BACK TO SCHOOL, BACK TO WORK

More than half the calendar year is gone, but that doesn’t mean that it’s time to coast to the finish. Quite the opposite. For me, the time between summer break and winter holidays is the most productive part of the year, and the next few months will determine whether I meet the goals I set for myself at the start of 2017.

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Although the season doesn’t officially change until mid-September, the start of the school year is still one of my favorite milestones. Kids going back to school means that life can resume its usual rhythm. When I was a kid, I remember vibrating with excitement about starting a new school year. As an adult, I haven’t changed that much. After taking some much needed vacation time, I feel rested, refreshed, and ready to take on all challenges in my path.

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Personal health, the wellbeing of my family, and professional growth are the three main areas that call for my attention. Sometimes they compete with each other, and other times they’re actually complementary. Entering the home stretch of the year is an ideal time to pause, take stock, and refocus my effort where it is needed most.

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I set very ambitious personal fitness goals for 2017. Although it’s been a challenging commitment to get to the gym before work every day, the results tell me I’m on a good path. My energy levels and productivity have never been higher, and I’m seeing a great return on my time invested in fitness. I may have taken it a little too easy over vacation, but seeing such positive results through the first half of the year has me fired up to resume my hard work.

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On the professional development front, I’m happy to see Alliance’s network of investors, brokers, real estate agents, and other professionals continuing to grow and thrive. In the real estate investing business, growth can come in different ways, so doing thing right is crucial. Growth for its own sake can lead to bad investments, and that’s why it’s so important to periodically stop and reflect on goals and progress. To make sure we’re doing the right things the right way.

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To grow Alliance’s business, we need to prudently widen our geographic reach, while staying within our niche — single tenant net lease — where we have a demonstrated advantage.

To that end, I’ve been traveling for business much more frequently in 2017. Business travel takes a toll — less time with family, and it’s even more difficult to stick to a fitness routine when I’m on the road. But all this travel is introducing me to new business partners across the real estate ecosystem, and that is enabling Alliance to grow intelligently. Our deal flow is up 25% this year, and the quality of our deals remains top notch.

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Staying focused on the right things requires remembering the why of business. We’re investing for the future. Our investors care about their children, retirement, and communities, and business serves those priorities. Remembering that purpose helps check any impulse to approve a marginal deal. While more deals might raise our profiles and paychecks today, they’re not the recipe for a secure future.

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As I reflect on my year thus far and the productive months to come, I’m excited. Focusing on health and fitness is helping me do more at work. Lots of travel and business outreach is expanding Alliance’s network in just the right way — we’re seeing more deal opportunities in widening geographies, and we’re executing our game plan. Things may have slowed down a bit over the summer, but the months to come should bring more of the same. I can’t wait to see what’s coming!

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