Jonathan Scott: [00:00]

Welcome to Her Time to Retire. I'm Jonathan Scott. I'm your host today and I am a co-owner and adviser at Keystone Financial Resources. This podcast was created so that we can speak with women who are at the top of their industry and create a place where they can share their best ideas and advice with you, our listeners. Now, our guest today has some incredible wisdom to share with us on today's episode. I'm talking with Samantha Byers. She's the owner and director of Live Middle Tennessee and Summit Business Coaching. Samantha has a background in Management Corp startups, customer service, and business consulting. You're pretty well rounded, Samantha.

Samantha Byers: [00:46]

A little bit.

Jonathan Scott: [00:47]

In 2014, she decided to pursue a long-time dream of getting her real estate license. Within her first year, she reached the top 20% of her market and sales. She is just as passionate today about her job as she was in the beginning and she considers it a great joy to get to assist her clients through all of their real estate needs. Now, in 2019, Samantha combined her love of real estate sales with her love of coaching and created Summit Business Coaching. She now coaches over 100 agents across the nation. She oversees her own real estate team, the Live Middle Tennessee team and between her own real estate team and her coaching clients collectively, they're on track to close over a 50 million in sales for 2022. Samantha is a mother of 3 amazing daughters ranging in age 6 to 12. And when she isn't with her daughters or working, you can find her enjoying the great outdoors and pursuing another of her dreams which is public speaking. So, Samantha, we're glad to have you here today. Wow. What a set of accomplishments and on track to move 150 million in real estate today.

Samantha Byers: [02:00]

Yes, thank you. I'm glad to be here.

Jonathan Scott: [02:02]

Yeah, that's pretty significant. So, I want to talk to you a little bit today. Every time that we do something for her retirement. We do a podcast. I really want to hear about people's stories, how they got into doing what they're doing, how that relates to your family, things along those lines. So, what really fueled your choice to first start with real estate and then go into coaching. Tell me a little bit about it.

Samantha Byers: [02:32]

I think all of that stems from even early childhood. I grew up in East Tennessee and it's a pretty low economic status county and there were times in childhood that we struggled a little bit. I have the story that just came to mind actually when you were talking about that. It's okay, I'll share a quick one.

Jonathan Scott: [02:54]

Yeah, go ahead.

Samantha Byers: [02:55]

In kindergarten we had to write a book about our life and I remember bringing this book home being all proud of it and if my mother hears this, she's going to be very upset with me for sharing this. But I wrote a book about how we got our food from the garden and we shopped for clothes once a year at the Second-Hand Store. So, being a mother, I brought this home and I was so proud of this as a 5-year-old kindergartner.

Jonathan Scott: [03:21]

Right.

Samantha Byers: [03:22]

My mother was mortified because I shared exactly where we were lifestyle wise. That's kind of the norm for us growing up. I started working at the age of 13 pretty much a full-time job in addition to going to school.

Jonathan Scott: [03:37]

Wow.

Samantha Byers: [03:38]

And really started legally working at 15. And carried two jobs most of my high school years and even into carried at least two jobs. Some summers there were three and I have just always had this belief. Some of my earliest memories was knowing that we're created for a big life. I always say an abundant life and I don't necessarily only mean that financially. I just mean living versus existing and being intentional with our time and our talents and the gifts that we were given and how can we use those to better a people's lives. So, that's kind of the background of being an entrepreneur and why I think I took that route. I knew that we were created for more and nothing I was seeing in the traditional route equaled the more that I knew we could have.

Jonathan Scott: [04:32]

Right.

Samantha Byers: [04:33]

So really that's where that began and I just always had an interest in real estate and so 2014 I took the leap and jumped in and fell in love immediately.

Jonathan Scott: [04:43]

Yeah, that's so funny. It relates my family; we went through a huge transition when I was a young child. My mom and dad got a divorce and you were telling me that story and it was so funny because we went from really having it very very well to nearly having nothing. And as my mom became the primary breadwinner in our household after the divorce, it was very difficult and I remember I didn't know that we were poor. But we were very poor.

Samantha Byers: [05:21] Right.

Jonathan Scott: [05:22]

And the church would come by and bring clothes occasionally and I was tickled to get them. I was really excited about what they were but I wasn't really cognizant that they were pass me downs.

Samantha Byers: [05:34]

Right.

Jonathan Scott: [05:35]

And but that was a part of our upbringing and it does somewhat fuel you to really appreciate things in the future. Had you not had those hardships. You wouldn't know the difference in between.

Samantha Byers: [05:47]

Exactly.

Jonathan Scott: [05:48]

And so, it what's neat is when we're kids you know Did you feel like that was a hardship at that time or was it just the way life was?

Samantha Byers: [05:56]

It was the way life was. It was that way from my earliest memories and so I was aware and I don't know that I ever had any ill feelings toward that. Even as a kid and I was just saying this the other day, I am actually incredibly grateful for the childhood I had. Because the childhood I had was full of love and the things that are most important. And not full of the newest toy or the coolest clothes that was full of outdoor play and connecting with my siblings and my cousins and my parents. So, I'm actually incredibly grateful for it.

Jonathan Scott: [06:36]

That's wonderful. It's same here. I would tell one of my greatest gifts is that my mother and I were so close. She opened a catering company back in those days and she used to say we beat back bankruptcy with a frying pan. But I never saw that as a disadvantage. I never thought about it and it was hilarious. You were so happy bringing home that book.

Samantha Byers: [07:05]

Yes.

Jonathan Scott: [07:06]

Yeah. I made my mom an ashtray and she didn't even smoke. So, it's just funny to look back on those things, but they really do affect us moving forward. I think, in my case, part of how Her Time to Retire was even born was have such a large client base of ladies, single widow divorcees and married couples. But there is a special place in my heart for those ladies that are having to struggle and get started and really need guidance and a need somebody in their corner fighting to make sure that their dreams get achieved and that has definitely fueled me. I didn't even used to realize what exactly it was, but I would be like I'm going to go all out for this person and it really has so much to do with the little lady that's sitting up front. And that's my mom who's a big hero.

Samantha Byers: [08:06]

Yes.

Jonathan Scott: [08:07]

So, tell me a little bit about your transition from selling, which wow, very very successful there. But what made you say, hey, you know what? I want to help other people with this. I want to show them how to do it correctly. What fueled you there?

Samantha Byers: [08:26]

Just really the same foundation that male email wherever your background that you came from has brought you to this place in your life. I just know that if we are not intentional with what we're doing and accountable for our actions and what we're doing. Everything we're doing in our day to day, we just end up settling for mediocracy. And I don't believe if that's what someone wants, if that's their end goal, amazing, that is okay. If some if there's even a little bit of someone that wants more out of life. I want to be there to catapult them to that, to hold them accountable to reaching whatever that more is for them. Maybe, honestly, as you were just speaking about your mom, my mom and dad were married my entire childhood. And they were equally amazing parents, but I know that they wanted more. So, you telling the story of your why honestly just made me have a little bit more of a realization of my why. I thought I knew what my why was. I think that there's a little bit of a deeper piece there on that side of it though that if someone wants more, it's not that I necessarily know the exact avenue, for any business, but I know the right questions to ask to help someone self-discover.

Jonathan Scott: [09:52]

Sure.

Samantha Byers: [09:53]

The right avenue for them.

Jonathan Scott: [09:55]

And it looks like you've been very successful in doing that. I look back to it and I'll ask you the same question but just along that conversation. I'll tell people, my mother used to tell me she wanted us to be very well rounded. And I too have that childhood where I was out playing all the time. I mean, we would come in when it got dark.

Samantha Byers: [10:18]

Yeah. 

Jonathan Scott: [10:19]

For meals and things, but past that, we were out. We were on our own. We were going and she said, I want you to be more than just sports. I want you to know how to do this and know how to do that and be really well rounded and she would put me in arenas where I could do that and I didn't even see it at as anything unique or as an asset until later in my life. It's so neat when people will say, gosh, you can fly an airplane, you can drive a race car, you can build a financial plan, you can go in and do these different things. And I said, I never knew that everybody wasn't doing that. I thought that that's what you were supposed to do.

Samantha Byers: [11:00]

Right.

Jonathan Scott: [11:01]

And now, it's really neat to be able to take people in as clients and sit down with them and say, well, yes, in each of these aspects of your life. I'm 150% confident that we can do some life-changing things here for you and it's going to be monumental. So, the Bible talks about Ebenezer stones and things like that and I'll even talk about that. This is going to be one of those Ebenezer stones and we're going to look back at it and say, wow, this was the day that we chose to make a big difference.

Samantha Byers: [11:32]

Yeah.

Jonathan Scott: [11:33]

And what's neat about what I do with Keystone Financial Resources when I'm the advisory role with people. It's been amazing because I've helped people invest in other ways for many years even back in the real estate investing. I did that for years for myself, but I never got the edification of hearing that I changed somebody's life. And through Keystone Financial, I'm consistently hearing and it's so edifying to me. People will come and say, hey, since we got together so many years ago. Look at what's happened and my life has changed today and they'll say thank you. To me, that's worth more than any amount of money out there. It fuels me. It makes me jump up in the morning to come to work and come in and see, who we can help today, what we can do, what the changes can be.

So, I'm nuts about taking pictures of where we start and taking pictures of the boards that I do so that people will have that. And we can look back at where we were and then we could turn the page a few years down the road and say, look at where we are now and this, oh my gosh, this is so amazing that I didn't know we could achieve it.

Samantha Byers: [12:52]

Yes.

Jonathan Scott: [12:53]

And then we can achieve it. We did achieve it, and we can keep going with it. So, it fuels me, it edifies me as I enjoy being compensated, but I feel like I would do it for free because I enjoy it and I'm that passionate about it. So, tell me pass the money. Because we all get to make choices on how we make money in a life. Tell me what's fueling you where you're at right now.

Samantha Byers: [13:20]

You pretty much just told my whole story. I have said many times that I mean I'm a provider for my children. So, it's obviously I have to make an income right and I have several contractors that I support through working with me and then employees So, there's a satisfaction in that we're contributing to someone or many people who work with me. On the other side of it, there have been, someone has to be, just like with financial advising, someone has to want bigger in order for you to help them to get bigger, right.

Jonathan Scott: [14:01]

Right.

Samantha Byers: [14:02]

Same with coaching. Someone has to and real estate, honestly. Someone has to want that in order for us to help them get it. So, that's not always 100% of the time and that's okay. But the times that that is the case, the times that you can come alongside someone and journey down this road of getting to whatever it is they want and they get there and they look back and they say, I had no idea that this would ever be a possibility for me in my life. There's one client in particular that comes to mind and because of confidentiality. I'm going to be very vague on details but this person came from very a very similar background as myself and was still there when I began working with them. And within a year, they earned 12 times more than they had ever earned in their life in less than a year making more. So, I mean, when you think about that, it would have taken them 12 years to earn what they earned in really 11 months. And it was literally life changing for this person and their family.

Jonathan Scott: [15:19]

Yeah, what do you feel is the difference between somebody that just sells real estate and somebody that's successful at selling real estate?

Samantha Byers: [15:27]

It's a mindset. I say this all the time. In business, you've got two things. You've got a mindset and a skill set. Skill set can always be learned. Mindset is where the hard work takes place. You have to, I mean, we all carry something out of childhood, out of relationships, no matter how amazing our parents were, no matter what you come from. We all carry something.

Jonathan Scott: [15:51]

Sure.

Samantha Byers: [15:52]

And it takes intentionality to work through those things and even in adulthood, we carry things. So, it takes that intentionality to work through to recognize who you are, where your flaws or gaps are, and how you can fix those to be better for those that you're supporting, loving, providing for. What you're going to leave behind, what's your legacy you're going to leave behind and you can't do that accidentally.

Jonathan Scott: [16:17]

No, you can't. It's so funny, oh here are skeptics from time to time in our industry financial advisory business and investments and they'll think, well, what we do is not the same as what a broker does. 

Samantha Byers: [16:33]

Right.

Jonathan Scott: [16:34]

They're constantly challenges out there, industry wide and they talk about creating robo advisors and I've had a robo advisor helping me for years. I'll hear people say or I think I can do this myself. You'll hear the same things in real estate. I think I can do this myself or we can have a discount commission structure and go out there and list our property and get the same results. And the answer to that premise is no. If it were true, then, the other wouldn't exist.

Samantha Byers: [17:11]

Exactly.

Jonathan Scott: [17:12]

And so, I always laugh and I'll tell people, you can get advice anywhere but leadership is defined and that's what we provide. So, we provide people with leadership. We'll set up things according to what their goals are. We will not give them advice and hope that they do it. We will lead them through the process of how do we get from here to there. We'll stand by them through thick and thin. When the obstacles arise, we're the guys that figure out how to get around the obstacles over it. I put on my armor.

Samantha Byers: [17:44]

Yes.

Jonathan Scott: [17:45]

We fight. We make it to the other side and that's how have the success stories one after another after another and the same is true in the real estate business. So, when I hear someone say that they're very successful and that they're coaching and this and that and the other. What are you providing to those individuals that they can provide to the consumer, is leadership skills. That's what you're doing, Samantha. I recognize that. So, thank you. So, I want to real quickly if you would, take a few minutes and just for our ladies out there share something with the listeners today that you feel like would be a really important takeaway for them. If they're listening today, what is something out there that they can take away and they can implement in their life and make a difference with?

Samantha Byers: [18:38]

You have a soapbox I can stand up. I will tell you; I've given many talks. I've coached many people, thousands of hours of coaching and where my passion always comes back to is not settling for mediocracy. Again, and I know we've talked about that. It takes recognizing that we are not guaranteed any amount of time with those we love, with our careers, with our lives. So, there's no right time. The right time is the time that we have and that is right now. So, what is it that I, you, the listeners, what is it that we all need to do right now and not put off any longer in order to create a life that we want? When I say that I don't mean the life that we tell people we want, because I believe there's a life that we've designed in the back of our heads that we don't tell anyone about.

There's our safe life, there's our safe goals but we've got this stretch life and this stretch goal in the back of our minds that we don't tell people about because we don't want to be held accountable. We don't want to be seen as failures if we don't reach it. So, what life is it that in your wildest dreams you could have? What are you providing for others? What are you providing for yourself? There's nothing wrong with wanting things for yourself as well by the way. We are allowed to have big lives as well.

Jonathan Scott: [20:14]

Correct

Samantha Byers: [20:15]

And so, what is it that we need to do? Who do we need to talk to? Who do we need to bring into our inner circle? What limiting belief or mindset do we need to overcome in order to get to that life of abundance, that big life that's hiding in the back of our head, and who do we need to tell that big life to? There's a percentage out there that says you're, oh, don't go on this but I believe 80% more likely to achieve a goal if you just write it down or tell someone.

Jonathan Scott: [20:46]

That's true.

Samantha Byers: [20:47]

Yeah, and this was a really interesting fact that kind of ties in. Did you know that 95% of our actions every day are decided by our subconscious brain?

Jonathan Scott: [20:58]

Wow.

Samantha Byers: [20:59]

And the reason for that being is that your conscious brain can't do two things at once scientifically. So, right now, I'm sitting here talking to you. That's what my conscious is focusing on.

Jonathan Scott: [21:12]

Right.

Samantha Byers: [21:13]

So, my hand movements and all these other side factors are all based off my subconscious brain. Do you know by what age our subconscious brain is developed by?

Jonathan Scott: [21:22]

7, 8 years old.

Samantha Byers: [21:25]

I believe that was 6 or 7. So, really 95% of our actions if we are not intentional and paying attention are decided by our 6-year-old selves. So, what do we need to be aware of to change in ourselves? Who do we need to bring into our circles? What conversations do we need to be having to create this life and I read this once? We don't look for abundance. Abundance is there. We create limitations. So how do we not limit ourselves any longer? Because I don't believe we were put here on Earth in our families to play it small and to have a small life.

Jonathan Scott: [22:05]

Wow.

Samantha Byers: [22:06]

I truly believe we were put here and meant for amazing things.

Jonathan Scott: [22:09]

Right.

Samantha Byers: [22:10]

We stop ourselves with that all the time.

Jonathan Scott: [22:12]

We do.

Samantha Byers: [22:13]

And so I challenge myself and I say one day I'm going to write book, but there is a challenge in my own head that when I get to a point of uncomfortable. Because we know growth does not happen when we're comfortable. It happens when we're uncomfortable. We as humans typically run away from pain, run away from things that are uncomfortable. We don't face the storm and run through it. We run away from it.

Jonathan Scott: [22:37]

Right.

Samantha Byers: [22:38]

So, I challenge myself every time I want to run away from something. I stop myself and I say, nope we're going to turn around. We're going to face the storm. We're going to run through it. We're going to get on the other side of it and we're going to be better for it. So, I would that, I don't know how that all goes together.

Jonathan Scott: [22:56]

I'm convinced. I’m convinced that that is a secret out there. And I coach it to my children. I coach it to other business owners when we're talking together, but you're really talking about mindset.

Samantha Byers: [23:16]

Absolutely.

Jonathan Scott: [23:17]

And you're talking about boldness. And when you notice that a problem happens and the majority of people are running away. The people that are turned the other direction running towards the problem, those are the heroes.

Samantha Byers: [23:29]

They're the people with opportunity too.

Jonathan Scott: [23:31]

And you have to turn and decide which one do you want to be? One of the lemmings running away altogether or do you want to be the one that's turning and facing it?

Samantha Byers: [23:40]

Do you know that the bull and the buffalo?

Jonathan Scott: [23:42]

I do.

Samantha Byers: [23:43]

Yeah. Do you mind if I share that?

Jonathan Scott: [23:44]

\Yeah, go ahead.

Samantha Byers: [23:45]

Okay. I actually just shared this on a call with KW not long ago and it just hit home for so many people that in a field if you have bulls and buffaloes and there's a storm moving in. The bulls will turn around and run away from the storm so they actually stay in the storm for longer. So, as they're trying to get away from it, they're causing themselves to stay in it. The buffalo will turn around and they'll face the storm and they'll run right through the heart of it, but they get to the other side that much quicker.

Jonathan Scott: [24:14]

That's right.

Samantha Byers: [24:15]

Andi, every part of our life is a decision. It's a choice that we make. I choose to be a buffalo not a bull.

Jonathan Scott: [24:23]

And it is a choice.

Samantha Byers: [24:24]

It is a choice.

Jonathan Scott: [24:25]

I do as well.

Samantha Byers: [24:26]

Yes.

Jonathan Scott: [24:27]

But I'm convinced that there's fewer and fewer buffalo out there and we need more of them.

Samantha Byers: [24:32]

We do.

Jonathan Scott: [24:33]

And so, when people say, how do I become successful? How do I achieve this, Jonathan? How can we do this? Again, in our profession, we're going to write down what the obstacles are and we're going to face the obstacles head on.

Samantha Byers: [24:47]

Yes.

Jonathan Scott: [24:48]

And we're going to run right through those obstacles around them over what I'm a great problem solver. I bet you are too. That's what I do the most of. Is it solutions to problems? But at the other side of that is great success.

Samantha Byers: [24:58]

Yes.

Jonathan Scott: [24:59]

And that’s just amazing. Samantha, I have loved our time together today.

Samantha Byers: [24:06]

I have too.

Jonathan Scott: [24:07]

And ladies that are listening and anyone that listens to the podcast, hope you guys have enjoyed it as much as I have. If you're out there listening to today and you want to reach Samantha, tell them how they can get a hold of you.

Samantha Byers: [24:20]

You can email me, text me, stop by my office.

Jonathan Scott: [24:25] Where will they email you?

Samantha Byers: [24:26]

So, SamanthaByers@KW.com. That's Samantha Byers. That last name gets confusing in real estate. So, SamanthaByers@KW.com and you can reach me at 615-915-8697 or “SummitBusinessCoach.net” or “LiveMiddlTennessee.com”.

Jonathan Scott: [25:51]

That's lots of ways to reach Samantha. And of course, if you guys have any questions out there, you can reach out to us at “KeystoneFinancialResources.com” or you can call us at 615-661-9554. Thank you everybody so much for sitting with us today. Thank you, Samantha, for sharing with us today.

Samantha Byers: [26:10] Thank you very much.

Jonathan Scott: [26:11] And we'll look forward to next time.

Samantha Byers: [26:13] Sounds great.

Jonathan Scott: [26:13] Alright.

Samantha Byers: [26:14] Thank you.

Outro: [26:17] You have been listening to Her Time to Retire with Glenn Price and Jonathan Scott. Glenn and Jonathan would love to talk to you and answer any of your retirement questions. All listeners can take advantage of a free 15-minute consultation with Glenn and Jonathan whether via phone call, Zoom meeting, or in person. You can schedule your consultation by calling 615 661 9554 or by visiting our website at www.keystonefinancialresources.com. Thanks for listening.

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed by Keystone Financial Resources and guests on this podcast are their own and do not reflect the opinions of this station. All statements and opinions expressed are based upon information considered reliable although it should not be relied upon as such. Any statements or opinions are subject to change without notice. Investments involve risk and unless otherwise stated are not guaranteed. Past performance cannot be used as an indicator to determine future results. Strategies mentioned may not be suitable for everyone. Information expressed does not take into account your specific situation or objectives and is not intended as recommendations appropriate for you.

Before acting on any information mentioned, please consult with a qualified tax or investment advisor to determine if it is suitable for your specific situation. This program is designed to provide accurate and authoritative information with regard to subject covered. Investment advisory services offered through Brookstone Capital Management LLC or BCM a registered investment advisor, BCM and Keystone Financial Resources are independent of each other. Insurance products and services are not offered through BCM but are offered and sold through individually licensed and appointed agents.