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Armonk, NY Real Estate News

By Grant Schneider, Your Coach Helping You Create Successful Outcomes
(Performance Development Strategies)
I know there are many dog lovers on Active Rain.  I just want to remind everyone that today we honor man's best friend. Dogs have been human loyal compians forever.  Today I read a story of a dog named Sadie who saved her master's life.  USA today has a web page of favorite dog videos.  And I wrote a blog last June on Disc Catching Dogs at our local Armonk, NY Fol de Rol.   Here is our favorite grand dog, Sierra.  Sierra is my daughter's 8 year old Beagle.  She came for a visit and we lost sight of her.  Here is where we found her.  Gotta love her.   Enjoy National Dog Day with your 4 legged friends.  
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By Grant Schneider, Your Coach Helping You Create Successful Outcomes
(Performance Development Strategies)
During your buying/selling process you want to connect with the other person.  You need to develop rapport by listening to what the other person is saying?  That makes sense but have you ever asked a saleperson a question about a product only to receive an answer that has nothing to do with the question you asked?  The salesperson was probably more interested in selling you something and really was not focused on your wants and needs. recently had a similar experience.  I was interested in upgrading my smart phone so I spoke with a telecommunications salesperson here in Westchester County NY.  I asked about the comparable features offered by two different iPhone telecommunications carriers. During the conversation I pointed out that one carrier had an additional benefit. “With that carr...
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By Grant Schneider, Your Coach Helping You Create Successful Outcomes
(Performance Development Strategies)
I have grown with my blogging since I joined Active Rain in August 2011.  I owe my blogging success to the Active Rain Community. It took me 18 months to break 100,000.  Then, it took me 12 months to get to 200,000.  And it took me 6 months to 300,000 which I hit on Monday.  So if I continue at the same rate as the last 6 months I should reach my first major goal of 500,000 by this time next year, maybe sooner.   The information and educational support for blogging and SEO has been great.  I have attended most of the AR webinars and used what I have learned.  Other bloggers such as Debbie Gartner have helped me.  And let me say this.  The points are a measurement and I like them but not an end in themselves.  The growth that I have had in pursuit of those points has helped my business. ...
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By Grant Schneider, Your Coach Helping You Create Successful Outcomes
(Performance Development Strategies)
Recently I was talking with the leader of a brokerage in Northern Westchester County NY.  He has brought on many sales agents but not all seem to be working out.  He claims that they don't take ownership of their area and that they lack initiative. “Unless I point it out to them they don't take the first step. They don't do it themselves.” I asked the owner to give me an example.   “Well,” he said, “I have given them detailed directions of exactly what they must do but they don't follow my directions.” “Wait a minute,” I said, “Didn’t you just say that you wanted them to take ownership and take initiative?” I sounds like there is a conflict here since the owner wants independent agents but he chastises them for not doing things exactly the same way that he does.   If you want your team ...
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By Grant Schneider, Your Coach Helping You Create Successful Outcomes
(Performance Development Strategies)
Recently the Zuhl Team wrote a great blog on Touching your Sphere of Influence.  I re blogged it because  I think that strategic alliances, power teams, and spheres of influence are very important to keeping your sales funnel full.   This blog explains how to become a center of influence.  I will share some of the ideas I have discussed with my Westchester County NY business owners about becoming a center of influence. Why are we networking? Networking is a great way to build your business. But just like your other business processes, you need to have a networking process. You should have goals and measured outcomes. And here are a few examples:    •     Identify suspects (those who might become prospects with further qualification)    •     Develop strategic alliances (sell things that...
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By Grant Schneider, Your Coach Helping You Create Successful Outcomes
(Performance Development Strategies)
Real Estate is a great place to talk about seeing things the way others do.  Homeowners who have lived in one place for a while stop seeing things.  Most of us need our Realtor, Home Stager, Home Inspector or others to point things out.  If we take the actions that they recommend we will end up with a quicker sale, more money, and less stress.  What about your own business?  Do you need a different set of eyes for your Westchester County New York business?  Often you spend so much time working in your business that things creep into the business that you don't even notice.  As an example, when you started your business you were focused on how you were going to get customers and what resources you would need to deliver the services to those customers. That might have been 2 years ago, 5 ...
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By Grant Schneider, Your Coach Helping You Create Successful Outcomes
(Performance Development Strategies)
A number of people have had a positive influence on my life.   I will only name a few.  I want to start with my father.  My father was a role model for me.  He was a pilot in World Captain George Schneider National World War II Memorial War II and a chemist by trade but he impressed upon me the importance of leadership and being an example.  I wanted to emulate him as a boy because he was highly respected by many through his volunteer leadership roles including scoutmaster of our troop.  He was a great public speaker and he always led by example. The next positive influence was my training coordinator at Sears, Terry Hicks.  He was in charge of helping the new management trainees.  He was a few years ahead of us and showed us the ropes.  He mentored me on making the transition from coll...
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By Grant Schneider, Your Coach Helping You Create Successful Outcomes
(Performance Development Strategies)
I recently asked my clients in Westchester County New York to list their biggest challenges.  The one challenge at the top of every list is time management.  Sales people, business owners, and executives alike say they have trouble getting it all done.  Most people identify that as a time management issue but that is not the issue at all.  We can not make better use of our time simply by having an organized system. We might, for example, go to a seminar and learn tips on time management.  We might create a pocket planner, or buy a computer software program but still come up short at the end of the day. The real cause of our problem is not the lack of systems or processes. It is our own attitudes about time, our bad habits and our bad behaviors. Everyone has only a finite amount of time....
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By Grant Schneider, Your Coach Helping You Create Successful Outcomes
(Performance Development Strategies)
I appreciate the opportunity to take Donna Foster’s blog challenge to describe what I have done to make a difference in my community. To start I took an active role in my children’s education in the public school in Armonk.  I volunteered as a chaperon to class trips.  I also volunteered my Human Resource and talent management experience to work on the interview team for hiring new teachers in the local school system.  Both of my daughters were in youth groups.  I helped organize camping trips and went along as chief cook and bottle washer.  My involvement had a good impact since my daughters formed many close relationships that they still have as adults. Next I have been an active member and volunteer in our church.  For years I have been an usher and head of my usher team.  I have bee...
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By Grant Schneider, Your Coach Helping You Create Successful Outcomes
(Performance Development Strategies)
What is the difference between high performing teams and dysfunctional teams?  In many cases it comes down to leadership.  If you lead any type of sales team in Westchester County, NY you know the importance of having a dependable team.  The fact that you are the owner or the boss will earn you lip service but it won't guarantee loyalty or high performance. You need to be recognized by your team as their leader by earning it.  Expressed in different terms the owner has the authority but the leader has the power. The leader’s power is earned through empathy for the team, clear direction, trust, and other factors. People are not born leaders. Leadership is developed and there is not one set of leadership traits. In fact there are examples of two very effective leaders with highly contradi...
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By Grant Schneider, Your Coach Helping You Create Successful Outcomes
(Performance Development Strategies)
Have you avoided taking a vacation from your Westchester County NY business because you are afraid of what you will find when you return?  An owner of a home appliance repair company told me that her sales took a nosedive when she took a week off.  Although the sales dropped her payroll and fixed expenses continued.  She asked me how she can step out of her business without having everything fall apart.If you are a Broker/Owner or service company owner in Westchester County NY and this sounds familiar you should know that it is a common problem. As business owner you want sales growth and business stability but don't feel your employees can get it done. Your solution will lie in becoming a leader who trains, develops, empowers, and delegates with confidence.It is important to have the r...
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By Grant Schneider, Your Coach Helping You Create Successful Outcomes
(Performance Development Strategies)
There are many business headquarters in Armonk NY including the corporate headquarters for IBM.  A great place to have lunch is the Modern Barn on Route 22 in Armonk. Many of my local Westchester clients like to discuss their business issues with me out of the office.  I find that the atmosphere at the Moderne Barn is perfect for a business coaching session.    The restaurant is owned by the Livanos Restaurant Group which also owns the City Limits Diner on Central Avenue in White Plains, NY. The Livanos family lives in Armonk and wanted the Moderne Barn to be a destination for their own hometown.  They call the décor ‘‘urban country chic.’'   I think that they succeeded in creating that meeting destination.     For more information: 430 Bedford Road (Route 22) | Armonk, NY 10504 | (914)...
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By Grant Schneider, Your Coach Helping You Create Successful Outcomes
(Performance Development Strategies)
Armonk NY is a great place to have a nice breakfast with a friend or a business associate.  As a business coach based in Westchester County I love meeting clients for breakfast.  It is great when I have a location that is convenient and close to my home. There are a number of cafés in town but it was not until recently that we had a sit down and serve breakfast place similar to an upscale diner.   The Beehive Restaurant is located on Old Route 22 just outside of the Armonk town center.  In 2004, the owners, the Modroukas family took over an old restaurant.  After a few years operation they close and renovated the entire site with a stunning new restaurant pictured below.  There is plenty of parking and it is an easy stop for someone travelling to work in White Plains or New York City. T...
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By Grant Schneider, Your Coach Helping You Create Successful Outcomes
(Performance Development Strategies)
We have several well-known landmarks in the Hamlet of Armonk, NY.  Certainly our gazebo in the Center of Wampus Brook Park is a beloved part of our town.  It has been the site of many events including players, singers, and bands.  And each June it is the center of events for the local Fol de Rol which is put on by the Lions Club.  I did some checking and learned that the Lions club donated the gazebo to the town.  Several years ago former Yankee Bernie Williams, a resident of Armonk, North Castle New York, played with his band at the gazebo.  During the 2000 millennial celebration the resident of the town created a two piece brink wall surrounding it.  Everyone was invited to buy a millennial brink with their name on it.  Our family has a brick there.   I could not believe the picture o...
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By Grant Schneider, Your Coach Helping You Create Successful Outcomes
(Performance Development Strategies)
Owning a business or being an independent contractor in Westchester County New York can be very rewarding although it is certainly not easy.  Unlike being an employee you have an upside earnings potential but you also assume all responsibilities including the chance of failure.  If you are a Real Estate agent or a broker you know that if you were around in 2008.  As a business, sales, and leadership coach I work with a variety of  business owners an independent contrators in Westchester County New York.   Recently I facilitated at a meeting of business owner’s at the offices of The Business Council of Westchester. I read your blogs and I know you are aware of the commitment it takes in Real Estate.  But the rewards of growing and succeeding are worth it.  Two reasons often cited are con...
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By Grant Schneider, Your Coach Helping You Create Successful Outcomes
(Performance Development Strategies)
Two former presidents died on the same Fourth of July – Independence Day.  We can learn a lesson from these two men.  As we celebrate the 238th birthday of our nation today we should reflect on the blessings of liberty.  One thing that means is that we are at liberty to disagree. Depending on our viewpoint we have heard complaints about disagreements, not getting things done, and more.  Sometimes it is made to sound as if this is something new.  It’s not new. The two former presidents, who died on the same day, Independence Day 1826, were John Adams and Thomas Jefferson.  Both men were patriots who had signed the Declaration of Independence and both pledged “their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor” to the cause of liberty and the new nation. However, both men violently disag...
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By Grant Schneider, Your Coach Helping You Create Successful Outcomes
(Performance Development Strategies)
One of the questions on the Gallup employee engagement survey is "At work I get to do what I do best every day." That is very important for two reasons.  First you will not stay at a job where you do not feel you are doing your best.  Second, if you are not doing what you do best you will certainly not do it well and you will be in a constant state of stress. Unfortunately, many of us are trying to improve our weaknesses.  Just like everything else we believe, this comes from our past as children.  When your child comes home from school with his or her report card and it shows, for example, an A in math, B’s in history and science, and a C in English, what is your response? Most of us will talk to our child about improving the English grade. But what if your child might have a real tale...
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By Grant Schneider, Your Coach Helping You Create Successful Outcomes
(Performance Development Strategies)
I started my career as an executive trainee with Sears.  When I started I expected to spend my career at Sears and move to wherever the company sent me.  After training in New Brunswick, NJ, I got my first division management position in Huntington, NY.  My job was challenging but I worked long hours and learned.   I was responsible for the children’s clothing category and my responsibility involved buying, merchandising the department and managing the staff.  After a few years I was promoted to retail inventory systems coordinator for the Long Island stores.  I really enjoyed the job and was looking forward to a regional merchandising job. Then, in August 1977, I was at a store visit in Bay Shore, NY and received a call from the regional Personnel Manager.  He said, “How would you like...
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By Grant Schneider, Your Coach Helping You Create Successful Outcomes
(Performance Development Strategies)
I help businesses be the best that they can be.  How do I do that?  To begin with I do not lecture teach or preach.  I don’t come in as a professed expert who thinks I know more about their business than they do, ready to give advice on what they’re supposedly doing wrong.  The fact is that every business is different.  I am not a content expert on their business.  My clients are the content experts.  I respect the fact that every business is different.  As a matter of fact the first thing I hear many times is, “but, our business is different and you have not worked in our business.  How can you help us?”  Although I don’t answer this way, in essence, this is what I say.  “Do you have sales?... Do you have customers?... Do you have employees?  I know about that and can help you unlock y...
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By Grant Schneider, Your Coach Helping You Create Successful Outcomes
(Performance Development Strategies)
There are a number of well publicized fireworks displays for the 4th of July Holiday season.  But here are some additional fireworks.  The festivities start on June 28th.   Photo: Yorktown Somers Patch   Saturday, June 28, 2014   Town of Somers Independence Day Celebration and Fireworks10:00am to 10:00pm Reis Park 98 Primrose Street Katonah, NY  10536 (914) 232-8441 The fireworks will begin at dusk!   Town of Lewisboro 16th Annual Fireworks Spectacular 6:00pm Onatru Farmhouse 99 Elmwood Road, Lewisboro, NY 10590 $20.00/car The fireworks display will be open to the residents of the Town in celebration of Independence Day. Come out and enjoy the fun and excitement and be among family, friends and neighbors. Don’t forget your blankets, chairs and flashlights. 6:00PM – Parking and picnickin...
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