So much has happened this year. Let’s recap some of the years biggest stories to find the best lessons for real estate.
Celebrity Hacking Scandal & Sony Pictures Hacking Scandal
Poster for The Interview. Image Source: BBC News
Undoubtedly, these two stories rank pretty high as the biggest scandals of 2014. As if the hacking of celebrity iCloud accounts was not enough, Sony Pictures was also hacked in December. Everything from what producers actually think about actress Angelina Jolie, to celebrity salaries and nasty emails exchanged between hollywood producers was made public much to the embarrassment of high level Sony executives. Then, The Interview, a movie starring Seth Rogen and James Franco, was scrapped by Sony as a result of the hacking which President Obama is not too happy about.
Lessons for Real Estate:
- These events remind us to be vigilant about protecting our accounts, being cautious of what we write in emails and ensuring that you don’t write a script about plotting the murder of North Korean leader, Kim Jong-un.
- On a serious note, there are ways to protect your business and your privacy and we outline one way here if you use cloud-based services.
The Passing Away of Robin Williams
Robin Williams. Image: time.com
In August of this year, the man who brought the world so many laughs was found dead at his home in California. It later came out that the 63 year old actor had been struggling with depression for many years. This news shocked his fans and peers alike.
Lessons for Real Estate:
- “You’re only given a little spark of madness. You mustn’t lose it.” – Robyn Williams
- Whether you’re working with a big team or one on one with clients. You never know what someone else is going through so take the time to send a nice note or share a passing smile.
ALS Ice Bucket Challenge
The Ice Bucket Challenge was a viral craze that hit Facebook this year. The challenge involved dumping ice water on your head to raise awareness about amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and raise funds for research. It was a huge success as the ALS Society of Canada has raised $100 million dollars since the challenge began.
The guy who started the challenge for his friend Anthony, had this to say: “What started out as a small gesture to put a smile on Anthony’s face and bring some awareness to this terrible disease has turned into a national phenomenon and it is something we never could have dreamed of” – Chris Kennedy
Lessons for Real Estate:
- Never doubt what the power you have as an individual. As a Real Estate agent, you are helping people make the biggest investment of their life, that is power. Use it wisely.
“Let it Go” song from the Frozen movie
Queen Elsa, Frozen Movie
This 3D animated movie was a hit with people big and small this year.
The message of being yourself resonated with people from all walks of life. In particular, the song became just about the most annoying thing this year (in my humble opinion). That being said, I can’t lie and tell you that it was not on repeat for a short while!
Lessons for Real Estate:
- Let all the difficulties from this year go. Don’t get hung up on things you could not control and things you could have done better. As long as your learning from it, your are on the right track.
Zillow Buying Trulia for $3.5 Billion
This one was big for the real estate industry as a whole. Zillow bought it’s single biggest competitor.
Lessons for Real Estate:
- Remember competition makes you better. As cliche as it sounds, it doesn’t matter if you win necessarily, the fact that you were playing says a lot!
- You should try to be Zillow. Do you know what happens when everyone tries to be Zillow? People get the best service and businesses up their game. So be competitive and be hungry for success!
India Achieved the Cheapest Ever Interplanetary Mission to Mars
An image of India launching the country’s largest rocket. Image: dailymail.co.uk
The Indian Space Research Organizations’ Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM) cost $74 million, a fraction of other Mars missions.
Lessons for Real Estate:
- Use India’s small budget approach to exploration as a lesson for yourself. You don’t need a big team or the most expensive resources to get the job done. You need efficiency and a consensus from you team about the shared goal.
I hope the lessons of 2014 guide your outlook in 2015. Here’s to another productive year with more great lessons to come!
Thanks for reading – Sabrina
Image source: Rocket Ship, Image Source: Queen Elsa , Image Source: Robin Williams, Image Source: The Interview
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