Category: The CarrotCast Podcast

From online marketing to mindset, join us as we unlock the best stories, tactics, and strategies from America’s top investors and agents.

EP 182: What It Takes to Be a Successful Wholesaler w/ Tom Krol of Wholesaling Inc
Hey guys and gals! I am really excited to sit down with a crazy special guest today, our first ever CarrotCast guest, Tom Krol of Wholesaling, Inc.

I first met Tom 8 or so years ago and I have been excited to be able to work with him ever since. Tom is one of those people with an incredibly infectious personality, who’s enthusiasm will help you believe you can do anything. My kind of guy.

When I first started the CarrotCast in 2016, I knew I needed my first guest to be someone positive, knowledgable, and motivating.

The first person I thought of is Tom. I am thrilled to have him back today to discuss the mindset a successful wholesaler must have, marketing, and what’s changed since we sat down together last.

Read the Full Show Notes Below…

What It Takes to Be a Successful Wholesaler w/ Tom Krol of Wholesaling Inc

Back in July/Aug of 2016, I was feeling a little burnt out and not sure what to do next. I had done an energy audit and realized that I wanted to share inspiration, incredible real estate information I was learning, and marketing strategies that were working for our clients, but I wasn’t sure how to do it. I was tired of writing long-form content and not sure how I wanted to get my message across. I was never one to want to be in front of the camera. I didn’t even want to record my voice on things because I didn’t want to hear it.

Fast forward to today and doing the CarrotCast is one of my favorite things that I am able to do. Once I changed my mindset, stopped doing the things that were draining me, and got past the fear, things really took off.

The Successful Wholesaler Mindset

Tom is an incredible example of how a mindset shift can change your life. 7 years ago, Tom was at rock bottom. He was broke, tired, fired from his last 5 jobs, and not surrounding himself with the type of people he should have been.

Luckily, Tom reached out to his brother-in-law, a successful wholesaler in San Diego. His brother-in-law became his wholesaling mentor, leading him step-by-step into his first deal. That first deal was worth $2k. Last year, Tom was able to write over $1 million in assignments.

For Tom, the mindset was fear. Wholesaling seemed so overwhelming with all of the real estate jargon, acronyms, and topics he didn’t know about. His brother-in-law lived in a much larger market, there was no way he could do it! Right?! Wrong. By staying consistent, motivated, and no over-complicating the process, Tom was able to find what he loves, with great success in doing it.

Making The Shift

When he was 33, Tom made the shift. You can make that shift too. Start today and write down some of the things you don’t like about yourself. Not physically, but your habits and mindsets. Then write down what you need to become in order to achieve the goals you have for yourself. Personally, I have seen great results from coaching. The costs are well worth it for what you receive in return. We have actually partnered with Tom to bring wholesaling coaching to our clients.

Marketing That Works

Wholesaling is about determination and grit, not your knowledge of real estate. You may call 400 people and they will all say no, it’s the 401st that may offer to sell their house at a discount in exchange for fast service. No matter what marketing channel you choose, having that grit is what will make you successful.

As Tom put it, when marketing your real estate business, whichever channel you think is the best, is the best. Go all-in with that one method and completely own it. Whether you are doing online, direct mail, or knocking on doors, be consistent, and be the best in your market. Doing too many things can dilute your efforts and ultimately be a waste of time.

Using The Right Lists

For Tom and his team, a big part of his marketing strategy includes direct mail. He’s found that the best lists he’s been able to get are the ones received directly from your city, county, municipality or township. If you are just starting out, keeping up with these lists and reaching potential home sellers before anyone else, can have a monumental effect on your success.

Some lists you can get online, others you have to call for. Some lists are more difficult to get, but they are there and can be invaluable to a successful wholesaler. A few of the lists Tom likes to use include:
- People arrested within the past 24 hours
- The water shut-off list
- Garage sale lists
- Unknown equity list
- Tax delinquent list
Once you have your list, do some digging to find their address or phone number, whichever channel you are using, and send your marketing. With his direct mail campaigns, Tom sends out the same postcards to everyone. One is more personal, the other is more corporate feeling. Once you get your process down, your marketing can be outsourced to a VA and taken off of your shoulders completely. Of course, the quality of leads will vary depending on where you live.

No matter how you decide to market, keep it consistent. So many people quit right as they are about to find success. Remove the emotion, stick to the math, and you will win every time. Never forget how powerful you are.

Mentioned In This Episode:

CarrotCast Episode 1: Getting Your First Deal Done + A Tip To Double Your Assignment Fees w/ Tom Krol

The Carrot Energy Audit

The Carrot Wholesaling Coach – Carrot Marketplace Service (Members Only)

Follow Our Guest:

We want to hear your thoughts on the podcast! Drop them in the comments section below or hit us up on Facebook or Instagram
November 19, 2019
EP 181: How to Create Freedom in Your Real Estate Business

Since starting Carrot, I’ve discovered that the biggest struggle for agents & investors is marketing.

For anyone new to business, or even those that have been in it for years, focusing on just one thing can be a struggle. With so many options like Facebook Ads, PPC, SEO, networking, open houses, it can be tough to know what strategies to use and when.

Our goal at Carrot is to provide people the information and tools they need to succeed. We are constantly hearing from Carrot users that doing the marketing is too much work, that it is too expensive, or that it simply isn’t working.

The good news is that you don’t have to do it all. When you focus on what works, creating a solid foundation, your marketing will begin to work for you, allowing you to get off the hamster wheel of endless marketing tactics.

Listen in as we dive in further to help you create a marketing plan that will work for your business!

Read the Full Show Notes Below…

Your Real Estate Marketing Blueprint | How To Create A Business That Actually Sets You Free

Whether you are an agent or investor, using the right real estate marketing strategies is critical to your success. You need to get leads in the door, but with so many options, how do you know where to go all-in? We hear from clients all of the time that doing the marketing work is too much work or that it is too expensive.

When you are doing the wrong things, it can be. But when you are able to implement smart strategies and create a unique selling proposition, your business will begin to market itself. And always remember, as mentioned in one of our Truck Talks, people don’t buy your business but they are buying a better version of themselves.

Getting Off The Hamster Wheel

I use the example of hamster wheel marketing vs. building a wall quite often. Hamster wheel marketing I consider to be things like cold calling, throwing up random social media posts, and anything else that if you stopped doing, the leads would eventually disappear.

While this strategy is great when you are just starting out or when you just need to get some leads in the door, building a wall will help ensure that if you were to take a break, the leads would keep rolling in as normal. When you build a strong foundation for your business, you will be able to get off the wheel for good!

Setting A Strong Foundation

When looking at our marketing strategy, it can be easy to feel overwhelmed if you are trying to handle all of it. The trick is to focus on your unique gift, getting that message across to your potential clients.

This will help you to build authority, and if you’ve been listening for a while, you know how important creating authority is to the success of your business. Try to do this by offering your own USP, telling your own story, and doing things a bit different from your competition.

If you are an agent, don’t just tell them you’re an agent and here are some houses. If you are an investor, you need to say more than you will buy houses fast. In one of our Truck Talks, I lay out exactly how you can create a USP that will stand out from the competition!

Our Marketing Plan Generator

We’re thrilled to be very close to launching our new Marketing Plan Generator which will lay out exactly what you need to do when marketing your business.

Whether you are an agent, an investor, a seasoned professional, or just starting out, we are certain that our marketing plan generator will help you take the next step in building your marketing wall. To get your custom plan, all you’ll have to do is answer a few short questions about your business. Then we will provide you with a FREE customized plan of action!

Marketing Plan Generator… Coming Soon!

Creating Your Vision

Before you do any marketing for your business, it’s important to make your vision clear. What do you want your income to look like? Do you want to travel? How do you want to spend your day?

If you don’t have a vision, it is easy to help you get caught up in those hamster wheel tactics. Bouncing from one strategy to the next, looking for that easy button.

Unfortunately, there is no easy button. Setting that initial foundation may seem difficult at first, but once you look back at all the work you have done and the success it will bring, you’ll see that all that hard work is worth it!

Listen to the full episode for specific examples as well as some great tips from our team member Brady on how you can really help your business stand apart!

Mentioned In This Episode:

The Trevor Truck Talk Series

Connect with Trevor on Instagram!

Our 30 Day Authority Building Challenge

Anchor, our recommended tool for launching a podcast of your own… Anchor

We want to hear your thoughts on the podcast! Drop them in the comments section below or hit us up on Facebook or Instagram

November 12, 2019
EP 180: Playing Bigger | My Massive Mindset Shift From Russell Brunson’s Mastermind

Growing and scaling a business can be a huge challenge for some entrepreneurs.

You can be pouring your heart and soul into something and still feel as if you are dragging your feet through the mud.

In this Truck Talk, I wanted to share some thoughts on mindset, thinking bigger and knowing how to shift within your business without losing your focus. Growing your business, and reaching the next level is 100% possible when you take the time to follow these steps.

Listen in!

Read the Full Show Notes Below…

Playing Bigger | My Massive Mindset Shift From Russel Brunson’s Mastermind

Hey everyone! It’s 12:09 am, and I am just getting back into town after attending Russel Brunson’s Mastermind out in Boise! When I started my business, I knew I didn’t want to have to travel in order to grow my business. I wanted it to be by choice, for things like this event, which can completely change the way you see things.

I’ve talked about MasterMinds in the past, along with my journey with them. A great one we did was with my friend Jason Medley, founder of Collective Genius. While there are numerous Mastermind groups out there, investing in the right one will change your business and your life.

Limiting Beliefs

Looking back to only about 3 years ago, I was feeling a bit dragged down. I wanted to grow my team but I didn’t know how. I doubted my ability. I thought about hiring a CEO, and I even thought about selling the company and starting over with something else. I never thought I could lead a team of 20 or grow my company to over $10 million.

However, by changing my mindset, thinking bigger, and surrounding myself with people who had been there, we were able to grow Carrot into something truly awesome. We now have 27 full-time employees, with 30 on the books by the end of the year!

Scaling and growing a company can be a huge challenge for entrepreneurs. Let me know in the comments if growing your business, scaling, and building a team are things you would like discussed on the podcast as we move into 2020!

You can also check out Episode 66 of the Carrotcast in which I discuss the 8 steps I had to take to become successful in getting over the hurdles I was facing within my business.

Playing Bigger

Back around 2010, I wanted to figure out what it was I wanted to do. I was fortunate to attend one of Gary Vaynerchuk’s first speaking gigs, which challenged everyone in the room to do something bigger.

Some friends and I ultimately started a Mastermind group called the 100,000,000 Mastermind. Did I really believe I would build something that big? Probably not. It was an audacious goal. At that time I was doing a couple of hundred grand a year, which was great, but I needed to take several steps before thinking about $100 million.

I use the analogy of a seed quite frequently in that when you have a seed, it is just a seed. It is not an apple tree, it is not an apple, but it has everything within to become a massive, sprawling tree if taken care of properly. By watering, feeding, and nurturing the tree, it will grow into something huge. Now if you are always planting seeds, forgetting about them, not taking proper care of them, nothing is going to grow. The same holds true for your business.

At the time, I didn’t know how hard getting there would be. The first million took a lot of work, however, the second just sort of happened. It took some more work getting to 5, and getting to 10 required a new marketing strategy and technique. I had to shift my mindset and what we were doing.

I’ve learned, that the people with the most success didn’t get where they are from that first initial goal. Over time, their goals, priorities, and methods shifted. It’s about taking the next step, nailing it, and moving onto the next step.

Choosing Your Number

Dan Kennedy always talked about the importance of having a specific number in mind for your financial goal. Without a specific number, you will always be chasing, looking for more, and never happy with what you’ve achieved. That is… unless your number changes as you blast through your limiting beliefs.

As you grow, take a look at the companies you admire most. Take a look at what is working for these companies, and model what you can. If you are a brand new agent, it doesn’t make sense to model the biggest agent in town. Look for an agent doing 10-15 deals. Look at how they are doing that as the strategy will likely be different from the big guys down the road.

Finding Your Niche

There is a great book by Al Ramadan called Play Bigger. In his book, Al talks about the importance of finding your niche, and becoming a “category king.” If you are an agent who handles luxury properties, niche down and become the absolute best, go-to source for luxury property in your area. Go all-in with your message so everybody thinks of you before any of the competition.

My final takeaway is this: As my business has grown, I’ve learned not to ask what do I need to feel happy. Rather, how much do I need to do to make the biggest impact as possible? Today, I want to use my money to do things to positively impact the community where I live. I want to invest in local businesses that help to touch people’s lives. Money is no longer a need, it is a tool.

Let’s bring the humanity back to business guys!

We have some great training here at Carrot to help you build credibility, niche out, and reach the goals you have set for yourself. Check out our webinar here or sign-up to take our 30-Day, Authority Building Challenge!

Mentioned In This Episode:

Carrotcast with Jason Medley

Episode 66 – 8 Success Steps I Took

Play Bigger by Al Ramadan

30-Day, Authority Building Challenge!

We want to hear your thoughts on the podcast! Drop them in the comments section below or hit us up on Facebook or Instagram

November 5, 2019
EP 179: 100% Commissions and 100% Support for Agents | Welcome to The Netflix of Real Estate w/ Sam Khorramian, CEO of Big Block Realty
All everyone is talking about is content and technology to grow your business, but it’s nothing without the ability to effectivly communicate and convert the attention you are generating.
– Sam Khorramian

Within just a few years, Big Block Realty has grown from a small one-room office to the fastest-growing brokerage in the state of California! By focusing on what the agent needs to successfully sell real estate, Big Block is able to attract some of the best talent in the game.

Today, Sam Khorramian breaks down their insanely-effective real estate content and sales funnel strategy for both real estate agents and investors.

Ready to stop chasing business and instead learn how to have it chase you? Sam’s here to teach you exactly how.

Read the Full Show Notes Below…

100% Commissions and 100% Support for Agents | Welcome to The Netflix of Real Estate w/ Sam Khorramian, CEO of Big Block Realty

Hey guys! I am really excited about this week’s podcast. I got to sit down with my good friend Sam Khorramian, one of the founders of Big Block Realty. I first knew Sam from another one of my companies, then I came across his name again while flipping through Inc. Magazine. His company was listed as one of the fastest-growing companies in the US! Not just the fastest-growing brokerage, but #26 on the fastest-growing list of companies! This happened year after year as the success of the brokerage took off.

Big Block was founded in 2012 by Khorramian and Oliver Graf with the desire to build a brokerage that was for the agents. By being so agent-focused, they have been able to grow their team to over 100 agents, doing about 3B in volume.

It is only just recently that Sam and I have gotten to know each other and I am excited and inspired by the work he is doing. The way they are marketing and using content is truly amazing. They are truly adding more value for the agents as the market is beginning to change. Currently, we do some work together through The Closing Table Mastermind Group.

The Convergence of Retail and Wholesale

Retail and wholesale have always been very separate. But nowadays, the customer is ultimately just looking for a solution to their problem. They want to sell their house, it doesn’t matter if it’s to an investor or a private buyer. The way the market is going today, the same company should be able to offer multiple solutions for buyers. Investors should be agents and agents should be investors.

Sam and his partners have been able to grow their business so quickly because of the amazing value they are able to offer their clients. Not only does their business serve buyers and sellers, but they also offer investment, marketing, and long term wealth creation services. As more and more tech companies and iBuyers come onto the scene, agents and investors will need to find the best ways to set themselves apart. By adding the additional services, Big Block is able to better present themselves as the authority to monetize the agent’s commission and ensure that their team is seeing as much of the commission as possible.

Making the Shift

For Big Block, they look at market shifts as places where they can thrive. They look at where things are now as well as where they think the market will be 5 years for now. No matter what the market is doing, they want to make sure that they are seen as the authority. This will ensure their agents are the ones being sought after, not having to do the chasing themselves.

Sam and Oliver want to support agents by doing more investing through the brokerage, helping agents to build and maintain wealth during the downturn. Their desire to remain agent-centric will continue as they will continue to offer 100% commission and support to their agents. Currently, Big Block operates in California, with plans for national expansion!

The Importance of Being the Expert

I always tell the real estate agents and investors that I work with that becoming the expert in their field is the key to building credibility and authority. And the only way to get there is through content. Big Block has been using content to position themselves as the expert for first-time buyers, as a resource for tired landlords, and as the place for investors to work and attain greater profits.

As the expert in their field, they have a greater influence and can ask for a greater commission uncontested. As the industry changes, your business isn’t going anywhere, but you will need to change how things are done.

Content That Works

Branding yourself with great content will help you to draw in more business. Whether you are a veteran to the business or just getting started, excellent content creation will help to build your influence and ensure your success. Big Block has an entire team devoted to video marketing and creating content funnels that work.

Their 3-step funnel looks something like this:
- The first videos are for awareness, letting people know you exist
- The next step is the consideration stage, letting people know they offer the solution
- The final step is conversion – helping people become comfortable with the process and ready to pick up the phone
Everything they do falls into one of those categories. At the bottom of the funnel, they offer case studies and testimonials. Every post includes a CTA, taking them to the next step of the process.

Big Block is a great fit for solo agents who are actively producing, teams of 4-10 people, and investors who are working on the retail side of things as well. They offer 100% commission and 100% support. Along with many other benefits such as free training, free coaching, brokers who are also attorneys, an office that is open 7 days, and much more.

For Sam, his focus is and has always been, to solve the customer’s problem. By creating a brokerage of flexible agents with the ability to offer numerous options, I have no doubt that he and his team will continue to ride the next wave as it comes.

Follow Our Guest:

Check out Big Block Realty, California’s fastest-growing real estate brokerage

You can also find Big Block Realty on Facebook

Sam on Instagram @the9thzero

Mentioned in this Episode:

The Closing Table Mastermind

Sam’s Article on Inman – Lead-gen game changer: How to get 10,000 new followers in 60 days

We want to hear your thoughts on the podcast! Drop them in the comments section below or hit us up on Facebook or Instagram
October 29, 2019
EP 178: Become a Negotiation Master | Top Techniques for Closing the Deal w/ John Martinez of REI Sales Academy

“The better you are at marketing, the easier the sale is on the backend…It’s less about the money than most people think.”
– John Martinez

With more competition in a crowded market, your ability to execute a sale has never been more important. That’s why we’ve brought back the most-listened-to CarrotCast guest of all time, the master of sales psychology, John Martinez.

John has spent years perfecting his sales process, coaching and consulting real estate investors, helping them ensure that they’re closing every closable deal at the highest margins possible.

Listen in and let him walk you through his best scripts, word-for-word!

Follow Our Guest:

Connect with John and REI Sales Academy at https://midwestrev.com/

Mentioned in this episode:

Listen to EP 150: Don’t Blow It! The Psychology of Negotiation: How To Talk With A House Seller to Close More Deals + Help More People w/ John Martinez.

We want to hear your thoughts on the podcast! Drop them in the comments section below or hit us up on Facebook or Instagram

October 22, 2019
EP 177: Journey From Day Job to $100k/year | Every Single Step To Closing 8 Deals in One Month w/ Keith Sant of Kind House Buyers
When others were out drinking on a Friday night, I was putting up signs or creating Craigslist ads.
– Keith Sant

We love Keith not just because he’s an awesome guy, but because he doesn’t have anything to hide. His story proves that if you want something bad enough and you’re willing to put in the work, anything can happen.

Since closing his first wholesale deal two years ago, he’s tried everything under the sun to build a valuable investing business.

Today he shares his entire strategy & marketing mix, everything he’s doing to crush it in such a saturated market.

After this, there are no excuses. Let’s get it!

Read the Full Show Notes Below…

Journey From Day Job to $100k/year | Every Single Step To Closing 8 Deals in One Month w/ Keith Sant of Kind House Buyers

For Keith Sant, Kind House Buyers is more than just the name of his business, it is how he conducts business and his life. I first got to know Keith just a few weeks ago at our most recent CarrotCamp, and right away I was struck by his hunger, drive, and gratitude.

These are the things that have led him to create a very successful wholesaling business in the Pacific Northwest.

Keith believes in treating everyone the same. He talks to his sellers the same way he talks to investors. He grew up not having much, so his sincere gratitude for all he’s achieved shines through when you talk to him about his business.

A while back, Keith heard a podcast I did about CarrotCamp, the benefits, the highlights, and what people could expect to take away from the event. He knew it was something he needed to attend, but he wasn’t making the 100k per year that he needed to qualify… yet.

Don’t wish it were easier. Wish you were better.
Jim Rohn

Instead of feeling defeated, Keith got down to it and closed the deals he needed to. He was able to close eight deals in one month, in a very competitive market nonetheless. Needless to say, Keith made it to the next CarrotCamp, and we were thrilled to have him join us.

In The Beginning

In order to get where he needed to be, Keith knew he had to buckle down and do the work. Before real estate, Keith was working in screenprinting. He never referred to himself as an entrepreneur, but he has always known he wouldn’t be able to work with someone who didn’t value him or his contribution.

Eventually, Keith went back to school. There isn’t a degree for entrepreneurs, so he studied marketing instead. Why? Because he didn’t think he was that great at it, so he figured he should learn.

Real estate was always an interest, but the entry barrier seemed too high. He had a friend in Texas doing flips and wholesaling houses. Keith worked with him for a while, then brought his business to the Pacific Northwest. He worked hard, got his first wholesale deal, and it was on from there. This year he’s looking at doing about 25 deals, with an average profit of $15,800.

Initial Marketing

Bandit Signs

Keith started with bandit signs and a lot of them. To be effective, the signs needed a few key elements.
- Keith got an easy to remember, repeating digit phone number
- The phone number was HUGE so people could see it
- He included his website as it was something people could remember and look-up when they got home
- He was strategic in where he put the signs. He didn’t put them in downtown Seattle. He put them on the outskirts of town He put a sign in the middle of nowhere that turned into a 30k deal.
- On average, Keith drops 120 signs per month. His rule is to put out 2 signs whenever he goes out.
Having a website up before making his big marketing push was important. People told him he didn’t need a site or that a basic one-page site would do. However, Keith knew that a great site would showcase his message, mission, and sincere intent to help others. His site looks great on mobile devices, catching the attention of all those people who may be interested in his offer as they drive by.

The Craigslist Strategy

Craigslist is still one of the best ways to generate cheap leads. Keith’s strategy included a few key steps.
- He had two different versions of his ad. One introduced his company and services, the other was a bit more personal.
- He posted in the services section under real estate services, moving services, and other places where his competition wasn’t.
- He posted one ad every Friday, with each ad being up for 4 weeks. At any time, Keith would have 4 ads up in one place or another.
- Keith set up a separate phone number for Craigslist, helping him to know where the leads were coming from.
Investor Carrot offers a great resource to help you kick off your Craigslist campaign to generate quality, low-cost leads.

All of Keith’s hustle worked. His first check was for $8,900.

Keith’s Marketing Mix Today

Keith’s marketing strategy today still incorporates Craigslist and bandit signs, but he’s added a few other elements to his marketing strategy. Today, Keith’s leads come from a variety of places.
- Bandit Signs
- Craigslist
- Carrot
- Ringless Voicemail
- Social Media
- Facebook Marketplace
- Organic Traffic
- Paid Ads – PPC
PPC has been instrumental for Keith. He’s been able to close 1 in 10 leads this way. Recently, PPC costs have driven people away from this method of marketing. This has opened the doors for people who want to use PPC to drive more high-quality leads to their websites.

When Keith drove down to Carrot HQ for CarrotCamp, we couldn’t help but notice a truck bed full of bandit signs. “My goal is to put up two every time I leave my house. I’m already out driving around, so why not?”

The Importance of Mindset

Throughout Keith’s journey in real estate, he’s learned that he needs to keep the right mindset. By consistently doing all of the small things each day, Keith was able to build a business that he is proud of. He went to school, he learned the business, and he got to work. He didn’t give up and that is what has led him to the life he’s leading today.

The way he operates his business is simple. He wants to work with people he likes, doing deals that really help everyone. He knows people may take advantage of his kindness, but the way he looks at it is that it’s an inexpensive way to weed out the bad people from his life.

I recently challenged our listeners to do some push-ups each day, doing one more than they had the day before. I’ve watched Keith crush this challenge, putting up his videos and numbers each day. It is this mindset that is helping him to grow his business into something bigger.

Consistency is inspiring. While the flash in the pan is eye-catching, the person who is doing the work day in and day out will ultimately be the bigger inspiration to those around them. They may not have been inspiring others on day one, but when they are doing 150 push-ups in a row, people are going to notice.

Keith giving his presentation at CarrotCamp Fall 2019

Follow Our Guest:

Check out Keith’s website Kind House Buyers

You can find Keith on LinkedIn

Kind House Buyers on Facebook

Mentioned in this episode:

CarrotCast Episode 102 – CarrotCamp Spring 2018 Real Estate Investing Mastermind for Market Domination

CarrotCamp – The 2-day event to change your mindset, business, and life.

Carrot’s Craigslist Resource

We want to hear your thoughts on the podcast! Drop them in the comments section below or hit us up on Facebook or Instagram
October 15, 2019
EP 176: Mindfulness, Cyber-Bullying, and The Legend of Frank Meza w/ Joaquin Ortiz

Am I listening to just throw my stuff on them? Or am I listening to hear where they are? It’s about first trying to honor where someone’s at.
– Joaquin Ortiz

How mindful are we when it comes to the things you are saying? Not just to the people in front of you, but online as well?

We have a very meaningful departure from our usual topics today, and instead, we wanted to focus on a topic that’s becoming more and more prevalent…cyber-bullying.

Carrot’s own Joaquin Ortiz shares his story of a close family member and legendary marathon runner, Dr. Frank Meza, who was recently impacted by cyber-bullying.

Listen in to learn how we can all play our own parts in being more mindful.

Read the Full Show Notes Below…

Mindfulness, Cyber-Bullying, and The Legend of Frank Meza w/ Joaquin Ortiz

At our most recent CarrotCamp, my dear friend and teammate here at Carrot, Joaquin Ortiz shared with me how he and his family have been impacted personally by cyber-bullying. Joaquin is a prime example of one of our core values: Be a Beacon of Positivity and Possibility. He reminds all of us here at Carrot to go within and to shed the light on the positives which are all around us. I was thrilled to be able to sit down with him here on the CarrotCast and I can’t wait to have him on again! Later in the podcast, I will share a BIG call to action that will have a profound effect on you and those around you!

Creating Your Legacy

Joaquin often finds ways to bring the team back to center. Whether he is leading exercises in the morning or sharing with us an inspiring new playlist, helping us to connect is something he is truly amazing at. Joaquin loves to run, just like his uncle Dr. Frank Meza who was a huge inspiration to him. He taught him to aspire to be a greater version of himself.

A few months ago Joaquin’s family was struck by tragedy.

Dr. Frank Meza was an incredible man. His list of accomplishments included becoming a successful doctor, runner, and mentor. He lost his father at a young age and came to America as an immigrant. The cards were stacked against him until he met a group of Latino doctors that made him realize he could be successful too.

Once he found success of his own, he became a mentor to many others who were following in his footsteps. Running was his medicine and meditation. He became quite good at it, but he wasn’t after notoriety, he simply loved running. He began to mentor people in running, getting people more involved in their own health and volunteering his time coaching at Loyola High School.

Over the past few years, Frank was winning medals and breaking records, but that’s not what it was about for him. As he continued to astonish people with his running ability, the accusations began to start. There were running forums investigating his performance, comments and negativity being spread faster than wildfire. At one point, he had news crews crowding his front lawn looking for a story or even a glimpse of him through a window. While Dr. Meza tried his best to shrug it off, he began to worry about the safety of his family.

The kicker was when the LA Times ran a front-page headline calling him a cheater. LA was his hometown and a community he had given so much back to. Instead of being recognized for his accomplishments, his character, and all he had given back, his name was being dragged through the mud.

On July 4th, he started the day like any other. He told his wife he wanted to go for a run as always she encouraged him to do what made him happy. Sadly, Dr. Meza didn’t return home from the run. He instead, drove to his old neighborhood, found a bridge, and made his peace.

Loss Of Humanity

Here’s the deal. I don’t care about the facts, that is not what is important here. What is important is that there was a highly accomplished human being on the other end of these comments, negativity, and eventual hostility. There are no laws to protect people on the internet the way there are in the real world. If a mob of people shows up on your lawn, you can do something. Not so much when the mob is online.

Let’s go back in time 70 years. The things people say online never would have been said between people communicating face to face. Today, the internet is giving people gumption to say things online that would never be said in real life.

Doing Better

Joaquin asks us all to be more mindful of the things we are saying to the people we are with and the people we speak to online. How much are you listening to others without any judgments or assumptions? We can all be guilty of flipping to the negative when we feel attacked or less than. But when you attack others to make yourself feel better, you have no idea what is on the other end or what that person may be going through.

Not only can we be mindful of what we are saying, but we can help to encourage those around us to be more mindful too. We can raise our kids to build people up. Ask them if they would be comfortable having the things they post become headline news? Are the hurtful comments something they really want to be known for? Our words don’t go away in the digital world. Watch your kids and make sure they are incouraging others instead of tearing them down.

Getting Help

If you feel as if you are being bullied, whether online or in real life, it’s important to take action. Many times people don’t feel comfortable opening up about their emotions or how something is making them feel. Don’t hold this stuff in. Find a friend, family member or counselor who can help you get through it.

If you are seeing the bullying taking place around you, do something about it. Flag inappropriate comments, report posts that spread hate and negativity. Keep in mind there are real people who are on the other end of these negative comments.

The biggest takeaway I have for you in this episode is to look around you and ask yourself “How do you inspire others to uplift instead of tear down?”

My Challenge For You

We all have someone we are truly grateful for, but we haven’t stopped to say those words to them. Don’t wait until it’s too late. Say those things today. I want you to report back to us, telling us about who you talked to and what came of it. Send your stories to support@testcarrot.xyz and Joaquin will see those emails.

I truly appreciate Joaquin sitting down with us and talking about something so difficult and personal. I want to tell our customers to look out for Joaquin as he is likely someone you will be talking to via email or on your next strategy call!

Mentioned in this episode:

Altamed providing healthcare to disenfranchised individuals in LA County

Taking Off The Armor – Joaquin’s quest to go inward to transform and make your story what you want it to be.
CarrotCamp – The ultimate mastermind for real estate investors and agents

We want to hear your thoughts on the podcast! Drop them in the comments section below or hit us up on Facebook or Instagram

October 8, 2019
EP 175: Is Wholesaling Illegal in Illinois? The Truth Behind The New Law & What It Means for Investors

It doesn’t matter if you’re an agent or investor. You’ve got to add more value. If you can figure out how to add more value, then it shouldn’t be hard for you to succeed.
– Daniel DiGiacomo

Let’s welcome back a returning guest and one of my all-time favorite dudes, Daniel DiGiacomo.

Daniel is a pro when it comes to building a buyers list and adapting to a changing market. He started in real estate about 10 years ago as a landlord and is now dominating the Baltimore, MD market in wholesaling.

Today, we talk about the brass tacks on the recently passed legislation in Illinois affecting wholesalers. “Is Wholesaling really illegal in Illinois?” “What’s this mean for me as an investor?” and more… Listen in!

Read the Full Show Notes Below…

Is Wholesaling Illegal in Illinois? Learn More About the New Wholesaling Law: SB 1872 – The Real Estate Licensing Act

A few weeks ago, Illinois had a rewrite of SB 1872 – The Real Estate Licensing Act. While many topics were addressed under the rewrite, wholesalers were surprised to find out that they would now need an Illinois Brokers License to continue to wholesale houses. This means they would need to complete the required education, pass the exam, and be sponsored by a managing broker – all new things for many local wholesalers.

At Carrot, we saw that some people were disgruntled by this change. We even had a couple of members pull the plug on their sites because of it!

In my conversation with Daniel, we talk about how the business of real estate is always changing. It is the people who are willing to adapt who are going to be successful.

Being able to shift and add value will separate you from the competition. If you aren’t able to learn the laws and properly report, maybe it’s not the right path for you and you should find something that you are really excited about, no matter what the requirements are!

How to Build Your Dream Team

One of the biggest struggles investors have as their businesses grow is building a team. Scaling is hard. Many entrepreneurs struggle with this part of their business. It’s only when they have become a bottleneck that they say, “hey… maybe I should get some help!” Doing everything on your own, especially those day-to-day tasks that take up so much of our time, can keep you from innovating and your business from growing.

Related Resources: 3 Ways to Build Healthy and Productive Habits

At our most recent CarrotCamp mastermind, we discussed a delegation framework. Delegation starts with tasks and putting the right processes in place in order to get the tasks done properly.

Next, you can begin to delegate entire projects, then planning, decisions, and eventually results. As the CEO, you should be involved in all aspects to some degree – but most importantly, always retain the role as visionary.

When you are building or scaling your company, start delegating your tasks, developing processes to get them done!

Let go of the idea that having someone else do it will cause the task to suffer. Things don’t always have to get done exactly as you would do it!

Learn to let go and when you have the right people in place, the wheels will all begin to turn!

**Neither Daniel or I are attorneys! This podcast was created to share information to motivate you to get out there and conduct your own research! **

Follow Daniel:

Daniel’s Carrot site: Baltimore Wholesale Property

Daniel DiGiacomo on LinkedIn

Mentioned in this episode:

Daniel’s 1st CarrotCast Episode: Text Message Marketing + Mindset of Managing Your Business With Daniel DiGiacomo

CarrotCamp – The ultimate mastermind for real estate investors and agents

We want to hear your thoughts on the podcast! Drop them in the comments section below or hit us up on Facebook or Instagram

October 1, 2019
EP 174: This Investor & EXP Agent Shares His Strategy for Dominating Google & Crushing Wholesaling w/ Tyler Ford

“The key is the consistency in doing content month after month after month…” Tyler Ford

Tyler Ford is our first-ever 3-time CarrotCast guest – and there’s a good reason why!

A few years ago, Tyler was at a crossroads in his business where he was either going to get out of the game or decide to go all in.

Now, he’s owning search results for a variety of terms in his market, finding creative ways to do more deals as an EXP agent and investor, and wholesaling multiple deals per month!

He’s pretty glad that he decided to go all in. Listen in to hear his story and implement his strategy.

EP 174: This Investor & EXP Agent Shares His Strategy for Dominating Google & Crushing Wholesaling w/ Tyler Ford

Follow Tyler

See The Exact SEO Strategy for Dominating Google Tyler Uses To Rank His Carrot Website In An Ultra Competitive Market at testcarrot.xyz/tyler

Tyler’s Carrot site: https://www.webuyhomesintucson.com/

Tyler on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tylerqford

Tyler on EXP Realty: https://bit.ly/2lbkIl1

Mentioned in this episode:

How To Optimize Your Location Pages with Carrot: https://youtu.be/Al8q25fzDPU

We want to hear your thoughts on the podcast! Drop them in the comments section below or hit us up on Facebook or Instagram

September 24, 2019