Welcome to the June 2024 issue of the Ninja Newsletter for Real Estate Investors! The 2nd quarter of this year is just about over. Summer's here in AZ, a few weeks away in other locales (we don't wait until the Summer Solstice to call it summer!)

As we put the season of graduation ceremonies behind us, it is time to reflect and also to take heed of the lessons learned... even warnings received. In the story of Icarus, the classic myth from ancient Greek mythology, the warning was given not to fly too close to the sun as the wax-winged father & son made their daring escape from the island of Crete. Not heeding his father's advice, Icarus did exactly what his father warned him not to do, flew too close to the sun, and to his peril, the wax wings melted and he fell into the sea.

Easy to think of how silly this may sound on the surface, but in what ways are we behaving just like Icarus, in our personal lives and in our businesses?

Well… in this newsletter you will get some sound guidance that you can adhere to, or fly at your own altitude, at your own risk. And with that, let's get into this newsletter already!

* This Automation of the Month Enables Dashboards! 

* Why Automation Visualizations Are A Must 

* Frameworks for Success: The MDA Framework

* A Philosophical Exercise in Hearing  #WhoWasThat? 

* The Myths & The Magic Behind How Money Is Made

This month we're excited to share with you one of our latest automations that is easily customizable to give you a quick dashboard view of your lead pipeline. Once again, we are leveraging the flexibility of a 3rd party tool called Zapier, which can add quite a bit of flexibility to your business operations, based on the way it can pass data between thousands of popular applications that you already use in your business. One of these tools is called Trello.

For those of you who don't know, Trello is a web-based project management and collaboration tool that uses boards, lists, and cards to help individuals and teams organize tasks and projects. Here are its key features:

* Boards: Represent projects or workspaces where tasks are managed.

* Lists: Columns within boards that can be used to organize tasks into different stages (e.g., To Do, In Progress, Done).

* Cards: Individual tasks or items within lists that can contain descriptions, checklists, attachments, due dates, and comments.

* Collaboration: Allows team members to collaborate in real-time, assign tasks, comment on cards, and track progress.

* Integrations: Supports integration with various other tools like Slack, Google Drive, and more for enhanced functionality.

* Customization: Users can customize boards with different backgrounds, labels, and power-ups to extend Trello's capabilities.

Trello is widely used for project management, task tracking, and team collaboration across various industries. In the case of REI Blackbook, Trello account users can receive data exports from REIBB via a webhook and place the lead info in a CARD on a specific LIST on a given BOARD (think... DASH - BOARD). This may work wonders for the sales manager of an organization who wants to peek at the data "high level", but also be able to quickly drill down into the details if needed. I've included a screenshot example of this zap in action. As you can see in the image below, a quick export of data in REIBB can lead to a multi-category dashboard display that is a nice visual way to peek at the sales pipeline at any given time. Automations like these provide a great way to "dovetail" technologies that a business owner may already use for other purposes and allow them to extract additional value from said tools. To learn more about this automation in action, reply to this email and we will schedule a live demo with you!

Automation visualizations are kinda like the glue between complex automation processes and practical, tangible business outcomes. These visual tools help investors understand their workflows and function of their automation systems, turning abstract concepts into clear, actionable strategies. By seeing a visual representation of how a given automation works, investors can better comprehend how different components interact, where leads are in the sales funnel, and how tasks are being managed.

Why Automation Visualization Matters

1. Clarity in Complexity: Real estate processes involve numerous steps — from lead capture to closing deals. Visualization helps clarify each step, showing how automations manage and streamline these processes.

2. Error Minimization: By visualizing your automation buildouts, you can identify and correct potential errors in workflows before they become costly mistakes.

3. Enhanced Training and Onboarding: New team members can quickly understand your business processes through visual aids, reducing training time and enhancing productivity from day one.

4. Scalability: Visual assets allow you to plan and execute scaling strategies more effectively. They provide a blueprint that can be adjusted and expanded as your business grows.

5. Stakeholder Communication: Whether you’re explaining your setup to investors, partners, or team members, visualizations convey your operational blueprint in a universally understandable manner.

6. Improved Confidence: Who wants to trigger a mysterious follow-up workflow on a seller lead, not knowing what it will do? Automation Visualizations cure that.

Expanded Service Offerings

We specialize in not just creating Ninja Automations, but also in creating customized Automation Visualizations tailored to the specific needs of real estate investors. Whether you are new to automation or looking to enhance your existing systems, our visualizations can help you:

* Map Out Your Automation Strategy: From simple lead management systems to complex property acquisition processes, we help you map out every detail.

* Customize According to Your Needs: Each visualization is crafted to meet the unique demands of your business, ensuring that the final product is not only functional but also perfectly aligned with your goals.

* Provide Ongoing Support and Updates: As your business evolves, so do your automation needs. We offer ongoing support and updates to visualizations to keep them current and effective.

Get Started Today

Embrace the full potential of your real estate investments with our Automation Visualization services. We can start with a consultation to discuss your needs and objectives. From there, we’ll guide you through every step of creating a visual asset that simplifies, enhances, and transforms your real estate operations.

Here's a practical example of a these Automation Visualizations in action: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XRO6JcFK1M0

You know exactly how to get a hold of us to schedule time to talk or Zoom, so hire a Ninja today and let’s build a visual roadmap to your success together! 

Whether you’re a full-time or part time real estate investor, you already know that YOU are the driving force behind every aspect of your business. Whether it’s finding good contractors and overseeing flip projects or planning marketing campaigns and lead management, you wear a multitude of hats… Every. Single. Day. While being your own boss offers incredible freedom, it can also leave you stretched thin and overwhelmed with the volume of recurring repetitive tasks required to keep operations running smoothly.

If you’ve ever found yourself trapped on a treadmill of checking mundane items off your to-do list instead of focusing on high-impact, revenue-generating activities, it's time to revolutionize how you operate. What I want to introduce you to is something called the MDA Framework (a better name is coming, I promise!). The MDA framework is a powerful maneuver designed specifically for solopreneurs like us to streamline processes, multiply productivity, and propel our real estate businesses to the heights we aspire to reach.

You see, when I left Corporate America 8 years ago, I knew I wanted to help make sure we had repeatable results (i.e. paydays) in our business, similar to the "work... work... check" lifestyle that I had grown accustomed to over the last 15 years. So when I realized that in order to create a reliable system, I would have to be able to see and describe all of its components, that drove me to force the issue of performing a full-scale examination on our real estate business! Needless to say, Recia was not thrilled about being held captive over the next two days as I asked question after probing question about our business operations (since I’d been just part time up until now; Recia had gone “ALL IN” just a couple of years earlier). But what surfaced at the end of the exercise was nothing short of remarkable.

At the core of the MDA Framework lies a systematic methodology to scrutinize every process and workflow within the business. What I didn’t realize back then was that this was the foundation of the MDA framework, actually taking the time to go through a meticulous exercise of categorizing each business task into one of three baskets:

1. MANUAL Tasks to Eliminate or DELEGATE

2. Required Tasks to DELEGATE

3. Ideal Tasks to AUTOMATE

This detailed analysis was what allowed us to strip away the noise and pinpoint the areas that were obstructing us from operating at maximum efficiency. By thoroughly analyzing & extracting repetitive, tedious tasks from our plate through delegation or automation, we were able to free up invaluable headspace to concentrate on the endeavors that truly drive our business forward.

In a previously unadvertised capacity, we have worked with a few experienced real estate investors already to help them experience the impact of implementing the MDA Framework, empowering them to:

* Reclaim 10+ hours of productive time per week

* Improve operational consistency and quality control

* Scale their portfolios without needing additional hires

* Achieve a more harmonious work-life balance

Imagine the impact and growth you could realize by eliminating the muck & mire of mundane work and zeroing in on your unique strengths as a real estate entrepreneur. Can you see it?

The MDA Framework equips you with a roadmap to uplevel the core aspects of your business operations. It also helps to align your daily efforts with your longer-term vision and helps you to even “see better” with respect to what solopreneur success looks like. 

If you're ready to break free from the shackles of menial tasks and supercharge your productivity, the first step is simple: reach out and book a consultation call to find out how the MDA Framework can potentially transform your business.

Why allow inefficiencies to keep holding you back? Embrace the future of time management and delegation efficiency with the MDA Framework. Your path to sustainable growth awaits!

Recently a friend shared a link with me to a video that took me unsuspectingly through a thought-provoking exercise that challenged my perceptions of sound, memory, and even consciousness. In this short video, I was simply asked to silently utter the phrase "rock star," and little did I know that this would begin to drive me to reconsider my current level of understanding around the deeper layers of human existence beyond the physical.

What Voice Speaks Within Us?

The exercise began in a very straightforward fashion — say the word "rock star" without moving your lips or producing sound. This simple act leads to profound questions: Whose voice do we hear when we speak silently to ourselves? Where does this voice come from? Teacher and legendary MC KRS-One suggests that this internal voice, heard without any physical sound, is not a function of the ears or brain but of the soul itself. This voice, he proposes, carries with it our deepest memories and experiences, transcending our physical being.

Perception Beyond the Senses

KRS-One delved deeper, questioning how we can 'see' our past or future, or 'hear' thoughts without vibrations of sound. This inner perception does not rely on our physical senses but rather on a deeper, spiritual sight. He describes this as an ancient meditation, revealing that memory and awareness are embedded in our soul, not confined to our physical bodies.

The Realm of Consciousness

What unfolds is a fascinating exploration of consciousness as an entity that exists beyond the limits of our physical dimensions. This inner consciousness is not bound by time or space. It is a dimension of its own, capable of influencing our reality. By acknowledging this, we can live more fully, with an understanding that we are not merely flesh and bone but beings of energy and light.

Empowerment Through Inner Voice

The crux of KRS-One's message is empowerment through the recognition of our inner voice. This voice is not just a whisper within; it is a powerful force that can manifest reality, heal ailments, and transcend the physical constraints of existence. He encourages us to nurture this voice, to converse with it through affirmations and meditations, fostering a life that responds not just to the physical, but to the profound truths of our innermost selves.

Embracing the Immortal Within

To wrap it up, this exercise is not just about hearing or seeing beyond the physical; it's about recognizing and embracing the immortal part of ourselves — the part that survives beyond the physical death. KRS-One invites us to live courageously with the knowledge that what we experience in the physical realm is only a small part of our true existence. By aligning more closely with our inner voice, we unlock the potential to shape our reality and engage with the world in a more profound and meaningful way.

In essence, understanding and embracing the inner voice is not just a philosophical or spiritual exercise; it is a practical approach to enhancing our lives on every level. Through this internal dialogue, we discover that we are indeed, as KRS-One suggests, not just bodies, but timeless beings navigating both the seen and unseen worlds. Deep, huh?

If you read this whole article, you definitely deserve the link to the exercise! Enjoy... 

https://youtu.be/9j0hYHhnTqw

This month I wanted to share some good reads that help you think a little differently. Differently about how you are marketing, differently about how you make your money, and differently about how you are living your life.

Different inputs, different results, right? Let's find out how different these ideas actually are! 

"Integration Marketing" by Mark Joyner presents a strategic approach to marketing where businesses integrate their marketing efforts across different platforms and stages of the sales process to create a seamless customer experience. Want to Super-Simplify all that? How about this? “Would you like FRIES with that?” is one of the best illustrations of "integration points," which are opportunities within existing transactions to introduce marketing (cross-promotion) for other products or services. The book emphasizes the efficiency of using these points to reduce marketing costs and increase impact by reaching customers in places and spaces where they are already engaged. Joyner gives practical advice on how to identify these integration points in a business's operation and leverage them for maximum benefit. The overarching message is that by intelligently integrating marketing efforts, businesses can enhance their reach, increase conversion rates, and achieve better overall marketing effectiveness with lower costs… genius!

"Cash Flow Quadrant" by Robert Kiyosaki is a guide to financial freedom that builds on the concepts introduced in his earlier book, "Rich Dad Poor Dad." The book outlines four types of individuals who make up the world of business and investing: Employee (E), Self-Employed (S), Business Owner (B), and Investor (I). Kiyosaki argues that to achieve financial independence, one must understand the differences between each quadrant and strive to move from the left side (E and S, trading time for money) to the right side (B and I, leveraging money and systems to earn income passively). The book encourages readers to shift their mindset from seeking security through employment to embracing the risk of entrepreneurship and investment. Kiyosaki emphasizes the importance of financial education and understanding the tax benefits and protections that come with being on the right side of the Cashflow Quadrant. This book aims to help individuals use the right mindset and financial knowledge to build wealth and achieve financial independence.

"Seasons of Life" by Jim Rohn is a philosophical exploration of the personal and professional journey of life, using the metaphor of the four seasons to describe the cycles of nature and how they correspond to the various phases of our lives. Rohn argues that life, much like the seasons, is a series of predictable patterns and changes that should be anticipated and embraced. Winter represents the tough times that require perseverance; Spring is a time for planting new seeds of opportunity; Summer is for nurturing these opportunities and protecting them from threats; and Autumn is a time to harvest the rewards of one's efforts. Rohn emphasizes the importance of preparation, hard work, and learning from each season to improve and prepare for the next. The book encourages personal growth and development by understanding these cycles and adapting to them wisely.

Do you know which season of life you’re currently in?

As we approach midyear, it's a great time for a check in on our mental health. One way to do so is by taking stock of your mental habits. Weigh your mental activities on the simple scale provided in this age-old quote that still proves to be true today:

"Strong minds discuss ideas, average minds discuss events, weak minds discuss people."

-- Socrates

We’re sure that you've found this month's edition of the Ninja Newsletter insightful and valuable! If not, I bet you’ll let us know, right? 

Stay tuned for our next issue, filled to brim with goodness, as always!

And if you happen to have any questions about streamlining your business processes, feel free to reach out. We're always around and available to help you level up!

Keep Cool This Summer,

Drew & Recia Davis

Blackbook Ninjas

602-362-8007