by Juan Restrepo
Over the years, whether it was a FLREIA member or a student from a workshop or other event, I’ve been asked, “How should I get started?” This question is particularly posed by novices to the real estate business. From the seriousness of their question, I’m sure they are expecting some complicated and secretive bit of advice.
Before I share what I tell them, I want to first take a moment to mention how God’s word is filled with financial wisdom. If you’re into stats, especially those of you new to studying His Word in depth, you’d be amazed to know that money is the second most discussed subject in the Bible; second to love. If God takes it seriously, then we definitely should.
Knowing that, let’s delve into what one of the wisest men who ever walked the face of the earth had to say on this subject. No, I’m not talking about me, although those close to me call me Obi-Juan after the very wise character, Obi-Wan Kenobi of Star Wars. The wisest man to ever walk the face of the earth, besides Jesus, was King Solomon.
How did he attain all this wisdom? Unlike the rest of us, he asked for it and received it. As king, Solomon was not only very wise but probably the wealthiest man ever. In his fourth year as king he set out to construct the Temple that his father King David was unable to start, but had laid out the plans for its construction.
Building a house unto the Lord, Solomon wanted it to be perfect, so he chose only the best craftsmen and the finest materials. Thousands were hired for the task, eighty thousand alone to quarry stone in the mountains. He even had the finest woods shipped in for the project. It was a massive undertaking that would take seven years to complete. Take a moment to read 1Kings Chapters 5-8 and 2Chronicles Chapters 1-7 to get an idea of the detail of work that went into the building.
Over the years King Solomon would host guests from all over the world to seek out his wisdom and advice and they did not come empty handed. We can almost say he was the first paid guru. Solomon also penned most of the scripture we find in the Book of Proverbs, which is an amazing assortment of business and life lessons. The following scripture highlights why King Solomon worked with the best – “Observe people who are good at their work— skilled workers are always in demand and admired; they don’t take a backseat to anyone.” (Proverbs 22:29 MSG)
We’ve all heard how bad this economy has been and how so many people have lost their jobs, but what about those who are striving in this economy? The thrivers are in the minority which is why we don’t hear too much about them. They are the ones who have always provided an excellent product or service, no matter what the market is doing.
In the boom, all of a sudden everyone was a real estate agent or real estate investor; all you had to do was show up and you made money. That soon changed when the bottom fell out. These so-called agents and investors were not prepared to have to work hard, they wanted the “easy” button and we soon saw them joining the ranks of the unemployed. The ones who worked hard to develop a professional business and systems were able to tweak their businesses and adapt to the new environment. They understand that there’s a price to pay to set themselves up and are able to weather the storms. These businesses thrive because they have established themselves and have overcome what sunk others and thus are sought after by others who want to work with a business that has, through hard-work, developed a solid reputation.
Take the time to focus on building a solid business and you’ll be well on your way to developing a long and prosperous business. It’s not easy, but what worthwhile endeavor is.
What do you do, to be the best?
