Laura Khalil: 0:42

friends, welcome to this episode of big deal energy, and you know what this is a unique one, because homegirl is not alone. Today I finally brought someone in here to you know, to be the sounding board, because a lot of times I feel like I'm just like screaming into the wind. Um and so with with that being said, I want to introduce you to one of my girlfriends, molly Barron. Molly, welcome, thank you. It's great to be here. Molly, can you tell the audience, before we get into today's episode which, by the way for everyone, is all about car buying oddly, and how this can make you a better salesperson, which I know people do not associate car buying and good sales together. But we'll talk about it. Molly, who the hell are you? How do we know each other? What's going on here? Why are you here? How did this happen?

Molly Beran: 1:36

I am Molly Barron and I am a project manager by trade with my company Projects by Molly. I help IT departments actually get stuff done instead of just talking about it, so I love to talk about processes and help people track things in a way that makes sense and help executives make better decisions. And the reason that we know each other is because I'm a member of your Elevate Mastermind, which you also sometimes talk about on this podcast. So it's been a while and I'm happy to represent the group.

Laura Khalil: 2:07

Okay, so Molly's repping the group. Molly is well, they're all all stars. Frankly, to be honest with you, everyone in that group is amazing, but, um, I invited Molly in today because I was. I recently bought a car, molly, have you purchased a car?

Molly Beran: 2:23

I did. So I currently car share. I live in Chicago, so I I use my husband's car now, but I vividly remember the first time that I myself was buying a car and I also had a friend with me. So it it was interesting too, because my negotiations didn't really happen, because I bought a Volkswagen and they're very much like price is the price, see ya. So I was super interested in seeing how your whole story unfolded and feel like I learned so much from just Instagram posts about it.

Laura Khalil: 3:00

Right. So I was posting all about this on Instagram and then Molly kept commenting I'm like girl, you just got to come on the show. So I was posting all about this on Instagram and then Molly kept commenting I'm like girl, you just got to come on the show, we just got to talk about this. Um, the truth is, I was petrified to eat like the thought of going into the car dealer. I actually have been meaning to get a car for six months, gosh, and I was so just frozen thinking about the discomfort of having to go into the dealership, having some smarmy salesman, you know, and like not knowing if I'm getting a good deal or not. And and I say this anyway for context to the group like I think a lot of women feel this way. There's certain situations right.

Molly Beran: 3:48

Oh yeah, the smarmy sales guy is like the biggest nightmare scenario that you can face when buying a car, Like I the second you said, like my skin started crawling. I was like I know that guy, you know that guy right.

Laura Khalil: 4:01

So I just I was putting it off. Now, one thing, molly, I don't know that you know this, this is a little piece of elevate trivia. So I wanted, I wanted to tell you why I went to go get a new car. So, for those of you who don't know, I live in Detroit, aka motor city. You really cannot survive here without a vehicle. I mean, it's just, it's just one of those places, it's just one of those places. And, molly, do you know how, in Elevate, I came?

Molly Beran: 4:32

up with the concept of a flat tire. No, I just know that it exists.

Laura Khalil: 4:36

Okay, can you just briefly, because for people who are like what the fuck is she talking about, can you just explain what like in a sentence? What is a flat tire in Elevate speak?

Molly Beran: 4:44

So a flat tire is a metaphor for a problem that a client has that you need to fix now, much like if your car got a flat tire and you need to go somewhere. You got to deal with it, you got to address it. So that is the idea of a flat tire, but for us it's whatever our customers problems might be.

Laura Khalil: 5:02

Right, Thank you Beautiful. So this whole flat tire concept came up, believe it or not, because I was sitting in a bell tire replacing the fifth tire on my last car the fifth and I was so freaking annoyed I had to replace seven tires on the car. I only owned it for three years, oh my.

Molly Beran: 5:31

God, how are you driving? But also that's why.

Laura Khalil: 5:39

Um, first of all, it's not me. I swear so, it's not me. I had a low profile vehicle. I drove an Audi, just a very low profile car, driving on the streets of Michigan. Anyone could tell you we probably have the worst streets roads probably in the country. It so it's terrible. Uh, any Michigander knows this, and so I would just. In winter, as you know, like in Chicago, it snows, we get a pothole. The car would like hit a pothole and I'd be like, well, I'm out.

Molly Beran: 6:19

We have an Audi. I literally, like a hundred percent, know exactly what you were talking about and what that feels like.

Laura Khalil: 6:26

Yeah, have you guys gotten flat tires? Not yet. Don't, don't inherit my curse. Great, okay.

Molly Beran: 6:35

Okay.

Laura Khalil: 6:35

Yeah, do not, because it was just a nightmare. And I loved this car. I love driving it, it was fun, it was sporty. But I was in constant fear of like, oh, I'm going to be on the side of the freeway again and then I'm going to have to spend half the day in bell tire and then I'm going to be just so annoyed. Fun fact bell tire actually told me they were sick of me because I had the warranty on all these tires, so they lost so much money on me, like thousands of dollars, cause I just like kept showing up. They were like really, and I'm like, yeah, I'm back. So, anyway, I had to get a new car. I was done with this. I was terrified.

Laura Khalil: 7:16

And I have this neighbor who is like the world's most helpful man he's kind of like the dad I always wish I had. Who is like the world's most helpful man. He's kind of like the dad I always wish I had. Who is like just friendly and wants to help you and it's just so like positive and kind. I'm not trying to say like my dad was like a POS, but like this guy is. It's kind of like all those positive traits, without my dad sitting me down to do geometry homework for three hours at like the kitchen table Do you know what I mean.

Laura Khalil: 7:49

Oh, I am feeling you, my dad. My dad would literally sit me down at the kitchen table and he'd start talking about the ancient Greeks when I was doing math homework and I was like I want to die, like I can't do this. So my neighbor, marty, he has, like, built things in my home for me. He's built doggy doors, he's built railings, he's he's retired, he's a GM, former GM exec and I saw him on the street and he was like we're just chatting and I was like I gotta go buy this car. I'm so stressed, I don't know what to do, I don't want to get fleeced. And he said, well, do you want me to come with you?

Molly Beran: 8:26

I was like yes Are you throwing me a life raft? Yes, I will take it. I will take it, I will take it.

Laura Khalil: 8:38

You know how there's, there's those. I don't know if you're this way, molly, there are people who say they have a hard time receiving help.

Molly Beran: 8:52

I have no hard time receiving help. Do you? How about you? I think I'm medium on it. It kind of depends on what the help is Like. If it is helped via free baked goods, I have no problem receiving that help. Give me the hell or not. Help like buying a car? Yes, thank you. Help, I don't know. Like designing my house, like. No, I want. I want control over certain things like very project manager-y. I get it, but yeah, fair enough.

Laura Khalil: 9:19

Yeah, so like you can let go of certain things or like allow some. Okay, me too. I'm like I will always take help. I'm like who? Who's helping me? Who I won't like. I don't often ask directly, but I'll be like I'll take it if they offer. Do you know what I mean?

Molly Beran: 9:35

Yes, yes, actually I would. I would. I would amend my, my past statement and say I will always accept help. I rarely remember to ask for it.

Laura Khalil: 9:45

That's because I think we're super woman and we're like I can do it. Yeah, hashtag only child problems for real. Oh my God, that needs to be a separate episode. Okay. So Marty says to me he's like what do you want? What cars do you want? And he's like we, he had a whole plan. He's like first we have want what cars do you want? He's like we, he had a whole plan. He's like first we have. I know you would love this. He's like first we're just going to test drive cars, you buy nothing. I'm like got it, and then we would figure out, like what to do. And he's like well, what cars do you want? I'm going to go do all this research for you about the cars.

Laura Khalil: 10:20

I was like okay, so I'm looking for an SUV. Obviously, because I'm on these crazy Detroit roads, I'm like I need to be higher up. I you know, if I hit a pothole, like I don't want to worry about destroying the car. So we knew it was like a bigger SUV and I decided I wanted to look at, um, a Toyota four runner. So we head to the dealership, like on a Thursday evening, beautiful day, and we get into the dealer and, um, it's totally empty. There's nobody there, which I don't know what that means. I don't think it necessarily means anything at this point.

Molly Beran: 12:06

And the uh easy in like great, here we go.

Laura Khalil: 12:10

Who's going to help do it? Uh, the salesman comes up and he is like, he's like a model. He is so impeccably dressed. He's in this beautiful suit.

Molly Beran: 12:24

Is that intimidating? I think so. Like a beautifully dressed man who was about to sell me something super expensive, I would find that intimidating.

Laura Khalil: 12:33

I will, I guess so Cause I like you. You, funny enough, we haven't met in person, but when we do, you'll notice that like nine times out of 10, I'm wearing the same thing every day. I have like a hundred of the same outfit, and that's how I operate. I don't like to think about clothes, so I just buy like 10 things of the same outfit, and that's how I operate. I don't like to think about clothes, so I just buy like 10 things of the same thing. And so I'm there and I'm like in like yoga pants, like a black tank top, and I'm like, oh, fuck, okay, I don't really look that serious. But whatever we go in and he immediately shakes Marty's hand and he's like hi, to see you.

Molly Beran: 13:10

He doesn't even, he doesn't even look at and that was like the first siren alarm bell going off when I was listening I was like oh no, I know. No, isn't that crazy that that is wild, like in 2024.

Laura Khalil: 13:38

Older guy with a younger woman and I say those words subjectively, but whatever and I think I don't know what he was thinking, but eventually Marty said to him she's the one with the money. She's the one with the money, marty is a trip.

Molly Beran: 13:55

That is one of my takeaways is like the characters in this story really make it, and Marty, I'm like I got to meet this guy oh my God, he's amazing, she's the one with the money.

Laura Khalil: 14:09

And then his whole tune changed, changed, and so I was like, as I was thinking about this, I don't, I don't know the right way to present this, but I guess I'm just going to present like the key takeaways for everyone as we go Don't make assumptions about people. Be very careful like assumptions about how people are dressed, cause this is going to come back when we go through the story how they're dressed, their appearance, you them, who they're with. You have no idea. You honestly have no idea who you're dealing with. So I say that to everyone we get. He gets out the 4Runner, he gets out two, a new one and then a 2021. And Marty is in like full dad mode and he's like walking around the car and the salesman had said, oh well, this is a three-row 4Runner, ok. And he says Marty asks well, do the second row seats go down? I have no idea why Marty's asking this, but Marty's done his research, clearly, because the guy says, oh yeah, they do.

Molly Beran: 15:21

And Marty says show me and I know we love Marty.

Laura Khalil: 15:24

He's amazing. Marty needs to be actually at the elevate retreat. We should just like some find a way to get Marty there. I'll go car buying. It'll be great. That's actually our group activity is we're going to go car buying? Yeah, With Marty, he would love it. Um, so Marty knew that the second row didn't go down, that the second row didn't go down. I don't know how he I know he'd done some research. And so the guy goes to take the second row down and it does not fully like go down. It goes down maybe 50%. Now, Molly, let me ask you this question If you were that salesman and you had very confidently made this assertion and then like realize or just recalled out that it was actually incorrect, what do you think would be the right thing to do if you were the salesperson?

Molly Beran: 16:25

I think the right thing to do would be to admit you made a mistake, or, like go into the back and look up which models do fold down all that, like if that's a feature you need, like let me find out which ones really do.

Laura Khalil: 16:40

You would think. You would think, did he do any of those things?

Molly Beran: 16:45

I'm a guess no.

Laura Khalil: 16:46

Yeah, things, I'm a guess. No, yeah, just nothing. Okay, so I don't know. I don't know, like, how can you not admit fault? I don't know if you like learn to never say I'm sorry or something, or oh, I made a mistake. But I was like, um, okay, fine, not the end of the world. Okay, fine, not the end of the world.

Laura Khalil: 17:08

We get into the car and the car is on empty. I am a little nervous because I'm kind of like are we actually going to run out of gas? But I'm like I don't know, maybe they just want us to go like two miles and turn around, like I'm not really sure what's happening. And then the sales guy says we'll see you back here quickly. He says that twice and I'm like, okay, like I don't even know. I'm like how long are we supposed to be in the car? Like I'm not really sure, like I already feel bad driving the car. I'm like clearly they don't want us to drive the car. I don't know, do they want me to drive the car? I'm like clearly they don't want us to drive the car?

Laura Khalil: 17:49

I don't know at all. Do they want me to drive the car?

Molly Beran: 17:53

Do they want me to get stranded Like? Is this their customer service ploy?

Laura Khalil: 17:56

I seems not great to me, personally Not great and uh, so we, we do the test drive, we're gone for you know whatever 20 minutes we come back and we go back. I don't know, I have no idea. I actually said to the guy when we went back in, um, I said something to him like well, I'm glad you didn't call the police because I was like I don't were we gone too long? I have no idea how long we're supposed to be gone for, just quickly, and you have no gas, oh God Okay. Oh god, okay.

Laura Khalil: 18:43

So, um, marty had looked up the safety ratings of this vehicle and uh, I think it was like overall four stars. And then there was the rollover was three stars out of party five. Marty is like a former car, like gm car guy and he is really unhappy. He, like I said marty's in full dad mode. He is really unhappy. He I like I said Marty's in full dad mode. He is really unhappy about all of this. He's like why wouldn't it be five, three out of five for a car this big? Why, you know? Like why is it so bad? But Marty also hates our salesman for obvious reasons.

Laura Khalil: 19:18

He hates that he didn't address me. He hates that he got the car thing wrong. Like by the way, this is your job. You have one thing to do, which is to understand the vehicles on your lot.

Molly Beran: 19:30

Like that's all you have to do it's not like it's a used car where there's like so many models that maybe he got like this is just toy Toyota from the sounds of it.

Laura Khalil: 19:40

That's all it is. You got it, this is your job. Just so we sit down with, just know it. We sit down and he's like so how'd you like it? And we're like yeah, it was fine. Um, but Marty says to him but like, can you tell us what the safety ratings are? No, again, marty knows the safety ratings. And the guy's like, immediately, without skipping a beat, it's all five stars, that's it.

Molly Beran: 20:11

The internet disagrees with you, Good sir.

Laura Khalil: 20:14

So much. And Marty then says, really like, because there's a lot of different. You know types of front side rating and side rating and whatever rear crash rating. And he's like, because there's a lot of different, you know types of front side rating and side rating and whatever rear crash rating. And he's like yeah, it's five stars. And so then Marty says, show me, this is like, honestly, if we could learn anything from Marty. It's like I need to see the receipts. Yeah, seriously, he is not afraid to ask. This guy pulls up the ratings and he's just I mean, it's just not true. And again he says nothing of like oh, I miss up, must've messed this up, or been a long day Can't remember my own first name, right, whatever it is Like I get that.

Laura Khalil: 21:12

Right, nothing, nothing just keeps, just like, keeps going, and there's, just at this point, a lot of distrust and ill will, I guess. So it's like, well, you know, the forerunner is a very unique car and you know, basically there's nothing like it on the market.

Molly Beran: 21:37

Okay, I'm sorry. Like it's a toyota, there's everything like it. Like there's honda, there's any of the american manufacturers like yeah, there's.

Laura Khalil: 21:52

Just it's so unique, I mean, if it was like you know, a diamond crusted bugatti.

Molly Beran: 21:58

I believe you. There is nothing comparable. But a Toyota four run.

Laura Khalil: 22:07

He feels he, he feels some kind of way about his car. He really it's special.

Molly Beran: 22:11

I'm starting to understand why this lot was empty.

Laura Khalil: 22:15

Right, why was there no one there? Now we know. So, uh, we're like, yeah, okay, cool. And he's like this car will not lose its um, it will retain its value, it doesn't lose value and, um, you know, you'll have it forever. So I'm like how much is the car? And he says the car you just drove is $57,000. And I'm like, okay, well, I'm not buying that, so let's talk about the 2021 that you all that you said is identical.

Laura Khalil: 22:58

That's on your lot and also has low mileage. What, how much is that one? Oh well, that's forty thousand dollars and it's like that's really interesting. So a car that's three years old lost seventeen thousand dollars worth of, and you're telling me these cars retain their value like almost a hundred percent. And then he says but you don't want to buy this car used.

Molly Beran: 23:29

Why not?

Laura Khalil: 23:32

Who's to say.

Molly Beran: 23:35

Also, every car loses its value the second you drive it off the lot, like you know everyone knows this.

Molly Beran: 23:42

It's ridiculous, wild, it's ridiculous you know, he one thing that really struck me about his whole situation he is trying to use scarcity like to the end, like nothing out there compares to this, even right, giving you a car on empty. It's like holy shit, like I gotta. I mean, I don't drive around with my car on empty, despite what my husband believes I'm capable of doing sometimes, no, I, and that, just to me it breeds mistrust and it's not like a great way to build a relationship with somebody if you're like, oh, you better get this one because nothing else compares out there and it's just a lie.

Laura Khalil: 24:24

That's actually really interesting, all the ways you've pointed it out, all the different scarcity. And the other one I'll mention, which I don't think I've mentioned before, is he said there was only one new forerunner on the lot. Isn't that interesting, like today, what do you mean? Just one in the world? It?

Molly Beran: 24:43

was there.

Laura Khalil: 24:45

Great, that was it, and I think you're absolutely right and I think like to that point. There is a. There is a time and place where where there's real scarcity, sure, I mean and that's not a lie Like if we are running a program in our business and there is a deadline to apply, because we're that's the deadline, we're starting something after that date or whatever it may be. That's real, but like as a scare tactic, repeatedly.

Molly Beran: 25:15

I'm pretty sure you could drive 20 miles away to the next Toyota dealership and find another like maybe not a brand brand new one, but I'm pretty sure you could find one somewhere else in Michigan.

Laura Khalil: 25:32

I think so. I think they're around. Um, so we were basically like on our way out and he said, well, before you leave, what else are you looking at? And I told him, well, I'm looking at like a Kia Telluride, we're looking at like a larger Chevy SUV and all this stuff. And he scoffs and he says, well, none of those compared to the 4Runner. You're not even comparing the right cars to this. I was like, oh, this is disgusting. I was a GM executive, I think I would know, I think I would know and also like so my takeaway, before we talk about the other experience we had, which was like night and day, my takeaway from this whole thing for you all who are listening don't make people feel stupid.

Laura Khalil: 26:34

Don't make people feel like you don't even know what you're looking at. You don't even know how to talk about it. You, you don't understand know what you're looking at. You don't even know how to talk about it. You, you don't understand the, the uniqueness of this. Don't rely on all kinds of fake scarcity to scare someone into making a decision. Now, I don't fucking lie to people seriously, or if you are go ahead.

Molly Beran: 26:57

I just say I feel like all of these tactics are like from 50 years ago. Like what is this guy legitimately thinking or do?

Laura Khalil: 27:04

like I I don't know, but the dealership was empty. That's all I'll say. The dealership was empty so we get in the car and I am like I actually feel stupid. I'm kind of like upset and meet that guy.

Molly Beran: 27:22

Like what the fuck?

Laura Khalil: 27:23

Seriously, I'm like not okay, this is exactly why I hate the whole concept makes of car buying makes me sick, cause I'm like, oh, like I have to deal with that dude. Yeah and um, marty, he's undeterred by any of this's like that guy should be fired. It's just like going off. I'm like, all right, he's like we're going to another dealer and so we get in the car and we I'm sorry, but like did you want to like?

Molly Beran: 27:51

he's like we're going somewhere else. I'm like I would like to just go home.

Laura Khalil: 27:54

I need it I didn't want to go. I didn't want to go. I did not marty, though I didn't want to go. I did not Marty, though Marty was on a mission.

Molly Beran: 28:02

Bless him. I know he's the dad we all deserve. He really is.

Laura Khalil: 28:07

He's like I think he was having a lot of fun I think Marty was actually. I think he was having a great time but also like sometimes we need that friend, to just be like you're not giving up here. Like get your ass into gear and plus Marty's driving, so it's like I don't have to do anything but sit there.

Molly Beran: 28:29

That's nice.

Laura Khalil: 28:31

So we drew. He's like what car do you want to see next? So we find a dealer. It's kind of getting late. We find a dealer that's open, and this is what I know. You've heard this, molly, but for those listening, this is where the story really changes and the lessons of like everything you should be doing in business are about to show up, because we arrive at the Kia dealership and the Kia dealership is like popping off, like it is crazy in there, and I I mean there are probably 20 different customers. Whoa, it's crazy, it's so busy. There's actually nobody, and again, some of these things you might say well, that's kind of an issue. There's nobody at the front to like greet you because everyone's like running around.

Laura Khalil: 29:23

So Marty and I are like looking at the different cars and just trying to see what everything is, and, of course, marty has got like a whole list of just like how to evaluate. He's like oh well, this one's really nice and this is a lot nicer than the four runner, and let's take it for a drive. So this guy comes like racing by us and he's just wearing like a red I think it was a red um, like polo shirt and like khakis or something way more casual than the other guy, still looks professional, but like more casual. And he's like he's literally out of breath and and he's like I want to help you guys. I'm going to see a client. What, what do you need? What do you need? And we're like, uh, and Marty, marty is very clear and, by the way, for anyone buying a car, just do what Marty says.

Laura Khalil: 30:13

Marty says we are looking to test drive a Telluride and he just like gets right to the point. And the guy's like, okay, what model do you want? And we're like we want kind of a mid range model. He's like I got you fam. It's coming out front, like just, and we're like, oh, my God, okay, thank you.

Molly Beran: 30:32

And then he called you fam Like yes, why do you?

Laura Khalil: 30:36

not love him instantly.

Laura Khalil: 30:38

Love, love. And then he runs somewhere. He's literally just running and then a minute later we see him and he's like oh, I need to get your driver's license, so he photocopies it. And I just said like I didn't even know who he was, like I didn't know, are you someone who works in the service department? Like, are you a salesperson? Like I don't know what's even happening because he has not introduced himself and I'm like what is your name? And he says, oh, they call me kitchen and it's his last name. And he points to his belly and he's kind of a little bit of a bigger guy and he says you know, they say that because I like to eat. I'm done. Like, love, relatable, relatable, relatable. Marty is also a bigger guy, marty is in love. They are literally hugging at this point and fist bumping, fist bumping, love it. Oh, yes, we have spent. And so, like Molly, you told me something interesting about, like self-deprecating humor. Do you remember that statistic?

Molly Beran: 31:53

Yeah, so, statistically speaking, self-deprecating humor is actually a very self-deprecating humor is actually very, very effective for women specifically, so interesting. It really helps, you like, be more relatable, and especially for women in leadership positions. It is like one style of humor that really does seem to land well and it I think it's like not necessarily bad for men, but you also do, you know, use sparingly. I think is sort of the messaging that that I've written or that I've read about it. But yeah, for women it's especially effective.

Laura Khalil: 32:26

Let's just say it worked, it worked and so like the thing I noticed about this again, cause I can't walk into a situation without like my business hat on is the instant rapport building.

Laura Khalil: 32:40

This guy had the instant ability to find, to use humor to make us feel comfortable, to even um. One of the things I know we talk a lot in elevate about is finding commonality with people and while he may not be wanting to use like weight as a commonality, that certainly can go the wrong way with women Finding like, hey, I like to eat, or using something like that. That's just very relatable to all of us and it's like, oh, this guy's really cool and he's like he's a human.

Molly Beran: 33:16

He's a human. He's not going to make me feel like an idiot, because he's also just a human over here, that's right. He's just a human. He's a human. He's not going to make me feel like an idiot Cause he's also just a human over here, that's right.

Laura Khalil: 33:23

He's just a human. So the car we get in the car, I feel like Marty about this car. I mean I bought the car but Marty like, loves this car loves. He's like this is this is so much better than the forerunner, this is so much better, blah, blah, blah. So we, we take it in. We actually drove another vehicle, like a lower, whatever model, whatever vehicle. We didn't like that one as much. Anyhow, at the end I oh I forgot to mention something really important about the test drive. We get the car and it has a full tank of gas and kitchen says it's eight 15. We close at 9. Pm. Go as long as you want, just be back by eight 59. Perfect, like what I mean night and day.

Laura Khalil: 34:25

I mean, you probably couldn't use it all in 45 minutes, but hey like we could have, like we could have gone and done groceries, like I don't know that we would do that, but like just the sense of like we're here to help you whatever you need, it's all available to you. And like you're coming to the cookout type vibe, I'm like I'm here for it.

Molly Beran: 34:49

It's abundance, not scarcity.

Laura Khalil: 34:53

So we get back to the dealer kitchen, still like running around, he sees me and he says um okay, How'd you like the car? We're like yep, Liked it, I'll be in touch. He's like great, here's my card. And then the only thing he says is email me like oh okay, easy, preasy, hi.

Laura Khalil: 35:19

Um, I think a lot about this in terms of like, what we do in sales, of like there is a type of salesperson who's always pushing for the sale, and then there is, I think, the other type of salesperson which this guy reminds me of, which is like listen, if this is the right thing for you and it's the right time to buy it, i'm'm here to assist you. Otherwise, I'll find other people to work with. Is that what you like? Get out of that, yeah.

Molly Beran: 35:49

It's, it's, he's, he's not thirsty, he's like I'm fine, like, email me if you want, we can chat. That's cool's cool, like or don't. Yeah, well, I mean whatever. It was like easy breezy and the other guy is all like there's nothing else out there. You better buy this car right now. Nothing compares to the forerner. Are you kidding?

Laura Khalil: 36:22

It's such a unique car, molly, apparently it's so unique it has four wheels mounted on a chassis and a second seat that doesn't fold down all the way and a seat, yeah, I mean it's unique.

Laura Khalil: 36:35

It's unique, by the way, marty did pull down the seat in the Telluride. He was like does the seat go down? Then the guy was like yeah, and he showed us and we're like okay, thank you. Like it works. Don't be like the Toyota dealer. I mean just not a great experience anyway. So the next day I okay.

Laura Khalil: 37:02

So I've been on like this car buying Tik TOK thing. I just watch car deals Like this is what I do in my free time. This is like my life, and so I'm watching these people negotiate car deals. So I've kind of like learned some stuff and I've learned that I should be trying to get five to 10% off MSRP. I'm also really not sure how to do that, but I'm like fuck it, I'm just going to got to have a goal. I'm just going to talk to kitchen and see what he can do. So the first thing I do is I have learned to. You're supposed to negotiate over email or phone before going in, cause none of us want the pressure of like being there waiting for them to make the decision just like do it first and then go in if they agree.

Laura Khalil: 37:49

So I was like, hey, um, can you give me a thousand dollars off? And he's like, yeah, it was like okay. And I then said to him I was like okay. And I then said to him I was like so, kitchen, and we're just like having a nice email exchange. And then I jumped on the phone with him and a really nice rapport and I leaned on my personality big time and I just said kitchen, do you like to please women? And kitchen was like yes, ma'am. And I'm like well, you're going to have to go get me more money off this car. And he was like okay, let me think about how to do that. And I was like, okay, what are you thinking?

Laura Khalil: 38:45

And so, like he's like telling me like his ideas, and I'm like, yeah, so, random thing for those of you who care about car buying, there are dealers who sell based. They can actually lose money on the sale of the car, but they make money from the auto manufacturer based on volume sold. So that is a thing they can actually sell you the car with very little to no money made, but then make money in other ways off volume. And I was like I think you're a volume dealership Kitchen. He's like, yeah, we sell a lot. I'm like, okay, well, you can just get your volume discount, I'll just get the car off. I'll just buy the car. I'll be there in 20 minutes to pick it up, if you can do this. And he got me the deal. So I got my 5% off MSRP. I was happy with that.

Laura Khalil: 39:38

I could have played him off other dealers, like I could have played a game, but I didn't. And the reason I didn't is because I really liked him and I wanted him to make the sale Like it, actually like he had built enough of a relationship with me, even in 10 minutes, to be like I want you to have this money, which I think is important for all of us to understand, especially when you're dealing with a commodity that is really we're just looking for the cheapest thing, right. But I liked him and um, so he got every and then they gave me what I wanted for my trade in and just everything worked out really well. And I want to share the last thing.

Laura Khalil: 40:25

When I went into the dealer and we were signing all the paperwork, he said I want you to know that a lot of people ask for the type of deal you got and we don't give it to them. And I said, really, and he said, yeah, you're the only one we gave it to today. Okay, and I said why did you give it to me? Do you want to know what? He said yeah, because you were nice. Oh, and I just really think about that, and I want everyone to think about that the value of building relationship with people, even if it's only going to be a quick transaction like this, being kind to people, being funny, being generous, I don't know, it just seems to like make a difference, yeah.

Molly Beran: 41:17

Especially, I'm sure he just gets a bunch of people who, just you know, want the most off that he can possibly do, and they are jerks when they come in or test drive or whatever you know, and like I bet you brought that car back on time. It's not like you were wasting his busy time either, you know, and I I agree, I think it, it really does matter. I mean, I get so many people prospecting me for like buy these leads and do this stuff, and it's like.

Molly Beran: 41:45

I. I don't know anything about you. Why on earth, why on earth would I sign up to go into business with you after one cold email? Is that crazy? Yeah, yeah, I mean, and this is just like you have to have the relationship, like the rapport matter. First guy didn't do any rapport Zero.

Laura Khalil: 42:06

He liked a negative rapport Actually he did what would we call negative rapport Animosity. There you go. He just, he was just building animosity, yeah, Animosity, yeah, totally. And then the second guy. But here's something I think that I hear you saying you don't have to. I think, especially in our lines of business. I don't know if you feel this way, Molly, but I see a lot of people and we talk about this in Elevate all the time of like, well, when can I ask for the meeting, when can I take the next step with the client? And I think a lot of us assume like, well, you know, oh, I should wait longer, or I shouldn't do it now, or I'm going to seem spammy if I ask soon.

Molly Beran: 42:59

And it's like if you've built rapport with the person, you can fucking ask you can ask, like you don't have to necessarily wait Now.

Laura Khalil: 43:04

I mean, obviously that depends if you haven't built rapport or they're not receptive. You know, maybe don't ask, but, like, I think a lot of us think, oh, it takes more time to build rapport. Sometimes it does, but sometimes it doesn't. And I think a lot about something you know we talk a lot about, which is like the right person, the right product, right time. Yep, and in this case it was the right product, it was the right time, but we had two different people and one of them was never going to make a sale, so I don't know. Any other takeaways. What else do you think Like, what does this make you think of for consulting or for your own business? Is there anything that you're like oh, I could learn from that, or anything? I mean, you're already doing so well.

Molly Beran: 43:54

I mean, I think it's just a really good reminder about the importance of relationships and being human. And for me too, there's a lot about scarcity that just comes up. You know, it's like if you're in between a contract and you don't know who your next client is going to be, or you're working on it but you're not there yet. It's so easy to just let the panic take hold and run away, and that's, I think, where you make really bad decisions. So just understanding that, like scarcity, doesn't actually sell.

Molly Beran: 44:28

So whether yeah whether I'm feeling it or they're feeling it, or I'm like projecting it out there like none of it's gonna work.

Laura Khalil: 44:37

So you know I have to tell you an interesting story about this. Back in the day, when I startedvate, I would run these cohorts of the program. And so you it was actually just like you'd come in for like eight or 12 weeks and that was Elevate. That was like version one of the program. And so, you know, you had to sign up by a certain day and I'm and, by the way, just for everyone, listening I'm not against doing this If this makes sense for your business. If you're like, yes, I like to run a cohort based program, great, do it.

Laura Khalil: 45:12

What I noticed in doing this is that I would have people join because of the scarcity and they were like, oh, I have to join now, but they weren't ready for it. And so we ended up not always, but often with at least one person in the program who just had like you know lovingly no business being there. They truly were not ready to be in the room, but the scarcity drove them into the room. And I never felt good about that, because my whole thing is like if I want to get a result for you, you have to be in the right place to receive that. Like, if you're just not set up, it's never going to work for you. Or if you're like refusing to make the changes we want you to make because you're not ready for them. For whatever reason, it's just not going to work for you.

Molly Beran: 46:12

So that was one of the things that brought me in. I mean, I think you remember this. I sat on one of your big deal energy spotlight events a year before I joined Elevate and like we had a follow-up call. You're like what would it take to join? I was like I just don't have the capital saved up, but I really want to do it. And then, as soon as I cleared that balance, I emailed you out of the blue. I was like hey, talk about joining Elevate. And you were like, girlfriend, yes, here's a, let's get on the calendar. You know, it was just like it was easy, breezy, and I didn't feel pressured at the time. I remember I was feeling nervous about that first phone call Cause I was like I think she's going to make me jump, like she's I don't know if I can or if I can afford it, or blah, blah, blah. Like I didn't want to, like, you know, get pressured into something.

Laura Khalil: 47:02

Right, you're just like.

Molly Beran: 47:03

All right, okay, I'm going to send up your email list. I read them every week and secretly think about joining your program or a year.

Laura Khalil: 47:20

But that's sometimes, that's what the sales cycle is and that's what I think people aren't patient enough to understand or appreciate.

Laura Khalil: 47:24

Is that, like I'm going to be honest with you you have been such a breath of fresh air inside of Elevate, like, truly, I feel that over the we've I know you've been with us almost a year, but I feel like something really big began to shift in the group in September of 2023 with the arrival of you and then Josh, and the group has just started to take on.

Laura Khalil: 47:53

I mean, from my perspective, such a, such a I don't know, it just feels like firing on all cylinders, I guess is maybe the best way to describe it. But that only happens by not forcing people into something I don't see. I mean, maybe someone else has got it figured out, but I can't tell you how many people I've met who are stuck in a program they don't want to be in and are waiting for the time for that thing they've already committed to to end before they can get out. And it's like why? Why do people run their businesses like this? Seriously, yeah, if you don't want to be an elevate leaf, that's just what I have to say, like I'm like we don't want you here.

Molly Beran: 48:44

I agree, I agree, agree. I mean, if you have to pull you screaming and kicking to our meetings, yeah, maybe, yeah, so you know, if I have to pull you screaming and kicking into your toyota 4runner why not the car for you where the seats don't even go down?

Laura Khalil: 49:02

how do you have a $57,000 car and the seats don't go down? That's wild. I can't All right. I mean, listen, no shade to Toyota. Okay, don't come after me, but just saying, if you want to know about your dealer, if the gods of Toyota listening to this you can contact me and find out. Okay, I have like a. I know we could wrap right here, but I just have a random question for you from your. Basically, for those of you who don't know Molly, she is like probably one of the best project managers I've ever come across, and I'm not just saying that, but like you've gotten that feedback repeatedly Like her clients have literally cried, am I right, molly? Yeah, okay, when she has left a project, they cry. And because she is that good, do you see how anything we've talked today like applies to project management, or like how it could apply to your clients or how, like I don't know, I'm just curious how you'd answer that big time.

Molly Beran: 50:17

I think one of one of the reasons that many project managers struggle is because they focus on the task or the schedule and forget that it's a whole team of people that are trying to get something done. So it becomes this like battle between like, why aren't meeting this deadline, why is this late? And then people on the team feel like they are being blamed, that they're not trusted, et cetera, and so forth, and maybe they want to get the project manager off their back. So they wind up doing something fast or whatever, and then it's low quality, blah, blah, blah. So the problem there is you can meet your deadlines, but if the product sucks or people are unhappy or anything else, then that's how project managers get a really bad reputation.

Molly Beran: 51:10

Whereas you know what my approach has really morphed into, because I think I started that same way and I saw it didn't work great. And now you know it's like I run a status call and I ask people you know you said you were going to be done with this. It's okay. If you're not like what's up, like what's going on, right, it becomes about what's blocking you. Do you need help? What can I do to move this thing along? And you wind up like trying to celebrate people as much as possible. I try to really cheerlead, call out when there's a win. Celebrate when we can really cheerlead call out when there's a win. Celebrate when we can back. When we had like in-person stuff, I would often, you know, try to post a happy hour or bring in cook. I mean sometimes you just need an Oreo right. So like just bringing in food sometimes is like a nice way to tell you all human bodies Like we need.

Molly Beran: 52:03

We need stuff, right. So I think that's that's the biggest lesson that I think really applies to project management is just like rapport, rapport, rapport, like the we we teach in in. In some of the PMP classes that I, that I help people prepare for, we teach like that's the dirty little secret of project management. It's all about relationships. And the other thing that I'll say, too, is scarcity. Like there are a lot of times when you are under a tight deadline for a project but you can only pull that cart so many times before a team suffers, before a company suffers, and if all you have is urgency, that's like not a great way to motivate or keep a team going in the long run.

Laura Khalil: 52:52

Because it's sort of like walking around with a big stick. I would imagine Exactly. So I'm just curious what are for you if you do have a deadline or you do have something important coming up? Is it is your approach to try to really like meet people where they're at try to understand what's going on, versus like we got to get it done, Like how do you deal with that when there is really a tight deadline coming up?

Molly Beran: 53:21

You know it's. It's really about knowing how tight is tight. I've never actually met a go live date that couldn't move unless there's a regulation. If there is something that is driven by law and it needs to be done, like the answer there is plan to be done a couple of months ahead of time so that if something goes awry you can still like make it right. But I think it really comes down to knowing where you do and don't have slack, and I've usually found that most leaders are willing to give you more time if you have reasons and you know why. And it's not just like, oh, this thing's broken. It's like, oh, this guy had this come up and this person has this and so-and-so's. Mom is in the hospital. So you know it's just a really crappy time right now and three days could really make a big difference, like three days fuck, okay, well, so many of these, but, to your point, so many of these deadlines are artificial.

Laura Khalil: 54:24

We make them up. I mean, apart from regulatory deadlines, we make them up so we do have the ability to shift them and change them or even just scrap them.

Molly Beran: 54:36

And you know, I think too it it can help you if you're leading a team, whether you're a project manager or not, if you negotiate for that time ahead of time and you tell the team, like listen, I talked to so-and-so and I told them about this and they're willing to give us one extra week, yeah, then all of a sudden you're the hero you know, and that that just helps you with your rapport too. So it's it. It. It benefits a lot of different things If you, if, when and if you can inject time or even just like.

Molly Beran: 55:10

Sometimes it's just like, hey, this is going to be late, there's literally nothing we can do about it, and then it is what it is. Yeah, and it's. It also is about growing your comfort with being able to say that you know it, it is what it is, there's nothing I could personally do to fix it. I've tried ABCD here. It is Like this is just what's so and understanding that, like sometimes you literally can't control it, despite what you want to do, despite what the PMI might say or imply, like sometimes there really is nothing you could do and that's life.

Laura Khalil: 55:49

That's life, you know, I think. I think. Did you ever watch car talk? I loved that. I feel I feel like today's episode was like we were the click and clack of business advice.

Molly Beran: 56:04

Yeah. I just Boston accents.

Laura Khalil: 56:10

That's it, that's right, that's all we're missing. Well, we need to get Mark and Kevin on here and they can. They can make up for that. Um, Molly, hey, thanks so much for joining me. This was really fun and, uh, everyone, if you want to learn more about Molly, Molly, how can they find you? You can find me on wwwprojectsbymollycom. I love it Everyone. I hope you enjoyed this episode of Big Deal Energy and until next time, giddy up.