Adding Value The Right Way

This is a really interesting topic and I believe it's one of the most important topics. It's how it's gotten me to where I am by adding value to investors, business people that are greater than me. And the reason it's on the top of my mind today is I don't think people know how it actually works. And I don't think people are out for themselves and I don't think they're approaching it in the right segments. So, I'm going to walk out a blueprint around it, as I find this to be one of my special skills.

And the reason it's really on the top of my mind is I had a young kid reach out to me from the podcast. He asked for some coaching, what he could do to add value, I told him no, I only take paying clients and then he kept getting at me and he kept saying, "No, I'll work for you. I'll do what you do." So, I said, "Listen, deal. Let's do it." So, he was relentless with it, so I'm going to coach him for free and he's going to work for the company and we're going to teach him the real estate. And I'm going to introduce them to all these top investors, and he's going to be able to sit in meetings that he's never been in before, it's really going to change his life. And I told him, "I'm not handing you an opportunity. You created this opportunity and now it's up to you to stay around and I can't control that." So he's going to prove it with his work ethic or he's not, and there's nothing I can do about it.

But I'm going to tell you a couple of stories and I'm going to share my insights on what I think is the real way to get into rooms, to get into meetings, to get into environments, because proximity is power, if you were in a group of five people and four of them are millionaires, the fifth person is bound to become a millionaire just because water finds its level. One of my favorite humans in the world, his name is Templeton Walker and this is how I met him. He's a very, very busy guy and he's super family-oriented, so he was on our call in the Rich Life Academy with Matty A, and I loved his energy. And I said, "I'm going to meet that guy." I said, "I don't know how, but I'm going to meet that guy." So, I followed him on Instagram, I DM'd him, we talked a little bit, nothing crazy and then I saw it was coming out to San Antonio. And I'm like, "Oh, I'm in San Antonio. Why are you coming out here?" I texted him. And he's like, "Oh, my brother lives there. If you're around, you can meet up with us. No big deal."

I was at work at the time, and I saw that he was at a restaurant having cocktails at lunch and it just so happens that my buddy ran that restaurant, he was the GM. So, I texted my buddy, who's my best friend, and I said, "Hey, I want you to go. There's this guy wearing a black hat with this red thing on it and he has a shirt that says this. And I want you to buy the entire table around or whatever they're drinking." So that cost me $60. And he called me and he's like, "Dude, what the hell? That's ridiculous. Why would you do that? And how did you do that, first of all?" And I said, "I know all the tricks. Don't worry about it." So, he's like, "All right. When you get off work in two hours, come hang out with us. I want to meet you." So, I come over, I meet him, we sit down, we meet, we take a picture. I had to work all weekend, so I didn't hang out with him that weekend, but that's how that happened.

And about a month later, I said, "Hey, can I come out there and can I just follow you around? You're crushing it in business and I want to be near you." And he said sure, so this was supposed to take place in October. October comes, I'm too busy, I can't, he blows me off. November comes, I'm too busy, he blows me off again. "Hey, sorry. I can't do it." December comes, "Hey, I can't do it. I just can't." And so, what happened was about December 2nd or something, I just bought a plane ticket to Arizona and I texted him a picture. And I said, "I'll be there January 6th. Clear your schedule." And he's like, "All right, deal. You can follow me around for the day, I got one day, let's do it."

So, we met up at the gym that morning and because I followed him on Instagram, I knew that he liked Cadillacs. So, what I did is I went out on this website and found a 1968 Cadillac Deville, suicide doors, exhaust, 20-inch rims, sound system, this baby was so sweet, just nasty. And when I went to go ride with him for the day, I pulled up to his office in that car and he lost it. He was like, "What the F? This is crazy." He said, "Why would you do this?" And I said, "Because I want you to know when I leave today who I am and that you remember me." There's a lot of people out there that want these people's time. There's a lot of people out there that want five minutes of their time and as you climb up the ladder, these people are busier and busier and very protective with their time. So, you have to find space, you have to create space, you have to create the opportunity and I did that.

And so, he tells this story at our meetup, we have a great visit and then what wound up happening is that afternoon when we were sitting down reflecting on the day, I single-handedly had one of the most important conversations in my entire life with him for an hour about real stuff. About marriage and money and who I was as a person and everything. The conversation was 15 minutes, I was crying and it changed my entire perspective on life. It was through that day that I stopped seeking validation for other people's opinions because it didn't matter, he explained that to me and it really set me free on my own path to really have the trajectory that I've had now.

And fast forward, we have another conversation about three months later that changed my life again. So just two of this most important conversation by adding value, by always showing up, by overselling myself. Basically, just making sure that he remembered who I was then I moved to Scottsdale and we’re working together, we're going to be doing some deals together. And it just goes to show you that if you truly want to stand out, are you doing enough?

And what I'll do on the back end of this is I'll tell you what value really is. I did the same thing, by the way, with Matty A. We were DM’ing a lot. He's now a close personal friend of mine, he said, "Listen, I got 20 minutes, 15 minutes, that's all I got." So, I literally got on a plane and flew to Sacramento to have coffee with him and met him and that conversation wound up going for an hour, but I put in the effort and I was there and I showed up on time and I always gave him an effort, I helped him with Airbnb for free.

So, what I'm trying to say to you is when you're in a situation, because I was with the Jake & Gino guys and they've got some interns, and I basically gave those guys a masterclass on how you get a job there, you have to look at the person who you're working for, or somebody bigger in the company, and you have to say, what are their pain points? It is my job to have a direction for you as a boss, but it's not my job to tell you how to do your job or what job you need to be doing. You have to be assertive enough to look at yourself, you have to be assertive enough to go, you know what, that looks like a pain point for him, let me remove that. Did you remove that pain point for me? That's amazing, I feel so much lighter. Okay, great. Well, what else can you take off my plate?

Because what you have to understand is these people, especially these big-time investors, control freaks and I'm a control freak, but I have shipped my ego away and I don't do it as much. So, you have to earn the right to pull that off their plate. So, you have to do it with not wanting anything, you're just basically saying like, "Hey, how can I get in a room with these people? What value can I add?" Don't ask them to pick their brain, don't ask him for a coffee. If they offer, great, but don't ask to take them to lunch, they don't care about that stuff, what they care about is action. Like doing what you say you're going to do, showing up on time, going above and beyond. And then sprinkle in a little of, hey, this is something special that I see that you like, here's that and that's that little extra hospitality and that little extra impact that you're going to leave with them.

And so, don't show up asking them what's in it for you, that's not how it goes down. Not at all, no chance. Show up, open ears, keep your mouth shut, and just keep your head down and add value, add value and then you're going to wake up one day and you're going to realize that you created the opportunity that you're in.

I looked at those interns at Jake & Gino and I was like, you're getting to learn from one of the best teams in real estate and they have thousands of units and the systems and property management. What a tool to be able to be on that conversation with investors, brokers, you can't get that access, but you have to get yourself in the door, and you have to ask yourself, how can you add value? And adding value selflessly, you just have to go in and work and if you don't have a girlfriend, you don't have a job, you don't have a marriage, you can work, so, work more, work harder.

You have to ask yourself, do you really want it? Because when I took my private equity job, I started being in conversations where deals were $9, $8, $10, $20, $40 million, and the amount of knowledge that I learned from that job alone, just being in those conversations, you can't buy that stuff and everybody's worried about what's in it for me? So I told Templeton, "I will show up every damn day at 8:30 in the morning and I'll work for free, every day because I'm going to show you, I'm going to show you that you're going to hire me, I'm not going to give you an option." And you say, "Oh, well, Austin, you have investments and you have money." Well, then go work at night, that's an excuse, again, you're young, you're hungry.

With our wholesale company that we have going in Arizona, I'm only hiring young people. Don't get me wrong, we might hire some old soldiers if they want to come on, but I want young guys, I want hungry young guys. But guess what? They're going to have to earn it and I will give them all the tools necessary, I will introduce them to all the people. My standards are amazingly high and I'm going to push you to be great and if you can't handle that, then don't be around me, it's as simple as that because I don't negotiate anything in my life. I've got coaching, multiple businesses, Ironman training, I don't get time for bs, so leave your drama at home, keep your mouth shut, add value on top of value on top of value.

And you may not understand the stepping stones of how I got to where I am and you may not see that because you're in the moment, but I guarantee you, if you show up and you keep showing up for these people and you do what you say you're going to do, you get to work on a flip or something for free. Stop worrying about how much money you're making or the dollar amount you're going to make on that deal. I'd much rather take the education and the proximity of being in the room than worry about how much I'm making in the beginning. Because that doesn't matter. Live with three of your friends, sleep on the couch, it doesn't matter, that's how bad I want it because I want to give back. How bad do you want it? So, I hope that helped and I'm sorry, I get fired up about that subject because it matters to me, because it's how I've got to where I've got. It's how I've been in rooms with people that blow my mind out of my body. And everybody goes, "I don't understand, your network's crazy." It's because I add so much value to all these people with no expectations, that's how, so make sure that you're doing that.