#06 Thoughts on Leadership: An Unbeatable Mind

By Gino Blefari

Last week, my travels took me all over the Golden State—from San Francisco to Palm Springs. And this week, I’m still in California, working closely with our staff at HSF Affiliates in Irvine. In between conference calls and meetings, I had the incredible opportunity to chat with author and former Navy SEAL Mark Divine, who penned one of my favorite leadership books, Unbeatable Mind. During our conversation, Mark was incredibly friendly, even extending an invitation for me to visit his SEALFIT Training Center, which from what I’m told, is everything you’d expect from a hard-core fitness facility. Even over the phone, Mark’s can-do attitude and positive outlook fit perfectly with the resiliency and mental toughness he champions in his writing. More on his leadership philosophy later …

First, let me tell you how this all started.

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The Interview: Four Questions You Should Ask Any Agent

By Darrin Friedman

You may have noticed that there are a whole lot of real estate agents out there in the world, any one of whom would be thrilled to have your business. From your mother’s best friend’s nephew—you know, the kid who got his license last week and has never actually helped anyone purchase a home—to the top agent in your region who represents the very best of what the name REALTOR® stands for, and every agent in between; the sheer volume of practitioners can seem overwhelming.

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Confessions of a Workaholic: How Teams Saved the Day

By Carrie Foley

I have a confession to make: I am a workaholic. How do I know? I’m never able to take my mind off my work and I’m always thinking about where my next buyer or seller will come from. Just one is never enough.

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How Winning a Super Bowl Relates to Real Estate

By Sean Cawley

Early last week, I had the privilege of attending Super Bowl XLIX Media Day, an event that took place not far from my Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Arizona Properties office in Phoenix, AZ. What an amazing way to kick off the exciting days leading up to Super Bowl Sunday! Media outlets from all over the world were in attendance, and informed reporters were able to ask any question they wanted to team members from the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots. I listened in on several of the interviews and noticed a common theme in many of the players’ answers when asked why they were playing for the Vince Lombardi Trophy.

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#04 Thoughts on Leadership: No Place Like Home

By Gino Blefari

This week, my travels found me in Florida visiting Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Florida Network Realty, Florida Properties Group and tomorrow, the team at Florida Realty. I’m thankful to have the opportunity to meet so many inspiring agents, managers and executives, all leaders in their own right who make me feel at home with their generosity and kindness.

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Winning the Deal: Selling and Buying, Simultaneously

By Jill Griffin

Now that most of the country has officially pulled itself out of the housing recession, we are once again seeing sellers open their minds to selling their home and moving into a new one. Juggling the two deals can be intimidating and stressful. The timing, due diligence, and chaos of scheduling movers; the gap between closing dates, and ultimately, the sellers inheriting the risk of living without a home for some period of time. Figuring out how to ease your sellers’ minds could result in a double sale for you. This is why it is essential as real estate agents that we understand how to guide our sellers through the dual transaction.

Here are my tips:

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#03 Thoughts on Leadership: A Fourth Quarter Win

By Gino Blefari

“If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too …”
–    Rudyard Kipling, “If”

Stepping off the plane in Seattle Monday, I was overwhelmed by the number of travelers at the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport who were sporting Seahawks jerseys, although it made perfect sense. Only one day before, in a thrilling overtime triumph, the Seattle Seahawks had earned their spot in this year’s Super Bowl match-up. Let me explain …

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#02 Thoughts on Leadership – Soaring with Ducks and Buckeyes

By Gino Blefari

While enjoying the College Football Playoff national championship game Monday night and the dramatic duel between two exceptional quarterbacks—Oregon Duck Marcus Mariota and Ohio State Buckeye Cardale Jones—I was reminded of a Chinese proverb:

“Not the cry, but the flight of a wild duck, leads the flock to fly and follow.”

The Duck pun is somewhat unintentional. The message, of course, is that true leaders through their actions—not necessarily their words—inspire others to achieve.

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#01 Thoughts on Leadership: An Unrelenting Fighter

By Gino Blefari

My thoughts this week are less thoughts than they are a written tribute to someone I’ve forever admired and respected as a titan in the sports-reporting industry, a kind-hearted man who famously prized family above fortune and still rose to the status of a cherished icon in his field. If you haven’t guessed, I’m speaking of renowned sports commentator Stuart Scott, who tragically passed away several days ago at the age of 49, leaving behind a legacy of compassion and strength, and a message any leader can learn from: Even when faced with an opponent as merciless as cancer, there’s always an opportunity to fight.

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Moving an Office from Here to There: How to Prepare Your Agents

By Player Murray

The office of the future is a reality these days, and many are embracing the new look, feel and atmosphere of today’s work spaces. But how do you get from where you currently are—the traditional office space you’ve been in for years—to that shiny, new space that’s so different in many ways?

I’m going to be honest (because I just went through it), there are a lot of moving parts. A lot.

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