Seems the value is established on the perception of your success.I'm a big fan of psychology and the analysis of cognitive basis, goggle it, study it, learn to identify it and apply it in sales, whether it's the sale of any idea or any product.

Once we get beyond our egos, does media perception really damage our bottom line?

@Katie Douglas  wow great post and very true on virtually every point you make.whether its BP or TV gurus  the perception that you can just pay for a course or listen to pod cast and read BP and somehow be successful in RE is really pretty silly and not realistic. the fact is this is an industry... and many if not most people need to pay their dues and work there way up.. there is some perception here that this is like sprinkling water on your new seeds and it germinates and grows to a 10 foot sunflower in 3 short months.. all with no money no credit and no experience or skills.when in fact to succeed in this business you need if not all of those a combination of them.You can definitely read BP and listen to pod cast and learn how others have done it but as you state its antidotal information at best.. and at worst some of the information is not relative in many markets and flat won't work.

Maybe my voting poll was too small but the consensus was that perception is everything.

With the Reagan/Thatcher years perceptions changed and profit was no longer a dirty word.

Those that “don’t see” the benefit to a party likely are unable to comprehend that their own perceptions, history, experience, and motivations are not “universal” in scope.  

But when I started this company my whole goal was to change this perception and be the best in this business.Nick Vertucci    

This perception in the investment community is often with the presumption that cities like Charlotte, Jacksonville, Orlando, Tampa, Atlanta, etc, are all cities similar in population to other cities across the US.. but if the populations are comparable, what is the catch? 

So we can go to patient’s home and give checkups, refill perceptions etc etc.

Its a problem of perception not reality that's why you don't get it @Jd Martin.