By Raymond Schwartz III, Do you know what that is?
That is a Dodo bird.
Why am I showing you a picture of a Dodo?
Well, let me tell you a story…
About how that Dodo can serve as an incredible lesson for your mortgage business to not only survive but thrive during these turbulent times.
The Dodo bird inhabited the island of Mauritius in the Indian Ocean, where it lived undisturbed for so long that it lost its need and ability to fly.
It nested on the ground and ate fruits that had fallen from trees.
There were no mammals on the island, just a range of bird species.
Then, In 1505, the Portuguese became the first humans to set foot on Mauritius.
The island became a popular stopover for ships trading spices.
Weighing up to 20kgs, the Dodo bird was an easy source of fresh meat for the sailors.
Large numbers of dodo birds were killed for food.
Later, the Dutch used the island as a settlement to exile prisoners.
Pigs and monkeys were brought to the island along with the convicts.
Before humans and other animals arrived the Dodo had little to fear from predators.
They were roaming the island fat and free.
But the combination of human exploitation and introduced species significantly reduced Dodo bird populations.
Within 100 years of the arrival of humans on Mauritius, the once abundant Dodo was a rare bird.
The last Dodo bird was killed in 1681.
What does this story have to do with growing your business?
Well, just like the Dodo bird up until recently.
We’ve been experiencing the largest and longest economic expansion in history.
That’s right, the 2009 bull run is going on 127 months (10 years).
So pretty much we’ve been going on uninterrupted…
Just like the Dodo bird for the last 10 years!
Roaming around free from disturbance from other species (economic disasters).
As a result, a lot of originators have been relying off word-of-mouth and referrals to get new clients.
They haven’t been advertising.
They’ve lost their ability to fly.
But now the monkeys, pigs and convicts have arrived.
And change is no longer a choice, it’s a necessity.
Listen very carefully when I say this…
Instead of letting your business become extinct….
You must evolve and adapt to this ‘new normal’.
To the new economic climate in order to survive.
This quote by Charles Darwin sums it all up…
“It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is most adaptable to change.”
Don’t be the Dodo.
Pivot, modify and evolve your business.
How your team works.
Your messaging.
Your ads.
Your market.
And beyond everything else…
Evolve your mindset.
