Podcast appearances and mentions of lisa people

With Lisa Chaben, Matchmaker & Founder of Finding Love with Lisa   Living in the midst of a pandemic has made it more challenging to date and meet others with whom we might begin a relationship. In the earliest days of COVID-19, many of us thought if we were isolated and socially distanced for a few weeks, we could then get back to life as normal. But as the pandemic dragged on and we found ourselves dealing with new strains and mutations more than two years later, the ongoing social isolation and loneliness have become a new way of life. But that doesn't make it any easier to bear; we still crave companionship. We miss going out and long for an opportunity to meet others and connect. The good news is that the pandemic finally seems to be slowing down and thanks to the vaccines, we can see a light at the end of the tunnel. According to the L.A.-based psychotherapist, Marcy Cole, “The potential to find love and connection can increase, not in spite of what is going on in the world right now but because of it.” Perhaps the fear of being alone in these most challenging of times helps us strip away the superficial and commit to each other in ways we might have resisted in the past. So, if the opportunity to connect and begin a relationship is real, maybe it's just a question of meeting that right person. Perhaps there is no better time than now to step out on a limb by exploring new and different ways to meet the future love of our life. For example, why not hire a professional matchmaker who will do the background checks and screen candidates to find the perfect match for you?   In December of 2020, Florine interviewed Metro Detroit-based matchmaker, Lisa Chaben. According to Lisa, dating during the pandemic has actually proven to be a benefit because the people who desire her services are genuinely serious about finding love. Plus, there's the added advantage of meeting someone for the first time on Zoom in the comfort of their own home which is far less stressful and awkward than it might be in a public setting. Today, in addition to her home base of Metro Detroit, Lisa works with clients in Arizona, Chicago, and Florida and has established herself as a proven matchmaker with more than 300 successful matches to her credit. In addition, she's studying to become a certified Life Coach. Her concierge matchmaking service has a new name, “Finding Love with Lisa.”   What You'll Hear on This Episode: How Lisa knew she had a knack for being a matchmaker. Why the pandemic has actually made it easier for Lisa to match people. What exactly is a “personalized concierge dating service” and how does it work? Lisa's process for matching people. How Lisa introduced her father-in-law to his future wife. What makes Lisa's service different? How Lisa finds matches for her clients and some of the challenges they face. Lisa's recommendations for safe in-person dating during the pandemic. How much does Lisa's service cost? How long does it take to get set up? How Lisa encourages those who may be reluctant to start dating due to low self-esteem. Getting over the stigma of a dating service.   Today's Takeaway: Over the past two years, the strain of being stuck at home in the midst of a pandemic has contributed significantly to depression and anxiety diagnoses. Substance abuse and suicide rates are also rising as people struggle to cope. The social isolation of being single can certainly take a toll. The pandemic makes seeing friends and family, dating, and expanding our social circles very limited. In these challenging times, a professional matchmaking service may be one of the best ways to find a genuine connection. Even if it's not the love of your life, it may be a lifelong friend that you find. At the end of the day, isn't it worth taking a chance on love? I'm Florine Mark and that's “Today's Takeaway.”   Quotes: “I just always have been a people person and I love connecting people.” — Lisa “People just like that human touch.” — Lisa “There is really no way for the young people to meet people.” — Lisa   Brought to You By: Gardner White Furniture   Mentioned in This Episode: Finding Love with Lisa  

What You'll Hear In This Episode:If men say they love successful and powerful women, why does it seem like they go for the exact opposite? Why would a man see a successful woman as a threat? It is true that some men are going to be intimidated by successful women, but that doesn't mean you should go out into the dating world with a chip on your shoulder. There are plenty of men out there who are confident and successful who would love to meet a wonderful, confident, educated, successful woman. And you only need one! One of the reasons why men are not interested in successful women is not just because you're smart and successful. It's because women who focus on their careers often lose their femininity or their feminine edge.The feminine lead is one of the most empowering, beautiful, magical things a woman can do. How do you take the feminine lead and make him feel confident AND excited to ask you out? It's not always because your success intimidates men. The truth is that you may also be too masculine, in your heart and not in your heart, and he feels like he's on a job interview rather than a date. Men are often less concerned with your job and how much money you can make, and more interested in if you have an emotional connection with each other, and if you are playful and reflecting his masculinity back to him. Continue On Your JourneyLisa Shield | YouTube | Facebook | Instagram | Book a Call With LisaEmail the podcast at: DWDpod@lisashield.comMentioned:Singles in America University of Buffalo Study don Miguel RuizQuotes“Scientific research also has shown that as a man's academic motivation rises, so does his desire for a smart partner.” - Lisa “My mother told me: be independent, be successful, and make your own money so that you never find yourself in a situation like I did.” - Lisa“People won't remember what you say, but they'll remember how you made them feel.” - Maya Angelou “This is why so many of these men are not turned on by you. It's not because your success intimidates them. It's because you're too masculine.” - Lisa

The focus of our conversation today is that the human is a fountain of encouragement and hope. We want to sense into, and reflect on, the qualities of hope and encouragement, to explore what they are and how those properties, those qualities, those essences - how they influence our lives.The essence of this conversation you're about to listen to and to discover is a weave of experiences from teachers, parents, and people who were touched and who touched others in moments where all that was needed was a little bit of help, with encouragement and hope, and how central these qualities are in our lives. Join Aviv as he and his guests dive deeper into this exploration. KEY TAKEAWAYS 01:51 – Aviv introduces today's topic, The Human as a Fountain of Encouragement and Hope05:07 – Aviv introduces today's panel of guests and poses the inquiry, ‘What comes alive in you when you hear the phrase ‘The Human as a Fountain of Encouragement and Hope'?'08:21 – Perry speaks to what encouragement means to him11:43 – Miriam shares her thoughts on encouragement14:12 – The importance of self-encouragement14:51 – Lisa discusses the concept of stepping into our futures with hope17:25 – Karen speaks to the elusiveness of encouragement23:22 – Why hope is such a critical component to the human spirit/experience33:01 – The panel continues to share examples of the power and significance of encouragement in their own lives37:30 – George speaks to encouragement as an influx of energy41:56 – Encouragement and creativity45:28 – Why encouragement and hope are the antidote to the world's woes46:58 – Turning stumbling blocks into steppingstones55:22 – Daring to try59:26 – The role teachers play as encouragers1:08:19 – Best practices for encouragement1:32:16 – George shares a quick story about his daughter1:34:21 – Aviv thanks the panel of guests for sharing in this rich discussion on encouragement and hope TWEETABLE QUOTES “I feel [encouragement] is an instinct. I feel it's a natural desire for one human being to give of itself to another human being the benefit of its life. And it's a very powerful thing.” (06:38) (Trevor)“Hope is a choice. Hope is something that, in the area of encouragement and specifically self-encouragement, something that I find really important. How to teach myself and how to teach children how to encourage themselves is important because being dependent on encouragement from an outside source can be really dangerous.” (12:37) (Miriam)“There is no future without hope. We can't step into our tomorrows. Hope is what leads us into our tomorrows.” (15:11) (Lisa)“A very powerful encouragement of other people, particularly children, is the encouragement that will enable them to find their own voice, their own awareness of their own choices, and their own ability to cause that self-encouragement. And it is such a call. You try to think about where encouragement comes from. It's quite elusive because it's almost a very internal part of the human mind but at the same time it's very neutral and hard to pin down.” (17:39) (Karen)“Hope is something we need, particularly today in the face of the world's situation. Definitely it's something to be, not manufactured, but kept alive in the light of the history of people who have had hope despite the worst of circumstances.” (26:16) (Trevor)“I have to mention the word forgiveness because forgiveness is a big part of hope. As it's been said, forgiveness begins in one's self so this is all tied up into hope and encouragement. And the most important thing I think anyone can do for anyone is to believe in them, to believe in their life, to believe in the value of that life and encourage that life to fulfill its possibility and promise.” (36:01) (Lisa)“People want to be seen. And today we live in a world where people are not seen and they're passed by. It doesn't have to be a long relationship. It can be just a passing by, a look, a touch, a comment, that can give so much to someone else.” (51:49) (Lisa)“We can liberate the world by the sharing of the passion that we have for life.” (1:07:04) (Trevor)“I think encouragement for dreaming big or expanding one's mind out to what could be possible is a wonderful gift, particularly with young people, that we can offer to another life.” (1:12:30) (Lisa)“One practice I employ is saying, ‘thank you,' manners, taking the time to have a rich interaction between people that I meet and not to speed through things.” (1:25:12) (Perry) RESOURCES MENTIONED Portals of Perception WebsiteAviv's LinkedIn Aviv's TwitterAviv's Website

Lead Through Strengths Facilitator Strother Gaines Shares How CliftonStrengths Can Help With Productivity. When it comes to work or personal goals, it is one thing to plan out all the things you intended to do and another to carry them out as committed. How we manage time, and how consistently or effectively we accomplish the tasks in our calendars, often determine the level of our productivity at work.  Are we prioritizing the important and urgent issues when we need to make that decision? Productivity is tough. Time management and calendars and overflowing to do lists create a lot of angst. Good news! You can use StrengthsFinder to help you do a gut check on your productivity and effectiveness at work. Here’s the transcript of Lisa’s interview with Strother as they further explore this topic. Lisa: You're listening to Lead Through Strengths, where you'll learn to apply your greatest strengths at work. I'm your host, Lisa Cummings and I'm also joined again by Strother Gaines, one of our Lead Through Strengths facilitators, who is here for the last interview in his series. Next up, we'll be introducing you to another one of our facilitators. In this last one with Strother gotta tell you, my favorite thing is how he's calling me on this topic, commitments and calendar, and Maximizer be damned. It's the one that gets me. It's productivity and his "C's" that he'll tell you about. I have so many commitments in my head about what I want to get done, what I hope to get done or to fulfill these high expectations, or this giant amount of potential all around us that I know could be realized.  And it leads me to turn these ideas into commitments in my head. And when I allow them to become commitments in my head, and then I don't prioritize them as things that get done on the calendar because one human can only accomplish so many things, and I start to feel like productivity is a mythical force that cannot be attained. I'm the example of the person who would come up with the work of 10 humans for each one human, for every one human.  Strother does a really good job of taking you through this prioritization exercise. And it's not just like the day-to-day prioritization of how you choose how you're going to spend your time and be productive over a few hour block. But it's looking back over your life and asking yourself: “Am I prioritizing the things that I say are important to me as a person?” “Am I living the life I say I want to lead?” “Am I showing up with the values that I say I hold dear? Am I showing that I hold them dear?”  It's the deeper level stuff. It's not just, “Do I do what I say I'm going to do?” And it's not just a matter of whether you can prioritize one activity over another in a given day, as urgencies come up. It's not just a matter of holding productive meetings. This is not that tactical. This is a much more strategic view of your life. And it's a great way to do a bit of a self-audit and see — Are you living a life that is true to the one that you say you're setting out to live? The 'Big C' And The 'Little C' In Commitments And How Intention Makes You Productive Lisa: I love how you talk about calendars, burnout, "Big C, Little C..." Talk a little bit about how, when it's tough to manage time, and you're doing an audit of yourself and you're trying to get real with why you're overbooked all the time. Tie that into strengths and how you can take a good honest look at yourself leading to what you really do when you're at your productive-best...or...not! Strother: This is Lisa, ladies and gents, this is her own individual issue but...  Lisa: I may or may not have this issue personally (wink, wink). Strother: She's working on it. We're doing a lot of work on her big picture productivity. Big C, Little C is something that I use all the time. The Big C, the C is commitment and what are your larger commitments. The Big C is the big stuff that aligns with your values and how you want to live your life. The Big C is what you'd like to put down when you're telling people, “What are you committed to?” Family, growth, strength... Lisa: Dog rescue... Strother: Yeah, these are the things that I am very committed to them. And so the Big C is usually the high-minded, and it's the thing that would get us the thing that actually we do want because we don't have these high-minded commitments if we don't value them.  The Little C is what I would think were your commitments if I followed you around quietly for 48 hours. What would I think you were actually committed to. I wasn't able to interact with you. I couldn't talk with you. I was judging exclusively on my webcam vision of you for 48 hours. What would I say you were committed to? For a long time, one of my struggles is the phone addiction piece because you know, you're in the lift, you're on your way somewhere, you've got a little break. You don't have enough time to really do deep work. So you're just going to pull out your phone, check in, scroll, all those sorts of things.  And that would have been...  Lisa: People would say you're committed to Instagram. You're totally productive with your social media games. Strother: You're committed to your phone. Yeah, you're on it all the time. Piddly little iPhone games. I used to play iPhone games all the time. And I had to delete them because I recognized so much of my time….if an external Alien Force was coming down to see what I was doing, and they'd be like, “You do that thing a lot. What's that thing?”  That's not forwarding the high-minded ideals that actually matter at the end of the day. It's not productive in a life sense. So when you are calendaring and seeing... The question that I think is most powerful in coaching, that I resisted very much when I first started coaching, but now I really do like it is:  “What's that in service of?” rather than asking “Why do you do something?” Because that puts us on the defensive to defend why we've made that choice, saying — “Well, what's that in service of?” “What do you hope to gain from doing this thing?” And sometimes we can't help but be reactive. You have an inbox that's full. It's just a crazy day. It's not to make you wrong for ever doing that. But when you can be intentional, and you can tie your actions to a Big C as opposed to a Little C or no C at all, which is probably even worse when you're just like, "Whatever, I'm totally reactionary all the time."  But when you can put intention behind it and tie them in, then the things that you do take on, the things you allow into your calendar, and sometimes that is intentionally blocking the calendar, so that nothing may enter that space, giving yourself as you've called it the white space in the calendar where you're like,  “No, this is a protected time.” And I recognize if I don't put in something that says “Block this” that I will fill it with everything.  Keeping A Commitment To Yourself Means You Can Keep A Commitment Towards Others Lisa: I literally had to call it "untouchable." And it's a message to self, not just to other people. Literally untouchable. This is where I'm forcing productivity on the non-tactical items. Strother: Don't mess with it.  Lisa: And if I break that commitment to myself, what kind of commitment could I ever keep if I touch the untouchable? That doesn't sound like productivity at all. Strother: And I mean, I need to start to reveal a little bit of this. Like, I remember how hard that was for you at the beginning. We've had that technique for a while where you're like,  “I'm gonna block out an hour here and now and I'm gonna make sure...”  And then we'd get back on the phone and you'd be like, “I didn't do it.”  And it's because I had this really good reason, and there always is a good reason.  Lisa: "My favorite customer called..."  Strother: "I couldn't say no..." Lisa: "I love them... What am I supposed to do? My productivity on strategic projects should not trump a client's simple, urgent question."  Strother: The thing is you always have the choice. You all, like you are in control of your decisions. And if something did come up, and it was like your appendix has to come out, obviously, touch the untouchable.  But it is when you've set those commitments in place and you say, "This is how I want to live my life. This is what productivity is." Again, it's almost like a stoicism piece pulling back from the emotion of the immediate emotion and planning things out in advance before you're there.  So then when you get there, it's the whole idea of like, set up your running shoes before you go to bed so that when you wake up, they're there. And you don't have to make that decision. If your calendar is already booked, you don't have to make that decision. And if you do, you have to really own what that means and go in and saying — “I'm touching the untouchable and this is what that's in service of. And I have deemed that that is more important for me right now.”  When that pattern just continues and continues and continues then you might need to put something new in place. If that doesn't again... Lisa: It’s not working.  Strother: Right, it's not working. Lisa: Because really what you're saying is, "I am breaking my commitment to myself. And if I can't keep a commitment to myself, who can I keep a commitment to?" Ultimately, no one. You're trying to keep it for everyone and that's probably why you're doing it.  But in the end, you're not keeping a commitment to anyone if you can't trust yourself. You can trust yourself to be productive with your 3-item to-do list, but you can't trust yourself to earnestly live out the life you say you want. Strother: Put the oxygen mask on yourself first before you help the kids. Lisa: Yeah. Yeah, it's a difficult one to do. Strother: It's so hard because you care about the kids. But if you passed out as you're putting along them, like, then they're dead too. So it’s not... What a dark way to it…. “And then the children are dead..” Lisa: And the episode is over because the children are dead (reader note: that was sarcastic humor that works better in the video version). Strother: There's nothing else, burn it to the ground. Lisa: And this is it you've been listening to Lead Through Strengths where all of the children are dead, but your strengths are alive.  But really, thanks for listening to Lead Through Strengths where you can apply your greatest strengths at work.  Hope you get at least one tip that you can take today in terms of keeping your commitment to yourself, keeping your commitment to your strengths.  And if you want a little help with that, get Strother on the house. He's good at keeping you honest at doing this stuff. Bye for now.  Have Deeper Conversations On Productivity And Other Strengths: Ask Strother To Facilitate Your CliftonStrengths Training So what did you think about while you were listening? Did you have an oxygen mask moment? Did you think of a thing where you went — “Yeah, yeah, yup. I have not been setting boundaries... I'm taking on this thing for Joe in this thing for Susie Q and this thing for Ahmet at work and the look, I have not taken on the things that I say I want... Why can't I let my own things be my urgencies right now? Why am I constantly busy, but struggling with productivity?” This goes back to that urgent and important quadrant concept from Stephen Covey, it goes way back.  And Strother has a way of making it really practical and real. If you want to have some important conversations like this, either one-on-one coaching or CliftonStrengths conversations with your team, about what your priorities are, but beyond the moment-to-moment priorities to reach the goals, your priorities as people so that you really understand each other and what drives each person on the team, consider bringing Strother in for one of your events. He facilitates both in-person and virtual events.  At the time of this recording, virtual is hot. So, feel free to come on over and request Strother for one of your events so that you can make the most of the environment that we're in.  With that, you've been listening to Lead Through Strengths and we look forward to hearing how you have begun to claim your talents and share them with the world. Dig Deeper Into Productivity Through These Resources In his book Smarter, Faster, Better, Charles Duhigg defined productivity as a choice between being “merely busy” or being “genuinely productive.” When you’re someone who leads through Discipline, Achiever or Responsibility, chances are you are committed to completing tasks and achieving your results at the deadline intended, but you might get in the trap of completing many projects without experiencing productivity in your bigger life goals (because you've let other people's priorities take on a disproportionate chunk of time). If this sounds like you, learn about the circumstances that could lead to your talents being starved, fed, honored and insulted. Focus on letting your natural talents shine in order to live your best life. These pages on will be helpful to you whether or not you lead through Discipline, Achiever, and Responsibility.

Hosted by Lisa: People say that kindness changes the world. In this podcast we explore acts of kindness and whether kindness is truly mistaken for weakness.

We discuss the extremes people go to when stealing from hotels. Plus what is the reality of traveling to Bali in this social media age. And diving with adventurer Kinga Philipps! Guests include Natascha Pfeiffer, Justin Walter & Kinga Philipps. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/beondtv/support

She's a foodie who's always hungry, and for well over a decade, Lisa Lillien has been sharing her love of healthy food through her Hungry Girl platform. Lisa makes smart eating easier with a daily email filled with recipes, diet hacks, and nutritious food finds; cookbooks (she has published 12 so far!); magazines; and a weekly podcast. On this week's show, Lisa takes us behind the scenes to Hungry Land where we dish about her most recent cookbook, Clean & Hungry Obsessed, the most popular recipes on her site, diet and food trends (wow, they've changed a lot over the years), and a sneak peek at her next cookbook. What you’ll hear in this episode: The Hungry Girl platform and brand: It began as a daily email newsletter in 2004 because Lisa loved food and wanted to help regular people make good food choices Why the growth and the magic of Hungry Girl? Lisa’s 12th book, Clean & Hungry Obsessed, featuring clean ingredients and lots of fresh, healthy vegetables The one degree of separation between Robert Davis, “The Healthy Skeptic,” Lisa and Liz How food trends have changed since 2004, when people avoided carbs, but used many processed foods Lisa’s realistic philosophy: everything in moderation and calories DO count Lisa’s advice: Figure out YOUR trigger foods and don’t latch on to someone else’s magic bullet Why people look for one type of food to call “the enemy” and avoid it Using the right spices and sauces can help vegetables taste like (and be substituted for) higher carb foods Lisa’s recipe for Mexilicious Spaghetti Squash Casserole Feedback from the book, with the favorites being meatloaf, veggie noodles and veggie fries, and cauliflower rice Lisa’s top two all-time most popular recipes: Yum Yum Brownie Muffins, made with cake mix and pumpkin Egg Mugs, made in the microwave with eggs, cheese, and veggies (2 -1/2 to 3 minutes) “Hungry Land” in Los Angeles, with test kitchens, content creation, and 10 full-time employees Lisa’s 13th book is coming out in March: Hungry Girl Simply 6, featuring what her audience wants ... simple and easy meals with six or fewer main ingredients Chocolate, and how it fits in with healthy desserts for a fraction of the calories Using cocoa powder in overnight oats. (Find the recipe in Lisa’s book!) How Lisa fits into the recipe development and test kitchen process at Hungry Land “House walking:" Walking in your house while on the phone or doing small tasks, to get more steps and improve fitness A tip from Lisa: “People are too extreme and hard on themselves, and then they throw in the towel when they can’t be perfect. Don’t be too hard on yourself, and take one day -- or one meal -- at a time” Focusing on small swaps that can be satisfying  Resources: www.hungry-girl.com  Find out about Lisa’s daily email newsletter, podcast, books, and the magazine Find Hungry Girl on Facebook and Instagram, too! Lisa is giving away a copy of her latest cookbook, Clean & Hungry Obsessed: All-Natural Recipes for the Foods You Can't Live Without  to one lucky U.S. winner. To enter for a chance to win, post a comment at the end of this blog post and tell me why you'd love to win Lisa's cookbook and/or your favorite Hungry Girl recipe. Winner picked at random on January 16 at noon. www.superhealthykids.com www.parentsondemand.com  

She's a foodie who's always hungry, and for well over a decade, Lisa Lillien has been sharing her love of healthy food through her Hungry Girl platform. Lisa makes smart eating easier with a daily email filled with recipes, diet hacks, and nutritious food finds; cookbooks (she has published 12 so far!); magazines; and a weekly podcast. On this week's show, Lisa takes us behind the scenes to Hungry Land where we dish about her most recent cookbook, Clean & Hungry Obsessed, the most popular recipes on her site, diet and food trends (wow, they've changed a lot over the years), and a sneak peek at her next cookbook. What you’ll hear in this episode: The Hungry Girl platform and brand: It began as a daily email newsletter in 2004 because Lisa loved food and wanted to help regular people make good food choices Why the growth and the magic of Hungry Girl? Lisa’s 12th book, Clean & Hungry Obsessed, featuring clean ingredients and lots of fresh, healthy vegetables The one degree of separation between Robert Davis, “The Healthy Skeptic,” Lisa and Liz How food trends have changed since 2004, when people avoided carbs, but used many processed foods Lisa’s realistic philosophy: everything in moderation and calories DO count Lisa’s advice: Figure out YOUR trigger foods and don’t latch on to someone else’s magic bullet Why people look for one type of food to call “the enemy” and avoid it Using the right spices and sauces can help vegetables taste like (and be substituted for) higher carb foods Lisa’s recipe for Mexilicious Spaghetti Squash Casserole Feedback from the book, with the favorites being meatloaf, veggie noodles and veggie fries, and cauliflower rice Lisa’s top two all-time most popular recipes: Yum Yum Brownie Muffins, made with cake mix and pumpkin Egg Mugs, made in the microwave with eggs, cheese, and veggies (2 -1/2 to 3 minutes) “Hungry Land” in Los Angeles, with test kitchens, content creation, and 10 full-time employees Lisa’s 13th book is coming out in March: Hungry Girl Simply 6, featuring what her audience wants ... simple and easy meals with six or fewer main ingredients Chocolate, and how it fits in with healthy desserts for a fraction of the calories Using cocoa powder in overnight oats. (Find the recipe in Lisa’s book!) How Lisa fits into the recipe development and test kitchen process at Hungry Land “House walking:" Walking in your house while on the phone or doing small tasks, to get more steps and improve fitness A tip from Lisa: “People are too extreme and hard on themselves, and then they throw in the towel when they can’t be perfect. Don’t be too hard on yourself, and take one day -- or one meal -- at a time” Focusing on small swaps that can be satisfying  Resources: www.hungry-girl.com  Find out about Lisa’s daily email newsletter, podcast, books, and the magazine Find Hungry Girl on Facebook and Instagram, too! Lisa is giving away a copy of her latest cookbook, Clean & Hungry Obsessed: All-Natural Recipes for the Foods You Can't Live Without  to one lucky U.S. winner. To enter for a chance to win, post a comment at the end of this blog post and tell me why you'd love to win Lisa's cookbook and/or your favorite Hungry Girl recipe. Winner picked at random on January 16 at noon. www.superhealthykids.com www.parentsondemand.com  

Wheeler, Lisa.  PEOPLE DON'T BITE PEOPLE

Podcast Darren Standish and Lisa B Lisa Today I was interviewed by Darren Standish from Property Prosperity and we spoke about how to choose a real estate agent. Some of the things I discussed was about marketing, about advertising and about negotiation.   The difference between advertising and marketing – Advertising is one small part of marketing. Advertising is say.. advertising a specific property – so it’s putting an ad in the paper about a particular property, it’s doing a flyer about a particular property, it’s a for sale sign out the front of a particular property. Now marketing is everything else.. Marketing is building your brand.. it’s marketing you.  Marketing is the strategy.. Who is your buyer? What can you do to attract them.. what can you do to keep YOU top of mind awareness. I hope you enjoy this podcast.   Darren: Welcome to this week’s edition of Property Secrets. The show where we speak to experts from around the country to give us an insider's guide to buying and selling and investing in real estate. I know a lot of people out there that want to know how to choose a good real estate agent - they know that an agent can make a massive difference but they’re not really sure how to choose the best real estate agents. What I’ve done, I’ve gone and got Lisa B to come and join us - she’s actually a real estate coach from The Real Estate Hotline. Thanks for joining us Lisa. Lisa: Thank you for having me,,,, and I was going to say I’m in the sunny Gold Coast but it’s not, it’s pouring rain. (Laughing). Darren: (Laughing). Fantastic. Well thanks for joining us, like I’ve said, a lot of people you know, know the difference a real estate agent can make but they sort of struggle to work it out.   All the agents seem like they do the same thing and obviously, you know, especially nowadays, people think ‘oh maybe I can just sell it myself’…. so….. I want you to get on and really talk about the difference between a good agent and a not so good agent. Before we get to that..  I suppose if you could give people a bit of your background - you’re obviously a real estate trainer and coach and you give advice to real estate agents.  Did you start out as a real estate agent or how did you learn your skills? Lisa:   Yes, I started in real estate when I was about 22 years old. I’m 49 now so, yes. A long time. I worked in real estate for about 18 months before I bought my own business. So in my early 20’s I had my own real estate office. And that was scary, that was something that I learnt very fast. I had that office and that was near Wollongong, - I had a franchise and my own name as the brand -  I had those for a long time, then I opened up another office in Sydney.  And it was something that, in my very first business, I knew the area very well.   People would come to us because of the marketing and the work that we did. And then when I opened up in Mosman, we didn’t know anybody. We didn’t know the area. It was the complete opposite of what I was used to. So I really had to create a really big presence very fast. To show our experience and our credibility and all that sort of thing and I really worked hard on building our online profile and our offline profile in that area. And from that, I had a lot of real estate agents that would ring me and say ‘How did you do this with your online marketing’, ‘How did you do that’ and ‘How did you do this with your video’. And so that was how I created my first online course for real estate agents, on marketing…. Online marketing and that sort of thing so…. I’ve written books on the subject. And now I’m a real estate coach on demand. So, I’ve done coaching for a long time and online marketing - all sorts of things. So… real estate agents can ring me anytime if they’re stuck with say a buyer and they can’t get a deal across the line. Or they’re trying to get a property signed up or a listing -  they can call. Anything real estate related or business related.  So that’s a bit of my background as far as, you know how I got into the profession. It’s just been something, that… I love real estate, you know. I think once you get into real estate it’s in your blood so, I just love it. I love everything about it. I loved being a real estate agent. I love helping people find their ideal home... Finding their dreams and making it their family home. So it’s something that I’ve always been proud to say I’m a real estate agent. And I always did my best as a real estate agent.  I was having a conversation with somebody yesterday about being a real estate agent and sometimes it is tough. And it’s like, when you go to bed every night - you have to think ‘Have I done my best?’ and you answer ‘Yes, I have’. You sleep well…. If you haven’t, you learn from it, and you sort of and work on what you can improve on. Real estate gets into your blood, it’s just something that yes….  I just love it. As far as choosing a good real estate agent goes, or a great real estate agent goes. For me If I was going to choose a real estate agent, I would probably, if I didn’t know somebody personally or if I hadn’t seen anybody before, I would do a lot of research online. Because if you’re just going to ring the local real estate office and you don’t know anyone personally…. You haven’t watched them online, or you don’t know anything about them, it’s really just a lucky dip.  You are just kind of putting your hand in and picking out who ever you get. So you might ring the local franchise and say, I want to sell my house. You might get the person that’s been in real estate for five minutes, you might get the person who’s been in real estate for five years or 40 years. You don’t really know who you are going to get. So to me, if I was going to choose a real estate agent, I would really research and find somebody who’s probably a bit high profile, somebody who’s a bit out there. They are marketing themselves and they’re marketing their office. Now from being online you can form the ‘like, know and trust factor’, so you can follow somebody for a little while and you can go - I actually like that person and I feel like I can trust them, you know the things they say -  You can relate to them. So it’s the ‘like, know and trust factor’.  And that’s something that you can really get online rather than just having the lucky dip approach….. SO the other thing that I would look at is…  have they got a track record in the area? If your property is say prestige property, have they got a track record in prestige property? So I would really research them and make sure that they’ve got the experience and qualifications. Now, when you choose a real estate agent, the things that I think you need a real estate agent for, is for negotiation and for marketing. So I would test the real estate agent in lots of different ways. In negotiation, I would be asking lots of different questions. Like, if they came into my house and they told me a price - i.e what my house was worth… I would want them to really sell me that price. OK? Why is it worth that price? I want you to tell me all the factors that come into it., I want you to prove to me that it’s THAT price.  One, because I want them to be able to prove it to the buyers - that it’s worth that price. I also want to see how they negotiate in that sort of thing as well. So even if it comes down to when they’re talking about their fee, or how well can they negotiate their own fee. If they’re just going to give in, they will probably give in on your asking price if you chose them…… so….. I would also, even go out with them and have a look at property as far as buying a property with them. Just to get them to show you some properties, go to open houses, and ask question, things like, what do you think of this property - what do you think it will sell for? What do you think it’s worth? Have you had any offers on it? See if they’re actually working for the seller or they’re working for the buyer. Okay because what you want…. When you’re selling your property, you want the agent to be working for you as a seller. If you’re buying a property, go with the one’s that are like that – the one that’s going to give the sellers money away. But if you’re a seller, you really want go with somebody that’s a top negotiator. So there are two things, negotiation and then the other one is marketing. And the other thing too, is when they come to your house, if they give you an appraisal or you go out with them as a buyer. How’s their follow up? Do they ring you up and say ‘what did you think of that property?’, ‘Would you consider making an offer on the property?’. Or if they have appraised your property….. What sort of follow up have they done for you? Do they drop you off a written appraisal? Do they ring you? Do they ask you how you are going? Do they try to give you something else?  Do they offer more comparable sales or let you know something that comes on the market? That’s a really big thing as well, because so many times you list with an agent and they don’t keep in contact – they don’t follow up. And that’s something that is so important. You want to get the feedback and all that sort of thing. So, I think that’s really important. So do you want me to go on in the marketing, side of things now? (Laughing). Darren: The things you are saying are really valid and obviously I have the same things too. And I’m glad you’re saying that, because obviously that’s the thing, a lot of people don’t realise what an agent’s job is. And I think to be honest, a lot of agents don’t even realise what an agent should be doing. I totally agree. I think there are two roles, marketing the property and negotiating the sale of the property. Lisa: Yes. Darren: I think everything else is almost irrelevant, you can get someone for $25 an hour that can hand out some flyers, and conduct open inspections or drive around to get contracts signed, paperwork etc.. But if your agent has skills in those two things, negotiation and marketing…  That’s most important. That’s the most important thing, because at the end of the day it’s going to result in tens of thousands of dollars extra in the sale price of your house. So that’s what’s really valuable. The agent… and that’s why their commission can become almost irrelevant as well, because…. if they’ve got those skills, they can add so much value to your property and if they are charging an extra thousand or two thousand dollars more than the other agent  that doesn’t have those skills, but they can make you an extra 20, 30, 40, 50 thousand dollars that could be the big difference. Lisa: Exactly, because if the agent is not negotiating a better price for you, then you might as well do it yourself. If you are a better negotiator, you might as well do it yourself. That’s why check their fees,  if you can negotiate better than them,  don’t choose them.  Sell it yourself. Go with somebody who is a negotiator. Somebody that has studied it..  and someone that knows what to do. That is a massive tip. A massive tip. (Laughing). Darren: There are people that come to me from out of state (and they don’t want me to be their real estate agent), They’ll say how do I choose between real estate agents?  I say… Ask them two questions…  Ask them whether they are going to reduce their commission and will they be willing to reduce the cost of marketing Lisa: Yes. Darren: Either of those… Then they are not the agents you want. If they can’t negotiate on their own fee….then what are they going to be like when it’s your house and they don’t really care. This is their money they’re willing to give away. Likewise with marketing, you’ve got to be willing to market your home..  Marketing makes such a difference to the sale price for a house.  If an agent doesn’t believe it’s important, then…. Lisa: Yes. Darren: Then, they are just going to take shortcuts. Lisa: There’s a question you can ask real estate agents as well. Do they understand the difference between advertising and marketing? Because advertising is putting an ad in the paper and just putting a property online. There’s so much more involved in marketing yourself. To market your office…. like you do your podcast. Videos that you do. That’s marketing yourself and your office and things like that. So advertising is just one small part of it.   I have for my coaching clients what I call the marketing umbrella or different ways of making the phone ring. If you’ve only got one or two ways of making the phone ring and that’s by putting an ad in the paper or an ad on the real estate portals. It’s not really the highest, you know…. if one of those sources stopped, you’ve lost all of your enquiry. So it’s really getting that enquiry from lots of different places and that’s a question to ask a real estate agents as well…. Is how do they advertise/market your property and how do they market themselves? And see what they say. What’s their brand like? What’s their brand promise? And as I said, if they’re a prestige agent, does their website reflect that? Does their marketing reflect that? Does their presentation reflect that? Is their brand consistent? And just check little things like their advertising. How is the advertising of their property for sale… Is it concise? Are there any typos? Is it well written?   Is it entertaining or is it boring? You want to go with somebody that’s got a little bit of flare with writing or copywriting. Darren: Sorry for interrupting. How would you describe….... a lot of people out there using the word marketing when they are talking about advertising. A lot of people would be thinking they’re the same thing, you know. Putting an advertisement in the paper, putting on the internet. What’s the difference between marketing and advertising in your view? Lisa: Okay, Well as I said advertising is just one little part of it. Going now to marketing. Marketing is like marketing yourself, so you’ve got your podcast, you do your videos. It might just be giving out pens and things like that with your name on it, things to create top of mind awareness. It’s following up with different marketing materials and things like that. And another thing I was going to say too is,  when you’re talking to a real estate agent, say if you’re particular property would be open to say the Chinese market. Or something like that. What strategies has that real estate agent got that would attract the Chinese market?  There might be different marketing skills for that.   How can they market to the Chinese?   Can they contact different agents?  Will they offer different platforms to market to the Chinese? Will they go on different programs? Whichever way that may be. Is the property close to a University or Hospital or something like that?  Or is it located close to a school that maybe you can put some notices on the notice board at the University or somewhere close buy – let people know that a house is coming up for sale in that area, or something like that. Or if it’s a block of land,  also contact the developers direct and things like that. Don’t just advertise and put and add in the paper or online. How will they actually go out and market that property and sell that property?   Will they contact people that are on their database before, rather than just putting an ad in the paper. Go and actually ring those people that have called before about different properties. Darren: So, would you say then, sorry. We’ll just say maybe then marketing is more of the strategy of selling the property. Lisa: Yes. Marketing is the whole thing… Advertising is for example just promoting your properties specifically.  An ad in the paper or just your ad on RealEstate.com. It’s everything relating to a particular property.  Flyers for that particular property.   Specific advertising. So marketing, examples of marketing is marketing yourself through a podcast, video marketing for your office, your team. Promoting all different things in your office and that might be…. I have for real estate agents, I call it the marketing umbrella. And some of the things that I’ve got -  is different ways of making the phone rings. So you know, newspaper, database, and all that sort of thing. And you’ve got letterbox drops, you’ve got flyers that you send out to absentee owners, so people that own property in the area but live elsewhere get to know you….. So that’s kind of like, you know.. you do something that’s different to what others do.. not just putting an ad in the paper. We’ve got thank you cards, you send thank you cards to people, you do editorials. When you sell a property to somebody,  you can do a nice bottle of wine with your label on it or something like that. That sits on their cupboard or their bar for people to look at. And say your photo frames with the sold sign on it with the people standing out on front of the house -   there’s a cap or a cup with your name on it. People do fridge magnets, I’m not a fan of fridge magnets - I’ve listed lots of properties from people where other agents had fridge magnets (laughing).  So it’s just all sorts of different things to get your name out there. Things that are different to the other agents. And as I’ve said it’s offline and online marketing - so actually if your listeners are interested, my new book is out, it’s called “Secret Agents” and on my website it’s called www.TheRealEstateHotline.com.au and I’m actually giving away a free audio copy of the book at the moment. So that’s all about real estate marketing so it goes into the whole thing. It goes into offline marketing/ online marketing. How to get the phone to ring and all that sort of thing. It’s written for real estate agents but it can actually can be put into any business model. That’s something that your listeners can just opt in and get the book for free and that’s everything real estate marketing.   Darren: Thanks for that opportunity. And I’m sure some of you will get in touch…. Lisa: Yes Darren: So obviously this show is called Property Secrets.  So I want to be able to dig in a little bit deeper. So obviously we’ve been having a chat about trying to find the best real estate agent and we’ve talked a little bit about their negotiating skills, marketing and some of the questions we might ask. We’ve thought about what goes on from the outside. Is there a particular secret or something that you can think of from your perspective…. That you would know straight away that says.. that’s the better agent and the not so good agent and then we can maybe learn from it as well? Lisa: To me Darren, I really just think it’s that  ‘like, know and trust factor’. I really think to really be comfortable with the agent. You know…who you’re going to choose, because I’ve spoken to people before that have said ‘Look, I’d like to go with that agent, because you know I really like them and I trust them. But this agent seems a lot more gung ho.  and I don’t think he tells the truth all the time but I think he might get me a better deal’. Go with your gut feeling, really sort of feel who you feel comfortable with it’s a big decision in choosing a real estate agent and you’ve got to make the right decision. You’ve got to be comfortable with them. They’re dealing with a lot of money. It’s your biggest asset most of the time. And you’ve really got to trust that person. So I think really the trust and that’s something researching online - it’s something that is really going to help you get a good idea of who that person is. What their values are, whether they align with you and as I’ve said… you know whether they are really getting out there and promoting themselves, their office, their properties for sale . Really going the extra mile in being a buyer magnet, because that’s who you really want to go to. Somebody that the buyers are calling.  They say ‘I’ve got to go with Darren because he’s always out there, and he’s everywhere I go,  that’s where he is.’ And really that to me is the agent that you have got to go with.   Darren: It’s really, when you think about it, the agent has a lot of control over this whole process. It’s a little bit like black box, obviously, hopefully if you have a good agent they should be communicating with you but really you’re handing over your house to them and saying please do a good job and get me the most amount of money you can. And then you sort of sit back on the sidelines and just have to watch from the outside, So really, if you don’t trust and feel confident they going to do the right thing by you then, how are you going to know. Lisa: Exactly. It’s too scary, it’s too scary. Yes. Just make sure you like them, you trust them and that’s everything to me. Darren: The other thing. I find with real estate - buying real estate. selling real estate. People don’t necessarily realise that it’s real money. You know. They don’t realise that, you know, going that extra time to the buyer and gets maybe and extra $10,000. Or the fact that they market slightly better or negotiate better and that might be an extra . 10 or 20 or 30.  You know if they can make an extra $40,000.   How long would it take you to save $40,000?  Lisa: Yes. Darren: For a lot of people, that might be years and years and years -  It might be 10 years to save $40,000. So the fact you’ve, you know, someone that you can trust them enough to do the right thing to get the extra few cents. People drive across town to use their shopper dockets to save a few cents on fuel. Lisa: That’s right. Exactly.   Darren: This happens to me a lots… I get an offer and I go back to the owner and I say we’re not going to accept that - we’re going to go back’. They’re like ‘no, no’. And I’m like ‘No, we’re going back. ‘No, don’t go back’. And I’m like ‘but it’s real money’. Like if I can get you an extra thousand dollars…… that’s a thousand dollars. It’s better for you, my job is to get you the most amount of money and that’s the thing. That’s one thing I’m constantly telling people, it’s like ‘this is real money you’re talking here. It’s not make believe’. Lisa: People get so blasé - like you say spending extra dollars here or  there. And that’s again in the negotiation. Go with the agent that does that. Ask them.. How did your last negotiations go, or speak to some of their previous sellers. That’s part of marketing as well. To have video testimonials. The more video testimonials you can get on your website that people can watch ….and you can show people and say… say they are living in Smith Street. Well here’s actually a seller that I sold for in Smith Street and this is their video testimonial and this is what happened with them. That’s just gold. Darren: And the other thing too... is people obviously… well you might have been aware that there a negative perception about real estate agents from some people and so the thing is. Lisa: Noooooo. Darren: It doesn’t have to be confrontational. You don’t have to be, you were mentioning you found someone that you trust but you think this other guy is a dodgey….  you think he might be able to get you a higher price.. In reality you don’t have to be dodgy you don’t have to scam people, you don’t have to try and rip people off to get the highest price. Lisa: Yes. Darren: Just say hey ‘The more you offer the more chance you’ve got of getting it’. You know I’ve got other offers and you’ll be honest and upfront with them. And people sort of feel like it has to be this, you know competing against each other and win-lose scenario. But I don’t feel like it has to be like that. Lisa: No. I think you know, we’ve got to be proud to be real estate agents.  We’ve really got to be proud of our profession and what we do and it’s like anything – there’s bad fish in every pond (laughing). Darren: (Laughing). Lisa: You can just do your best and represent you and represent your company. And that’s all that you can do. Yes. You just do your best.  Darren: Fantastic. That’s great advice. And it’s good that we sort of break it down to really with just dealing with people at the end of the day. That’s what real estate is. Selling a property. Buying a property. It’s all about dealing with people. So if you find someone you can engage with and you can trust,  that’s probably the most important thing I think. Definitely good advice.  People who may want to get in touch with you… to find out a little bit more about some of your trainings or maybe they are still struggling trying to work out which agent to go with. What’s the best way that people can get in touch with you. Lisa: Sure. My website is www.TheRealEstateHotline.com.au and that’s pretty easy. And that ‘s got all of my contact details. And as I said my free audio book.., I think, that would be really helpful for a lot of people as well, just to see how you can market properties in different ways and that sort of things.  Darren: And we’ll be able to find that on the website or Google your name and find it somewhere. Lisa: Yes. My website.. and yes… I’m everywhere online.  http:www.TheRealEstateHotline.com.au Darren: Alright. Thank you for that. Lisa: (Laughing). Darren: Thanks for sharing today. I’m sure our listeners have learned a lot obviously. I found it really interesting as well. I really appreciate your time. Thanks for joining us. Lisa: Thanks Darren.

Amanda Maynard is the "Get UnStuck Coach," for people transitioning in business. I'm really good at clearing a path for people.  I feel like I've been in the woods since I was 2. - Lisa   Earliest memories of learning and sharing information. "The universe kept putting people in front of me, after I'd learned something" - Amanda   Is crying on the floor at night normal? Always during menopause.   "I don't believe in coincidences" - Amanda   "I was an avid student, I was like a puppy." - Amanda on e mail coaching.   "He told me I had 99% crap in my head and I was like, WAHOO! I have 1% still good!" - Amanda He must see something in me, that I don't see at the moment. So I'm going to believe in his belief until I believe in myself." - Amanda ALL THE FREAKING TIME: Being called out, to an opportunity, and not taking it, because it doesn't show up how we've imagined it. It is a muscle, "To be clear enough to see what's in front of you" - Lisa --"and know that you're already worthy of the thing you've asked for" - Amanda I get 20% done and then I get distracted. Amanda relates, and has trained herself. She needed a team to take her ideas and keep them focused through launch. "I need people that are much more structured and detailed than I am- and I tell them to hassle me because I know that's what I need." -Amanda My daughter is my only assistant that can get me to focus. "I always feel very stuck, and I have no idea what I'm really supposed to be doing" - Lisa "There's a part of me that thinks my endeavors are unrealistic notions" - Lisa "Maybe I'm not funny enough" - Lisa, for the first time ever "Your brain is trying to devalue what you actually have accomplished. What I would tell it is to go Fuck Off and sit in the corner" - Amanda "I tell my mantras to go fuck off like they're bullshitting me" - Lisa Running theme: It's silly to be silly. (WHO MAKES A LIVING BEING SILLY?!) THOUSANDS of funny people, making THOUSANDS OF MILLIONS of dollars because people are dying to laugh. The only thing holding you back, is the story of "Who am I?" Who are you not to be that person, why not you? "Who am I, not to have that, why aren't I allowing myself to have that?" - Lisa If you fully stepped out on the stage to be silly, what would that mean for you? Lisa: People wouldn't take me seriously...... EXACTLY Jim Carey and Robin Williams do both!  I'm afraid I won't be taken seriously, but I'm already not empowering myself to do it.  I renounced my self help books. My friends were so disappointed.  The self help was the next crutch to keep you from being your best self. The tool or the crutch. Let the products come from going out on stage and doing your thing.  Teaching through comedy and humor. "Most people need to learn to laugh at themselves" -Amanda "I am missing something" - I am in the same money place I always am - Lisa "WHY ARE YOU NOT GETTING THIS?" That is your brain trying to get you into judgement mode to get you into the downward spiral The more you step into your power, the brain starts screaming these obscenities at you. As soon as you acknowledge that thought pattern is happening then you can say, really Lisa, how has all this personal development enhanced my life" - Amanda The self help lets me see more beauty, be more compassionate - Lisa "Can you see a connection to opportunities because you were in a better mindset? More attractive opportunities?" - Amanda "The jobs come in and then they dry up and I'm in a bad mood and bad space. I get to be funny, I get to have my own show basically, but it's my dad's. I don't feel like it's mine. - Lisa Not allowing yourself to have the full fulfillment because of the judgement.  "I want to attract clients that love OUR work, as it stands now" - Lisa What I focus on I attract, I can focus on the idea that the new clients are attracted because of us.  Let's change the language from "that's what I Would want," to "People are coming to us all the time for what we create and unique energy and sense of advertising." Visualizing the clients happily coming to you, telling everyone how amazing you are. Coming because they've heard of you.  "I see like 100 people" - Lisa They are ready for you to accept that you are ready and there for them. (777 word count - Doreen Virtue Angel Numbers)  The platter is there waiting for us. "here is the beautiful meal, but I will stick with what I've been doing, cause I have had it forever. " I do a show that goes really well and want to go home.  "Have to switch hats, and go meet the next connection." - Amanda "Lisa's not here, you don't want her you want her father, her brother, Amy Sedaris, SJP"- Fuck that! "From now on, I want you to open the freaking door. If you're in doubt, I want you to visualize the people out there waiting for you" - Amanda Get to the audience through keynote speaking. THINK BIGGER. Close your eyes. Now, imagine you've walked into a conference. You are one of the speakers, you've walked up on stage, the music, the lights are going, how many people are in the audience? What are they doing?  Thousands. Its where I'm supposed to be.  You felt human because you were in your element and what you're supposed to be doing. How you've been trained as a comedian to do all that grunt work. Which you've already done. "How do I go, book me? Because I know I can pull it out of my ass in front of 1000 people." COMIC CREDIBILITY! Proven funny thousands of times all over the country.  (999 word count - Doreen Virtue Angel Numbers) "You already have the expertise" - Amanda Keep sticking your head back in the hole, until you decide to see different options and possibilities. "You keep going to the past, you've made it all up so it can be as real as you want it to be" - Amanda I'm the only one that doesn't see it - "Their blind spot is their own gift- Our innate gifts are so easy for us, we automatically assume everyone can do it" - Amanda "I'm not the girl who fucked up cheer leading try outs anymore" - Lisa "Most of us spend our lives beating ourselves up for the things we can't do." - Amanda "How funny are accountants?" - Amanda   Just decide. Everything comes from a decision. The next step will appear when you make that decision.  Playing small is a reoccurring theme on my podcast.  "Stop that. I have no time for this nonsense. Just freaking do it!" Act as if it's already true. It is already true, you just have to act as if it's already true.  Therefore I'm going to take the step and open the door. I open the door by believing it's already true.  "Take action as if you're already that famous speaker on stage." - Amanda Feel yourself there. Not just imagining. Feel.