Professional Growth

Professional Growth Archives

Professional Growth | SUCCESS | What Achievers Read

What does it truly mean to build something that lasts? As I step back into the role of managing director and publisher of SUCCESS® magazine, I find myself reflecting deeply on the legacy we all leave behind. Over the past several years, while helping grow eXp World Holdings and guiding eXp Realty, I’ve come to appreciate the power of experimentation, the courage to try new things and the wisdom gained from setbacks as much as accomplishments.



There’s an allure to building quickly—to scaling, disrupting and achieving. But the entrepreneurs who ultimately make the biggest mark are those who think in decades, not quarters. They ask themselves: “Am I building something that will matter long after I’m gone? Am I leaving behind a blueprint for others to build on, or just a name on a door?”



<a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/18-leadership-traits-that-should-define-your-legacy/">Legacy</a> isn’t about titles or even revenue. It’s about the depth of your impact, the <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/values-of-a-good-leader/">values</a> you embody and the influence you have on the people following behind you. It’s about character in moments of adversity, generosity when it’s inconvenient and staying grounded in your purpose when the world pulls you in a hundred directions.







I’ve made my share of mistakes along the way. But the beauty of legacy is that it’s not built in one moment; it’s shaped across thousands of small decisions. Some of those choices compound into systems, relationships and platforms that will serve others long after we’ve moved on.



That’s what I want for SUCCESS® magazine in this next chapter. To be more than a publication—to be a launchpad. A place where stories are not just told, but lived out. A place where the <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/fueling-future-generations-with-entrepreneurship/">next generation of entrepreneurs</a> can find not just inspiration but practical wisdom, courage and connection.



As you explore this issue, I invite you to pause and reflect: What are you building? Who are you building it for? And how will they talk about it 10, 20 or even 50 years from now?



We don’t need to be perfect, but we do need to be intentional. When we build with <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/finding-your-purpose/">purpose</a>, anchored in service and vision, we build something that truly lasts.



Keep building what matters. Keep building what endures.



Glenn Sanford



Publisher



Discover more by subscribing to <a href="http://offer.success.com/success-plus">SUCCESS+™</a> to read the print issue in its entirety and so much more.

Discover Glenn Sanford’s reflections on legacy, purpose and the small decisions that create lasting impact in business and life.

Discover Glenn Sanford’s reflections on legacy, purpose and the small decisions that create lasting impact in business and life. | SUCCESS

From the Publisher: The Legacy We Build

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Building a Lasting Legacy: Insights From SUCCESS Publisher | SUCCESS

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Glenn Sanford

A man struggling with social media addiction

Personal Development

Personal Development Archives

Personal Development | SUCCESS | What Achievers Read

Glenn Sanford shares about the social media addiction symptoms he experienced and provides the exact solutions he used to overcome them.

At a Glance:When success-driven leaders fall into the same digital addiction affecting an estimated 210 million people worldwide, the solution isn't going | SUCCESS

How I Broke Free From Social Media’s Mental Grip—and Gained an Unfair Advantage

How to Break Social Media Addiction (Glenn Sanford's Plan) | SUCCESS

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AI &amp; Technology

AI &amp; Technology Archives

AI &amp; Technology | SUCCESS | What Achievers Read

Most AI projects fail due to the implementation approach, not technology limitations. Discover the breakthrough methodology that’s changing everything!

Discover the shocking truth behind enterprise AI failures and the breakthrough methodology that’s changing everything. | SUCCESS

What Percentage Of AI Projects Fail? The Shocking Truth You Need To Know

What Percentage Of AI Projects Fail? The Shocking Truth | SUCCESS

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I thought I was conducting a simple test. As CEO of eXp World Holdings, I regularly evaluate new technologies to see how they might serve our business. When advanced AI systems started offering sophisticated legal analysis, I decided to put one through its paces with a hypothetical scenario based on common industry disputes.



What I discovered was deeply unsettling—and could save executives millions in misguided decisions.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-experiment-that-changed-everything">The experiment that changed everything</h2>



I crafted a complex business scenario involving a fictional contract dispute between two major companies. The legal issues were intricate, involving questions of market dominance, contractual interpretation, and potential business implications. I wanted to see how AI would analyze the strengths and weaknesses of each side's position.



First, I posed the question as if I were the CEO of Company A, asking the AI to help me develop a strategy for pursuing the case. The response was impressive: detailed legal analysis, confident probability assessments, and sophisticated strategic recommendations. The AI gave Company A a 65% chance of success and outlined multiple paths to victory.



Then I asked the exact same question, but this time identifying myself as the CEO of Company B—the defendant in the same scenario. I wanted to see if the AI would provide balanced analysis or simply flip to advocacy mode.



The results were shocking.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-when-ai-becomes-your-yes-man">When AI becomes your yes-man</h2>



Suddenly, the same facts told a completely different story. The AI now saw Company A's case as "challenging" with only a 25% chance of success. Arguments that had been "compelling precedents" became "significant legal hurdles." Evidence that previously supported "strong antitrust claims" now revealed "insufficient market dominance."



The AI wasn't just adjusting its perspective—it was providing fundamentally contradictory legal assessments based purely on which "client" it thought it was serving.



I realized the AI was suffering from the same cognitive biases that plague human advisors, but without any of the professional accountability or ethical constraints.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-50-million-question">The $50 million question</h2>



This isn't academic. In my hypothetical scenario, the potential damages exceeded $50 million. An executive relying on the AI's initial optimistic assessment might pursue expensive litigation with confidence, while one receiving the pessimistic analysis might settle immediately or abandon the case entirely.



Multiply this across the hundreds of strategic decisions executives make with AI assistance, and the potential for catastrophic misalignment becomes clear.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-four-deadly-flaws-of-ai-strategic-advice">The Four Deadly Flaws of AI Strategic Advice</h2>



My experiments revealed critical problems that go far beyond single conversations:



1. Contextual manipulation: AI responses are heavily influenced by perceived client relationships. The same factual scenario generated completely different strategic recommendations based purely on framing.



2. Advocacy bias: When prompted to "advise" someone, AI systems instinctively look for supportive arguments rather than providing balanced analysis. They become advocates, not analysts.



3. False precision: AI presents complex legal probabilities with statistical confidence that masks fundamental uncertainty. A "65% chance of success" sounds authoritative but may be meaningless.



4. Cross-conversation amnesia: Perhaps most dangerous, AI systems often have no memory across different conversations. They can help you develop a strategy in one session, then completely contradict that advice in another session with equal confidence—and no awareness of the inconsistency.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-hidden-cost-of-algorithmic-confidence">The hidden cost of algorithmic confidence</h2>



What makes this particularly dangerous is how convincing AI analysis can be. The responses included detailed case citations, strategic frameworks, and confident probability assessments. Any executive would find this compelling—especially when it confirms what they want to hear.



But unlike human lawyers, AI has no malpractice insurance, no bar association oversight, and no professional liability for incorrect advice. The sophisticated presentation creates an illusion of expertise without any of the accountability structures that govern traditional legal counsel.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-smart-executives-are-getting-smarter-about-ai">Smart executives are getting smarter about AI</h2>



This doesn't mean abandoning AI entirely. Used properly, it's an incredibly powerful research tool. But it requires a fundamentally different approach:



Stress-test every analysis: Deliberately ask the same question from multiple perspectives. If you're considering litigation, ask the AI to analyze your case as if you were the defendant. Look for inconsistencies.



Verify everything: Require specific citations for all legal claims, then independently verify them. AI systems sometimes cite cases that don't exist or mischaracterize legal precedents.



Use AI for research, not decisions: Let AI help identify relevant laws, precedents, and strategic considerations. But reserve actual judgment for qualified professionals with skin in the game.



Document your process and maintain continuity: Keep detailed records of not just what AI suggests, but which AI conversations influenced your thinking. Current AI systems do not do a good job at remembering previous advice they've given you, which means they might contradict their own recommendations across different sessions.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-competitive-advantage-of-critical-thinking">The competitive advantage of critical thinking</h2>



While other executives may be seduced by AI's apparent expertise, those who understand its limitations gain a significant edge. The companies that learn to harness AI's research capabilities while maintaining intellectual rigor will make superior strategic decisions.



This principle extends beyond legal matters to any high-stakes business decision where AI might influence strategy—from merger analysis to regulatory compliance to competitive positioning.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-building-ai-literacy-in-the-c-suite">Building AI literacy in the c-suite</h2>



At eXp, we're developing protocols for AI-assisted decision-making that emphasize verification, multiple perspectives, and continuity tracking. When our teams use AI for strategic analysis, they're required to:



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Test conclusions by arguing the opposite position within the same conversation</li>



<li>Verify all factual claims through independent sources</li>



<li>Maintain written summaries of AI advice to ensure continuity across sessions</li>



<li>Never rely on AI to remember previous recommendations or context</li>



<li>Distinguish clearly between AI suggestions and final human decisions</li>
</ul>



I do remind my leadership team "AI can help you think through complex problems, but it can never replace your responsibility to think critically about what's at stake."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-bottom-line-for-leaders">The bottom line for leaders</h2>



My experiment with AI legal analysis taught me that sophisticated technology requires sophisticated users. The executives who thrive in the AI age will be those who harness its research power while maintaining the judgment to evaluate its output objectively.



The alternative is potentially catastrophic. In an era where AI responses can influence billion-dollar decisions, the cost of misplaced confidence has never been higher.



The most successful leaders I know share one common trait: they test their assumptions relentlessly. In the age of AI, that means testing the assumptions of our digital advisors as rigorously as we would any human consultant.



Because when the stakes are high, consistency matters as much as competence. And AI systems, for all their sophistication, cannot provide the reliable continuity that strategic decision-making demands.



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An executive’s AI test uncovers 4 flaws that could cost businesses. Learn how leaders can use AI wisely and avoid bias.

An executive’s AI test uncovers 4 flaws that could cost businesses. Learn how leaders can use AI wisely and avoid bias. | SUCCESS

The AI Lawyer Trap: Why I Don't Trust AI with High-Stakes Decisions

The AI Lawyer Trap: Why I Don&#8217;t Trust AI with High-Stakes Decisions

Why I Don't Trust AI With High-Stakes Decisions | SUCCESS

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glenn sanford share why we should inspire others

Business &amp; Branding

Business &amp; Branding Archives

Stay ahead in business: strategies and insights for success

<a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/3-ways-to-discover-your-true-passion/">What are you passionate about</a>? Passion is what drives us. It’s what gets us up and keeps us going. The things you are passionate about are the things that will <a href="https://www.investopedia.com/articles/pf/12/passion-success.asp" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">make you successful</a>.



As we reflect this month on <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/the-importance-of-humility-in-leadership-and-how-to-spot-unhealthy-ego-habits/">humility in leadership</a>, I want to provide some insight into how you use your passion and your successes <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/how-to-use-your-influence-to-help-others/">to help other people</a>.



Everyone has overcome something to be where they are today. I talk to many people who come from challenging backgrounds. Maybe they grew up in tough surroundings and had to overcome a lot to build their career, family or life.



These people are a huge source of inspiration to me personally and to the people around them.



Regardless of whether you relate to a tough upbringing or an uphill professional journey, think about what happens in you when you hear an inspiring story like this: It puts your life into perspective.



You immediately start drawing connections between how that individual coped and how you typically react to difficulties. You imagine <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/4-ways-to-build-grit-when-you-need-it-most/">applying tenacity or grit</a> to something you’re going through.



It’s inspiring to watch people be resilient <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/coming-out-the-other-side-of-hardship/">in the face of hardship</a>.



<h2 id="h-inspire-others-to-improve-yourself">Inspire others to improve yourself</h2>



As a leader, you can use your own passions and stories of growth to encourage the people around you.



<a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/everyone-has-a-story-heres-how-to-make-yours-resonate/">Sharing your experiences</a> makes a difference in people’s lives. It gives them clues about <a href="https://www.verywellmind.com/how-to-be-successful-in-life-4165743" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">how to find the success</a> they want, which is something everyone is looking for.



Whether you’ve been a leader for two years or 20, you have growth to show for it.



Where you’ve come from, and what it took, is a key way to inspire the people around you.



Make this personal: What are your strengths? What have you accomplished? Think back to a time when you didn’t know what you know now. What could a leader or mentor have done to inspire you?



This is a thoughtful way to expand your impact. It requires humility to admit that you didn’t arrive on the scene fully formed: It’s been a journey, and you’re still on it. Wise leaders will not just inform or instruct the people on their teams. They’ll share their core passions and how those have catalyzed a lifetime of learning and development.



When you begin to take responsibility for inspiring others, it has a welcome byproduct of helping you grow as well.



One of the most effective ways to deepen your own knowledge is to communicate an idea to someone else.



As you share, you’ll notice things from your own journey that you otherwise wouldn’t have noticed. You’ll see areas where you need to work harder or rough edges you need to smooth out. It may give you a huge sense of satisfaction and also a renewed ambition to keep on keeping on.



Inspiring others will push you to play at a new level. In turn, people will be motivated to play at a new level themselves.



What’s the result? Everyone is inspired and uplifted, able to see more and embrace their passions in constructive ways.



This article originally appeared in the March/April 2023 <a href="https://store.success.com/by-media/success-magazine-mar-apr-2023-lewis-howes.html">issue of SUCCESS magazine</a>.

Sharing your passions, experiences, and success stories will inspire others to grow—and you'll gain new insights to grow too. Here's how.

Sharing your passions, experiences, and success stories will inspire others to grow—and you'll gain new insights to grow too. Here's how. | SUCCESS

Share Your Experiences to Inspire Growth in Others—and in Yourself

Inspire Others to Grow and You'll Gain Insights Too | SUCCESS

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Right now, entrepreneurs are standing in front of some of the biggest money—and the biggest money opportunities—in human history. It's staggering.



As I talk to up-and-comers and seasoned pros alike, two crucial conversations come up: How do I quickly decide whether <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesbusinesscouncil/2020/07/14/should-you-decline-that-business-opportunity-15-questions-to-ask-yourself/?sh=7082082b5fdb" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">an opportunity is worth it</a>? How do I get other people to leap with me?



No one wants to tell you this, but most of the time, leaders who make it big take a SWAG: a scientific wild a-- guess.



As an entrepreneur, your ability to evaluate an opportunity is invaluable. It’s part experience and <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/mel-robbins-how-your-instincts-can-help-you-achieve-your-goals/">part gut instinct</a>.



I remember the 1990s. We were in a golden era and racing to innovate. Business models rose and fell, it seemed like, every year. It was all table stakes all the time. As the real-world application of the internet became more clear, seemingly can’t-miss opportunities were crushed to irrelevance.



What was happening then is happening now.



<a href="https://www.investopedia.com/web-20-web-30-5208698" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">We’ve got Web3</a>, decentralized finance, globalization—you name it. There is a whole reset occurring in the market. People who get smart about it fast will <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/how-to-spot-a-business-opportunity/">capitalize on the opportunities</a>. You have to go deep with research, memorize historical patterns and build the brightest possible team. Then, you need the guts to act on your SWAG.



You may be internally motivated and risk-tolerant. But the analysts, specialists and talent you need to advance into a new market may have trouble tracking with you. Trust is the currency you need to get your team to leap.



In 2008-09, my company, Buyer Tours Realty, was grappling with how to endure the economic downturn. To reduce overhead, we decided to <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/working-remotely-heres-how-to-do-it-right/">shift to virtual work</a> and launch eXp Realty. This was obviously way before remote work was standard practice. We essentially sent people home with computers. It was a burn-the-boats kind of moment.



One key to success here was that we, as leaders, didn’t frame it as a necessary evil. Rather, we aligned under the banner of “This is a new way of doing things.” Necessity is the mother of invention, after all. If you’ve led your team well, you’ll have banked enough trust to <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/take-that-big-risk-with-frank-oconnell/">take these game-changing risks</a>, for whatever reason you have to or want to take them.



Today, eXp Realty has more than 2,000 people on staff and 85,000 agents operating in 23 countries. We built to this point on the momentum of early choices like that, casting a vision for doing something brand new. And we burned the boats: There was no turning back.



This is a dynamic that has been leveraged by visionaries for generations. It’s the reality distortion field that Bud Tribble used with regard to Steve Jobs. You’ve got to make these brave educated guesses and get people to believe them. You’re bringing something new into a space that didn’t have space for it before.



When you work this way, you have to double down on conversations, dialogue, leadership development and more. And it’s worth it, because when you’re a dedicated leader <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/5-tips-for-building-and-growing-a-purpose-driven-business/">pursuing purpose-driven work</a>, people are excited to get out of bed in the morning. They aren’t going to “quiet quit” on you. They’ll follow you to the edge and be willing to take risks.



The balance is that you create safety within. There is some chaos out there in the wild west of emerging markets. Great, entrepreneurially minded leaders carve out a safe place. Then, no one cares that there’s no going back.



It’s time to take your SWAG.



This article originally appeared in the <a href="https://store.success.com/by-media/success-magazine-jan-feb-2023-naveen-jain.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">January/February 2023</a> issue of SUCCESS magazine.

As I talk to up-and-comers and seasoned pros alike, two crucial conversations come up: How do I quickly decide whether an opportunity is worth it? How do I get other people to leap with me?

As I talk to up-and-comers and seasoned pros alike, two crucial conversations come up: How do I quickly decide whether an opportunity is worth it? How do I get other people to leap with me? | SUCCESS

From a CEO: How to Take a Leap and Get Your Team to Jump with You

Leading by Example: Inspiring Your Team to Take the Leap

Money

Money Archives

Achieve financial success and freedom

I wasn’t the best with money.



So, when I was about 13, my father <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/what-is-a-brokerage-account-and-do-you-need-one/">opened a brokerage account</a> for me. He believed you’re never too young <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/7-apps-to-teach-kids-about-money/">to understand money</a>—particularly investing. On my 300-baud modem connected to an Apple II computer, I researched penny stocks on the Vancouver Stock Exchange via CompuServe, The Source and Dow Jones Newswires. With my $400 nest egg, I called our broker to give him buy/sell instructions. I lost what was a lot of money to a teenager in those years, but I learned the value of money through that experience. I learned the value of investing and taking smart risks. My father taught me how to <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/jodiecook/2020/09/21/how-to-think-like-an-entrepreneur/?sh=e5b7fa74ae09" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">think like an entrepreneur</a>. That was priceless.



But even those lessons didn’t preclude me from making the kind of money mistakes <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/7-money-mistakes-youre-making-in-your-20s/">young people often make</a>. I maxed out credit cards and treated my lines of credit as a source of capital to fund my next new business idea. I felt it was better than spending them on frivolous things, though I’m sure I did plenty of that, too.



I don’t believe debt is necessarily a bad thing. There are so many entrepreneurs who <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/how-to-know-if-youre-financially-ready-to-start-a-business/">waited until they had cash</a> to take the next step in launching their idea rather than taking a loan to start immediately. Money equals opportunity to an entrepreneur. It allows them to test different ideas—much like I have with 17 companies during the past several decades.



Through those tests, I learned how to make a sustainable income. I wasn’t keen to leave a lot of money sitting in a bank account earning minimal interest. It felt like a squandered opportunity.



I was raised to believe that it’s riskier to take a job than it is to start a business. In my father’s way of looking at the world, it’s better to be an entrepreneur than to have a job. According to him, the entrepreneur has unlimited upside with limitless earning potential, while a job is fixed with a salary and maybe a bonus. Early on, my father helped me think about entrepreneurship from a perspective of income potential. From that mindset came determination: If I’m going to do something, it has to be creative.



Now, there is a time and place for <a href="https://www.investopedia.com/ask/answers/040615/what-risks-does-entrepreneur-face.asp" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">the risk associated</a> with starting an entrepreneurial venture. If you have a family and financial responsibilities, you need to earn income. In that case, you could work on your business in the fringe hours of your day while you earn the money you need to keep up with your responsibilities. I’ve certainly held traditional jobs and done my requisite stint of hourly employment. But it just seemed like a very long path toward my goals. So, I kept testing and learning, which is really the key.



The greatest gift an entrepreneur gives themselves is the continuous opportunity to learn. And you can’t learn until you try. Money is no different. Like with business, I became a student of money. I learned how it’s created; why the U.S. dollar was created versus another type of asset; how the government uses it to fund initiatives and priorities. I learned I probably should have bought Apple stock rather than the penny options I was dealing in. But you only know what you know—until you know more. There is beauty in that truth.



The reality of entrepreneurship is that it takes about 10 times the perceived effort to actually be successful. But if you’re committed to figuring out what works, doing what it takes, being positive, building relationships with <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/8-proven-networking-strategies-of-successful-entrepreneurs/">as many people as possible</a>, being a student of business, being a student of your craft and being 100% committed, your rates of success will match.



You, more than any penny stock, are worth that investment.



This article originally appeared in the November/December 2022 issue of SUCCESS magazine.

The greatest gift an entrepreneur gives themselves is the continuous opportunity to learn.

The greatest gift an entrepreneur gives themselves is the continuous opportunity to learn. | SUCCESS

The Financial Benefits of Thinking Like an Entrepreneur

The Financial Benefits of Thinking Like an Entrepreneur | SUCCESS

My 8 Entrepreneurial Rules for Playing to Win

Future of Work

Future of Work Archives

Future of Work | SUCCESS | What Achievers Read

I built 17 different companies before starting my first publicly traded company nearly 13 years ago. After seven years of watching other real estate companies adapt to shifting markets and new realities, I saw and capitalized on an opportunity to do things differently. It started with a new agent compensation structure and has evolved to include <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/3-skills-every-leader-must-cultivate-to-successfully-manage-distributed-teams/">completely virtual teams</a> and the acquisition of organizations that help fuel our growth, like this magazine and the metaverse company, Virbela.



We won’t always have these kinds of advantages. Amazon has a first-move advantage in the e-commerce space, but competitors will continue to innovate as alternatives. Netflix was the first true streaming service that’s now only one of many. Both companies had upwards of two decades of a head start on any true competitors. And right now, we’re 13 years into that two decade head start.



Whether from competitors, regulatory environments or the <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/4-truths-of-pivoting-your-business-during-hard-times-from-the-founder-of-exp-realty/">current downturn of the market</a>, we’re going to feel pressure for months to come. Necessity is the mother of invention, as the saying goes. We, along with our competitors, will be looking for ways to increase efficiency and innovate to land on top when the market rights itself. In times of economic uncertainty, the mission of an organization and its leadership can be the guiding light.



For our organization, staying adaptable, hungry, humble and ready to grow is the key to <a href="https://hbr.org/2020/07/a-guide-to-building-a-more-resilient-business" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">building a resilient business</a> and winning through different market cycles. Here are my eight guiding principles for leading during such times:



<h2 id="h-1-play-to-win">1. Play to win.</h2>



Set a clear vision and mission with defined goals for your team to rally around together.



<h2>2. Be continually learning.</h2>



The best practices that worked a couple years ago are probably irrelevant today. To be a true student of business, test your assumptions and find new and <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesbusinesscouncil/2021/11/05/genius-is-a-journey-five-steps-to-improving-your-innovation-process/?sh=13b4f86797e1" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">innovative ways to succeed</a>.



<h2>3. Break what isn’t broken.</h2>



A comfortable business is one that will be left behind. Encourage your team to challenge, question and scrutinize everything.



<h2>4. Don’t underestimate your competition.</h2>



Competitive advantages don’t often last long. <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/7-types-of-competitive-advantages-and-how-to-develop-yours/">Keeping your advantage</a> means staying on top of competitors and iterating your product or service before the market requires it.



<h2>5. Know when you have an advantage and double down.</h2>



Identify <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/how-to-stand-out-from-the-competition/">what makes your company unique</a> and capitalize on it—advantages come in all shapes. The most important thing to remember is that you don’t have to reinvent the product wheel to stand out.



<h2>6. Balance operating expenses with growth.</h2>



Keep your costs low and your focus sharp. You can’t grow without taking risks and making investments in innovation. But too many risks, too many investments and you’ll find yourself battling oversized operating expenses.



<h2>7. Be agile to adapt.</h2>



Agility is essential to fast-growing organizations. Leaders should create room for key team members to move in and innovate. That means understanding where they can provide the most value and where it makes more sense to stay out of the way.



<h2>8. Embrace chaos to drive change.</h2>



<a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/how-to-find-calm-during-times-of-chaos/">Get comfortable with chaos</a>; it’s a byproduct of fast-growing organizations. Find what needs to be broken to build a better system that drives your growth.



This article originally appeared in the September/October 2022 Issue of SUCCESS magazine.

For our organization, staying adaptable, hungry, humble and ready to grow is the key to building a resilient business and winning through different market cycles

For our organization, staying adaptable, hungry, humble and ready to grow is the key to building a resilient business and winning through different market cycles | SUCCESS

My 8 Entrepreneurial Rules for Playing to Win | SUCCESS

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Being in real estate comes with natural ebbs and flows, as with many industries. But for anyone who was around in 2008, life was really, really good—until it wasn’t. In 2008, I was running one of the top teams in the country. Part of that was understanding the growing role of the internet and how it could generate warm leads. We had top real estate portals in Nashville, Tennessee; Portland, Oregon; Bellingham, Washington; and Seattle. And then the housing market crashed.



Forced to close all but one location and downsize to our leanest possible team, we circled the wagons. It wasn’t an easy time to be a leader, but it forced me to innovate—innovate or fold. This wasn’t my first pivot, but it was my biggest, borne out of economic hardship but resulting in something greater than we could have imagined at the time: the largest cloud-based brokerage firm in the world with more than 77,000 agents.



As all struggles do, this experience taught me some hard truths. The truth about what it takes to keep an organization not only alive, but growing; and the four truths of a pivot, which I share with you now.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-truth-your-team-won-t-always-understand">Truth: Your team won’t always understand.</h2>



We learned that relying on brick-and-mortar offices put us at risk. We needed to build a defensible real estate model that didn’t bear the weight of physical overhead costs. eXp Realty evolved into a fully cloud-based model in order to provide security in times of economic uncertainty. But your team won’t always understand or see the big picture. Innovation can feel unstable until it’s proved. This is where your existing <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/8-tried-and-true-steps-to-building-trust/">relationship of trust</a> comes into play.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Truth: Good is the enemy of great.</h2>



Would we have turned to a cloud-based model if 2008 turned out differently? Sure, maybe. Some of the best innovations happen because we’re forced to put everything on the table and make grueling decisions about what no longer fits. Sometimes it’s starting over completely. The benefit of starting or reinventing a business during an economic downturn is that your model is built on survival, not prosperity. The same isn’t always true for businesses built during stable times. As legendary business author Jim Collins says, “good is the enemy of great.” Train yourself to <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/how-to-spot-a-business-opportunity/">see the opportunity</a> in times of chaos and uncertainty.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Truth: Hope isn’t a strategy.</h2>



Many organizations squeaked their way through the recession by adapting their business models just enough to survive. Some resorted to bankruptcy. Some merged. Some got lucky. But their businesses never capitalized on <a href="https://www.inc.com/inc-masters/to-sustain-success-keep-reinventing-your-business.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">the opportunity to reinvent</a>, to build defensive walls against the next inevitable obstacle. Hope isn’t a strategy. Hope is like playing the lottery when the odds are millions to one. You can choose to sit with the pain and frustration of seeing your hard work washed away or you can face it head-on and <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/glenn-sanford-built-a-billion-dollar-business-on-a-foundation-of-simply-never-giving-up/">embrace the challenge of reinvention</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Truth: Pivots take immense energy.</h2>



If you get good at pivots, you understand the decision matrix that goes with them. I have the understanding of what it takes to make another pivot. But they take a lot of energy. Pivoting a large organization is a massive undertaking. You’re changing the paradigm the company was built on. Naturally, the larger the company, the harder it is to reinvent. As a leader, you’re back in startup mode. You’re probably working 10 to 16 hours per day, seven days a week to ensure the reinvention holds and you’ve considered all the things that could go wrong. This isn’t to deter you from considering a reinvention, but to help you understand what it takes to go through with it.



Pivoting is akin to innovation. Are you making a big innovation within your company or industry? Or are you making small iterative changes? They can both have an impact, but one can change the whole trajectory of your organization. What are the big risks you want to take? How do you set yourself up for success? The power of the pivot is <a href="https://www.bcg.com/publications/2019/overcoming-four-big-barriers-to-innovation-success" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">big innovation followed by big action</a>.



* * *



Life typically presents only a few opportunities for a full pivot—and it’s not usually for good reason. It’s a buzzer-beater when your organization and everyone who depends on it is on the line. For us, the ability to go cloud-based was the perfect storm of a declining housing market and most homes having high-speed internet.



Now, collaboration technology makes our model accessible to nearly any industry. With virtual workplaces like Virbela (a subsidiary of eXp World Holdings) and Meta, Zoom and Google Meet, Trello and Asana, your teams simply don’t need to be together to scale the organization. From a young age, I saw the role of technology. I dined on Popular Mechanics and Apple Bite magazines. Part of a <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/payal-kadakia-4-steps-to-perfecting-the-pivot/">proactive pivot strategy</a> is recognizing the opportunities and also being willing to <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/5-truths-about-taking-and-not-taking-risks/">take the shot</a>.



This article originally appeared in the May/June 2022 Issue of SUCCESS magazine. Disclaimer: SUCCESS is a subsidiary of eXp World Holdings, which is the parent company of eXp Realty. Photo by

As all struggles do, this experience taught me some hard truths. The truth about what it takes to keep an organization not only alive, but growing; and the four truths of a pivot

As all struggles do, this experience taught me some hard truths. The truth about what it takes to keep an organization not only alive, but growing; and the four truths of a pivot | SUCCESS

4 Truths of Pivoting Your Business During Hard Times from the Founder of eXp Realty

Pivoting Your Business: 4 Hard Truths from eXp Realty's Founder

My Life Changed When I Decided to Play to Win

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I love running. I like to say that I took up long-distance running as a tween because it’s one of the few sports you can do anywhere. You don’t need special equipment or the right season; you can just lace up and hit the road. I decided this would be my thing. At high school in British Columbia, Canada, running for the track team became a big part of my life. I ran the 1 mile and 2 mile. I was good, too. And then, because of my father’s business, we moved to a little town called Bethel, Oklahoma.



My new school didn’t have a track team, which wasn’t too surprising considering every grade level attended class in the same building. I was determined to stick with running—having my thoughts to myself while on the road is still my favorite way to <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/the-art-of-problem-solving-4-creative-strategies-to-tackle-your-biggest-obstacles/">sort through complex problems</a>—so I ran drills with the basketball team until I bored of the repetition of ladder sprints. Nothing gives quite the same thrill as being outside and feeling the distance pass under your soles. Therefore, I did the only natural thing: I joined the wrestling team for my last two years of high school.&nbsp;



I was horrible. I lost every match my first year.



My senior season wasn’t looking much better. Needless to say, I felt pretty dejected. Then one day, I was set to go up against someone with a record that mirrored mine. Before that match, I felt something like a proverbial switch flip. I decided I would win. And I did.&nbsp;



If that sounds a bit like the stuff of a Hallmark holiday movie for you, consider the context: It wasn’t a pretty win, and my coach nearly ended the match early after I took an elbow to the nose. We were evenly matched, both physically and technically capable of beating the other. We both worked hard, trained hard, and listened to the advice of coaches and teammates. It was a <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/mindset-and-the-happiness-factor/">shift in mindset</a> that won.



Before that day, I played the game just to play. It was something to do when there wasn’t a track team or when I wasn’t helping my dad with his latest entrepreneurial endeavor. That day, I played the game to win. I made a <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/the-mel-robbins-guide-to-screwing-up/">commitment to put myself out there</a>, no matter the result.



How often have you <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/the-7-types-of-fear-that-hold-us-back/">held back for fear</a> of looking silly or failing or even losing some money? How many times have you passed up on an opportunity for fear of letting yourself or others down? To be an entrepreneur is to take risks. And really, that applies in so many other areas of life: wealth-building, parenthood, personal achievement… they all require risk. If we play it safe and give only enough focused effort to pass muster, our results will match. Instead, we must imagine that the risk will pay off, and the reward that will result.



So many people avoid the commitment to go all out because they know there will always be someone better. It’s a coping mechanism against the sting of failure. It really is true. In most things, there will be someone better positioned or more talented than you. You can’t control that. But you can control your mindset, your commitment and your level of effort. There are proven tools to help you.



As a teenager, my tools were to think bad things about my opponent, to imagine them as the worst kind of person—my arch enemy. I don’t like what it took to get me to that flipped-switch mindset, but I’ve since upgraded to more effective and positive tools. One of my favorites is quite simple.&nbsp;



When faced with a difficult or overwhelming situation, start by making a commitment to the outcome. Say it out loud. Write it down and post it where you can see it. Make it specific. Making a solidified commitment to an endeavor brings a different energy than simply trying. It creates alignment and focus. It challenges you to go beyond goal setting.&nbsp;



<a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/what-is-the-10x-rule-and-how-can-it-help-you-achieve-your-biggest-goals/">Challenges are exponential</a>; goals are incremental.&nbsp;



Even the words we use show the difference: I want to set a goal to sell 25 houses this year instead of the 20 I sold last year versus I challenge myself to sell 100 houses this year. The latter shows a wholehearted commitment to an exponential outcome.



Now, this isn’t blind faith that you’ll magically increase your sales fivefold. The challenge forces you to imagine greater outcomes and problem-solve differently. The best way to solve a challenge is to solve a bigger challenge. If my goal is to build a $1 million business, then my challenge is to build a $10 million business.



What problems lie in your path? What would your goals look like if you increased them tenfold? Sit with that, let it simmer, then make a plan to prime yourself and your business for exponential growth.



This article originally appeared in the November/December 2021 Issue of SUCCESS magazine. Photo by @jr.zee/Twenty20

Before that day, I played the game just to play. That day, I played the game to win. I made a commitment to put myself out there, no matter the result.

Before that day, I played the game just to play. That day, I played the game to win. I made a commitment to put myself out there, no matter the result. | SUCCESS

My Life Changed When I Decided to Play to Win | SUCCESS

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What comes to mind when you think of the word legacy?



As a child, I lived in British Columbia, Canada. I watched my father grow a honey business. And then a granola business with my uncle. I watched them sell that business to Kellogg’s in the late ’70s for a big profit. My father introduced me to <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/what-is-personal-development/">personal development</a> by handing me a copy of <a href="https://amzn.to/3fuz9JQ" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">How to Win Friends and Influence People</a>.



He embodied the idea that good business isn’t about numbers but about people. When he became an investor in oil and gas, it made sense for us to move to Oklahoma City. It was a big change, but I was used to moving around. The life of an entrepreneur isn’t always stable. There, I saw him help 12 companies go public through a reverse merger.



A reverse merger is a less costly and time-consuming way to go public, one that doesn’t require raising capital for a traditional initial public offering. Basically, a private company buys out an existing public shell corporation to assume ownership and become public. I learned a lot in those years, having helped investor public relations and other behind-the-scenes tasks. I also saw my father lose all of his money in those years. <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/what-is-a-brokerage-account-and-do-you-need-one/">Investing is tricky business</a> and there are no guarantees.



But he picked himself back up and kept going. At 84 years old, he still takes risks. He still has the freedom to try (and fail) at new things. That’s what being an entrepreneur is. He once told me that it’s riskier to take a job than to start a business. A lot of people have potential, but the safety of what they’re doing—a cushy 9-to-5, perhaps—holds them back from achieving their full potential. That idea of a life of freedom and risk and what-ifs is his legacy.



For me, legacy is much less about the financial component—though that is important for your children, their children and so on. But it’s more about reputation. What memories will you leave with others? Will they be inspired by them? What did you stand for during your lifetime? Do those values stand the test of time?



Considering your legacy is sort of like asking yourself why?



<ul>
<li>Why did I build this business?</li>



<li>Why do I make sacrifices to further this business?</li>



<li>Why did I choose to go this path and what do I hope it all means in the end?</li>
</ul>



My why is probably a little counterintuitive. My why is why not?



<ul>
<li>Why not go for it?</li>



<li>Why not see how many lives can be impacted positively?</li>



<li>Why not see what this could become over time?</li>
</ul>



You have to do something in life; why not make it the best it can be? Even when you’ve reached a point where you could retire comfortably, that’s, well, boring. It feels like a loss of your identity. When you keep building and keep moving the goalposts and keep impacting lives, it feeds you. I think this is how entrepreneurs are wired.



I see goals as being continuous, so no matter where you are or what you’re doing, you can always make more of an impact. You could invent time-saving software or you could serve others in a soup kitchen; they both impact lives far beyond what you imagine.



One way I try to gauge that in the companies I lead is through the <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/what-is-a-good-nps-score/">net promoter score</a> (NPS). An NPS is a single question with a one-to-10 scale: How likely are you to recommend this [service, product or company] to a colleague or friend? Based on the response, we identify trigger points and key issues within the company, which allows us to laser focus on the things that really move the needle in terms of employee and customer happiness and company growth.



For me, the NPS is an indicator of how well I’m <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/how-to-build-your-legacy/">building the legacy</a> I plan to leave. But truly, it’s an indicator of how well I’m listening. My goal is to always be adding value to others. But if my NPS score hovers around a three or four out of 10, it means I’m not adding enough value or adding it in the wrong places.



When you think about your legacy, I challenge you to think beyond the numbers and the size of your business. Instead, find a long-term problem you haven’t been able to find a solution for and solve it for yourself and for others. By doing that you’re creating a legacy of innovation. You’re adding value to others.



You probably already know some things you can do—and there will be plenty of work to do–but when it’s done and you look back on the work, you will see the ripple effects. And that is a legacy worth building.



This article originally appeared in the September/October 2021 issue of SUCCESS magazine.

You have to do something in life; why not make it the best it can be?

You have to do something in life; why not make it the best it can be? | SUCCESS

Instead of Asking 'Why,' Ask 'Why Not'

Instead of Asking &#8216;Why,&#8217; Ask &#8216;Why Not&#8217;

Instead of Asking 'Why,' Ask 'Why Not' | SUCCESS

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I’ve practiced judo for more than 27 years. What separates a white belt from a black belt is that the black belt shows up every day for practice. They show up every day even when they don’t want to. They show up on the good and the bad days. They don’t make excuses. They show up for themselves and others because they made a commitment. They work at their dreams every day.



Athletics is such a good paradigm for business. Think about all of the famous entrepreneurs—Arianna Huffington, Steve Jobs, Elon Musk, Bill Gates—they all showed up every single day. Through recessions and setbacks and failed ideas and even more failed ideas. They continued showing up.



Passion is the spark; discipline is the fuel. Together, they make a recipe for perseverance. It’s this combination that not only made these entrepreneurs successful, but unforgettable.



Discipline comes first. The discipline portion has a pretty short learning curve—some argue as few as 27 days. But once you’ve learned the discipline portion, you can trust that any time you want to make something happen in the future, you know what it takes to show up every single day. When passion and motivation wane, discipline pulls through to keep you going.



Now, there is an important caveat here: You have to ask yourself if what you’re doing is worth showing up for. The passion behind your endeavor has to move the needle in some way. If you don’t feel like you’re changing the game or making an impact, the spark of your idea will fade. But when you can feel and see the impact you could make, and you combine that with passion and discipline, it will be one of the most exciting things you do in your life.



* * *



So what if you can’t feel the passion anymore? What if the needle is at a standstill and you feel stagnant? This is the time to rest, to take time off, to decide what’s next. Maybe it means the business has veered from its true purpose. Maybe you’ve lost sight of your vision because you’re bogged down by unnecessary tasks that don’t move you or your business forward. Maybe you need to walk away completely. All of these paths are part of entrepreneurship and part of building perseverance.



It’s painful and uncertain, but often necessary. Out of the ashes of failed ventures, greater ideas are born. But it can’t happen without the rest and space to let those ideas come to light. Covet the time needed to let your brain mull through bottom-drawer ideas and sort the potentials from the duds.



When the 2008 housing market crash threatened to bury eXp Realty, we had to innovate and adapt. The eXp family of companies you know today—including SUCCESS—is the result of riding out the ebbs and flows, of dusting yourself off and starting again. It’s a natural and necessary part of entrepreneurship.



Think about all the evolutions of Amazon. Ordering daily necessities such as groceries and dog food is an afterthought today, but once upon a time, it was an unthinkable concept. In the first five or even 10 evolutions, it probably still seemed unthinkable. Between each of those evolutions (and all the failed ideas that accompanied them), was the space to evolve, the passion to dream bigger, and the discipline to see it through.



* * *



This entrepreneur life isn’t for everyone. If you need a steady paycheck, if you have young children to feed or a mortgage that needs paying, this might not be the right time for you to go all in, and that’s OK. Part of smart entrepreneurship is knowing when to walk away from something that isn’t serving you. When the time is right, you can get right back to hustling and making things happen. You’ll figure out ways to get investors and get the bills paid.



Michael Jordan, Cristiano Ronaldo, Serena Williams… the world’s greatest athletes stand out not because of their inherent talent (though they certainly possess that), but for their determination and their willingness to show up every single day.



In business and sports, and in life too, the truly successful make up a tiny percentage—1/100th of 1%.



Here’s the deal: You don’t know how this whole entrepreneurship thing is going to work out. But you do it anyway. The sooner you can get into business and get things going, the more likely you are to persevere and be successful. It won’t be easy. Do it anyway.



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="alignleft size-large is-resized"><img src="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/GlennSanfordSignature_Black.png" alt="" class="wp-image-60828" width="194" height="62"/></figure></div>



Glenn Sanford CEO of SUCCESS Enterprises Founder, Chairman and CEO of eXp World Holdings



This article originally appeared in the July/August 2021 issue of SUCCESS magazine.



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Passion is the spark; discipline is the fuel. Together, they make a recipe for perseverance.

Passion is the spark; discipline is the fuel. Together, they make a recipe for perseverance. | SUCCESS

Why My Motto Is 'Do It Anyway'

Why My Motto Is &#8216;Do It Anyway&#8217;

Why My Motto Is 'Do It Anyway' | SUCCESS

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