My Unfair Advantage

In my youth, my sister and I spent half our summers working on our grandparents farms in Fort Wayne, IN and the other half experiencing culture at my Nana's home in Washington, D.C. Though both diverse environments, I learned to adapt to each environment.

In Ft. Wayne, I learned that although it would seem the slowness of the farm country would not offer much, there was plenty to do before the end of the day. Most everything that was cooked and placed on our plate was from the farms. I felt like they were gaining free labor half the summer from my twin sister and me, but now that I am an adult, I see the invaluable lessons and abilities gained. I learned money is not free. You earn your keep by doing your part. If you want to eat, then you tend to the farm and the animals. Weekends are for fun, weekdays are to work.

Washington, D.C. was an outlook of social learning, culture opportunities, not just because of the Smithsonian but the individuals my Nana interacted. These individuals worked at the State Department, Professors, and had a vast majority of experiences. This interaction with these well established social individuals allowed us opportunities to refine our world. I learned that we dress for dinner, we listen to others completely prior to providing our difference of opinion (which was permitted but respectfully). I learned debate is not a bad thing and that my opinion counts.

Human Capital
1. Strong work ethic

• This is valuable in that I learned early on that working brings value to the family (company). Nothing is given for free and you must do your part. 
• Not rare, but my clients and potential investors will see my work ethic as invaluable due to the experience I have had throughout the years. 
• I believe there are others that could have a strong work ethic, but the experiences I gained while growing up cannot be imitated. What  I have developed throughout my years no one else will be able to extract and duplicate. Each customer will know that my firm will work hard and expect them to work hard to  understand the requirements in owning a home.
• I think there are resources that advertise they work for their clients, but in most cases it is just marketing. There are those non-profits that truly want to help others succeed, but I don't think you will see the effort that we will provide in ensuring success for our clients. There really is not anything that can replace a strong work ethic.

2. Ability to adapt to an ever changing environment

• This is valuable in that times change and in order to be successful, you and your firm have to be willing to see the outlook and change with those times in order to meet the customer needs
• Not rare in that successful organizations and profitable ones have found ways to keep up with the times and keep their clients interest.
• I have the ability to change not just with environment but with individuals. Each of our families are different with different stages of work life and family life. We will be able to adapt our strategy with each of these families in order to reach the goal in gaining a "forever" home. There will be a lot of time, resource, and money spent to ensure we adapt our strategy to each individual family, therefore, not really inimitable.
• I don't see this human capital as one that another resource could provide the same benefit.

3. Ability to step back and see the big picture of an opportunity

• The value in taking a step back and breathing is priceless. Nothing is ever as straightforward as you may think from outset. Knee-jerk reactions (reactive) can kill a project, client's opportunity to get their home, and kill a firm.
• I believe in management this is a rarity. My work experience in managing from photography studio, fast food, retail, and call centers have allowed me to hone the ability and really see the profitability of stepping back and evaluating a situation. It does not have to take a large amount of time (could just be ten minutes) but that time to consider what is before you is really where the money is made.
• Don't believe this is hard to copy, I just do not believe there is a desire to do such. Most firms want to get their items checked off their list and not think about the repercussions of their decisions.
• I guess you could go to a psychic and they could foresee the future, but in reality nothing but another individual firm that has the same environment and willingness to step back and really evaluate the options available for their families looking for a home.

4. Management team with differing skills and ability

• As far as the value this will bring my firm is that I have a long history of managing people. In my current firm, I have individuals with differing backgrounds and opinions. I love the at times debates the staff brings when faced with a dilemma. There are not any "yes" individuals on my 17 members of the management team. These individuals have different goals and desires and even though their peers do not see the value of each other at times, I do. This diversity of managing skills continues to help make my part of the business I run successful. We run into obstacles, but how we overcome as a team is priceless.
• I believe this is a rare example of a managing today. I think the easy part in surrounding yourself with people is to pick individuals with similarity in background or experience. I think too much a something is "too much".
• Investors will value the diversity in experience with my team. I think organizations are trending to this end of the spectrum, so it will be a formula for success, but I don't believe it it mainstream today
• There is nothing that can replace the benefit that diverse management staff can bring a firm

5. Optimism

•  This is valuable in that with my business you have to be optimistic of the future for our families we are working to assist. They have been shut down or shut out of opportunities and our organization will show them there is hope to have the home they truly desire within a reasonable price.
• I think among sales this is a trait that has to be displayed, so I don't think this is rare. My business is not sales, it is assisting hard working families in getting the right home for them and knocking down those naysayers.
• This is another human capital component, therefore, I don't believe there this cannot be copied or substituted

6. If life gives me lemons, I find a way to make lemonade.

• This is different from optimism in that in this case I am talking about failure. I ran track in school and was not always the first across the finish line, but I congratulated the winner and figured out a way to ensure I did better the next time around. Failures are opportunities for success. The lessons gained from failure is invaluable from a personal perspective as well as a business perspective.
• I believe this is rare among those firms that are in the business of approving and denying credit. My firm will have such a strong relationship with the few lenders we work with on a daily basis to have a clear understanding of what is required to get approved for a home with a low interest rate, therefore, our families once they get to the stage of hitting reply, will be approved.
•  I do think there are a few organizations that offer services to lend a helping hand, but I don't believe they will be as prepared as we will be in ensuring our families do not lose hope.
• There are websites that give advice on how to improve your credit rating (Credit Karma is an example), but none that will actually walk each family through and follow up.

Capability
7. Understanding of budgets, profits and loss statements

• Investors will want to know what experience I have from a financial standpoint and managing their money. I have experience in budgets, financial records, and looking for opportunities in lowering costs to ensure profitability. I bring this experience of understanding. Of course, I would have someone on my management team that has more experience in this area, but as the CEO, I understand the rules of Sarbanes Oxley and profits and loss, so not just operationally sound, but financially sound.
• This is not rare in organizations today 
• This is utilized with most companies today
• There are firms that can be hired to manage the financial side of the business.

8.Work experience of managing large workforce of diverse employees with diverse opinions that contribute to overall value and profitability of the company.

• As I mentioned previously, managing a diverse workforce has its values. I should note it also has it complications. My father was in the Air Force for over 20 years. In that time we have moved from location to location and in the process, changed schools many times. In that time I learned to adapt to my environment and meeting different kids from differing backgrounds. Learning about them and finding something of interest about them that made them attractive (more like a magnet). This and the summers I spent with my Nana, helped develop this skill young and I further developed as I moved along my career path.You have to find ways to motivate others to do the job that is being asked and I believe you have to ensure they know they are valued. This value will show in their work and the quality put forth in their success rates. 
• It is not rare to have companies with diverse workforce. I believe the value comes in how they manage the diversity of the workforce. There are firms that have begun to understand this value and offer training within their individual organizations to their respective staff that manages employees
•  My work experience is different from another work experience, therefore, my experience cannot be substituted, but as I mentioned above, there all many resources available to help in getting that training and understanding of how to manage a diverse workforce.

Social Capital
9. Network of professional women and men that either own their own businesses or are associated with businesses in which I would depend on their knowledge and/or their connections

•  I participate in organizations for women and have made many connections with individuals. I work with both men and women that own their own businesses. Their vast knowledge of the obstacles they have encountered while growing their business is invaluable from a personal perspective. They would be the individuals I go to for wisdom and knowledge. The individuals have connections and because I have build a relationship with these people, one that is reciprocal, I am confident I can count on them when needing assistance in getting my business off the ground.
• Social capital as a network of connections is not rare. My connections and my interactions with my network is rare. What I offer these individuals for what they can offer me is not the same that these individuals will have with others within their network.
• We all have connections that can benefit one another. It would not be hard to copy the individual contacts within my network

10. Associations with individuals in the banking field as well as CPA's

• My customers need lenders that will understand the need to middle and lower income working families and have a willingness to work with these families. My network of individuals in the banking industry that deal with mortgages will assist me in gaining the right partnerships
•  Associations with firms within the financial industry is not rare.
• It can be copied from others, in that anyone in the banking field within my network, does this for a living, therefore, other firms could utilize them. In my case, I would be utilizing for information and connections to help my specific customer base.
• I can go to banks or financial institutions outside of my network, but then I would not have any competitive advantage in securing a business relationship.

My top resource would have to be my human capital. I believe the sum of them make me invaluable from a business perspective and to my customer. My past and current experience has allowed me to develop these abilities and has assisted in reaching my goals within every firm I have worked. It shows the willingness I have in overcoming obstacles, willingness to work hard for myself and for others, and the willingness to see past the customer's "poor" credit rating and see the possibility to ultimately owning a home.