Mentoring, motivation and moving markets

Larry Zinn is a rare breed – and not just because he’s a successful third-generation entrepreneur. He runs the Warren Henry family of auto dealerships and wins lots of awards for customer and workplace satisfaction. Why? He says it’s his family approach, which involves mentoring and motivating at the highest levels. 

Larry can take people with no automotive industry experience and make them into a top sales talent. Those with just a high school education can earn six figures if they become part of the Warren Henry family. 

Larry’s father Warren and grandfather Dave must be extremely happy with the way that he has continued to grow their brand and implement their family-oriented philosophies. One of Larry’s best stories is how Dave Zinn asked one of his employees if he should acquire a Toyota dealership. The employee advised Dave to buy into the Toyota situation. I met that gentleman’s grandson – he was working as a summer intern for Larry.

Jean-Louis Guinchard is the senior managing principal at Silver Portal Capital, LLC in San Diego and is passionate about raising capital for real estate transactions in the public markets. Jean-Louis is building a real estate crowdfunding site, which he describes as part of the trend of increased focus on crowdfunding in the marketplace. He envisions a day when people buy commercial real estate on the Internet much the same way they choose other investment products today.  

Jean-Louis also works with Inland Real Estate to market a new way to invest in real estate: the Delaware Statutory Trust. This allows direct investing in cash-flowing real estate that qualifies for 1031 like/kind exchange treatment. He was recently in South Florida to meet with a number of real estate operators to help them raise institutional capital to fund their business operations. Many family-owned real estate operating companies are taking advantage of the public markets to monetize their companies as the real estate cycle matures. 

In business, it’s important to have an edge – one of our recent guests, Dr. Carlos Wolf of Miami Plastic Surgery, sees a lot of that. Interestingly, after 26 years of practice here, he’s noticed a growing number of men getting facelifts, eye treatments, Botox, etc.

It could be the older guy who is concerned about competition from younger colleagues. It could be the older guy who marries a younger woman or someone who doesn’t want to look like a grandfather to his younger children. In any case, Wolf said, the key is to maintain perspective and balance. 

If you opt for invasive treatment, you want to look ‘refreshed,” not freakish. Do not go overboard. Keep it natural. Of course, this also applies to women as well. It is also important to research the doctor. Ask around, check the web and talk to former patients.

You can hear each of these interviews and many others on my website at www.friedonbusiness.com. ?