Friendships with Competitors

Friendships with Competitors

Some of my favorite people to hang out with work in the same profession I do. In other words, I’m friends with a lot of my competitors. It makes sense if you think about it. People who compete with each other have many of the same interests. But friendships with...
Surviving Fast Sales Cycles

Surviving Fast Sales Cycles

A construction executive once told me how the job-bidding process has changed in his industry. It used to be that a company would announce plans to build a building before hiring a general contractor. The construction company would then make contact with the owner and...
Staying Ahead of the Market

Staying Ahead of the Market

For seven years, I taught juniors and seniors in the business college at my local university. I was occasionally amused by what students would say in our after-class discussions especially as the spring semester waned. “I can’t wait for graduation,” said one...
Personal Branding for Brokers

Personal Branding for Brokers

Last year, I watched the movie Air when it first came out in theaters. If you like business and sports, you would enjoy this movie. It’s a cool story. The film is set in 1984 and is based on true events about the origin of Air Jordan, a legendary line of basketball...
I See You Everywhere

I See You Everywhere

The most successful brokers tend to work long and hard. A significant chunk of those hours is typically dedicated to prospecting activities: networking, making phone calls, placing outbound emails, responding to calls/emails, hosting guests, visiting people who...