Back in 1991, I stood at a crossroads. If I had listened to the negative chatter from the “Average Joes” around the office watercooler, I’d probably still be stuck in my old job as a janitor—the one I took right out of high school in 1981, cleaning toilets for over a decade. It would have been so easy to settle, to stay comfortable, and to blend in with the crowd. But something inside me whispered, there’s more for you.

I remember watching the so-called “BIG REALTORS”—the luxury agents of that time—and thinking, Why not me? What did they have that I couldn’t learn? All I needed to do was dress the part, act like I belonged, and copy what they were doing. And so, I did.

I copied. I pretended I belonged. I immersed myself in learning—taking every class I could find and cramming my brain with knowledge. Within just four years, I rose to become one of the top agents in my market.

What I discovered along the way is something I share with audiences now: success follows a recipe. Just like baking a cake, if you follow the right steps, you’ll create the same result. And the best part? Once you master the recipe, you can add your own ingredients and make something even better.