March 10, 2009

Colds Can Be Good

How to Stay Positive in a Negative World

Having my son-in-law give me a cold this past weekend, can be considered negative by some. In my case, I am lucky that we like each other, and see each other often enough that he could give me a cold. Family and friends is really what life is about.

March 06, 2009

The Feeling of Spring

How to Stay Positive in a Negative World

I have faith that the weather yesterday and today will spark in people the feeling of spring. Which brings beauty, new life, and a cleansing of winter. Then, I hope that will translate into leads and then sales!

March 05, 2009

Two Steps Forward

How to Stay Positive in a Negative World

One of our builders signed two contracts this past week, and another is breaking ground on a 5 unit multi family building. Slowly, but surely business is occurring. As long as we can take two steps forward and one step back, I’ll be OK.

March 04, 2009

Who Will Influence Me?

How to Stay Positive in a Negative World

I have observed that people are inherently good and positive, without outside influences. I must be careful what I let influence me, and those I love.

March 03, 2009

Getting Closer

How to Stay Positive in a Negative World

We, as Americans are finally getting it. Our personal savings rate went up in this country. I have found that when people have more savings they feel more confident. When we feel confident, we are more likely to make purchases. We are getting closer, we’re not there yet, but we are getting closer.

It’s just like when I go Cold Calling, I know that I need to talk with over 20 builders to get one to say yes. When someone says no, I know I am getting closer to the yes. I get the feeling that we are getting closer to the bottom, which could take more time than I want, but we are getting closer. One thing for sure is that there will be an end to this recession at some point in time!

March 02, 2009

We're Here...

How to Stay Positive in a Negative World

February typically is our slow month, it wasn’t the greatest….but we are here on March 1st!!

February 27, 2009

Hope & Drive

How to Stay Positive in a Negative World

We all know of someone who is less fortunate than we are, but what is encouraging, is that we also know people that are more fortunate than we are. This gives me hope and drive to keep going.

February 26, 2009

Being Forced to be Better

How to Stay Positive in a Negative World

I am being forced to be more creative, make better decisions and run a better company. I will be a better person because of these times we are in now.

February 25, 2009

Two Months in a Row

How to Stay Positive in a Negative World

The Market went up yesterday, the media is calling Obama’s address last night, “a speech of hope”, the housing sales numbers come out today and it looks like it may be up for two months in a row.

February 24, 2009

Winning Against My Parents!

How to Stay Positive in a Negative World

We all remember growing up wanting to win some type of competition against our parents. For me, it was when I beat my Dad in wrestling. I knew from a young age that I wanted to beat my Dad. In all of my dreams, I never thought that I would want to beat my Mom at cooking. This past weekend I did, with my Oatmeal Cookies! Now that’s something to be positive about.

February 23, 2009

Doing the Right Thing

How to Stay Positive in a Negative World

Over the weekend I had more than one occurrence of “doing the right thing”. The old saying “What goes around, comes around” is true. Sometimes it takes a while, but it will happen. I am going to continue to follow my instinct and my heart, and know that I am “doing the right thing”.

February 20, 2009

iPod Playlist

How to Stay Positive in a Negative World

Yesterday I was in the car driving quite a bit, and I ended up turning on the news. What was I thinking? Two things occurred though, first I heard that real estate sales went up 1% in January, and second I created on my iPod a Playlist titled Motivation. My commute to work is 12 minutes, and I have music that I play that gets me all jacked up for the day. I will play this not just on my way to work, but also when I’m feeling down.

February 19, 2009

It's My Choice

How to Stay Positive in a Negative World

One thing I know for sure is that whether I’ve had a bad day or good, whether I am positive or negative, the sun will go down on this day and come up tomorrow. My choice is how I choose to live each day. Positive does not mean putting my head in the sand, it just means how I treat people and how I look at life and my work.

February 18, 2009

Our Mission

How to Stay Positive in a Negative World

Our Leads that we have received this year are 11% higher, and our Sales are 25% higher than last year at this time. We are finding people that do want our products and services. The difference this year is that they want value at a reduced price. Our mission is to figure out a way to deliver on this expectation.

I must believe that the economy though slower, still must carry on. Goods and Services still must be sold. Developing a Plan to capture our share of that economy is the challenge, that I am up for!

February 17, 2009

Gaining Market Share

How to Stay Positive in a Negative World

I found out yesterday that we gained market share! One of our competitors went out of business, and another closed their showroom in Naperville.

February 16, 2009

Fear's Danger

How to Stay Positive in a Negative World

Franklin Roosevelt’s famous speech stated that “all we have to fear is fear itself.”

I can live in fear, that is true, but I cannot succeed in fear.

February 13, 2009

Up, Up, Up

How to Stay Positive in a Negative World

The Stimulus Bill got passed, Retail Sales for January went up, and the Financial Markets went up.

February 12, 2009

Face of a Child

How to Stay Positive in a Negative World

When looking into the face of a child, you see only joy, not fear. I will live today with joy in my heart.

February 11, 2009

It's Simple

How to Stay Positive in a Negative World

I woke up this morning with a plan. Simple really, all I have to do is follow the plan!