Empire Building

There were so many lessons this year — and so many great books to help teach them to us. Where you put your focus is where you put your time, so, if you’re focused on growth and personal development, you’re going to spend a lot of time reading. We’ve compiled the top three books that each of us has read this year, and we’re going to share the most important lessons we learned from them.

Books we talk about:

• "Recursion" by Blake Crouch
• "The Splendid and the Vile" by Erik Larson
• “Stillness is the Key” by Ryan Holiday
• "Tax-Free Wealth" by Tom Wheelwright
• "The Psychology of Money" by Morgan Housel
• "The Wealthy Code" by George Antone
• "The 12 Week Year" by Brian P. Moran
• "The Road Less Stupid" by Keith J. Cunningham
• "Remarkable!" by Randy Ross
• "Fierce Conversations" by Susan Scott
• "Fierce Leadership" by Susan Scott

Connect on Instagram:

• Seychelle Van Poole: @seychellevp
• Vija Williams: @viavija
• Sarah Reynolds: @sarahreynoldsoji
• Wendy Papasan: @wendypapasan

Empire Building is a production of Crate Media

You need to be the authority on who you want to attract in your business and your life. Gary Keller often tells us that you are five years or less away from massive success, and for this to happen, you need to attract amazing people into your life that are in alignment with your vision and goals. 

We’re going to dive into five key things you need to do in order to attract the right people, and ultimately, achieve massive success:

1. Becoming a confident leader to attract world-class talent
2. Defining your value proposition
3. Evaluating your culture in your organization
4. Determining the “who” and the job descriptions for talent
5. The systems around hiring to create a talent funnel

Connect on Instagram:

• Seychelle Van Poole: @seychellevp
• Vija Williams: @viavija
• Sarah Reynolds: @sarahreynoldsoji
• Wendy Papasan: @wendypapasan

Empire Building is a production of Crate Media

How do you ensure you’re hiring people that align with your company culture?

Last week, we discussed how to define your company culture and values, as well as the importance of cultivating an intentional culture. But once you have that, you have to find people that match with those values, your mission, and what you’re about. The people in your company are your most valuable resource, so it is essential that you get this step right.

We talk about how you can systemize your culture so that you’re hiring the right people and staying true to your mission, all while meeting your business goals.

Connect on Instagram:

• Seychelle Van Poole: @seychellevp
• Vija Williams: @viavija
• Sarah Reynolds: @sarahreynoldsoji
• Wendy Papasan: @wendypapasan

Empire Building is a production of Crate Media

Do the people in your organization match your culture? Company culture is a mixture of vision, mission, and values—and it’s important everyone’s on board with these three things.

Culture is more than a pool table and free snacks. To start developing your culture, you have to start with your mission. We’ve already covered how to define your vision, now we’re going to dig into how you can identify your mission and your values—and how to hire for them.

Connect on Instagram:

• Seychelle Van Poole: @seychellevp
• Vija Williams: @viavija
• Sarah Reynolds: @sarahreynoldsoji
• Wendy Papasan: @wendypapasan

Empire Building is a production of Crate Media

As we head into Thanksgiving season, there’s one thing that most of us struggle with that our family and friends are too afraid to tell us—and no, it has nothing to do with your weight. It’s that you aren’t fully present. You’re stressed, your mind is elsewhere, and your head is often buried in your phone.

Often our friends and family only get what’s left over after all the work is done, and even then it’s hard to fully dedicate that time to them. We all struggle with being fully present, but as we dive into a season meant to celebrate family, let’s look at some ways you can be more mindful and present.

Resources:

• Read: "You're Not Listening"

Connect on Instagram:

• Seychelle Van Poole: @seychellevp
• Vija Williams: @viavija
• Sarah Reynolds: @sarahreynoldsoji
• Wendy Papasan: @wendypapasan

Empire Building is a production of Crate Media

What do you do when faced with an upset client? And how can you guide your team so that not only does it never happen again but so that you turn that client into your biggest fan?

Being a leader is often glamorized, but one of the most challenging aspects of being a leader is that the buck stops with you. Everything rises and falls on leadership—both the good and the bad. Part of your job is putting your ego in check, and handling tough clients when things go wrong is going to be a big part of that.

The four steps are:

1. Connect with the client
2. Know what to say
3. Make it right
4. Teaching your team

If you follow these steps effectively, you can save any client and make sure they keep coming back to you for more.

Connect on Instagram:

• Seychelle Van Poole: @seychellevp
• Vija Williams: @viavija
• Sarah Reynolds: @sarahreynoldsoji
• Wendy Papasan: @wendypapasan

Empire Building is a production of Crate Media

Ellen Curtis is the Vice President of Operations at Keller Williams International, the largest real estate company in the world. We’re going to go through her journey and the lessons she’s learned as one of the youngest female senior executives in the real estate industry — who also happened to have an incredible journey of motherhood at the same time. She talks about her successes, her failures, and the decisions that made her career.

Resources:

• LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/ellencurtis2

Connect on Instagram:

• Seychelle Van Poole: @seychellevp
• Vija Williams: @viavija
• Sarah Reynolds: @sarahreynoldsoji
• Wendy Papasan: @wendypapasan

Empire Building is a production of Crate Media

Are you as good a communicator as you think you are?

We’re going to go over 8 communication skills that will change your world. If you work towards mastering these 8 skills, it will truly increase your success and make you better at everything you do in your personal life and your professional life.

• Make it about them, not you
• Listening
• Less is more
• Be a purposeful communicator and don’t fear the pause
• Tell stories
• Commit to being a good presenter and public speaker
• Commit to being a good writer
• Be likable

Resources:

• Read: “Simply Said” by Jay Sullivan
• Read: “I Hear You” by Michael Sorensen.  
• Read: “The Storyteller's Secret” by Carmine Gallo
• Listen: Think Fast, Talk Smart podcast episode 11: “The Science of Influence: How to Persuade Others and Hold Their Attention”

Connect on Instagram:

• Seychelle Van Poole: @seychellevp
• Vija Williams: @viavija
• Sarah Reynolds: @sarahreynoldsoji
• Wendy Papasan: @wendypapasan

Empire Building is a production of Crate Media

Time is not your most precious resource—energy is. We’re going to talk about energy hacks to help get you through the day. Together, we’re going to take control of your energy and take back control of your time, set up your priorities, and take action on what moves you forward.

Our 5-Step Energy Plan to get done by 11 AM is:

1. Meditate and pray
2. Exercise and eat
3. Hug, kiss, and laugh
4. Plan and calendar
5. Lead generate

Connect on Instagram:

• Seychelle Van Poole: @seychellevp
• Vija Williams: @viavija
• Sarah Reynolds: @sarahreynoldsoji
• Wendy Papasan: @wendypapasan

Empire Building is a production of Crate Media

Protecting your energy is one of the most important things to master when you are building an empire. We are going to cover four things when it comes to personal energy:

1. What is personal energy?
2. Why protecting your energy is so important
3. A morning routine to set your energy for the day
4. Practical hacks to protect your energy throughout the day

There are five key areas where your energy is important:

1. Spiritual energy
2. Physical energy
3. Emotional energy
4. Mental energy
5. Business energy

Connect on Instagram:

• Seychelle Van Poole: @seychellevp
• Vija Williams: @viavija
• Sarah Reynolds: @sarahreynoldsoji
• Wendy Papasan: @wendypapasan

Empire Building is a production of Crate Media