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It's after Labor Day, which means for some of us it's already fall while others are trying to hold on to summer. Host Jacoby Cochran, executive producer Simone Alicea, and Chicago artist Al Scorch discuss what they are looking forward to in September, including Chicagohenge, the Bears' return, and pumpkin spice offerings. Plus, they're watching some big news stories. If you're new here, welcome! We've put together a starter pack for you, with episodes and articles to welcome you to the City Cast Chicago community. For even more tips on how to make the most of September in Chicago, check out Hey Chicago's take on what to do this month. City Cast Chicago's guide to September is made possible by our sponsors, Chicago Association of Realtors, Window Nation, and MUBI. City Cast Chicago is also powered by our members, who enjoy an ad-free version of the show. Find out more about how to become a member of City Cast Chicago. Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE Reach us at chicago@citycast.fm
Fearless Agent Coach & Founder Bob Loeffler shares his insights on The Most Important Traits of a Successful Fearless Agent and how they are making his Fearless Agent Coaching Students rich! Real Estate Fearless Agent Coaching is the Highest Results Producing Real Estate Sales Training and Coaching Program in the Industry and we can prove it will work for you if it's a good fit! Call us today at 480-385-8810 to see if it may be  good fit for you! Telephone Prospecting for Realtors means Cold Calling, Door knocking, Calling for Sale By Owners, Calling Expired Listings, Calling your Sphere of Influence, Farming, Holding Open Houses, but Fearless Agent Coaching Students di all of these completely differently and get massively better results! Find out how! Listen in each week as Bob gives an overview and explains the big ideas behind making big money as a Fearless Agent! If you are earning less selling real estate than you wish you were, and you're open to the idea of having some help, We are here for you! You will never again be in a money making situation with a Buyer, Seller or Investor and not have the right words! You will be very confident! You will be a Fearless Agent! Call Bob anytime for more information about Fearless Agent Coaching for Agents, Fearless Agent Recruiting Training for Broker/Owners, or hiring Bob as a Speaker for your next Event! Call today 480-385-8810 - or go to https://fearlessagent.com Telephone Prospecting for Realtors means Cold Calling, Door knocking, Calling for Sale By Owners, Calling Expired Listings, Calling your Sphere of Influence, Farming, Holding Open Houses, Spin Selling, but Fearless Agent Coaching Students do all of these completely differently and get massively better results! Find out how! Are You an Owner of a Real Estate Company - need help Recruiting Producing Agents - Call today! 480-385-8810 and go to FearlessAgentRecruiting.com and watch our Recruiting Video Real Estate Coaching training Real estate training real estate coaching real estate speaker real estate coach real estate sales sales training realtor realtor training realtor coach realtor coaching realtor sales coaching realtor recruiting real estate agent real estate broker realtor prospecting real estate prospecting prospecting for listings calling expired listings calling for sale by owners realtor success Best Realtor Coach Best Real Estate Coach Spin SellingSupport the show: https://fearlessagent.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
What if doubling your business didn't mean doubling your hours?In this episode, Matt and Garrett share the two simple weekly systems that have helped countless Realtors build sustainable, referral-driven businesses. Drawing on their experience coaching top-producing agents across the country, they break down how to:Use consistent customer service calls to spark new opportunitiesLeverage Market Impact Reports to stay relevant with your databaseCreate an “end-of-day” routine that keeps you clear, focused, and energizedAvoid the chaos of chasing business — and build a business that feels good to runIf you've been feeling overwhelmed, stuck in the weeds, or wondering how to get more results without working 24/7, this episode is your roadmap to clarity, consistency, and growth.
Most Realtors still hide their use of AI because they think it makes them look less professional. But the truth? Being upfront about how you use AI builds trust.In this episode, I show you why embracing AI as your assistant (not your replacement) is the key to staying ahead in 2025. By being transparent, you'll gain credibility with clients and free yourself to do what AI can't: build deep human relationships.What you'll learn:⏩ Why hiding AI use hurts your credibility⏩ The right way to explain AI to your SOI and clients⏩ My personal workflow for AI + authentic client touchpoints⏩ Why human connection is still the ultimate advantage #RealtorTips #AIForRealEstate #SphereOfInfluence
Goldylocks Productions presents Joyful Findings with Melissa ParksMelissa Parks is an Earth Angel, a talented Psychic Trance Medium, Angelic Guided Healer, Reiki Master, Spiritual Advisor and Spiritual Teacher. As a child she was able to see and communicate with the Spirit World but was shut down and told to ignore her gifts. Most of her life was filled with hurt, anger, and pain. It wasn't until a “voice” told her she must forgive her childhood abuser that her heart had truly opened, and her Spiritual Journey began.Once she embraced her True Self and her connection to God's Divine Beings, she understood her life's plan. She now spreads Love and Light, giving Guidance and Healing to all who seek it. Whether in a reading or healing session she opens to Past Loved Ones, Angels, Guides, and many Multi-Dimension Healers to bring forth powerful messages of Guidance and Healing.http://www.iammelissaparks.com https://www.facebook.com/melissaparkspsychicMelissa's Shop: https://shop.spreadshirt.com/melissaparkspsychiccreationsLeave a Review for Melissa on Google: https://maps.app.goo.gl/sXm86FLU9cnDcRVD6Melissa's Venmo: https://account.venmo.com/u/Melissa-Parks-37Melissa's Sponsor: Marcia Morse with Feng Shui My SpaceFeng shui literally translates from Chinese as "wind" (feng) and water ("shui"). It's the art of arranging buildings, objects, space, and life to achieve harmony and balance. The philosophy of feng shui is the practice of arranging the pieces in living spaces in order to create balance with the natural world. The goal is to harness energy forces and establish harmony between an individual and their environment. Contact Feng Shui Specialist, Marcia Morse, to assist you in bringing in more Harmony and Peace into your home, property, or business space! Marcia is also a Realtor and can assist you in finding your New Home in the Sarasota, Florida area.https://www.fengshuimyspace.com http://www.sarasotasunset.comGoldylocks Productions: http://www.goldylocksproductions.com Receive links and updates for our Shows, Special Events and Sales! Subscribe to The Goldylocks Zone Blog: https://www.whitesagewoman.me Join us on Telegram: https://t.me/goldylocksproductions Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Goldylocks Productions presents Joyful Findings with Melissa ParksMelissa Parks is an Earth Angel, a talented Psychic Trance Medium, Angelic Guided Healer, Reiki Master, Spiritual Advisor and Spiritual Teacher. As a child she was able to see and communicate with the Spirit World but was shut down and told to ignore her gifts. Most of her life was filled with hurt, anger, and pain. It wasn't until a “voice” told her she must forgive her childhood abuser that her heart had truly opened, and her Spiritual Journey began.Once she embraced her True Self and her connection to God's Divine Beings, she understood her life's plan. She now spreads Love and Light, giving Guidance and Healing to all who seek it. Whether in a reading or healing session she opens to Past Loved Ones, Angels, Guides, and many Multi-Dimension Healers to bring forth powerful messages of Guidance and Healing.http://www.iammelissaparks.com https://www.facebook.com/melissaparkspsychicMelissa's Shop: https://shop.spreadshirt.com/melissaparkspsychiccreationsLeave a Review for Melissa on Google: https://maps.app.goo.gl/sXm86FLU9cnDcRVD6Melissa's Venmo: https://account.venmo.com/u/Melissa-Parks-37Melissa's Sponsor: Marcia Morse with Feng Shui My SpaceFeng shui literally translates from Chinese as "wind" (feng) and water ("shui"). It's the art of arranging buildings, objects, space, and life to achieve harmony and balance. The philosophy of feng shui is the practice of arranging the pieces in living spaces in order to create balance with the natural world. The goal is to harness energy forces and establish harmony between an individual and their environment. Contact Feng Shui Specialist, Marcia Morse, to assist you in bringing in more Harmony and Peace into your home, property, or business space! Marcia is also a Realtor and can assist you in finding your New Home in the Sarasota, Florida area.https://www.fengshuimyspace.com http://www.sarasotasunset.comGoldylocks Productions: http://www.goldylocksproductions.com Receive links and updates for our Shows, Special Events and Sales! Subscribe to The Goldylocks Zone Blog: https://www.whitesagewoman.me Join us on Telegram: https://t.me/goldylocksproductions Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Goldylocks Productions presents Joyful Findings with Melissa ParksMelissa Parks is an Earth Angel, a talented Psychic Trance Medium, Angelic Guided Healer, Reiki Master, Spiritual Advisor and Spiritual Teacher. As a child she was able to see and communicate with the Spirit World but was shut down and told to ignore her gifts. Most of her life was filled with hurt, anger, and pain. It wasn't until a “voice” told her she must forgive her childhood abuser that her heart had truly opened, and her Spiritual Journey began.Once she embraced her True Self and her connection to God's Divine Beings, she understood her life's plan. She now spreads Love and Light, giving Guidance and Healing to all who seek it. Whether in a reading or healing session she opens to Past Loved Ones, Angels, Guides, and many Multi-Dimension Healers to bring forth powerful messages of Guidance and Healing.http://www.iammelissaparks.com https://www.facebook.com/melissaparkspsychicMelissa's Shop: https://shop.spreadshirt.com/melissaparkspsychiccreationsLeave a Review for Melissa on Google: https://maps.app.goo.gl/sXm86FLU9cnDcRVD6Melissa's Venmo: https://account.venmo.com/u/Melissa-Parks-37Melissa's Sponsor: Marcia Morse with Feng Shui My SpaceFeng shui literally translates from Chinese as "wind" (feng) and water ("shui"). It's the art of arranging buildings, objects, space, and life to achieve harmony and balance. The philosophy of feng shui is the practice of arranging the pieces in living spaces in order to create balance with the natural world. The goal is to harness energy forces and establish harmony between an individual and their environment. Contact Feng Shui Specialist, Marcia Morse, to assist you in bringing in more Harmony and Peace into your home, property, or business space! Marcia is also a Realtor and can assist you in finding your New Home in the Sarasota, Florida area.https://www.fengshuimyspace.com http://www.sarasotasunset.comGoldylocks Productions: http://www.goldylocksproductions.com Receive links and updates for our Shows, Special Events and Sales! Subscribe to The Goldylocks Zone Blog: https://www.whitesagewoman.me Join us on Telegram: https://t.me/goldylocksproductions Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Goldylocks Productions presents Joyful Findings with Melissa ParksMelissa Parks is an Earth Angel, a talented Psychic Trance Medium, Angelic Guided Healer, Reiki Master, Spiritual Advisor and Spiritual Teacher. As a child she was able to see and communicate with the Spirit World but was shut down and told to ignore her gifts. Most of her life was filled with hurt, anger, and pain. It wasn't until a “voice” told her she must forgive her childhood abuser that her heart had truly opened, and her Spiritual Journey began.Once she embraced her True Self and her connection to God's Divine Beings, she understood her life's plan. She now spreads Love and Light, giving Guidance and Healing to all who seek it. Whether in a reading or healing session she opens to Past Loved Ones, Angels, Guides, and many Multi-Dimension Healers to bring forth powerful messages of Guidance and Healing.http://www.iammelissaparks.com Melissa's Sponsor: Marcia Morse with Feng Shui My SpaceFeng shui literally translates from Chinese as "wind" (feng) and water ("shui"). It's the art of arranging buildings, objects, space, and life to achieve harmony and balance. The philosophy of feng shui is the practice of arranging the pieces in living spaces in order to create balance with the natural world. The goal is to harness energy forces and establish harmony between an individual and their environment. Contact Feng Shui Specialist, Marcia Morse, to assist you in bringing in more Harmony and Peace into your home, property, or business space! Marcia is also a Realtor and can assist you in finding your New Home in the Sarasota, Florida area.https://www.fengshuimyspace.com http://www.sarasotasunset.comGoldylocks Productions: http://www.goldylocksproductions.com Receive links and updates for our Shows, Special Events and Sales! Subscribe to The Goldylocks Zone Blog: https://www.whitesagewoman.me Join us on Telegram: https://t.me/goldylocksproductions Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Summary In this conversation, the hosts discuss the current state of the real estate market, reflecting on summer experiences and the upcoming fall market. They delve into the nuances of first refusal agreements, market trends, and the emotional aspects of home buying, particularly in the context of divorce. The discussion emphasizes the importance of understanding market dynamics and preparing for the emotional journey of buying or selling a home. Takeaways The summer market has been consistent, with no significant lulls.Fall is an exciting time for real estate, with many events and activities.First refusal agreements can be beneficial but come with risks.Market trends show a mixed bag, with some areas seeing price drops.Emotional factors play a significant role in home buying decisions.Divorce can complicate real estate transactions, requiring careful navigation.Taking summer photos of homes can enhance listings for fall sales.Negotiation skills are crucial in the current market environment.Understanding local market dynamics is essential for accurate pricing.The importance of having a supportive real estate team during transitions. Sound Bites "Real estate never stops.""Prices are coming down.""Emotions win in home buying." Chapters 00:00 Introduction to the Real Estate Market00:54 Behind the Scenes: Getting You Home02:52 Understanding First Refusals in Real Estate08:08 Navigating Multiple Offers and Buyer Psychology11:44 The Importance of Appraisals and Market Value15:57 Emotional Factors in Home Buying Decisions17:32 Real Estate and Divorce: Navigating Complex Situations18:51 Navigating Real Estate During Separation23:21 Preparing for the Fall Market25:02 Understanding Market Trends and Statistics30:46 Optimal Selling Times in the Fall31:20 Summer Adventures and Cottage Getaway34:18 Festivals and Events in Ottawa37:12 Community Developments and New Arena Announcement40:03 Closing Thoughts and Listener Engagement41:18 She Sells Ottawa OUTRO.mp3
In this August recap, Katie shares a behind-the-scenes look at life, business, and social media strategy. From her family's annual glamping trip to Pismo Beach and the milestone of having both boys in high school, to speaking at the NABOR Symposium in Naples, this episode is a mix of personal and professional highlights.Inside the #GetSocialSmart Academy, the theme was content strategy and repurposing - Katie recaps the biggest takeaways from recent trainings, including how to create one big idea each month, repurpose video content across multiple platforms, and write captions that truly connect.Plus, Katie shares what's coming next - the reopening of her small group coaching program and September's Academy theme of Instagram. She closes with encouragement for fall: don't be like Blockbuster. Keep evolving, adapting, and moving forward in your real estate business.Whether you're a Realtor, entrepreneur, or content creator, this episode will leave you inspired to simplify your strategy and take action.Links and resources mentioned:Content Strategy Masterclass#GetSocialSmart Academy6-Week Small Group Coaching (waitlist)#GetSocialSmart Vegas MastermindKatie's YouTube ChannelLet's connect! DM me on Instagram @katielance
In this brutally honest episode, I break down the real reasons why so many Realtors haven't sold a single home in 2025 — and what you can do to turn things around. From entitlement and inaction to market realities and mindset, this is a wake-up call for anyone struggling in real estate right now.We'll cover the data, the traps I see Realtors falling into, and the hard-won lessons from my early days in real estate — when I was doing anything and everything to grow. This episode isn't for the faint of heart… but it might be the thing that changes your career trajectory.If you've ever asked, “Why am I not getting any deals?” — this episode is for you.
Investor Fuel Real Estate Investing Mastermind - Audio Version
In this conversation, Charles Powell, a realtor in the Atlanta area, discusses the journey to homeownership, particularly for first-time buyers. He emphasizes the importance of education and workshops to guide potential homeowners through the process. The discussion covers various strategies for entering the real estate market, including house hacking and the benefits of new construction. Charles shares insights on the current Atlanta real estate market and offers advice for both buyers and aspiring realtors. Professional Real Estate Investors - How we can help you: Investor Fuel Mastermind: Learn more about the Investor Fuel Mastermind, including 100% deal financing, massive discounts from vendors and sponsors you're already using, our world class community of over 150 members, and SO much more here: http://www.investorfuel.com/apply Investor Machine Marketing Partnership: Are you looking for consistent, high quality lead generation? Investor Machine is America's #1 lead generation service professional investors. Investor Machine provides true ‘white glove' support to help you build the perfect marketing plan, then we'll execute it for you…talking and working together on an ongoing basis to help you hit YOUR goals! Learn more here: http://www.investormachine.com Coaching with Mike Hambright: Interested in 1 on 1 coaching with Mike Hambright? Mike coaches entrepreneurs looking to level up, build coaching or service based businesses (Mike runs multiple 7 and 8 figure a year businesses), building a coaching program and more. Learn more here: https://investorfuel.com/coachingwithmike Attend a Vacation/Mastermind Retreat with Mike Hambright: Interested in joining a “mini-mastermind” with Mike and his private clients on an upcoming “Retreat”, either at locations like Cabo San Lucas, Napa, Park City ski trip, Yellowstone, or even at Mike's East Texas “Big H Ranch”? Learn more here: http://www.investorfuel.com/retreat Property Insurance: Join the largest and most investor friendly property insurance provider in 2 minutes. Free to join, and insure all your flips and rentals within minutes! There is NO easier insurance provider on the planet (turn insurance on or off in 1 minute without talking to anyone!), and there's no 15-30% agent mark up through this platform! Register here: https://myinvestorinsurance.com/ New Real Estate Investors - How we can work together: Investor Fuel Club (Coaching and Deal Partner Community): Looking to kickstart your real estate investing career? Join our one of a kind Coaching Community, Investor Fuel Club, where you'll get trained by some of the best real estate investors in America, and partner with them on deals! You don't need $ for deals…we'll partner with you and hold your hand along the way! Learn More here: http://www.investorfuel.com/club —--------------------
What happens when a man who once hit rock bottom finds himself in charge of one of Tennessee's worst natural disasters? John Matthews' journey from addiction to leadership reveals the extraordinary power of second chances.Purchase his book on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Wisdom-At-Cost-Survival-Leadership-ebook/dp/B0F4XBTKF7If you are looking for a Realtor, don't forget to call The Landes Team to help you buy and sell! Yvonnca Landes Realty Executives Associates 865.660.1186 or 588.3232www.YvonncaSellsRealEstate.comAdrienne LandesRealty Executives Associates865.659-6860 or 588.3232Click here: https://linktr.ee/talkintnwithyvonncaTurning Knox Rental (Event Rental Services): www.turningknoxrental.comLandes Home Collection Online Store: www.landeshomecollection.comFor promotion inquires please contact Yvonnca Landes. 865-660-1186All Copy Rights are owned Yvonnca Landes and the Landes Brand ©. To gain legal access contact David Landes 865.660.6860 or theappraisalfirm@charter.net Produced and engineered by: Adrienne LandesThank you for listening! Follow us on social media! https://linktr.ee/talkintnwithyvonnca
In this milestone episode of The MindShare Podcast, host David Greenspan dives into the collapse of iPro Realty and what it means for REALTORS® across Ontario. With nearly $10M missing from trust accounts and RECO under fire for failing to act, this episode unpacks the hard truths about accountability, housing affordability, and why discipline and process matter more than ever.David shares fresh housing market data, explains the real meaning of “core housing need,” and lays out a step-by-step framework to help agents stay focused and resilient in uncertain times. This episode is both a wake-up call and a roadmap: when systems fail, your process is your edge.Key Topics Covered:iPro Realty's collapse and RECO's delayed accountabilityCanada's housing reality: affordability, supply, and policyCore housing need and the skyrocketing price-to-income ratiosWhy process beats panic: building resilience with daily disciplineAction Steps:Demand transparency and accountability from boards and regulators.Use real data in client conversations — not just headlines.Educate your database about affordability realities.Build your daily process: 3 non-negotiables, time-blocking, and weekly reviews.Sponsors:KiTS Keep in Touch Systems – CRM + marketing automation for REALTORS®REM Real Estate Magazine – Canada's trusted real estate news sourceREVEL Realty Inc. – Bold marketing, culture-first brokerage innovationDon't Forget:Download the free 7 Ways to Communicate eBook at MindShare101.com/freeBook Your Ticket for The MindShare Mastermind
Our guest this time is Kay Thompson. As Kay says in her bio, she is a minister, TV show host, author, Realtor® and business owner. If that isn't enough, she has raised a son and a daughter. Kay grew up, as she says, a military brat. She has lived in a number of places around the world. Like others we have had the pleasure to have as guests, her travels and living in various places and countries has made her curious and given her a broad perspective of life. After high school she went to college. This life was a bit of a struggle for her, but the day came when she realized that college would be a positive thing for her. She will tell us the story. After college she and her second husband, her first one died, moved to Atlanta where she has now resided for over 30 years. Kay always has had a strong faith. However, the time came when, as she explains, she actually heard God calling her to go into the ministry. And so, she did. Kay tells us about how she also has undertaken other endeavors including writing, selling real estate and working as a successful Television host. It goes without saying that Kay Thompson performs daily a number of tasks and has several jobs she accomplishes. I hope you will be inspired by Kays's work. Should you wish to contact Kay, visit her website www.kaythompson.org. About the Guest: Kay Thompson is a minister, TV show host, author, Realtor® and business owner. She is the founder of Kay Thompson Ministries International, a kingdom resource for healing, hope and spiritual development. Kay is also the founder of Legacy Venture Group, a consulting and media firm which has helped countless businesses, organizations and individuals to strategically maximize potential. Kay holds a BA in Art History from Rutgers University in Camden, NJ, and an MA in Christian Ministry from Mercer University in Atlanta, GA. She is the former program director of WGUN 1010 in Atlanta and hosted the Kay Thompson TV Show, which aired on WATC-TV 57 in Atlanta. She currently hosts for the Atlanta Live broadcast on TV- 57. Kay is a member of the staff for the Studio Community Fellowship at Trillith Studios in Fayetteville, and is a host for their weekly service. She also serves as a member of the Board of Advisors for the A.D. King Foundation and works with several other non profit organizations in the Metro Atlanta area. Kay has lived in Georgia for over thirty years and is a resident of Stockbridge. She has two wonderful children: Anthony (Jasmine) and Chanel; and one grandchild, AJ. Kay enjoys reading, bowling and spending time with her family. Ways to connect with Kay: Facebook (Kay Thompson Ministries) https://www.facebook.com/kaythompsonministries Instagram (@kayrthompson) https://www.instagram.com/kayrthompson/ About the Host: Michael Hingson is a New York Times best-selling author, international lecturer, and Chief Vision Officer for accessiBe. Michael, blind since birth, survived the 9/11 attacks with the help of his guide dog Roselle. This story is the subject of his best-selling book, Thunder Dog. Michael gives over 100 presentations around the world each year speaking to influential groups such as Exxon Mobile, AT&T, Federal Express, Scripps College, Rutgers University, Children's Hospital, and the American Red Cross just to name a few. He is Ambassador for the National Braille Literacy Campaign for the National Federation of the Blind and also serves as Ambassador for the American Humane Association's 2012 Hero Dog Awards. https://michaelhingson.com https://www.facebook.com/michael.hingson.author.speaker/ https://twitter.com/mhingson https://www.youtube.com/user/mhingson https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelhingson/ accessiBe Links https://accessibe.com/ https://www.youtube.com/c/accessiBe https://www.linkedin.com/company/accessibe/mycompany/ https://www.facebook.com/accessibe/ Thanks for listening! Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page. Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below! Subscribe to the podcast If you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher. You can subscribe in your favorite podcast app. You can also support our podcast through our tip jar https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/unstoppable-mindset . Leave us an Apple Podcasts review Ratings and reviews from our listeners are extremely valuable to us and greatly appreciated. They help our podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you have a minute, please leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts. Transcription Notes: Michael Hingson ** 00:00 Access Cast and accessiBe Initiative presents Unstoppable Mindset. The podcast where inclusion, diversity and the unexpected meet. Hi, I'm Michael Hingson, Chief Vision Officer for accessiBe and the author of the number one New York Times bestselling book, Thunder dog, the story of a blind man, his guide dog and the triumph of trust. Thanks for joining me on my podcast as we explore our own blinding fears of inclusion unacceptance and our resistance to change. We will discover the idea that no matter the situation, or the people we encounter, our own fears, and prejudices often are our strongest barriers to moving forward. The unstoppable mindset podcast is sponsored by accessiBe, that's a c c e s s i capital B e. Visit www.accessibe.com to learn how you can make your website accessible for persons with disabilities. And to help make the internet fully inclusive by the year 2025. Glad you dropped by we're happy to meet you and to have you here with us. Michael Hingson ** 01:17 Hi, everyone. I would like to say greetings wherever you happen to be today, we have a wonderful guest today. This is a woman, I would say, of many, many talents. I've been looking forward to this for a while. Kay Thompson is a minister, a TV host. She's an author, she's a realtor, and she's a business owner. My gosh, all of those. I want to find out how she does all those. But anyway, Kay, I want to welcome you to unstoppable mindset. We're really glad that you're here. Kay Thompson ** 01:54 Well, thank you so much for having me. I appreciate being here, and thank you for contacting me excited. Michael Hingson ** 02:01 Well, how do you do all those things all at once? Kay Thompson ** 02:05 Well, you know, definitely can't do them all at once. Oh, okay, well, so have to kind of parse them out each day. And as I get assignments, that's how it goes. And got to prioritize one over the other. You Michael Hingson ** 02:22 know? Well, we will, we will get to all of those, I am sure, in the course of the next hour or so. But I'm really glad that you're here, and as yet, I've been looking forward to this for a while, and and I'm sure we're going to have a lot of fun. Why don't we start? Maybe you could go back and tell us kind of about the early K growing up. What about you? So people can get to know you? Kay Thompson ** 02:44 Oh, yeah. So growing up with the daughter of a military father, military officer. As a matter of fact, he rose to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. So that was interesting. So it was kind of a privileged military life in that sense that, you know, he just was always, he was a very important figure in his time. So that was interesting, walking on the base with him. And, you know, people would stop and salute him, you know, it was, it was, and I was just a little caught, you know, just running alongside him and just real proud, real proud Michael Hingson ** 03:28 of my father. Did you have any Did you have any siblings? Kay Thompson ** 03:31 I do? I have two brothers. Yeah, they both lived in Arizona. I was in the middle, so smashed right in the middle between two very muscular, very had a very demanding, commanding, excuse me, commanding presences. So in between the two brothers there, yeah, and then my mother, she was an English teacher, and very, you know, did excellent in her own right. She did a lot of drama, just a lot of teaching. She ended up in her 60s getting her doctorate degree, and, you know, just really excelled in education. And so she was the one that was really big on education. You know, go to school, go to school. Go to school. I don't want to go to school. Well, you need to go to school anyway. So I went to school anyway. That's how I can say my life was. Now, where did you grow up? All over, Michael Hingson ** 04:32 okay, you did. I was going to ask if you did a lot of travel, since your dad was in the military. Kay Thompson ** 04:38 Yeah, we certainly did. I was born in Tacoma, Washington. Oh, I don't remember any portion of it, because we were the only there, basically, so I could be born. I feel like, I know that's not the reason. But we went to Washington so I could be born, and then we lived there about a year, and then we moved to New York City. Then. We moved to. Now, by this my brother was already born, because all of us are three years apart. So my brother was born in Verdun, France, okay, and then they moved to, I can't remember where they were before that. I don't know if they went straight to from there to Washington State, and then we moved to New York, and then we went to Aberdeen, Maryland, and that's where my younger brother was born. And then from there, we went to Germany. We stayed there for about three years. From Germany, we went, I can't believe I remember all this. And from Germany, we went to Ohio. We stayed there for a couple of years. And actually we were there when they had that tornado. Was like in the 70s, there was a tornado Zenith Ohio. Well, we weren't far from zenith at the time. So we were there. Then we moved from there to Virginia, and it was there for three years, then to New Jersey, and then that's where my father retired. So we were all over the place. Michael Hingson ** 06:10 You were, my gosh, well, did you, did you learn any of the foreign languages when you were in Germany and France, or, yeah, Kay Thompson ** 06:23 in Germany, we could only, I only remember vaguely, you know, hello, thank you to know what it is now off beat is saying goodbye, Danka and bitter, thank you. You're welcome and good, yeah. But tight. But, no, no, we didn't do that at all Michael Hingson ** 06:47 so, but you, you certainly did a lot and you had a lot of adventures. How do you think that all of that travel affected you as you grew older? What? What did it do that helped shape you? Kay Thompson ** 07:03 Well, I know that, you know, of course, traveling. You know, you hear the story about kids all the time they travel, and because if they're if they're moving a lot, it's hard to create lasting, long term friendships, because you're just constantly moving. And you know, never mind moving to another city, but when you go to another state, even from another country. Now, I did happen to have a friendship with a young lady. Her name was Audrey, and I met her in Germany, and I was between the age of about three to five. I met her in Germany, and we stayed friends till I was in Virginia. So you're talking from Germany, wow, to Maryland, to Virginia. We were friends until Virginia, but then once I left Virginia and went to New Jersey, and I was there for my part of my middle school and then the rest of my high school, we fell out of touch. So that was one of the things I would say is difficult, you know, just having lifelong friends, yeah, that was, that was probably one of the more difficult things. But one thing on the other side is it made great being that person that was a world traveler. It was great when you're in school and they, you know, they ask you in your classroom, hey, you know, tell us something unique about you. Oh, well, I've been to Germany because my parents, when we were in Germany, they wasted no time traveling. They were always traveling. We were on the road all the time. I mean literally, and you know, they, they were just great world travelers. We went we went to Italy, we went to Spain, we went to France, we went to Switzerland. We went everywhere in Europe that they could get in that Volvo that they had. We had a nice little Volvo, and we would pitch out at, you know, campsites, you know, just any way they could to get where they needed to get, because they wanted to see these sites, and especially because my mother was an English teacher, she did a lot of plays, she directed a lot of plays, a lot of Shakespeare. And so a lot of these places were in these books, in this literature that she taught, and I'm sure that's probably one of the major reasons they did all this traveling, all these places that she had studied about, and, you know, taught about, she actually got to go see now, I must say, the only place I didn't go to that I wanted to go to that for some reason, she took my older brother. She didn't take any, noone else went, but my mother and my older brother. And I can't understand that trip to this day they those two went to. Greece. We didn't know. No one else in the family went to Greece. And I meant to ask, I'm going to, you know, when I finish this interview, I'm going to call my brother and ask him, What, what? What did you and mom go to Greece? You know, because nobody else got to go. But I would have loved to go there as well, but, but at the time, you know, new kid, it was okay. Mom and mom and Chuck are going away. Okay. But now that I think back and look back, maybe it was, I never, I never asked about that, but I'm going to ask, Did Michael Hingson ** 10:34 it help you, though, develop a sense of adventure and and not create any kind of fear of of traveling around. Did it make you a more curious person? Because you got to go to so many places? Oh, I asked that in the on the basis of as you grew older and thought about it. Kay Thompson ** 10:52 Oh, yeah, I'm a very curious person, curious person, and at times that can be a little nosy, right? And so, yeah, so that, to me, was, I think, one of the ways that built expanded my mind in terms of wanting to know about people and about things, because I've worked in public relations for many years, and so just being able to understand the perspective of other people from different cultures and different mindsets, being open to people from different cultures, different races, different religions, wanting to hear their point of view, interested in you know how they feel about things, because you can have a subject, or You can have something come up, and you have so many different perspectives from people. And you can see the very same thing, they can be shown the very same thing, but one person sees it from their lens, you know, from where you know, yeah, whether it's how they grew up or their external influences, and then someone could see the very same thing, and it interpret it totally different. Yeah. So Michael Hingson ** 12:08 one of the one of the things that I've noticed in talking to a number of people who came from military families and and others as well, who did do a fair amount of travel to various countries and so on. They do tend to be more curious, and I think that's a very positive thing. They they have a broader outlook on so many things, and they tend to be more curious and want to learn more and wish that more people could have the same experiences that they had. Kay Thompson ** 12:40 Yeah. I mean, not afraid to try new things too, for things that other people would would not like. I remember in Germany being very young, being fed octopus and snail. You know, these delicacies over there in Germany, I remember that at this my where my father was stationed, in Germany. The street, it was in like a court area. It felt like a court area, big apartments set up in a U shape, and then right across in a U shape in the in the middle of a field, like an open space, not a field, but an open space. And then right outside of that open space, we could jump out of that open space right into a busy street called Roma Strasse, and right on the other side of that busy street was Old Town, Germany, literally stepping there were no fences and no bars and no gates. We're stepping straight from our backyard into Germany, because the base was more Americanized. So you really felt Americanized on the base. But once you stepped into Germany, the houses were these. You know, cobble it was cobblestone streets. And I remember me and my brothers used to walk out of our backyard, that big open area, and go across the street into Germany and get the authentic gummy bears. That was our weekly trip. And these gummy bears, I'm telling you now, for gummy bear enthusiasts out there, the gummy bears in Germany looked nothing like these gummy bears that we see here. They were huge. They were the cutest little bears. I almost felt guilty eating them, but we just had a great time. I remember great memories from our exploits, our visits, the life was different. You know, toilet paper was harder. I just remember now that was years ago. I don't know what it's like now, but Michael Hingson ** 14:49 yeah, but does the gummy bears taste better? Kay Thompson ** 14:53 Well, now I can't remember, because then, when you're a kid, any candy, you know, if you say candy, I say, yeah. Much, you know. So when I was that young, I couldn't tell, but they probably did, you know. But then again, for those people that like because I don't drink, but the beer there is much darker, too. So some people don't like that. So better to them. You know, could be, you know, we don't like it to us. So Michael Hingson ** 15:25 I've never been to China, but I've been to Japan twice, and there's a food in China called dim sum. Are you familiar with dim sum? Okay, I'll tell you dim sum in Japan is I and I think better. It's different and tastes better than dim sum in the United States. Now I have to go to China one of these days and try it. Yeah. Kay Thompson ** 15:48 Well, if you ever go to the buffets, have you ever gone to the Yeah? Yeah. Okay, so if you notice the people that work there, they do not eat the food that the buffet. Yeah, they so one day I'm going to do this too. I'm like, hey, you know, can I have some of which Michael Hingson ** 16:09 you guys eat? Yeah, yeah, yeah, well, yeah, but it is, it is interesting. It's fun to to investigate and explore. And I haven't traveled around the world much. I have as a speaker, had some opportunities to travel, but I think my curiosity came from being a blind person who was encouraged by my parents to explore, and the result was that I did a lot of exploring, just even in our house around our neighborhood. And of course, when the internet came along, and I still believe this is true, it is a treasure trove of just wonderful places to go visit. And yeah, I know there's the dark web and all that, but I ignore that. Besides that, probably the dark web is inaccessible, and maybe someday somebody will sue all the people who have sites on the dark web because they're not accessible. But nevertheless, the internet is just a treasure trove of interesting places to visit in so many ways. Yeah, Kay Thompson ** 17:17 and then a virtual reality. So one of the places that I wanted to go to was, I've always wanted to go to Egypt. I haven't had an opportunity yet, and personally, right now, don't know how you know how good an idea that is right now. Yeah, but I went to a recent VR exploration of the pyramids in Egypt. And I'm telling you, if that was how it seemed, it's definitely was a way to help me to, you know, live it out, so to speak. Because there's, like, for instance, there's a place in Florida called the Holy Land, the Holy Land, you know, the whole just like a theme park. And they say it looks, you know, there are areas where it looks just like Israel, parts of Israel. So, you know, in that respect, I've been able to realize some portion of the dream. But yeah, I have been love to get there. Michael Hingson ** 18:16 I have been to Israel, and I enjoy happy. I was in Israel two years ago. Oh, well, so what did you do after high school? Kay Thompson ** 18:30 Oh, after high school, interesting. So remember when I was telling you about the school thing? So I was in and out of school. I went to I started college in New Jersey. Where did you I went to Rutgers University. Rutgers, yeah, well, first I started in New Brunswick. Then I came back because we lived closer to Camden. We lived we lived in New Jersey, closer to Philadelphia. Philadelphia was about 20 minutes away. Michael Hingson ** 18:57 Mm, okay, I lived in, I lived in Westfield, New Jersey. So we were out route 22 from New York, about 15 miles. So we were in the north central part of the state, okay, South North part, or whatever, of the state. Kay Thompson ** 19:11 Okay, okay, yeah. Well, yeah. First it was in New Brunswick. I was there. And then after I did that, I went for about a semester, and then I transferred over to Hampton University, because both my parents went to Hampton, so I said Hampton didn't stay there, and then I ended up coming back and going to Rutgers in Camden, and there I completed my degree. Took me eight years to complete it. What Michael Hingson ** 19:42 did you get your degree in? Kay Thompson ** 19:43 I got my degree in art history and sculpture. So, okay, yeah, and I love what I did. I you know, I had a museum work. Loved working in a museum, and could tell you about all the i. You know, the art, the sculpture, just loved it. But it took me a minute to get that then. And then, after that, I went to, I moved to Atlanta in 92 the end of 92 so after high school, you know, just a lot of challenges, just trying to figure out who I was and what did you do. You know, how I wished I would have, now, looking back on it, I wish I would have, maybe when I got out of high school, just taking some time off first. And because in my heart, I knew I, I knew I, I knew I didn't want to go to school, but I knew I needed to go. I knew there was something in me that said, you you need to go to school. But mentally, I don't think I was mentally prepared for it, for for the you know, because when you get out of high school, and you go into college, it's a unless you take AP courses in high school, you're not prepared for the amount of work you're going to get inundated with. And it was just overwhelming to me. It took all my time. I felt like I was that person. I had to keep reading things over and over again just to get it, I used to have to, not only did I take, you know, what friend of mine calls copious notes, but then I also had to put it over in index cards. And you know, it just took me a long time because my heart wasn't in it at the time. So I ended up meeting a gentleman, my first husband. We were married, we had a son, and then, but he passed away, I think, when my son was about three, and then that's when, okay, okay. Now, you know you now, now, now. I wanted to go. Now I wanted to finish. So it was Michael Hingson ** 22:00 your it was your husband that passed away. Yes, yeah, okay, yeah, all right, so then you decided you really needed to to do school. Kay Thompson ** 22:12 Yeah, I needed to complete it. So that's what pushed me to complete it, leaving Michael Hingson ** 22:17 the major aside of sculpture and art and his art history and so on. If you were to summarize it, what did college teach you? Kay Thompson ** 22:30 Oh, that's a great question. What did college teach me? Well, you know, it taught me that, you know, I think we just need to, well, you need to know how to focus. It's really was a disciplining moment in my life. I was an Army brat. You know this bottom line, I was an Army brat even though I felt like I didn't get a whole lot of things that I wanted. In reality, I had a, like a kind of a spoiled mentality. And when I got to college, I realized that this stuff is not going to be handed to me, you know, you're not going to be handed an a you know, I'm not going to do your studying for you, you know. And so helping me to kind of detach from things I had just depended on for so long. But in that transition, it became very lonely. College was very lonely. I mean, even when I left, because I got out of when I first went to Rutgers and cam in New Brunswick, right out of high school. I had, I was at the dorm, and I wasn't ready for a dorm. I wasn't ready for that life because, you know, I left almost before the semester was over and I had to go and make up the classes. And, you know, thankfully, they allowed me to make up some of my you know, majority well. As a matter of fact, they let me make them all up, but I still had to put in the work. And that was my thing, putting in the work, putting in the work and doing things that I didn't necessarily like. Because even though I liked art and I like sculpture and all that. There were other classes that I had to take, like humanities and algebra, you know, and history, you know, not not art history, but you know, American history, European history, and all these different other subjects, these other prerequisites or curriculum that you have to take. And I didn't always enjoy those and other I don't want to do that, but no, you actually have to do it. So I'm going to say that college really helped me learn about disciplining myself to do things that I don't necessarily like, but they are required of me, Michael Hingson ** 24:58 and I. But I would tell you, if you asked me the same question, that would be my answer. It really taught me a lot about discipline. It taught me also to realize that I really did like inappropriately so adventure and exploration and being curious and so on. I also found that my best college courses were the ones, no matter what the subject was or whether I really enjoyed it or not, were the ones where I had good teachers who really could teach and who were concerned about students and interacting with students, rather than just giving you assignments, because they then wanted to go off and do their thing. But I liked good teachers, and I went to the University of California at Irvine, and had, very fortunately, a lot of good teachers who encouraged discipline and being able to function in unexpected ways and and they also pointed out how to recognize like if you're doing something right, like in physics, when my Masters is in physics, one of the First things that one of my professors said is, if you've got to get the right answer, but the right answer isn't just getting the right numbers, like if you are trying to compute acceleration, which we know is 16 feet per second squared, or 9.8 meters per second squared. That's not right. Anyway, 3232 feet per second, or 9.8 meters per second, it isn't enough to get the 32 feet or or the 9.8 meters. You've got to get meters per second squared. Because that never mind why it is, but that is, that is the physics term for acceleration, so it isn't enough to get the numbers, which is another way of saying that they taught me to really pay attention to the details. Yeah, which was cool. And I'm hearing from you sort of the same thing, which is great, but, but then you went to college, and you majored in what you did, and so did you work in the museum part of the time while you were in college? Kay Thompson ** 27:31 Well, what happened is, I had an art history teacher who just took a, I guess, a liking to me, because I was very enthusiastic about what I did, because I love what I did. And I had a writing background, because I had a mother who was an English teacher. So all my life, I was constantly being edited. So I came in with pretty good grammar and pretty good way to I had a writing I had a talent for writing in a way that the academic were looking for, that art history kind of so I knew how to write that way, and she hired me to help her. She was a professor that did, you know, lectures, and she hired me, paid me out of her own salary, kind of like a work study. And so I worked for her about 20 hours a week, just filing slides and, you know, helping her with whatever she needed, because she was the chair of the department. So that was a great opportunity. I was able to work with her and and maybe feel good to know if somebody thought, you know enough of you know what I did to to hire me, and feel like I I could contribute, and that I was trusted to be able to handle some of these things. I mean, you know, and I don't know how difficult it is to file slides, but you know, when it teacher wants to do a lecture, and back then they were these little, small, little, you know, square slides. Square slides drop into the projector, right? And she's looking for, you know, the temple of Nike. You know, she wants to find it in order. You know, you pull that slide and you put it in your projector, right, carousel, right, yes, yes. So that's what I did, and it was great. I loved it. I learned college. I loved I loved the college atmosphere. I loved being in that vein, and I think I really found my niche when I was when I went to Rutgers in Camden. Michael Hingson ** 29:48 Well, there's a history lesson sports fans, because now, of course, it's all PowerPoint. But back then, as Kay is describing it, when you wanted to project things you had. Slides. So they were pictures, they were films, and they were all these little squares, maybe two inches square, and you put them in a carousel, and you put them in the projector, and every time you push the button, it would go to the next slide, or you could go back the other way. So PowerPoint is only making it a little bit more electronic, but the same concept is still there. So there, there I dealt with slides. So after college, you, you did time at the university, at the museum, I gather, Kay Thompson ** 30:31 okay. So what happened with the museum after I graduated from college, immediately I moved to New Jersey, yeah, you know, right? I'm gonna say probably about six months, six months to a year before college, is when my first husband died, and then after I graduated, um, I moved to New Jersey first. Where did you graduate from? Again, Rutgers University in Camden. Okay, so Michael Hingson ** 30:59 that's New Jersey so you, but after college, you moved, Kay Thompson ** 31:03 I moved to Georgia, Georgia that Michael Hingson ** 31:06 that makes more sense. Okay, okay, Kay Thompson ** 31:08 okay, sorry, yeah, so I moved to Georgia, and immediately, when we came to Georgia, you know my I came with a gentleman who I married shortly after, I moved to Georgia and we opened a art gallery. We were entrepreneurs. We came because, you know, there was, we felt like there was more opportunity in Georgia for small business owners, or would be potential small business owners, or people who wanted to realize their dream. And we know that in Georgia now, I don't know if you know this, but Georgia is a great place for entrepreneurs, so definitely better than where I was at the time. So we packed the U haul and just threw everything in there and came to Atlanta. Now my the gentleman who would be my husband. So I just say my husband now, then he, he had a sister here, so we visited first with her, and that's how we got to really see the scene, check out the scene, and then we came back and moved and found our own place and everything like that. So but when we came, I opened it, I had an art gallery for about a year or so, little bit longer and but that didn't work out. Didn't, you know, just, you know, some things you tried. Just yeah, just didn't work. But then my husband and now just FYI for you, this person, the second person, I married, the second man. He passed away too, but that was in 2008 but so he's my late husband too. So I have two, two husbands that passed away. One was the first one was much younger, and my second husband. We were married for 16 years. This is early on in our relationship. We he he opened a brass outlet, a just all kinds of beautiful black brass vases and animals and just anything brass you wanted. But also, after I shut down the museum I had or the gallery, it was an art gallery, I moved my pieces into his brass outlet, and there I was able to kind of display them and sell them. We had pieces that range from, you know, $25 to $500 so we I found a little space there that I could do my work. So it was a nice little coupling. Michael Hingson ** 33:43 Yeah, I'm with you. Uh huh. So so you, you have obviously moved on from from doing a lot of that, because now you have other endeavors, as we mentioned at the beginning, being a minister, an entrepreneur, an author and so on. So how did you transition from just doing art to doing some of the things that you do today? Kay Thompson ** 34:18 Okay, so what happened is when I came to and I guess this is the really, deeply more personal aspect of it all, when, when I came to Atlanta again, my my first husband had passed away. He committed suicide. Yeah, so when I came to Atlanta, my second husband and I were not yet married, and all I knew is that I wanted the relationship not to be the way the first one was, in a sense of. I I didn't want to go through that specific kind of trauma again and and not that the the two gentlemen were similar. They were very different people. My second husband was a very confident, very strong willed, you know, type of a person, but the trauma and my first husband, he had his own strength in, you know, but there's something that happens when you decide, you know, to end your life. Yeah, I wanted to make sure that I had some sort of support, divine support, because the going through something like that, and when I say something like that, not only am I talking about the suicide, but the fact that he was On we were on the phone together when this happened, so and then just dealing with everything that happened around it, you can imagine someone feeling a little bit insecure, unsure. So I really began to seek God for that relationship that I know would sustain me. I had grown up, you know, my parents grew up, they brought us to church. You know, I wouldn't say my parents were they weren't ministers, but they were active in whatever church they went to, and they made sure that we went to church every Sunday, even the Vacation Bible School. I can remember that in New Jersey, I remember, you know, them just being a very, very involved. My my parents. My mother was a singer, so she sang a lot in the choir, lot of solos. My father was a deacon. They both became elders, and elders, meaning they were just senior members of ministry. Because elder in the I'm in a non denominational ministry now, but elder is another way of saying a ordained male Minister their particular denomination, an elder was, you know, almost you might want to say like a trustee, so, but they were root, they they were they were integral to their church, And they were really foundational members. And so I just remember that impact on my life, and so I needed to make sure I had that grounding, and I knew I didn't have it because I was doing any and everything I wanted to do. You know, one of the reasons my my second husband, said, You know, he, I was the one for him, is because we had a drinking competition and I beat him, you know, we were taking shots, and I beat him. And so, you know that that was something that, you know, he said, Oh, you're, you know, girl, you're the one for me. And so that was our life, running, you know, we did a lot of. We entertained. We, you know, we did a lot of partying, as you say, a lot of having a great time. We were living our best life, right? So I knew I wasn't living a life that I could tell, Hey, God, see my life, Aren't you proud? It wasn't that life I was living. I wasn't, you know, doing biblical things. I wasn't living life, right? So I needed to make sure when I came to New Jersey, I mean, when I came to Atlanta from New Jersey with this gentleman that I had not yet married, I said, Lord, you know, help me make the right decision. And I'd say we could be moved to to Georgia in it's something like January, February. Okay, we got married about two months later, and then a month after that, I was pregnant with my daughter. So things being that, it happened very fast. But one thing about it is, of course, when you're pregnant, as a woman, you know, you can't do this. I couldn't do the things that I was doing before, right? The partying, smoking, the drinking, all of that, you know, for the sake of the child. You know, you just can't do it. So I went through a terrible withdrawal. Yeah, it was, it was pretty bad and and the only refuge I had was the church. So that's how I really got into the church. And once I got into the church, I had, I had been in the church before I had made a decision. Decision when I was about, I'm going to say about five, five or six years prior to that, I had given my life to the Lord. I had, you know, come into a relationship with the Lord, but life happened, and I got out of it. You know, I quickly kind of got out of it. And so for many years, I was just doing my own thing. So again, when, when, when we came to Georgia, I got pregnant, got married, going through with the withdrawals. I just, you know, I just went back into the church, uh, rekindled that relationship. Or, or the Bible says that he, he, he's with loving kindness. Has he drawn you? So he really drew me back based on my need. And so I came back to the church and got really, really involved in ministry. And as I got involved, I just kind of threw myself into it, because I could not do the previous things I did. And then even after I had my my second child, it's a daughter, so I have a son and a daughter, I had to live a life that was good for Michael Hingson ** 41:05 them. And what did your husband think of all that? Kay Thompson ** 41:09 Oh, yeah. Well, first he thought I had joined a cult. Okay, yeah, that's so that was his first impression. So he came to the church because he wanted to see who these cult members were that were drawing away his wife. And when he came, he got kind of hooked to the church, yeah? But our our faith was never at the same level. You know? He came because of me. I came because of of God, right? And I don't know if he ever really, I don't think he ever really got to that level that I did, where I was just gung ho. Everything was, you know, I was a Jesus girl. I was a holy roller, you know. And he did it for us. He did it for, you know, task sake, because he was a task oriented person. But he came, he came to be a very like my parents. He came to be very important part of the church. He was a deacon. He was faithful. He loved our leaders. He served with faith and integrity. But when it came to that, you know, deep seated personal relationship with God, where you know God, I just give you everything you know that that was mine. That was what I did. So we differed in that respect, yeah, Michael Hingson ** 42:35 well, well, hopefully though, in in the long run, you said he's passed. I assume it was not a suicide. Kay Thompson ** 42:45 No, no, Michael Hingson ** 42:46 Ben that he is. He is moving on in that faith. So that's a hopeful Kay Thompson ** 42:53 thing. Yeah, I believe he is. He had congestive heart failure and he passed away. And, yeah, I believe he he's now at rest, enjoying his rest. Yes, there Michael Hingson ** 43:06 you go. So when did he pass in 2008 Okay, so that was 17 years ago. Okay, yep, well, so you were very involved in the church. And I suppose in some senses, it's probably a question that is reasonably obvious, but then I'll still ask, how did you get into the ministry from being very heavily involved in church, and when did that happen? Kay Thompson ** 43:38 Okay, so one day our church. You know, the churches we have depending on, I guess, your faith or leaders do in the beginning of each year, we have a 21 day consecration, which we do in January, throughout the month of January. You know they might say, okay, 21 for 21 days. Read these scriptures, and we're going to fast from, you know, sweets, meats, or, you know, whatever the directive is. And so we was in a 21 day fast, and that was at my home one day. It was in the middle of the night, and I distinctly heard a call to preach. And that's really how the it all began. I mean, I knew, you know, the Bible says that, you know, even with Jeremiah and Jeremiah one, he says, Before the foundation, you know, before your mother and your father, you know, were together, I have already called you. I already ordained you. So I heard this call to preach, very distinct call, and at that point, I told my pastor, and from that point, I was kind of groomed, and as time went on, I was given more responsibility. Uh, you know, praying, or every now and then, preaching, doing Bible study. The next thing I know, I took my licensing exam, I was licensed, and then after that, I went through ordination, and I was ordained, and that's how it really began. And it was something I really took to heart, because I didn't want to disappoint God again. I didn't want to backslide again. Because, you know, I strongly believed in the faith, and I believe in the faith, and I believe in the power of Jesus, and I didn't want to be that person that Okay. Today I'm going to be faithful to the God and to His Word. But then, you know, then on the next day, you know, you're finding me, you know, yeah, in the liquor store, or, you know, this, doing this, or, you know, in the club. I didn't want to be that person. Yeah, I was, I was sincere, and I was very gung ho, and I wanted to live out this life. I wanted to see what the calling was going to be in my life. And I loved ministry. I loved the word, because I was already an art historian. So I loved history. And so the Bible is all you know, it's something history. It's history. Yeah, it's relevant. History to me, it's alive and active, sure. So it was perfect. It was a perfect pairing for me, and that that's really been my pursuit many these years. Michael Hingson ** 46:37 So when did you become a minister? Kay Thompson ** 46:41 Actually, when I, when I was telling you about that fast and when I heard the word preach, essentially when I heard that word preach between me and God, that was when I became a minister. Time wise. When was that time wise? Okay, that was probably 94 Okay. I Yeah, all right. Michael Hingson ** 47:00 So you were, you were clearly a preacher during a lot of the time with your your second husband, and so on, and, and I am so glad that he at least did explore and and and learn so much. So that's a that's a cool thing. But you've also done some other things. You deal with real estate, you're a TV show host, you're an author and well, business owner, yeah, but I want to, I want to learn more about some of those. But what kind of challenges have you faced in the ministry? Kay Thompson ** 47:42 Yeah. I would say some of the challenges are, you know, when you're in ministry, you have to preach or get yourself prepared for going before the people. It can be a very lonely lifestyle, yeah, yeah, even, even if you're married, even if you have children, it could still be a lonely and and demanding in its own right, because there is a mandate over your life to live and not according to what you see trending now. And, you know, when I, when I first got started in ministry there, the Internet was not the way it is now. No, no, definitely. Because, I mean, it was in 2000 that I got ordained. And I'm going to say the ministry had been, you know, it was just really starting to, I don't know you guess, she said, make waves. That's when all of the big evangelists were coming out, like, you know, the TD Jakes, the Paula white and the Benny Hinn and the Juanita Biden. That is around that time when those generation of preachers were really at the forefront, correct, low dollar and, you know, Bishop, Carlton, Pearson and Rod Parsley and all these, these names. That's when it really began to really pick up steam. And so that was the error that I started off in. And you wanted to be a person. You wanted to be relevant, but at the same token, you just trying to find that balance between family and ministry and and regular life. You know, can sometimes be really challenging, and I had to learn a lot about the order of things. You know, first it's God, then it's family, and then it's ministry. That's the order. But a lot of times we mix up God and ministry. So what we think is, you know, and. Aspect of things that we think that are God, that are actually ministry, and they supersede your family. That's where you know you can really run into some trouble. So that balance between those different aspects of my life, it was difficult, and then as a person who had a a more a prophetic, a revelatory call. On top of that, God is showing you things about people, about, you know, situations that you don't necessarily ask to know about, you know. And the Bible says, you know, with much knowledge can often come sorrow, you know. And that's when you begin to see God really unveiling and revealing things about people and about yourself. Because you have to be able to, you have to be able to look at yourself and not get too self righteous, right? If God is showing you these things. But in the same token, you don't want to, you know, you say, Okay, God, you're showing me this. What do you want me to do with this? And you know, somebody else might say, Okay, you need to go tell that person what God showed you. You know, I saw you doing this. You better stop, you know, doing this. And then, you know, so busy pointing the finger. Yeah, but you have to remember, you know, and it's, it may be cliches, but you've got three pointing back at you. And so there is, you know, you you've gotta be able to stay humble and yet still balance your family and still, you know, uh, not think yourself to be more than what you are, and yet realize that God has called you to do more in ministry than the average person. So yeah, it can be challenging, but I wouldn't change it for anything. Michael Hingson ** 51:55 It can be a challenge, but at the same time, you clearly were called to do it, and you work at keeping perspective, and I think that's the important thing, which goes back to college, which helped you learn a lot of discipline, and you get to use that discipline in a different way, perhaps, than you right, you figured out in college. But discipline is discipline, yeah. Well, how did you then get into something like the media and start being a TV show host and those kinds of things? Kay Thompson ** 52:26 Yeah, so I have a wonderful, wonderful pastor who really takes time to work with their their members and find out what your gifts are, what your talents are, and use them. And so I So, let's just say so I was an artist. Okay, bottom line, I was a sculptor, painter, award winning painter, by the way. Let me just tell you now, you know the first or second painting I did, I entered it into a contest at the college, and I won an award, so I had a gift for this design, but in my time we were transitioning to graphic design, graphic design became the big thing, and I never had if I had the aptitude to do computer science, which, bless his soul, my beautiful son is a computer scientist, right, you know, but that gene, this, that gene, skip right on over me. I was not the math person, and when you said physicist, I said, Hmm, that that, you know, that gene just, just totally went around me, Michael Hingson ** 53:41 yeah, so you don't know anything about 32 feet per second squared anyway, no, Kay Thompson ** 53:45 I'm about to say, I trust you, whatever you say, you know, and it's the funny thing is, my father was a mathematician, my older brother was a chemical engineer, and Me, you know that I struggle just to pass geometry. Okay, so no, I was the artsy person. Michael Hingson ** 54:07 Um, that's fine, but I was, yeah. How'd that get you to the media? Kay Thompson ** 54:12 Yeah, so I was going to say, so, the combination what happened is my pastor knew a pastor who was looking for a part time job, looking for someone to have a part time job, because he had a he had his own publishing company in his house. He at the time he was he published a book that we talked about church growth. And this was at the time when the Purpose Driven Life, The Purpose Driven Life was a purpose driven church came out. It was a huge success. And he the same thing happened with him here in Atlanta, but no publishing company wanted to take. Make his story, because that's the, you know, the whole the society was inundated with this purpose driven church, you know, it was already written about. It was already done. They didn't want his story. So he decided to create his own publishing company, and it was in the basement of his mansion, and he was looking for someone to be the secretary. So I came in that I was, it was a friend of a friend of friend. They hired me, and I started working for him as a as a secretary. And then they would bring these books over, and he would, you know, send them out to be edited, and then bring them back. And then I would have to mail it out to the to the printer and one of the books one day, and I saw it, and I noticed there were still typos in it. I said, Sir, there's still typos in your book. Oh, really, yeah. And he had already paid this person $1,000 so I went back through it, found all these typos, and that's how I got into publishing, publishing my own books and and everything like that. But then one day, my pastor said, Hey, Kay, why don't you do a radio show? I was like, okay, sure, right, because I had met so many people in ministry from doing their books. So I called the radio station, the local am station, and I said, Hey, how much does it cost to do a show, blah, blah, blah, blah. And I was sponsored by my pastor and some other people, and I started a 30 minute show every week. It was called personalities, profiles and perspectives, the three teams, and I would interview people, gospel artists, pastors, you know, just politicians, you know, just people. I would reach out to them. Next thing I know, I got hired by a station in another station in Atlanta. It was called wg, I don't know if you remember, well, you, you probably don't, because you're not from Atlanta, right? But it was W G, U N, 10:10am, in Atlanta, the biggest am station aside from WSB radio, which is WSB 750 the major news network, right? WGN, 1010. Was a huge station, and I got hired by them. I was a DJ. It was a gospel station, and I ended up being the program director, and did a lot of, you know, voiceovers. I did shows, I did production. That's how I got into radio. And I loved it. I loved radio. I loved anything to do with media. It was just I knew it. I got bit with the bug when they opened up that hot mic. That was it. I was in my element. So that's how I got into radio. And then you went to TV. And then I went to TV, yeah, went to TV. Well, what happened is, I was writing books, and there is a station here in Atlanta, W ATC TV 57 and they interview people all over, actually, all over the country. You can come from wherever we know, we've had big names, you know, all kinds of people and local people. And that's one thing about it, is that local people in ministry could go there. They could sing, if they were music artists, they could, you know, talk about their books, talk about their ministry. And so I went on and talked about my book, and next thing I know, I got called in to be a host, and so I've been hosting now for about five years. Wow. You know, on and off. You know, the the show has different hosts each, and I do a couple of times a month. Okay, I'll actually be on there shortly, again in a few days. So Michael Hingson ** 58:57 tell us about your books. You've mentioned books several times. Did you publish your own books? Okay, so tell us about your books. Kay Thompson ** 59:06 So yeah, the first four books, well, I've done I've had four books which were on prophecy. The the main title is prophecy in the 21st Century. And then I did four different volumes. The first one was the role of prophecy in the new millennium. And basically that one was written in, I'm going to say around 2012 somewhere about 2012 and it talks about the relevance of prophecy with regard to the millennial generation, and how this you can help steer direct and go alongside millennial mindset, millennial and many millennial aspects of this generation. And then the second book was also the set under the same volume, the same name. Prophecy in the 21st Century, the role of and the second the first one is the role of prophecy in the new millennium. The second one was prophetic healing. And prophetic healing talks about prophecy and healing in the Bible and how prophetic people who operate in the prophetic can help bring forth, healing, societal, healing, relational, healing, physical, healing, financial. And then the third one was about prophetic women. And these are women in the Bible that had a prophetic calling, not necessarily called a prophetess, but display those characteristics of women that operate in Revelation and that sort of gift. And then the fourth one was called the leadership mandate, and it talks about leader and how leaders navigate in the prophetic arena and the characteristics that people ought to have, and leaders in the Bible that also operated in that revelation or that. And then the last book I wrote was called the 30 names, or not the but 30 Names of God, because there are so many more names that God is known by. But I chose 30 names that really stood out to me as what God has called. You know Jehovah Gabor. You know the warrior one fights for us. You know Jehovah Jireh, of course, we know that's our provider. Mm, hmm, Jehovah Rapha, our healer. So I found 30 names that really stood out to me, and I spoke about those in that book. So those are the books that I have, and then I've got another book that will be coming out within the next year, and and it is about healing. So those are my books, and I've published those books. And not only do I, I didn't start off publishing my own books. I started off publishing for other people, right? Because the more I worked in that field, the more I found that I could do better financially if I did it myself. Yeah, so and I, and I, one thing about it is that as a result of being an artist, that the graphic design, computer graphics, came really easy to me, I'll bet. So, yeah, so someone could hand me a manuscript. I had the editing skills right for my mother. So I could edit your book. I could create the design. I could format it. I You. Hand me your manuscript, I hand you back your finished product. So for me, you know, the cheapest person that you know, I pay the least amount because so I can publish as many books as I could write, probably, you know, but that's how I really got started doing that, and then I began to do it for other people, other leaders, other pastors, friends, you know, just people that want that service. I provide that service. And so that's how that really got started. Michael Hingson ** 1:03:12 Now we don't have a lot of time, but I just curious. You also do something in real estate. Kay Thompson ** 1:03:19 I do, yeah, I I got my license in 2005 and maybe one year, maybe one year, and then I got out of it right away. Life happened, and then I came back in 2022, and began to did it full time. And so I love it. I love real estate. Right now I'm in residential, but I do some commercial, and the ultimate goal is to do mostly commercial and to have a space. The goal for commercial is to really help others entrepreneurs who are interested in having businesses offline, giving them an opportunity to have a space that is little to nothing, and that's one of the ways that I really want to give back, is to be able to offer that opportunity for people out there to help others to achieve that same goal. And so I believe in entrepreneur. I've been an entrepreneur for 17 years now. So, yeah, have a heart for that. So I want to see other people get through that challenge and be successful. So, and I know it takes money, Michael Hingson ** 1:04:37 but in real estate helps. Kay Thompson ** 1:04:39 It definitely helps. Yeah? Well, real estate is constantly going up, you know, even if the market is down and even if finances are down, real estate is something that is immovable, Michael Hingson ** 1:04:52 so go back up. Speaker 1 ** 1:04:54 Yeah, yeah, for sure, and Michael Hingson ** 1:04:57 you clearly enjoy everything that you're. Doing, which is the important thing, yes, I have that is that is really cool, and I am so glad that we had a chance to talk about all this, needless to say, and I want to thank you for being on unstoppable mindset. Clearly, you have an unstoppable mindset, and you exhibited in so many ways. So I really want to thank you, but I also want to thank all of you for listening out there, wherever you happen to be, if you'd like to reach out to KK, how can people find you? Kay Thompson ** 1:05:31 They can go to my website. It is my name, K Thompson, dot, O, R, G, all my books are there? Contact information, some of my podcasts. You can watch some of Atlanta live the videos of the shows. It's all on my website, Michael Hingson ** 1:05:49 all right, and that's in in the notes and so on. So, k, a, y, T, H, O, M, P, S O, n.org, correct. So hope that you'll all go there and and check Kay out and and communicate with her. I'm sure that she would love, and I would love to know what you think and get your thoughts about today. So please feel free to email me at Michael, H, I m, I C, H, A, E, L, H i at accessibe, A, C, C, E, S, S, I B, e.com, wherever you're observing our podcast today, please give us a five star rating. We value very highly your reviews, and we, of course, love them most when you give us a five star review. So please do that. And Kay, for you and for everyone who is out there today, if you know anyone else who ought to be on unstoppable mindset, I would really appreciate it if you'd introduce us and we will bring them on the podcast, because we're always looking for people who have stories to tell about their lives and being unstoppable. So please don't hesitate to let us know. You can also go to our podcast page, which is Michael hingson, M, I, C, H, A, E, L, H, I N, G, s o n.com/podcast, so we'd love you to do that as well. But again, really appreciate all you being out there and listening to us and and I'm sure you you like, like, I have gotten some wonderful things out of talking with case. Okay, once again, I want to thank you for being here. This has been absolutely wonderful. Kay Thompson ** 1:07:22 Well, thank you. I really enjoyed it. I appreciate you asking me to be here and just so glad to be able to share with you today your audience. Really appreciate it. Michael Hingson ** 1:07:37 You have been listening to the Unstoppable Mindset podcast. Thanks for dropping by. I hope that you'll join us again next week, and in future weeks for upcoming episodes. To subscribe to our podcast and to learn about upcoming episodes, please visit www dot Michael hingson.com slash podcast. Michael Hingson is spelled m i c h a e l h i n g s o n. While you're on the site., please use the form there to recommend people who we ought to interview in upcoming editions of the show. And also, we ask you and urge you to invite your friends to join us in the future. If you know of any one or any organization needing a speaker for an event, please email me at speaker at Michael hingson.com. I appreciate it very much. To learn more about the concept of blinded by fear, please visit www dot Michael hingson.com forward slash blinded by fear and while you're there, feel free to pick up a copy of my free eBook entitled blinded by fear. The unstoppable mindset podcast is provided by access cast an initiative of accessiBe and is sponsored by accessiBe. Please visit www.accessibe.com . AccessiBe is spelled a c c e s s i b e. There you can learn all about how you can make your website inclusive for all persons with disabilities and how you can help make the internet fully inclusive by 2025. Thanks again for Listening. Please come back and visit us again next week.
Most people play it safe in real estate, but Tonya Murfin and Angie Mullings did the opposite. In this episode, they join Leigh Brown to share how stepping outside the norm led to unexpected partnership, personal growth, and a podcast that's changing conversations. Hit play to hear what happens when you stop competing and start showing up real. Key takeaways to listen for How authentic leadership starts with transparency The surprising emotional aftermath of board service Why Tonya and Angie started their podcast, and how it changed their relationship Ways mentorship, legacy, and community make a long-term impact in real estate The power of saying “yes” to leadership, even when the timing isn't perfect Resources mentioned in this episode Women's Council of REALTORS® National Association of REALTORS® NC REALTORS® About Angie Mullings and Tonya Murfin Tonya Murfin is a real estate broker-owner and co-host of the Simply Authentic podcast. Known for her deep commitment to board service and REALTOR® leadership, she brings transparency, humor, and heart to every conversation, whether she's mentoring new agents or challenging the status quo. Angie Mullings is a broker-owner, industry leader, and co-host of the Simply Authentic podcast. With a passion for collaboration and service, she helps elevate the real estate profession through mentorship, authenticity, and a belief that there's room at the table for everyone. Connect with Angie and Tonya Facebook: Simply Authentic Podcast Instagram: @simplyauthenticpodcast YouTube: Simply Authentic Podcast Email: reproc21@gmail.com | tonya@swmrealty.com Connect with Leigh Please subscribe to this podcast on your favorite podcast app at https://pod.link/1153262163, and never miss a beat from Leigh by visiting https://leighbrown.com. DM Leigh Brown on Instagram @ LeighThomasBrown.
With the threat of the National Guard looming over the city, it's important to remember immigration raids are still happening across Chicagoland. Host Jacoby Cochran talks with Diego Morales with the Pilsen Rapid Response Network about how organizers are responding and what Chicagoans should do if they encounter ICE operations. Want some more City Cast Chicago news? Then make sure to sign up for our Hey Chicago newsletter. Follow us @citycastchicago You can also text us or leave a voicemail at: 773 780-0246 If you enjoyed today's interview with 2025 President of the Chicago Association of REALTORS®, Erika Villegas, learn more here. Learn more about the sponsors of this Aug. 28 episode: Overlook Maps Chicago Association of Realtors Window Nation North Shore Center for the Performing Arts Paramount Theatre Become a member of City Cast Chicago. Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE
Send me a message Realtors basically light money on fire every single month… and then pretend it's “investing.”
How to Dominate with Probate & List More Homes – Expert Tips from Carolynn Castillo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lZCdK3llHn4&feature=youtu.be ➡️ Want To Learn More About Partnering With Me at eXp (Get all my Training & Coaching For Free) Schedule a Zero Pressure, Fully Confidential Zoom Call with me: https://go.oncehub.com/PartnerwithJoshuaSmithGSD ➡️ Connect With Me On Social Media: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JoshuaSmithGSD Instagram: https://instagram.com/joshuasmithgsd/ About Joshua Smith: -Licensed Realtor/Team Leader Since 2005 -Voted 30th Top Realtor in America by The Wall Street Journal -NAR "30 Under 30" Finalist -Named Top 100 Most Influential People In Real Estate -Top 1% of Realtors/Team Leaders Worldwide -6000+ Homes Sold & Currently Selling 1+ Homes Daily -Featured In: Forbes, Wall Street Journal, Inman & Realtor Magazine -Realtor, Team Leader, Coach, Mentor
When most agents think about negotiations, they picture being pushy, holding firm, and “winning” the deal. But the problem is, being so focused on winning can actually create the ultimate loss for the client and you. The majority of deals aren't lost because of price. They're lost because of poor communication between agents, between clients, and in how we present offers in the first place. Negotiation isn't about arm-wrestling the other side into submission. It's about finding common ground, keeping emotions in check, and making sure every party feels heard. Sometimes the best deal isn't the highest offer or the lowest price, it's the one that saves your client from bigger losses down the road. What subtle language shifts prevent client resistance? Can delaying a decision lead to better outcomes? In this episode of Level Up, we pull back the curtain on what kills negotiations, and the counterintuitive strategies that save deals most agents fumble. Things You'll Learn In This Episode The “best deal” isn't always the highest price Sometimes protecting your client means selling lower or buying faster to avoid bigger losses. How do you spot when the smartest play isn't the most obvious one? The psychology of being heard Clients don't need to win every point; they just need to feel listened to. How can a simple shift in how you acknowledge their emotions keep negotiations from collapsing? The pause button strategy Walking away for a night can be more powerful than pushing for a yes in the moment. Why does “sleeping on it” so often turn dead deals into signed contracts? Don't get tunnel vision on price Terms, timelines, and conditions often carry more weight than numbers. How do top negotiators use these levers to close deals that most agents lose? About Your Host Greg Harrelson is a real estate agent, coach, trainer, and owner of Century 21 The Harrelson Group. He has been in the real estate business for over 30 years and has been professionally trained by coaches like Mike, Matthew, Tom Ferry, Chet Holmes, and Tony Robbins. He is in the top 1% of all Realtors nationwide. His goal is to empower his clients with the information necessary to make sound financial decisions while being sensitive to the experience one is looking for in real estate ownership. The Harrelson Group has been the leading office in the Myrtle Beach real estate market for years, and they have recently added a new office in Charleston, SC. Guest Host Abe Safa is a highly experienced real estate expert with over two decades in the industry. He is a key leader at Century 21 The Harrelson Group, where he specializes in helping clients navigate complex real estate transactions with ease. In addition to his role at Century 21, Abe is a sought-after mentor and speaker, sharing his expertise through seminars and coaching programs to help other agents succeed in the competitive real estate market. Check out this episode on Apple Podcasts, or Spotify, and don't forget to leave a review if you like what you heard. Your review feeds the algorithm so our show reaches more people. Thank you!
You've experienced life at the highest level: private planes, exclusive circles, red carpet events, and the luxury that money can buy. But beyond the accolades and access, have you ever found yourself asking, 'Is this all there is?' There's a silent struggle that often shadows success. Behind the velvet ropes and curated lifestyles, many high-profile individuals wrestle with an inner void—an ache that no amount of wealth, recognition, or adrenaline can truly silence. When the applause quiets and the entourage leaves, the stillness can feel suffocating. For some, that emptiness is numbed by alcohol or distraction. The result? A slow unraveling. What once felt like a dream life begins to lose its shape, and the future becomes harder to see. But there is another way forward. Sometimes, it takes losing everything you thought mattered to discover what truly does. That was David Christensen's journey. Once immersed in the Hollywood elite and high-adrenaline adventures, yes, even Titanic exploration, David found himself at a crossroads as the lifestyle he built began to unravel. In this episode, he shares how reconnecting with purpose led him to an unexpected but deeply fulfilling new path in real estate. Things You'll Learn In This Episode -Keep your eyes on the prize Staying connected to your purpose keeps you motivated through challenges. What's the bigger goal that drives you to keep going when things get tough? -Figuring out your “why” Clarity on your “why” is the foundation for lasting fulfillment and purpose. What would your life look like if every decision you made was aligned with your true “why”? -From red carpets to open houses Managing Hollywood artists and working in real estate aren't actually all that different. What other surprising traits do the two share? Guest Bio David Christensen is a nationally recognized luxury Realtor and speaker who has sold more than 400 homes and been honored as a 2025 ‘Realtor of the Year' nominee, four-time ICON Agent, and eight-time ‘Best of Zillow' award winner. This year he made global headlines representing the sale of the iconic ‘Breaking Bad' house, featured in The New York Times, Robb Report, and The Wall Street Journal, among others. Prior to his career in real estate, David managed music artists and projects as an entertainment executive in Los Angeles. He also served as Media Director for a renowned TITANIC expedition, diving 12,800 feet to the wreck site; an experience shared by fewer than 200 people worldwide. David's life is a powerful story of resilience and reinvention: from Hollywood success to personal collapse, and ultimately to successful entrepreneur and purpose-driven leader. As a speaker, he shares on real estate, transformation, resilience, and turning your "comeback into a calling". Visit https://davidchristensen.com/ Find David on LinkedIn @David Christensen Follow David on Instagram @davidchristensenre Facebook: David Christensen - Realtor | Bedford NH YouTube: David Christensen - Realtor Email David: david.christensen@exprealty.com About Your Host From pro-snowboarder to money mogul, Chris Naugle has dedicated his life to being America's #1 Money Mentor. With a core belief that success is built not by the resources you have, but by how resourceful you can be. Chris has built and owned 19 companies, with his businesses being featured in Forbes, ABC, House Hunters, and his very own HGTV pilot in 2018. He is currently founder of The Money School™, and Money Mentor for The Money Multiplier. His success also includes managing tens of millions of dollars in assets in the financial services and advisory industry and in real estate transactions. As an innovator and visionary in wealth-building and real estate, he empowers entrepreneurs, business owners, and real estate investors with the knowledge of how money works. Chris is also a nationally recognized speaker, author, and podcast host. He has spoken to and taught over ten thousand Americans, delivering the financial knowledge that fuels lasting freedom. Check out this episode on our website, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify, and don't forget to leave a review if you like what you heard. Your review feeds the algorithm so our show reaches more people. Thank you!
Links & ResourcesFollow us on social media for updates: Instagram | YouTubeCheck out our recommended tool: Prop StreamThank you for listening!
With over 1.6 million REALTORS® in the U.S. (and even more licensed agents), it's easy to feel the market is oversaturated.BUT…most agents are not building consistent, sustainable businesses. And this creates a huge opportunity for YOU! In this episode, I'm walking you through:The real data behind the numbersWhat it actually means to stand out in this business (hint: it's not about dancing on Instagram)How to shift from “Why would someone choose me?” to “Here's why I'm different”How to use social media if you want to—but only in a way that feels aligned and sustainableYou don't have to be the loudest agent in the room. You just have to be the clearest.Because the agents who stand out aren't copying what's trending—they're focused on who they help, how they help them, and how they make people feel from start to finish.RESOURCES & LINKSReady to take the guesswork out of lead generation? Download the FREE 60 Lead Gen Strategies Guide
What's new and what's next in Matrix MLS? This week, HAR's Nathan Goble joined us for a behind-the-scenes look at new features, what's coming soon, and how you can use Matrix more effectively. Sign up for Free Industry News Subscriptions for HAR Members here- https://www.harconnect.com/free-industry-news-subscriptions-for-har-members/ Are you an HAR MLS Platinum Subscriber? Join our Facebook Group! Click to join. Sign Up for your free Real Estate News Subscription here. Sign up for your free Inman Select Subscription here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube , and LinkedIn.
Are Google Ads worth it for a local realtor? In today's episode, I'm talking with Jack Hepp of Industrious Marketing about Google Ads strategy for realtors. We're diving into what's worth it, what to expect from your budget, and how to stand out with the help of your personal brand. Time-stamps:Meet Jack (1:06)How Industrious Marketing got started (3:18)Understanding types of Google Ads (4:18)Differentiating your ad with your personal brand (11:15)Targeting your ideal clients with keywords (13:28)The strategy behind long-tail keywords (16:14)Airbnb (17:27)Creating a sticky brand ecosystem (18:28)Expectations for budget and ROI (20:49)Should you sell property via Google Ads? (25:29)Work with Jack and Industrious Marketing (28:53)Be the best in your brand and market (32:11)Mentioned in This Episode:Airbnb: brandandmarket.co/airbnb Connect with Jack:Website: industriousmarketing.coLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/harrisonjheppConnect with Ali: Website: brandandmarket.coInstagram: instagram.com/brandandmarket.co
Mortgage rate cuts are back on the table — but will they actually help buyers, or just push prices higher? In this week's Texas Real Estate & Finance Podcast, Mike Mills breaks down the Fed's latest signals, housing market shifts, and the AI tools Realtors can use to stay ahead. If you're a Realtor navigating 2025 chaos, this one's for you.Episode OverviewThe Mortgage Rate Cut Outlook 2025 is finally shifting, but what does it actually mean for Realtors, buyers, and sellers? In this episode, Mike Mills dives into the Fed's Jackson Hole updates, Texas housing market stats, and the impact of inflation vs. jobs data. Realtors will learn:Why mortgage rates don't always follow Fed cutsHow to frame buyer conversations around payments, not headlinesWhy sellers should price right in the first two weeksHow AI workflows can turn client interviews into personalized marketingIf you've been asking: “How can Realtors prepare clients for rate cuts?” or “What mortgage strategies still work in 2025?” — this episode has the answers.Key Takeaways1. Mortgage Rate Cut Outlook Is ComplexThe Fed may cut rates in September 2025, but mortgage rates don't always move in lockstep with Fed policy. Realtors must educate clients that affordability depends on both rates and home prices, not just one headline.2. Buyer Concessions Beat Price CutsA $10,000 price cut lowers a payment by just $65/month, but $10,000 in concessions saves real cash today. Realtors should coach buyers to negotiate concessions rather than chasing small monthly savings.3. Sellers Must Price Smart EarlyThe first two weeks on market are critical. Overpricing leads to stagnation, price cuts, and lowball offers, while sharp pricing sparks competition and higher final sales. Realtors must guide sellers to hit the market aggressively.4. Texas Housing Market Is SplinteredDFW is sliding, Houston is holding strong, Austin is still 17% below its peak, and San Antonio is affordable but cutting prices. Realtors need to tailor strategies to each local market instead of following national headlines.5. AI Can Personalize Client ExperiencesRecording and transcribing the first buyer/seller meeting allows Realtors to use AI (ChatGPT, NotebookLM) to generate presentations, follow-ups, and long-term profiles. For less than $50/month, Realtors can automate personalization like a Fortune 500 marketer.
Part two of this special series dives into three critical pieces of the 2025 housing market shift: home sales, inventory, and affordability. David Sidoni breaks down the numbers, explains why headlines can be misleading, and shows how today's changes open up new opportunities for first-time buyers.The 2025 housing market is in the middle of a transformation unlike anything seen in decades. In part two of this three-part series, David Sidoni unpacks the latest on home sales, shifting inventory, and affordability. He shares how existing home sales have dropped to just over 4 million in recent years, but new data and falling mortgage rates are signaling a move back toward healthier levels. Headlines might scream contradictions — sluggish sales one day, rising applications the next — but that's exactly why staying educated matters. Inventory is building, builders are offering incentives, and affordability is showing signs of life. For first-time buyers, understanding these shifts is the key to beating the rush and securing a home before competition heats back up.Quote: “If you take advantage of this shift now, you can beat the bum rush of a bazillion other buyers.”Highlights:Existing home sales data from 2019–2025 and what it means for first-time buyersWhy headlines about sales and applications seem contradictoryThe role of new construction and builder incentives in boosting supplyHow declining mortgage rates are already improving affordabilityActionable insights on how to prepare for the next market phaseReferenced Episodes:Part 1 of this 2025 Crucial Housing Market Shift series (home prices & mortgage rates)355 - Real Answers Pt 4: Should I Rent or Buy in 2025?Sources:Zillow, Redfin, Goldman Sachs, Housing Wire, Ris Media, US News, Bloomberg, The National Association of REALTORS®, Realtor.com, Homes.com, Zelman & Associates, Brian Buffini and other housing economists, The Mortgage Bankers Association, U.S. Census Bureau, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, financial Samurai, Moody's, Inman, US News, Apollo Global, Wells Fargo, and the National Association of Home Builders.Connect with me to find a trusted realtor in your area or to answer your burning questions!Subscribe to our YouTube Channel @HowToBuyaHomeInstagram @HowtoBuyAHomePodcastTik Tok @HowToBuyAHomeVisit our Resource Center to "Ask David" AND get your FREE Home Buying Starter Kit!David Sidoni, the "How to Buy a Home Guy," is a seasoned real estate professional and consumer advocate with two decades of experience helping first-time homebuyers navigate the real estate market. His podcast, "How to Buy a Home," is a trusted resource for anyone looking to buy their first home. It offers expert advice, actionable tips, and inspiring stories from real first-time homebuyers. With a focus on making the home-buying process accessible and understandable, David breaks down complex topics into easy-to-follow steps, covering everything from budgeting and financing to finding the right home and making an offer. Subscribe for regular market updates, and leave a review to help us reach more people. Ready for an honest, informed home-buying experience? Viva la Unicorn Revolution - join us! This is one part of a 3 part series highlighting the most significant housing market shift since this podcast began in 2019. Check out the podcast library for the full series for a complete update.
Catharine Arnston, the visionary entrepreneur behind EnergyBits, shares her fascinating journey from a 25-year career in corporate America to revolutionizing the health and wellness industry with algae tablets. With academic credentials from Canada's Ivy School of Business and a PhD in natural health, Catharine's transition was fueled by personal experiences, including her sister's battle with cancer. Her unwavering determination to discover the immense nutritional benefits of algae has led to significant advancements in the wellness space, challenging traditional notions of health supplements. Join us as Catharine opens up about the trials and triumphs of building her business from the ground up. She candidly discusses the challenges she faced, from enduring personal bankruptcy to pivoting her business strategy to survive in a competitive market. Her story is a compelling testament to the power of resilience and adaptability, shedding light on how she rebranded her company and tapped into the sports nutrition market. Catharine's journey is a masterclass in persistence and innovation, providing invaluable lessons for aspiring entrepreneurs. Explore the transformative potential of algae supplements as Catharine delves into their health benefits, from boosting brain health to enhancing insulin sensitivity. Her discussion on spirulina and chlorella offers a fresh perspective on strategic supplementation and underscores the importance of quality sourcing. As Catharine's business continues to thrive, her insights into optimizing health through algae serve as an inspiration for those seeking to break free from the ordinary and pursue their entrepreneurial dreams. CHAPTERS (00:00) - Building a Successful Algae Tablet Business (03:58) - From Ivy League to Algae Innovation (15:09) - Launching an Algae Tablet Business (21:57) - Surviving Bankruptcy and Pivoting (24:57) - The Evolution of Business Innovation (35:57) - Nutrients in Algae for Health (45:03) - Optimizing Health Through Algae Supplements
Episode SummaryShay Hata joins this week's episode to share what new tactics top REALTORS® across the country are using in 2025 to grow their business and become more efficient with their time.Full Description / Show NotesShay's background and career historyHer perspective on the real estate industry How the industry changed What is in store for her sessionThe Harvard Negotiation classHow to navigate convention as an introvertWhat first-time attendees need to know
Educate your clients by using these helpful scripts for FSBO sellers and demonstrate why using a Realtor is in their own best interest. Book a FREE coaching call: http://CoachCallFree.com Enroll in our online courses: http://www.IcenhowerInstitute.com Sign up for coaching: http://www.IcenhowerCoaching.com Sign up for an Agent Management Portal: http://AgentManagementPortal.com Join the fastest growing Facebook Group for Top Producers: https://www.facebook.com/groups/REagentRoundTable
What does it take to thrive in business without burning out? In this episode, Aaron Levine speaks with Nicole Rabbat Levine, a top-rated Realtor, leader, and co-founder of The Social Conscience Project. Together they explore teamwork, leadership, client-first service, and the power of giving back. Packed with lessons for entrepreneurs, professionals, and community builders, this is a story of growth with integrity.
For the first time in over a decade, real change is reshaping the housing market. Prices, inventory, and affordability are shifting in ways that could finally give first-time buyers a new opportunity.In this episode, David Sidoni delivers a data-packed breakdown of the biggest housing market change in 17 years. After years of historically low inventory, rising prices, and brutal bidding wars, 2025 is bringing something different: falling prices in many metros, improving affordability, and a rare increase in available homes.David explains why this isn't a crash, but a shift toward semi-normal conditions — and how you can use this to your advantage. With most experts predicting 2–4% appreciation in 2025, smart buyers who act early can secure homes before the public catches on.This is part one of a three-part market update series designed to help you build a winning 2025–2026 strategy.Quote“For the first time in 17 years, inventory is actually improving — and that changes everything.”HighlightsWhy home prices are actually falling in many metros.The surprising percentage of listings with price cuts this summer.How builders are slashing prices and narrowing the gap with resale homes.What most experts really predict for home values in 2025.How first-time buyers can take advantage of this rare shift.Sources: Zillow, Redfin, Goldman Sachs, Housing Wire, Ris Media, US News, Bloomberg, The National Association of REALTORS®, Realtor.com, Homes.com, Zelman & Associates, Brian Buffini and other housing economists, The Mortgage Bankers Association, U.S. Census Bureau, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, financial Samurai, Moody's, Inman, US News, Apollo Global, Wells Fargo, and the National Association of Home Builders.Connect with me to find a trusted realtor in your area or to answer your burning questions!Subscribe to our YouTube Channel @HowToBuyaHomeInstagram @HowtoBuyAHomePodcastTik Tok @HowToBuyAHomeVisit our Resource Center to "Ask David" AND get your FREE Home Buying Starter Kit!David Sidoni, the "How to Buy a Home Guy," is a seasoned real estate professional and consumer advocate with two decades of experience helping first-time homebuyers navigate the real estate market. His podcast, "How to Buy a Home," is a trusted resource for anyone looking to buy their first home. It offers expert advice, actionable tips, and inspiring stories from real first-time homebuyers. With a focus on making the home-buying process accessible and understandable, David breaks down complex topics into easy-to-follow steps, covering everything from budgeting and financing to finding the right home and making an offer. Subscribe for regular market updates, and leave a review to help us reach more people. Ready for an honest, informed home-buying experience? Viva la Unicorn Revolution - join us!This is one part of a 3 part series highlighting the most significant housing market shift since this podcast began in 2019. Check out the podcast library for the full series for a complete update.
Keith discusses the impact of political rhetoric on mortgage rates, emphasizing the importance of central bank independence. President of Ridge Lending Group and GRE Icon, Caeli Ridge, joins in to explain the benefits of 30-year mortgages over 15-year ones, advocating for extra principal payments to be reinvested rather than accelerating loan payoff. They also cover the potential effects of Fannie and Freddie going public, predicting higher mortgage rates. Caeli Ridge elaborates on cross-collateralization strategies, highlighting the advantages of commercial blanket loans for real estate investors. Resources: RidgeLendingGroup.com or call 855-74-RIDGE or e-mail: info@RidgeLendingGroup.com Show Notes: GetRichEducation.com/568 For access to properties or free help with a GRE Investment Coach, start here: GREmarketplace.com GRE Free Investment Coaching: GREinvestmentcoach.com Get mortgage loans for investment property: RidgeLendingGroup.com or call 855-74-RIDGE or e-mail: info@RidgeLendingGroup.com Invest with Freedom Family Investments. You get paid first: Text FAMILY to 66866 Will you please leave a review for the show? I'd be grateful. Search “how to leave an Apple Podcasts review” For advertising inquiries, visit: GetRichEducation.com/ad Best Financial Education: GetRichEducation.com Get our wealth-building newsletter free— text ‘GRE' to 66866 Our YouTube Channel: www.youtube.com/c/GetRichEducation Follow us on Instagram: @getricheducation Complete episode transcript: Keith Weinhold 0:01 welcome to GRE I'm your host. Keith Weinhold, the President has called the Fed chair a dummy and worse. How does this all affect the future of mortgage rates? Also, I discuss 30 year versus 15 year loans. Can you bundle multiple properties into one loan? Then how Fannie and Freddie going public could permanently increase mortgage rates today on get rich education Keith Weinhold 0:28 since 2014 the powerful get rich education podcast has created more passive income for people than nearly any other show in the world. This show teaches you how to earn strong returns from passive real estate investing in the best markets without losing your time being a flipper or landlord. Show Host Keith Weinhold writes for both Forbes and Rich Dad advisors and delivers a new show every week since 2014 there's been millions of listener downloads in 188 world nations. He has a list show guests and key top selling personal finance author Robert Kiyosaki, get rich education can be heard on every podcast platform, plus it has its own dedicated Apple and Android listener phone apps build wealth on the go with the get rich education podcast. Sign up now for the get rich education podcast, or visit get rich education.com Speaker 1 1:14 You're listening to the show that has created more financial freedom than nearly any show in the world. This is get rich education. Keith Weinhold 1:24 Welcome to GRE from Pawtucket, Rhode Island to Poughkeepsie, New York and across 188 nations worldwide. I'm your host. Keith weinholdin, this is get rich education, not to inflate a sense of self importance, but each episode is an even bigger deal than a New York Jets preseason football game. You might have thought you knew real estate until you listened to this show, from street speak to geek speak. I use it all to break down how with investment property, you don't have to live below your means. You can grow your means as we're discussing the mortgage landscape this week. You know, I recently had a bundle of my own single family rental homes transfer mortgage servicers from Wells Fargo over to Mr. Cooper. And that was easy. I didn't have to do anything. The automatic payments just automatically transferred over. And yes, Mr. Cooper, it's sort of a funny sounding name that you don't exactly see them putting the naming rights on stadiums out there, but the new servicer prominently wanted to point out the effect of me making extra $100 monthly principal payments and how much in interest that would save me over time, sort of suggesting that it would be a good idea for me to do so. Oh, as you know, like I've discussed extensively, extra principal pay down is a really poor use of your capital. It's a lot like how in the past, now you've probably seen it like I have, your mortgage company promotes you making bi weekly payments all year, so you'd effectively make some extra principal pay down each year. That way. Don't fall for it. Banks promote biweekly payments because it sounds borrower friendly, it encourages an earlier loan payoff. Well, that actually reduces lender risk and increases your risk. And the whole program can come with extra fees too. It just ties up more of your money in something that's unsafe, illiquid, and with a rate of return that's always zero, since that's exactly what home equity is. As we're about to talk mortgages with an expert today, I will be sure to surface that topic. We'll also talk about the housing market effect of a president firing a Fed chair. When you're living under the rule of a president that desperately and passionately wants lower interest rates, you've got to wonder what would happen if a president just had the power to go lower them himself, which is actually what most any president would want to do, but you almost don't have to wonder what would happen. You can just look at what actually did happen in Turkey. Now, yes, Turkey already did have an inflation problem, worse than us, for sure, but Turkish President Erdogan went ahead and lowered Turkey's interest rates despite persistent inflation. I mean, that's a situation where most would raise rates in order to combat inflation. Well, lowering rates like that soon resulted in substantially higher inflation to the tune of almost 60. Yes, six 0% per year before cooler heads prevailed and the Turkish government was forced to drastically raise rates. But it was too late. The damage was already done to the reputation of Turkey's economy and its everyday citizens and consumers. I mean, that was a painful, real world example of how critical central bank independence is. You've also got to ask yourself a question here, do you really want to live in the type of economy where we would need a bunch of rate cuts? Because when rate cuts happen, it usually results from the fact that people are no longer employed, or we're in a recession, or financial markets are really unstable. So there are certainly worse maladies out there than where we are today, which is with moderate inflation, pretty strong employment and interest rates that are actually a little below historic levels. I mean, that is not so bad. Before we talk both long term mortgage lessons and more nascent mortgage trends today coming up on future episodes of the show here, a lot of info and resources to help you build wealth as usual. Also an A E TELEVISION star of a real estate reality show will make his debut here on GRE. Keith Weinhold 6:24 Hey, do you like or even live by any of the enduring GRE mantras, like, Don't live below your means, grow your means, or financially free, beats debt free, or even, don't quit your Daydream. Check out our shop. You can own merch with sayings like that on them, or simply with our GRE logo on shirts and hats and mugs. And I don't really make any income from it. The merch is sold at near cost, and it actually took a fair bit of our team's time to put that together for you. So check out the GRE merch. You can find it at shop.getricheducation.com that's shop.getricheducation.com Keith Weinhold 7:18 today we're talking to the longtime president of ridge lending group. They specialize in providing income property loans to real estate investors like you, and she's also a long time real estate investor herself. I've shared with you before that ridge is where I get my own loans. They've worked with 10s of 1000s of real estate investors, not just primary residence owners, but real estate investors as well as homeowners all over the country, and at this point, she's like a GRE icon, a fixture regularly with us since 2015 Hey, welcome back to get rich education the inimitable Chaley Ridge, Caeli Ridge 7:54 ooh, Mr. Keith Weinhold, thank you, sir. So good to see you, my friend. Thanks for having me Keith Weinhold 8:00 opening up that thesaurus tab right about now, I think maybe JAYLEE, why don't we have the chat everyone wants to have? Let's discuss interest rates, starting with the vitriol from Trump to Powell has reached new heights. This year, Trump has called Powell a numbskull, Mr. Too late, a real dummy, a complete moron, a fool and a major loser, among other names. And you know, at times, I've seen Realtors even blasting Jerome Powell for not cutting rates. Well, the Fed doesn't directly control mortgage rates, and it's also not the Fed's job to boost Realtors summer sales. It's to protect the long term stability of the US economy. Tell us your thoughts. Caeli Ridge 8:48 So this is a rather complicated topic, okay, and there's a lot that under the hood that goes into how a long term mortgage bond interest rate is going to go up or going to go down. As you said, it's not necessarily just the Fed and the fed fund rate, which, by the way, for those that are not familiar with this, the fed fund rate is the intra daily trading rate between banks. So while there is a connection between that and that of the 30 year long term fixed rate mortgage, they are not the same thing. And in fact, statistically, I believe I read this last week, the last three fed fund rate reductions did the opposite to long term rates, right? So we went the other direction. So please be clear that the viral, as you say, of President Trump and what his opinions are about Mr. Powell and his decisions to keep that fed fund rate unchanged for the last several meetings that they've had, I think, is more of a distraction, but that's another conversation overall. I would say that, is he too late? Is he right on time? You know, there's so much data and so many data points that they're looking at, and there's this thing in the industry called a Lag that, in truth, they're not getting the actual data points that they need real time. It's lagging, so the data that's coming out to them today isn't going to be what's relevant and necessary to make changes tomorrow, next month and next week. Most recently, you probably saw in the news the BLS Bureau of Labor and Statistics and the jobs report came in far under what the expectation was. So that might have been the catalyst. I think that will drive Powell and group to reduce that is the overwhelming expectation that the fed fund rate is going to come down by how much. We don't know. Secondary markets are already baking that in, by the way. So when we talk about long term interest rates, I'm starting to see some changes on the day to day. I get access to that stuff, and I'm looking at it daily, the ticker tape of where the treasury bonds and things are. So I'm starting to see some slight improvement to interest rates in preparation of that market expectation, interest rate on the fed fund level will probably reduce. But I think overall, Keith that the Fed is in a really difficult position, because when you think about what really is going to drive the fed fund rate, and then potentially the long term rate, is counterintuitive to what most people or consumers expect, right? They think if the fed fund rate reduces by a quarter of a percentage point, then a long term 30 year fixed should probably reduce by the same amount. It does not go hand in hand like that. Now, while there are trends right, that doesn't happen that way, and more often than not, the worse our economy is doing, the better a 30 year interest rate will be. So in my industry, I'm kind of always playing on the fence, thinking I don't want anything bad for our country and the economy. However, the worse it does, the better interest rates are going to become. And if you've been paying attention, the economy is in decent shape. We're not doing that bad. Inflation is still up, so the metrics that they're using to kind of gage and predict that lag and where we're going to be are not in line to say that interest rates are going to drop a half or a point or a point and a half in the next year to 18 months. Those signs are not out there for me. All of that said, I know that interest rate is top of mind for I mean, I'm on the phone all day long. I like that part of my job where I'm still interfacing with investors on day to day. Big chunk of my day is spent talking to clients, and that is one of the top questions, probably one of the first questions that come out of their mouth, where interest rates? What are interest rates? And what I have sort of started to really form and say to that question is, if interest rates are the catalyst to your success in real estate, you probably need to do a little bit more research, because interest rates should not be the make or break for your success. Well, as a real estate investor Keith Weinhold 12:45 the Fed has a dual mandate of maximum employment and stable prices. Inflation, though still somewhat elevated, has stayed about the same the past few months. History shows us that the Fed is more comfortable with inflation floating up than they are with suppressed employment levels. To your point about recent reports about us not adding many jobs, and the Fed being concerned about that, the translation for those that don't know is, if the job market is weak, lowering rates, which is what increasingly people think they tend to do later this year. Lowering rates helps encourage businesses. It's more likely that businesses will borrow and expand and hire more people. Therefore, if rates are low now, whether that translates into a lower mortgage rate or not, by lowering that fed funds rate? Yes, there is that positive correlation. Generally, the lower the Fed funds rate goes, the lower mortgage rates tend to go although that isn't always the case. To your point. Shailene, late last year, there were three Fed funds rate cuts, and mortgage rates actually went up, which is somewhat of an aberration that usually doesn't happen that way, but that's the environment we're in. Most people think Fed rate cuts are coming later this year. Caeli Ridge 14:04 Yeah. And I would say, you know, the other thing too, when we talk about the pressure that the Fed is under right now, specifically, Powell, he's being attacked, fine, and whether I agree or disagree, really important for listeners to understand that the indifference that the Fed is supposed to have right bipartisan, it's not supposed to have a dog in that fight. If it did the calamity, I think what would happen economically in this country would be devastating if other economic powers were to see that our particular financial institutions are swayed one way or another. Politically, that would be devastating to us. So I think Powell has done a decent job at staying the course. He's continued to do what he says, says what he does. So so far, I'm okay. Is he late to reduce rates? I don't know that I'm qualified to say that, maybe. But at the same time, I think that his impartiality has been consistent, and that for that part of it, I'm. Grateful Keith Weinhold 15:00 for those who don't understand if Trump just told Powell what to do and Powell followed Trump's orders, how does that devastate the economy? Caeli Ridge 15:09 It shows partiality to or Fieldy to one particular party, right? It's not an independent institution where financial policy quantitative easing, quantitative tightening, all of those different things that are necessary to keep the pistons pumping. It isn't it's very specific to Fieldy and the leader of telling based on potentially ego or other elements that have not a lot to do with fiduciary responsibility. Keith Weinhold 15:37 If Powell did everything Trump said, I feel like we would have negative interest rates right now Caeli Ridge 15:43 that could be a problem, especially if the economy and inflation is on the rise, and then you get the tariffs. I mean, there's so much layering to this. I mean, we could go on and on about it, but overall, let me close with this. I think that interest rates are probably on the run, if I had to guess. Now, there's all kinds of variables that could make that statement untrue, but overall, in the next year to two years, I do think we'll see some relief in interest rates, barring any major catastrophe. But again, investors, if your success, if you're tying your real estate portfolio, your real estate investing, whatever modality you're interested in, if you're tying that to an interest rate, and there's a certain number that you have ethereal in your mind, you're going to lose your success in real estate. Interest rate is a component of it, but it should not be tied to your success or failure. You should be able to do the math and look at the differences in real estate opportunities, investment, whether it be long term, short term, midterm, single family, two to four appreciation, cash flow, all those things should be considered, and you will find adequate returns independent of an interest rate. If you're diversifying that way Keith Weinhold 16:49 there is more evidence that Americans have warmed up and gotten somewhat used to normal mortgage rates. This normalization of mortgage rates, they are pretty close to their historic norms. In fact, a recent housing sentiment survey done by turbo home found that in q1 of this year, 41% of homeowners surveyed said that a 6% mortgage rate was the highest they would accept on their next purchase. Right that was back in q1 today, up from 41%, 52% of respondents now say a 6% mortgage rate is the highest that they would accept. Evidence that people are warming up and normalizing this. Caeli Ridge 17:30 The other thing too is the pandemic rates. Right? That's been a very hard shell to crack. The people that got these two and 3% interest rates during 2020 2021, part of 22 they're really reticent to let those go, and I think that they're doing themselves a disservice as a result. If you can get a second lean HELOC, okay, fine, but overall, if you're just going to let that untapped equity sit, it's going to be to your disadvantage. If you have any desire to increase your portfolio and your long term financial stability and wealth Keith Weinhold 17:59 you're listening to get rich education. Our guest is Ridge lending Group President Cheley, Ridge much more when we come back, including 30 year versus 15 year loans. Which one is better and more things that the administration is doing to shake up the mortgage market. I'm your host. Keith Weinhold. Keith Weinhold 18:15 the same place where I get my own mortgage loans is where you can get yours. Ridge lending group and MLS, 42056, they provided our listeners with more loans than anyone because they specialize in income properties. They help you build a long term plan for growing your real estate empire with leverage. Start your prequel and even chat with President Cheley Ridge personally while it's on your mind, start at Ridge lendinggroup.com. That's Ridge lendinggroup.com. Keith Weinhold 18:46 You know what's crazy? Your bank is getting rich off of you. The average savings account pays less than 1% it's like laughable. Meanwhile, if your money isn't making at least 4% you're losing to inflation. That's why I started putting my own money into the FFI liquidity fund. It's super simple. Your cash can pull in up to 8% returns and it compounds. It's not some high risk gamble like digital or AI stock trading. It's pretty low risk because they've got a 10 plus year track record of paying investors on time in full every time. I mean, I wouldn't be talking about it if I wasn't invested myself. You can invest as little as 25k and you keep earning until you decide you want your money back. No weird lockups or anything like that. So if you're like me and tired of your liquid funds just sitting there doing nothing. Check it out. Text family 266, 866, to learn about freedom. Family investments, liquidity fund again. Text family to 66866, Rick Sharga 19:58 this is Rick sharga housing market. Intelligence Analyst, listen to get rich education with Keith Weinhold, and don't quit your Daydream. Keith Weinhold 20:05 Welcome back to get rich Education. I'm your host, Keith Weinhold. We're talking with a familiar guest this week. That's Ridge lending Group President, Caeli. Ridge wealth is built through compound leverage faster than compound interest. And leverage means using loans. I think most everyone the first time in their life they look at loan amortization tables and learn things like, oh, with a 15 year loan, you pay substantially less interest, perhaps hundreds of 1000s of dollars less interest with a 15 year loan and its lower mortgage rate than you do with a 30 year loan and its higher mortgage rate. But a lot of people don't take that next step and look that Oh, rather than paying down my home loan with extra principal payments, if I just invested the difference, I would be substantially better off down the road. So in a lot of cases, the more sophisticated investor chooses that longer loan duration, the 30 year. That's the way I see it. What do you see? Most of your prefer there. Caeli Ridge 21:12 It's one of my favorite topics to cover, because there's quite a few layers that I think can all connect. If an individual wants to pay less in interest very easily, I'm going to strenuously advise them to take a 30 year over a 15 year and just simply apply the difference. So let's just start with the applicable version of 15 versus 30 and how it can benefit or harm. Because this is what a lot of times people that go for the 15 year and wanting to pay less in interest. Don't understand, and it's never been delivered to them in a reasonable way, I guess. So just looking at those two, and then we'll get to the strategy of potentially reinvesting those dollars elsewhere. But just look at a 30 year and a 15 year. I am a massive deterrent against a shorter term amortization. I hate a shorter term amortization, because all that's going to do to the individual is limit their ability to qualify later on down the road. And the reason for that is, is that the shorter term, as you had described, is going to yield a higher monthly payment. So when we pull credit for an individual, that's a higher monthly payment that the debt to income ratio has to support, when in fact, if we simply just look at the two side by side, 15 year and a 30 year equal, equal loan sizes. The 15 year is going to have a lower interest rate. It's true, but the amortization is obviously half the amount. We've gone from 360 months, 30 years to 180 months, 15 years. So the payment obviously is going to be much, much higher if you take the payment difference between those two mortgage products and apply it with a 30 year fixed payment. Let's just call it 500 bucks a month, whatever the number is, and you are disciplined to send that extra 500 bucks every single month with your 30 year fixed mortgage payment. You will cross the finish line in 15.4 years, I think, is the average when you run the amortization, so you'll pay a few extra months worth of interest, but whatever, you'll never pay the higher interest that the 30 year has locked at because you've accelerated the payoff of the debt so quickly, and you've maximized your debt to income ratio and future qualifications never take the shorter term amortization. It is to your greatest disadvantage. I hate them. That's part one. Did you have a comment? I can see that your wheels are spinning. Keith Weinhold 23:24 That is a great answer. If you get the 30 year loan instead of the 15 if you apply an extra principal payment, whatever it would be, call it 500 plus dollars, that you will kill off that loan, that 30 year loan in something like 15.4 years. Yes, and you'll have the lower payment amount for your qualification, going forward, you'll have more flexibility in your life. That's great. I didn't realize the difference 15.4 versus 15 was that small? That's a great takeaway. Caeli Ridge 23:50 Yeah, absolutely. And the other piece, you kind of just hit on it, the individual's feet are not held to the fire at that higher payment. So let's say it's a rental, okay, whatever. It goes vacant for a month, or a couple months, God forbid, or whatever may be happening. You now get to choose. You are not obligated at that higher monthly payment. You can say, Okay, this month, I'm not going to pay the extra. I don't da, da, da. It's all within your control. So you're killing like four birds with one stone. I really prefer the 30 year amortization for all those reasons. So now let's take it and move into how I believe, and I agree with your philosophy, taking those dollars and applying them, because when we talk about mortgage interest, especially on investment property, okay, it's probably a slightly different conversation when we're talking about somebody's primary residence, home, but for an investment property to take that difference and apply it toward another investment, because the interest remember, you guys, we're investors. We want that Schedule E deduction, that interest deduction, as money goes a 30 year fixed mortgage, even today, as interest rates are elevated beyond the two and three percents that people somehow fixated on, that that's where interest rates should just be forever. You've got Mass. Amounts of interest deduction, so you're paying less in taxes. For that reason, there's so many reasons to stretch out that mortgage on an investment property versus extinguishing that debt, not to mention, you want to constantly be harvesting equity, ideally, pulling cash out. Borrowed funds are non taxable, deploying them, but then taking that extra cash flow and stockpiling it for another investment, whether that just be the down payment or for other things. I just think there's so many better places that those funds can go to produce more wealth than accelerating the payoff of that debt that's benefiting you, from a tax perspective, and several other ways. There's lots of other ways to apply that money. I Keith Weinhold 25:43 I often ask, why accelerate the payoff on a, say, 7% mortgage interest rate loan, when instead you can take those savings, reinvest them into other real estate, where it sounds preposterous on its face to think of the rate of return that you can get from an income property, but when you add up all the five ways you're paid, appreciation, cash flow, loan pay down, made by the tenant, tax benefits and the inflation profiting benefit on the long term fixed interest rate debt, a return of 20% plus is not out of the question at all. So if it's 20, why would you pay off extra on a seven? That's 13 points of arbitrage that you could gain there by not aggressively paying down a property and instead making a down payment on another income property. Chaeli, when it comes to these type of questions and accelerating a payoff, why do banks seem to encourage that you make bi weekly payments rather than monthly payments, therefore accelerating your principal pay down. Caeli Ridge 26:42 I'm not sure the reason behind that. I don't know that I've even seen a lot of that from my lens and my perspective. It's definitely not something I ever comment or preach on. But the overall, what's happening there when you do it the bi weekly, so instead of making $1,000 at the first of the month, you make 500 and then 500 right, middle of them on first of the month. What's happening there is, because of the way the annual calendar goes, it ends up being an extra payment per year, right? I think that's the math. Is, when you do it that way, you end up making an extra payment per year, so you can accelerate. And there's you're not doing anything different, necessarily, to in your cash flow, etc. So I don't think there's anything wrong with it. I don't know what the benefit is to the institution that would in communicate that to its consumer. Yeah, Keith Weinhold 27:27 Yeah, it ends up being 26 bi weekly payments, which has the effect of making 13 monthly payments in a 12 month year, accelerating your pay down. In my experience, it seems that banks encourage this. They contact borrowers. They've contacted me in the past, laying out a welcome mat. Hey, would you like this plan here? And in my mind, accelerating the payoff. We already talked about how that's typically not a good investment. The more you know about the trade off between loans and equity, really, I'm transferring more of the risk onto myself and less they're onto the bank when I accelerate my payoff. So I agree. I'm not interested in doing that at all. Caeli Ridge 28:06 You know, maybe Keith, it could be, because I people talk about this a lot, those people, and let's say that there are a group of individuals that might benefit. Let's say they're in phase three, right? They're well into retirement. They just want to start paying off. They're not maybe investing anymore. They just want to leave that legacy, perhaps, or whatever their circumstances are, and they don't want to take additional capital and apply it to the principal and lock up those funds and make them illiquid. So maybe, just as an easy sidebar, they just make two payments month versus one. I get a lot of people asking that question. I mean, over the years, I know that like at the closing table, we'll have clients say, Hey, is the servicer going to be set up to accept bi weekly payments? And a lot of times they don't like SLS. I mean, there's a lot of servicers out there that will not accept or don't have the infrastructure to collect those bi weekly so maybe just as a consumer desire out there, the servicers have gotten wise to it, and they just offer it. I can't think of the reason behind why they would promote that to their database. I don't know. Keith Weinhold 29:09 Another question that I hear quite often, and probably do as well there is about bundling multiple properties into one loan. Can you tell us about that? Caeli Ridge 29:20 Yeah, that's called cross collateralization. So we're taking residential property, okay, and putting them into a commercial blanket loan. So any combination of single family, up to four unit, five Plex and above is now considered commercial. So it's got to be single family, condo, duplex, triplex, fourplex, right? It's residential property, and they're taking any combination of that and putting it into one blanket loan, cross collateralizing it. Now, I believe the most incentivized way or desire to want to do this is probably for two reasons. One, to free up golden tickets, right? Golden tickets are those Fannie Freddie loans that we talk about a lot. There are 10 of these per qualified individual, if. If someone has maxed out their golden tickets, let's say they've got 12, 1314, properties, they could take five or 10 or 13, whatever the number, and put them into a commercial blanket cross collateralized loan, as long as it's non recourse. That means no personal guarantee is attached to it. The rule per golden ticket will free up all those spaces. So usually this applies to an individual that has a portfolio that has stabilized. This will usually work when the portfolio has had a couple of years to make sure that you've got your consistent tenants and anything that may come up, repairs, maintenance, et cetera, stabilized portfolios and then putting them into that cross collateralization, because the terms are not going to be the same as just a 30 year fixed Okay, especially if you're going to be looking to take cash out and harvest equity that way, that may be a real opportune time to borrow funds. Borrowed funds are non taxable once again, pull the cash out, put it into a non recourse loan. You've got half a million dollars of capital now that you can then go and get a whole new set of golden tickets for expanding your portfolio. So that's something that we focus on for individuals that have maybe maxed out of that that conventional landscape and or are looking to scale and acquire more properties, but they don't want to necessarily look at some of the DSCR loans. They want to get back into the Fannie Freddie box. Keith Weinhold 31:22 Yeah, so someone could bundle and get cash out simultaneously, potentially, is there anything else that qualifies or disqualifies one for bundling many loans into one like this? Caeli Ridge 31:35 It's a commercial underwrite. So they should be aware of that. Now, certainly, we're looking at the individual typically in those loans, the underwriting of those loans, the individual's liquidity and credit are most what we're focusing on, but it's about the property in the portfolio, DSCR, that debt service coverage ratio is a big factor. So we're looking at the income against the monthly expense. Generally. That's going to be the principal, interest, tax and insurance on a commercial basis, they throw in the maintenance, vacancy, et cetera, averages. So you want to see, generally speaking, about 1.2 on those when you divide the incomes and the expenses and then otherwise, yeah, LTV might be a little bit restricted on something like that, 70% usually, maybe you can get as much as 75 if you've got a really strong portfolio. But otherwise, for you, individually, liquidity, some liquidity there, and good credit is what is important. As long as the portfolio is operating at a gain, then you're good to go. Keith Weinhold 32:32 Yeah, that cross collateralization could be really attractive. Well, Chile, we've been in this presidential administration that has shaken things up like few, if any, prior administrations have. One of those things is that they have pushed for cryptocurrency holdings to be recognized as assets in mortgage loan qualification. Now that's something that would probably pend approval by the FHFA and critics cite volatility. I mean, there's been a pattern where every few years, Bitcoin drops 80% before rebounding, and I'm not exaggerating, and that has happened a number of times. And another administration desire is this potential Fannie Mae Freddie Mac merger, or an IPO an initial public offering. Can you tell us what that's about Caeli Ridge 33:21 let's start with the crypto first, whether or not this, this gets through the Congress and or FHFA, however, that that develops and becomes actualized, that may be different than what the lending institutions decide to take a risk on, right the allowance of that crypto so it even if it's approved and they say that, Yes, that we can use this for asset depletion or reserve requirements, or whatever it may be. I don't know necessarily that you're going to see a lot of the lending institutions jump on board. I think they'll probably have overlays. It's just kind of the layering of risk on the crypto side to ensure that the asset and the underwrite is less likely to default. I don't see a lot of lending institutions that are probably going to jump on that bandwagon immediately. That's probably going to need more time and consistency with that particular asset class. That's the crypto thing. So that's a TBD on the other side, we're talking about conservatorship. So post, oh 809, right? The housing crash and Dodd Frank, if you've not heard of those names before, they're just the last names of individuals that that rewrote that sweeping legislation across all sectors of finance. Once we saw housing and lending implode upon each other, Fannie Freddie, as a result, went into conservatorship. Now what they're saying, what the administration is saying is, is that they are going to say that the implicit guarantee actually, let me back up really, really quickly. I will not take too much time on this so Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac The reason that those products are the golden tickets, as we call them, and we're just focused on investor products right now is because highest leverage, lowest interest rate. And why is it like that? That's because it has a United States government guarantee. Against default. So this mortgage backed security is bundled up with other mortgage backed securities and sold, bought and sold on the secondary market to investors, foreign and domestic. Right? Investors that are buying mortgage backed securities, they know that that paper is secure. If it defaults. We've got the United States government that's giving us a guarantee against default. So that's why it's such a secure investment. If we come out of conservatorship, technically, that would normally mean that you may not have that implicit guarantee. However, the Trump administration and those that are in that space, FHFA, Pulte and all those guys, they're saying that that guarantee should still apply if that happens, if that's how they release this, I don't see anything wrong if they do it without all of the volatility. You know, let's use the tariffs as an example. It was all over the place. It was there, and then it was gone. It was up, and then it was down. It was 30% then it was two right? It was it was just so much, and the markets really had a hard time with it. And as a result, I think a lot of people lost massive amounts of wealth in the stock market because of that. So I think that there is some real benefits to getting the Fannie, Freddie, the GSCs, government sponsored enterprises, out of conservatorship. I think it just opens up for more fair trade in the market. But they have to do it the right way, and as long as they keep that guarantee, that government guarantee, and then they take their time and apply the steps appropriately, I think it could be a good thing, ultimately, for the consumer. Now, if they don't, it could really have devastating impacts, and I think it could even raise interest interest rates higher. I know Trump and folks don't want that, so I think they're mindful of it. That's just kind of the take I get. But we'll see, Keith Weinhold 36:42 yeah, because that's my preeminent thought with this. Shaylee, if Fannie and Freddie come out of conservatorship, and there's no government backstop on those loans, it seems like the banks are exposed to more risk, and consequently would have to compensate for that, potentially with a higher interest Caeli Ridge 36:57 rate. You said it better than I did. Yes, I get too technical when I go down those rabbit holes. That's exactly right. I do not think that they will go down that that path without that implicit guarantee. I expect, if this thing comes to fruition, I expect that that guarantee will be there. Keith Weinhold 37:13 Yeah, it does seem likely, with as much administration concern as there is about the housing market and the level of mortgage rates and all kinds of interest rates out there. Well, JAYLEE, this has been a great, wide ranging conversation all the way from strategy to what the administration is doing in interfacing with the mortgage market. If someone wants to learn more about you and your products, tell us what you offer, including your very popular all in one loan there at ridge. Caeli Ridge 37:41 Ooh, thank you for teeing that up. Yeah, especially right now, when people have a lot of concern about interest rates right or wrong, the all in one is a very unique product that removes that fear. It's a way that investors, especially can take control of their equity, pay less in interest, and sometimes hundreds of 1000s of dollars less in interest, while maintaining equity and flexibility and liquidity. Cannot say enough about this product. The all in one. First lien HELOC is my very favorite. For the right individuals, we've talked about it many, many times. They can find us talking about it all over YouTube. You and I have quite a few conversations about that. So that and so much more, guys. So the all in one, you've got the Fannie Freddie's, our debt service ratio products, our bank statement loans, our asset depletion loans, ground up construction bridge loans for fix and flip or fix and hold. We really run the gamut there in terms of loan product diversity. There's very little we can't do for real estate investors. So we're uniquely qualified in that space Keith Weinhold 38:36 and you offer loans in nearly all 50 states. Now tell us more and how one can get a hold of your company. Yes, we are Caeli Ridge 38:44 licensed in 49 states. The only state we're not licensed in residentially is New York. We can still do commercial there. But to reach us, you can find us on the web, Ridge lendinggroup.com you can email us info@ridgelendinggroup.com and feel free to call us at 855, 74 Ridge 855-747-4343, Keith Weinhold 39:04 I'm so familiar with all those avenues because, again, that's where I get my own loans myself. Chaley Ridge has been valuable as always. Thanks so much for coming back onto the show. Caeli Ridge 39:13 Thanks, Keith. Keith Weinhold 39:21 A lot of experts believe that stripping Fannie and Freddie's public backing and taking them public, yeah, that that will increase mortgage rates. See, besides there being more risk, like we touched on there during the interview, Fannie and Freddie would face strong incentives to increase profitability, to make an IPO appealing to potential investors, that's just another reason that would probably increase mortgage rates. But if you're the type that truly champions free marketeerism, then the government would get out of Fannie and Freddie and let them IPO, and you would want. To see that happen now you as an investor, you probably resonate with the fact that rather than having to methodically and even painfully save money for your next property, instead you can just borrow funds, tax free, out of your existing property, and that way, you're using more of other people's money, the bank's money, in this case, and less of your own. Similarly, if you avoid aggressive principal pay down well, you would just retain those funds in the first place. As you can see, Chely is really good at taking a deep look at what you've got to work with and helping you lay out a strategy that might make sense, keeping in mind and evaluating your cash, cash flow, equity DTI and loan to value ratios, they offer free 30 minute strategy sessions. You can book one right there on their homepage at Ridge lendinggroup.com Until next week, I'm your host. Keith Weinhold, don't quit. Sure. Daydream. Speaker 2 41:07 Nothing on this show should be considered specific, personal or professional advice. Please consult an appropriate tax, legal, real estate, financial or business professional for individualized advice. Opinions of guests are their own. Information is not guaranteed. All investment strategies have the potential for profit or loss. The host is operating on behalf of get rich Education LLC exclusively. Keith Weinhold 41:31 You know, whenever you want the best written real estate and finance info, oh, geez, today's experience limits your free articles access, and it's got pay walls and pop ups and push notifications and cookies disclaimers, it's not so great. So then it's vital to place nice, clean, free content into your hands that adds no hype value to your life. That's why this is the golden age of quality newsletters, and I write every word of ours myself. It's got a dash of humor, and it's to the point because even the word abbreviation is too long, my letter usually takes less than three minutes to read. And when you start the letter, you also get my one hour fast real estate video. Course, it's all completely free. It's called the Don't quit your Daydream. Letter, it wires your mind for wealth, and it couldn't be easier for you to get it right now. Just text gre 266, 866, while it's on your mind, take a moment to do it right now. Text, gre 266, 866 Keith Weinhold 42:47 The preceding program was brought to you by your home for wealth, building, get richeducation.com.
Retirement accounts are changing in ways most investors never thought possible. A new executive order could unlock real estate, private equity, and even crypto inside 401(k) plans. In this episode, Ron unpacks what the policy shift really means, clears up misconceptions about risk and liquidity, and explains why cash flow properties may give retirement savers an edge. If you've been waiting for a way to diversify beyond Wall Street, this conversation is one you can't afford to miss. WHAT YOU'LL LEARN FROM THIS EPISODE What President Trump's executive order really means for 401(k) investors The hidden pitfalls mainstream media claims about real estate in retirement accounts and Ron's counterpoints How volatility and appreciation really influence long-term retirement income Why diversification across accounts and asset types creates more retirement options Critical questions to ask before tying up your retirement savings in property RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE U.S. Department of Labor SEC.gov Realtor.com Titan Realty Group Lineage CONNECT WITH US: If you need help with anything in real estate, please email invest@rpcinvest.com Reach Ron: RP Capital Leave podcast reviews and topic suggestions: iTunes Subscribe and get additional info: Get Real Estate Success Facebook Group: Cash Flow Property Facebook Community Instagram: @ronphillips_ YouTube: RpCapital Get the latest trends and insights: RP Capital Newsletter
Fearless Agent Coach & Founder Bob Loeffler sharesMore Prospecting Secrets Only Fearless Agents Know and how it's making his Fearless Agent Coaching Students rich! Fearless Agent Coaching is the Highest Results Producing Real Estate Sales Training and Coaching Program in the Industry and we can prove it will work for you if it's a good fit! Call us today at 480-385-8810 to see if it may be  good fit for you! Telephone Prospecting for Realtors means Cold Calling, Door knocking, Calling for Sale By Owners, Calling Expired Listings, Calling your Sphere of Influence, Farming, Holding Open Houses, but Fearless Agent Coaching Students di all of these completely differently and get massively better results! Find out how! Listen in each week as Bob gives an overview and explains the big ideas behind making big money as a Fearless Agent! If you are earning less selling real estate than you wish you were, and you're open to the idea of having some help, We are here for you! You will never again be in a money making situation with a Buyer, Seller or Investor and not have the right words! You will be very confident! You will be a Fearless Agent! Call Bob anytime for more information about Fearless Agent Coaching for Agents, Fearless Agent Recruiting Training for Broker/Owners, or hiring Bob as a Speaker for your next Event! Call today 480-385-8810 - or go to https://fearlessagent.com Telephone Prospecting for Realtors means Cold Calling, Door knocking, Calling for Sale By Owners, Calling Expired Listings, Calling your Sphere of Influence, Farming, Holding Open Houses, Spin Selling, but Fearless Agent Coaching Students do all of these completely differently and get massively better results! Find out how! Are You an Owner of a Real Estate Company - need help Recruiting Producing Agents - Call today! 480-385-8810 and go to FearlessAgentRecruiting.com and watch our Recruiting Video Real Estate Coaching training Real estate training real estate coaching real estate speaker real estate coach real estate sales sales training realtor realtor training realtor coach realtor coaching realtor sales coaching realtor recruiting real estate agent real estate broker realtor prospecting real estate prospecting prospecting for listings calling expired listings calling for sale by owners realtor success Best Realtor Coach Best Real Estate Coach Spin SellingSupport the show: https://fearlessagent.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
In this episode of Do The Work | Mindset Mastery... I looked around at our momentum and realized how far we have come. But here is the truth. Growth is never without pain. The market will expose those who do not adjust. It will reveal who is willing to adapt, learn, and push through. I had to remind myself that the grind never stops. And even in the tough moments, I cannot forget the promises I made to myself when I was down. That is where the fire comes from. The story This week I reflected on how the tide of the market exposes everything. When the tide is high, everyone wins. But when the tide goes low, you find out who has the mindset to keep going. I compared it to my own journey. From being recognized as a top agent, to building teams, to running one of the largest brokerages in the state, every level required me to change. It required me to sharpen my skills, build new systems, and keep showing up even when the industry shifted. And that is exactly what is happening now. Many agents are walking away, but many of us are growing faster than ever because we stay in the fight. What shifted The shift happened when I stopped wishing someone else would fix my problems. I used to want someone to run my ads, handle my follow up, or even train my agents for me. But no one is coming to save you. The moment I took full responsibility for my business was the moment everything changed. I became a better trainer, a better communicator, and a better leader. I learned to simplify the game and help new agents close quickly. That ownership made all the difference. The same goes for how we handle trauma. Pain can keep you stuck, or it can push you to grow. I call it post traumatic growth. I lived it after surviving a shooting. Paulina lived it after hitting rock bottom and then selling fifteen million in one year. The difference was a decision to flip the switch. The lesson The lesson is simple. Stop waiting for someone else to fix your life or your business. Take the pain, take the pressure, and use it as fuel. The growth will come when you own every part of the process. Put it to work Track the only KPIs that matter: appointments, commitments, escrows, and closings. Stop wishing for help and start building your own process. Decide today to flip the switch and turn pain into power. Conclusion The market will always test you. It will expose who you really are. Do not waste years wishing someone would come fix things for you. Take ownership and swing the pendulum in your favor. The power is already in you. The only question is what you will do with it today. Reader engagement questions What promises did you make to yourself during your toughest moments, and are you living up to them? Where in your business are you still waiting for someone else to take responsibility? How can you turn your current pain into the power that fuels your next level of growth? Notable quotes "No one is going to come in and fix your business. No one can run it better than you." "The power came when I stopped asking why me and started asking what now." "Pain is no longer pain when you decide to turn it into purpose." Follow A.Z. Araujo on Social Media: Instagram: @azaraujo Facebook: A.Z. Araujo TikTok: A.Z. Araujo YouTube: Do The Work Podcast For Real Estate Agents in AZ: Learn more about Do The Work Coaching and A.Z. & Associates: dothework.com/azaa Upcoming Events: If you're a real estate brokerage owner, sign up for one of our upcoming events. Visit: dothework.com bigmoneybrokerage.com Join my mailing list for updates! New Do The Work Gear: Check out the latest DTW and Do The Work Gear! Hats, shirts, journals, and more: shop.dothework.com
Overseeing a $10 billion residential and commercial portfolio, Bianca D'Alessio reigns as the #1 real estate agent in both New York City and New York State. She also stars in HBO Max's Selling the Hamptons. But Bianca's rise wasn't smooth. Early setbacks and bouts of impostor syndrome nearly sidelined her career. Instead, she built a foundation using vulnerability, intentional self-talk, and gratitude to transform herself into one of the most dynamic leaders in real estate. In her new book, Mastering Intentions: 10 Practices to Amplify Your Power and Lead with Lasting Impact, Bianca blends candid personal stories with actionable strategies that any business owner or entrepreneur can apply. Visit this special Monday Morning Radio “Open House” to discover the same practices Bianca uses to master her goals — and how you can apply them to achieve your own business and personal success. Monday Morning Radio is hosted by the father-son duo of Dean and Maxwell Rotbart. Photo: Bianca D'Alessio, Mastering IntentionsPosted: August 25, 2025 Monday Morning Run Time: 44:04 Episode: 14.12
In this special episode of The DIZPod, we welcome Angel Reyes, the passionate Brand Ambassador of the Walt Disney Birthplace. Angel shares the inspiring story behind the preservation and restoration of Walt Disney's childhood home in Chicago, and the incredible mission driving the project forward. We also dive into the upcoming event “Building a Dream”, a celebration that honors Walt's legacy and the early roots of his imagination. Join us as we explore history, passion, and how one little house started it all. **Ways to Support Us:**1. PayPal or Venmo: Donations are never expected but deeply appreciated. Contribute via [PayPal] https://www.paypal.me/Livingindiz or [Venmo] https://www.venmo.com/u/livingindiz.2. LID Club Membership: Join our community on [YouTube]https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3HHLghSCKX6pY3YE5PsyyQ/join for exclusive content.3. Patreon: Become a [Patreon member] https://www.patreon.com/user?u=13851270 and unlock special rewards.Get Your LID Gear:- Check out our exclusive t-shirts: https://wearing-the-magic.creator-spring.com/?utm_medium=referral&utm_source=widget_embed&utm_campaign=wearing-the-magic https://spreadshop-admin.spreadshirt.com/the-diz-shop/ Podcast and More:Our podcast premieres exclusively on YouTube. Tune in every week right here or on the YouTube Music App. You can check out the pod on Spotify and Apple Podcasts **Connect with Us**:- Join our Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/dizfamily2. **Our Sponsor: Victor Nawrocki**:Thinking of living near Disney? Victor, a REALTOR® at Vision Home Real Estate, LLC, can help you find your dream home. Visit Celebratingflorida.com or victor@celebratingflorida.com, youtube.com/@VictorNawrockiClick here to learn about safe Disney foods for you from Ashley!! Ashley appears on The DIZ Pod with updates on the latest allergy friendly foods.https://www.instagram.com/disneyallergieswithashley/
Is today's housing market heading toward another 2008-style crash—or is it an entirely different story?
Episode 255 of The Smart Agents Podcast features Roni Haskell, better known locally as That SC Real Estate Chick, to share how she built an authentic personal brand, leads an all-female team and continues to thrive in the Charleston market, including recently achieving the most successful month of her career.With over two decades in real estate, Roni has seen the industry shift through multiple markets. From her start in new home sales to becoming Charleston Real Producers' Realtor of the Year, she's built a reputation on consistency, transparency and community. By embracing video early, staying authentic online and creating a supportive culture for women in real estate, Roni has crafted a business that clients trust and agents want to be a part of.In this episode, she breaks down:✅ Why treating yourself like a marketing company is essential for agents✅ How authenticity and consistency fuel brand growth✅ The power of building a supportive, women-led real estate team✅ Strategies for balancing career success with family and personal lifeIf you're looking for inspiration on building a long-lasting brand and a business you love — even in a challenging market — this conversation with Roni is packed with practical strategies and motivation.
Wilson Molina is the founder and principal broker of Molina Realtors & Molina General Contractors, a Minnesota-based firm he launched in 2013. A licensed real estate broker and contractor, Wilson brings a rare blend of hands-on building experience and savvy real estate acumen to every client. Over the past decade, he has guided buyers and sellers while also managing renovations, new construction, and multi-family development projects—always with an eye toward affordability and inclusive service. Wilson Molina and his family immigrated from Ecuador to Minnesota in 1992. At just 16, he bought his first home in Minneapolis—a bold move that foreshadowed his entrepreneurial path. Today, he leads Molina Realtors, a thriving firm of 15+ agents that sold over 200 homes in 2019. Expanding into construction, Wilson and his team have built and renovated more than 20 homes in the past decade, along with commercial buildouts, apartments, duplexes, single-family homes, and ADUs. His journey to business success is a powerful story of grit, vision, and relentless drive. Resources: Website: https://www.molinarealtors.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wilson-molina-9648438a/
Agents—do you feel like every deal in 2025 is harder than the last? You're not alone.In this episode, I share a real story about a transaction I gave less than a 5% chance to close—until one simple line completely shifted the temperature of the negotiation.It wasn't a script. It wasn't technical. It was leadership in the middle of chaos—and it's exactly what our clients (and colleagues) need from us in today's market.
Whats up Homies!If you have a question for the podcast or if you want to learn about Partnering with us at eXp realty drop us an email at Jackson@realagentnow.com or Jesse@realagentnow.com
What if the place that should be your sanctuary—your home—could be transformed from a place of fear into a space where respect isn't just hoped for, but required by law? Today on Whinypaluza, host Rebecca Greene sits down with Sabrina Osso, founder and CEO of Osso Safe, a revolutionary company transforming the way we approach safety in our homes, schools, and workplaces. As a TEDx speaker, published author, and passionate advocate, Sabrina is transforming her pain into a force for good, empowering families everywhere. A proud member of the National Association of Realtors and the Women's Federation for World Peace, she was recently honored with the HerStory Award in March 2024. Through her innovative Osso Safe certification program, children's book "Home Safe Home for You and Me," and the Osso Safe Kids Video, Sabrina is reimagining what "home sweet home" can and should be—making respect a required standard in all residences. Key Takeaways ➤ Respect as a Required Standard: Osso Safe is working to make respect a mandatory requirement in all residential properties through their certification program, which includes policies, seminars, apps, and assigned therapists. ➤ The Difference Between Abuse and Discipline: Abuse instills fear while discipline instills education—this crucial distinction helps parents understand how to guide children from a place of respect rather than control. ➤ Children Need Voice and Choice: Rather than waiting until age 18, children should be empowered to speak up about unsafe situations and know they have trusted adults who will listen and protect them. ➤ Documentation is Crucial: For anyone experiencing abuse, documenting incidents helps combat gaslighting and creates a clear pattern that can be used for protection and legal purposes. ➤ Healing Happens Both Ways: When you heal yourself and then help others heal, it creates a powerful two-way street of transformation and empowerment. Powerful Quotes from Sabrina"Abuse instills fear, and discipline instills education. When you discipline your kids, it should come from a place of education, not fear and manipulation and domination and control.""We trust our children at Osso Safe. We are giving them voice and choice... You kids know who makes you feel safe and free and respected and good, so we're trusting them." How to Connect with Sabrina OssoWebsite: OssoSafe.comSocial Media: Find Osso Safe on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and TikTokChildren's Book: "Home Safe Home for You and Me" available on Amazon and other book-selling platformsThis episode of Whinypaluza reminds us that every child deserves to feel safe in their own home. If you or someone you know needs help, remember: it's not your fault, you're not alone, and there are people ready to help. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
➡️ Want To Learn More About Partnering With Me at eXp (Get all my Training & Coaching For Free) Schedule a Zero Pressure, Fully Confidential Zoom Call with me: https://go.oncehub.com/PartnerwithJoshuaSmithGSD ➡️ Connect With Me On Social Media: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JoshuaSmithGSD Instagram: https://instagram.com/joshuasmithgsd/ About Joshua Smith: -Licensed Realtor/Team Leader Since 2005 -Voted 30th Top Realtor in America by The Wall Street Journal -NAR "30 Under 30" Finalist -Named Top 100 Most Influential People In Real Estate -Top 1% of Realtors/Team Leaders Worldwide -6000+ Homes Sold & Currently Selling 1+ Homes Daily -Featured In: Forbes, Wall Street Journal, Inman & Realtor Magazine -Realtor, Team Leader, Coach, Mentor
Do you ever feel like your team doesn't share the same vision for your property management company as you? How do you ensure your property management team is motivated and accountable without micromanaging them? In this episode of the #DoorGrowShow, property management growth experts Jason and Sarah Hull discuss leadership in property management and getting your team aligned with your vision. You'll Learn [01:38] Your Business is Not a Democracy and Not a Dictatorship [11:14] Creating Accountability for Your Team [21:20] The Business Owner is the Captain of the Ship [28:34] How to Gain Clarity about Your Business and Team Quotables “If you give the majority in your business a vote to just make a decision about the business and they don't have vision or purpose that they believe in they're going to go towards what makes them more comfortable.” “If you have team members that reject accountability and transparency, they're stealing from you.” “Winners want to be seen and recognized.” “If people are not money motivated, but their only motivation for working for you is money, because they're not really inspired by you to follow you. They're not inspired by your values, by your vision, or by the mission of the company, then they're going to steal from you,” Resources DoorGrow and Scale Mastermind DoorGrow Academy DoorGrow on YouTube DoorGrowClub DoorGrowLive Transcript Jason & Sarah Hull (00:00) You have to be a leader worth following. You have to have a vision that's worth following and you have to have team members that you've selected that. are the type of people that share your values that would buy into your vision, that do believe you're a leader worth following. We are Jason and Sarah Hull, the owners of DoorGrow, the world's leading and most comprehensive coaching and consulting firm for long-term residential property management entrepreneurs. For over a decade and a half, we have brought innovative strategies and optimization to the property management industry. At DoorGrow, we have spoken to thousands of property management business owners, coached, consulted, and cleaned up hundreds of businesses, helping them add doors, improve pricing, increase profit, simplify operations, and build and replace teams. We are like bar rescue for property managers. In fact, we have cleaned up and rebranded over 300 businesses, built hundreds more than that of websites. We run the leading property management mastermind with more video testimonials and reviews than any other coach or consultant in the space. At DoorGrow, we believe that good property managers can change the world. and that property management is the ultimate high trust gateway to real estate deals, relationships and residual income. At DoorGrow, we are on a mission to transform property management business owners and their businesses. want to transform the industry, eliminate the BS, build awareness, change perception, expand the market and help the best property management entrepreneurs win. Now let's get into the show. All right. So our topic for today. Sarah was like, what should we talk about? was like, I don't know. What should we talk about? And she's like, well, something's frustrated me lately is. So something that has come up actually twice, I'd say in the last two months. So a little bit more frequent recently is leadership in the business and what the business owner needs to do and what the team needs to do and how those two should interact. Okay. So today we're talking about leadership in property management, specifically being a leader in your property management business. All right. So I was thinking about this and I was thinking about the, and I don't want to say names. Okay. If we give examples. Sure. Of course. Okay. Okay. All right. But they'll know if they hear it, good. Sorry. be good for them. So, yeah, so, you know, we were thinking, we were talking about leadership and, what, what, what was the story? You want to share the story? Okay. Well, this is what you mentioned when I said, should we talk about? Yeah, this is what I mentioned. So there's a business owner that wants to grow the business and wants to grow the team and has a few new hires recently, which is great. And that will get him out of the operational piece, which is also great. And I think he was making the right moves until this happened. And he had recently messaged us and he was going to be moving forward with a few different pieces in his business that we were going to be helping him with, especially with the strategic planning. And then we got a message that essentially said, Hey, we're going to kind of put that on hold. We're going to pause. We're going to take a step back. My team voted. My team voted. and they voted against making these changes. Yeah. And I don't know how to nicely say it. So I guess I'll say it in the way that I know how to. Okay. For the love of God, don't let the team make decisions like that. So everyone, we were talking about it a little bit this morning and the team running the business and doing the day-to-day things and handling tasks, especially the day-to-day tasks. Great. That's fantastic. That's what they're there for. They are there to support you. You are there to guide them. You are there to lead them. we, I feel like it's fitting that this is actually being recorded on Independence Day. And it's funny that I'm going to make this statement on Independence Day. This is not a democracy. Yeah. This is a business. Yeah. And it's also not, as you mentioned, it's not a dictatorship. So it isn't, I'm going to tell you everything and you're just going to go do it. But it's also not, this is what we want. Let's vote and see if we're actually going to do it. So the team needs to look to a leader, one leader usually, to set the vision, to set the mission. and then the team and the leader will fulfill that. Where it gets mucky is when we have the team trying to set the vision for the business or even sometimes with the business owner. Then it gets really, really hard because have you ever had even just a small group of people, if you have three people or four people even, and you go, let's go for lunch, where do you guys wanna go? That can be a tough discussion sometimes. Well, I want Mexican and no, I don't like that. I just had that yesterday. I would rather Italian. I don't want something so heavy. So if such a simple decision can take a really long time and be complex like that, imagine how complex it would be to set the vision and the big goal for the business with the team, with everybody putting their input in. Yeah, that's often called death by committee. yeah. Okay. So I was thinking about this and I was thinking, well, it's not a democracy. It's not a dictatorship. So I was thinking about this and I was, you know, the scripture came to mind where there is no vision that people perish. So I looked it up and I did some research and that's Proverbs 29 18 and the word vision, I guess, is a word. that means like revelation or divine insight or inner guidance and The word perish I'm like does this mean to die? I'm asking chat GPT Like the people die if there is a vision that sounds dramatic and it said that word actually means like to like uncovered or to set loose basically like Getting rid of restraints or becoming undisciplined or becoming lazy or chaotic And, or just focusing on more survival instead of, you know, purpose and vision. And the verse continues, it says, but he that keepeth the law, happy is he. And, know, the law really has to do with, basically it translates basically like you need to be motivated towards some goals. there needs to be vision. otherwise if there aren't constraints or rules or principles to follow then it leads towards chaos and or laziness and so when your team Don't have vision They don't have vision back up. Yeah, so this this law is kind of like divine or universal order there's there's order or there's chaos and without vision and without guidance and without boundaries and without rules People tend to gravitate towards the middle right towards laziness towards chaos And so the team has to be motivated towards some goals. If they're not motivated towards some goals or towards your goals as a business owner, they're not a culture fit. And they can't follow you and you can't lead them. And in order to lead them, you have to have goals. You have to have like provide some purpose. You and. So I thinking about this and I said, if it's not a democracy and not a dictatorship, what would it be? And I guess it would be more like a benevolent theocracy of vision. That's what Chad GPT came up with. Basically a purpose driven monarchy, right? So there's a king, there's a queen and people believe in this person and they choose to follow and trust this person. That's really what a business is better designed to be. Now, why is that? Because democracy, if you give the majority in your business a vote to just make a decision about the business and they don't have Vision or purpose that they believe in they're going to go towards what makes them more comfortable What makes them makes their job easier? It's not going to be what makes you more money. It's not gonna be it's not going to be what grows the business Typically, it's not going to be something that makes them uncomfortable It's not going to be something that adds more work for them Even if it's not actually more work if they perceive it as being more work So let's think about this not gonna do it Yeah, so some business owners think, well, I'll motivate my team. I'll get them all focused on what I want. I'll get them focused on more money. And so they might do something like profit sharing or like bonus structures or giving them a split of revenue. The problem is entrepreneurs, most people are not like you and they don't really care that much about money. So money doesn't really motivate them. I know this is like a big blind spot for entrepreneurs. so profit sharing, money motivation, that doesn't work. with the average person, like most people, most team members. Once their basic needs are met financially, more money's not gonna increase performance, it actually makes it worse. They get more comfortable, they get more lazy, they feel guilty sometimes for taking the money, and then they turn around and they're not gonna not take it, so they have to justify taking it, so they have to make you, the king or queen, the bad guy. Well, they're kind of crappy, so I deserve this. and they have to come up with a reason why they deserve it when they don't feel deep down that they do. And so their performance actually gets worse in a lot of instances. So I think this is a good moment to pause and talk about how to make performance better instead of worse because we don't want that. So if you're looking for something that will make the performance of the team and the day to day of the team and the business a little bit better and easier, you're going to want to hear this. All right, so many of you tell me that maintenance is probably the least enjoyable part of being a property manager and definitely the most time consuming. But what if you could cut that workload up to 85 percent? All right, this is from our sponsor. That's exactly what Vendoroo has achieved. They've leveraged cutting edge AI technology to handle nearly all your maintenance tasks from initiating work orders and troubleshooting to coordinating with vendors and reporting. This AI doesn't just automate, it becomes your ideal employee. learning your preferences and executing tasks flawlessly, never needing a day off and never quitting. This frees you up to focus on the critical tasks that really move the needle for your business, whether that's refining operations, expanding your portfolio, or even just taking a well-deserved break. Over half the room at last year's Door Girl Live conference signed up with Vendoroo right there and then. They did. A year later, they're not just satisfied, they're raving about how Vendoroo has transformed their business. Don't let maintenance drag you down. Step up your property management game with Vendoroo. Visit vendoroo.ai/doorgrow today and make this the last maintenance hire that you'll ever need. All right. That was a very well done transition into our sponsor. I was like, Ooh, where can I plug that? Okay. So there you go. So back to what we were talking about. All right. So, can we talk also about some key differences between what the visionary does and what the team does. Just for those of you that are like, I feel like maybe I should get my team's input and I should put things to a vote. I don't see what's wrong with a vote. I don't know why that would be a bad idea. That sounds fair to me. So, mean, we do get input from our team. This is how we've built and wired up our planning system called DoorGrow OS. Which ironically was the thing that they voted against. I know, yeah. Why? Because DoorGrow OS creates accountability. And so if you have team members that reject accountability and transparency, they're stealing from you. Probably. Very likely. Always. And I'll explain this. Because winners want to be seen and recognized. Winners want to be seen and recognized. And that's what DoorGrow OS is. It's a recognition system. It's a goal system. It's a system for moving the business forward. And if your team members are not motivated to benefit the business, that means they're not a culture fit. Then they don't share your values and they will either just do the bare minimum, which is stealing from you. They will subtly sabotage or resist the things that you want to do like DoorGrow OS. Right? Like growing the business, like adding doors, which is stealing from you or they will actually steal time, or cash. It's not always stealing from you to just not want to grow the business, but what it is, is it's killing your opportunity. So now you have like lost opportunity costs. So imagine if you could have been the dominant company in your market. Imagine if you could have been the company that has 1200 doors. and because the team didn't want to do more work, you stay stuck at 250 doors. How sad would that be? How many clients would you be doing a disservice to by not growing your business? How many tenants would suffer with bad property managers? Because we all know there's a lot of those. Bad landlords and bad property managers because you and your team didn't want to grow your business. So my thinking is this, if people are not money motivated, but their only motivation for working for you is money, because they're not really inspired by you to follow you. They're not inspired by your values, by your vision, or by the mission of the company, then they're going to steal from you, either just through being lazy, but they're going to gravitate towards that laziness or chaos. And if you don't give them vision and they're great people, you're creating that. That's what you're creating in your business. And so I think that's why it's important. If you feel uninspired and unmotivated and not excited about your business, your goals are shitty goals. That's the problem. Your goal. You have no real vision. You're operating from within your current level of thinking, which is not vision. That means you have a weak, limited goal and it's not getting your brain to think outside the box or think differently. You need to start creating some impossible goals. And that's probably a whole episode we could talk about. But you need and this is something that we were getting clients to doing and focusing on right now. And they're hitting some really amazing targets and getting some really amazing accomplishments. But you have to start giving your brain a different goal as a tool to think outside the box. And that's your job as a leader is to come up with a bigger vision that makes everyone feel uncomfortable because it's impossible. So it gets everyone to start to think differently. It helps you find a different path than the current grind that you're on. Because that current path is like a slow death for entrepreneur. It's not, it's linear, it's difficult. takes, there's too many steps. You've had goals for years that you probably haven't hit. And if you have been hitting them, it's because you have a big enough vision and your team members then can be excited and believe in you. And so you got to give them something to believe in. That's how you become that benevolent theocracy of vision. So and I think that there is a key difference between the business owner setting the vision and the goals and the mission and getting buy-in from the team and having the right team to make sure that we can fulfill that versus allowing the team to say, well, we don't really want to grow the business. We don't want to get to a thousand doors. That would be insane. That would be so much work. We have 250 doors right now and I'm busy all day long. Oh my God, you want me to get to a thousand? Why would I do that? So we have to remember that there are key differences between a business owner, an entrepreneur and a team member. And now neither one is good or bad. I'm not saying, hey, team members are bad or entrepreneurs are bad. Neither one is good or bad. It's just that a business needs both of those roles because your team members remember that they are employees. They are not entrepreneurs. So they will not think like entrepreneurs because they're not. the four reasons that Jason talks about for starting a business. they're a lot less concerned with those than we are as entrepreneurs. And anyone who has ever owned or started a business, you know you're a little bit weird. You think a little bit differently than most other people do. So you've got team members who do not think like you. That's why they didn't start a business. That's why they're working for someone else. And then we're asking those people to create the vision and the mission for the company. It's not going to work out. It's just not, they don't think the same way that you think. You as a visionary, you will think, hey, this is what we can do. This is what I want to do. This is my whole dream for the business. And team members, they might see it. They might see it from you and believe in it, but very rarely will they go, hey, you know what we should do? What if we did this business owner? If you've got team members like that, congratulations. You've got either entrepreneurs or intrapreneurs on your team, which is very rare. But most of the time, the team members are going to gravitate towards comfort. They don't want the stretch. They don't want the extra work. They don't want the challenge. It's scary. Entrepreneurs are risk takers just by nature. We are willing to do the things that other people are not willing to do. So if we ask our team to vote or ask our team to figure out, what should we do with the company? They're not going to think the same way that you think and they're generally going to gravitate towards Comfort well, hey, we're good right now. Like I don't think anything has to change. Let's just keep doing what we're doing Right. We don't want to hurt our level service. We don't want to lose our clients. Like let's keep things status quo Yeah, and if we do more If we get more doors now, we have to do more work Yeah, they're generally how exciting is that gonna be? Yeah, I would love to triple my work. That would be amazing. Definitely triple my work. Yes, I'm for that. Said no one ever. Except for maybe an entrepreneur. Yeah. Yeah, I think, I think, your team needs to be people that value accountability and they value transparency because they want to be seen and they want to be recognized. If they don't want to be seen and they don't want to be recognized, then they really, they want to steal from you. Not in an intentional way sometimes, but sometimes intentionally. They will basically, like I said earlier, do the bare minimum, sabotage or steal time. And sometimes they steal money because they just, they don't have the same values as you. So, you know, it's not about having like control. It's not about control. It's about clarity, clarity of purpose. It's not about rules. It's about there being resonance. Like they resonate with it. It's not about votes. It's about values. Right? And the vote thing just, it's so shocking to me. If we have one entrepreneur and then even two team members, majority rules is the team members. Yeah. The team can outvote the entrepreneur. What the hell kind of business are you setting up? I'm so sorry, but seriously, what kind of business are you setting up? Yeah, get around five other entrepreneurs and then have them vote what you should do. Do that. That would be a different vote than your team. And if your team is going, Oh my God, you're insane. That's not a bad thing. Now, if they go, Oh my God, you're insane. There's no way we're doing that. I'm I'm nope. I'm not doing it. Then you probably have the wrong team. They don't believe in you. They don't trust you. They don't believe in your vision. okay if your team thinks you're crazy. Our team thinks we're crazy all the time. And we warn them, we warn them. We came back from Mexico and we said, okay, just so you guys know, we've got some crazy shit planned. It's gonna be insane. So buckle up, brace for impact. It's gonna happen. If you're here, you're on the roller coaster and it's going for a ride, baby. And they know, and they know they all laughed because they're like, okay, Sarah and Jason are doing it again. Here they go. All right. And they think we're a little bit nuts and that's okay. But they're still excited about it. They don't, they don't go, my God, this is terrifying. I don't want to do this. No, not at all. It's okay if they think you're a little bit nuts, as long as they're bought into the big goal. But very rarely are they going to come up with a big goal themselves. Yeah. Like team members that are part of big goals are way happier. But yeah, it's harder. But then they felt like when you do hard things and you accomplish things, you feel better about yourself. So they have greater self-worth. I mean, look at your team members. They look like lazy people. Like you can usually tell if your team members are lazy or unmotivated or whether they're excited and inspired to like move the business forward. So an analogy, you mentioned on our walk this morning that when we were talking a bit about this. was a good analogy. The analogy of the ship. boat. Sometimes I come up with this stuff. Yeah. I don't even know where it comes from. And so this is I was thinking about this. And so this is what I wrote down earlier when I was preparing for this. it's my it's my thing. You're not going to share my analogy. And OK, you do yours and I'll share my version. You you can share your version. OK, so the way that I put it this morning. Thanks for the reminder, by the way. The way I put it this morning is think of it like a ship. OK, so the business owner needs to be the captain of the ship. What happens when there are several captains? It's hard. We need to go this way. No, we need to go this way. No, we're supposed to be going northeast. No, we're not. Right. It gets it gets messy. One captain of the ship. What does the captain do? The captain is the one who is. creating the plan and keeping things on track and saying, this is where we're going, this is what we're doing, and I'm leading. Now the team, they're not captains. The team, what happens on a ship, if you think about it, is the captain the only crew member on the ship? No, absolutely not. That would also be a disaster. So if there's just the captain and nobody else, there is a whole crew. behind the scenes that are doing the things to make the ship work and keep this ship safe. So they're doing things like, you know, working underneath and they're making sure there's enough fuel. Back in the days they used to like load the coal. They're making sure that the ship isn't sinking. They're doing all of the things that the captain isn't doing or doesn't want to do or can't do, but they work in tandem. They work together. in order to make sure that the ship is safe, moving forward, not sinking, and reaches its destination. And the different people have different roles in that. But imagine if you asked the crew to come up and be the captain. Imagine if you asked four crew members to come up and be co-captains. Disaster and then imagine if you took the captain and said you're gonna go below the deck and you're gonna do all of that work Well, I don't know how to do that. I know how to steer the ship too bad figure it out. What happens disaster So you need to work together in tandem, but the visionary entrepreneur needs to be the one who is the captain So I like this analogy of the captain because the captain's goal is to protect the ship It's to protect everybody on board. It's to keep everything moving forward. So if you think back in the day, the captain would navigate and he would navigate by the stars because they're out in the middle of the ocean. And so he had the vision. He had the maps. He had the access to the resources and the perspective, the vision that the crew didn't have. And the crew does not vote where to go. Sure don't. They're not voting. Nope. Like, well, I vote we turn left here. I don't know. It like a good direction, but the captain's like, but guys is doing, I've got the maps. Like, yeah, we think we should put it to a vote. We just, you know, but I think we should go that way. So they follow the captain out of trust too, because the captain has vision. And if they don't, they walk the plank. So you fire them and you get them out of the business. All right. So, okay. And then also I think what I will say too is I think this is a Man, sometimes I'm smarter than I even realize. This is such a good analogy because what happens if and when the ship sinks? Who goes down with the ship, guys? It's the captain. Does the crew go down with the ship intentionally? Not usually. They're trying to jump off. They're trying to, they're like, get me out of here. I need to save myself. Where are the rafts? Where are the lifeboats? Where, how do I get off of here? The captain does not abandon the ship. The captain goes down with the ship if it goes down. So since the captain is the one who would go down with the ship, they need to be the one who's ultimately responsible for it. And your business is the same. Your team members are not going to go down with your business. They're going to hop ship. They're going to ⁓ I quit. I need to go work for somebody else because this is clearly not working. As the entrepreneur, you don't have that same ability. you get to figure it out. And for that reason, it's gotta be you. It does not need to be you who's doing the day-to-day work, but it does need to be you who's setting that vision for everybody else on the team. And so that doesn't mean you don't get good ideas, you don't get feedback from everybody else. Somebody may have a better idea than you in certain scenarios, but that's, that's your, your leading and you're leading with vision, which means you have, you're the one that has set. big impossible goals that get everybody out of their current limited prison in their own mind of thinking. so groupthink isn't vision, it's mediocrity. I'll say that again, groupthink isn't vision, it's mediocrity. And so if you're allowing groupthink to take over, then it's gonna go towards the middle, right? Like the bell curve in elementary school or in grade school. Right. It's going to go towards middle, not towards exceptional. It's going to gravitate towards the mediocrity. And this, I, this is something I thought about before we started recording that I thought was really important. It's not enough just to be a leader and to have vision. You have to be a leader worth following. You have to have a vision that's worth following and you have to have team members that you've selected that. are the type of people that share your values that would buy into your vision, that do believe you're a leader worth following. And so being a leader worth following is not about putting a gun to anyone's head. It's not about threatening to fire them. It's about creating a vision and bringing in the right people that can see that they want to be inspired. They want to be part of something bigger. They want to be part of something that's having a positive impact. They have a reason for being there that's bigger. than just getting a paycheck. They can get a paycheck in a lot of different ways. And most of them aren't money motivated. So they need a job or a path that can give them something beyond just money and that's purpose. And that's what your vision does. It provides purpose. And so your vision needs to be bigger than just getting a buck out of your clients. And that's why we get into this stuff in our, we call purpose secrets in our DoorGrow Academy. that we coach clients on because that's the actual product. The actual product in a property management business is not property management. It's you the business owner and your unique vision and the unique team and systems that you have created around that. That's what makes you different than every other management company. Otherwise, if you're just a management company and all you sell is the property management and that's the product they might and everyone does the same thing. They might as well just go with the cheapest company. Cause you haven't really set yourself apart. So the thing that people are lacking usually to in order to do this is clarity. So recently we built something really cool. Then we excited to tell people about. Jason did it. Jason built it. Okay. He's like, we did it. All right. I built it. So Jason built it. Jason's nerdy. being DoorGrow so, um, yeah. So Basically, we built this clarity assessment because the one thing you're lacking, if you don't have vision, you don't have good goals, you don't have good leadership, you're lacking clarity. You're spending plenty of time in your business. You're taking plenty of action, but you're not making progress. You're lacking clarity. Without clarity, we go in the wrong direction. Just like the ship. We end up in the wrong place. It's not reaching our goals. Without clarity, we take the wrong actions. We do the wrong growth strategies. We make a ton of mistakes. And so if you're not making the progress you want, the one thing you need is clarity. And so I want to help you get this. And I can't talk to everybody all the time. And so I created this clarity assessment. It's a really cool form. I built it out. It's got a video for each step to guide you through clarity in what matters to you, what you want, why it met, like how it connects to emotion. Because if it doesn't, if your goals don't emotionally matter, you'll never achieve them. Yeah. You there's what you want to get away from. There's what you want to move towards. What's your ideal outcome and what emotionally, how do you connect that? Cause otherwise you won't be inspired or motivated enough to take action or do it or to inspire your team to do it because you have a weak goal or you have a weak purpose and you're not really connected to it. And so you've been lacking clarity. That's what you've been lacking. If you haven't been making the progress that you want to make clarity is what lights you on fire. So you go through our clarity assessment and to get to it, you go to doorgrow.com/clarity You go to that. There's a form there. Watch the video first for the instructions. This is important. Don't go cheap on this because this is for you. I already know our stuff works. I don't need to like convince myself. I already know that you need or could benefit from what we have. We've helped hundreds of people. You need to get clarity first on what you think is your problem and how it emotionally impacts you and all this. Go through the clarity assessment and based on your questions, it will give you a free training. If you go through the whole thing, it'll take you a little bit. If you go through the whole thing and you go deep into this, you'll get a much better outcome. And then... You will think you know what your problem is maybe and how you're connected to it. And then I'm going to give you a training related to what you had selected is the issue. And I'm going to blow your mind and I'm going to share with you why what you think is the problem is not the actual problem. So you're going to get more clarity in that second step. I'm going to give you a free training related to the myth or the belief that you have that you think is holding you back. And then after you do that, then you can go to our video of me explaining our entire system. our program, what's included, what it costs, everything. You don't have to get on a sales call. You don't have to talk to anybody in order to get all of this information. More clarity on how DoorGrow could then benefit you in a path to get beyond your current limited thinking and your current path that has not been working. So clarity assessment to get clarity, then training to get greater clarity on what the actual issue is, and then a path for the future. And then you can schedule your onboarding call with us if you feel that's appropriate. And so you can go through all this and do this and us at DoorGrow will be talking with you soon. And some of you will move through the fast lane and go through this. And some of you, my team will probably need to follow up and keep you accountable and say, Hey, did you do this next step and do this? You know, and you'll be like, well, I'm really busy, but I'm working on it. You know, but if this matters to you, then you will identify that during the clarity assessment. and it needs to matter. Otherwise, why do it? If it doesn't matter, then you don't need to grow. Just give up. It doesn't matter. But if it matters, you need to figure out why it matters. You need to get really connected to that. And that clarity assessment is going to help you do it. Cool. So DoorGrow dot com slash clarity. I'm really excited about this. I've had some people go through it. Lady went through it yesterday. First time went through all this stuff in and and joined the program. And so I'm excited because that's going to allow us to benefit more people. I don't have to do hours and hours of calls trying to convince you of all this. And you get free trainings and free knowledge. We had one client go through some of our free stuff like this, came to our jumpstart session because we onboard people in person as part of the program. And he had added 41 doors just from our free stuff, just from our free stuff. He's like, I tried some of the things I thought I could do based on what you told me. And he added 41 doors. Yeah. Yeah. So, if you've been listening to this podcast and haven't yet added doors. Yeah. Our program's already paid for it for him, like forever, like residually, because he's making so much money, extra money now. So our program costs nothing, by the way, if you do what we tell you to do, you make more money and that's called an ROI people, right? There's a return on investment and you make more and you continue to make more and more. than what you pay us. And that's the ultimate win. We wanna see you succeed. So if you felt stagnant or stuck and you wanna take your business to the next level, you can reach out to us at doorgroot.com. Also, you can join our free Facebook community. It's just for property management business owners. We reject 60 to 70 % of the applicants. So it's a curated group at doorgrowclub.com. Go to doorgrowclub.com. And if you found this even a little bit helpful, don't forget to subscribe and leave us a review. It helps us help more people. We'd really appreciate it. And until next time, remember the slowest path to growth is to do it alone. So let's grow together. Bye everyone.
The city's House Music Festival and Conference is back, which means it's time for a dance break. We're revisiting a conversation we had in 2022 with the co-hosts of WNUR's Vintage House Show, DJ Lori Branch and archivist Lauren Lowery, about the roots of house music, the legacy of the now-landmarked Warehouse, and modern reinterpretations of the genre. If you enjoyed today's interview with 2025 President of the Chicago Association of REALTORS®, Erika Villegas, learn more here. Want some more City Cast Chicago news? Then make sure to sign up for our Hey Chicago newsletter. Follow us @citycastchicago You can also text us or leave a voicemail at: 773 780-0246 Learn more about the sponsors of this Aug. 21 episode: Overlook Maps Chicago Association of Realtors Window Nation Broadway in Chicago Become a member of City Cast Chicago. Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE
Send us a textSir Lancelot Lennard shares his journey from arriving in America with just $300 to building a real estate empire with over 200 deals and $100 million in sales in Florida. He reveals the systems and mindset shifts that transformed him from an overworked agent handling every aspect of his transactions to the CEO of a growing real estate organization.• Arrived in America with just $300 after working on cruise ships where he met his wife• Built a real estate business doing up to 48 deals per year as a solo agent• Experiencing physical stress symptoms from handling every aspect of transactions personally• Transitioning from agent to CEO by implementing systems and strategic delegation• Creating a business structure with ISAs, buyer's agents, and transaction coordinators• Prioritizing morning routines with 5:30 AM gym sessions followed by sauna• Using real estate investing to create a lifestyle allowing his wife to be a stay-at-home mom• Generating business through consistently working his database of 6,000-7,000 contacts• Expanding into contracting to diversify his real estate-focused business modelFind Sir Lancelot on social media as Sir Lancelot the Realtor or The Sir Lancelot Group, and check out his podcast, The Real Estate Round Table. Thanks again for listening. Don't forget to subscribe, share, and leave a FIVE-STAR review.Head to Dwanderful right now to claim your free real estate investing kit. And follow:http://www.Dwanderful.comhttp://www.facebook.com/Dwanderfulhttp://www.Instagram.com/Dwanderful http://www.youtube.com/DwanderfulRealEstateInvestingChannelMake it a Dwanderful Day!