Podcasts about Lowe

09-24-23 Sunday Morning Worship Experience

The Lakers know Christian Wood's talent. Heck, everyone knows Christian Wood's talent. But the big question about him (one of them, at least) has been attitude. Is he willing to play a role? Can he accept one that might not totally be in line with his self image? On the one hand, he thinks he's really good (which you want in every player). On the other, this is a team with LeBron James and Anthony Davis. It has title aspirations, and other quality players around the roster. Wood was, or should have been, humbled by the market. So will he fit into LA's culture? So far so good, but it's never been about first impressions, but what happens once things get going. This is the sort of thing tackled on this episode with guest Dan Woike of the LA Times! Will Wood start? Come off the bench? Woike thinks it's the latter. And who will be starting? Woike has a potential name that might not be getting quite as much buzz as he should. But what happens when the game gets going? The Lakers will be looking to give players consistent roles, but there are tons of options at play, here, especially as the team decides who starts at small forward. Finally, it's a quick look around the West. Austin Reaves, guesting on Zach Lowe's podcast, said he thinks the Lakers have the most talented roster in the league. Like, in talent. And depth, and versatility. Are they the best team? Dunno, but in terms of how you look at talent, you can make an argument. Maybe you don't come down on the Lakers, but it's not absurd. Then Reaves said something perhaps more bold: That he's the best golfer in the NBA. Most people would say it's Steph Curry. (Steph Curry likely would, at the least). Whether he's right or wrong, the fact that Reaves believes this and pushed back on Lowe when he suggested it might be Steph? This is as revealing as anything about the guy. Reaves is scarily competitive. If someone doesn't set up some sort of match play event with Reaves and Curry, everyone is doing it wrong. HOSTS: Andy Kamenetzky, with guest Dan Woike! SEGMENT 1: Will Christian Wood fit in well with Lakers culture? SEGMENT 2: Who starts at small forward? Could it be Taurean Prince? SEGMENT 3: Reaves speaks! Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! DoorDash Get fifty percent off your first DoorDash order up to a twenty-dollar value when you use code lockedonnba at checkout. Limited time offer, terms apply. Jase Medical Save more than $360 by getting these lifesaving antibiotics with Jase Medical plus an additional $20 off by using code LOCKEDON at checkout on jasemedical.com. FanDuel This episode is brought to you by FanDuel Sportsbook, Official Sportsbook of Locked On. Right now, NEW customers can bet FIVE DOLLARS and get TWO HUNDRED in BONUS BETS - GUARANTEED. Visit FanDuel.com/LOCKEDON to get started. FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Our third anniversary episode features the first of three episodes recorded live at GroceryShop in the Vantage podcast studio. We welcome three rock star venture capitalists--Ashley Hartman (Bluestein Ventures), Matt Nichols (Commerce Ventures), and Kevin Parakkattu (Plug and Play) --who share their thoughts on the future of retail tech. In a fast-paced discussion, we dig into the current funding environment, challenges scaling once promising technology, and what each of our panelists are looking for now. We also discuss the outlook for generative AI, connecting offline and online behavior, personalization, sustainability, store level analytics, retail media, and more!As usual, we kick things off with our analysis of the week in retail news, starting with the Fed's interest rate pause and IPO fever. We then discuss Lowe's CEO saying the quiet part out loud when it comes to addressing a big driver of retail theft, before returning to the Wobbly Unicorn Corner for news of Stitch Fix's plans to right the ship. Then it's an early look at both holiday hiring plans and several firm's sales forecasts. About VantageEnterprise brands and retailers in over 120 countries around the world use Vantage for data-driven ecommerce advertising. Vantage was built on the primary goal of helping ecommerce businesses of all sizes around the world grow. Driving this growth: artificial intelligence, machine-learning technology, predictive analytics, and performance at scale. We're committed to helping businesses identify opportunities and grow revenue in an easy and data-driven way. We leverage the data from the thousands of retailers worldwide to best understand how to be successful. About AshleyAshley co-leads Bluestein Ventures, driving the firm's strategy, portfolio company support, and deal pipeline. Ashley has made over 30 investments in the space, and is an observer on three boards, including Base Culture, Grovara, and Rethink. Ashley has appeared in Forbes (here and here), has been featured on industry podcasts (here, here, and here), and regularly serves on food industry panels.Ashley has deep experience leading growth strategy and establishing scalable infrastructure necessary to build sustainable ventures. Prior to Bluestein, Ashley was Vice President of Strategy & Operations at Hartman Windows & Doors, where she was responsible for growth strategy, leading expansion across the U.S. as well as setting the platform on which to grow. Ashley also worked for Coinstar in Business Development, focusing on launching their new ventures. After college, Ashley was an Analyst at NERA Economic Consulting.Active in the Chicago and food community, Ashley serves on the Board of Naturally Chicago, on Selection Committee of the Good Food Accelerator, and as a mentor at Food Foundry, The Hatchery, and the LeAD Accelerator, in addition to being a judge at Booth's new venture competitions. She is also on the National Leadership Council of United States Artists. Ashley received an MBA with honors from Harvard Business School and a BA in Political Economy, summa cum laude, from Williams College.About MattMatt has been an investor in and operator of early-stage technology companies for more than 20 years. He leads the firm's commerce infrastructure/retail technology investment team and is a member of the management committee. He serves on the boards of several portfolio companies, including Grabango and Pensa.Prior to Commerce Ventures, Matt was the CEO of Gemvara, a disruptive jewelry eCommerce business that was sold to Berkshire Hathaway. Matt also worked as a venture capitalist at Highland Capital Partners and Morgan Stanley Venture Partners where his investments included Bullhorn (Acq'd by Vista Equity Partners), Pixable (Acq'd by SingTel), Avamar (Acq'd by EMC), Tarari (Acq'd by LSI), and Perceptive Software (Acq'd by Lexmark). Matt was a member of Morgan Stanley‘s Technology Corporate Finance team where he was part of the Google IPO team and also spent time in Google's corporate development group.Matt studied Economics at Pomona College and earned an MBA with high distinction from the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth.Fun Fact: Matt was once a nationally-ranked badminton player.About KevinHighly versatile venture capital leader with a track record of demonstrated performance. Sourced and led 40+ Seed and Series A investments exceeding $10MM deployed with a combined market value of >$50MM inclusive of portfolio companies BigID, Madison Reed, ZigZag Global, ChargeAfter, MANSCAPED. Developed strategic partnerships with Nike, McDonalds, YUM Brands, Ernst & Young, PVH, and 12 other retailers and brands. Tenacious at developing investments, securing customer loyalty, and forging long term relationships with internal and external business partners. An adept people leader with a reputation of attracting and developing high performance teams.About UsSteve Dennis is a strategic advisor, keynote speaker, and bestselling author of focused on growth, innovation, and the impact of digital disruption. He is widely considered one of the foremost and influential voices in the retail industry. You can learn more about Steve on his  website.  His #1 bestselling book Remarkable Retail: How To Win & Keep Customers in the Age of Disruption is available at  Amazon or just about anywhere else books are sold. Steve regularly shares his insights in his role as a Forbes senior contributor and on Twitter and LinkedIn. You can also check out his speaker "sizzle" reel here.Michael LeBlanc  is the Founder & President of M.E. LeBlanc & Company Inc and a Senior Advisor to Retail Council of Canada as part of his advisory and consulting practice.   He brings 25+ years of brand/retail/marketing & eCommerce leadership experience, and has been on the front lines of retail industry change for his entire career.  Michael is the producer and host of a network of leading podcasts including Canada's top retail industry podcast,       The Voice of Retail, plus  Global eCommerce Leaders podcast, and The Food Professor  with Dr. Sylvain Charlebois.    You can learn more about Michael   here  or on     LinkedIn. Be sure and check out Michael's latest venture for fun and influencer riches - Last Request Barbecue,  his YouTube BBQ cooking channel!

Join us for Sunday Evening Service as Tyler Lowe discusses the power of forgiveness in our lives.

With skyrocketing property insurance costs, more homeowners are skipping insurance altogether. That proportion is estimated at 12% per the WSJ. Single-family rents are up 6.5% annually. Next, we discuss what might be America's best cash flowing real estate market. Home prices are up this year for four main reasons: large Millennial demand, scarce supply, mostly healthy economy, interest rate levels that are actually normal. As we discuss one of America's best cash flowing markets, it's in a state that has strong legal protections for landlords. The cost of living there is 17% below the national average. Unemployment is 2%, according to the provider. Single-family rents are $1,200 to $1,500; prices are $115,000 to $140,000.  You can own a freshly renovated property, complete with granite countertops. Average tenant duration is 3-4 years. With higher interest rates, more buyers in this market are paying all-cash or making a larger down payment. Contact your GRE Investment Coach, a free service, if you consider purchasing property in this investor-advantaged market. Timestamps: National home prices and insurance costs [00:00:01] Discussion on the increase in national home prices and the impact of rising insurance costs on homeowners. Rise in single-family rent growth [00:04:04] Exploration of the increase in single-family rent growth and its implications for the rental housing market. America's best cash flow real estate market [00:07:54] Introduction to an area with low property prices and potential for cash flow, including its job growth and investor advantages. The lost luggage incident [00:11:27] Keith shares his memory of his luggage arriving late during a trip to Little Rock and going for a run in street shoes. Little Rock's recognition as a top place for young professionals [00:13:15] Forbes Advisor ranks Little Rock, North Little Rock, and Conway as top ten places for young professionals to live, highlighting employment opportunities and affordability. Growth and economic drivers in central Arkansas [00:15:20] Discussion on population growth, job creation, and economic drivers in central Arkansas, including the presence of distribution hubs, major retailers, tech companies, and government and medical sectors. The demand for single family rentals [00:20:40] The speaker discusses the shift in multifamily housing, the increase in demand for single family rentals, and the lack of new construction in this sector. Arkansas as a landlord-friendly state [00:21:42] The speaker explains that Arkansas has landlord-friendly laws and a simple eviction process, with evictions typically taking 30 days or less and costing less than $1000. Criteria for properties in the investor market [00:24:59] The speaker talks about the areas and property types that fit their buy box, focusing on working-class tenants and B-class properties in the Little Rock metro area. The availability of properties in Little Rock [00:30:51] The speaker discusses the current tight inventory in the Little Rock market and how it affects both homeowners and tenants. Demand is high, but there are fewer places to rent or buy. Interest rates and cash buyers [00:31:52] The speaker talks about the impact of higher interest rates on investors and the increase in cash buyers. Some investors are willing to pay all cash now with the intention of refinancing later when interest rates come down. Advantages of investing in Little Rock [00:33:48] Resources mentioned: Show Notes: www.GetRichEducation.com/468 Get access to Little Rock properties: GREmarketplace.com/LittleRock If you'd like help with one of  GRE's Investment Coaches (free), start here: GREmarketplace.com/Coach Get mortgage loans for investment property: RidgeLendingGroup.com or call 855-74-RIDGE  or e-mail: info@RidgeLendingGroup.com Invest with Freedom Family Investments. You get paid first: Text ‘FAMILY' to 66866 Will you please leave a review for the show? I'd be grateful. Search “how to leave an Apple Podcasts review”  Top Properties & Providers: GREmarketplace.com GRE Free Investment Coaching: GREmarketplace.com/Coach Best Financial Education: GetRichEducation.com Get our wealth-building newsletter free— text ‘GRE' to 66866 Our YouTube Channel: www.youtube.com/c/GetRichEducation Follow us on Instagram: @getricheducation Keith's personal Instagram: @keithweinhold   Complete episode transcript:   Speaker 1 (00:00:01) - Welcome to. I'm your host, Keith Weinhold. National home prices continue to increase for at least four big reasons. There's also a hindrance that's getting so bad that it could keep more price growth in check. We look at why single-family rent growth is increasing. Then we focus on one particular metro area that could be America's best cash flow real estate market and why today on Get Rich education.   Speaker 2 (00:00:30) - You're listening to the show that has created more financial freedom than nearly any show in the world. This is Get rich education.   Speaker 1 (00:00:53) - Walking from Whitney Island to Mt. Whitney, California, and across 188 nations worldwide. I'm your host, Keith Weinhold. And this is Get Rich. Education, National home prices continue to increase and no one knows what mortgage rates are going to do. There's one factor that could slow the home price growth party down. It could be impeded a little by these rising insurance costs. Now, in years past, do you know how many American homeowners decided that they were just going to skip insurance and not buy it so that they don't have to pay the premium? Any idea what percent? Well, the longer term norm is that 5 to 8% of homeowners skipped insurance.   Speaker 1 (00:01:38) - They just said we'll handle any risk and not buy it. Hm. Maybe that's sort of like not using a case for your phone, perhaps, which I don't actually. I never use a case for my phone, but I do have insurance on all of my properties. Well, The Wall Street Journal was just reporting that the number of homeowners that have decided to forego insurance has increased. Okay. The longer term historic number is 5 to 8%. That decided to skip insurance. And now amidst insurance premiums that in a lot of places have risen faster than inflation, that proportion of those that skip homeowners insurance is now from 5 to 8%, up to 12%. Yeah, 12% of homeowners electing to skip insurance. And they're going to be those people that are free and clear of a mortgage. And if you have a mortgage, you must have property insurance. The Wall Street Journal also found that it's mostly lower income people that forgo it, lower income people that skip the insurance. Now, of course, homeowner borrowers, you have to eat that premium increase if you're a homeowner, borrower, they have to eat that.   Speaker 1 (00:02:53) - You're going to remember that just seven episodes ago on Episode 461, I went into a lot of detail on the areas of the nation that do have skyrocketing insurance premiums. And if you're a landlord in any of those markets, you can pass along the hot potato because you can raise your rents in order to offset that. But primary residence homeowners, they cannot do that. They cannot pass along the hot potato. Homeowners have to eat the hot potato. And sometimes that hot potato can burn the roof of your mouth. That's why the proportion of those that skip insurance has about doubled. And also some areas have become uninsurable. If you want a new policy, think of some of the forest fire prone areas out west and you know, the eastern half of the nation, they can get forest fires, too, of course, But east of the Mississippi, it stays more humid and you get more rain. That's why it's just not as much of a problem in the eastern half of the US. Well, you've taken my guidance to heart and you sure are passing along the insurance hot potato, raising the rent on your tenants.   Speaker 1 (00:04:04) - Here's some evidence because John Burns, real estate and consulting shows us that in the latest stats, single family rents are up 6.5% year over year. Yeah, single family rentals are also seeing higher occupancy and lower vacancy, and that's 6.5% annual growth rate in single family. So that's worth watching if you forecast inflation because of course that does make up part of the CPI like Rick and I recently discussed. Now single family rentals. They are roughly one quarter of America's rental housing stock. And this differs, by the way, from the rent growth on larger apartment buildings. Apartment building rent growth is slow due to so much new construction of larger apartment buildings where they're just still not building enough single family rentals in so many markets. So with this low, really just awful affordability for wannabe homeowners, what's happening in this area is that single families, they're attracting quality tenants. As this affordability worsens, the quality of the single family tenant is therefore increasing. The Fred charts tell us that the median sales price of the new build home is now $437,000 for 37.   Speaker 1 (00:05:31) - Note that that's for a new build, not existing. And home prices are up, up, up for four big reasons. It's really for major reasons that home prices are up. There is high home demand from the large millennial generation, this astoundingly scarce supply. Thirdly, there is a still pretty strong economy and. And then fourthly, believe it or not, if you're new to real estate, fourthly is, yes, historically normal mortgage interest rate levels. All these things are supporting these higher and higher prices and this scarce housing supply. That is a genuine American problem that we have here. Now, President Biden, he's tried to address it with a five year plan that he announced last year. And in just two days, Republican presidential candidates are going to take the stage in California for the second GOP primary debate. And the presidential candidates, they should be asked, what would you do about the housing shortage? That question was not asked in the first presidential debate. If I could ask them one question, yeah, it would be about housing and our next president matters whether Biden wins reelection or whether it's someone else.   Speaker 1 (00:06:44) - But my gosh, America spends too much time wrapped up in all this debate posturing and all this media hype over the positioning of the candidates. I mean, this is already been going on for months and months. Trump, Haley Pence, Ramaswamy DeSantis. Yes, the primaries are sooner, but the presidential election is still more than a full year into the future, even from this point. And this has already been going on for this long. I mean, virtually no other nation in the world drags it out for this long. It's almost a two year cycle of vetting these presidential candidates with two years. That's half of a presidential term right there. My goodness. Next week, as I'll be leaning on my team for a makeshift studio, I'll be joining you from Chicago, Illinois. And I will be checking out the sites and also the real estate opportunities there and those still in Chicago land. It's typically on the Indiana side of the Illinois Indiana line, where you'll tend to find the better real estate deals and the lower taxes is back to this week's show.   Speaker 1 (00:07:54) - We're not talking about Chicago today. Straight ahead, is this America's best cash flow real estate market? It's an area that has population and job growth, but it's slow growth. You'll be surprised with how low the property prices are. I mean, they're often below replacement cost, which is remarkable. But what that means is with today's high materials and labor and regulatory costs, it would pay more to build a new home on that site than what you can buy that completed existing for home today that was built decades ago. And I've walked these very neighborhoods. A lot of them are nice. They're not in war zone areas. The city has a great base of distribution jobs. It says sector where it's hard to outsource distribution jobs over to a less developed nations because those jobs need to be fixed right there where you need to move the goods. So in this city, they are building fulfillment centers. That's warehousing in this highly investor advantaged place is also a state capital. So they have another base of government jobs that are not going away.   Speaker 1 (00:08:58) - I'm talking to an experienced principal in this market that offers freshly renovated property to out of market investors like you. That's next. I'm Keith Windell you're listening to Get Rich Education. Jerry listeners can't stop talking about their service from Ridge Lending Group and MLS 42056. They have provided our tribe with more loans than anyone there truly a top lender for beginners and veterans. It's where I go to get my own loans for single family rental property up to four plex. So start your pre-qualification and you can chat with President Charlie Ridge personally, though even deliver your custom plan for growing your real estate portfolio. Start at Ridge Lending Group. You know, I'll just tell you, for the most passive part of my real estate investing personally, I put my own dollars with Freedom family Investments because their funds pay me a stream of regular cash flow in. Returns are better than a bank savings account up to 12%. Their minimums are as low as 25 K. You don't even need to be accredited. For some of them. It's all backed by real estate.   Speaker 1 (00:10:10) - And I kind of love how the tax benefit of doing this can offset capital gains in your W-2, jobs, income. And they've always given me exactly their stated return paid on time. So it's steady income, no surprises while I'm sleeping or just doing the things I love. For a little insider tip, I've invested in their power fund to get going on that text family to 668660. And this isn't a solicitation If you want to invest where I do, just go ahead and text family to 66866. This is Perrin Life's Patrick Donahoe. Listen to Get Rich Education with Keith Wayne Mold. And don't quit your day dream. Hey, well, I'd like to welcome in one of our marketplace providers in such in Investor advantage geography, that is in Little Rock, Arkansas. Brian, we're going to be listening to one of the voices of Marketplace today. Hey, thanks so much for being here. Hey, thank you, Keith. Appreciate being here for the second time. This is great. Great catching up with you.   Speaker 1 (00:11:27) - Well, that's right. Now, it's been a few years since you and I got together in person in Little Rock, Arkansas, and we toured the market. If we walked the number of properties. But I think the thing that stands out most to me with that trip to Little Rock, where I spent the day with you, is that my baggage arrived late. Now, we had good accommodations at the Capitol Hotel, kind of the stately nice hotel right in the center of downtown. But my luggage to Little Rock arrived about 20 hours late. I've had really good luck with luggage all my life, but didn't this time. And my most enduring memory maybe, is that I had to go running in street shoes. And I still remember near the end of my run, I was running over the bridge that spans the Arkansas River between North Little Rock and Little Rock. Looking down while I was running at these slightly dressy black shoes on my feet, thinking, My gosh, it's a miracle that my feet don't hurt me.   Speaker 1 (00:12:24) - Yeah, that's exactly what I remember, Keith. I remember piecing it together. So you didn't come right out and just tell me you'd mention your bag had been lost. And then you mentioned that you went for a run that morning and thought, What did you run? So, yeah, you described basically running in your loafers from the day before. So I was like, This guy's a real machine from the north, the Great North down here. So I was impressed. Yes. And you're probably also wondering, did you really have to go running it? Right? That's the other thing. Well, right. Hey, you and I were just discussing this great media clip that we watched there from the local news there in Little Rock. This tells us quite a bit about the economic drivers in Little Rock as well as the low median home price there in the Little Rock area. Let's listen to this together. This is about two minutes in length and then we'll come back to comment.   Speaker 3 (00:13:15) - We turn now to the national recognition that three communities in central Arkansas are receiving.   Speaker 3 (00:13:20) - Little Rock North, Little Rock and Conway ranked in the top ten places for young professionals to live by for.   Speaker 1 (00:13:27) - Some great news channel. Seven's Brenda Lipinski is on your side tonight. She joins us now live in our studio. Brenda, tell us a little bit about these rankings.   Speaker 3 (00:13:34) - Yes, Chris. So Forbes advisor analyzed 99 of 100 largest cities and found that Little Rock North, Little Rock and Conway had great opportunities for young people. Little Rock North, Little Rock and Conway named Top ten Best Places for Young Professionals to Live by Forbes Advisor. And some agree. I think that there's no no doubt here in Arkansas, central Arkansas that we foster some of the greatest minds in talent. The criteria for the ranking included employment and pay, housing affordability, lifestyle and cost of living. North Little Rock Chamber of Commerce saying investment in young people is crucial for the area.   Speaker 1 (00:14:11) - They're the next leaders. So we need to make sure that we can continue to recruit them and develop them because they're going to be the next people on our board of directors are going to be the next city council members.   Speaker 3 (00:14:19) - Mayor Frank Scott Junior, who's a millennial, says good public education and jobs are a must.   Speaker 1 (00:14:25) - We've seen historic job growth for close to 10,000 new jobs.   Speaker 3 (00:14:28) - Young professionals saying there's a ton of reasons why they like the area, the community affordability.   Speaker 1 (00:14:34) - Every single time I connect with someone and I'm I'm able to find a new opportunity, whether it be inside of work and with my career or outside of work with just having fun.   Speaker 3 (00:14:44) - And for the future. So I'm hoping the state will create policy that will continue to attract more young people and think about the ways that we can continue to attract diverse professionals and how policy can impact people's image of the state and of the area specifically. Now, Forbes advisor also says that the areas are evolving into an entrepreneurial and innovation hub, which may also attract young professionals on your side. I'm Brenda Lipinski.   Speaker 1 (00:15:09) - Okay, Brenda, thanks so much. Forbes also likes the cost of living in central Arkansas, where the median home price is about $200,000. Right. So that's what the media is reporting.   Speaker 1 (00:15:20) - But you're right there, you're the boots on the ground. So tell us more about population growth and job creation and just overall the market vibe in the drivers there in central Arkansas. We have continued to see growth here. You know, I think it was mentioned that over 10,000 jobs created in just the last five years. One of the things that stands out here, too, is really driving that growth is that we're kind of known as a distribution hub or an upcoming distribution hub. A lot of that has to do with our geography and where we're located very centrally in the United States. And we're at the crossroads of two major interstates, I-40 and I-30. And so we've seen in just the last five years a very large Amazon facility put in actually three different fulfillment centers put in. So that's said to have brought in around 2000 jobs just right there. Then we've seen other big retailers come in like Lowe's and Ace Hardware and Dollar General, and they've all built distribution fulfillment centers here as well. And then even still we seeing growth with manufacturing moving into our river port here.   Speaker 1 (00:16:26) - It was just announced this year that a big Trex facility, they manufacture decking materials and from environmentally friendly sources and they're putting a major operation here. And they were drawn here for the location in proximity to the interstate. So those things really are driving us right now. A lot of our growth is accelerated by this sort of fulfillment warehousing distribution space. We have other drivers, too, and just the last few years, very diverse in the economy here. But we have a large tech company here called Apta. G. They were created right here in Little Rock and have really accelerated their growth. I believe they're said to get up to around 800 jobs. And those are all young professionals that could be working in Silicon Valley if they wanted to. Very diverse. We have aerospace here with Disso Falcon Jet, and then we have lots of government jobs here. We are the state capital. So we have all of our state government here. We're also a major medical center. So all of our medical professionals train here.   Speaker 1 (00:17:24) - Our medical school for the state is here in Little Rock. So all of our large hospitals there's on that note, things that we have coming now, they're announced they're building a new dental school here in Little Rock. So there's not a dental school in Arkansas currently. Also building a veterinarian school here in Little Rock. These are both going to be attached to another college that's here in Arkansas. So starting on a good foundation for those two schools. But that's another exciting move for Little Rock. So all these things are driving the workforce and bringing in younger workers, generating out workers from the medical school, for example, putting them out into the marketplace here. So we have a lot of young professionals, and I think that's why Forbes ranked us in the top ten of places for young professionals to live being the state capital there. Yes, you have that base of government jobs, some of the private sector jobs you mentioned you mentioned the expansion of medical. You know, these are two areas, government and medical that rarely contract very much, especially with the medical often growing and then with the government jobs, with the state capital being there in Little Rock, those just aren't the type of jobs that are going to be outsourced.   Speaker 1 (00:18:32) - And they're also not going to move the capital from little Rock to Pine Bluff, Arkansas, anytime soon either. So you do have that base there. And Brian, you and I were looking at different media articles recently and studying more statistics. No one area has it all. Little Rock has a lot of advantageous drivers, especially a high ratio of rent income to purchase price for investors. And we'll get into that later. But really with one of the statistics that we were consuming together, basically, if you think of it as gradients in an area's population growth and job growth, maybe let's think of five of them. There's high growth, there's slower growth, there's no change, there's slow decline or there's fast decline. And of those five, it seemed to be pointing to that second one, slow growth for the area. Yes, I mean, we're a very linear market here. Our growth is consistent. We haven't had a major increase or a major dip. We're just very consistent in linear in our growth.   Speaker 1 (00:19:32) - But it is continuous. We've seen that happen with even with housing, we've seen a lot of permits increase in the last few years, more multifamily permits even than single family permits. And it kind of tells you that the demand that's there for housing that rises along with the growth we are in that category, I would say, yeah, that's right. When we think about slow population growth, obviously those people need to be housed somewhere. And in the past decade you touched on it. To your point, both Little Rock and North Little Rock have had more multifamily built than they've had single family homes built. And nationally we are just so undersupplied depending on what numbers you look at. Were millions of housing units undersupplied nationally? How does that translate to the local picture there in central Arkansas, including Little Rock as far as being oversupplied, adequately supplied or undersupplied with housing? Well, I think we're undersupplied with single family housing first, and there's a real demand there. And there has been an increase in multifamily and most of that multifamily increase is at the top of the market.   Speaker 1 (00:20:40) - So there's been a real shift in multifamily. And what maybe used to be an A-class multifamily building is now A, B or a C because new A-class has been built to replace it. So we've seen some shift there. But where the majority of the housing stock is coming from is the multifamily sector and that puts more demand on the single family rentals. I mean, that is still a very desirable place. I think most anyone who lives in an apartment or has lived in apartment aspire to eventually have their own home or be within their own four walls in a yard that, you know, they belong to them or they control or rent or whatever else and have their own piece. So their demand stays there for single family rental, but there's not as much being built. So we've really seen an increase in our single family rental rates. I know there's been increases across the country in rental rates, but usually it's linear here. But you know, we've with not a great big jump, but we've really experienced a significant jump over the last few years.   Speaker 1 (00:21:42) - And I think a lot of it is driven with the demand for the single family and there's just only so much of it Now. We think about investors. Of course, most of the investors that you provide product for come from out of state. They live in areas that aren't nearly as investor advantaged as Littlerock is, but that's about more than the numbers. Oftentimes it's about that local landlord tenant law. I've got to say, it's been a while since I've consumed any material about this, but I remember in the past reading for years that oftentimes Arkansas comes in as one of the most landlord friendly states. That's correct. And it's been that way for a long time here. Our process is very simple and it's very much in favor of the landlord. But here an average eviction, if you get to that point of having to evict, typically it takes 30 days or less to actually get the tenant that's fast and less than $1,000 and that's hiring an attorney. So you're hiring an attorney? We have several that specialize here in the Little Rock area, for example.   Speaker 1 (00:22:45) - They can turn this thing around in about 30 days. And the process is it goes to an unlawful detainer if you filed for eviction and the tenant hasn't followed the eviction process and hasn't followed the proper notices and the proper days to get out, then the legally you can follow a unlawful detainer. And once that process gets moving and it moves pretty fast, a writ of possession is issued. And so at that point, the tenant is actually served by a police officer and they don't it's not a harsh dragging out with handcuffs, but they show up and generally escort them out of the place. It's pretty quick process overall and it's backed up by law enforcement. So but in no means is it a bullying or a brutal process or anything like that. And most residents here in Little Rock in Arkansas in general, that's the way it's been forever. They understand it. And usually when you serve an eviction notice, it means business. And most tenants know it means business and they just abide by it. So really, we don't have to enforce all that many evictions all the way through other than that, we serve, so we serve evictions and they generally just get out.   Speaker 1 (00:23:51) - That's sort of the process in Arkansas is known as to being one of the most landlord friendly states, and it's been that way for quite a long time. Of course, we're highly interested in that long history of the law reinforcing landlord interests more so than tenant interests, since we are interested in being long term investors. And when we talk about a metro area there in and around Little Rock, including their MSA, which includes North Little Rock and Conway, and we sometimes want to think about, all right, now, what parts of town would fit ones by box? Because even in an investor advantaged place, you probably don't want class A+, single family homes because of those higher price points. Rents don't keep up proportionally. And then we also typically want to avoid class areas. Those properties are shabby. They can't attract a rent paying tenant and properties don't typically appreciate very well on those low end class properties. So tell us about those areas in the criteria that fit your buy box that you know that investors want to put in their portfolio? Yeah, that's correct.   Speaker 1 (00:24:59) - I mean, we really stick a lot into the space. We're looking for kind of that working class tenant. They've got a good job. They are, you know, blue collar. They're hardworking people. Generally it's a family. Those are the areas where we're focused on and we're not exclusively in Little Rock. As you mentioned, the metro area is about a 55 mile radius. There's about a million people within that radius, the metro area. And that encompasses other areas around us other than Little Rock. So the city of Little Rock. There's the city of North Little Rock, which is actually not just the north side of Little Rock. It's a separate city from Little Rock and the other side of the Sherwood, Cabot, Jacksonville, Conway, Benton, Bryant. All of these are communities, cities around us enjoying Little Rock. We find rentals in those areas, too. We target specific areas within those different cities where really that B-class property in that B-class tenant is looking to live. And so we're not just in Little Rock.   Speaker 1 (00:25:56) - We do venture out into some of these other areas and we're talking about the Little Rock, Arkansas, and the investor market there and its growth story. However, a slow growth story, perhaps it's not growing as fast as some Floridian counties are, where you have a lot of foreign in-migration, you're going to have less foreign in-migration, for example, in Little Rock as compared to a lot of other places. We think about where the tenant income stream is going to come from. We've talked about that. All of those market drivers there, we start to think about, all right, what are the properties like in the prices in the rents? So can you tell us about the property types and then get into some of the important numbers for investors, Brian, And tell us about the quality of the renovation you do to get that property ready and make it effectively turnkey for investors. Tell us about the properties, the prices in the rents. We try to target mostly single family and we do come across and dabble in some multifamily as well, and it's mostly smaller multifamily.   Speaker 1 (00:26:58) - So you know, anywhere from a duplex up to maybe a 20 or 30 unit complex and fits within our box. But mostly we're focused on single family rentals. Our criteria is a three bedroom. Obviously it's going to have a bath, but three bedroom, two bath is what we like. We do come across a lot of three bedroom, one and a half baths. A lot of these homes were built in the 1960s, 1970s. Those homes are going to have some of the more modern things, sheetrock versus plaster wire versus knob and tube. So, you know, those are reasons why we want to focus on those 1960s, 1970s homes. Again, most of them are three bedroom, one into two baths. Most of them are around 1200 square feet. And we do a fairly extensive remodel. We have a lot of boxes to check. But I would say our average home ends up with a new roof, new Hvac, new hot water heater, almost all new flooring. We always put in granite countertops.   Speaker 1 (00:27:53) - It's a staple in Little Rock. We find that that just is a little bit of a wow factor compared to some other competitors out there and what they're offering as a result. So we pay attention to the finishes. We want all the hardware to match, we want all the light kits to match. We want everything to feel uniform. And our whole philosophy is we're trying to attract best quality tenants we can, but we want this to be it. Hope this is the best rental property they've ever had as well. We want them to really fall in love with the property and our number one goal is to retain tenants for as long as possible because one of our biggest killers is turnover cost. So, you know, if you lose a tenant, you've got to get that thing rent ready and put it back out on the market. And you've got to go through the whole process of finding a new tenant. So what we find is by providing a better product, it equals longevity of the tenant and then staying with us for a long time.   Speaker 1 (00:28:46) - And we typically start with an 18 month lease with escalators there with rent increases built in. But we find that we keep tenants for three and four years. Really good success with that. And think a lot of it is due to the areas we pick and then the product that we put out in the market. That's an excellent tenancy duration between 3 and 4 years with what you just laid out and describe there with these fresh rehabs and even granite countertops in your single family homes, it kind of feels like your own. So therefore you want to be a tenant longer. And I think that tenant duration, as long as mortgage interest rates stay high, really is set up to lengthen because it's that much more difficult for a renter to go out and be a first time homebuyer. So therefore, if you put them in a rental that they're really happy in and get that right right from the beginning that you guys do, it's unlikely that they're going to move into another rental because it's hard to do better than that.   Speaker 1 (00:29:40) - And it's also difficult for them to buy their own home due to this affordability constraint with the higher mortgage rates and higher prices. And when it comes to property prices, we listen to that media piece earlier where it was stated that the average or median home price, whatever it was, is about 200 K. So tell us about what rent we would see with what price for one of your typical properties there that you prepare for investors? Long var properties once they'd gone through the full turnkey renovation process and have been rented, they fall somewhere in a price range of 115 to say $140,000. Maybe our average sweet spot there. And those rents range anywhere from 1200 to $1500 a month, just sort of depending again on the location where it is and that sort of thing. So that medium may be up there in the 200 range. But again, we're sort of focusing on the B-class areas. And so that's where our price points tend to fall, that sort of like 120 to 140 price range. And if you're new to the show and you're a listener in Brooklyn, New York or Burbank, California, we're not talking about the 20% down payment amount here.   Speaker 1 (00:30:51) - We're talking about the complete purchase price amount with what we've discussed there. Tell us about your availability just in general over time. The inventory here, not unlike a lot of places around the country, is very tight right now. I mean, a lot of people are staying in homes and real estate just isn't moving like it was. So we're still finding opportunities, but not like we were. And that goes all the way down to home owner occupants. They're having a hard time finding places to buy because the sellers aren't selling. And that I think, trickles down to tenants as well. They're just fewer places to rent. That's what we're seeing. There is less supply than demand. And when something is coming on the market, I mean, it's getting gobbled up pretty quick, be it a rental or a property to buy. So the demand is still very strong and inventory is low. No, I'm curious, with prices that low, 150 K or less now that mortgage interest rates are higher, I think you know that I'm a leverage fan and we have ratios like that.   Speaker 1 (00:31:52) - You might be able to pay a higher interest rate yet still have cash flow but with higher interest rates. Brian Have you seen it where anyone is interested in making an all cash payment, a greater proportion of those people than there used to be? Yeah, absolutely. I mean, we're seeing people bring more money to the table for the down payment. We've seen quite a few cash buyers that we didn't normally see before. So yeah, people are just, you know, using their resources to write some of these things out or there's understanding to that this interest rate level is probably short term. And so they're like, you know, hey, let me go ahead and get this great property and hold on to it. Now, put a little bit more money into it. I'll refinance it later. So we are seeing a lot of people think more with that type of strategy in mind. I guess one approach is paying all cash now and then mortgage rates come down to a level where an investor is comfortable.   Speaker 1 (00:32:40) - They could maybe do an 80% cash out refinance. In my experience. What I've found, though, is that usually when someone pays for a property, all cash, no matter what mortgage rates do, they don't go back and get a mortgage on it. They just leave it paid all cash. That's what I always tend to see happen. Absolutely. And that's not a wrong way to go at all. I'll tell you what. And with appreciation built in and then, you know, all the other benefit tax write off benefits and those types of things. I mean, it ends up being a great place to put your cash if you had your cash, if you look at the full picture of the return. So to your point, people who go there temporarily end up staying there, right? Yeah, it goes from temporary to permanent and keep that paid off condition, even though it probably doesn't make a lot of financial sense. But it can depend on what situation. Well, in conclusion here, is there just anything else that an investor should know in general about the Little Rock market or Little Rock property or the particular renovations that you make to the property there? One thing just to point out kind of from an earlier part of our conversation about why, you know, the city is great for young professionals and had that Forbes ranking.   Speaker 1 (00:33:48) - And, you know, our cost of living here in Little Rock is 17% below the national average. So your money just goes further here. I believe. And I think that translates out right. And you know, at our unemployment is around 2%. So it's a very low unemployment rate. So the cost of living is lower your dollars go farther. Your tenants here tend to be more stable. There's job opportunities for them. So I think all of that builds into why Little Rock is a great investment market and why we see tenants stay in units for longer than their lease periods. As far as availability and quality of renovations, I mean, we certainly have availability. We have deals popping up all the time. I mean, we're known for our renovations and being at the top end of our renovations and a lot of our tenants come to us almost word of mouth. They've been in one of our rentals before with a friend or neighbor, and a lot of times they are knocking on our doors as we're renovating, asking when is this going to be available for rent? So a lot of it is reputation of product out there, even among the tenant population, not just the buyers out there.   Speaker 1 (00:34:53) - So I think those are some of the things we have going for us here. We continue on our our journey here. We've been investing in Little Rock since 1997, so we've got a great track record here and a lot of great experience. Yeah, Your volume of repeat investors that want to keep buying there is really a testimony to what you're doing. Well, thank you so much for sharing this. It's really an opportunity a lot of people don't know about or a lot of people don't think about. It's hard to find a more investor advantaged place than Little Rock, Arkansas, and surrounding central Arkansas. There for you, the listener from Marketplace, you'll see our little rock provider there or contact your investment coach If you don't have an investment coach yet, you can visit Marketplace com slash coach and pick your coach It's been great chatting about Little Rock. Oh yeah, a great chat about Little Rock. You know, one of the things that I visited while in Little Rock, it was the Clinton Presidential Library.   Speaker 1 (00:35:56) - It's worth checking out. But, you know, the one thing that I did not see, despite all the memorabilia and historic tributes to Bill Clinton there, there was not one mention, nothing about Monica Lewinsky. I could not find one in the whole place. I guess it's his library and he'll be remembered how he wants to be. But yeah, these numbers really work for investors 1200 to $1500 rent renovations like what we discussed in purchase prices of 115 to 140 K, So you can start with one of those properties or get a pack of these smaller sized single family rentals and then they can manage them all for you long term. They seek tenants for life there, quote unquote. So we're talking about working class, stable families now here in central Arkansas that should not be confused with higher priced areas out in northwest Arkansas. Okay. The provider and I were talking off air about a story that's emblematic of that area, Northwest Arkansas, a schoolteacher priced out of Bentonville. She couldn't find housing there. So she lives in a Fayetteville rental and commutes into Bentonville.   Speaker 1 (00:37:12) - Okay. Those are both northwest Arkansas cities. Of course, Bentonville is famously known as the Walmart headquarters. So we're not talking about northwest Arkansas here, which is an area that just doesn't work as well for long term rentals as Little Rock, central Arkansas. Forbes Even highlighting that Little Rock ranks as one of the top ten places for young professionals to live in, pointing out those super low house prices, Little Rock should be considered to see if it fits into your portfolio as a stable place with some of America's very best cash flows, which you can do is from Marketplace. You'll see our little rock provider there. If you want to connect with the provider yourself, you can also go directly to Marketplace slash Little Rock or if you prefer, contact your investment coach. It is free and Jerry marketplace slash coach until next week when I'll be back to help you build real estate wealth. I'm your host, Keith Winfield. Don't quit your day dream.   Speaker 4 (00:38:16) - Nothing on this show should be considered specific, personal or professional advice.   Speaker 4 (00:38:20) - Please consult an appropriate tax, legal, real estate, financial or business professional for individualized advice. Opinions of guests are their own information is not guaranteed. All investment strategies have the potential for profit or loss. The host is operating on behalf of Get Rich Education LLC exclusively.   Speaker 1 (00:38:44) - The preceding program was brought to you by your home for wealth building. Get rich education.  

Sho Alli breaks down the Blue Jays' 7-6 loss to the Rays at Tropicana Field. He takes your calls and texts, and gets right to the ninth inning in which Jordan Romano blew his fourth save of the year. John Schneider says he had a cracked fingernail - if it was bothering Romano, was that the right move? Why not use Tim Mayza? Plus, Sho gets to the Whit Merrifield send in the seventh - was it the right call to gamble on the fly ball? Afterwards, Sho discusses the offence staging the comeback down 5-0 early, and also gets to the outing from Hyun-jin Ryu, who got tagged for five earned runs over 4.1 IP. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

Jesse Lowe, American All-Star Series winner at Buckshot Speedway; Kyle McGowan; North Wilkesboro Speedway official updates on the September 30th Brushy Mountain Powersports 150; and Melissa Fifield, NASCAR Whelen Modified Series racer are this week's guests.

Charlie Munger is one of the greatest investors of all time. He's also one of the most profound thinkers of our era. This begins a multi-part series of short episodes dissecting some of Jared's favorite lessons from the investing giant.If you enjoy listening to the podcast, please do us a favor and leave us a review on Spotify or Apple!And don't forget to sign up for our NEWSLETTER where we have all kinds of good tips and info you don't get with the podcast.Tools to make more money and grow your bizNeed a little help growing your business or making more money at it? In addition to almost 100 free episodes of the podcast, check out The Building Optimal Shop, a place where we have business tools for builders and contractors…and the list is growing. Or, if you want full-scale consulting or business startup help, check out our brand new:Building Optimal Business AcceleratorThank you to our amazing brand partnersLowe's and the new Lowe's MVP Pro Rewards ProgramSubzero Wolf CoveHuber Engineered WoodsGrand OpeningsQuaker

What do today's employees want in a job?Dr. Steven T. Hunt, Ph.D., SAP's Chief Expert of Technology & Work, joins JD Dillon to share his perspective on what it takes to create a desirable workplace. Steve digs into trendy topics, like generational differences and remote work, and explains why they're distractions from the important ideas organizations should focus on: job design and human psychology. Steve also talks about his new book, Talent Tectonics, and how it can help companies design work experiences that attract, enable and retain exceptional employees.Watch the full video of this episode on the Axonify YouTube Channel.Subscribe for ITK updates and show announcements at axonify.com/itk.Grab a copy of Steve's book at talenttectonics.com. Get your ticket for AxoniCom 2023 in Nashville this October at axonify.com/axonicom. Grab a copy of JD's book - The Modern Learning Ecosystem  at jdwroteabook.com.In The Know is brought to you by Axonify, the proven frontline enablement solution that gives employees everything they need to learn, connect and get things done. With an industry-leading 83% engagement rate, Axonify is used by companies to deliver next-level CX, higher sales, improved workplace safety and lower turnover. To learn more about how Axonify enables over 3.5 million frontline workers in 160-plus countries, in over 250 companies including Lowe's, Kroger, Walmart and Citizens Bank, visit axonify.com.

Here's your local news for Monday, September 18, 2023:We celebrate as a sculpture by a local, Native American artist finds a home at UW-Madison,Follow up on proposed rate hikes from two Madison energy companies, this time from a health and climate change perspective,Hear from a political science expert on what might have motivated state Republicans to kick off their own redistricting efforts,Take to the streets in Madison to hear what “affordable housing” actually means to the city's average resident,And much more.

09-17-23 Sunday Morning Worship Experience

A world where customers can buy everything they want, whenever and wherever they want isn't 100% there—but it's pretty close. And perhaps no company has been up for that challenge as much as Lowe's.   In this episode of The Restless Ones, I had the chance to sit down with Seemantini Godbole, EVP and CIO of Lowe's Companies, Inc., whose early start as an engineer has fueled problem-solving throughout her career. From helping customers prepare for projects via virtual appointments and designs, to making sure their local stores have the physical products needed to complete them, Seemantini is arming Lowe's teams with the technology solutions to infuse more joy into home improvement without the usual friction.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Without a brand, your business is already dead. But what is your brand doing for you? This is a great time to develop your brand into something that will bring in a consistent stream of clients.ResourceCheck out Laura's WebsiteReal Estate Marketing DudeThe Listing Advocate (Earn more listings!)REMD on YouTubeREMD on InstagramTranscript:00:00:02:05 - 00:00:28:13UnknownLaura, go ahead and tell my editor for Shownotes name website. All of your social handles, stuff like that. And so it's Laura Griffin and the website is groups within us to leads within Ask.com and the same social media handle. Or you can also do for Instagram. It's Laura Griffin Rail, a tour that's set up while we're talking here.00:00:28:15 - 00:01:59:11UnknownAll right. You ready to rock? Yeah. So you said groups to leads like the number two. No. To gay. I mean, just see. So some visuals and it'll be good to go. Ready, Rock? Yeah. All right. Three, two and one.00:01:59:13 - 00:02:18:11UnknownSo how do you attract new business? You constantly don't have to chase it. Hi, I'm Mike Webmaster Real Estate Marketing in this podcast is all about building a strong personal brand. People have come to know like trust and most importantly, refer. But remember, it is not their job to remember what you do for a living. It's your job to remind them.00:02:18:15 - 00:02:30:14UnknownLet's get started.00:02:30:16 - 00:02:54:03UnknownWhat's up? Ladies and gentlemen, welcome. Another episode of the Real Estate Marketing Dude. Podcast books should It's hitting the fan. There are things happening in the marketplace. Mortgage apps are the lowest they've ever been in the history of mortgage apps. What are you going to do? I see nothing but giant opportunity in this marketplace because as agents continue to dwindle and whatnot, it's just a reality of the situation.00:02:54:05 - 00:03:11:19UnknownThe amount of agents leaving the industry is not as large as the number of homes still being transacted. So there's actually a large opportunity there. However, you need to know how to capitalize on that opportunity and anytime there's a shift. Brands are built, all right, Brands are built, and without a brand, you will not survive in this fucking space.00:03:11:19 - 00:03:28:05UnknownI don't care what you say. You need a brand to continue going forward because no one's hiring the realtor for what they do. You're it's a commodity in the consumer's eyes, but they're hiring. You force how you do it, but you have to be thought of first. You have to be top of mind first, and you have to be able to connect with people because you're no longer a real estate agent.00:03:28:05 - 00:03:55:11UnknownYour damn media company been screaming this since 2014 and I've been damn right we have probably Today show one of the best brands I've seen and we just met like, I don't know, Laura, we haven't talked before. We've met for what? Laura At 4 minutes? Yeah. 30. But I could tell you just from browsing on her website right here, her brand is one of the best I've ever seen positioned wise, especially for a real estate agent.00:03:55:13 - 00:04:15:24UnknownAnd she positions herself as a mom. And I bet you Laura can probably charge me an 8% commission and I wouldn't give a shit. I'd probably still hire her because I could connect with her so much. And there's a difference between people. Like when people are hiring you, they're hiring you for how you do things and more importantly, what you stand for.00:04:15:24 - 00:04:34:24UnknownBut it's ultimately the way you make them feel. And your brand is the direct reflection of that. The reason why I'm harping on this so much is because right now, developing your brand is going to be easier than when the market's hot. So when you're when people are like, look how many realtors stop doing video in the last time, I'm telling you, I used to do videos for hundreds of realtors.00:04:34:24 - 00:04:54:03UnknownI lost over 75% of my business in the shift and the amount of people leaving, that just it's a vacuum for attention on social media. It's a vacuum to get your face out there, because regardless of what happens when people are pulling back on their budgets, this is when you double down. But if you don't have a brand to go with it, it's going to fall on deaf ears.00:04:54:05 - 00:05:12:06UnknownSo what I want to focus this show on is how to really develop your brand and what a better example than to have Laura Griffin here today and share with us exactly how she I don't think Laura sells real estate. I think she's a mom that happens to sell real estate on the side. At least that's the way her brand is positioned.00:05:12:06 - 00:05:35:15UnknownAnd this is an unbelievable way that she's doing it from her fonts to whatever the colors are really good or sharp, but she's doing it. She did this in a cold market because she literally went to a brand new cold market, new Nobody didn't buy any leads but focused on her own personal brand, adapted that to her business, built a Facebook group and now she's talking, crushing it.00:05:35:17 - 00:05:58:14UnknownWithout further ado, let's go ahead and introduce our guests, Ms.. Laura Griffin. Laura, once say hello to everybody and tell us a little bit about who is Laura. Quick story. Where'd you go? Where you at? Where are you from? Hi, everybody. Thank you so much for that introduction when he was Laura Griffin, I'm a real estate agent, and then the Northern Virginia areas, which is my inside Washington, D.C., we moved to this area, Oh, gosh, almost 12 years ago.00:05:58:14 - 00:06:18:19UnknownMy husband was military, retired and worked for the government. And so we moved from Northern California to Northern Virginia. I didn't know anybody. I was in the corporate world, in the banking industry as a bank manager. I had my daughter that I got to be a stay at home mom. This is going to be great. And I failed at it.00:06:18:21 - 00:06:34:12UnknownAfter a few months, I was like, I think I need something to do. And I had been in the real estate industry in California in a different capacity and called the who's now my broker, who sold us our house. And they said, have they contacted real estate? How does this work? What I need to do a lot, a lot.00:06:34:14 - 00:06:55:23UnknownAnd so he hired me and said, Hey, I'm hiring my team, which later turned into a brokerage and up a thousand plus agents in our area. And I was on his team. He was our team lead, and they gave us some online Zillow and Zillow and Facebook ads, all these different things. And I quickly realized that was not my jam.00:06:56:00 - 00:07:13:23UnknownAnd if you ask him, I probably lost him thousands of dollars. And with a young child, I couldn't pick up the phone. It was like speed delete, right? And I'd always fail because there was no way I could call that Lee. The first second it came in and keep calling. And, you know, my daughter was little and and all these things and I hated it.00:07:14:00 - 00:07:31:08UnknownAnd I hated doing open houses on Sundays because I had a little child. And that was the day my husband was off to his job. And so it was like, I don't want to give up my weekends. And so I start going to mommy me classes. And I was like, I really like this networking thing. And ended up starting a Facebook group in our area for local moms.00:07:31:08 - 00:07:45:06UnknownAnd it's county wide because there are areas the county made more sense when you started that not to interrupt you, but when you started that group was real estate in mind or you just wanted to connect with other moms, just wanted other moms to go coffee with you. Because I was born, I didn't know anybody. We had no family.00:07:45:06 - 00:08:04:10UnknownWe no friends. Like it was more self-serving. It sounds really bad, but it was self-serving. I wanted I wanted friends. Okay. I'm going to bring that up in a minute. Write that down. Okay. So I wanted to friends and I had like a handful of friends I'd meet at a hospital, mom's group, and I ended up into the group and it was just like night, you know, like my kids aren't sleeping.00:08:04:10 - 00:08:21:08UnknownWhat do I do? Kind of things. And I thought, no one's going to join this group, and my friends join a few their friends over and a whole bunch of people started joining and it kind of snowballed into this thing. We're just about it. I have little mini groups too, so if you count the mini groups, we're out over 12 are over 12,000 members.00:08:21:10 - 00:08:40:12UnknownAnd I slowly realized I was better placed to face connecting and people thought I was some sort of a local celebrity. Like people will stop me at Target or the farmer's market. My kids just go, Oh my God, I please stop. And these people want to talk to me because I'm a celebrity. And I was realizing that they already knew, liked and trusted me and they were comfortable with me.00:08:40:12 - 00:08:59:16UnknownAnd so I was getting all clients that were moms with little children because they could relate to me. And I can relate to them. And their transaction with children is a little bit different than if you're downsizing or you're a first time home buyer. And most of them are trade up clients because they've little kids. They outgrew their house and they're buying a bigger home.00:08:59:16 - 00:09:24:02UnknownAnd so I started realizing that my group was powerful and I started utilizing that as my lead source and threw in a few events here. And I have a Santa event and things like that that started leveraging my group and growing it and putting in content that would not let me like stand up and say, Hey, I'm a real estate agent every 5 minutes in my group, but it's weaved into it and it's weaved into my weekly nurture system that they all get every week.00:09:24:04 - 00:09:41:00UnknownSo that way they know that I'm a realtor and it's easy. They call when someone wants to buy or sell a house, they call me and it's a nice feeling. I'm not chasing the lead like I was with the online leads. This sounds so easy and would unpack a couple of things. First, I want to deal with everyone's objections and it's free.00:09:41:02 - 00:10:00:09UnknownYeah, it's a free leads are store, which is something that is unique. So let's focus and let's unpack this because you're sitting on your treadmill right now. You're like 12,000 people. I'm not that interesting, right? That's the first thing that people say. I'm not that interesting. No one's going to pay attention to me. Well, everyone says the same thing about video, too, but I've yet to see an agent that does video consistently.00:10:00:09 - 00:10:19:08UnknownThat's not crushing it. And the reason for that is just a matter of attention. And this entire industry is based upon attention. It's a popularity contest. The best agent doesn't get the damn deal. The most popular one does. Yeah, that's nine times out of ten. 9.5. I would say 9.9 times out of ten. It's no differently in any other industry like the best lawyer.00:10:19:08 - 00:10:39:15UnknownI'm doing a ton of attorney work right now on a ton of videos with the attorneys, and the best attorney doesn't get the job, the best marketed one does. And it's the same in every single industry, you guys. But marketing without a brand falls on deaf ears. You're just a salesperson chasing a truck and you're pitching someone on your services about why they should buy or sell you, which is why the key to this whole brand that you did.00:10:39:15 - 00:10:56:23UnknownAnd I don't know if you knew what you were really onto, but it's genius because she didn't like develop this. If you look back at her story really quick, she in developed this like on a whim. She's like, I want to create a group of people that I connect with first right now, most real estate agents will come out first objection.00:10:56:23 - 00:11:15:02UnknownThey're going to have their income on say, Oh, if I'm going to position myself as a mom, well, I'm going to turn off the fucking dads. That's the first thing that agents are going to say, right? No, doesn't happen. Or hey, if I'm just working for just a mom, then I'm going to turn off this group or I'm going to do this.00:11:15:04 - 00:11:37:11UnknownLook, guys, I called myself a marketing dude and I fucking crushed it. And it's because I connected with people on a level. And the reality is, is that your brand should turn some people off. And if it's not meant to connect with every single person, because if it was, you would call yourself God. Yeah, true. So so like she she identifies.00:11:37:11 - 00:11:54:20UnknownSo what's your tribe? Look at your own business. Who do you connect with? See the brand and your content strategy. Really, what she's developing is she developed a content strategy formulated within a group, but it first starts by who's group entry? Who do I really connect with? What are you what do you do on the weekends? What do you really do on the weekends if you don't have to work?00:11:54:20 - 00:12:06:18UnknownAnd if you won the lottery but you can't move anywhere you're living in, you're stuck in a town you live in. That's the answer with whom you communicate with those 5 to 10 people you put yourself in a room with, hang out with them for the rest of your life because you don't need to worry about money anymore.00:12:06:21 - 00:12:29:10UnknownWell, that's what you build your basis about. What would you guys talk about? There's your content strategy 100%. And if you look at my group's demographics through the insights, because I'll be honest, I'm 41 and my group mainly is 35 to 44 age group. We're all moms. Most of us have two children. Most of our children under ten, which is me.00:12:29:10 - 00:12:53:04UnknownI have a ten and a seven and a half year old. And I, I will say I speak their language. And what I'm yes, the reason I'll get the call oftentimes is I understand this is going to be a shit show of us selling our own small townhome, upgrading to a bigger house. We got kids and dogs and there's like toy throw up all of our house and yeah, like we don't know what to do, but they call me because I understand it and I've lived it.00:12:53:04 - 00:13:14:07UnknownI mean, we've moved nine times this year to military. I'm going to gas you guys are up like Quantico or not. Yeah, no. As it's medically retired now, but and then I have two children and I'll say one has ADHD and autism and my other son is has ADHD as well. But it's like, I understand this like, yeah, it's going to be a shitshow.00:13:14:09 - 00:13:33:06UnknownYes, it is, but I can help you with it. And they feel comfortable with me and, and, and I will say it's always the wife that calls me, never the husband. But also when people are relocating into the area, the name of my group, the secret sauce to it is if you're going to start a group, it has to be your city, town, county, neighborhood in the name.00:13:33:06 - 00:13:49:13UnknownSo mine is loud and moms because I live in London County. So whether you're Dallas, Texas or Sacramento or whatever, you know, it should be moms or community group or whatever. But what happens is people that are relocating to our area, which we have a lot of government here near D.C., so people are relooking all the time. The first thing is the white kids on the computer.00:13:49:15 - 00:14:09:19UnknownShe searches for Moms group in our area. So I get all the relocation people because smart because they know they're they're searching this area and they find my moms group so I'm super smart. And what are the first questions that somebody who's moving into an area asks where the schools, how are the neighborhoods? Because my kids go outside and play at the park.00:14:09:21 - 00:14:27:09UnknownIs it safe? Daycare? Yeah. Where's the daycare? How much does it cost? Right. So like you could see the content strategy, but that's just stuff you're talking about anyways, isn't it? As you live lives, are you really thinking that hard or are you really just being you? Yeah. And a percent and I have content, I have a kind of a calendar and I have a content strategy.00:14:27:09 - 00:14:46:20UnknownAnd I will say I rotate my question. I have questions that I will post in a group. So stay active and there are questions that I'll post like I want. And some of them I'll do just a data data mine, my group, because I want to know. So sometimes I'll post what's the one thing in your town today, whether it's here that you want to change?00:14:46:20 - 00:15:07:09UnknownIf you could change anything about your home today, what's the one thing you would change? And it's so golden because people will comment, Oh, we're having a new baby and he knows how to get kind of smile. Okay, There's a lead. Yeah, you're just like ending. And if I know your name, I probably got your email when you joined the group with you gave it to me and or and, or I can kind of look you up in the database with our MLS.00:15:07:10 - 00:15:25:24UnknownI can find you. And so it's, it's positioning it's you're able to data mine and find people in your group that will be leads for you. Yep. Which is really easy to do. So let's get we get the group and let's get into contact now I'm the folks by okay so we have a you know you have a group, you have a group people.00:15:25:24 - 00:15:48:07UnknownNow can you tell them why forming a group is so important versus just posting them on your personal page or a business page first? Yeah. And so about it was in June of this year. I had Home Depot on the first weekend, I think Lowe's as the first Saturday of every month, they do a kids workshop. I was on my way and I posted this on my Facebook business pages.00:15:48:07 - 00:16:03:18UnknownI'm on my way to a listening appointment. It's the first Saturday my kids want. I forget what it was, I think was like a treasure box or something. We go to many times in a year and I'm hanging out with my kids, make it a treasure box on my way to a listing appointment. And I took pictures of me and the kids at Home Depot putting this thing together, and my husband did most of the work, I'll be honest.00:16:03:20 - 00:16:19:10UnknownAnd I posted on my business page, I think 100 people saw it if even I posted it in the group. So first of all, they were saying, I'm a mom, I'm relatable. There's a free activity going on right now which is giving value. Number three is he she's a real estate agent because she's going to a let's an appointment in Ashburn on her way.00:16:19:10 - 00:16:44:01UnknownThis is what she's doing in my group. Over 6000 people saw it. So 6000 people saw it. A ton of people commented and interacted with the post versus a hundred people on my business page. And the reason why is Facebook is pushing more people towards groups. They're putting a ton of money towards community and building community. And yeah, I could have put on my page and boosted it or didn't add to it, but this was organic free traffic.00:16:44:02 - 00:16:59:16UnknownAnd so people not only know I'm a mom, I'm relatable, but I'm a real estate agent. So it was free advertising, love it, ongoing content, like there's 30 days in a month, guys. So when you're creating a content calendar, it's on an annual and it's 30 times 12. It's a lot more easier to like, get your head around that right?00:16:59:16 - 00:17:17:11UnknownDon't don't fucking don't put yourself out the window before you even get in the car right. So walk me through like how you do your content strategy. Like, what do I post? What's the best stuff to post and groups? What's the cadence? Frequency all the above. Go ahead and spill the beans. So I look at my insights, right?00:17:17:11 - 00:17:31:12UnknownAnd I look at it a month that it's time I have some posts that I know are really popular and I'll and I keep a it's not fancy. It doesn't have to be fantastic. I have a Google sheet. It's like a word doc in Google and I keep track of like what was really popular and I'll put an asterisk around it.00:17:31:17 - 00:17:49:20UnknownSometimes it's it's community based, right? So hey, there is this reactivity or this, this new pizza parlor that's opening. Some of it is just engagement post like drop your like drop your favorite gif of how your morning went with your kids. People love that. Like, who doesn't have their favorite gift of a you know, because no one's morning ever goes great.00:17:49:20 - 00:18:09:00UnknownI mean, my house never does. And so I sprinkle in a little bit that spring on a little bit of real estate and I also one thing in my group is I have guides. So if you're relocating to the area, there's a relocation guide. If you're looking to buy a house, there's a buyer's guide and it's linked to my My idea site.00:18:09:02 - 00:18:27:20UnknownIf you're thinking of selling, there's a seller's guide and it's linked to my What's your homework that my broker gives us. So I get all those leads. I have guides for even more community based things like the ten things. You know, when you're interviewing a daycare in the area different and things like best parks, best firework locations, best going into fall, best pumpkin patches, stuff like that.00:18:27:20 - 00:18:48:05UnknownAnd I'll post that stuff in there, not only excuse me as a content, but it's also giving back to your community and providing value. Yep. And every single like here's the thing with like you guys years are real estate agents, right? You sell houses, but you don't sell the house before you sell the community. The house like is on, right?00:18:48:05 - 00:19:00:21UnknownSo that when it comes to content strategy, it's really just be a fucking tour guide. Like, let's not overthink this. Like literally just be a tour guide in this case, like, I'm looking at like you could be on a showing and just to give you guys some ideas, as a mom, how does the mob go to market it?00:19:01:02 - 00:19:22:17UnknownWell, showcase take pictures of yourself in the cutest kids rooms. The next houses you're going in, right? Focus on how far the communities are. You know, when when you sell a house, it's no longer just listed, just sold. It's going to be more like probably, hey, the Jones family just moved in here and their kids are just about to start Carillo Elementary School for the first time and they're relocating them.00:19:22:17 - 00:19:44:23UnknownHey, guys, can you give them a warm welcome like it's about if you realize everything she's doing is just storytelling and stuff she's already doing, and she's just taken this little six inch device out of her purse and snapping it and documenting it. That's what social media is, isn't it? It is. And you know, it like even just like the pumpkin patches.00:19:44:23 - 00:19:56:07UnknownI don't know how many moms are relocating or moving or in our area. And they're like, oh my God, thank you so much for this thing. It's like it's like my AM and five minute to Google research all. We just update it once a year. I've done it. We did it one year and we just kind of recycle it.00:19:56:07 - 00:20:12:24UnknownObviously, we have to tweak a few things, but it's providing value and they appreciate it and they know that I know what I'm talking about, right? So it builds up that know like and trust factor within the group. And then like I said, yeah, it's a little bit of real estate, but not raising my hand like I'm a real estate.00:20:13:01 - 00:20:28:06UnknownIt's real estate, it's value based like community things and it's a little bit of fun and engagement. I like to have a little bit of fun. That's why we do it. Like drop your favorite gift or, you know, my morning was a shit show when I was your and people do. That's the best you to get the region.00:20:28:08 - 00:20:43:10UnknownYeah, the best the best contents. Probably like when you're before your shower, your hair is all over the place. You got bags underneath your eyes. You look like shit and you're in your pajamas, right? That's going to be the video or the content that performs the best. And the reason is because everyone can relate to it. We all been there, and that's the key.00:20:43:10 - 00:20:59:13UnknownI was like, Authenticity is what always attracts. And if you can't find a way to be authentic, you just have the wrong brand or you need to dial it in, right? Like you have to be able to be you to do this successfully because if you weren't a mom, would. How hard would this be to do like you could it?00:20:59:15 - 00:21:14:23UnknownI can't run house group Yeah I can't wear on your mom's group before you even though I get it, I understand exactly what you're doing. I would be a fraud. Yeah, and there is some ages I've seen Start them in like you're not a mom and you're in a No offense, but it's like you're early. 28 year ago.00:21:14:23 - 00:21:34:07UnknownYou haven't lived this life. You don't understand this. And when clients talk to you about selling their house with children, you're not going to be able to have that conversation. Like I can with. Yeah, I know there's 23 up in every room of my house and you have to hide it, like shove it in something. So when people are showing your house, they don't see it everywhere and you know, it's it's been relatable.00:21:34:07 - 00:21:49:19UnknownAnd so whether I mean, maybe you're not a mom, maybe you're, you know, your military spouse or maybe you there was another agent I talked to recently. They have a foodie group in their area. They just love food. That's love. That's great. A ton of people joining that group and they're just and different restaurants because they're a foodie.00:21:49:22 - 00:22:04:19UnknownBut I'm not a flipside. Yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah. But I mean, that's like, you know, we do a ton of business owner interviews and they lead to a ton of business, offer a lot of referrals just because it's not about telling people what you do, it's about reminding them what you do and when people are going to buy or sell.00:22:04:19 - 00:22:26:16UnknownLike, let's just do the numbers on your group. All right? Out of those 12,000 members you have, how many of them are local to Is it London and louder, It's a Virgin Virginia. Get loud moms like that would be fun. You got the loud and moms That's cool and that and that one yeah How many are local in the area would you guess?00:22:26:22 - 00:22:46:06Unknown12,000 members in our county. There's a little over 500,000 people. Okay. So out of these 12,000 members are. You think they're all live in this area? I'm listening to a few are relocation. So maybe they're outside of the state and they're just getting digesting content And what's the county about that almost, I would say probably 95% live here.00:22:46:08 - 00:23:12:08UnknownSo here's an an I don't know if you mind sharing these, but like what type of how many how much business is coming out of this thing. Last year did $22 million in sales. Damn. I mean, what's the average sales price for single family? About seven 5800. And then like a townhome about 500,000. So out of those 12,000 members, these are the stats because none of the stuff is theory that we're talking about a lot of people's big oh, branding is theory.00:23:12:08 - 00:23:36:05UnknownHow do you measure it? You'll never be able to exactly measure it, but 10 to 15% of those 12,000 members are moving this year. Most don't know it as she stated earlier, some of them are going to get pregnant, have to upgrade their house. Some are working to get relocated out of the area. But 100% of the people within that group, all 12,000 members of them, have the ability to refer you at least one deal per year.00:23:36:07 - 00:23:55:14UnknownSo it's never about trying to reach 300,000 people. That's the mentality that happens when you go to like the Mike vary conference isn't like oh go sell cold pork all and then until you're blue in the face right and just want to shoot yourself but out of these you don't need a large database. You need an engaged one guys, because 100% of the 12,000 people know someone who's moving.00:23:55:18 - 00:24:13:03UnknownBut just out of those 12,000 people, 10 to 15% of them are moving themselves and most of them don't even know it. Yeah, those are the industry stats. So it's not a matter of if people move, it's a matter of when because it's a life event. And despite whether the interest rates are going to at 8%, 7%, 12%, 20%, who cares?00:24:13:05 - 00:24:33:06UnknownPeople are still going to have life events that cause them to move. And the easiest way and the least expensive way is to attract them. Exactly. And I nurture that. And you have to nurture these people, too. I mean, I had a client this year that called me. Is it I mean, getting your emails once a week for three years, but now we're ready to sell our buy one.00:24:33:06 - 00:24:48:16UnknownAnd so it's it's staying in front of them because they may not be buying or selling today, but they will. And if you keep saying in front of them, they're going to they're going to realize it's all it is. How long how much does it cost you to stay in an email, contact with them, and then it cost you any extra time over that three year period.00:24:48:18 - 00:25:04:04UnknownSo I just so this last 15 months, I started doing a weekly email and I had to be honest, I am not the best writer, so I had a copywriter help me with it. I came up with the content what I wanted. I mean, anyone could use like chat, CBT or something like that if you really wanted to.00:25:04:06 - 00:25:25:21UnknownSo I paid the the copywriter. It was about $1,000 for the emails. Not bad. And then I have them in a we use active campaigns, I've got them in an email system. And so I mean, we're talking it's an hour maybe it costs me $1,000 to stay in front end to do that. And those e-mails are going to get kind of recycled after the 15 months is over.00:25:25:21 - 00:25:43:23UnknownSo it's not that expensive. And then I just throw one event per year. It's not that expensive. So let's break these two down email. It's emails. So many people don't nurture an email like we we nurture one. Our whole our whole system is one video email month with your face talking just about community events, local news and whatnot.00:25:43:23 - 00:26:01:21UnknownRight. And it's not it's just about the the reminding touch but emails another channel because you can't assume there's so many people who are just on social media like, oh, I'm just on Facebook. That's all I need. I just need Facebook. No, you don't. You're missing a lot of other opportunity are using direct mail to by any chance.00:26:01:23 - 00:26:18:03UnknownYes. So I have an email. All right. I'm sorry, a postcard that goes out once a month and then I kind of tweak it every once if I see people having like so I see people having life events and things. We start having my and then my son will go through and look at the tax roll and kind of go, okay, well, I know they live in this town.00:26:18:03 - 00:26:37:02UnknownSo this, you know, Susie Q has got to be that Susie Q in this town. And then we start mailing them content like it air, land and sea. And I might as well just take a commercial break because that is exactly what referral suite does. We help market your database through video email, direct mail and give you all the social media content each month so you can stay in front of them and take an omnipresent approach.00:26:37:02 - 00:26:58:13UnknownSo people stop forgetting you're in real estate. Back to show. So this is really, really, really interesting. I love it. This is my entire business model. Always has been. I love what you're doing. Like this is I just it's fantastic. And I wish more people would implement exactly what you're doing because it's not rocket science, is it now?00:26:58:13 - 00:27:18:04UnknownAnd it's free. You don't need to pay to do is a Facebook group and backed it. The last few years I've been getting asked from a lot of agents around the country like, how do you do this? Can you help me set up a group and things like that? So I actually just transitioned into doing I have a course on how to set up your Facebook group, how to grow your Facebook group, because that's what everyone's scared about.00:27:18:04 - 00:27:34:05UnknownLike no one's going to join. They will join if it's set up right and you have good content and it's named appropriately. And then I talk about how to nurture your group and how to utilize it to get leads, because ultimately that's that's why you're setting up the group is you're building your know like and trust factor so that you can get leads and they'll call you to help them buy or sell a house or rent.00:27:34:07 - 00:28:02:04UnknownYeah, it's just a matter of when they do. I mean, literally, guys, it is. And the bigger the group goes, the more engaged is, the better. But I want you to catch one other thing that she said and then we could get this week wrapped up a she's she's disciplined and building an audience you guys and you have to you don't know when the person on that list or the individual senior email is ever ever even going to return the favor.00:28:02:04 - 00:28:21:03UnknownIt's not about that but it's about and it's not also about trying to sell them something with every bit of communication. It's about trying to add value with every bit of communication and just sort of small little jab. Hey, don't forget I'm in real estate. Don't forget I'm in real estate. Hey, guess what? I'm in real estate. Don't forget to say you don't need to say it right.00:28:21:03 - 00:28:41:12UnknownYou could do this stuff just by simply inferring it. And you can't always talk about work with your list, with your database. You can't talk about work all the time with social media. Your wife will divorce you if you do, and you need to actually, like, go out and nurture people with human related content. So my point is, is cut the commission breath stuff off.00:28:41:12 - 00:29:09:22UnknownIt's not going to work. It doesn't work. Commission breath is contagious. We feel it. We see it. People see it. More importantly, like it looks desperate. You don't need to do it, though. What other any other tips you want to add to this? Because this is. I think you nailed it. Yeah. I mean, if anything, I am always happy if anyone wants to figure out how to how to set up a group or has passions about it, they can go to groups to lead WSJ.com.00:29:09:24 - 00:29:25:16UnknownAnd I can you know, they can there's a free webinar. It's groups to leads back slash webinar, and you can get a little bit of information. And then we've I've also got the course if you want to dive into a little bit further and how do I nurture people and how do I data them by my groups who didn't get leads?00:29:25:18 - 00:29:44:24UnknownThat's on there as well. Script Slate.com. And because like I said, you know, I see so often real estate is like, I knew, I don't know what I'm doing and blah, blah, blah. And I don't have a lot of money to put towards marketing. I get it. I was there to start a Facebook or it's free, it's easy, and if you nurture it, it'll grow and you know, it may not it's not going to be one of the things.00:29:45:00 - 00:30:08:06UnknownBut you start today and you're these leads. It's the long game, right? Yeah. And I think so often we get distracted with shiny penny things, but if you play the long game and you're not standing up every time and saying, I'm a real estate agent and using it as a billboard, but using it smartly as a billboard for your business, the leads will come to you because people will see the genuine person and they get to know.00:30:08:06 - 00:30:23:00UnknownThey get to know you better, like people know and they know my kids. Like when they stop and see me on the street, they know that's great and or that's Madison. Creepy as it is, but or they'll say, Hey, you know, my son has the same vision thing that your son has, and they'll ask me questions, which leads into the conversation of real estate.00:30:23:02 - 00:30:43:08UnknownSo it's used, you know, using my own way. I'm using my children to get business, but it's because they know and like and trust me and I'm a mom and I'm relatable. And I'm also not that scary, right? I you know, I oftentimes will see, you know, people real estate they're really Salesians up. That may be something that's scary to some of these people, whereas I'm just more approachable in my jeans, just hanging out.00:30:43:08 - 00:31:04:02UnknownThey can come and approach me and ask me questions. So it's about being relatable to your target audience. And my target audience is a mirror of me. Yeah, well put. That's a that's a really good way to look at your target audience is a mirror of yourself because people hang out with people just like them. It's just the way we're wired, you know, You don't go out and hang out with someone completely opposite of you.00:31:04:02 - 00:31:21:09UnknownLike you don't see me on Friday nights hanging out with the dude, with the shaved head, tats, earrings and doing drugs all night, you know, like, that's not my crowd. So it's like, Come on, guys, I pick your crowd. You know what your crowd is? Just be you love it. This is a really good episode. And folks, if you like exactly what should go check her out.00:31:21:13 - 00:31:44:00UnknownIt's groups two leads dot com. Check out the Facebook group and whatnot and we appreciate you listening Another episode if you really liked the content we talked about, I want you to go visit referral suite dot com as referral sweet e-comm and it's a database referral marketing system. All it is, it's very simple. It takes about an hour, 2 hours, maybe maximum to utilize and it'll keep you in front of your databases through direct mail, video, email and social media.00:31:44:00 - 00:31:59:23UnknownAnd you won't have to think about what to say because we even give you that to build the audience. It's the only recession proof business model there is. I've been in I gave you this with the last 20 years of experience, guys, so go visit that and check out Laura stuff. She shared a lot of valuable content today.00:32:00:00 - 00:32:19:06UnknownThanks. Listen other up, so don't forget to subscribe like CUBIT and visit us on the rest of our social channel and we'll see you guys next week. Picks. Thank you for watching another episode of the Real Estate Marketing Do Podcast. If you need help with video or finding out what your brand is. Visit our website at WW w dot real estate marketing dude dot com.00:32:19:09 - 00:32:34:23UnknownWe make branding and video content creation simple and do everything for you. So if you have any additional questions, visit the site, download the training and then schedule time to speak with the dude and get you rolling in your local marketplace. Thanks for watching another episode of the podcast. We'll see you next time.

In this episode of Portfolio Paulse Podcast, Vance Lowe, CEO of Private Banking Strategies,® explains how Infinite banking, or the Infinite Banking Concept (IBC), is a financial strategy that uses a whole life insurance policy as a personal banking system. It allows individuals to borrow from their policy's cash value for investments, debt payments, and … Continue reading Portfolio Pulse Podcast – Guest Vance Lowe, CEO of Private Banking Strategies® →

Everybody knows Lowes fashion warehouse here in Australia. It's great! Great clothing. Well apparently there's a Lowe's in America. It's business is in home improvements, hammers, nails, racks, spanners, etc. The start of the Rugby league season next year in Vegas, represents a fantastic opportunity for commercial partnerships, Lowes meet Lowe's.

It's easy to forget the power of real, human connections. But it's those deep relationships, the ones that grow and evolve, that can truly change our lives and lead to unexpected success.   In today's episode, we converse with the dynamic Jayson Lowe, who discusses his transformative experiences with influential mentors like Nelson Nash, Dan Sullivan, Matt Lovelady and Joe Polish. Jayson underscores the profound impact a single mentor can have on both personal and professional growth, attributing his company's booming $30 million success to invaluable advice and unwavering mentorship. His heartwarming story of transcending family financial struggles to achieve freedom of time, purpose, relationships, and money is a testament to the immeasurable potential one can achieve when supported by the right people. Moreover, Jason's innovative profit-sharing model at his companies beautifully showcases how entrepreneurs can integrate purpose and profits, resulting in both enriched employee experiences and community impact.   If you've been seeking the secret ingredient to catapult your business to the next level, discover how nurturing meaningful relationships might just be the key you've been missing. Listen in, get inspired, and reimagine the power of connections.   [00:00 – 18:30] The Idea Behind Infinite Banking Jayson specializes in implementing the "infinite banking concept" to positively impact people's lives financially. The story of a family who benefited from this concept during a tragedy highlights the profound impact Jason's work can have. Building strong relationships and serving others are key principles for Jayson, leading to his success and mentorship by influential figures like R. Nelson Nash.   [18:31 – 28:51] Purpose-Driven Profits Relationships and mentors have a significant impact on personal and financial growth. Jayson's mentors contributed to a 1600% increase in income. Continuous learning and avoiding the "arrival syndrome" are crucial. There's always more to discover and improve upon. Prioritizing profit first, sharing it with the team, and allowing them to give back fosters a positive and fulfilling work environment.   [28:52 – 30:40] Closing Statements Follow Jayson on LinkedIn and Facebook. Also, be sure to check his webpage at https://www.ascendantfinancial.ca and https://www.wealthwithoutbaystreet.com   Thanks for tuning in!    If you liked my show, please LEAVE A 5-STAR REVIEW, like, and subscribe!    Find me on the following streaming platforms: Apple Spotify Google Podcasts IHeart Radio Stitcher     Tweetable Quotes   "Serve the people, not the money." – Jayson Lowe   "Don't ever be convicted, guilty of giving up on yourself." – Jayson Lowe  

Join Tyler Lowe for our Sunday Evening Service, where he discusses the beginning steps that lead to catastrophe in our walk with Christ.

September14, 1994 - The remainder of the baseball season is canceled by actingcommissioner BudSelig after 34 days of theplayers' strike. The last 50 games of the season and post season were cancelleddue to the strike called by the Players Association and their leader Don Fehr.The World Series would not be played for the first time in 90 years. The strikewas finally ended by a ruling from future Chief Justice Sonia Sotomayor. September14, 1923: Red Sox first baseman George Burns completes an unassisted tripleplay against the Indians as he gathers in a Frank Brower line drive, tags RubeLutzke coming from first, andbeats Riggs Stephenson back to second. September14, 1980, in a 10 - 7 win over the Cubs, Lee Mazzilli homers to break a droughtfor Mets. It is the team's first homer in 175 2/3 innings, going back to August26 when Claudell Washington homered. This would be the longest drought for therest of the century. September14, 1990: Mariner Ken Griffey, Sr. and his son, Ken Griffey, Jr., become thefirst father and son to hit homers in the same major league game. Theback-to-back blasts are given up by Angel hurler Kirk McCaskill. September14, 2002, Derek Lowe wins his 20th game as the Red Sox beat the Orioles, 6 - 4.Lowe becomes the first pitcher in history to win 20 games the season aftersaving 20. He is also the first to record at least 40 saves and later win 20games. Dennis Eckersley and John Smoltz did it the other way around.

Brace yourself as we dissect the rules governing Brigadoon, the peculiar village that has been Fiona's home since the 1700s. We discuss the mind-boggling concept of Brigadoon appearing only once every hundred years and its ability to be accessed by outsiders only when they're in love. Are you ready to learn more about the 1966 movie version of Brigadoon or the unpredictable trials and tribulations of Tommy and Jeff in Shmigadoon, Brigadoon's counterpart? We've got all that and more, including an intriguing look at a possible alternate universe fanfic. The episode concludes with a harmonious exploration of Brigadoon's impressive musical score. We unpack the charm of unforgettable tracks like Fiona's 'I Want a Laddie', Charlie's 'Go Home With Bonnie Jean', and the heart-rending 'There But For You Go I'. Finally, we rank Lerner and Lowe musicals and share our mixed feelings about Brigadoon. Oh, and did we mention an unexpected detour through the Columbo episode Agenda for Murder? All this packed into one episode! So, come along and join us on this magical musical journey. (0:00:06) - Intro (0:11:16) - Understanding the Concept of Brigadoon (0:19:59) - Shmigadoon, Brigadoon, Failed Couples and Patrick Wilson (0:33:21) - Musical Score in Brigadoon (0:44:20) - Brigadoon and Musical Tier List Discussion (0:49:33) - Discussion on Brigadoon and Colombo (0:59:50) - The Impact of Columbo on Viewers Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

09-10-23 Sunday Morning Worship Experience

Chris Kocek, Founder and CEO of Gallant Branding defines innovation as a fresh perspective on the world and a novel way to frame questions. This conversation explores how perceptions shape innovation and delves into the synergy between qualitative and quantitative approaches in the insight-driven innovation space. More about our guest:His company, Gallant Branding, a creative branding firm in Austin, Texas focused on building brands for a better world.  Over the past 10 years, Gallant has helped dozens of companies with brand overhauls, new product launches, and data-driven campaigns, resulting in triple digit growth and national recognition.Prior to starting Gallant, Chris worked as a strategic planner at BBDO New York and GSD&M, developing nationally recognized campaigns for iconic brands and highly respected nonprofits, including AARP, Monster.com, Lowe's Home Improvement, Hyatt Hotels, Ace Hardware, John Deere, and The Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation. While he currently spends most of his time working closely with clients to help them tackle their biggest branding challenges, he is also a public speaker and frequent guest lecturer on strategy and insights at colleges around the country. His talks on creativity and innovation have been featured at strategic marketing symposiums as well as TEDxYouth@Austin.Know more about her and her company here:Chris KocekGallant BrandingChris' Personal BlogChris' X (formerly Twitter)------------------------------------------------------------Episode Guide:1:28 - What is Innovation?1:55 - Breaking down patterns5:19 - The problem of falling inlove with solutions7:41 - Authenticity vs Perfectionism10:14 - Missing the moment12:21 - The value chain15:13 - The napkin sketch commitment16:33 - What isn't innovation: innovation isn't creativity17:40 - Separating innovation and creativity21:29 - What keeps you busy?22:34 - Experiences that shaped the innovation approach26:12 - Advice to innovators--------------------------OUTLAST Consulting offers professional development and strategic advisory services in the areas of innovation and diversity management.

Carling's 'Dambusters'.Fallon McElligott's Lee Jeans.BMW's 'Birth of A Notion'.Saatchi's Dunlop'.Webster's Hofmeister Bear.Lowe's Heineken.June Whitfield's Birds Eye.Hegarty's 'Levi's Russia'.Alka Seltzer's 'Lifeboat'.Etc,Etc,Etc.

My personal favorite version of Peggy-O is that sung by Ben Hoffman at the Crater Lake campfire bowl in 2011.  My second favorite version is by Nicholas Edward Williams, on his album titled Folk Songs For Old Times' Sake. Third favorite is a reggae version by Goose on The Summit. For the rest of the story - check out today's episode with special guest host Jo Bob of Camp Kids Podcast!Support the show

Tynee Talks to Children's Book Author and Book Publisher, Ren Lowe, about "Finding your magic." Ren and her daughter, Kam, are the co-authors of the children book, "My Magical Brown Unicorn." Ren tells us about her childhood, tapping into your imagination, and following your dreams. This episode is brought to you by: SZN 7 Sponsor: 810 TACOS Seasoning 810 Tacos is a premium seasoning pack made with 9 high-quality, fresh spices that are low in sodium and maxed out in flavor! "Made for tacos, Delicious on Everything!" Use Code: TYNEETALKSTACOS and receive FREE SHIPPING on orders $20 or more Sponsor Links: WEBSITE: https://810Tacos.com INSTAGRAM: www.instagram.com/810Tacos Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/810Tacos Guest Links: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorRenLowe Website: www.brownunicornpublishing.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/renloweauthor ** Host (Tynee Talks) Links: Linktr.ee/tyneetalks Facebook: www.facebook.com/tyneetalks/ Instagram: Instagram.com/tyneetalks Twitter: @tyneetune Shop Tynee Talks Merchandise: shop.spreadshirt.com/tynee-talks www.shoptyneetalks.bigcartel.com Support Tynee Talks Podcast by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/tynee-talks Find out more at http://tyneetalks.com This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

While Gerry is away Jordy is sitting back in the hottest welcoming our guest Rory Lowe. Subscribe to the Patron here: https://www.patreon.com/muggoff Merch: https://muggoff.square.site/#AEHRnb Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@muggmeoff69 Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@themuggoffpodcast6808See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Gotta sing, gotta dance! This week we look at a bunch of different musicals that the guys have Enjoyed through the years. It's a rare Enjoy Stuff look at the stage with the evolution of musicals through the years and how they've changed. Plus, why Shua would ever be cast as Big Jule. No understudies needed for this week's Enjoy Stuff!   The neon lights are bright and magic is in the air! Jay and Shua look back at decades of fun musicals.    News LeVar Burton is preparing a new Trivial Pursuit game show and will even be the host! It's my way or the High Way as Jake Gyllenhaal stars in a Roadhouse reboot We're looking forward to a new book about the making of the movie Airplane! by Zucker, Abrahams, and Zucker RIP Jimmy Buffet   Check out our TeePublic store for some enjoyable swag and all the latest fashion trends What we're Enjoying Shua and his wife have been revisiting the Harry Potter movies. The timing was right for them to even see a few at the Alamo Drafthouse with a pack of Potterheads. Jay is enjoying the new Disney+ series Ahsoka. While there are many aspects of the show that might go over the heads of anyone unfamiliar with Rebels or Clone Wars, it's still got some pretty cool stuff. Sci-Fi Saturdays/MCU Location Scout Jay has been updating a ton of locations from Marvel TV and movies, including all the (now canon) Spider-Man films. Play around with the interactive map on MCULocationScout.com. And stay tuned for some upcoming 31 Days of Horror film articles from Sci-Fi Saturdays on Retrozap.com. Plus, you can tune in to  SHIELD: Case Files where Jay and Shua break down each episode of the Loki series.     Enjoy Musicals!  We may not live in a multiverse where we break out in song every time we get emotional about something, but we can sure visit one every now and then. Musicals have been around for more than 100 years. Gilbert and Sullivan gave us some of the first great ones in the format we know today, but they have expanded and evolved throughout the years.   Certainly too many to include in one episode of Enjoy Stuff, but Jay and Shua remember some of the biggest and most influential. Artists like Rodgers and Hammerstein, Lerner and Lowe, and Andrew Lloyd Weber have written sprawling epics that have played on Broadway for decades and spawned movies, (and a lot of High School adaptations). Have fun with us as we revisit stories of watching and even participating in some musicals this week.   Are you interested in musicals? Ever played a part in one? First person that emails me with the subject line, “I loved it! It was better than Cats” will get a special mention on the show.  Let us know. Come talk to us in the Discord channel or send us an email to EnjoyStuff@RetroZap.com  

Listen to our episode on Perilunate Injuries as Dr. Dunn gives us an excellent overview! Dr. Dunn is a nationally recognized sub-specialist upper extremity and nerve surgeon, who is an Assistant Professor of Surgery at Uniformed Services University and a Clinical Associate Professor of Surgery at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center. Dr. Dunn graduated with a degree in Molecular Biology from Colgate University. While at Colgate, Dr. Dunn was named a Lowe's All American in Division I NCAA athletics. Dr. Dunn then earned his medical degree at Michigan State. He completed his orthopaedic surgery residency at William Beaumont Army Medical Center where he was named the chief resident, researcher of the year, and distinguished resident of the year. Dr. Dunn then completed a hand and microvascular surgery fellowship at the prestigious Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. In 2018 Dr. Dunn was bestowed the Mazurek Award – which is given to the top orthopaedic surgeon scholar in the United States Military. Dr. Dunn also served as chief of orthopaedics in Operation Inherent Resolve in Baghdad, Iraq.  Learn more about Dr. Dunn at www.johndunnmd.com Goal of episode: To develop a baseline knowledge on Perilunate Injuries. We cover: wrist ligament anatomy Perilunate Injury mechanism physical exams wrist imaging non-operative treatment operative treatment option operative techniques Show notes at : www.naileditortho.com/perilunate This episode is sponsored by OJM Financial Group Do you want to make $20 for 5 minutes of your time?  David Mandell is a 3-time guest on this podcast and his firm has designed a survey to learn what young doctors care about when it comes to finances.  The first 30 of you who complete the survey get a $20 Amazon gift card.  20 bucks for 5 minutes. Not bad! To get a link to the survey, just text GET20 to 844-418-1212. Thats G-E-T-2-0 to 844-418-1212.  OR click the link below  https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Lkpo3knKzKlTN_49I84N1TCdHvu5DFdW/view?usp=drive_link Or you can scan this code  

Last week, the departing RBA Central Bank Governor Philip Lowe used his final public comments given at the Anika Foundation to defend his more controversial comments, saying while some of his explanations had “missed the mark” the media also had a responsibility to avoid “clickbait”. But he also highlighted the limitations of monetary policy and … Continue reading "The Limitations Of Monetary Policy (And What Lowe Does Next…)"

#FenceFam I brought on some HEAVY HITTERS for the second episode of the Las Vegas Fence Show!!! Al, Mary, Monica, and Mark Olson jump on for an awesome episode live from the Las Vegas Fence show!!!   Cheers! Remember to like, share, comment, and REVIEW!     Fence Workers Association Registration: Sign up for free at FenceWorkers.org NOW!!!   Mr. Fence Companies:  Mr. Fence https://gomrfence.com Mr. Fence Tools https://mrfencetools.com Mr. Fence Academy https://mrfenceacademy.com ...Remember to tell Shawn #TeamRed sent you!!!   Episode Links: @TheFenceIndustryPodcast @RiverCityFence1985 TheFenceIndustryPodcast@gmail.com   StainAndSealExperts.com @stainandsealexperts on IG Stain & Seal Experts on YouTube Stain and Seal Expert's Staining University on FB   Greenwood Fence CALL LISA NOW!!! #630-359-3328 Tell her Dan from The Fence Industry Podcast Sent You!!! greenwoodfence.com IG @greenwood_fence FB Greenwood Fence   Nationwide Industries, Fence Pro's #1 Choice for Hardware Solutions nationwideindustires.com IG @nationwideindustries FB Nationwide Industries   FenceNews Visit fencenews.com    Ozark Fence & Supply promo code: TFIP15 for 15% off! Free Shipping! Orders over $250 ozfence.com   Benji with CleverFox for all your FENCE website needs! cleverfox.online.com

In the face of climate change, threats that seem bigger than our capacity for change can leave you feeling a specific kind of terror. Anita Lowe Taylor says it even has a name. This Perspective originally aired in March 2020.

Market Proof Marketing · Ep 301: There's No Toenails In Our Carpet!In this episode, Andrew Peek is joined by Julie Jarnagin and Beth Russell! Andrew weathered a hurricane in Florida which prompts the three of them to list off selling points in homes for Florida residents. Together, they discuss desperate marketing methods that can lead to a negative impact on potential buyers and also lead to consumers pushing for more out of their builders.Story Time (05:47)Andrew is puzzled by a townhome construction company using a sign spinner to market their brand.Julie is hearing from builders that shoppers are pushing for more and more in there potential homes.Beths house closes this week so she is getting photos taken of it before they move in. News (26:01)Zillow-Redfin Partnership Increases Exposure for New-Construction Listings (https://www.nahb.org/blog/2023/08/zillow-redfin-partnership?utm_source=newsletter&utm;_medium=0828&utm;_campaign=MMB2023)Maui broker: Hanging up on vultures, holding on to hope (https://www.realestatenews.com/2023/08/23/maui-broker-hanging-up-on-vultures-holding-on-to-hope?mc_cid=e418b5c730&mc;_eid=0a5dca5654)Homebuyer mortgage demand picks up for 1st time in 6 weeks (https://www.inman.com/2023/08/30/homebuyer-mortgage-demand-picks-up-for-1st-time-in-6-weeks/?utm_source=mortgagebrief&utm;_medium=email&message;_id=32562139.109634&utm;_term=&utm;_campaign=MortgageBrief_20230830)Favorites/Hates (46:23)Beth is loving a sliced baguette with prosciutto, goat cheese and hot peach chutneyJulie's hate is the back to school germs but her favorite is Dayquil getting her through the podcast recording! Andrew is loving his cheap boom stand.Questions? Comments? Email show@doyouconvert.com or call 404-369-2595 and we'll address them on the next episode. More insights, discussions, and opportunities can be found at Do You Convert All Access or on the Market Proof Marketing Facebook group.Subscribe on iTunesFollow on SpotifyListen On StitcherA weekly new home marketing podcast for home builders and developers. Each week Kevin Oakley, Andrew Peek, Jackie Lipinski, Julie Jarnagin, and other team members from Do You Convert will break down the headlines, share best practices and stories from the front line, and perform a deep dive on a relevant marketing topic. We're here to help you – not to sell you!Transcript:JulieYeah. So how was the hurricane Andrew?AndrewIt was great. You know, it's kind of like you build up all this emotion and anticipate emotion and you don't really want anything to happen like you, don't you? Because that's. That's really terrible, right? But then you're like, Oh, we're not in it. Like, could it be a little bit rougher outside the wind, be a little bit stronger? That's terrible to say.AndrewBut like, sowe had, like, I don't know, 40 to 60 mile an hour winds, which really isn't that big a deal. It's a big deal because it's, you know, eight, ten, 12 hours. It just keeps going and going and going versus like a storm rolling through our biggest thing that happened. So I'm in Tampa Bay by the beaches.AndrewOne, I was we have the Alexis the show I the ones with a screen they're terrible. Oh yeah I think the.BethShow.AndrewEcho show whatever it is. Yeah. And so it shows like the news and I'm like, all these words they use are just like, oh, my goodness. Like, the rest of the world thinks we're. We're like, We're dead. It's awful. And basically from the truth, basically, basically. So meanwhile.BethPeople in Florida are actually writing rafts down.AndrewYeah, they're like having fun taking pictures, trying to get there's now like kind of viral spots that will always flood. And side note, they flood like, any time anyways. So, of course, a hurricane comes by and it looks really cool and floods all over the place, but it's in a flood anyways. So fortunately everything was all good. The kids had three days off of school, which is insane.AndrewHurricane days, great. Hopefully they there aren't too many more. I'll have to make them up and we start earlier. We get out sooner, so that's kind of annoying for some are plans where we will plan everything but I mean, I feel like it's the summit is coming up and then that means there's a hurricane. So hopefully this is one that's out of the way.AndrewI'm like, oh, it's going to July, It's going to die early because they all usually get it bad up over Louisiana compared to.JulieEither hits Andrew or it's me in Louisiana or yeah, somehow it goes to Texas, which has happened a few times too. But so far we've been lucky this year. But you know, knock on wood. So in Oklahoma, when I lived in Oklahoma, it was always when the weather guy pulled out his sparkly tie that were for sure getting hit with the tornado.BethThat is part of my.JulieYeah, it was like they were like, so excited and like, well, don't be quite this exciting.AndrewThese tornadoes are terrifying to me.JulieToo excited about them.AndrewYeah. Tornadoes aren't like, oh, we have a couple of days to plan and like, if it gets really bad because at least for us, like if it were to be really, really bad, we could go like 20, 30 miles east and you're fine. Like, it's still going to be really bad weather. But, you know, the hurricane force winds aren't, you know, as big as like the hurricane going through the whole southeast.AndrewLike it's like, you know, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60 miles from the center. So we could just go towards Orlando where the builder show is and be fine if it's it's hitting really rough for us. But a tornado. Like, here I am.JulieYeah, there's definitely a good warning with the hurricane, but it's hard for me because the hurricanes are like, should we go? Should we go? What's everybody else, do you know? Yeah. Yeah. So that's hard for me because we're, you know, newish down here. Six years, I guess.AndrewYeah. And after I get used to it, I'm sure there's. I think there's a paradox name for that where like, you prepare, you prepare, you prepare. Nothing happens eventually. Like, we're not doing anything. No one put their shutters up on our street, which last storm, everyone's like, Hey, you need help, Hey, you need help. And I was like, Forget that.AndrewBut what it it made me realize talking to people the next day. So we're in a 2019 KB home, 30 to 85. That'll be our floor plan. That's really great. It sounds like a car. Other than the defective flap on our van and our bathroom that keeps like, rats out, I guess. I don't know that. Like when it when, when there's when it's like, super annoying.AndrewJust like tapping on the house. Yeah. Other than that noise, like dead quiet. I mean, you heard the sound like a bin. Wake us up. So I'm like, This would be perfect marketing if someone wanted to even approach hurricane marketing with building. But it's it's a reality down here in Florida. Everyone else I talked to was like, Oh, my gosh, that storm was so loud.AndrewThe wind was howling. I'm like, Mm. It was really quiet in our house or like, you have new windows and like, yeah, they're like, well, what brands you get, like, I don't know, whatever, like fit the margins for the builder, which I'm sure they're, they're nice, they hit code but they're not going to be super premium windows at all.AndrewBut even then, like it was quiet, like that's worth it. As far as we had three kids, they didn't even wake up as a thing passed by. So big selling point for us. Florida people for sure is just like little bit, little bit ease and peace and quiet. So yeah let's well let's jump into a into story time actually.AndrewLet's get this thing started. So welcome to episode 301 and they are Dr. Andrew Speaker. And with me today is Beth Russell and Julie, Dani and Ariel. I read your 1300.JulieWe didn't start a new season. We talked about it, but we're at 301.AndrewWe got to keep going. We got to hit 1000. That's the next worth mentioning number, I think is thousand.Julie500, five.BethHundred, over 500 like it was in 500.Andrew500. It's like anniversary dates. Like which ones count? Like we'll be 13 years and February like doesn't count, right. 1315. So that's one.JulieUnlucky number 13. It's like the elevator floors. You just don't know. 13.AndrewMaybe we skip it. Then I'll tell her that we.BethDon't have to do anything that our building yesterday during our walk was like talking about how he was only married once and will only ever be married once. But it's because he got a divorce. I never wanted to get remarried and I was like, Oh, how many years even were you married? And he goes, 13. Oh no, I'll skip next year.Andrew13 Oh, Oh, yeah, yeah.BethInteresting.AndrewBut we got a 14. It's fine. Yeah, let's just not count anymore. It's all made up anyways, so let's do some stories. I'll do mine because mine's quick and fun and easy. There is a townhome project that is for sale, like maybe a two or three minute walk for me, brand new. And we don't have much new construction, so I've been watching it and we drive by it.AndrewIt's this shortcut on the way back to our house. So seeing the progress is fun and they look really nice. But here's the thing that is weird, and they have a sign spinner company they contracted to. Yeah, just. Yeah, bang your head on the keyboard. Same. Your instrument.JuliePerson standing.AndrewThere. Yeah, yeah, that's fine. Better like a really like, you know, top notch, like in person that you trust with your kids to watch or like no, you wouldn't trust this person to do anything with anything. I'm like, Why would you hire this company? And I pass by them every Saturday and Sunday. The spinner is out there standing there in the heat, 90 something degrees.AndrewI'm like, That's torture. This poor person having to sit out there like for 6 hours at a time. They have no teeth. And this is I'm not I sound very negative. I'm coming from the perspective of this is your brand and refreshed reflection of your brand. This is an interaction of your brand says I'll call the name said golf went homes and a sign looks really nice.AndrewAnd next you have this person holding it who maybe hasn't made the best choices. And that's where they're at in life. I don't know where I'm assuming a lot there, but you would not be wise to say, how am I hire that person to represent my brand? That's so weird to me. It's so strange. And the rest of the marketing really isn't that bad.AndrewLike the content they produce, like on Instagram and social to to show the homes off of their pictures are actually pretty decent. It's like, why did you make that decision? Yeah.BethIt it makes me think of I don't I'm doing a plug real quick. But for Carlos, the IT presentation at the summit, it's about consistency and that is like being inconsistent with your brand. Every everything is reflective of your brand and everything from the people you hire to choosing to do a sign spinner in the first place. All of that is reflective of your brand.BethAnd so that is that showing that you're lacking consistency can reflect a lot on and raise some red flags for people when they're pursuing working with you as a brand.AndrewYeah, that's the first perception. Is that the first impression? Yeah.JulieWe don't know the background of the story, but it sounds like it could be that the sales person in that neighborhood was maybe given some leeway to make some decisions or do something that sounds like something an onsite salesperson may want, but maybe not. Maybe you're.AndrewMom. I want to know. I think we are going to tour the model home this weekend just to go.JulieFind out more.BethGo undercover.JulieReport.AndrewIt, go undercover. I don't think they know me. Hopefully not through like I listen to the podcast and now on my poopy list because.BethYou think.AndrewI'm getting a haircut tomorrow. So does that count? I don't know. I'll shave my beard off of like, Oh, look at this little child coming in here. Oh, where's your.BethMother? See that?AndrewNow? I don't even want to see that. I don't know. Do the mustache. Do the mustache one time. Yeah, but I'm like, Oh, the sign spinners. And I feel more that most people are like, This person's in this heat. Oh, my goodness. Like, how why would you do that? Versus like, I think that'll be the first thought versus like, oh, that person looks like maybe not near the most trustworthy.AndrewWhere'd you find this guy? They'll be like, You really paid this person to stand out there in the heat for that long. Like, where's the cooler? Where's the water? Was there a.JulieWhat? If you're saying that it's like the owner's son or something.AndrewI'd feel terrible. And there's, like some challenges there that and this is actually like a good job for the person. I would. I'd feel.BethPretty good. But that's also horrible if they're not hydrating them like, say, that's like this beautiful store background story of like they help this guy out and he's out there spending this time with all these.AndrewGuys, very skilled.BethHigh grade him.AndrewRight.BethNow.AndrewIt's this one camera. It's not the well some propels whatever may be.BethGetting my case back like.AndrewYeah, hook them up look them up. But yeah it's it is strange but I a while back I'm like why didn't they just pre-sale. Why don't they just presale. But I see like maybe the way they had, you know, hopefully prices are still going up. There's very limited land where we are, so maybe that is maximizing profit revenue or maybe not.AndrewI don't know. We'll find out the story at some point, I hope.BethJulie But it's interesting, like from a case study perspective of your local person who has seen these homes go up, you know, it's rare that new homes are going up, albeit single family or townhome. So you're watching it. You're watching, you're waiting and maybe you're in the market. So you try to join a list or you've tried to reach out.BethAnd then that urgency is kind of killed. When you see something that's great, maybe it's not as nice as I thought it was. So yeah, it's it is an interesting case study.AndrewAnd they had some goofy stuff with Zillow, but that could be another. I'll save that for another story. Just some perception of like, Oh, that price looks so much lower than it actually is because it hits a different number of you. We'll do that one next week, I guess. Julie, What you got?JulieYeah. So we always talk about how we kind of hear the same things over and over this week. For me, it's been builders saying that home buyers are coming in and asking for everything they want, you know, price of a home and they want all the extra added features and they need an extra room and they need, you know, just all the things and so it was interesting to some were builders who were really struggling in the last month or two and some were like still doing okay.JulieAnd still hearing the same thing. So I have no data on this. So this is my theory. So you can you can disagree with me if you don't think so. I think one could be that there's a perception by some people that maybe it's a buyer's market right now, whether in their market, it really is or not. So they feel like, ooh, they're desperate.JulieLike I should ask for more. And I don't think we are helping ourselves by like putting all these kind of flash sale things on our websites. You know, I think that makes it look even more like they can ask for those things. My second is, and I think Kevin mentioned this on one of the meetings, that if people are going to my Oklahoma accent almost came out right there to hear it.JulieIf people I don't.AndrewKnow.JulieIf people are paying 7% or over, then they're like, if I'm going to pay this much, I want to get everything I could possibly want. Like I don't want to settle if I'm having to pay a premium right now. But yeah, you know, maxed out my monthly budget, then I want everything I want. And then my third theory is maybe if you just have a lot of nationals in your market and the nationals builders are starting to like throw stuff at people because they're just trying to get it off their books.JulieSo that's my theory. What, what do you all think is making people all of a sudden come in and start asking for more and more?AndrewMore?BethWell, I love what you said about like that high level messaging, you know, on the website screaming different sales, because I think it connects to what Andrea was talking about and how the perception that we're showing people. Right. The perception that we're giving off and it's this it reeks desperate in some cases when the high level or the early part of the sales funnel, you're saying, oh, we're going to give you this and we're going to give you that, well, then people are going to naturally push, especially when they're seeing all these things in the market about how terrible and how historic this market is.BethThey're going to try to see if they can if they can get more out of it. On average right now, I think the national average is 6% in concessions on spec homes. And there's some people probably more likely the the big box builders or even in like the the markets where people are having a bit of desperation where they're giving 9% or more in concessions to people to get these homes moving.BethSo I can't blame the buyer. But at the same time, we have to be aware that on the marketing end, what message are we sending to people and how much are they going to push back and what are they what are they going to take psychologically from this message?JulieAnd I think a lot of the sales people haven't ever had to deal with this, probably if they're have just been in the role in for a few years, I mean, before COVID and all that. So it's also I think, training people on how to deal with that if they come in and just want everything.BethOh, absolutely. It takes a lot of creativity from the sales side of things of how to I think the skill of negotiation has somewhat been lost through the process of COVID and people are slowly on the sales side from what we hear, trying to get it back. But it's, you know, this isn't something that they've run into before and it's really, truly unlike anything any of us have really run into before.BethSo there's a whole different bag of tricks that they have to start developing on the onsite side. And a lot of that is just core creative negotiation.AndrewMm hmm. Yeah, that's right. I think more one. Do we think it's a buyer's market or a seller's market? This is just.JulieWell, yeah.AndrewI don't know. I don't even know. It's like I think the market.JulieYeah, I, it, it's a market. I think it depends on the market and I think that Yeah, I wouldn't, I wouldn't call it a buyer's market. It's just, it's so dependent right now on where you are and what's happening I think.AndrewYeah.BethIt depends on who you talk to. A seller is going to tell you it's a seller's market and a buyer is going to tell you it's a buyer's market and it's just because it's a different perception of reality in either direction. And like you guys just both said, it really depends on where you are trying to.JulieAnd supply is still low, but demand is pretty low too. So it's just a different a different market than we've seen lately.AndrewYeah. You're saying that really maybe thinking that I'm like, what kind of market? It's this thing Like, it's. It's almost white out, you know, It's happening.BethBut identity crisis.AndrewIdentity crisis? Who am I? I don't know. Midlife crisis. But it made me think about, like so when prices were going up, they're going up because it still fit the monthly payment, right? Like, we'll just keep bumping the prices up because rates are 3%, three and half percent, two and a half or whatever percent. You kept going up because it still fit.AndrewIf you know the amount of people that can afford 2500 per month is ex cool, let's just keep going until those you know it's and it's siphoned off safe an office vast amount of people and we're really in the same spot it's just like well how less people can afford 2500 and then the combined monthly payment with the perceived value and so they're like, well, we're not going to spend 2500 or 28 or 2000, whatever number may be if they feel like they're not getting value out of it.AndrewSo they're asking for more asking for more. But it's always been about at least my brain. This could be completely incorrect. Whatever they can afford per month is going to be. That's your that is your market. That's how you could sell, too. So if you have people coming in and their cap is 2500 and all your homes based on the average down payment, based on what people can afford, is going to be 2800.AndrewWhile there's very few people that can move from 25 to 28, unless they're talking about negotiation baths, like are they actually being honest with how much they have? Maybe they have another 50 K over here, they probably don't or another ten K every year, or maybe they can move things around and just delay purchasing. They could pay off that credit card or like, Oh, their truck lease has gone in a few months.AndrewMaybe they could stage. Things were like, Ah, they don't have a car for a little bit. This is, this sounds like fraud. I'm saying fraud. Like, let's not get a new car for a couple of months. Now you can afford this house. And if you need to get a new car later or just just wait on that a little bit and all these conversations that are outside of my scope of of contacts, but it's all about the monthly payment is what I feel like.AndrewSo I think the value is where they're looking at. Julie As far as they're asking for more because they feel like I'm not getting that much home at the payment, that it has to be at 6% or 7%. Even so they I rather rent here because I have all these lifestyle resort luxury amenities that are actually better than than buying right now.AndrewSo I think marketing though, like I'm looking at a I'm a builder here. We're rolling back we're rolling back home prices over 250,000 in savings. Right? That's like kind of terrifying, right? That's like.BethWalmart question.AndrewYeah, rolling back. That's definitely a rollback of prices. I think even the smiley face rolls. I think that's a fair remember, we're rolling back prices, but that's like, oh gosh, like why better negotiate? Like, I better try to push the price down even if they don't offer. I think that's like training people to push the price down, try to get more.AndrewTry to get more. Try to get more.BethYeah. And then from a marketing and a high level like C-suite conversation of are we priced right in the market and are we you know we we've seen builders that out priced themselves purposely and then had to roll back their pricing in order to better fit in the market and adjusting pricing may not be the solution. It depends.BethBut going back to what you were saying, Andrew, is data was released recently that said post-tax median income wise, new home buyers are spending like up to 70% of their income on housing right now.AndrewI believe.BethAnd it's like because they have to if they need to move. Right. But that's where I have to.AndrewYeah, exactly. And I still think builders are not really marketing new versus used that way. Yeah. And that's always been a thing like I think we can buy we go back five, 300 episodes ago, 285 episodes go and be like, Oh, we need to sell new versus used new versus used. Like my example with the the windows or your windows are new.AndrewThe average hurricane decibels in your house will be 70 instead of 90. Well, that's a pretty that's like chainsaw versus a I don't know, microwave being on whatever the noises at the noise level for a hurricane. But I think that's still something that is still missed all over the place like new carpet. But what's his name? Quint Ren Lears what I was talking about that there's no toenails in our carpet.AndrewWhen I go look at those, there's nothing. You're like, Oh gosh, that's disgusting. There's no this, there's no that. But you're like, Oh, now that you say that, like lay on this carpet like it is clean. No one else has been on this carpet for the past.BethThis toilet hasn't leaked.AndrewThis toilet hasn't looked like all those things. I think that is like there's tons of value in that without having to go down in price or add more or give more concessions. Just if we talk about it a bit more.BethYeah. And in this market, more than ever, existing homes are looking at new homes as their competition because there's so little existing homes on the market everywhere that they have to.AndrewWhat fun, what a great market. It's like everything everybody. What's that on Reddit? Maybe people like it and it rates. It's a conference. The situation's like, well, you're the I don't want to say the word because I need like my own censoring. So it's like, Hey, am I the ahole or not? And so then people rate the situation like this is kind of like where everyone kind of sucks here thing.AndrewIt's not a buyer's market, it's not a seller's market. Beth, what do you have?BethWell, on a happy note.AndrewYeah, let's do some.BethHappiness regarding buyers. You're just being a buyer. We close on our home next week, so why the time.AndrewIs so exciting?BethYes, it's. It's very exciting. And by the time this episode goes live, we will be closing. Are we living in it yet? But we will be closed on it. And it was funny when we did our walk yesterday, like I said that we had, we were talking to our builder and my husband was referencing like one of the first episodes that I mentioned us going through this process and building our home.BethAnd Kevin was like, He can get it done. How fast? Like, there's no way. And he did it.AndrewSo.BethMan Shout out Charles, Charlie at Die on a Tough lot. So I'm super excited.AndrewWhat are you most excited for with your home?BethHonestly, it's like the home itself. There's a lot of things up the porch. If you've seen the porch, say more. If you haven't, you need to go and find a picture of the porch. And that experience. But it's just being settled like we're living in an Airbnb. This isn't our space. This isn't our stuff. You know, I miss our our pillows.BethI miss the rest of my clothes. I've been rotating through the same clothes for like three months now, so I'm just excited to get the rest of our stuff back and feel settled as a family because we're supposed to be here at least three years, which is long term for us. Yeah, so and it could be even longer.BethSo we really are just excited to feel settled.AndrewHmm. That sounds like a Hallmark commercial. Julie. You could probably really take that and make it sound really good. Feel So let's write a book. Let's write a book about that, Be at home, feel sad. There's a lot of value in that. Yeah, it's like the journey is done. Like we arrived. Like we're here. You can breathe.BethYeah. And final content coming. So, like, I'll do a walk through of the house. I'm going to try to get professional photos of the house, which is done because once we move in, because we live in our homes, is going to be too messy.AndrewLike there's nothing like a model home. Are the neighbor to us. He's OCD. I mean that with all all endearment, like your mother's yard three times like the same spot. It's amazing. His house is a museum. It's insane. I'm like, I don't know. People live like that. And he has guests all the time. But your house. Our house?AndrewNo kids, not you.JulieThat is to make believe.AndrewEven like the. Like I feel like it's like, what's that? And Christmas vacation where the neighbor next door, like their house is like, all these things, everything's breakable. You walk in, you're like, Oh, no, this base is six feet tall. I don't want to stand next to it. Yeah. So that'll be that's going to be the pictures ahead of time.AndrewDid you do any pictures during the build as far as like to know where any electrical things are or that's just not your, your level of commitment to that type of content.BethPersonal. Yes. No no. Part of that is that we weren't local when a lot of that stage of construction was happening. So we have a walkthrough video after electrical. Okay, But it's a little darker. You can't really see much because obviously there's no light and it's a video, so it's not as high quality in this case. And the time of day we have trees blocking the sun too.BethSo like I could make it out and I have like a good idea where things are. And I saw a frame and took a bunch of pictures at frame but could have done a better job.AndrewBut my last overly personal question, this is the first time you lived in the South. You were in Texas before.BethNo, we've lived in the South for most of the time. My daughter was born in North Carolina.AndrewOkay. Okay. There you go. That's that is south. It cools down there. But to me, you have to have fans in every room. Is. Is that you? Okay?BethNo. So here's the thing.AndrewShe's crazy.BethI know. No, it's actually part of his budget. Part of it is like, I'll try not to put a fan in eventually, but the fans that like the vendor was charging for, like, I'm not going to pay that. Oh, I can. I can put in a fan.AndrewAndrew your hubby is pretty cool. Does he even do the latter.BethIn this house? He will because they're very nice. Nice. Yeah. We'll put in our own fans in some places, but we have fans all on the porch. We have fans in the main living areas and then I'm the person that like keeps the air on like 68 nice at night.AndrewI like it. That was our first when we moved in. That was the first thing we went to Home Depot or Lowe's. What I think pretty sure is Home Depot. I think that's the thing. Growing up, you either go to Lowe's or Home Depot and that's how you stick with your life. I'm a Home Depot person. That's just where I'm loyal to Home Depot.AndrewI want the floors that look like that. I want the orange and white signs. I think we bought like 14 fans. And that was the first thing we did before. Yeah. Wow. The fans are coming in. Yeah, we need the fans. So, look.BethI'm just thankful for Labor Day sales because it's helping.AndrewUs out. True.JulieRight. It is. It's good timing. That's true.AndrewIt is perfect timing. We'll see if there's any builder of Labor Day sales. That'll be fun to watch. I haven't seen any yet.JenHey, online sales specialist, your D convert coach Jen Barkan here, Are you looking for guidance, structure and proven methods to help you set more appointments and create more sales? Then join online sales coach Jesse Suggs and myself. We are offering an intense two day virtual training experience, followed by eight weeks of training and coaching through our online sales academy.JenThis fall. Jesse and I have been in your shoes and we teach from our direct experience and years of coaching online sales specialists. Just like you. This will be hands on and real world no theory here. If you're interested, don't miss this incredible opportunity. Reserve your spot today by visiting. DoYouConvert.comAndrewWell, let's get on to the news. We have this first one. This is a this is interesting from NAHB talk. We love them. Zillow Redfin Partnership increases exposure for new construction listings. So this one is interesting. Essentially, all your listings will be pushed over to Redfin and Zillow and Redfin are being friends. It feels kind of shocking, but it's mutually beneficial.AndrewWhat do I think about this?BethYeah, I think it's exciting.JulieI think it's a great thing. I mean, it it sounds good. It's more exposure for the builders. I don't see any cons from our end on it.BethBut I think the big win from it is that they're syndicating the builders content, not just the MLS listings, which is huge because that is the thing that was been that was so hurtful to so many builders was like, No, we don't want to use the MLS. We want to have control over all the content and not it not be the MLS content.BethAnd so the fact that they're going to be putting their community pages on which if you have your feed set up properly, then it's the content that you own from your own website. So that part is the cherry on top.AndrewThat is, that is really nice. Yeah. More exposure the better. I like it. I think it's a, it's a win for everybody. Zillow, Redfin builders. Yeah. The whole home construction industry like the more I think we forget about that, the more people that see where it says what's out and selling says new construction. It's like blue and white text.AndrewYou start seeing that more and more and more like that just fuels the demand. Just like if you're car shopping and all sudden or this is opposite here, hurricanes and saltwater and Teslas apparently don't mix. So now there's all these not so great jokes about Tesla. They catch on fire. The saltwater, apparently, and the batteries. I had no idea.AndrewThere's been four Tesla fires since Tuesday night where I'm at in Pinellas County. I don't know how I'm playing them. I thought Xbox with my hands, which is like a foot wide, but I'm like, Oh, enough. So that Lindsey, my wife, texted me and we are looking to get in Tesla next year. It's like, Are you trying to kill me?AndrewAll these Teslas are catching on now.BethThere's just the nightmares, the awareness.AndrewThank you so well, don't go like in the water, like a submarine. This I think that's the that's the goal there. But it just increases the awareness, increases demand. Just having it out there that much more, which is great for for all builders that's Yeah.BethAnd I think like it's a good like we're getting recognition that we're important to you know what I mean? Like we want to be seen more in our content matters, our listings matters, Our, our homes matter. Everything that we do matters. Okay? And so, like, put us out there more, man, And it's right on the heels. It feels like we were heard.AndrewRight?JulieYeah, it did feel like for a while we were getting buried on some of these sites by all the existing homes and we would be like on another tab if you didn't do that. So. Oh, yes, It does seem like now that new construction is such a big percentage of what's available and out there we're getting a little more love.JulieThat's nice.AndrewThat's right. But it's the the slogan for the Builder show. Oh, it's right there. It's on my brain. Oh, my goodness. I don't.BethKnow. It's not my.AndrewBrain. All home start here. And people are like, Oh, that's cute. And they think about it like, Oh, I want to say a bad word. Can I say bad word? I'm not going to say it backward. Be like, Oh, I be like legit, like every new home. Some people are anti-development, right? They're like, not my backyard or whatever it may be.AndrewBut you know, okay, so homes are going away. Attrition just naturally, hurricanes, they're going away all home start here. So homebuilding is so important. Like every new home starts with a builder, like the homes that are 50 years old. Good. 20, 73, that home that's 50 years old with all the character at some point had no character, wasn't redone and painted 15, 20 times.AndrewSo yeah, just the awareness on new homes and just that say respect. That sounds a little weird. And I'm like, like sucking up, but like, it's pretty important. Like new homes. New homes are important. Yeah. Let's go to some. To me, this is maybe I'm spicy today. A little spicy.BethThis one's from real spicy.AndrewI'm like, double caffeinated may for some real estate news.com. It's titled Maui Broker Hanging up on Vultures Holding on to hope. So I read this, and I'm friends with someone from Hawaii. We train together as as often as we can. And I'm like, Man, this, like, gets me fired up a little bit for some reason. Essentially, we had all day that we I didn't experience this.AndrewI can't count that as mine. All the fires in Hawaii and just the developers and brokers and just investors, anyone trying to get that land which is so limited and also so valuable and just kind of like disregarding like there's people still like they can't go to their homes. There's the, what do they call them? I forgot the zones you can't go to because they're sold active, burning all that already jumping in like vultures is.AndrewBut this article describes trying to pick up the land or houses that burned down. But were y'all's feelings and thoughts on this very complex history? Very complex history. So it's delicate.BethThe one one word ick.AndrewYes.BethIt's sad. Like we you know, we had had this conversation with the builder the other day and and prep for my summit talk. I had this conversation of like, we forget that this is an extremely personal purchase and journey. Like these people are going through an extremely personal thing and we're just like, people are just going in there and being grubby, you know?BethAnd it just it's just.AndrewIt's just epic.BethI understand it. I get it. But it's like.AndrewYeah, I get it. Yeah.JulieAnd then because of that, they put a moratorium on the land transactions, which is bad. Yes, it's good because they did it for a good reason. But then it's also bad for the people who really are trying to do, you know, a land transaction that was already happening or just trying to do business and get back to normal.JulieSo they're having to do it because of people doing wrong things and then it's slowing everything else down. So it's just frustrating that those people are screwing things up for everybody.AndrewYes, it I didn't intentionally try to set up this way, but 2 minutes ago I was like, we need this, like respect for homebuilding. All homes start here. And then this kind of goes it's like, well, how can say both things? It's like, But if we want that, like less of the attitude of not in my backyard or like, Oh, developers are this or this, it's like, Oh, this type of article, like, doesn't really help even kind of forgetting about the not forgetting about the history of like the United States to the Kingdom of Hawaii and like that history there.AndrewA lot of people in Hawaii. Have you know, a lot of mistrust to people on the mainland and all that, rightfully so. So then you have people from the mainland trying to come in and once again, and their their perspective, get this land. This sounds like it's a little political, but I'm not trying to be political at all.AndrewIt's but it's yeah, it's really interesting reading that. And the broker gives his stories about he's taken all the calls. He's the one wanting to voice his thoughts and concerns and feelings to the people calling, trying to buy the property that's burned down while these he had, I think, had eight, eight or nine agents in his office. Only two of them have somewhere to live.AndrewAnd they're still working, probably because they have no work, limited places where they can go. So working is actually like a nice break from wherever they're having to stay at and they're having people like, Hey, I'm trying to get this house, like just interested in buying it looks like more. And they're like, Are you kidding me? Like, I'm sleeping like and my mother in law's house like, Yeah, get out of here.BethLiterally, the dust has settled and cleaned up and it's just, you know, it's sad.AndrewIt's like the roofing ads and flooding ads. We start to get like, the day of the hurricanes. You're like, Come on. Or especially they start knocking on the doors and they're like, Hey, let me inspect your roof. It might have been damaged. And you're like, Get out. This is insurance fraud. But a little like most of the time, like, where are you from?AndrewAnd we were yeah, they truly try to try to push you on that. Oh, let's see. We got one more from Inman. This one work. For all I know, we had some trouble with with getting that pulled up. Okay. Okay. Here we go. Let me get here. Home buyer mortgage demand picks up for the first time in six weeks.AndrewWhat's exciting.JulieWhich is good I mean, it's. It's up 2%.AndrewYeah, I feel like a little There are.JulieMany things that could, like, affect that, you know? So, I mean, it sounds like it's exciting and maybe it's exciting. But also I look at it and I'm like.AndrewOh, okay.BethThat's interesting.JulieIf we keep setting up.BethWatch all this more engine housing news, like every day, they're like half a percent, you know, like they're celebrating every little like blip or change, which I get. But it's almost like, okay, like just like you said, it's like you don't really have a reaction to it anymore.AndrewThat you're kind of numb to it or used to it, or you're like, This almost feels like like a parent asking a kid, So how's your homework going? Well, I'm almost done. I did so much better than last week. Just forget about that. I stayed behind a year and I'm repeating same grade because we're actually down. We're down 27%, but we're up 2% this week, which is you always have to go deeper.AndrewIn articles, which I did a post on on LinkedIn seems like Monday or Tuesdays I get in some mood where it's really easy to write. I'll probably start putting them on the website instead of just posting to LinkedIn so that everyone can see it. But like you really have to deep dive on to like if a metric is being shown, especially a single metric like mortgage demand picks up and that's applications.AndrewSo applications increased 2%. You need more context to that than just one than just one number was a pretty much hold. And ten of my my blog posts I then I talked about like we only understand what is applications is that unique applications maybe people are actually I don't even know like it's getting nerdy It's it's actually unique applications are up or people now applying to more than one place.AndrewAnd so applications are up because there's more applications being submitted. I don't know. So actually applications down, I don't know.BethBut depends on what they of these two.AndrewYeah, total applications could be up, but unique applications or household applications, whatever you want it to be tied to a person could be flat, even up or down. But I mean, this all seems positive in the right direction. Of course, interest rates are, you know, all over the place. Yeah, they're they're fun to watch. I follow Lance Lambert on Twitter for my interest rate news.AndrewI think a lot of people do. He's like on it every day, multiple times throughout the day. So.BethYeah, it'll be interesting to see like when this podcast goes live, what the latest article is or what the percentage, you know what I mean?AndrewI hope it keeps going up, but it's a fall. I mean, if you look at just Google Trends or if you're if you have home builder home builder datacom access like the seasonality is obvious. This is the back half of the year. It goes down. That's just what it does. It's just how it is. Yeah. So be interesting.AndrewSee how that how that goes. But there's also inventory for existing homes is still all time low. So will it kind of counteract that? I don't know. I guess we'll find out. Buckle up. Buckle up. We want to go on to Kurt Favorites or did anything else pop up we should talk about because we do have three news articles.AndrewWe kicked one out.JulieWell, we had the question of the week.AndrewOh, Crime of the week. How can we forget that?JulieYou see that one?AndrewIt said, Who wants to read it if you haven't pulled out before me? That's good.BethOh, I don't trust myself to read it. I'm like, going to fumble like three one.AndrewI was written like 400 bucks, so she should probably read it.JulieI'll try it. Right? Yes. And we won't say the builder here. Okay. But we'll say, basically, I keep thinking about social media and how feasible would it be for a home builder to try to monetize it. I wonder if you have any experience coaching home builders on this or would be willing to approach the topic on one of your podcast.JulieI'm not sure what monetizing could mean for us when our core following on Instagram is real estate agents and our post are more brand and sales oriented, seems like we'd be able to monetize easier for audience was made up of more vendors and subcontractors, and we offer sponsored content to promote materials we use to build our home. So they're asking about monetizing, making money off of their social media accounts and posts.JulieSo I have lots of thoughts. You'll have thoughts.BethI have so many people, if they're not watching the podcast recording, they should be right now just because of the faces not cooperating with me.AndrewI was like.BethI'm thinking.AndrewReally positive. Hurry, be honest.JulieThank you for sending a question. That's amazing and we love it. And this is such a fun one that I don't think we've ever I don't think we've ever talked about before. So if you sent this question, this is amazing. Thank you. And yeah, we have.AndrewBuilt some parameters.BethAbout this before. Like it's a natural thought that people have probably looked into, like people are making money off these platforms. Maybe we can extend our revenue and make some money off of this, too, but let's think through it a little bit.AndrewYeah, maybe we focus on. So let's let's define monetization. The the person asking the question stated that they're looking to sponsor based off of like manufacturer sponsors. So not trying to get like money from Instagram or Facebook or whatever. So like hey will post your I don't know, whatever brand facets, cool color, 300 bucks for and they'll do a post about it or like a series of posts.AndrewSo that type of monetization versus trying to get 100,000 followers and have you know, million plus views on reels which that seems much more daunting, although they should be doing the same things to get that amount of use. Because if whoever's doing the buy essentially on their account, we're like, great, your reals, get 400 views, here's $6 or something.AndrewI don't know.JulieSo and to be fair, we used to do this back when I started, when like if we wanted to print a new brochure, sometimes there would be vendors come to us and be like, We will help you pay for that. If you put things about our products in the brochure, you know what I mean? So this isn't a new, totally new concept.JulieIt's just new to this this avenue or this distribution channel. But I would look at what what is your goal of your social media accounts? Is it to make money through avenues like that or is it to connect with your potential and current home buyers? So I think that would be number one if changing the avenue is going to impact that in a negative way.JulieIf you start talking more to subcontractors and vendors, then you're not talking to your number one customer and audience who are home buyers. Number two, when you think of monetization, you're thinking of giving somebody else those advertising eyes, but you are you're advertising yourself with that. You may not think of that organic as like you're selling yourself, but that's your own space.JulieSo I think you need to protect space. And then if you do want to do something along those lines, I would think of it more in the terms of a collaboration than a monetization So to collaborate with another social media account or something, I can see possibilities there. But the monetization I can't see how that long term would bring you more success to your home building goals than using that avenue for, you know, for your number one goal, which is, I'm assuming, selling homes.BethYeah. And I think like, while it's tempting, we have to look at who we are on Instagram. Are we an influencer or are we a brand? And, you know, it's the brand who collaborates with the influencer and pays the influencer for the posts, not the brand, taking money to do posts for other brands. And so just knowing our role on these platforms like, you said, and how how we are perceived to the customer or the people interacting with us on these platforms is vital in that decision making of if we pursue because it is interesting, right?BethIt's just like if you have a model home and you can link your model home furniture to a store and get a little bit of a kickback to, you know, sending them to the store to for buying that product because they found it in your model home. Like, it's an interesting concept to look into, but ultimately, you have to know who you are in that scenario and who you are to be your audience before you make that decision.JulieAnd is it a distraction? You know what I mean? Like it's just distracting you from your your main goal.BethYeah, I like the idea of the collaboration of like, you know, collaborating with the the brand who makes this faucet. And I'm showing this faucet being used in a beautiful trend setting brand new home versus, you know, me selling that faucet.AndrewMm hmm.JulieYou're still speaking to your home buyers.AndrewI don't know if there's anything to add based on what he said, and I have no idea that was perfection. But I think the only thing I could add is we have this very expensive resource, finite of time. And if you were to spend, let's say, 5 hours a week dedicated to this, could that 5 hours which five times 50 to 200 fit, say 200 hours a year, be put toward something else that would have much higher revenue, much higher profit and then for your career growth, because I assume this is the market that ask the question could that then so that 200 hours per year benefit them better for their career and some otherAndrewway? And I feel like the answer is yes. Like I think learning how to grow the account, that's very valuable, especially if you were to, let's say you're working with a regional builder and then you kind of went to National, you're like, Hey, I took this local builder, regional builder from 2000 followers to 20,000, you know, I work for a big builder like, Oh, well, you know how to do this process That could be valuable.AndrewBut I think chasing this is I don't mean it offensive, but like chasing kind of like the pennies and dollars when you could you're kind of ignoring the, the checks with the commas in them. I'm trying to get like 200 bucks, 300 bucks when it should be like we're trying to make 20, 30, 40, 50, 100,000 on, on selling other products.JulieYeah. I don't think the math adds up.AndrewYeah. And just like the time, but maybe it could be a fun. We have interns or you're just intern paid interns. I mean, I think all interns should be paid, but we had like, a team of people, like, Hey, we have someone who's at X rate per hour. They're dedicated to this. They manage and run it. Cool. That can make sense.AndrewBut I would be wary of like some of that we talk to on a daily basis. I'm like marketing coordinator, director whatever their title might be. Like, Hey, I'm a spend a fifth of my week focused on this week. Oh, like you could probably have a lot more revenue driven activities doing something else versus that. I think it's a fun idea.AndrewLike it's a good idea.JulieLike it's fun topic.AndrewYeah, yeah. Shout out to just putting it out there and asking it. Most people I think, would not ask it. So. Yeah, yeah.BethAnd I love it. You talking about I think it was a great question.AndrewYeah. Well especially we see in other industries all the time. Yeah. Like all over the place. But I think it is, we are industry so special. There's big revenue attached to it. So then one transaction lot of revenue compared to, let's say, you know, I'm in the fitness space and so if you're selling like a supplement, you're like, cool, it makes six bucks per, per jug of whatever or whatever.AndrewSo it's a little different thing when it's like, Oh, that one transaction, $6, this one transaction, 60,000. So yeah, one transaction is important. Fun question, Fun question. Move on to current favorites or not. So favorites. Yeah. Favorite. Not favorite.BethOh, not favorite. I don't have a not favorite this time. Last time I went on like some random like Brant. I don't know. Who knows. But this time I have this link shout out to my cousin who's the reason why I'm addicted to this, but I forget. Okay.AndrewOkay. Get ready to be present.BethHow do you pronounce it?AndrewFirst, Julie?BethI'm going to pronounce it wrong and everyone's going to make fun of me. But, like, forget it. Oh, like the.AndrewYeah. Shit. Yeah.BethOkay. Push it out. And then goat.AndrewCheese. I like goat.JulieCheese. That was my favorite.BethAnd then hot peach chutney.AndrewOkay, Some spicy, peachy stuff.BethSpicy and sweet. That's the beauty of it. And then you have the salty.AndrewAnd it this you just like random.BethI went on like a like a whole week where it was my lunch every single day. Every day I just made a plate and I would like, text a picture to Karla. I'd be like.AndrewI'm doing. Yeah, that sounds good. Does that sound good?BethSo try it, everybody. Costco sells goat cheese in, like a two pack. That's much cheaper than the grocery store. You're welcome.AndrewYeah. Forget the grocery store and you go through the goat cheese. Okay. We'll need a new recipe next week. Julie.JulieMy not favorite is the bad school germs, because I have something that my son had. And then now I have. And my favorite chick, a big shot of DayQuil before this podcast took NyQuil last night and they were laughing. You probably can't see on the camera, but I drink a Coke, which I'd never do, but it looks like red wine.JulieBut it's bad. It's not.AndrewIt's not.JulieAware. So that's what got me through this. This podcast is sponsored by.AndrewDayQuil and a.JulieLittle bit of caffeine.AndrewFinally. Well, my new favorite is, I think last time I talked about how this oh jeez, I'm getting wrapped up this boom, this make boom stand is terrible. It was on the floor next to me, blue, which is like a legit brand that's like a hundred bucks. Which, I mean.BethI thought it was a woman at first. I was like, What are you doing? Andrew?AndrewWhat happened to your legs? Yeah. So I'm like, Oh, let's go. Premium, right? Buy once, cry once, just get it over with is the best one and it usually works well, but If the humidity changes or stuff, then it starts to just my micro just be like falling down, falling down. So I'm like, I need to get one.AndrewThese cheap boom stands that you just really you have to lock in place. I haven't touched this really. I don't think since they put it in front of my face for the podcast, this was like a $20 knockoff one from China that someone bought 20,000 of brown container ship to the Amazon for from Amazon. They're making a bunch of money now and now this is great.AndrewIt's my new favorite. I don't even know what brand it is because there's like 30 of them that are exact same thing on Amazon. You just pick the one that's like then show up the next day. So that is exciting. So that's my favorite. My least favorite was I don't know what it is. We have three Starbucks. Oh jeez, Where I'm at, there's a Starbucks within 5 minutes, like every corner has a Starbucks where I'm at.AndrewSo from our house, there's three within 5 minutes. East, north, south, right there. Hurricane time comes. I'm like, Well, let's get our last Starbucks before everything shut down tomorrow. Like you just notice me shut down. All three of these places were closed. It was like seven in the morning. Hurricanes gets there, allegedly. That's when picks up at like 10:00 at night.AndrewIt's since COVID. It's so weird. At least down here. Maybe they're all like this. I have no idea. The ones down here, if they just decide to not be open or maybe like enough people don't make it on the shift or whatever, they just close up. No signs, nothing. They're still open on the app. So Starbucks.JulieYou're making me frustrated. Before the hurricane was like this one bad enough that some people left town.AndrewSo we didn't get the vibe. There really wasn't many who did evac our evacuations. If you're familiar. Like it's like mobile homes. Okay, Those are evacuated. Nursing homes are usually evacuated, depending where they are. And then like if you're on the beach because they close, the bridges are back evacuated. But like most people didn't board anything up there wasn't like it really was like, oh, it's here.AndrewBut like, it was pretty calm, like the vibe. If you go to the store, there's no water. But that's kind of like the usual thing. There's no water and like random stuff that just is gone. But it wasn't the same tense feeling like when we had Irma a while ago where we're like, Oh, this is serious and everyone's kind of sick, really freaking out.AndrewSo I want to. Duncan was open, Chick-Fil-A was open, McDonald's of every other place was open. But Starbucks, what's wrong with you? Oh, well. Well, that's it for this week. Thank you for listening. And don't forget to become a member for free Converse all Access community app for homebuilders and developers. What's the scenes videos from the podcast? Frequent exclusive postings and analysis from the USC team, access to private hangouts and much, much more.AndrewSee all next week.BethNow have a good one. The post Ep 301: There's No Toenails In Our Carpet! appeared first on Online Sales and Marketing for Home Builders - DYC.

What is trauma? Can Christians have it?   Spoiler alert: they can! The impact trauma can have if you don't do the healing work might surprise you. In this episode of Couch Time, I sat down with Dr. Barabara Lowe to talk about how trauma shows up in Christians, the three stages of healing, and Dr. Barbara's Heart Journey Method to trauma healing.    Dr. Barbara Lowe is a licensed psychologist, founder, and owner of Greenleaf Psychological and Support Services (GPSS). GPSS is a large multi-site psychological practice in Raleigh/Durham North Carolina where clinicians deliver the best of psychological science and integrate faith upon request, for healing the soul and renewing the spirit.   Topics covered in this episode include: 3:05 - Do Christians really have trauma? Dr. Barbara weighs in 7:17 - The impact of trauma on Christians (that might surprise you) 11:01 - This is how we can become more like Jesus 13:19 - The three stages of trauma healing that you need to understand 19:36 - Can science and faith really mix? This is what you need to know 26:53 - The thing that sets Dr. Barabara's Heart Journey method apart from the rest 30:48 - The wounds women have and how Dr. Barbara helps heal them   If you have been looking for ways to heal the trauma from your past and get closer to Jesus, you are not going to want to miss this episode so tune in now!   Show notes available at http://amywine.com/episode86   Resources Mentioned: Check out Dr. Barbara's book: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Barbara-Lowe/author/B0CB1YQ5H8 Follow Dr. Barbara on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@drbarbaraministries Follow Dr. Barbara on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drbarbaraministries/ Visit Dr. Barbara's website: https://drbarbaraministries.org/ I would love to connect on Facebook: http://facebook.com/amywineco and Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amywineco!

Episode #73: Hiya Friends and Welcome Back! In this week's episode, I have my very first ever repeat guest! Heather Lowe is the Founder of Ditched the Drink, a wellness company dedicated to helping professionals move away from alcohol and towards their highest selves. Heather is a Certified Professional Life and Recovery Coach, Certified Addiction Awareness Facilitator, and the Director of Marketing Consumer Products for the International Center of Addiction Recovery Education (ICARE). She's an amazing, inspiring individual and I asked her to come on back to the show to talk about PURPOSE. I hope this episode blesses you.

Today, we begin season 6 of the podcast! This season our theme is, Tell Your Story, and what better way to begin, than to talk to a storyteller. Our podcast guest today is, T.I. Lowe, storyteller and author. Personally, I'm a fan of her books, so it was a joy to get to sit down […]

On this episode of The Millionaire Choice Podcast, Vance Lowe, and Seth Hicks Esq. ,dive into the fascinating world of Infinite Banking Concept and discover how it can revolutionize your financial journey They explain how Infinite banking will help you take charge of your money and create your very own personal banking system. Imagine having … Continue reading The Millionaire Choice Podcast – Guest Vance Lowe, CEO and Seth Hicks Esq., COO of Private Banking Strategies® →

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09-03-23 Sunday Morning Worship Experience

Austin Parker, Community Maintainer at OpenTelemetry, joins Corey on Screaming in the Cloud to discuss OpenTelemetry's mission in the world of observability. Austin explains how the OpenTelemetry community was able to scale the OpenTelemetry project to a commercial offering, and the way Open Telemetry is driving innovation in the data space. Corey and Austin also discuss why Austin decided to write a book on OpenTelemetry, and the book's focus on the evergreen applications of the tool. About AustinAustin Parker is the OpenTelemetry Community Maintainer, as well as an event organizer, public speaker, author, and general bon vivant. They've been a part of OpenTelemetry since its inception in 2019.Links Referenced: OpenTelemetry: https://opentelemetry.io/ Learning OpenTelemetry early release: https://www.oreilly.com/library/view/learning-opentelemetry/9781098147174/ Page with Austin's social links: https://social.ap2.io TranscriptAnnouncer: Hello, and welcome to Screaming in the Cloud with your host, Chief Cloud Economist at The Duckbill Group, Corey Quinn. This weekly show features conversations with people doing interesting work in the world of cloud, thoughtful commentary on the state of the technical world, and ridiculous titles for which Corey refuses to apologize. This is Screaming in the Cloud.Corey: Look, I get it. Folks are being asked to do more and more. Most companies don't have a dedicated DBA because that person now has a full time job figuring out which one of AWS's multiple managed database offerings is right for every workload. Instead, developers and engineers are being asked to support, and heck, if time allows, optimize their databases. That's where OtterTune comes in. Their AI is your database co-pilot for MySQL and PostgresSQL on Amazon RDS or Aurora. It helps improve performance by up to four x OR reduce costs by 50 percent – both of those are decent options. Go to ottertune dot com to learn more and start a free trial. That's O-T-T-E-R-T-U-N-E dot com.Corey: Welcome to Screaming in the Cloud. I'm Corey Quinn. It's been a few hundred episodes since I had Austin Parker on to talk about the things that Austin cares about. But it's time to rectify that. Austin is the community maintainer for OpenTelemetry, which is a CNCF project. If you're unfamiliar with, we're probably going to fix that in short order. Austin, Welcome back, it's been a month of Sundays.Austin: It has been a month-and-a-half of Sundays. A whole pandemic-and-a-half.Corey: So, much has happened since then. I tried to instrument something with OpenTelemetry about a year-and-a-half ago, and in defense to the project, my use case is always very strange, but it felt like—a lot of things have sharp edges, but it felt like this had so many sharp edges that you just pivot to being a chainsaw, and I would have been at least a little bit more understanding of why it hurts so very much. But I have heard from people that I trust that the experience has gotten significantly better. Before we get into the nitty-gritty of me lobbing passive-aggressive bug reports at you have for you to fix in a scenario in which you can't possibly refuse me, let's start with the beginning. What is OpenTelemetry?Austin: That's a great question. Thank you for asking it. So, OpenTelemetry is an observability framework. It is run by the CNCF, you know, home of such wonderful award-winning technologies as Kubernetes, and you know, the second biggest source of YAML in the known universe [clear throat].Corey: On some level, it feels like that is right there with hydrogen as far as unlimited resources in our universe.Austin: It really is. And, you know, as we all know, there are two things that make, sort of, the DevOps and cloud world go around: one of them being, as you would probably know, AWS bills; and the second being YAML. But OpenTelemetry tries to kind of carve a path through this, right, because we're interested in observability. And observability, for those that don't know or have been living under a rock or not reading blogs, it's a lot of things. It's a—but we can generally sort of describe it as, like, this is how you understand what your system is doing.I like to describe it as, it's a way that we can model systems, especially complex, distributed, or decentralized software systems that are pretty commonly found in larg—you know, organizations of every shape and size, quite often running on Kubernetes, quite often running in public or private clouds. And the goal of observability is to help you, you know, model this system and understand what it's doing, which is something that I think we can all agree, a pretty important part of our job as software engineers. Where OpenTelemetry fits into this is as the framework that helps you get the telemetry data you need from those systems, put it into a universal format, and then ship it off to some observability back-end, you know, a Prometheus or a Datadog or whatever, in order to analyze that data and get answers to your questions you have.Corey: From where I sit, the value of OTel—or OpenTelemetry; people in software engineering love abbreviations that are impenetrable from the outside, so of course, we're going to lean into that—but what I found for my own use case is the shining value prop was that I could instrument an application with OTel—in theory—and then send whatever I wanted that was emitted in terms of telemetry, be it events, be it logs, be it metrics, et cetera, and send that to any or all of a curation of vendors on a case-by-case basis, which meant that suddenly it was the first step in, I guess, an observability pipeline, which increasingly is starting to feel like a milit—like an industrial-observability complex, where there's so many different companies out there, it seems like a good approach to use, to start, I guess, racing vendors in different areas to see which performs better. One of the challenges I've had with that when I started down that path is it felt like every vendor who was embracing OTel did it from a perspective of their implementation. Here's how to instrument it to—send it to us because we're the best, obviously. And you're a community maintainer, despite working at observability vendors yourself. You have always been one of those community-first types where you care more about the user experience than you do this quarter for any particular employer that you have, which to be very clear, is intended as a compliment, not a terrifying warning. It's why you have this authentic air to you and why you are one of those very few voices that I trust in a space where normally I need to approach it with significant skepticism. How do you see the relationship between vendors and OpenTelemetry?Austin: I think the hard thing is that I know who signs my paychecks at the end of the day, right, and you always have, you know, some level of, you know, let's say bias, right? Because it is a bias to look after, you know, them who brought you to the dance. But I think you can be responsible with balancing, sort of, the needs of your employer, and the needs of the community. You know, the way I've always described this is that if you think about observability as, like, a—you know, as a market, what's the total addressable market there? It's literally everyone that uses software; it's literally every software company.Which means there's plenty of room for people to make their numbers and to buy and sell and trade and do all this sort of stuff. And by taking that approach, by taking sort of the big picture approach and saying, “Well, look, you know, there's going to be—you know, of all these people, there are going to be some of them that are going to use our stuff and there are some of them that are going to use our competitor's stuff.” And that's fine. Let's figure out where we can invest… in an OpenTelemetry, in a way that makes sense for everyone and not just, you know, our people. So, let's build things like documentation, right?You know, one of the things I'm most impressed with, with OpenTelemetry over the past, like, two years is we went from being, as a project, like, if you searched for OpenTelemetry, you would go and you would get five or six or ten different vendor pages coming up trying to tell you, like, “This is how you use it, this is how you use it.” And what we've done as a community is we've said, you know, “If you go looking for documentation, you should find our website. You should find our resources.” And we've managed to get the OpenTelemetry website to basically rank above almost everything else when people are searching for help with OpenTelemetry. And that's been really good because, one, it means that now, rather than vendors or whoever coming in and saying, like, “Well, we can do this better than you,” we can be like, “Well, look, just, you know, put your effort here, right? It's already the top result. It's already where people are coming, and we can prove that.”And two, it means that as people come in, they're going to be put into this process of community feedback, where they can go in, they can look at the docs, and they can say, “Oh, well, I had a bad experience here,” or, “How do I do this?” And we get that feedback and then we can improve the docs for everyone else by acting on that feedback, and the net result of this is that more people are using OpenTelemetry, which means there are more people kind of going into the tippy-tippy top of the funnel, right, that are able to become a customer of one of these myriad observability back ends.Corey: You touched on something very important here, when I first was exploring this—you may have been looking over my shoulder as I went through this process—my impression initially was, oh, this is a ‘CNCF project' in quotes, where—this is not true universally, of course, but there are cases where it clearly—is where this is an, effectively, vendor-captured project, not necessarily by one vendor, but by an almost consortium of them. And that was my takeaway from OpenTelemetry. It was conversations with you, among others, that led me to believe no, no, this is not in that vein. This is clearly something that is a win. There are just a whole bunch of vendors more-or-less falling all over themselves, trying to stake out thought leadership and imply ownership, on some level, of where these things go. But I definitely left with a sense that this is bigger than any one vendor.Austin: I would agree. I think, to even step back further, right, there's almost two different ways that I think vendors—or anyone—can approach OpenTelemetry, you know, from a market perspective, and one is to say, like, “Oh, this is socializing, kind of, the maintenance burden of instrumentation.” Which is a huge cost for commercial players, right? Like, if you're a Datadog or a Splunk or whoever, you know, you have these agents that you go in and they rip telemetry out of your web servers, out of your gRPC libraries, whatever, and it costs a lot of money to pay engineers to maintain those instrumentation agents, right? And the cynical take is, oh, look at all these big companies that are kind of like pushing all that labor onto the open-source community, and you know, I'm not casting any aspersions here, like, I do think that there's an element of truth to it though because, yeah, that is a huge fixed cost.And if you look at the actual lived reality of people and you look at back when SignalFx was still a going concern, right, and they had their APM agents open-sourced, you could go into the SignalFx repo and diff, like, their [Node Express 00:10:15] instrumentation against the Datadog Node Express instrumentation, and it's almost a hundred percent the same, right? Because it's truly a commodity. There's no—there's nothing interesting about how you get that telemetry out. The interesting stuff all happens after you have the telemetry and you've sent it to some back-end, and then you can, you know, analyze it and find interesting things. So, yeah, like, it doesn't make sense for there to be five or six or eight different companies all competing to rebuild the same wheels over and over and over and over when they don't have to.I think the second thing that some people are starting to understand is that it's like, okay, let's take this a step beyond instrumentation, right? Because the goal of OpenTelemetry really is to make sure that this instrumentation is native so that you don't need a third-party agent, you don't need some other process or jar or whatever that you drop in and it instruments stuff for you. The JVM should provide this, your web framework should provide this, your RPC library should provide this right? Like, this data should come from the code itself and be in a normalized fashion that can then be sent to any number of vendors or back ends or whatever. And that changes how—sort of, the competitive landscape a lot, I think, for observability vendors because rather than, kind of, what you have now, which is people will competing on, like, well, how quickly can I throw this agent in and get set up and get a dashboard going, it really becomes more about, like, okay, how are you differentiating yourself against every other person that has access to the same data, right? And you get more interesting use cases and how much more interesting analysis features, and that results in more innovation in, sort of, the industry than we've seen in a very long time.Corey: For me, just from the customer side of the world, one of the biggest problems I had with observability in my career as an SRE-type for years was you would wind up building your observability pipeline around whatever vendor you had selected and that meant emphasizing the things they were good at and de-emphasizing the things that they weren't. And sometimes it's worked to your benefit; usually not. But then you always had this question when it got things that touched on APM or whatnot—or Application Performance Monitoring—where oh, just embed our library into this. Okay, great. But a year-and-a-half ago, my exposure to this was on an application that I was running in distributed fashion on top of AWS Lambda.So great, you can either use an extension for this or you can build in the library yourself, but then there's always a question of precedence where when you have multiple things that are looking at this from different points of view, which one gets done first? Which one is going to see the others? Which one is going to enmesh the other—enclose the others in its own perspective of the world? And it just got incredibly frustrating. One of the—at least for me—bright lights of OTel was that it got away from that where all of the vendors receiving telemetry got the same view.Austin: Yeah. They all get the same view, they all get the same data, and you know, there's a pretty rich collection of tools that we're starting to develop to help you build those pipelines yourselves and really own everything from the point of generation to intermediate collection to actually outputting it to wherever you want to go. For example, a lot of really interesting work has come out of the OpenTelemetry collector recently; one of them is this feature called Connectors. And Connectors let you take the output of certain pipelines and route them as inputs to another pipeline. And as part of that connection, you can transform stuff.So, for example, let's say you have a bunch of [spans 00:14:05] or traces coming from your API endpoints, and you don't necessarily want to keep all those traces in their raw form because maybe they aren't interesting or maybe there's just too high of a volume. So, with Connectors, you can go and you can actually convert all of those spans into metrics and export them to a metrics database. You could continue to save that span data if you want, but you have options now, right? Like, you can take that span data and put it into cold storage or put it into, like, you know, some sort of slow blob storage thing where it's not actively indexed and it's slow lookups, and then keep a metric representation of it in your alerting pipeline, use metadata exemplars or whatever to kind of connect those things back. And so, when you do suddenly see it's like, “Oh, well, there's some interesting p99 behavior,” or we're hitting an alert or violating an SLO or whatever, then you can go back and say, like, “Okay, well, let's go dig through the slow da—you know, let's look at the cold data to figure out what actually happened.”And those are features that, historically, you would have needed to go to a big, important vendor and say, like, “Hey, here's a bunch of money,” right? Like, “Do this for me.” Now, you have the option to kind of do all that more interesting pipeline stuff yourself and then make choices about vendors based on, like, who is making a tool that can help me with the problem that I have? Because most of the time, I don't—I feel like we tend to treat observability tools as—it depends a lot on where you sit in the org—but you certainly seen this movement towards, like, “Well, we don't want a tool; we want a platform. We want to go to Lowe's and we want to get the 48-in-one kit that has a bunch of things in it. And we're going to pay for the 48-in-one kit, even if we only need, like, two things or three things out of it.”OpenTelemetry lets you kind of step back and say, like, “Well, what if we just got, like, really high-quality tools for the two or three things we need, and then for the rest of the stuff, we can use other cheaper options?” Which is, I think, really attractive, especially in today's macroeconomic conditions, let's say.Corey: One thing I'm trying to wrap my head around because we all find when it comes to observability, in my experience, it's the parable of three blind people trying to describe an elephant by touch; depending on where you are on the elephant, you have a very different perspective. What I'm trying to wrap my head around is, what is the vision for OpenTelemetry? Is it specifically envisioned to be the agent that runs wherever the workload is, whether it's an agent on a host or a layer in a Lambda function, or a sidecar or whatnot in a Kubernetes cluster that winds up gathering and sending data out? Or is the vision something different? Because part of what you're saying aligns with my perspective on it, but other parts of it seem to—that there's a misunderstanding somewhere, and it's almost certainly on my part.Austin: I think the long-term vision is that you as a developer, you as an SRE, don't even have to think about OpenTelemetry, that when you are using your container orchestrator or you are using your API framework or you're using your Managed API Gateway, or any kind of software that you're building something with, that the telemetry data from that software is emitted in an OpenTelemetry format, right? And when you are writing your code, you know, and you're using gRPC, let's say, you could just natively expect that OpenTelemetry is kind of there in the background and it's integrated into the actual libraries themselves. And so, you can just call the OpenTelemetry API and it's part of the standard library almost, right? You add some additional metadata to a span and say, like, “Oh, this is the customer ID,” or, “This is some interesting attribute that I want to track for later on,” or, “I'm going to create a histogram here or counter,” whatever it is, and then all that data is just kind of there, right, invisible to you unless you need it. And then when you need it, it's there for you to kind of pick up and send off somewhere to any number of back-ends or databases or whatnot that you could then use to discover problems or better model your system.That's the long-term vision, right, that it's just there, everyone uses it. It is a de facto and du jour standard. I think in the medium term, it does look a little bit more like OpenTelemetry is kind of this Swiss army knife agent that's running on—inside cars in Kubernetes or it's running on your EC2 instance. Until we get to the point of everyone just agrees that we're going to use OpenTelemetry protocol for the data and we're going to use all your stuff and we just natively emit it, then that's going to be how long we're in that midpoint. But that's sort of the medium and long-term vision I think. Does that track?Corey: It does. And I'm trying to equate this to—like the evolution back in the Stone Age was back when I was first getting started, Nagios was the gold standard. It was kind of the original Call of Duty. And it was awful. There were a bunch of problems with it, but it also worked.And I'm not trying to dunk on the people who built that. We all stand on the shoulders of giants. It was an open-source project that was awesome doing exactly what it did, but it was a product built for a very different time. It completely had the wheels fall off as soon as you got to things were even slightly ephemeral because it required this idea of the server needed to know where all of the things that was monitoring lived as an individual host basis, so there was this constant joy of, “Oh, we're going to add things to a cluster.” Its perspective was, “What's a cluster?” Or you'd have these problems with a core switch going down and suddenly everything else would explode as well.And even setting up an on-call rotation for who got paged when was nightmarish. And a bunch of things have evolved since then, which is putting it mildly. Like, you could say that about fire, the invention of the wheel. Yeah, a lot of things have evolved since the invention of the wheel, and here we are tricking sand into thinking. But we find ourselves just—now it seems that the outcome of all of this has been instead of one option that's the de facto standard that's kind of terrible in its own ways, now, we have an entire universe of different products, many of which are best-of-breed at one very specific thing, but nothing's great at everything.It's the multifunction printer conundrum, where you find things that are great at one or two things at most, and then mediocre at best at the rest. I'm excited about the possibility for OpenTelemetry to really get to a point of best-of-breed for everything. But it also feels like the money folks are pushing for consolidation, if you believe a lot of the analyst reports around this of, “We already pay for seven different observability vendors. How about we knock it down to just one that does all of these things?” Because that would be terrible. What do you land on that?Austin: Well, as I intu—or alluded to this earlier, I think the consolidation in the observability space, in general, is very much driven by that force you just pointed out, right? The buyers want to consolidate more and more things into single tools. And I think there's a lot of… there are reasons for that that—you know, there are good reasons for that, but I also feel like a lot of those reasons are driven by fundamentally telemetry-side concerns, right? So like, one example of this is if you were Large Business X, and you see—you are an engineering director and you get a report, that's like, “We have eight different metrics products.” And you're like, “That seems like a lot. Let's just use Brand X.”And Brand X will tell you very, very happily tell you, like, “Oh, you just install our thing everywhere and you can get rid of all these other tools.” And usually, there's two reasons that people pick tools, right? One reason is that they are forced to and then they are forced to do a bunch of integration work to get whatever the old stuff was working in the new way, but the other reason is because they tried a bunch of different things and they found the one tool that actually worked for them. And what happens invariably in these sort of consolidation stories is, you know, the new vendor comes in on a shining horse to consolidate, and you wind up instead of eight distinct metrics tools, now you have nine distinct metrics tools because there's never any bandwidth for people to go back and, you know—you're Nagios example, right, Nag—people still use Nagios every day. What's the economic justification to take all those Nagios installs, if they're working, and put them into something else, right?What's the economic justification to go and take a bunch of old software that hasn't been touched for ten years that still runs and still does what needs to do, like, where's the incentive to go and re-instrument that with OpenTelemetry or anything else? It doesn't necessarily exist, right? And that's a pretty, I think, fundamental decision point in everyone's observability journey, which is what do you do about all the old stuff? Because most of the stuff is the old stuff and the worst part is, most of the stuff that you make money off of is the old stuff as well. So, you can't ignore it, and if you're spending, you know, millions of millions of dollars on the new stuff—like, there was a story that went around a while ago, I think, Coinbase spent something like, what, $60 million on Datadog… I hope they asked for it in real money and not Bitcoin. But—Corey: Yeah, something I've noticed about all the vendors, and even Coinbase themselves, very few of them actually transact in cryptocurrency. It's always cash on the barrelhead, so to speak.Austin: Yeah, smart. But still, like, that's an absurd amount of money [laugh] for any product or service, I would argue, right? But that's just my perspective. I do think though, it goes to show you that you know, it's very easy to get into these sort of things where you're just spending over the barrel to, like, the newest vendor that's going to come in and solve all your problems for you. And just, it often doesn't work that way because most places aren't—especially large organizations—just aren't built in is sort of like, “Oh, we can go through and we can just redo stuff,” right? “We can just roll out a new agent through… whatever.”We have mainframes [unintelligible 00:25:09], mainframes to thinking about, you have… in many cases, you have an awful lot of business systems that most, kind of, cloud people don't like, think about, right, like SAP or Salesforce or ServiceNow, or whatever. And those sort of business process systems are actually responsible for quite a few things that are interesting from an observability point of view. But you don't see—I mean, hell, you don't even see OpenTelemetry going out and saying, like, “Oh, well, here's the thing to let you know, observe Apex applications on Salesforce,” right? It's kind of an undiscovered country in a lot of ways and it's something that I think we will have to grapple with as we go forward. In the shorter term, there's a reason that OpenTelemetry mostly focuses on cloud-native applications because that's a little bit easier to actually do what we're trying to do on them and that's where the heat and light is. But once we get done with that, then the sky is the limit.[midroll 00:26:11]Corey: It still feels like OpenTelemetry is evolving rapidly. It's certainly not, I don't want to say it's not feature complete, which, again, what—software is never done. But it does seem like even quarter-to-quarter or month-to-month, its capabilities expand massively. Because you apparently enjoy pain, you're in the process of writing a book. I think it's in early release or early access that comes out next year, 2024. Why would you do such a thing?Austin: That's a great question. And if I ever figure out the answer I will tell you.Corey: Remember, no one wants to write a book; they want to have written the book.Austin: And the worst part is, is I have written the book and for some reason, I went back for another round. I—Corey: It's like childbirth. No one remembers exactly how horrible it was.Austin: Yeah, my partner could probably attest to that. Although I was in the room, and I don't think I'd want to do it either. So, I think the real, you know, the real reason that I decided to go and kind of write this book—and it's Learning OpenTelemetry; it's in early release right now on the O'Reilly learning platform and it'll be out in print and digital next year, I believe, we're targeting right now, early next year.But the goal is, as you pointed out so eloquently, OpenTelemetry changes a lot. And it changes month to month sometimes. So, why would someone decide—say, “Hey, I'm going to write the book about learning this?” Well, there's a very good reason for that and it is that I've looked at a lot of the other books out there on OpenTelemetry, on observability in general, and they talk a lot about, like, here's how you use the API. Here's how you use the SDK. Here's how you make a trace or a span or a log statement or whatever. And it's very technical; it's very kind of in the weeds.What I was interested in is saying, like, “Okay, let's put all that stuff aside because you don't necessarily…” I'm not saying any of that stuff's going to change. And I'm not saying that how to make a span is going to change tomorrow; it's not, but learning how to actually use something like OpenTelemetry isn't just knowing how to create a measurement or how to create a trace. It's, how do I actually use this in a production system? To my point earlier, how do I use this to get data about, you know, these quote-unquote, “Legacy systems?” How do I use this to monitor a Kubernetes cluster? What's the important parts of building these observability pipelines? If I'm maintaining a library, how should I integrate OpenTelemetry into that library for my users? And so on, and so on, and so forth.And the answers to those questions actually probably aren't going to change a ton over the next four or five years. Which is good because that makes it the perfect thing to write a book about. So, the goal of Learning OpenTelemetry is to help you learn not just how to use OpenTelemetry at an API or SDK level, but it's how to build an observability pipeline with OpenTelemetry, it's how to roll it out to an organization, it's how to convince your boss that this is what you should use, both for new and maybe picking up some legacy development. It's really meant to give you that sort of 10,000-foot view of what are the benefits of this, how does it bring value and how can you use it to build value for an observability practice in an organization?Corey: I think that's fair. Looking at the more quote-unquote, “Evergreen,” style of content as opposed to—like, that's the reason for example, I never wind up doing tutorials on how to use an AWS service because one console change away and suddenly I have to redo the entire thing. That's a treadmill I never had much interest in getting on. One last topic I want to get into before we wind up wrapping the episode—because I almost feel obligated to sprinkle this all over everything because the analysts told me I have to—what's your take on generative AI, specifically with an eye toward observability?Austin: [sigh], gosh, I've been thinking a lot about this. And—hot take alert—as a skeptic of many technological bubbles over the past five or so years, ten years, I'm actually pretty hot on AI—generative AI, large language models, things like that—but not for the reasons that people like to kind of hold them up, right? Not so that we can all make our perfect, funny [sigh], deep dream, meme characters or whatever through Stable Fusion or whatever ChatGPT spits out at us when we ask for a joke. I think the real win here is that this to me is, like, the biggest advance in human-computer interaction since resistive touchscreens. Actually, probably since the mouse.Corey: I would agree with that.Austin: And I don't know if anyone has tried to get someone that is, you know, over the age of 70 to use a computer at any time in their life, but mapping human language to trying to do something on an operating system or do something on a computer on the web is honestly one of the most challenging things that faces interface design, face OS designers, faces anyone. And I think this also applies for dev tools in general, right? Like, if you think about observability, if you think about, like, well, what are the actual tasks involved in observability? It's like, well, you're making—you're asking questions. You're saying, like, “Hey, for this metric named HTTPrequestsByCode,” and there's four or five dimensions, and you say, like, “Okay, well break this down for me.” You know, you have to kind of know the magic words, right? You have to know the magic promQL sequence or whatever else to plug in and to get it to graph that for you.And you as an operator have to have this very, very well developed, like, depth of knowledge and math and statistics to really kind of get a lot of—Corey: You must be at least this smart to ride on this ride.Austin: Yeah. And I think that, like that, to me is the real—the short-term win for certainly generative AI around using, like, large language models, is the ability to create human language interfaces to observability tools, that—Corey: As opposed to learning your own custom SQL dialect, which I see a fair number of times.Austin: Right. And, you know, and it's actually very funny because there was a while for the—like, one of my kind of side projects for the past [sigh] a little bit [unintelligible 00:32:31] idea of, like, well, can we make, like, a universal query language or universal query layer that you could ship your dashboards or ship your alerts or whatever. And then it's like, generative AI kind of just, you know, completely leapfrogs that, right? It just says, like, well, why would you need a query language, if we can just—if you can just ask the computer and it works, right?Corey: The most common programming language is about to become English.Austin: Which I mean, there's an awful lot of externalities there—Corey: Which is great. I want to be clear. I'm not here to gatekeep.Austin: Yeah. I mean, I think there's a lot of externalities there, and there's a lot—and the kind of hype to provable benefit ratio is very skewed right now towards hype. That said, one of the things that is concerning to me as sort of an observability practitioner is the amount of people that are just, like, whole-hog, throwing themselves into, like, oh, we need to integrate generative AI, right? Like, we need to put AI chatbots and we need to have ChatGPT built into our products and da-da-da-da-da. And now you kind of have this perfect storm of people that really don't ha—because they're just using these APIs to integrate gen AI stuff with, they really don't understand what it's doing because a lot you know, it is very complex, and I'll be the first to admit that I really don't understand what a lot of it is doing, you know, on the deep, on the foundational math side.But if we're going to have trust in, kind of, any kind of system, we have to understand what it's doing, right? And so, the only way that we can understand what it's doing is through observability, which means it's incredibly important for organizations and companies that are building products on generative AI to, like, drop what—you know, walk—don't walk, run towards something that is going to give you observability into these language models.Corey: Yeah. “The computer said so,” is strangely dissatisfying.Austin: Yeah. You need to have that base, you know, sort of, performance [goals and signals 00:34:31], obviously, but you also need to really understand what are the questions being asked. As an example, let's say you have something that is tokenizing questions. You really probably do want to have some sort of observability on the hot path there that lets you kind of break down common tokens, especially if you were using, like, custom dialects or, like, vectors or whatever to modify the, you know, neural network model, like, you really want to see, like, well, what's the frequency of the certain tokens that I'm getting they're hitting the vectors versus not right? Like, where can I improve these sorts of things? Where am I getting, like, unexpected results?And maybe even have some sort of continuous feedback mechanism that it could be either analyzing the tone and tenor of end-user responses or you can have the little, like, frowny and happy face, whatever it is, like, something that is giving you that kind of constant feedback about, like, hey, this is how people are actually like interacting with it. Because I think there's way too many stories right now people just kind of like saying, like, “Oh, okay. Here's some AI-powered search,” and people just, like, hating it. Because people are already very primed to distrust AI, I think. And I can't blame anyone.Corey: Well, we've had an entire lifetime of movies telling us that's going to kill us all.Austin: Yeah.Corey: And now you have a bunch of, also, billionaire tech owners who are basically intent on making that reality. But that's neither here nor there.Austin: It isn't, but like I said, it's difficult. It's actually one of the first times I've been like—that I've found myself very conflicted.Corey: Yeah, I'm a booster of this stuff; I love it, but at the same time, you have some of the ridiculous hype around it and the complete lack of attention to safety and humanity aspects of it that it's—I like the technology and I think it has a lot of promise, but I want to get lumped in with that set.Austin: Exactly. Like, the technology is great. The fan base is… ehh, maybe something a little different. But I do think that, for lack of a better—not to be an inevitable-ist or whatever, but I do think that there is a significant amount of, like, this is a genie you can't put back in the bottle and it is going to have, like, wide-ranging, transformative effects on the discipline of, like, software development, software engineering, and white collar work in general, right? Like, there's a lot of—if your job involves, like, putting numbers into Excel and making pretty spreadsheets, then ooh, that doesn't seem like something that's going to do too hot when I can just have Excel do that for me.And I think we do need to be aware of that, right? Like, we do need to have that sort of conversation about, like… what are we actually comfortable doing here in terms of displacing human labor? When we do displace human labor, are we doing it so that we can actually give people leisure time or so that we can just cram even more work down the throats of the humans that are left?Corey: And unfortunately, I think we might know what that answer is, at least on our current path.Austin: That's true. But you know, I'm an optimist.Corey: I… don't do well with disappointment. Which the show has certainly not been. I really want to thank you for taking the time to speak with me today. If people want to learn more, where's the best place for them to find you?Austin: Welp, I—you can find me on most social media. Many, many social medias. I used to be on Twitter a lot, and we all know what happened there. The best place to figure out what's going on is check out my bio, social.ap2.io will give you all the links to where I am. And yeah, been great talking with you.Corey: Likewise. Thank you so much for taking the time out of your day. Austin Parker, community maintainer for OpenTelemetry. I'm Cloud Economist Corey Quinn and this is Screaming in the Cloud. If you've enjoyed this podcast, please leave a five-star review on your podcast platform of choice, whereas if you've hated this podcast, please leave a five-star review on your podcast platform of choice, along with an angry comment pointing out that actually, physicists say the vast majority of the universe's empty space, so that we can later correct you by saying ah, but it's empty whitespace. That's right. YAML wins again.Corey: If your AWS bill keeps rising and your blood pressure is doing the same, then you need The Duckbill Group. We help companies fix their AWS bill by making it smaller and less horrifying. The Duckbill Group works for you, not AWS. We tailor recommendations to your business and we get to the point. Visit duckbillgroup.com to get started.