In Search of Excellence, Island Style

What makes a great Realtor? According to Jasmine Bell and Kirsten Connell of Hawaiʻi Home Group, it's not about selling homes—it's about helping clients make confident, informed financial decisions. In this episode of In Search of Excellence: Island Style, Larry Gonzales sits down with two of Oʻahu's top real estate professionals to discuss what it means to put clients first. From military relocat...

In this episode of In Search of Excellence: Island Style, Larry Gonzales sits down with Jade Medeiros, Client Relations Manager at The Broker, for a candid conversation about family, work, leadership, and what it takes to build a service-first mortgage business in Hawaiʻi. Jade shares what life looks like as a mother of four while balancing client relations, business development, events, CRM syste...

Men's Mental Health Crisis: Suicide, Depression & Military Mental Health With Mike Melso & Dr. Jenny In this powerful Men's Mental Health Awareness Month episode of In Search of Excellence: Island Style, the host is joined by retired U.S. Marine Corps service member Mike Melso and active-duty clinical psychologist Dr. Jenny to unpack the silent mental health crisis affecting men across military an...

In this inspiring episode of In Search of Excellence: Island Style, host Larry Gonzales sits down with Izaiah Dillion, a 24-year-old active duty Air Force member, to discuss his journey from a challenging upbringing in Stockton, California, to becoming a homeowner in Hawaii. Izaiah shares how he leveraged his VA home loan benefit to purchase a condo with minimal out-of-pocket costs, gaining instan...

In this episode of In Search of Excellence: Island Style, Larry sits down with Kanani Ching , a longtime real estate professional and business transformation consultant, to talk about stepping outside your comfort zone, embracing change, and using artificial intelligence to help businesses work smarter without losing the human connection. Kanani shares how her journey from hospitality to real esta...

In this episode of In Search of Excellence: Island Style, Larry sits down with Dearonne Bethea, CEO of Band of Brothers Investment Group, to talk about the journey from humble beginnings in Enfield, North Carolina, to building businesses, investing in real estate, and creating a family office structure with more than $200M in personally managed assets. Dearonne shares how a second chance through t...

Chris Wirsing on the Power of Relationships, Reputation, and Real Producers In this episode of In Search of Excellence: Island Style, host Larry Gonzales sits down with Chris Wirsing, Publisher of Honolulu Real Producers , for a conversation about what truly separates top performers in Hawaii real estate. Chris shares his journey from Chicago to Hawaii, his local family roots, and the path that ev...

The Truth About Growth, Standards, and Success, With Tony Robbins' Trainer Mandi Rose In this episode of In Search of Excellence Island Style, the host sits down with Mandi Rose, a Tony Robbins Professional Trainer & Keynote Speaker, after she leads an in-person training in Hawaii for The Broker Mortgage Experts and Century 21 Island Homes. The conversation opens with the power of live training, w...

Erica Lehmkuhl and Sarah "Eli" David: From Military Leadership to Real Estate Success In this episode of In Search of Excellence: Island Style, Larry sits down with Erica Lehmkuhl, Owner of Seaside Realty, and Sarah "Eli" David, Mortgage Loan Officer at The Broker, for a powerful conversation about leadership, resilience, and transitioning from military service into real estate and lending.   Eric...

How Kalama Kim Built One of Hawaii's Most Respected Real Estate Companies In this episode of In Search of Excellence: Island Style, Larry sits down with Kalama Kim, President of Hawaii Modern Realty, to talk about leadership, local values, and the evolving future of Hawaii real estate.   Kalama shares his journey from growing up on the Windward side and attending Kamehameha Schools, to playing col...

What Great Service, Strong Teams, and Smart Solar Planning Really Look Like with Sarah "Eli" David, Michael Melso, and Matt Householder   In this episode of In Search of Excellence Island Style, Larry Gonzales and the team unpack what excellence really looks like behind the scenes. The conversation centers on the daily disciplines that drive long-term success, from family routines and personal hab...

How Jessel Riccardini Built a Referral Based Real Estate Business Through Discipline and Authenticity   In this episode of In Search of Excellence – Island Style, Larry sits down with Jessel Riccardini, a Hawaii REALTOR®, to talk about the mindset, discipline, and consistency that have shaped both her real estate career and her personal growth. From her roots in the Philippines to building a life...

What Great Service Really Looks Like with Erin Evans In this second episode of In Search of Excellence Island Style, Larry Gonzales sits down with Erin Evans, Broker/Owner of Century 21 Island Homes, for a conversation about real estate, leadership, service, and what it takes to build a business rooted in people. The episode begins with Erin sharing how she got into real estate and how she and her...

Veterans in Lending, Real Estate Wealth, and the Eight Tenets of Excellence In the launch episode of In Search of Excellence Island Style , Larry Gonzales introduces the Broker Mortgage Experts team and gives listeners a behind-the-scenes look at the people helping make homeownership possible. The episode features mortgage brokers Sarah "Eli" David , Micheal Melso , and Daniel Sepulveda , and is p...