Mark Douglas

100% bootstrapped, zero debt.

We plan for profits of $1 to $2 million every year, and all the rest goes into our growth plan.

That's how we've done especially really well over the past six years.

In fact, we've been within 1% of our annual revenue goals and annual expense targets each year for the past six years.

What I'd like to talk with you first is really your why.

It's your vision.

I think this is probably the most important thing you do, and it's got to be super clear.

And I'll be talking to you about the how or the way you do it.

And then your cornerstone is your culture that will develop all this.

Our why statement is empowering people to build better communities.

And how that works out is it's really external and internal.

I believe you have to have it both inward facing for your employees and external towards your clients.

It's how we base the premise of all our decisions.

So is it something, are we helping a community?

Are we helping better families?

Are we helping an individual?

It's our guidepost for everything.

The Ritz-Carlton why is we are, ladies and gentlemen, serving, ladies and gentlemen.

And what they believe is the workers, the maids, everybody, they believe that there are ladies and gentlemen that are serving the people coming into their hotel as ladies and gentlemen.

So it's an external and an internal why.