Summer Kickoff: Heat Up Your Earnings

Good Morning Deal-Makers! The calendar flipped to June, kids are counting down to summer break, and if your Facebook feed looked anything like mine, the Memorial Day burgers were still trending last week.

Fun’s fun, but the market’s heating faster than the grill, so let’s channel that energy into your P&L.

In this issue we’ll map a summer‑proof budget, polish your personal brand so it shines brighter than poolside sunglasses, and tap elite‑athlete mindsets for confidence that sticks.

Our new book pick, The 12‑Week Year, will help you carve out a laser‑focused summer sprint: vision first, execution next.

Ready to turn rising temps into rising profits? Sunscreen on, spreadsheets open—let’s dive in.

— Steve

ACCOUNTANT ANGLE

 Budgeting for Summer Swings

June through August can feel like commission Christmas, until you remember September’s lull.

Step one: average last summer’s gross income and assume 80 percent of that as your working number (markets shift). Allocate 50 percent to operating costs, 15 to taxes, 10 to marketing, 10 to an “autumn buffer,” and pay yourself from what’s left.

Yes, it’s tight, but it keeps you cash‑positive long after the fireworks fade.

Set weekly calendar reminders labeled “Summer Skim” to transfer buffer funds immediately after each closing. If money stays in checking, it tends to mysteriously vanish.

Finally, track bigger seasonal costs—open‑house refreshments, refreshed yard signs—under a separate “Summer Promo” tag in QuickBooks.

Come September, you’ll either congratulate yourself on the cushion or adjust allocations armed with real data. Either way, no more sweaty palms when things cool down.

BUSINESS BOOSTER

Enhancing Your Personal Brand

Client trust starts before they ever DM you, so make your first digital handshake count.

Audit your online bios: does every platform share the same headshot and concise value promise (“I turn listings into bidding wars”)? Consistency breeds recognition.

Next, blend online with offline. Sponsor local summer concerts and hand out branded cooling towels—yes, gimmicky, yet everyone remembers the agent who saved them from sunburn.

On social, switch from static posts to quick Reels: 30‑second walk‑throughs of hidden neighborhood gems plus a branded hashtag. Encourage followers to tag the hashtag when they visit; user‑generated content multiplies reach without additional ad spend.

Last touch: add a handwritten note to every post‑closing gift, including a QR code to your Google review link.

Authenticity + repetition + tiny surprise = brand stickiness long after the sign comes down.

COACHES CORNER

Embrace a Winner’s Mindset

Top performers approach each day like game day.

Borrow their pre‑game ritual: visualize the “highlight reel” you’ll replay tonight—maybe securing a price‑adjustment agreement. Feel the handshake, see the ink drying. Then set a “power anchor”: a trigger phrase (“Bring the calm”) repeated before calls to cue confidence.

Quick nervous‑system hack: exhale twice as long as you inhale; it flips the brain from fight‑or‑flight to focus.

Finally, treat setbacks as scouting reports, not failures. Lost a listing? Debrief the why, adjust, and file it under “tuition.”

Confidence isn’t loud bravado; it’s quiet preparation plus a refusal to catastrophize.

Master these tiny habits and every showing, offer, or negotiation becomes a winnable play.

BOOK OF THE MONTH

“The 12 Week Year” by Brian P. Moran and Michael Lennington

Forget year‑end goals you barely remember by Halloween. Our book of the month is The 12‑Week Year which compresses ambition into a 90‑day sprint—just the span of summer.

Start this week by writing a single‑paragraph vision dated August 31. Be vivid: “I’ve closed six listings, banked $45K after tax, and blocked a four‑day lake getaway.”

Reverse‑engineer three priorities: daily prospecting calls, weekly video tours, bi‑weekly financial check‑ins. Convert those priorities to lead indicators—calls made, videos posted—track them on a visible scoreboard.

The book insists execution > ideas; missing two days is a stumble, not a fail. Reset quickly, celebrate micro‑wins (Covey’s Habit 7: Sharpen the Saw), and watch how 12 diligent weeks outpace 12 sluggish months.

We’ll unpack more tactics each Monday—start scripting that vision tonight.

☝️ Go ahead and click the image to order the book from Amazon ☝️ 

NEWS YOU CAN USE

“NAR Chief Economist Lawrence Yun Says Mortgage Rates' Fast Rise Hurt Housing Market, During REALTORS® Legislative Meetings Economic Forum” — National Association of Realtors

Why You Should Read: NAR’s chief economist outlines rate risks—prep for potential buyer hesitation.

“Mortgage rates aren’t hampering millennials’ homebuying interest” — HousingWire

Why You Should Read: Younger buyers still hungry—tailor marketing messaging to affordability hacks.

“US home listings work nearly $700 billion—a new record” — Real Estate News

Why You Should Read: Surging inventory could tilt negotiation leverage—adjust pricing advice accordingly.

TO-DO LIST

Your Next Move — Turn Insights into Action

✅ Set Summer Buffer – Create auto‑transfer for 10 % of each June commission.

✅ Audit Online Bios – Update headshot and tagline across all platforms by Wednesday.

✅ Write 12‑Week Vision – One paragraph detailing August 31 success—post near desk.

✅ Record First Reel – Film a 30‑second neighborhood gem tour; upload with branded hashtag.

✅ Share Inventory Record – Email or post the $700B listing headline with your local take.