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Libertyinspectiongroup.com 610.717.3082 MARCH 2019
Why Reading and Audiobooks Have Become My Personal Passion BECOMING A BOOKWORM
As readers may have been able to tell, reading has become an integral part of my life. Between my 2018 goal to read more and the books I feature every month in this newsletter, readers have become accustomed to my regular book talks. But it might surprise some of you to know that I wasn’t that big of a reader until I met my
society where socialism takes over, the storyline weaves along in a lengthy but unexpectedly gripping story. When I heard the description and saw how long the story was, I’ll admit I was skeptical. But I’m glad I decided to crack it open. It’s become one of my “must read” suggestions. Another author that I’m particularly partial to is Robert Kiyosaki, who was my “gateway drug” to personal development books. Prior to picking up Kiyosaki's “Rich Dad, Poor Dad,” I didn’t give much thought to this genre. But this book prompted me to begin Liberty Inspection Group more than a decade ago. Before starting Liberty, I was working a standard nine to five job at a large-scale construction company. It was good work, but it wasn’t challenging enough for me. I didn’t view my job as my passion, and after reading “Rich Dad, Poor Dad,” I felt compelled to begin my own venture. Twelve years later, I’d say one of the best choices I made was picking up that book. I’m a firm believer that anyone who is successful is an avid reader. When you engage with those who have prospered and succeeded, you give yourself a solid foundation. I’m always hungry to learn more, and I know books are some of the best learning tools out there. Why wouldn’t you read books written by some of the most successful people in the nation or the world? As always, there are more books to be read. I want to dive into autobiographies and learn more about the real people who have influenced history. I’ve added an autobiography about Alexander Hamilton to my list, and my wife has been suggesting I check out a book on Abraham Lincoln. I could go on and on about the books I’ve read and the ones I’m looking to read; thankfully, my bookshelf never seems to end. –-Chris Earley
wife, who is a marathon reader by my standards. She will spend a whole weekend with a book, and that passion has rubbed off on our daughters, especially the younger two. For me, reading is about so much more than getting lost in a story and learning about new things. Authors, and particularly entrepreneurs who write books, are dumping their brains onto pages for you. They are giving you answers, examples, and reasons behind some of their choices, and in my experience, it’s some of the best knowledge a business owner — or anyone — can glean. Now, I’m not just working every night when I settle into a book. Sometimes I’m getting lost in dystopian universes and learning some of the greater life lessons professional authors can teach us. One of my favorite authors, Ayn Rand, is also the author of one of my favorite books, “Atlas Shrugged.” Set in a fictional
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Propelling Your Sales Further Chris Earley’s Book of the Month: ‘Rocket Fuel’
As a business owner, I’m always looking for ways to improve, and that often means taking notes from people who are far more successful than I am. That’s why when a friend — who has been crushing all his business goals — mentioned that he created a book club with his management team, I knew it was something I had to implement with my operations manager, Jamie Meissner. And I knew the perfect first book: “Rocket Fuel” by Gino Wickman and Mark C. Winters. After the success of his first book, “Traction” — designed to inspire entrepreneurs to “get a grip” on their business — Wickman teamed up with Winters to write “Rocket Fuel,” based on the characteristics of the people behind thriving businesses. Published in 2015, “Rocket Fuel” explores the way “visionaries” and “integrators” combine to create dynamic, effective, and successful companies, such as McDonald’s, Ford, Disney, and Microsoft. Wickman and Winters explain that a visionary can see what the company could be and what its goals should be, but they need an integrator who can get to work putting the goals and dreams into place. Without an integrator, a visionary is less likely to meet their goals, but without a visionary, an integrator would never see their potential. But just knowing who the visionaries and the integrators are in your company does little to help; it’s what a company does with the information that ignites its success. "As a busy Realtor, I love working with Liberty Inspections for the ease and convenience of scheduling and the organized, easy-to- read reports. My clients love them because their inspectors are personable and thorough but also realistic." -Shannon D. "I refer Liberty Inspection Group to all of my clients! They are great to work with! They have thorough inspectors, tons of availability (even on short notice), and you can schedule online! Highly recommend!" –Lindsay G. "I use Liberty for all of my client’s purchases. Liberty is always, always on time and are very thorough with their work. Scheduling is quick and easy. Definitely recommend." –Anonymous OUR CUSTOMERS SAY IT BEST
After reading “Rocket Fuel” together, Jamie and I discovered that she was the integrator
of Liberty, and I was the visionary. I feel like I’m giving her 100 ideas per week, and she dismantles each and
every one, finding ways to run with the most successful ones. Meanwhile, she thrives on the freedom to help us meet our goals.
These book meetings helped us better understand how the other person works. We are learning more about what makes each other tick, and while we worked well together before, it’s given us a better basis to succeed together. After all, there’s no better way to foster prosperity than to learn from those who have been there before.
Clients rely on you to market their home as the best option or to “wow” themwith what’s available, but in today’s fast-paced digital world, your message may be falling flat. A monthly custom print newsletter can help you increase retention rates and referrals by building lasting relationships with clients who trust you with one of life’s biggest decisions. It’s the easiest and most effective way to stand out! You can acquire this powerful tool and show potential clients why your skills are essential for them to stand out in today’s market. Visit Newslettermarketing.co to learn more. Expand Past Online Marketing
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KNOWLEDGE IS POWER
The Value of Due Diligence in Commercial Real Estate
When people buy a new house, it’s a matter of the heart. Regardless of what other factors come into play, a person decides to buy a house because they love something about the home or the location. It’s an emotional decision. When someone buys commercial real estate, they’re making a business decision. Commercial real estate is an investment in which the biggest factor will always be the bottom line. It’s not enough to just look at the property as it is; buyers are also thinking about the costs of maintaining the property five or 10 years down the road. In commercial real estate, major systems like electrical and roofing take priority over any interior cosmetics. For this reason, commercial property inspections are very different than your average home inspection. Our team at Liberty Inspection Group regularly handles home inspections, but we are also equipped to lend our expertise to Realtors who deal with commercial properties. The types of structures we inspect include:
We are able to provide commercial property inspections, commercial building inspections, and property condition assessments (PCAs) in conformance with ASTM E-2018. PCAs — visual inspections with written and photographic documentation — are vital to establishing proper due diligence in real estate transactions. A prepurchase inspection provides peace of mind to investors, owners, lenders, attorneys, and property managers, ensuring everyone involved is well-informed about the state of the property. The scope and limitations of our inspections can be tailored to meet the needs of any commercial real estate transaction. After a visual inspection of the property, we can identify liabilities, provide cost estimates, and offer recommendations for maintenance, repair, and component replacement. With this vital information, commercial clients are able to make appropriate and informed decisions about their investment. Property inspections aren’t just from eager home buyers who want to make sure their dream home won’t turn into a waking nightmare. Commercial property inspections empower buyers to avoid the money pit and move forward with confidence. Learn how you can better empower your commercial clients by calling Liberty Inspection Group at 610.717.3082.
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Office and retail buildings Apartment and multi-family buildings
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Motels
Industrial buildings Multi-use buildings
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Strip malls
Inspired by Food &Wine magazine
HAVE A LAUGH ON US!
Everything is the best bagel flavor. This is not a matter of debate. Sprinkle the seasoning on popcorn for a delicious snack that will have people asking, “What does this remind me of?” EVERYTHING POPCORN
INGREDIENTS
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3/4 cup popcorn kernels 2 tablespoons flaky sea salt 1 teaspoon black sesame seeds 2 teaspoons white sesame seeds 2 teaspoons granulated garlic
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2 teaspoons granulated onion
Ingredients:
1/3 cup canola oil
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
DIRECTIONS
1. In a small skillet over medium heat, toast sesame seeds. Shake skillet often and cook until white seeds are golden and fragrant, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl and add garlic, onion, and salt. 2. In a large saucepan, combine popcorn kernels and oil. Cook over medium-high heat, covered, until corn kernels start to pop. Once popping, continue cooking and shaking the pan intermittently until popping ceases, about 3–5 minutes. 3. Transfer popcorn to a large mixing bowl. Pour in butter and toss to coat. Finally, add seasoning, toss again, and serve.
Directions:
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INSIDE THIS ISSUE: PAGE 1 Developing a Passion for Reading PAGE 2 Book of the Month: ‘Rocket Fuel’ Our Customers Say It Best PAGE 3 Empower Your Commercial Real Estate Clients Everything Popcorn PAGE 4 Why Charities Hate Spring-Cleaning
T H E R I G H T W AY T O D O N A T E A F T E R S P R I N G - C L E A N I N G DONATE WITH CARE
Spring is in the air, and it’s time to celebrate with another round of spring-cleaning. Banish the clutter and make room in your life for something new! Many charities see a sharp increase in donations as spring-cleaning season starts.
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Expired medications
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Personal care items, like soap, shampoo, or makeup
Old TVs
Cribs
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Mattresses
Loose remote controls
Carpets
Tangled cords or phone chargers
Any broken, damaged, or dirty items
These items may be unsafe to sell, costly to ship, or impossible to refurbish effectively. When a charity regularly receives items they cannot use, they have to spend hours of manpower sorting through things that end up in the trash anyway. This process can be expensive for organizations with already-strained resources. Some local charities spend over $1,000 a year on dumpster and trash removal fees for unusable donations. While charities will have no choice but to throw unusable donations in the trash, there are services you can use to make your spring-cleaning eco-friendly, even for items you can’t donate. For example, if you have torn or stained blue jeans, reach out to Blue Jeans Go Green. This program keeps denim out of landfills by turning it into insulation. And while Goodwill can't take your batteries or old flip phone, you can check out Call2Recycle.org to learn how to safely recycle your e-waste.
Donating your used books, kids’ toys, and gently worn clothing allows your old items to have a second life. However, when filling that donation box, make sure you’re donating each item because it can do good and not just because you feel bad about throwing it away. Charities have a big problemwith well-meaning citizens dropping off items that are better left in the trash. There are many items charities simply cannot handle. Most charities will have lists of items they can and cannot accept on their websites. Some items that you should not donate include:
Your donations can be a big help to local charities. Just don’t “donate” your garbage.
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