John and Connie: Hi, and welcome to another episode of Celebrating Small

Family Businesses, and today we are in Dallas, Texas with Clifford and

Brandy Walker, the founders of the Real Estate Corral Investors Network.

Hi Clifford.

Hi Brandy.

Welcome.

Clifford and Brandy: What's going on?

John and Connie: This is great.

I love Dallas.

We're good.

Yeah, you're just missing that big old JR Ewing cowboy hat,

but I know you've got one.

Clifford and Brandy: It's right there!

John and Connie: There you go.

I know you got one.

Oh man.

Well, we are so glad to, to get to know you guys and to

have you on our, our podcast.

Let's start by like, how did you get to founding the Real

Estate Corral Investors Network?

Clifford and Brandy: Well, first off, it's an honor and a blessing and

a privilege to be here with y'all.

We definitely, appreciate it for sure.

We really do.

Now how did we start founding or founded the Real Estate Corral?

It's, um,

John and Connie: Well, like the, the, like your history of your business, 'cause

I think you guys, before you were real estate investors, you were long haul,

you were a long haul truck driver, right?

Clifford and Brandy: And I was a teacher.

I was a truck driver.

She was a teacher.

And uh, somewhere along the way while I was truck driving, ended up hearing

a podcast about, uh, wholesaling real estate and real estate investing.

And so it struck my nerves to say the least, in a good way, to

where I'm like, I can do that.

Like just everything the guy was saying was incredible.

And so I come home and I tell Brandy like, we're finna start wholesaling real estate.

And she's like, what?

is that?

And so long story short, we get into real estate investing, wholesaling,

fix and flips, buying rentals.

And then the coach and the mentor that I had, within his community was like,

well what is Clifford and Brandy doing?

Like how are they getting deals and doing deals?

And so, so much so to where we were inviting people over to our house and

like just showing them what we were doing.

And then fast forward past that, we ended up launching, um, the Real Estate

Corral Investors Network, which is a private community and an education

platform showing people how to get started in wholesaling or fix and flips

or buying their first rental property.

John and Connie: That is so interesting.

Wow.

You had the secret sauce and, uh, I mean, so way back in the day, I

don't remember the date the year, but no money down became like a

big deal and all across the state.

There was one guy that was really famous for that, you know, and he did

some stuff like, drop me in a town and I'll buy, you know, a hundred

thousand dollars worth of property in two days with no money or something.

Clifford and Brandy: Yeah.

John and Connie: And, and then he started putting together these big, you know,

seminars where they had 40 speakers and, and everybody had their different thing.

And that ran its course and, and went away, but there's always, of

course been real estate investing.

But the, you know, the bull market in that went away for a bit.

Clifford and Brandy: Yeah.

John and Connie: So the hard part.

The, the common saying is you make your money when you buy the property.

The, the common wisdom is, you know, you buy it right.

And to be able to do that, I think you gotta like be a pretty good negotiator

or pretty savvy in picking the property.

So is that the secret sauce you guys had or what?

Clifford and Brandy: Uh, I think the secret sauce, honestly

was, is focusing on serving.

So I think that when it comes to like us getting deals and real estate deals, way

that we did it was direct to sellers.

Um, so we didn't go after stuff that was on the MLS.

And so we would talk to sellers who were filing divorce or in

bankruptcy or, or foreclosure.

Well, when people are going through very tough seasons like that, they

don't need people to come in there and just low ball them on their property.

Um, I think that's a, that's a huge issue in our industry.

And that's one reason we founded the Real Estate Corral because we

are changing that narrative when it comes to real estate investors and,

and we're a community that's built on serving other people, right?

And so I can go in there and say, you know, Hey, Mr. Seller, hey

Ms. Seller, how can we serve you?

How can we help you through this season?

Right?

Whether we're a good fit to work together or not.

But to your, to your question, you do make money when you buy it.

John and Connie: Well, yes, but that's, I mean, so instead of, um.

Some of the things that I saw back in the day talking about, you know,

buying foreclosures and things.

It was, um, you know, there is that kind of predatory Yeah.

Um, stigma.

Yeah.

Attached to it.

So how do you create a win-win?

I mean, you really got me curious here, how do you create a win-win, you

know, with that, in that situation?

Clifford and Brandy: and I think that it's, it's, and you're so spot on

too, there's, there's a huge stigma, even like with other agents, like,

oh, investors are slimy, or investors are just gonna want to take advantage.

And I honestly find real estate professionals.

I think there's a difference.

Because some of those, a lot of the people that focus on serving

have longevity and they've been in the business for a very long time.

But to your point, I think it's, uh, just creating a win-win situation and

figuring out, Hey, this is our offer.

Does this work for you?

If not, then okay, let's explore other options.

Right.

You know, and going down this kind of.

Checklist, so to speak, to make sure that you feel good about the deal.

We feel good about the deal.

Everybody should be happy when we go to the closing table.

Nobody should feel like, um, they're being taken advantage of.

John and Connie: So smart.

Yep, so smart.

We sold a house many years ago and.

You know, it was, uh, the, the combination of the location, the design of the house,

and had been on the market for a while and we'd talked to, we'd worked with at

least one, I think two different brokers over a a year period with no offers.

And somebody else we knew that was kind of like you're talking about, real

straight shooter came in, sat down with us and, and you know, did, first did their

homework of course, but then, you know, told us, look, you know, this is the.

It is sad, but this is what you know it's likely to sell for, and it was,

we had to lower our price $50,000

Clifford and Brandy: Oh wow.

John and Connie: and, and that was really hard, but they came in.

Hank and Helga, they came in kinda like you're saying, you know, more

consultative and saying, you know, you haven't been treated right

before, but this is the way it is.

And, you know, and, you know, options are, you can, you can wait or you

can, you know, if you wanna move on with your life , let's get it sold.

And man, it got sold and, and within, inside of a couple months.

Yeah.

And it wasn't way underpriced, it wasn't, you know, she didn't come

in just to try to, you know, any commission's a good commission.

Right.

Clifford and Brandy: Yeah.

John and Connie: But, uh, but yeah, it got it done and, and that

we didn't like having to lower our price, but we appreciated the

honesty and so it made it much more easy to, to move forward with that.

Clifford and Brandy: Nice.

John and Connie: Is that kind of how you guys operate?

Clifford and Brandy: I think so, a thousand percent, or at least in my

opinion, that's the way I try to,

John and Connie: Cool.

So Brandy, how did you get involved with this?

Are you still teaching or did you move on?

Clifford and Brandy: Well, um, I guess you could say he

retired me early from teaching.

When I was teaching, I felt like I was missing something.

I felt like, um, there was a void, you know, still in my life.

And, um, Clifford was able to hire me and use my help.

Um, yeah, I think it's, it's definitely created

less stress.

I mean, of course the job comes with responsibilities, but I'd say

it's taken a lot of stress, um, and even improved my health, uh,

being able to walk away from that.

So,

John and Connie: Nice.

So what did you learn about Clifford that you didn't know before this,

that you started your business?

Clifford and Brandy: oh, that's a good question.

I love that question!

I like where

I would say despite, you know, seeing him, he normally wears

his cowboy hat every day.

Despite seeing him in a cowboy hat, I kind of started to see his cowboy tendencies.

Um, Clifford is very much a visionary and I love that about him.

Um.

But he will see something and just run.

Like he will, he'll take off, he'll have an idea and he'll take off running.

And oftentimes I'm like having to catch up with him.

like, okay, wait, what are we doing?

But yeah, I, I've definitely seen the cowboy in him.

So the funny thing in our team meetings.

They call it me going cowboy.

Yeah.

So they say, Clifford, did you go cowboy?

Are you going cowboy?

John and Connie: Cool!

Is, Cowboy, is that the going fast, like charging into, you

know, riding a horse real fast?

Or is that more about just not being afraid to, to just

take on whatever comes up.

Clifford and Brandy: I think the latter.

Yeah, just taking on any challenge head- on.

And no fear, like he's just

gonna do it.

Yeah.

We'll figure, we'll fumble or figure it out on the way down.

Yeah.

John and Connie: That's right.

Clifford and Brandy: Up with some bruises from hitting the ground.

Either or, or both.

John and Connie: Wake up with the bruises.

I like that.

Well, and, and that's learning, right?

And that's, that's part of what we're here for.

Clifford and Brandy: Yeah.

John and Connie: So, Clifford, tell me, what have you learned

about Brandy in this situation?

Clifford and Brandy: Let me think of something real quick.

Oh, dear.

No, there's so much

John and Connie: Good.

Clifford and Brandy: I, I have to, uh, respect her working style, if that

John and Connie: Ah,

Clifford and Brandy: sense

John and Connie: it does.

Clifford and Brandy: it's, it's completely, completely,

completely opposite from me.

John and Connie: Mm-hmm.

Clifford and Brandy: Um,

John and Connie: Same issue.

Clifford and Brandy: and, and I've learned that just because it's

different doesn't mean it's bad.

It's just that's what works for her.

John and Connie: All right.

Clifford and Brandy: I just know and trust, I had to learn and

trust that, okay, whatever the assignment is, it's gonna be done.

It's gonna be done in time.

I just have to know that and trust that and not wonder just

because she's starting on it at two o'clock and it's due at three.

A bit of a procrastinator.

You trying to say, um, that, that our styles is done, but

I know that it'll be done.

Yeah.

John and Connie: Oh, you, you just described one of

the big challenges of mm-hmm.

Of business growth for the owner and a small family business in

particular, and especially family is, is the challenge of delegation.

I mean, that happens in different settings, but, but you know, for somebody

who was the sole proprietor for a long time, and then somebody comes in and

they, they want to offload the work to 'em, but nobody is gonna do it the way

they do it, it's just not gonna happen.

So they've gotta get over, you know, that hump of letting them and learning

to trust that they're gonna get it done, even if it's a little different

than the way they would do it.

Yeah.

So, yay.

Clifford and Brandy: Yeah.

John and Connie: Yeah.

Johns's dad was the

sole owner of, micromanage land.

Clifford and Brandy: Okay.

John and Connie: Well, he had a big spread, big ranch, and he had to make

sure that everybody knew who was in line.

Oh, well good for you two for working that out 'cause, like I said, it's

not easy doing that, as you well know.

Clifford and Brandy: no, think that, um, people have to make it fun, number one.

Mm-hmm.

John and Connie: Mm-hmm.

Clifford and Brandy: Um, I know that business can be stressful, especially

making money is stressful or not making money is extremely stressful.

But people have to understand, or at least in my opinion, anytime anybody's starting

a, especially a new company, there's gonna be some volatility in income.

I think that if there's hard, honest conversations and you're

okay with the discomfort, just make it fun and go through it.

Go through the season.

Like I think what helped us the most neither one of us

really grew up with money, so

John and Connie: does make a difference.

Clifford and Brandy: we, we used to cut coupons and, and you know, I've seen

her stretch a dollar for Thanksgiving dinners for us and everything in between.

So if things start to get tight, like it doesn't, we don't freak out.

Yeah.

Like we don't, we don't panic.

John and Connie: Oh

Clifford and Brandy: It,

John and Connie: yeah.

Clifford and Brandy: like, okay, we've been here before

and we ain't missed a meal.

Clearly looking at my size, I ain't missed a meal.

Right?

So there, there, and I think that if, uh, there's other couples listening

to this that are in business together, just be okay with the journey and, and

understand that yeah, there's gonna be some ups and downs and go through it and

figure out a good way to work together.

John and Connie: Okay, and it's not the destination because you never

really get to that destination, do you?

Clifford and Brandy: No.

If

we do, we'll just extend it.

John and Connie: Exactly.

It's like the horizon, you know?

That's right.

Yeah.

Has anybody, can you ever get to the horizon?

Clifford and Brandy: Not at all.

John and Connie: No.

It just keeps moving away.

Clifford and Brandy: Not at all,

John and Connie: and gotta keep on that.

It just got a direction that walk

Clifford and Brandy: for sure.

John and Connie: cold and a journey.

Oh man.

Such wisdom.

I love it.

Okay, I'm going completely sideways for a second.

Brandy, I gotta ask, when you were riding along, I know you

rode along on the truck some.

Did you get the license and learn to drive the big truck?

Clifford and Brandy: no, no, no,

John and Connie: Okay.

Clifford and Brandy: I was more, um.

John and Connie: Keep him awake by talking to him.

Clifford and Brandy: Passenger, I

John and Connie: Passenger princess.

Clifford and Brandy: I'd make sandwiches for him and pass it to him, but no

I never learned to drive the truck.

John and Connie: Okay.

I'm sorry.

I just, my curiosity went, you'd have looked

I. Good though, behind that wheel.

Well, you know, we all bring skill sets, right?

And what you were just talking about, knowing how to get by with little or

less is not necessarily considered a valuable skillset in our, economy of showy

and, have, have more, they pile it up.

Right.

But, but that is a skillset and, and what you just said, as far as being able

to know that you can weather that and not freak out, that's, that's a skill.

That is a skill.

Clifford and Brandy: I agree.

I think it is a skill.

I think it's a, it's a gift too, and she definitely has it.

And I'm not just saying that 'cause she's sitting here and she might hit me.

Uh, no, she, it, it really is.

John and Connie: So what did you learn about your yourself

in this whole, whole journey?

Clifford and Brandy: Brandy?

That's a good question.

What have I learned about myself?

Well, I can speak for me.

You go.

John and Connie: Okay.

Clifford and Brandy: I think for me, the biggest thing that I've learned is that

I've learned that I don't know nothing.

Like I, I

John and Connie: It's true.

Clifford and Brandy: when you think you got something figured out, like

John and Connie: Mm-hmm.

Clifford and Brandy: something will come and kick you right

in the face with a boot.

Like,

John and Connie: Yeah.

Clifford and Brandy: and

John and Connie: Yep.

Clifford and Brandy: okay, I wasn't expecting that.

and so I've had to learn to give myself grace.

Mm-hmm.

Really give myself grace uh, I think that's the biggest

thing that I've learned.

Yeah.

I think for myself, um, I've learned not to stress out about the little things.

Um, one of Clifford's mottos is, "it'll all work itself out." And I,

I've just learned over the years just to kinda okay, when things come up,

you know, we have to put fires out.

You know, just don't stress out about it.

Just know that it's, it's gonna work out.

And because it's proven itself over and over and over again.

yeah, I think that would be what I've learned.

Yeah.

Just not to stress out.

Yeah.

John and Connie: Smart and smart lessons that you probably wouldn't have

learned in in many other businesses.

Clifford and Brandy: Right.

Yeah.

it's funny because when people get in business, and this is just my opinion,

and y'all have been in business a lot longer than we have, and I, I

would love y'all's thought on this.

Most businesses are about solving problems and putting out fires most of the time.

John and Connie: Mm-hmm.

Clifford and Brandy: people don't come to leadership when everything is great,

John and Connie: That's right.

Clifford and Brandy: bringing problems and fires that need to be put out.

so when people can learn to manage the stress of putting out

fires, you're typically okay.

Would would you kind of agree

John and Connie: Uh,

Clifford and Brandy: that?

John and Connie: yes.

Yes, absolutely.

Well, and one of the core questions for, a business, looking at their own self in

the mirror for marketing purposes is what problem do we solve, for our clients?

I mean, that's, that's a key thing.

And, and being able to see it from that point of view.

'cause we don't buy things because

we don't need them.

We buy things because we're trying to, you know, fix a problem

or, or fill a need somehow.

Clifford and Brandy: Exactly.

exactly.

John and Connie: And, and so if you can depersonalize that, that's where,

you know, even the label problem, you know, problem versus challenge or you

know, it can, is, is there a way to re reframe that a little bit, to take

some of the, the emotion out of it?

And let's, okay, this is the situation.

What are we gonna do about it?

What, what are our choices?

What's our best choice?

And then start moving with that.

And if that proves itself not to be the best choice, then okay,

what was our next best choice?

Right?

That's just like

trying stuff until something works and it's, uh, it's less stressful

if you can think about it like that.

Right.

Okay.

Clifford and Brandy: I agree.

Agreed.

I definitely

John and Connie: And always have a, a group of backups,

Clifford and Brandy: Yeah.

John and Connie: you know?

And gosh, I would think in, you know, with what you're doing with, when you, when

you're talking to a customer that's going through a really hard time in their life,

whatever, you know, has led them to that.

Them being ke, keeping them in the present.

Keeping them in the, okay, this is the situation right now.

It's however it got here, this is where we are.

Right.

That's big.

Clifford and Brandy: You know what's funny is because before this call,

um, so before anybody actually joins the Real Estate Corral Investors

Network, uh, for mentorship or coaching, I get on a call with them

to make sure that we're a good fit.

John and Connie: Mm-hmm.

Clifford and Brandy: 'cause we're very selective of the

people we let in the community.

And she was sharing a story that she went through foreclosure

and bankruptcy in 2014.

She's becoming a full-time real estate investor.

And I think

that that's so amazing because like you mentioned, like it's just a season.

Like we just need to stay present, right?

Like whatever this hard challenge is that we're facing right

now, it is just temporary.

It's just temporary.

that's one reason why Brandy mentioned I have a saying that it always works out.

Like when we go back and we look at the past.

I'm a man of faith.

There's nothing that God has not brought us through.

His, his, his batting average is a hundred percent.

He's bringing us through.

So I know that whatever storm we're walking through or whatever season

we're walking through or whatever challenges come up, we will 120% get

through this because my faith has shown me, or God's track record has shown

me that we're gonna get through it.

So I don't expect this to be any different.

John and Connie: And good for you for listening.

Yeah.

And you're not alone.

Yeah.

Right.

You're, I mean, you're, you're not alone in that situation.

You've got support.

Clifford and Brandy: exactly.

John and Connie: Cool.

So what else have you

I, I, I, I, you know, learning is just such a, a big field here and help me.

I, well, that's a question.

Do, because you're in an educational, you've created an educational business.

Mm-hmm.

Is that because you view business as an educational opportunity?

Good question.

Clifford and Brandy: I don't, I don't think I necessarily see,

and, and Brandi you might disagree.

I don't know.

I don't think I necessarily see business as an educational opportunity.

I think that in business it's important for us to continue

to educate ourselves and grow.

That's why, we invest in ourselves quite a bit, through training and programs and

mentorships, private Masterminds, books.

We do a book of the month every month and things of that nature to

make sure that we're always growing.

Um, starting the Real Estate Corral was us just solving a problem and

glitches that I, I've seen within the real estate educational space.

So it sounds like you do agree.

John and Connie: Well, different words.

Clifford and Brandy: No.

John and Connie: Yeah, I, I, my, my word choice of educational opportunity was

probably not the best choice of words.

Clifford and Brandy: Oh,

John and Connie: A little clunky.

But as a personal growth vehicle maybe is another way to,

Clifford and Brandy: yeah, yeah.

I mean, we definitely,

um, how did that quote go?

I heard one time, I'm finna butcher it.

It says, uh,

John and Connie: okay.

Clifford and Brandy: you, you only go as far as you grow, or something like

John and Connie: Mm-hmm.

Okay.

Clifford and Brandy: there's always something that we don't know.

John and Connie: Mm-hmm.

Clifford and Brandy: definitely having the, the education company, the Real

Estate Corral helps educate people to go take their wealth, their finances,

their career to another level.

John and Connie: Mm-hmm.

And what has somebody that in your group taught you that, that you were either

surprised about or, or was shocked about, or, you know, or was just really valuable?

Yeah.

Clifford and Brandy: I can go.

Go ahead.

Uh, well, one, our members, um.

Claudette?

Mm-hmm.

I think perseverance.

Um, she started out and Would you say she's kinda shy?

Like I don't know.

Yeah, it, it was just, you know, but she never ever gave up.

Like she kept trying to get her first deal, kept trying to get her first

deal, and I think a few months ago, it's been a few months now, um, she was able

to get her first deal and, and that.

That taught me that, you know, as long as you keep going, just do not give up.

Like with real estate investing, everybody's experience is gonna be

different from each other, but if you just keep your eye on the prize, keep trying,

never give up, you'll get that first deal.

And after you get that first deal, you'll find that the second deal is a

little bit easier, and then the third deal is a little bit easier and that,

you know, the cycle goes on and on.

So.

Yeah.

Say that's definitely one of them.

Yeah, she's, she's awesome.

That is

John and Connie: And that's, that's cool because you can go back with to

her too and say to her, thank you.

Clifford and Brandy: absolutely.

Yeah,

John and Connie: and boy, will that just shoot her to the moon too.

Clifford and Brandy: Oh yeah.

Mm-hmm.

Oh, yeah.

But I, I think that our community pours so much into us too.

Like at least I

John and Connie: Good?

Clifford and Brandy: me, yeah.

Like, we do group coaching calls every Monday, and so when I'm hearing people's

success stories and they're overcoming these, or they're doing this, or they're

getting these deals, or, you know, they're hitting their financial goals or targets

that they want, it just fires me up.

Oh yeah.

It fires me up.

Like I love hearing them win.

There's been times where.

I leave out this office like fired up and she's in there trying to cook dinner

and she's like, what is wrong with you?

I'm like, Let's go!, I,

John and Connie: Cool.

Well, and you know what a roller coaster real estate is and has always been,

Clifford and Brandy: mm-hmm.

John and Connie: and especially in the what, the last 20 years.

Clifford and Brandy: Yeah, exactly.

John and Connie: So what do you teach your community about the volatility of revenue.

Clifford and Brandy: Mm-hmm.

John and Connie: Do you try to have a certain blend of, of different kinds of

deals to, to smooth out that volatility or what do, how do you deal with that?

Clifford and Brandy: Um, definitely that.

We wanna focus on our current needs, right?

Like there's people.

And I look at real estate strategies based on financial needs.

Let's say for example, if I need a paycheck today, like now; mortgage is due.

You probably wanna do something along the lines like wholesaling real estate.

Um, because it's a quicker turnaround, you're gonna get a fast check.

Typically speaking from contract to close less than 30 days, right?

Let's say you're working a job, things are okay, you're

maintaining, nothing's going crazy.

Um, you can do a fix and flip, right?

Um, there's gonna be a little time, it's gonna probably take us three to six months

to flip that house and actually get paid.

But if we're not strapped for cash, then yeah, we can take on

these bigger projects, um, that's gonna yield a much bigger return.

Right.

Versus like even rentals.

That's a long-term strategy.

That's a wealth building strategy, right?

One rental typically not gonna change anybody's life, right?

And so you, it, it's one of those things that you pick up

kind of as you go along the way.

And then 10 years down the line, when you're sitting back and you have 10

rentals, 20 rentals, whatever it may be, you'll definitely be glad you did.

So.

That's kind of my approach when I'm talking to people is like, okay,

let's, uh, identify our current needs and then work it backwards.

John and Connie: Okay.

That's very, um, I, I think congruent with, uh, what a financial

planner would do for somebody.

You know, they, they work, you know, sit down with somebody and, and

look, look at the whole picture.

And yeah, they, they wanna plan, they need to plan for retirement, but there's

also immediate needs that need to be, make sure that they're covered first.

Things like insurance and, um, eating, you know?

Yeah.

Eating, yeah.

Sa a savings plan.

You know, things like that, that, so there's.

Focus on the immediate need.

That's very well structured.

I like it.

I like it.

That's,

Clifford and Brandy: been compared to a financial planner.

I will take that!

I'll tell,

John and Connie: but that, seriously,

Clifford and Brandy: if

John and Connie: what you are.

Clifford and Brandy: five minutes with your books, they're done.

I will mess them up somehow, some way.

I will mess up the books within five minutes.

John and Connie: So, so a lot of financial planner.

So maybe that's where the, the, you know, Brandy comes in with her teaching

background and all the, you know, the detailed planning and organization.

Clifford and Brandy: oh.

John and Connie: So that's one of the things that we, um, you

know, we see or hear a lot is that division of roles, you know?

Mm-hmm.

Go people going with their strengths and their, and finding, finding their

strengths, both personality wise and their skills and then leveraging

those in the business together and staying in their own lane.

And it sounds like you guys are figured that out pretty quick.

Maybe, maybe before you started the business, did you,

and how, tell me about that.

Clifford and Brandy: I don't know if we figured it out right away, but

yeah, over time, over time, I think so.

Uh, but I do think that's important, picking a lane and staying in it with,

with any business partner, right?

Like, you want to make sure what, oh, moved.

Mic.

I was touching the mic.

Y'all.

I can't, can't touch the mic.

John and Connie: Yeah, sometimes they're real sensitive.

They'll pick up, it'll, it'll sound kind of thumpy if you do

say, I can't touch my desk here.

I'm the same way.

Clifford and Brandy: For sure.

Yeah.

Uh, but no, definitely making sure that y'all compliment each

John and Connie: Mm-hmm.

Clifford and Brandy: so that way when you're touching the mic and

you're not supposed to, they can kindly guide your hand off of it.

Right.

Like that's having somebody that just compliments you.

John and Connie: Yeah.

You have no idea how much, how many times I go.

She's, you know, she'll, she'll tap my leg like, Hey John, you're preaching.

Just slow that down.

Well, okay, where my head just went and, and this is, uh, this is an unusual

question, so feel free to say, you know, pass, but how have you figured

out to successfully manage difficult and have difficult conversations?

Clifford and Brandy: Oh, I got this one.

With ice cream,

John and Connie: That's my girl.

Clifford and Brandy: with

John and Connie: me more.

Oh, I can't wait to come to Dallas.

Clifford and Brandy: So Clifford, he, he believes that you cannot be mad

at each other while eating ice cream.

And I think it is so true, like those difficult conversations, um,

yeah, you just, you can't, who, who can get mad eating ice cream?

Do you know how dumb you would look licking an ice cream cone with attitude?

John and Connie: I think, I think the cone must really play into that because

I can see, you know, with a spoon, it's like you turn into a food fight.

Clifford and Brandy: Like, we're not wasting any ice cream.

We're not wasting ice cream.

Not over here.

Yeah.

John and Connie: we go.

Clifford and Brandy: but it, it,

John and Connie: I think we need to go to the store, big boy.

I'm so glad I asked that.

Clifford and Brandy: When

John and Connie: Favorite flavor.

Clifford and Brandy: the next disagreement, go get a bowl of ice cream.

Yeah.

John and Connie: You betcha.

Clifford and Brandy: you, by the end of that bowl, the

energy's gonna be different.

It.

John and Connie: There we go.

We gotta try that.

That's so that recommendation to our audience, right?

Find yourself some ice cream.

It's gonna be a difficult conversation.

Get some ice cream and, and keep your mouth full so that you can

hear what the other person's saying.

Clifford and Brandy: I,

John and Connie: I married well.

He married up!

Oh my goodness.

So what's next on the horizon?

Clifford and Brandy: Um,

I got a whole list of things that are Oh,

John and Connie: Cool.

Clifford and Brandy: I want next.

Brandy, I'll let you answer first.

well, I think for myself is just to continue to be supportive in

whatever way that I can to, uh, Clifford and his cowboy ideas

John and Connie: Mm-hmm.

Clifford and Brandy: um, yeah.

And I'll say too, I think she's being modest.

So Brandy actually launched a publishing company.

Uh,

John and Connie: Cool.

Clifford and Brandy: so, uh, Our Great Things Publishing, I

don't know if y'all can see that.

I'm gonna have to move the, can I touch the computer?

Yeah,

John and Connie: Sure.

Clifford and Brandy: So.

That book over there, The Roadmap to Success.

John and Connie: Mm-hmm.

Clifford and Brandy: So I wrote the book and we were struggling

to find a publishing company and Brandy was like, well.

Why don't I publish it for you?

And I was like, well, why don't you?

so she ended up launching a publishing company to do our book and because of

her, it hit number one, new release number one bestseller on Amazon.

Um,

John and Connie: Wow.

Clifford and Brandy: and it blessed thousands of people.

And so I'm excited.

For me personally, I'm excited to see where God takes her on that journey as

she goes to do amazing things there.

Great things as it's, as it's called.

And then for just the Real Estate Corral, we're growing, we're scaling.

Our goal is to impact more people.

It's never to be the largest community.

It's to be the most impactful community.

And so I want to see how far God will take us on that.

And

John and Connie: So do you do it just in the Dallas area or are you

nationwide or outside of Texas.

Clifford and Brandy: We actually have a lot of members in Tampa.

Mm-hmm.

John and Connie: Really

Clifford and Brandy: Mm-hmm.

John and Connie: cool.

Road trip.

Clifford and Brandy: There

John and Connie: Yeah.

Clifford and Brandy: Exactly right.

John and Connie: And we'll show you ice cream too.

Clifford and Brandy: Yeah.

Yes.

John and Connie: Oh my goodness.

Well this is fun.

Well, that's wonderful.

Thank you so much, so much.

Yes, go ahead.

No, I was just thanking you, because this, we love people like you

that are excited about what you do

Clifford and Brandy: Yeah.

John and Connie: and it's, it's fun to wake up in the morning, isn't it?

And the challenge sometimes is, oh, let's see...

let's see what the surprise of the day's going to be.

Clifford and Brandy: Hundred percent.

Yeah.

John and Connie: That's our motto.

Let's see what the surprise of the day is going to be.

And, and because it's coming and because it's coming.

Yeah.

Whether I want it or not.

So embrace it,

Clifford and Brandy: yeah.

Absolutely,

John and Connie: let's go with it.

Clifford and Brandy: absolutely fun with it.

John and Connie: Exactly.

Clifford and Brandy: humor.

John and Connie: Mm-hmm.

Clifford and Brandy: Yeah.

Yeah.

John and Connie: And there again, know that's only a short time.

It's all temporary.

Yep.

Mm-hmm.

Sometimes that season lasts a little long, but you know.

I had one that lasted, I had one that lasted for 10 years, so I was,

I was glad that season was over

and the really fun stuff seems to last along about as long

as that bowl of ice cream.

Yeah, exactly.

Clifford and Brandy: But I'll

John and Connie: Okay,

Clifford and Brandy: Yeah.

John and Connie: cool.

It's really sweet when it's there.

That's right.

Oh, just like me.

Thank you for spending this time with us.

We'll look forward to, um, to publishing and, and promoting you guys.

And, uh, we will let you know when it's, when that's ready and the show notes.

We'll have all your contact information.

I get your contact information.

I'll recheck with you on that and get a, uh, get headshots of both of

you so we can put that in the, in the YouTube thumbnail as they call it.

Yeah.

Clifford and Brandy: Absolutely.

John and Connie: And, uh.

And we'll be watching.

Yeah.

And if you have any questions or anything for us, we'd love to.

We're here and, uh, so, and, and wonderful life to you both

Clifford and Brandy: Thank you.

John and Connie: and thank you.

Clifford and Brandy: Came to you.

John and Connie: you for sharing.

Clifford and Brandy: Yes.

This was a lot of fun.

It was.

Thank y'all for being generous with your time and having us, and what we'll

John and Connie: I

Clifford and Brandy: whenever the final video's ready, we'll

email this out to our email list.

I'll share it on all, uh, our social media and all that stuff, so

John and Connie: fabulous.

Clifford and Brandy: you can get some, some folks there in your ecosystem.

John and Connie: Thank you.

Great.

Yes.

And get some new subscribers or something.

Right.

Okay.

Thank you.