Adam Contos | U.S. Marine Entrepreneur & Senior Vice President of Marketing at RE/MAX

by | Jul 7, 2015 | Blog Post, Podcast

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In this episode of the Military Entrepreneur Show, you’ll learn about Adam’s journey from the Marines to law enforcement, entrepreneurial ventures, and valuable lessons he learned along the way. He shares his thoughts and connects the dots on the environment and education needed for success outside the military. 

“Get Comfortable with Uncomfortable”

Adam attended boot camp in 1990 at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot in San Diego, California- heading there just one day after graduating high school.  He felt he needed direction in life – and he certainly got it. Adam went on to serve 6 years in the Marine Corps Reserves as a field radio operator in artillery, eventually finishing his service working in the armory and as a firearms instructor on the range. He was honorably discharged as a Sergeant in the United States Marine Corps in 1996.

“Your work ethic is really unmatched in society when you think about how we operate in the Marine Corps. Those things really helped me.”- Adam Contos

Adam believes in hard work but more importantly – looking at things from a different perspective; there’s always a better way to get things done than the last. This mentality has carried him through everything he does – from discovering new ways to prolong the life of batteries in artillery unit radios during fire missions, to systematizing how SWAT team conducts operations. Adam became about systems, processes, communication, and transparency.

Adam is now the Senior Vice President of marketing for Real Estate powerhouse RE/MAX, a publicly traded franchising company operating in 100 countries with over 100,000 agent members.  He oversees brand advertising, marketing and communications, over 70 events a year, and the leading business development team in the franchising industry.  Adam sees business as a canvas, with an opportunity to make creative adjustments every time the artist’s brush touches. 

“Do the hard things every day you don’t want to do, eventually they become habitual.  You will eventually see success if you stick with it.” -Adam Contos

Episode Highlights:

  • Adam learned the value of systems and processes in the Marines and is using these techniques in his business today.
  • You need to control your environment, you can choose to be happy or sad- it is much more fun to be happy.
  • Set goals, outline them with clarity- and attack!
  • Never stop learning, Adam has a goal to study two hours per day.
  • If you are considering transitioning out of the military, two words- start now!

Resources:

“Your environment dictates how successful you can be, if you allow your environment to put a ceiling on your success- you will never achieve more than that ceiling. The environment part is easy, you can put yourself in that environment.” – Adam Contos

Connect with Adam:

I invite you to listen to the entire podcast episode using the player at the top of this page, or on a mobile device through iTunes. Be sure to subscribe so you don’t miss a future episode.

This episode is sponsored by the amazing designer of my website, Kris Jolls Web Design. Start your website off on the right foot!

Dan is one of the most talented individuals I have ever had the pleasure of working with. His dedication and passion in enhancing the District’s multiple social media platforms is nothing short of brilliant. Most notable was his ability to develop a training and execution plan that ultimately increased leads and quality by leveraging social media to reach a more diverse population of applicants and linking them up with our sales force.
Jorge Escatell

Recruiting Advertising Officer, USMC

Reinventing Yourself One Day at a Time

It’s been a short time since I transitioned out of the military and began a new career in Corporate America. Since then, I’ve had a minute to reflect back on what I now clearly know was overcoming one of the biggest hurdles of my adult life— reinventing myself.

How Marines Use Social Media for 21st Century Recruiting

Like many, you might have a stigma associated with military recruiters. Ceaseless phone calls, high pressure sales, and four letter words may come to mind when these guys call asking for you or someone you know in attempt to “recruit” them.

I had the opportunity to serve as a Marine Corps recruiter for the last nine years, I supervised recruiters for the majority of that time. Our mission is to contact as many of-age people as possible to determine qualification and interest- then sell them on the opportunities in the Marines… we’d contact people primarily through phone calls and canvassing the local area. As you can imagine, this can make for a long day.

The Rise of Social Media & Mobile Business

The corporate banter about the ROI and risks of using social media as a pure form of advertising is getting old. I’d like to address the cynics and vent some of my frustration with those who wish to continue their romance with traditional advertising. After all, it is almost 2015 and Apple has recently released it’s 6th iPhone.

I’m not talking about those who embrace both advertising AND social media. I’m talking to those of you who are skeptical of social media and feel its unimportant or not worth investing in. However, you likely found this article and are reading it because you saw it via social media, perhaps a friend shared it with you. I rest my case…

Is your Facebook Profile Working for You? The Line Between Privacy & Perception

Facebook is loaded with features that can help you connect with people both personally and professionally. It is arguably the most versatile of all social media websites out there. With all of these advances in technology, you have the ability to cast your personal brand to a much larger audience quickly and with minimal effort. Whether you’re an accountant, firefighter, garbage man, or CEO. You want to ensure your Facebook profile aligns with who and how you want to be perceived.