Everybody Wins: The Story and Lessons Behind RE/MAX [Hardcover]

Phil Harkins (Author), Keith Hollihan (Author), Dave Liniger (Foreword)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 8, 2004 | ISBN-10: 0471710245 | ISBN-13: 978-0471710240 | Edition: 1

An inside look at one of the world's most successful real estate companies

RE/MAX was founded over 30 years ago in Denver, Colorado, based upon a revolutionary idea for a new system of selling real estate. Since then, RE/MAX has experienced over 380 straight months of explosive growth. In Everybody Wins, authors Phil Harkins and Keith Hollihan reveal how RE/MAX has achieved such phenomenal success by examining the company's strategy, culture, and leadership. Harkins -- with the full cooperation of RE/MAX -- led a research team that closely studied RE/MAX as well as comparable fast-growing companies. The team observed critical meetings, attended conventions, dug through historical archives, and conducted extensive interviews with more than 50 key RE/MAX leaders. The outcome is an insightful and engaging account of one of the world's most successful companies. Order your copy today.

Editorial Reviews

From the Inside Flap

"I firmly believe that the RE/MAX formula of everybody wins is applicable to all, whether starting a company, trying to grow a current business, helping a school or church, or even perhaps working the corridors of government. If our story helps you create a winning formula for your dream, then I eagerly open my arms and welcome you into the everybody wins family."
—RE/MAX chairman and cofounder Dave Liniger
From the Foreword

Everybody Wins is a detailed, compelling account of how RE/MAX grew into one of the largest real estate networks in the world. More than that, however, it provides firsthand lessons to leaders on how to drive growth in their own organizations.

Coauthors Phil Harkins and Keith Hollihan studied seven global companies and did a thorough case study of RE/MAX. They analyzed financial information of the companies and were given full, unrestricted access to RE/MAX files, information, and personnel. The result is a gripping, step-by-step inside story of one company's road to competitive mastery, with guidelines for emulating the positives while recognizing and sidestepping the roadblocks.

Valuable for all managing and leading organizations, Everybody Wins features:

• Guidance and ideas from colorful RE/MAX chairman and cofounder Dave Liniger, a high-impact leader cut from the same cloth as Sam Walton and Ray Kroc
• Hands-on techniques for leading an organization through tough times and actually moving ahead during low tide—when you can "see the rocks"
• Strategies for focusing all employees on a common goal, while still promoting and rewarding their entrepreneurial instincts
• A template for getting top-to-bottom employee involvement and developing a culture in which everyone both contributes ideas and carries the boxes
• Additional detailed case studies of six of today's top high-growth/high-impact companies—BMW, Canon, McDonald's, Nokia, Toyota, and Wal-Mart

Everybody Wins combines a full-color snapshot of one of today's most remarkable companies with an exhilarating, universally applicable template for breakthrough business success. At a time in which companies struggle to register consistent growth against what can seem like insurmountable odds, this entrepreneurial idea-book presents a model for turning bold innovation, constant improvement, hard-driving persistence, and genuine passion into unmatched success—not just for the founder or the officers but for customers, vendors, and all individuals who dedicate their professional lives to the company.

From the Back Cover

EVERYBODY WINS

Inside stories and strategies behind the remarkable growth of RE/MAX, and how to use them for competitive success in virtually any industry

"This is a book about dreaming with your eyes wide open, a book about success and winning and leading, and most of all, it is a book that contains important lessons for all organizations that want to become great."
—Warren Bennis, author of On Becoming a Leader and Distinguished Professor of Business, USC

"I love the word 'Wow.' And though I've by now 'seen it all,' or most of it anyway, I found myself saying 'Wow' time and time again as I highlighted my way through Everybody Wins. The RE/MAX saga—the story of a huge industry turned upside-down and inside-out by an outrageously bold dream, incredible tenacity, and uncommon business sense—yields inspiring and practical lessons for all of us. As I said, 'Wow.' "
—Tom Peters, author of In Search of Excellence

"Everybody Wins is a must-read for any executive serious about sustainable growth and innovation. A powerful resource guide to the next generation of leaders focused on building great companies!"
—James D. White, Senior Vice President Business Development, North America, The Gillette Company

"When the business dream is applied with leadership, passion, a clear brand, and committed people, incredibly great sustained performance and growth occur. The RE/MAX story is one of those inspiring fairy tales where a dream and passion of the founder have led to an incredible success and one where there is a unique outcome—everybody does win!"
—Steve Steinour, Chairman, Mid-Atlantic Regional Banking, Citizens Bank

"Everybody Wins offers valuable advice on how to build a culture that supports innovation, growth, and constant learning. The chapter on 'Pace Line Leadership' is essential reading for leaders who want to turn vision into action."
—John Hammergren, Chairman and CEO, McKesson Corporation

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 304 pages
• Publisher: Wiley; 1 edition (December 8, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0471710245
• ISBN-13: 978-0471710240
• Product Dimensions: 9.6 x 6.5 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #815,023 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Phil Harkins, Ph.D. is president and CEO of Linkage, Inc., an organizational development company founded in 1988. He is co-chairman of the Global Institute for Leadership Development, and has held leadership positions in industry and academia.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Great Inspirational Book to Buy For Yourself or As a Gift, December 21, 2004

By 

Jen Omega (New York, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Everybody Wins: The Story and Lessons Behind RE/MAX (Hardcover)

A business book that has main characters, a story flow, and lots of lessons to be learned! Wow! The story of Dave and Gail Liniger and their vision for RE/MAX is just unmatched anywhere else in the world. Hands down, you've gotta read this one!

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great book with valuable insights for business success, February 3, 2005

By 

W J Benham, EdD - See all my reviews

This review is from: Everybody Wins: The Story and Lessons Behind RE/MAX (Hardcover)

This is one of the most outstanding books I have read . It tells a story and gives an in depth explanation of the reasons for the successes. The ability and single-mindedness of the leaders of the founders, Gail and Dave Liniger have provided cohesion and impetus to RE/MAX growth and efforts. The book is an outstanding case study which I am sure will become a standard text in colleges and universities.

I was also impressed with the care taken to recruit leaders and other employees into RE/MAX. As stated, "Recruit dream sharers for skills and knowledge but select finalists for values and attitudes." It seems to me that this credo has helped to assure RE/MAX's outstanding, continued success. Also, the unceasing emphasis on "stay focused," " brand dominance" and "pace line leadership" to assure growth helps to explain why RE/MAX is the world leader.

EVERYBODY WINS masterfully explains the RE/MAX concept and operation in my view. Harkins and Hollihan's outstanding case study helps to assure that RE/MAX is a "beacon" for firms and persons seeking success. I have no doubt university business schools will seize it to make their studies current, meaningful and reflect what is possible in American business both nationally and internationally.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Up, Up, and Away!, October 19, 2005

By 

Scuba Diver (Boston, MA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Everybody Wins: The Story and Lessons Behind RE/MAX (Hardcover)

Phenomenal book on the rise of the RE/MAX philosophy. It details the efforts needed to establish a new real estate business model that flew in the face of an immobile, bedrocked industry. I especially enjoyed the emphasis placed on the early years and what the founders went through to ultimately succeed--a struggle in which success, failure, and near death all played their hands. This is an emotional roller coaster for the tight-knit community of brokers who first embraced the RE/MAX brand and strove to build it into one of the largest and most recognizable real estate brokerages in the world. Great story about the determination to build a business. 4 Stars.