Real Producers

As parents, our families matter and rank at the top of our priorities, but sometimes we let business rise to the top of the list. We become so focused on the next deal that what we truly love gets lost in the shuffle.   This was the reality for K Watanabe, until his son was diagnosed with a tennis ball sized brain tumor. 2 brain surgeries, 6 rounds of chemotherapy and months in hospital were devas...

Switching from selling tech to selling homes feels a lot like going from the minor to the major league of sport. The ticket price is larger, the stakes are higher, and the competition is steeper.   This is especially true in this down market, where more people are dropping out than ever before. It's easy for the market to carry you when the going's good, but when things shift, the market won't do...

It's all good as well to be liked and respected, but it's not as powerful as being referable. For starters, people referring you is the highest form of respect, likability and praise. Focusing on referrals is also the most efficient and profitable way to run a business.   We don't just become referable by default. We have to create, nurture and trigger those moments through our generosity. How do...

From childhood, we've been trained on the idea that the only path to success is academic education. When you don't relate to that path, it's easy to feel bad about yourself, especially if you live in the most educated city in the country.   Choosing to succeed outside of the traditional path was hard, but for Daniel Heider following this instinct has more than paid off. Now he runs the most succes...

When it comes to real estate investing asset classes, none is as misunderstood or maligned as mobile home parks. Much of the scrutiny that mobile home park investors have garnered isn't based in reality, but rather in a heavily mistaken narrative.   The truth is: mobile home parks, when done ethically and with a heart for the tenants, aren't just good business, they are a public service. Even thou...

From chasing down autographs and selling them, to running a real estate team, the same things make a good partnership tick. A unified vision and egoless collaboration are the key to making it last.   Unfortunately, too many people jump into a partnership thinking only about how it will boost production and income. If you're selling a lot that means you'll be a powerful force together, right? Wrong...

One of the best things about real estate is that you can have the results you want according to your vision.   You can create a low level, frustrating sales career or you can become a top producer. When you study the most successful real estate professionals, they have a lot of traits in common - but 3 stand out.   In today's special episode, I'm joined by co-host of Real Estate Uncensored and fou...

The recent class action lawsuit on buyer agent compensation proves that there's an attack on how Realtors get paid. In many ways, this threat is self-inflicted. As agents, we've let the narrative on what we do get shaped by outsiders - from lawyers to the media.   We haven't done a good enough job of explaining our value proposition and why we're compensated the way we are.   What's actually happe...

Ask most business owners what limited resource they wish they had more of and they'll tell you it's time. Ben Lalez calls BS on this answer.   Our time can actually be near-unlimited for a cost that's far below what we buy back. The concept of outsourcing is obviously not new, but we don't take it far enough. We don't apply the same idea of buying back our time to our lives outside of work.   How...

It's a common tale that once people achieve success and make enough to meet their needs and a few luxuries, they take their feet off the gas in business. Beyond using our money to serve ourselves, there's a higher level and purpose - giving our money away to issues we care deeply about.   For The N2 Company CEO and co-founder, Duane Hixon, human trafficking is the cause his heart broke for, and he...

In 2019, Arnold Desena was a rockstar real estate agent, and he was about to be featured in Real Producers. Then a near fatal accident left him paralyzed from the neck, down, and his cover story became a very different tale.   In this business, a bad day can mean no one picking up their phone or a deal falling through. When a bad day means losing becoming paraplegic, we really have to think about...

Real estate isn't just about property values, commissions and transaction volumes. For many people, it's the thing that helps them find their worth after a traumatic experience. Stacey Taylor went through a difficult marriage and a nasty divorce, and real estate helped her get back on her feet, not just financially, but emotionally as well.   Her experience also makes her the perfect person to gui...

Success in real estate gives us the platform to impact the world in a way that truly matters. Unfortunately, many of us don't know where to begin, so that passion gets left on the shelf.   Instead of having it all figured out, what if we just started with the intention and the action - even if it's not perfect? For Dennis Tuttle, the intention to make a deep impact began when his son said he wante...

Over the last decade, real estate teams have taken over the industry like a silent avalanche, providing value in the way brokerages used to. The truth is: the margins of brokerages have been squeezed so tight, most of them are doomed to go out of business. That is, unless they adapt, pivot and stop competing in a race to the bottom.   Is there a way for brokerages to survive in today's industry? C...

When someone close to us suffers illness or loses their battle with it, it often nudges us to make radical changes in our own lives. What if we made those changes because we wish to carry some of their pain while they're still here?   That's what happened to Bobby Wright. A wish to support his friends through a terminal illness led to a life-altering decision and the radical lifestyle he lives tod...

A lot of Realtors have huge followings online but that doesn't translate to the business they do. Ken Pozek doesn't just have the following and influencer status, he has the business to back it up.   What has come out of filming iMove videos with 2 views has turned into almost 40k subscribers and 600 deals.   What sets him apart from other agents with huge followings online? How do you turn YouTub...

No creature on the planet that can live in fight or flight mode chronically and survive, it will eventually kill you. Many people walk around in this state, and they have no idea they are dying slowly. That's what happened to Doug Steiny - his body was attacking himself and he was told it would take years to recover. Then Doug discovered a method that accelerated his recovery and he was symptom-fr...

When your parents ran a funeral home and you go on to become a real estate coach - you understand the relationship between what people do and the end result.   Life and income become a mathematical equation. You know that getting what you want comes down to your activity. You're acutely aware of the ingredients that need to go into the oven to get the cake you want.   What are some of the biggest...

"Your nightmare just begins." That's how Samantha Tov describes living through the beginning of the 1970s Cambodian Genocide.   As a child she witnessed and experienced the Killing Fields, moved to America, saw her family achieve the American dream only to suffer more tragedy.   Samantha may have suffered a lot of loss at the hands of people, but she still has a huge heart for helping people.   In...

Before the age of 20, Justin Ford was on a path of destruction that would have ended badly. Trauma and abandonment led to drugs, mischief and jail. Only one thing could stop this downward spiral - hitting rock bottom and turning to God.   Today, Justin is a top agent in one of the biggest cities in the country, and he brings his story of redemption and faith to his business.   How did he end up on...

When your upbringing is dark, there's two options - take the same path or crawl towards the light. For Mike Little, only one route was acceptable - get out and achieve his dreams. He went from the Navy to monster agent and broker with 5 offices and 180 agents.   When you can turn a rough life into a success story, there's no excuse for anyone to fail in real estate. How did Mike channel the hunger...

Florida might be the third most populous city in the US, but it has the most Realtors - a whopping 238,000. Serving as the president of such a large contingent of agents is a huge responsibility and privilege.   You have a pulse on the concerns of the industry and a voice in shaping the lives of both Realtors and consumers.   What does this role entail, and what's this year's president advocating...

Brett Boone shouldn't be alive today, but he is. From age 13 to 32, he was in a spiral of addiction - drinking daily. He even got to the point of drinking a liter of vodka every single day.   Today, he's 8 years sober and the leader of a very successful real estate team. The journey has been dark, but there's light at the end of the tunnel. How did he end up addicted to alcohol at such a young age...

There might not be a bunch of HGTV shows about it, but residential assisted living is a great model to specialize in. It's a win-win asset class that provides value to people who need it, while giving investors a hands-off cash flowing asset.   Many people in real estate think this investing channel is too complex, but with the right approach, you can succeed. What do we need to get started? How d...

When you've been in the military for almost a decade, it's hard to imagine doing anything else. Being a soldier is so ingrained in you, and if a brain tumor cuts your career short, it's hard to pick up the pieces.   Jamie Krakofsky pivoted into real estate when his military career ended, and he hasn't stopped leveling up since. Between 2021 and 2022, a tough market for many, his team's production...