Let Me Speak To A Manager

Does your company treat you like trash? In this episode, Frank and Ian dig into the underlying reasons for the miserable state of customer service. From unhappy employees to an overreliance on outsourcing and technology, we discuss steps any business can take to become more customer-centric (and thus, more profitable).

Are you an annoying employee? Does your boss wince when she opens your emails? Does your mere presence make your manager think about nails scratching on a chalkboard? In this episode, Frank and Ian grumble about people who annoy them to no end. Brace yourself for a lot of "Get off my lawn!"

This episode kicks off as Shaquille O'Neal walks into the lounge of Four Seasons to meet with Ian and his friend David. Frank interviews Ian as he shares every detail of this two-hour business encounter with the Hall of Fame legend.

In this episode:

●    "Don't stare."

●    Preparing to make a great first impression

●    A little luck never hurts

●    Anticipating every contingency

●    Knowing when to close, and doing it right

"It's not personal, strictly business."

In this episode, Ian shares his story of landing a meeting with legendary basketball star, Shaquille O’Neal. Both literally and figuratively, this meeting with Shaq was among the biggest of Ian’s career. Ian made Frank wait until recording to hear the details of the meeting, which makes this episode even more fun. 

In this episode: 

• What is Ian working on that could lead to this encounter? 
• Why choose Shaq as a potential partner? 
• How to prepare for a meeting that could change your life 
• The importance of taking big swings 
• Taking calculated marketing shots 

Fresh off a successful $10M real estate syndication that delivered a 30% return to investors, Frank and Ian are at it again. In this episode, we talk through the details of a real estate deal that will require a private capital raise of $4M+ in a short window. This episode was recorded before Frank and I negotiated terms so you can hear us working out the details as we go.

We pull back the curtain and share the details of a large real estate deal. In this episode:

• The difference between a real estate speculator and an operator
• The importance of buying at the right price
• Finding deals where you can add value
• Knowing the long-term prospects of your market
• Promoting a real estate deal and raising capital
• The power of a strong track record (successful deals beget more deals)

Get your popcorn and buckle up. Frank and Ian are going back to the movies! This time, we talk about the five movies that had the biggest impacts on our sales careers.

In this episode:

• Likable people tend to win in sales
• How to “act as if”
• Why you won’t get a second chance when it comes to trust
• There are those who sell and those who make excuses
• Lead with the most contentious point in any meeting

How honest can you really be in business? We all lie, at least a little. If for no other reason than to protect people's feelings. In this episode, we talk about the concept in two classic books on this topic and debate the merits of how just how "radical" candor really is.

In this episode:

●     "If you always tell the truth, you never have to remember what you said."

●     Honest feedback might hurt, but it typically leads to positive change

●     Great coaches understand the difference between skill and talent

●     Outbursts happen when we let irritations build up

●     10 things you can't say in an office (but we wish we could)

Can we change anyone's mind? Regardless of your occupation, persuading someone to your line of thinking can be incredibly helpful. We dig into the science of persuasion and look at techniques that have worked (and failed) for us in the past.

In this episode:

• Helping customers change their mind after they said no
• Getting an executive to approve your idea by convincing them it was theirs
• Letting someone fail their way into changing their mind
• The role of resilience in persuasion
• The assumptive close
• Giving up control to a stubborn person
• Using praise with a narcissist

Jeff Paxson is the owner of Jeff Paxson Real Estate, a team that led Indiana in sales volume from the years 2014 to 2018. A maverick who built his career going against conventional wisdom and twice making all-in bets on himself. For anyone interested in stepping away from corporate life and building something of their own, Jeff shares his path. 

Jeff Paxson Accolades:

Based on sales, Jeff Paxson has been named Wall Street Journal’s Real Trends Top 1000 Realtors aka

“The Thousand”

Annually top 5 Realtor in entire Indianapolis Metro Area

Annually top 5 Realtor in Indiana

Top 50 realtors in Midwest US

Named one of Indianapolis Business Journal’s top Realtors each of the last 10 years 

Johnson County Realtor of the Decade 2020

There are now 4 office franchises of Jeff Paxson Real Estate.

JeffPaxson.com

317-679-2121

"A Message to Garcia" is an article written by Elbery Hubbard in 1899 that is still heavily referenced in the military and private sector today. It is a story of a lieutenant tasked with a seemingly impossible mission who carried out his orders with no guidance. The story became a rallying cry for military leaders and corporate executives alike. Frank and Ian dive into the facts and myths about this article, and how the lessons might still apply today.

Also in this episode:

• What it means if a manager tells you to "get the message to Garcia"
• The uncommon nature of the story's protagonist
• How valuable are autonomous people in business?
• How to find people like this in the interview process
• How to demonstrate you have these characteristics in a job search