My inspiration
As a real estate Buyer’s Agent, I find property and negotiate deals for people who want to buy homes or above average investment properties. Feedback from my clients is my main source of inspiration. I really enjoy the letters, emails and phone calls I receive from people telling me how much my services and books have had a positive impact on their lives. It feels great to make a living and play a role in helping people achieve their financial goals and improve their lives.

My motivation
Everyday I receive new inquiries from people who want help or advice when buying property. Everyone has a different story from the single mother to the first homebuyer, the investor or the baby boomer that’s looking for a lifestyle change or to build up an investment portfolio for retirement. You never know who will walk through the door next.

Why I succeeded
To sum it up in a word I would say it’s all about my ‘Attitude’. People’s attitude towards their job makes a big difference to their success. I enjoy my work and thrive on results. Success is not all about having a big business, money, or driving fast cars, it’s about working out what creates the most joy in your life then spending as much time as you can in that space.
How I did it
Initially, I thought that being successful meant having to work 100 hours a week and sacrificing everything. In hindsight, I should have delegated sooner, but as a small business you need to do this in steps. I was doing everything myself, manufacturing, sales, marketing and despatch and website management! The biggest mistake a small business can make is to go outside their means. What I mean by that is you cannot start employing people and operating like a huge company without the cash flow to support that.

My best lesson
My best lesson was to hire the right people. It’s not only my biggest lesson, but my most important ongoing challenge. On a couple of occasions in the past, I hired people who had the skills on paper to do the job however they didn’t have the right attitude and weren’t prepared to become part of a team. These days I would rather take six months to find the right person than simply fill the position.

When I’m not working
I love food, great wine and exotic cars. I do my best to include these three things in my business life. Who says a business meeting has to be in a boardroom? Why not have it at a restaurant, on a yacht, at the race track or on the golf course? Besides if you make your work fun and include things you enjoy in your day you can no longer call it work as it becomes part of your lifestyle.

What’s Next
There are plenty of activities to keep me busy in 2008. I’ve just released a new book called The Insider’s Guide to Saving Thousands at Auction which will help prospective buyers to buy well at auction. I’m also keen to continue to expand the number of services offered by my business. Currently we offer property search, auction bidding and a property renovations service. Stay tuned as there’s more to come!