500 year old story contains the real secret about money…

August 29, 2010 by · 13 Comments 

Azam Meo

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"The trade of advertising is now so near perfection that it is not easy to propose any improvement."

- Famed critic, Samuel Johnson (1750s)

"They shouldn't throw at me, I'm the father of five or six kids."

- Tito Fuentes, National League infielder

"Ability without ambition is like kindling wood without the spark."

- Anonymous


We've been hearing about it...

Not as many Episodes and updates as usual...

... sorry about that.

Been busy...

... Changing the world...

We've been working a new project and we've been having some amazing results...

... it is has been a wild experience and I'd highly recommend it to anybody who wants to learn more about how to buy and sell companies and real estate - and the art of building a real company that you turn into an Empire...

That's kind of misleading though...

Because this isn't about money

That's a change...

This Episode will explain more -

... how to save lives, I'm not joking here...

... a 500+ year old story that has the real secret to making money...

... how my baby girl's Badassery saved a woman from two violent criminals...

- And NO! this will not work in your area...

Here's the Episode:

  To Download: Right Click On 'Download' And 'Save Target As'

 

Get the rest of the details here:

www.WeBuildEmpires.com

This is a passion project for me - and the whole Team - and -

I'm not making a PENNY from this...

How's that for transparency?

The community is incredible and it is based on this old (slightly modified) adage...

Feed a man a fish, feed him for a day.

Teach a man to fish, feed him for life.

Teach a man to teach others to fish, feed a village for life.

Enough of that -

And you've changed the World.

That's our goal, if you're sure you'd be an ASSET - check it out here:

www.WeBuildEmpires.com

It is awesome...

- Azam


 

 

 

 

 

 

A Website That Is Changing The World… yeah, seriously.

August 26, 2010 by · 12 Comments 

Azam Meo

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"There are no problems we cannot solve together, and very few we can solve by ourselves."

- Former U.S. President Lyndon Johnson

"I think there is a world market for maybe five computers."

- Thomas Watson, IBM chairman (not a student/client of mine)

"A business has to be involving, it has to be fun..."

- Sir Richard Branson


To change the world...

Not a small order, I'll admit that -

But I can confidently say that I'm about to share a site with you and...

This website is changing the world...

... one Badass at a time

I had this idea (kind of) for some time, but it wasn't until we started putting stuff here at AzamMeo.com and we saw the incredible feedback - after that I realized that we really need to move forward...

... and get something going -

I wasn't sure about this

But we spent some time and money and did some research about creating an online community -

I didn't want to just provide education - I wanted to include a support team, like a family...

... so this would NOT be "all about Azam" but something (to quote a Builder) of a -

Facebook for Business Bada**ery

So the idea was to put some of our Business Badass training together...

... share it with a few people who wanted to build Empires...

... and have a community of people trained with our stuff...

... buying and selling real estate and companies around the world...

But - (much) more importantly -

Everybody would have a community, a family that they were part of...

... something they could really sink their in teeth into...

... a group of people with similar goals all supporting each other...

A real family

That was the idea at least.

So, given my high expectations -

And all the feedback we got about people asking for something like this -

How'd it go?

Better than I ever thought,

Just in the first weeks the cash profits were over $200k and the potential/equity was over $1M...

... in less than a month.

But - the craziest part is...

That's not even the best part...

The real reward has come from the environment...

... the friendship...

... the supporting...

... the camaraderie...

... the incredible sharing...

... the overall Badassery.

It is something special.

Something I don't deserve.

So if you want to make friends, share your story and support others (proven to help you achieve ANY goal) while building your company...

This will change your life

This isn't for quitters, victims or whiners - "... hope this works..."?  It won't... and neither will you...

If you truly want to not just get rich buying and selling companies and real estate but -

If you want to make (better) friends...

Then you need to check this out...

www.WeBuildEmpires.com

Here's the special Episode about it:

 

 

To Download: Right Click On 'Download' And 'Save Target As'

Get the rest of the details here:

www.WeBuildEmpires.com

This is a passion project for me - and the whole Team - and -

I'm not making a PENNY from this...

How's that for transparency?

The community is incredible and it is based on this old (slightly modified) adage...

Feed a man a fish, feed him for a day.

Teach a man to fish, feed him for life.

Teach a man to teach others to fish, feed a village for life.

Enough of that -

And you've changed the World.

That's our goal, if you're sure you'd be an ASSET - check it out here:

www.WeBuildEmpires.com

It is awesome...

- Azam


 

 

 

 

 

 

10 things you should (almost) never say… oh, and curing cancer too.

June 29, 2010 by · 100 Comments 

Azam Meo

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"I'm willing to admit that I may not always be right, but I am never wrong."

- Samuel Goldwyn, movie producer (the "G" in MGM)

"If the policy isn't hurting, it isn't working."

- John Major, former British prime minister

"A friendship founded on business is better than a business founded on friendship."

- John D. Rockefeller, student of Azam Meo


Can a single compliment cure cancer?

I don't know about that, but here's a story that makes me at least wonder...

... Since I was a child, I've had a strange rash on my eyes.  After countless visits to specialists and doctors with long-titles - all over America and abroad - almost nobody had an explanation, but...

... there has only been a small group of "skin guys" that have provided answers.

One of them

Is considered one of the best skin doctors in the world (he's treated former U.S. Presidents) and he's absolutely brilliant.  He is one of the only people who has ever explained (partially at least) my rash and the discoloring that sometimes happens...

... so whenever I go to see him, I'm in a better mood than normal -

He's an artist

And truly believes - along with his patients - that he has found his calling.

Getting an appointment with him usually involves a three to six month delay, you can see another doctor on his staff sooner - but getting him in person is a tough thing to do.

That's how it's been for over 10 years...

... he's a Baaad Man...

One day while waiting in his lobby

I was on my cell phone, going back and forth with my brokers - I was day trading at the time - and I was hardly paying any attention to the people around me...

... until I noticed an elderly woman in a wheelchair staring out of the window.

For some reason I put my trader-mind on hold and I started talking to her.

She looked sad for some reason.

She was reserved.

She told me she was waiting for her ride to come get her and they were always late.

As we were both waiting - her for the ride and me for the nurse to call me back - I tried to talking to her but she seemed kind of hesitant.  I could've gotten back to my calls and trading activities, but I was strangely challenged to make her open up to me....

... but getting her to openly talk had become a curious game...

... So when she told me she was 97 years old I faked surprise and told her she didn't look a day over 50...

She burst into laughter...

I got her -

She opened up.

Mission accomplished.

From then on we talked about everything from The Great Depression (you know... the first one) and the first time she heard about Hitler to her thoughts about the Internet, black people, global warming and marriage.

I learned a lot.

Eventually I was called back by the nurse.

Before I left her I called her ride to get an ETA, they said they were on the way but Ruby (that was her name) told me that's what they always said - so I promised her that if she was still waiting when I got back I'd give her a ride.

As long as she acknowledged and understood that I was taken and she promised not to try any funny business...

She loved that.

When I was done with my appointment she was gone.

That was around 2002.

Then...

... in 2008.

I went back for an update, I'd only been in a few times since meeting Ruby.

As soon as I walked up the window the receptionist's mouth dropped open -

"There you are!"

There I was...

... "Elle's been waiting for you."

I met Elle... again

I didn't remember her but she was one of the office managers and she explained how several years ago I came in and spoke with an old woman...

... I was so polite and interested in Ruby's stories (and flattering) that she wouldn't stop talking about me after I left...

... Elle overheard all of this and was so touched by it that she called her 80-year-old mother and began patching up their damaged relationship...

... and she made sure Ruby's ride was never late again.

Elle sent me a card

To thank me.

But the address they had was my sister's, and apparently my sister gave me the card but I never opened it, or listened to her about what it was - or something like that - either way I didn't get it.

So there in the office she took me to a desk and pulled out another card with a letter on the inside...

... the letter explained how moved she was by the interaction with Ruby and how much of a difference it made - Ruby felt nobody listened to her in old age - and the domino effect it had on Elle and her Mom.

She'd been waiting to give me that letter -

For over five years

Crazy.

So that was in 2008...

That alone is a great lesson, but I've never told you about it until now because of what happened next - if you don't think things happen for a reason, you're not paying attention...

... proof is everywhere.

Here's an example -

A few weeks ago

My uncle (one of the "Azam-is-a-piece-of-sh**" ones) developed a bizarre lump on his face...

... it wasn't painful...

... just really strange looking.

He went and got it checked out -

Got some medication for it - took it - got better -

- And that was the of that...

Until it came back

This was slightly concerning for everybody, not Defcon-5 - but it was just a strange thing that everybody wanted to get checked out...

He tried a few different things, spoke with some specialists, you know the dance...

... nothing fixed the problem.

He just so happened -

To be in town with his wife, and although they knew it was a long shot they called my doctor's office about scheduling an appointment - they only wanted to see the main doc - so they were given an appointment about four months out...

(what if you're dead by then?  Make sure you call and cancel)

After unsuccessfully arm-wrestling for an earlier date (he should've been using my stuff) he confirms one for months out...

... as he was providing his information...

... they realized who he is...

... not his credentials, net worth, academia, degrees, BLAH, BLAH, BLAH -

They found out something that - when he found this made a difference, forced him into an awkward Thank-You conversation with me - made all the difference that NOTHING else did...

He was my  uncle...

"Please hold."

Elle came and rearranged the schedule so he would be seen after-hours that day...

.... that day, that day - yes, that

Very same day

This has never happened to any of us, and when my - now Thankful - uncle asked they told him that this had happened less than five times in over 20 years...

... so this was a big deal.

How big?

Well...

A rushed ending -

The bump turned out to be a cancer, not cancerous - actual cancer.

This wasn't like the crazy cancer - not that there's a good one - like lung cancer or brain cancer, but it did a require a minor surgery...

... guess when that happened...

That day too...

So in one day he went from accepting an appointment months away and unknowingly allowing cancer to grow on his face in the meantime...

... to getting rid of the cancer...

In one day.

It all started with one compliment that warmed a woman's spirits...

Lesson: give more compliments.

If you're using my stuff you'll recognize that in our training compliments are a highly utilized form of Threat Reducers - and they are extremely important in gaining compliance...

Give more compliments to strangers...

Give more compliments to people you know...

Give more compliments and let me know what happens...

I'd love to hear it, and I know - as smart as you are - you'll do it today...

- Azam


Here are some examples of emails, comments, voicemails, faxes and other pieces of random feedback and success we've gotten, I'm intentionally not putting all their contact info here...

... I'll explain the idea behind this afterwards.

A lot to learn here...


Ten things you should (almost) never say when talking to a seller!

First of all when you have things in place there is no reason to speak with a seller for any reason, but if you are starting out - or just starting with my stuff - then I suggest that you do to get the dialog, timing and positioning skill set.

This is vital.

It is unbelievable, even shocking, what I hear real estate folks - even the smart ones - use in dialog.  Too many of them are so willing to sacrifice authority, lose profits and let solid deals slip away and much of this could be fixed with some simple dialog tweaks.

This will help you do that.

It will help you avoid becoming just another statistic.

Let's get started.


1.) "Hi my name is... and I'm with... do you have a moment?"

Study after study has shown that the beginning of a conversation is littered with the listener's interest.  Socially the most likely people to introduce themselves with 'Hi my name is' are salespeople, when a company is mentioned immediately afterwards this further cements the salesman image and interest dwindles.  About the only time this works is with massive authority; 'Hi my name is Azam and I'm with NBC and we're looking for contestants for Who Wants To Be A Millionaire, do you have a moment?'

What To say:

'Hi, it's Azam, I'm calling about the home for sale?'  or 'Hi I'm Azam, I was calling about the sign?' or simply 'I'm calling about the home for sale?'  This subtle change suggests not only familiarity but it mirrors the behavior of your target's ideal prospect; an actual buyer.


2.) "Is that the best you can do?"

There is so much wrong with this, first of all now they are judging, not you.  You are genuinely asking a question without any supposition, leading or positioning.  You are also on the 'other' side of them, not BEside them.

What TO say:

'Okay, so if the price is below X, should I send these buyers to another house?'  or 'Okay, so if they want any more I should tell them that's the best we can do?'  Notice the word 'WE' as I bring myself to their side of the conversation - us against them.

Another better version 'Okay, so if the board (or the researchers) come back with anything less than X, should I even let you know?'


3.) "I'm a full-time real estate investor"

This is just asking for it.  You are likely to hear 'Well I called some of the other guys and they said...' comparing you to, and putting you in the same boat as, the 'other guys' dampens your chances of meaningful authority.  If you don't want to be compared to them, then... don't compare yourself to them.  Stop using the same word they use to describe themselves.  For example if you are teaching people how to invest in real estate, should you call yourself a 'Guru'?  That stereotype doesn't work in your favor, I suggest using stereotypes that do.

What TO say:

If somebody mentions that they spoke with 'another investor', you respond with: 'Well I work with investors, do you mean one of our consumer counselors has already spoke with you?  Oh, okay, you spoke with an investor, great - did you get their RF score?  No, really, okay but they explained how the PHSI works, right?'

Another example 'Oh you mean you spoke with an investor, great, did you catch his name or RF score?'

This is killer, and if you've gone through my stuff you know what we're doing here - Creating the Standard.  The above snippet of dialog is followed with an explanation of the Risk Factor (RF) of working with uncertified (by you) investors and the Pending Home Sales Index as a basic unit of comps.  So anybody who does NOT understand this shouldn't be taken seriously and can put the seller in jail.  Here's more:

'Ok, we partnered with Attorney General Smith (or whoever) to develop the top 10 questions that all sellers should ask an agent/investor/buyer in order to stay out of jail - if you want I may be able to email them to you...'


4.)  "With a cash offer, what would be the lowest price you'd be willing to accept today?"

When you hear this you should feel like John Goodman in one of my favorite movies The Big Lebowski as he screams at the kidnappers: "fu**ing amatuers!"

What TO say:

See #2, this is the same issue.


5.) "I buy houses, and I want to buy yours?"

This immediately puts you on on the opposite end of the seller's interests, any information disclosed will be highly guarded and perhaps even inaccurate.  It is not generally a good idea to start the conversation with this friction.

What TO say:

'I have 13 left over buyers (that don't want my house), so I'm looking for the best house to send them to, who do you recommend I contact?'  Either you get a recommendation or, more likely, they want the buyers sent to them - 'Oh, so you think your home would be the best, is that right?  I'm curious why do you say that?'  The interview has begun, now anytime there is friction or resistance in answering questions; 'Look Jack, as I explained I'm just looking for the best house to send these people to, maybe it's yours or maybe not, but if getting X from you is a problem, then maybe I should should send them to another house... what do you uh... what do you think?'


6.) "I can come look at the house today at 4."

There is almost no good reason to look at a house unless you're getting started, want to do rehabs yourself (usually a bad idea) or you want to live in it.  Your opinion doesn't matter since you'll be moving it to somebody else anyway - so get them looking at the place - not you.  For the most part I've found that people look at houses out of ego and the illusion that they're 'working'.  It feels good, psychologically, to have a full schedule of homes to look at that you may purchase.  It sounds good at dinner parties.

What TO say:

More importantly it is what to do - stay home.  'Okay, Jack so you want me to send your home out to our list of 31 buyers for you, is that right?  Alright, well based on the price, area and terms if your home is picked my agent/attorney/consumer counselor may arrange that for you - but I want to make sure you know that I'm not guaranteeing your home is going to be picked, okay?'  Roughly 70% of the time the immediate response is what a seller can do to make sure their home is picked.  This is a great time to get your paperwork back on time, get their best offer, etc.


7.) "Let's talk again tomorrow at 3."

Much like looking at houses, once you have this training down and Policized you shouldn't have to speak with anybody about anything - aside from you Team with training conference calls, but when you're starting out I recommend getting the pace down, the timing - the overall skill.  So if you are going to speak again, you want to avoid the problem nearly everybody has faced of playing phone tag - it is worse when you are the only one playing because you keep calling and leaving unreturned messages.  This item and #8 will help dramatically.

What TO say:

Give two times that don't work first.  An old line is 'What works better for you 2 or 3 PM tomorrow?' and that works well, but it is better when you add 'Okay, well tomorrow Noon doesn't work for me, and neither does anything after 7 PM, but I want to do this before they're all gone so um... how about... 3:30 or 5 PM - what looks better for you?'  Or 'Does that work better for you?'  I want to point something out - NEVER LIE about this, if you have a free schedule then just use two times that work.  Giving two times that don't should only be done if you actually have two times that don't, please don't even try and embellish things - be transparent - because this technique alone has increased compliance by over 100%.


8.) "Do you have an email address?"

Without proper framing this is like asking 'Can I send you spam?' and it usually results in investors thinking that 'nobody in my area has email addresses I guess'.  This is much like the high school joke about a man approaching a women and asking if she wants to go out for pizza and sex, after getting slapped he walks away mumbling 'I guess she doesn't like pizza...'

What TO say:

Framing is so important with my stuff, and if you're not using email - regardless of your business - you are way behind and losing at least as much money as you're making.  Even just changing the question to 'What's your email address?' is better.  But it is even better to frame with a desired, #3 is a great example, but here's a few more:

'Oh, so you haven't seen the homicide rates for the two areas, okay - what's your email address?'

'Great, so you want the 421 buyers to hear about this today, is that right?  Okay, I'll see what I can do after we have your LOI on file - what's your email address?'

'So you have not seen the Attorney General's consumer warning, what's your email address?'

'If we pick your home normally there's going to be crowd fighting each other, but to make sure nobody hurts in the stampede we have a disclosure that you need to see - you don't have to wait for it in the mail, your email address is...'

'I can try and get that to you today, I think we have your email address, do you have more than one?  So your email address is...'

Notice the two lines; 'What's your email address?' - and - 'Your email address is...' I usually the prefer the latter and this tapering off is powerful in dialog because it forces the party to complete your sentences with compliance.


9.) "Would you be willing to do a lease option?"

Just about anytime you are using the words 'would you be willing' you are not using my stuff.  The other problem here is mentioning is the word 'lease option' and this will generally maintain the interest of the 'Market of Awares' or people who are already looking into a lease option or terms sale - and people who are educated properly about it.  If they fit that criteria than they would have probably already mentioned that, but they don't so they didn't.  This is a really good way to lose interest and deals.

What TO say:

Mentioning the end result is often better than the term used to achieve it.  For example 'There are three groups of buyers, group one pays cash now, group two pays cash in a year or two and in the meantime they can make your mortgage payments if that's a problem and group three are investors that buy at discounts - which groups do you think are best for our situation?'  Generally group one is picked, now if group two is not selected this line has doubled and tripled compliance and conversion rates:

'Okay, so with group two no matter what they want to put down or how much they want to pay a month - no matter how much money you'd make, you want them sent to another house, is that right?'

'You know, if you're home is picked I may be able to see what the best offers are from each of those two and we can take a look at them, that way you don't miss out...?'  (tapering off)

This can be combined with them making their offer to you.


10.) "Anything!"

Probably the biggest mistake I see people in 'real estate' making is thinking that they're 'in real estate' - they're not, you're not.  We're in business.  For most of us the only other alternative to making this work is getting a job.  So the skill set of building a business is totally different than the skill set of making money in 'real estate'. 

What TO say:

Ideally, nothing.

You want to have Policies, training and your highly trained Team in place to help you build a business and turn into an Empire.  Your team should be trained with dialog and held accountable, I often hear people say that they want to be in real estate full-time.  Really?  Really?  Or do they want to a full-time income - not the same thing.

You're either trained and you know what you're doing, or you're just guess.

I have a test that'll help you determine what kind of company I train people to build.

Do you have what it takes to go from zero to $50+ million?

The test is here:

http://www.eAzam.com/EmpireIQ.html


Some final words...

About dialog -

You want to be the judge, not the judged.

You want to be the selector, not the selected.

You don't make offers, offers are made to you.

You don't fight for approval, your approval is fought for.

You don't need motivated sellers, you want sellers motivated to work with you.

Almost nobody knows how to do this...

... so your top priority should be to find someone who does...

... or train and spend much more than "Azam's expensive training" to get there yourself...

Alright, lastly -


I know I keep putting this off...
... yes it IS coming -

Badassery on the Horizon...

Soon - really soon - we're going to do something that I think'll be really cool...

… so many people have been asking me about setting a group, a community - a network of Business Badasses that can team up, learn together, push each other, etc.

And the ONLY place for anything like - and actually a whole lot more - is the Alliance Project, but I know not everybody will make it through the application process...

… so I'm going to be testing a little experiment.

Very soon you'll see -

A vehicle where you can plug yourself into a special group, become a leader and actually start buying and selling companies and real estate the way we talk about…

… it won't be for everybody, but I'm really excited about this because the ONLY people who'll be around are going to be CRAZY about their ambitions and making sh** happen…

… that's the idea at least, and maybe it'll go down as one of my not-so-ideal projects -

But I doubt it.

I think it'll change everything that we do, and leave us with something that'll outlive us all - a project we can all believe in, and I'm basing it on the human spirit and the Honor System...

… I know that may sound weird, but you'll see what I mean soon enough.

It is something people have been BEGGING us for - for years - but I was never really that crazy about setting it all up, but after seeing how much support, love and Badassery so many people around the world have illustrated…

… It was more than enough to push me into making this happen for you.

You'll get details -

Soon, for now, just keep in mind that if you're like the others here that really want to be a part of a community of business builders that use our stuff and the creative approaches we teach/train -

If you're wanting to a part of something bigger than yourself where your contribution is not only valued, but required to bring your vision - and the visions of others - to life…

A way to move yourself and others past blocks in potential - and injecting a strong(er) refusal to settle for less in your mental attitude…

If you're itching for that chance to showcase your ambitions in a way you've never done before, to not just "make money" but to actually - as silly as it may sound - actually HELP PEOPLE and make a bloody fortune doing...

… and to be around others who support you and don't expect apologies for your aspirations…

If you're wanting to leverage skill and Badassery - instead of credit, money and "twitter-type" stuff - to start building your Empire the SMART way...

… throwing on real estate, companies and other projects as you add to the snowballing avalanche as it grows out of control…

Then sit tight...

In a few days we'll be building Empires together.

Thanks for everything.

- Azam

 


I want to hear from you - we all do.

There is so much behind-the-scenes work that goes into the Episodes, the research, the studies - all the work that is done here and one of the highlights is sharing it with you.

Passively absorbing will not do much for anybody, including yourself.  So please make sure to let me, our Team and others around the world know about your successes with this material.

I want to make a majority of these updates based on success stories from you and others like you.

I'd love your help in making that happen.

So please call, email, fax, mail or comment.  I make sure everything gets to me.

- Azam


 

 

 

 

 

 

10 Badass Stories

June 18, 2010 by · 90 Comments 

Badassery Doesnt Stop.
Azam Meo

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"The streets are safe in Philadelphia; it's only the people who make them unsafe."

- F. Rizzo, mayor of Philadelphia

"On what?"

- boxing champ Chris Eubank on whether or not he'll write his autobiography

"To win you have to risk loss."

- Jean-Claude Killy, record-breaking skier


More balling on the treadmill...

A few weeks ago I was watching a special on Heidi Fleiss and when she started talking about her parrot dying (Darlton, if you remember) I was crying right alongside her - crying when you're running, sweating and fighting for breath - is... fun.

That almost never happens, during running I mean...

So, of course, last week...

It happened again.

This time it was of a movie that came on.

A movie that I had NO DESIRE to see...

... I only left it on because I didn't immediately find the remote.

I heard about this film, but looking back on what I heard -

NOBODY did it justice

This is is perhaps one of the best movies I've ever seen, and it answers some questions that so many people ask me about our baby parrots:

"What are your parrots like?"

"Why do you love them so much, is that normal?"

"Did your parrots just tell me to go fu** myself?"

(I did NOT teach them that...
... but my uncontrollable laughter doesn't dissuade them either.)

This movie answers (some of) those questions

The two main characters are almost EXACTLY the way my first two male and female baby parrots are - it is scary how close to the personalities that the writers got, I hardly believe it because it is like they were here studying them.

That's what got me this time...

... turned me into a little emotional wreck as I ran on the treadmill.

I'll tell you the name of movie, and you're promising to go watch it - or at least buy it and support them, right?

Promise?

I've bought over 20 copies in the last week or so -

I feel that strongly about it.

In fact, I even did a segment on the movie in an upcoming Episode.

So you'll hear more about their brilliance later...

The movie?

Wall-E

Incredible.

Moving.

Artistic.

On another note I did my first pull up in I-don't-know-how-long, that's another upcoming Episode too...

And I started working on something that could be huge, more details below...

- Azam


Here are some examples of emails, comments, voicemails, faxes and other pieces of random feedback and success we've gotten, I'm intentionally not putting all their contact info here...

... I'll explain the idea behind this afterwards.

A lot to learn here...


Over $4,300 in six days -

This comes from Harold and Jessica in the UK, he started by asking how you can get “names” to work with you if you are justt starting out.  His question was answered and:

“My confidence shot up so I got on the phone and interviewed three policemen.  One of them was our neighborhood security guy so I don’t know if that counts... I finally had the will to speak with buyers who I have been ignoring for months and instead of talking about the price I just talked about the authority figures and the neighborhood security crime reports.”

He ended up getting buyers that weren't unwilling to work with anybody else because they wanted to support his efforts -

“Talking to sellers was much easier when I had buyers that were counting on me and promised not to try and go around me.  I found two sellers but nothing worked out, then I got a call from the neighborhood security guard that I interviewed and he had a few houses that he knew about.”

This kind of stuff happens all the time, there is a quote about magic in boldness and this is a great example:

“So I sent a few buyers over and two of the properties closed within days and I had checks totaling $4,335... in less than a week from me starting...”

- Harold and Jessica

Great works guys, using security guards is a huge secret that we haven't gone  here - so although you cheated by looking ahead, I'll let it slide this time - Great work.


$700 on the first day he started...
(
but he's in an area where "everything works")

This is a good ‘ern and it comes Jason Normance from CA:

“I took the advice with Attorney General and talked about it on my local reia’s chatroom.  They all suck and told me nothing would work here and I kept thinking of your video about that... so finally I did a test with my some of the buyers who had not responded to any of my offers and the response was fu**ing badass... I haven’t done any big deals or made any big money in the six years of doing this stuff so nobody respects me... but I went back to my chats and shared my results and I used my COMPLIANCE LANGUAGE to get offers from the investors.

My promise was that by offering “something”, you and I know it was the AG audio, their dead leads would be resurrected and all jump all over the investors to work with them.  After I explained more I really did look like a genius and from the extra business generated from just one email to one investor’s list I got $730... I had the money the very same day!

If you’re following what he did - he increased the business of an investor with a simple tweak that we’ve covered here and he agreed to get paid based on the business generated, from what I understand he was to get $50-$100 from every seller lead that responded from the dead list and that fit certain parameters -as well as bonus if other criteria were met.  If you’re thinking investors that will pay like this are hard to find, you’re an idiot.  In fact, if you do better than us with our lists - we’ll happily pay you much more... Brilliant work Jason.


$41,000 in equity, $8,000 in cash

Here’s some great stuff from Sheldon Bailey in the Souff (ATL)...

“Many houses in the neighborhood are just sitting vacant and none of the investors or agents have been able to sell them... After the first sign was posted we got over 50 calls the first day... I bought four homes on contract and had since I already had the buyers I had group showings that day... in total I have over $41,000 coming to me in equity and the down payments should be over $15,000, I’ve already got $8,600 so far...”

- Sheldon

Simple Badassery, he found out what the people around him needed, realized they don't know how to do it - and like that he's playing where they players play (from the JD song...) great work Sheldon.


An extra $500 a week...

Vincent Lloyd from Canada (and America) writes...

“I didn’t buy anything from you so I don’t know if this counts as a testimonial but I live in an apartment with my parents and I’m over 40.  My financial situation took a turn for the worse but you have helped me realize that I am thinking wrong about the whole thing...”

I hate to shorten the email because he had a lot of great stuff and I enjoyed it, but the bottom line is that he started contacted local universities and non-profit groups to schedule speakers as I explained and outlined somewhere else on this site (I won’t look it up right now) and once he had slots he found the richest investors he knew - from networking - and arranged for them to come speak.

“After setting up a few gigs two of the speakers are now paying me to schedule them for local business conferences, luncheons, meetings, parental flashes... my average income from this has been $613 a week since I started...

Great work Vincent, let’s add some zeroes to that... Badass Style...


Adding $1M to your company... in one week...

I know what it is like to have a love/hate relationship with a treadmill, so let’s all blame this guy... on top of shoving them down our throats he had the nerve to try my stuff in an industry that is different, a place where nothing works and during a bad economy... what an a**hole...

“I did you "Attorney General Model" and used flyers at the local gyms here.  From 100 flyers our class sizes have gone from 8-10 to over 30 people and these folks are not just coming for the classes either!  Two treadmill models and a TRX series were about to be returned because we have not sold any in months but now we have sold more of them in one week than in the last three months...  we have easily added over $1,000,000 to our company's value...”

- Jeff Stacy FL

I  love it.


$1k and two clients...

I don’t have the details of the exact amounts here, but it was a cool application that I still wanted to share, what he did was basically just use an article to boost his compliance and online search ranking - it was an old article and he didn’t write it... very cool:

“HaHa.. like stealing candy from a kid lol…

Azam, I am giving this 100% used the silly american idol show

news to get the rankings on the http://TelecomSlayer.com site

higher ranks just over 500k in the world!

How does this translate to $$ well, the site is worth $1k more now..”

- Tony Profit

Earlier in that discussion he went over the new clients he got, cool stuff...


More sales in 11 days than all of last month - and more people on their list in two weeks than in the last year...

This young man has been very helpful and inspirational to a lot of people here, you’re gonna love his drive and commitment (move, move - MOVE!) and it is great to see.  He was working with a baby furniture store and got some immediate results:

“... baby furniture store and has had problems with pulling in new clients and traffic flow in the store. I combined this technique with your educational package. I put out signs that said, “3 ways to increase your baby’s immune system by 46% for free!” we took all the leads and put them into an email program and sent out educational reports and as an incentive if they came into the store they would get 10% off any item and 20% if they brought another family.

We also made it a “policy” to greet everyone that walks in the door an ask if they’ve seen any other baby stores in the area. If they say yes we always respond, “oh great so they told you how to increase your baby’s life expectancy by 4 years right?” “oh they didn’t?!?” “huh, well sign up for our email list and we’ll send it right over to you.” our list has increased by 36% in 2 weeks. It took 13 months to get that increase in the past. Sales in the past 11 days are more than sales all of last month.

- G-Fran

Great stuff an we all love his drive and helping of others... and he won't listen when we keep telling him that this won't work in his area... kids these days...


Just about five grand a month... money started coming in the first week

I love examples like this, and I hate to admit how good it can feel  to prove your friends and family wrong - almost never as good as you think it will be - but it can still be an intoxicating, emotional high...

“My sister is “losing her house” as victims say and she always tells me nothing works, but now we are using the signs and we have three pending offers on homes in her neighborhood. If they close she is going to make over $10,000 and no more mortgage problems. I have been telling sellers exactly what Azam said:

I have a house in the area that I need to sell, do you mind if I put a sign up in your yard for the weekend?’ Then I say ‘I think we can make $300 and I’m raising money for local church and I can split the profit with you, should I take the sign down or should we see if we can make another $300 this week?’ I was so F-ING scared my first time but now 20 successful attempts later I’m getting compliance like an Azam Terminator!

I’m almost at $5,000 a month...”

- Ryan (Bruce) Lee

Badass Bruce, thanks for sharing...


11 Grand in 11 Days...
(okay, that’s not accurate, but it sounds good, right?)

I love when couples pull off Badass moves...

“We followed the model from a few weeks ago and did the same thing the fashion designer gals did. We didn’t talk to directly to our AG though, but we did get an interview with their office. It was a short interview and now we have it recorded as a podcast. For distribution we went to a few local grocers and churches but the grocers have outperformed everybody else so I think you can skip the churches.

From the first batch of calls we had two lease option deals and closed them both in less than two weeks. We have six more on the table, so the potential is much more than the 11 grand in 11 days and we did better but I know Azam likes the testimonials that sound good lol. We are also getting a lot of rehab deals too.

... our business has grown more in the last two weeks than in the last two years, that sounds even better!”

- Jenny and Curt Crate


$100k from a sh**hole neighborhood...
(
but she's got a quite home-life with nothing to do...)

Single mother of five, who does she think she is?

“Well, here is my success story, in this very same economy.

I put up those ugly yellow signs.

In fact, because I live in one of the poorest sections of the city, and I was targeting leads for a rent to own companies, I put them up in the intersections closest to my home. I figured if I could get people calling from this area, I could do it in any area.

And guess what?

Out of this shithole neighbourhood I live in, I got leads.

And I got good leads.

And I got hired by the company because of my leads.

I now get a salary to post those signs and get those leads… and it still doesn’t stop there. I also get 10% of all profit within the company! See, my leads made it so the company picked up not one, not two, but three houses this WEEK!

I also got three leads, that all totalled once they are in their new homes, will make me around $9,000.

And through this company, I may have secured a home of my own.

(Being self employed this is a next to impossible up here). Why? Because an ugly little house lead came across the desk. An ugly little house that had no mortgage on it, and the owner had died and all the sons wanted to do was get rid of it as is.

This ugly little house, is worth $342,500 because it is on ¼ acre lot within the inner city. And you know what the offer on it is right now, $237,500. And being the degree of equity, I approached a lender and told them of this house, (not the address, I don’t need more competing for it LOL) and they approved me for up to $260K So if the deal closes on Wednesday in my favour at my top possible bid, I just made $82,500 in equity!

But it doesn’t stop there.

See they just want to be rid of the house and all that is the house, so with the house comes the 3 cars in the garage, all the reno materials that are sitting there waiting to be used to fixed this ugly little house, and everything else the house contains.

All in all if you want numbers, we’re talking $100k in profit.

All through ugly little signs, in one of the worst neighbourhoods of this city…

And for anyone on the fence about this…. If a mama to 5, in a place where housing prices are still dropping, job loss is at an all time high, and even places like McDonalds aren’t hiring can do this, so can anyone else.”

Now I’m not sure how much of that money has come in already and how much we’re expecting, but it really doesn’t matter - how many people will (NOT can, but WILL) start from scratch and hit those kind of numbers, even in projections or equity, that fast?  Great work Sylvia and we’re all proud of you.

Now here’s what another Badass did after being inspired by Sylvia:


From zero to $450/week... Then doubling that and doing over $1,000/week...

“For the last few days we have been rereading your post and all the other great supporters here and we went apesh** in our company. Instead of just working with buyers we started with sellers too and moving them through the appropriate channels to get faster closings and we wouldn’t have done that without reading about you doing this Sylvia so thanks again.

So the bottom line is what everybody wants to know, well we were doing about $900 every two weeks but we are on track for about over twice that $1,500 because we’ve already been paid on an extra $500 on two deals from sellers this week. We should be able to do that every week.”

- John and Elizabeth Century

Glad you're helping each other guys... Badassery always impresses.


I'll stop there, kinda...

I just picked these stories and examples and random and there's plenty more - all you have to do is some snooping around on your own.

So this isn't all of it...

... not even close.

I haven't gone over nearly -

ALL the Badassery...

Here are some more examples...

A very helpful fellow Badass taught us a thing or two about video and encoding and he actually made a much better version of one of our Episodes, it plays bigger, better and faster because the file is smaller... impressive:

http://bit.ly/dq9wl9

Thanks for that Nick, it is appreciated and we’re definitely up for helping and working on a future project at some point.

===

Another example I left out is Derrick Ali, he made some awesome YouTube videos about how he’s using our “Badassery With Signs” model/s and how to find charity groups online to work with... impressive stuff, here’s just one of his videos:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L1RCkDRi8h0

===

Then there’s the nutcase, I-did-it-with-a-porn-star Vegas Vince, he’s been using Badassery to promote a really interesting home study program about bartering (a HUGE secret!) that he developed and he’s made history in his industry with it - he’s also into restaurants and diabetic goods and a whole bunch of other stuff.  He's been applying some killer stuff within his company and he’s been very involved here so he’s not hard to find, we appreciate him.

Linda Dwine raised over $70k in private money, another Badass did over eight grand in a matter of days...

I could keep going -

Of course, but as I said earlier - you can go back and hear from them directly (but you better not because your area is different, right?) - there is great stuff there.

This is more instructional than just about anything you'll get your hands on (except my other stuff of course, ha ha!) because with this page you can go back and watch their progress.

And we've barely started, in fact I've put out articles and stuff like that but there's only -

One video Episode... yeah, just one

So the articles are really helpful as well...

... especially to those putting this stuff in place.

Which isn't everybody of course.

But this brings us to something that I've been promising since I started updating this page a few weeks ago -

The Bottom Line...

A couple of things I want to point out here:

FREE Stuff -

Every single person above, every success story mentioned was about people who not only used just the FREE stuff that's available to you right now - but it is all HERE on this page.

So not only did they NOT need to buy anything, but they used the the exact same stuff you have here - for FREE - and only a few clicks away...

About OTHER PEOPLE -

This is important, after finding out what happens when people think you have money (let alone if you actually have it…) and the weirdness that can come with that - it was one of the reasons my house got raided way back when - I almost NEVER mention anything about my own personal finances.

This has worked out great for people we train because you don't have to worry about me going on and on about what I'M doing and benefiting from, how great things are going for ME or some nearly impossible to verify BS success story about MY income...

Not about ME!

Instead you know that everything I share with you is ABOUT SOMEBODY else engaging in Badassery, and for the people who don't know us as well you'll be shocked at how easy I make it to verify EVERYTHING I say - let alone the success stories.

The bottom line is that in the examples above these are REGULAR people - they aren't as smart, good looking or as humble as me… and the good news is that you don't have to be either.

I'll give you a second to let out that sigh of relief…

Seriously - my point is that if somebody has "done it" - anybody CAN, so it isn't a matter of can…

…just a matter of will.

Badassery on the Horizon...

Now about connecting directly with these Badasses, I purposely left out much/all of their contact info because almost all of them can be found here - although some of the people emailed us directly - and I didn't even scratch the surface because I could have gone on with more examples...

… and more…

…. and then more…

…. and even more….

But I'm saving it -

Because soon - really soon - we're going to do something that I think'll be really cool...

… so many people have been asking me about setting a group, a community - a network of Business Badasses that can team up, learn together, push each other, etc.

And the ONLY place for anything like - and actually a whole lot more - is the Alliance Project, but I know not everybody will make it through the application process...

… so I'm going to be testing a little experiment.

Very soon you'll see -

A vehicle where you can plug yourself into a special group, become a leader and actually start buying and selling companies and real estate the way we talk about…

… it won't be for everybody, but I'm really excited about this because the ONLY people who'll be around are going to be CRAZY about their ambitions and making sh** happen…

… that's the idea at least, and maybe it'll go down as one of my not-so-ideal projects -

But I doubt it.

I think it'll change everything that we do, and leave us with something that'll outlive us all - a project we can all believe in, and I'm basing it on the human spirit and the Honor System...

… I know that may sound weird, but you'll see what I mean soon enough.

It is something people have been BEGGING us for - for years - but I was never really that crazy about setting it all up, but after seeing how much support, love and Badassery so many people around the world have illustrated…

… It was more than enough to push me into making this happen for you.

You'll get details -

Soon, for now, just keep in mind that if you're like the others here that really want to be a part of a community of business builders that use our stuff and the creative approaches we teach/train -

If you're wanting to a part of something bigger than yourself where your contribution is not only valued, but required to bring your vision - and the visions of others - to life…

A way to move yourself and others past blocks in potential - and injecting a strong(er) refusal to settle for less in your mental attitude…

If you're itching for that chance to showcase your ambitions in a way you've never done before, to not just "make money" but to actually - as silly as it may sound - actually HELP PEOPLE and make a bloody fortune doing...

… and to be around others who support you and don't expect apologies for your aspirations…

If you're wanting to leverage skill and Badassery - instead of credit, money and "twitter-type" stuff - to start building your Empire the SMART way...

… throwing on real estate, companies and other projects as you add to the snowballing avalanche as it grows out of control…

Then sit tight...

In a few days we'll be building Empires together.

Thanks for everything.

- Azam

 


I want to hear from you - we all do.

There is so much behind-the-scenes work that goes into the Episodes, the research, the studies - all the work that is done here and one of the highlights is sharing it with you.

Passively absorbing will not do much for anybody, including yourself.  So please make sure to let me, our Team and others around the world know about your successes with this material.

I want to make a majority of these updates based on success stories from you and others like you.

I'd love your help in making that happen.

So please call, email, fax, mail or comment.  I make sure everything gets to me.

- Azam


 

 

 

 

 

 

The Biggest Secret I Know About “The Economy”.

May 31, 2010 by · 86 Comments 

Being A Badass: Volume 4 Azam Meo

 

 

"The consumer isn't a moron.  She is your wife."

- David Ogilvy

"Atomic energy might be as good as our present-day explosives, but it is likely to produce anything much more dangerous."

- Sir Winston Churchill

"Opportunities multiply as they are seized."

- Sun Tzu, the Art of War


When I was in junior high I wrote the story below.

My teacher called me in the hallway after she read it.

She thought I "missed the point" and she didn't believe it, at least the first part.

I had to keep telling her it was true, and when she finally - kinda - believed me -

Oh, the look on her face...

... I still remember it...

... eyes popped open...

... yet a bizarre squint at the same time...


I was in the
principal's office at lunch -

They didn't believe me at first either.

Finally after talking to my parents, a few cousins and with my brother (who was part of it) -

They knew I was telling the truth.

After that

I had to see a "counselor"

For an evaluation...

.... then "trauma therapy" or something.

Oh - I also won a partial scholarship from this - although I never used it unfortunately.

All from this one story.

I'm going to tell it to you now for a very different reason than when I wrote about this years ago, and yes I honestly believe this is along the lines of the biggest secret about the "Economy", about "tough times" and all the other trivial (and even non existent) stuff that people keep bellyaching about... still!

Yes - the BIGGEST secret...

... to why my stuff won't work in your "area/business/industry" or "for you"...

... to the crooks who "stole everybody's money"...

... to the unemployment "debacle"...

... to the immigration "problem"...

... to all the economic "woes"...

... to why times are "tough"...

... to the housing "crisis -

This is it right here...

My childhood was a little different

I should re-emphasize that before I tell you what I wrote about...

... I grew up in parts of the world that most people only hear about on the news - when they blow up.

Even though I was born in the States (Miami, actually) we went back and forth constantly, depending on our family's financial situation, I know you probably already know that but sometimes people forget...

Alright so me and my brother were shopping -

And we weren't in a mall

It is different "there", more like sandy streets with makeshift booths and wild animals.

Basically, picture Alladin - without Robin Williams.

The crowds were shoving and moving about, shoulder-to-shoulder as far as the eye could see.  It was hot - it was always hot - and my brother and I were holding hands tightly as we made our way past camels, soldiers and beggars.

I saw a young boy, my age -


With a ghostly face

I must have eaten as much that day as he did all month.

It looked like invisible weights were dragging the skin on his face down, and I could see the bottom of his eyeballs - the actual eye balls - his mouth was half open as he looked around at the different carts of food and drinks that were being sold.

He was just a few feet from me but all I had seen was his upper torso, in a momentary gap of passing bodies I got a glimpse of his legs.  He was wearing nothing; no pants, no shoes.
 

Finally, he saw me

He scanned my body the way I did his, un-alarmed, he continued walking and searching.

There was something about him that caught my eye - I still don't know what it was - and it wasn't because he was half naked, that's normal...

... I still don't know why I watched him...

My brother pulled my arm and nodded his head to our right, I looked over and saw another child squatting (this one was totally naked) and going to the bathroom (a "number two") as he was cooking insects in a pan.  We both looked at each other with same thought -

"That could've been us."

As we were looking at each other I got sprayed in the face with a shot of blood.

A cow was being slaughtered a few feet from us.

Right there, in the "street", spraying hundreds of people with intestines, brain matter and skin.

Nobody seemed to mind.

I turned to find the young boy I'd been watching.

I spotted him

But he was different - in a hurry, nervous... hiding something.

I knew there was something about him so I pushed through and kept my eye on him.

After a dozen or so steps he got yanked by the collar, so hard that his hand flung out from under his shirt.  Food and cigarettes dropped on the ground. 

He had been caught stealing. 

Within seconds a debate broke out.  About a dozen "shoppers" who had seen this got involved - nobody else noticed/cared.

The topic of debate?

What to do with the young thief.

Some are making the logical argument of his age, social class, poverty -

Others unemotionally appealed for "no exceptions".

The strange part about all of this is that everybody seemed to know what was coming -

Except us

The man who grabbed the boy, dragged him to a table - pushing aside the handful of protesters.

He reached to grab the boy's arm, at that exact moment the kid went crazy.  Like us, he wasn't sure what was going to happen until that very second.

Screaming for somebody to intervene, his free hand and both his feet kicked uncontrollably.  His voice was cracking.  He wanted out.

It wasn't happening.

The best way I know of to describe this is how somebody would react if their arm were caught under a slow moving bulldozer.

To calm the child down the man slapped his face.  Hard.

Then he grabbed his wrist -

He twisted it so the boy was facing the ground, then he slammed back of the kid's hand on the table.

That was the first time I knew what was about to happen.

My brother and I officially entered the debate.

We offered to pay, to pay double, triple - we screamed with the others for the man to stop.  He pulled out a knife-sword as we tried to reach him, to hold us (and a few others who were on our side of the argument) back the pro-punishers gathered and pushed us back from the table.

The shoving and screaming continued.

Time was running out

I got on my knees and shuffled so I could see the boy's face.

His eyes were squeezed together like a vault, he hardly took a breath between his screaming - I could actually see the back of his throat throbbing - tears shot off his face - he kept shaking his body trying to get loose.

He was under a bulldozer.

Fever pitch

The shouting, the pushing, the crying - even the indifference of the passing people -

Was climaxing, I didn't think there was anything we could do.

The man's hand raised as he got ready to chop down on the wrist.  I looked at the boy's face one last time, and for some inexplicable reason, he was calm.

Almost as a calm as the first time I saw him.

He knew what was coming, in fact - there was no more "coming" because this was it, it was happening that very second - how could he possibly be calmer now than before?

He was motionless.

The blade slammed down in what felt like slow motion...

... my mouth opened more with each dropping second...

... my eyes narrowed...

... my stomach flexed...


The blade landed.

The boy yelped in pain, but he also had a smile.

The man looked at the wooden table where his knife landed... with a surprised reaction.

A few of the boy's defenders peered to see, and then they too smiled...

... I found out why the boy was calm.

He had been watching the shadow of the man and at the last moment he gave one final jerk and moved his arm forward, causing the blade to miss his entire wrist so instead of cutting off his whole hand - he got "lucky" and only had two fingers cut off.
 

Was it over?

The boy yanked and yanked and the man reluctantly let go - after being strongly encouraged to... even by his previous supporters.

The boy looked at the man, who pulled his knife out of the wood and flung the detached finger fragments off the table and into the sand.  He gave the boy a look as to say "I'll get you next time."

It was over.

Some of the people who had gathered bought the boy the food he had taken.

He had wanted the cigarettes so that he could sell them, and the food was for him and his family.  So this was the first time I got to see exactly what food he was trying to take; what food was worth cutting somebody's hand off.

So what was it that the boy was willing to risk his life over?

Snacks.

Airline snacks.

Peanuts, mainly.

Even without all of his fingers, the boy was ecstatic about the peanuts.  He tore a piece of his shirt off and wrapped his hand AFTER and WHILE he started eating.

I have never seen anybody enjoy airplane peanuts so much, even while strangers came and helped him with his hand, he kept eating.  He didn't even go back and look for his fingers.

He was just happy with the peanuts.

I never look at peanuts the same again.

Exactly one week later

We were leaving, coming back to the States.

As we boarded the plane we were put in the special "class" (they don't call it that here) because we were Americans.  So we got to stay in a lobby with an A.C. (air conditioner, which you probably won't truly appreciate until you walk miles through 100+ degree desert weather) - it also had a food bar and servants.

My brother and I -

Went wandering around - as if we hadn't seen enough the week before -

And we sat down next to a well dressed man on his way to America, just like us.  He was used to stopping in Saudi and the Middle East on his way to and fro.  While my brother and I sat talking to each other, the other traveler signaled for a waiter.

He asked for...

You guessed it -

Peanuts

Actually instead of asking for them he took the ones from the tray that was brought to him.

He opened a bag ate a few, and with a disgusted look on his face he spit them back into the bag and threw the peanuts in the trash.

We didn't say a word - we just looked at each other.

Strange how life works out, isn't it.

He went on -

And complained about the service, the weather, the people, the delays, but most of all - what he had the biggest problem with at that time - was the food, specifically... the peanuts.

In fact, he took the rest of the bags from the tray the waiter had and threw them away because they weren't "good to eat" or "fit" for anybody.

That day I got a taste of what dumpster diving was, because we went back and got the peanuts out... and ate them, even though I'm allergic to them.

Here's my point?

Everyday - yes, every single day - people all over the world are fighting, willing to give their lives for a single kernel (literally a peanut) of America... and what do we - the people who have been given more than any other group of people on the planet have EVER been given - what do we do with the opportunity and resources?

How do we react?

By complaining that it isn't enough...

... that things are "broken" and "somebody" needs to fix them "now"...

... by victimizing ourselves because what "they" did "wasn't fair"...

... by moping about the "economy" and a lack of opportunity...

... by maintaining that things are "tough" right now...

... by wondering what "happened to our money"...

Are you fu**ing serious?

I've talked about this in the past, and whenever I do I hear from knuckleheads who just don't get it - so I'm going to respond categorically to a lot of the nonsense right here in this letter. 

I should also say that I get a lot of great feedback too, and I guess my goal would be to adjust - even slightly - the view of certain situations by adding at least some perspective.

And we get emails, calls, faxes - everyday about this, so from now I'm just going to refer people to this page.

Not-so ironically, they won't read it - because it is "too long", they're "different" or they "already knew that" -

Yeah, if only...

I'm not complaining by the way -

Mark Twain said that we should be grateful of others' ignorance, because without them it would be much harder to be a genius... something like that.

So it makes things much easier for the rest of us when the "victims" are in the dark - and voluntarily keep themselves imprisoned there.

Who do I mean by the rest of us?

I'll get to that in a second...

Let's talk about "tough times"

If you've never left America, you've never seen tough times -

You've never seen a "bad market".

You've never been to a "bad neighborhood".

You didn't grow up with "humble beginnings".

You've never seen a real ghetto...

... you think drive-bys and drug dealers are bad?  Try fly-bys and mercenaries.

And you sure as hell aren't a "victim" either, you were born with more than most people will ever have.

How "bad" are things... really?

Nobody's going to kill you if you make too much money or have too many kids.

You aren't going to starve to death - quite the opposite since we are just about the fattest group of people to ever walk the Earth.

There isn't a group of armed government-hired mercenaries combing the streets with orders to shoot you if worship the "wrong" God.

No matter how much money/income you've "lost", it wasn't taken from you by physical force just because of the way you look.

You weren't forced out of your home only to have another family move in because they were "purer" than you

MAKE NO MISTAKE -
that is the "real world"


More people on the planet are starving than aren't.

So - I ask you - do you really deserve what you've been given?

I know many people who read this aren't in America - but many are, and the ones who moved here from another country - a place with real problems - take my stuff and get rich.

With almost no exceptions - whenever I get one of those stupid questions about things "working right now" or times being "tough" it is almost always from an American.

An AMERICAN!

How unbelievable is that - well, let me put this in context first -

We are the fattest, most well-fed (obese even) people ever - with the highest concentration of wealth and power that mankind has ever seen.  We are born with what generations have fought to believe in, died to protect and dared to dream about.

It is all given to us... at birth.

We're the people the world looks to for inspiration - for hope - to be a beacon of light as an example of what is possible - of what humans are capable of...

An Alien

Going to any other country, would come across the US Embassy - after seeing other countries' embassies run out of cubicles, outhouses, sheds - or maybe, if they're lucky, out of an office - they would see a military fortified and heavily guarded, domineering and free-standing building that is the US Embassy.

Even this alien would be forced to wonder; "Who the hell are these people?"

Yet, even with all this...

They'd turn the TV on...

And see that it isn't enough...

They would see the masses of voluntary victims chanting in the streets about the lack of opportunity, the lack of money, the lack of housing...

The mentality is real easy to summarize:

"I deserve more!"

"I don't have it and somebody else does!"

"None of this is my fault!"

They all chant in unison...

"Not my fault!"

"Not my fault!"

"Not my fault"

Here are some "questions" people ask me...

... when I talk about this.

Notice these aren't really questions, they are statements that assume no fault of the inquisitor and that things are "bad" - ultimately these statements aren't designed or asked to learn, they are used to justify incompetence, invalidate ideas and delegate blame for personal shortcomings...

This is nothing to be loyal to... a wise man once said (okay, it was me) "don't be loyal to your ignorance."

"Questions"

"But Azam, people are losing their jobs!  Look at the unemployment numbers, just LOOK AT THEM!!!"

Yeah... so?

Okay let's talk about the the non-entrepreneurs first, the people who actually want to find - and keep - a "good" job...

So you lost your job?

So?  If you lost a job, get another one, and try and do a better job at your... job - make yourself irreplaceable - so that you don't get... you know, replaced.

Ultimately if you had been doing your job well enough, you wouldn't have been fired/replaced or your job wouldn't have been outsourced.  Heart surgeons aren't losing their jobs, are they?

Okay, maybe the are, in which case - get better at performing or marketing your skill.

Just get better...

Starting in late 2008 car dealers across the country were bitching about losing their dealerships, and countless local news stations ran stories asking "what it takes" to be "safe" from losing a dealership.

I've seen at least five such stories - in different states and on different networks - that summarized the secret:

Try and increase sales

I'm serious.

So that's the big secret; companies need to make money?

What a concept...

... this translates so well to all the other "victims" who lost their jobs or had to deal with shut downs because the answer is real simple:

GET BETTER!

Or don't, and pay the consequences.

I've had a few dealers tell me that I don't understand (typical victim language) because there were political elements involved in losing their dealership or agreements through the parent company - like Chevy or Ford - that unfairly (more self-victimizing) had them lose their dealership or whatever.

My response?

Fu** 'em.

If you're selling enough, than you don't need them - you can start your own dealer.

Easy for you to say Azam...

Yeah, and it is actually just as easy to do...

Now before they go attacking me about this and how much I don't understand or how tough it is to do (more victim-talk) I would point to Stephanie and Sunny who have bought/owned a dealership every other month from 2008 - 2010.

They were able to do this because all the victims were too busy moping around to realize that the answer - the antidote - was real simple; get better, sell more outdo others.

Yet again - why don't people realize this too-simple truth?

Because it requires even an ounce of objectivity - before making a change or improving themselves they'd have to admit something painful - they would have to stop saying...

... the one thought that summarizes the very source of their problems -

It is not my fault!

As long as it isn't their fault, as long as they didn't do anything wrong - as long as they don't need to get better - as long as it isn't their fault...

They're victims.

They deserve more.

And it is somebody else's fault.

Now for the entrepreneurs...

Lost your job?

Great - what the hell were you doing with a job anyway - you shouldn't be looking for a job, you should be creating them.

"Yeah Azam, but nobody is hiring!"

Words like "nobody", "all", "people", "they", "everybody", etc. are dangerous to use, because they are almost never right and it is normally the reflection of very narrow segment of "everybody".

But let's say that you are right and "nobody" is hiring...

Correction: Nobody is hiring you.

Stephanie never stopped hiring.  Neither did Sunny, Wendy, Max, etc.

Everybody on our Team has been hiring -

They never stopped

I can call at least 50-100 students and clients who are hiring, training and bringing people on their Team right now...

... and their hires are getting rich (regardless of what that word means to you) but they have to go through hundreds to find that small handful of people who will perform.

The losers who don't make the cut - guess what too many of them mutter as they're sent home - "I told you... nobody's hiring..."

Yeah, "nobody" is hiring (or wants to hire) YOU.

"Azam, look at the companies going under, this is the WORST economic time we've ever had, no business can survive!!!"

One of my favorite authors is Sun Tzu, he wrote the Art of War over 50 years ago (okay, it was a little longer ago) and he told a story of two countries at war, they were both relying heavily on their navy fleets.

One country had experienced the most severe storms during their training, they had trained through floods, earthquakes, famine - basically total chaos.  More of their men died during training than during war.

There was a public outcry about the atrocities the trainees were going through... the general ignored them and kept training his men under these brutal conditions.

At the same time the other country was also training.

Under much different conditions.

They had enjoyed one of the best, most enjoyable and favorable water seasons (or whatever they're called) in decades.  Soldiers smiled as they carried on their training, they gossiped, wrestled playfully and (would have) texted their girlfriends.

The citizens were happy to see the soldiers training in these conditions.

When these countries fought, what do you think happened?

The answer is obvious -

The texters got raped

Big surprise huh?

Sun Tzu explained that war is dirty, it isn't supposed to fun, enjoyable or a walk in the park - if you enjoy the training, then you aren't doing it right.

You don't get the weekends off in war - you sure as hell don't get long weekends - it is WAR.

Here was a brilliant line he used to sum this up:

Calm seas make unskilled sailors.

What does this mean to you?

Getting rich is supposed to be at least a little more difficult than... not... getting rich - or just having a mediocre income.

And the way we do it - and train others - and the way most people attempt it is basically a short cut.  Most of us forgot to go to medical school, have rich parents or win the lottery -

We need to create a short cut

Short cuts are ALWAYS harder

Or they wouldn't be short cuts, they would just be "the way".

Now with that said, given the legal, violent and highly enforced financial sanctions that MOST people on Earth deal with when it comes to how much money they can make, what kind of business (if any) they are allowed to engage in and who they are allowed to sell to you -

If you have to pick ANYWHERE in the world to start a company, where would it be?

I don't mean as a king or part of royalty - as an average person, where do you have the most opportunity - the highest cap, if any, to your earning potential?

If you could go back to any point in time, anytime in history and anywhere in the world - what would be the single best time to be alive as a "commoner" and start a company -

Again, the answer is obvious;

Right here, right now - in America

It is that simple, so words like "tough" are all relative, it may seem "tough" but it is easier than anywhere else in the world and easier now than at any other time -

If you really think that it is that difficult, you're just not paying attention...

... you're an idiot...

... and incredibly thankLESS.

This is the best time and the best place

Still not good enough for you?

Well guess what?

It is for others...

... and I've got a novel of success stories to prove it -

So maybe the problem isn't the "economy", the area or America...

Maybe the problem is much, much simpler -

Maybe (definitely!) the problem is just you.

Okay, but what about the number of companies going under?

This is so sad that it is just funny, you almost have to laugh.

I'm amazed at how many people think that ignorantly run companies and businesses are supposed to stay in business, as if there were any period in history where most - or even a significant percentage - of companies survived.

It isn't supposed to work like that.

Nothing is... a small group of Badass people are supposed to move on while almost everybody else becomes a statistic.

But this "question" had to do with failure rates, and since we're in the -

"Toughest of times", right?

People keep belly-aching about things being the "worst since the Great Depression", right?

Here's the secret: most companies suck, most employees suck.

Most of them just suck.

They don't have passion in what they do, they don't go above and beyond to perform, the don't focus and grow their skill masterfully - they don't fight to provide more, to share more, to be more, etc.

They just do the bare minimum...

... if that.

They are SUPPOSED to be out of business.

I'm not surprised so many companies go under I'm surprised so FEW do.

We know that roughly one of 10 companies will survive in the first two to three years.

Okay...

... but fewer people know that one out of 10 of those survivors will be around in three to five or five to seven years...

... of those survivors, less than one out of 10 will be around in 10 years -

Do the math...

One out of ten -

Then one out of that ten -

Then just one out of that ten -

This tiny group of survivors just keeps getting smaller and smaller -

And these people are -

Survivors NOT "thrivers"

Nobody's promising they're making ANY money, they're just still in existence, they haven't gone bankrupt, closed doors or disappeared - and actually they could be in bankruptcy and the government numbers (where I'm getting all this data) would still consider them a "success".

Think about that; being in bankruptcy still means you're a "success".

How's that for lowering the bar?

So we have to go through thousands, tens of thousands and even hundreds of thousands of companies, start-ups, businesses, CEOs, etc. before finding even a handful - or just one - that makes any money...

... let alone just ten grand a month...

... or 30 grand a month.

Almost nobody EVER makes money

Regardless of the "economy" -

Even in "good" times...

... let alone "tough" times.

You may be thinking that if I'm right, and nearly all companies are gone within ten years, then how come nobody has noticed (actually they have, they're the ones who keep track for historical research) and how come there isn't a big deal made about it?

There is...

Let's go back to something too many people reference; the Great Depression - the first one I mean.

And let's track and see what happens just about every 10 years, and you'll notice that you can set your clock by it -

Every 10 years there is a cleansing:

Late 1920s
The Great Depression, enough said about this.

Recession/Depression of the late 1930s
Almost completely forgotten, this was one of the "worst" recessions on record, and the depression really never got totally fixed until the war.

(Experts: The "worst" economy since since the Great Depression...)

Recession/Depression of the late 1940s
War ended, "Fair Deal" effects are felt...

(Experts: The "worst" economy since since the Great Depression...)

Recession/Depression of the late 1950s
The FED breaks free (again) surplus becomes a deficit and the rebound from this was historical.

(Experts: The "worst" economy since since the Great Depression...)

Recession/Depression of the late 1970s
Vietnam, skyrocketing oil, interest went from okay (7-10%) to are-you-fu**ing-serious (18-20%) as FED goes out of control, energy crisis, Iran goes nuts -

(Experts: The "worst" economy since since the Great Depression...)

Recession/Depression of the late 1980s
FED goes crazy with rates again, oil companies price gauge, banks and S&L "crisis" adds to CF

(Experts: The "worst" economy since since the Great Depression...)

Recession/Depression of the late 1990s
Dot-com bust, 9/11 coming up, stock market plummets

(Experts: The "worst" economy since since the Great Depression...)

Recession/Depression of the late 2000s
Totally different, and much worse than anything ever before, seriously... yeah, seriously!

I'm serious!

(Experts: The "worst" economy since since the Great Depression... but they're serious this time, they really, really MEAN IT!!!)

Here's my point -

This house cleaning happens all the time - IT MUST -

And every time it is "worse" than before...

These companies are supposed to go out of business...

... real estate is supposed to take time to appreciate...

... lazy employees are supposed to lose their jobs...

... rich people are supposed to "get away" with it...

... hiring stupid people is supposed to cost you..

... America is supposed to be appreciated...

... companies are supposed to be better...

... like Sun Tzu said -

Calm seas make unskilled sailors.

It isn't weird that companies are going out of business, that over leveraged houses are being foreclosed on or that bloated salaries paid to incompetent workers are reduced/eliminated/outsourced -

What's weird is that -

It didn't happen sooner

Most companies barely profit anyway - but they manage to squeak by and fart along - during the calm seas... they also train under these conditions.

Their entire infrastructure is built on a house of cards, just waiting for a solid gust to blow everything over - they are supposed to be gone.

In real estate I saw plenty of people buying new construction homes from the builders - they would buy them before they were built - and when the home was done six months later, they would sell the houses at profits of $20-$30k.

Yes the numbers are real

These people were buying houses at full market value and selling them a few months later - without doing any repairs (except for having the house finished) and pulling down huge profits that would normally only be made with an extensive rehab project.

You may find that hard to believe, but I can assure their numbers were real, and they weren't selling seminars or even talking to many people about it, they told me because they wanted me to get involved, thankfully I didn't.

Eventually some of the builders clamped down and forced these buyers to sign agreements that would outlaw any sale of the house for up to a year after buying.  The idea was to get rid of this kind of flipping.

So check this out...

These investors would still buy the houses from the builders, then they would hold on to them for the full year - keeping the houses vacant the entire time and paying the monthly mortgages for a full year... on empty houses.

At the end of the year they would sell the houses - after buying them for full market value and paying the mortgages for a year with NO INCOME from the houses, after all this would sell a year later - and still make crazy profits.

Here's the question -

Is it supposed to work like that?

Is it any surprise that almost all these investors got burned?

This examples may be a little extreme but still too symbolic to ignore -

They were training in calm seas.

I'm guilty of this to, when I used to day trade and I made $900 while I was in a theater watching a movie - I flipped out.  When I made 11 grand in a day, I almost wet myself - I'm not exaggerating, I almost did.  (okay maybe I actually did... just a little...)

But this was in the late 90s - when everybody was making money, before the correction (yes, it was a correction!) came.  But that's not why I made the money, I made the money because

I was genius

I was just smarter than everybody else.

It WAS my fault.

So when the correction came and I lost my shirt, well...

That was NOT my fault, right?

What I'm saying is that almost everybody trains, operates and relies on

Calm seas

So the moment anything happens, if they are tested in even the slightest way - they'll buckle...

... run home crying to mommy.

But nothing has changed - NOTHING.

The game is the same, the only difference is that they're exposed so they need to get better - which is what they needed to do anyway.

Not depressions or recessions -

they're corrections

And they are necessary.

All this talk about being better, what exactly do I mean?

Here's an Empire IQ test:

www.WorkWithAzam.com

It is at the bottom of that page, a simple 10 question test.  We've tweaked it since the 90s (when we started using it) but my challenge has been the same since we came up with -

You put just three of the 10 items in place (you can do them all FOR FREE) and you'll be hitting -

At least 100 grand a month

... within 90 days.

I've never had anybody do at least three and not get there.

But it won't work in your area.

By the way, guess what's going to happen in the late 2010s...

You're either trained and you know what you're doing - or you're just guessing...

Which group will you be in?

The "next time" is coming.

During the Great Depression II, I did a presentation at a summit (something I don't normally do) and there were about 500 executives in the room, and some of the audience were past clients and people we'd worked with in the past.

I asked how many of them had at least three of those 10 items in place, about 50 - 70 people stood, then I asked - just to PROVE what I'm saying and put myself on the spot - how many noticed ANY change in their income during the "tough times"... nobody.

Then I asked - in front of everybody - if your company grew, not just remained at the same levels, but actually grew substantially and consistently as if nothing happened - stay standing...

Everybody's profits were up

So it isn't just me, and it is more than just possible.

That IQ test can change everything.

Alright, back to the silly "questions".

"But Azam, people are losing their homes - their HOMES DAMNIT!!!"

They're not losing them, they still know where they are don't they, ha ha.

Yeah, I'm making fun of the situation, what an a**hole I am.

Yes for most people who lost their houses, that may seem tough, but at least they had a house, and they get to stay in America, keep their freedom, exploit opportunity, etc. 

It could much worse, and most people's financial hardship - because they lost a job or something - could be fixed by them just getting better at what they do.

Less TV.

Less porn.

Less gossip.

Less moping.

Less lack of gratitude.

It isn't that hard, especially in America.

But... if YOU'RE losing your house, and you've been on my list...

If you're losing your house - I've got no sympathy for you, you're here so you've been getting my stuff and you have access to it - and you've seen what others have done with it, and yet you ALLOWED this to happen?  To lose your house?

Shame on you!

That's far worse than the people who really are in the dark, you were given a chance and this is how you take advantage of it - you don't deserve that house, hopefully somebody who deserves it will move in.

Look what your laziness and lack of gratitude cost you?

Pathetic.  And some of you clowns think emailing us self-victimizing stories about why you're broke makes a difference?

It doesn't.

Sympathy?  Look elsewhere.

My Proof Section

Is filled with people in unreal situations; terminal illness, homelessness, mental challenges (that is putting it nicely) - you name it, and they took my stuff and went Badass...

If somebody did it, than anybody can -

And I'm talking about taking and using the FREE stuff I've made available, so you could've changed things, but you kept yourself - no, imprisoned yourself - as a victim.

Homeless?

No problem, at least you won't be eating my bandwidth anymore by going through stuff that you won't do anything with anyway.

For the people who didn't have access to my stuff, yeah losing your house can seem tough... but it still beats losing your hand, doesn't it?  And an unbelievable amount of these people got loans they KNEW were crazy at rates they KNEW were outrageous, they didn't care then - but now all of a sudden it isn't their fault?

How convenient.

Before you were the savvy one to find such a "gem" in your local market, and you patted yourself on the back for negotiating such a highly leveraged deal... now that there is a little adversity, well not only is it WRONG and UNETHICAL, but it is somebody else's fault.

So we go from taking credit for something until it stops "working" then not only is not your doing, but it is somebody else's fault?

Convenient indeed.

I know that's not everybody, but the "not my fault" mentality isn't scarce...

"But Azam, you don't understand my market is different, I've tried your stuff and it didn't work - everybody here knows that our area is different - I knew this would happen!!!"

OMG!

You mean you tried my stuff - my stuff - and "it" didn't "work".

I knew it, my scam is up, now everybody's going to know that my stuff doesn't work - you've ruined me!!!  AHHHHHHHhhhhhh!  (My screams fade as I banish into oblivion)

People that say this are...

How do I put this nicely....

Oh - I got it - they are all -

Fu**cking idiots.

So eager to quit, they're looking for an excuse to pounce on so that they can justify their own incompetence - some will claim that I'm arrogant for saying that... well -

"I tried it and failed.  Conclusion: no mortal can do it."

So who is being arrogant?

Look - I've knocked myself out (actually it wasn't that hard, but it sounds hard) getting testimonials, success stories and examples of Badassery from around the world - there is NO area on the planet - no unique market or "area" where we don't have a pile of Badass students and clients making a KILLING.

And this is all before, during and after the Great Depression II - so if you think you're "doing my stuff" and you're not getting rich (I really mean that: getting RICH) then you're either not really using my stuff or you're doing it wrong.

I'm saying this on record: I have never - NEVER NEVER NEVER, not a SINGLE TIME - worked with an individual or company that did not see the outrageous results I promise - as long as they follow our Policies - all it takes it 10-15 hours a week doing exactly what we go over.

NOBODY has ever followed our training and Policies and FAILED - NOBODY.

And have mountains of proof to verify all the crazy sh** I say...

Some don't want to hear that -

It is much easier to blame the material, me, their area, the economy, etc.

But know that is all they/you are doing -

Blaming somebody else.

Not impressive.

Wait a second Azam - are you saying that it isn't -

Your fault Azam?

Good made-up question.

After all this talk of taking responsibility shouldn't I take the blame for something "not working"?

Absolutely, and I do... if it ever happened.

Like I said there is NOT a single example in the world (and I'm talking from China to California, Mumbai to Montana - Isreal to Illinois and Dubai to Darfur... yeah I'm serious) of my *exact* Policies being followed and results not following - not a single example.

I'm not saying people don't try, expect instant gratification that they don't get and then they quit - that has happened, I'm talking following through consistently for the 10-15 hours a week (at the max. if you're starting out) and not seeing results.

All over the planet, by the way -

In places where they don't even have electricity, I've outlined this all and made it very easy to find, verify and look more into.

So there is no excuse for that "my area/business is different" BS.

But I'll keep going with this -

"Azam, my area is different."

"Azam my business is different."

"Azam, I don't think this works for me."

In my experience this avenue of thought is such an incredible hindrance that I've outlined a special section to cover each of these items... this is pasted from section I share with my Alliance Project group...

 

Three of The Dumbest, Least Productive And Dangerous Things You'll Ever Say, Think, Be Taught, Hear Or - Worse Yet - Believe...

And the real reasons why you'll put faith in them.

This is a quick primer to help you get past these self-imposed hurdles, you put this stuff in your head and you'll quickly learn that not at all prisons have bars - and you won't even notice the one that you've put yourself in.

These are great ways to avoid taking blame and still being able to maintain that you are 'working hard' to make things happen for you.

You'll notice that these are almost never questions, but rather statements, and the burden of delivery (the blame) is placed on somebody or something else - words like this, it and that are used instead of me or I.

Dangerous indeed.

So let's get started with first the generic sentences, then the source behind these saboteurs and then a discussion of each.

'That doesn't work for anybody.'

The real source of this is incompetence.  This excuse is used to justify, even glorify, quitting - the idea that 'I can't do this so nobody can.'  Instead of trying to better oneself (which requires the blame to be placed on you) all focus is on the impossibility of the task.  This is necessary in order justify quitting, but instead of saying 'I haven't figured this out, it is too hard, so I am just going to quit!' it sounds better to blame the task.

I often use the story my mother told me of a monkey trying to reach fruit in a tree.  He tries all day long and does everything he can think of to get to the fruit.  He tries resting before he jumps, he tries getting a running start and he even tries getting another monkey to help - all for naught as he never reaches the fruit.  Finally, as he is walking away he mutters to himself the following...

'The fruit is probably spoiled anyway...'

Therein is the moral - if you don't 'figure this stuff out' you are going to hate it and you are going to hate anybody who talks about it let alone does it.  Incompetence breeds contempt.  We are all like this, but most of us don't want to admit it.  People that try their hand at business and fail, will often walk away like the monkey saying 'This doesn't work for people anyway...' instead of looking at what they did and why they were the cause of the problem.

Don't be like that, and don't let others around you (agents, investors, etc.) influence your opinion - when you hear something like this ask yourself if they are truly educated and speaking from a successful 'I did it, here is what I learned' perspective or a 'I tried it and failed, and here is why it wasn't my fault' perspective.

'That doesn't work for me.'

The real source of this is low self esteem and laziness.  This excuse is used to justify inactivity.  This is the idea of 'That may work for John and Jane, but not for me because (Insert Excuse Here).'  People in this category spend more time distancing themselves from those you have done it; 'Sure, Azam can do it because he already has money.'  Other examples usually include something about how much money, time, experience, family commitments, spousal support, etc. that somebody else has that you don't have - or vice versa.

Another version is 'I tried that, I did what you said, but it didn't work for me.'  In this case no reason is given, it 'just didn't work', right?  The reason why there is no reason is because it would either be an excuse or a shortcoming of the person involved.  The line of 'I tried that and...' presupposes that - in the case of my material - you understand the material enough to know what to say, how to say it, how to respond and the overall highest and best use objectives.  I've heard this from more clients and employees than from students, but whenever there is a problem and I make suggestion that is responded to with 'I tried that and...' I'm almost certain that what they 'tried' was a version of my material versus their own egos adding nonsensical and untested ideas of their own.

Upon any further scrutiny I normally find that they may have a piece or two of the ingredients, but in general they royally screwed something up without even knowing it.  But instead of looking at that, it is always easier make the excuse that 'It didn't work' instead of asking or thinking 'I wonder what I'm doing wrong.'

This is why you are 'getting smart' and not participating at all - it doesn't work for you.  It may work for everybody else, but you're special; your situation is different.  Again this is used to justify inactivity and non-participation - instead of focusing on how to get better or bridge the gap between yourself and what others are doing - it doesn't work so you don't have to be bothered with getting better or the pains of improvement.

A better way of putting this 'I'm not willing to do the work required to increase my skill, so I won't get the results others are.'

'That doesn't work in my area / business / industry.'

This the the Mack Daddy of all the excuses I have heard, the real source of this is lack of intelligence.  This is used justify, glorify and even promote all of the above; quitting, inactivity, incompetence, laziness and lack of implementation just to name a few.  Ironically this is normally prefixed with a compliment - something like 'That is a great idea, but...' or 'Wow, that's a great way to sell knives, but...'

In real estate I used to hear this quite a bit; 'That works great in the car business, but not in real estate' or 'That works in Texas, but not California because (Insert Excuse Here)'  In my experience, the Californian 'investors' are so hopelessly lost about their market that nothing will convince them that something 'works here'.  Like many others they'll piss away opportunities to make fortune upon fortune, meanwhile complaining that 'things are different here because...'

Good news for you though, because from now when you hear that you'll know there is plenty of low hanging fruit wherever they are.

Much of my success has come from taking an idea, practice or piece of common knowledge and applying it to another industry - one where people commonly tell, and are told by, each other 'that doesn't work in the (BLANK) industry.'

When you hear or say things like 'What does that have to do with real estate?'  Or 'That doesn't apply to me because I don't have a T.V. commercial... a loan... good credit... employees... etc.'

You are making a mistake.

You are letting your current ignorance stand in the way of future enlightenment.

The big secret I am sharing with you here is that any moron can find reasons why something doesn't work, isn't connected or doesn't apply.  Ironically, it is these same people that will pat themselves on the back and claim they are 'smart enough' to realize the lack of a connection.  Another way a shallow ego feeds itself; it tells you to reward yourself for stupidity.

This isn't my opinion by the way, and although that has been suggested after I go over the following there is no question.  This was taken from the New American Heritage dictionary:

in·tel·li·gence   (ĭn-těl'ə-jəns) - The measure of an individual's ability to apply gathered data and information; determined by the capacity to find meaning and applications for related and seemingly unrelated units of knowledge.

The definition again, with choice words in bold.

The measure of an individual's ability to apply gathered data and information; determined by the capacity to find meaning and applications for related and seemingly unrelated units of knowledge.

So the ability to find the meaning and connection in items is what makes you smart.  In other words, the more you say 'My area is different, my business is different, that doesn't work in my market or industry because...' the less intelligent you are.

The more you say stuff like that, the dumber you are.

It is worth noting that a failure to see a connection is a shortcoming on your end, not something to be loyal to.  Increasing your ability to make these connections is what makes you more intelligent; smarter.  Ignoring connections, invalidating them or halting the process of even trying to make a connection - is a result of your lack of intelligence; your stupidity.

It is dangerous to be so loyal to your ignorance.

Sadly, many will never see it this way - but they don't have the benefit of the explanation I just provided, right?

Check this out:

"To ask an insightful question... a capacity to remember.  To relate domains that may not seem connected at first."

- Bill Gates
 (on intelligence and brilliance)

"Azam, people are losing their life savings"

For most people, that may seem tough.  But for you, you're learning to make money, so if you misplace some - just make more, but first let's talk about "normal" people.

They hired somebody to invest their money, too many of them have forgotten that - most of these people are referring to their 401k or something like that where they gave a portion of their income - directly or indirectly - to some big-wig investor or institutional-investor-type to invest their money.

In other words...

they HIRED somebody.

They CHOSE to give their money - usually to a complete stranger - and basically said -

"Here's my money, I don't know what to do with it and I don't have any better ideas so I'll TRUST you to invest and grow it.  You'll be paid based on how much money that you make me...

... you'll never hear from me, talk to me or have me acknowledge you in any way, just take the years of research and education you have invested and put it to work for me...

... and you better not screw up or I'll raise HELL!

... Oh and by the way I'm too lazy and unwilling to research this myself or educate myself about it right now, but if you don't make me rich, I'm going to bitch and complain about how you 'stole' from me..."

Plus -

"Even after I complain about you screwing me over, just to prove that I don't learn or even want to, I'm still going to continue to hire you or people like you, I'm not going to take the time to learn about this myself - NO! - instead I'll keep doing the same thing until I die (probably broke) but I'll be expecting a totally different result."

"But Azam, greedy Wall Street bankers stole from us, and our children!  The bailouts have ruined us!!!"

The bailouts are awesome.

But I know people disagree, so let's get this straight -

A country is so pro-rich-people that even if the companies are the WORST in the world and fail to make even a penny of profit, we'll GIVE them money?

Yet people bitch - when money is being GIVEN AWAY - because it isn't given to the right people?

Don't hate the people for being "too big to fail" become "too big to fail' yourself.

America is all about rich people, if you're not in that group, you need to figure out how to get there - or just realize they'll always be on a different level because they provide and contribute more than you do.

"But Azam there is no money, a credit freeze means my lenders aren't approving any of my buyers!  Nobody's financing anything anymore and there is nothing we can do about it!!!  And business loans are IMPOSSIBLE!!!"

Yeah, yeah, yeah...

So "nobody" is making it happen, huh?

Nobody.  Really?

Or is it just you - I mean the "economy"?

See below for the answer to this...

And about business loans, no business has ever failed because they didn't have enough loans, they didn't have enough sales... don't try and figure out how to get loans, figure out how to get sales.

"Azam I've tried everything and nothing works, blah, blah, blah!!!"

Translation: you deserve more and it isn't your fault.

You're just throwing away peanuts...

... because they aren't "that good"...

Okay, Azam this is where you tell me how rich you are, right?

Not exactly.

In fact, I don't even talk about how much I'm doing/making.  Instead I talk about others.

In fact, if I did talk about my lifestyle - you'd hardly be envious.  I work 80+ hours a week, I've never in my life gone on vacation and I don't use pictures of my houses or cars to prove how "cool" I am...

No Vacation?

Yeah, you know why?

Because I'm always on vacation -

America is one giant vacation.

Some examples...

Let me explain to you what some people have done during these "tough times" -

Remember when Joe the Plumber was moping about socialism, Israel, Obama's whatever... remember that?  That was a tough time, right?  Oh yeah, and plus his area was really decrepit, wasn't it?  Well at the same time, in the exact same area (even the same city) another plumber was implementing some Badassery and got his company to over 100 grand a month...

Millie (on our Team here) just did an interview with Esquire about a the modeling company her and Stephanie started - in less than one year that company was one of the top five modeling companies in America - I did an audio with them and how they're routinely pulling out over $30,000 a day with just this one model...

I'm about to do an audio interview with a young lady (17 years old) whose parents sponsored her into our Alliance Project - and how she is using four signs and doing over 13 grand a month - with four signs and that's it, no talking to anybody, no meeting people - nothing... and that 13 grand is from just one model... she is implementing four others... (oh yeah, she's in Hawaii, you know - where NOTHING WORKS, right?)

In January of 2009 a young man and his fiancé were nearly broke, living an apartment and working at a sporting goods store... he got with us, put some Badassery in place and by that June he was doing over $150,000 a MONTH - owning theaters, Subways and airports...

Max and Sunny have done over $5M in the first quarter of 2010 from Dubai IPOs and real estate, I've gone over this in depth in an Episode so I won't get into the details here - but my point is that this area is considered fu**ed by the economy...

I wrote an email about something like this a few months ago, and I'm leaving out most of those examples right now - so I'm not mentioning JJ (another 17 year old) doing over two grand in 20 minutes by handing out flyers with me (we did that on camera), a student spending five days and bringing in 10 grand a month on autopilot from then on, another student getting his first five grand wired to him, etc. etc.

My point is that if you're properly trained you really can go into any area and sweep up because you are dealing with people...

Who are used to calm seas

In fact, they are dependent on them...

They need those calm seas...

... they only know how to make money under the most friendly and ideal circumstances known to man.

Anything else -

And they are fu**ed.

What's worse is that many of the trainers, teachers and business "gurus" -

TEACH THIS

At seminars and in books.

Advice: don't listen to anybody who needs calm seas to profit.

Make them prove they've trained and performed outside of calm seas.

And about all those examples -

Am I bragging, yes -

but about OTHER people  (NOT me)

And I could keep going...

... but the fact that I'm talking about others proves a few things, doesn't it?

First, this isn't talent - and it sure as hell ain't about "Azam".

This is about understanding a specific skill set that almost nobody in the world understands or even has the opportunity to learn.  A set of such remarkable skill that nearly everybody (billionaires included) will clamor for your attention to learn more about or benefit from.

Something that everybody wants to be able to do - yet almost nobody ever will.

The ability to successfully, regularly and fearlessly grow a company is something that can change your life.

It makes you immune to "recessions", "depressions" or "the economy" - you no longer stand for nothing (and no longer eagerly ready to fall for anything)

You become a Badass

And it is the "real world" -

People are doing this day in and day out...

All over the planet, they don't ask for - or even want - weekends off, they don't wonder about their next vacation; they're always on vacation, their passion carries them...

... their drive, ambition and refusal to blame others makes them unstoppable.

They understand that -

America is for dreamers

They don't don't deserve it - none of us do.

They are thankful and their gratitude is expressed through action NOT just words or bumper stickers.

Don't get me wrong I think education is one of the -

Most important things in the world

And the biggest reason people have problems is because they aren't given the opportunity.

But you don't get to say that.

Neither do I.

It has been given to us, disproportionately.

I know that all of this is a huge -

Marketing sin...

... if I cared about selling you stuff most people would say I would spend more time identifying with your problems and making a common enemy of "them"...

... I'm not into that.

The enemy (in America at least) is ignorance, laziness and Thanklessness.

More dangerous than guns, more deadly than terrorism and more addictive than crack.

People are dying -

actually dying - for our peanuts...

So when you hear somebody in America complaining about the "economy", opportunity, money problems, what-the-fu**-ever... they're throwing peanuts away... just like that guy in the airport...

... don't be like that...

... don't pollute yourself and those around you...

... be distrusting and even scornful of calm seas...

... because they allow us to accept less of ourselves...

... addicted to wasting our potential and blaming others for it...

Summary: don't throw the peanuts away.

I hope I've helped.

- Azam