All Forum Posts by: James Loisou

True. As you said, ultimately the true test is whether or not the business person is effective and successful. You don't have to always be charming, but a pleasant disposition when warranted in many circumstances is calming and appreciated and can further convey a sense of confidence when it is genuine and combined with effective knowledge and performance.

I enjoyed your post. It got me thinking about different perspectives, which is a good thing.

I agree with a lot of your post, but in addition I think it is important to note the importance of trying not to burn too many bridges. You don't necessarily have to be everybody's friend, but if possible try not to make too many enemies.

Many people hold grudges and with such a networking driven industry, even though being liked is not absolutely necessary, it can help in the long term. Sure, ultimately everyone wants to make money, but if two different deals with the same potential profit are proposed by two different business people, often times the decision maker will go with the person that they have a friendship/relationship with. This is especially true in small towns.

 While it is inevitable that certain people just are not going to like you for various reasons, in some instances it can be worth it to give a little now in order to gain a lot more in the future. Of course I completely agree that succeeding at an immediate business deal does gain respect among your peers and associates as long as it was accomplished effectively and ethically.

Making friends first does not necessarily lead to effective business dealings with those friends, but I have seen many initial friendships lead to referrals of the friends' friends. A business model based on the old stereotypical image of joining a country club, making friends on the golf course and instantly gaining business success probably should not be exclusively followed by the newbie, however, with the importance of networking and reputation, I think they should try to steer clear from being disliked by too many people if possible. Often times you can still be nice and aggressive at the same time. But of course, sometimes in certain extreme circumstances you might have to just be ruthless.

It sounds like you are well aware of: 

254 CMR 3.00: Professional Standards of Practice

"9) Advertising. A broker shall not advertise in any way that is false or misleading.

That being said, if your investment company is a separate legal entity such as an llc or inc., then could there be an argument that your investment company is holding out the "We buy houses for cash" signs and then the investment company hired you as the realtor to eventually service the transaction? I suppose it depends on how you have structured and maintained your company, as well as if there is any applicable case law or precedent. Also, just curious if your broker is ok with you putting his or her information on your investment company's signs?

Also, nice job with your website, it looks solid.