Archive for July, 2008

This is a quickie post.  I am in Seattle attending the Independent Online Sellers Conference.  I almost didn’t come because this event is largely a grassroots effort.  There are about 200 Amazon resellers here.  Interestingly, this event is acknowledged by Amazon.com.  I am looking forward to visiting Amazon HQ on Monday.

I also learned about micro-blogging today.  So, I set up a Twitter account.  My account is mattchan66.  The link to my Twitter site is http://twitter.com/mattchan66 It is too early to tell how or what I will be using it for.  If it is anything like having a Facebook or MySpace account, I will probably not do too much.

This was first posted on The TurnKey Investor’s Blog.

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After several requests from the last few years for a real estate investor coaching, consulting, and mentoring program, I have decided to create and develop “The TurnKey Investor’s Consulting Program“.

I have been resistant to doing this program because I have been very guarded with my time and personal schedule.  Even with this announcement, I still am.  However, I believe I have created a way to comfortably coach, consult, and mentor others in a way that is effective and reasonably priced.

What sent me over the edge was a customer seeking a coaching, consulting, and mentoring program was actually considering an offer of $10,000 upfront and a monthly fee of $1,000/month from someone who had less real estate and credentials than my real estate partner, Wes and I did!  I told my customer I thought that it was ridiculously priced.  Shortly after that conversation, I decided to develop a program that was reasonable and effective, not this overpriced B.S. program.

For many beginning students, their toughest time is the first 30-days.  That is often their make or break period.  Because of this very formative period, it will be the most intensive period for both my students and myself.  I have to shake them out of their comfort zone and push them out to make things happen both effectively and intelligently.

To maintain good quality control, I will accept students into this program only by a written application and telephone interview process.  I only want to work with students who have a good shot at success.  Having coached, mentored, and instructed many students over the years, I have a good sense of who is committed and who is simply all-talk.

I have committed myself to those individuals that are optimistic, mature, confident, independent, flexible, creative, can listen, and accept constructive criticism and direct feedback.  These types of people have the innate personality traits to succeed at nearly anything they set their minds to.

And while my Consulting Program is considerably less expensive than most real estate investor seminars, it carries a strong enough of a financial weight for the students paying to take this seriously.  It can be afforded but I would not say it is affordable.

Additionally, because the program is on strict time schedules, the student ultimately loses if they get lazy and don’t do their assignments or stick to their 120-day plan.  I also reserve the right at any time to let go of any student who isn’t being accountable to me and to themselves.  I don’t have the patience and stomach for it.

Like my time during the Investors Roundtable, everyone will be put on notice that they must perform.  And after 4-6 months of consulting, I will likely give them notice that their time with me will come to an end.  Basically, if there is no results or success, the consulting must end.

The rules are set.  I am excited by this program.  I have set a high standard for the students to meet.  Only the most confident and capable will want to take this program with me as their coach and mentor.  I openly tell the people I coach and mentor, I cannot be their friend and effectively help them.  Friendship has to be secondary and only after the consulting process has concluded.

Time to do a fun post.  I finally got my copy of “The Political Machine 2008“.  It has been out for about 2 weeks but I was waiting for a local store to carry it so I could buy it.  Normally, I would buy it off the Internet and have it shipped in for a similar price but I was concerned I might get into the game too soon.

What can I say?  I am a guilt gamer.  I love to game but I do it with guilt and I do it with caution.  After all, how does it look for this (hopefully) respected real estate investor, entrepreneur, publisher, and author look to publicly admit he indulges in PC gaming when no one is looking.  Even so, gaming has a way of gobbling precious hours when I should be brainstorming, writing, or some other project.  (There is no shortage of things to work on, let me tell you.)

The trouble is, I can get away with an awful lot if I am not careful.  I got good support people around me and my schedule is very flexible.  Anyhow, enough of this banter.  On to the important topic….  what do I think of the game?

“The Political Machine 2008” is a good and fun game but not a great game.  It builds on the game series that was first launched in 2004.  It manages to keep the fun and humor in the game and leaves out the montonous parts.  Although I did not want an overly complicated and serious political game like others I have previewed, it would not have hurt to “advance the cause” and make it a tad more complex.

Having said all that, I have no regrets despite the cracks and comments from the sales clerk at the local GameSpot store.  After all, it is a $20 game.  I have already spent a couple of good hours on the game and found it a keeper.  Although, a somewhat simple simulation, what keeps the game interesting is that there are so many presidential candidates to play as and play against.  On the Democrat side, you can play as Obama, Clinton (Bill or Hillary), John Edwards, John Kerry, etc.  On the Republican side, you can play as McCain, Bush (W and HW), Romeny, Giuliani, etc.

Funny enough, I chose Bill Clinton to start.  I guess I am just tired of the Republican nonsense and feeling myself being pulled to the Democrats.  (How weird is that?  A businessman and investor that leans Democrat.  Shh… don’t tell anyone.)  I like Bill’s ratings and game specs.  He didn’t disappoint.  I won most of the elections in a campaign that gets increasingly harder as I faced off the various Republican candidates.  Reagan gave me a tough time.  Took me 2 times to take him.  George Washington, on the other hand, has kicked Clinton’s (my) tail.  What a political battle.  I even had a tough time keeping California which is primarily Democrat.

On my PC Notebook, I had to test the game to see how the game would perform without a good graphics card.  And so, I played one game as Obama.  I soundingly defeated with a landslide against Warren Harding (a political wimp).  However, the game was definitely more sluggish because of the basic video card that comes with my HP Intel Centrino Duo Notebook.

All in all, in a politcal year, $20 is pretty inexpensive for a PC game.  I have to say, it remains educational to me.  I know nearly all the “battleground states” that are essential winning an election.  Let me give you some hints, Hawaii, Idaho, and Montana don’t count for much.  If you never set foot in those states, it would not matter much.

I like “The Political Machine 2008“.  It is a keeper and will tie me over until I get overloaded with the presidential election process (live or computer).

I have known for many years that in order for new beginnings to open up, endings must happen.  Whether this is in personal or business life, this axiom is generally true.  The problem with most people, including myself, is that we dislike and fear change and taking risks.

There is a common saying that people should not burn bridges.  The problem with that is that sometimes that is the only way to let go and ultimately move forward.  Of course, there are upsides and downsides.  One has to focus on the positives and upsides or the negatives and downsides can be overwhelming.

I have had some practice on “burning bridges” and making endings and new beginnings.  And I am happy to say, as a whole, my decisions have been pretty good.  Short term, they were inconvenient and sometimes painful, but ultimately a greater good and opportunity opened.

Without getting into specifics, there are some things happening in my life that are simultaneously ending and beginning.  I am happy some of the circumstances and relationship are approaching their endings.  It is a welcome relief.  In fact, I have been looking for other things to end and leave behind.  I want to “lighten the load”, if you will.

The people I want to “keep” are people who have been “of service” to me.  They are solid people who are honest and stick to commitments they keep.  Their “flake factor” is very low.  The others are simply “needy and takers”.  In other words, they only come around when they need something.  Or there are other people who are simply lazy, unmotivated, and basically stuck in a rut.  They are in a situation of their own creation and like pigs in a pile, they continue to wallow in the mud.  You offer and try to give a helping hand out of the mud but ultimately they want you to do all the work to lift them out.  That won’t happen here.

On the opposite end of the spectrum are people who are inspired, ambitious, go-getters, risk-takers, enlightened, and action-takers.  I love and respect these types of people.  And when these people run into each other, they tend to get along quite well.  And the synergy they create is far greater than what the individuals can do.

I am not waiting until 2009 to prepare for it.  I am in process of “cleaning house” both literally and figuratively.  I am paring down the people I associate and correspond with.  I am leaving and abandoning those projects that don’t work anymore.  The unhealthy, fearful, lazy, unambitious, immature, and losers are left behind.  Life moves a lot faster when you stick with other winners.

It feels really good to make the endings happen.  It is amazing how quick, new people and opportunities open up.  It is easy to fall into a rut especially when you have a lifestyle like mine.  And so, I have to make a conscious effort to purge every so often.  I have a great feeling that come the end of summer, most of the purging I have to do will be done which will open up the rest of 2009 for interesting and great new people and opportunities.

With every project I work on, I try to share and tie my “my personal story” into the project I do.  I believe it gives personal relevance and credibility to the project if I put my personal reputation on the line.  With most projects I work on, it is not just “a job” I do.  There is often a very personal reason I get involved or promote something.

To help promote “The 2008 TurnKey Investor’s Real Estate Portfolio-Building Workshop”, I felt I had to share and disclose more personal information about myself and background than I have every published before.  Like layers of an onion, this project forced me to peel another layer away.

I have to say it felt quite uncomfortable writing that piece but it had to be done.  You can read “My Personal Story” as it relates to the upcoming workshop in October.  Enjoy.