You might’ve had a call where you had a great conversation with a potential recruit—someone you thought would join your company—and then suddenly they went cold. They didn’t join.

What happened?

Well, it’s not about your offer. It’s not about you, what you said, or didn’t say. It’s about their timing. Timing is unique for every agent. Every agent has a runway—that is, the time it takes for them to join your firm. Some have a short runway, some a long one, and others a really long runway.

It’s not about your timeline; it’s about theirs. And here’s the key: the fortune is in the follow-up. But you don’t want to apply pressure.

Here’s what the worst recruiter does: “Jim, we’ve got to get you over here. Let’s make it happen!”

That approach is all about your needs, not theirs.

People often have legitimate reasons they can’t make a change right now. They may have things going...

I've heard this so many times over the years: "My market's different, Jim." When it comes to recruiting, people say, "We're in a tiny market, a rural market, a niche market, or a very cliquey market. People here don’t make moves like they do in big cities. Recruiting doesn’t work here."

Let me tell you something: I come from a small town with a population of 25,000. I’ve worked in big cities, small towns, medium-sized cities, and even cliquey ones. Here’s the reality: the numbers behind recruiting aren’t something I’m making up. These are national statistics.

The average agent in America moves every five years.

Look at your entire database of agents in your market and think about this: every single one of them will likely move in the next five years.

Statistically, some will move sooner, some later, but overall, they’re going to move.

The question is: where are they going to go?

Think about your own career. Did you stay at one company...

Hey guys, what is your power base number? This is an essential number that every REALTOR should know. Your power base number is simply this: if I take my database size — and you should know your database size, whether it’s 195, 232, or 182 — you should know that number. If you don’t, you’re not in control of your business (which is a whole other conversation).

Let’s assume you do know it. Let’s say your database size is 232, and you closed 22 transactions last year. If I divide one into the other, 232 divided by 22, it tells me that for every 10.5 people in your database, you’re averaging one closed sale.

That’s your power base number.

You can use that number in a few ways. For business planning, you can say, “In 2025, I don’t want to close 22 transactions; I want to close 30." Since you know your power base number (closing one transaction for every 10.5 people), you can calculate that 30 times 10.5 equals 315.

Now,...

How many agents have contacted you—called, texted, emailed—in the last 30 days to say they want to work for you? If that number is four or five, or even more, congratulations! You're in a position where you're attracting agents to your company. That’s a rare position to be in, and not many offices can say the same.

But if you're not attracting a lot of people, the question becomes: why not? There could be many reasons, but the number one thing we need to focus on is building a company that is attractive.

It sounds simple, but it's not. There are many factors involved. Agent productivity, the training and education you offer, and how your company appears from the outside all matter.

Do you have a great culture?
Are your agents engaged in the community?
Is your company active on social media?
Do you have a YouTube channel?
Do you have a great office environment?

Being a visible leader in the MLS and the market helps too. Your agents should be out there, talking...

Want to know the number one mistake new brokerage owners and team leaders make?

Focusing on recruiting new agents.

When we enter this industry, we often have an ego, thinking we can coach and train people to be super successful. We have a passion for training and coaching, which leads us to believe we should direct that passion towards new agents.

But here's the problem:

There's an 87% attrition rate in our industry.

This means almost nine out of ten new agents you recruit will fail. You might think you can change that, but this number has been consistent over the last 30 years. It doesn't matter how good a coach or trainer you are, how good your brand, systems, CRM, website, or lead generation are. It's about what the new agents implement. No matter how good we are as mentors, some of them just won't take action.

All that being said, we were all new agents once. But those of us watching this today are part of a very small minority—the 10% who made it. And within that group,...

Hey guys, as a team leader or brokerage owner, there's one key metric that defines your success:

Per agent productivity.

This metric encompasses every aspect of your role as a brokerage leader. It includes your recruiting plan, retention plan, marketing, branding, technology, training, coaching, mentoring, staffing, and location.

Essentially, everything you do at your brokerage is reflected in what your agents produce on a per-agent basis.

When I come to you and say, "Let's open up the hood of your company," we'll look at the average agent production over the last 12 months. What does it look like? If your average agent is closing six deals, seven deals, eight deals, three deals—whatever the number is—you'll have a starting point.

Our goal is to raise that number over time. The higher we push that number, the more likely you are to attract more agents to your business.

The number one way to attract agents is by demonstrating that your system drives higher sales than your...

When recruiting agents, you'll hear "no" 90% of the time, if not more.

Many brokerage owners and team leaders stop recruiting because they dislike hearing "no." We may not be accustomed to it, especially if we've been successful in lead generation. This rejection can make you think recruiting isn't for you, leading you to wait for agents to come to you, which is not effective.

Your brokerage will fail if you don't actively recruit.

To start getting yeses and change your mindset about recruiting, understand that recruiting isn't about getting a yes today. It's about opening doors and creating relationships. The worst recruiters aim to close immediately, treating all agents the same—new agents and experienced agents alike. This is a mistake.

Recruiting a new agent is relatively easy, but recruiting an experienced agent doing $10-20 million in transactions is like recruiting a professional athlete. It starts with relationship building and opening doors.

How do we open doors?

We...

Why do people try FSBOs instead of listing with a REALTOR?

The answer might surprise you…

A lot would assume it's all about commission, but only 40% of sellers do it for that reason. That means 60% don't!

Another interesting fact: Only 5% of people will never use a REALTOR. The othere 95% are open to it.

In fact, did you know 92% of FSBOs will end up working with a REALTOR?

The question is: Will it be you or your competitor? You need to reach out to them. There's a 4-6 week incubation period for most FSBOs. So, commit to working with them for that time.

When calling them, use this magic sentence: "I'm not calling to list your house. I respect your decision to sell on your own."

This will bring their defenses down. Then, ask to come by and take a look at their house. No pressure to list. It's about incubation and relationship-building.

If they decide to list with you, be ready for that conversation. Walk through the house, take notes, and casually ask if they might work with a...

Question:

Should you have your own podcast?

Absolutely!

It's a powerful tool to boost your influence and authority in your local market. By focusing on your niche, you become an expert and build authority over time.

Another benefit?

You can connect with influential people in your community. Create a list of top movers and shakers and invite them to be guests on your show. It's a win-win—you'll elevate your podcast's status and forge valuable connections.

Podcasting is straightforward—all you're doing is asking questions. Make it easy for your guests by providing a list of questions beforehand. Trust me, they'll love the opportunity to share their insights.

The best part?

You can repurpose your podcast content across different platforms using tools like Opus Pro and Repurpose.ai. It's seamless and helps you reach a broader audience.

As for the cost?

It's super affordable. Platforms like Buzzsprout make hosting a breeze, and services like Fiverr can help with...

Hey guys, when you meet someone new, whether it's at a party or a function, one of the first questions they ask is, "What do you do for a living?"

Our default response as REALTORS might be, "I'm a REALTOR."

But that's boring and generic. Everyone knows multiple REALTORS.

We need to rethink how we present ourselves and craft a unified message that leaves a lasting impression. We need to occupy a unique space in the minds of potential clients.

Imagine the brain as a whiteboard with "REALTOR" already written several times. It's meaningless and makes us seem like just another commodity. We must find a new space to occupy.

Here are some examples:

1. "I specialize in riverfront and rural properties in southern Oregon. With 30 years of experience in this market, it's my passion."

2. "I focus on helping people buy homes in the highly desirable Summerfield area."

3. "As a relocation specialist with John L. Sky Realty, I...