Professor Elam

I heard Roger Staubach speak at a securities meeting. It was clear that he would have been successful even if he had never picked up a football.  Here is Roger’s Story   Yes there are lots of athletes but most fail to transfer their sports success to a practical side of business.  There are I think two things to learn from this story.

As Roger says in the article, he took the time to learn the real estate business.  I am sure he passed up speaking engagements and golf tournaments.  And he is absolutely right, I have never seen anyone succeed for very long unless they knew their business cold.  Roger learned that. Most athletes and everyone else want to skate on the details, that won’t work. 

Next Roger did the thing that everyone talks about but few actually accomplish.  He did think outside the box. Instead of working for the developer who wanted to rent the property, he started a business that worked for the buyer who would lease the property. Now that is original thinking. Decades later realtors now have to declare which side they are on.  Roger did that before everyone else.  I am sure it was easier for Roger to get someone from say Xerox to answer his phone call than it would be for you or me. But if Roger did not have something to offer after the initial pleasantry, it would never have worked. Check out his Dallas website  or his main site and Roger’s comments.

So learn your business.  Then do what everyone else is not doing.  Sounds simple but it is the road less traveled.