No secrets
Back in 1986 I went broke in the nightclub business. In an effort to avoid filing for personal bankruptcy, I shifted gears and changed careers, going from a full-time restaurateur/country music singer to licensed real estate broker in the span of a few short months. Success came quickly, thanks in no small part to a number of ‘top producers’ who mentored me through those early years of my 8 1/2 year career as a realtor. I was never afraid to ask for help, and it always amazed me how the most successful people in the business were also the most willing to share their secrets. And I always wondered why? Years later I would discover the answer…there are no secrets.
In business we climb mountains with one hand extended upwards and the other reaching back, lifting each other along the way. To believe and act otherwise is selfish and greedy.
I attribute any success I’ve enjoyed to a number of things – passion, a strong work ethic, self-motivation, etc., but mostly to the kind, generous, and successful people who have helped me along the entire way (and continue to help). Coaches, mentors, clients…even competitors – this is where I’ve harvested the tools, tips, techniques, and tricks-of-the-trade that have allowed me to develop my skill sets, build my reputation as a successful fundraising auctioneer, and write my first book.
And now, it feels good to give back. ‘EASY MONEY – How to Generate Record Profits at Your Next Fundraising Auction Event’ is brimming with the best ideas I’ve gathered during my auction career. And truth be told, many of these ideas were someone else’s. In fact, barely a week goes by that I don’t collect yet another good idea that I’ve never seen nor heard. And that just keeps me growing.
When somebody recently asked why I would write a book that “gives away all my secrets,” suggesting that doing so might have a negative impact on my business, I responded by pointing out that famous chefs like Jamie Oliver, Gordon Ramsay, Emeril, and countless others have compiled books full of their ‘secret’ recipes, and have their careers suffered? Hardly.
It is one thing to possess another person’s secret, and quite another to know what to do with it.