Deposit That

In order to become successful, no matter the field you’re in, you’ve got to focus on the process and fall in love with “how” you do things, not with ”what” you can get out of what you do. Allow yourself to make mistakes, to learn and to adapt. Be open to everything because the minute you become naive and a tunnel-vision person, you stop growing.

In today’s episode, I talk with Lamar about how he sees the world in general and the healthy attitude we should all have toward each other. He talks about becoming successful relying on your own forces and instincts, and he shares with us stories from his rich background.

Lamar McKnight was born and raised in the heart of Jersey City. He almost lost his life from just hanging with the wrong people at the wrong time, but he survived and learned his lessons. Lamar says that his past is the root of his current success. He started the Lamar McKnight Quarterback Academy in New Jersey and he is one of the fastest-growing quarterback trainers in the country.

What makes him so special is the way he views human connection – regardless of where you come from, regardless if your black or white, he’ll treat you according to the person you deserve to be.

So, listen to Episode 36 of Deposit That, to learn some great life lessons from the man who knows what it’s like to not have enough but also what it feels like to have everything.

In this episode, you will learn:

• Lamar’s background. (00:32)
• All people are the same, regardless of their color. (13:57)
• Nobody can come and take from you what you’ve built. (24:40)
• Sometimes what we think we want isn’t necessarily what we need – look back and self-reflect to understand how you got to where you are. (36:09)
• Lamar’s Deposit That advice. (59:44)

Connect with Lamar:

• Website – Lamar McKnight Quarterback Academy
• LinkedIn
• Twitter
• Instagram
• Facebook

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Since the invention of blockchain, in 2008, there has been a lot of fuss around cryptocurrency and how this could impact the world we live in. It’s a vast domain, that it’s becoming more and more influential with every year that passes.

The average person on the street may have heard about blockchain, and Bitcoin, and other cryptocurrencies, but as far as understanding what they are, how they work, and the application for them, there’s still an educational gap that needs to be filled.

In today’s episode, I want to unravel the truth behind cryptocurrency with Dr. Sean Stein Smith. He explains, in simple words, the terminology around it and he also shares some tips on what to pay attention to, when we turn our heads toward this world.

Sean Stein Smith is a professor at the City University of New York – Lehman College. He also is the chairperson of the NJCPA's Emerging Technologies Interest Group (#NJCPATech). He serves on the Advisory Board of the Wall Street Blockchain Alliance, where he co-chairs the Accounting Work Group. Sean is on the Advisory Board of Gilded, a TechStars ’19 company. He was also a Visiting Research Fellow at the American Institute of Economic Research. Sean has also been named one of the Top 100 Most Influential People in Accounting by Accounting Today.

So, listen to Episode 35 of Deposit That, to learn cryptocurrency 101 from one of the knowledgeable people in this field.

Questions I ask:

• What got you into cryptocurrency? And what happened in 2017? (01:02)
• Where are we at, in the crypto space right now? (06:39)
• How do you see Ripple impacting the financial sector? (12:03)
• Do you believe blockchain is built for every single industry? (22:45)
• What tips would you give to people that are interested in this field and want to learn and maybe invest? What would your advice be, in doing due diligence? (32:05)
• From a real estate standpoint, do you believe we’re starting to see more people buying and selling real estate with the blockchain and Bitcoin, or no? (37:40)
• Do you think we’ll come to a point where every single human has its own blockchain profile, like a Facebook profile? (38:43)

In this episode, you will learn:

• What Ripple and XRP are. (12:07)
• What a token is. (12:59)
• The problems that blockchain solves in the world. (20:32)
• Blockchain and real estate – how these two work together. (23:53)
• The most commonly used asset for criminal actions. (26:57)
• Sean’s crypto-related Deposit That advice. (40:13)

Connect with Sean:

• LinkedIn
• Twitter
• Facebook

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“A good loan officer can fix problems; a great loan officer avoids them“

Being in the mortgage industry has its perks, but it also means that you have to find a way to be available for your clients 24/7, and this is not an easy job, especially if you want to also take care of yourself and your family.

But, once you figure out a system that works for you, things get a lot easier.

In today’s episode, Steven and I discuss how to balance a mortgage career and a personal life, and he shares some of his routines and systems that have helped him manage the everyday hustle. In addition, we also talk about the current market environment and how Steven sees it evolve in the future.

Steven Koerner and his dedicated team pride themselves on delivering a transparent, seamless and efficient mortgage experience to their clients.  Steven is a 17 year veteran in the mortgage industry who meticulously focuses on details for his clients. He has found his home with Citizens Bank for the past 5 years.  Steven is a recipient of multiple awards including “Presidents Club”, “Customer Satisfaction” and the prestigious “Citizens of Excellence”. Steven Koerner is a proven, time-tested exceptional mortgage expert.  Building a meaningful bond and educating his clients are some of the reasons why clients love working with him and his team.

So, listen to Episode 34 of Deposit That, to learn how to do eight hours’ worth of work in half the time, and how to keep your clients happy.

Questions I ask:

• What got you into the mortgage business? (01:22)
• What did you focus on when you got into the business? (02:15)
• How have you been able to manage your personal life with your business life? (16:45)
• What’s your weekly routine? (18:19)
• What would you say is the biggest sacrifice that you made for yourself and your wife? (44:44)
• What’s your personal forecast and understanding of the current market environment that we’re in right now? (48:16)

In this episode, you will learn:

• The reason why Steven chose to be part of Citizens Bank. (10:49)
• The type of clients that work with Steven. (14:58)
• Steven’s follow-up process both with the referral source and with the client. (23:53)
• How Steven sets goals for the year and how he tracks on a monthly basis where he’s at. (29:01)
• The trouble with Zillow, in a nutshell. (51:35)
• Steven’s Deposit That advice for people to implement into their daily life. (52:57)

Connect with Steven

• LinkedIn
• Facebook
• Citizens Bank

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Throughout life, there’s going to be challenges and hard times, but there’s also going to be some magical times. You never know what tomorrow holds, so you’ve got to keep working, grinding, and perfecting yourself and never stop learning.

In today’s episode, Ashley and I talk about the world of basketball, and what it means to dedicate your life to this sport. As a tribute to Kobe, she also speaks about their relationship on the court and as friends, and she encourages all of us to rise and shine and crush life.

Ashley Battle is currently a Basketball Operations Associate at NBA. She started playing basketball at an early age, and when she was in fifth grade she was the only girl on the boys’ basketball team. She spent her high school years in a boarding school in Wheeling, West Virginia, where she set school records in points, rebounds, assists, and steals. She decided to go, for college, at the University of Connecticut, following most of her friends there, and she graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Marketing and Economics.

So, listen to Episode 33 of Deposit That, where Ashley shares some valuable life lessons she learned on the court.

Questions I ask:

• What was like being in Kobe Bryant’s presence? Was it different than anything else you’ve ever been around? (02:40)
• How did you wind up at UConn? (04:01)
• In women's basketball, is it common to leave early and go to WNBA or is it kind of like, you do your four years, you graduate, and then move on? (14:23)
• Do you think that the practices more so than the games, prepared you for real life? (18:42)
• What’s one thing you want to leave everybody with, to Deposit That in their memory bank? (39:00)

In this episode, you will learn:

• How Ashley’s perception of life changed after moving out of Pittsburgh. (07:11)
• How Ashley recovered from an injury she suffered in her freshman year. (12:21)
• The similarities and differences between being in a basketball team vs being in a corporate team. (20:15)
• Ashley’s experience of playing for the New York Liberty. (30:39)
• Ashley’s current role in the NBA and what the future holds for her. (35:14)

Connect with Ashley:

• LinkedIn
• Instagram
• Facebook Page
• Twitter

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Holistic medicine is a form of healing that considers the whole person – mind, body, spirit, and emotions.

As some of you may know, in 2017 I went on a personal journey meant to bring back balance in my relationships, my life, my mind, and my body. That’s when I met Leo and Veronica and without them, I probably wouldn’t be where I am now.

In today’s episode, we talk about their work and how they are able to help people by combining different techniques, from massage therapy and balancing internal energies through meditation, to dance, and creative arts therapy.   

Veronica Olivares has built a private practice as a therapist, combining a holistic approach with traditional methods. She discovered the significant impact of alternative healing techniques while training in dance therapy as well as in the creative arts. Always having been a creative herself, Veronica believes that true healing and transformation can occur when we learn to tap into the parts of us that ignite and inspire the creator within.

Leandro Acevedo is a holistic massage therapist with over twenty years of experience. He has created his own style of healing by combining different techniques plus adding his own methods. He believes if we understand how energy works, we can use it to benefit our health mentally, emotionally, physically and spiritually. His work focuses on balancing internal energies in order to heal.

Listen to Episode 32 of Deposit That, to learn the different types of problems people have when they decide to work with Leo and Veronica, and why a holistic approach can help you bring harmony into your life.

Questions I ask:

• Veronica, what do you think got you specifically into this space other than to help other people? (03:45)
• What causes judgmental people, in this world we live in, to be so judgmental and critical without knowing the full story? (13:36)
• How did you guys meet? (14:46)
• Do you believe that every single person should incorporate energy work into their life at some point? And is there a time when it’s more beneficial or less beneficial? (20:13)
• Do you ever let your business work impact your personal life? (36:13)
• Explain how men and women are so different and how they are supposed to interact with each other? What are the biggest things that people conflict on? (40:17)

In this episode, you will learn:

• Leo and Veronica’s background and what they currently do. (01:05)
• About the dark shadow that’s present in each one of us. (08:40)
• Where the ego comes from. (09:28)
• The skill that makes talk therapy so efficient. (21:15)
• Veronica and Leo’s secret ingredient that makes them better than other people in their field of work. (28:17)
• How Veronica and Leo prove their work is real. (32:24)
• Your Deposit That advice for this episode. (43:49)

Connect with Veronica & Leo

• Website
• LinkedIn

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lending in the real estate industry – as in any other field – requires a certain degree of communication between parties. As a borrower, it’s essential to be upfront with any difficulties you may encounter, because everyone can have rough times and lenders can be very understanding if they know the whole story.

In today’s episode, Matt and I discuss the key aspects a lender looks at when taking into consideration whether to invest in a deal or not, and he shares some of his experiences on the subject.   

Matthew Barbaccia started his career in 2005 selling multi-family buildings in the Bronx for one of the largest national commercial real estate companies. As the market started to turn around, in 2008 he partnered with a Bronx owner-operator to combine expertise to better help his clients navigate the changing real estate market. Throughout Matthew's career, he has directly advised on the sale, financing or asset management for over $500 million worth of investment properties in NYC and Westchester County.

Matthew founded Brix Real Estate to expand on 15 years of real estate experience in the Bronx, Westchester and Manhattan selling, financing and managing multifamily and mixed-use properties. He is actively involved in the NYC real estate community. Currently, Matthew is a member of Community Housing Improvement Program (CHIP) and Rent Stabilization Association (RSA).

So, listen to Episode 31 of Deposit That, to learn how the real estate market has changed in the past few years, and what type of deals Matt focuses on, at the moment.  

Questions I ask:

• What sparked that entry into the private lending space? (06:37)
• What’s been your experience so far? Do you like it? What are the opportunities and where are the problems? (07:39)
• Do you believe that people that want to get into real estate or mortgage lending should start while they're in college? (11:36)
• Based on all the years of experience, all the business ventures you've done, what you currently do - wife, kids, everything else - what's one thing you want to leave the listeners with that they can implement immediately into their daily life? (52:12)

In this episode you will learn:

• Matthew’s background. (00:32)
• The reasons Matt transitioned to property management. (03:21)
• Mezz Financing explained. (09:03)
• How Matthew manages to balance his work life with spending time with his wife and two kids. (13:57)
• What a borrower should do, if they have hard times. (19:22)

Connect with Matt:

• Website
• LinkedIn
• Facebook - Brix Advisors
• Twitter
• Instagram

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Being successful at a young age requires a certain discipline, focus, and consistency. You can find ways to tweak some things in order to make it your way, and if you become consistent in what you believe in, you’re unstoppable.

On today’s episode, you’re going to hear the unusual story of a young agent that is thriving in an industry he didn’t want to be a part of, a few years ago.

Oscar Nunez is a knowledgeable, ambitious, and enthusiastic real estate agent that focuses mainly on keeping his clients happy and creating long-term relationships. He finds ways to sell homes no matter the condition, location or situation.

So, listen to Episode 30 of Deposit That to learn about this rising star, how he managed to start and go full speed in the real estate business and what are the strategies he uses to close every deal he gets.

Questions I ask:

●     What actually got you into real estate? (05:45)

●     What kept you going and what have you learned in the past three years of real estate? (06:45)

●     Talk to me a little bit about your strategy moving forward. (10:28)

●     How are you able to block out all the noise and the non-factual information? (12:54)

●     Have you found it challenging to pick up on market trends in markets that you're not operating in daily? (17:37)

●     Have you ever had a property listed that you didn't sell? (20:41)

●     Have you ever lost business from being too honest with somebody? (26:02)

●     What are your goals for 2020 and for the decade? (29:22)

In this episode, you will learn:

●     Oscar’s story before and after he came to the US. (00:26)

●     Oscar’s traits, at 22 years old, that separate him from everyone else. (11:40)

●     How Oscar chooses who to listen to and what advice to take. (14:21)

●     Oscar’s follow up system with prospective clients. (18:57)

●     Oscar’s advice for young people on how to get started and go full speed into the real estate business. (24:04)

●     Oscar’s Deposit That advice. (34:11)

Connect with Oscar:

●     LinkedIn

●     Facebook Page

●     Facebook Profile

●     Instagram

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Failing is a great way to improve ourselves. We mostly learn from the mistakes we experience, but when it’s possible, it’s important to take notice of other people’s errors and try not to repeat them, so that we have less to experience on our own. 

In today’s episode, Brett and Dave share their biggest failures and what they’ve learned through the years. They also talk about EXP’s mentoring program that helps young agents find out what their weak spots are and become better at doing business. 

Brett Sikora launched Sikora Group in 2016, with the main goal of making sure that every client and team member is getting the white-glove service they need to make the process of buying or selling real estate as smooth as possible. He got his real estate license in 2007 and started selling real estate after he worked at a car dealership and wanted to pursue a career in sales on a bigger scale. 

David DeVoe is the CEO and founder of the DeVoe Group, a company that provides the best service possible to handle the real estate needs from start to finish. Prior to being in the real estate business, he worked in the mortgage industry for 10 years.

So, listen to Episode 29 of Deposit That, to learn from their failures and deposit those into your memory bank, so that when you’re in a similar situation, you’ll have a better chance of not repeating the history. 

Questions I ask:

• Why EXP? (23:30)
• Do you think the industry is shifting, like, the people with experience and people without experience are actually willing to hire someone like yourself, to get coaching or get advisory or get some mentorship that they’re willing to pay for, other than the revenue share split for being on the team? (28:48)
• Why are people - specifically in real estate - so against the facts or the proof in the pudding of reality? (32:57)
• What do you recommend for the person that's listening and they’re like, "I really want to leave my full-time job. I want to become a successful real estate agent." How should that transition look like and at what point should they really just decide, commit, and go all-in on being a licensed real estate salesperson? (37:08)

In this episode, you will learn:

• Jeff’s biggest failure. (01:08)
• Brett’s scariest real estate investment, and his definition of failure. (05:09)
• The trap than many people fall into – Dave included - thinking that all the money they make is theirs. (09:37)
• The importance of investing in an advisor that will help you set your budget right, especially if you’re young and inexperienced. (12:03)
• The benefits of EXP’s mentoring program. (43:00)

Connect with Brett and Dave:

• Elevatedominate.com
• EXP Realty website
• The DeVoe Group website
• Sikora Group website
• Dave’s LinkedIn profile
• Brett’s LinkedIn profile

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

One of the most important things to take into account in every industry - and the real estate world makes no exception - is yourself. It’s so important to always do what you set yourself up to, and respect your time.

On today’s episode, Brett and Dave share their vast experience with real estate and what got them to where they are now. They run The DeVoe Group and The Sikora Group through eXp Realty - a virtual cloud-based brokerage that is changing the way real estate is done.

Brett Sikora launched Sikora Group in 2016, with the main goal of making sure that every client and team member is getting the white-glove service they need to make the process of buying or selling real estate as smooth as possible. He got his real estate license in 2007 and started selling real estate after he worked at a car dealership and wanted to pursue a career in sales on a bigger scale.

David DeVoe is the CEO and founder of the DeVoe Group, a company that provides the best service possible to handle the real estate needs from start to finish. Prior to being in the real estate business, he worked in the mortgage industry for 10 years.

So, listen to Episode 28 of Deposit That, to learn what are the most important elements to be successful in business.

Questions I ask:

• I want to hear what got you guys into the business and what year did you get started? (00:50)
• How do you balance that percentage of focusing on what works versus still being imaginary? (09:52)
• Talk about a little bit about your growth, personally and professionally, while being at the eXp and the numbers that you've produced, and the team that you've built out over the last 12 to 18 months. (21:39)
• How much value do you weigh on somebody saying, "Just buy and hold, buy and hold, buy and hold, don't fix and flip at the top of this market here"? (33:08)
• What do you guys recommend for people to do to set themselves up for success, not only for this year but for the next decade? (36:06)

In this episode, you will learn:

• How the market is going to change in the next decade. (05:36)
• About Brett’s and Dave’s shift from Keller Williams to eXp Realty. (16:00)
• The trends and the opportunities in the New Jersey real estate market. (28:02)
• Brett’s and Dave’s Deposit That Advice. (40:20)

Connect with Dave:

• Website
• LinkedIn

Connect with Brett:

• Website
• LinkedIn

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Deposit That means to deposit in your memory bank at least one thing from every episode, and every guest we had over the past 25+ episodes was asked to share one advice that you can implement into either your personal life, business life or both.  

In this special episode, we gathered every Deposit That advice from the show, so that you can have a powerful 2020 right from its beginning. Below, you’ll find a summary of the nuggets of wisdom we’ve collected over the past six months.

On the personal side:

• Say what you truly believe in and take a risk to be yourself and authentic;
• Try to understand the other person’s perspective as well;
• Chase your dreams and your goals and don’t let anybody tell you that you can’t do something;
• Listen and take advice from the people around you;
• Don’t give up and don’t be afraid to fail;
• Find a style and a strategy for your life that fits your personality;
• Slow down, in order to speed up – take the time to figure out who you are and what makes you different.

On the business side:

• Start small and work hard;
• Do not feel rushed to be successful, and remember that success doesn’t equal a massive paycheck;
• Surround yourself with the right team of people.

We wish you a happy New Year and see you in 2020!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.