Life\’s About Who You Meet, Not Where You Met

They say luck is at the intersection of opportunity and preparation. When you least expect it, a client can walk into your life from just about anywhere.

One Sunday at my health club, a young man was doing crunches on the machine next to me, but he couldn’t seem to put his phone down and actually start working out. 100 sit-ups later, watching him glued to his phone texting, I couldn’t bite my tongue any longer. I interjected, “You really should put your phone in your locker so you can concentrate on your workout.” He replied, “I know, but I just don’t want to miss anything.” A fun exchange ensued about productivity and staying present, both in our professional and personal worlds. My philosophy is that I’m more productive when I focus on one thing at a time. As soon as my workout ends, I check my phone and go right back into business mode. It’s no different than being in a meeting; I just pick up where I left off with a newfound energy.

Over the course of our conversation, he asked me what I did for a living, and I said I was a realtor.  He said, “Wow, I have been looking for a new apartment, and I need a good agent.”  I gave him my name and my website address. You never know how serious someone is but it’s best to treat every new encounter with same attention and kindness, and in this case, he would be in touch in 24 hours.

The next day I got a great email from my new client, and just 60 days later we closed on the purchase of his first apartment.  We found a superb 2 bedroom in Logan Circle that has everything he wanted. We continue to laugh at the fun of how we met.  I never take any new person for granted; you never know where your next friend and client will come from.