Deal Maker - I Was Born at 10:29 at Night But Not Last Night
OK, I get it-I am young to do what I do.
I have accomplished a fair amount in a short period of time.
But how young is too young? I am a decade older than the founder of Facebook and he is a billionaire a few times over.
Warren Buffet was a millionaire many times over at the age of 32.
In comparison to these two I am over the hill! As of this writing I am 35 years old and am dealing for the most part with individuals much older than I.
So is this a bad thing or a good thing? Well it's a little of both.
Bad because people inherently judge a book by its cover at the initial stages of interaction.
Perception is reality like it or not.
On the flip side, it's good because when we get down to it, it's very apparent that this isn't my first rodeo-so to speak.
The age gap is quickly diminished.
In addition, people tend to expose key pieces of information that they shouldn't during negotiations prior to knowing my skill level.
I lay the above ground work because of a fatal mistake another developer made when trying to strike a deal with me.
He looked at me and saw me for my age, and not my experience level.
This was mistake number one.
In mistake number two this particular person thought he could steal the farm without paying for the animals.
Not going to happen.
Let me set the scene.
Back in early 2010 I had finally closed on a particular piece of property that I had worked 1.
5 years to maneuver into position.
Meanwhile, this other developer was trying to purchase it as well, but somehow some way I was able to get it at a distressed price prior to him.
Side note - this should prove from the onset that I may have a brain cell or two.
Last month he and I ran into each other again and had a series of meetings, thinking that we may want to partner up on the deal for various reasons.
I am sitting in a meeting to "hear his pitch" and this is what it comes down to: He says "Tell you what.
Assign the rest of the company over to us and then go out and raise the rest of the funds on the property to earn back the percentage you once had.
" HAHAHAHA..
...
I am sitting there listening to this garbage come from his mouth, and his voice begins to morph into Charlie Browns teacher and all I hear after that is wha wha wha wha wha.
Now I can't see myself but from his vantage point I can imagine that it looks like a blank stare that looks directly through him as if he didn't exist.
While I'm sitting there hearing Charlie Browns teacher I'm thinking the following: Numero Uno - Do I look and carry myself like a complete idiota? Numero Dos - Paul play that over and over in your head to make sure that you really just heard that gibberish correctly-that is how unbelievable his "pitch" is.
Numero Tres - I was born at 10:29 at night, but not last night!!! Moral of the story is two fold.
Number One - never take advantage of anyone, EVER.
Especially a "young kid" that you think you can fool into something that is clearly not good for them.
Number Two - Read number one, slap yourself for even attempting and then read number one again.
I have accomplished a fair amount in a short period of time.
But how young is too young? I am a decade older than the founder of Facebook and he is a billionaire a few times over.
Warren Buffet was a millionaire many times over at the age of 32.
In comparison to these two I am over the hill! As of this writing I am 35 years old and am dealing for the most part with individuals much older than I.
So is this a bad thing or a good thing? Well it's a little of both.
Bad because people inherently judge a book by its cover at the initial stages of interaction.
Perception is reality like it or not.
On the flip side, it's good because when we get down to it, it's very apparent that this isn't my first rodeo-so to speak.
The age gap is quickly diminished.
In addition, people tend to expose key pieces of information that they shouldn't during negotiations prior to knowing my skill level.
I lay the above ground work because of a fatal mistake another developer made when trying to strike a deal with me.
He looked at me and saw me for my age, and not my experience level.
This was mistake number one.
In mistake number two this particular person thought he could steal the farm without paying for the animals.
Not going to happen.
Let me set the scene.
Back in early 2010 I had finally closed on a particular piece of property that I had worked 1.
5 years to maneuver into position.
Meanwhile, this other developer was trying to purchase it as well, but somehow some way I was able to get it at a distressed price prior to him.
Side note - this should prove from the onset that I may have a brain cell or two.
Last month he and I ran into each other again and had a series of meetings, thinking that we may want to partner up on the deal for various reasons.
I am sitting in a meeting to "hear his pitch" and this is what it comes down to: He says "Tell you what.
Assign the rest of the company over to us and then go out and raise the rest of the funds on the property to earn back the percentage you once had.
" HAHAHAHA..
...
I am sitting there listening to this garbage come from his mouth, and his voice begins to morph into Charlie Browns teacher and all I hear after that is wha wha wha wha wha.
Now I can't see myself but from his vantage point I can imagine that it looks like a blank stare that looks directly through him as if he didn't exist.
While I'm sitting there hearing Charlie Browns teacher I'm thinking the following: Numero Uno - Do I look and carry myself like a complete idiota? Numero Dos - Paul play that over and over in your head to make sure that you really just heard that gibberish correctly-that is how unbelievable his "pitch" is.
Numero Tres - I was born at 10:29 at night, but not last night!!! Moral of the story is two fold.
Number One - never take advantage of anyone, EVER.
Especially a "young kid" that you think you can fool into something that is clearly not good for them.
Number Two - Read number one, slap yourself for even attempting and then read number one again.