Founders Club

Are you looking for some powerful yet actionable tips so that your business can be an outlier in this floundering economy? 

Our guest for today, Kevin Ward is the CEO and Founder of Yes Masters. Kevin is a “No B.S. Real Estate Success Coach” who started training agents back in 2012.

In this episode, Kevin joins Oliver to reveal some great hacks that will enable real estate agents not only protect but also grow their business in the wake of COVID.

COVID has had a telling effect on the American economy. And some experts claim that the ongoing situation is far worse that the 2008 financial crisis. The real estate market has not been spared either as we are witnessing a huge mismatch between supply and demand. 

In today’s show, Kevin reveals why, contrary to popular perception, right now is the THE BEST TIME for real estate agents – if they play their cards right. From popular real estate opportunities to investment philosophies to success mantras, this show is loaded with some immense value guaranteed to help you out.

We hope you enjoy this show!  Tune in now!

Key Takeaways:

• 00:00 – Kevin’s background information
• 02:19 – Selling 100+ homes a year 

• 02:50 - Importance of a good work-life balance
• 03:27 - The Seven domains of life to FOCUS on
• 05:44 – Finding alignment in life

• 10:01 – Leveraging the power of visualization for long-term success 

• 11:20 – Being next-level focused
• 14:29 – Short-term pain for huge long-term gains

• 15:44 – Bootstrapping Yes Masters; Kevin quits his job to pursue his dream
• 19:11 – Spending money after coaching (even when I did not have it)
• 21:43 – Kevin’s big WHY that attracted him to real estate coaching

• 23:33 – Helping people fulfil their dreams
• 24:43 – From agent producer to author coach
• 27:30 – Advice for broker owners who wish to hone their leadership skills   

• 28:39 – Learning the art of public speaking and communicating from renowned voice coach, Roger Love
• 30:16 – K.I.S.S. – Keep it Simple, Stupid; The McDonald’s Approach to Real Estate Investing

• 30:47 – Hiring a showing agent to do your legwork and scaling up your business

• 33:57 – Why you should focus your lead generation efforts on sellers rather than buyers
• 37:50 – Why right now is THE BEST TIME for real estate agents

• 37:50 – What is the impact of COVID on the real estate market and the larger macroeconomy?
• 45:53 – Discussing the utter lack of professionally trained agents

• 49:38 – Using attraction marketing to develop long-term relationships with clients
• 00:51:36 – The Four Superpowers of SUCCESS

• 00:51:36 - #1 Commitment
• 00:51:55 - #2 Competence
• 00:52:07 - #3 Compassion
• 00:53:30 - #4 Courage

• 00:54:08 – Pricing strategies to help you protect and grow your real estate business during COVID
• 01:00:18 – Open house vs. Scheduling showings – which is the best option for selling real estate?
• 01:00:55 – Strategies for making sales in a high supply-low demand market
• 01:02:45 – How to make the most of the current situation
• 01:03:33 – What are some good pockets of opportunities in the real estate market right now?
• 01:04:27 – Is it a good time to cash out so that you can reposition at a later date?
• 01:09:50 – How to target sellers who are downsizing right now
• 01:11:12 – Can you make money off short sales right now?
• 01:13:24 – Recap of all the best opportunities in the real estate market
• 01:15:12 – Sellers are frogs and buyers are snails – Kevin explains his analogy in simple terms
• 01:18:06 – Kevin shares his mixed-method approach for real estate investing
• 01:23:45 – How a burning desire to be the best can help you overcome the most challenging situations 
• 01:25:04 – What are some key attributes that helped Kevin’s star agent reach a million dollars in 26-months flat?
• 01:26:27 – Want to learn the nuances of nuances of Agent Mastery LIVE
• 01:28:33 – How to track data for real estate investing
• 01:30:02 – What should be your investing strategy in the wake of COVID?

• 01:33:32 – Market Crash or Buying Opportunity 

• 01:34:40 – How can hiring a coach help you out?

• 01:38:44 – Why being intentional is the need of the hour

• 01:40:20 – How to gain referrals and grow your business
• 01:42:15 – The FIVE levels of success

Quotes:

“I don't care about your money. I care about your dreams. Because I will fight for your dreams if you're willing to fight for them.”

“The moment you commit to become the best, you just got better.”

"The standard of competence for me is being the best in the market."

“When buyer’s want something, they got to be excited about it. And when they want something, the fund reasons to do it.”

“I can spend time and effort to get business. That is prospecting. I can spend money to get business. That is marketing. I can build relationships and get top of the mind awareness, and get results. And people line up.”

“I'm not just here to get a paycheck. I'm here to build a relationship and part of that is I want to do such a good job that I get more business from you because of that.”

Resources:

Founder’s Club

Yes Masters

Casey Zeman is a father of three and still growing his business faster than ever.   Casey is Founder and CEO of Easy Webinar, the only software platform that combines webinar technology and marketing strategy into one. He is a best selling author, podcast host, and has helped thousands of entrepreneurs create content that makes deep connections with their audience.

Connect with Founders Club Host Oliver Graf on Instagram: @OliverGraf360

We wanted to find out how Casey Zeman has managed to grow his business, the hacks he uses to reach his goals, and building a team that freed up his time. 

“I’ve had to let more things go… giving up control is difficult for control freaks and I consider myself one of them.” -Casey Zeman

• A daily schedule that juggles 3 kids while growing a business
• A major factor to stop wasting your time
• The 1 thing that will keep your team on track
• Building a team to free up time (and double profits!)
• A new content strategy to connect with customers
• 5 growth hacks to build a bridge to your goals
• Instagram strategies for building a personal brand
• How to hone your Social Blade
• A new campaign that’s bringing influencers together
• The 1% who can actually improve your software
• Why you need alter-egos to tackle different situations

We hope you enjoy the show!

Sweet Assist – http://www.SweetAssist.com​​

Big Block Realty – http://www.BigBlockRealty.com​​

Open Escrow – http://www.OpenEwscrowNow.com​​

WeLease Property Management – http://www.WeLeaseUSA.com

Closing Table Mastermind – http://www.ClosingTableMastermind.com

Do me a solid and...

Find me on Instagram: @OliverGraf360

Subscribe on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/c/OliverGrafTV​​

Join our Facebook group: Real Closers Facebook Group

Are you late to the social media game? Struggling with the intense competition, and looking for some expert tips to build an monetize all that traffic?

Connect with Founders Club Host Oliver Graf on Instagram: @OliverGraf360

Our guest for today, Zach Benson is the CEO and Founder of Assistagram, an Instagram marketing agency. Zach’s agency can help you build up a sizeable Instagram following in a passive, hands-off manner.

In this episode, Zach joins Oliver to reveal some little known-marketing strategies guaranteed to boost your visibility on Instagram. Are you better off purchasing an established Instagram group? Or should you attempt to build a group from scratch? How can you network with other influencers and leverage their followings to build up your own loyal fan base? What can you expect to charge per paid post? And is it possible to barter marketing services with free hotel stay

This show is full of actionable tips guaranteed to help you out. We hope you enjoy this show!  

Key Takeaways:

• 00:00 – Zach’s background information
• 01:47 – The book the INSPIRED Zach to give back to society
• 04:20 – What was Zach’s biggest takeaway after devoting a year of his life to social service?
• 05:25 – Zach struggle to find his birth parents and get in touch with his Korean roots
• 06:40 – A back injury cuts short Zach’s dancing career
• 07:03 – With no plan B in sight, Zach decides to invest his last $10,000 in an Instagram account
• opportunity?

• 09:00 – Rationale for purchasing an Instagram account
• 11:12 – Using Instagram marketing to get 800 FREE nights at some of the world’s most luxurious properties!
• 12:35 – Zach explains his modus operandi

• 15:28 – Buying an Instagram account vs. Building one from scratch – which is the better option for you?
• 18:36 – How can you find a lucrative Instagram account to invest in?

• 21:52 – Should you pay thousands of dollars for an Instagram account?  What are the different deals you can structure to drive profitability?

• 23:30 – Leveraging Instagram for real estate marketing
• 24:43 – Will you see a major dip in follower after going for a content overhaul?
• 25:33 – How to generate advertising revenues from your Instagram account through paid posts
• 28:00 – How many accounts does Zach typically review before zeroing in on a winning one?
• 30:23 – Expert strategies to grow your follower base once you buy an account

• 31:40 –Typically, how much will you end up paying for putting up a paid post on a popular Instagram account? 
•  33:45 – Diversification is the key to success

• 35:07 – How is Zach helping Russell Bronson market his company, Click Funnels
• 36:03 – Is Instagram an effective platform for building up your brand visibility?
• 36:56 – Should you use any automation tools for your Instagram Marketing?
• 38:03 – Personal pages vs. Business page – which is the better option for you?
• 40:10 – Should you outsource the management of your Instagram account to experts?

• 40:10 – How can Zach’s agency, Assistagram help you and your business?
• 42:30 – How much Zach charge for his services?
• 43:25 – Does Zach guarantee growth? What can you expect once you sign up?

• 44:20 – Great bang for the buck; how an Instagram account can help you build you brand visibility
• 45:42 – Does Zach and his team broker Instagram account sales?
• 47:30 – Currently, what kind of content is getting the best engagement on Instagram?
• 50:05 – How did Zach first discover that it was possible to barter his services for free hotel stays?

• 50:22 – What kind of deliverables does Zach offer when bartering his services for a free hotel stay?
• 58:44 – How big of an account do you need before can get hotels interested in your barter services?

• 01:05:30 – One thing that Zach wish he knew sooner

Quotes:

“Treat everyone as an important human being and just see them for where they're at”.

“You never know what's going on in somebody's life. You never know what their story is, what battle they're going through, until you sit down. You talk to them”.

“Keep doing that. Keep growing and keep monetizing it. And then use it to get whatever you want, whether it's like suits, or like new equipment or new gear, nice restaurants or hotels. Like there's a lot of things that you can use it for”.

“The key is, is that once you buy an account, you network with other people who have bigger accounts than you”.

Resources:

Founder’s Club

Oliver Graf

Assistagram

We hope you enjoy the show!

Sweet Assist – http://www.SweetAssist.com​​

Big Block Realty – http://www.BigBlockRealty.com​​

Open Escrow – http://www.OpenEwscrowNow.com​​

WeLease Property Management – http://www.WeLeaseUSA.com

Closing Table Mastermind – http://www.ClosingTableMastermind.com

Do me a solid and...

Find me on Instagram: @OliverGraf360

Subscribe on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/c/OliverGrafTV​​

Join our Facebook group: Real Closers Facebook Group

Are you a real estate agent or investor worried about the impact of the virus outbreak on the real estate markets? Are you struggling to keep your business afloat in the wake of the pandemic?

Connect with Founders Club Host Oliver Graf on Instagram: @OliverGraf360

Our guest for today, Grant Cardone does not really need an introduction. Grant is a real estate mogul who has built a $2 Billion fortune from scratch.

In this episode, Grant joins Oliver to reveal a strikingly fresh perspective on the real estate and housing market. How can you make the most of the current situation to survive AND thrive? Grant shares how the current state of fear and uncertainty has given rise to some lucrative business opportunities in real estate. 

This show is full of actionable tips guaranteed to help you stand out in a tough market. We hope you enjoy this show!  

Key Takeaways:

• 01:34 – Grant shares his success mantra 
• 04:32 – Market crash or real estate opportunity?

• 07:57 – Are the markets showing a knee-jerk reaction to COVID-19?
• 08:21 – What can real estate agents do to fill up their sales pipeline?

• 11:55 – From not being able to afford rent to owning $2 billion in real estate 
• 12:32 – Do you have the right vehicle for success?
• 13:26 – Do we have an emotional need to buy the house of our dreams?

• 14:50 – Was there a spike in the housing market right after 9/11?
• 15:54 – Will the current situation result in greater demand for large houses in suburbs?
• 16:14 – How to make the perfect real estate pitch in the wake of the virus outbreak

• 19:10 – Will things get uglier before they start getting better again?

• 21:27 – Expert tips for surviving the imminent market crash 

• 25:56 – How to pivot your messaging 
• 31:51 – Grant shares how he raised 360 million dollars through social media in 2019
• 34:13 – Is this a good time to hunt for real estate bargains? Grant shares his perspective

• 34:22 – Will the work-from-home model suppress demand for commercial office space? Can we expect any tax incentives for homeowners shortly?

• 37:27 – What effect will the virus outbreak have on multi-family investing?
• 38:47 – Should you be analysing your real estate deals differently right now?
• 41:20 – Grant shares his biggest real estate wins
• 44:37 – Looking back, what is the ONE THING Grant would have done differently?
• 47:37 – Grant’s parting advice – Follow the money

Quotes:

“It was a mental game before corona. It's even more mental now”.

“You can have the right attitude, you can have the right strategy, but if you don't have a vehicle that can propel you to Mars, you're not going to get there no matter how much you think about Mars, or how much you draw spaceships”.

“Fear is an indicator that you haven't accepted that the boogey-man is about to tear your face off”.

“I'd rather go to hell than sit in purgatory and wait it out”.

“I would tell you kids, follow the money. Go don't follow your heart. Don't follow your passion. Don't worry about what you're good at. Follow the money”.

Resources:

Founder’s Club

Oliver Graf

Grant Cardone

Do me a solid and...

Find me on Instagram: @OliverGraf360

Subscribe on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/c/OliverGrafTV​​

Join our Facebook group: Real Closers Facebook Group

How can you pivot your digital marketing strategy in the wake of the coronavirus? What tips and tricks can you utilize to give your business more visibility and generate more leads in these trying times?

Our guest for today, John Lincoln is the CEO and Founder of Ignite Visibility.

In today’s show, John goes down the rabbit hole and discusses a bunch of marketing strategies guaranteed to give you the competitive edge. From lead generation to follow-up, we share how you can communicate effectively with your prospects and bump up your conversions.

Tools discussed in today’s show include YouTube ads, Facebook ads, HARO, Google Search Console and much, much more....

We hope you enjoy this show!

Key Takeaways:

• 01:09 – How to pivot your marketing response in the wake of COVID-19
• 05:28 – Communication and risk reversal

• 07:51 – Will your marketing be perceived as too “salesy” give the current situation?

• 11:19 – John explains how to leverage HARO (Help a Reporter Out) for media outreach

• 14:03 - How to make the perfect pitch on HARO

• 16:10 – “Digital” refresh strategy for real estate

• 16:10 - How to build an online business model to acquire and retarget leads in the real estate niche

• 20:39 – How to follow up with leads who show intent
• 22:23 – YouTube ads vs. Facebook ads – which is the best option for real estate marketing?

• 22:23 – Typically, how long should it take you to set up a YouTube ad?
• 24:32 – Do unedited ads shot on iPhone work better on YouTube?
• 25:32 – How to set up an ad campaign in YouTube

• 28-38 – Lead generation strategies for real estate marketers
• 31:35 – How has the COVID-19 outbreak affected ad spend?
• 37:38 – Web scraping as a tool for lead prospecting
• 39:04 – Best practices for marketing success on LinkedIn

• 41:27 – How to leverage LinkedIn groups to further engagement
• 42:52 – Is the demographic on LinkedIn more suitable for real estate marketing?

• 43:17 – Should you come up with a new offer than is more aligned with the current scenario?
• 46:04 – Creative ideas for virtual networking 
• 49:00 – Check out our previous show with Travis Thom and learn how to conduct virtual open houses
• 50:44 – How to (efficiently) shoot a video on YouTube and gain maximum exposure

• 55:31 – How to optimize your YouTube videos for SEO

• 56:30 – Can you use infographics to market your offer?
• 58:58 – What about evergreen webinars? Are they still a good tool for real estate marketing?
• 01:01:44 – John shares a quick synopsis of his book, “The Forecaster Method”
• 01:05:27 – Latest SEO updates that you should be aware of

• 01:10:17 – Does your domain name matter? Will a “.com” domain name manage to pull in more traffic?
• 01:12:11 – How can you determine you page load speed?

Quotes:

“Just go from the gut. Tell what you really feel and be authentic. Try to get real specific with the audiences and scale out”

“We went into all the industries that were doing well and we doubled our media spend and we're able to make up almost all the revenue lost. We actually ended up having our biggest month”.

“So, what's that one main topic...that one main term, and then create more and more videos around it and just keep on growing your authority around that cluster”.

Resources:

Founder’s Club

Oliver Graf

Ignite Visibility

HARO

Are you a real estate agent or builder struggling to market real estate properties after the virus outbreak? Looking for some creative marketing solutions to rejuvenate your business activity?

Connect with Founders Club Host Oliver Graf on Instagram: @OliverGraf360

Our guest for today, Travis Thom, Elevated Marketing REM is a Facebook expert who specializes in real estate.

In this episode, Travis joins Oliver to reveal how you can set up and promote a virtual open house using Facebook ads. You will learn how to build audiences, garner engagement, leverage Facebook Lives, and then retarget your warm audiences.

This show is full of actionable tips guaranteed to help you stand out in a tough market. We hope you enjoy this show!  

Key Takeaways:

• 01:28 – What exactly is a virtual open house?

• 01:38 – Plummeting Facebook ad costs due to the virus outbreak
• 02:30 – Step-by-step workflow for setting up and promoting a virtual open house
• 05:15 – Retargeting strategies for reaching out to your warm audience
• 06:57 – Using Facebook Live to generate leads

• 09:54 – Travis shares how he first started using this strategy a year-and-a half back

• 10:50 – Validation – how Travis used this strategy to sell $600K houses in a single week

• 12:34 – How to use Facebook ads to promote an open house
• 16:18 – Leveraging Facebook Lives

• 16:18 – How to brand your Facebook Lives
• 18:14 – Converting your Lives to video view ads 

• 22:33 – How to accurately gauge the lead’s intent
• 25:08 – Tools required to shoot an open house
• 28:00 – How to pull in organic AND paid traffic for your virtual open house
• 31:37 – Best practices for shooting an engaging Facebook Live

• 38:15 – How to send out a Facebook Live to your mailing list 

• 39:49 – Recommended tools for creating Facebook creatives

• 42:05 – Using Facebook images that maximize engagement

• 44:44 – Why creating an engagement ad is way better than boosting your post
• 46:56 – What is the ideal daily ad-spend and audience size?

• 47:50 – Will your quality of leads deteriorate if your audience size is too big?
• 49:40 – Will your ad costs go up if your audience is niche and really small?

• 53:55 – Typically, for how long do you need to run your Facebook ads for an event like a virtual open house?
• 55:20 – How many people can you expect to attend your open house after running a digital marketing campaign?

• 59:28 - Retargeting strategies for reaching out to your warm audience

• 01:04:35 – Can you target a wide audience using zero targeting on Facebook?
• 01:05:21 – Is Facebook’s AI powerful enough to read images?
• 01:08:22 – Is Facebook really spying on us? 
• 01:12:45 – How to repurpose your content to generate multiple touch points with a leads

• 01:12:45 – Creating blog posts from videos
• 01:15:39 – Creating content for HGTV and Instagram

• 01:17:28 – Can digital marketing help other businesses that are badly impacted by the virus outbreak?

Quotes:

“So right now, we're seeing throughout most of Facebook, it's like about a 50% surge of traffic. We have not seen this kind of explosion in a long time. So there's a ton of eyeballs on Facebook. And so what that equates to in terms of ads and ad spend right now is that Facebook ads are almost on sale”.

“In marketing closing the gap is really the name of the game”.

“If you want people to click on it and respond to the event, then you really need to tap into the Facebook ad manager and choose engagement as the objective”.

“As real estate professionals can now use data to target homeowners and sellers and buyers to a degree that no one's ever been able to do in human history”.

Resources:

Founder’s Club

Oliver Graf

Elevated REM

Travis Thom

Kapwing

Facebook Ads

Zillow

Do me a solid and...

Find me on Instagram: @OliverGraf360

Subscribe on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/c/OliverGrafTV​​

Join our Facebook group: Real Closers Facebook Group

Connect with Founders Club Host Oliver Graf on Instagram: @OliverGraf360

Summary:

Are you struggling to deal with overwhelm and anxiety in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic? Worried about financial repercussions? Struggling to adapt to the “work-from-home” lifestyle? Looking for some help to reign in negativity and swing into action mode? 

Michael Bernhoff is the President and Founder of the Human Communications Institute, a leader in the personal and professional development industry.

In this episode, Bernhoff joins Oliver to reveal how you can reprogram your subconscious mind to better deal with your personal and professional life in the wake of the virus outbreak. You will learn how to advertise, communicate, protect and grow your business in these trying times.

This show is a particularly relevant and inspiring one considering the current situation, and is full of actionable tips to help you out. We hope you enjoy this show!  

Key Takeaways:

• 01:53 – Why effective communication (with others and with yourself) is the key in these trying times

• 03:42 – Wake-up call for all us 

• 06:16 – How can we reign in negativity right now?

• 07:20 – The FOUR big areas of marketing
• 08:44 – Importance of visualizing life beyond COVID-19
• 11:17 – Language – your greatest asset 

• 13:07 – How are mentally tough business owners dealing with this crisis?

• 13:27 – Being brutally honest with employees
• 14:41 – How reaching out to your customers can help you protect your business
• 16:12 – Has life been too easy for us?
• 18:50 – Creativity will see you through
• 20:51 – Innovative ideas for selling real estate

• 25:42 – The THREE P’s of success

• 25:42 – Adapt and PIVOT
• 26:06 – PROGRESS – are you expanding your circle of influence?
• 28:15 – PROSPER – every cloud has a silver lining

• 29:09 – Displaying empathy and doing your bit for the society
• 34:02 – Leveraging your transferable skill-sets for a career change
• 36:02 – NOW IS THE TIME 

• 37:58 – With competition at all-time low, this is THE TIME to work on your business

• 39:33 – How Michael is going all out, working for the greater good, and in the process, building incredible brand goodwill
• 43:11 – Do we have a propensity for negativity?

• 48:47 – Getting the right perspective
• 50:25 – What actions can you take to reign in negativity, and combat the current situation?
• 55:35 – This is not going to go on forever
• 58:16 – The idle mind is the devil’s workshop
• 59:49 – Feeling down and out? Simple hacks to help you get started
• 01:03:00 – Need help overcoming a negative mindset? Go to Call 2 Action or text the word “Future” to 202-759-4210
• 01:05:39 – How to avoid being impacted by negative news

• 01:09:35 – Going digital to protect your business
• 01:11:34 – Morning routine to set you up for a productive day 
• 01:14:40 – How to deal with negative people in your life
• 01:18:37 – How to market your business considering the changing dynamics?
• 01:25:12 – Parenting tips for dealing with kids while you are stuck at home
• 01:29:21 – Flipping the problem to help you cultivate the right mindset
• 01:39:40 – Looking back, what is the one thing that Michael would have done differently?

Quotes:

“The next 10 years of your life are going to be defined whether you got stuck to Netflix, or you did what needed to get done”.

“Communication is the most underdeveloped and underutilized asset that we have as human beings”.

“We will be judged as human beings in the next 90 days on how we live, how you treat your money, how you treat people what you do right now, the next 10 years of your life are going to be defined whether you got stuck to Netflix, or you did what needed to get done”.

“There's never been anybody that in this world that was reliant on others that succeeded permanently”.

“My wife and I putting in 100 hours a day, right? Right now, because you like sports, how do you win a game? Someone has to screw up. Somebody dropped the ball, and I'm going to pick it up and I'm running into the end zone”.

“Success is dramatically inconvenient”.

“We are in a land grab for eyeball right now”

“It is easier to be negative because it takes zero effort and the unconscious mind wants the easiest path”.

“We are bigger than what we're dealing with”.

“If you lose everything, you don't lose everything. Because the man you are today is a person that has things you didn't have before”.

“The idle mind is the devil's playground. When we're making progress, we feel good. Have you ever met anybody that was depressed while they were doing push ups?”

“The world rewards those in motion. Get moving”. 

“It's time to accept the power of your own influence”.

Resources:

Founder’s Club

Oliver Graf

Michael’s Website

Call to Action

What is the secret sauce to Jesse Itzler’s phenomenal success? His grit? His zen-like focus? Or maybe his utter lack of self-doubt? 

Connect with Founders Club Host Oliver Graf on Instagram: @OliverGraf360

Jesse is a rapper, author, and founder of The 100 Mile Group and Marquis Jets. The 100 Mile group is the brand incubator behind Zico Coconut water. And Marquis Jets, the world’s largest private jet-card company was acquired by Warren Buffet’s NetJets in 2010. Jesse also founded a sports music company that was sold to SFX in 1998. 

In this episode, Itzler joins Oliver to explain how he managed to find success in myriad different businesses. He shares how he managed to pitch his big ideas to some of the biggest corporations and most influential individuals as a young twenty-something with zero business experience. 

Jesse also reveals some of the most valuable life lessons that he learned after he invited the toughest guy he ever met, an ex-SEAL to move in with his wife, Sara Blakely, and their kids. 

This show will be particularly interesting to entrepreneurs and professionals who are looking for some effective ways to UPLEVEL their businesses and lives. We hope you enjoy this show!  

Key Takeaways:

• 02:32 – Jesse signs up with “Delicious Vinyl”

• 03:05 – Performing in front of an unruly crowd at the Georgia Dome

• 05:43 – Is your business low on aggravation and high on rewards?
• 08:16 – How Jesse got into the music industry

• 08:16 – His BIG AH-HA moment: An important, $160,000 lesson
• 11:43 – Jesse starts approaching record labels
• 13:15 – Moves to NYC to make his mark
• 14:10 – The cassette that changed Jesse’s life and landed him his first-ever record deal

• 17:47 – Jesse’s BIG mistake

• 18:42 – Moves back to NYC

• 19:14 – Jesse ventures into sports music

• 19:22 – Song for NY Knicks climbs to #1 on NY Radio 
• 20:18 – Sells his company to SFX

• 20:45 – How I co-founded Marquis Jets, the world’s largest private jet-card company

• 20:45 – The BIG IDEA
• 21:44 – Pitches his business idea to Warren Buffet’s, NetJets
• 24:03 – Sells Marquis Jets to NetJets
• 24:15 – Closing Jennifer Loppez, Ben Affleck, and Matt Damon
• 30:21 – Runs 100-miles for charity

• 31:00 – How I started Zico Coco Water

• 31:48 – Partners with Zico and Coca-Cola

• 32:15 – How to overcome self-doubt and influence people

• 33:19 – Writing an engaging business email
• 35:12 – Power of clean-slate thinking
• 35:34 – Overcoming your fear of being embarrassed
• 36:34 – Funny story about how Jesse met Sarah, his wife
• 38:08 – Self-doubt, your biggest enemy
• 38:25 – How I invited the toughest guy I ever met to move in with my family

• 50:05 – The 40% Rule: How to go from being good to fucking great

• 51:32 – Pushing through pain while running a marathon
• 54:02 – Jumping into a frozen lake to overcome mental inhibitions
• 59:15 – #1 thing behind Jesse’s success

• 01:01:04 – Takeaways from Jesse’s book, “Living with a Navy SEAL”

• 01:01:18 – Jesse’s guiding philosophy: “Remember Tomorrow”
• 01:03:11 – Structuring your daily routine

Quotes:

“You want to do stuff in your life that is low on the aggravation meter with the most reward”.

“It’s very important to reset your goals every few years and actually write them down”.

“You find your purpose. Your purpose is at the intersection of what you are good at, what you like to do, and what is good for the world”.

“Self-doubt is the biggest enemy of success. If we can eliminate the self-talk in our head, we will be more successful in all the areas of our life”

“You can’t get better getting the same thing every day”.

“The limitations that you put on yourself are self-imposed”.

“When your brain says that you are done, you still have 40% more”.

“When you ignore the tap on the shoulder and you tap into your reserve tank that is the difference between good and fucking great”.

“How do you do anything is how you do everything”.

“I love bucket list stuff. But I am a bigger believer in dropping the B and adding an F and creating a Fuck It List”.

“I didn’t come this far only to come this far”.

“Figure out what you want to do. And do it with urgency. Consistently.”

Resources:

Founder’s Club

Oliver Graf

Jesse Itzler’s Website

Jesse’s Itzler’s LinkedIn

Zico Coconut Water

Marquis Jets

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Find me on Instagram: @OliverGraf360

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Join our Facebook group: Real Closers Facebook Group

Are you a VICTOR? Or a VICTIM? No matter where you came from or what your story may be, anything is possible with the right mindset. When Long Doan was 13 years old, he was smuggled out of Vietnam on a fishing boat. His chances of making it to the US alive were less than 50%. But he made the decision to take responsibility for his life, make the most of the opportunity he was given, and do everything in his power to help others.

Connect with Founders Club Host Oliver Graf on Instagram: @OliverGraf360

Today, Long serves as the Founder and CEO of Realty Group, the #1 brokerage in the state of Minnesota. With more than 25 years in the real estate industry, he has grown Realty Group from zero to 450-plus agents. Long and his business partner, Mike Bernier, treat every agent as the CEO of their own business, reinventing the brokerage model as an education, development and operations center for realtors.

On this episode of Founders Club, Long joins Oliver to share his harrowing journey from Vietnam to the US and explain what that experience taught him about the power of mindset. He discusses what differentiates Realty Group from other brokerages, sharing their seven-step recruiting process and the secret sauce that took his business to the next level of growth. Listen in for Long’s insight around learning to USE your time rather than SPEND it and learn why the most successful people don’t win or lose—we win or learn.

[6:10] What differentiates Realty Group from other brokerages

• Treat every agent as CEO of own company
• Plug-and-play partnership model

[13:12] Realty Group’s ecosystem of economic impact

• Revenue share with vetted vendors (e.g.: plumber, photographer)
• Negotiate better deal to benefit end consumer

[18:25] The five steps entrepreneurs go through to grow

1. WHY
2. WHAT (systems)
3. WHEN (use of time)
4. WHO
5. WHERE (expansion)

[20:45] Long’s seven-step recruiting process

1. Know who you are + what you want
2. Understand target audience(s)
3. Craft message for each audience
4. Deploy messages (i.e.: social media)
5. Reach out with call, meeting
6. Follow up (dating process)
7. Check in re: experience

[30:30] The ONE thing that took Long’s business to the next level

• Partnership with Mike (visionary and integrator)
• Give up hats until doing what best at + love most

[33:58] Long’s insight on lead gen and nurturing relationships

• Leverage tech for opportunities (Aspiration, Research and Transaction)
• Use notes in phone as CRM, convergence of humanity and tech

[45:57] How Long leverages VAs in his business

• Assign process-driven tasks to remote VAs (then what exercise)
• Daily communication via Zoom or Google Hangouts

[53:11] Realty Group’s process for onboarding new agents

• 106-point checklist including transition plan and ‘broker breakup’
• Automated processes first ten days and 90-minute orientation

[57:59] Long’s harrowing journey from Vietnam to the US

• Dad imprisoned in reeducation camp after Vietnam War
• Lined up to get rations for family daily (communist government)
• Mom sent Long on smuggler’s boat alone at age 13
• Spent eight months at Bidong refugee camp known as ‘hell island’
• Made decision to be VICTOR rather than VICTIM

[1:18:13] The three ways we learn

1. Imitation
2. Experience
3. Reflection

[1:20:24] Long’s experience as an immigrant teen in Minnesota

• Entrepreneurial kid (scaled paper route and lawn mowing job)
• Overwhelming culture shock, carried dictionary everywhere

[1:24:43] How the rest of Long’s family got to the US

• Middle brother came two years later in similar process
• Sponsored Mom and youngest brother seven years later
• Dad eventually released and exiled to US (prisoner of conscience)

[1:27:41] The top three things Long has learned from successful people

1. Take responsibility
2. Take action
3. Just figure it out

[1:29:51] What Long wishes he had known earlier

• Take chances sooner
• Surround self with people in growth mindset

[1:34:45] Long’s advice on scheduling and organization

• Schedule workday and personal calendar
• Don’t compromise personal commitments

Realty Group

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Find me on Instagram: @OliverGraf360

Subscribe on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/c/OliverGrafTV​​

Join our Facebook group: Real Closers Facebook Group

Imagine making $10K per month per property on luxury homes YOU DON’T OWN and having the option to stay in those high-end homes when they’re available… The increasing popularity of home sharing sites like Airbnb, VRBO and Expedia make it possible to make a lot of money on luxury vacation rentals—whether or not you have the capital to buy a million-dollar home yourself!

Connect with Founders Club Host Oliver Graf on Instagram: @OliverGraf360

Jerry Conti is the Cofounder and CEO of LuxHomePro, Arizona’s top short-term rental (STR) marketing and booking specialists. Jerry’s team manages a portfolio of 22 luxury properties in the Scottsdale area worth $23M, capitalizing on the millions of travelers seeking high-end properties through online travel agencies to generate returns of 100% to 500% in monthly revenue. LuxHomePro also boasts an education arm, helping entrepreneurs start their own luxury vacation rental business in markets across the country.

On this episode of Founders Club, Jerry joins Oliver to explain how his vacation rental model works, discussing why he prefers the lease option and the luxury niche. He walks us through the process of finding a property, addressing homeowner objections, financing the deal, and negotiating an option contract. Listen in for Jerry’s insight around what to look for in a STR property (and how to price it accordingly) and learn the skill sets you need to run a successful vacation rental business.

[1:16] How Jerry’s vacation rental model works

• Look for luxury property on market 12+ months
• Approach homeowner with idea to cashflow as STR
• Bring in investor after year once proven concept
• Continue to lease from investor as vacation rental

[7:18] Why Jerry prefers the luxury niche

• Generate $700 to $1500/day on single property
• Use for own mastermind events

[14:16] How Jerry finds properties

• Use Airbnb/VRBO to research areas, occupancy rates
• Generate list of homes for sale on MLS and visit area
• Negotiate with homeowner to put together deal

[21:49] Your options for structuring a STR deal

1. Buy property for vacation rental
2. Lease method
3. Partner with homeowner as host
4. Seller financing
5. Foreclosure deals

[29:55] Jerry’s advice on getting a lease under contract

• Negotiate option to purchase (even when overpriced)
• Disclaimer to exit lease should regulations change

[35:40] Who Jerry’s team negotiates with

• Preferably homeowner themselves
• Give realtor fee to help make deal

[41:00] How Jerry addresses common homeowner objections

• Security checks, cameras and NoiseAware system
• Secure damage waiver insurance policy

[46:12] What Jerry looks for in a property

• Open concept kitchen + right bed configuration
• Amenities (pool, hot tub and room for gaming)

[52:26] Jerry’s insight around pricing a STR

• 80% of revenue should come from weekends
• Weekday rate about 1% of goal for month
• Consider low and high season + special events

[1:00:10] Jerry’s approach to mitigating neighbor concerns

• Apologize as necessary, respond to Airbnb asap
• Systems in place (i.e.: house rules in manual)

[1:06:19] The key to running a successful Airbnb

• Know your numbers and optimize listing
• Personal connection earns positive reviews

[1:12:05] How Jerry keeps his STRs immaculate

• Put energy into training cleaning crew
• Quarterly inspection of appliances

[1:18:30] Jerry’s tips on the check-in and check-out process

• Promising early check-in can jeopardize experience
• Let guest buy day before for half price (if not weekend)

[1:26:40] What surprised Jerry about the STR business

• Need multiple skill sets to be good operator
• Must get joy from providing great experience

LuxHomePro

Jerry on LinkedIn

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