after, I opened my eyes to a large German woman all in white hovering over me. Heaven? No, Heaven wasn’t quite ready for me yet.
“Welcome back. You gave us quite a scare there,” said the head nurse.
I wasn’t even thinking I was dying. Not me. It was too unbelievable. It wasn’t my time. It couldn’t be. I was in good health. I looked around the hospital room and I realized . . . I almost DIED just now. Reality hit me. Tears welled up in my eyes. I fear very little, but I was scared. I am NOT a crier, but as they prepped me for surgery to implant a temporary pacemaker, I was frightened to tears.
I remember looking at the nurse’s chalkboard in the room on which December 18, 2007 was written. I thought, “I can’t die on that date. There is nothing significant about December 18, 2007.” Then I thought of my wife, Sheri. She would kill me if I died! She does not take loss well and I knew she would be mad as well as sad. The cardiologist asked me her name and number. I told him quietly and asked him to hold off on calling her. I would have to coach him on how to approach her.
Another thought flashed through my mind. I don’t have any children. Sheri and I had discussed children, but never seriously. I was ambivalent to the idea—until that moment. I now wanted a child.
Something else came to mind and frankly, it surprised me a little. I thought of my father. My father was a high school teacher. He was very influential in the community and coached three sports. With that schedule, he was busy. When we talked, it was mostly about sports. . . until he got cancer. During a poignant moment just before his death, he shared with me his only regret; he had not written his memoirs. Thinking about him and his words that day made me realize I had knowledge, a system, and a belief that needed to be shared. This book, the one you have in your hands or on your screen at this moment, is the accumulation of my learning, implementing, failing, and evaluating the strategies necessary to build a business based on others recommending me and my services. In your hands, you hold the strategies, techniques, and systems I used—and continue to use daily—to become known as “America’s Most Referred Real Estate Professional.”
As I have been blessed with greater success, I have had the privilege of teaching and coaching others to do the same. This book tells the story of many of my coaching clients and members of my team; men and women who are ready to evolve from the Ego Era to the Generosity Generation. They are ready to stop wasting money on costly personal promotion and invest in relationships. They want to build more than a business; they want to leave a legacy.
If you want a business that will outlive you, this book will show you how to build it. If you are ready to build a large, highly profitable business using nothing but word of mouth, this book will provide you with the strategies, techniques, and resources you need. It is my hope that it will lead you not only to greater financial freedom, but also to a more fulfilling existence.
I wish my dad had put together his memoirs. It would be such a great read. I am now the father of a precious little boy. I imagine sitting on the floor during reading time with Max and reading my dad’s stories, advice, and wisdom. After reading this book again, I realize that my dad and I wrote this together. I am honoring his legacy by passing on this knowledge. I survived that fateful day to help, teach, and coach others.
What had almost killed me? It turned out to be blood clots—a complication from knee surgery I had four days prior. There is a Friedrich Nietzsche quote, “What doesn’t kill us only makes us stronger.” Here’s my advice to let you know you don’t have to nearly die to truly live:
“Don’t wait for a life-changing event to change your life.”
| LUNCH OF A LIFETIME | 1 |
“When written in Chinese the word ‘crisis’ is composed of two characters—one represents danger and the other represents opportunity.”
JOHN F. KENNEDY
“RICK, TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, I don’t think you’ll be in the business a year from now.”
The words rang in Rick’s ears as the alarm jolted him out of an uneasy slumber. Two weeks had passed and he still couldn’t get the image of that smirking, self-satisfied face out of his mind. With less than an hour until his lunch appointment and his bed feeling more comfortable than ever, he briefly debated canceling; after all, it was just another lender . . .
No, he thought, he’d better go. A free meal was a free meal, and he needed to get up anyway.
Rick stepped over yesterday’s clothes and fumbled around the bathroom for his shaving cream. Thirty minutes later, he had showered and was driving his beloved BMW, the last of his souvenirs from the good old glory days. He indulged in a momentary flashback of how he had bought it with cash he made from just two months of commissions. Pulling onto the highway, he thought sullenly, those were the days.
He looked up to check the exit number, and as if to add insult to injury, he caught a glimpse of Don Dasick’s new billboard. There it was: the smirking, cap-toothed smile, slicked-back hair, and a caption that read “Dial Don!” Rick cringed involuntarily. Well, the old guy must be doing something right. He’s still selling more than the rest of us in the office put together.
It was 11:27 A.M. when Rick shuffled into EVT Restaurant for his 11:30 lunch appointment. He felt his stomach rumble, but his hunger was overshadowed by his need for coffee. The dining room was already humming with quiet conversation punctuated by the clinking of glasses, silver and fine china. Rick glanced around him. He had seen the place numerous times—the building towered over the highway he took home from work—but this was his first look inside.
The huge marble columns in the atrium drew his eyes up from the walnut wood of the hostess stand to the magnificent chandeliers dangling from the ceiling, which must have been at least forty feet high. Comfortable booths lined the walls, giving the place a luxurious and elegant appearance while maintaining a cozy feeling at the same time. How come he had never been here before?
“Katherine!”
The woman’s delighted voice interrupted the subdued buzz of the diners, startling Rick. His eyes quickly returned to the stand, where he now saw the woman hugging “Katherine,” who was obviously the hostess. Someone’s excited, he thought to himself, giving his watch a quick glance.
“Rick!” the same lady called in his direction as she released the hostess.
Rick met her cheerful gaze and mustered up as much enthusiasm as he could. “Michelle!” he responded, realizing it was his lunch companion who had offered the enthusiastic greeting. She sure is happy. Is she getting married or something?
“Rick, this is Katherine,” Michelle said as she introduced the hostess. “Her son was just awarded a football scholarship to Ohio State. Katherine, Rick is in real estate, and he’ll have to fill me in on the rest of his life before I can tell you anything more.” Rick shook Katherine’s hand and offered his congratulations.
She blushed and turned to Michelle. “Your usual spot?” Katherine asked.
“Please!” Michelle answered with a smile, and Katherine escorted the pair to one of the private booths in the back corner of the large dining room.
“Josh mentioned that this was a nice place,” Rick said as he sat down and scanned the menu. “I see it from the highway all the time, but I’d
