I hadn't learned to read by third grade, which wasn't unusual for some kids. I knew something was wrong because I couldn't see or understand the words the way the other kids did. I wasn't the least bit bothered - until I was sent back to the second-grade classroom for reading help after school.

What people ask for has nothing to do with the value of a property. You might see a listing for $300,000 and think you should make a $250,000 bid. But hyper-focus on what the house is worth. You should know what the house is worth by looking at comparable properties. Base your bid on that.

Figure out what past efforts amounted to nothing and label them your "not to do" list. Post the list where you'll see it.

If a house is priced appropriately, make a bid 10 percent below that amount.

If you want to have a creative culture, you can't get it by reading books. You get it by example.

I wanted to be a 150% entrepreneur and a 150% mom, and I found that I was having a very hard time doing both. I was about 75% and 75% - still better than 100%, but not what I was accustomed to at work.

Good salesmanship is nothing more than maximizing the positive and minimizing the negative.