036 - Max De Melo & Patrick Niederdrenk

This episode is an amazing case study on founder-market fit. As Mr. T says, “I pity the fool” who competes with Max and Patrick at relationship building—they clearly live and breathe the opportunity to form genuine connections with people.

Beyond founder-market fit, Max and Patrick also make a connection to the 8th wonder of the world, which value investing disciples know is compounding. They don’t do any paid marketing, but they can almost predict the amount of inbound referrals they’ll get on any given month, and it’s all because of their focus on white-glove customer service for everyone they meet.

Max and Patrick's Links

On the web:

https://www.maxandpatrick.com/

https://americaonerealestate.com/

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/max_americaone/?hl=en

https://www.instagram.com/patrick_americaone/?hl=en

Youtube:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9m_VZEMttpIiXjE6RZEpRA/featured

Time Stamps
0:03:15 – A frustrating experience exposed a market opportunity

0:15:15 – Thoughts on the luxury customer experience

0:19:50 – Surprising lessons from operating the business: it’s not reinventing the wheel, it’s getting the job done

0:24:20 – A critical outside observation: where does business come from (organic referral, marketing, salesmen, etc.)

0:27:08 – Most important first step: screening for genuine, long-term relationships by emphasizing the personal relationship before entering into a business relationship

0:31:30 – White glove service: using technology and one-on-one attention to help buyers understand the product (3d photorealistic renderings, one-on-one tours through other projects at various levels of completion, everything catered toward fostering a relationship)

0:34:55 – Referral sources (referrals from people they’ve never even met)

0:39:08 – Highlight reel moments: representing the transaction rather than the buyer or seller

0:41:00 – Training and growing a team, consistently reflecting on process and habits

0:46:45 – Helpful resources in the course of running their business: it’s the simplest things that help you be effective (their phones are their CRM).

0:50:15 – The right kind of lazy: the pursuit of having to work less

0:51:52 – Get out and talk to people (even in the tech industry)

0:54:10 – Compounding relationships (the most predictable business is the “unpredictable” business)

1:01:15 – It’s not what they do, it’s who they are: genuine desire to serve