/sugarwishpins

Connect with Adam:

https://www.instagram.com/edstulak/

Using Instagram to Grow Your Business with Ed Stulak

Adam Contos — Wed, 20 Nov 2019 00:00:00 -0700

On this episode of the Start with a Win podcast, Adam talks with The Millennial Realtor, Ed Stulak. Ed is a RE/MAX agent based in New Brunswick, New Jersey, who is an Instagram and branding expert, and he shares some of his main insights with listeners during this show.

While working in the marketing industry, Ed had the opportunity to work with and learn from some of the best and brightest on Instagram. Along with his own personal experience using the platform and seeing the potential for building community and providing value to followers, Ed was able to translate what he had learned into the real estate space about 3 years ago. Ed believes strongly that authenticity is the key to success on Instagram from a personal and professional branding perspective, so he doesn’t abide by any set of guidelines or rules about what he should be posting, but he rather posts what is most true to himself in the most engaging way.

Ed has been using Instagram since 2012 and he has worked hard to amass over 44,000 followers who are interested in his content and engage with his posts. Perhaps one of the big ways that he has built such a community is by taking a step back and considering the most engaging way to present each post. Instead of just posting a picture of a house he is showing, he aims to elicit an emotion by including something like him holding a puppy in front of the house that will make people stop scrolling.

He has found that just by providing authentic and valuable content to his community, he is cultivating and converting leads without ever directly asking people for their business. Ed is constantly responding to comments on his posts, reaching out to new followers, and informing people of new deliverables he can send them if they are interested. These deliverables are items of value to the consumer and they are a way that Ed collects email addresses for his CRM. He is a big advocate of not putting all of your eggs in one basket, but having a presence on all social media platforms as well as old school media and methods.

Ed approaches each new day with the mantra “Today is a great day to be great”, and it is clear that he wants to help others do the same.

Connect with Ed:

https://www.facebook.com/Edstulak1181

https://www.facebook.com/edstulak.realestate/?ref=br_rs

Quick Wins: Done is Better Than Perfect

Adam Contos — Fri, 15 Nov 2019 00:00:00 -0700

Connect with Adam:

https://www.remotelock.com/

Entrepreneurship and Staying Centered with RemoteLock CEO, Nolan Mondrow

Adam Contos — Wed, 13 Nov 2019 00:00:00 -0700

Our guest on this episode of the Start with a Win podcast is Nolan Mondrow, CEO of RemoteLock based in Denver. Nolan jumped into entrepreneurship right after college, starting a clothing export company in Japan where he learned the importance of being persistent, even if it is only because you don’t understand that your prospect is telling you “no” in their language. He came back to the U.S. and got his MBA because he felt that he needed to learn how to think more inside the box, after which he happened upon starting a business selling safes. This business eventually led to e-commerce and, in 2011, RemoteLock was born.

RemoteLock is the only cloud technology for smart locks and their main customers are vacation rental owners and real estate agents. RemoteLock allows people to provide time-based codes to designated people who need to access the house or property for any reason and some clients have found uses for the technology that they can integrate into their CRM systems for more effective follow-up procedures. In the future, Nolan sees opportunities for RemoteLock to expand into the merger between multi-family units and the short-term rental realm.

From a leadership perspective, Nolan talks about his strategies for keeping the right perspective when things don’t go as planned and being an example to those around you in handling challenges. Nolan starts his days with a win by making his bed, being present with his kids until they go to school, and then spending some time every day walking around his office to gauge how people are doing and collaborate with his team.

Connect with Remote Lock:

https://twitter.com/remotelock_news

https://www.facebook.com/RemoteLocks/

https://www.linkedin.com/company/lockstate/

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCt2L5eFkY6OcE50alkrvXFg

https://www.instagram.com/remotelock/

Connect with Adam:

Interview with Nate Martinez

Adam Contos — Wed, 06 Nov 2019 00:00:00 -0700

Our guest on this episode of the Start with a Win podcast is Nate Martinez, co-owner of RE/MAX Professionals in the Phoenix area. Nate wears many hats as an owner, broker, team leader, and agent, and he is fortunate enough to have his wife and two of his children on his team.

With over 33 years in the industry, Nate has overcome plenty of challenges and has learned many beneficial lessons that now point him in the direction of success. Even with everything he has going on, he prioritizes his team by setting aside several hours every Wednesday morning to talk through the issues of the week and also provide a collaborative space. Nate’s keys to success are being committed to learning, being coachable, and being a mentor.

When it comes to continual learning, Nate doesn’t understand why some people make a conscious decision to just give up and stop improving when there are so many mountains left to climb. By being committed to learning, you are truly living life to the fullest and you are able to enhance the lives of others. Part of this also is the willingness to be coachable, recognizing that you don’t know everything and that a coach could help you improve yourself in all areas of life. Finally, Nate encourages everyone who wants to be successful to take the time to help others as well. This mindset of giving over gaining and abundance over scarcity is rare in a world where so many people are primarily focused on themselves, but this will make all the difference for you and those you are pouring into.

Nate’s advice to up-and-coming real estate agents is: (1) find a mentor, (2) find a coach, and (3) invest in yourself. He starts his day with a win by visualizing his day and focusing on the “Miracle Morning” principles.

Links:

“Trillion Dollar Coach” book: https://www.amazon.com/Trillion-Dollar-Coach-Leadership-Playbook/dp/0062839268

“Miracle Morning” book: https://www.amazon.com/Miracle-Morning-Not-So-Obvious-Guaranteed-Transform/dp/0979019710

Connect with Nate:

natem@remax.net

Quick Wins: Community. How do you build it?

Adam Contos — Thu, 31 Oct 2019 00:00:00 -0600

Communicate and build community through video. Listen to today's Quick WIn to hear more.

1yr Anniversary Recap

Adam Contos — Wed, 30 Oct 2019 00:00:00 -0600

This episode marks the one-year anniversary of the Start with a Win podcast! We want to thank all of our loyal listeners and fans for your support and for making the show what it is today! We can’t wait to kick off the next year of the podcast and see what the future holds.

During this episode, Adam, producer Mark, and social media manager Kayla walk down memory lane and recall their favorite episodes and the lessons that have stuck with them most over the past year. Episode 1 about building hustle daily truly set the tone for Start with a Win and the idea of what causes success is a recurring theme throughout many episodes.

We have also been honored to host many agents, coaches, and celebrities during our first year and we look forward to many more. Ryan Harris of the Super Bowl L champion Denver Broncos was just one of the many achievers Adam has interviewed whose kindness and humility really elevated his message of choosing your mindset and believing “I am. I can. I will” in all of life. Dave Liniger brought so much good content to his interview sessions that we had to split it up into 3 episodes filled with wisdom and knowledge as well as messages of empowerment that were before his time.

So many stellar RE/MAX agents have been guests on the show, sharing on topics from social media to video to overcoming challenges to shifting your mindset including Ido and Sable from Booj and Ward from Motto Mortgage. Coaches like John Ceplak, Verl Workman, and Richard Robbins have also shared with our listeners crucial business principles as well as the importance of starting within yourself before trying to influence others. We are so grateful for the contributions of all of our guests so far and we can’t wait to share more truths with you as we begin Year 2!

Lies Business Leaders Tell Themselves

Adam Contos — Wed, 23 Oct 2019 00:00:00 -0600

“Owning a business makes you a leader.” – Just about anyone can own a business, but it takes intentional effort, a willingness to be coachable, and a commitment to giving 100% to your business, customers, and employees to truly be a leader.
“My employees want to work for me.” – It is your responsibility as their leader to make the workplace somewhere that your employees want to be and where they are encouraged to be the best version of themselves. Your business should be viewed as a community or family that people want to be a part of.
“Since I own this business, it is the best one out there.” – Just because you think your baby is pretty doesn’t mean it really is. Approach your business with humility and frequently reach out to your customers for their feedback in your quest for continuous improvement.
“I will succeed just because I showed up.” – You will succeed when you are serving your customer well, which takes time, hard work, and a willingness to listen to the feedback of your customers.
“Success is fast.” – When you try to rush success, you will end up being a jack of all trades and master of none. Success requires a series of small wins every day including consistent interactions with your customers, employees, colleagues, and mentors. It has been said that “focus” really means Follow One Course Until Success, and success in business is a long game.

Connect with Adam:

“Why Customers Leave” by David Avrin - https://www.amazon.com/Why-Customers-Leave-Them-Back/dp/1632651513

“Atomic Habits” by James Clear - https://www.amazon.com/Atomic-Habits-Proven-Build-Break/dp/0735211299

Quick Wins: Behavior Check

Adam Contos — Fri, 18 Oct 2019 00:00:00 -0600

Connect with Adam:

https://www.amazon.com/Why-Customers-Leave-Them-Back/dp/1632651513

Why Do Customers Leave? Interview With Expert David Avrin

Adam Contos — Wed, 16 Oct 2019 00:00:00 -0600

Our guest on this episode of the Start with a Win podcast is David Avrin, speaker and author of several books, most recently “Why Customers Leave (and How to Win Them Back)”. David says that the answer to why customers leave is a simple one: they leave because they can. There are so many choices out in the market and many channels available to customers, from real estate to retail to services to groceries. Business owners are often trying to operate under the assumption that they can control what their customers will buy, but customers don’t always want to do business that way.

Consumer behavior is a complex field of study these days, and while business owners don’t have to be experts in predicting what their customers will want or when they will want it, they should have a basic understanding of their customers and what motivates them to purchase. Businesses do not have the luxury of just waiting for customers to walk in their doors, but rather they need to recognize how to meet their customers where they are and meet their needs there.

While the primary focus of businesses in the past has been producing an exemplary product that people will want to buy, they must now combine this aspect of the buying process with the wants and needs of the customers. A good starting point for gaining competitive advantage in this realm is to re-examine the points of contact with the customer and make adjustments based on their observed needs and wants. Since there are so many channels for purchasing very similar products, building a relationship with your customers will likely make all the difference in you receiving the business over your competitors.

David believes in leading with authenticity, relevance, and in a way that educates the consumer. This also involves a willingness to continually adjust your approach based on shifting expectations and feedback from your customers. David starts his days with a win by spending intentional and uninterrupted time with his kids, getting his priorities aligned before starting his workday.

Links:

Connect with Adam:

Quick Wins: Are You A Success Seeker Or Failure Avoider?

Adam Contos — Fri, 11 Oct 2019 00:00:00 -0600

Connect with Adam:
https://www.startwithawin.com/
https://www.facebook.com/REMAXAdamContos
https://twitter.com/REMAXAdamContos
https://www.instagram.com/REMAXadamcontos/

Top 10 Worst Excuses

Adam Contos — Wed, 09 Oct 2019 00:00:00 -0600

The topic of this episode of the Start with a Win podcast is the 10 worst excuses that Adam has heard about why people can’t grow their businesses and why these excuses are not true. These excuses really come from a self-limiting mindset which will become a self-fulfilling prophecy if you don’t alter your thinking.

“I’m an introvert.” – When it comes to marketing yourself, it doesn’t matter if you like talking in front of people and getting yourself out there; you have to do it in order to build your brand and establish rapport with your potential clients. If it helps, establish an alter ego that you assume when you need to talk in these settings and then relax, be happy, and talk.
“I don’t have time!” – We all have the same 24 hours in a day, so if you feel that you don’t have time to build your business, you must be making poor time management choices.
“My technology doesn’t work.” – With all of the advances in technology and the continual updates, chances are the issue you are having is human error.
“There are no customers left in my market.” – There are plenty of customers to go around, so you must not be looking hard enough or in the right places. Take responsibility and put in the effort to find them.
“I don’t do social media – I’m too private.” – Social media is one of the easiest ways to reach the most potential customers, so you need to be present. You can have boundaries around your usage, but you at least need to be active on one platform.
“I need more leads.” – It is your responsibility to generate enough business for yourself and to take care of the leads you already have. Increasing your conversion rate is just as good as – if not better than – getting new leads.
“They don’t want my product/service.” – Most of the time when you give this excuse, what the customers really don’t want is you. They are looking for the end result that can come from your product/service, so be genuine, tell your story, build relationships, and show them the result you can provide.
“I can’t do it.” – This really means that you won’t do it. If it is important, you will find a way.
“It’s too hard!” – If it is too hard for you right now, then go get the training needed for you to know how or outsource that task to an expert in the field.
“I’ll get to it.” – Now you are just finding a passive-aggressive way to say “no.” Don’t tell people that you will get to it if you have no intention of doing so.

Links:

“The Alter Ego Effect” by Todd Herman: https://www.amazon.com/Alter-Ego-Effect-Identities-Transform/dp/0062838636/

Connect with Adam:

Get By Or Make Your Dreams Come True - Interview With Richard Robbins

Adam Contos — Wed, 02 Oct 2019 00:00:00 -0600

On this episode of the Start with a Win podcast, Adam talks with Richard Robbins, the acclaimed business coach who has been helping RE/MAX agents and brokers and professionals from many other industries for more than 20 years. Richard describes being coachable as “crazy curious”, meaning that the person knows that they don’t know it all and they consistently ask questions and desire to learn.

Many people are held back from future personal or professional success because of their fear of uncertainty or change. The coachable person, on the other hand, recognizes the benefit of knowing their blind spots and working to improve despite any fear they may feel.

The real estate agents that Richard has worked with over the years tend to have one main issue: complacency. They have figured out a good system for “getting by” every day and they don’t see any need to change their ways to make their dreams come true, potentially because they haven’t allowed themselves to dream. Many agents and brokers get too focused on the money and they fill their days up with busy work that is not truly productive just to earn the paycheck. Their main motivators, in fact, should be much deeper: their “why”, their purpose, their desires, and the greater cause within them.

Richard finds that when working with people who are complacent, they have renewed vigor when he adjusts their plan to get them to the goal they had been neglecting. Research has shown that 95% of the over 60,000 thoughts you think every day are habitual, so what you think becomes what you feel, which becomes how you act, which leads to your results. Richard is a believer in programming your mental state at the beginning of every day with a focus on gratitude and continuous improvement, which will overflow into all other areas of your life.

Links:

“Trillion Dollar Coach” book: https://www.amazon.com/Trillion-Dollar-Coach-Leadership-Playbook/dp/0062839268

Richard Robbins International: https://www.richardrobbins.com/

Connect with Adam:

10 Levers Of Success Part 2

Adam Contos — Wed, 25 Sep 2019 00:00:00 -0600

If you tuned into the previous episode of the Start with a Win podcast, you have been equipped with the first five Business Levers of Success. And if you haven’t listened to that episode yet, go back and do it!
Adam continues by sharing the final five Business Levers of Success on this episode, plus listeners who are patient and perceptive will receive Adam’s #1 piece of advice for CEOs and executives.
6. Saying the right thing – Creating copy is an art form meant to bring people along on the journey of your business. If you are not familiar with copy writing, do some research and review the resources below to understand how saying the right thing can be so impactful in your business.
7. Learning and growing – When you stop learning, you start dying. The wisest people in the world soak up everything around them and take notes to be able to reflect back on what they have learned so they can apply it in their everyday lives. They view learning as a way of extracting and delivering value.
8. Improvement – Small hinges swing big doors, and as Adam has previously discussed on the podcast, there is great power in the aggregation of marginal gain. Improvement doesn’t happen overnight, but small habitual changes can lead to huge improvements.
9. The power of associations – Push yourself to associate with people much smarter than you, from your business relationships to personal mentors or coaches to mastermind groups. Frequently evaluate your circles to determine if you have people around you who hold you accountable for your goals.
10. Clarity – Confusion is contagious, and you as a leader are confused about the direction of your organization or even just a certain project, your employees will feel lost, unmotivated, and perhaps even lose confidence in you. On the other hand, clarity and focus are the keys to future success.

Links:
“Atomic Habits” by James Clear: https://www.amazon.com/Atomic-Habits-Proven-Build-Break/dp/0735211299
“The Power of Habit” by Charles Duhigg: https://www.amazon.com/Power-Habit-What-Life-Business/dp/081298160X
“Habit Stacking” by Steve Scott: https://www.amazon.com/Habit-Stacking-Changes-Improve-Happiness-ebook/dp/B06XP2B5QC
“How to Write Copy that Sells” by Ray Edwards: https://www.amazon.com/Write-Copy-Sells-Step-Step/dp/161448502X
Ray Edwards’ podcast: https://rayedwards.com/podcast-archives/
“Copy Chief Radio” podcast: https://copychief.com/podcast-all/

Connect with Adam:
https://www.startwithawin.com/
https://www.facebook.com/REMAXAdamContos
https://twitter.com/REMAXAdamContos
https://www.instagram.com/REMAXadamcontos/

Quick Wins: Luck Has Nothing To Do With It

Adam Contos — Fri, 20 Sep 2019 00:00:00 -0600

Connect with Adam:
https://www.startwithawin.com/
https://www.facebook.com/REMAXAdamContos
https://twitter.com/REMAXAdamContos
https://www.instagram.com/REMAXadamcontos/

10 Levers Of Success Part 1

Adam Contos — Wed, 18 Sep 2019 00:00:00 -0600

On this episode of the Start with a Win podcast, Adam talks about some of the business levers for success based on his experience and the experiences of others. Considering these things can set you up for more wins and keep you on track to reach your goals.

Mindset – Your mind is your ultimate weapon, and it is up to you if you are going to cultivate seeds of limitations or seeds of abundance. You can choose to take responsibility for your circumstances or blame your environment when things don’t go your way, but you will find that things go better for you when you give unconditionally of yourself for the benefit of others, which can’t stem from a mindset of blaming everyone but yourself. Producer Mark lives by the motto “Don’t worry. Be present. Expect.” Perhaps you will find this helpful in shaping your own mindset.

Emotions – What you convey to your clients or those you are in relationship with is what you will receive back from them. You can choose to give unconditional love or unnecessary frustration depending on what you want to encounter.
Time – What you do with your time is ultimately a matter of choice management based in your emotional maturity. Take a look at your typical day in 30-minute segments and determine if each segment was productive or not productive. Reflect on this exercise and plan out ways that you want to change that balance.

Relationships – You can view each relationship you have as a bank account. Making value deposits over time will result in a higher balance. Building relationships doesn’t have to be limited to close friends or acquaintances either – you can easily pay into the relationship bank of everyone you meet by smiling or giving them a compliment.

How You Show Up – This is all about value delivery and your efforts to become who you say you want to be. So much can be learned from how other people see you, especially if you think you are making improvements that are not translating to how people perceive you.
Be sure to tune in next week for the last 5 business levers for success!

Connect with Adam:
https://www.startwithawin.com/
https://www.facebook.com/REMAXAdamContos
https://twitter.com/REMAXAdamContos
https://www.instagram.com/REMAXadamcontos/

The Alter Ego Effect With Todd Herman

Adam Contos — Wed, 11 Sep 2019 00:00:00 -0600

Todd Herman, entrepreneur and coach to performance athletes and CEOs, joins Adam for this episode of the Start with a Win podcast. Todd has developed tools to help unlock peak performance at the highest level, which he has recently outlined in his book “The Alter Ego Effect”.
Growing up on a farming ranch outside of Calgary, Alberta, with two older brothers taught him an extraordinary amount of mental toughness, which he realized as a college athlete. He had found his mental exercises and tools so helpful that he began to volunteer with high school athletes to teach them about mental toughness as well. Soon, parents of some of those athletes were asking Todd to mentor their kids to further develop their resilience, and Todd knew that what he had was unique.
He started speaking at every opportunity to any group who would have him, and when he had worked with enough clients to have a data set, he realized that the main barrier to mental toughness is people getting in their own way by believing they are not capable of more. Todd began building out the idea of a performance-based persona that people could adopt for competition, which would allow them to remain true to their everyday self while also providing them with an outlet to exponentially increase their capabilities.
Todd is able to quickly achieve results with performance athletes and leaders by activating traits that already exist within them and helping them create a new identity to break down the barriers that they had put up for themselves. He wakes up every morning saying “come and get me” to any challenges and adversity because he knows that he has the mental toughness and grit within himself to face anything that comes his way.

Connect with Todd:
https://toddherman.me/
https://www.facebook.com/toddhermanconnect/
https://www.instagram.com/todd_herman/
https://www.amazon.com/Alter-Ego-Effect-Identities-Transform-ebook/dp/B075WPWMSK

Connect with Adam:
https://www.startwithawin.com/
https://www.facebook.com/REMAXAdamContos

Quick Wins: All Things Have A Cost

Adam Contos — Fri, 06 Sep 2019 00:00:00 -0600

Nothing in life comes easy. If it sounds too good to be true...it probably is. Listen to today's Quick Wins to find out more.

Agent Safety

Adam Contos — Wed, 04 Sep 2019 00:00:00 -0600

Adam kicks off National Real Estate Agent Safety month by sharing the four keystone concepts of agent (and personal) safety. He has used these concepts as a member of the military, as a law enforcement officer, and now as the leader of thousands of RE/MAX agents.

Awareness – This is the primary key to survival in most situations. By paying attention to any physical signs of criminal activity as well as any gut feelings telling you that something is not right, you can avoid entering into danger.
Avoidance – Remove yourself from the situation by physically leaving and calling for help. You should have a plan for how you will avoid potential danger and trust your gut when it tells you to follow the plan. In the case of an open house where a person approaches you and makes you feel unsafe, just walk out of the house. You should have already instructed the homeowners to remove any prescription medications, valuables, and weapons from the house, and your safety is more important than possessions. Remember that the best fight won is the fight never fought.
De-escalation – Kindness is the first wave of de-escalation and talking your way out of things can help diffuse a potentially dangerous situation. Another tactic of de-escalation is to redirect the person’s attention or the focus of the conversation. If you feel unsafe, it is best to call the police and report what has happened – it is likely that this person’s behavior is a pattern that the authorities need to be aware of.
Response – If after following the steps of awareness, avoidance, and de-escalation you still find yourself in a potentially dangerous situation, your natural defense system will kick in and you are likely to fight, flight, or freeze. Analyze your surroundings and keep trying to either get out of the situation or choose to do nothing and hope the person moves on. However, if you do find yourself in a fight, fight with all your might by using whatever resources are available to you. You are legally allowed to defend yourself if you feel at risk of bodily harm, and your focus should be to protect, defend, and win.

In addition to these safety concepts, it is also important to be familiar with first aid. Have a first aid kit nearby and be prepared to administer basic first aid if the situation arises, either learned during a CPR/First Aid training class or by watching a few YouTube videos. You can have a positive impact on others by being aware and willing to act.

Connect with Adam:

https://www.facebook.com/REMAXAdamContos

https://twitter.com/REMAXAdamContos

https://www.womenoffaith.com/

Episode 3 of 3 Live at RE/MAX BOC 2019 With Dan Bertelson

Adam Contos — Wed, 28 Aug 2019 02:05:00 -0600

Dan Bertelson is the Director of Opportunities at RE/MAX Preferred in Monona, Wisconsin. His primary responsibilities are recruiting and retention and he leans heavily on being genuine, honest, and raw in his conversations with potential and current employees. Even though text and email would be the easiest communication methods for his line of work, Dan realizes the importance of breaking down barriers and conversing via video or in-person meetings, which just adds to his authenticity and desire to connect. Dan values transparency, humility, and truly caring for others, qualities instilled in him during his time serving in the military and law enforcement.

Links:
Dan Bertelson: https://www.danbertelson.com/

Connect with Adam:

https://www.startwithawin.com/

https://www.facebook.com/REMAXAdamContos

https://twitter.com/REMAXAdamContos

https://www.instagram.com/REMAXadamcontos/

Episode 2 of 3 Live at RE/MAX BOC 2019 With Elizabeth Mendenhall

Adam Contos — Wed, 28 Aug 2019 01:05:00 -0600

Elizabeth Mendenhall served as the 2018 National Association of Realtors President and she is the owner of RE/MAX brokerages in Columbia and Jefferson City, Missouri. Elizabeth also attributes her team’s success to the culture of volunteerism and building trust, which were essential elements for her team to carry on as she spent the vast majority of last year traveling for her NAR commitments. She described her recommendations to brokers struggling with their cultures or staff members, including involving staff in decision making and delineating roles and responsibilities. Anything you can do to get staff to buy into your culture and vision for the brokerage will be helpful. She also has some interesting thoughts about the future of the real estate industry, particularly when it comes to advances in technology.

Links:
Elizabeth Mendenhall: http://www.elizabethmendenhall.com/

Connect with Adam:

https://www.startwithawin.com/

https://www.facebook.com/REMAXAdamContos

https://twitter.com/REMAXAdamContos

https://www.instagram.com/REMAXadamcontos/

Episode 1 of 3 Live at RE/MAX BOC 2019 With Sandy Hancock

Adam Contos — Wed, 28 Aug 2019 00:00:00 -0600

Sandy Hancock hails from RE/MAX Results in St. Louis, Missouri, where she oversees 190 agents among all of her brokerages. She is very committed to making sure that all of her staff and agents succeed by setting up clear goals and expectations for them. By planning the vision for each year, Sandy wakes up each morning knowing what her tasks will be that day as well as what her staff are to be doing and how she can support them. She believes in providing her staff and agents with the tools and resources that they need and them empowering them to go about their business in the best way they can. Sandy exemplifies “tough love” by balancing tolerance and flexibility with holding her employees accountable, and she has found this culture to be beneficial for all involved.

Links:

Sandy Hancock: https://www.homestlouis.com/

Connect with Adam:

https://www.startwithawin.com/

https://www.facebook.com/REMAXAdamContos

https://twitter.com/REMAXAdamContos

https://www.instagram.com/REMAXadamcontos/

Quick Wins: Immediate is an illusion

Adam Contos — Fri, 23 Aug 2019 00:00:00 -0600

Do you ever feel like things are taking too long? Be encouraged in today's Quick Wins with Adam Contos.

Interview With 2019 Freedom Award Winner Levi Rodgers

Adam Contos — Wed, 21 Aug 2019 00:00:00 -0600

Our guests on this episode of the Start with a Win podcast are Levi Rodgers and Richard Pacheco of the Levi Rodgers Group of RE/MAX Military City. Levi is Retired Special Forces and he got into real estate in the San Antonio area after being wounded in combat serving our country. Richard is active in the National Guard and he also serves as the Operations Manager for the Levi Rodgers Group. Because of their commitment to helping people in their community buy and sell their homes, Levi and Richard are also very involved with their community at large, reaching out to people in all walks of life and giving back in every way they can.

In fact, as a result of their service to their community and their service to our country, the Levi Rodgers Group was awarded the 2019 Freedom Award from the U.S. Secretary of Defense. One of only 15 recipients out of more than 2,000 nominees, Levi and Richard were able to participate in a ceremony at the Pentagon, which was a very affirming culmination of all of Levi’s dedication to freedom.

While the transition from military life to civilian life was tough for him, Levi has found much success in creating an organizational culture that allows agents to thrive. He focuses on many concepts that he first learned in the military such as being in the right place at the right time in the right uniform, acting with integrity, looking for the win, and solving problems within yourself before trying to solve problems in others.

Links:

Freedom Award Recipients Named: https://www.army.mil/article/223172/freedom_award_2019_recipients_named

Website: https://www.levirodgersgroup.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LeviRodgersRealEstate/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/levi-rodgers-17a138149

Connect with Adam:

https://www.startwithawin.com/

https://www.facebook.com/REMAXAdamContos

https://twitter.com/REMAXAdamContos

https://www.instagram.com/REMAXadamcontos/

Digital Marketing With Real Estate Agent Bri White

Adam Contos — Wed, 14 Aug 2019 00:00:00 -0600

Over the past two years, Bri White, a RE/MAX agent in Southeast Florida has seen 95% of her business come in directly through social media. What began as an attempt to maximize a low budget quickly became the keystone to Bri’s success, and she wants other agents to learn how to effectively use social media to their advantage as well.

When it comes to Facebook, the more you post, the more likely your followers are to see your posts. If your posts have energy, attitude, and authenticity, those posts could garner higher levels of engagement, causing them to continue circulating in people’s feeds for several days. Another thing that Bri has noticed is Facebook’s emphasis on Groups, and the ability to find your “tribe” or community to build connections and show your personality. Bri’s final pieces of advice for Facebook are: make sure that your profession has public visibility on your personal page and make all posts related to your business visible to the public, even when you are posting from your personal page.

On Instagram, Bri emphasizes the importance of authenticity and consistency. If you have a handful of pages that post appealing content, learn from them and try to apply some of their ideas or concepts to your own posts or stories. Bri has found that Instagram is a good way to connect with local businesses, and some local businesses are using Instagram’s Direct Messages as a way to connect with potential clients just like they would on LinkedIn.

Links:

Website: https://www.breezetokeys.com/

Personal Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BreezeToKeys

Business Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BriWhiteRealtor/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/BreezeToKeys/

Pixaloop: https://apps.apple.com/al/app/enlight-pixaloop-move-photos/id1381206010

Cinemagraph: https://flixel.com/products/ios/cinemagraph-pro/

“The Slight Edge”: https://www.amazon.com/Slight-Edge-Turning-Disciplines-Happiness/dp/1626340463

“Compound Effect”: https://www.amazon.com/Compound-Effect-Darren-Hardy/dp/159315724X

Quick Wins: With CMN Champion Ciarlo

Adam Contos — Fri, 09 Aug 2019 00:00:00 -0600

We hosted CMN Champion Ciarlo at the RE/MAX world headquarters to celebrate the Month of Miracles. He was CEO for the day and got to be Adams co-host on Start With A Win.

Interview With Verl Workman

Adam Contos — Wed, 07 Aug 2019 00:00:00 -0600

Verl Workman stopped by the RE/MAX World Headquarters while he was in Denver for the National Speakers Association conference to talk with Adam on this episode of the Start with a Win podcast. One of seven children, Verl learned at an early age the importance of hard work and determination in earning every single thing. Since that time, he has lived with a mindset of abundance, not entertaining any limiting beliefs, and he has committed his life to helping others learn to do the same.
When his business was rocked by innovation early in his career, he found himself in real estate school in an attempt to successfully relaunch himself as an entrepreneur. He found that he really loved the sales process, but he realized that real estate agents often put too much stock in their own identity within their business and they overextend themselves. Verl developed a system that shows agencies and brokerages how to set up a team structure with skilled people helping the client each step of the way and then bringing the agent in at the very end for the most important aspects of the transaction. However, rather than focusing on the transaction, Verl likes to focus on the transformation that can occur through this type of business and people development.
Verl is a big advocate of the concept of leverage which encourages people to move toward problems and do more with less. A great way to work towards leverage is to have coaches around you who are outside of your work space and can give you objective feedback. It has been said that people give 25% of their capacity during the course of daily life, and it is the role of the coach to bring out the other 75%.

Links:
Workman Success Systems: https://workmansuccess.com/
“Who Moved by Cheese”: https://www.amazon.com/Who-Moved-My-Cheese-Mazing-ebook/dp/B004CR6AM4
“Scaling Up”: https://www.amazon.com/Scaling-Up-Companies-Rockefeller-Habits/dp/0986019526
“One Minute Entrepreneur”: https://www.amazon.com/One-Minute-Entrepreneur-Sustaining-Successful/dp/0385526024
“Greatest Salesman in the World”: https://www.amazon.com/Greatest-Salesman-World-Og-Mandino/dp/055327757X
“The Five Dysfunctions of a Team”: https://www.amazon.com/Five-Dysfunctions-Team-Leadership-Fable/dp/0787960756

Connect with Adam:
https://www.startwithawin.com/
https://www.facebook.com/REMAXAdamContos
https://twitter.com/REMAXAdamContos
https://www.instagram.com/REMAXadamcontos/

Video Bootcamp With Jesse Peters & Michael Thorne

Adam Contos — Wed, 31 Jul 2019 00:00:00 -0600

Joining Adam on the Start with a Win podcast today are Jesse Peters and Michael Thorne, Canadian RE/MAX agents known for their expertise in video. They are in town for another Video Bootcamp session at RE/MAX world headquarters. Attendees at previous bootcamps have remarked about how easy Jesse and Michael make video seem and they have been encouraged to just get out there and start creating videos as soon as they leave.
Adam is a firm believer in the power of video, which is why he invests so much time and energy into empowering RE/MAX agents and brokers to take full advantage of the platform. Video is the most authentic way for agents to communicate with their clients and communities, establish their own personal brands, and provide value to the consumer all along the way.
Jesse and Michael share with participants that video in real estate is not limited to just listings and open houses, but that they can share industry knowledge and just engage with their community in this way. By being consistently in front of your clients and potential clients, they feel like they are getting to know you and can trust you when it’s time for them to buy or sell a house.
Many people are hesitant about using video because they are self-conscious or they are afraid that their videos will not be “good enough”, but the fact is that even your worst video will provide you with better ROI than your best print promotional piece. As long as you keep it simple, have fun, smile, create good content, and showcase your own story, you can’t go wrong. In fact, Adam says that if you aren’t working with video, you are preventing yourself from helping people.

Links:
Jesse’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mrsocialsavvy/?hl=en

Connect with Adam:
https://www.startwithawin.com/
https://www.facebook.com/REMAXAdamContos
https://twitter.com/REMAXAdamContos
https://www.instagram.com/REMAXadamcontos/

Quick Wins: Are You Happy?

Adam Contos — Fri, 26 Jul 2019 00:00:00 -0600

Happiness is a choice. Get a little encouragement from Adam this week on staying happy and choosing the life you want.

Interview With Ido Zucker/John Sable of RE/MAX tech company booj

Adam Contos — Wed, 24 Jul 2019 00:00:00 -0600

There are exciting things going on in the real estate technology space, and RE/MAX’s recent acquisition of the company Booj (which stands for Be Original Or Jealous) is already changing the way our agents and brokers do business. On this episode of the Start with a Win podcast, Adam talks with Booj co-founders Ido Zucker and John Sable about the creation and evolution of their company in the 12 years it has existed.

When it was founded, Booj was called Active Website, and Ido and Sable focused on providing top-tier websites to real estate agents, but over the years they decided to change the name and shift their focus to targeting brokerages for broader impact. To this day, one of their biggest advantages is the amount of time they spend in the field with agents and brokers to determine their daily needs and create solutions. They would be the first to tell you the value of continuous improvement and that while they are proud of every iteration of their technology that has been pushed out to the world, they immediately start soliciting feedback and improving their system for the next update. They are using some of the science behind consumer behavior and user experience to guide some of the crucial functionality decisions they make as well.

Ido and Sable share their vision for the company and its culture, mainly to add value to their customers, to follow their passion, and to collaborate well as a team and with their clients. They believe that their company is different because of their commitment to believing in the mission, people, and environment they have set up for themselves and their employees, which is just one of the ways they try to lead by example. They recommend these ideals as a good place for any new entrepreneur to start.

Links:

http://www.booj.com/

Connect with Adam:

https://www.startwithawin.com/

https://www.facebook.com/REMAXAdamContos

https://twitter.com/REMAXAdamContos

https://www.instagram.com/REMAXadamcontos/

Interview With BombBombs Ethan Beute

Adam Contos — Wed, 17 Jul 2019 00:00:00 -0600

On this episode of the Start with a Win podcast, Adam interviews Ethan Beute, head of Marketing at BombBomb, headquartered in Colorado Springs. With a background in broadcasting and marketing in the Midwest, Ethan decided about 10 years ago to transition to something more focused on social media and digital marketing. He started with BombBomb about 8 years ago and he has felt at home there ever since.
BombBomb is a company that is making it super easy to record videos to be sent over email and social media and allows you to easily track the results. They believe that interactions are better in person, and video is the best way to connect with someone if you can’t be in the same physical location. Their video features allow you to build rapport with leads, clients, and referrals and communicate like only you can, especially in the real estate industry. They have developed some innovative plugins to software like Gmail, which make it easy to use videos in your email communications.
Ethan is the co-author of the book called “Rehumanize Your Business” which encapsulates the philosophies and guiding principles of BombBomb and provides readers with insights into the world of video emails. The book presents this as the new way to work and explores questions such as: What does relationship through video look like? Why does it matter? Who is using relationship through video? When should you do this? How? The authors also discuss advanced strategies and how and when to follow up based on your open, click through, and action rates.
While it can be awkward to see and hear yourself over video, Ethan points out that everyone else already sees and hears you that way, so it is only uncomfortable for you. And don’t let this get into your head or discourage you from trying; the best way to get over the discomfort is to just keep doing videos and getting more comfortable with it. When you connect with people over video, they feel like the know you before you have even met, which makes it easier to skip the small talk and get straight to the point.
Ethan starts his day with an early morning cup of coffee and conversation with his wife followed by his fitness routine and getting out the door to work by 7:00am. His favorite quote is “Be of value and abundance will follow” and his advice to others is to do the next right thing.

Links:
“Let My People Go Surfing” by Yvon Chouinard: https://www.amazon.com/Let-People-Surfing-Education-Businessman/dp/0143037838

Connect with Ethan:
Website: https://bombbomb.com/
Blog: https://bombbomb.com/blog/
“Rehumanize Your Business” book: https://bombbomb.com/book/

Connect with Adam:
https://www.startwithawin.com/
https://www.facebook.com/REMAXAdamContos
https://twitter.com/REMAXAdamContos
https://www.instagram.com/REMAXadamcontos/

Quick Wins: Adjust your sails to the wind

Adam Contos — Fri, 12 Jul 2019 00:00:00 -0600

Do you know what direction the wind is blowing in your life? Listen to today's Quick Wins to hear more from Adam.

Is Real Estate About To Get Disrupted?

Adam Contos — Wed, 10 Jul 2019 00:00:00 -0600

This episode of the Start with a Win podcast is focused on a prevailing narrative in the market these days: disintermediation. Before you tune out and think that this episode is not relevant to you, you have undoubtedly heard of disintermediation when it comes to Netflix, Uber, and Airbnb. These companies disrupted their industries with their innovative takes on entertainment, transportation, and lodging, and many business owners live in fear that their own businesses are at risk of being disintermediated by some big new company. During a conversation with a titan in the business world recently, Adam was given these 5 questions to consider when wondering if you are at risk of being disintermediated:

Is the transaction frequent? – For Netflix, Uber, and Airbnb, the answer is YES. For things like buying or selling a house, the answer is NO.

Is the cost big? – Again, Netflix, Uber, and Airbnb are relatively inexpensive per transaction, but for real estate transactions, the answer is YES.

Is there a risk? – Considering the financial, emotional, and legal ramifications of each real estate transaction, the answer is YES.

Is it complicated or simple? – Compared to streaming a movie or booking a plane ticket, buying or selling a house is incredibly COMPLICATED, necessitating the utilization of an expert full-time real estate agent.

Is this a unique product? – Many people seek “artisan” or “one-of-a-kind” products on a daily basis, but even the quirkiest Etsy site is not as UNIQUE as each and every house on the market.

After bearing in mind the answers to these questions, real estate agents and brokers are not at very high risk of disintermediation. Perhaps these questions will be helpful for your own business endeavors in helping you adapt to new entrants into your market.

Connect with Adam:
https://www.startwithawin.com/
https://www.facebook.com/REMAXAdamContos
https://twitter.com/REMAXAdamContos
https://www.instagram.com/REMAXadamcontos/

Interview With Jon Cheplak

Adam Contos — Wed, 03 Jul 2019 00:00:00 -0600

On this episode of the Start with a Win podcast, our guest is Jon Cheplak. Jon helps people dive deep within themselves to find the humility, vulnerability, and transparency they need to be emotionally mature and then able to succeed in their business endeavors. Through a mutual discovery process, Jon asks clients and potential clients questions like “Where did you come from?”, “Why do you want to grow?”, and “What do you to do to experience you from a higher level?” He has found that clients who are willing to be the most transparent and go the deepest with Jon will most likely outperform those who don’t.

Jon also talks about the connection between head and heart, encouraging clients to look at the areas that are under performing and be willing to tweak the process internally first, which will make positive changes in their professional lives in turn. Choice management issues are an area of focus for him, since the result of this head-heart connection is the biological desire to get a “hit” of oxytocin, dopamine, and serotonin. If people are choosing the wrong things to give their attention to, they are likely doing so because of the positive feelings those decisions give them. Understanding these dynamics and desires about yourself will help you be able to lead yourself first and use that experience to influence your leadership of others as well.

Connect with Jon:
https://www.facebook.com/joncheplak
https://www.cheplaklive.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/joncheplak
https://twitter.com/joncheplak?lang=en
https://www.instagram.com/cheplaklive/

Connect with Adam:
https://www.startwithawin.com/
https://www.facebook.com/REMAXAdamContos
https://twitter.com/REMAXAdamContos
https://www.instagram.com/REMAXadamcontos/

Quick Wins: Reset Button

Adam Contos — Fri, 28 Jun 2019 00:00:00 -0600

Is it time to hit the reset button? Learn a few tips and tricks on this weeks Quick Wins.

13 Steps For Success by Benjamin Franklin

Adam Contos — Wed, 19 Jun 2019 00:00:00 -0600

When Benjamin Franklin was 20 years old, he wrote Thirteen Virtues for people to live by. Adam and Mark discuss these virtues, their relevance today, and how they relate to the world almost 300 years after Ben Franklin wrote them.
Temperance – Not overindulging, but partaking of an optimal level
Silence – This emphasizes the importance of listening and recognizing that you have two ears and one mouth for a reason; You are the average of the 5 people you spend the most time with (and, consequently, listening to)
Order – Have the right interests in mind for your self and your daily routine
Resolution – Do what you planned to do
Frugality – Waste nothing and spend less than you make
Industry – Time is money, so be generous and provide value to those around you
Sincerity – Think before you speak and speak the truth, particularly on social media
Justice – Do what is right and recognize how your actions impact others
Moderation – Be reasonable and consistent, seeking balance in all things
Cleanliness – Take care of yourself and your environment
Tranquility – Don’t get upset about little things and do your best to be at peace with everyone
Chastity – Be smart and careful
Humility – Keep your pride in check, be honest, be grateful, and imitate Jesus and Socrates

Links:
http://www.thirteenvirtues.com/

Connect with Adam:
https://www.startwithawin.com/
https://www.facebook.com/REMAXAdamContos
https://twitter.com/REMAXAdamContos
https://www.instagram.com/REMAXadamcontos/

Quick Wins: Prepare to Win

Adam Contos — Fri, 14 Jun 2019 00:00:00 -0600

Do you know how to win? Prepare. To learn more check out this week's Quick Wins!

Interview with entrepreneur Gj Reynolds

Adam Contos — Wed, 12 Jun 2019 00:00:00 -0600

G.J. Reynolds grew up in a solid home, and after high school, he joined the US Army to gain exposure to the world and direction about where he wanted his life to go. He was a part of the early version of Verizon and then became an entrepreneur eventually getting into real estate with RE/MAX because of their reputation for being the best. He continued his entrepreneurial journey in the area of satellite communications and telecom and he was eventually encouraged to simplify his branding, which he took literally.

Simply G is hyper-focused on simple processes contributing to a specific direction or purpose because if you are unfocused then you are off-track and could become complacent. It is imperative to be focused on the right things and to set yourself up for success in these areas by surrounding yourself with people who complement you and will hold you accountable. In addition to having peers who are your accountability partners, G.J. recommends that you also have a coach or mentor who has walked the path ahead of you and can guide you.

G.J. is considered an influencer, with over 4 million online followers, but he doesn’t consider this his primary means of leadership. He says that a leader is someone who chooses to have an impact, and he finds fulfillment in impacting others in their journeys, inspiring them to focus on their goals and how to get there. The keys to this relationship are grace, openness, honesty, authenticity, vulnerability, and no judgment. Authenticity, specifically, connects the head to the heart and can open many doors for connecting with people.

Recently, G.J. has become involved in building the Women of Faith brand. He says that what he has learned through this experience can be applied to building any brand: it is all about the people, but it does take time. When people catch a glimpse of authenticity and someone being real, they will embrace it, and this connection is what it is all about. Being in touch with the people and conveying a consistent message is the most important part of building anything.

Links:

Connect with G:

https://simplyg.com

https://twitter.com/1SimplyG

https://www.instagram.com/1simplyg/

Connect with Adam:

Who Needs A Real Estate Agent Anyway?

Adam Contos — Wed, 05 Jun 2019 00:00:00 -0600

With the advent of new companies that say they can handle the entire buying or selling process for you without a real estate agent, many people have come to believe that they don’t need a real estate agent to be able to buy or sell their home. On this episode of the Start with a Win podcast, Adam and Mark outline the specific advantages of using a real estate agent – specifically one from RE/MAX – and what you are missing out on if you decide to go it alone. So much of the benefit derived from a real estate agent is the relationship they build with you and their desire to understand your needs.

Think first about the benefits of a real estate agent’s knowledge of the industry, your specific market, their ability to decipher and translate appraisal and inspection reports, and their expertise in the area of negotiation. That human touch of someone who is familiar with your geographic area, the status of the market as a whole, and simply guiding you through the process that might be foreign to you is unmatched by online services because a computer can only work so hard for you. The algorithms and predictive analytics they base their services on are one-dimensional and not created for the benefit of the consumer.

When it comes to selling your home, a full-time real estate agent is able to consider the many variables of your situation to recommend a price that will maximize your home’s value in the marketplace. They will take this recommended price and build the strongest listing they can for you before officially listing your home on the MLS. They can provide suggestions for small changes in the interior appearance and curb appeal of your home that can make a big difference during showings.

In terms of buying a home, your real estate agent anticipates your needs and shows you what to look at in a home. Do you have kids? Do you have a pet? How close do you want to be to the neighborhood pool? Is this home in a flight path? How close do you want to be to a specific grocery or other stores?

Essentially, when you are buying a home, you are buying happiness. You want an expert real estate agent who is experienced, like a RE/MAX agent who – an average – completes twice as many transactions per year as agents at other companies. You want an agent who will go through the sales contract line by line to help you understand the fees and costs involved as well as dispel any unnecessary costs or inclusions that are not in your best interest.

In short, an expert fulltime real estate agent is the best option for you because of their:

Education and experience
Price guidance
Negotiation skills
Commitment to you

Links:

Connect with Adam:

https://www.facebook.com/BetterCallBobTompkins/

Quick Wins: Do you know what your habits are?

Adam Contos — Fri, 31 May 2019 23:55:00 -0600

On today's Quick Wins we discuss habits. Do you know what yours are? If you don't choose your habits, your habits will choose you.

Interview With Bob Tompkins

Adam Contos — Wed, 29 May 2019 00:00:00 -0600

Our guest on this episode of the Start with a Win podcast is Bob Tompkins, RE/MAX agent from Greenville, South Carolina, and marketing aficionado. In fact, in the week since its release, Bob’s music video parody of “Old Town Road” has amassed more than 800,000 views.

Bob’s parents are both Realtors, and 3 years ago Bob got into real estate as well and he has found great success in the industry. Bob is an advocate of developing a strong personal brand to build awareness, and he has been able to let his customers come to him rather than using old school methods like buying leads or cold calling. By being a presence on social media and in the community, he is recognized as an expert in real estate in upstate South Carolina and remaining top of mind for most people in the community drives his business organically.

He is one of the handfuls of real estate agents who have embraced the video platform and he uses a straightforward and genuine approach to educate and entertain his customers. He is proving that a well-thought-out and the well-implemented video does not have to be high budget in order to be effective, and while he has invested in some professional equipment in the past few months, the key with video content is to just get it out there. Video is a long game of consistently getting in front of potential clients until they are in a position to buy or sell a house and you are the first person they think of.

Bob is inspired by Gary Vaynerchuk and Ricky Carruth when it comes to building his brand and focusing on relationships and by his dad day-in and day-out to be the best he can be. His latest endeavor is his podcast “Real Talk” which is growing and further building his brand awareness. Bob’s key to starting every day with a win is being the first call, text, email, or message of the day to your clients.

Links:

“Crushing It” by Gary Vaynerchuk: https://www.amazon.com/Crushing-Great-Entrepreneurs-Business-Influence/dp/0062674676

Connect with Bob:

https://www.instagram.com/bobtompkinsrealtor/

https://www.youtube.com/user/bobtompkins93

http://bobtompkins.greenvillemoves.com/

Connect with Adam:

https://www.instagram.com/superpower.institute/

Interview with motivational speaker and purple heart recipient Tony Drees

Adam Contos — Wed, 22 May 2019 00:00:00 -0600

Our special guest on this episode of the Start with a Win podcast is Tony Drees, a Desert Storm veteran, Purple Heart recipient, life coach, motivational speaker, podcast host, and Executive Director of Veterans Passport to Hope. Tony has undergone 74 surgeries in the years since his combat injury and recently lost his right leg to amputation. He has received some recognition over the years for being a war hero, including a spotlight in People Magazine after his 58th surgery.

Tony was heavily impacted by his adoptive parents and the empowerment they demonstrated to their many adopted and foster children, and this influence in conjunction with his military service and the adversity he has faced led him to come up with these 3 rules to live by:

No lies – Do not believe the lies that people say about you and what you can accomplish.
No excuses – Pursue your own expertise and decide how to live your life.
Never quit – Do not believe in limitations but stick with what you have set your mind to.

Veterans Passport to Hope began in 2012, and they pursued Tony to be the Executive Director after becoming acquainted with him through an award they gave him. The purpose of the organization is three-fold: (1) Advocacy, (2) Cooperation, and (3) Fundraising. VP2H does not provide services, but rather provides recommendations for veteran groups and maintains an extensive grant process for awarding funds to those organizations.

Tony starts every day by practicing gratefulness and he welcomes change when it comes, seeing it as a new inevitable adventure. He believes that everyone has a superpower, which is usually the thing that people “accuse” you of as if it is a bad thing. Inspired every day by his children, he says that the key to success is to “manage your beliefs and you can manage your results.”

Links:

“The Magic of Thinking Big”: https://www.amazon.com/Magic-Thinking-Big-David-Schwartz/dp/0671646788/ref=sr_1_1?crid=PYSOXUOLW8IE&keywords=magic+of+thinking+big&qid=1557933130&s=gateway&sprefix=magic+of+thinkin%2Caps%2C145&sr=8-1

Connect with Tony:

https://www.vp2h.org

https://classes.superpower.institute/

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/shock-awe-2-0-saluting-veterans-with-grace/id1459893480

Connect with Adam:

Quick Wins: Productivity Leakage

Adam Contos — Fri, 17 May 2019 00:00:00 -0600

Do you ever feel like there is a slow leak in your productivity throughout the day? It can be so easy to lose focus and get distracted by social media, reading the news, watching “just one” episode of a show, March Madness. But on this quick episode of Start with a Win, Adam gives some suggestions for preventing this productivity leakage:

Build in some accountability by convincing yourself that wasting time is wrong
Just try to be more committed to focusing – it will make a difference
Set up a system of time blocking and stick to it
Work on your emotional maturity and choice management
Try a technique like the “pomodoro” technique – focus on the task at hand with no distractions and then take a 5-minute break
Use an app like Focus@Will

Links:

Pomodoro Technique: https://francescocirillo.com/pages/pomodoro-technique

Focus@Will: https://www.focusatwill.com/

Connect with Adam:

https://www.facebook.com/REMAXadamcontos/

Olympian Ruben Gonzalez Interview

Adam Contos — Wed, 15 May 2019 00:00:00 -0600

Ruben Gonzalez is a 4-time Olympian in the sport of luge, and he talks with Adam about the winding road that brought him to where he is today. Ruben has dreamt of participating in the Olympics since he was 10 years old, but after riding the bench in soccer throughout high school, he realized that he needed to find a different sport. Always one to accept a new challenge and never back down, he decided to pursue a sport that has a high turnover rate due to injuries: luge.

Living in Houston, he knew he would need to train elsewhere, so he wrote a letter to Sports Illustrated and – surprisingly – received a response. He talked to a coach in Lake Placid, New York, about his ambitions, and was laughed at for attempting to start an Olympic career from scratch at the age of 21. However, as Ruben told the coach his life story and mentioned that he was born in Argentina, the coach suddenly got excited and agreed to coach him if he would compete for Argentina. The sport of luge had been declining in participation, but an athlete from South America would breathe new life into the sport.

After cramming 10 years of training into 2, Ruben qualified for his first Olympics. The lessons he learned began with that first phone call, which instilled in him the importance of perseverance. Over the years, he also learned to be mentally tough in preparing for the fight ahead of him, from the next curve to the next race. On a daily basis, Ruben writes down his goal (which right now is “Beijing 2022”) and he focuses entirely on doing whatever needs to be done to get there. Specifically, he works in 90-minute increments which allows him to be extremely disciplined and productive with a sole focus during that time without being tempted by distractions.

Ruben tells the story of his coach telling him after 20 years that he is still too tense. Ruben changed his focus from avoiding the walls on either side of him to a spot 30 feet in front of him, putting on blinders to not even acknowledge the presence of the walls and instead just keep his gaze ahead. He describes this concept of “changing the focus changed the experience” in the business sense as well, encouraging listeners to consider focusing on what is in their sphere of influence rather than being distracted or discouraged by what is going on around them.

Finally, Ruben simply states the key concepts that he wishes to convey to listeners: be a student of success by reading biographies and focusing on personal development and by carefully deciding who you spend time with. Those who you allow to speak into your life have the potential to greatly help or harm you.

Links:

“Think and Grow Rich”: https://www.amazon.com/Think-Grow-Rich-Landmark-Bestseller/dp/1585424331

Connect with Ruben:

Website: https://ruben-gonzalez.com/

“The Courage to Succced” book: https://www.amazon.com/Courage-Succeed-Unlikely-Four-Time-Olympian/dp/0975554719/ref=sr_1_5?crid=2SVVWBFZ10H3R&keywords=ruben+gonzalez&qid=1557076578&s=gateway&sprefix=ruben+gon%2Caps%2C142&sr=8-5

“Dream, Struggle, Victory” book: https://www.amazon.com/Dream-Struggle-Victory-Olympian-Realize/dp/0975554751/ref=sr_1_fkmrnull_5?keywords=ruben+gonzalez+olympian&qid=1557076685&s=gateway&sr=8-5-fkmrnull

Connect with Adam:

https://www.facebook.com/REMAXAdamContos

Personal Branding 101

Adam Contos — Wed, 08 May 2019 00:00:00 -0600

On this episode of the Start with a Win podcast, Adam and Mark talk about building your own personal and/or professional brand. Now “branding” has become a buzzword in today’s business world, but most people do not adequately grasp what is means to build a brand, so they aren’t reaping any of the benefits. For the purposes of this episode, we will define your brand as “the thoughts and emotions evoked when people think about you.”

Your brand should encompass your values, persona, passions, and focuses in whatever industry you are serving. This needs to be define-able and easy for people to understand, so sit down and really take the time to think about what you want your brand to include. Consult some of your friends and colleagues, and perhaps even go through a 360-degree evaluation process to see how others perceive you. This will help you determine how to tailor your image or and begin to live out your brand through social media and your other platforms.

Once you have found your brand, reach out to people who can help you with things like a logo, a website, business cards, etc. as you prepare your content. Based on your brand, determine what types of content you should create, how it should be distributed, and what platforms should be used. It is crucial to understand that you cannot post the same video on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn because each of those platforms encourages specific content types and elicits different interactions or engagements from your audience. You also must recognize that “doing Facebook” does not mean scrolling through your news feed and liking one of your clients’ statuses and calling it a day. You would be amazed how easy it is to set up Facebook ads to promote your brand, and the results from just a $5 ad could bring in several new leads with minimal effort on your end.

After this episode, Adam challenges you to build your personal or business brand. Go to a freelancing site and hire someone to help you with the deliverables you aren’t strong in, and just launch into the world as a well-defined value-creator.

Links:

360 rating site: https://www.selfstir.com/

Freelancing: https://www.fiverr.com

Freelancing: https://www.upwork.com/

Brand Viva Media: www.brandvivamedia.com

Connect with Adam:

Quick Wins: Opportunity or Threat?

Adam Contos — Fri, 03 May 2019 00:00:00 -0600

“Opportunities look like threats because they are if you do nothing with them.” When you come to a fork in the road and you are faced with the decision to do something or not do something, how do you look at that decision? Do you see the road before you as an opportunity, filled with abundance and creating value for you and your clients? Or do you perceive it as a threat, characterized by pessimism?

In life and in business, it is important that you be in the right mindset to accept and adapt to your new situation, always being ready to eliminate threats and capitalize on opportunities. Once you grasp these concepts for yourself, you have the unique ability to coach your client through this same process, providing them with value beyond their limited interactions with you. RE/MAX takes this idea seriously, even offering the Momentum Training Program for agents through RE/MAX University.

Links:

Connect with Adam:

https://theproductivitypro.com/

Productivity Hacks with Laura Stack

Adam Contos — Wed, 01 May 2019 00:00:00 -0600

Our guest on this episode of Start with a Win is The Productivity Pro, Laura Stack. Laura’s father was a Colonel in the US military, so she grew up in a very regimented and structured environment, and since her friends were all living in similar households, there was actually peer pressure to be productive so then you could go have fun. By the age of 21, Laura had earned her MBA. Her local Kiwanis club asked her to speak about her motivation to complete her degree so young, and it sparked in her a desire to share with others who had not had productivity engrained in them from birth how they could jumpstart their productivity.

During her years as a consultant and speaker to businesses and entrepreneurs, she has found some common themes about the way people have organized (or not organized) their lives and barriers to productivity. When it comes to distraction, many people know exactly what they need to be doing, but they are looking for any excuse to be distracted. Sometimes they are being lazy, but sometimes distraction creeps in because of the lack of systems and organization to keep them on task. It is a proven fact that it takes 7 minutes for people to gain back their attention after being distracted, and the average person gets one email every 4 minutes, so if you do not have a structure telling you not to check your email every time you hear the ding, you will go through entire days and weeks without being truly productive.

Time blocking is an excellent way to combat this and is very easy to do through an Outlook or Google calendar. Then it will just require the discipline to stick with the times and tasks you have set out for yourself. Perhaps you can’t block every moment of every day for specific things, but at least you can block off 1-2 hours every day that is dedicated to working with no interruptions. You will be amazed what you can accomplish if you are not receiving alerts of any kind.

Finally, being productive today means preparing for today yesterday. At the end of every work day, take a look at what you didn’t get done. Transfer those tasks to the relevant to-do list – by taking an honest look at your priorities as well as the “soft” time you have in your schedule coming up, you can properly schedule when tasks can be completed. Honestly evaluate which tasks provide you with the highest ROI of your time and do them – even if you don’t want to.

Laura relies heavily on Microsoft Outlook Tasks to keep her organized. This is also a reliable method for maintaining a record of what needs follow up. For more information about Laura’s tips and strategies for productivity, check out the content on her website.

Connect with Laura:

https://twitter.com/laurastack

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYlWxFWalwouknQpizSPM6Q

Connect with Adam:

5 Reasons Real Estate Agents Fail

Adam Contos — Wed, 24 Apr 2019 00:00:00 -0600

As Adam has talked about before on the podcast, failure is often the key to understanding success in business. During this episode, he outlines the 5 reasons real estate agents (and people in business in general) fail:

No System – You likely have a plan or vision for what you want to do, but if you don’t have a system in place, you will not accomplish anything. Think about: What? How? How much? How will I measure?
No Accountability – You must be accountable to yourself first. Many people think that if they have a coach, they have accountability. But a coach is only capable of increasing your performance based on the accountability you have set up for yourself and communicated to them. If you are not getting better every day, you are getting worse.
Just Watching – If you are not trying to master something by executing habits over time, you are just sitting on the sidelines. Adam has seen this play out many times with people using social media as a business tool, and he provides specific examples of what works and what doesn’t.
No Follow-Up – The majority of business comes from repeated customers and referrals, so connect with your customers person-to-person and maintain a relationship with them beyond the initial “transaction.”
No Value – People fail in business because they don’t help people with their known or unknown challenges. Meeting customers where they are and anticipating their needs or problems is essential to success.

Links:

“Atomic Habits” by James Clear - https://www.amazon.com/Atomic-Habits-Proven-Build-Break/dp/0735211299

Connect with Adam:

Are you an Agent or a Business?

Adam Contos — Wed, 17 Apr 2019 00:00:00 -0600

The topic of this episode of the Start with a Win podcast is running a business as opposed to just being a real estate agent. The two might seem unrelated, but Adam explains why the most effective real estate agents actually focus their energy on running their operations like a business.

There are 4 key components of running a business:

Constantly building a customer base – Whether by networking or marketing, it is imperative that you always have new leads and prospects in your pipeline.
Creating value – Make clients want to do business with you. Use your knowledge and experience to truly get to know what makes your clients tick, then use what you learn to help them overcome challenges they are facing. By serving them in this way, you create top-of-mind awareness that will make clients keep coming back.
Repeatable systems and processes – There is an initial time investment involved in setting up these systems, but once you are up and running, you will be able to consistently execute and find success.
Scaling – Now you are ready to work on your specialty and organize, outsource, expand, and increase your margins. The more time and effort you put into building your business, the more value you will create and the more success you will achieve.

Links:

Connect with Adam:

20% Down Myth

Adam Contos — Wed, 10 Apr 2019 00:00:00 -0600

On this episode of Start with a Win, our guest is Ward Morrison, President of Motto Mortgage. He explains to listeners the difference between traditional banks and mortgage brokerages when it comes to getting home loans and demystifies the mortgage process for those who are considering purchasing their first house.

The main thing to keep in mind is that mortgage professionals at brokerages such as Motto Mortgage are able to shop around for the best loans for their customers. Gone are the days of a mandatory 20% down payment and only being able to choose between the few loan options presented to you by your bank. Much like independent insurance agencies are able to curate policies from multiple sources for their customers to review, mortgage brokers put in the extra effort to find loans that fit their customers’ specific situations.

For instance, the typical down payment for conventional loans such as FHA is 5%, but sometimes 3.5% is all that is required. Through VA loans, veterans are able to secure home financing with 0%, and people living in rural areas can take advantage of the 3-5% down payments through USDA loans. If homeowners do not put 20% down, they are subject to monthly mortgage insurance payments, but a loan professional would be able to talk them through that process and ways to avoid these payments with things like piggyback loans.

Overall, Ward wants to encourage potential homebuyers to be aware of their credit scores, take any necessary steps to improve them, and think through their sources of funds before seeking a home loan. But once you are ready to take the first step, a mortgage professional will be right there to meet you and guide you the rest of the way.

Links:

Motto Mortgage: https://www.mottomortgage.com/

Connect with Adam:

Top 10 Motivational Quotes

Adam Contos — Wed, 03 Apr 2019 00:00:00 -0600

During this episode of the Start with a Win podcast, Adam shares is top 10 quotes, plus Mark’s bonus quote:

“People seem to think that they lack motivation when in fact what they lack is clarity.”
1. Clarity creates action. Take the time to hone in on your goals, seek counsel, come up with an action plan, and then execute.
“Burn your boats, not your bridges.”
1. Find a way to commit to a new thing without ruining your relationships associated with the old thing. Be able to gracefully walk away from an employer so that the door remains open for you to go back in the future.
“The largest decision you will make will be to choose between fear and confidence.”
1. When you are faced with a big decision, you will likely have to choose between the known (confidence) and the unknown (fear). Either choice is good; just don’t turn around and go backwards.
“The most important asset you can own in your business is the attention of your customer. If you don’t own it, someone else does.”
1. So much of your success depends on your ability to build relationships and provide value to your customers.
“The quietly successful laugh behind the backs of the critics.”
1. Critics are noisy, but happy people know how to be quietly successful.
“Do common things uncommonly well.”
1. The brain recognizes perfection and sloppiness. The way your customers are greeted and taken care of, the appearance of your facility, and the gratitude your employees express to customers could be the key differentiators between you and your competitors.
“The level of your success will be in direct proportion to the level of discomfort you are willing to tolerate.”
1. Learning a new skill is uncomfortable, but you will not earn the benefits without putting in the effort.
“At the end of the day, your priorities should reflect the time that you spent during the day.”
1. Intentionally plan your day based on your goals, and then assess how your actual day compared to your plans.
“You really only have three things to choose from in life: give up, give in, or give it everything you’ve got.”
1. Giving up is not an option. Giving in is not productive. So giving it everything you’ve got is really the only choice.
“The noise you almost always hear in life and business is the scream of the urgent drowning out the whisper of the important.”
1. Important things are those that make the biggest difference. Urgent things get in the way and distract you from the important. Don’t try to make everybody happy by responding to their urgent requests; just stay focused on the important.
“If you’re committed to it, you’ll find a way. If not, you’ll find an excuse.”
1. If you want a refresher on this idea, listen to the two previous episodes about commitment.

Links:

Connect with Adam:

Take Your Ass To Market

Adam Contos — Fri, 29 Mar 2019 00:00:00 -0600

The topic of this episode of the Start with a Win podcast is “getting your ass to market.” Adam recounts one of the famous Aesop’s fables about an old man, a young boy, and a donkey. The old man decides to take the donkey to market to sell it, so the three set off walking to the market. Along the way, they encounter several people with opinions about how they should be making the trip, and because the old man takes all of their suggestions, the donkey never makes it to the market to be sold. This results in a large loss in livelihood for the man, but a deep lesson for all those who learned from his misfortune: if you try to please everyone, you never get where you need to go.

In the current business environment, everyone has an opinion, and they are quick to give unsolicited and uneducated advice. There are four types of people who give their opinions:

Uninvested, uninterested – These people are the most likely to give unsolicited advice; just say “thanks” and move on.
Uninvested, interested
Invested, uninterested
Invested, interested – You should consider how much of what they are saying is true and what their stake is in the situation.

Even if you don’t take their advice, just listening to them might cause you to doubt or rethink your plan of action and cause unnecessary delays. You don’t make money on things you don’t launch, so just be a “doer” and get things done.

Links:

“The Man, The Boy, and The Donkey”: https://www.bartleby.com/17/1/62.html

Connect with Adam:

Interview With Denver Mayor Michael Hancock

Adam Contos — Fri, 22 Mar 2019 00:00:00 -0600

On this episode of the Start with a Win podcast, Adam is joined by Denver mayor Michael Hancock, who shares with listeners his approach towards leadership. Coming from a challenged background, Mayor Hancock as a prevalent sense of empathy for the people he encounters, and he is also able to keep the right perspective on the privilege of serving the great people of Denver. Waking up every morning with a sense of appreciation and humility allows him to stay focused and grounded not matter the good or bad circumstances that may come his way.

Throughout his life, Mayor Hancock has come to realize that the most important thing in everyone’s lives is their relationships, and the same is certainly true in his role as Mayor. Over the years, his version of being a leader has shifted from conceptual and structural, focused on setting up the right structure and then finding the right team, to practical and focused on the people, forming the structure around the people. This allows for a more organic give and take between him and his team with clearer expectations and goals guiding their mission for the project or broader environment.

When Mayor Hancock is confronted with challenges, he leans on the people around him and systematically approaches the issue one small step at a time. He does not impulsively jump to conclusions or action, but rather relies on his internal fortitude and awareness of the variables at play to lead him forward.

Mayor Hancock starts every day by praying for himself and his family to have the strength and grace to approach the day and then having his personal devotions before anything else. He prioritizes touching base with his children – both the human and canine ones – before getting to work. At lunch, he sets aside time to exercise and get geared up for the rest of the afternoon and evening.

Help Others By Helping

Adam Contos — Fri, 15 Mar 2019 00:00:00 -0600

Show Notes:

This impromptu conversation between Adam and Mark evolved into a Start with a Win podcast episode about helping others, and we hope that you are able to get a lot out of it to apply to your daily life. Helping people is all about genuinely caring for what is going on in their lives, either long-term or in the moment, and it provides value to you and the person you help. Adam has had a lot of memorable experiences helping people, from his time in law enforcement and now in real estate, and he has always tried to go out of his way to be kind, especially when people least expect it.

RE/MAX has built this into their company culture by embodying the phrase “everyone carries the boxes”, meaning that no one is above helping out a colleague who is carrying boxes and it is expected that you will lend a hand. This idea of being aware of others’ needs and being 100% committed to those around you creates a cycle of positive human interaction that is contagious. Before you know it, your one small act of kindness could have a butterfly effect on your community, and you could take pride in knowing that you were a part of bringing out the best in humanity. This attitude will build relationships and eventually lead to success in business as well, but you shouldn’t use that as your motivation for doing good.

So this week, be intentional about treating someone to a cup of coffee, letting someone into traffic, and just giving unconditionally. You will be surprised by the outcome.

Links:

(none that were referenced)

Connect with Adam:

Interview With Geoff McLennan

Adam Contos — Fri, 08 Mar 2019 00:00:00 -0700

Geoff McLennan, a highly-esteemed RE/MAX Advantage agent in New Westminster, Canada, joins Adam for this episode of the Start with a Win podcast. Geoff has been recognized as one of the top 10% of real estate agents in the Greater Vancouver area, was named a Bomb Bomb video influencer in 2018, and co-hosts the Multiple Offers podcast.

Geoff grew up in real estate and got his license at age 25. Just one year later, the left side of his body suddenly went numb, and after a whirlwind of tests, he was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. He went through a season of depression and has had to adjust his work schedule and processes as he experiences waves of exhaustion, but he experienced a mindset shift after reading the story of Michael J. Fox who chooses to be optimistic in the midst of his battle with Parkinson’s. Geoff has found that success is taking the challenges that come with MS in stride and not letting it define him or hold him back.

Geoff is well-known for his creative videos posted on social media and integrated into digital communications, which he credits to MS. He was secretive about his diagnosis until he posted a video letting people know that he had MS, that he was raising money for the upcoming MS walk, and he would appreciate financial support for the MS Society. As a result of that video, he raised $6,000 for the cause, and he realized the effectiveness of the powerful tool that is video. He took a 2-day video bootcamp (link below) that further propelled him into using this media, and he has never looked back. He encourages others to do the same and remember that the key to effective videos is transparency and authentically connecting with your audience.

Links:

“Multiple Offers” podcast: https://itunes.apple.com/ca/podcast/multiple-offers/id1380449996?mt=2

“The 4-Hour Work Week” by Timothy Ferriss: https://www.amazon.com/4-Hour-Workweek-Escape-Live-Anywhere/dp/0307465357/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1550192865&sr=8-1&keywords=four+hour+work+week

“Lucky Man” by Michael J. Fox: https://www.amazon.com/Lucky-Man-Michael-J-Fox/dp/0786888741/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1550192923&sr=8-1&keywords=lucky+man+by+michael+j+fox

Michael Thorne and Jesse Peters’ Video Bootcamp: http://immichaelthorne.wixsite.com/mysite

Connect with Adam:

The secrets to commitment (Part 2 of 2)

Adam Contos — Fri, 01 Mar 2019 00:00:00 -0700

Adam finishes up his discussion on commitment by integrating the attitude from last episode with the execution. Many people fall short of total commitment because they believe that they just need the right mindset and things will fall into place. Think about a relationship: if both people had decided to be committed and then they only give 50% effort, the relationship is going to fail. Both people have to give 100% effort in order to be truly committed to each other and the relationship.

So how do you turn your commitment into action?

Segmenting your goals into microcommitments – When your alarm goes off, don’t focus on the big goal of making it to the gym or getting to that 9am meeting. Focus instead on putting your feet on the floor, standing up, walking to the kitchen, getting your cup of coffee, and so on. These are microcommitments that are very easy to execute and will give you the momentum to just keep going until you’ve accomplished the main goal without being overwhelmed.
Mastering the art of showing up – As we have already discussed, the hardest part of commitment is deciding to do it, so now you are equipped to conquer the last hurdle of showing up. Don’t overcommit early on, and surprise yourself and others by overdelivering.
Eliminate distractions – Entertainment is the enemy of execution. Designate time in your day for checking social media and set your devices aside when it is time to get down to business. Don’t be fooled into thinking that you will be more productive if you take a “brain break” by mindlessly scrolling your feed.
Create an environment that facilitates success – Set up some ground rules for yourself about what you will do and not do, and be consistent. The intensity of your commitments will have an impact on other people as well, creating a culture that is mutually beneficial and productive.

Links:

“Miracle Morning” by Hal Elrod: https://www.amazon.com/Miracle-Morning-Not-So-Obvious-Guaranteed-Transform/dp/0979019710/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1550070986&sr=8-3&keywords=miracle+morning

“Atomic Habits” by James Clear: https://www.amazon.com/Atomic-Habits-Proven-Build-Break/dp/0735211299/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1550070966&sr=8-2&keywords=atomic+habits

Connect with Adam:

The secrets to commitment (Part 1 of 2)

Adam Contos — Fri, 22 Feb 2019 00:00:00 -0700

Show Notes:

On this episode of the Start with a Win podcast, Adam describes the first aspect of commitment: attitude. Commitment paves the road to success and happiness, transforming promise into reality and building character, and just as an attitude of commitment helps you start with a win, it enables you to continue winning.

A lot of what goes into the attitude of commitment is the decision to do something and overcoming the fear of failure, because failure is just the beginning. By establishing why you are doing something or reaching for a certain goal, you are able to cultivate the willpower you will need to see it through. This mindset shift opens the door to small changes and improvements that can help you fulfill your purpose and master the task at hand.

Adam challenges listeners to sit down and write your “why” for the main things they are focused on. Then take each of those “whys” and ask yourself “why” 6 times until you get down to the true motivation or emotion that is propelling your decisions and actions. This ultimate “why” transcends logic and helps you understand more about yourself and your purpose.

Links:

Urban Dictionary definition of “commitment”: https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=commitment

“Start with Why” by Simon Sinek: https://www.amazon.com/Start-Why-Leaders-Inspire-Everyone/dp/1591846447/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1550070277&sr=8-1&keywords=the+power+of+why

Connect with Adam:

Learning, Earning, and Yearning: Interview with RE/MAX co-founder Dave Liniger (Part 3 of 3)

Adam Contos — Fri, 15 Feb 2019 00:00:00 -0700

On this episode of the Start with a Win podcast, we hear the final installment of Adam’s interview with RE/MAX Co-founder and Chairman of the Board, Dave Liniger. Over the past 46+ years, RE/MAX has lived through many transitions, economic swings, technological advances, and generations of homeowners. During that time, Dave and his team have often been called “disruptors” to the real estate industry because of their innovative thinking and structuring of their organization, but this name has always served them well. By having an open and curious mindset, Dave has been able to navigate the organization through many ups and downs, and he has gone from earning $95 per month in his military days to being a billionaire.

One of the key concepts that Dave has used throughout his life is his intentional planning of his goals and taking the small steps along the way to get there. He talks about the concept of “the three boxes” and the necessity to integrate learning, earning, and yearning into every stage of life. He is not afraid to say “no” or to listen to the ideas of anyone who has a good one.

Dave’s top 3 business lessons are:

Personal development – Never stop learning: read more books, attend more seminars, and watch less television.
Personal associations – Seek out diversity and inclusiveness in your relationships.
Personal balance – Balance does not always happen, but you will make time for what is important.

Links:

“The Three Boxes of Life” by Richard Bolles: https://www.amazon.com/Three-Boxes-Life-How-Them/dp/0913668583

“The Four Burners” by James Clear: https://jamesclear.com/four-burners-theory

Connect with Adam:

The Original Disruptor: Interview with RE/MAX Co-Founder Dave Liniger (Part 2 of 3)

Adam Contos — Fri, 08 Feb 2019 05:00:00 -0700

During part 2 of Adam’s conversation with RE/MAX Co-founder and Chairman of the Board, Dave Liniger, Dave discusses the foundations of RE/MAX and how these concepts can be applied to business and personal pursuits. In October 1975, RE/MAX had its first cash flow positive month, and Dave and Gail finally felt that the company was stable enough for them to start taking paychecks. One of the key components of their successful business was the environment that they had created, which allowed agents and brokers to flourish and set up a trustworthy system of leadership when Dave had to be away for several months to take care of Gail after her serious plane crash.

The key concepts that Dave set up early on were: (1) product, (2) brand/market share, (3) group purchasing, and (4) unique training programs. It was also during this time that they began franchising and setting up regions within the company, which provided them a way to manage their growth while still keeping the brand cohesive.

Dave emphasizes the importance of surrounding yourself with people who will challenge you and make you a better person, and he references Jim Rohn’s thoughts on the subject. He continues by saying that it is important to stay focused and be a disruptor, always paying attention to changes in the market and being willing to change in response.

Links:

Jim Rohn: https://www.jimrohn.com/

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Interview With Super Bowl Champ Ryan Harris

Adam Contos — Fri, 01 Feb 2019 05:00:00 -0700

Our guest on this episode of the Start with a Win podcast is Ryan Harris, husband, father, author, speaker, and 10-year NFL veteran who won the Super Bowl with the 2015 Denver Broncos. Ryan is a huge advocate of building your mindset and then putting in the work needed to get better or grow. He has used the phrase “I am, I can, I will” throughout his life to push himself to overcome and accomplish whatever is in front of him.

It might sound counterintuitive, but Ryan says that your goal is not the most important thing to work towards. In fact, it is critical to develop your mindset and set up your system for reaching goals, because this system will outlive any of your goals and if it is effective, it will help you crush more goals than you ever dreamed you could achieve. Like many athletes, Ryan welcomes failures because he sees them as opportunities for learning and growth, encouraging him to improve and succeed the next time.

Ryan has been very encouraged by “The Man in the Arena” speech by President Theodore Roosevelt when it comes to facing public scrutiny, and he is constantly reminding himself that internal validation is more gratifying than external praise. He recognizes that the key component of the Broncos’ 2015 Super Bowl win was their passion for the details throughout the season and the game, and he applies that passion to his speaking, broadcasting, and parenting.

Links:

“Mindset for Mastery” by Ryan Harris: https://www.amazon.com/Mindset-Mastery-Champions-Reaching-Greatness-ebook/dp/B07JB8P7QB

“The Man in the Arena” speech by Theodore Roosevelt: http://www.theodore-roosevelt.com/trsorbonnespeech.html

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The Original Disruptor: Interview with RE/MAX Co-Founder Dave Liniger (Part 1 of 3)

Adam Contos — Fri, 25 Jan 2019 05:00:00 -0700

Our guest on this episode of the Start with a Win podcast is RE/MAX Co-founder and Chairman of the Board, Dave Liniger. Dave got his start in real estate by flipping houses to earn some extra money while he was stationed with the military in Arizona. He soon decided to get his real estate license in order to save some money on his house flipping, and he observed the activity of the other agents. When his time with the military was completed, he moved to Denver and applied for real estate jobs. He worked with agencies that used the 50%/50% concept and the 100% concept, and he realized that he liked elements of both setups.

He soon decided to create his own company with the goal of becoming a worldwide real estate agency which would combine the freedom of a 100% agency and the stability of a 50%/50% agency in the best possible way, and in January 1973, his dream was born. Most real estate agents at that time were white-haired men, but Dave was an advocate for recruiting women to be agents, despite the prejudices of the industry. This model worked very well for RE/MAX, and by the end of the 5th year, 80% of the agents were women and RE/MAX was #1 in Colorado in listings, sales, and commissions.

When it came to naming the company, Dave didn’t like the idea of using his own name. The idea of “real estate maximums” came up during a brainstorming session, and the team decided to shorten it to RE/MAX to be more catchy while still keeping the heart of the concept. In those early years, there were many sleepless nights and very few days off, but their hard work paid off and they were able to meet their goals.

Dave’s main challenges of lack of management ability and resistance to the basis of the company from the rest of the industry were overcome by the institution of effective systems and processes. Dave also surrounded himself with the best team he could and made sure that they all focused on being persistent and purposeful.

Links:

Dave Liniger’s Bio: https://www.remax.com/newsroom/company-info/officer-bios/board-of-directors-of-remax-holdings-inc/dave-liniger-chairman-and-co-founder.htm

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Goals

Adam Contos — Fri, 18 Jan 2019 05:00:00 -0700

On this episode of the Start with a Win podcast, Adam and Mark discuss the goals and resolutions that so many people are going to start in the beginning of 2019. Did you know that it takes an average of 10 attempts before your resolution will stick? This does not have to be the case. In order to have SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound) goals, it is important to avoid these common mistakes:

Too vague – Saying that you “want to get healthy” is not helpful in the scheme of things because you have not done the upfront planning to make a goal worth accomplishing. A good way to make sure that your goal is not too vague is to tell people about it so they will hold you accountable.
Too boring – If you are not excited about your goal, then you are not going to put in the work to make it happen. Set up a system of routine and reward for yourself and perhaps take advantage of goal-stacking to multiply your efforts.
Too easy – Setting a goal that is too easy does not really count as a goal. You should feel gratified after completing it, and it should be a bit of a challenge.
Overwhelming – Many people say that they want to “lose 60 pounds in 2019” or “save $5,000 by the end of the year”, but these goals are so large that they seem unattainable. Try making your goals more bite-sized like “lose 5 pounds in January” or “only eat out once per week and save the excess.”
Easily forgotten – It isn’t helpful to anyone if you set an arbitrary goal just to say you have set a goal. You will benefit the most by setting goals that are related to your daily life.

By eliminating these variables from the equation, you set yourself up to accomplish your goals.

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Chaos

Adam Contos — Fri, 11 Jan 2019 05:00:00 -0700

On this episode of the Start with a Win podcast, Adam outlines the six steps to dealing with chaos:

Clear your mind. Take a deep breath and try to relax, which will prepare you to see the situation objectively.
Assess the situation. Lift your head up from the situation right in front of you and look around. Remember that you have the capacity within yourself to find the solution.
Revisit your goals. Ask yourself if this chaotic situation aligns with one of your goals; if it doesn’t, you should remove yourself from the situation.
Apply your systems. Refer back to the processes you have prepared for this very moment. Maintain forward momentum by sticking to the plan.
Execute. Don’t let fear paralyze you from taking action. Start chipping away to experience growth.
Appreciate. Being grateful for your life will provide you with the motivation to execute, and executing will provide you with more motivation.

Links:

Mr. Rogers bio: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fred_Rogers

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Mastering The Art Of Showing Up

Adam Contos — Fri, 04 Jan 2019 05:00:00 -0700

On this episode of the Start with a Win podcast, Adam talks with us about what he calls “mastering the art of showing up.” He says that today started yesterday and tomorrow starts today, and while the day’s tasks may seem monumental when viewed collectively, tackling them a step at a time is the best system to set up for yourself. Today, you can plan and prepare for the successes you are going to have tomorrow, from exercising to meetings at work to interactions with your fellow drivers to making the most of your time with your family. Find ways to eliminate excuses and commit to starting whatever is ahead of you by having a winning attitude.

Specifically, in the morning, get up and away from your bed as soon as the alarm goes off. You will find that after a few weeks of waking up at the same time, your brain will get in the routine and you will be more mentally prepared to get up. Once you are up, your momentum is rolling and it is simple to put on the clothes you set out the night before and make it out the door for work or to go to the gym. These “micro-commitments” that you choose to make throughout the day will result in amazing productivity and the determination to do the same tomorrow.

Links:

“Atomic Habits” by James Clear – https://www.amazon.com/Atomic-Habits-Proven-Build-Break/dp/0735211299/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1544404331&sr=8-3&keywords=atomic+habits+james+clear

“Good to Great” by Jim Collins - https://www.amazon.com/Good-Great-Some-Companies-Others/dp/0066620996/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1544404356&sr=8-1&keywords=good+to+great+by+jim+collins

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https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-schwartz-21798718

Interview With James Schwartz

Adam Contos — Fri, 28 Dec 2018 05:00:00 -0700

Our guest on this episode of the Start with a Win podcast is James Schwartz, Marketing Director of RE/MAX corporate. With 19+ years in the marketing and real estate industries, James has learned how to connect with consumers during many new waves of technology and he is using his expertise to serve RE/MAX and also speak to agents across North America about their marketing efforts.

Referring to the current technological environment, James says that there are lots of tools and platforms available to anyone who will take the time to learn them, but it takes a bit of finesse to use them effectively. It is crucial to remain focused on the consumer’s wants and needs and meet them where they are. Just because you have something to say doesn’t mean that you should blast that message to all of your communication channels. Whereas the number of touchpoints prior to action before the digital age was 3-5, companies and agents now have to achieve 20-30 touchpoints before an action is taken. This emphasizes the importance of keeping the message consistent, catchy, and – of course – consumer-focused.

The area of digital communications that really excites James right now is the capability of monitoring and remarketing to the consumer via their digital footprint. Consumers are skeptical of “data mining” until they encounter a company who uses their data ethically and anticipates their needs, which makes their lives easier in the end. For a real estate agent, a consumer’s data can be helpful because it would allow the agent to know when they have changed jobs, gotten married, had a baby, or may be considering downsizing their home. This provides the opportunity for the real estate agent to become part of the consumer’s “tribe” and a built-in lifelong relationship, rather than a one-and-done.

Links:

https://martechtoday.com/library/what-is-martech

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Relationships

Adam Contos — Fri, 21 Dec 2018 05:00:00 -0700

On this episode of the Start with a Win podcast, our topic is relationships and their impacts on our world. Relationships are the basis for everything we do, and everything we do impacts our relationships, either by building up and investing in them or by losing from them. If you do not invest enough in your “relationship bank”, you wins will be minimal or nonexistent and you will not be able to reach your potential, no matter how hard you try.

Dale Carnegie talked about the power of positive affirmation and giving honest and sincere appreciation to those around you. That is a lost art, especially at work. Showing appreciation to your employees or coworkers and giving them the recognition they deserve costs nothing, but people tend to lock it away like it costs everything they have. Those who find true success in their relationships are intentional about appreciating and engaging with their community, and they find that those things are often reciprocated back to them. Though it might not be an immediate reciprocity, the idea of paying it forward can have a powerful effect on society when it catches on. By giving unconditionally and letting go of the desire for instant gratification, we can accomplish anything.

Your challenge after listening to this episode is to go do something great for somebody today.

Links:

“How to Win Friends and Influence People” by Dale Carnegie - https://www.amazon.com/How-Win-Friends-Influence-People/dp/0671027034/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1544402926&sr=8-3&keywords=how+to+win+friends+and+influence+people+by+dale+carnegie

Giftology by John Ruhlin - https://www.amazon.com/Giftology-Increase-Referrals-Strengthen-Retention/dp/1732095604/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1544402989&sr=8-2&keywords=giftology+john+ruhlin

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Interview with Tony Iacoviello "The Geeky Agent"

Adam Contos — Fri, 14 Dec 2018 05:00:00 -0700

Our guest on this episode of the Start with a Win podcast is Tony Iacoviello, also known as “The Geeky Agent.” Tony is a RE/MAX agent in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, which is halfway between Toronto and Niagara Falls. Tony became known as The Geeky Agent several years ago when he was asked to create a character that would narrate his journey to and experience during the annual R4 Convention. Based on his childhood love for sci-fi and comic books, he told his character’s story in the form of comic book pages, and when R4 was over that year, he adopted the avatar he had created and has continued documenting his business adventures to this day.

Tony has experienced a few failures that have brought him to where he is today. First, when he went through downsizing in the recession, he started his own construction and renovation company, which eventually brought him into the real estate world where he has found his fit. Secondly, he went through a divorce which caused him to do some self-evaluation and reconfigure the relationships in his life. He now views his time with his sons as truly special and he finds purpose, gratitude, and perspective from his time with them.

Another big win in Tony’s life has been the responsibility that has come from being a recognizable representative of RE/MAX as The Geeky Agent. “With great power, there must also come great responsibility,” and Tony has found that The Geeky Agent provides him with both.

Links:

The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg - https://www.amazon.com/Power-Habit-What-Life-Business/dp/081298160X

Seconds by Bryan Lee O’Malley - https://www.amazon.com/Seconds-Graphic-Bryan-Lee-OMalley/dp/0345529375/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1544109740&sr=1-1&keywords=seconds

R4 Convention 2019 - http://www.cvent.com/events/2019-re-max-r4-convention/event-summary-df767bb0c6a84450a31e8ff25770f088.aspx?RefID=Above%20Summary%20Link

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Kaizen

Adam Contos — Fri, 07 Dec 2018 05:00:00 -0700

On this episode of the Start with a Win podcast, Adam discusses the concept of becoming incrementally better every day. The Japanese idea of kaizen means “continuous improvement,” and car companies like Toyota and Honda are excellent examples of this ideology. They are committed to continually improving their quality, even stopping an entire assembly line in order to fix an issue on the spot, rather than allowing defective parts to go through the complete process and being dealt with at the end. By practicing this concept day-in and day-out, they achieve drastic quality improvements over time which sets them apart from companies who do not follow this philosophy.

Sir David Brailsford has been honing his craft, which he calls “the aggregation of marginal gains,” since 2002. He was asked to coach the British cycling team in 2003, and he led the team through a series of very small changes such as new seats, adjusted tire pressure, a lighter paint color, new pillows to sleep on, and a commitment to maintaining healthy living, which created a culture of collaboration and collective improvement. The team won 8 gold medals at both the 2008 and 2012 Olympics, and he was then asked to coach Team Sky at the Tour de France in 2012. Following the same model of the aggregation of marginal gain, Team Sky won the Tour in 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016, and 2017.

Following these mindsets, consider what small changes you can make to live a fuller and more fulfilling life. Try getting up earlier, exchanging a starch for a vegetable at a meal, smoking one less cigarette, drinking one less cocktail, watching 1 less television show so you can read 1 more chapter of a book, or telling your family that you love them one more time. You will likely be amazed with the results over time from making these small consistent choices.

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Interview With Sue "Pinky Benson

Adam Contos — Fri, 30 Nov 2018 05:00:00 -0700

Podcast Name: Start With A Win
Episode Name: Interview With Sue “Pinky” Benson.
On this episode of Start With A Win, Adam Contos interviews Sue “Pinky” Benson. Sue, or “Pinky” as she’s known by, has had huge success as a RE/MAX agent and social media enthusiast. Sue encourages others to really get
out there, create content, and own who they are. In this remarkable interview, Sue opens up about her son, Sawyer, and how grief can give you a new perspective on life. During the episode, they discuss how wins can come from failures. The show starts with Sue introducing herself and explaining how she is a mom, RE/MAX agent, and video enthusiast. The discussion segues into the fear that many people have being in front of the camera. Sue explains how people are judging you no matter if you are in front of a camera or not. You have to get out there and really own who you are. Sue opens up about the tragic loss of her son. She shares how that experience has affected her life in all areas. Recently, BombBomb has announced Sue as one of the Top Video Influencers. Sue describes how she got to this incredible place in life. She was able to learn the technology and start creating products that improved over time. She recommends using Facebook Live and Instagram stories as user-friendly platform tools. Her goal for 2019 is for more women to join her in creating videos without fear. Sue shares how she motivates herself at the beginning of each day. She suggests reading Jab, Jab, Jab, Right Hook: How to Tell Your Story in a Noisy Social World and Brave Enough. She closes with two of her favorite quotes and she advises listeners to own their stories. and share
who you are with the rest of the world!

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Follow Sue on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sue-pinky-benson/
Check out Jab, Jab, Jab, Right Hook: How to Tell Your Story in a Noisy Social World by Gary Vaynerchuk
Check out Brave Enough by Cheryl Strayed

Fear, who needs it?

Adam Contos — Fri, 23 Nov 2018 05:00:00 -0700

On this episode of the Start with a Win podcast, our topic is fear, which Adam calls False Evidence Appearing Real. If you have an aversion to fear and you dread the feeling, you have an unhealthy and unproductive relationship with it, and you could solve a lot of your own problems by learning to handle fear differently. Many people harbor a known or unknown infatuation with fear as evidenced by their love of the scary or creepy elements of Halloween, craving for the “rush” feeling that comes from roller coasters, or dependence on the “breaking news” elements of the news industry. These are all caused by fear-mongering and maintaining an open loop version of reality that leaves too much room for imagining the worst-case scenarios. An unhealthy relationship with fear leads to unhealthy personal and business relationships and practices and puts you in a cycle with no good results.

Adam’s first key to creating a healthy relationship with fear is to ignore the attempts by the media to communicate fear by keeping the right perspective and seeking out the facts. Second, you should convert your feelings of fear to the ability to move forward with confidence and look for opportunities. When you are tempted to think “fear”, you should learn to think “Go!” instead.

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Why Would Anyone Want To Buy A Franchise?

Adam Contos — Fri, 16 Nov 2018 05:00:00 -0700

On this episode of the Start with a Win podcast, our guest is Ward Morrison, president of Motto Franchising, a US mortgage brokerage franchise brand. RE/MAX created Motto Mortgage in response to the increased consumer protections regulations established after the financial crash of 2008 requiring the mortgage brokers stop using marketing service agreements (MSAs) with customers. This caused a shake-up in the industry while opening the door to more forward-facing business operations between consumers and loan originators under the new compliance and legal guidelines.

Motto Mortgage surpassed the 100-franchise mark within 23 months of the company’s beginning, confirming that industry professionals see the start-up resources and coaching available to them through the Motto franchise setup as a huge benefit over starting their own small business. It could be referred to as a “mortgage brokerage in a box”, which eliminates blind spots and surprises from the entrepreneurial journey and provides franchisees with a network of colleagues to whom they can reach out.

Ward also spoke about the challenges Motto has encountered along the way, namely recruiting and retaining personal and professional loan originators who can stay up-to-date on changes in the industry and maintain fruitful client relationships. Motto helps set realistic expectations and benchmarks for franchisees to meet that will hopefully allow them to be productive, well-staffed, and engaged with their customers and communities. In fact, Motto is committed to corporate social responsibility, and they are very involved in feeding the hungry in every community that is home to one of their franchises.

Ward’s way of starting with a win is being sure to surround himself with the right team: individuals who are customer-focused and committed to the organization. He always tries to hire people who are smarter than him in complimentary areas of business and have a social and emotional intelligence that makes everyone around them better.

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Travel Tips and Hacks With CEO Adam Contos

Adam Contos — Fri, 09 Nov 2018 05:00:00 -0700

As you can imagine, Adam is a frequent traveler. On this episode of the Start with a Win podcast, he shares with us his travel tips and hacks to make traveling a good experience instead of something you dread.

Get to the airport early. You never know how long security will take, and you don’t want to start out your travel day stressed that you are going to miss your flight. BONUS: Take an Uber rather than having to worry about and pay for parking.
Travel with a carry-on if at all possible, and pack smart by using packing cubes.
Get TSA Pre-check or Global Entry to make the security process as quick and painless as possible. Some airports also have the Clear program that is similar, so look into what will be most convenient for your local airport and go through the process to get approved.
Take noise-cancelling headphones with you and make the most of your “me” time by listening to audiobooks or podcasts.
Choose an airline to be loyal to and sign up for their frequent flier program. BONUS: Invest in their club membership or buy a one-day pass to gain access to refreshments and free wi-fi as well as an exclusive customer service desk that will rebook your flight for you if you have an issue.
Stay healthy by taking Vitamin C supplements and traveling with Clorox wipes to clean any surfaces around your seat or in the waiting area.

By following these tips, your travel days can be enjoyable and effortless!

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How To Win In Sales With Chris Pflueger

Adam Contos — Fri, 26 Oct 2018 06:05:00 -0600

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3 Leadership Failures

Adam Contos — Mon, 01 Oct 2018 05:00:00 -0600

On this episode of the Start with a Win podcast, Adam shares with us the 3 ways he has found that leaders fail, and the ways to avoid or adjust these behaviors:

Becoming a “me” person rather than a “we” person – This issue ultimately stems from an unhealthy ego that values personal gain over the good of the team. Leaders must remember that one of the main sources of their success is the contribution of the members of their team and their mentors along the way.
Ordering people to do things rather than influencing them – Ordering your team members to do things results in lower quality and forced results, but influencing them brings them into the process, allowing them to buy in and want to do the tasks or projects before them, which means better results for the team as a whole.
Burning your bridges rather than your boats – Work together to solve problems and face challenges and your team will have the commitment necessary to “burn their boats” with you, but be sure to avoid destroying relationships (“burning bridges”) in the process.

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Low Tech. Low Touch and Inaccessible.

Adam Contos — Mon, 03 Sep 2018 05:00:00 -0600

Our topic on this episode of the Start with a Win podcast is the importance of staying current, relevant, valuable, and present with your customers. It would be easy to get comfortable with the systems and processes that you have in place right now and fall behind as new technology emerges, but this makes you irrelevant and pushes you farther away from your prospects and clients. Every time you let a technological advance pass you by, you lose value and become less accessible. Adam’s 3 key ways to stay current, relevant, valuable and present are:

Find and deliver value daily – Recognize that every day is a gift and you are never beyond learning something new. Take advantage of the vast resources out there for your enrichment: books, audiobooks, podcasts, and simple discussions about new topics with friends. Having something valuable and constructive to say in a conversation makes you more able to connect to those around you.
Contribute – Ask questions of those around you, always trying to glean all of the information you can from the conversation and maintain your curiosity in life.
Reach out – Communicate and network with others by developing fun and deep relationships that are mutually beneficial and edifying.

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Failing Sales Techniques

Adam Contos — Wed, 01 Aug 2018 05:00:00 -0600

On this episode of the Start with a Win podcast, we discuss the 3 typical reasons why sales people fail. These ideas can also be easily translated to any area of life, making you well-rounded and more successful overall.

Reason #1: Not going out to get new business every day.

It is important to continue prospecting and networking while maintaining your current client base. Think of each new lead as food for your business; if you aren’t bringing any in, you are starving your business.

Reason #2: Failing to nurture your relationships with your customers.

Customers expect to be “handled” by the sales process at companies with which they are involved. What can set you apart is building authentic relationships with your clients by creating mutual trust, communications, and expectations.

Reason #3: Never asking for the close.

By having too many prospects in your sales pipeline that aren’t being converted into clients, you are clogging up your system and not giving yourself or your clients the breathing room that you need. Asking for the close can be awkward, but if you have a script and role-play it, you can focus instead on being kind and empathetic in the closing conversation and add lifetime value to the relationship, which will result in repeat and referral business.

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Conquering the Fear of Failure

Adam Contos — Mon, 02 Jul 2018 05:00:00 -0600

Our topic on this episode of the Start with a Win podcast is conquering the fear of failure. Adam outlines the 4 steps to failing better and not being discouraged from continuing to try.

Accepting failure – Recognize that it has happened and that you need to set aside your ego so you can get over the feeling of failure.
Taking failure out – Do some kind of significant mourning action that will create closure for you: take a walk or a run, meditate, apologize to others involved, cry it out, or whatever works best for you and the situation.
Learn from the failure – Take the time to debrief what caused the failure to occur, where the missteps occurred, and how this failure can be avoided in the future.
Make something from the failure – Recognize that failure is not the endgame, so you shouldn’t treat it like one. Do not be afraid to get back in the game and continue failing forward, always improving yourself and the world around you by creating better methods of communication, structure, and planning.

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Building Hustle Daily

Adam Contos — Fri, 01 Jun 2018 05:00:00 -0600

Welcome to the Start with a Win podcast! We are so glad that you have found your way here and we hope that you find ideas in each episode that you can integrate into your own life.

On this inaugural episode of the podcast, Adam discusses the ways that he integrates the ideas of building hustle daily and being intentional about making a difference into his daily routine. Preparations for the day begin the night before, when he sets out his clothes for the next morning and drinks a protein-rich green drink to help his body burn fat during the night.

Adam’s day starts bright and early (before it is actually bright outside) at about 4:30am, when he gets up right away, without pressing the “snooze” button. He sees this as his first action of intentionality of the day, getting his mind right and taking charge of the day first thing, usually by watching the daily edition of Darren Daily. Then, he and his wife usually spend an hour at the gym, which still leaves them plenty of time to get ready before heading to work. Studies have shown that people who wake up later experience lower job satisfaction and lower salaries overall, and Adam is committed to gaining momentum by being motivated, choosing positivity, and practicing gratitude. He says that “how you do anything is how you do everything”, so pay it forward by passing along all of the encouragement and positivity than you can.

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