What’s one land deal that changed the way you think about business or life? Not the biggest profit. Not the cleanest flip. But the deal that taught you something you didn’t expect---about people, patience, risk, or yourself. Sometimes one property… one seller conversation… or one mistake… can completely shift how you operate. Curious to hear your story.

I want to walk you through something that happened today in my land business, start to finish, because it shows how much money can be won or lost based on the exact words you send in one email. This was not theory. This was a real transaction that was about to fall apart. The situation I have a deal in escrow where a former member of an LLC needed to sign a release so my son Moses and I could close on a piece of land on November 26th. He is an attorney. He had already agreed verbally to sign the release. We agreed I would pay him $1,500 for his time. On November 7th, I sent him the documents to sign. After that, nothing. No email. No questions. No pushback. Just silence. Time kept moving, and this is not a huge deal, but if it did not close, we were walking away from $15,000. My 20-year-old son, Moses, found this one virtually driving for dollars, and he has been proud of it, so watching it stall out was frustrating. Most investors at that point would shrug, say the guy ghosted, and move on, but that ain't me. Where ChatGPT and Chris Voss come in Instead, I opened ChatGPT. I typed out the entire situation in plain language. Who this guy was, what he agreed to, the date I sent the documents, how long it had been, and what was at stake for me and Moses. Then I told ChatGPT something like this: Help me write to him in a Chris Voss style. calm, respectful, no pressure. I want to bring him back to the table if possible. Chris Voss wrote “Never Split the Difference” and was an FBI negotiator. His approach is built on tactical empathy, asking calibrated questions, and staying calm so people feel safe enough to respond. ChatGPT and I went back and forth until the email sounded like something I would actually send in real life, not a robotic legal letter. Here is the email I sent. The email ChatGPT helped me write Good morning Patrick, I want to check in with you because I am trying to make sense of where things stand. I may be completely off, but it feels like you have stepped away from helping with this. You might feel like this has become more complicated than you expected, or that getting involved again with the old LLC is something you would rather avoid altogether. If that is how this feels to you, I understand, and I do not want to make assumptions without giving you the chance to tell me directly.

What module should I put out next for the Leadership in Land course? Have another suggestion? Let me know in the comments!