Start With A Win - Help Others By Helping

Episode Date: March 15, 2019

Show Notes:This impromptu conversation between Adam and Mark evolved into a Start with a Win podcast episode about helping others, and we hope that you are able to get a lot out of it to apply to your daily life. Helping people is all about genuinely caring for what is going on in their lives, either long-term or in the moment, and it provides value to you and the person you help. Adam has had a lot of memorable experiences helping people, from his time in law enforcement and now in real estate, and he has always tried to go out of his way to be kind, especially when people least expect it. RE/MAX has built this into their company culture by embodying the phrase “everyone carries the boxes”, meaning that no one is above helping out a colleague who is carrying boxes and it is expected that you will lend a hand. This idea of being aware of others’ needs and being 100% committed to those around you creates a cycle of positive human interaction that is contagious. Before you know it, your one small act of kindness could have a butterfly effect on your community, and you could take pride in knowing that you were a part of bringing out the best in humanity. This attitude will build relationships and eventually lead to success in business as well, but you shouldn’t use that as your motivation for doing good.So this week, be intentional about treating someone to a cup of coffee, letting someone into traffic, and just giving unconditionally. You will be surprised by the outcome.Links:(none that were referenced)Connect with Adam:https://www.startwithawin.com/ https://www.facebook.com/adamcontosREMAXCEO/ https://twitter.com/REMAXAdamContos https://www.instagram.com/REMAXadamcontos/ 

At top of the 12th floor of the Remax World Headquarters, you're listening to Start With A Win with CEO Adam Kantos. Hey everybody, this is a non-episode episode. Adam and I were talking about helping others and I just let it roll. Hope you enjoy. It was interesting when you look at all these different episodes that we've gone through, Mark, the variable that seems to exist in so much of this in the providing value to life and society and being fulfilled as a human being. And even that Maslow's hierarchy, the self-significance is helping people. Yeah. And it's fascinating how through our conversations, it keeps coming out. And I can't stop thinking about certain times in my life that you talk about executing or whatever,

or even just doing things and feeling a dopamine hit. But, but I've gotten a lot of these like memorable helping people moments that have happened. Well, I mean, I'm sure with the industry that you were in previously to Remax, you helped probably a lot of people, you know, being on, being a sheriff, being on the SWAT team, like all those things. But you know what's weird is, okay, so here's one that, because you deal with people in these different difficult parts of their life. Nobody ever calls the cops and go, hey, you want to come over and have a cupcake? I got cookies.

Yeah. It's party time. Let's invite, let's invite Adam over to Mark's birthday. Yeah. You deal with people that are in challenges because nobody really wants to be sitting down chatting with the cops during this. Hey, I'm having a great day. You want to sit down and have a cup of coffee and talk?

That doesn't happen a whole lot. It should, frankly, because you can, talking to the public servants, you can go, oh my gosh, I love this person. They're such a fulfilled human being. And ultimately, you take a step back in society and go, all right gosh, I love this person. They're such a fulfilled human being. And ultimately you look at, take a step back in society and go, all right, what is your goal? And so much of it is to help people. But a lot of people kind of forget that. I, I, I'll, I'll share the story. I need

to get this out of my mind. I had this one day where I'm driving around, I'm, you know, I'm looking for fun calls to go to because that's what cops do. You know, like where's the adrenaline dump. But, um, but I, I was driving along and I saw this car parked on the side of the road. And, uh, so I, it's dark, it's kind of cold out. I'm like, all right, I'll pull over and see what's up. So I pull over and I'm walking up, there's a lady sitting in the front seat, pregnant lady. And she's like super stressed out i'm like are you okay she goes i have a flat tire i'm like well let's change it she goes really i go yeah yeah i i flatten the tires on my police car a lot i mean you know you're driving around in areas you run over a nail whatever it is yeah so you get good at changing tires i mean i had it down man i was like the nascar pit yeah one man pit crew so said, well, let's change the tire.

She goes, okay. I said, you just stand here. I don't want you sitting in the car because I don't want it to fall off the jack or whatever. But you can stand here and watch. Let's talk. And I'm changing the tire. It takes like, I don't know, eight to ten minutes or something like that. And she's like, thank you so much.

And she's in tears. And it just touched my heart so much to go, that was like one of the most fulfilling things that I've done all day. And here's the weird part of this story. So she goes on her way. And I can see this to this day. I know exactly where these things happen.

And I go and I get on the highway. And I drive north. And I drive north like 10 miles or so and i'm taking this off ramp and there's another car broken down i'm like all right i'm gonna be out with this car that's broken down and i walk up to the driver and guess what what pregnant lady the same pregnant lady no different one different one. Different one. So I walk up. I'm like, don't tell me you got a flat tire. And she's like, yeah, how'd you know? I'm like, you're not going to believe this.

I said, let's change your tire. She's like, oh my gosh, thank you so much. So like two in a row. That is like, what are the odds? Like the universe was like directing you to change those tires that day for some purpose. Somebody was saying, let's put him in these situations and make them feel really good. Yeah. Because helping people makes you feel really, it touches the heart.

Yeah. I don't care who you're helping, whatever it is. You know what? My job was to be out there as a police officer. My job wasn't to go change tires. I mean, they don't teach you how to change tires in a police academy. Yeah. So it's typically, hey, call a tow truck. No, I'm there. I'll do it. I want to help this person. One of the things I love about the REMAX culture too is it's really based on helping people. I remember when I first started working here in 2010, one of the things that was presented to me in my onboarding in HR was like, hey, we help people here.

Like if you get in an elevator and someone has a handful of boxes, like offer to like take the boxes. Yeah. And that really stuck with me and made an impact where every time I got in the elevator and someone was carrying something or needed me to hold the door or whatever it was, I was always going out of my way to do that because I remembered, hey, this is the culture. This is who we are as Remax. That's right. It's funny you say that because we've always used the term, everyone carries the boxes. And even to this day, we have almost 500 employees at Remax, Booj, Motto, together, all of our companies. And one of the key terms that we use when we onboard a new person is, you know, our culture is everyone carries the boxes. So it's so true. And fundamentally at

the core of what our business is about, it's about helping people. Helping people through the challenges that they face in buying and selling a house, because there are challenges in doing that. It's scary. It's a big decision. And, and model mortgage, you know, you're, you're financing that piece. It is about helping everyone carry the boxes. And it's really cool when it comes down to that, because you know, like on another one of the episodes we talked about, we were talking about commitment. It's putting 100% into everything, into the relationships that you have, expecting nothing in return and just going and helping people. That's what it's about. Yeah. Well, I think too, it creates that momentum, right? Of when you help somebody and you get that, that feeling of, wow, that felt really good. I want to go help more people. Then it kind of snowballs. And then

what I think is like that butterfly effect, right? It's like, well, you change those two ladies tires that were pregnant on the side of the road. Like what did that allow them to go get to on time? Or what did that, how'd that impact them? Right. Where they said, wow, this guy like in the cold went out here and changed my tires. Now they're like, ah, I like police officers. Yep. I like, you know, law enforcement. And when someone talks trash about law enforcement, it's like, well, you know what? I remember when I was pregnant and I had a flat tire, someone pulled over and helped me. Oh yeah. Yeah. It's, um, it's building great memories in people's minds. It's, it's having positive human interaction. I was in a gosh, where was I? I was in Canada a little while ago and I was standing in line. I think it was Canada. Yeah. I was

standing in line at a coffee shop and there was a lady in front of me and I'm looking at her and she's all by herself. She's probably, I don't know, 85 or so. And I just thought to myself, I want to buy her a cup of coffee. And it was funny cause we get up to the front and she goes to pull out her wallet and i'm like no i got her a coffee and she looks at me she goes no sonny i got yours i'm like but i want to buy you a cup of coffee she goes and sorry i'm buying yours you can't double stamp a triple stamp i know that's right but it was funny because we got this argument about you know the the and not really an argument but it was was, it was fun banter about no me, no me. But it was, it was hilarious because

that discussion brought out the, the great in mankind amongst two human beings. And that's what helping people does. Yeah. So it's, it's like letting somebody in, in traffic, it's so many places, people being sitting in people being sitting and they're on the highway in traffic, and they wait for this gap to be just big enough for their car to fit in, and then they pop the turn signal real quick and jump in there instead of turning on the turn signal and letting somebody let them in. And I believe in turn on the turn signal, let them let you in. If they're the ones who go and close it up and won't let you in,

that's not a fulfilled, happy human being. Okay. That's sign number one. Right. Let you in not happy. Yeah. They, you know, their license plate says miserable, but I love it because if I see it happen, I'm like, I'm going to slow down. I'm going to wave you over. They wave. I wave back, okay check i got a dopamine hit for helping somebody you know it's it's way better than giving them a like on social media right yeah it's a real like it is that's cool real like real like yeah we should have like a little light on our car we can click real like totally yeah give a thumbs up that's not a good t-shirt. Yeah. There you go. Help somebody for a real like. That's right. I love it. So I don't know. We kind of deviate from recording podcasts every now and then here. Just talk about helping people and random things. Yeah. Life in

general. Yeah. So. Well, I think applying to someone's business, right? Being helpful is the, I've seen the most success in my business because I've just wanting to help people, right? Being helpful is the, I've seen the most success in my, my business because I've just wanting to help people, right? With, like you said, nothing in return. Like, I just want to help you with whatever that is and create value. And then in turn, I see my business grow. Yep. And it's, it's a simple formula and it's a really enjoyable too, at the same time. Yeah. I have, I have literally won some big business deals by saying, this is for me to you. And people go, well, how much is it? Well, what do you think it's, you know, you pay me what you think it's worth.

Well, let's talk about this. And you know what's funny is typically when you approach it that way, they're willing to pay more than what you're selling your product or your service for. If it's to help them and you offer it to them. I'm not saying, hey, Walmart, take all the price tags off of everything because there's some opportunistic stuff going on out there. But the reality is, if you're going to go help somebody, if you run a service company, provide a service to help people and you will gain more customers by providing that help and that service. And we see it in the real estate

industry all the time with our agents and our brokers. They're amazing. And they'll say, hey, I just want to give you some help in this, some advice to help you understand the housing space. And the people are so grateful that they're like, you know, I have been thinking about selling my house or buying my house, buying a new house. You're helpful. You're giving unconditionally. Yeah. I'd like to talk to you about maybe you being the professional to represent me. So it's about doing good things for people and, and people will want to do business with you. Yeah.

So it's good. Yeah. So good. I think this was an episode in itself. Well, let's put it out. I don't think we were trying to make an episode, but it did happen.

I love it. You know, it's, this is like our counseling session. That's right. That's good. The therapy. Yeah. Let's,

let's have a moment of silence and meditate. All right. All right. Well's good. The therapy. Yeah. Let's have a moment of silence and meditate. Thanks. All right. All right. Well, yeah. Thank you. Let's record another podcast episode. Sounds good. All right. Thank you so much for joining us today. Make sure to head over to startwithawin.com to get

more great content. Please subscribe and rate the show on iTunes or wherever you get your podcasts. Follow Adam on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. And remember, start with a win.