Welcome back to luxury code today. We are blessed to have a legend. The betty betty graham in the house. So listen to this licensed in malibu california in 1976.

And some pal started coasting canyon. A little boutique brokerage. Then she was wooed away by the legendary jack douglas of the john douglas company. Worked with jack for several years before cola banker.

Then acquired that company. The first big luxury company that they had acquired she managed the number. One coldwell banker office. Internationally for 12 straight.

Years. In beverly hills. California. Leading hundreds of agents to extraordinary levels of success.

So much that cola banker. Gave her a little tap on the shoulder. And asked them to lead globally their previews division now we would refer to it as cold banker global luxury when i travel around the country and i talk to friends in the luxury marketplace. And i mention the name betty graham.

I literally hear from hundreds of people that betty graham touched their life in a way changed their business in a way led them in a way that impacted them forever today on the luxury code. We have betty graham ladies and gentlemen betty welcome to the show wow tommaso thank. You such a serious introduction betty. There are few people in real estate that deserve an introduction and i probably could have talked for 15 or 20 minutes.

But they don't want to hear from me they want to talk to you so betty. I could go a thousand different directions in this show um. But i i love your ability to tell stories tell us tell us like what did you do before you got into real estate. So people have contacts and then what in the world.

Were you and your friends thinking starting a real estate company from scratch in malibu in 1976. After you just got your license well. And it was all female that little group yes coast and canyon and uh. Why not if it made sense.

We had an office on the coast and an office in the canyon topanga canyon. Yeah. Yeah so uh why not it's independence right people people love to be independent. It took me a while to realize that we could we could have that within the context of a big warm embrace from a fabulous company with where it was easier to get listings.

It was easier to attract buyers sure sure but betty you know 1976 there's there's a young girl. Listening right now that aspires to one day start her own company what would you say to that girl i mean 1976. I i can't think of many female ceos. I can't think of many female owners at that time let alone starting brand new and in malibu california.

Like in the heart of luxury real estate. What would you say to that young girl listening right now well i was local right so i think knowing where you are and then building a profile. There you have a you have a head start wherever you are so if you like that place then own it as uh. I once heard in town ferry.

Be the mayor of that town that's right oh and you can do it so beautifully now with video video first right. Mr. Tom so i mean interviewing the locals you know getting engaged with the community in so many ways they're they love to share they love to be what i found in building. My career is that the people that i met through my ex husband who was a film director uh and i had to earn their trust.

I mean you don't just hand somebody because you're a wife right. But they wanted to help you know i i was i was a photographer first trying to you know that's hard to make a living in photography and still photography and uh. But it was so much fun. I got to be on the set and shoot right and see my pictures on beside of the movie theater and like that so that part was fun.

But it i think it it implied that i was a worker bee and so those people. I just developed their their confidence. You know their trust trust is everything and so to that young girl. I would say start where you are and you know just build your company build your life around that company.

I love it i want to go somewhere. Where else get on the greyhound. Bus like i did from lost. Hills california and head down to.

La. You know just step up so betty. I think it's tough right. I i mean no one says it better than you i think it's important for the person that doesn't know you know your background.

I have been so lucky to to know you for such a long time. And you know just the the work that we've been able to do and and in the spirit of what's going on here for the person listening betty. This legend is a business coach for us. Now and works with these people that just uh swear by her words every single day.

Give a little backstory. Though like you know just for the person listening before we get into all this luxury stuff that you were just remarkable at where were you born how did you get to california just kind of the the short version yeah. But first of all i i would be nowhere without you tom. I can't even begin to tell you i'm so grateful to you you helped me so.

Much when i was president of caldwell banker. You were right there by my side. If i ever reached out and thank you thank you for that yeah so i i was born on a cotton farm in alabama. It's hard to be on a cotton farm in alabama.

Because the stocks don't grow very tall you look at the comparison to the san joaquin valley. They're about three or four times taller because there's more i guess nutrients in the soil. I don't know but then we moved to we're one of eight children right my father believed he had to grow a farmworker's family. Right so then we were we bought a little farm in in the southeast corner of missouri 100 acres.

He turned that farm into you know it was raw land with stumps and things and he turned that farm into a very productive farm for the area. But in the end. It's you know too much floods. Too much sun and you can't make any money you have to keep replanting you've always do what you've always done you'll always get what you've always got right tom right right so piled everything we owned on the top of our studebaker and drove to the san joaquin valley.

Like john steinbeck right yeah and i was 15. So that's right we i lived in a migrant workers camp and went to high school in wasco or outside of bakersfield. So that's my background. When you you hear that story and you know you and i talk so much you know about work ethic do the right thing strong values you know great relationships.

I don't want to say that there's a lot of people that didn't have the kind of you know upbringing that you've had because a lot of people have experienced you know hardship tougher lives. How much of that though do you think shaped who you become a maybe a hundred percent you know uh first of all with five boys and i was the middle girl. The first born nobody messed with edna and then the last one was our baby. So i'm in the middle of these hunka hunka burning testerone testosterone and and they're always taunting.

Me you know and i you know i was driven. I still believe that i have a subconscious messaging from those guys. So yeah. You know it's uh work ethic is just in me i mean i.

But the only problem with that tom i i think it's like being on a treadmill you can never get there from here you can never get enough you can never get i think my poor husband. I think he keeps wondering when i'm gonna start acting my age i hope never just for the you know spirit of truth here never so so betty let's talk about leading through interesting times you you manage this unbelievable office. This legendary office with i don't you know maybe you you share how many agents. But you know you saw markets with high interest rates you saw markets with inflation you saw markets during turbulent times.

And yet you you ran the number one office in the world for 12 years. Those weren't all easy years so so what advice do you have for the listener today. Who is we're all leading ourselves we're we're leading our families. We're we're leading our support team we're leading our buyers and sellers through some interesting times right now what what have you found to be the things that you know the plays that you run during these challenging times.

Well you know the there will always be challenging times. And in a real estate broker's life. It's what makes it so fascinating so what i said while ago keep your head down yes do keep your head down. But keep your social media up enough really keep keep working add a little more budget to what you're advertising.

Don't stop now put your foot on the pedal. Call more people they want to hear what's going on you are the expert. You know you're the one who really knows follow kcm do that package that kcm is offering right now. It's phenomenal it helps you it answers.

The questions for you makes you look like a star that knows what they're doing talking about and it really is supplying wonderful information to the community who hears the bits and pieces. So when you go to the dentist. And he says so how is the market right it's really it's crazy. It's like on everybody's lips.

So yes you have to have an answer yeah. But you know this is just another time it uh you know in inflation. Usually typically if you really look at what has happened historically usually housing prices go up so follow what kcm is directing here. And you know you you're so the step up yes first of all familiarity breeds trust.

You know so send out a cma every day call at least one a day with have a conversation. You know i really appreciate the you know our past and future business and i feel an obligation to let you know what's really going on and some of my clients have been asking for uh. A market analysis just out of curiosity because they want to know where they stand so it would be my pleasure to send you a complimentary market analysis of your home. And i'll do that today and i'll give you a call tomorrow.

Now that was on a video to them so they're not answering you. Yeah your video the face breeds trust right familiarity breeds trust right. So you're doing a three step punch. And and giving them some great solid information.

Betty. So what so this is so great like i have like five questions going through my head the first thing is how do you stay so culturally relevant. I mean think about you're sitting here talking social and video and all this stuff and a lot of people you know they i don't know they just they struggle to keep their finger on the pulse. And one of the things i've always admired about you is you you have your finger on the pulse.

How does somebody do that if they're listening to right now. Like what's your best advice well wait when you get up in the morning start with that you know you gotta wake up with the right attitude. I say good morning to my toes. You know i put them off hello feet.

You know. And i my trainer taught me to and to cheat to talk to them right so. I do that and then i do exactly what that remember that nice young man you had on one of the summits. Who said go straight to the mirror and give yourself a big smile.

Yes. I do that every single day time i shoot every day before i brush my teeth. I love it and and it makes me feel good first of all you're prettier. When you smile you know and you know why not start the day with loving yourself.

Yeah. So what was the question yeah so you do all these things to keep yourself fired up. But betty listen you are this powerhouse who's been in this business for a long time and you're talking about cma. A day campaigns.

You're talking about shooting video. Because people don't answer phones. There's someone listening right. Now who works in the high end or maybe aspires to be in the high end and they're like i'm afraid to do things like video like i'm afraid of some of those activities or as you mentioned earlier.

I'm making phone calls every day like i look at your average sales price. You know maybe the people don't know they're listening right. Now you're still doing transactions right you're still engaged in in the business. And you're also you know helping others and you're coaching people and you're running your life.

And like i just think to myself. What do you say to the person right now that is a little stuck who just isn't moving forward with the times video just as an example yeah. So i know i have one of my coaching clients who knows she needs to be doing video. But she just is inhibited.

I mean i don't know what they it is is it about giving away your soul away the indian belief or whatever i but you gotta go beyond what it is you feel like if you look at the superstars in real estate. They don't get up every day and feel like doing what they do but they do it anyway. That's it and and so and and that's another thing is watch what other people do look at how they look look at how their social profile is you know being uh mindful. It's not that you're gonna leapfrog and go right into it that hardly ever happens you may get an opportunity that you wouldn't have had and and but then you know you've got to build on that opportunity right so.

But to um to the exact question. I i i think it's about making your list knowing that you're you know working on your mindset early and every day and and then making the time for it our lives are like one tornado after another in real estate. That's who we are tom. I believe that the real estate agent that they're the unsung heroes of the business world you know look at that you you spec your time you spec your energy and you spec your money you never know for sure when and if it'll pay off i mean i think it's noble work that a real estate agent does so if if you start with that and you feel good about the work.

You've chosen and you like serving people and you like helping people grow and certainly real estate is the place that they're going to build the most wealth right right. It's it's a given and you look at what the market is doing since 1965. It's gone that way right yeah. So there may be a dip now and then but look at the whole picture.

So. How long are you going to hold hold on to that property right you know and sure when are you going to start living your life post pandemic. You know yeah. I think i lost track.

It's okay. I love it i mean no you just you just keep spitting fire. I want to go a totally different direction. Betty.

What's the biggest transaction. You've been involved in either supporting one of your agents. Or yourself. Personally.

And what was a lesson through that crazy transaction. Oh wow. That's a good question um. So.

Mrs. Spelling. We were going to go over to preview. The mansion and do a listing presentation and she had disclosed that she would be seeing other agents she liked our agent had done a deal with her.

But you know she was going to see other good agents. So so we um pulled out all stops. We had our pr guy there with us. I had bob foster because i wasn't sure that uh he was my rvp at the time.

I wasn't sure that spelling would really she might like a nice man there yeah. And um. We had jeanette our advertising or marketing person. So that we were like four or five people on this side of the white sofa.

Yeah and on that side was mrs. Spelling and her attorney and her pr person and her book publisher you know and so on so it was facing each other so the attorney said to me so betty if mrs. Spelling lists her house at 50 million and you bring an offer of 39. What would you think she should do mind you this was many years ago.

Yeah and i said look lovingly at that and and uh just as i spoke her wheaton terrier. Comes bounding in and jumps on the white silver and into my lap. So i did what was natural. I rubbed her ears.

The attorney continued the conversation and then madison was the dog's name he moved along and later in mrs. Spelling's book. She said that she had chosen her a realtor by who her dog liked best so go figure. A nice a nice 50 million dollar listing.

You're like i now bring dog treats on every presentation. I go on no question that is now didn't the spelling property sell again after that again. And again right. I thought was the like the last one something like north of 150 million dollars.

I thought yes that's right what is it like what is it like walking into a presentation like that you know for the person. Listening. That you know like some people are intimidated by 800 000. Sales price.

Some people are intimidated by an 8 million dollar sales price. But when you start talking you know 100 million sales price. What what advice do you have in terms of preparation or you know winning the listing beyond hoping and praying that you got dog treats in your pocket and the dog. Likes you what what advice do you have so you know first of all you've spent a lot of time already in preparation when you come there.

You've got a beautiful bound presentation about her property and about it in context. Because about establishing value in in the ultra high end is an art form. It's not it really you use the data yes. But it's it's uh.

Knowing the the value of the finishes or the amenities right of course location and but so it's uh. It's all of those things and in the end. It's how you make that person feel or how that person feels with you and you know that person is probably not a lot different in their everyday life than your life in their everyday life they get up the same way and i hope they smile in the mirror. And but they they what they have on their mind is maybe getting their child into school or you know improving the soccer game or you know how how am i going to lose 10 pounds.

I gotta stop smoking you know all of those things are what life issues. So that's what people have too you find some commonality with that person and by researching learn as much as you can and there's so much available information online. You work on finding information about the property of course and the history of the property. And hopefully you live there right and celebrity is an interesting thing too celebrity.

I don't think it adds really value. But it adds value to the exposure right so i mean it and so in that sense it certainly adds value. But you bring as much information as you know about the parties. Because that's how you're going to reach commonalities.

You can't fake it i mean you can't say oh i love working for animal rescue. When you just you might instead say gee that is so interesting. I've often wanted to do something like that. But i don't know where to begin.

Yeah. Right oh. Let me tell you right exactly right. Yes.

Exactly. So yeah. I you know i i if they want to know what you're going to do how you're going to handle their property. And that it's going to be the way and that they're you know in terms of if you know them if you really know them you don't even have to have a non disclosure addendum sign because they know that it's in the vault.

Yes. But more normally they might you might not even know them and they ask about that yes of course. I'll be happy to your your information is critically. Important keep you know keeping a lid on all of that so and they don't you know many times people don't want to know um particularly not the price.

Which that always gets out into the universe somewhere right uh. But they think that they can control that well at least. They can control it through the negotiation. Yes.

I remember john johnny carson. One time he had uh. He wanted to buy the lot across the street to put a tennis court. And there were there were two lots one had a house on it and one was vacant and so he didn't want them to know.

It was he offering because then they would put the price higher right and so we we negotiated with his business manager's name and uh he he built that wonderful property that way. But yeah so they they like to stay hidden yeah. But they also love recognition right. It's a delicate yeah.

I mean every luxury broker i talk to this you know celebrities celebrities ceos athletes. It's that delicate dance right and trust is the most important thing. I was thinking i was just thinking that in the la market specifically right the the ernie carswell. Who i just was with a couple days ago at gathering of the eagles joyce ray.

I mean we could just go on and on and on all of these legendary real estate brokers. There's so much competition in the marketplace. The the new guard that's come in the last decade. The altman brothers and you know i look at john grauman and you know all these just incredible agents.

There's so much competition. What do you do to stand out what do you do to find your tribe. So and you look at uh ernie is a great example i think of someone who um. I love ernie carson joyce ray you know right really.

But but they and and they both do this. So. Joyce has a wonderful team so does ernie have a wonderful team and they both reflect the values you know like we at john douglas company. His his uh.

The sign of respect was his mantra. It was on every sign the sign of respect and you there was a demand in that right so what they're putting out there both of them joyce is very engaged with so many charitable and political uh processes and and uh ernie with that veranda or whatever. It is he calls. It he's so sharing gives so much wonderful information.

Which the clients will listen to the agents will listen to he is about making life better here for the real estate agent for the real estate client yes. And and um joyce it you know she does it with tenderness. And you know that it's going to be handled the right way both of them come to the party with a history that you cannot quarrel with so then how to be the one up against them ask them to share it with you you know you know if you're if you're not sure you're gonna get it even. Though you know the people well and they seem to care about you yeah make yourself you know sometimes that's it's a young my gracious what do they say two and two makes five you got to get into a a formula of i'm building something here.

Yeah. I'm building it for a reason. So that if her if here if that agent's. He or she is so clear about who they are then you say who am i going to align myself.

With that would please my client yes would certainly please the other agent yes it's so interesting. I interviewed. Randy b. On this show big shout out to randy from new york city and and he literally says.

My first high end listing was an expired listing in new york city for 20 million dollars. And i said how did you get it he goes. I went to the number one agent in that part of town in my company and said would you come with me on this listing appointment. Let's split it 50 50 right the number of times.

I've heard that story i go back to you know i'm you know you and i've been doing this for a long time when i coached joe babajohn a hundred years ago. Joe's entire business model was he would tell agents hey if you get a hot one bring me in right. And just i mean. He was you know i say joe you know joe if you're listening shout out to you right so a legend in the business remember him like driving around in his rolls royce with the giant brick cell phone.

I'm dating. I'm dating us here right and he would just say hey if you got a hot one call. Me. I don't care if it's 3 million 5 million 50 million like.

But when he would show up that's that agent went from good agent to legendary status overnight. So there is something to that right i absolutely agree 100 betty last question before we got a bounce here you have done so much for so. Many you were spitting fire earlier on like you need to be making phone. Calls you need to be doing cma of days you need to be sending videos.

What advice do you have for the person listening right now that is aspiring to raise their sales price or just aspiring to do more. And again looking at your legendary history and now you know as an amazing you know performance coach. What are two or three nuggets that you would share as we wrap this up to just point people in the right direction. Two things again.

I say that we have a lot of chaos around us. So before you go on any important. Phone. Call zoom.

Call or in person. Get yourself. Centered 15 minutes of being really quiet. So that when you go you are truly engaged you are absolutely present and they will always know if that's true or if it's not true even on a phone call.

They'll know if you're distracted. Or your words are not if if you're not looking out for them from the get go you know i mean. That's what i think luxury product is one thing. But luxury service is how you're going to get the business and so that feeling that absolute commitment uh you look at chris cortazzo.

He looks into the eyes of whomever. He is with and you feel like your soul has been seen yes. And he he has that genius ability to make people feel that there's no one else in the room. And so i think being that focused is a wonderful springboard for any agent.

I agree so that focus that and again big shout out to chris cartazo. Who we've known forever. I mean you know you you helped him so much in his career. So the first one is just preparation and listening what's number two okay so what's number two preparation unless you've got to know the inventory you everything you're doing is to bring value right if you know the inventory.

And you know the um. The histories and so don't ever miss an opportunity to go on caravan or to see more houses yes. That's where you're going to see more agents and getting yourself aligned with really good agents you know so and they people love to help i think people love to see people grow yes. You know it's what motivates me is i i want yeah my my brothers are they give me the spark the electricity for it.

But i want to make a difference here i want to make a difference in the lives of real estate agents and that's why i love being you know being a coach for you tom. It it's so if they have that same kind of commitment. I think it'll all happen so much smoother. I agree there's not many people i can talk to looking at my own team here.

Who can just casually. Say you know. When johnny carson called me and wanted to buy the lot next door. Betty.

I love you so much for the for the people that are listening i hope you i'm sure you you hear my respect and admiration for this woman. And you know she's kind to say that i was always there supporting her and betty you were always you've always had my back and for that i am always grateful for you um. I really think we need to do a long form version next time you and i got to get together face to face. Because i think about that time that i interviewed you many moons ago and you're like don't ask me any questions about my way early past.

And it's the only thing. I wanted to talk about so so we're leaving everybody here as a hook for the next face to face interview with betty graham. So betty thank you for your time your generosity your leadership your ability to move people i can't wait to see in a couple weeks at the summit um. I know you're active on social.

So if you're not following betty graham. I strongly recommend it her current average sales price looks to be about seven million dollars in beverly hills. So she's still active in the business. If you know someone that needs her support.

I would tell you send her your referrals. She is that but she's not bananas. I've never done that on the show before ever. I don't think i'm ever going to do it again.

But betty deserves it right because she's done so much for the industry. So i love you i'll see you in a couple weeks. So my friends thanks so much for watching make sure you hit that subscribe button hit the notification button share this with a friend or two that needs some legendary insight from one of the true. Just best of the best of the industry.

Betty thanks. So much for being on the show today. Thank you thank you thomas all right lots of love see you soon do you.