#6  Real Estate Investor and Developer

Emmitt Smith owns a commercial Real Estate firm in the Dallas, TX market.  Jesse Lennon owns Pioneer Realty, a firm started by Jesse and his father in March 1989.  Initially, Pioneer Realty specialized in residential sales.  As Pioneer grew, Jesse began working with investors, providing property management services in addition to brokerage services.  Today, Pioneer Realty proudly manages both residential and commercial properties throughout the Richmond Metro & Tri-Cities areas.  Through other firms, we also invest and develop real estate by acquiring under-performing properties, performing the necessary improvements and repositioning these assets.  We are making positive improvements in the communities as well as the lives of those great folks who choose to call our properties ‘home’.

#5  Contractor

Emmitt Smith Construction is a commercial contractor based in the Dallas, TX market.  Jesse Lennon owns RemodelRVA in the Richmond, VA market.  RemodelRVA is a class A contractor and has done work for local and state governments as well as numerous individuals and companies. 

Here in the US, It's Memorial Day.  One short day that we chose to Honor our military personnel.  Those that have served, are currently serving and those the paid the ultimate sacrifice of service to our county and what it stands for.

Today I strongly encourage you to reach out to those you know who served as well as those currently serving and offer them a sincere & heartfelt thank you.  Without them doing what they do, we would never be able to enjoy the freedoms we take for granted.

Yes, we have issues and challenges as a country.  We also have the power to overcome them.  It's in everyone of us.  If we don't like it, we have the freedom to speak up.  The freedom to do something about it.  We have endured for just a bit over 200 years as a result of these inalienable rights which this Great Nation was founded under.  The Rights that so many seem to trample on on a daily basis.  The Rights they hide behind.

As an American who never served (my only real personal regret), I want to say a Big THANK YOU to each and every Veteran.  I fly the flag daily in your Honor.  

God Bless You All!!!

Emmitt Smith owns a few businesses:  A marketing and speaking firm, a construction company, a real estate and investment firm.  Additionally, he is very involved with numerous charities and events; giving back to the community that has given him so much.

Jesse owns a few businesses: Pioneer Realty, Sloan Construction II, LLC and various Real Estate Investment firms.  He is also very involved with the VCU School of Business Alumni Society.

#3  Goal Oriented

Goal Setting and Goal Achieving are as important to Emmitt Smith as the air we breathe.  Emmitt knows, just like me, that without goals we are riding along aimlessly.  We truly are just like a ship without a rudder being blown wherever the wind takes us.  No bearing.  No direction.  Just allowing things to happen to us instead of taking responsibility for ourselves.  Taking responsibility for our actions.  Having enough commonsense and guts to decide where we want to go and how we are going to get there.  Then, after putting that plan of action in place, actually following it.  Making corrections along the way, to reach the goal that was set.

#2  Retired Professional

Emmitt Smith retired at the peak of his game.  A true professional that knew when it was time to say ‘I’m done’.  A team player that realized he always has to put the team’s (client, customer) best interest ahead of his.  Better to retire with class than to continue without being able to contribute at the level he was accustom to and hurt the team in the process.  A real, true, consummate professional.

I retired at the peak of my business, too.  6 years of 100 or more sales a year.  After my wife's auto accident, I realized that I really needed to spend more time with my family, so...  I arranged things in my life so that I could retire at the peak of my game without jeopardizing my clients best interests.  I hope you have an end of game strategy or plan worked out for yourself and your loved ones.  If not, please let me know how I can help you get one set up for yourself.

I think Emmitt would agree that the next chapter can be really fun & exciting!

# 1 Faith

Emmitt Smith tells many stories of major decisions in his life where he was humbled and excited about the opportunities before him.  From youth league football to college football to professional NFL football to marriage to business, he went to his knees to ask for guidance in making the right choices.  He believes that if it doesn’t feel right, then you shouldn’t do it.  You have to have that inner peace that only comes with guidance from above.  A short conversation with Emmitt will leave you with no doubt where he gets his inner bearing from.

Woo Hoo!  The semester is almost done and I can get back to business with the same intensity I used to bring to the table every day.  While I thoroughly enjoyed being an adjunct at VCU, it really was a huge commitment of time; larger than I had originally envisioned.  While I’d love the opportunity to teach again at VCU, I think it’ll have to be either another Monday and Wednesday type of class or possibly a one evening per week class.  The biggest challenge was actually not the class itself or running my businesses while teaching.  It was the additional responsibility of being a co-chair for the 5th Annual VCU Business Alumni Society Golf Open this year.  It was a Great event and we luckily completed the course before the bottom dropped out of the sky (wow was that a lot of rain in a short period of time).

So…I’ll be back at it this week.  Posting useful tips you can use immediately in your business.  Especially if your business involves being face-to-face or telephone-to-telephone with your prospect or client.  Just let me finish grading the final exams and posting the grades, fair enough?

Talk with you all again soon, I promise!