Life Behind the Highlight Real

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This episode explores the past five years of A Good Life Group. The good, the bad, and the hilarious. 

The story begins at the Minnesota State Fair of all places, 5-years ago. The day Will and Sarah were forced to find a new direction. 

And they don't hold back as they share the details of the call and the stress that followed over the next few days. 

Today you will find out how they landed on their business name A Good Life Group, how they found their team, and how leadership is a learned discipline. 

"Leadership is hard"
-Will Huffman

They'll also cover critical business lessons learned the hard way, like:

The differences between surviving as a business and growing as a business. And it takes looking in the mirror.

Learning the impossible like not taking things personally. 

A deep dive into living the concept of an unreal life. What that means, and how it has come true for Will, Sarah, and their team. 

And how an unreal life can lead to some pretty funny stories, including a few shared from their team getaways to Florida. 

A Good Life Group's Fifth Anniversary Party is September 10th at the Brew Park in Plymouth. https://www.brewparkplymouth.com/

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Victoria and Sarah met while working at JC Penny in Coon Rapids and have been friends ever since. 

Born in California and stayed there for a whole six weeks before moving to Minnesota. 

After her dad got arrested (details in the podcast) at the University of Minnesota, the family was forced to regroup which included sneaking out of Minnesota in the middle of the night. 

Later in life, Victoria's dream was to become a doctor, which leads to a lovely story about the college she chose. Not to be missed. 

Shortly after starting college, she decided med school would not be in her future, so she began a search for a purpose. A search that landed on helping families going through childbirth.  

She became a doula which provides physical, emotional, and spiritual support during the birthing process. 

As fulfilling as that was, she missed family and made a move back to Minnesota. 

And that's where her real story begins. A car ride message from God changed her path.

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Sarah met Artemisa met after both were nominated for Female Realtors of the Year. 

During that ceremony, Sarah realized that she knew nothing about the other nominees, so she set up a lunch, and the two have been friends ever since. 

"You can see and experience people online, but until you meet them in person, it's different."

Artemisa is a heavy hitter in the real estate industry selling 300 homes last year. 

300. 

That's huge. 

Getting to this point was hard work, though. After juggling 3 jobs at the same time, she was in search of a career that would give her a life. 

That's when she discovered real estate. 

For Artemisa, getting to that goal wasn't easy. She had to do two things: Get her real estate license and learn English. At the same time!

In this episode, she'll talk about the challenge of passing the real estate license test and how an emergency trip to the hospital was the biggest gift she could ask for. 

She'll also talk about why her birthday is unknown, her upbringing in Mexico City, and how she met Mark. 

Ya know, Mark from Wisconsin. 

The man that, after three wedding ceremonies, would go on to become her husband. She'll explain. 

Then comes the real estate team, starting a family, and surviving fluctuations in the real estate market. 

Her secret? 

Leverage. 

It is recognizing your strengths and weaknesses and doubling down on your talents. It's a lesson we can all learn.

This great episode is about being fearless, finding success, and living a purposeful life. 

Learn more about Artemisa

Website: https://realtygroupmn.com/coon-rapids-team/artemisa-boston-licensed-real-estate-agent
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/artemisaboston54
Email address: [email protected]

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Born in Wisconsin but raised in Minnesota, Alex Maeckelbergh wanted to carry on the family tradition of education by becoming a teacher. But that changed shortly after going to college when she realized it wasn't for her. 

"I love kids, love them to death. But doing it for a career was a very different story. And now having kids of my own, I cannot imagine. God bless teachers who are parents as well."

So the search was on for a new career. That's when she met an owner of a title company who offered her an internship if she changed her major to marketing. Game on!

That eventually turned into a job at a mortgage company, then a real estate firm, and finally taking the leap by opening her own marketing company. A successful company that's only a year old. 

Of course, there's plenty of life to sprinkle in between, including credit card debt, a deepening relationship with an old high school friend, and a blossoming family in the face of a pandemic. 

How does a 26-year-old live this much life? Alex is a fascinating woman and entrepreneur with plenty of life lessons to share in this episode of Life Behind the Highlight Reel. 

Reach out to Alex: [email protected]

Learn more about her marketing business: http://allgoodthingscreative.com/

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Ed Kaiser is General Counsel for RE/MAX Results, the guy that deals with all of the legal stuff that affects our industry. 

Beyond that, Ed is just an interesting dude. 

He's a Duluth native, a former athlete with big dreams, and a man that met his wife at a restaurant that haunts Sarah (guess which one?)

Today we get Ed's story and uncover some nuggets that we never knew about the man. Nuggets that make a guy with such a serious job, well, human. 

Reach out to Ed: (952) 829-1575

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Joe Mottlow has beaten back cancer 5 times, and in part 2 of Will and Sarah's interview, Joe stops in to give them a heartbreaking update about his condition. 

Even in the worst of life, Joe finds a reason to celebrate, and that happens on July 30th.

Details to his coming home party is here: https://www.facebook.com/events/454530746184210

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At 32, after experiencing a number of health failures that almost took her life, Randi Brandt was told she would be permantly wheel chair bound.

She won the fight for her life, but now her second fight began. The fight to take back control of her body. 

Randi shares the details to this incredible journey that goes back four years. A journey that eventually paved the way for children who needed a safe, temporary home. 

She shares the challenges and rewards of becoming a caretaker, and what it's like for children being transitioned to foster care.

And, like anybody who's life has almost been cut short, Randi has big plans to give back to help make future generations confident and independent. 

Enjoy the incredible story of our friend, Randi Brandt. 

Reach out to Randi:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/randi-brandt-5a891252/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Randi-Brandt/2316504/

Quotes:

"Crap happens. Been there done that. You can get through it. I was told I'd never walk again. Well, hold my beer, watch this."

"We don't know why we don't know how, by me being able to look at my legs in that mirror, all of a sudden, my left foot moved, my right foot moved."

"Yes it costs money, but it's the cost of being a parent. It's what you do."

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The founder of RE/MAX Results, the largest RE/MAX franchise in the country, is our guest today, and John Collopy never fails to entertain and inspire. 

In his book, The Reward of Knowing, John details a life of abuse, trouble, and addiction. And he dives deep into a few of those stories on today's episode. 

Stories that include leaving home as a teenager, and going to school while working a full time job. 

Stories that include beating up a police officer, hitch hiking to California, and living within the counter culture of the 70's. 

He then transitions into the moment his life started turning around and how he discovered a passion for real estate. A path leading him to where he is today, owner of the most successful RE/MAX franchise in the country. A franchise Will and Sarah love, and they explain why. 

And we can't forget about the roots of the Results Foundation, and the impact it is making on the Twin Cities. 

Get ready for an episode you won't be able to pause as we sit down with John Collopy. 

Links:

The Results Foundation: https://www.resultsfoundation.net/

The Reward of Knowing: https://www.amazon.com/Reward-Knowing-John-Collopy/dp/1599328453/ref=sr_1_1?crid=10R5DUYUBI64H&keywords=john+collopy&qid=1657215318&sprefix=john+collop%2Caps%2C218&sr=8-1

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Ryan Fischer's journey from high school valedictorian to leader of his own very successful real estate team was anything but smooth.

There were many bumps along the way. 

Carrying heavy student loan debt out of school, this new chiropractor found out the hard way that establishing himself was going to demand patience. 

As he describes in today's podcast, the load of student debt along with a mortgage payment was too much for a starting chiropractor. 

But with hard work he slowing built a practice, and business that extended outside of the Cities. 

Through this journey, though, he discovered real estate. He explains the pressures of carrying two careers at once, and why he made the transition to full time real estate agent. 

He has since married the woman of his dreams, started a family, and built one of the most successful real estate teams in Minnesota. 

Today, the story of Ryan Fishsticks -- um, sorry -- we mean, Fischer.

Follow Ryan:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RealtorRyanFischer
Email: [email protected]

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Joe Mottlow and Will Huffman have shared a lot of life together since their first meeting at TruGreen. 

But on June 15th, 5 years ago, Joe got his first indication that something was wrong. 

He kept waking up in puddles of sweat. 

After days of toughing this out, he made a trip to Fairview to discover things were not right. His bloodwork was off, and his spleen was the size of two fists. 

Then the diagnosis. Leukemia ALL, a blood cancer. 

The battle begins and Joe Joe Tough was born. 

The chemo shed 30 pounds over a two week period. 

But even during the intense chemotherapy treatments, he still found a way to have fun during his stay. That's Joe's nature, to make the most out of any situation. 

Over the last 5 years, he's battled and beat cancer not once, not twice, but five times. 

This episode is about resiliency, optimism, and how a community continues to help Joe Mottlow win his battle against cancer.

Learn more and connect with Joe Joe Tough here: https://www.facebook.com/joe.joe.mottlow/