Late start this morning for me. I went out with my agent Erin last night after work. I like to do it as often as I can. Bonding with my agents. We are friends as much as we are a company. I do care for them very much. I care for them as people not just as my staff. We have a great vibe in our office because of our care and concern for one another. I think it is very unique. Luckily, there is really rarely any awkwardness about the blurred lines between our personal and professional feelings towards one another. There is a great deal of respect for me as their “boss”, they are my troops, they hate to let me down, and for that I am very grateful. We work together, as much as we laugh and cry together. I can see when they are down. And I want to know why. I do feel responsible for them. I enjoy taking care of them. They are like my family. I feel like ‘Momma Adina” As Ray says “you always feed me”. Translation- I pay for lunch. I am lucky to have them. I like giving them advice, especially the girls. Most of “my girls” as I call them are in their 20’s and almost all of them are single like me.

Last night Erin and I were chatting. I found myself remembering myself at 27. I encouraged her to go out and do things.

"Get out of the box. Get dressed up one evening and go out take yourself out to dinner at a very fancy restaurant you wouldn’t normally go to.” I said. “Sit at the bar- even just get a salad. You never know who you’ll meet!”

I found myself getting excited about NYC all over again and about being open. And her eyes fluttered with possibility. All of a sudden whatever she had been telling me about what had been getting her a little bit down seemed much farther off into the distance, and we were both filled with hope.

That’s what openness does for you. When we are closed, we’re closed. Then actually nothing really significant happens-not personally or professionally. That’s a lesson I have learned the hard way. For a while I was closed (long story) but thought I was open. (the worst kind of closed) but now that I am open-I am flooded. So I understand just how closed I was. When you open yourself up, success can happen. Failure can happen too, and that’s the scary part. But if you do nothing, the alternative is just being stuck. Sure you can “maintain” and float by in life. But that’s just not ‘me.”

Yesterday was my weekly office meeting. I told my agents that my goal for them was that each one of them would soon become “mini-Adina’s.” My idea is that each one will have my exclusive buildings divided up under their name as individual exclusive account managers, as they do now. But that that grows as I bring in new business. I envision each agent with an assistant/agent working under them. This will allow them to reach the 6-figure income mark, and that is my goal for them. I believe in setting goals. If you have a goal you can achieve it. If you don’t have a goal, then you’re just flailing around. I know if we do that it would be an out standing achievement to have an office full of 6-figure income producers. That’s what I want. And I usually get what I want. I have to say they looked a little shell shocked, but I am strong enough to “hold” the goal for all of them. I will hold the door open, so to speak. If they listen to what I say they should do and be smart enough to walk through the door, we should all reach our goals.

Later on I had an interview with Realtor Magazine. The writer interviewed me for a story about Real Estate Brokers using Social Networking Websites for growing their business. I have to say I love getting interviewed by the press. I am such a ham. We chatted for a good 15 minutes. As a recently converted Linked In user and Facebooker, I had a lot to say on the subject; mainly I gave some tips about how I think Real Estate Brokers can use these sites to their benefit. I gave away “some of my secrets” so to speak. Which I always do. Honestly, that’s part of being “open”. You don’t hide behind walls, fear and worries. “Oh someone is going to steal my idea” That’s absurd. I can tell the whole world in Realtor Magazine my tips and insider secrets for web marketing but regardless there is only one “Adina”. Only I can stand in my shoes. Which is why I make sure my shoes are Jimmy Choo! (a little inside joke for my friends this a.m)