You Decide the What How You Want the Market to Be Tomorrow
I first read this story probably around 1988, when I was graduating from Berkeley. It's as inspiring today as it was for me then.
He was hard of hearing, so he had no radio. He had trouble with his eyes, so he had no newspaper. But he sold good hot dogs.
He put up a sign on the highway, telling how good they were. He stood by the side of the road and cried, "Buy a hot dog, mister!" And People bought.
He increased his meat and bun order, and he bought a bigger stove to take care of his trade. He got his son home from business school to help him.
But then something happened. His son said, "Father, haven't you been listening to the radio? There's a big depression on. The international situation is terrible, and the domestic situation is even worse."
Whereupon the father thought, "Well, my son has gone to college. He listens to the radio and reads the newspaper, so he ought to know."
So, the father took down his advertising sign, and no longer asked people to buy hot dogs.
His hot dog sales fell almost overnight. "You were right, son", the father said to the boy. "We are certainly in the middle of a Great Depression."
So what's the moral of the story:
a. never listen to what the media says about the economy
b. never listen to someone who has gone to business school
c. never stop trying to grow your business
d. your beliefs, create your reality
Today when I tell people I do real estate, the first question they ask me is, "so are you doing okay?" And I tell them, I'm doing great. I tell them about the expected closings this week, and this month. Yes a lot of agents are gone, but the ones still here, are doing great business. The need to buy and sell homes isn't just about speculators and mad rush to buy before its impossible but also about real needs to get into a better school district, larger home for an expanding family, relocation, divorce or death.
I tell them I advise my clients with the same care I would give to my children, parents, and other family members in buying, selling or financing their property. I error on the side of being overly conservative and thankfully none of my clients has lost their home or defaulted on their mortgages. I keep a positive attitude since I know tomorrow will be better than today. As a result, my past clients continue to send me high-quality referrals.
The Hot Dog Vendor
A Man lived by the side of the road...and sold hot dogs.
He put up a sign on the highway, telling how good they were. He stood by the side of the road and cried, "Buy a hot dog, mister!" And People bought.
He increased his meat and bun order, and he bought a bigger stove to take care of his trade. He got his son home from business school to help him.
But then something happened. His son said, "Father, haven't you been listening to the radio? There's a big depression on. The international situation is terrible, and the domestic situation is even worse."
Whereupon the father thought, "Well, my son has gone to college. He listens to the radio and reads the newspaper, so he ought to know."
So, the father took down his advertising sign, and no longer asked people to buy hot dogs.
His hot dog sales fell almost overnight. "You were right, son", the father said to the boy. "We are certainly in the middle of a Great Depression."
So what's the moral of the story:
a. never listen to what the media says about the economy
b. never listen to someone who has gone to business school
c. never stop trying to grow your business
d. your beliefs, create your reality
Today when I tell people I do real estate, the first question they ask me is, "so are you doing okay?" And I tell them, I'm doing great. I tell them about the expected closings this week, and this month. Yes a lot of agents are gone, but the ones still here, are doing great business. The need to buy and sell homes isn't just about speculators and mad rush to buy before its impossible but also about real needs to get into a better school district, larger home for an expanding family, relocation, divorce or death.
I tell them I advise my clients with the same care I would give to my children, parents, and other family members in buying, selling or financing their property. I error on the side of being overly conservative and thankfully none of my clients has lost their home or defaulted on their mortgages. I keep a positive attitude since I know tomorrow will be better than today. As a result, my past clients continue to send me high-quality referrals.
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