The 13% Podcast

Real estate agents are taught to build their business like independent entrepreneurs. But independence can become a ceiling when the agent is trying to generate leads, nurture relationships, manage transactions, follow up, keep up with technology, and deliver a great client experience all at once. In today's market, the agents who grow are not always the ones with more hustle or more leads. They a...

Most agents think leadership starts when they build a team, open a brokerage, or finally have people reporting to them. But leadership starts much earlier than that. It starts when a buyer is scared, the inspection gets messy, the lender needs one more thing, the client does not understand what is happening, and the agent has to decide whether they are going to panic with them or lead them through...

In 2026, real estate agents have more brokerage options than ever.  Nice problem to have, but that doesn't make the decision less confusing.  There are different split structures, flat fees, 100% commission models, rev share, teams, virtual brokerages, boutique brands, mergers, and acquisitions.  So it's getting harder to answer the question: what brokerage should I grow my business in?  Do you ch...

Real estate agents are always chasing a new marketing idea, trend or platform - and in the era of AI - another content prompt.  But you don't need that in this market, what you need is a system. The agents who grow consistently aren't just posting more. They're building a repeatable way to attract new people, keep those people engaged, and turn attention into actual conversations.  That's the part...

In real estate, agents are constantly searching for the next lead source, marketing tactic, or prospecting strategy. But sometimes the biggest opportunities aren't new at all. They're tools and strategies agents already have access to, but don't fully understand how to use. From pricing strategies that build credibility, to industry changes many agents resist, to referral systems that eliminate th...

Building a real estate team can be a growth engine or your own personal prison. It can lift the lid on your business and create leverage and momentum. Or it can trap you in a structure where you're working more, earning less, and carrying everyone else on your back. We've seen this play out over and over again. An agent starts doing well, gains some traction, and people naturally gravitate toward...

In early 2026, the real estate market has split into two. Some agents are up 20-70%, while other agents feel like nothing has changed from last year's slower market. The agents who are winning right now aren't reacting to conditions. They're compounding conversations, and treating every rate drop, headline, and industry shift as valuable opportunities.  Shifts like private equity circling real est...

When we hear that 87% of agents don't make it, it's easy to blame a bad market, a lack of leads, or the agents not being skilled or hardworking enough. The truth is: even talented, motivated, and well-connected agents can find themselves exiting the industry. Here's the truth: you can have the best intentions, but still fail. Some of the things you do on a daily basis could be secretly sabotaging...

In real estate, we're taught that people need to know, like, and trust us, so we invest in our image and brand. While there's nothing wrong with this, that focus can drift a little too far away from what the consumer really needs.  Because here's the thing: this job isn't about us. When we're so focused on ourselves, we miss gaps in the experience, opportunities to create certainty, and solutions...

For the last few years, this industry has been hoping for things to "go back to normal."  We've been waiting for rates to drop, inventory to come back, and transactions to pick up.  Agents want this business to feel the way it used to. And now that it's a new year, a lot of that hope has reset again. People believe that this will be the year things finally turn around. But what if what's happening...

Most of us spent 2025 focused on what got harder in real estate. But while everyone was focused on survival, a massive new opportunity was coming into focus. Technology has evolved and stacked to remove the limits that agents, teams, and brokerages have faced for decades.  AI and new platforms now allow us to do things that used to be really hard, flat-out impossible, or took years to pull off. In...

Do you believe that winning in real estate is about working the hardest or being in the business the longest? Well, today's market is proving otherwise. An okay agent who's great at marketing will beat a great agent who's bad at marketing. Their message travels farther, faster, and lands with more people, and that creates leads, appointments, and closings. Effort isn't the differentiator anymore;...

Social media is one of the most powerful tools in our business… and also one of the most confusing. We're constantly told to post more, stay consistent, and put ourselves out there,  But most of us are still trying to figure out what actually works, and what actually turns content into conversations, and conversations into clients. The truth is, so many of us are doing social media the hard way. W...

Conversations are the heartbeat of our business… and also the biggest blind spot we have. We live and die by the quality of what our people say on the phone, in a consult, or across a kitchen table, yet it's the one part of the job we almost never see.  We can track dials, leads, pipeline, and appointments all day long, but the real work, the tone, the timing, the questions, the confidence happens...

In this current market, every real estate agent's deepest fear isn't losing their next commission; it's extinction, being replaced, or getting forced out of the industry. Whether it's because of lawsuits, AI, or market shifts, can our businesses survive when the playbook that worked for years suddenly feels outdated?  What no one tells you is that this isn't just a new-agent problem. Even seasoned...

Every real estate agent today is living through a moment that will shape the next few decades of the industry. Commissions have been challenged in courtrooms. Lawsuits have changed how buyers and sellers think about representation.  Across the board, both agents and associations are being pushed to evolve fast. But this isn't the first time real estate has faced disruption, and it definitely won't...

In real estate, there are everyday habits that feel routine, even harmless, but behind the scenes, many of them cross legal lines most agents don't even know exist. It's handshake agreements instead of written ones. It's a "my client said so" text instead of a signed instruction. It's forgetting that being someone's friend isn't the same as being their fiduciary. Most agents don't realize that our...

In real estate, everyone talks about scale like it's just a matter of adding agents or buying more leads. But the truth is, most leaders never really scale. They just build a bigger version of their own job.  They're still carrying all the weight, doing all the production, and wondering why their team is failing to thrive. The deeper problem is that most leaders confuse activity with growth. They...

In real estate, everyone talks about the wins: the closings, the volume, the big paydays. But just as much a part of this business are the challenges.  The clients who reject you, the seasons where business is slow, or the moments when life gets in the way, whether it's parenting, loss, or personal struggle. And that's the real difference between the 87% who quit and the 13% who last. The 13% trea...

In real estate, "branding" is a word people use all the time, without knowing how to use it. A strong brand isn't just decoration; it's the reason a consumer chooses you over someone else. And yet in real estate, most agents are getting it wrong. Instead of building brands that create trust and meaning, agents confuse branding with vibing, content that looks flashy but has no real value. Vibing is...

If you're a real estate leader, you already know: this isn't just a tougher season, it's a total reset. The playbook that worked in 2021, or even in 2024, doesn't apply anymore.  Transactions are down, costs are up, and you've had to make brutal calls. Cutting team members, letting go of support staff, going back to solo production just to keep the lights on.  These are some of the challenges many...

When it comes to AI, too many agents are stuck on the sidelines, watching AI from a distance. They're waiting for a clear winner to emerge before they jump in.  Will it be ChatGPT? Claude? Gemini? They're waiting for the platform wars to shake out before they commit.  If you're in that camp, that hesitation could be costing you hundreds of thousands of dollars.  The agents who are winning right no...

AI is moving fast, faster than most real estate pros can keep up with. Some think it's here to take their jobs. Others hope a few clever prompts will help them scale. But both camps are missing the bigger picture. Too many agents are asking, "How can I use AI to replace people?" to cut costs, reduce headcount, or automate away every task.  But that's the wrong question.  Real estate is still a hum...

Depending on the action you take, your database can be a collection of names or the foundation of a million-dollar business.  Most agents know they should build their database and stay in touch with their sphere. It's the one rule we've all been taught to follow from day one, but they just don't.  The result is missed deals, missed referrals, and a lot of wasted potential.  But the fix is simpler...

New or experienced, top producer or middle-of-the-road agent, it's been a complex and challenging time to be in real estate.  But in any market, some agents seem to have an unfair advantage. How do they keep growing when everyone else is stagnant or even contracting? The secret isn't rocket science. These agents just outwork everyone else - they over-index on the activities that lead to results. B...