how to build a real estate company part 1:
Hey Tyler, in this crappy market, how do I start a real estate gig like yours?
I’m not exactly sure, I wake up everyday and try to figure it out a little more, but I think my best advise woudl be to start here:
Be good team mates
Be good Friends.
Be good neighbors.
Say how we feel, in front of each other.
Laugh and smile with kindness.
Acknowledge accomplishments, authentically.
Don’t worry about what other people think of you.
Whisper wisely, and understand its impact.
Assume goodness as baseline.
Be authentic in our delivery of information and be mindful of spin.
Have pride in who we are.
Represent the passion for this business rigorously.
Honor that this is what I love.
Invest in, instead of giving up your energy
Pursue personal, business and worldly growth at all costs, with everything you’ve got.
Always, always sweep your side of the street.
Travel to every corner of the world to improve who you are.
Rest when you’re tired, then get back up and keep moving.
Be in the best of health.
Do whatever it takes to ignite continued passion.
Continue to perfect systems.
Be rigorously honest.
Be direct.
Secure your position in this industry.
Don’t ever give up.
Surround yourself with vibrant, alive, fun, successful people.
Show everyone how to be millionaires.
Find ways to honor and multiply everyone’s strengths and dreams
Don’t stay stuck.
Get over the past.
Deeply listen everyday.
Breathe deeply
Change your mind, be proud of it.
Honor your mood, good and bad
Allow words to express your emotions
Honor privacy
Make money and be proud of it.
Take time off.
Don’t justify your position all the time.
Love what you do.
Honor that you already are kind and sincere
Honor that you’re excellent at what you do
Honor that you love to give
Honor that you’re passionate
Honor that you love growth
Honor the mistakes, and look forward to future ones.
Some things are just life
Things will be better
Things will be worse
wake up!
I woke up today and realized, this is all a farce. Our days, our thoughts, our actions, our worries, our emotions, it’s all a farce. We think things matter, we think we know, but I think we actually don’t know shit. Yes, we can make choices, like to stop at a stop sign or not, to put the fork on the left, the knife on the right and to not wear white after labor day——- but, all these goals, these dreams these strategic plans so many of us live by— it’s just a total farce.
AS I write this, this building could collapse. Any plan I had would be completely obviated into the past, and, our soul focus, every single ounce of our focus would turn to survival. If my phone rang and my kid was hurt, everything that mattered would immediately have no meaning what so ever. Really, this idea of having a plan, obtaining a goal—I’m guessing the universe created these illusions so that we had some sense of meaningfulness, purpose, direction. A reason to carry on, endeavor and endure this journey. And that’s cool– truth is, I need that often – that jet propelled reason to get from here to there.
But I’ll tell you one thing, the reason my life works isn’t because I plan or reach goals, it’s because I’m totally completely unattached to the outcome of my pursuits. Yes I want to build this company; yes I’m ok if tomorrow we don’t even have one. Yes, I want to crush out a ton of deals today, and yes, if I all of a sudden I get an impulse to get up and go buy a red shirt instead, I will. (I hate red. … I know, awkward considering.. ) . The goal isn’t what I really want— the moment is. The deep moments where we connect and deepen ourselves and our way. I want people to laugh, to be freed up, to not give a shit. I think in many ways, this might be my real mission, to help people break down the illusions, to recognize the farce and to hang it all up in favor of living for this moment, these times, right here now.
Tyler Lewke, d.l.o.c.s. | LEWKE PARTNERS redefining real estate
Operating Principal | Keller Williams Success Realty
43 East Crystal Lake Avenue Crystal Lake, IL 60014
(p) 815.444.6790 (f) 815.788.0476 (cell) 815.307.2316
www.lewkepartners.com
Lessons in the elevator– live from Megacamp 2011
I’m back in Austin ready to hit Keller Williams Mega Camp and search for MONEY making ideas. The vibes right for success as I’ve already stumbled upon a simple nugget of wisdom.
I’m in the elevator and joining me is this woman whom I’m convinced is Dolly Parton. If she started signing I could have proven it. She has a huge rhinestone pin that says “The Queen of social media” so I have to grab this opportunity, I mean, come on, how often do you get to hang with the queen, right?
Tyler: “Wow, you’re the queen, huh? That’s quite a title!”
Queen: “Sugar, I’m the queen of anything I do, but Facebook, blogging and such, well, that’s my specialty”
Tyler: “Awesome!, I need to get better at it, I just don’t like it that much, I approach it in the worst way possible, haphazard and never really know what to say”
Queen: “Oh lord sweetie, we always got things to say, just start saying it! It’s called SOCIAL media for a reason silly!”
Tyler: “Well, it’s not that easy for me! The truth is, it all feels so dumb I’m almost embarrassed of it. It feels so ridiculous, the things people post, the self-indulgent comments about what they ate, how they feel, what their kid just threw up, you know?” “Plus, I just want to sell houses!”
Queen: “Listen up. I don’t do s*it unless it’s to help sell houses, that’s it. That’s what this is all about sugar.” “ you just need to get a conversation started, to create dialogue around yourself— picture it as a meet and greet at an open house—would you ever just stand in the corner? HELL NO! You’d walk your butt all around and schmooze the wallets and look good, sound good and make stuff up to sound interestin’ right?
Tyler: “wait, what’s a wallet?”
Queen: “Oh sorry sweetie, that’s my nickname for anyone who can buy or sell— a wallet!”
Tyler: “Funny. OK. So, what do you post, how did you become the queen at it and what exactly are your results?”
( NOTE, the elevator has stopped now and we are sitting in the lobby—I’m in workout clothes getting ready to go the homeless garden kitchen and serve dinners and she is literally dressed to go on stage)
Queen: “Well, now you ask the right question. Boy, you need to ask the right questions sooner, all this chitchat so far, we could have already done a referral or something good”
Tyler: “ Ok, good advice—so please, tell me exactly how you do it!”
Queen: “Life has no great ideas. Someone has done it all before and I don’t like new ideas, they just take up too much time. So, I set myself down and thought to myself, what have other people done in this business that’s worked, and how could I implement it here. When I finally realized that Facebook and my blog and twitter are all like being the host of a party, they are all platforms for me to convince people to use me, my entire approach to it changed. As a southern girl, I would NEVER throw a party and not be the queen of the ball!”
Tyler: “ Yeah, I kinda picked that up”
Queen: “So, had my girl print me off a calendar and I set myself down and decided how often I want to communicate, the kinda things I want to say and I just scheduled it, sugar! I like to post 5 days a week to everything— I know, it’s too much, but everything about me is a little too much and I wouldn’t want to disappoint people’s expectations of me. So, now every day, one of my appointments is to make sure I’m the host of my online party! It takes me less than 10 minutes— when you post often, you don’t have to use lots of words and such.
Tyler: “and how do you make it relevant, how do you know what to say?”
Queen: “This is my secret— I created this little cheat sheet— I carry it everywhere. See here? I always have a hundred or more ideas on it— ready and waiting—so that one day, if I’m not in the mood or can’t think of something to say, I can just pull my cheat sheet out and pick one!”
Tyler: “Wow, and what’s on the sheet?”
Queen: “I like to sprinkle a little of everything, I like sprinkles. I throw some news and stuff; sometimes I’ll just re-post an interesting article that feels relevant. I like inspiration, so often times I just post a quote I love that I think others will like, and sometimes I do post specific listings or open houses, etc but I don’t like to do that too often…. People don’t like it when you toot your own horn so much”
Tyler: “and what are your results?”
Queen: “Sugar, don’t you know me? I’m gonna be up on that big ‘ol stage tomorrow, basking in the glory and sitting on panels! I sold over 100 houses just this last year and most of my business comes from the fact that everyone feels like they know me! In this business people want to know who they are doing business with. They don’t care so much about how you do it—they care about who you are and social media is your way to be who you are and let others know all about your ability, but also about your heart and what makes you tick—it’s the golden VIP ticket to the money ball!”
Tyler: “wow, that’s profound, I’m re-inspired”
Queen: “Sugar, I’m glad—and now I’m done talking to you—have you seen the parties in this town? I need to go create a name for myself on 6th street!”
So, I noticed today I wasn’t on the Forbes list yet…
It’s been 7 months since I’ve posted anything. Hmmmm. Maybe I should rename this life in the trenches, rather than live from the trenches…. Because that’s where I’m at— I’m living in them, not reporting from them, hence the 7 month delay. I’ve been writing a ton, but truthfully it usually feels irrelevant by the time I hit save. I’m going to go back and post some from the last 7 months, but its kinda fun to look at what’s happened in the body of time versus in the moment. ..
The markets are still crazy—what’s up is down and sideways seems to be the new norm. We’ll be so busy for a moment that we feel like all has been restored to the real estate world, then just when we’re ready to proclaim full blown recovery, the phones go silent, the dings on our web hits evaporate into the ether and nearly all the buyers get diagnosed simultaneously with some kind of mental illness or at minimum a bad case of obstinate disease. For a while, sellers are jumping up saying we’re ready, let’s do this. They recognize market conditions and get totally real about pricing for today— then, some kind of cool wind blows across the plains and it grabs their fleeting reality check and blows it away just like summer heat. The banks free up money, ramp up their commercials and rhetoric about making loans available, everything begins to feel like it’s moving again—and then, spontaneously, they ask for 463,000 documents to prove you actually paid off the $68 electric bill from last October… And are you really you? PROVE IT. And how do you prove it? A ticket stub from Great America would be fine.. Thanks.
All this is true, however there is a lot more to it. Yes buyers are fleeting and seller’s reality ebbs and flows and the banks are certifiably nuts– but— hope is flowing in the streets and if you look at life as a classroom, these are incredible times. When this financial storm passes, think of who we’ll be as a society– imagine the impact we’ll make in our worlds with the increased patients we’ve learned while dealing in this chaos. Imagine the financial sobriety we will have when we’re learned to save again, spend less than we earn, not assume everything just goes up and to know our core values. Imagine when we help our neighbors as a WAY to help ourselves.
And you know, I’m already seeing it. I had the honor of representing a family a few months ago who, in the middle of the negotiation called me and said “please know that our only goal is a mutually beneficial transaction for all involved. Find that, and we’ll sign the contract”. This defined what I want in our world—equality for everything, people not trying to win but creating mutually beneficial exchanges where everyone gets what they need, moves forward with something that’s workable. I’m thinking… It’s possible that true success and happiness comes from creating a life that works.
We need this in every segment of our lives…… like the debt ceiling debate raging today in D.C.– nobody wins in this scenario– that’s just the truth— so where can we find a mutually beneficial middle ground? It always strikes me when we’re negotiating a deal and we are a few thousand dollars or a gas grill apart from signing a contract— I’m amazed when people’s vision of the larger goal gets gummed up in Ego and emotion and drama.
It happens to me too— sometimes I get gummed up in the ego and emotion, I get lost in the success of winning a negotiation or closing more deals. But these times have changed me—the true joy for me now shows up in new ways, ways that only this financial meltdown could have given me. The joy comes from seeing someone’s life unraveled, losing everything and standing with them as they redefine what really matters. The joy comes from helping someone at the last minute wake up and escape financial destruction by expanding what’s possible and helping them see again. The joy comes every day when we still move people, when we listen to the news and then experience the exact opposite—sellers selling, buyers buying and banks lending. It’s happening, still, every single hour of every single day—people just keep moving. Moving how they think and feel and buy and sell. I move too– I negotiate differently today, I remember the impact the deal makes on the buyer and seller, but also on the street and in the community and all the people employed when we close a deal—— the appraiser and the title officer, the attorney, the home inspector—the septic dude…. Think of all the people whose lives change when we move. Before this financial shift, I imagine I didn’t notice any of that and honestly, what else is there?
So, this morning, I noticed I wasn’t yet on the Forbes list—and I didn’t get a Nobel prize for anything even remotely remarkable, so it’s rather evident I gotta get up and go to work, work to move myself, my thoughts, my community… and all of you!
In Wonder.
I’ve not been writing lately and I’m wondering why. It’s not that I don’t have mountains of things to say, thoughts about this and that, ideas a mile a minute. I could write all day and all night—if I just get started. Starting is the issue in most things, isn’t it? The path to beginning something is always the longest, hardest, most dramatic. It’s all about emotion and how it might feel and our perceived expectation—it isn’t based in reality until we actually start something and the evidence shows up. Things are almost always easier in reality than the wonder, the expectation, the anticipation. Knowing this, I wonder, why do we stay in wonder so often—not getting to the action?
What I’ve discovered for me is, the wonder—that’s where the real work happens. I don’t actually have something to do if someone hasn’t created something, thought of something—created the framework and idea to then build it. It’s the wonder phase of life that is often the hardest— the endless waiting for an answer or path to be revealed— the long, sometimes days, weeks or years that we spend in a place, in a vibe, in a mood– waiting to figure out our next steps, contemplating right and wrong, praying, screaming, crying, celebrating, breathing. In the wonder, maybe we’re waiting to see what career path is next, what experience lies ahead, what changes in life are necessary, who to be, or not be, with. Maybe in wonder we’re contemplating how to build our businesses or expand this or that. Probably the guy was in wonder for years and years before he invented the contact lens… or before we landed on the moon or before she left him for the next chapter of her life.
It seems, most of us condemn the wonder phase— and more recently, it seems our culture is trying to “cure” people of this “malady” and get them into action. Lots of people I know leave the wonder—they leave it thru Prozac or booze, thru food, sex, spending—or even positive thinking, self help, 7 steps to whatever whatever. The culture seems to be saying to us, speed up, don’t stand still, do this, feel this way, say it like this, spend it here, move from there, grow this bigger, knock that off, don’t feel like that—look on page 40, the model and answers are right there—the fork goes on the left, the knife goes on the right and for god sakes don’t wear white after labor day. Stop feeling, start doing, and DO IT NOW, BIGGER THAN EVER. Whew—can you feel it?- the hype and speed and adrenalin of getting into action?
What I know for sure—the wonder is the most valuable— the most sacred space, time and vibe that exists. All greatness, all ideas, everything that we know to be true and real and deep and right came from a place of wonder, from a place of someone’s restless night, days of pain, years of struggle. Many people went mad in the wonder—and birthed action that lead to life as we know it. So for me, the wonder, the place of standing still, waiting, waking in the night frustrated, the space of burning desire for the next thing— I’m going to feel it and let it cook me alive knowing that it’s my rocket fuel that will ignite all my action on the planet—and I’m going to honor and cherish it with the reverence beyond any I’ve felt.
VINDICATED!..and my secrets revealed
You ever have those days that feel like you’re way too jacked on espresso and you just can’t dial it down? Yep, that was me, all day today. It started off in part because I’m still here at Mega Camp and after my blog post yesterday I got so many comments from people I didn’t even know… “Hey, you’re that blogger guy, why’d you come back today; I thought you were blowing off mega camp?” Funny. Clearly they looked at the blog post but didn’t actually read it (which I couldn’t help but point out). But I was jacked up anyway realizing how many readers I’ve got!
The day continued to rock because I got to meet Chris Gardner—the real life dude who Will Smith played in The pursuit of Happyness. I got to meet his kid too—the guy the whole thing was really about. I gotta tell you, I almost blew off this part of it again— I’ve just sat in enough rooms with enough inspirational story tellers. I’m just past all that—If I’m gonna have inspiration, I want to make my own, do my own thing, get into the world and start doing—not sit on those chairs in that darkness and hear about someone else’s. Looking across the sea of faces, I wanted to grab a mega phone and say to everyone, “hey everybody, let’s all get up and get out of here, let’s go inspire someone else, right now— So many of us here, we could make a huge impact, come on, follow me!” But—I didn’t. Something told me to stay and sit this one thru. Maybe it was the allure since I had loved the movie. Maybe it was the fact that he swore in the first 5 minutes of his speech, and I just love when people are raw and real. Yeah, that was probably it.
He began– shared his story, his journey, his raw and real approach to the world, his commitment and approach to being a dad and being in the world and giving back—his passion for making dad’s be dads, for raising awareness in all of us about the working homeless in America—it was intense. Again, I usually hate this stuff, but this guy—we connected. I could just feel the impact he was making— and his relentless, I’ll crush anything and anyone in my way attitude for survival and to give back—I loved the intensity of it. I’m an intensity junky— I almost don’t care what you’re doing or what the cause is—if you’re full of passion and intensity that’s for real, I’m with you. It’s how I do just about everything—to the max. I loved everything about him and so encourage you all, get his books, check him out, order is stuff—get to know him and get involved—this guys changing the world and you owe it to the planet to jump into his vibe and mojo—it’s pure energy at the highest level. www.chrisgardnermedia.com
Which leads me to the actual session at Mega Camp. I hate to say it because I starting to sound like a groupie— but I will—it was the very possibly the best session I’ve ever attended in my career. Anybody who was thinking of coming, this hour session would have made the thousands of dollars and days of away all worth it. Possibly the real reason I loved it was because I felt vindicated. With all my success, people continue to try to figure me out, they always want to know what I’m doing, why I’m doing it— is it legit?, can they do it too?, why aren’t they doing it?—quickly, they create excuses—–They didn’t have access to people the way I did. (huh? ) They didn’t have money for school like I did. (huh? ) They can’t work as many hours as I do ( Huh?). And, when they really want to know, when they really dive into my business and approach, usually they think I’m hiding the real secret. They can’t figure it out when they realize I don’t have all the stuff you’re supposed to have, I don’t have any credentials , don’t have a coach, don’t use scripts ( HATE THEM) don’t work 100 hours a week, bla bla bla. When I tell people my secret, they just usually walk away— turn away— run away.
however, today, I was vindicated. The Keller Williams leadership got up on that stage for 2 hours and outlined my exact secrets; they outlined exactly how I’ve been running my business for 15 years and how I live my whole life. They validated everything I’ve thought, all my approaches and my deepest inner knowing about why some people make it and some people don’t. It’s so simple to me—so basic I can’t believe we have to teach it… and yet, packaged up and delivered like it was today, I am so grateful—now I have language about how and why I am where I am. I’ve got scientific proof, credible data backing me up— and some famous cool ass people up on stage saying it like it really is! I feel a little like Will I Am singing, “it’s a good, good day”! But, I’m not gonna tell you here, my agents and team get the goods first. I owe it to them and they totally deserve it first… . However…..
For my notes on Tuesdays Mega camp session that reveal my one and only secret for success, email me at tyler@tylerlewke.com.
Why I blew off Mega Camp day 1
I won’t time or date stamp this post since it could lead to my eventual demise. Ok, yes, since many of you already know, I’m at Keller Williams mega camp and it’s the middle of the day. How could I be writing you ask? Yep, it’s true. I’m actually in The Hideout, the cool funky, slightly homeless vibed out coffee shop on Congress in downtown Austin. I really am at the conference; it’s just a few blocks over the other way. They are all packed into the air conditioned halls and dressed in beautiful clothes they probably bought just for the event. I did go. I did, really. This morning, I actually attended the entire session. It’s the second part, after they release you to an hour and a half of freedom and sunlight and excess espresso that I find myself simply unable to return to the darkness.
The truth is I don’t wanna go back. It’s not that it’s not totally amazing information, it is. It’s the best in the industry. It’s not that I didn’t get a ton out of the morning session, I really did. It’s not even that I feel like I won’t get much out of this afternoon—I would have- I’m certain I’m missing excellent stuff. It’s not even that I’ve found literally the best fricking soy latte in all of Texas—I could have gotten it to go.
The real deal is, I like to run with what I got, and I got lots. I’m a take what I need and leave the rest kinda guy. It’s how I’ve built everything I’ve got and it’s the only way I know how to actually get anything done, to use anything, to implement anything … I gotta get the goods, then take off running, run as far away from any additional ideas as possible and find space to decipher the data, determine it’s relevance in my life and business, and then set a course to implement it. Not tonight or tomorrow on break and not when I get home from learning 4 more days of cool tools. Nope. All those times are way too late for a manically focused obsessive like me. I gotta run with it, right now. My business is now. I can learn for the rest of my life, but my clients, my agents, my office, my team and my family all need me to be working, right now. The world needs more people in action and I’m in service to the world so I gotta get a move on.
I got 6 major ideas this morning. I’ve got nearly 30 bullet points and notes under each idea. I only write down ideas that ring true to me, that feel cool and doable and somehow light me up. All 6 did, that’s a problem. It’s like 7 pages of total notes. How do you assimilate that into action and get it implemented into your behavior and systems and business practices immediately? It’s just so much! Here’s how I do it: — you review your ideas—you do a gut check. You evaluate them and make sure they really feel right and necessary and worthy of your relentless focus. And then you get the hell out of the convention center and you find the perfect coffee shop. You order just the right latte and you re-write those ideas and key actions again and again until you refine them down to a page at most– – then you do it again. Then you determine exactly what’s necessary to have each idea gain legs and momentum…. You create a go sheet, and then get off your butt and go do it. You avoid all new ideas, thoughts, to-do’s and action until that focus and those ideas have legs of their own and are already working in your business. People, I’ve got tree’s worth of paper filled with incredible, revolutionary ideas that I’ve never done a damn thing with. Now, I have actions and new policy injected into my business right now, today. My listing presentation is already different. My marketing just changed. It’s already re-designed. My language, behavior and intensity have already been modified to adjust to the new approach. I have new standards and new objectives, already, right now, this minute.
And, my clients are already benefiting, after all, they are the reason I am here and I feel totally responsible to make sure they get what they pay for.
How about you?
For my notes from today’s AM mega leadership session, email me at tyler@lewkepartners.com, happy to share! For this afternoon’s notes, sorry. Can’t help you.
Tyler Lewke, d.l.o.c.s. | LEWKE PARTNERS redefining real estate
agents of Keller Williams Success Realty
43 East Crystal Lake Avenue Crystal Lake, IL 60014
(p) 815.444.6790 (f) 815.788.0476 (cell) 815.307.2316
check us out… www.lewkepartners.com
