Doing Business Like Vince - Lesson #1 - The Best Solution

I grew up in a very entrepreneurial household. My father, Vincent Geraci, owned a Real Estate company and an Allstate branch. My mother had her Real Estate license and worked with my father, helping with open houses and office work. We were by no means rich, but my immigrant parents worked very hard and provided a comfortable life for our family of six. Growing up I worked at my father's businesses to earn a buck. During the time I was lucky enough to work with Vince he taught me some valuable life and business lessons you don't find in books. These lessons have shaped me into the man I am today, and the way we do business at WorldTech IT. This article series will highlight those lessons and how you can apply them to everyday business.

It's 1995 - I just turned 15 years old, and I'm staring at my skateboard in the garage. It's at that very moment I vow to myself "I'm growing up." I had a passion for skateboarding, but I knew I was no Tony Hawk. The time was approaching to ditch my skateboard as my primary form of transportation and earn enough money for a car when 16 rolled around. I could tell my father was eagerly waiting for this moment and immediately offered me a job to help at the offices. I snapped back with a firm no - "No dad, you two have done enough. I'm done taking your money, I'm going to make my own." I had decided I would stop taking even 1 unearned dollar from my father - a fact I held true to and am still proud of today. He replied with, "Oh you're going to work for the money <evil Italian laugh>." You see by this point I've been around the family businesses plenty, but it was mostly to hang out and more importantly have access to the faster 14.4 baud modem attached to the Gateway 2000 486 DX2 50mhz - more on that in another post ;).

For some reason it didn't feel right and I thought it would turn into me hacking away at the computer on IRC - the Internet before the World Wide Web. I had it in my head that I didn't want to take his $ anymore, so I took a job working as a busboy at a local bar and restaurant. Mission accomplished, money coming in that was not from my family - I was allll set. My father didn't like it, but he respected my decision and always gave me rides to/from work. It was at this fine establishment I learned not everyone conducts business like Vince - sometimes people lie, people steal, and people cheat each other at work. I also learned I didn't have to be around it if I didn't want to - so I quit! I took the last round of verbal abuse fueled by poor emotional intelligence, terrible business ethics and I peaced out - later suckas.

At first I felt defeated - I thought if I started working for my father I was taking the easy way out.

At first I felt defeated - I thought if I started working for my father I was taking the easy way out. Computers were my true passion, but I wasn't exactly sure how I was going to make any money with them just yet. So I had a discussion with my father and let him know this was just a temporary thing until I could find my niche in technology. He assured me I could stay as long as I liked, and I would most definitely be working for the money given to me - that SOB was not lying. Work I did, and a lot of it - from answering phones, prospecting, to errand boy at open houses - you name it, I did it.

One of the most valuable lessons Vince taught me was learned while tagging along with him and soon-to-be home owners viewing countless houses for sale. Having me along was no big deal, as most clients were repeat customers or came by strong referrals. Through these little field trips I started to realize something - my father knows a lot of shit about houses! I mean A LOT! He didn't just know what a good deal was, he was able to pick apart the homes at every level and identify potential issues and opportunities in the future. From resale value, how a neighborhood would develop, school systems, anything you could think of - and the things you didn't. He was then able to combine that data with what the buyers were looking for - taking the time to understand the road map for their life and the home.

The result? The perfect home for every one of his clients. I can recall countless times my father talking someone out of buying a home - in his Italian accent "This isn't the best home for you, we'll keep looking." If it was a new client they weren't always the happiest about him talking them out of the purchase. But, in the end, every single one of those clients thanked him for his patience and the home they finally found together. I watched this situation over and over, and it quickly made sense to me. It wasn't a transaction to him - he really cared about finding the very "Best Solution" for his clients.

When you love what you do, everything else comes easy, including doing the right thing.

Part of the reason my father was so good at being a Real Estate agent was because he loved everything about it, especially helping people. And it showed - his excitement was contagious, and genuine. When you love what you do, everything else comes easy, including doing the right thing. In sales you're going to be tempted on a daily basis with doing the wrong thing. Stay strong, understand a few dollars today can have a domino effect on preventing a better tomorrow. Some of your biggest wins (and losses) will happen when you're not in the room. It's only then when people finally realize the great lengths you went through to do them right - or didn't. It's easy to lose sight of this fact, because it's almost impossible to measure its benefits right away. Hard data is easy to measure, the bigger sale registers immediately - but fades quickly when your client has buyers remorse.

It's easy for me to preach everyone should be doing what they love for a living, but it doesn't always pay the bills right away - I get it. If you can't make a living from your passion out of the gate, it should be what fuels your exit into making it a reality. A lot of jobs won't lay out a career path for you, so you'll have to make your own. My father wasn't always a Real Estate agent, he worked for Eastman Kodak for 20+ years while he did Real Estate on the side. I watched my father work a lot of long days. Leaving for work at 5 am, coming home late to reheated dinners, and long weekends of endless showing after showing. He didn't necessarily love working at Eastman Kodak, but he did love people and Real Estate - so he let it fuel him and his way out. My father eventually earned enough business where he could transition into Real Estate full time. Doing this was the "Best Solution" for him.

Whether you're in Real Estate, Technology, or any Industry for that matter - finding the best solution for you and your clients is one of the most important lessons you can learn in life. Just like yours, every single one of your clients needs, wants, and future plans are unique. Taking the time to understand them, your passion, and the ability to marry them together to develop the best solution will earn you loyal clients for life and a career you love. You may not get rich overnight, but one thing is for sure: You will eventually love what you do and earn lifelong clients who will refer you every chance they get.

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