S.E.C. Real Estate Observer

When you participate in a Society of Exchange Counselor marketing session, there is a trove of creative ideas and advice you can take home, all given freely by Society Counselors at the session to assist any guests or Counselor attendees. Sometimes a creative solution is not immediately endorsed by your client, banker, or managing broker. […]

One of my most memorable master’s degree classes was instructed by a retired corporate executive. He taught his students to plan meetings so they turn out successfully for your leadership goals and to avoid unanticipated detours. I have used these skills throughout my real estate career. We all have important meetings that sometimes do not […]

Many of us have managed properties that involved investors we recruited to a project. Let’s face it: not every investment goes perfectly as planned. Problems arise, and enthusiasm dissolves. As the manager, it is always your responsibility to keep every investor fully informed on both good and bad news. I have learned these things in […]

Does our organization or our business have a good vision? I listened to a speaker this week who used an illustration for all organizations and businesses.  He told us to think about our business or group as a rope circle with all of our employees or members inside, but holding on to the rope.  The […]

In the late 1970s, I was a farm specialist and received a call from a former client. Pat then worked for a small-town feed company that was owner and manager of a 640-sow farrow-to-finish hog operation that he wanted to sell. Being a young broker, I was really proud of my new listing but never expected it to be as challenging as it was.

It is hard to believe that some of us can visualize a world without television. I remember that our farm family drove to a neighbor’s farm to see their new TV set. It was about 1958; there was only one black-and-white channel and we watched professional wrestling!

Recently I read Rumsfeld’s Rules by Donald Rumsfeld. One of the primary rules he learned in pilot training is that if you are in an airplane and get lost, you need to “Climb, Conserve, and Confess.” I have been thinking that this rule could easily apply to our business and our daily lives.

I wrote an article for the Observer in 2010 entitled “Where Have All of the Young Entrepreneurs Gone?” It identified my observation that it seemed the younger generation lacks interest in becoming entrepreneurs. Folks, this trend has not improved. Recent headlines like “Fewer US Entrepreneurs Willing to Create New Businesses” and “Three-Month Average of Job Creation Plummets” illustrate my worry because everyone knows that small businesses historically create the most jobs and build wealth for our nation.

I talk to many business people regularly. What is their perspective? What are they doing in today’s times? Currently, in my central Nebraska area, there are many good things going on.

When moderating new attendees at our national marketing sessions and teaching classes, I see client financial details listed as “unknown” by a huge amount of our attendees. I remember when I regularly failed to ask for this also.