What's up, Pawn Family!  When you don't have systems and structures in place, it can feel like your business is running you instead of the other way around. You know what I'm talking about - those days (and sometimes weeks) where you feel like you're constantly putting out fires, and never quite getting ahead.   But it doesn't have to be that way!   PS. Get your copy of the Pawn Profit Pillars book today! Head on to www.pawnprofitpillars.com now!   PPS. Do you like this episode? Let us know in the comment section below!

What's up, Pawn Family! A wise man once said: "You can get everything in life you want if you will just help enough other people get what they want." When you think with empathy, you're thinking on a broader scale. In this episode, I talk about how powerful "word of mouth" is and how to get more people to spread the word about your pawn business. ------ PS. Get your copy of the Pawn Profit Pillars book today! Head on to www.pawnprofitpillars.com now! PPS. Do you resonate with this message? Why don't you pawn it forward with a pawnbroker you know!

What's up, Pawn Family!  How often do you find yourself worrying about what could go wrong in your pawn business? In this episode of the Pawn Leaders Podcast, I shared why courage means tearing your walls down to help your business soar. The wall that stops you from making more! Learn how to make better business decisions and relationships without hiding behind a false sense of security. --- PS. Get your copy of the Pawn Profit Pillars book today! Head on to www.pawnprofitpillars.com now!   PPS. Do you like this episode? Let us know in the comment section below!

What's up, Pawn Family! The heart of the business are its people. It's necessary to leverage the human element of your pawnshop by investing in your employees. Join me in this episode of the Pawn Leaders Podcast as I explain why training your staff is essential.     PS. Get your copy of the Pawn Profit Pillars book today! Head on to www.pawnprofitpillars.com now!   PPS. If you enjoyed this episode, share it to a pawnbroker you know!

What's up, Pawn Family! In this episode of the Pawn Leaders Podcast, I talked about the high cost of skepticism. How does skepticism in the pawn industry adversely affects your business? Listen to find out! —   PS. Get your copy of the Pawn Profit Pillars book today! Head on to www.pawnprofitpillars.com now!   PPS. If you find value in this episode, why don't you "pawn it forward" to a pawnbroker you know!

What's up, Pawn Family!   In this episode of the Pawn Leaders Podcast, I talked about whether or not the sacrifices you make for your pawn business are all worth it.   What does it really take to lead a successful pawn business? Find out more here!   _____________   PS. Get your copy of the Pawn Profit Pillars book today! Head on to www.pawnprofitpillars.com now!   PPS. What's your biggest take-away from this episode? Let us know in the comment section.

What's up, Pawn Family! In this episode of the Pawn Leaders Podcast, I talked about the main source of stress among pawnbrokers and the key to improving your pawn business! — PS. Get your copy of the Pawn Profit Pillars book today! Head on to www.pawnprofitpillars.com now!   PPS.Let us know what you think about the episode on the comment section below.

What's up, Pawn Family!    In this episode of the Pawn Leaders Podcast, I talked about why we shouldn’t play the blame game and why taking ownership is key to building a successful pawn business! --   PS. Get your copy of the Pawn Profit Pillars book today! Head on to www.pawnprofitpillars.com now!   PPS. Do you like this episode? Share it to a pawnbroker you know!

What's up, Pawn Family!  In this episode of the Pawn Leaders Podcast, I talked about why CLARITY IS KING and how it affects your pawnshop’s growth! — PS. Get your copy of the Pawn Profit Pillars book today! Head on to www.pawnprofitpillars.com now! PPS. Do you like this episode, let us know in the comment section below!

What's up, Pawn Family! In this episode of the Pawn Leaders Podcast, I talked about how you can motivate your team, why it matters, and how it can help grow your pawn business. -- PS. Don't have your copy of the Pawn Profit Pillars yet? Go to www.pawnprofitpillars.com PPS. How do you like this episode? Why don't you "Pawn-it-forward" by sharing it with a pawnbroker you know!

Who do you need to become to grow your pawn business?  The pawn industry has been evolving, and the way you do business should keep up with those changes.  Do you agree? Let me know in the comments below. PS. If you haven't got your copy of my book, Pawn Profit Pillars, head on to www.pawnprofitpillars.com!

Pawnbrokers are micromanaging masters. It might seem like they have everything under control, but in reality, pawnbrokers want control. Pawnbrokers want to be in charge of everything and will do whatever it takes to make sure that happens.   Stop being a micromanager and start being a Pawn Leader.Become a better leader and improve your business using the Pawn Profit Pillars. You can still order your copy of the book, Pawn Profit Pillars through the website: www.pawnprofitpillars.com

Are you a business owner or a business leader? This episode is about  the difference between teh two and why pawnshop owners and pawnbrokers with management roles do not automatically become “business leaders.”    If you want to learn more about how to improve your business using the 4 Profit Pillars, go to www.pawnprofitpillars.com and order a copy of the book. It's an excellent resource for pawnbrokers!

There are 2 things which go hand-in-hand that we call the “magic key” to success. One can not go without the other and are both the most common aspects of all the most successful pawnbokers in the industry! What is this key? Listen to this episode and make sure to use it.    The first book by Yigal Pawn Profit Pillars, Pawnprofitpillars.com, is now available for purchase! Order your copy of the book at www.pawnprofitpillars.com if you want to learn more about changing your business and utilizing the 4 Profit Pillars. Don't miss out on this best-selling book for pawnbrokers!

Pawnshops, like every other company, are run by people. What's the significance of this? Great leadership, effective marketing, sound business strategy, and excellent customer experience can all be applied to any sort of business. Consider it this way: pawnshops are providing something that consumers need.   Pawn Profit Pillars, Yigal’s first book, is now available for purchase! If you want to know more about changing your business and utilizing the 4 Profit Pillars, order your copy now of the book at https://www.pawnprofitpillars.com/. Don’t miss out on this bestselling book for pawnbrokers! 

If you ever need to make a decision, do not feel bad about it. Maybe it's coming from a place of not wanting to hurt anyone's feelings, or maybe it's coming from a place of just not knowing what to do. But whatever the reason is, don't feel bad. You're doing what's best for you, and that's all that matters. Ready to take your business to the next level? Join us for the 5-Day Pawn Accelerator Challenge! Learn leadership, marketing, strategy, and epic customer service! Click here to reserve your spot: https://www.pawnaccelerator.com/   PS. Pawn Profit Pillars book is still available! Get Your Copy here >> https://www.pawnprofitpillars.com/

For this episode, I have the opportunity to interview Kelly Swisher, the President of the Illinois Pawnbrokers Association and owner of Arlington Jewelry & Loan. Kelly talks about his "chain of one", team culture, treating people with respect, the importance of being a member of your state association, and more!   If you want to learn about how to change your business and make more money, order Pawn Profit Pillars. It is a bestselling book for pawnbrokers. You can get a copy at www.pawnprofitpillars.com 

How have you been complacent lately? Which areas of your life have you been complacent? It could be your relationships, your business, or your health. If you're saying yes to a lot of things and not keeping those promises,  you might be complacent. And that's not a good thing.   Pawn Profit Pillars, Yigal’s first book, is now available for purchase! If you want to know more about changing your business and utilizing the 4 Profit Pillars, order your copy now of the book at https://www.pawnprofitpillars.com/. Don’t miss out on this bestselling book for pawnbrokers! 

We detest it when our customers have price objections, but we do it on our own all the time! Pawnbrokers are equally guilty of price objections for both major purchases in the company and minor items. When you have a price objection, it is because you feel the item is not worth the value. You are looking at the transaction through your own eyes and feeling the hesitation of whether or not this is a good purchase.   Pawn Profit Pillars, Yigal’s first book, is now available for purchase! If you want to know more about changing your business and utilizing the 4 Profit Pillars, order your copy now of the book at https://www.pawnprofitpillars.com/. Don’t miss out on this bestselling book for pawnbrokers! 

Companies that did not pivot were ones that failed to alter their business model or product to satisfy the demands of their clients during a crisis. Pawnbroking is one of the oldest businesses in the world, and it has been able to stay relevant throughout history by adapting its services to meet the needs of its customers. But why did many pawnshops failed to survive during the pawndemic?    Pawn Profit Pillars, Yigal’s first book, is now available for purchase! If you want to know more about changing your business and utilizing the 4 Profit Pillars, order your copy now of the book at https://www.pawnprofitpillars.com/. Don’t miss out on this bestselling book for pawnbrokers! 

A great way to expand your company is to take a step back from it and look at it as an outsider. See how your customers view you, what your competition is up to, and where the industry is headed. This can give you some much-needed insight and help you stay ahead of the curve.   Pawn Profit Pillars, Yigal’s first book, is now available for purchase! If you want to know more about changing your business and utilizing the 4 Profit Pillars, order your copy now of the book at https://www.pawnprofitpillars.com/. Don’t miss out on this bestselling book for pawnbrokers! 

If you want the finest, provide a working environment that attracts the best. Think about it from an employee's perspective: would you want to work in a place where the team culture is not good? How would you feel if you had to work with pawn pirates?    Pawn Profit Pillars, Yigal’s first book, is now available for purchase! If you want to know more about changing your business and utilizing the 4 Profit Pillars, order your copy now of the book at https://www.pawnprofitpillars.com/. Don’t miss out on this bestselling book for pawnbrokers! 

What does it take to be and stay professional as a pawnbroker? Sam Shocket is back for another show to talk about professionalism and how to run and grow your pawn business in the post-pandemic era.  Pawn Profit Pillars, Yigal’s first book, is now available for purchase! If you want to know more about changing your business and utilizing the 4 Profit Pillars, order your copy now of the book at https://www.pawnprofitpillars.com/. Don’t miss out on this bestselling book for pawnbrokers! 

In the latest episode of the Pawn Leaders Podcast, Sabrina Starling, Ph.D., offers strategies to help business owners find and hire the best employees. Drawing on her years of experience as a psychologist and human resources consultant, Dr. Starling provides tips that will make the hiring process less stressful and more likely to result in the addition of top talent to your team. Whether you're just starting out or are looking to make a change in your current staffing situation, don't miss this informative episode!   Pawn Profit Pillars, Yigal’s first book, is now available for purchase! If you want to know more about changing your business and utilizing the 4 Profit Pillars, order your copy now of the book at https://www.pawnprofitpillars.com/. Don’t miss out on this bestselling book for pawnbrokers! 

Let’s face it, the pawn industry does not have the best reputation. But the reality is that pawnbrokers are a valuable community resource. In this episode, learn what pawn businesses can do during these unprecedented and uncertain times that can help transform the overall image of the pawn industry.    Pawn Profit Pillars, Yigal’s first book, is now available for purchase! If you want to know more about changing your business and utilizing the 4 Profit Pillars, order your copy now of the book at https://www.pawnprofitpillars.com/. Don’t miss out on this bestselling book for pawnbrokers! 

Do you really believe that your outdated company procedures from five or ten years ago would still be effective today? Times have changed, and pawnbrokers must adapt to this post-pandemic era. What kind of company should you be in order to operate effectively after a pandemic?   Pawn Profit Pillars, Yigal’s first book, is now available for purchase! If you want to know more about changing your business and utilizing the 4 Profit Pillars, order your copy now of the book at https://www.pawnprofitpillars.com/. Don’t miss out on this bestselling book for pawnbrokers! 

Achieving success is important but so are staying healthy throughout this journey through life AND business - that includes finding time every day to clear your mind. You can’t lead your team when you’re unhealthy and overwhelmed. Pawn Profit Pillars, Yigal’s first book, is now available for purchase! So if you want to know more about how changing you can change your business drastically, order your copy now of the book at https://www.pawnprofitpillars.com/. Don’t miss out on this Amazon’s best selling book for pawnbrokers! 

We've all had those moments where we find ourselves thinking about the small details in our lives and how they affect us. But, have you ever stopped to consider what's going on behind-the-scenes at your store? The things that may not seem important but actually affect your customers and your team!   Pawn Profit Pillars, Yigal’s first book, is now available for purchase! So if you want to know more about how changing you can change your business drastically, order your copy now of the book at https://www.pawnprofitpillars.com/. Don’t miss out on this Amazon’s best selling book for pawnbrokers! 

Effective communication is more than simply hard work and determination; it's also essential for growing your staff and businesses. Today, let's talk about what I learned from an encounter I had in college, which taught me leadership and communication. Don't miss the tips on how everyone can improve communication in your shop.   Pawn Profit Pillars, Yigal’s first book, is now available for purchase! So if you want to know more about how changing you can change your business drastically, order your copy now of the book at www.pawnprofitpillars.com. Don’t miss out on this Amazon’s best selling book for pawnbrokers!

What do the terms AME and ARR stand for? Why is it necessary to understand these, as well as metrics in general, when running a pawn business? Metrics are simply ways to measure success, by analyzing data related directly or indirectly to performance. To better understand how metrics can be utilized in your pawnshop, listen to this episode.   Pawn Profit Pillars, Yigal’s first book, is now available for purchase! So if you want to know more about how changing you can change your business drastically, order your copy now of the book at www.pawnprofitpillars.com. Don’t miss out on this Amazon’s best selling book for pawnbrokers! 

Making a decision is not a matter of “if” but “when.” And leaders make difficult and sometimes unpopular decisions. People around you won’t always support or agree with you, but as a leader you have to stand up for whatever choices you make.    Pawn Profit Pillars, Yigal’s first book, is now available for purchase! So if you want to know more about how changing you can change your business drastically, order your copy now of the book at https://www.pawnprofitpillars.com/. Don’t miss out on this Amazon’s best selling book for pawnbrokers! 

I read one of the definitions of velocity and it says that it refers to “the rate at which money changes hands within an economy.” Now, how does this word “velocity” relate and affect your pawn business? Listen to this episode today because you might be inspired to make an important decision that you have been putting off for a while now.   The first book by Yigal, Pawn Profit Pillars, is now available for purchase! So if you want to learn more about how changing yourself can have a big impact on your business, go buy the book at https://www.pawnprofitpillars.com/. Don't miss out on this Amazon best-selling book for pawnbrokers!

Which is more important, how you row the boat or the boat itself? As a pawnbroker, which is more important for you, the way you run your shop or your shop itself? Find out in this episode how one question from a speaker I was listening to while working out at the gym can change the mindsets of pawnbrokers.   Pawn Profit Pillars, Yigal’s first book, is now available for purchase! So if you want to know more about how changing you can change your business drastically, order your copy now of the book at https://www.pawnprofitpillars.com/. Don’t miss out on this Amazon’s best selling book for pawnbrokers! 

Don't get me wrong. Goals, budgets, writing these things down are very, very important. But it's not what matters the most. And I want to explain why: how many times have you written down that you wanted to lose weight? But it didn't happen? How many times have you written down that you wanted to go on vacation and they didn't happen? How many times have you written down that by accident your business might not grow as much as you thought it would? Listen to this episode and learn what you’re missing out on.    Pawn Profit Pillars, Yigal’s first book, is now available for purchase! So if you want to know more about how changing you can change your business drastically, order your copy now of the book at https://www.pawnprofitpillars.com/. Don’t miss out on this Amazon’s best selling book for pawnbrokers! 

The other pawnshop in your town, the small business within a mile, Amazon, Facebook marketplace  — they are all competitors of pawn businesses. But as a pawnbroker, do you really know WHO YOUR COMPETITOR IS? Find out in this episode and why you need to know!    If you haven’t signed up to get your FREE Pawn Hat, you can still get a chance by signing  up at https://www.pawnhat.com/getnow. 

This episode is filled with great advice. Jay Dunbar, President of Superior Pawn & Gun Hampton discusses what he learned over years of running a pawn business without any prior experience in the industry. Tune in for an insightful interview about how discipline, mindset, and being decisive have helped him!   If you haven’t signed up to get your FREE Pawn Hat, you can still get a chance by signing  up at https://www.pawnhat.com/getnow.   

What's  the difference between a solution and a band aid? Many Pawn Business owners provide a solution to a problem or temporarily repair something using a band aid. We take a closer look at several methods for offering solutions and why avoiding the use of temporary fixes is important when running a pawn shop in this episode of the Pawn Leaders podcast.   If you haven’t signed up to get your FREE Pawn Hat, you can still get a chance by signing  up at https://www.pawnhat.com/getnow. 

Pawnbrokers  want to grow your business, but they also want to have a life. This is the problem that everyone who owns their own pawn business struggles with.    You work hard, you love your business and you want to grow it. But how do you go from mediocre to EPIC? How can you have a life that you love while your business is growing?   If you haven’t signed up to get your FREE Pawn Hat, you can still get a chance by signing  up at https://www.pawnhat.com/getnow. 

This episode features Joshua and Eric from Private Investigations Force. They’ll be sharing how their company does employee background checks to ensure the safety of all pawnbrokers, customers alike!    Private Investigations Force Website: https://www.pi-force.com/  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PIFORCELLC/  Tel. No.: (352) 444-7071   If you haven’t gotten your and your team’s FREE Pawn Hats, you can still place an order at https://www.pawnhat.com/getnow.

The biggest challenge pawnbrokers face is staying healthy while still running a successful pawn shop. This can be difficult because pawn shops aren’t the easiest places to stay healthy. It requires discipline and effort to get out of bed early, eat right, exercise regularly, and get enough sleep each night. Jeremy used to be an unhealthy pawnbroker who had an incredible weight loss journey. Find out what happened and how their pawn business could hit their best sales record during the pandemic in 2020!   If you haven’t gotten your and your team’s FREE Pawn Hats, you can still place an order at https://www.pawnhat.com/getnow. 

How many businesses do not know who their avatar is or why it's so vital to have one! They simply wake up one day and realize that no one has been buying from them because they were never addressing anyone in particular.   If you haven’t signed up to get your FREE Pawn Hat, you can still get a chance by signing  up at https://www.pawnhat.com/getnow. 

We all know we need to take time for ourselves and that we should practice self-care – yet how many of us actually do? It may seem like everyone is doing better than you but the reality is most people might not show it, but they’re probably just as overwhelmed as you are. Whether it’s handling a busy schedule, tackling debt, or just life in general – feeling stressed can be common. If you’re feeling stressed out, overwhelmed, or just plain tired, then this podcast is for you. If you haven’t signed up to get your FREE Pawn Hat, you can still get a chance by signing  up at https://www.pawnhat.com/getnow. 

Would you take $200,000 to terminate your life today? That sounds absurd and morbid! I know it does. But would you? “Time is not money!” In this episode, we'll look at the ONE thing you need to expand your business that isn't time or cash. If you haven’t signed up to get your FREE Pawn Hat, you can still get a chance by signing  up at https://www.pawnhat.com/getnow. 

Going down a route that differs from the ones you've taken previously is frightening. But will you ever truly be successful if you're not willing to take a different route due on account of fear of failure? You already know the solution, but you are unwilling to take a different route because of the uncertainty it entails.  If you haven’t signed up to get your FREE Pawn Hat, you can still get a chance by signing  up at https://www.pawnhat.com/getnow. 

What is the cost of not doing marketing? Not doing marketing is costing you money. The longer you do nothing, the more money you are losing. Marketing costs money, but it may be much less expensive than what you are losing now if you do nothing. If you haven’t signed up to get your FREE Pawn Hat, you can still get a chance by signing  up at https://www.pawnhat.com/getnow. 

My father always used to tell us, "'While you're thinking, people are doing." You have a limited amount of time. We all do. You may have an idea for a business or to contact a friend or loved one that you've been wanting to get in touch with for quite some time. You could have new marketing ideas you want to try or new approaches to pursue that you've learned since last month's podcast. They might be "good" but if you don't take action on them, someone else will. If you haven’t registered to get your FREE Pawn Hat, you can still get a chance by signing  up at https://www.pawnhat.com/getnow. 

Do you want to know what 2 things you need to do to improve your team culture? In this podcast episode, I discussed 2 things that are not what you think they are. These two things can help make your team more cohesive and productive. You'll be surprised at how easy they are!   And if you like it, please share with a friend who could use some advice on improving their company culture too! Don’t forget to join our discussion, and be sure to check us out in the Pawn Connect Community. 

If you have low inventory turnover, that means that there are too many unsold items sitting on the shelves for too long. This can lead to lost revenue and wasted resources like time and space.   In this episode, I explained why inventory turnover is so important! Tune in now for some great information about what it all means for your pawn business!       Join our discussion, and be sure to check us out in the Pawn Connect Community.    PS. Get your FREE pawn hat today! Go to www.pawnhat.com now!

How does Lisa, a mom and pawnbroker,  manage her team and family and at the same time serve the industry and her community? Every pawnbroker should listen and learn from her! From issues she faced as a leader to epic pieces of advice to new pawnbrokers, you will get a ton of value in this episode.    Join our discussion, and be sure to check us out in the Pawn Connect Community. 

You've probably heard this a thousand times, but it's true.Digital marketing is the way of doing business today. If you're running a pawnshop, and not using digital platforms to spread your message then (let me quote David) “you are already behind!”   Join our discussion, and be sure to check us out in the Pawn Connect Community. 

Brian Johnson of Canopy Management is here to talk about the benefits pawnbrokers receive when they sell their items online and discusses why it matters so much on today's business market. He explains also how it will benefit them in ways such as increasing inventory turnover.   Join our discussion, and be sure to check us out in the Pawn Connect Community.

Do you micromanage your team?  That's not how you get the best results from your people! You need to hire and train well,  and then trust them to do their job. And what about marketing? Do you know how to effectively “market”? In this episode, you can learn from Jeremy Powell, owner of BJ Pawn, about why you should stop micromanaging your employees and let them be great at what they do by trusting them with more responsibility and how one simple idea turned into a cost-effective marketing strategy for his business.  Join our discussion, and be sure to check us out in the Pawn Connect Community.

When you feel like giving up, remember that it's okay to take a step back and go for a walk. You have the right to be kinder to yourself as well! You are not alone and it's okay if you need some time for yourself, sometimes life can be difficult as a leader or business owner so don't worry about trying your best all the time - take care of yourself too!   Join our discussion, and be sure to check us out in the Pawn Connect Community and get a chance to win one of the 25 Troy ounces of Silver from United Precious Metal Refining, Inc.  

Luis Hornedo, the owner of Latin American Pawn Shop talks about the challenges and benefits of focusing on customer service. He also shares his thoughts on facing challenges about how to best create an environment for employees that makes them want to give great customer service. In this episode, I explained why inventory turnover is so important! Tune in now for some great information about what it all means for your pawn business!       Join our discussion, and be sure to check us out in the Pawn Connect Community.

The usual conversation I have with pawnbrokers will always be about how to grow the business. But this one conversation I had with a pawnbroker who has been in the business for almost 2 decades was a different story. Listen to this episode to find out why!    Join our discussion, and be sure to check us out in the Pawn Connect Community.

I had a conversation with a pawnbroker who said “I want to join your group. I want to be able to grow my business.” my response was not a simple statement but rather a compelling question. Join me in this episode and know what that question was and how he responded to it.    Join our discussion, and be sure to check us out in the Pawn Connect Community and get a chance to win one of the 25 Troy ounces of Silver from United Precious Metal Refining, Inc.  

In this episode I talk about how changing your mindset can affect the success of your pawn business. Such a powerful reminder I get to remember due to this instance where they stood me up. Tune in to find out more!   Join our discussion, and be sure to check us out in the Pawn Connect Community.

It's not a secret that success in business leads to more responsibility and more work. But, what many don't realize is that it also can lead to feeling overwhelmed at the same time - even when you've got all of the resources in place!      Join our discussion, and be sure to check us out in the Pawn Connect Community.

Incredible interview with my friend Vito Granters of Pawnbrokers Helping Pawnbrokers and Ryan Patel, an award-winning TV contributor and recipient of several awards, including the prestigious 2020's NAAAP Award, that you shouldn’t miss! In this episode, we had conversations about the “pawn economy” forecast, Gen Z and middle-class customers, breaking stigma, and a lot more! Join our discussion, and be sure to check us out in the Pawn Connect Community.

Know how a conversation with a pawnshop owner inspired this episode of the Pawn Leaders Podcast.    Learn how the mindset "If nothing changes, nothing changes!" can help you be more successful in your pawn business!   Join our discussion, and be sure to check us out in the Pawn Connect Community. 

 In this episode of the Pawn Leaders Podcast, we talk about how you need to be open-minded and see the world from different perspectives.   Being closed-minded will only limit what you can offer in your business.   Join our discussion, and be sure to check us out in the Pawn Connect Community.

In this week's episode of the Pawn Leaders Podcast, we discuss a question: "Do you focus on the problem or solving the problem?"    It seems like an easy question, but it can be difficult to answer when you're in the middle of dealing with adversity. Listen as we talk about how to approach problems and how that might change your life!     Join our discussion, and be sure to check us out in the Pawn Connect Community.

This week's podcast is all about not half-assing important things such as leadership, marketing, and strategy. Also discussed in this episode of the Pawn Leaders Podcast are some tips on how to be clear. This will help you with your sales and just life in general!   Join our discussion, and be sure to check us out in the Pawn Connect Community.

You're not alone. We know how hard it can be to keep your promises to yourself…   A promise you made to yourself, or someone else. Maybe it was just this morning when you said “I will get out of bed early today!” Or maybe it was years ago when you promised your spouse that you would take care of them for the rest of their lives. It doesn't matter how long ago it was because now is the time to make good on your word and fulfill that commitment.   You deserve a promise-keeping partner who will be there for you when times get tough...and one who won't judge if you don't follow through on every single one of them! That's why we've created this podcast where we'll also offer advice on how to create healthy habits that stick  - so that no matter what happens, at least something good comes out of it!   Let me know your takeaways from this episode in our community in Pawn Connect.   Head on to https://www.pawnconnect.io/ to create your free account.

Most pawnbrokers either have a skeptical or a scarcity mindset. But that’s understandable! You know what they say, "if it sounds too good to be true then is usually not." There are some great opportunities out there but pawnbrokers with those kinds of mindsets never want something so perfect coming at them like a freight train because the chances of being ripped off or getting into a bad situation increase exponentially with time! In this episode, find out what’s better than those 2 types of mindsets. Moreover, why customers are sometimes more resourceful than pawnbrokers!  Let me know your takeaways from this episode in our community in Pawn Connect. Head on to https://www.pawnconnect.io/ to create your free account.

As a pawnbroker, you are always on the go. You never have time to take a break and just enjoy your life because there is always something that needs to be done at your business. And who wants to worry about their employees when they're trying to enjoy themselves? It's not an easy decision but it may become necessary if you don't know where else to turn. Let me know your takeaways from this episode in our community in Pawn Connect. Head on to https://www.pawnconnect.io/ to create your free account.

How can you tell if you’re a pawnbroker as a hobbyist or a professional?   So, what makes a profession different from a hobby? There are many factors that make the difference between these two. Let's take a look at them and see if we can figure out how to distinguish one from another in today’s episode.    Join our discussion, and be sure to check us out in the Pawn Leaders Facebook community.

What's up, Pawn Family!    How much does it cost you, your business, when you always say "No"? Today’s episode is about just that!    If there’s an opportunity to grow your business, would you say NO to it?  Sign up for the first-ever Pawn Profit Formula Workshop! This workshop has been designed with the goal of helping pawnbrokers who want more out of their pawn businesses.   If you have ever wanted more from your pawnshop, then this is the perfect opportunity for you. Don't wait any longer - sign up today at https://www.pawnprofitformula.com/workshop   Join our discussion, and be sure to check us out in the Pawn Leaders Facebook community.  

What's up, Pawn Family!    No matter how good the training session or webinar is, no matter how eye-opening the books you read, no matter how great your coach is, if you don’t do the work and not do it consistently, they are ALL useless.  It’s not how much you know it's whether or not you're consistent that matters.    Consistency is also the key to growing your pawn business. If you want to learn aspects of leadership, marketing strategy, epic customer experience, and how to be an optimized pawnbroker, join the newest batch of pawn leaders boosting their pawn business. Check out https://www.pawnleaders.com/bypb now!     Join our discussion, and be sure to check us out in the Pawn Leaders Facebook community.

Evan Kail who used to work in a restaurant and now an internet sensation. He uses TikTok as his avenue to sell and showcase his comedic personality, making him one of the most popular people on TikTok today.   ------- Register for the first-ever 5-Day Pawn Accelerator Challenge that’s happening next week from April 19 to 23 at https://www.pawnaccelerator.com/!    Join our discussion, and be sure to check us out in the Pawn Leaders Facebook community.

It’s crucial for businesses to strategically invest in their team’s development. But why aren’t pawnbrokers doing this? Why is it not a priority and what are the implications of failing to invest in your staff? This topic may be the least famous in the pawn industry but maybe the missing step in growing the biz. How can pawn business owners invest in their staff?  You can now register for the 5-Day Pawn Accelerator Challenge happening from April 19 to 23. I've created a 5-day challenge that will help you make more money, sell more items, create an epic culture for your team, understand your numbers, and level up your customer experience. Here's where you can register: https://www.pawnaccelerator.com/    Join our discussion, and be sure to check us out in the Pawn Leaders Facebook community.

What's up, Pawn Family!    In the Masterclass, I teach four (4) keys under Leadership. These four keys of leadership affect not just the business aspect but also life and relationships. In today's episode, I talked about CLARITY, CONDITION, CULTURE, AND CONSISTENCY in detail. A free resource for those who are not part of the BOOST Program.    Join our discussion, and be sure to check us out in the Pawn Leaders Facebook community.    Click here to book a FREE strategy session with me.

Does transparency fit into your business ecosystem? Why is transparency recognized as a core value of a business? What does transparency mean in business?    In this episode of the Pawn Leaders Podcast, I talked about the transparency theory and what it does to teams. Leaders should have that authenticity, honesty, and clarity when communicating with the people they lead.    Join our discussion, and be sure to check us out in the Pawn Leaders Facebook community.    Click here to book a FREE strategy session with me.

What's up, Pawn Family!    Times are changing and staying in your "archaic ways" will not help you grow your business this year. The best becomes the best because they learn. Archaic ways have served the pawn industry, but to stop learning and failing to equip yourself with the modern methods and strategies for leadership and marketing, for instance, will definitely not help your business to grow.    Join our discussion, and be sure to check us out in the Pawn Leaders Facebook community.    Click here to book a FREE strategy session with me.  

Hey Pawn Family!   Do you know any successful business owner who does everything to run his business? Or are you that business owner? I hope not.   Business owners should act like business owners. Knowing how the business works, what strategies to implement, how marketing works, what numbers should be hit, etc. But knowing the business does not mean doing all the work!   Let me know your takeaways from this podcast and join our discussions in the Pawn Leaders Facebook community.    Click here to book a FREE strategy session with me.

“You’re the person that dictates how your store is,” shares Ben Levinson, President of Dynasty Jewelry and Loan, LTD, in today’s episode. Keeping your floors clean, creating a pleasant atmosphere, and organizing your merchandise not only for aesthetics but security purposes, are crucial in providing an impressive first impression to your clients who walk into your store.  Let me know your takeaways from this podcast and join our discussions in the Pawn Leaders Facebook community.    Click here to book a FREE strategy session with me.

What’s up, Pawn Family!    When times are tough and you have to leave your team, can you confidently say that they can handle the operations in your store without you? Are you intentionally equipping your team with training and systems so they know the things you do? This interview will teach entrepreneurs and managers things about the importance of intentional leadership, creating systems, trusting team members, customer service, and hope.    If you’re tired and overwhelmed right now in handling your business, your team, and your relationships, let me know. I would like to give you a Strategy Call. Don’t worry, I’m not going to charge you for it. This interview with Joey has reminded me of how much pawnbrokers need help.   Don’t wear all the hats.   You can’t do it all.   And know that you’re not alone.    Hope this brings encouragement to you. You can let me know your takeaways from this podcast and join our discussions in the Pawn Leaders Facebook community.    Click here to book a FREE strategy session with me.

As I was paying for my coffee at Starbucks one morning, the woman on the counter asked if I was working at a pawnshop. I was wearing my Pawn Leaders shirt; that's what sparked her curiosity. It was just a short encounter, but I discussed few crucial topics about marketing in this episode that started in that instance.  Want to know how we can help you BOOST your pawn business? Click here to book a FREE strategy session with me. Let me know your takeaways from this podcast and join our discussions in the Pawn Leaders Facebook community. Text Pawnleaders to 8019358688  to get 15% off and the $500 setup fee waived for Podium

What's up, Pawn Family!    Leading a team during this pandemic can either make or break the confidence of your team towards your leadership. Times are tough and the last thing you want is making it harder for the people you lead. One of the aspects of leadership is creating a great culture for your team which is one of the important things I and Roger talked about in this episode. Roger Weinreich is the owner of Good Fortune Jewelry and Pawn in New Hampshire and has been running his business for almost 3 decades.    Want to know how we can help you BOOST your pawn business? Click here to book a FREE strategy session with me.   Let me know your takeaways from this podcast and join our discussions in the Pawn Leaders Facebook community.   Text Pawnleaders to 8019358688  to get 15% off and the $500 setup fee waived for Podium

What's up, Pawn Family!    On one of the Mastermind calls I conducted last year, one member said something profound that I had to write it down. He said, "Everybody wants everything to be fixed, but they don’t want to do the work to fix it."   Listen and be inspired today!   Let me know your takeaways from this podcast and join our discussions in the Pawn Leaders Facebook community.    Text Pawnleaders to 8019358688  to get 15% off and the $500 setup fee waived for Podium

What's up, Pawn Family!    How will you know if you made the right investment? It’s after you invested!  In business, you have to spend money, oftentimes a lot of money, to try systems, marketing methods, processes, products, etc. A leader with a positive mindset would look at it as investment rather than a cost or an expense.     Let me know your takeaways from this podcast and join our discussions in the Pawn Leaders Facebook community.    Text Pawnleaders to 8019358688  to get 15% off and the $500 setup fee waived for Podium

What's up, Pawn Family!    Stop saying that you have always done things the same way you’ve been doing it. That is a good excuse, but it will not get you anywhere. Pawnbrokers who say, “This is how I’ve always been doing it!” are those who refuse to grow personally, which results in not growing their business.    Let me know your takeaways from this podcast and join our discussions in the Pawn Leaders Facebook community.    Text Pawnleaders to 8019358688  to get 15% off and the $500 setup fee waived for Podium

What's up, Pawn Family!    Are you planning for 6 months? Do you know your marketing budget? Do you know your numbers? What do you need to change in your leadership? Do you know what marketing strategies will increase your foot traffic and sales? If you don’t know all these, you might not survive the changes to come. Changes happen so quickly that many find it difficult even to maintain what they already have.    Let me know your takeaways from this podcast and join our discussions in the Pawn Leaders Facebook community.    Text Pawnleaders to 8019358688  to get 15% off and the $500 setup fee waived for Podium   P.s. Do you want to dominate 2021? Know what's needed to grow in 2021 and get everything you learn in 2020 done this year by attending the first webinar for 2021 for pawnbrokers. It's going to be on Thursday, January 14, 2021, at 10 am PST.   Click the link to secure your slot: www.bulletproofpawn.com

What's up, Pawn Family!    What you might be missing out on not determining your current, unknown/prospective, and past customers is not just money but A LOT OF MONEY on advertising that does not work. And it’s not just about the money you’re wasting on ads you have to think about, but realizing whether you are providing “service” to your customers rather than “experience”.    Let me know your takeaways from this podcast and join our discussions in the Pawn Leaders Facebook community.  Text Pawnleaders to 8019358688  to get 15% off and the $500 setup fee waived for Podium   P.s. Do you want to dominate 2021? Know what's needed to grow in 2021 and get everything you learn in 2020 done this year by attending the first webinar for 2021 for pawnbrokers. It's going to be on Friday, January 8, 2021, at 10 am PST.   Click the link to secure your slot: www.bulletproofpawn.com

What's up, Pawn Family!    One thing that can change the way we do marketing is realizing that our customers care about themselves.   In this episode, you will realize why customers are annoyed when you only focus on selling in your social media marketing.    Let me know your takeaways from this podcast and join our discussions in the Pawn Leaders Facebook community.  Text Pawnleaders to 8019358688  to get 15% off and the $500 setup fee waived for Podium

What's up, Pawn Family!    Before setting goals, one needs clarity. Setting goals from a place of confusion results to unachievable ones. Find out in this episode the questions a pawn leader can ask to have more clarity and why it is important when running a business.    Let me know your takeaways from this podcast and join our discussions in the Pawn Leaders Facebook community.  Text Pawnleaders to 8019358688  to get 15% off and the $500 setup fee waived for Podium.

What's up, Pawn Family!    There are pawnbrokers who don’t show their staff — or the management staff at least, their store’s metrics. Reasons could be that they are afraid that the staff will open up their own shop or they have fear of having the people who work for them share their information with the competitors. Listen to today’s episode on how vital teaching your management and staff “ownership” mentality is in growing your business.    Let me know your takeaways from this podcast and join our discussions in the Pawn Leaders Facebook community.  Text Pawnleaders to 8019358688  to get 15% off and the $500 setup fee waived for Podium.

What's up, Pawn Family!    In order to grow your business, you need to invest in yourself  In order to grow your business, you have to invest in your team.    It takes work, training, investment in personal development to grow your company.    Let me know your takeaways from this podcast and join our discussions in the Pawn Leaders Facebook community.  Text Pawnleaders to 8019358688  to get 15% off and the $500 setup fee waived for Podium.

What's up, Pawn Family!    Last year I had the opportunity to do coaching in Virginia and North Carolina. The experience allowed me to take home with me 3 important key takeaways:  Slow down to step up.  Stay consistent, especially when implementing new strategies.  Accountability. There should be accountability all over the place! Let me know your takeaways from this podcast and join our discussions in the Pawn Leaders Facebook community.    Text Pawnleaders to 8019358688  to get 15% off and the $500 setup fee waived for Podium.

Hey there, Pawn Family!     I cringe whenever I hear in the pawn industry that we are so cheap. You don't get more success in being cheap.    Being cheap is different from knowing when and how to spend your money. Pawnbrokers who are NOT cheap in becoming better leaders, becoming better in marketing, and learning better strategies are the ones who are winning and crushing it!   Let me know your takeaways from this podcast and join our discussions in the Pawn Leaders Facebook community.  Text Pawnleaders to 8019358688  to get 15% off and the $500 setup fee waived for Podium.

Hey there, Pawn Family!     How do you start inspiring? You first have to be inspired.    You have to love what you do. You have to be committed and consistent with who you are. And you have to be the first one to take action.    Let me know your takeaways from this podcast and join our discussions in the Pawn Leaders Facebook community.  Text Pawnleaders to 8019358688  to get 15% off and the $500 setup fee waived for Podium.

Hey there, Pawn Family!     How can you create a more streamlined business... How can you create a better culture and team... How can you create better marketing... How can you create a better strategy... WHEN YOU'RE ALWAYS COMPLAINING?   Start creating.    Let me know your takeaways from this podcast and join our discussions in the Pawn Leaders Facebook community.  Text Pawnleaders to 8019358688  to get 15% off and the $500 setup fee waived for Podium.

Hey there, Pawn Family!    How can you attract customers without them seeing your store in person? By utilizing and maximizing social media, SEO, Adwords, website, etc. Having a professional page for your business helps build your business' credibility and enhances your online presence.    Let me know your takeaways from this podcast and join our discussions in the Pawn Leaders Facebook community.  Text Pawnleaders to 8019358688  to get 15% off and the $500 setup fee waived for Podium.  

Hey Pawn Family! In this episode, I talk about the things I see in the pawn industry that made me realize one thing...  And this can help you scale your business faster. Check out this episode now! Let me know your takeaways from this podcast and join our discussions in the Pawn Leaders Facebook community.  Text Pawnleaders to 8019358688  to get 15% off and the $500 setup fee waived for Podium.

Hey Pawn Family!     Our past does not determine our future. But it takes courage and determination to change.   A former drug dealer turned into a CEO, a doctor who had a difficult marriage now has an incredible one, and a boy who used to live in a chicken coop now lives in a 17,000 square foot home in Las Vegas…   How did their lives change?   It all started with the CHANGE OF MINDSET.   Let me know your takeaways from this podcast and join our discussions in the Pawn Leaders Facebook community.  Text Pawnleaders to 8019358688  to get 15% off and the $500 setup fee waived for Podium.

What's up, Pawn Family!    Have you ever been recommended a book so many times that you just had to pick it up? That's precisely what happened with Rocket Fuel, and I had the pleasure of interviewing the author Mark Winters on the podcast.   We talked about the importance of having a visionary and an integrator in the business, how combining the two is a magic pill to take a business to the next level.   If you don't know if you're an integrator or a visionary and what those two mean, you need to listen to this podcast episode today.   Let me know your takeaways from this podcast and join our discussions in the Pawn Leaders Facebook community.  Text Pawnleaders to 8019358688  to get 15% off and the $500 setup fee waived for Podium.  

What's up, Pawn Family!     I had a fun time interviewing my great friend and a Mastermind member, Danny Z.    We talked about his journey from working for his family's jewelry store to running a pawnshop. He shared how bringing people into the business helped him run his shop better despite the uncertainties brought by COVID-19.    Learn what sets Danny apart from pawnbrokers who focused on the unprecedented times' uncertainties and fear.    Let me know your takeaways from this podcast and join our discussions in the Pawn Leaders Facebook community.  Text Pawnleaders to 8019358688  to get 15% off and the $500 setup fee waived for Podium.

Hey Pawn Family!   Another exciting episode on how to become an EPIC leader in the pawn industry.    Flashy LED signages and good location are not enough to make people go through your doors. So, what do you need to do?   Make enough noise.    Give people a reason to walk in. Increase your visibility. Learn marketing strategies.    Let me know your takeaways from this podcast and join our discussions in the Pawn Leaders Facebook community.  Text Pawnleaders to 8019358688  to get 15% off and the $500 setup fee waived for Podium.

Hey Pawn Family!   "You should not stop your marketing process even during a pandemic. You have to create that hype. You have to create that traffic. But more importantly, you're spending all this money, making sure that people are coming to the door, but what's happening when they're there?"  Sales are important more than ever! Listen to my conversation with Justin as he generously shares the importance of training and how to improve sales. Let me know your takeaways from this podcast and join our discussions in the Pawn Leaders Facebook community.  Text Pawnleaders to 8019358688  to get 15% off and the $500 setup fee waived for Podium. Visit https://friedmanu.com/ and use promo code: pawnleaders

Hey Pawn Family!   After watching Michael Jordan’s documentary The Last Dance, I realized a couple of important things about champions. The first word that came to mind was PREPARATION.  How do you prepare and what does it mean to be prepared?  Let me know your takeaways from this podcast and join our discussions in the Pawn Leaders Facebook community.    Text Pawnleaders to 8019358688  to get 15% off and the $500 setup fee waived for Podium.  

Hey Pawn Family!    “Most people don’t know the maximum potential of their pawnshop.”    In this episode, I raised thought-provoking questions to raise awareness of the importance of knowing your numbers to make your business move forward.   Let me know your takeaways from this podcast and join our discussions in the Pawn Leaders Facebook community.    Text Pawnleaders to 8019358688  to get 15% off and the $500 setup fee waived for Podium.  

Hey Pawn Fam!     Would you like to know one major thing that you should start doing or changing as a pawnbroker and a leader?    In this newest episode of the Pawn Leaders Podcast, I talk about the kind of leader that attracts potential team members who will help create a good team. Also, I mention the implications of refusing to become a better leader.    Let me know your takeaways from this podcast and join our discussions in the Pawn Leaders Facebook community.    Text Pawnleaders to 8019358688  to get 15% off and the $500 setup fee waived for Podium.  

Hey Pawn Fam!    So excited about today's podcast!    Do you consider yourself old-school in some ways in terms of doing and managing your business? You can definitely relate to my guest in today's episode, a confessed old-school pawnbroker with modern insights, Pawn Max's Operating Manager and Partner, Phil Iovino.   What sets your business apart from others? How can your business grow continuously and provide service to more people? These are just 2 examples of the questions answered by Phil. We also had an interesting discussion about the mistakes pawnbrokers keep on making.    Do not miss the modern ways Phil shared that pawnbrokers - and business people alike - can start implementing CONSISTENTLY in their businesses, and a piece of life-changing advice he gives to young pawnbrokers.  Text Pawnleaders to 8019358688  to get 15% off and the $500 setup fee waived for Podium.   To continue the discussion join the Pawn Leaders Facebook community  

In this episode, I talked about one big mistake that I see in the pawn industry. It's about fear, fear in making decisions, and taking risks. Listen to this episode to know it's importance and relevance to uplevel your pawn operations. Text Pawnleaders to 8019358688  to get 15% off and the $500 setup fee waived for Podium.   To continue the discussion join the Pawn Leaders Facebook community

Awesome Wednesday Pawn Family! Another episode is out today! In this episode, interviewed Ken Huddleston from KK's Loans Music & Jewelry. We talked about learning and investing in your growth.  Having a successful store doesn't mean you can retain that spot as long as you do what you always do. The pawn business is changing, not just the pawn business, but all types of businesses are changing. We encounter different customers of every age every day, and of course, we all know that these come with different approaches. Listen to this episode to know more! Text Pawnleaders to 8019358688  to get 15% off and the $500 setup fee waived for Podium.   To continue the discussion join the Pawn Leaders Facebook community

And we are back with the Pawn Leaders Friday Podcast! In this episode, I talked about Epic Customer Service. Do you keep in touch with your customers after their visit or transaction in your store? What are your before, during, and after customer service strategies? Listen to this episode to know more about EPIC Customer service and how you can get your customers to revisit you. Text Pawnleaders to 8019358688  to get 15% off and the $500 setup fee waived for Podium.   To continue the discussion join the Pawn Leaders Facebook community

Another episode of the Pawn Leaders Podcast is here! In this episode, we have Sue B Zimmerman. Sue teaches small business owners how to become (and continue to be) the go-to authority in their industry by using Instagram™ marketing strategies to establish and grow an engaged Instagram™ following that converts. We talked about: How to grow your Instagram handle and channel How to get more engagement with your audience Do's and don'ts when it comes to your Instagram Have more sales and have more people walk into your store through Instagram reach Another episode you don't want to miss! Text Pawnleaders to 8019358688  to get 15% off and the $500 setup fee waived for Podium.   To continue the discussion join the Pawn Leaders Facebook community

A lot of pawnbrokers are stressed and overwhelmed. You got to understand that making a move or change in your business is a necessity. As pawnbrokers and business owners, we are often geared toward the profit, return of your investment without realizing that the most costly aspect we are spending time and money on is COI. Cost of Inaction. When you are not doing anything, it is costing you money. Make that move. Make that change. Be open to change. Have a growth mindset and see how your business will change.   Text Pawnleaders to 8019358688  to get 15% off and the $500 setup fee waived for Podium.   To continue the discussion join the Pawn Leaders Facebook community

Hey Pawn Family! Another episode of Pawn Leaders Podcast. In this new episode, I interviewed Nicholas Fulton from USA Pawn. He is also a part of the Pawn Leaders Mastermind. We dived into how mixing the new generation Marketing and Social Media can catapult your pawn business. Discover how digital marketing helped them grow and reach their ideal customers. We also covered how important listening to each other is. The only thing constant in this world is change. We must learn to listen and adapt to changes, for your betterment, and of course to level up your pawn operations. Text Pawnleaders to 8019358688  to get 15% off and the $500 setup fee waived for Podium.   To continue the discussion join the Pawn Leaders Facebook community

Hey Pawn Family, The Pawn Industry is not all about money, it's about helping our community, helping those in need. We cannot stay quiet when so many out there need our service. Someone out there is unemployed, got no money coming in, had to cut off phone lines, got an eviction notice, barely eating but got that gold chain. Those people in great need didn't think about going to a pawnshop, and it's NOT their fault if they didn't think about pawning, it's our fault for not getting the word out there in our communities. It's also our fault expecting people to know about us. This is the time to let people know that we exist. So spend some on marketing, paid ads and etc.. not to make money but help your community. This is how we rise. This is how we stand out. This is how we come out stronger a midst of this pandemic. What are you going to do to help your community? Comment them below.   Text Pawnleaders to 8019358688  to get 15% off and the $500 setup fee waived for Podium.   To continue the discussion join the Pawn Leaders Facebook community

Hey Pawn Family! Another episode of Pawn Leaders Podcast. Do you know what is the best and most expensive education money could buy? It's Trial And Error! In this new episode, I interviewed Bob McCullough from the Mastermind. Bob is turning 60 this year, in those years he tried different kinds of businesses like photography, aircraft manufacturing campgrounds, import & export, tv-show production, jewelry store, and of course pawnshop. He’s been dealing in Fine Jewelry, coins, bullion, and antiques for over 40 years and now and Bob cofounded PawnPlus with his wife in 2001. Learn to do's and most importantly not to do's to growing your pawn operations. Text Pawnleaders to 8019358688  to get 15% off and the $500 setup fee waived for Podium.   To continue the discussion join the Pawn Leaders Facebook community

Hey Pawn Family! It's been a while, I took a break to spend time with my family. In this new episode of the Pawn Leaders Podcast, I interviewed Don Hahn, one of the best Training Directors I have ever seen. He’s been in the pawn business for over 40 years and now he is the Director of Training and Personal Development of National Pawn. In this episode, you will discover: Importance of valuing your team members and how it will affect your pawn operations Tips on how to start training your team Value of customer service How to inspire, form and engage ...And so much more! Text Pawnleaders to 8019358688  to get 15% off and the $500 setup fee waived for Podium.   To continue the discussion join the Pawn Leaders Facebook community   Let's get together stronger than ever!

Text Pawnleaders to 8019358688  to get 15% off and the $500 setup fee waived for Podium.   Text the word Pawn to 33777 to get a copy of the Pawn Prepared Checklist. Pawnleaders Magazine has launched. For more information on signing up for a lifetime subscription go to: http://www.pawnleadersmagazine.com/   To continue the discussion join the Pawn Leaders Facebook community

Text Pawnleaders to 8019358688  to get 15% off and the $500 setup fee waived for Podium.   Pawnleaders Magazine has launched. For more information on signing up for a lifetime subscription go to: http://www.pawnleadersmagazine.com/   To continue the discussion join the Pawn Leaders Facebook community

Text Pawnleaders to 8019358688  to get 15% off and the $500 setup fee waived for Podium.   Pawnleaders Magazine will be launching in March of 2020. For more information on signing up for a lifetime subscription go to: http://www.pawnleadersmagazine.com/   To continue the discussion join the Pawn Leaders Facebook community

Text Pawnleaders to 8019358688  to get 15% off and the $500 setup fee waived for Podium.   Pawnleaders Magazine will be launching in March of 2020. For more information on signing up for a lifetime subscription go to: http://www.pawnleadersmagazine.com/   To continue the discussion join the Pawn Leaders Facebook community

Text Pawnleaders to 8019358688  to get 15% off and the $500 setup fee waived for Podium.   Pawnleaders Magazine will be launching in March of 2020. For more information on signing up for a lifetime subscription go to: http://www.pawnleadersmagazine.com/   To continue the discussion join the Pawn Leaders Facebook community

Text Pawnleaders to 8019358688  to get 15% off and the $500 setup fee waived for Podium.   Pawnleaders Magazine will be launching in March of 2020. For more information on signing up for a lifetime subscription go to: http://www.pawnleadersmagazine.com/   To continue the discussion join the Pawn Leaders Facebook community

Text Pawnleaders to 8019358688  to get 15% off and the $500 setup fee waived for Podium.   Pawnleaders Magazine will be launching in March of 2020. For more information on signing up for a lifetime subscription go to: http://www.pawnleadersmagazine.com/   To continue the discussion join the Pawn Leaders Facebook community  

Text Pawnleaders to 8019358688  to get 15% off and the $500 setup fee waived for Podium.   Pawnleaders Magazine will be launching in March of 2020. For more information on signing up for a lifetime subscription go to: http://www.pawnleadersmagazine.com/   To continue the discussion join the Pawn Leaders Facebook community   To access the Pawnleaders Special for Davids course go to: pawnleaders.com/customerservice

Text Pawnleaders to 8019358688  to get 15% off and the $500 setup fee waived for Podium.   Pawnleaders Magazine will be launching in March of 2020. For more information on signing up for a lifetime subscription go to: http://www.pawnleadersmagazine.com/   To continue the discussion join the Pawn Leaders Facebook community

Text Pawnleaders to 8019358688  to get 15% off and the $500 setup fee waived for Podium.   Pawnleaders Magazine will be launching in March of 2020. For more information on signing up for a lifetime subscription go to: http://www.pawnleadersmagazine.com/   To continue the discussion join the Pawn Leaders Facebook community   To get in touch with John go to the following:   https://www.hypervigilance.io/  Phone: 571-236-4461

Text Pawnleaders to 8019358688  to get 15% off and the $500 setup fee waived for Podium.     To continue the discussion join the Pawn Leaders Facebook community   For more information on the Pawnleaders Event, January 13th & 14th go to https://www.pawnleaders100.com/

Text Pawnleaders to 8019358688  to get 15% off and the $500 setup fee waived for Podium.     To continue the discussion join the Pawn Leaders Facebook community   For more information on the Pawnleaders Event, January 13th & 14th go to https://www.pawnleaders100.com/

Text Pawnleaders to 8019358688  to get 15% off and the $500 setup fee waived for Podium.     To continue the discussion join the Pawn Leaders Facebook community   For more information on the Pawnleaders Event, January 13th & 14th go to https://www.pawnleaders100.com/

Text Pawnleaders to 8019358688  to get 15% off and the $500 setup fee waived for Podium.     To continue the discussion join the Pawn Leaders Facebook community   For more information on the 3 Pillars on making money in the pawnshop. Check out the free mini-course at:http://www.pawnprofitformula.com/register     Go to http://pawnbasics.com to download your free guide on how to use facebook for pawn shops.   For a complimentary strategy on how you can improve your pawn business go to http://pawnstrategy.com 

Text Pawnleaders to 8019358688  to get 15% off and the $500 setup fee waived for Podium.     To continue the discussion join the Pawn Leaders Facebook community   For more information on the 3 Pillars on making money in the pawnshop. Check out the free mini-course at:http://www.pawnprofitformula.com/register     Go to http://pawnbasics.com to download your free guide on how to use facebook for pawn shops.   For a complimentary strategy on how you can improve your pawn business go to http://pawnstrategy.com 

Text Pawnleaders to 8019358688  to get 15% off and the $500 setup fee waived for Podium.     To continue the discussion join the Pawn Leaders Facebook community   For more information on the 3 Pillars on making money in the pawnshop. Check out the free mini-course at:http://www.pawnprofitformula.com/register     Go to http://pawnbasics.com to download your free guide on how to use facebook for pawn shops.   For a complimentary strategy on how you can improve your pawn business go to http://pawnstrategy.com 

Text Pawnleaders to 8019358688  to get 15% off and the $500 setup fee waived for Podium.     To continue the discussion join the Pawn Leaders Facebook community   For more information on the 3 Pillars on making money in the pawnshop. Check out the free mini-course at:http://www.pawnprofitformula.com/register     Go to http://pawnbasics.com to download your free guide on how to use facebook for pawn shops.   For a complimentary strategy on how you can improve your pawn business go to http://pawnstrategy.com 

Text Pawnleaders to 8019358688  to get 15% off and the $500 setup fee waived for Podium.     To continue the discussion join the Pawn Leaders Facebook community   For more information on the 3 Pillars on making money in the pawnshop. Check out the free mini-course at:http://www.pawnprofitformula.com/register     Go to http://pawnbasics.com to download your free guide on how to use facebook for pawn shops.   For a complimentary strategy on how you can improve your pawn business go to http://pawnstrategy.com    For more information about Joshua's podcast go to http://www.gemologyworldwide.com.

Go to Podium.com/pawnleaders to get the Pawnleaders Podcast 10% Discount.   To continue the discussion join the Pawn Leaders Facebook community   For more information on the 3 Pillars on making money in the pawnshop. Check out the free mini-course at:http://www.pawnprofitformula.com/register     Go to http://pawnbasics.com to download your free guide on how to use facebook for pawn shops.   For a complimentary strategy on how you can improve your pawn business go to http://pawnstrategy.com 

Go to Podium.com/pawnleaders to get the Pawnleaders Podcast 10% Discount.   To continue the discussion join the Pawn Leaders Facebook community   For more information on the 3 Pillars on making money in the pawnshop. Check out the free mini-course at:http://www.pawnprofitformula.com/register     Go to http://pawnbasics.com to download your free guide on how to use facebook for pawn shops.   For a complimentary strategy on how you can improve your pawn business go to http://pawnstrategy.com 

Go to Podium.com/pawnleaders to get the Pawnleaders Podcast 10% Discount.   To continue the discussion join the Pawn Leaders Facebook community     To join my 6-month coaching group on how to grow your business, create a better culture, hire faster, and master marketing, go to http://www.pawnleadersalliance.com/     Go to http://pawnbasics.com to download your free guide on how to use facebook for pawn shops.   For a complimentary strategy on how you can improve your pawn business go to http://pawnstrategy.com    To get in contact with ICG: Phone:407-818-7788 Email: vreyes@icg.org Website: www.icggroup.org

Go to Podium.com/pawnleaders to get the Pawnleaders Podcast 10% Discount.   To continue the discussion join the Pawn Leaders Facebook community     To join my 6-month coaching group on how to grow your business, create a better culture, hire faster, and master marketing, go to http://www.pawnleadersalliance.com/     Go to http://pawnbasics.com to download your free guide on how to use facebook for pawn shops.   For a complimentary strategy on how you can improve your pawn business go to http://pawnstrategy.com    For more information on getting more clients into your store. Go to clicksintopawns.com to set up a call.   To get in contact with Jeff you can reach him at: jeff@streetfightermarketing.com   Or check his book on amazon More Smart Marketing:52 More Brilliant Tips & Techniques To Boost Your Profits and Expand Your Business  

Go to Podium.com/pawnleaders to get the Pawnleaders Podcast 10% Discount.   To continue the discussion join the Pawn Leaders Facebook community     To join my 6-month coaching group on how to grow your business, create a better culture, hire faster, and master marketing, go to http://www.pawnleadersalliance.com/     Go to http://pawnbasics.com to download your free guide on how to use facebook for pawn shops.   For a complimentary strategy on how you can improve your pawn business go to http://pawnstrategy.com      Pawnleadersalliance.com  

Go to Podium.com/pawnleaders to get the Pawnleaders Podcast 10% Discount.   To continue the discussion join the Pawn Leaders Facebook community   Go to http://pawnbasics.com to download your free guide on how to use facebook for pawn shops.   For a complimentary strategy on how you can improve your pawn business go to http://pawnstrategy.com 

Go to Podium.com/pawnleaders to get the Pawnleaders Podcast 10% Discount.   To continue the discussion join the Pawn Leaders Facebook community   Go to http://pawnbasics.com to download your free guide on how to use facebook for pawn shops.   For a complimentary strategy on how you can improve your pawn business go to http://pawnstrategy.com 

Go to Podium.com/pawnleaders to get the Pawnleaders Podcast 10% Discount.   To continue the discussion join the Pawn Leaders Facebook community   Go to http://pawnbasics.com to download your free guide on how to use facebook for pawn shops.   For a complimentary strategy on how you can improve your pawn business go to http://pawnstrategy.com 

Go to Podium.com/pawnleaders to get the Pawnleaders Podcast 10% Discount.   To continue the discussion join the Pawn Leaders Facebook community   Go to http://pawnbasics.com to download your free guide on how to use facebook for pawn shops.   For a complimentary strategy on how you can improve your pawn business go to http://pawnstrategy.com    To get more information on Worthy go to https://www.worthy.com/

Go to Podium.com/pawnleaders to get the Pawnleaders Podcast 10% Discount.   To continue the discussion join the Pawn Leaders Facebook community   Go to http://pawnbasics.com to download your free guide on how to use facebook for pawn shops.   For a complimentary strategy on how you can improve your pawn business go to http://pawnstrategy.com    To contact David Geller go to https://www.jewelerprofit.com

Go to Podium.com/pawnleaders to get the Pawnleaders Podcast 10% Discount.   To continue the discussion join the Pawn Leaders Facebook community   Go to http://pawnbasics.com to download your free guide on how to use facebook for pawn shops.   For a complimentary strategy on how you can improve your pawn business go to http://pawnstrategy.com 

Go to Podium.com/pawnleaders to get the Pawnleaders Podcast 10% Discount.   To continue the discussion join the Pawn Leaders Facebook community   Go to http://pawnbasics.com to download your free guide on how to use facebook for pawn shops.   For a complimentary strategy on how you can improve your pawn business go to http://pawnstrategy.com    For information on Entrupy go to: https://www.entrupy.com/

Go to Podium.com/pawnleaders to get the Pawnleaders Podcast 10% Discount.   To continue the discussion join the Pawn Leaders Facebook community   Go to http://pawnbasics.com to download your free guide on how to use facebook for pawn shops.   For a complimentary strategy on how you can improve your pawn business go to http://pawnstrategy.com 

Go to Podium.com/pawnleaders to get the Pawnleaders Podcast 10% Discount.   To continue the discussion join the Pawn Leaders Facebook community   Go to http://pawnbasics.com to download your free guide on how to use facebook for pawn shops.   For a complimentary strategy on how you can improve your pawn business go to http://pawnstrategy.com 

Go to Podium.com/pawnleaders to get the Pawnleaders Podcast 10% Discount.   To continue the discussion join the Pawn Leaders Facebook community   Go to http://pawnbasics.com to download your free guide on how to use facebook for pawn shops.   For a complimentary strategy on how you can improve your pawn business go to http://pawnstrategy.com 

Go to Podium.com/pawnleaders to get the Pawnleaders Podcast 10% Discount.   To continue the discussion join the Pawn Leaders Facebook community   Go to http://pawnbasics.com to download your free guide on how to use facebook for pawn shops.   For a complimentary strategy on how you can improve your pawn business go to http://pawnstrategy.com 

Go to Podium.com/pawnleaders to get the Pawnleaders Podcast 10% Discount.   To continue the discussion join the Pawn Leaders Facebook community   Go to http://pawnbasics.com to download your free guide on how to use facebook for pawn shops.   For a complimentary strategy on how you can improve your pawn business go to http://pawnstrategy.com    How to Connect with John https://www.bemovingforward.com/ Start with Episode 202 To Connect with John on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/be-moving-forward/

Go to Podium.com/pawnleaders to get the Pawnleaders Podcast 10% Discount.   To continue the discussion join the Pawn Leaders Facebook community   Go to http://pawnbasics.com to download your free guide on how to use facebook for pawn shops.   For a complimentary strategy on how you can improve your pawn business go to http://pawnstrategy.com 

Go to Podium.com/pawnleaders to get the Pawnleaders Podcast 10% Discount.   To continue the discussion join the Pawn Leaders Facebook community   Go to http://pawnbasics.com to download your free guide on how to use facebook for pawn shops.   For a complimentary strategy on how you can improve your pawn business go to http://pawnstrategy.com 

Go to Podium.com/pawnleaders to get the Pawnleaders Podcast 10% Discount.   To continue the discussion join the Pawn Leaders Facebook community   Go to http://pawnbasics.com to download your free guide on how to use facebook for pawn shops.   For a complimentary strategy on how you can improve your pawn business go to http://pawnstrategy.com 

Go to Podium.com/pawnleaders to get the Pawnleaders Podcast 10% Discount.   To continue the discussion join the Pawn Leaders Facebook community   Join the waiting list for the Pawnleaders Masterclass at http://pawnleadersmasterclass.com

Go to Podium.com/pawnleaders to get the Pawnleaders Podcast 10% Discount.   To continue the discussion join the Pawn Leaders Facebook community   Join the waiting list for the Pawnleaders Masterclass at http://pawnleadersm asterclass.com

Go to Podium.com/pawnleaders to get the Pawnleaders Podcast 10% Discount.   To continue the discussion join the Pawn Leaders Facebook community   Join the waiting list for the Pawnleaders Masterclass at http://pawnleadersmasterclass.com

Go to Podium.com/pawnleaders to get the Pawnleaders Podcast 10% Discount.   To continue the discussion join the Pawn Leaders Facebook community   Join the waiting list for the Pawnleaders Masterclass at http://pawnleadersmasterclass.com

Go to Podium.com/pawnleaders to get the Pawnleaders Podcast 10% Discount.   To continue the discussion join the Pawn Leaders Facebook community   For more information on working together go to www.pawnleaders.com

Go to Podium.com/pawnleaders to get the Pawnleaders Podcast 10% Discount.   To continue the discussion join the Pawn Leaders Facebook community   For more information on working together go to www.pawnleaders.com

Go to Podium.com/pawnleaders to get the Pawnleaders Podcast 10% Discount.   To continue the discussion join the Pawn Leaders Facebook community   For more information on working together go to www.pawnleaders.com

Go to Podium.com/pawnleaders to get the Pawnleaders Podcast 10% Discount.   To continue the discussion join the Pawn Leaders Facebook community   For more information on working together go to www.pawnleaders.com

Go to Podium.com/pawnleaders to get the Pawnleaders Podcast 10% Discount.   To continue the discussion join the Pawn Leaders Facebook community   For more information on working together go to www.pawnleaders.com   

Go to Podium.com/pawnleaders to get the Pawnleaders Podcast 10% Discount.   To continue the discussion join the Pawn Leaders Facebook community   For more information on working together go to www.pawnleaders.com   For more information on Eyeson go to http://www.eyeson.biz/   CashCo Pawn Video Mentioned: https://youtu.be/rcm5600s2OA

Go to Podium.com/pawnleaders to get the Pawnleaders Podcast 10% Discount.   To continue the discussion join the Pawn Leaders Facebook community   For more information on working together go to www.pawnleaders.com   For more information on Nir Megnazi head over to: https://www.nirmegnazi.com/

Go to Podium.com/pawnleaders to get the Pawnleaders Podcast 10% Discount.   To continue the discussion join the Pawn Leaders Facebook community   For more information on working together go to www.pawnleaders.com   GIA Website Mentioned: https://www.gia.edu/

Go to Podium.com/pawnleaders to get the Pawnleaders Podcast 10% Discount.   To continue the discussion join the Pawn Leaders Facebook community   For more information on working together go to www.pawnleaders.com

Go to Podium.com/pawnleaders to get the Pawnleaders Podcast 10% Discount.   To continue the discussion join the Pawn Leaders Facebook community   For more information on working together go to www.pawnleaders.com

Go to Podium.com/pawnleaders to get the Pawnleaders Podcast 10% Discount.   To continue the discussion join the Pawn Leaders Facebook community   For more information on working together go to www.pawnleaders.com

Go to Podium.com/pawnleaders to get the Pawnleaders Podcast 10% Discount.   To continue the discussion join the Pawn Leaders Facebook community   For more information on working together go to www.pawnleaders.com

Go to Podium.com/pawnleaders to get the Pawnleaders Podcast 10% Discount.   To continue the discussion join the Pawn Leaders Facebook community   For more information on working together go to www.pawnleaders.com

Go to Podium.com/pawnleaders to get the Pawnleaders Podcast 10% Discount.   To continue the discussion join the Pawn Leaders Facebook community   For more information on working together go to www.pawnleaders.com   To enter the Diamond Tester Raffle go to www.freediamondtester.com

Go to Podium.com/pawnleaders to get the Pawnleaders Podcast 10% Discount.   To continue the discussion join the Pawn Leaders Facebook community   For more information on working together go to www.pawnleaders.com

To continue the discussion join the Pawn Leaders Facebook community   For more information on working together go to www.pawnleaders.com

To continue the discussion join the Pawn Leaders Facebook community   For more information on working together go to www.pawnleaders.co

To continue the discussion join the Pawn Leaders Facebook community   For more information on working together go to www.pawnleaders.com.   Software Mentioned on the Podcast: https://www.claritywave.com/

To continue the discussion join the Pawn Leaders Facebook community For more information on working together go to www.pawnleaders.com.

To continue the discussion join the Pawn Leaders Facebook community For more information on working together go to www.pawnleaders.com.

To continue the discussion join the Pawn Leaders Facebook community For more information on working together go to www.pawnleaders.com.

To continue the discussion join the Pawn Leaders Facebook community For more information on working together go to www.pawnleaders.com. Software Mentioned on the show: https://meetedgar.com/

To continue the discussion join the Pawn Leaders Facebook community For more information on working together go to www.pawnleaders.com. Jason's Book Mentioned on the show: Brick and Mortar Isn't Dead

To continue the discussion join the Pawn Leaders Facebook community For more information on working together go to www.pawnleaders.com. For more information about Jaime and Bottle Neck Virtual Assistants  go to https://bottleneck.online/

To continue the discussion join the Pawn Leaders Facebook community For more information on working together go to www.pawnleaders.com. The software mentioned in the podcast: https://bravopawnsystems.com/

Today on Pawn Leaders, I have Mike Michalowicz, author of the books Profit First, Surge, The Pumpkin Plan and his newest release, Clockwork. By his 35th birthday Mike had founded and sold two companies, a bunch of private equity and another two Fortune 500 companies. Today he’s running his 3rd multi-million dollar venture; Profit First Professionals. Mike is a former small business columnist for the Wall Street Journal and a former business makeover specialist on MSNCB. He has travelled far and wide, speaking with thousands of entrepreneurs. [02:14] What is Entrepreneurial Poverty? “The misperception about how successful and the amount of money entrepreneurs have or earn.”   [03:51] “The next time someone asks ‘how big is your pawn shop?’ Say, ‘Let’s talk about how healthy it is!’”   [04:06] We have been told that profit is the bottom-line, but if that’s the case, it means that consideration can wait.   [04:48] Sales – Profit = Expenses   [06:39] The core concept is that when revenue comes into your business, we take a pre-determined percentage of that money and allocate it towards profit.   [07:59] We have to force in this gap of removing the profit, hiding it away from ourselves and forcing our business to thrive off the remainder.   [08:29] Most people say they’re starting a business to be rich, but how do you define what success is and when is the next plateau?   [11:44] What can we do to dictate a higher margin?   [12:52] Thinking about your reason for growth is looking at being more profitable. You must focus on what drives that profit.   [14:08] People who focus on profit first grow faster than their competition, because they focus on the things that drive profitability.   [17:02] When there is a lack of profitability, we go into survival mode   [19:15] How can a pawn broker think profit first? “Determine how you manage your finances.”   [20:08] Setup different accounts for different purposes (The Foundational 5): An Income Account Profit Account Owner’s Compensation Taxes Account Operating Expenses Account   [22:14] We need to vet our customers.   [25:45] The Profit First system presents problems before they become issues.   [26:41] Having a financial heart attack opens your eyes to what you need to change in your business and managing your finances. However, it never has to get that far.   [28:25] Allocate 1% of your income to your profit account and over time you will build your financial muscle.   [30:00] Suffering is a sign that there is something wrong with your business.   [30:39] It is easier to do things that aren’t working, that you’re familiar with, than to do something new that will bring better results.   [31:22] Try something new; buy the book Profit First and see how it changes your life.   Visit MikeMichalowicz.com or search for “Mike Motorbike” and the first result will lead you to the website.   Remember to visit our Facebook page and website.

Welcome back to Season 2 of the Pawn Leaders Podcast. Today we have Greg Engstrom, who has been in the pawn business since 1986.  He is the president of the Indiana pawnbrokers association and recently put on the incredible Midwest pond conference that I attended and spoke at. He was also on the board of the NPA for 11 years, the winner of Pawn Broker of the year in 2016. He is also a pilot, a scuba diver, and a mountain climber.   [03:04] Prior to opening a pawn shop, Greg operated a jewelry business   [03:50] Greg got his license in ’85, but didn’t open the store because he and his business partner were not ready   [04:55] They later opened a bigger store, with more parking, in 1989, and continued to grow, until he chose to only operate 3 stores   [10:29] Greg got ordered to stay in a hospital because he was close to having a heart attack and doctors were able to catch it before it happened   [10:55] Things that were once important, aren’t important anymore. This helped them to scale down the amount of stress and number of stores and now life is fantastic!   [15:05] What advice would you give young pawnbrokers to not have all the stress? “There’s a lot of underlying stress and I think that’s what a lot of us as pawnbrokers and any business people need to watch, because that’s the killer. And along with the underlying stress, is guilt”   [15:49] The cleanup of the underlying stress is what a lot of us skip   [18:53] Most pawnbrokers do an amazing job at becoming familiar with their current customers   [22:55] What does it take for a pawnbroker to be successful and what mistakes are they making that they need to fix? We need to serve these people that have nowhere else to turn.   [29:24] It’s important to start networking with politicians from early so they become familiar with you   [39:14] “The one thing a pawnbroker can’t change is, you loan money to people who need it”   Visit the Midwest Pawn Convention next year May in Louisville.

Joey Coleman helps companies keep their customers. He’s an award-winning speaker and works with organizations around the world; from small startups to major brands. His wall street journal 2nd best-selling book Never Lose a Customer again offers strategies and tactics for turning 1-time purchases into repeat sales. Joey enjoys spending time with his wife and 2 sons. This year, Joey is the keynote speaker at the Pawn Expo in Vegas, but first, he joins us on the Pawn Leaders podcast to teach us how to retain customers.   [02:59] Joey will be doing a keynote at the Pawn Expo in the morning and a workshop in the afternoon   [04:23] Joey used to be a defense lawyer, starting as a son of a criminal defense lawyer to doing national security law, international law and working in the Whitehouse in the CIA   [05:44] “In order to succeed in all of those industries, you had to have a very keen and clear understanding of the human condition”   [07:50] “We spend so much time and effort building our businesses, and focusing on our businesses, that when someone chooses not to do business with us, it feels like a dagger to the heart”   [09:19] Businesses get caught up in B2B or B2C that they forget that there are humans involved in every transaction   [13:11] “32% of the new customers who will join a bank, will leave that bank before their 1 year anniversary…half of them will leave in the first 100 days”   [14:55] “Somewhere between 20-70% of your new customers will decide to stop doing business with you before they reach the 100 days anniversary”   [20:30] You will run out of new customers, but you won’t run out of existing customers if you pay attention    [21:14] What is a customer experience? “Customer experience is every single touchpoint, every single interaction you have with a customer”   [23:42] Joey’s book Never Lose a Customer Again is highly recommended and you can also visit JoeyColeman.com   [24:05] The 8 phases a customer has the potential to go through: Assess (Marketing and Sales) Admit Affirm

On this five minute Friday episode, I discuss the issues around keeping it real and sharing the ups and the downs. To continue the discussion join the Pawn Leaders Facebook Group. Schedule your complimentary Strategy Session today at pawnleaders.com

On today’s episode of Pawn Leaders, we speak to Jerry Whitehead. He is a 2nd generation Pawnbroker with over 45 years of experience in the industry. He was one of the founding principles of Uncle Joe’s Pawn, a family owned 12 store chain that was sold to Cash America in 1992. Jerry was the CEO of Dark Holidays in Austin, Texas. He grew that chain to more than 50 stores and sold that chain in 1997 to Cash America as well. He served as a director on several industry boards, including the National Pawnbrokers Association. He's also a leading mergers and acquisitions specialist who has bought and sold more than 250 stores in his career. Jerry started the Pawnshop Consulting Group in early 2000 and today has serviced hundreds of clients in more than 40 countries around the world and all across the USA.   [03:16] At 8 years old, Jerry’s father asked him to volunteer at the pawnshop, where he worked 40 to 50 hours per week.   [05:19] The first set of stores were sold to Cash America? “In mid-1992 Cash America approached us and made us one hell of a cash offer and we ended up selling out to Cash America”   [08:52] How did you get word around about your consulting business? Bob Moulton described his frustration when going into his pawn stores and that he had little motivation and it was here that Jerry took him on as his first client.       [09:20] He was able to guide Bob Moulton, who now has increased his store count by 11.   [09:39] “The business really began by word of mouth, all the years I served on the NPA board, lots of great contacts, lots of great friends and family in the industry. In the beginning it literally was word of mouth. I was speaking in all the trade shows and getting a lot of visibility from the trade shows”   [10:38] “If people told me 15 years ago I'd be doing gigs in Cambodia and New Zealand, I never would have fathomed that”   [12:26] What is one thing that you think pawnbrokers are still doing wrong? “Unfortunately many independent pawnbrokers, operating not only in the United States, are still overvaluing their inventory”   [13:05] “Technology is a way of life and so there's so much information that's available today and when I go into stores I'm amazed at Pawnbrokers, because you know why they price this stuff to the moon. What are you thinking?”    [14:03] Why do you think some pawnbrokers are unable to turnover inventory quickly? “I think most mom and pop pawnbrokers have a sense of joy when they look around on their shelves and think about all the net worth they've got sitting around on” [14:16] “There's two types of people in this business. There's retailers and there's collectors. You need to figure out which side of the equation you're on”   [15:23] What’s another mistake you see pawnbrokers making? “Number two is a general lack of understanding of the financial metrics or what I call the KPIs (Key Performance Indicators). Most brokers really have no clue”   [16:51] What are the most important metrics? “Loan yields obviously number one, because whenever I have an outstanding loans, I need to know what my annual return is on that loan balance and how do I compare with other peers in similar markets?”   [17:40] The inventory yield is also very important, as it looks at the combination of inventory turns and margins   [18:06] Looking at the net profit percentage return on revenues is another important metric, as well as the return on assets   [20:44] What would you say is the third thing pawnbrokers are doing wrong? “I'm still shocked today to see as many stores as I do that are in such utter disarray”   [22:52] People become numb to their environment, and therefore don’t see the need to change their image   [23:36] “I have just found that stores that are bright, clean and friendly, with smiling, friendly, happy people in there, that want to do business with you, do better than the other guys do”   [24:39] What are some of the things pawnbrokers need to do to become successful? “Leaders lead…when you've got strong leadership at the helm who is constantly grazing the road for something new or something different or seeking more from their personnel or their operations, constantly trying to improve, and constantly trying to do things differently, they tend to set themselves aside”   [28:18] “9 out of 10 times when you get the right players in your operation, those operations will grow and grow and grow”   [29:57] “Those that come in with baggage all the time or negative energy, they can certainly pull down the positive energy that exists in that environment”   [32:21] Goal setting is a big part of what Jerry does as a Consultant   [35:30] In the event that a pawnbroker is thinking of selling their store, how do they improve their store?  “Oftentimes we can enhance the value of the business model just by doing some corrections in the operations over a period of time to improve the KPIS” [36:34] Entering into an agreement with a pawn business, and helping them enhance their financial metrics will ultimately enhance the value of the business.   [38:59] “About 50 percent of the clients that have approached me to sell are still operating and they're operating with more integrity. They're happier”   [39:28] Make contact with Jerry Whitehead by visiting his website Pawnshop Consulting Group as well as on the Pawn Leaders podcast community on Facebook.

On this five minute Friday episode, I discuss the one mistake that will destroy your pawn business guaranteed! To continue the discussion join the Pawn Leaders Facebook Group. Schedule your complimentary Strategy Session today at pawnleaders.com

On today’s episode of Pawn Leaders, we speak with Joe Apfelbaum, CEO of Ajax Union; a B2B digital marketing agency in Brooklyn, New York. He is a Business Strategist, Marketing expert and certified Google trainer, as well as the author of the book High Energy Secrets, where he   [10:20] How and when did you realize that you had to make a change in your life? “I started reading more books, bought a book called The Habit and I looked into personal development”   [10:55] The conscious and subconscious mind are different ways of thinking. The subconscious mind works 90% of the time   [13:09] “It’s not about self-control, it’s about rewiring your habits”   [14:12] “Every human being has the same 24 hours in the day. We all have time”   [19:40] People believe that if they drink a lot of water, it causes them to go to the bathroom very often and it’s perfectly normal.   [26:35] If you realize that you are not focused as an entrepreneur, it means you are losing electrolytes   [31:11] “The definition of stress is not breathing”   [33:44] “The healthier you get, physically and emotionally, the safer you’ll be”   [34:56] Get your copy of High Energy Secrets and visit Joe’s website at Joe Apfelbaum  

On this five minute Friday episode, I discuss finding the importance of practicing and sharpening your skills. To continue the discussion join the Pawn Leaders Facebook Group. Schedule your complimentary Strategy Session today at pawnleaders.com

Shawn Goans is the owner of Fort Scott Gun & Pawn and Fast Guy Stuff. He has a background in Sales and Aviation and made the dramatic switch to the pawn business after making the transition from customer to pawnbroker. Shawn shares his pawn business experience thus far on today’s episode of Pawn Leaders.     [00:49] Shawn’s pawn store is located in Fort Scott, Kansas   [01:02] He has been in Sales for the past 2 years and in the pawn business for 3 years   [01:12] Shawn went from customer to pawnshop owner      [02:29] 10% interest charged on a 30 day loan and a 90 day grace with a hold period of 30 days    [03:25] People travel to do business with him because of the low interest rate   [05:08] Shawn had to start from scratch with making a name for the business. He created a Facebook page and used word-of-mouth and giveaways to increase following   [07:02] His Facebook page has been removed multiple times due to his business being a gun shop   [08:36] Engaging posts are used as a strategy on Facebook   [12:39] Tactic used to engage customers: Send a handwritten “Thank You” card to customers after they make a purchase   [14:53] Mistakes to be aware of: Make smart loans If you are new to the pawn business, work for a Pawnbroker to learn the business

On this five minute Friday episode, I discuss finding the gift. To continue the discussion join the Pawn Leaders Facebook Group. Schedule your complimentary Strategy Session today at pawnleaders.com

Scott Wintrip is the author of High Velocity Hiring: How to Hire Top Talent in an Instant, named the must-read book by SHRM’s HR Magazine. Over the past 19 years, Scott has led the Wintrip Consulting Group, a global consultancy that has helped more than 22,000 organizations build talent-rich companies that have eliminated their hiring delays forever. For five consecutive years, Staffing Industry Analysts, a Crain Communications company, awarded Scott a place on the “Staffing 100,” a list of the world’s 100 most influential leaders. He’s also a member of the Million Dollar Consultant Hall of Fame and was inducted into the Staffing 100 Hall of Fame.     [02:13] Scott studied Music in college   [03:02] He was unaware that putting people in jobs was an industry   [04:04] Scott realized that apart from employment agencies, he had to serve companies      [05:22] Making history repeat itself is the best strategy Scott would share with people     [05:52] Recurring patterns make better hires   [06:29] “70% of hiring managers and HR professionals often see agencies and recruiters as a necessary evil; people stealing persons from one company and putting them in another.”   [06:56] Find people who are willing to join an industry with a reputation that is not well deserved   [10:05] The old way of hiring no longer works     [11:53] “Smart, talented people give themselves options. They know that the job they have today can go away tomorrow. So they believe in lining up options for themselves.”   [13:16] Hiring under the influence of overwhelming responsibility is a bad idea   [13:56] Scott identifies the recruiting process in his book High Velocity Hiring: How to Hire Top Talent in an Instant   [14:10] Various types of companies benefit from his book. However, he believes that the smaller businesses benefit the most   [15:02] Look for the recurring patterns among the people that matches their personality to their career   [16:18] Scott thinks that small businesses have a competitive advantage that allows them to sell a career path to people   [18:27] “If you want to recruit good people, you have to run a good business, and serve your community”   [19:02] Conduct a different type of interview to ensure you make: - the right hire - attract good people - eliminate preconceived notions   [19:17] In the typical interview, candidates TELL, SELL and SWELL   [19:56] Scott focuses on proof, not promises   [20:08] How to conduct an experiential interview: See the candidate in action; doing sample work Hear how they will behave around customers and colleagues Experience the quality of his/her skills   [25:19] The Biggest Mistakes in the Hiring Process: Blaming the skills shortage Making it more complicated than it is   [29:48] Comment “I want High Velocity Hiring” and you will be entered into a raffle to win Scott’s book

Todays Episode I recap what I took away from the Midwest Convention. To continue the discussion join the Pawn Leaders Facebook Group. Schedule your complimentary Strategy Session today at pawnleaders.com

A 3rd generation pawnbroker, Jordan is the CEO and owner of Beverly Loan Company, an upscale pawnshop specializing in discreet collateral loans against fine jewelry, watches, artwork and memorabilia. This pawnshop caters to socialites, business people and celebrities who require collateral loans against their prized possessions, in a confidential office building. In 2013, Jordan founded New York Loan Company, and most recently, purchased Chicago Loan Company. Jordan is a graduate of the University of Michigan and Loyola Law School, a member of the State Bar of California and sits on the Board of Directors of the National Pawnbrokers Association.   [01:46] Jordan’s grandfather started the business in 1938, who later gave his mother the business. When his mother passed on, Jordan decided to take up the mantle.   [05:25] Beverly Loan Company charges a standard of 4% a month   [06:04] Most of the items pawned includes jewelry, fine watches and artwork, especially at the New York location      [07:33] What’s been the hardest part of running the stores? “Opening stores 3000 miles apart from one another is not an easy task”   [08:24] “There’s a stigma attached to our industry, and it’s my goal to debunk that stigma”   [09:51] When do people with money need money? There are times when persons’ capital are tied up in investments and big properties. There are also people with poor credit, but have a lot of money in properties that need personal loans   [15:35] One of the most unique items Jordan has seen was an expensive wine collection   [14:17] What makes you so involved in the industry and why is it important for people to be as involved? It’s important to dispel the stigma that pawn is for low class people and the NPA does a great job of conveying this     [15:55] Success tips for pawnbrokers: Hire the best and compensate well Have a loan first mentality Be confidential Run every penny through the company   [20:20] “Don’t be scared to take on new forms of collateral. Don’t be scared to take on things that you don’t know a lot about. Educate yourself”   [22:05] “I like having a client in my office. I like having my clients come in to make their payment in person and not paying mobile”.  

Todays Episode I touch on creating a plan to win. To continue the discussion join the Pawn Leaders Facebook Group. Schedule your complimentary Strategy Session today at pawnleaders.com

Antoine Dupont, CEO of Katapult Marketing, was born in Paris and has spent the last five years studying Marketing while creating hundreds of videos for his clients. Katapult Marketing is an internet marketing company that manages the web presence for business owners. The company creates videos and websites that generate leads and increases credibility. Antoine’s clients have seen a 3 to 5 times increase in social media engagement, while others have seen a 37% increase in sales because of their video marketing strategies. We see how integrating video marketing in the pawn business can reap great rewards in today's episode of Pawn Leaders.     [02:07] Approximately five years ago, Antoine was introduced to doing video marketing by one of his employees   [03:59] “As a Marketer, what you’re trying to do is to put your client’s brand or your brand in front of people’s eyes. What are they looking at? Are they looking at billboards? Are they listening to radios? Are they watching television? What are they looking at collectively; my target audience? And the answer for you as pawnbrokers is ‘They are looking at videos.’”   [04:40] Your audience is paying attention to YouTube and Facebook, and they like to watch videos on these platforms      [05:48] People are always looking for “How-To” videos, for example: “How Do You Negotiate the Pawnbroker?”     [07:37] People love authenticity, so your video does not have to be perfect   [08:30] You can start recording with a mobile phone and a microphone   [10:19] “We cannot get enough of stories”   [11:52] Stay away from Facebook live. Only utilize videos that are live worthy   [14:24] “Facebook is a marketing and branding apparatus, it is not a sales engine”   [15:30] It is not advisable to put a commercial on Facebook, unless it is very specific   [17:54] The pawnbroker must be in front of people on a regular basis, but not in an aggressive manner   [20:59] Google is where people go and look for what they want to buy, while Facebook is where people spend their time, but not with an intention to buy     [21:56] Putting 1 video on Facebook per month is good traction for your business [23:17] What strategy can a pawnbroker use to advertise a content? Post on your Facebook page, share to your personal page, then to your followers, while boosting your post. Segment your target audience using various selections.   [27:11] Visit Answer the Public to get all the questions on YouTube and Google for the word searched   [32:00] Utilize long-term strategy to reap high returns   [33:24] Look for “How Pawnshop Works” in YouTube and search will retrieve over 35,000 results. This proves that you can post similar content. Anything close to 1 million is a no go and anything within the hundred thousand is just right     [36:52] Visit Antoine’s YouTube channel for workshops on video marketing

Todays Episode I touch on extreme clarity and what that means to you both personally and professionally. To continue the discussion join the Pawn Leaders Facebook Group. Schedule your complimentary Strategy Session today at pawnleaders.com

Scot Keller joins us on today's episode of Pawn Leaders. Scot was born in Philadelphia and then moved to Las Vegas, Nevada, where his father was a professional poker player. He attended high school in Las Vegas and went to Arizona State University. Scot later moved to Lake Cormorant to help his family run Keller's Pawn.     [01:52] Scot encourages small pawnshop owners to go to conventions to meet with veterans in the business   [02:51] “For the amount of money you get charged, especially at the smaller conventions, it’s worth every dime.”   [03:14] Scot recounts in his younger days, the strategy he would use to get products at the flea market cheaper than usual     [06:30] Mississippi is lenient with the regulations. They charge 25%, holds for 2 months and allowed to hold buys for 2 weeks if they do automatic computer transfers to police and 3 weeks if uploading or faxing pawn tickets to the police   [07:44] Based on the zip code of the Keller’s Pawn, there are 2,200 people with a median income of $45,000 and a ratio of males to females is 75 percent to 25 percent.   [08:08] Keller’s Pawn is located on Highway 61 and gets many tourists, including persons from Italy and England   [10:56] Scot knows many pawnbrokers who were previously bartenders   [11:25] “If they wanna do business, I’ll go as fast as I can. But if they wanna take their time, to stay, absolutely stay!”     [12:06] Being able to play multifaceted roles to attend to your customers, gives you a better outcome   [12:46] “I have great customers that I see on bad days”   [18:58] Lessons learned: Don’t be afraid to admit to mistakes Be willing to try everything, even if it doesn’t work Have fun

Leadership isn't always about being serious all time it's about having fun. On today's episode, I challenge you to start having more fun. To continue the discussion join the Pawn Leaders Facebook Group

Russ Perry joins us on today’s episode of Pawn Leaders. Russ is the founder of Design Pickle – the #1 unlimited and flat-rate graphic design service in the world. Design Pickle was launched in 2015 and has achieved unprecedented success. Russ is also the author of the Sober Entrepreneur, a book that speaks about his journey from rock-bottom and his commitment to sobriety. He is a certified trainer with Wake Up Warrior and enjoys traveling with his wife and 3 daughters.   [02:44] Russ looked at where he could provide value where there’s a gap in the market   [03:33] Design Pickle is 1 price, with two (2) plans; $370 and $995 plan   [05:23] Being able to take the designing off business owners’ plate so they can focus on the operations of the business makes Design Pickle amazing   [06:09] “The worst part as a business owner is when you’re not being proactive with your marketing and communication because you think it’s too expensive…it’s too much work”     [07:19] Becoming an entrepreneur means that you have to be addicted to that business   [07:51] Russ, at 22, became addicted to launching and growing his business, which in turn led to him pushing away his family and becoming isolated   [09:05] The isolation led to Russ having an affair   [09:49] “The patterns of our past, or the patterns of our industry, don’t have to become our patterns”     [09:55] Sober Entrepreneur was written so that business owners could learn from their mistakes and also getting sober after being addicted to a substance or a business   [12:42] Realize that you’re not alone on the path of addicts trying to get sober   [13:17] Be strategic about dealing with the stress by replacing bad habits with healthy habits   [15:34] Becoming sober is a life-changing experience   [16:41] Design Pickle was launched 14 months after Russ became sober. During the sobering process, be reflective and meditate about what you want in the future   [18:56] How does somebody know that they’re an addict? Addictions are where a lot of your time, money and energy are being spent. If they are leading you to a better life, there are no worries. However, distractions and stress are red flags. [22:42] In order to have a lasting marriage, Russ had to eliminate alcohol from his life to build trust   [26:16] Legacy makes you think more logically when making decisions   [28:07] How important was coaching to you to create the man you are today? “Coaching was an accountability mechanism for me to level up as a leader, communicator, and teacher, which I could do in my own business”   [30:34] Managing your long-term vision with clarity and lining them up with short-term actions is important   [31:19] Journey to sobriety: Get into a support group Be committed to your reason for being sober   [33:36] There will be free books at soberentrepreneur.com [35:47] Follow Russ on Instagram @russperry

On today's episode, I touch on a very important question. When was the last time you've been to the doctor? To continue the discussion join the Pawn Leaders Facebook Group

Vidyuth Srinivasan, co-founder and CEO of Entrupy and co-inventor of Entrupy’s patented technology, earned a degree in Journalism while designing and developing video games for Raptor Entertainment. He embarked on a career across a variety of roles including Sales, Business Development, Marketing, PR and filmmaking while working for software giants; Intuit and Microsoft. Entrupy was established in 2012 with co-founders, with a mission of using scalable technologies to enable trust and commerce to combat counterfeits. Entrupy launched in 2016 as an instant authentication service for high valued goods for the resale market. In 1 year, Entrupy has authenticated over 14 million dollars’ worth of inventory for its customers.   [02:08] Entrupy aims to build trust in transactions   [03:21] “Over time, we realized together that, as an industry and across commerce and across trading in the world, there’s a huge problem with counterfeits and that problem pervades almost every single industry.”   [05:48] The co-founders of Entrupy have a solid technology background and realized that they needed to solve the problem of getting instantaneous results regarding imitation products.     [08:21] The technology allows you to scan a product to see if it is authentic     [09:01] Most customers use Entrupy to detect handbags and leather accessories   [09:57] “The fact that we are versatile and scalable means that we have to be looking into expanding into either adjacent or completely horizontal/verticals.”   [10:11] Entrupy is looking to expand their business to compare watches, jewelry, shoes and are working with retailers in Europe   [10:46] Vidyuth never planned to enter the pawn industry until meeting Michael Mack of Max Pawn and then realizing that the pawn business relies on the speed of sales and being able to know if persons selling an item are trustworthy.     [11:46] Most pawnbrokers don’t take handbags because they are unsure of the authenticity of the products   [12:41] “The people who jumped on at first were the folks in the pawn industry”   [14:24] If you take in an item that has been certified as authentic, by Entrupy, and it is confirmed otherwise, Entrupy will give you money for the cost of the item as well as take the item off your hands.   [16:08] Many persons in the pawn consignment business, get their products sold 40-60% faster when they advertise a product with the authentication certificate   [17:02] “Once you have trust as that bottom layer, the buyer gets a good product that’s trustworthy, the seller makes extra money faster, and we make a small cut off that entire transaction”   [17:34] How much of an increase, in the sale of handbags, do pawnbrokers have after using Entrupy? Not all customers focus on handbags, but everyday there are at least 3 to 4 enquiries regarding handbags.   [21:19] What are the biggest tells of counterfeit? “Oh, I got this as a gift.” – Why would someone get rid of a gift? When people go into a pawn shop acting like they are in a hurry If the item or deal is too good to be true, it might be counterfeit Coming up with a fake address where they bought the product   [23:52] There are 4 components of the Entrupy technology; A handheld microscope is used to take image samples of varying parts of an item The images are sent to the handheld mobile app Images from the app go to the computers And the computer gives a result   [25:01] Visit Entrupy

Tune in to find out about my week at the Dixie Convention and the things I learned.   To continue the discussion join the Pawn Leaders Facebook Group

Jamie Smith left the banking industry and started a payday advance and check cashing store with his wife, Amber. The business grew in 2 locations. They also started an Ebay business selling coins and bullion, which eventually grew into one of Ebay’s most successful retailers in that category, achieving Titanium top-rated seller status. In April 2013, they opened their first pawn store, Allied Pawn, in Dubuque Iowa and business has been great. Over the last 10 years, Jamie has learned from some of the top pawnbrokers, jewelers, coin dealers and marketers in the world. He has used his experience to grow his business and developed his unique approach to grow Allied Pawn to one of the most successful pawn stores in the west.   [02:01] A shift in the business territory caused Jamie and his wife to look at other options and he decided to go into the pawn business based on his experience with coins, gold and lending   [03:02] What are the laws governing pawn in Iowa? “We have no law. Operating under a city ordinance, there’s a 5-day hold on buys (precious metals), we charge 25% and Iowa has no mandated pawn hold period, but we hold our loans for 30 days.”     [04:39] What are the 5 tips for growing your business successfully? Seek out a business mentor Say YES more often (have a high-risk tolerance) Seek out some of your affluent customers Utilize strong marketing (SEO, Search, Social Media) Be willing to sell your merchandise fast   [07:00] Mentors challenge you to think differently about the business     [08:16] How do you market to the affluent to get the big loans? Use advertising towards them, like print, join clubs and organizations and network with the right people   [09:22] Read at least one book from the No B.S series of books by Dan Kennedy. No BS Marketing to the Affluent is especially great.   [10:25] Even when you think spending a ton of money on SEO will make your business successful, there are times when it gives you traffic but it does not convert to actual sales   [12:20] There is a coin dealership that Jamie runs around the back, while Amber handles day-to-day activities in the storefront     [13:00] Why is it so important to be involved politically? “Like my good friend and mentor, Greg Angstrom will tell you, ‘Being involved in politics is insurance’”   [14:04] Joining the NPA and a state association is essential   [14:49] Realizing that to get to be a successful entrepreneur, there are certain improvements that you would need in your life   [15:32] Two books that you would recommend that made an impact in your store and business: For What It’s Worth: Business Wisdom from a Pawnbroker – by Les Gold Pawnonomics: A Tale of The Historical, Cultural, and Economic Significance of the Pawnbroking Industry – Stephen Krupnik   [17:47] What is the biggest mistake you’ve made in your five years of the pawn business? Practicing “buy low, sell high”   [18:24] What do you do to create the culture that you have in your business? The business atmosphere is relaxed and the team gets bonuses every now and then   [20:04] You have to be very careful of your surroundings regarding threats to the pawn business. Joining the NPA helps you with the changes happening around you   [21:30] There are many ways you can minimize risks in your pawn business   [22:37] Closing advice “Say yes more often and see the impact it has on your business”

Links Mentioned on Today's Five Minute Friday: Dixie Convention Center To continue the discussion join the Pawn Leaders Facebook Group

Dr. Wayne Babovich practiced law for almost 40 years before retiring. He now teaches and lectures on a regular basis and has lectured in Europe, Canada, and Australia and throughout the United States. Wayne holds a B.A. degree from Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, an MS degree and a Ph.D. in Urban Planning from the University of New Orleans and a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Houston. He has published and lectured in the area of pawnbroking for over 30 years, at various pawn conventions. He drafted the original legislation which formed the basis for the 1993 Louisiana Pawn Shop Act adopted by the Louisiana legislature.     [04:58] Wayne shares an experience he had with a sheriff at a meet and greets hosted by the Louisiana Pawnbrokers Association   [06:21] As a pawnbroker, you have to balance between being stern and being civil   [06:47] Wayne talks about collating a book regarding the pawn business after realizing that pawnbrokers were unaware of the laws surrounding the business   [07:39] In 1993, after the Louisiana Pawn Shop Act was passed, Wayne put together the federal laws governing pawn shops   [09:49] Not knowing the laws is no longer an excuse   [10:55] Bankruptcy attorneys do not have a concept of the rights of pawnshops   [11:10] “Pledged items or pawned items are immune from bankruptcy.”   [11:37] In the book, there is an entire chapter on how to fill out a form   [12:39] Wayne gives the history of notices   [14:32] “You put that stack of notices at your window, and you make sure everybody gets one…Do not ask them to sign it.”   [15:29] Soldiers and Sailors Relief Act is another law that many pawnbrokers are still unaware of   [16:23] There have been a couple of cases with Rent-to-Own and Payday Loans   [19:15] There are many grey areas to know for certain which laws are in place   [20:04] Wayne suggests the following to help pawnbrokers stay away from any problems with the law: join the NPA to get support from other members join a local pawn association in your community act in good faith keep a record of training and procedures   [22:01] “When ATF sees you really doing it right, you’re halfway home.”   [24:43] “I think you’re not going to see, under the Trump administration, the ATF going overboard.”   [27:05] Use your common sense when making transactions, especially with guns   [33:29] The 3 biggest mistakes pawnbrokers are making as it relates to the law: Not carefully develop a relationship with their community Not keeping a paper trail Not joining their local association or the NPA   [35:14] Visit the Law of Pawn website and buy a copy of the book. Also, feel free to call him at 504-283-9353

Today I give you the harsh truth. Stop complaining and take accountability. I hear pawn brokers complaining all the time without taking responsibility for their problems. Listen in on this episode as I break down how you get out of the cycle of complaining and start finding solutions.

From a very young age, Lauren Kaminsky Goldman, also known as the GoldGirl, has been involved in multiple facets of the jewelry world. Her career has covered businesses ranging from blogger to curator to, most uniquely, pawnbroker.Lauren’s love for treasure hunting began at her grandfather’s pawn shops, where she would sift through trays of jewelry to find unique pieces and pretend to negotiate the best deals with the staff.Now, as a third-generation pawnbroker, Lauren has elevated to Chief Operating Officer and President of EZ Pawn Corp., overseeing 15 stores, and working alongside her father/CEO, David, and brother, Jason. She has worked hard to grow the business as well as to educate the public about pawnbroking in hopes of altering negative stereotypes from past generations.Outside of her day jobs, Lauren has spent years being active on the Board of Directors for the National Pawn Association. Lauren looks forward to expanding her brand to other corners of the jewelry world and to be a well-respected voice within the fine jewelry community for many years.   [02:12] For a New York pawnshop to legally operate, there is a maximum interest rate of 4% per month, buys are held for 15 days after purchase and loans are held for 4 months with a 30 days grace period.   [03:57] When Lauren studied business and entrepreneurship at Boston School of Management she decided to assist her father with his pawnshop for the summer.   [09:01] The name GoldGirl originated when Lauren presented a kiosk business for her thesis in college, and the designer for the kiosk could not remember her name, so called her GoldGirl.   [10:24] Beauty & Essex is a pawn inspired retail shop and restaurant with a vintage collection of jewelry and musical instruments. The started in Lower Manhattan and has expanded to LA and Las Vegas inside the Cosmopolitan Hotel.   [13:56] What has using your personal brand on social media done for EZ Pawn Corp? Social media has allowed the business’ name to spread quickly. Persons are able to see a different side of the business that they can relate to right away.   [15:05] In an industry dominated by men, how does it feel being a senior female in the business? The fact that it is a family business, I never felt out of place. However, having the respect and support of my father helped to motivate me being young and a female in the business.   [18:15] In 2010, EZ Pawn had 5 stores and have grown that number to 15 in 8 years   [18:55] The most difficult thing about growing your business is finding the right staff to holding the business together [19:10] “When you have a great framework, it can easily get knocked down by having the wrong people represent you.”   [19:34] 3 things that EZ Pawn does that makes them successful are: Customer service The most high tech in pawn Availability   [20:05] A demographic survey was done by EZ Pawn and it showed where 60% of their customers were between the age 18-31 years old. This therefore meant that the business had to find a way to connect with their audience   [20:45] Working with TAO Group taught Lauren the concept of using hospitality to assist in the success of the pawn store   [21:32] Customers like knowing that they: - can get through to a representative of the pawnshop - have the convenience of using an app and getting a response via email right away - are buying from a store that has brand recognition   [22:45] You can utilize zipwho.com to get the demographics of persons living in different areas.   [23:44] Lauren speaks about the importance of being a part of the community leading the change [26:51] Check out Lauren’s website at bygoldgirl.com and connect with her using the handle bygoldgirl on Instagram and all social media sites

On today's episode, I share some insights from a recent mastermind discussion. A lot of times as leaders we get comfortable with being uncomfortable. Listen in on this episode as I share some strategies you can implement immediately to stop leaving money on the table.

Matt Prados built the Review Wave platform to assist hundreds of local businesses to achieve online success. He has been working in digital marketing for the last 10 years and enjoys spending time with his family and being physically active. Matt zeroes in on what he feels is the future of online marketing in this episode of Pawn Leaders.     [02:22] The concept of Review Wave came about because Matt no longer wanted to be an employee, but an employer   [03:10] Matt wanted to help people be successful through digital marketing, without all the “fluff”   [04:02] “It doesn’t matter what else you have. You could have no website, but if you have a killer Google local listing, with 200 reviews, you get leads from the internet.”   [04:23] “If you have reviews, you will be more successful online and if you do it right, it’s money in the bank”   [07:09] Companies should stay away from “creating” reviews for their business, as Google is able to recognize that the reviewer is not authentic   [08:50] Do you focus on one social media platform or multiple platforms? The type of platform(s) used is dependent on factors like your geographic location and your target audience. You can therefore utilize one or all platforms.   [11:30] What is the percentage response rate via text messages? On average, for every 100 feedback requests sent, there’s a 25% response rate to an initial feedback and then 5 to 6 actual reviews.   [13:49] Review Wave can be used for every type of industry   [15:39] More reviews gives you the advantage of ranking higher in Google search and increases your customer base   [17:34] “Everybody likes to win, but you don’t learn anything from winning; you learn from your losses.”   [18:49] Employers are able to track their employees’ feedback on the Review Wave dashboard   [20:52] Losing your focus can hamper the success of your business   [22:19] How important has coaching been in your journey as an entrepreneur? “You can’t succeed at the top levels without coaching.”   [23:26] Visit the Review Wave website (reviewwave.com) and enter the code PAWN to get a special offer

00:00 Welcome back to another five minute Friday and I want to talk to you guys about what I think is essential when creating an incredible culture. So there's three steps, three important steps to create a great culture in your partner organization, and the first one is structure. You need to have structure, you need to have rules and regulations. You have to have your hr in place, you have to have your manuals down. People have to have extreme clarity on exactly what you want them to do, how you want them to do it, and what laws that they need to abide by. I see so many pawnshops not paying attention to this step. Structure, rules and regulations. A lot of times people want to have these shops that just are free for all, or you think that culture comes from that, from having freedom at the stores, but that's not really true. People work better with structure. People work better knowing exactly what they need to do and how they need to do it, because then you put forward expectations. 01:34 You know what to expect of them, and they know what to expect of you. Now let's go to the second step to creating a great culture in your pawn shop. That's communication. If you're not communicating with your team, they don't know what you're thinking. They're not mind readers. You have to consistently communicate. Let them know what's going on. Let them know the numbers. Let them know what you're feeling, what you're thinking, what you're thinking about doing. You have to communicate with your team and there's so many ways you can do this. There's apps like slack that they can communicate online or on their phone with. Please don't send text messages or or open up a whatsapp group with your team. It's just very unprofessional, right? But communicate with him consistently. Have a weekly meeting, have a daily huddle. Have a monthly meeting to find out what happened during the month. Know what you expect for the next month. So communicate, because if you're not communicating your just instilling fear in them and they're just doing what they're doing day in and day out without knowing exactly what you want. So the third step is organization. If you're not organized, please don't expect your to be organized. 03:02 If you don't have a clean place to work, a place where they can find the supplies easily, a place where they can put stuff back easily, a place where the paperwork is filed correctly. There's chaos, chaos. You cannot create culture in chaos. You are the opposite of creating culture, right? You creating a bad culture because people start getting numb to their, to what they see. So if you're leaving garbage in, garbage out. If you're not filing your paperwork, they're not going to file their paperwork. If you're not doing what you need to do to keep organized, your team won't be organized and culture will grow and chaos. 03:52 So in order to make an incredible culture in your store in road, to develop the leadership that you need to have so your operation runs smoothly. Again, there's three essential steps, the structure which are the rules and regulations and all the hr things that you need to do. There's communication which you have to communicate with your team consistently, even sometimes courageously, and the third thing which is organization, organize your stores. Structure. You're stores from the beginning. So many times I hear, oh, I'm just a small shop. I have one employee, I don't have much in pond. Not that much is going on. I don't really need to do that. You see, the truth is organizing now is much easier than organizing when you have 15 employees and hundreds of thousands dollars in pond and your image and your back room is filled with inventory, so don't put this off because in order to have a better store, in order to make more money, you have to create a better culture, not just for your team, but for you as well. You want to come into a place where you enjoy coming to work and without a leave. You guys have an incredible weekend. Thank you so much for listening to the podcast and chat with me in the pawn leaders podcast. Community on facebook or sending me a message and uh, I look forward to hearing from you.

In today’s episode, I speak with founder of Value Pawn, Rent-Rite, La Familia Pawn, Premier Pawn and Smart Financial. John Thedford is a CPA and author of the best-selling book, ‘Smart Moves Management’. In 2008, EZ Corp acquired Value Pawn for 120 million dollars. Listen to this incredible pawn industry entrepreneur as he shares his knowledge on the operations of the pan business.   [02:36] “The most powerful source on this Earth is a human engaged in meaningful work”   [04:03] It’s important that you utilize culture leadership so that the persons you hire do great work   [04:52] John started out at PricewaterhouseCoopers as a CPA and was assigned to Cash America pawn to audit their business. He was pleased with the concept of the pawnshop and was eventually hired as an Accountant.   [06:37] EZ Corp eventually hired John and the continued exposure kept him on the pawnshop journey   [09:53] High wages is about finding the right people and paying them what they are worth   [11:59] John’s wage strategy is hiring persons who are aspirational   [15:12] How do you get a great employee and build them up? “Culture”   [16:44] You can attract anybody by the culture you create and caring about your employees   [17:34] The 3 steps to creating a better culture are: Communication Celebration Self-Introspection/Cleanliness   [23:03] The 3 biggest mistakes pawn leaders are making today: Having the wrong people on their team Financial literacy Cultural leadership and training   [32:11] How do you handle the disputes that might occur when paying commission? “You must get great people that work well together”   [33:41] The TTS (Thurstone Temperament Schedule) gives you an indication of the most stable persons and how quickly they can make a decision   [34:07] When people fit the right winner category, then it is all up to the manager to create the culture to hold it together   [34:37] To have your business operate smoothly with the right employees, you must have: a standard set of interview questions a psychological profile an observation day a great orientation program a monthly training program   [36:39] “If you deliver great customer service, with people who care, and have a long term approach, you’re going to do well”   [36:57] There are 5 “Smart Moves Management” books up for grabs! If you’re listing to this podcast, text the word PAWN to 444-999 to be in to win right now! [37:38] Visit the Smart Financial website for more information from John Thedford.

I share Three Things I learned at Social Media Marketing World that you can apply to your pawn business. 1. The customer wants an experience not just something to buy. 2. You need to entertain on Social Media 3. Create Superfans Listen in on this episode as I expand more on these 3 topics. Join us on Facebook at the Pawn Leaders Podcast Community.

Bob Moulton started as a computer programmer and an on-air radio personality. He went into the pawn industry in 1984 where he opened National Pawn three years later. There are currently 16 National Pawn stores, with the 17th opening in about 3 months, and over 130 persons are employed there. Bob received the NPA’s Pawn Broker of the Year and Outstanding Community Relations award, along with local awards for integrity, entrepreneurship, business and marketing. His hobbies include traveling, boating, collecting watches and motor cars.   [01:39] Bob was exposed and gained an interest in the pawn business after his uncles and mother worked in the industry.   [02:13] Opening his first pawn store in 1987 made him realize how much hard work and money it took to start and run the business.   [02:41] Bob opened 3 stores in a short space of time and waited some years before opening the 4th and 5th; then took a long break before opening the 6th.   [03:23] What are the laws in your area as it relates to interest and holding periods? There’s a 90 day period in North Carolina (30 days and 60 days past any due date). 20% fee + 2% interest. However, the 20% is capped at $100. Therefore if someone wanted a $10,000 loan on a Rolex, it would only generate a $300 fee. Anything over $500, you only get 2% more per month.     [04:01] 20% caps out at $100 and it drops where there’s $100 the 1st month, $75 the 2nd and then $50 at 2%.   [04:27] “We’re all about building a culture and we’re all about hiring the best and the brightest and I believe that is what makes us so successful and makes it easier to run.”   [05:04] Bob gives his staff bonuses if they are successful and therefore treat them as owners   [06:23] How do you instill passion into your team members? “Our mission statement is that ‘We want to have the wealthiest and highest paid team members in the industry with a culture of trust and accountability’”     [07:25] It is important to trust your employees   [09:01] What are some of the biggest mistakes you’ve made? Growing too quickly (if understaffed and under-capitalized) Trying to operate big stores   [11:18] Training persons for National Pawn includes: Assigning managers to work with new members as a coach Learn about writing transactions Interacting with customers Hire energetic persons Smart camps (4 to 5 a year) Peer-to-peer training   [13:21] What makes a Superstar Pawnbroker? Someone that produces, believes in the company’s values and presents the face of the business   [14:15] A focus group, of non-traditional pawn customers, was hired and asked about their perceptions of other pawnbrokers and the stereotypes were horrible   [14:55] Team members dress in black and white and this gives the business a professional look   [17:23] National Pawn donates musical instruments, school supplies and gives high school scholarships   [19:51] “We are the lender of last resort”   [25:05] How can one grow as a business owner? Word of mouth is a big factor and so is location   [28:01] Bob likes to go in to the stores and interact with people, while encouraging and recognizing staff   Visit National Pawn on Facebook for more information about the business.

On today's episode, I talk about a recent conversation he had with a fellow pawnbroker through FB Messenger. The conversation started from a post on Facebook that led to the simple question "How are you doing?" After going to several conferences with this fellow business owner, I felt ashamed because I had never taken the time to ask how the individual was doing personally. Tune in to find out how those four words led to a conversation about vulnerability and connecting.

Dave founded The Consultants in 2012 after realizing there was a market for the experience he developed within the last 32 years. Dave educates the precious metal dealers who are unaware of the federal guidelines associated with their business. He has over 100 clients that he helps navigate the local, state and federal regulations that many find burdensome and confusing. He owns 2 pawnshops since June 1996 (one in California and one in Oregon). Dave spent 15 years on the board of Oregon Pawnbroker’s Association as a Secretary and Treasurer and is involved in passing legislation at the state level. Dave and his wife Robin have 1 son and live in Oregon. Dave talks about Anti-Money Laundering.   Dave founded The Consultants in 2012 after realizing there was a market for the experience he developed within the last 32 years. Dave educates the precious metal dealers who are unaware of the federal guidelines associated with their business. He has over 100 clients that he helps navigate the local, state and federal regulations that many find burdensome and confusing. He owns 2 pawnshops since June 1996 (one in California and one in Oregon). Dave spent 15 years on the board of Oregon Pawnbroker’s Association as a Secretary and Treasurer and is involved in passing legislations at the state level. Dave and his wife Robin have 1 son and live in Oregon. Dave talks about Anti-Money Laundering.   [01:50] Dave got tricked into being a pawnbroker by his friends, through starting a business   [02:34] After 3 years, Dave opened his own store, as he wanted to work for himself   [02:47] Working with the state legislation and being on the Oregon Pawnbroker’s Association board made it clear that there were many store owners who were unaware of the complete operations of the business. They had to depend on others to help them.   [03:06] He sold his pawnshop and decided to go back into the pawn business, regarding compliance   [05:47] If you have a certain level of business you must have an AML (anti money laundering) programme in place. The fine for not having a programme starts at $25,000.   [06:18] Have a programme in place and identify someone in charge of the programme   [06:30] You must train your staff within 30 days of hiring, have an annual refresher training and do an audit of the systems to ensure everything is being captured   [07:48] What are 3 mistakes pawnbrokers are making today that are against federal regulations? Pawnbrokers do not have to fill out a CTR, they only need to fill out a 8300. There should be a backup programme. Taking deposits to the bank in less than $10,000 increments creates a red-flag from the IRS. Many pawnbrokers do not understand related transactions and how the $10,000 relates to that transaction.   [10:38] “I can bring $10,000 today and you don’t have to fill out a form. It's $10,000.01. It’s the penny that will get you every time.”   [10:58] There’s a 24 hour period that makes transactions related. The same household or account would link the transaction.   [13:16] Many reports count the in and out of money. It should really only show the money that comes in.   [15:02] The Feds stated that Operation Choke Point was no longer enforced, when this was not the case. Banks would get audited and the pawnbrokers will be seen as high risk.   [15:31] The new, smaller banks will take pawnbrokers with an AML in place   [28:18] Do not be caught by the IRS without the AML programme [33:21] Contact Dave by email at dave@theconsultants.us and via phone 503-970-7739.  

Do not hoard inventory. Many pawnbrokers are hoarding more than they are selling and therefore overpricing items in their store. Inventory should be turned over to get good money on valuable items. Stop hoarding merchandise by: Having a sale Rejecting items that you cannot sell Investing in property or things that can be beneficial to you in the future “Stop hoarding merchandise. It affects you as a leader, it affects your team and it affects your bottom-line.”

Chris Voss is the CEO of the Black Swan Group and author of the national best seller, ‘Never Split The Difference: Negotiating As If Your Life Depended On It’; named one of the 7 best books on negotiation. He is a 24 year veteran of the FBI, and retired as a lead international kidnapping negotiator. Chris' company specializes in solving business communication problems, using hostage negotiations solutions. Listen how you can practice effective negotiation in your pawnbroker business.   [01:57] What have we learned and what’s your method of negotiation? “Vast majority of it is intellectually sound, and the problem is human beings are not intellectually sound”   [02:53] Hostage negotiation is intense human behavior, but not as intense as day to day interactions   [03:31] Chris had to do additional duty while being an FBI agent. He was an FBI investigator and worked in terrorism.   [04:16] He was initially rejected when he applied to be a negotiator, because he was unqualified. Utilizing the Suicide Hotline was great practice in getting him to negotiating.   [04:39] “When I first got there they said ‘Look, if you take more than 20 minutes to get to the bottom of this and get this resolved, you’re doing it wrong’”   [05:09] “A tactical application of empathy will cut any work from 20-80% of unnecessary communication”   [05:25] Knowing how the brain works gives you an idea of what you are looking for in advance   [08:17] What could a pawnbroker say in turn so that they connect emotionally with a client? “Say you’re sorry first and then let out the cost”   [08:21] Apologizing first prepares the customer for what is about to happen next; which they genuinely appreciate   [09:35] The tone of your voice triggers emotional reactions in the person that hears it, and also in yourself   [11:14] “The late night FM Dj voice is miraculous in what it can accomplish for both sides”   [12:13] The assertive voice triggers a chemical change in your brain which causes you to get angry   [13:55] Daniel Kahneman, author of ‘Thinking Fast and Slow’ and ‘The Undoing Project’ by Michael Lewis explains the Prospect Theory.   [14:19] Prospect Theory implies that we value a loss twice as much as we value a gain   [16:39] Finding ranges when selling an item is powerful, as customers compare the lower figure to the higher figure and are attracted by the figure at the end of the range   [17:24] Customers walk out your store feeling happy about getting a bargain and shares the deal with their friends. This word of mouth increases your customer base and profits   [19:18] Compromising leaves people unhappy   [21:45] There are many negotiators that will not go easy on you until you drop your prices significantly   [22:16] “We found consistently that there’s usually 3 rounds of cuts in nearly every negotiation. People walk into a deal expecting to drop their price and we find that if we do it in an emotionally intelligent way, we can probably get them to knock their price down at least twice before we sell”   [22:46] The anchor is a very common move by negotiators. It is an extreme offer (high price or low price)   [23:33] None of the A+ players want to make an offer first   [28:06] “The more empathic I am the more assertive I am”   [28:11] In the first chapter of the book ‘Beyond Winning: Negotiating to Create Value in Deals and Disputes’ Robert Mnookin, speaks on The Tension between Empathy and Assertiveness.   [29:38] “All you got to do is change your questions and you’d be astonished at how far you can get by changing and making ‘No’ work for you”   [35:49] There are sacred values that criminals have in their minds that influence their behavior   [36:51] What’s your stress level when called to do a negotiation? “You don’t rise to the occasion, you fall to your level of preparation” [38:10] Preparation may come through experience, so you know what to do the next time something similar happens   [39:15] Three mistakes “great negotiators” make: Having a closed mind Deteriorating skills Having no leverages   [40:57] What is the one thing to put into practice as pawnbrokers? Practice the mirroring technique.   [41:45] Buy the book ‘Never Split The Difference: Negotiating As If Your Life Depended On It’ on Amazon.com and subscribe to the weekly newsletter by sending a text to FBI empathy to ‘22828’. There should be no space between the words FBI and empathy.

Tim is the co-owner and managing partner of Pacer Limited. He is the president of the Arkansas Pawnbrokers Association, past GRC chair of the National Pawnbrokers Association (NPA) and the current president of the NPA. Tim has been married to his wife Lisa for 33 years, with 3 sons. Listen in as Tim shares his experience as a pawnbroker and as president of the NPA.   [00:32] Tim founded his pawnshop in 1990 after a 10 year career in retail jewelry   [01:59] He started working in a jewelry store during Junior high school. He then went on to working at a jewelry store during college.   [02:49] An independent had an idea for a jewelry only pawnshop specializing in fine jewelry. They partnered and started the pawn store.   [03:36] There is no retail pawnshop or storefront. Items that are not redeemed are wholesaled.   [06:59] “Whether I was in retail jewelry or whether I was in pawn, it was very awkward for me to tell a customer on one hand ‘Your ring is worth $200’ and yet on the other hand they come back and that same ring is out in the showcase and it’s marked at $799”   [09:06] Anyone who wants a job can get a job, as there are jobs available for everyone.   [10:01] Tim speaks about the difference in pawning since employment is now on the rise. Persons don’t need to pawn as much as before.   [10:29] The prices of gold decreasing has caused receivables to drop from anywhere between 20% to 30%.   [12:55] Having a specialized store, it can be difficult to get staff that are trained to know what is real and what is a replica.   [16:13] There is still a stigma attached to pawn stores that Tim is working hard to overcome.   [18:01] First appearance of your store is important to help break the negative stigma of pawnshops.   [18:51] “It’s important to make the customers feel comfortable when they come in.”   [19:18] “A pawnshop is nothing more than a retail store that sells money”   [21:32] “I have an ongoing struggle, day-by-day, in dealing with pawn customers who are in need and they just don’t have the resources to be able to get the amount of money that they need.” [22:55] “Collect the account and save the customer.”   [25:00] The National Pawnbrokers Association assists with branding; as you get NPA stickers to display at your store. This shows that you are a part of a group that is committed and compliant. [29:12] The NPA is currently working to find new revenue streams, benefits and absorb some of the cost burdens associated with shows and conferences. [31:11] “Pawnbrokers are very caring people and sharing people. And they are willing to open up and share information about how the business is run and what they can do.” [32:28] Visit www.Dixeconvention.com to see information on registration for upcoming events. There will be a 4 state show (Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana and Mississippi) which is rotated to different locations. This year it will be in Little Rock.

Tony Gallo specializes in security and loss prevention for higher risk businesses. He has more than 30 years’ experience in the security, audit, safety and emergency management field. Tony has a Bachelor of Security degree in Criminal Justice from New Jersey City University. He is a licensed security consultant and a published author. In this interview, Tony shares tips on protecting yourself and your assets.   [01:16] Tony has been in the pawn industry for over 20 years. He started working with a company called EZCORP (a pawn shop trade), where he was Director of Risk Management, Security, Audit and Emergency Procedures.   [03:46] Many pawnbrokers think that their security will not be compromised.   [04:17] “My goal is to prevent a robbery from happening.”   [05:34] “Sometimes, the cost of being proactive is way less than having to be reactive.”   [06:41] There are proven procedures that can reduce your exposure to shoplifters.   [10:21] It is recommended to put peepholes in the back door of your pawn store to have a wide view of the area without having to open the door.   [12:29] “The biggest mistake that pawn brokers make is called misplaced trust. You are putting trust into employees in your store and there’s no checks and balances.”   [14:06] Lack of good customer service is a loophole for a shoplifter. This breakdown is a catalyst for robbers to approach your business.   [15:23] Not sending the proper message can encourage shoplifting.   [18:00] “How do you communicate to your employees? What is expected of your employees?”   [18:36] Put written procedures in place that protect both you and your employees.   [19:15] Pawnbrokers are exposed to all the assets and are not sensitized about how to properly guard their property. Day-to-day operations can cause you to forget that people are watching your every move.   [22:02] You must be diligent with your security when running your business, as the level of violence has drastically increased.   [22:46] Reduce the level of violence by preventing it from occurring, instead of waiting to address it as it occurs. [24:48] “At the end of the day, my goal is for you to go home and have dinner with your family.” [25:29] You have to think of the advantage of letting a ‘transaction go’ in order to protect your life. [27:07] There are online training courses available that teach employees how to act during a robbery situation. [29:15] ”We want you to stay in business, we want you to grow. We want you to be profitable and we want you to go home.” [29:25] Check out www.sapphirerisk.com for more information and feel free to call 214-845-6838. There is also a contact on the webpage as well. Send questions and you will get a response.

Mike Willingham, VP, and COO of iPawn Arkansas and president at Willingham Diamonds speak on using leadership to influence persons to be their best self and work towards their dreams.   [00:24] Mike is an entrepreneur, passionate about leadership, investing and pawnbroking   [00:46] VP and COO of iPawn Arkansas, president at Willingham Diamonds and serves as a board member of National Pawnbrokers Association   [01:07] His true passion is influencing younger men to realize their leadership abilities   [01:54] Mike started pawnbroking with a friend of his, where they used items from their garage   [02:34] Mike currently has 2 stores   [02:46] Before August 2017, Arkansas had no regulations regarding pawnbroking. The law now states interest of 25% per month with a holding period of 30 days   [03:21] Mike pawns jewelry, general merchandise, boats, cars, RVs and much more   [03:29] He opened his first store 8 years ago   [03:47] Finding passionate and ambitious employees is one of the hardest situations Mike has experienced   [04:44] He pays above-average wages, gives employees health care, free gym membership, and other benefits, just like a large corporation would   [05:25] Employees are kept active and also marketing themselves and the company (while they wear iPawn shirts)   [06:49] Why is personal branding important? “Your employees are going to make more money, which means you are going to make more money.”   [08:17] When you become a better leader, it challenges your team to want to become better leaders   [09:44] “If you don’t let salespeople set their own goals, they’re gonna set them much higher than you would usually”   [09:22] “Leadership in its purest definition is influence”   [10:53] Becoming a better leader improves your bottom-line   [11:36] People set goals, but don’t have a plan for achieving them   [13:23] You must commit, by investing time and money, to anything you want to become great at doing   [13:44] Mike read and became involved in mentorship at radicalmentoring.com to become a better leader.   [15:43] “If you don’t have enthusiasm about what you’re doing then you’re wasting your time.”   [16:58] Mike started Willingham Diamonds from something that he loves to do   [17:38] He separates the pawnshop and Willingham Diamonds so that each entity makes its own profits   [18:39] Mike used events that would lead persons to his social media pages   [19:27] You must use social media as a platform to educate, not just sell   [20:18] Even if you utilize different styles, leadership can be portrayed at home and at work   [23:05] Your staff can determine whether or not you get business based on their customer service   [25:53] Lack of vision and know-how can prevent a pawnbroker from building their staff to make themselves better leaders and improve the viability of the pawnbroker   [27:03] iPawn core values: Create remarkable experiences Embrace and drive change Excellence in every role Little things are important Honest is best   [28:40] In the pawnbroker business, we’ve become so transaction-oriented that we don’t pay attention to our customers. Forming a relationship with the customer can upgrade them to a client   [30:20] “Employees are the backbone of your business”   [30:42] Training employees gets them to where they need to be in the business   [31:02] The TTS report focuses on emotional stability, making decisions, leadership potential and best-fit job roles for employees   [32:12] ‘Be Obsessed or Be Average’ - Grant Cordone https://www.amazon.com/Be-Obsessed-Average-Grant-Cardone/dp/1101981059 talks about sales and leading people   [32:33] ‘Smart Business Management”...   [33:08] “Invest in your staff and invest in yourself. Pay your staff more money, give an opportunity to earn more money”   [33:32] Contact Mike at: iPawn Arkansas on Facebook and Instagram Willingham Diamonds on Facebook and Instagram Mike Willingham on Facebook MikeWillingham.com

Josh Davis, the owner of GC Pawn, utilizes technology to drive his pawn store. As a third-generation pawnbroker, he has gained extensive knowledge from his family and currently has 7 stores. He shares his own experiences and advises us on running a successful business.   [00:38] Josh was born and raised in New York, 3rd generation pawnbroker, started working early at the front desk and learned behind the scenes business from his father   [00:53] Josh has a degree in Computer Engineering and Mathematics and is a Cellist   [01:02] In 2008, Josh and his brother Adam opened their 1st pawnshop in South Florida at 22 years old. The operations was expanded to 7 locations   [01:11] Josh recently, independently, developed in-house pawnshop software for his company to use   [01:23] He currently serves as president of the Florida Pawnbroker Association, board member of the NPA’s young professionals and board member of his local city’s civil service board   [02:45] Florida is governed by Florida statute 539. Florida law allows up to 25% per month per pawn loan, pawn loan good for 60 days with payments due every 30 days (all purchases are to be held for 30 days rather than 60 days). Any number of extensions can be made and items can be redeemed whenever   [03:48] Most of Josh’s family was involved in the pawnbroker business. He became involved as well   [04:31] Once Josh became interested in technology, he started working in the back-office with his father dealing with network systems   [05:27] Josh was destined to be in the pawn industry. He however was interested in the technological aspect, and therefore integrated this in his pawnbroker business   [07:06] GC Pawn was opened in July 2008   [07:59] The business included Josh, his brother and his father [08:29] Josh expanded the business which was a step from store 1 to store 2 (this was a year and a half after the 1st store)   [09:09] Store 3 was difficult because recruitment of staff had to be done   [10:00] The store was opened for 6 days (Monday - Saturday). However, he would have opened on Sundays as well if he had to make the decision again. This started when the fourth store was opened   [10:50] What’s been the hardest thing running a pawnshop? “Work, Life, Balance. Very tough”   [11:05] Josh looks at prioritizing, by canceling other engagements in order to run the shop   [11:57] The family’s success/business model taught Josh to make smart business and investment decisions, thus expanding; where he tried for at least 1 new store a year   [14:34] Josh believed in properly branding the business   [14:52] “You go to any state and any city and you see the same stores, the same logo and you know them. You know whether you want to go there or you don’t want to go there”   [15:12] He was able to use the digital space for advertising   [15:45] He changed the business name from ‘Golden Connection’ to ‘GC Pawn’ and the business name is used as the url address so customers can easily locate business info when searching online   [19:00] What’s been the secret to GC Pawn finding great talent? The company has utilized various methods to find talented staff (headhunter.com, trade shows, Craigslist, monster.com)   [20:16] It’s not all about the money. People want to work in an environment where they are respected and are appreciative of the people around them [21:52] “We’ve tried to always convince people to stop smoking”   [26:24] What’s been the best part of this whole journey for you? “I don’t really have to buy new stuff”   [30:51] The main objective of the Florida Pawn Association is to monitor and lobby for legal legislations that might negatively affect the pawn industry   [33:48] To join the Florida Pawnbroker Association, or get any information regarding the association, visit floridapawnbrokers.net   [34:56] What are the 2 biggest mistakes pawnbrokers are making in 2018? “Not being digital on social media… we really need to change the way that we do business”   [35:50] “Someone walks through the front door, the first thing is ‘good morning’, ‘how are you?’” [36:22] Pawnbrokers need to realize that the competition is plentiful and customers will go elsewhere if they don’t feel comfortable in your store

Beth is the co-founder of Capital Pawn, which she started with her husband, Adam. She was born and raised in Oregon and made a switch from teaching to taking her passions to the next level and becoming a full-time pawn broker. With over 6 years in the business, Beth has already learned so much and is constantly looking for the next thing that can take her business to new heights.   [00:40] Beth was born and raised in Willamette Valley, Oregon, where the idea of reduce, reuse, recycle and renew are parts of her passion, thus starting Capital Pawn in Salem   [00:53] She graduated from Oregon State University with a BA in English and Masters in Teaching and was a Writing & Literature instructor for 16 years before opening Capital Pawn with her husband, Adam   [01:07] Beth and her husband have 3 grown children and consider Capital Pawn as an extension of their family   [3:13] Beth and her husband’s passions, which include teaching, learning, getting good deals and helping people with loans, were used as stepping stones to them opening a pawn store   [4:42] Beth and Adam opened their pawn shop in September 2011   [6:04] During the research phase, she decided to use high end customer service and a family friendly environment as a differentiating factor for her pawnshop   [6:55] And so the things that you said ‘I will not do’. What were some of those? “It was very hard for me with the smells”   [7:54] The laws in Oregon (the charge, holding period) includes 3% with fees attached (approximately 9%). A $100 loan at 60 days ends up being $117 to $119 to pick up. There’s a 14 day hold period for a buy and a 60 day loan with 30 days grace which can be renewed anywhere during the 90 day period   [9:03] Beth and Adam started on a small budget by designing the store themselves, by including Beth’s jewelry and Adam’s firearms   [9:22] “We really started out on a shoestring budget”   [9:27] The jewelry section was separated from the firearm section and the idea of pairing the two was promoted through a “Bling & Bang Sale”   [10:19] How big is your store? “It’s 5,000 square feet in total. But about 1,500 is showroom”   [10:56] Beth realized that some pawn brokers were never dependent on gold. She therefore focused on customer service during the time people were more dependent on gold during the gold rush   [12:02] Gun sales are 40%   [13:37] Asking is important to get Google reviews or feedback to ensure that experiences are shared   [16:01] Being a female pawn broker usually comes as a shock to persons. The connection is different as females are able to relate to other females and know what they prefer   [21:58] The differentiating factors of Capital Pawn: Customers are greeted as soon as they enter the store They ensure they get Google reviews Relationships are created through community building   [25:21] For the last 6 years, what has been the hardest moment for you running the shop? “Christmas Eve”   [26:50] Balancing family and business comes through having a great team that can work without your presence   [28:14] Finding the right persons for your team is ensuring that you know who you’re looking for and make them a part of your team   [32:10] Keeping a good relationship with your partner: “Communication is key and make sure that you know your role”   [32:49] Approximately 84 pawn shops in Oregon. Most are members of the Pawn Brokers Association   [32:58] An association ensures insurance for your business and keeps you updated on legislations [33:57] Visit the Pawn Leaders Podcast community on Facebook and pawnleaders.com to continue the conversation and increase your knowledge on the business.

Moris is a third generation pawnbroker, graduate gemologist, entrepreneur, brother and ex-partner of Yigal and founder of CashCo Pawn and Cal Gem Labs. He has over 17 years’ experience in the pawnbroker business and illustrates a good balance of family/work life. [01:30] Moris started working with his father in his pawnbroker business – from the bottom up – and managed the largest location which generated $1 million in a year.   [02:35] CashCo Pawn started 17 years ago in a small area, where Moris worked a year on his own.   [02:58] He received a $100,000 loan from his father for CashCo Pawn.   [03:16] Moris got Yigal to assist with the business side, offered half the business to Yigal and turned CashCo Pawn into $4 mill.   [04:48] What would you do differently if you started a pawnshop today? “If I started a new Pawn Shop today I would not want to do it again.”  There are a lot of regulations and competition. He would however ensure to still treat his customers and employees like gold.   [7:20] What does a pawnbroker have to do to hit the goals today? “Strategy”. You have to become the go to pawn shop and people’s friend.   [8:06] You have to be more than just a pawn broker to achieve profitability. You have to be trusted, have great Yelp reviews, an Instagram page, give back to your community and be careful of your expenses.   [8:58] “You have to watch how much you give for items and really watch the strategy and where you’re going to go from there.”   [9:16] Would you say you had to become somebody else the way you were doing business? “You really have to become the go to pawnshop. You have to be the most dependable, trustworthy, transparent, business owner that people can trust no matter what.”   [10:26] Moris speaks about becoming a leader by motivating, being honest, and serious in order to operate a business persons could trust.   [12:09] One of his biggest achievements was when an employee quit because a competitor offered him $2 more a hour. In 2 weeks, his employee came back because of the change in culture. Recognition and appreciation can make employees, especially the younger ones, happy. They are happier in the long run.   [15:08] What’s been the most difficult thing for you in the 17 years of the pawn business? “The hardest thing has been to control my stress levels.”   [15:54] Moris talks about using exercise and meditation to alleviate stress.   [18:02] When dealing with stress in family situations, it’s important to take a break and even get help from a life coach or psychologist and not allow it to affect you for too long.   [20:05] You should be able to trust your team to assist with your functions.   [24:44] Hustle, get things done and stop procrastinating.   [25:52] Cal Gem Labs ensures legitimate certification of jewelry, find them at www.calgemlabs.com   [30:10] “You just make more money easier with a certificate.”   [31:05] Call Moris directly at 619-840-0850 and visit calgemlabs.com for information on photography, repairs and other services. [32:32] Visit the Pawn Leaders Podcast group on Facebook with any questions regarding this interview. Also let me help you level up your leadership on pawnleaders.com.

Welcome to The Intro episode of the pawn leaders podcast. Hey, everybody, my name is Yigal Adato and I'm a third-generation pawnbroker. My grandfather was a pawnbroker. My father is a pawnbroker. My uncle is a pawnbroker my brother is a pawnbroker. So pawnbroking runs in the family had my own stores for 16 years and I learned a ton about what to do what not to do in business. And so I started the pawn leaders podcast to help you the pawnbroker find different ways to grow your business your customers lead an epic life. So I'll be interviewing some incredible pawnbroker's some amazing vendors and some people that you may never hear about in the industry as well as in other industries that can help you in your business and in your life. So I look forward to having you join me on this journey.