Start With A Win

How empathetic are you? Adam defines empathy as your feelings understanding someone else’s feelings. And it’s an important key to living well in relationship with those around you. Because if you don’t understand how someone else is feeling in a specific situation, then you’re not going into that situation with their best in mind. So be sure to ask yourself this simple question each time you’re in contact with someone: How do they feel?Connect with Adam:https://www.startwithawin.com/ https://www.facebook.com/REMAXAdamContoshttps://twitter.com/REMAXAdamContos https://www.instagram.com/REMAXadamcontos/

In this episode of Start With A Win, Seth Mattison, CEO of FutureSight Labs, joins Win Nation to discuss how leadership has evolved during the COVID-19 pandemic. FutureSight Labs is an organization dedicated to helping leaders and their organizations navigate challenging moments of inevitable transformation and build a future-ready framework. Seth has studied leadership and the ongoing future of work for 15 years. Seth opens the conversation by reflecting on some of his key leadership takeaways during the early weeks of the initial COVID-19 outbreak in the United States. He emphasizes how keeping yourself grounded during uncertainty enhances your adaptability, enabling you to lead with more confidence and devote energy to others. Seth explains the concept of a leader’s role to “normalize the struggle”—how leaders confront challenging situations and implement a plan to resolve them. He elaborates how the transition of the workplace structure (remote, hybrid, in-office) will vary for each organization—dependent on organizational values and goals—and how it will require intentional and strategic planning regarding its future framework.Seth addresses how the pandemic has impacted mental health. Studies have shown that many individuals are experiencing languish—a mental state between depression and flourishing. He further discusses how others have begun to reflect on who they are and their sense of purpose personally and professionally. Seth outlines two fundamental skills that significantly impact how people navigate challenges:1) Learning agility: Knowing what to do when you don’t know what to do; how you navigate uncertainty and challenging situations2) Maintain your agency: Believe you have control over your life; simply believing in your actions and claiming your path will lead to higher performance and improve quality of life.Seth explains the concept of psychological safety—creating an environment where people feel safe enough to show up and express their true selves while confidently asking questions and asking for help. Genuine curiosity creates understanding and unity, which is crucial in multi-generational workplaces. He emphasizes how love creates an essential foundation in leadership dynamics and workplace satisfaction. Leaders must have solid self-love as it enhances self-awareness and love for other people. Connect with Seth:https://www.sethmattison.com/https://www.linkedin.com/in/sethmattison/https://twitter.com/sethmattisonhttps://www.instagram.com/sethmattison/Connect with Adam:https://www.startwithawin.com/https://www.facebook.com/REMAXAdamContoshttps://twitter.com/REMAXAdamContoshttps://www.instagram.com/REMAXadamcontos/ Leave us a voicemail:888-581-4430

In this episode of Start With A Win, Adam and SWAW Producer Mark pick up the conversation about Adam's first authored book, Start With A Win: Tools and Lessons to Create Personal and Business Success. Adam announces he will be donating all book proceeds to Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals. Adam initiates the conversation by addressing two common questions that determine life approaches: “Do I get to?” Or “Do I have to?”These questions not only shape your mindset but force you to stop and reflect on how you think about yourself. Once people become conscious of their attitude and choices, it can potentially create doubt. Doubt generates from fear and overwhelm, challenging people to push beyond capabilities. Confront challenges with an “I can” attitude—rather than “I can’t.” Adam explains how lacking the proper attitude/mindset will create barriers to seek and overcome daily challenges. Without seeking challenges, people will never experience victories—victories power, educate, and inspire us. Adam always asks himself three questions in every situation:1) What is the challenge?2) What is the necessary attitude to get started? 3) What actions are needed to overcome the challenge?Adam outlines the significance of appreciating micro-wins/moments. Enjoying the tiny actions and commitments will enable your thoughts to build momentum as you navigate daily life. He shares the concept of falling forward in life and how it teaches us how to create wins as people are consistently psychologically training to respond to future situations. Life is a compilation of missions—experiences and interactions that shape who we are and how we respond. Start With A Win provides insights to turn mindsets into actions, which create successes and ultimately build upon each other. Pre-order your copy of Start With A Win:https://www.amazon.com/Start-Win-Lessons-Personal-Business/dp/1119807077https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/start-with-a-win-adam-contos/1138838681https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/start-with-a-win-tools-and-lessons-to-create-personal-and-business-success_adam-contos/28078881/#edition=58850831&idiq=46017298Connect with Adam:https://www.startwithawin.com/https://www.facebook.com/REMAXAdamContoshttps://twitter.com/REMAXAdamContoshttps://www.instagram.com/REMAXadamcontos/ Leave us a voicemail:888-581-4430

What happens to you in life is important. But the truth is, your choices are more important and they shape who you are! You are a product of your decisions, not your circumstances. While you can’t always change what happens to you, you can change your choices. Take control of your decisions and let your own choices be what change you. Connect with Adam:https://www.startwithawin.com/ https://www.facebook.com/REMAXAdamContoshttps://twitter.com/REMAXAdamContos https://www.instagram.com/REMAXadamcontos/

In this episode of Start With A Win, Adam introduces Christine Riordan, President of Adelphi University and RE/MAX board member. She is the 10th President of the university and the first woman to serve in the role. Christine developed a strategic plan for Adelphi University, known as Momentum. She is also an internationally recognized expert in leadership, career success, and diversity and inclusion.Christine explains the purpose behind the strategic plan—Momentum—and how every organization will benefit from developing strategic initiatives. She emphasizes how strategic plans provide efficient foundations for defining clear organization goals, aligning jobs, and providing language depth. This structure enables people to focus on a collective objective, creating consistency and direction within organizations. In an ever-changing workplace, Christine reveals that by 2030, a prediction of 375 million employees will have to transition jobs due to automation, technology, and business changes. Her book, Shift Happens: How to Adapt and Thrive in a Rapidly Changing World of Work, helps people successfully navigate through any change in personal and professional endeavors while explaining the different types of change and how it impacts how people adjust and transition. Christine provides an overview of her TED Talk, “Dare to Be Extraordinary,” which presents three key attributes of extraordinary people—passion, courage, and resilience. 1) Passion for what you do2) Courage to make hard decisions and do the right thing3) Resilience to not give up and get back up when something doesn’t go well Links:Shift Happens: How to Adapt and Thrive in a Rapidly Changing World of Workhttps://www.shifthappensbook.com/Dare to Be Extraordinary | Dr. Christine Riordan | TEDxAdelphiUniversityhttps://youtu.be/FnUo4D-TaqcConnect with Christine:https://www.linkedin.com/in/christineriordan/https://christineriordan.com/Connect with Adam:https://www.startwithawin.com/https://www.facebook.com/REMAXAdamContoshttps://twitter.com/REMAXAdamContoshttps://www.instagram.com/REMAXadamcontos/ Leave us a voicemail:888-581-4430

In this episode of Start With A Win, Adam, and SWAW producer Mark, discuss Adam's first authored book, Start With A Win. Adam shares his inspiration and process for creating the book, referring to the project as a compilation of the SWAW podcast and a reflection of his “why” in business and leadership. Adam emphasizes the impact of having a firm grasp on understanding yourself, as it determines the effectiveness of your pursuits in business, leadership, and life. He explains how he views life as a series of missions. Everything we do in life is a mission—working towards goals and executing them. Adam describes how he reflects on every experience to measure and make an intentional effort to make improvements. Consider these questions in your experiences—how is your attitude? What challenges have you overcome? What actions did you take to overcome obstacles? Attitude plays a significant variant in defining the outcomes in all life and business endeavors. It is a matter of choosing between a positive or negative mindset. Adam reveals the book is divided into two parts, with the first section focused on the reader and the second part delivers tools to succeed. He outlines the topics per chapter:Chapter 1: Attitude Chapter 2: Our Mission Sets the PlaybookChapter 3: Party with the BeastChapter 4: Be a spongeChapter 5: Leadership LearningsChapter 6: From Chaos to CalmChapter 7: Presence and PassionChapter 8: Lose the EgoChapter 9: Coach, Mentor, & MastermindChapter 10: Celebrate the WinsThe book is available to pre-order, with the official release date set for October 19. Links:https://www.amazon.com/Start-Win-Lessons-Personal-Business/dp/1119807077https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/start-with-a-win-adam-contos/1138838681https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/start-with-a-win-tools-and-lessons-to-create-personal-and-business-success_adam-contos/28078881/#edition=58850831&idiq=46017298Connect with Adam:https://www.startwithawin.com/https://www.facebook.com/REMAXAdamContoshttps://twitter.com/REMAXAdamContoshttps://www.instagram.com/REMAXadamcontos/ Leave us a voicemail:888-581-4430

Want more success? Who doesn’t? Here’s how to increase your success: fail. That’s right! Getting to victory requires trying and failing. Be willing to fail enough and you’ll find success. Connect with Adam:https://www.startwithawin.com/ https://www.facebook.com/REMAXAdamContoshttps://twitter.com/REMAXAdamContos https://www.instagram.com/REMAXadamcontos/

In this episode of Start With A Win, Adam welcomes Eric Papp, Keynote Speaker and Founder of Agape Leadership, LLC. Eric begins the conversation by sharing his background in the leadership development and sales industry and his inspiration for initiating Agape Leadership. Agape signifies the highest form of love, which inspired the name of Eric’s business since he believes the highest form of leadership translates into the highest form of love. Eric discusses the importance of personal development, emphasizing if you’re not consistently improving, you’re gradually getting worse. He reveals how a lack of investment in yourself and not educating the mind will result in negativity, self-doubt, and worrisome thoughts. He also recommends reading 15 minutes a day devoted to your personal development, business, or spirituality. Eric explains people tend to habitually overcommit, overpromise, and under-deliver with obligations and responsibilities. As a result, people extend beyond their capacities. He further explains that activity impacts thoughts, interfering with the bandwidth to think strategically and develop ideas. In turn, this dynamic creates a lack of certainty, which prevents people from reaching their goals. He breaks down the concept of better thinking versus more effort, emphasizing the importance of planning time strictly for thinking and brainstorming. This consists of two components: Preparation = Establishing a clear game planPriority = How you will spend your time and debriefEnd Result = Measuring your progress and evaluating what needs to be changedEric shares one of his core time-management concepts—micro to momentum. This concept focuses on developing an unconscious habit by starting small on tasks and working your way up. He elaborates how this coincides with overcoming procrastination and perfectionism. Connect with Eric:https://www.ericpapp.com/https://www.linkedin.com/in/ericpapp/https://twitter.com/ericpapp?lang=enConnect with Adam:https://www.startwithawin.com/https://www.facebook.com/REMAXAdamContoshttps://twitter.com/REMAXAdamContoshttps://www.instagram.com/REMAXadamcontos/ Leave us a voicemail:888-581-4430

In this episode of Start With A Win, Win Nation will meet Quintavius “Q” Burdette, RE/MAX real estate agent. He is a former D1 football and track athlete from the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) who integrated his work ethic as an athlete into his real estate business. Q has been in the real estate industry for two and a half years. During his first year, he closed 106 transactions and eventually achieved Diamond status—a million dollars in gross commission—in August 2020. He has built his success by developing a four-point system, which measures his daily activity and maintains productivity. The concept is to achieve any combination of four points daily, outlined by these tasks:4 points = contract2 points = listing agreement1 point = showing buyers1/2 point = meeting potential clients looking to do business within 90 days Q also attributes his success to building organic relationships and focusing less on paying for leads and marketing. One of the common ways Q meets others in the community is by going to the local Kroger store and assisting customers with bagging groceries. This type of networking enabled him to talk to 6,000 people in his first 30 days as a real estate agent. Presentation is vital, as it is essential to be aware of your tone, delivery, and what you’re going to say. Q explains how the real estate business comes down to heart. It’s about how much you’re willing to work, network, and build relationships.Connect with Quintavius:https://www.remax.com/real-estate-agents/quintavius-burdette-germantown-tn/102051157https://www.instagram.com/quintaviusburdette/https://www.facebook.com/quintaviusburdetterealtor/Connect with Adam:https://www.startwithawin.com/https://www.facebook.com/REMAXAdamContoshttps://twitter.com/REMAXAdamContoshttps://www.instagram.com/REMAXadamcontos/ Leave us a voicemail:888-581-4430

Do you want more and better results in whatever you do? It might be simpler than you think. Poor focus leads to poor results, so you can increase your results by increasing your focus. Focus may be easier said than done, but your results will be worth the effort! Connect with Adam:https://www.startwithawin.com/ https://www.facebook.com/REMAXAdamContoshttps://twitter.com/REMAXAdamContos https://www.instagram.com/REMAXadamcontos/

In this episode of Start With A Win, Ruben Gonzalez, a four-time luge Olympian, reveals how his experiences in the Olympics shaped his mindset to succeed in business and how he continues to thrive as an Olympic athlete.Ruben emphasizes how performance—whether in business or sports—is strongly dependent on a person’s mental state. He breaks down how the mental foundation requires a conscious understanding of your thoughts and process. For example, consider these questions:How does your mind prepare before a performance/deal?What does your mind think during a meeting, performance, or other endeavors?What do you think/feel after completing the goal/task at hand?How do you process lessons and apply them?How do you reinforce your habits?Ruben discusses how internal and external fears often integrate into personal and professional endeavors, which typically prevents individuals from overcoming self-limiting beliefs and challenges. Ruben explains that fear will gradually disappear once you focus more on what you need to improve and implement one step at a time. Ruben reveals that setting intentions in all pursuits influences the subconscious mind, which is key to development, consistency, and success. Ruben shares how he consistently strives to be better, which requires training, practice, mental strength, and trust in your abilities. As the oldest Winter Olympian in history, he hopes his story will inspire others to dismantle their self-limiting barriers, pursue their goals, and live their dreams. Connect with Ruben:oldestolympian.comhttps://ruben-gonzalez.com/https://www.linkedin.com/in/ruben-gonzalez-olympian/Connect with Adam:https://www.startwithawin.com/https://www.facebook.com/REMAXAdamContoshttps://twitter.com/REMAXAdamContoshttps://www.instagram.com/REMAXadamcontos/ Leave us a voicemail:888-581-4430

The conversation continues with Tracy Walder, beginning with her recollection of her transition from the CIA to the FBI and the cultural differences she experienced between the organizations. After leaving the FBI, Tracy began teaching in hopes of inspiring more young women to pursue careers in national security. As a teacher, Tracy quickly realized foreign policy curriculum was not available to students. This discovery inspired her to build and teach a course focused on national security and foreign policy. Tracy also carries her teachings to Girl Security, a nonprofit organization committed to changing the gender narrative of national security careers while preparing girls and women for these careers through mentorship. Tracy has contributed teachings to the organization, and she is currently on the board of directors. Tracy finds fulfillment as a teacher by introducing young women to the issues in criminal justice and foreign affairs, as it initiates their curiosity. She discusses the impact of stereotypes and gender narratives for careers in these fields, which often discourages women from pursuing these job types. She reveals how femininity is a “disqualifying” myth and how women are often taken less seriously or regarded as less intelligent with this trait. Tracy hopes to instill open-mindedness and realistic expectations for everyone who wishes to pursue a career in the CIA or FBI, hoping this mindset will contribute to finding their paths to success within the organizations. Connect with Tracy:https://www.tracywalder.com/https://www.amazon.com/Unexpected-Spy-Secret-Notorious-Terrorists/dp/1250230985https://twitter.com/tracy_walder https://www.linkedin.com/in/tracy-schandler-walder-026547130/Connect with Adam:https://www.startwithawin.com/https://www.facebook.com/REMAXAdamContoshttps://twitter.com/REMAXAdamContoshttps://www.instagram.com/REMAXadamcontos/ Leave us a voicemail:888-581-4430

Don’t leave reading and learning behind after you finish school! Instead, be someone who reads, frequents bookstores, and buys books. Why is reading important? If you want to learn in order to lead, reading is an essential part of the process. Gather information through reading, then go out and share what you know. Connect with Adam:https://www.startwithawin.com/ https://www.facebook.com/REMAXAdamContoshttps://twitter.com/REMAXAdamContos https://www.instagram.com/REMAXadamcontos/

Tracy Walder joins Win Nation as a USC alum, Delta sorority sister, author, and former CIA officer and FBI special agent. While majoring in history at USC, Tracy was recruited at a career fair by the CIA, and she spent most of her career as a Special Operations Officer for the Agency’s Counterterrorism Center. After her time in the CIA, she became a Special Agent for the FBI, specializing in counterintelligence operations. Tracy’s five years of service earned her numerous awards during her time with both organizations. After her time with the CIA and FBI, Tracy authored The Unexpected Spy, an apolitical memoir of her experiences—such as debriefing terrorists—and insights as a young woman in intelligence and law enforcement. She hopes the book will help and inspire others who aspire to pursue a career in these fields. Tracy is currently a criminal justice professor at Texas Christian University and a teacher at an all-girls high school, teaching curriculum she created on terrorism and national security. As students have turned to her for advice over the years, she reveals that no specific “formula” will determine career success in the CIA and FBI. It requires more than learning the right curriculum to be successful in these organizations. Tracy explains that soft skills, like empathy, collaboration, listening, problem-solving, and not allowing preconceived notions to interfere with work, are critical in pursuing a career in the CIA or FBI. Tracy identifies as an introverted-extrovert person with a strong sense of curiosity, judgment, and confidence. Tracy seeks to ask questions to gain a better understanding of others and their situations. Tune in to next week’s episode to hear part 2 of this conversation!Connect with Tracy:https://www.tracywalder.com/https://www.amazon.com/Unexpected-Spy-Secret-Notorious-Terrorists/dp/1250230985https://twitter.com/tracy_walder https://www.linkedin.com/in/tracy-schandler-walder-026547130/Connect with Adam:https://www.startwithawin.com/https://www.facebook.com/REMAXAdamContoshttps://twitter.com/REMAXAdamContoshttps://www.instagram.com/REMAXadamcontos/ Leave us a voicemail:888-581-4430

Our guest on this episode of the Start With A Win podcast is Bob Goff, a recovering lawyer who has found his life’s purpose in helping other people find theirs. Bob spent his first career of 32 years as a lawyer, commuting daily from San Diego to Seattle and only missing dinner four times in 25 years. He has always prioritized his family, recognizing that they are the most important thing to him. Even while he was practicing law, he was doing incredible work through his nonprofit called Love Does, where he now spends much of his time and energy. They have built schools in eight countries in the middle of their own civil wars because Bob does not want the next generation to suffer despite the political climates in their countries.Bob has written several books, and he just recently released “Dream Big.” This book encourages people to find and reach their biggest dreams and lets them know that they don’t have to ask anyone for permission to do so. In the book, he guides people to strip away barriers and baggage holding them back and letting go of the self-limiting beliefs that have affected them for too long. It is also crucial for readers to clearly define their dreams and think through what they want to do that will outlast them. One aspect of this process is focusing on your passions rather than obsessing about the wrong things. Bob says he has been amazed working with people and how taking a genuine interest in those you come in contact with can make a drastic difference. Bob has a relevant story to demonstrate every lesson, one of which is the story of The Oaks retreat center. He and his wife purchased the camp right before the pandemic hit. They weren’t able to do anything with it immediately, but Bob started looking at the adjacent properties and realized that if he purchased a nearby horse racing track, they could host horses and their trainers there. This opportunity would not have come their way had Bob not been intentional about looking around his current circumstances. Bob encourages listeners to get unstuck and unleash their potential. Connect with Bob:https://www.amazon.com/Dream-Big-Youre-Going-About/dp/1400219493 https://bobgoff.com/https://twitter.com/bobgoffhttps://www.instagram.com/bobgoff/https://dreambigframework.com/podcasthttps://www.oakscenter.com/ Connect with Adam:https://www.startwithawin.com/https://www.facebook.com/REMAXAdamContoshttps://twitter.com/REMAXAdamContoshttps://www.instagram.com/REMAXadamcontos/ Leave us a voicemail:888-581-4430

Planning to succeed the first time you try something? Think again. Failing — and failing many times — is typically an essential part of success. Take it from Henry Ford’s five failures before Ford Motor Company became an incredible business or Thomas Edison’s 1000 failures before he successfully created the lightbulb. Don’t stop trying after one failure. Success comes after many failures!Connect with Adam:https://www.startwithawin.com/ https://www.facebook.com/REMAXAdamContoshttps://twitter.com/REMAXAdamContos https://www.instagram.com/REMAXadamcontos/

In this episode of Start With A Win, producer Mark asks Adam a series of business development questions that might change your perspective on some aspects of your business.What is more important: maintaining your current clients or growing your business? – In classic CEO-form, Adam converts this either/or question into a both/and question, specifying that you need to strike a balance between investing in your existing customers while also marketing yourself to prospects. The best way to do this is by providing products, services, or thought leadership that is of value to people, which will cause your business to be top-of-mind for them.What is the best strategy for converting a “no” into a “yes”? – Adam will have a lot to say on this topic in his upcoming book, but his main piece of advice is to know the no. Understand that some people will default to “no” out of fear – either of the unknown or of missing out on something else – so your best bet is to give value to them in love.If you were dropped off in an unfamiliar city and told to start a business, what kind of business would it be, and how would you grow it? – The key to starting any business is to talk to the people, to get to know what is working for them, what isn’t working for them, what they need, and how they need to receive it. You won’t be successful without customers, and you won’t have customers if you aren’t providing them with a product or service that solves a problem for them. The same concept applies to real estate; talk to people, get to know local business owners, start telling the stories of the community, and watch as clients come your way.What is your best advice for getting unstuck in business growth? – Adam points out that stagnation or issues in business typically reflect personal struggles, so before you can work on your business, you have to work on yourself. Think and journal through the various aspects of your life and gauge how you are doing. Only when you get your life back on track will your business start to grow again. Links mentioned:https://www.amazon.com/Living-Your-Best-Year-Ever/dp/1733513345 Connect with Adam:https://www.startwithawin.com/ https://www.facebook.com/REMAXAdamContoshttps://twitter.com/REMAXAdamContos https://www.instagram.com/REMAXadamcontos/ Leave us a voicemail:888-581-4430

In this episode of Start With A Win, Adam and Mark pick up the conversation from last week, discussing Carnegie’s How to Win Friends and Influence People. The first episode highlighted an overview of the six principles that help to win people over as friends. Adam sets the stage for this episode, which focuses on how to win people over to your thinking. So how do we influence people?The first of these points surrounds argument. Adam advises not to argue with people. Instead, simply appreciate that they have an opinion on the issue at all. He calls on martial arts wisdom when he says, “the best fight one is the one not fought at all.” In other words, avoiding fighting with someone is better than winning an argument. And this can be magnified by the next point, which is to respect differences in opinion. If you can appreciate the fact that someone thinks differently than you, you humanize them and humble yourself. Admitting when you’re wrong can only make this effect stronger. Apologize for mistakes to show that you need grace, too.Another trick is to begin in a friendly way, which can be as simple as responding enthusiastically from the first interaction. Building on this positivity, another tip is to simply get people to say yes. But instead of thinking about these yesses as finalizing sales (or some formal agreement), think about them like micro yesses, as Mark says. The sheer act of saying yes—even to a simple fact—gets them agreeing with you early, which can help set the tone of the conversation moving forward.To influence people, you need to first be aligned. We want people to feel that our opinions are valued. And the reality is that no one will care about your thoughts unless you care about theirs. “And someone has to take that first step,” Adam says. When you don’t have mutual trust and understanding, it is virtually impossible to get them to care about what you have to say. You can also call praise and appreciation to their efforts, which can be framed so as not to blame. If you can suggest a change without saying that it’s their fault, you’re that much closer to winning them over to your own thinking.To avoid feelings of condemnation, try to avoid giving orders. Instead, try asking questions. No one likes being told what to do, but asking questions opens up creative problem-solving. This allows you to sacrifice your own ego to let the other person’s ideas shine. “When you sacrifice your ego, you maintain control of your emotions, and emotions drive behavior,” Adam says. So much of this hinges on emotional control, so offer praise if you want to see motivation.Finally, this framework of influence is based on building an emotional connection to establish a common team. Influencing is about establishing a framework to work together. And at the end of it all, be sure to reward them. Everyone likes a pat on the back and feeling like they are appreciated. These tips will only help you to succeed. And as always—start with a win.Connect with Adam:https://www.startwithawin.com/https://www.facebook.com/REMAXAdamContoshttps://twitter.com/REMAXAdamContoshttps://www.instagram.com/REMAXadamcontos/ Leave us a voicemail:888-581-4430

Connect with Adam:https://www.startwithawin.com/ https://www.facebook.com/REMAXAdamContoshttps://twitter.com/REMAXAdamContos https://www.instagram.com/REMAXadamcontos/

In this solocast of Start With A Win, Adam and Producer Mark talk about some of the key insights in Dale Carnegie’s 1936 classic, How to Win Friends and Influence People. Adam calls it one of the best books for showing how we should treat each other. Although the book is nearly a century old, its lessons on understanding the intrinsic desires of human beings resonate even today.One of the first tips they explore is the idea that “if you want to gather honey, don’t kick over the beehive.” In short: don’t criticize, condemn, or complain. Usually, this is because it’s human nature to react when someone criticizes you. So try to be nice to people, even when it doesn’t necessarily serve you to do so. People don’t want to help you if you’re beating on them. It takes a specific maturity to consider external forces unfolding when a situation doesn’t go the way you want. Another principle they discuss is that you should show honest and sincere appreciation. Adam shares a story of a time that he and his family were in the drive-thru at a coffee shop. Seeing that the barista had spent a lot of time on what you’d say was a unique face of makeup, Adam’s daughter, Ashley, tells her that she loved her makeup. Her eyes lit up, Adam recalls, and it changed the entire tone of their interaction. It was remarkable how an honest and sincere compliment elevated a routine coffee run into a memory.The book also suggests that the only way to influence people is to arouse their “want.” As often as he can, Mark sets an example for his children to intentionally say the names of people he interacts with while in stores. He shares a story about how he once left a grocery store with his children, and they asked him how he knew everyone’s names. He took it as an opportunity to teach them about acknowledging people in service positions and how valuable it can be.Finally, and perhaps most importantly, you should seek to elevate others’ interests. Show that you are interested in them rather than in yourself. Think about how you can help others rather than yourself, and see how many people you can make smile. Connect with Adam:https://www.startwithawin.com/https://www.facebook.com/REMAXAdamContoshttps://twitter.com/REMAXAdamContoshttps://www.instagram.com/REMAXadamcontos/ Leave us a voicemail:888-581-4430

In this episode of Start With A Win, we hear from Molly Fletcher, a speaker, author, and former top sports agent. In her professional career, she spent two decades as one of the world’s only female sports agents and negotiated over 500 million dollars of contracts. Molly shares a bit about her career, including key points she has learned over the years of negotiating contracts and working with people. She notes that negotiation is simply a conversation, and the better the relationship, the better the outcome will be. Understanding where the other person is coming from is vital, as are good preparation and communication.On the other hand, Molly lists two of the top mistakes people make in negotiating: not asking the tough questions early on and not taking the time to pause. To wrap up, we learn about the idea behind Molly’s new book, “The Energy Clock” — that the linchpin for performance for athletes, coaches, and business people alike is not time management but energy management. Show up for your big moments with the energy you need! Connect with Molly:https://Mollyfletcher.com https://Training.mollyfletcher.comDiscount code: WINConnect with Adam:https://www.startwithawin.com/ https://www.facebook.com/REMAXAdamContoshttps://twitter.com/REMAXAdamContos https://www.instagram.com/REMAXadamcontos/ Leave us a voicemail:888-581-4430

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Our guest on this episode of Start With A Win is Ben Saunders, a polar explorer and motivational speaker who has excellent nuggets of wisdom for listeners on the show. Growing up in a rural area of the UK, Ben spent much of his childhood outside, learning about the world around him and struggling to sit still in school. After high school, Ben worked with John Ridgway, who had rowed across the Atlantic in a wooden boat in 93 days, and was inspired by Ridgway’s fortitude and accomplishments. Ben decided to stay beyond his gap year to teach at Ridgway’s adventure school, where he also spent a lot of time reading about adventurers.In 2001, Ben and his friend spent 59 days skiing to the North Pole, but they were unprepared and didn’t complete their goal. A few weeks later, Ben got a bill in the mail for his portion of the trip expenses – close to $50,000 – and he decided to plan a second trip and fundraise for the trip and cover his debts. This trip was a success and his first solo venture. In 2004, he completed his solo trip from Russia to the North Pole, and then in 2014, Ben and his partner completed the 1800-mile journey to the South Pole, retracing the steps of Scott in 1912.Through all of Ben’s experiences, he has learned that self-belief is essential to overcoming challenges. This human quality must essentially develop because confidence follows courage. Ben says that either you are winning or you are learning, and no experience is a waste. He also discusses the importance of being intentional. Be intentional about how you are focusing your time and energy, not dwelling on things that are outside of your control. To that end, Ben jumped into entrepreneurship in 2020, creating Scroll Bands that help people be aware of the time they are spending on their phones.Connect with Ben:https://scrollband.com/password https://bensaunders.com/https://twitter.com/polarben?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthorhttps://www.ted.com/speakers/ben_saunders Connect with Adam:https://www.startwithawin.com/ https://www.facebook.com/REMAXAdamContoshttps://twitter.com/REMAXAdamContos https://www.instagram.com/REMAXadamcontos/ Leave us a voicemail:888-581-4430

Adam shares his insights on leadership and emotional mastery in this episode of Start With A Win. He says many people neglect emotional intelligence and emotional maturity, pursuing financial- or performance-based goals. However, pushing your people to reach those KPIs without establishing a foundation of emotional mastery is counterproductive. The two aspects of emotional mastery—the ability to control your emotions—are emotional intelligence and emotional maturity.Emotional intelligence boils down to empathy, being aware of your own feelings, the feelings of others, and how they fit together. It is vital to understand that there are only two core emotions: fear and love. Fear is the default emotion and often accompanied by the word "but" or the phrase, "I’m busy." When you operate through fear, you can not master your emotions. Love, on the other hand, requires intentionality and leads to unconditional giving.Emotional maturity is essentially choice management, Adam says. Your choices will determine your results, so it is best to create your own good choices to get the results you want. Love and fear come to play here, too, because the ego enters into the arena to fight back when you make a bad choice because it has an inherent fear of failure. Adam’s mantra, which fits in well here, is “stay hungry, stay humble.” It is essential to learn from others constantly and to own your choices. Leaders control their emotions while demonstrating an example to others.Connect with Adam:https://www.startwithawin.com/ https://www.facebook.com/REMAXAdamContoshttps://twitter.com/REMAXAdamContos https://www.instagram.com/REMAXadamcontos/ Leave us a voicemail:888-581-4430

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Whether you are fully aware that fonts are more than just options in your word processing software, or you had no idea that there is a company called Monotype that creates and distributes licenses for typefaces, this interview with Scott Landers, the company’s CEO, is just for you. In this episode of Start With a Win, Scott expands the understanding of how typefaces fuel creativity and help brands establish themselves in the market. Monotype is the world’s leading provider of typefaces, and their offerings and product reach are consistently expanding as technology continues to grow onward and upward. Scott provides a helpful illustration of everything you could have interacted with on a typical morning that contains a typeface created by Monotype. This example helps listeners recognize how influential Monotype is and all of the ways they have to adapt to innovations. When Monotype started, fonts were strictly for print. Eventually, they had to grow into typefaces for screens linked to printers, and in recent years they have grown to create fonts solely to be used and consumed on screens. This growth curve over the past several decades is quite steep. Despite this growth curve, they have excelled amidst the challenges. This success resulted due to close communication with their customers every step of the way. As a result, they remain ready to help individuals and brands express themselves through creativity centered around typefaces.Scott’s sage advice to creators trying to choose the right fonts—if the font is executed right, you won’t notice it. The font provides the body language and the tone of voice for the words on the page, so regard this process as half art and half science. Monotype has consultants on staff available to help businesses choose the right typefaces for their brand. They recognize how integral this part of the process is to the brand’s identity for years to come. When it comes to leading through change, Scott says that the most important thing is to keep the customer at the center and give your employees more authority because if they know that you trust them to do the right thing, they will do the right thing.Connect with Scott:https://monotype.comhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/scott-landers-96b3614 Connect with Adam:https://www.startwithawin.com/ https://www.facebook.com/REMAXAdamContoshttps://twitter.com/REMAXAdamContos https://www.instagram.com/REMAXadamcontos/ Leave us a voicemail:888-581-4430

This episode is the conclusion of Adam’s interview with Jeremy Ryan Slate. We pick back up in the conversation on building trust and why brands aren’t able to establish their presence. Jeremy says that people forget about public relations until something goes wrong, and they suddenly want to make sure that everyone knows all of the good things about them to offset the bad. PR should be integrated into daily, weekly, and monthly rhythms within the business so that leaders always have open lines of communication with their customers. This approach allows brands to proactively answer objections and solve problems before customers even get to that point in the process.This presence and communication is epitomized by overdelivering in every customer exchange, focusing on building relationships rather than closing transactions, and eventually creating brand evangelists that will be the best PR you can hope for. Many businesses strategize their communications months in advance and try to be on all of the social media platforms. However, over-planning can take the spontaneity out of interacting with customers in real-time on the platform(s) that best fits your niche. Jeremy encourages leaders and entrepreneurs to focus on doing one thing well and stay in their niche and then expand your footprint as your business grows and your team expands. To sum up this two-part conversation, Jeremy breaks down his recommended action items for those people looking to start something new, particularly a podcast:Find out what’s out there alreadyArticulate how you are differentResearch the influencers in that spaceCurate your audience based on the audiences of those influencersFocus on one platform at a timeInterview people in the nicheGet interviewed by people in the nicheConnect with Jeremy: https://www.jeremyryanslate.com/https://twitter.com/JeremyRyanSlatehttps://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremy-ryan-slate-bb7b284ahttps://www.instagram.com/jeremyryanslate/?hl=en Connect with Adam:https://www.startwithawin.com/ https://www.facebook.com/REMAXAdamContoshttps://twitter.com/REMAXAdamContos https://www.instagram.com/REMAXadamcontos/ Leave us a voicemail:888-581-4430

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Our guest on this episode of the Start With A Win podcast is Jeremy Ryan Slate, host of the “Create Your Own Life” podcast, self-proclaimed nerd, and opinion leader who prides himself in building trust. Perhaps the most unique thing about Jeremy is that he and his wife have a pet pig who used to live indoors but was evicted to live an outdoor existence when their first (human) child was born.Jeremy was introduced to podcasts by one of his college professors. When his initial attempts at teaching and sales after college didn’t pan out, he launched a podcast himself as a way of manifesting the life he wanted to have. The show had immediate success, so Jeremy decided to jump right in and utilize the opportunity in front of him and see where it would lead. Throughout his 850+ episodes since 2013, Jeremy has interviewed professional athletes, entrepreneurs, members of the military, and many other high-achievers, and he has noticed a few similarities between them. First, most of them experienced and overcame adversity, viewing it as an opportunity for growth. And second, they were committed to continued learning through training programs, mentorship, apprenticeship, and an internal curiosity.While Jeremy was forming his personal brand through his podcast, he struggled to define how he wanted to be known. In hindsight, his advice to others going through this process is to let people know how you are different, have courage, and learn from your failures. From a tactical standpoint, Jeremy recommends extending the experience of the content you’re creating by implementing strategies to repurpose it for different channels. He also says that every landing page should have a Getemails.com code and a Facebook Pixel embedded into it so that you can collect email addresses and have the ability to retarget ads to website visitors. When it comes to developing new content ideas, one of his suggestions is to write down a list of all of the objections you receive and start producing content to address those objections. This approach provides value, answers the concerns, and builds trust.Join us on the next episode for the conclusion of our conversation with Jeremy Ryan Slate! Links:“Positioning” by Jack Trout and Al Ries: https://www.amazon.com/Positioning-Battle-Your-Al-Ries/dp/0071373586 Connect with Jeremy: https://www.jeremyryanslate.com/https://twitter.com/JeremyRyanSlatehttps://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremy-ryan-slate-bb7b284ahttps://www.instagram.com/jeremyryanslate/?hl=en Connect with Adam:https://www.startwithawin.com/ https://www.facebook.com/REMAXAdamContoshttps://twitter.com/REMAXAdamContos https://www.instagram.com/REMAXadamcontos/ Leave us a voicemail:888-581-4430

On this episode of the Start With A Win podcast, Adam talks to SWAW producer Mark with a hot round of interview questions. They include questions about friendship, relaxation, and how to deal with stress. Mark initiates the conversation with the question, "Who is your oldest friend, and how did you meet them?" Mark and Adam share a bit about their oldest and closest friendships, dating back to their early childhoods.Adam and Mark also dig into how stress affects us. Mark says you can’t think clearly when stressed, which often results in making bad decisions. He has seen the most growth in pushing through stress as opposed to trying to avoid it. Avoiding stress can cause depression. Stop worrying and start doing, Adam says.Stress, Planning, Action—the SPA acronym for how to deal with stress. Much like the word spa itself, this tool is designed to help people push through stressful situations instead of avoiding them altogether.Action overcomes stress. Reviewing the stressful environment perpetuates stress. The best way to deal with stressful situations is to make a plan for what you’re going to do next. And it is in the action that real moments of growth and learning unfold. Adam and Mark reveal their own thoughts about how this strategy can help you reap more out of your life. Stress is a killer, so we need more chances to survive.Connect with Adam:https://www.startwithawin.com/https://www.facebook.com/REMAXAdamContoshttps://twitter.com/REMAXAdamContoshttps://www.instagram.com/REMAXadamcontos/ Leave us a voicemail:888-581-4430

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On this episode of the Start With A Win podcast, Adam talks with Carl Bachmann, CEO of Smashburger. Carl has been in the restaurant business since he was 12 years old, so he knows a thing or two about listening to customer feedback and delivering a high-quality product. As a leader, Carl is a strong proponent for treating people right and empowering them to make informed decisions, and then supporting what they create. This ideology starts, he says, with having clearly defined and articulated goals as an organization and then getting your employees to buy into that vision and innovate within it. Carl embraces the fact that he is not the smartest guy in the room, and he wants to provide a space for employees to collaborate and harness their passion into something that will improve the customer experience.When it comes to the customer experience, Carl believes that his job is to listen and learn rather than make decisions in a vacuum. He reviews every social media comment and other forms of feedback every day, so he is in touch with what people are saying and feeling about the business as a whole as well as specific products. Carl and the other Smashburger leaders spend time in individual restaurants listening to their employees because they often come up with the best new ideas. He feels that transparency and honesty are critical components of his business philosophy, so employees and customers alike understand what the company is doing and why. Smashburger has recently started a loyalty program to connect more directly with customers and reward them for their purchases. Connect with Carl:https://www.linkedin.com/in/carl-bachmann-80704110https://twitter.com/carljbachmann?lang=en https://smashburger.com/ Connect with Adam:https://www.startwithawin.com/ https://www.facebook.com/REMAXAdamContoshttps://twitter.com/REMAXAdamContos https://www.instagram.com/REMAXadamcontos/ Leave us a voicemail:888-581-4430

Our guest on this episode of Start With a Win is Dr. Peter McGraw. He is a behavioral economist, professor, author, podcaster, and comedy student. He has recently written a new book entitled Shtick to Business which discusses how humor integrates with business, including the many lessons that leaders can learn from comedians. One of the main aspects of Peter’s research has been the theory of humor. Using an A/B test, he asked participants what they thought of certain things – did they find them funny? Boring? Offensive? Do their feelings towards those things change over time or based on their circumstances? Ultimately, he concluded that the funny things contain benign violations—or things that are wrong and ok at the same time. For both comedians and business leaders, experimentation is key to determining what benign violations will translate well to an audience. Another aspect of humor that business leaders can utilize in the workplace is thinking in reverse to challenge the status quo. Peter has adapted this idea, developing an alternative form of brainstorming, which he calls “shtick-storming.” The concept focuses on encouraging everyone to come up with the most terrible ideas. This exercise allows leaders to actually take the pressure off of the brainstorming process, creating a freer flow of ideas which might make way for something so crazy that it actually might work.Peter also encourages leaders to be good listeners and to champion collaboration, which will lead to innovation. Additionally, he says, leaders have to reckon with the fact they can’t make everyone happy and that sometimes they have to choose the problem they want to live with. For more insights that Peter has learned through studying the science of humor and behavioral economics, be sure to check out his book.Connect with Peter:https://petermcgraw.org/https://www.amazon.com/Shtick-Business-Breaking-Fearless-Building-ebook/dp/B085RSR2K8 https://twitter.com/PeterMcGrawhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/petermcgraw Connect with Adam:https://www.startwithawin.com/ https://www.facebook.com/REMAXAdamContoshttps://twitter.com/REMAXAdamContos https://www.instagram.com/REMAXadamcontos/ Leave us a voicemail:888-581-4430

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What is the first step to leadership? Adam draws from his wealth of leadership training and experience to provide the answer to Start With A Win listeners on this episode. The first step to leadership, he says, is to lead yourself first. It’s counterintuitive because many people assume that the most vital leadership outcome is getting people to do what you want them to do. However, you cannot be an effective leader without first being intentional with yourself. Particularly, it is crucial to have control of your attitudes and emotions.Pastor Chuck Swindoll is famous for saying that life is 10% about what happens to you and 90% of how you react to it. Adam expands on this quote by saying that leaders have a choice every day about how they will feel and interact with others and that this attitude can make or break a leader’s credibility, relationships, effectiveness, and impact. You will attract other people who behave as you do, and those around you will start to mirror what they see in you, so make conscious choices. Demonstrate emotional intelligence and emotional maturity despite the circumstances. You don’t have to put on a fake positive attitude either. You can be realistic and optimistic at the same time. Accept that you will face challenges and know that you can confront them and overcome every adverse situation. You get to decide your mindset when you wake up every morning, so choose to be positive and see challenges as opportunities. Connect with Adam:https://www.startwithawin.com/ https://www.facebook.com/REMAXAdamContoshttps://twitter.com/REMAXAdamContos https://www.instagram.com/REMAXadamcontos/ Leave us a voicemail:888-581-4430

On this episode of the Start With A Win podcast, our guest is Joanna Koltan, an elite broker-owner with RE/MAX Portugal. Originally from Poland, Joanna moved to Portugal for love in a very spontaneous decision despite not knowing the language or having a job. She didn’t let that stop her from getting immersed in the culture and jumping into the real estate industry.Joanna is consistently motivated to be around people who are smarter than her—in hopes of learning from them and becoming a better person every day. She sets high goals for herself and puts in the work to get where she wants to go. After receiving her real estate certification in Portugal, Joanna began working in the posh area of the city where other agents said there was no business. She became very successful by door knocking and being accessible to the homeowners in the community. She began making a name for herself and received recognition by agents near and far for her prolific accomplishments. In 2008, Joanna joined the RE/MAX Portugal team—spotlighted as a Top 30 European RE/MAX office.One of Joanna’s other passions is women’s empowerment and providing leadership opportunities to women, particularly women in Europe who are generally not encouraged in this way. Over the past couple of years, RE/MAX Empowering Ambitious Ladies (REAL) has come together, and Joanna, Michelle, and a few others set the course for the group during an event in Porto. Joanna hopes this community will provide a safe space for women to discuss their struggles and successes and spur each other onto greater things.Connect with Joanna:https://www.remax.pt/agente/joanna-koltan/120741259https://www.facebook.com/joannakoltanhttps://pt.linkedin.com/in/joannakoltan Connect with Adam:https://www.startwithawin.com/ https://www.facebook.com/REMAXAdamContoshttps://twitter.com/REMAXAdamContos https://www.instagram.com/REMAXadamcontos/ Leave us a voicemail:888-581-4430

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Our guest on this episode of the Start With A Win podcast is Marney Andes, a learning and development executive coach, consultant, and author. She attributes her success to her humble beginnings and the lessons she learned from her father on a rural Nebraska farm. In her new book, “Start with the Give-Me Shots,” Marney outlines eight of the core lessons that her father taught her, which she has found herself recalling and sharing with others throughout her life. Her father passed away in 2012. Marney was motivated to write this book to allow his legacy to live on while sharing his message of intentionality and simplicity in relationships and community.Marney discusses two of the lessons from the book on this episode of the podcast. Lesson 2 is “start with the give-me shots,” which underlines the importance of focusing on the basics and practicing them every day. This kind of intentional practice will make those things come naturally, so they are always ready when you need to call on them. This practice is much more impactful than wasting time on the things that don’t matter. Lesson 8 is “what have you done for the good of the community today?” Marney’s father used this question as a conversation starter because he loved connecting with people on more than just a surface level. As Marney has become an adult herself, she has come to appreciate the power of that question and the self-reflection it encourages. Marney says it is helpful to ask these questions as a part of this reflection: What happened today? What do I think and feel about it? What do I want to do about it?“Start with the Give-Me Shots” will be available on Amazon starting March 23, 2021, so check it out there to learn the other six core lessons.Connect with Marney:https://www.marneyandes.com/ Connect with Adam:https://www.startwithawin.com/ https://www.facebook.com/REMAXAdamContoshttps://twitter.com/REMAXAdamContos https://www.instagram.com/REMAXadamcontos/ Leave us a voicemail:888-581-4430

Our special guest on this episode of the Start With A Win podcast is Adam’s daughter, Maggie Contos. She is a freshman at Oklahoma University majoring in psychology on a pre-law track. Her long-term goal is to move to New York City, go to law school, and then work for the FBI. Anyone who knows Maggie would say that she is well on her way to reaching that goal, and after this episode, you will likely see why.Unlike most college freshmen, Maggie hits the gym almost every morning at 5:00 am, time blocks her day, and has a running list of tasks she wants to get done when she has free time. She is intentional about priorities—getting her schoolwork and studying done before hanging out with her friends and seeing things through completion. She is very aware of her big goals and the smaller goals she needs to achieve on the way to the bigger ones. This type of thinking helps her make necessary changes and marginal gains along the way and consistently seeing progress. In conjunction with her commitment to getting enough sleep every night and drinking plenty of water, her routines and habits reduce her stress and help her take on more responsibilities while maintaining a healthy balance.Adam points out that the way Maggie approaches every day demonstrates emotional maturity and an internal locus of control. Maggie shares how her mindset of choosing the pain of discipline over the pain of regret helps her make those daily decisions. This mindset sets her apart from most 18-year-olds and gives her the margin to enjoy the small things while experiencing the realization of her goals. To those who may be listening who tend to get overwhelmed or burned out, Maggie says that the key is to remain focused on the goal and block out the time you need to get there every day. Connect with Adam:https://www.startwithawin.com/ https://www.facebook.com/REMAXAdamContoshttps://twitter.com/REMAXAdamContos https://www.instagram.com/REMAXadamcontos/ Leave us a voicemail:888-581-4430

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Our guest on this episode of the Start With A Win podcast is Dr. Tasha Eurich, New York Times bestselling author of Insight and experienced executive coach and researcher specializing in self-awareness. Tasha and her team have spent the past seven years researching these four questions:What is self-awareness?Where does it come from?Why do we need it?How do we get more of it?Essentially, they have boiled down the definition of self-awareness to: “the will and skill to see ourselves clearly.” This level of self-knowledge includes both internal (who we are at our core) and external self-awareness (how people see us). Self-aware individuals possess both internal and external, which sets them apart from the 80% or so of people who think they are self-aware but are not. Tasha has found that there are many internal barriers that people set up for themselves that keep them from attaining self-awareness and that gathering internal and external feedback helps to break down these barriers. When focusing on internal feedback, Tasha recommends a daily habitual practice of asking yourself these three questions:What went well today?What didn’t go well today?What can I do to be smarter tomorrow?Soliciting external feedback is more about asking the right people than asking the right questions. Tasha says that these people should want you to succeed and be willing to say the difficult thing when necessary. If you are interested in learning more about your self-awareness journey, consider taking the free assessment at the link below.Free Self-Awareness Assessment:https://www.insight-book.com/quiz Connect with Tasha:https://www.tashaeurich.com/https://www.insight-book.com/ https://twitter.com/tashaeurich?s=20https://www.linkedin.com/in/tashaeurich https://www.facebook.com/TashaEurich/ Connect with Adam:https://www.startwithawin.com/ https://www.facebook.com/REMAXAdamContoshttps://twitter.com/REMAXAdamContos https://www.instagram.com/REMAXadamcontos/ Leave us a voicemail:888-581-4430

Our guest on this episode of the Start With A Win podcast is Angelica Olmsted, a flourishing real estate agent in the Denver metro area. Angelica started her career in the real estate industry, working at Booj and creating technology products to assist real estate professionals before leaping into being an agent in 2020. During this big transition, Angelica says that she felt overwhelmed by the big learning curve, but she found success in setting a few small goals at a time. These milestones helped her break down her bigger goals into more manageable tasks. For example, she spent several weeks focused on building out her CRM system with her existing contacts before reaching out to them and starting to track her interactions. Her current project involves filling in the birthday of her CRM contacts. She focuses on two letters of the alphabet per week. An integral part of Angelica’s business is establishing genuine connections with people. She has linked her contacts’ social media accounts to their CRM entries. Before calling someone, she always takes a few minutes to review what they have been up to lately, both because she genuinely wants to know and show them that they are important to her. After every call or text, Angelica always adds a task for her next contact with that person. She follows up by sending them an interesting article, calling them back in a few weeks to see how their recent race went, or dropping a handwritten card and a lottery ticket in the mail for them on their birthday. Angelica tries to find a balance between promoting herself and sharing fun and personal posts on social media. She wants to give her friends and followers a glimpse of her personal and professional lives because if she provides them with insightful and engaging content, she will be top-of-mind for them when it comes time to buy or sell their next home.Connect with Angelica:https://www.angelicasellsdenver.com/https://www.instagram.com/angelica_olmsted/https://www.facebook.com/angelica.polen Connect with Adam:https://www.startwithawin.com/ https://www.facebook.com/REMAXAdamContoshttps://twitter.com/REMAXAdamContos https://www.instagram.com/REMAXadamcontos/ Leave us a voicemail:888-581-4430

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In this episode of the Start With A Win podcast, Adam shares his insights on leadership and the ways many perspectives on the subject are missing the point. You are not a leader simply because of your job title or having people reporting directly to you. In fact, leading has nothing to do with who you are but rather what you do. Leadership is learned on-the-job, first-hand, by being responsible for other people and their outcomes. This responsibility spans from CEOs to stay-at-home parents, from little league coaches to real estate broker-owners, and is different than just “being in charge."Leadership involves an intentional daily practice of managing your emotions, attitudes, interactions, and actions. Take a moment to evaluate how you are doing in these areas. How are you leading through your attitudes and actions? What are you portraying to those you are influencing? What are people hearing and experiencing from you? This self-awareness should partner with a willingness to lead yourself as well. It is crucial people see you doing what you are telling them to do, setting that example and consistently living it out. Leading by example is especially important when leading within a company. Adam gives the example of encouraging RE/MAX employees to utilize video and directly communicate with clients by demonstrating those actions himself. Leadership is an opportunity and a responsibility that should not be taken lightly. Evaluate how you are doing, and then take steps to be better.Connect with Adam:https://www.startwithawin.com/ https://www.facebook.com/REMAXAdamContoshttps://twitter.com/REMAXAdamContos https://www.instagram.com/REMAXadamcontos/ Leave us a voicemail:888-581-4430

Our guest on this episode of the Start With A Win podcast is Winn Claybaugh, Dean, and Co-Founder of Paul Mitchell Schools, author, motivational speaker, and experienced businessman. Winn got into the business of hair at the encouragement of some of his friends who said he would be good at running a salon. So in 1984, he opened a 3-chair salon and shortly thereafter started a school that would eventually become Paul Mitchell Schools when he teamed up with John Paul DeJoria. Winn found that while he has no experience as a hairdresser, this business is the perfect fit for his passions, helping students learn the craft and find their stride before embarking off in their own directions to serve their clients.At this point in his career, Winn mainly focuses on the philanthropic endeavors of Paul Mitchell Schools, orchestrating support for many charitable organizations including Children’s Miracle Network. He wants to make sure that the schools continue to positively impact the citizens in local communities and also reach out a helping hand to those in need. For Winn, this enthusiasm is grounded in the mindset that everyone who influences other people is a leader and that to make this influence mutually beneficial, it is important for each leader to establish a routine of self-love. Each person should know what things to do and what things not to do to be the best version of themselves and, in turn, improve the lives of everyone around them. Winn points out that there are three basic human needs: to feel safe, to belong, and to have a sense of purpose. To provide these things to others, particularly in a work environment, leaders must approach everyone as if they are saying “Make me feel important.” Understand their fears and sell them hope. This is not an easy thing to do, so it must come from a place of self-love and self-awareness that you might need to put in some work to give people what they need from you.Connect with Winn:https://www.winnclaybaugh.com/ https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/masters-by-winn-claybaugh/id1476413755 https://www.linkedin.com/in/winnclaybaugh https://www.instagram.com/winnclaybaugh/https://twitter.com/winnclaybaugh https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVGPG1wt0dBKB0QZwCJZtYg Connect with Adam:https://www.startwithawin.com/ https://www.facebook.com/REMAXAdamContoshttps://twitter.com/REMAXAdamContos https://www.instagram.com/REMAXadamcontos/ Leave us a voicemail:888-581-4430

Summary:Before you start your day, before every meeting, before every big decision, make sure that your head is right. If you get to a headspace of happiness, you are in the right place to perform at the highest level. Be intentional about focusing on happiness and see the impacts it will have on your personal and professional lives.Connect with Adam:https://www.startwithawin.com/ https://www.facebook.com/REMAXAdamContoshttps://twitter.com/REMAXAdamContos https://www.instagram.com/REMAXadamcontos/

Our guest on this episode of the Start With A Win podcast is Lydia Pope, President-elect of the National Association of Real Estate Brokers. Lydia provides a brief history of NAREB by shedding light on unconscious bias and discrimination, including the obstacles Black families have encountered in the homebuying process. Lydia didn’t initially realize how prevalent this discrimination was until she and her husband went to buy their first home many years ago. It was very apparent that their real estate agent was steering them to certain neighborhoods and houses and away from others. This experience motivated Lydia to get involved in real estate, and the rest is history. She has been working with clients to ensure fair housing practices, educate them about the home buying process, and make sure that they feel empowered to look at whichever houses they want to without fear.NAREB launched in 1947, providing education and advocacy for Black homebuyers as they navigate the homebuying process. The organization is proud of its past, relentless in the struggle for equality, and committed to opening doors for others, and they expect the same of each member. Their efforts have gained a new level of purpose over the past seven years since the publication of their first State of Housing in Black America (SHIBA) report, which provides data for the unfair practices in the housing industry that negatively impact Black families. With these statistics in hand, Lydia feels the job set before her is very clear. She is committed to making positive gains in credit scoring, restrictive underwriting, down payment assistance programs, affordability, and the long-term effects of COVID-19 on the economy. On the NAREB website, you will find resources and training about their focus areas, including community, government, and membership. If you are a real estate professional of any ethnicity or any background, consider joining NAREB as they lead the way in positive cultural change.Connect with Lydia:https://www.nareb.com/ [email protected] Connect with Adam:https://www.startwithawin.com/ https://www.facebook.com/REMAXAdamContoshttps://twitter.com/REMAXAdamContos https://www.instagram.com/REMAXadamcontos/ Leave us a voicemail:888-581-4430

On this episode of the Start with a Win podcast, Adam talks with Jay Pitts, broker-owner of RE/MAX Premier Properties in Louisville, Kentucky. Jay says that it was a no-brainer for him to end up in real estate, considering that his dad and uncle were both RE/MAX agents in small-town Kentucky while Jay was growing up. From them, he learned all of the aspects of the business since small-town real estate agents do so much more for their communities than manage home sale transactions. He started his career in finance, but he knew this wasn’t a good fit, and he got into real estate before long.During the Great Recession, when so many real estate professionals were struggling and even failing, Jay drew from his entrepreneurial spirit to adapt his business and bring in consistent income by doing about 20 BPO orders per week. He also invested a lot of time and energy into prospecting, getting his name out there so that he was top-of-mind when people were ready to buy or sell. Eventually, he was so overwhelmed by calls from the signs he had put up that he pulled one of his good friends into the business with him, and they went to work. The brokerage now has about 30 agents, and they have sold over 2,000 homes, so their setup is producing excellent results.Jay says that even in 2021, many agents don’t know how to get themselves out there. He recommends doing content marketing through videos on social media, showcasing behind-the-scenes videos such as documenting a personal real estate investment. He also says some very successful real estate agents have never experienced a down market because they got into the industry after 2010. When that time comes in the economy, these agents will need to learn how to sell availability and educate their consumers. An avid proponent of coaching and mentoring, Jay emphasizes the importance of caring about the development of the people around you as well as your own development. He says that the accountability provided by mentors and coaches is unlike any accountability you could give yourself individually and that these folks are a treasure trove of information on situations you might be facing. He encourages listeners to be intentional about mentoring their employees and providing them with growth opportunities.Connect with Jay:http://www.jaypitts.com/http://www.resourcepodcast.net/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaypittsrealtorhttps://www.facebook.com/LouisvilleKYHomesandRealEstate/https://www.instagram.com/jaypittsrealtor/?hl=en Connect with Adam:https://www.startwithawin.com/ https://www.facebook.com/REMAXAdamContoshttps://twitter.com/REMAXAdamContos https://www.instagram.com/REMAXadamcontos/ Leave us a voicemail:888-581-4430

Connect with Adam:https://www.startwithawin.com/ https://www.facebook.com/REMAXAdamContoshttps://twitter.com/REMAXAdamContos https://www.instagram.com/REMAXadamcontos/

You might think that your best path to reaching your goals is to become more and more specialized as you progress in your career, but former CEO of Sonic, Cliff Hudson, shares with Start with A Win listeners that this does not always have to be the case. In fact, Cliff’s own experience showed that pursuing multiple paths that you are passionate about or even just interested in can make you a very successful generalist and perhaps take you farther than you thought you could go. Cliff majored in history in his undergrad and then went on to law school. After a few years in private practice, he became General Counsel at Sonic at the age of 29. During his career at Sonic, Cliff bounced around between disciplines a few times before taking over the helm of CEO, serving for 23 years. He points out that being a CEO entails being the most resourceful generalist in the company because of the expectation CEOs speak knowledgeably in all areas of business. In this role, Cliff focused on surrounding himself with the best people in multiple areas of the company to help him fill in his knowledge gaps before feeling confident enough to make decisions in unfamiliar areas. Cliff talks about the power of having the right mindset, choosing to see challenges as opportunities by finding creative solutions. A great way to have a toolkit of resources to draw from when challenges arise is by pursuing a variety of interests throughout your schooling and career, even if the things you are naturally curious about don’t seem to relate to your career goals. You will work most diligently on the things that appeal most to you, and the transferrable skills you can develop will only benefit you down the road. Talk with your employer about opportunities they might have for interdisciplinary training. If you are an employer, consider offering these training programs to your team to keep them engaged and learning.Connect with Cliff:https://www.amazon.com/Master-None-Jack-All-Trades-Still/dp/0062889036https://cliffordhudson.com/https://cliffordhudson.com/podcasthttps://twitter.com/jcliffordhudsonhttps://linkedin.com/in/cliffordhudson Connect with Adam:https://www.startwithawin.com/ https://www.facebook.com/REMAXAdamContoshttps://twitter.com/REMAXAdamContos https://www.instagram.com/REMAXadamcontos/ Leave us a voicemail:888-581-4430