GRIT: The Real Estate Growth Mindset Episode 160: Running a Remote Team That Outperforms the Market with Carrie Linton Lysenko & Brittany Kostov
Real estate is an industry where the market can change overnight, making it harder for agents to know how to stay consistent. Some try to solve this by chasing more leads or working longer hours, but that often leads to burnout instead of growth. What if there was a way to build a predictable business no matter what the market does?
That is what Zoocasa has been doing. Starting as a small brokerage in Ontario, Zoocasa built its own lead generation platform before joining eXp Realty in 2022. Today, they run one of the largest virtual real estate teams in North America with over 230 agents in their Agent Accelerator program. Their model provides the systems, coaching, and accountability that agents need to get into production and stay there.
Carrie Linton Lysenko, CEO of Zoocasa, shares how they built a platform that now powers lead flow and technology for thousands of agents. Brittany Kostov, the company’s first agent and now Director of Sales, talks about what it takes to lead a fully remote team at this scale. “It’s all about creating an environment where agents feel supported and challenged,” says Brittany.
In this conversation, Brian Charlesworth digs into how their team improved conversion rates from 2 percent to nearly 7 percent in just three quarters by using data and consistent coaching. Carrie explains how they hold leads longer and only pass them to agents when they are ready to take action. “Do the hard things until they aren’t hard anymore,” she says.
Top Takeaways:
(0:55) From local brokerage to joining eXp
(4:32) Zoocasa’s surprising tech origins
(8:32) Why real estate success is always local
(14:55) From 2% to 7% conversion growth
(19:43) Daily huddles that keep agents aligned
(21:16) Monday focus on objections and wins
(24:08) Doing the hard things every day
(30:36) Staying connected during tough times
(33:39) Comparing the US and Canadian markets
(35:29) Creating a culture of accountability
You will also hear how their daily huddles keep agents connected across different markets, how they build accountability without micromanaging, and why their approach works even when transactions are down nationally.
If you are trying to build a business that grows steadily instead of depending on market ups and downs, this episode is for you. Tune in now!
About Carrie Linton Lysenko
Carrie Linton Lysenko is the CEO of Zoocasa, leading its growth across Canada and the US. She has over 20 years of experience in marketing and digital business strategy. Carrie guided Zoocasa through its acquisition by eXp Realty and expansion into new markets. She oversees teams across product, sales, and operations to deliver scalable real estate solutions.
Connect with Carrie:
LinkedIn
About Brittany Kostov
Brittany Kostov is the Sales Director at Zoocasa, managing agent recruitment and training. She supports agents with tools and processes to maintain high performance across the team. Brittany started as one of Zoocasa’s top agents, helping clients navigate buying and selling. She now focuses on building and developing the brokerage’s growing agent network.
Connect with Brittany: