10 Questions That Can Save Your (Financial)
Life!
Everybody knows that in order to do anything great, you
have to be greatly trained...
So how well trained are you?
Before you blindly put faith into a teacher, professor,
"expert", consultant or "Guru" make sure you ask them (and yourself)
these 10 questions.
No more guessing...
I get
asked questions like this all the time:
"Azam,
how do I find a real mentor?"
"How
can I tell if I'm being scammed at a (real estate or other type) seminar?
"I
know I need to find a good coach/trainer/Mentor, but who can I turn to
and trust?"
Here's
the most comprehensive answer I have -
After
this you won't have to wonder about it any longer and from now on
you'll know that you can instantly find the best help, in the best way
for the best results. And best of all, I'm making this free
through this article.
What a
guy, right?
Here's
the answer...
My
neighbor amazes me.
Her
husband was an executive for one of the largest pharmaceutical companies
in the world, he was paid handsomely and had millions in stock, real
estate and other investments.
I
didn't see him very much.
But I
did often spoke with his wife.
Almost
every conversation we ever had was about one thing; saving money.
She
would call this bargain shopping, and I suppose there is a lot of value
in doing that, but her attitude always surprised me because it was so
contradictory. She would have dozens of neighborhood kids "bid" on
how much they would do her lawn work for, and then she would buy a
$2,000 pair of shoes from the first store she saw them in - no
negotiating there.
I
guess we're all like that in some regard.
She
said her weakness was shoes. Okay, I'll give her that, but after
the 2008 stock market mess they were in trouble and, eventually,
foreclosure.
During
this time we had a conversation where she was explaining how they had
lost nearly all their investment funds. So I asked her how much
checking up she did on the brokers involved -you know, the people you
leave in charge of your money - she looked a little taken back.
This
is a woman who always knows where the cheapest gas is, which days to buy
produce and from what grocery stores for the best price and where to buy
used pens and paper for her kids to go to school with - she shopped, studied
and did her research before spending a single penny... unless it was on
shoes.
She
was a savvy woman, and she was rightfully put in charge of the family
finances.
This
was millions of dollars.
So who was
in charge of that? A 22-year-old who flunked his brokerage test
four times.
How
did that happen?
Where
did all her penny-pinching research go?
"I
guess... I just trusted him... because he sounded like he knew
what he was talking about..."
That
was her reasoning, and as silly as it sounds in this context, it is the
exact same thing millions of people do everyday.
I don't want to see that happen to you...
And,
like nearly all problems, the single best solution is education.
No
conman sounds like a conman, not the good ones anyway - so whether it is
your financial nest egg, your children's money or training to grow your
business - one thing is clear -
You
better pick the right person!
There
is no shortage of people in this world who are ready to take your money
in exchange for something they have no intention of (or even qualified
experience to) provide.
Right
now I'm specifically talking to those people who want to start, grow
and/or expand their business and their income - for you the choices you
make and the people you trust will make or break your dreams,
your future and your profitability.
This
is not something to be taken lightly, yet, just like my neighbor I see
so many smart, educated and otherwise thoughtful people become
victimized by their lack of research and inquisition into some simple
background items - just a cursory glance is too often neglected.
The
results are disastrous.
Somebody sets out to start a business, they take the wrong advice and
end up broke, fighting with their spouse while desperately trying to
prove "everybody" wrong and left in a shameful - sometimes suicidal -
state.
I
won't promise that you'll get rich reading this, but I do promise that
if you actually put this in place you're going to be a lot closer to
whatever your financial goals are - and you'll be further away from
going broke than the millions who don't do this.
Don't Become a SemStat!
A
SemStat is just another "Seminar Statistic".
Nearly
everybody who attends seminars is broke.
Obviously I'm not against getting educated, but becoming just another
statistic? Just about everybody is, or should be, against that.
In
real estate, for example, almost everybody who tries to get into that
business ends up broke and worse off than when they started. Too many
people also end up with a closet full of high-priced "courses", "Bootcamps"
and "home study programs" that they purchased and shelved away.
In
real estate, too many people think going to your local real estate
investor association (REIA) is the place to go, where a well dressed man
(sometimes a woman) stands before the room and tells a story about
how they used to be broke and wanted to get into real estate.
Then,
like magic, they discovered a "secret formula" that has made them rich.
Yes,
that really has happened to some people who became financially
successful, but if it really happened to the speaker - where's the
proof?
Too
few people ask for it.
It is
easier to flock to the back of the room and BUY.
Imagine if everybody in
real estate just got a little smarter... a little more curious
and little less eager to blow money... what if they just asked a few
more questions?
There would be a massive
shift.
I'm not saying everybody
selling stuff is full of it - there are geniuses in this world and I
highly recommend finding them and paying them whatever it takes
to learn from them - I have done it, and still do.
What I'm suggesting is
getting a little smarter...
So let's get into it -
Below
are 10 simple questions that you should ask yourself about a "guru", an
"expert", a consultant, a professor, etc. basically anybody who you are
going to pay (in time and/or money) to teach you how to make more money.
I'm
going to call these guys "Guru Guys" because so many of the bozos in the
real estate seminar industry call themselves "Gurus". Almost none of
them have any idea what they hell they're doing.
Almost
nobody in the world knows how to build a business - just look at the
statistics - so this should help you isolate and learn from only the
best.
Ready?
Good.
1.) "Am I scared of the trainer?"
What to ask
and AVOID:
If
you're children were going to be sodomized and murdered, and the only
chance you have to save them is to compete with the trainer or "Guru
Guy" in question in a money-making competition - how scared would you
be? Have they demonstrated a skill level that makes you nervous
about competing with them? I don't mean based on what they say
- I'm talking about based on what they do - are you scared of
them?
What to look for:
Are
you scared of their skill? You should be. Hell, you should
be scared sh**less of them. The more nervous they make you, the
better. That is the Trainer you want, the one that will make you
do what you need to - not what you want to. Stephanie Bell, a
member of our Team, once sat down and got the President of the United
States on the phone - purely from cold calling. How would
you feel about competing with her? (answer: she will most likely hand you your
a**)
2.) "Who else is getting
'rich'... if anybody?"
What to
AVOID:
Does
every parable, example and exaggerated story involve the Guru Guy being
the hero? Does their entire explanation revolved around how
they work, what they're doing and how much they're making?
Everybody needs a Team, where is their Team? More importantly, are
people on their Team making any real money or getting rich - or is it
just them... if that?
What to
look for:
Nearly
everybody I've worked with wants to build a company that not only makes
them money, but allows them to work with people they love - anybody in
America can make money, but it is helping other people making money that
really makes this worthwhile. You should be looking for an entire
Team of people who work with your Trainer, and each of them should have
substantial successes (with proof) about how well their training has
paid off. These aren't testimonials by the way, these are the
people who work with your Trainer day in and day out - if they're all
broke or if the organization is a revolving door, that says a lot about
their ability to find, train and retain skilled people.
3.) "Will I be working directly with the
Trainer, or a cubicle-coach?"
What to ask
and AVOID:
Buying
a book, or a course is one thing - and it is a great idea. But I
think you're main goal in doing that should be to find somebody who you
can really "get behind" and who can get behind you. Getting
personally trained, held accountable and coached is one of the surest
ways to master anything - you just have to find the right Trainer.
Notice I said Trainer, not the Trainer's staff. If you're paying
for Training, why settle for people who you probably don't even know?
Are you sure that these "coaches" aren't working in cubicles and looking
up your answers on a rolodex of default responses? You should be
ready to pay big money for this by the way, because anybody who knows
what they're doing - their time is valuable, so if they spend it with
you, be ready to pay. But if you're getting just "somebody" to
coach you, then why bother? Find a way to get the main Trainer
(the one who impressed you) to work directly with you, be persuasive
because this decision can change your life and make all the difference
to your business.
What to
look for:
Simple; find the best, and do whatever it takes for them to take you by
the hand (PERSONALLY!) and walk you through everything. Don't
settle for anything less than this, you deserve more, your family
deserves more - your dreams deserve more.
4.) "Is this Guru Guy just selling
shovels?"
What to ask
and AVOID:
During
the famous American Gold Rush in the 1840s and 1850s more money was made
selling shovels and extractive tools than was ever made selling gold. Is
this Guru Guy just selling a shovel, or have they ever mined? Can
they prove it? Take their biggest proven success/es, and
ask yourself if that is really all that impressive to you. The
delusion about the difference between a shovel seller and a real Trainer
is so surreal that now many Guru Guys use their accomplishments as
shovel salesman to brag - you'll hear things like "I've shared the stage
and spoken with Donald Trump, Robert Kiyosaki, etc." in order to impress
you. The bottom line is that no matter how long they've done it,
or how much, a
shovel salesman is still just a shovel salesman.
What to
look for:
Somebody who doesn't need to sell programs and courses to stay afloat,
this is simple to identify when you use the other criteria mentioned on
this page. If a majority of their time is spent "speaking" then
there is almost no chance they do much more than sell shovels.
Ironically the more they speak, or the more well known they are as
a "Guru Guy", in general, the less likely you should take them
seriously.
5.) "Do they tell me to fake it until
I make it?"
What to ask
and AVOID:
RED
ALERT - RED ALERT - RED ALERT - this is almost always terrible advice but
something that amateurs love to hear because the thought process is "Oh
yeah, that's my problem, I'm letting people know that I'm starting out -
but I should trick people into thinking that I'm rich and successful -
yeah that'll make me more likeable, credible and successful!" This
is crazy thinking, and the only examples I know of where this has paid off
is when the individual had undying passion - and even then being
endearing (see below) was what saved them. The real reason why
this is such a no-no? Think about it, if this expert suggests it,
they probably "faked it until they made it" themselves - so what is
their expertise really worth? And what phase are you seeing them
in - are they faking it, or did they "make it"? If they "made it",
then you know they faked it - so why the hell would you take them seriously? Too many people do...
What to
look for:
There
is enormous power in being endearing, if you're nervous for example, one
of the most effective things you can do is acknowledge your nervousness
and ask for feedback; "Honestly you seem much more experienced than me,
and I'm kind of nervous talking to an expert like you - do you mind
helping me out for a second?" What human being can turn that down?
Want to know a secret? I use that exact phrase almost everyday,
you can get almost anybody do almost anything if it comes from a place of
endearment. Your Trainer should be somebody who understands
influence and gaining compliance without suggesting that you lie,
mislead or misrepresent yourself as something that you're not - aren't
there enough people in the world like that? Why pay for somebody
to "teach" to become another? When you hear this, you know you're
talking to the wrong person.
6.) "Will I be trained to have a job,
or build a business?"
What to ask
and AVOID:
This
is one of those places where the boys are separated from the men - the
girls from the woman. I recommend that you do what you love - what
you're passionate about, what you want your life "to be about".
But if you feel like you aren't in a position to afford that, then get
into real estate or business to generate income so that you can finance
your passion - NOT to be a full time real estate investor.
Does the Guru Guy know how to build a substantial income of at least
$10,000 - $30,000 a month in less than 10-15 hours a week? Can
they prove that people have gone through this training and have done it?
Not just that somebody made ten grand - no - can they prove that an
income was created
and the business generated income regularly? This business
should be "runable" from anywhere in the world, and it should take less
and less time for the owner (you) to grow it - can they prove they know
exactly how to do that? Or do you (maybe) do a deal and then
you're out of business until you hunt again? Big difference.
What to
look for:
Simple; income and business growth. You want to see detailed
testimonials that involve regular income - not just a payday and
NOT just equity - something like ten grand a month, or 100 grand a
month, you should look for somebody that knows exactly how to start a
company from scratch and get to those numbers. Then make sure
they've trained others to do the same, this is really cool because from
now you'll see right through BS examples and you'll know if this Guru
Guy really knows how to build a business versus a 40-60 hour a week job.
You won't be fooled again. And make no mistake, almost nobody on
the planet knows how to do this, so you're search may leave you
discouraged at first, but keep looking - your prize will be worth it.
7.) "Has this Guru Guy been tested in
diverse markets, industries and areas... or were they just born online?"
What to ask
and AVOID:
Have they just had success in a microscopic niche, under unbelievably
optimistic circumstances? I know of one real estate guru that
works in one neighborhood, and that's it. Learning from
them is like learning how to read Karpac (a language spoken in a remote
region of Asia and only by a few hundred people) - and another Guru Guy
made millions selling seminars and he only worked in his core city - it was in Arizona, the
hottest market in the country at the time, a place where a monkey could
pick a house, buy it for 110% of the asking, and still make "money"
(equity). That kind of training is as simple as picking houses
blindfolded - what the hell good is this kind of "training" to
anybody who wants to make regular money and build a business... as useful as Karpac is to you now.
What TO
say:
Anybody can get rich in America, I mean come on, it's AMERICA - hell we
give money away and we have so much food here that people are allergic to it.
You should look for somebody that has gone to remote areas around the
world, and built companies in places with no electricity, running water
or even enforced laws. Isn't that the kind of Trainer you really
want? A total Badass that can build an Empire anywhere in
the world? Most people want to travel, wouldn't it be great to go
on vacation abroad, and while you're there start, run and grow a side
company - an extra piece of your Empire? You should look for
somebody that has done it, under harsh conditions, every conceivable
area, market, industry, etc. and can prove that not only have they done
it but they have successfully trained others to do so well. DO NOT
SETTLE, especially when you combine this with number eight...
8.) "How did this Guru Guy's business do
during the Great Depression II?"
What to ask
and AVOID:
I REALLY LOVE THIS ONE! In the years leading up to
the real estate "crash" bozo Guru Guys around America were going on and
on about how much money they've made in real estate, and how much you
can make too, right? Guess what? EVERYBODY was making
money in real estate (by the way almost all of them were regular
HOMEOWNERS NOT INVESTORS) because it was the hottest market
America has ever seen, the real question is... what happened to those
guys when the "recession" started? I call it The Great Depression
II to add to the media hype, but how did the Guru Guy in question do?
Sure, they all say they weren't affected and that business had "never
been better", but at the same time they were quietly going out of
business (yes, seriously!) and watching their seminar attendance numbers
fall
a cliff - they were hurting real bad, why? Should you really pay
attention to somebody who can only make money in real estate when
everybody else is? Shouldn't you look for somebody that can
make a killing regardless of what is going on in the world?
What to
look for:
I'm not one of those people that brags about much more money we
made during the last Depression... in fact I almost never talk about how
much I'm making period - I brag about others, shamelessly and
constantly. What you should really look for is somebody whose
business model didn't need to change during that time, somebody who not
only made a killing themselves as they expanded their companies - but
somebody who trained others who continued to thrive during that
"terrible economy", why? Because it is not everyday that something
like that happens and skill becomes so easily visible - the Depression
made spotting killer companies as easy as pie. You should keep in
mind that your time, money and energy are deserving of a Trainer who can
teach you how to hit record numbers within your company - regardless of
what other people are moping and whining and about. If you're Guru
Guy was one of the mopers and whiners, keep looking. I know this
will knock out almost all of the wannabes, but again DO NOT SETTLE - you
should believe and know that you're worth it, worth more.
9.) "How diverse is Guru Guy's body of work?"
What to ask
and AVOID:
Do
they just put on seminars? Do they just do single family
residential real estate? Just apartments? "Wholesaling"?
Rehabs? Is there anything outside of real estate even? In
other words, will you just learn how to spell a word or how to use the
dictionary so that you can spell any word? Short sales are
a marvelous waste of time for just about everybody, is that their focus?
Is their "focus" really what you want your life to be about? After
your death do you really want your tombstone to read "full time
Wholesaler?" Are you going to be trained to run a real business,
or are you just going to be chasing sellers, going to courthouses and
arguing with banks? Can the Guru Guy show you how to start, grow,
buy, sell, etc. any business that you pick out of any phonebook in the world?
Are you just learning to do a job and get paid per hour?
What to
look for:
Once
the foundation of business growth, dialog compliance and positioning and
Empire skills are understood - let alone mastered - your limits are only
your imagination. Look for a Trainer who has worked with hundreds
or
thousands of unrelated businesses and grown them substantially, a
standard real estate investor or speaker just won't cut it - you're
better than that. Look for somebody that has grown companies
around the world, in different industries, economic climates and
environments - that is the Training everybody wants - so start demanding
it.
10.) "The real test - how many
companies has Guru Guy started, grown and sold?"
What to ask
and AVOID:
Everybody - especially real estate clowns at seminars - loves to think
they understand "systems" and that they're business runs "without them".
This is almost always BS, some of them are so silly about this they
claim that hiring "virtual assistants" in India is the solution.
Really? How many companies have they actually sold or taken
public? This is such a good test because if you're really able to
grow a business, run it and have it grow without your immediate
involvement (remember, the stats tells us that this is something almost
nobody in the world knows how to do) then you should have no problem
turning around and selling it - has Guru Guy? If not, keep
looking.
What to
look for:
Even if you don't want to sell your company, don't you want to be able
to? Wouldn't it be great to get Wall Street and other investors
lined up to pay you millions to be a part of your company? That is
a skill, and the way that you build a company - an Empire - is
totally different than the way almost everybody normally does it - and
it is why they almost all end up statistics. Look for somebody
that has done this correctly and repeatedly, because only the Trainer that has done it
- can Train you to do the same.
Some final words...
You
want to have Policies, training and your highly trained Team in place to
help you build a business and turn into an Empire. Your team
should be trained with dialog and held accountable, I often hear people
say that they want to be in real estate full-time. Really?
Really? Or do they want to a full-time income - not
the same thing.
You're
either trained and you know what you're doing, or you're just guess.
I have
a test that'll help you determine what kind of company I train people to
build.
Do you
have what it takes to go from zero to $100+ million?
The
test is here:
http://www.eAzam.com/EmpireIQ.html
Almost
nobody knows how to do this - your top priority should be to find
someone who does.
Make
it happen,
- Azam
Oh
yeah - I'm hiring - but thankless, lazy, un-ambitious people hate
this - see below for interview:
(if nothing
else, just go through the PROOF section)
