"Culture Matters"

Ok, I read another book, and some of you may be surprised by what it is!

The book isn’t written to leaders, or “baby boomers”.  Neither is it written to business leaders.   There aren’t big name endorsements on the cover, nor is there a preface or introduction.  The book, however, is written by a very smart ambitious person, Sophia Amoruso. 

The name of the book is #GIRLBOSS.  Ms. Amoruso is up-front, straightforward the founder and CEO of Nasty Gal.com, an online clothing store. (I may never purchase from the website, but I’ll bet my granddaughter has and may even be a regular patron!)

My daughter- in-law, Lori recommended I read the book, and I am glad she did.

Sophia started with nothing and has built her $100 million dollar on line fashion retailer with more than 350 employees company in just eight years.  She’s smart!  She’s a no nonsense industrious woman. She did not understand that what she achieved wasn't possible according to business statistics! 

She has no college degree.  She didn't inherit a bunch of money, in fact by her own admission she’s lucky to be alive. None the less Sophia has created a culture that works. 

  

On page 224 of the book she says, “The heartbeat of Nasty Gal doesn't exist in one style trend, or article of clothing.  It’s in the way we talk, the way we carry ourselves and the way we see the world.”

I stopped and reread this sentence over and over.  She’s talking about culture!

Without having personally met her I am proud of her. Her book and the culture she demonstrates to today’s generation is to be applauded.  I wish  I had understood culture 30 years ago.

Life lessons have taught me culture, but it’s not been easy!  Very simply put culture matters.  It matters a lot!

There is family culture, education culture, business culture, social culture the list could go on and on.

Wikipedia has the following to say about culture:

“Culture is a word for people's 'way of life', meaning the way groups do things. Different groups of people may have different cultures. A culture is passed on to the next generation by learning”.

Culture counts!  People matter, all people matter.  What we say, the way we deal with one another, simply how we live counts!

This week’s challenge is simple, set time aside and think about your personal culture---what does your culture look like?

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Our New Fall Direction

I love Arizona. The summer heat  has always fascinated me.  As a kid I tried to fry an egg on the sidewalk –  it didn’t work.  To this day, I love sitting on the patio and smelling the monsoon rain. I also look forward annually to picking fresh citrus.   

That’s why fall is my favorite time of the year even here in Arizona.   While other parts of  North America, explode with the vibrant colors of red, yellow, and orange as the autumn leaves fall, we experience a magical transformation of our own.

October brings Halloween (The Valley of the Sun is the only spot I know, where in the 1960’s grown ups actually dressed up and  went “trick-or-treating”).  I remember one year Mother created costumes from hotel bed sheets and we went on the hunt for candy in a Tucson neighborhood she simply picked out (we did not live in Arizona at the time).

November hails, Thanksgiving and Thanksgiving means lunch with Great American Title Agency on Thursday, November 20^th.  This year between 11:00am and 1:00pm.
RSVP TO: GivingThanks@azgat.com

Christmas day is always a perfect picnic/hot tub day.

Best of all fall means no more 105 degree days, at least not for a few months!

Fall is romantic and quixotic.

Fall is also a perfect time to chart direction and implement change.  As I posted last week Great American Title (GAT) is growing and expanding---we’re both excited and  thankful. GAT’s administration is forward thinking—working here is a grand adventure!

Yes, GAT Park Plaza and Stapley are now partnered together.  We’re one collective whole.  We’re fortunate to have three dynamic account executives aka strategic relationship specialists, to service REALTORS®  and Lenders alike.  Today I simply want to introduce  or maybe just reintroduce them: 

Leslie Griffeth  (602) 538-6770  lgriffeth@azgat.com

Leslie Griffeth is the marketing specialist for Great American Title at the Park Plaza office in Mesa, AZ. With years of marketing experience as well as being a REALTOR® having specialized in new homes and resale transactions, she understands the important role marketing plays for today’s agents. Whether a new agent or a seasoned veteran she is passionate in providing the tools and services to bring your business to the next level.

Her dedication to helping agents is the foundation in achieving success for the REALTORS®  she has the privilege to work with.

Lori Amberson  (602) 524-0302  lamberson@azgat.com

Since graduating from Arizona State University, Lori has gained over ten years’ of experience in both sales and marketing. Her focus on database management, lead generation including direct mail, seminars, and websites, as well as customer relations management (CRM) has provided an excellent background for business development in the Housing Industry.

After working for a mortgage lender for several years, Lori entered the Title Industry as an Account Executive in 2003. Lori's previous experience in lending coupled with her extensive knowledge of real estate has given Lori a unique awareness and sensitivity to the needs of her customers and the tools that are needed to successfully close transactions. Lori is a member of the Southeast Valley Regional Association of REALTORS® (SEVRAR).

Lori is excited to be a part of the Great American Title team and is motivated to help agents and lenders alike with their marketing needs. “Partnering for Profit” is a realistic objective and a founding principal of Lori's marketing strategy.

Marc Lemaire  (480) 242-2230  Marc@azgat.com

Marc Lemaire is the Strategic Relationship Specialist at Great American Title Agency based out of Mesa, Arizona. As an Arizona native, Marc has witnessed the growth and changes to the Valley and the real estate industry over the years. Having been in title and escrow industry since 2002, one of Marc’s many achievements is the development of new and innovative strategic marketing tools and systems for Great American Title Agency.

A primary goal of Marc’s is to bring added value to REALTORS® and mortgage professionals to grow their business through education, marketing resources, and exceptional title and escrow services. His professionalism and dedication to customer service makes him a standout in the title and escrow industry. Marc also enjoys community outreach through the Tempe Exchange Club and the SEVRAR Community Outreach Committee.

So, that’s GAT Park Plaza/Stapley!  It is my belief  that coupled with your nine escrow officers and our four support personnel this marketing team cannot be matched. 

It’s our entire  team mission to “provide Arizona  REALTORS® and Lenders cutting edge marketing and educational opportunities…. While providing them the most effective and efficient escrow closing process achievable. “ 

Simply stated, we’re HERE and we WANT to SERVE! 

(Reminder:  Thanksgiving Lunch, November 20^th , 11-1)

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Do you practice disciplined development?

Discipline is tough---It is much easier to simply go with the flow.  However not fighting for what counts could get you killed early!

Have you ever seen a salmon run?  I have!  Salmon fight! They spring into the air, swim against the current and battle their fellow salmon.  They leap, and fall against rocks and wrestle to stay in the middle of the stream --- they row against all the odds, nothing stops them.  They pour all their life blood into getting upstream to spawn (which by the way is where a salmon dies).

To use human terms salmon are all in.  They are motivated and passionate, disciplined and accountable.  They know what they want.  They want their species survive and thrive.

Often I wish I could help REALTORS® swim like salmon.  I know that intellectually I cannot --- each individual must make life work for themselves.  Many people think all they need to do is show up.

In my 62 years of living simply showing up has never worked for me.

With that being said, let me tell you about this last month.  It has been CRAZY at the office(s). 
Yes you read that correctly, offices. 

You see a month ago, Great American Title Agency- Stapley joined forces with Great American Title Agency- ParkPlaza to bring the East Valley Real Estate Market the same outstanding service that Stapley is known for.  We have remodeled and re-staged offices.  Moved staff around, cleaned and cleared out, all in an effort to simply serve you better. 

We've gained some new ideas, new opportunities, and even some additional staff.  Stop by one of the offices and see for yourself.  (Oh yeah, there’s a drawing for November Cardinal Tickets, but you have drop a card off at either office to enter to win, drawing November 1st)

Like the salmon swimming in a torrent we like you, want to thrive and survive.

Recently, I was reminded there is a crew of us.  That is people with the same mindset.  Let me just name three of them I personal spoke to this last week.

The first person is Jeff Fisher with VisualShows.com. VisualShows.com has been around for years, and is not exclusive to Great American Title Agency.  However there’s a new twist.  Now you can get clients to call you before you speak to them---it’s automated, and nobody else has it yet! 
(One of the keys to success is still---be the first to get your phone to ring.)

The second person I’ll mention is a friend, DeanNaughton.  Dean is currently teaching his 6-week coaching classes to Valley REALTORS®.  (Maybe you were lucky enough to be in one of his original groups---I know an agent who made a business decision to begin working with Dean again and he’s had instant results).

The third gentleman I would bring to mind is Michael Maher,author of the book 7 Levels of Communication.  I had the opportunity to meet Michael last month, and we’re sponsoring his October 30^th Scottsdale event (The Event Link is GenGenArizona.com)  Michael believes in giving before getting, and he is going to teach some of his remarkable systems at this Scottsdale event.

Do you see a parallel in the above named men, Great American Title Agency and salmon?

We’re all in.   We are motivated and passionate, disciplined. We know it takes a specific, maintainable, articulate, real, and date specific (by when) plans. 

So I go back to today’s question, “Do you practice disciplined development?”

It Keeps Me Up at Night

It never ceases to amaze me what wakes me up at night. 

Believe it or not, I woke up the other evening thinking about coaches.  Yes I said coaches.  Football, business, life, Mom’s, Dad’s in my dream there were coaches here, there, everywhere. Big ones, small ones, tall ones, short ones---old ones,  young ones, happy, cranky---they were all there in my dream.

When I actually  remembered my dream I realized coaches are simply people.  Coaches  have temperaments, personalities, and skill sets just like the rest of us.  Coaches fall into profiles.  

We have coaches who simply tell it like it is;  coaches  who rally around us;  and there are group coaches for accountability.

 You might say they could be straight forward, mutually supporting; or even interdependent on us.

In my life it has often  taken one, two or even a combination of all three coaching styles to help me reach benchmarks.

People have asked me  “Well, Carolyn, how do you find the right coach?”.  My answer depends upon how stubborn I am  to change, and what my cost for not changing is.

Experience has taught me, change is never easy!

My first personal coach was Joy.   She taught me to develop a life statement along with some valuable habits at a beneficially critical time.   Joy became a real good friend and the perfect first accountable coach.

Levi, is my current fitness coach.  He is a no nonsense guy with a  “get it done” attitude.  Levi doesn’t  listen to me whine.  Mornings in the gym are  “do or do not do, there is no try”.

Ken is probably my best inter-active coach.  He and I made a conscious decision 43 years ago to “do life together”.  We project, plan implement, evaluate (CANI) and regroup.  We work at it all day long, every day and will until the Lord takes one of us home.

I’ve learned that as long as I am breathing I  need a coach.  Someone to help me plan, grow, and live pro-actively.

I challenge you to stop this week think deeply about coaches.  Do you need help to figure out:  1) Where I’m at right now?  2) Am I  happy?  (If not what do you need  to change)  3)  How do I  implement a plan  to become a pro-action-airy (Maybe I just made that word up). 

Dig deeply into you!

Find someone to drill it into your head, a friend to simply come along side you to be an ally, or work with the love of your life (parents, children, and spouses) to become your best!

Life is full of surprises.

Last week our office hosted valley wide events for MichaelMaher’s Generosity Generation.  We heard that who, what, when, where, and how we respond matter.

This week we’re privileged to help with the 9/11 HealingFields at Tempe Town Lake as our nation prepares to honor its’ fallen heroes lost 13 years ago.

I am also very aware of families who lost so much within a mile of the GAT Stapley Office.  As of the writing of this blog, there are families still without electricity, their homes full of mud and water, and no idea how they will fix it all.  At the same time there are neighbors who are helping clean, tear out drywall, and feed children.

It is interesting as Mr. Maher said last week, “This nation is a nation of generous responders”.  We respond when there is need.  We are to be commended for that, I simply wonder what happened to courteous, gracious and being amiable as a routine part of life.

Many of you know I grew up in Texas.  My Mother and Dad taught me to be “kind and well-mannered” as a purposeful practice not simply in response to great need.

We were trained to make first impressions matter. “Yes”; “please”; “thank-you”; “May I”; “No, thank you”; and “I’m sorry” were common place in our daily conversation.

Gentlemen and young men said, “Let me get that door for you!” Girls and ladies said, “Thank you!”. We were grateful for other people. Children were taught to yield to someone else’s need.

We were careful in what, in how and to whom we communicated.

I’d love to get back to those days.

This week I want my verbal communication to be uplifting; my written communication in letters, cards, and memos to matter; my electronic communication via, the internet, Facebook, or Messenger to have encouraging words.  When I Skype I want others to know they really matter to me, ‘cause guess what they do.

Here in the United States there are telephones, cell phones, fax machines, computers, television and even radio.  We communicate all the time. 

We move so very fast and often we do not take the time to think about what we said. Nor do we consider to whom we said it.  Or for that matter how it impacts the receiver.

As Michael Maher said, “Communication is all about the response”.  I want people to know I have a high opinion of each person I touch and that I do admire those who step out and are generous to the needs of others.

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Do You Trust What You Know?

Trust and knowledge are two interesting words. 

By definition trust means “to rely upon or place confidence in someone or something”.

On the other knowledge is an “acquaintance with facts, truths, or principles, as from study or investigation”.

This past Saturday I was reminded of how trust and knowledge intersect ---

Here’s the story:

My honeysuckle needs water, lots of water! 

In Arizona the best way to kill anything is simply don’t water it.  I know this.  I trust Ken to have our sprinkler system on every day.  I was unaware (knowledge) we had a major pipe break in the watering system and so no automatic water. 

A lack of communication between Ken and I almost killed my favorite plant.

Once discovered it was an easy fix.  Turn the hose on!  Within 30 minutes the honeysuckle sprang back to life.

Trust and knowledge go hand in hand.  When you lack one or the other stuff suffers.

This morning I was again reminded of how much trust and knowledge crisscross, and I want to share my knowledge about someone I trust.

I attended an event and heard Michael J. MaherSeven Levels of Communication known as America's Most Referred Real Estate Professional, speak. Michael owns one of the top real estate companies in Kansas City. He receives over 500 referrals and averages over 200 transactions per year.  He is system driven.  He has a great deal of knowledge and people trust him.

His book (7L) TheSeven Levels of Communication: Go from Relationships to Referrals has been on the National Best-seller List for OVER 150 DAYS!

It became a best-seller after only 7 days, an incredible feat considering Chicken Soup for the Soul by Mark Victor Hanson and Jack Canfield took over a year to be a best-seller!

What makes this story even more phenomenal is that 100% of the sales of (7L) have been by word of mouth, by referral. That means no e-mail blast, no advertising, no promotions and no direct mail.

Michael is here and he is sharing his knowledge with others.  It’s free and I believe you would benefit from hearing him. Click on the below and register to hear Michael, you’ll gain some knowledge from someone I know you can trust. 

To attend one of his GREAT events this week in Arizona, please click on the link below.

LINK: www.GenGenEvents.com

Disciplines

There are all types of disciplines.  They include spiritual, mental, emotional and physical  to name four.  Some disciplines are more natural, tangible, refined, and pure. Others are painstaking difficult, demanding and challenging. 

Since 2001 I have implemented discrete disciplines at different times and although it was never easy I have experienced  positive impact with each new discipline. The phrase “minor changes have major impact” really does apply.

So here’s a new minor change I want to lead into a life long discipline.

This past Saturday,  I attended a Nutrition Mastermind Seminar, sponsored by  my personal trainer, Levi Schnapp, owner of Elite Fitness.

Let me tell you a little bit about our gym.  It’s small, and there’s lots of accountability.  It is near my house, so it’s also really HARD for me to skip out.  I have committed to three days a week.

Our gym board reads:            

“Anyone can make you sweaty or sore, not everyone can make you better.”

Here are some Levi-isms:

• DO OR DO NOT DO, THERE IS NO TRY!
• Burpees really are the best all round exercise for EVERYONE.

Oh, just a side note:  

I am student of  life, change, growth, and development.   I get a kick out of course corrections and accomplishments. Annually, I set goals.  My 2014-2015 Personal Alaskan Purpose Driven Goal is, “Implement a Personal Nutrition Discipline That Works for Me”. Levi, knew nothing of my decision and I knew nothing of the Nutrition Mastermind! Interesting isn’t it.

So, last Saturday I sat on the floor listening to the nutritionist, Mel, talk about macros and micros, drinking water, and tracking food.  It was then that some key common elements went off in my brain.

Consistency and accountability, two concepts I have adopted in other life arenas, so why not in my health account. I know that only 5% of people actually change---95% of us go back to our old patterns, but 5% of us do change.  I want to be in the change group.

I will work this year to understand the biology of my body.  Feed myself proper nutrition and reach my stated intent. Eat, drink and track with a purpose.   Yes I have fears, I know it will be hard, I will get side tracked. But, my desire is still the same.  Live life to the fullest.  Use things (even nutrition) and love people (even me).

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