Boat Building

It has been a very interesting year. I realize in retrospect that my post last spring reeked of naiveté. I feel much better educated now. Darn, I hate the School of Hard Knocks. As I was at school obtaining my AARE designation (Auctioneer Accredited in Real Estate), my last instructor accused me of looking at the world with rose colored glasses. He was right.

I am definitely not good at accepting failure, but as Henry Ford once said, “Failure is the opportunity to begin again, more intelligently.”

I feel I have been out on the ocean in strong winds and faced them with success. I then turned another course and it did not work as well. I have been dumped from the boat and made it to shore. I am starting over again. Not only do I have to go to sea. I have to build the boat. I then have to determine the nature of the sea and if it is navigable.

I have been an auctioneer for twenty-six years and a real estate instructor for thirteen years. I love them both. I have discovered a way to accomplish both. I have decided, for now, to link up with several of the best auctioneers in the state. I will have, arguably, the finest referral aliance going. I have talked with various auctioneers that have agreed to partner with me on the auctions that approach me, so I will still get to work in that craft.

While I have nothing but the highest regard for my previous boss, financially that arrangement did not work out successfully. I am now on my own. I am the president of the Acme Institute, Inc., one of Michigan’s newest real estate academies. I will be primarily teaching private continuing education classes throughout Michigan. I will hold just a few public courses which will only be advertised on the internet. I have come to realize how much I miss the way it used to be. When I was teaching 130 Con Ed courses and 35 one week prelicensing courses, it was a huge high. I was sailing my vessel in strong winds. It was an adrenalin rush. Every day, I bound out of bed eager to get to work. It was my life. For, now, when I get this new vessel built, I am guessing, it will only venture out into the sheltered bays. I have to do the entire thing. But, then again, I am blessed with a great amount of confidence and optimism. I will also be teaching Salespersons and Broker’s courses for U. S. Brokers Institute, Inc. in both Traverse City and Grand Rapids. With a bit of luck that can grow nicely. The state has just approved my law books for instruction and things are looking up.

I always try to find the bright spot in life. If it’s going to be, it’s up to me. I will be building this boat, mostly alone. Some friends will occasionally stop by and wield a hammer or cheer me on. Only time will tell of its seaworthiness. I believe it will sail very well.

Check out my new class list at www.TheAcmeInstitute.com