Leading with Grit & Grace: Real Talk with FirstTeam's Michele & Lauren

From the U.S. Marine Corps to running one of California's largest brokerages, Michele Harrington's leadership journey is anything but typical. Alongside Lauren Henss, a marketing powerhouse with a Chanel-to-Compass résumé, these two leaders are redefining what it means to build a modern, human-first brokerage.

In this episode, James and Keith sit down with Michele (CEO) and Lauren (VP of Marketing & Strategic Initiatives) of FirstTeam Real Estate to unpack:

• The power of discipline and structure (and how the military shaped Michele's career)

• The "Behind the Agent" campaign and how it's producing a 90% retention rate

• What most agents get wrong about branding, TikTok, and storytelling

• How to build a brokerage with vision, heart, and standards

• Why women are still underrepresented in the real estate C-suite—and how that's finally changing

This episode is packed with truth bombs, real laughs, and sharp takes on private listings, Zillow, MLS reform, recruiting strategies, and what it really takes to scale a business that lasts.

Links mentioned in the episode:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yWSFJbCBsHM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=grqWOEYGXSA

Connect with Michele on LinkedIn.

Connect with Lauren on LinkedIn.

Learn more about FirstTeam Real Estate on Facebook - X - LinkedIn - YouTube - Instagram - Pinterest and online at firstteam.com.

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