You're stuck. Revenue is flat. Growth feels impossible. So what do you do? You add more—more lead sources, more tools, more processes, more hustle. But what if "more" is exactly what's killing your momentum? In this solo episode, Kevin breaks down a framework from his business partner Chris Juarez that flips the entire growth conversation on its head: addition by subtraction. It's counterintuitive, uncomfortable, and might be the most important shift you make this year. In this episode, Kevin covers: Why complexity is the hidden tax killing your productivity, speed, and clarity The Steve Jobs playbook: how cutting 350 products down to 10 tripled Apple's revenue in three years Where you're running "350 products" in your business disguised as lead sources, tools, and processes The STRIP framework: a five-step system to simplify, trim, refocus, integrate, and purge what's holding you back The 30-day subtraction sprint challenge to identify and remove what's in your way The agents who win in this market aren't the ones doing the most things. They're the ones doing the right things with relentless focus. So what do you need to remove that's in your way? Ready to simplify and scale your real estate business? Learn more about the Next Level Agents community and discover how eXp Realty can support your growth at nextlevelagents.com/exp LINKS MENTIONED: Next Level Agents Events: nextlevelagents.com (check out the events tab for virtual and in-person mastermind information) ​​Please leave us a review at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://ratethispodcast.com/nla⁠⁠

Think you need to be an extrovert to close $20 million a year? Think again. Darren Ricketts scored 4% on his behavioral assessment for "mega agent"—literally the worst possible job match. This year he'll close over $20 million in Eugene, Oregon, running a lean operation with one other agent and two admins. In this episode, Katie DeWitt sits down with Darren to unpack how he built a dominant real estate business as a 6'8" introvert who doesn't cold call, came from IT, and works entirely within his natural wiring instead of fighting against it. This conversation covers: Why your personality isn't your problem—your system is, and how to build around your actual strengths instead of forcing someone else's playbook The database management strategy that maintains a 1-in-3 lead conversion ratio when most agents need 20 leads to close one deal How to systematically work your B and C leads instead of constantly chasing new business (including a real example of a $125K lead that became a $390K sale 18 months later) The "orphan client" strategy that doubles your database from every transaction you close Why the top producers are always terrified their business is about to fall apart—and how that fear fuels better systems The exact follow-up formula that keeps past clients engaged every two weeks without manual effort Why working from home is probably killing your production (and what to do about it even if you can't afford an office) When to hire your first assistant: not when you can afford it, but when your business actually needs it If you've ever felt like you're not extroverted enough, not "salesy" enough, or not flashy enough to make it big in real estate, this episode will completely reframe how you think about building sustainable, high-volume production. Key Quote: "Everybody on my team knows their number one job is to help me have more conversations with people. End of list." This is real talk from an agent doing real volume. No fluff. Just systems, psychology, and uncomfortable truths about what it actually takes to dominate in this industry. ​​Please leave us a review at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://ratethispodcast.com/nla⁠⁠

You can scale to 53 agents across five states and still be trapped in a business you built with your own hands. David Queen learned this lesson the hard way, through weight gain, physical pain, and the sinking realization that he'd become a prisoner to his own success. This episode isn't about fitness tips or motivational fluff. It's about the uncomfortable truth most agents refuse to confront: your business is only as strong as the foundation it's built on. And that foundation is you. David dropped 65 pounds in eight months, but what he gained was far more valuable: clarity on what it actually takes to build sustainable success in an industry that glorifies burnout. He stopped accepting excuses disguised as explanations. He embraced temporary imbalance to create permanent capacity. He rebuilt himself so he could show up as the leader his business actually needed. If you're carrying stress, anxiety, physical discomfort, or just a nagging sense that you're sacrificing too much of yourself for your production goals, this conversation will challenge everything you think is inevitable about your situation. Key Themes: Why physical transformation teaches business lessons nothing else can The myth of balance and why strategic imbalance is required for mastery How to stop accepting decline as inevitable and start controlling what you actually can Why confidence isn't separate from strategy—it IS your strategy The real cost of building a business that requires you to be someone you don't want to be How delayed gratification in fitness translates directly to sustainable business growth Why self-leadership is the only leadership that actually matters The Bottom Line: The one thing no market downturn, difficult client, or team challenge can ever take from you is your commitment to becoming the best version of yourself. Everything else you're trying to build depends on that foundation being solid. Stop chasing the next tactic and start building the capacity to execute on the tactics you already know work. The next level doesn't start with a new system. It starts with you deciding you're worth the investment. Ready to discover what your next level actually looks like? Learn more about joining a community of agents who refuse to accept mediocrity at nextlevelagents.com/exp ​​Please leave us a review at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://ratethispodcast.com/nla⁠⁠

What if the secret to selling luxury real estate to out-of-state buyers wasn't about being everywhere—but about being somewhere specific, with killer video content that does the traveling for you? Tristan O'Grady sells an average of $100 million annually in Hilton Head's luxury market, with an average sale price around $2 million. But here's what makes his story different: 80% of his buyers have never set foot on the island before seeing his videos. In this episode, guest host Katie DeWitt sits down with Tristan to break down how he's built a 70-agent team under the Coast brand at eXp, expanded into five separate "legs" of leadership, and used strategic video marketing to turn California movie producers and out-of-state buyers into multi-million dollar clients—all while maintaining that physical office space matters, even in a virtual brokerage world. Key Insights from This Episode: The exact video strategy that generated a $20M commission windfall from one luxury listing Why "boutique local branding" crushes national chain recognition in sophisticated markets How to scale to 150+ agents in your downline without drowning in day-to-day management The leverage model that lets you sell $100M personally while building empire simultaneously Why setting appointment-only office hours solves 99% of agent questions before they're asked The truth about growing talent vs. recruiting proven performers (and when to do each) This isn't about working harder. It's about working smarter—with video that travels for you, systems that scale without your constant attention, and the guts to invest in physical space when everyone else is going fully virtual. Ready to build your own Coast-style empire? Learn more about the eXp opportunity and Next Level Agents community at https://nextlevelagents.com/exp/ About Next Level Agents: Next Level Agents is the podcast for real estate agents who are done with mediocrity and ready for massive growth. Hosted by Kevin Kauffman, we bring you strategies, mindset shifts, and behind-the-scenes access to top performers who are breaking barriers and building empires. Whether you're looking to scale your team, master luxury markets, or leverage the eXp model to its fullest potential—this is where agents come to level up. ​​Please leave us a review at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://ratethispodcast.com/nla⁠⁠

You crushed it as a solo agent. Closed deal after deal. Made more money than you ever imagined. So you started a team—and everything fell apart. Sound familiar? In this episode, Kevin sits down with Matt Smith, a team leader who sold 74 homes his first full year in real estate and now leads 40 agents closing 700 deals annually across three Missouri locations. But the journey from top producer to successful team leader nearly destroyed him multiple times. Matt doesn't hold back. He reveals why most agents build teams for completely wrong reasons, why your ego is the biggest obstacle to scaling, and the three critical growth ceilings that trap even successful team leaders. This conversation will challenge everything you think you know about leadership, team building, and success in real estate. Key Topics Covered: Why being great at sales doesn't make you great at leadership The ego problem that keeps top producers stuck as beginner leaders Three critical sticking points that prevent teams from scaling How to transition from leading salespeople to leading leaders Why personal responsibility is your ultimate superpower The investment paradox: what if you pour everything into people and they leave? How the speed of the leader determines the pace of the pack Why you need to stop playing the victim and accept full responsibility Building a culture so strong that top talent never wants to leave About Matt Smith: Matt Smith leads the Matt Smith Team at eXp Realty, operating across three locations in Missouri including Lake of the Ozarks. After selling 74 homes in his first full year (2014), he started his team in 2016 and has grown it to 40 agents projected to close 700 deals this year while maintaining 20% market share in his primary marketplace for seven consecutive years. Matt is also a coach helping other team leaders break through growth ceilings and co-hosts the Built For More podcast with Dustin Runyon. ​​Please leave us a review at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://ratethispodcast.com/nla⁠⁠

Your communication skills are either making you money or costing you deals. There's no in-between. In this episode, we sit down with powerhouse Ari Jakobov, who's closed $100 million in sales in just four years by mastering the one skill most agents ignore: strategic communication. Ari breaks down the exact frameworks, tonality shifts, and questioning strategies that have helped him build a team of 23 agents, grow a 50-agent eXp organization, and secure multi-million-dollar listings—even in the most competitive markets. This isn't theory. It's tactical, immediately actionable, and designed for the chaos of real-world real estate conversations. In this episode, you'll learn: The five-minute energy shift that helps you show up confident and dialed in before every high-stakes conversation The six types of questions every top producer uses to guide prospects to reveal their problems out loud (so you never have to "pitch" again) Why result-based thinking closes more deals than process-based thinking—and how to flip the script immediately The power of identity framing (and how Ari used it to turn a hostile expired seller into two listings worth $10+ million) Pattern interrupts that break through the mental gatekeeper and keep cold calls from ending in two seconds How tonality creates authority, builds rapport, and disarms objections without sounding salesy The follow-up framework that trains prospects to actually want to hear from you Why top producers practice communication skills for 45 minutes every single day (and why you should too) If you've ever lost a deal because of how you said something—or didn't say it at all—this episode will change how you approach every conversation from here on out. Ready to level up your communication and start winning more deals? Learn more about joining a community of agents committed to mastery at https://nextlevelagents.com/exp/ Your turn: What's one communication tactic you're going to implement this week? Let us know—tag us on Instagram or LinkedIn and share your takeaway from this episode. Subscribe to Next Level Agents so you never miss a strategy, and check out our events tab at nextlevelagents.com to find our next virtual or in-person mastermind. Let's keep this momentum rolling. ​​Please leave us a review at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://ratethispodcast.com/nla⁠⁠

What does it take to move an entire brokerage—160 agents strong—to a completely new platform in just four weeks? Trust. Conviction. And a willingness to make fact-based decisions that put your people first, even when it's uncomfortable. LeAnne Weathers did exactly that. She evaluated the opportunities her agents were missing, made a decision based on data instead of ego, and executed with total conviction. The result? Almost all of her agents followed her to eXp Realty, not because she convinced them, but because she'd spent years building the kind of trust that makes radical change possible. In this episode, LeAnne breaks down: • Why she spent sleepless nights worrying about reactions that never came • How to make massive decisions based on facts instead of feelings • What her agents were missing that she couldn't provide as an independent brokerage • Why she calls eXp a "platform" instead of a brokerage (and why that distinction matters) • How to execute with speed without sacrificing thoughtfulness • The "all gas, no brakes" leadership style that separates transformers from maintainers • Why recruiting (yes, the hard R) solves almost every business problem when done with integrity This episode isn't just for brokerage owners. It's for anyone leading a team, making big decisions, or wondering how to build the kind of trust that makes people follow you into uncertainty. If you've ever avoided making a move because you were worried about offending someone or upsetting the status quo, this conversation will challenge you to rethink what real leadership actually looks like. Ready to explore what's possible with eXp? Learn more at https://nextlevelagents.com/exp/ ​​Please leave us a review at ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://ratethispodcast.com/nla⁠⁠

Curtis Johnson has been running a real estate team for 26 years. He's sold 200+ homes annually for 23 consecutive years straight. Hit 100 million in production this year. And he's got a message that might make you uncomfortable: You're not struggling because the market is hard. You're struggling because you're distracted. Most agents are trying to do everything. Open houses one day. Expired calls the next. Door knocking. Social media. AI experiments. Crypto on the side. No depth. No mastery. No results. Curtis breaks down why picking two or three activities and going deep is the only path to consistent production. But here's where it gets uncomfortable: He also explains how high price points are hiding your lack of work ethic. Agents selling 8-10 homes a year feel successful because commissions are fat. Drop prices back to pre-inflation levels and half of you would be broke. You're not great. The market is just carrying you. This conversation is packed with hard truths about focus, credibility, reverse engineering your goals, and why most agents are building noise instead of results. Key themes we cover: The two-to-three rule: Why trying more than three lead generation activities guarantees you'll fail How to build credibility before you amplify your brand through social media and AI Why you should reverse engineer from your goal backward instead of from where you are forward The honest truth about teams versus building an EXP organization in today's market What it actually takes to lead something significant and why most people aren't willing to pay the price Why high home prices are masking incompetence across the industry How to know if you're scattered or strategic with your daily activities If you're tired of dabbling and ready to dominate, Curtis lays out exactly what separates producers from pretenders. No fluff. No BS. Just 26 years of battle-tested wisdom. Ready to stop being distracted and start building something real? Learn more about joining a community focused on mastery at nextlevelagents.com/exp. ​​Please leave us a review at ⁠⁠⁠https://ratethispodcast.com/nla⁠⁠

When interest rates jumped in 2022, Adam Rutledge discovered something brutal: half his team weren't real estate agents, they were order takers riding a hot market. The moment conditions shifted, the pretenders disappeared and the real salespeople had to adapt. Adam runs Rutledge Property Group in Medford, Oregon, owns 84 rental properties, and is projecting 100 million in sales next year. But here's what makes this conversation different: he's not selling you a course or a secret system. He's challenging you to get brutally honest about whether you're actually doing the basics that work. This episode will either fire you up or make you uncomfortable. Probably both. Key themes we dig into: The 20 conversation rule: Why hitting 100 two-way conversations per week about real estate is the only metric that matters How to use AI role-play to practice scripts before high-stakes appointments (instead of practicing on actual clients) Why 90% of agents have never read their purchase and sale agreement cover to cover, and how that's costing them deals The Q4 challenge structure Adam's team is running through December 31st to set up a killer 2026 Golden handcuffs: How giving your team ownership (not just perks) creates retention that survives market shifts Leading vs lagging indicators: Why chasing paychecks keeps you in feast-famine cycles The shift from authoritarian team leadership to invitation and buy-in If you've been waiting for someone to hand you the secret formula, this isn't that episode. But if you're ready to stop making excuses and start doing the uncomfortable work that actually produces results, Adam's blueprint will show you exactly where to focus. Real estate is a contact sport. And if you're not making contacts consistently, you're gambling that the market will stay easy forever. Ready to level up your game and join a community that's done with shortcuts? Learn more about Next Level Agents at https://nextlevelagents.com/exp/ ​​Please leave us a review at ⁠⁠https://ratethispodcast.com/nla⁠⁠

In today’s episode, I’m joined by our longtime friend and collaborator, Brian Gubernick. We’ve known Brian since the early days of our real estate careers, and over the years, he’s worn many hats in the industry. He’s fired up by the concept of doing something, anything every single day to get better and it’s reflected in the kind of businesses he’s built and the contributions he’s made, including starting a mastermind business.    Brian Gubernick is a 15+ year residential real estate industry veteran, having held the roles of real estate investor, sales agent, sales team owner/leader, expansion (multi-state) team owner, brokerage operating partner, coach/trainer, and corporate executive. He is the co-founder of the Metrix Mastermind, Chief Real Estate Officer at PLACE and host of No Days Off.    In our industry, the word mastermind gets thrown around a lot, but what most people call masterminds are actually just classes. To be clear, there’s obviously a time and a place for lessons and being talked at, but that’s not what masterminds are designed for.    The whole point is getting a group of high performing individuals together in a room and allowing them to collaborate, brainstorm, pick apart what they are doing in order to improve it. The different vantage points, the space to prompt thoughts and ideas, and harnessing the collective genius is what makes masterminds so powerful.    CTA   ​​Please leave us a review at ⁠https://ratethispodcast.com/nla⁠  

In today’s episode, we’re talking about our decision to join Place, the thought process behind this move, and the value proposition Place delivers to real estate teams. When you hear about Place and many top real estate teams joining it, you probably wonder why a team in a brokerage like eXp would want to bolt on this set of services to their organization. Place encompasses a lot and brings a ton of value to the table. We’re going to share why we believe in Place and the team behind it, the opportunities we’re going to create for our agents and staff, and why the whole industry needs to be paying attention to it.    We believe that it would have been irresponsible not to join Place, especially with where real estate is headed. We believe in Place’s system and what Ben Kinney and Chris Suarez are doing - it’s the right way to operate a real estate team today, and it would be hard for any team to top or even match what they are bringing to the table.   We get to latch onto something that’s already headed in the right direction, and our agents and staff are going to get the value proposition they deserve.   CTA   ​​Please leave us a review at ⁠https://ratethispodcast.com/nla

In real estate, there’s 2 governing philosophies. Earn more by selling more or buy back time and treat it as a business. In simpler terms - microwave money vs. crockpot money. You’re either cheating by taking more listings or seeking ways to earn money without being at the kitchen table. If you’re the one actively doing the work everyday, you’ll never get to buy your time back and pursue other opportunities outside of selling homes.    Unsurprisingly, most brokerages want us doing the former, but like athletes, many of us are starting to wake up to how valuable our brands are. Brokerages have known this for ages - why do you think they are willing to pay top producers to stay?    Maybe, just maybe, we’re more valuable than our caps. Maybe we have intrinsic value through our relationships and reputations, and that’s something we can leverage. How do we really leverage our influence? How do we actually treat this as a business? Chris Bowers joins me to talk about the thing most agents are starting to realize that brokerages have known it for ages.  Quotes    There are no business issues, there’s personal issues that lead into your business. -Chris Bowers    We committed to not let our income be dependent on sitting in someone’s living room. -Kevin Kauffman     If you keep an open mind, there’s people that can teach you something everywhere. -Kevin Kauffman     Once something changes your life, you feel like you’ve got to go out and stream it. -Chris Bowers     When you align incentives with human behavior, you get the things you want more of. -Kevin Kauffman     Influence is a currency, there’s nothing wrong with that as long as you have good intentions. -Chris Bowers    Key Points     A real estate rude awakening When you listen into a lot of real estate conversations, you discover how very few of us actually treat this thing as a business. Most people cheat growth by taking more listings, instead of building a machine that we can step out of and still make money from. We were willing to make less money in order to build that machine and it has afforded us an enormous amount of free time and opportunities outside of real estate sales.    The value of our influence  For athletes, there was a moment when it clicked that they are a brand, and that the influence they yield is something worth paying a lot of money for. That’s when they started getting into bigger business deals. In real estate, the same awakening is taking place. Agents realize they have influence and that influence is valuable. Brokerages have known it for ages, but it’s starting to really hit agents like a ton of bricks. Influence is a currency, there’s nothing wrong with that as long as you have good intentions.     Crockpot money vs. microwave money There’s 2 modes in real estate - crockpot money and microwave money. In microwave money mode, we’re thinking of the next deal and commission check that will help us pay our bills. In crockpot money, we’re thinking of those long-term slow burn ways to make money. Now don’t get us wrong, the microwave mode is important, we need it to get going, but we can’t stay there forever. The problem with this industry is people don’t make the switch, they get trapped into next month’s deals forever, no matter how much money they make and they never plug into crockpot mode.     I couldn’t get over not wanting to swipe my friends’ credit cards  The thing about eXp is that it’s like picking a board of directors for our business without swiping your friends’ credit cards every month. We’re incentivized to be each other’s go to guys - whether we need 30 seconds or 40 minutes. We get to have high level advisors in our businesses for free, and because of how it’s structured, we all benefit from that.      Follow ⁠@chrisbowers_realestate⁠ on Instagram and listen to agentXcel on ⁠ Apple Podcasts⁠ or ⁠Spotify⁠.     CTA ​​Please leave us a review at ⁠https://ratethispodcast.com/nla

Most agents throw money, time, and energy at problems without ever stopping to define what the actual problem is. The result? You end up solving symptoms instead of root causes—and the same issues keep showing up in different forms. In this solo episode, Kevin Kauffman breaks down Einstein's 55-minute rule and Kindlin's Law to show you why clarity is the most underrated multiplier in your business. If you've ever felt like you're spinning your wheels on the same challenges, this episode will change how you approach problem-solving forever. Key themes and takeaways: Why Einstein spent 55 minutes defining problems and only 5 minutes solving them Kindlin's Law: if you can write a problem down clearly, you've already solved half of it How writing things down reduces complexity and separates signal from noise The leadership question that helps your team solve their own problems: "Is that really true?" A simple weekly exercise to solve problems faster and with less stress Why most business owners are solving symptoms instead of root causes How to turn big, scary problems into solvable puzzles The clarity you seek is on the blank page you're avoiding. Before you call another meeting, spend another dollar, or burn another hour—grab a notebook and define the problem. Watch how quickly the solution reveals itself. Your challenge this week: Pick one problem that's been hanging around your business. Write it down in one sentence. Ask yourself, "Is that really true?" Keep refining until it feels smaller, clearer, and more specific. That's when you'll know exactly what to do next. Ready to surround yourself with agents who think like this? Who challenge conventional thinking and help you get to your next level? Learn more about joining eXp Realty with Next Level Agents at https://nextlevelagents.com/exp/ Please leave us a review at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://ratethispodcast.com/nla⁠]⁠

Feeling stuck isn't a sign you're failing. It's a signal that you're ready for the next level. But here's the hard truth: most agents stay stuck because they're waiting for motivation to strike instead of building momentum through action. In this solo episode, host Kevin Kauffman breaks down six practical, actionable steps to diagnose what's holding you back and start moving forward today. These aren't theory or fluff. They're real strategies Kevin learned from his business partner Chris Suarez, co-founder of Place, that work whether you're struggling to hit your goals or just feeling off your game. In this episode, you'll discover: How to diagnose the real reason you're stuck (spoiler: it's not what you think) The "time trick" that helped Kevin lose over 200 pounds—and how it applies to your business Why reconnecting to your "why" is the fuel that makes boring daily tasks bearable How tiny hinges swing big doors (and what that means for your next 10 minutes) The physical hack that resets your mindset when you're spinning your wheels Why external accountability creates movement faster than willpower ever will Real estate demands self-leadership every single day. You're not just running a business—you're leading yourself through uncertainty, market shifts, and the monotonous grind of daily activities. When you lead with clarity, courage, and consistency, that's when momentum builds. That's when freedom shows up. Your challenge this week: Pick one step. Put it into action. Don't let another week slip by feeling stuck. Ready to take your business to the next level? Learn more about Next Level Agents and eXp Realty at https://nextlevelagents.com/exp/ Please leave us a review at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://ratethispodcast.com/nla⁠]

Feeling stuck, unmotivated, or like you're just going through the motions? This episode will challenge you to look at motivation from a completely different angle—and it might sting a little. Kevin Kauffman and Fred Weaver sit down with Ronnie Doss, author of Colossal Considerations, for a raw conversation about personal development, motivation, and why the work you do on yourself is never just about you. If you've been waiting to feel motivated before taking action, this episode will flip that script and show you why motion determines emotion—not the other way around. Key Themes Why unmotivation is often a sign you're thinking too small The powerful principle that motion determines emotion How stability releases ability in your business and life Why a calm friend doubles your focus while a chaotic one halves your life The difference between being a tugboat and being a lighthouse How to balance personal development with faith and spiritual growth Why feelings aren't facts—and how to interrupt the voices holding you back This isn't surface-level motivation. This is a deep dive into the mindset shifts, daily practices, and hard truths that separate agents who plateau from agents who break through to their next level. Ready to level up? If you're serious about personal growth and want to surround yourself with agents who are committed to becoming better leaders, spouses, parents, and professionals, this is your community. Learn more about Next Level Agents and the eXp opportunity at https://nextlevelagents.com/exp/. Connect with Ronnie Doss: Website: RonnieDoss.com Book: Colossal Considerations https://a.co/d/8ut2HiF About Ronnie Doss: Ronnie Doss is a speaker, coach, and author who has spent 16 years working with teams, corporate audiences, real estate professionals, entrepreneurs, and faith communities. His latest book, Colossal Considerations, is a collection of 101 bite-sized reflections designed to help busy professionals digest powerful insights without overwhelming their schedules. Ronnie's work focuses on helping people interrupt limiting beliefs, renew their mindset, and step into the next version of themselves. Ready to build your next-level team? Learn more about creating systematic success at⁠⁠ nextlevelagents.com/exp Please leave us a review at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://ratethispodcast.com/nla⁠

What if the ceiling preventing your growth isn't the market, your systems, or your skills—but your own identity? Steve Castle spent two years knowing he needed to transition from top producer to team leader before he actually made the leap. The barrier wasn't knowledge or capability. It was the internal work of letting go of who he'd been to become who he needed to be next. In this conversation, Steve breaks down the messy, uncomfortable, and ultimately transformative process of growing his Scottsdale team from 3 agents to 9 (with a goal of 20) and targeting 250 transactions next year. Key Themes Covered: Why the work that lights you up most should become your primary job (and how to know when it's time to make that shift) The financial and psychological barriers that kept Steve stuck for two years—and the specific decision that finally gave him permission to leap How to recruit agents using the exact same process as prospecting for listings (daily calls, rigorous follow-up, handling rejection) The culture-first approach to team building: why Steve only hires people he genuinely likes and how that changes everything The onboarding process that treats new agents like business partners from day one (PLLC setup, QuickBooks training, financial planning) Why "people aren't attached to you—they're attached to service quality" is the truth that sets team leaders free How big goals with short timelines eliminate distractions and force you to become the person capable of achieving them The mindset shifts that matter more than tactics: margin for error, accountability culture, and the death of "buyers are liars" The Bottom Line: Not everyone should build a team. If you don't genuinely light up when others succeed more than when you close your own deals, stay in production. You'll make more money and experience less frustration. But if you're wired to coach, develop, and find fulfillment in watching others grow? Team leadership isn't just profitable—it's the path to doing work that makes you actually want to show up. The trick is being brutally honest with yourself about which category you're in. Ready to explore what building something bigger looks like for your business? Learn more about joining a community of agents making bold moves at nextlevelagents.com/exp. Resources Mentioned: "The Science of Scaling" by Ben Hardy Traction (EOS methodology) Ben Kinney (recruiting and team building approach) Ready to build your next-level team? Learn more about creating systematic success at⁠ nextlevelagents.com/exp

What if failure wasn't an option for agents on your team? Craig Reger has built a revolutionary system where every single agent - including brand-new licensees straight out of real estate school - sells a minimum of 20 homes in their first year. No exceptions. While most teams accept the industry's 90% failure rate as inevitable, Craig's operation closes 500+ units annually across six markets by making success systematic rather than accidental. His approach flips conventional team building on its head, using strategic partnerships, rigorous hiring processes, and non-negotiable standards to create an environment where mediocrity simply can't survive. This episode reveals the controversial strategies, uncomfortable truths, and bold decisions that separate elite teams from the rest of the industry. Key Topics Covered: Why Craig uses Zillow Flex despite 40% commission splits to build agent credibility The three interview behaviors that predict long-term agent success How to set minimum production standards that actually stick The 90-day onboarding system that guarantees results Why expansion can kill your team culture (and how to avoid it) The recruiting strategies generating 10-15 qualified leads monthly Building systems that work without constant supervision The Bottom Line: Stop accepting industry failure rates as normal. When you build the right systems and maintain non-negotiable standards, every agent can succeed. The question is whether you're bold enough to demand excellence from everyone, not just your top performers. Ready to transform your approach to team building? Craig's blueprint proves that systematic success isn't just possible - it's the only sustainable path to scaling a real estate operation. Ready to build your next-level team? Learn more about creating systematic success at nextlevelagents.com/exp Please leave us a review at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://ratethispodcast.com/nla⁠

What if the secret to dominating your local market wasn't expensive lead generation, but a systematic approach to something most agents treat as an afterthought? Mary Gilbert went from 200 to 380+ Google reviews in just 18 months using her admin team and strategic thinking. The result: measurable inbound calls from prospects saying "we saw you have the most reviews, we want to work with you." She's now closing 200+ transactions annually in a town of only 28,000 people. This episode reveals the counterintuitive psychology of when to ask for reviews, the systematic approach that scales from solo agents to large teams, and how to turn "free" social proof into trackable lead generation that makes your phone ring with listing appointments. Key insights from this episode: • Why asking for reviews during transaction highlights instead of after closing multiplies your success rate • How one transaction can generate 12-15 reviews if you think beyond just buyers and sellers • The automated CRM system that ensures no client falls through the review acquisition cracks • Why character testimonials from industry partners often convert better than transaction-specific feedback • The tracking setup that measures exact ROI from Google-generated leads • How systematic review acquisition creates compound market advantages that separate leaders from competitors Mary's approach challenges everything most agents believe about building their business. Instead of chasing expensive lead sources, she built a relationship leverage system that generates predictable inbound business without any advertising spend. Ready to stop hoping for referrals and start engineering systematic market dominance? This episode gives you the complete playbook for turning Google reviews into your most powerful lead generation machine. Ready to take your business to the next level? Discover game-changing strategies from top-performing agents and join a community of agents who refuse to accept average results. Learn more at nextlevelagents.com/exp Please leave us a review at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://ratethispodcast.com/nla⁠

Most real estate teams are completely backwards when it comes to training new agents. While they're busy building elaborate training portals and comprehensive onboarding programs, their new agents are burning through savings accounts waiting months for their first deal. Julie Youngblood has cracked the code on getting agents productive fast. Her team averages 33 days from start to first contract, and it's not because she has some secret sauce—it's because she's willing to strip away everything that doesn't directly lead to deals. In this episode, you'll discover why real estate education doesn't work, why the first 30 days are make-or-break for new agents, and the simple system that consistently gets agents into production faster than anything else in the industry. Key Topics Covered: • The fatal flaw in most team training programs • Why 200 names and phone numbers changes everything • The difference between coaching clients and team members (and why it matters) • How to build trust with new agents through predictable results • The only metrics that actually matter for new agent success • Why successful agents struggle with team leadership • How to avoid building a "cult of personality" team Bottom Line: If what you're doing in the first 30 days isn't 100% focused on getting new agents their first deal, you're making it harder than it needs to be. Strip away the fluff, focus on activities that drive appointments, and remember—your job is skill power, their job is willpower. Ready to build a team that actually works? The agents who thrive aren't the smartest or most experienced—they're the ones willing to do uncomfortable work when it leads somewhere meaningful. Stop waiting six months for results when you can get them in 33 days. Ready to take your team to the next level? Learn more about joining the Next Level Agents community at nextlevelagents.com/exp Please leave us a review at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://ratethispodcast.com/nla⁠

Most real estate agents are working twice as hard as they need to. While the industry obsesses over lead generation volume, the top 1% have cracked the code on strategic prospecting that cuts their effort in half while doubling their results. Bob Stewart, Director of Agent Experience at Brivity, has analyzed thousands of real estate databases and discovered the exact patterns that separate million-dollar producers from everyone else. The difference isn't talent, market conditions, or luck—it's knowing who to call and when to call them. Key Points from This Episode: • The "engaged human" targeting strategy that reduces contacts needed per appointment from 34 to 16-17  • Why most agents are accidentally failing their seller clients (and how to fix it immediately)  • The simple reminder system that helped one agent capture 75+ deals annually from 2,000 leads  • How one team increased business 40% without making a single additional call  • Why automation is killing real estate businesses and what to do instead  • The metrics that actually matter for sustainable growth  • The boring fundamentals that top performers never stop doing Bob drops real data from over 10,000 agents and shares the uncomfortable truths about database management that most agents don't want to hear. If you're tired of making random calls hoping something sticks, this episode will revolutionize your approach to prospecting. Stop working harder. Start working smarter. Ready to implement these database strategies and join a community of agents committed to next-level results? Learn more about eXp Realty and our proven systems at nextlevelagents.com/exp Please leave us a review at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://ratethispodcast.com/nla⁠