Kwame Christian discovered his passion for negotiation by accident. During law school he took a class on negotiation that sparked a fire inside of him.

He’s a practicing business attorney and recently launched the American Negotiation Institute to help you get better deals and advance your career.

I loved talking with Kwame about negotiation. This wasn’t a typical failure story because I went off track with my questions. Instead of a story you get some wonderful negotiation tips.

Here’s what Kwame and I discuss:

• How Kwame realized he could make a business out of what actually interests him.
• How he built his client base doing free negotiation seminars.
• The 3 ways you can use negotiations. And it’s more than simply getting a better deal.
• How Kwame’s happiness played into his decision to launch this business, and begin transitioning his legal practice.
• The most difficult negotiations you’ll face.
• Demystifying the planning process for any negotiation.
• Kwame’s struggle to balance two startup businesses.
• How he struggles with patience while building his audience.
• How Kwame found successful connections through LinkedIn.
• The difference between conflict and combat, and why that’s important to your sales and negotiations.
• How long should you prepare before you negotiate with someone?
• Why negotiations are won, and lost, in the preparation.
• Why you shouldn’t look at negotiation as a single event and more like a long-term process.
• The biggest challenge you face when negotiating.
• Kwame’s 70–30 rule for negotiating.
• Why he said he has a problem with selling.
• How he thinks being a lawyer has hampered his ability to market himself.
• How grit has played into his success.
• If you’re in a business partnership, why you need to understand the communication challenges facing you. And how they’re more complicated than a marriage.

Enjoy the show:

Your Most Important Negotiations Will Be With The People Closest To You