Meet Joe Himali of Best Address Real Estate LLC!

I'm proud to introduce Joe Himali who owns Best Address Real Esate LLC located in Washington, DC.  I was lucky to meet Joe at our local bakery and a block from his office which is on the same street where I live!  Love those fortunate meetings.  Joe is such a kind hearted guy and took an interest in my blog.  I'm happy to share his thoughts on entrepreneurship with you!  If you would like to contact Joe, please email me at nataliedeniz28@gmail.com.

Website: http://www.BestAddress.com

1. Please provide a 2 sentence biography for yourself and/or mission statement.
               
I'm a native Washingtonian who grew up in and around the District. I've owned a chain of toy stores and after they closed I opened Best Address® Real Estate, LLC. Our company's vision is: Best Services, Best Practices, Best Address.

2. Describe your business and why you started it.  What is it that differentiates your business model from others?

We are a full-service brokerage that specializes in concierge-level, world class service for our clients. We work with buyers, sellers, landlords and tenants. What differentiates us is the attention to detail in our work and the additional services that we provide to our clients. This higher-level of service translates into smoother transactions, better financial outcomes for our clients and therefore happier clients.

3. What is one example of success you have experienced in your business and what characteristic helped you achieve it?

The annual statistical sales comparisons for residential real estate companies in Washington, DC just came out and our firm ranked in first place in the three areas measured. Those statistics show our firm's efforts result in the shortest days on market for our listings (12.8 days), the highest percentage of list price versus original list price (104.4%) and the highest likelihood that a listing we take will sell (96.3%).

We achieve this success by anticipating what needs a buyer will have when making a decision to buy a home and then we fill those needs before the buyer even asks for the assistance. Our pre-listing preparation leads to a better result for our clients than they can achieve with other brokerages.

4. Which entrepreneur inspires you and why?  What industry do they work in and what accomplishment is unique to them?

Steve Jobs. I am hopeful that I never become as tyrannical as he was, but his pursuit of perfection in his work paid off. When everyone wrote Apple off as a has-been he never stopped doing what he saw as the ultimate expression of what a computer, phone and tablet could be. Now his company is the #1 ranked brand in the world, even after he has passed away.

5. What is one development you foresee in your industry in the next 10 years?

More educated consumers mean that the brokerage community must step up their service level and skill set. It's no longer enough to simply keep a list of the available homes and be the person that opens the door to show a home. In the future agents will have to provide insight into the values of homes and how to maximize returns on purchases and sales in ways that we haven't even considered today.

6. What trait is most important to succeeding in entrepreneurship?

To quote The Ultimate Sales Machine by Chet Holmes: "Pig headed discipline and determination." It's not enough to have a vision, you must be able to pursue it every day without distraction or hesitation. Find a worthy pursuit that is profitable and execute at the highest level consistently and without apology. Eventually, you can make the impossible possible.

7. What is one piece of advice you would give to someone considering starting a business?

Carefully consider what you are planning to do before you do it. The expression: "A thought without action is a dream, action without a thought is a nightmare" is definitely true in any entrepreneurial pursuit. You don't have to have a complete plan for every contingency, but you need to know what your values are and how you want to express them in your entrepreneurial pursuit.

8. What if your favorite book on entrepreneurship and one lesson you learned?

The E-Myth Revisited by Michael Gerber. It taught me to focus on working "On my business" not just "In my business." This means coming up with systems and plans to grow your company beyond your capacity to do all the work. The example of MacDonalds that he uses is priceless.

Richard Simmonds of NewBrandYOU

Name: Richard Simmonds                           

Location: Johannesburg, South Africa    

Company: NewBrandYOU

Favorite Tweeter: @AlphabetSuccess

1.    1. Please provide a 2 sentence biography for yourself and/or mission statement.

               

Strategic Communication Expert. My mission is to be and I am an Influential RuleBreaker & ChangeMaker, during the second half of 2013 I was listed amongst the top 10 social influencers in Africa.

2.   2. Describe your business and why you started it.  What is it that differentiates your business model from others?

I started my business so that I could help people solve their communication problems. I look for people with communications as a strength and not a qualification to work with me in my business. Our combined strengths help our clients become better communicators.

3.   3. What is one example of success you have experienced in your business and what characteristic helped you achieve it?

One of the biggest successes I have been involved in is the @N3Route project, they are the ‘Worlds Most Social Road’. The client gave me free reign to accomplish the goal of communicating with their users to the point that they were world class. I have trained the internal staff to think like we did and communicate to be social. Freeing up this time enables us to help other companies become better communicators.

4.    4. Which entrepreneur inspires you and why?  What industry do they work in and what accomplishment is unique to them?

Tim Fargo @AlphabetSuccess inspires me because I have not met a better nurturer of people in all my time. Tim is an entrepreneur and despite making his fortune already still nurtures people as if he was looking for business in a traditional sense, nut he is not and that’s what makes Tim unconventional.

5.    5. What is one development you foresee in your industry in the next 10 years?

We are yet to see what the power of true authentic influence can have on the world. This influence is one that is communicated and I will be there helping the top influencers in the world communicate more effectively.

6.   6. What trait is most important to succeeding in entrepreneurship?

The ability to solve peoples problems, you need to be able to identify and help people solve their problems. If you cannot solve problems, you are simply offering a service and no one will pay big money for a service.

      7. What is one piece of advice you would give to someone considering starting a business?

You need to be able to communicate and many people seem to think that is the ‘gift of the gab’ but in reality it is the ability to listen and listen beautifully to people. You will then find out what their problems are.

8.   8. What if your favorite book on entrepreneurship and one lesson you learned?

My favorite entrepreneurial book of all time is ‘Re-Imagine’ by Tom Peters. The book opens your mind to what was old and what is new. When you get the spirit of the book to always look what people did as to what they should be doing, you begin to align yourself to be able to solve people’s problems.

My lesson was “Don’t try convince clients they've got problems. Find clients who know they've got problems and solve those problems.”

Entrepreneur Profile 4 - Carthage Buckley from Coaching Positive Performance

Name: Carthage Buckley
Company: Coaching Positive Performance
http://coachingpositiveperformance.com
Location: Ireland
Favorite Tweeter: @thejaytray

1. Please provide a 2 sentence biography for yourself and/or mission statement.
I'm a Stress and Performance Coach who helps professionals and organisations to achieve optimum performance. I work with professionals who strive for continuous improvement and optimum performance in both their personal and professional lives, helping them to eliminate stress and maximize their performance.

2. Describe your business and why you started it.  What is it that differentiates your business model from others?
Coaching Positive Performance is a Stress and Performance coaching organisation which assists organisations and individuals to transform their potential into the results they desire while remaining true to their values, purpose and identity.

We do this by helping our clients to identify sources of stress and develop strategies to eliminate them (where possible), or to manage them. We then help them to create a clear vision of what they want to achieve, create an action plan for its achievement, and develop the knowledge and skills necessary to successfully implement that plan. This allows both individuals and organisations to maximise their performance and improve their health, wealth and happiness.

I started the business because I felt there was lack of resources and information which educated business people about the true nature of stress and its relationship to performance. Amongst the things that I found most annoying was the common acceptance of the myth of good stress. What is commonly referred to as good stress is actually pressure, and there are significant psychological and physiological differences between the two. I believe the concept of good stress to be both incorrect and harmful, and the acceptance of this concept is symbolic of the lack of understanding of stress amongst the business world.

3. What is one example of success you have experienced in your business and what characteristic helped you achieve it?
When I first decided that I was going to launch my own business, I spent many months preparing a business plan. I aimed to follow the traditional type of business plan. About a week before I was due to launch, I reviewed the plan and realized that this plan was not going to allow me to create the life I desired. The business might achieve some success but if I could not live the life I wanted, what would be the point. The most courageous decision I have ever taken, and the greatest success I have achieved in business was to rip that plan up and start again.

I started again, focusing on building a business that represented my values. The process of writing the plan was easier and faster and I now have a business which is a true expression of who I am and what I have to offer. My life is also more in tune with the life I desire and I see no reason to believe that I cannot fulfill all of my goals.

4. Which entrepreneur inspires you and why?  What industry do they work in and what accomplishment is unique to them?
The entrepreneur whom I most admire is not somebody famous, it is an old school friend called Mark Kerrigan. Mark is joint owner of Vehicle Conversion Specialist Ltd, in Huddersfield, United Kingdom. The company has experienced steady growth since it’s inception.

The reason why I admire Mark’s achievement is because I have not just seen the end result; I have seen the years of graft, the amazing work ethic and the sheer ambition that has driven him forward. From our schooldays, Mark was committed to the family business in our home town of Clara, in rural Ireland. He spent 15 years learning the business inside out. Then, he was willing to take a big risk and move to the UK to pursue his ambitions of starting his own business.

Some entrepreneurs feel the need to tell you how good they are, others, like Mark, just work hard and demonstrate their ability.

5. What is one development you foresee in your industry in the next 10 years?
I see a great deal of growth in my industry over the next 10 years. Where previously people learned a great deal of their life skills within their community; these communities are now being lost to a more remote, mobile and fast moving society. As society continues to change at a hectic pace, people are going to need more support to maximize their opportunities and protect their wellbeing.

6. What trait is most important to succeeding in entrepreneurship?
Authenticity. Your business is not just business. It is an expression of who you are and the values you hold. It is the manner in which you will serve your purpose and serve this world. Your most important goals will be heavily influenced by your sense of self. You cannot achieve these goals if you do not stay true to who you are.

7. What is one piece of advice you would give to someone considering starting a business?
Don’t be a perfectionist. There are many things that you do not know. There are many more things that you don’t yet know that you don’t know. The real fun and sense of fulfillment does not come from the end result. It comes from the journey and the process of self-discovery which you undergo along the way. So, don’t wait for the right moment to arrive because it never will. Take a deep breath, step off the ledge and give it your best shot. As long as you have a vision, commitment and a willingness to learn; you can learn everything you need to know along the way.

8. What if your favorite book on entrepreneurship and one lesson you learned?
I would have to choose, ‘The Art of Happiness’ by His Holiness the Dalai Lama. It may seem like a strange choice but I believe that your business is just an extension of who you are. When you embrace your entrepreneurial spirit, you allow yourself the opportunity to fulfill your purpose. In doing so, you allow yourself to experience happiness. This book will help you to remember what is truly important to you, when times get tough. If you lose sight of what is important to you along the way, you might make a lot of money but you will never be truly successful.

Entrepreneur Profile 3 - Elizabeth Blake Thomas

Elizabeth Blake Thomas
Company: U+ (www.uplusproject.com)
Favorite Tweeter: Arianna Huffington

1. Provide a 2 sentence biography of yourself and/or mission statement.

Having been involved in the creative industries since I was 4 years old, I believe young people need creative influences in their life to enable them to fulfill their potential.

2. Describe your business and why you started it.  What is it that differentiates your business model from others?

I am founder and creative director of U+ which is a free initiative for young people that enables them to show, share and sell their work turning it from talent to enterprise. It is all about empowering young people.

3. What is one challenge you’ve experienced with your business and how have you overcome it?

When we have an individual that actually sells a piece of their work or is able to actually take their creative hobby to the next stage. One of our members is currently running his own animation club and another one is filming his first series. We are able to help young people because we believe age is irrelevant and it's down to passion, tenacity and perseverance. We then give them the right contacts.

4. Which entrepreneur inspires you and why?  What industry do they work in and what accomplishment is unique to them?

Kelly Hoppen is very similar to me in that we both started in 15/16 years old in our first business. I set up a theatre school. She lost her father, my parents divorced and so my father left and I learned determination. At 54, she is running her own empire and this is all sorts of things from book deals to tangible business items. This is what I would like to be doing.

5. What is one development you foresee in your industry in the next 10 years?

I'm hoping education will be completely turned on its head as its been the same since the industrial revolution. Children need to learn in very different ways and need to be accepted for being different.

6. What trait is most important to succeeding in entrepreneurship?

Passion and understanding of the industry and absolute determination to change things.

7. What if one piece of advice you would give to someone considering starting a business?

Choose an industry you know a lot about and if it can involve your family in some way it means you get to see them! My company's ambassador is my daughter Isabella blake Thomas.

8. What is your favorite book on entrepreneurship and one lesson you learned?

My favourite book is one I'm writing called The ripple effect. It's for mums who want to start a business and so it's points are short and to the point!

I also love any books by Malcolm Gladwell!