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Posts Tagged ‘plan b’

What’s Your Back Up Plan?

Posted on: March 20th, 2012 by Beth Heilman

Two things have happened here recently that drives home the importance of having a back up plan in case of a business hiccup.

The first was an excellent audio by my Mentor and Coach, Sandi Krakowski where she gave examples of how to make sure you can do business under crazy circumstances like bad weather, power outages and dead phone lines.

The other is something I'm going through right now in my own business. I have a very sweet, very nervous first-time home buyer who is days away from closing on his home and because the mortgage company doesn't have their back up plan in place, the possibility exists that we'll miss our closing deadline losing him both his home AND his earnest deposit.

Here's what's going on.

The mortgage company we went with is well respected and the Loan Officer is someone I've worked with many times before.

She's good.

And if you know the Real Estate business, you know that a good loan officer is worth their weight in gold.

The issue isn't with my Loan Officer, who by the way just went on leave for a surgery.

The issue is with the company itself and the fact that with my trusted mortgage gal down for the count, the loan is being handled by some one else and a processor who never answers her phone. Aaaaack!!

OK, so we're three days away from our closing deadline. No loan documents at the title company. I'm calling the processor and leaving messages ALL day. The Listing agent is sending me emails in all caps (and we know what THAT means) and my buyer, God bless him, waited all day to call me before freaking out on the phone.

Can't blame him…I've been there.

When I finally get someone at the lender's to answer the phone I'm told by the other loan officer that she doesn't know what's going on with the file (but she'd find out) and that the processor had gone home early that day. Oh, and she hoped she'd be in the next day to take care of this.

She HOPED, that MAYBE she'd be in. Wrong answer…aaaaaa…you lose.

These guys have absolutely no back up plan for something critical like what's happening with my buyer. So, if one person goes home sick that entire block of business stops and no work gets done until they feel better? Nope, sorry, not buyin' it.

Maybe I'm just being a little sensitive, but when my buyer stands to lose a couple thousand dollars AND the contract on the house AFTER we had to do a 7 day extension for something that wasn't his fault, I get more than just a little miffed. And now because of poor planning on the lender's part, everyone has to jump through hoops to get this home closed.

That's just plain looney…and unacceptable.

The morale of the story. Plan for the unexpected…anticipate that things could go sideways for no good reason. Always make sure that someone can step in to take over in case of an emergency.

You may never need your back up plan, but won't it be nice to be ready if you do. I'll keep you posted on my Buyer. I'll be getting him a nice bottle of wine for a house warming gift. Think I'll get one for me, too.

After this I think I'll need it…

Ever had something unexpected happen and you were totally unprepared…or maybe the unexpected happened and you were ready and sailed through it. Please share in the comments below. You never know who it might save from pulling their hair out in a crazy situation.

Until then…

Sonrisas (smiles),
Beth

Beth Heilman is a 20 year Real Estate veteran and Owner/CEO of Red Leopard Marketing, a company specializing in using Social Media Marketing (and some other nifty cool things, too) to help Real Estate Professionals attract, engage and keep their ideal customers. After experiencing the devastating effects the housing market crash had on her and her fellow Real Estate peeps, she has made it her mission to get businesses back on track using innovative marketing strategies with an emphasis on Social Media. Business as usual just doesn't work anymore. Beth has lived in fabulous Las Vegas for 30 years. She's a mom of four great kiddos and a "gramita" to 10 amazing grandmunchkins. Her philosophy in business and in life is "when you do the right things for the right reasons, things will turn out just fine". Know what? She's right…
 

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Want To Start A Home Based Business? The Best Time Is NOW…

Posted on: August 31st, 2010 by Beth Heilman

Are you getting a little nervous? Maybe a lot nervous. Seems that every time you turn on the radio, TV or check the news on the computer there’s a new addition to the economic crisis.

Talk of lay-offs, downsizing and rising unemployment has created the perfect storm for home based business owners. Now, more than ever, is the time for you to create your own “Economic Stimulous Package” to protect you and your family from this crazy economy.

Now is the best time to take control of your financial future by either starting your own home based business or really working your business if you’re already involved in one. Because frankly, if you’re waiting for for some kind of miraculous bailout, it will be a long time coming.

Here are some things that make now the perfect time to venture into a home based business of your own:

Baby boomers are coming of age, retirement age that is. And those who aren’t quite there yet are sure thinking about it. If you have a 401K or IRA, have you looked at it lately? If yours is like mine,it ain’t pretty.Wall Street’s little dance the last few months has lots of folks wondering if they can retire when they’d planed, if at all. A very large segment of the population have not prepared for their “golden years” believing Social Security will keep them all warm and toasty after they retire. Those folks will need the funds to keep them comfortable without having to flip burgers at the local fast food joint. You can show them a better way.

Changes Sign

Its Time For A Change

These are the twenty and thirty somethings that have become dissatisfied with working a regular J-O-B because they know there’s more to life than showing up to work on time and putting in their eight hours at something that’s not fulfilling for them. These folks watched their parents work long and hard at stressful jobs. They realize there’s more to life than just work and they want to make a contribution that’s meaningful (and make a good living at the same time). They’re tech savvy, smart and can make things happen.

People are worried about the economy and you can offer them hope. By starting your own home based business in direct sales or network marketing you can offer a solution to those wondering if they’re even going to have a job in the near future. Look at all the real estate agents, mortgage loan officers and construction workers that have been effected by the housing slump (myself included). Now you can show all those folks how to supplement or even replace their decreased paycheck.

The cost of starting your own home based business is only a fraction of what starting a traditional brick and mortar business would be. Where else but a home based business can you make such a small investment (usually anywhere from $50 to around $1000) and have the potential to make a six figure residual income? Is it work? Yes. Will it take effort and commitment? Yes. Will it happen overnight? No, but nothing that’s worthwhile and lasting ever is.

What I can tell you is this,you can take charge of how you’re making money. You can flourish in this economy amid all the doom and gloom. You can be free to spend time with your family, take that dream vacation and have that beautiful home you’ve always wanted. The sky is only falling for those chicken littles that aren’t willing to take a chance on themselves. Create your own “Economic Stimulous Package” with your own home based business starting today.

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