Now that I am moving to Calgary, I really needed to trade in my rear wheel drive G35 six speed for a all wheel drive car as the roads in Calgary are brutal in the winter. Calgary is also famous for the threat of snow every month of the year. I went to my Infiniti Dealership to get my car serviced and decided to look at the new stuff.

I decided on a 2009 G37xS, 4 door sport. It has all wheel drive and and is an automatic so no more clutch for me! I think I will miss my cherry red G35 6 speed, but times change and circumstances dictate you adapt. The good news is that Dealers are very anxious to move cars so the deal was too good to pass up.

Below is a rear view of the car and the one above is me taking delivery at the Infiniti Dealership. If you come out to Calgary for a visit, I will take you for a ride.

I am leaving Friday for Calgary so will update on my first day on the job.

Kind Regards,

Larry

Well, I interviewed today for a New Home Sales position in Calgary and was hired. Yes Larry Clark blog fans, I am moving back to Calgary. I start on the 15th of this month for Calbridge Homes and will start selling in Cochrane at the “Sunset Point” development and I am really looking forward to it.

Calbridge Homes is an outstanding builder and I am blessed to be able to work with them. They are very forward thinking and have an excellent land position for growth for the next 10-15 years. This means the trail has ended for Allpro and myself and I will sell off the remaining assets and turn it over to someone else to carry on.

Looking forward to the challenge of selling new homes in a development again and we will now concentrate on selling our home in BC and moving to Calgary very quickly. I will miss our time and friends in Abbotsford as well as my years with Allpro, but it has run it’s course and it’s time I use the skills and experience I have gained through the years to help another Company grow.

I will continue on with my blog of course and will fill you in on life back in Calgary.

Thanks for keeping up with me,

Larry J Clark

I was watching a sermon online and the Speaker, who used to be a Pastor but was called into the marketplace, stated that there were three categories of Mankind:

1. those who cannot be changed
2. those who are changeable
3. those who are called to make change!

I thought this statement was quite profound as I have found myself in all of those categories in my life. I recently interviewed for positions and although I felt the interviews went well, I picked out a few statements that I had made that really spoke of a “unchangeable” mindset. My success in life has always been when I was humble enough to change and then think of ways to spearhead changes that help people and business grow.

What a great reminder this morning that our focus should not be on how we have always done things (not changing) but on being open to change and to lead in change.

I hope this encourages you this week.

Kind Regards,

Larry J Clark

I was thinking today about how I have added extra income to our stream in good and bad times and wanted to share with you what has worked for me.

The best way to source extra income is to use your influence. What does this mean? Use the contacts and relationships you have established to refer them to complimentary services that they can use. Here is a recent example that was proposed to me:

A Mortgage Brokerage Company asked me to refer anyone that I knew that was looking to refinance or for a new mortgage. They said they would pay me at least $250.00 just for sending someone to them and they write a mortgage. I think everyone knows someone who needs a mortgage or is refinancing, so why not contact a Mortgage Broker and see if they will sign a referral agreement with you. Yes, please have a written agreement not a verbal one!

A Realtor friend also knows I know allot of people and will give me a “gift” for a client that uses him. This can be cash or I suggest a gift card to your favorite store or restaurant. Gift cards are not taxable as income here in Canada (no gifts are usually) and this is a way that you can go for dinner or buy something without using your own money.

Here’s a big one for you. I have heard this past week, no kidding, two Companies I had dealings with that have merged and partnered with competitors to share costs and the market. Even a couple of years ago this would be unheard of. Why not contact Companies you know and see who their competitors are and see if you can broker a partnership between the two for a fee? How about just introducing them for referral fee and let them work something out? This will take some work but hey, nothing ventured nothing gained and could be quite a nice pay day for you.

I understand you are not all in business but I am confident that we all have imagination and contacts that can lead to a generation of income even in this economy.

To your future,

Larry J Clark

I have decided after some contemplation (not very much really) that Facebook and I must part. I found it addictive and time consuming. I know that people mean well by posting their ‘life’ experiences and photo’s, but there can be a danger of obsession of knowing what everyone else is doing and not concentrating on what you should be doing. Anyway, I found it like that and even a bit “gossipy” in some areas.

There are also stories out there of adding people loosely to your friends list without really knowing them. I have never done that and I apologize to those I have not added, but I am very selective as to who I added to Facebook. Maybe it’s that Police background in me, but I am confident there are people who really don’t care about you or your life, they are just curious. Nothing really wrong with this I guess, but it is not for me. There are also inherit dangers from not so nice people as well trying to gain your personal information.

Anyway, this is not meant to offend anybody but is a decision I feel is right for me. You can always contact me (you all know how) and I will post often on my blog. I will stick to Linkedin for my business contacts and be more of a ‘one on one’ friend to people and family.

Kind Regards,

Larry

These are unusual times. Not only in the employment field but also in real estate here in the Vancouver Canada area. My wife and I are in the process of selling our own home “by owner” and although we have priced it very aggressively and have had allot of interest…no takers. (We are becoming ‘empty nester’s’ and I am looking to buy a Condo). I am not sure if people cannot qualify for mortgages or it is just a case that buyers won’t part with their money. I know that prices here have gone down @ 10-12% so there are some definite bargains to be have. We have priced our home twenty thousand below tax assessment. Well, another open house this weekend so maybe things will change.

I am also in the process of following up on the resumes I have sent out. Being the proactive guy that I am, I even sent resumes to Companies that have not posted positions to look at my experience and see if I could be a fit for their Marketing and Sales division. Nope…nada. No takers and not even the courtesy of a ‘thanks, but no thanks response’. I do have a couple of contract positions that I am exploring so there are some positives. My concern is that you really have to have allot of patience and fortitude to tough these times out. Oh, and in my previous posting, Companies really need to respond to inquiries. It’s not like they don’t have the time!

I have been in some tough times before in my past 15 years of business so I am in it for the long haul. For those of you who are finding hard to hang on, let me know and maybe I can give you some wisdom and encouragement. Remember, don’t beat yourself up for a market you cannot control. There is a light at the end of the tunnel!

Kind Regards,

Larry J Clark

Maybe I am a bit old school, but I remember when actual experience in life and business was actually valued at one time. When I was hired by the Calgary Police Service in the early 80’s, the best policeman were the hard working ‘farm boys’ who learned from their parents what hard work was and more importantly, common sense. You can’t teach that sometimes. The Police Service then decided they wanted to recruit people with University degree’s. Now there is nothing wrong with a University Degree, but Calgary started to have problems with ‘educated’ candidates who did not take instruction well, wanted to be promoted faster than probable, and ended up leaving Police work because they knew they could get a office job, 9-5, for the same pay.

In business, there really are some similarities to my above story. I have sent out some resumes to Companies that I felt could use my 18+ years of sales and marketing experience, and more importantly, my ‘hand’s on’ business experience. No, I don’t have a degree from a University but I did go to College. What I do have is a ‘degree’ in actual experience where I took theory and put it to successful practice. You would think that a progressive Company would see that experience and jump at the chance of hiring someone like me. Nope…so far no takers. Now I don’t want you to think this is sour grapes or anything, as I am optimistic that I will get a call soon.

The point is this…history always seems to repeat itself. With the hiring of younger Managers who have come through the BA and other degree paths, there are certain things they are taught in school. Theory being one of them. The challenge is, experience and practical ‘hands on’ are a concept only and I am guessing most Prof’s probably have not started and run a business ever, yet they are teaching people to be in business. (Now again, I am not slamming University as I have actually taken some University courses and they have helped me.) What I am seeing is a underutilized wealth of people and experience that are out there and overlooked because they do not ‘fit’ the theory of what a Manager or Executive should look like.

As the baby boomers get closer to retirement age, they are being forced to work longer due to economics. This is a good thing I think because, maybe they will get that second look from a business, as a viable way to integrate experience vs having to train a ‘newbie’. We will see.

Personally, I like to look at the full forest and find that single tree.

Kind Regards,

Larry

I have sent in my Real Estate License to be processed as “suspended” for now.  With all that is going on in my other business enterprises, my focus could not be on Real Estate as well right now.

This is a bitter sweet kind of decision as I know I was good at Real Estate and enjoyed most of it, but it was only a supplemental thing for my time and now I must concentrate on a International focus for my business talents. I know this is where I am being led right now so I needed to get rid of ‘baggage’ that would not be valuable to me moving forward.

To all my clients and colleagues out there in Real Estate, I know I will miss seeing them regularly, but in this tight market, one less Realtor to compete with will probably help!

May you find your path in life,

Larry J Clark