Accountability in Your Land Investing Adventure (LA 1783)
Accountability in Your Land Investing Adventure (LA 1783)
Transcript:
Steven Jack Butala:
Steve and Jill here.
Jill K DeWit:
Hi.
Steven Jack Butala:
Welcome to the Land Academy Show. Entertaining land investment talk. I’m Steven Jack Butala.
Jill K DeWit:
And I’m Jill DeWit. Broadcasting from the Valley of the Sun.
Steven Jack Butala:
Today, Jill and I talk about accountability in your land investing adventure. This has been… I belong to a group. The way that a lot of Land Academy members are members of Land Academy, I’m a member of a mobile home park group. And accountability was a real hot topic this week because, and the guys that run this mobile home group are 10 times more cranky than I am and they’re… Well, I’ll get into it in the show.
Before we get into it, let’s take a question posted by one of our members on thelandinvestors.com online community. It’s free. And I hope you know by now that Jill and I run a small crew, every quarter, consulting slash, what would you call it? Class. It’s a masterclass,
Jill K DeWit:
Exactly.
Steven Jack Butala:
Called Career Path. If this is your career, or you want it to be, let us know. Support@landacademy.com.
Jill K DeWit:
David N wrote, “I just sent my first mailer out. I was wondering if on future mailers, I should include a picture of my wife and I, plus our dogs, just to add a little more personal touch to it. Makes it look a little more personal, and less like junk mail. What are your thoughts?”
Not a fan of that, but definitely on your website. That’s what I personally think.
Steven Jack Butala:
David got obliterated on Discord on this.
Jill K DeWit:
Oh no. Did everybody say the same thing, like “Don’t do that?”
Steven Jack Butala:
The reason I put this in here is not to make fun of you, David, at all. Because I think it’s great that you’re questioning everything, and you should, all the way through this. But please do me a favor and everybody else a favor, and stick to exactly what goes on in Land Academy 3.0. Just do what Jill and I say to the letter, make a bunch of money, and then start to make it your own.
People in Career Path, this is what they’ve done. They did it our way for a year, made a bunch of money, proved the concept to themselves and their spouses and whoever else. And then they said, “You know, I’d really just like to do info lots.” Or, “I’d just like to do ranches.” Or, “I’d just like to buy and sell recreation property, and I’d like to only do it over here.” Or, “I’d like to send.”
We have got a person in our advanced group. I love this. And I think it’s nuts. I would never do it, but I’m probably going to do it now, just because he said it. He downloaded a dataset, a long time ago. It was a huge dataset, 50, 60, 70,000 records. And he just keeps mailing the same area over and over and over again with the same dataset. And for years he’s been doing it.
Jill K DeWit:
He’s just picking up, and he’s been hanging on for two years in that area.
Steven Jack Butala:
And he just keeps buying property on the same dataset.
Jill K DeWit:
‘Cause every time you just pick up more. No one remembers that you’re the one that sent the letter the last time, for him. And you skip, because you’re just hitting those people. It’s the situation now.
Steven Jack Butala:
Am I recommending that you do that? Absolutely not.
Jill K DeWit:
No.
Steven Jack Butala:
He did it because, he did it our way for a while, it worked great, and then he made it his own.
Jill K DeWit:
You and I said that, remember a long time ago when we were doing LA county. I’m like, “We could hang out in LA county and probably retire with property in LA.”
Steven Jack Butala:
Yeah.
Jill K DeWit:
Just keep working the area, changing it up a little bit, doing a little bit this zip code, that zip code, this size, that size. That could be what he’s doing, too. He could be going, “I did all the five to tens. Now I do the ten to twenties. Now I’m doing the twenties and above.” That’s really a smart way, I think, to make this work for you.
Steven Jack Butala:
Today’s topic, accountability in your land investing adventures. This is the meat of the show. Accountability as a concept is dwindling. We’re seeing it, Jill and I are seeing it with our staff.
Jill K DeWit:
Staff.
Steven Jack Butala:
We’re seeing it with… I’m just seeing it in the world.
Jill K DeWit:
Yeah.
Steven Jack Butala:
You know, and I…
Jill K DeWit:
Yeah.
Steven Jack Butala:
I don’t know what the root of it is.
Jill K DeWit:
Right.
Steven Jack Butala:
I’m not going to sit here and blame it on some new generation, because I don’t think that’s the case. I think it’s everybody. I don’t know if it’s a result of COVID. This mobile home park group that I’m in, the two guys that run it. Quick Google search and you’ll find out. I don’t know what it’s called, Mobile Home University, or something like that.
Jill K DeWit:
Yeah. Is it COVID? Is it the kids?
Steven Jack Butala:
It’s traditionally been very difficult to staff onsite managers for mobile home parks. And these guys are getting obliterated. The people in their group, everybody owns mobile home parks in the group. They’re like, “No matter what we do, how much we pay, how much free stuff we give these people that live there, and free utilities and everything, the turnover’s atrocious.”
Jill and I just replaced several people on our staff. Most of them came to us and said they’re done. But we found out they just weren’t doing anything. And it’s this work from home thing. It’s just…
Jill K DeWit:
It didn’t have [inaudible 00:04:58]
Steven Jack Butala:
Didn’t work for us. We literally have one person that came to Jill last week and said, “This work from home thing. I’m lonely.”
Jill K DeWit:
We acquired an employee that way.
Steven Jack Butala:
I don’t want to work…
Jill K DeWit:
We acquired an employee here in the state because they didn’t want to work from home anymore at their current job. So they worked for us. And then, I’m losing a person for that same reason.
Steven Jack Butala:
Right.
Jill K DeWit:
They’re in a different state and I’m like, “Come here. Come to the office. And they’re like, “Yeah, no.”
Steven Jack Butala:
Did you mention that?
Jill K DeWit:
I did. They’re like, “I don’t want to be in Arizona.” I’m like, “All right, well what if I get you an office there, a WeWork or something?” He’s like, “No, I need to be out and about. I’m not doing as much as I, physically.” I get it. I was going to say, that made me think of the accountability thing and hiring people.
That’s one of the reasons why you and I earlier this year were looking at a property that had a bunch of cabins, remember? It was going to be, quote unquote, “turnkey”, where they would sell us the business, had a main house and then six cabins.
We thought this would be great. They’re like, “Yeah, don’t worry. We got a cleaning crew. We got this crew. We got that crew.” And I’m like, “That’s great until the one weekend that we’re not available. And the crew can’t make it.” My favorite is you and I running around doing it in all we hear…
Steven Jack Butala:
Washing sheets.
Jill K DeWit:
Cabin four needs toilet paper, that’s all we need.
Steven Jack Butala:
That’s all we need in our lives, you’re right.
Jill K DeWit:
I am not going to do that. So that’s one of the reasons. I look at things differently because this is such a big issue. No, you’re right. Is it a generational thing?
Steven Jack Butala:
Well, let’s not. Who knows why. Let’s all agree that it’s happening. And so…
Jill K DeWit:
Noted.
Steven Jack Butala:
At the risk of sounding like your father.
Jill K DeWit:
Hmm.
Steven Jack Butala:
Nothing is going to happen in your life if you don’t hold yourself accountable.
Jill K DeWit:
True.
Steven Jack Butala:
I don’t care what you do in your life, you need to hold yourself accountable and execute on whatever you put in your calendar…
Jill K DeWit:
Right.
Steven Jack Butala:
And map out for yourself on the way to success. The people that we have in all the career paths and especially this career path here, that we’re doing right now, are ridiculously self-accountable.
Jill K DeWit:
Right.
Steven Jack Butala:
You know, all of them. We have a couple of people in the Career Path that have been with this group and been in Land Academies since the beginning. And it’s all about executing what you map out for yourself in whatever calendar system you’re using. I heavily suggest Outlook.
The good news is that, if you are an accountable person, you’re going to hold yourself accountable for whatever it is that you decide is important. You’re going to be the minority. You don’t have a lot of competition. If you tell yourself, “I’m going to send this mailer out and I’m going to answer the phone,” and you answer it. You’re in the 90th percentile. In my opinion.
Jill K DeWit:
I agree.
Steven Jack Butala:
Every time we get an offer for one of our properties around the country, Jill calls them back. And what percentage actually…
Jill K DeWit:
You know what…
Steven Jack Butala:
Answer the phone, and call you back?
Jill K DeWit:
I know, it’s ridiculous.
Steven Jack Butala:
Zero percent.
Jill K DeWit:
I have one right now, not kidding. He’s not interested to clear it up. He’s asking me too many questions, not doing the work. I’m like, “There’s no way you’re going to survive in this business.”
Steven Jack Butala:
What do you mean questions?
Jill K DeWit:
He’s asking me, “Well, what are the back taxes? What are this, what are that?” I’m like, “Look them up, idiot.” You’re an investor.
Steven Jack Butala:
I love when you get miffed.
Jill K DeWit:
Oh, man. And he’s just like, “Well, how about this? And how about that?” I’m like, “I’m not working that hard at this.”
Steven Jack Butala:
Is it a Land Academy member?
Jill K DeWit:
I’m not sure. The first name, it’s Vic. And the letter has Vick with a K. I do have someone in our database that’s a member with Vic with a C. It’s either Vic with a C or Vick with a K. Same last name. I’m not sure if it’s the same guy, like Vic Johnson. So is it the same Vic? I’m not sure. It could be. Either way, he’s not going to make it. It further confirms why we do well.
Steven Jack Butala:
You know, every time this talk…
Jill K DeWit:
I follow through and I hold myself accountable, and this is what we’re going to do. Especially when I say, “Here’s what we’re going to do,” and give an amount. I’m going to follow through. It’s the right thing to do.
Steven Jack Butala:
Every time this topic comes up, I think about exercise. We all know we should exercise four or five times a week, in the morning. Usually in the morning. Whenever. We all know we should exercise. How many of us do it? Me included. She does. I don’t.
Jill K DeWit:
I do now.
Steven Jack Butala:
We all know that Land Academy works. We all know the numbers. We all know that it will make us filthy, stinking rich. But do we all do it? No.
Jill K DeWit:
Right.
Steven Jack Butala:
And so, why? Because we’re not holding ourself accountable. And why, because it just isn’t that important, I guess. It’s super important for me to execute these mailers and get crazy rich. I know it’s important for you, but I guess it’s not that important for me to exercise in the morning, the way that I used to.
Jill K DeWit:
What tips do you have for someone that’s struggling?
Steven Jack Butala:
Look in the mirror and decide what’s for you. If you want to do this, make a commitment and then execute it without emotion. The problem is that people get hung up because they haven’t made a commitment.
Jill K DeWit:
Yeah.
Steven Jack Butala:
We make commitments all the time, on all kinds of stuff. But for some reason, this is difficult. And I think the root of that, it has to do with emotion. It’s like, “Maybe I’m going to screw this mailer up.” Of course you’re going to screw it up. Just like I screw up. Every mailer, there’s pockets of screw-up. That’s just how it is. But the numbers work. For every 3 to 5,000 units you send out, you’re going to buy a property and make some dough.
You have to map it all out in Outlook. Map your way to success, every tiny little step of the way. Every task, map it out in Outlook, to the point where your bank account is where you want it to be. And make a commitment and follow through. And hold yourself accountable.
This world right now is packed full of people that, where I would say something like that, and they would send a mailer out and say they don’t blame themselves.
Jill K DeWit:
Wow.
Steven Jack Butala:
They’ll blame something else. We didn’t teach it right.
Jill K DeWit:
Wow. That’s true. That’s the part that frustrates me. Some people that like, “Oh classes, it’s too early.” I like your exercise thing, because it’s obviously important to me right now. I’m a couple months in, and I’m feeling it and seeing it.
Steven Jack Butala:
Jill just got her report card and she’s really happy today.
Jill K DeWit:
I did. I got a report card. I had a body scan and I got a report card and I did great. I’m really happy. So, it’s all going in the right direction.
Steven Jack Butala:
It shows, Jill. It really does.
Jill K DeWit:
Thank you, very much.
Steven Jack Butala:
We should go back to podcasts from three months ago and I bet…
Jill K DeWit:
And look at that. Oh, yeah.
Steven Jack Butala:
I bet that’s real different.
Jill K DeWit:
Maybe. It’s easy to push it back on somebody else. I think that’s probably step number one. You said have a discussion in the mirror. Okay, got it. Commit in the mirror. Number two, know it’s you or know that you have the power to make this happen. You should never be putting it on somebody else.
This “My mailer didn’t go out because Offers2Owners wasn’t open today, and I needed to talk to someone about it. So, whatever.” Now hold on a moment. There’s email and, that’s not the best example. You could put it on somebody else when it really should just be on you. And whatever it is, you can overcome it and do it. If you’re committed, I guess you’re right. That’s the main thing. Are you committed?
Steven Jack Butala:
I probably never told you this. One of the reasons that I really got along with you really early on. I don’t know how else to say this, but you just took responsibility for everything. If I get in a car accident, I don’t care what happens. I’m probably going to blame myself.
Jill K DeWit:
Yeah.
Steven Jack Butala:
Not anybody else. There’re certain exceptions, but you just take total responsibility for everything.
Jill K DeWit:
Thank you.
Steven Jack Butala:
And if something goes wrong today, in my life, the first person I’m going to look at is me. Not her, not whatever happened. And that’s just how I roll. And I’m not sure that the majority of people now are like that. I think they’re blaming a lot of people, everyone else, for where they are.
Jill K DeWit:
Right.
Steven Jack Butala:
They blame their parents. They blame…
Jill K DeWit:
Society.
Steven Jack Butala:
The zip code they grew up in.
Jill K DeWit:
COVID.
Steven Jack Butala:
COVID’s a great one. All of that. I don’t know how you can wind up being a happy person when you’re blaming other people. This is not a political thing. I don’t care, it transcends right or left.
Jill K DeWit:
Right.
Steven Jack Butala:
You can’t listen to people’s opinions and get upset about stuff. You just have to listen to your own opinion and move forward.
Jill K DeWit:
Yeah. Happy you could join us today. Five days a week. You can find us here on the Land Academy Show.
Steven Jack Butala:
Tomorrow, the episode on the Land Academy Show is called So Much Land Investing Success on Discord.
Jill K DeWit:
Oh, good.
Steven Jack Butala:
You are not alone in your a real estate ambition.
Jill K DeWit:
That’s awesome.
Steven Jack Butala:
Boy. Discord is just…
Jill K DeWit:
Amazing.
Steven Jack Butala:
Sometimes Jill and I launch these little products and the value added benefits to being a member, and Discord has ended up being a really good value added. Not expensive, not hard to operate tool for all of us.
Jill K DeWit:
You know what the thing about it is, it’s just an easy app to use. We always had our online community and there was great conversations, and all of this was happening in landinvestors.com. But having the Discord app just made it easier and faster and more efficient to use, and keep up with.
Steven Jack Butala:
Yep.
Jill K DeWit:
That’s what I think. And thank you for tuning in. By the way, just so you know, don’t forget, 2022 is a big year for us. We release Land Academy 3.0, Catching up with Land Academy. It’s the latest and greatest way that we do everything. Check it out at landacademy.com.
Steven Jack Butala:
We are Jack and Jill.
Jill K DeWit:
We are Jack and Jill.
Information…
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Steven Jack Butala:
To buy undervalued property.
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