Next Level Agents: The Kevin & Fred Show - Interviews with the best and brightest minds in the real estate industry

Starting a brokerage in a market where desk fees run $25K-30K and the average home sells for $300K? That's exactly what Josh Ries is doing in South Dakota—and he's using lead generation systems that cut costs by 78% to do it. Josh didn't set out to become a managing broker. He was consulting on lead generation for teams and brokerages when opportunity knocked. Now he's building a cloud-based brokerage from the ground up in a small market dominated by legacy franchises, and he's doing it with zero agents on day one. This episode breaks down the unglamorous reality of starting from scratch: building systems before recruiting a single agent, defining your value proposition in a sea of sameness, and using targeted digital marketing to attract mid-level producers ready to scale. Katie and Josh dig into the consultative approach that builds relationships instead of burning through leads, why providing value when people don't need you is the only strategy that matters, and how to leverage custom audiences and retargeting to stay omnipresent without being obnoxious. Key Topics: Why you need rock-solid systems before you recruit your first agent (or hire your first assistant) How to identify your ideal avatar and speak directly to their pain points instead of bragging about your stats The shift from authority-based marketing to value-based lead generation—and why people don't care about your awards anymore Using custom audiences, retargeting, and social funnels to stay top of mind without spending a fortune Transitioning from digital nurture to in-person relationships (and why leads die between steps) The difference between transactional selling and consultative relationship building—and which one compounds over time Why cutting your cost per acquisition by 78% starts with knowing your business numbers Whether you're building a team, recruiting for a brokerage, or just trying to grow your solo business, this episode will challenge you to think about growth differently. Stop chasing. Start providing value. Let people come to you when they're ready. Your move: Apply this same framework to your database. Are you providing so much value when people don't need you that when they do, there's no question who they're calling? If not, it's time to rebuild your foundation. Learn more about joining the Next Level Agents community at https://nextlevelagents.com/exp/ ​​Please leave us a review at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://ratethispodcast.com/nla⁠⁠⁠

When we look at someone making and posting great content, we tend to overlook one thing. They all had that first crappy post or clumsy video. It doesn’t become polished overnight - it goes through a ton of iterations until it looks amazing. You don’t see the 100 steps the content creator had to go through - the period of being bad at it first, figuring it out, learning new things and applying them.  Most people will never get to great because they aren’t willing to go through this part of the process. They are afraid of looking silly and afraid of the discomfort of looking like they don’t know what they’re doing. They don’t want to screw up in order to do it better next time.  The journey of getting better as a business owner, and a person for that matter, involves a lot of humbling moments, learning curves, curiosity and a ton of improvements. As soon as we become okay with that, we unlock our next level of growth. We’re ultimately in the self-improvement business disguised as a real estate business. How do we commit to constant growth and improvement? Today, fellow Phoenix agent, Angela Gordon talks about how she’s growing her business by improving herself.  Key Points   Give fear a seat at the table, not a vote One of the things that holds us back from taking action is the fear of not getting results or looking silly. Fear is a natural response to trying something new. We can still have the thoughts, but we don’t have to give them power by not taking action. Give fear and doubt a seat at the table, but you don’t have to give them a vote.  How to handle the results lag of real estate As agents whose business results often lag behind the action we take, we don’t have the benefit of instant gratification. If we let our emotions control the day-to-day of our business and what we do, we can easily get off track. We have to believe that as long as we’re doing the right things, business will be okay, even if we don’t see the results right away.  You’re not in the business of selling houses If you’re a business owner, you’re really in the self-development business especially if you’re working with the public and dealing with customers/clients. Working on yourself is your number 1 job because if you don’t overcome your BS, you’ll never get to where you want to go.  How to tap into your creativity  One of the most powerful things we can do is be more creative. It benefits us in so many aspects of our business. But how do we lean into creativity and get ourselves into a creative space? By getting out of our usual routines, taking a break from work and getting out of our element. Whatever our hamster wheel is, we have to step off it to get those creative juices flowing.  The power of curiosity  Curiosity and the ability to be uncomfortable are some of the most powerful qualities a person can possess. Most people aren’t willing to try something different, but even if you discover that the new hobby wasn’t for you, you still get to learn something about yourself, and that’s great if you want to keep growing.  Guest Info Angela is an investor and top 4% real estate agent in Arizona who focuses on the east valley cities. With an emphasis on cultivating community, connecting people and supporting local businesses. Angela is also committed to personal development, constant improvement and building a life on being your authentic self. Follow ⁠@angelagordon_⁠ on Instagram.  CTA ​​Please leave us a review at ⁠https://ratethispodcast.com/nla⁠

Profit - it’s the whole entire point that we run businesses. For such a critical, and even fundamental topic, agents will talk about everything else but whether or not they are making a profit, and there’s a reason.  Staying on top of your numbers requires a scary level of maturity. Whatever financial decision we make has an impact on the bottom line, and that level of responsibility is so uncomfortable, we’d rather avoid it altogether. It’s the equivalent of stepping on the scale and knowing we have to make lifestyle changes to take care of our health.  If we ran a publicly traded company, every decision would need to be justified to a board, a CFO, and a whole horde of people. In real estate, we can get away with not doing that, but it’s something we must force on ourselves if we really do want to be profitable.  How do we overcome the Fear of Finding Out? What’s so powerful about getting in rooms with smart people?  Chris Bowers and I continue our deep dive conversation on real estate, curating relationships and the power of masterminds.  Guest Info Chris Bowers is a Realtor, Investor and owner of the Bowers Team, and the host of The agentXcel podcast. Chris has been in real estate for over 16 years, but he has been an entrepreneur since his teens. Today, Chris and his wife run a successful team selling over 140 units with half of those being Chris’ personal production. He has also built a solid rental portfolio that continues to grow to this day.  Follow ⁠@chrisbowers_realestate⁠ on Instagram and listen to agentXcel on ⁠Apple Podcasts⁠ or ⁠Spotify⁠.   CTA ​​Please leave us a review at ⁠https://ratethispodcast.com/nla⁠

In real estate, being a broker is the ultimate dream we’re taught to aspire to, but for most people, it’s a nightmare. If you put the ego and bragging rights aside, you’ll find that most brokers aren’t happy.  They work 80+ hours a week, get very little time with their families, and at the end of the day, have very little to show for it financially. People often say a restaurant is one of the worst businesses to own, but a real estate brokerage isn’t all that different if you really dig into the numbers.  What if we could aspire to a business model that gave us freedom, leverage and more money? What if you could do away with the things that make owning a brokerage so difficult? Mitch Riback did just that and created a model that allows owners to keep more income, have less overhead and responsibility over agents and way more freedom.  You could go from working 80+ hours a week to 30 hours, and sell more homes with less headaches. Ultimately, what most “successful” brokers don’t tell you is how much they hate what they run. By taking a different approach, you can sign up for a business, and not a trap. Today, I’m joined by the Realtor, coach, speaker and author of The Big Lie: Are You On the Real Estate Hamster Wheel? Mitch talks about what drove him to build a different business and how it’s allowed him to pour into what truly matters.  People think working 80+ hours a week is a badge of honor, it’s a badge of stupidity. -Mitch Ribak  Guest Info Mitch Ribak is a Realtor, Broker, Coach, Speaker and author of The Big Lie: Are you on the Real Estate Hamster Wheel? Most Successful Realtors, Team Leaders and Brokers never truly build a business, they build a crappy job. Mitch teaches agents and brokers how to create a business that not only increases their profits, but also creates a life of freedom. To get the book, get ⁠https://a.co/d/1T0qWAt⁠ or send an email to ⁠Mitch@mitchrealty.com⁠.  CTA ​​Please leave us a review at ⁠https://ratethispodcast.com/nla

In a good market, the gap between great agents and average agents is virtually non-existent - it’s anyone’s game. When the market turns, the gap between the good and the great becomes so wide, it’s the difference between earning money and leaving the business entirely. Doubling your business in a down market is possible, but it’s not by chance.  You and your team have to be so different that sellers believe you’re the only way they can get top dollar for their home.  That comes down to marketing - the best marketers won’t just outlast the market, they’ll win outright. The market assumes your ability based on your visibility - so we have to win the conversation before we even get into the room with the seller.  The wealthy are paid for their expertise, the lowest paid are compensated for their time. How do we position ourselves as experts? How do we use marketing to craft the unique home selling offer that makes domination automatic?  Curtis Johnson shares the key strategy to winning in this market.  Guest Info Curtis runs a highly successful real estate team at The Curtis Johnson Team Powered By eXp Realty having sold nearly 5,000 residential homes in Arizona and a BILLION Dollars in Volume. The Wall Street Journal ranked his Team as one of the Top 50 out of 1.2 million REALTORS in America. He is one of the most connected and sought after real estate minds in the business. He and his team were singled out as a finalist in Inman's Most Innovative Real Estate Teams in 2018. His extensive knowledge of the real estate market makes him an in demand speaker and real estate expert. He constantly analyzes current market conditions and trends to stay one step ahead of others in the field. Curtis holds several advanced professional designations including GRI, ABR and CRS. Curtis has been featured nationally on the cover of REALTOR Magazine, prominently in CNN Money Magazine as well as interviewed locally on virtually every TV station and newspaper. Curtis and his selling system have been featured on the 60 Minutes equivalent in several countries internationally.  Follow ⁠@curtisjohnsonrealestate⁠ on Instagram.  CTA ​​Please leave us a review at ⁠https://ratethispodcast.com/nla⁠

Nolan Rucker, a high-performing real estate agent and entrepreneur, shares his secrets to closing $26.5M in sales while working less. He discusses the importance of focusing on dollar-per-hour metrics and selectively choosing clients to boost business quality. With innovative strategies like green screen videos that garnered 3 million views, Nolan emphasizes leveraging technology for remote consultations and client interactions. His approach challenges traditional methods, proving success doesn't always require more hours but rather smarter systems.

You're working hard. Answering emails, jumping on calls, sitting in meetings, grinding through your to-do list. But at the end of the day, can you actually name what you accomplished that moved the needle? Here's the brutal truth most agents don't want to hear: staying busy is just structured procrastination. High performers don't do everything—they get ruthless about the right things. Every single day. In this solo episode, Kevin breaks down five core productivity principles from a powerful conversation led by his business partner and Place co-founder, Ben Kinney. These aren't hacks. They're standards. The kind of standards that separate agents who stay busy from agents who actually build something meaningful. KEY PRINCIPLES COVERED: 1. The Power List - Your daily win conditions (not a massive to-do list) 2. Why multitasking is a liability, not a skill 3. Time boxing - Protecting your best work with discipline 4. The two-minute reset - Clearing mental clutter immediately 5. Energy stacking - Matching work to your biology, not fighting it If you've ever ended your day exhausted but unclear on what you really achieved, this episode will challenge how you operate. You'll learn how to stop reacting and start leading yourself with focus and structure. Ready to stop being busy and start actually winning? Take the seven-day challenge Kevin lays out in this episode and watch what changes when you lead yourself with discipline. Want to join a community of agents committed to reaching their next level? Learn more at https://nextlevelagents.com/exp ​​Please leave us a review at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://ratethispodcast.com/nla⁠⁠⁠

You just spent thousands on a conference ticket, flights, hotel, and meals. Four days away from your business. And when you get home, you've got a notebook full of notes you'll never implement and zero measurable ROI. If this sounds familiar, you're doing conferences wrong—and you're not alone. In this powerhouse panel discussion, Katie DeWitt, Brandon Snyder, and Carly Peterson break down exactly how to extract maximum value from conference attendance. With hundreds of conferences between them, they've made every mistake, learned every lesson, and cracked the code on turning conferences from expensive vacations into strategic business investments. This isn't theory. This is the exact playbook our team uses to ensure every dollar and every minute spent at conferences generates real returns. You'll learn why most agents waste money, how to avoid the biggest traps, and what to do instead to actually move your business forward. If you're planning to attend any conference in 2026, listen to this episode first. It could save you thousands and transform how you approach professional development. KEY TAKEAWAYS: - Why you must pick ONE focus area for each conference (and how the firehose of information drowns unfocused agents) - The one-page rule that eliminates useless note-taking and maximizes implementation - How to use technology to stay present while capturing information (recording, transcription, AI summaries) - The strategic networking approach that builds referral partnerships instead of just collecting business cards - Why buying anything at a conference is almost always a mistake (and how to avoid shiny object syndrome) - The hidden ROI of staying at the main hotel (and why cheap hotels kill networking opportunities) - What to actually pack and what to leave behind (plus the critical items that save you when bags get lost) - How to leverage social media for real relationship building instead of business card exchanges - The brutal truth about conference economics: if you can't afford to go, don't go - Why implementation at the event beats taking notes for later (and how to close the gap between learning and doing) Whether you're a conference veteran or planning your first major industry event, this episode gives you the complete blueprint for maximizing ROI, avoiding costly mistakes, and coming home with partnerships and systems that actually transform your business. Stop treating conferences like reunions. Start treating them like strategic investments. ​​Please leave us a review at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://ratethispodcast.com/nla⁠⁠

What separates top-producing real estate agents from those who struggle? It's not talent, market conditions, or even how hard you work. It's momentum. And most agents are accidentally killing their own without even realizing it. In this solo episode, host Kevin Kauffman breaks down the exact blueprint top producers use to create and protect unstoppable forward motion, especially heading into the slowest season of the year. This isn't theory or motivation—it's the tactical, daily habits that compound into more listings, more contracts, and more closings. You'll discover why consistency beats intensity every single time, how to eliminate the gap between thought and action, and the simple systems that make momentum automatic instead of exhausting. Whether you're ending the year strong or scrambling to recover, this episode gives you the framework to build momentum that carries you straight through Q1. KEY TAKEAWAYS: - Why momentum (not motivation) is the real driver of sustained success - The power of a daily minimum standard and how to set your non-negotiable baseline - How tracking your activity turns effort into proof, proof into confidence, and confidence into action - The habit stacking technique that makes new disciplines automatic - Why reducing friction and decision fatigue protects your energy for income-producing activities - How to stay in motion even when it's imperfect—because messy action beats no action - The difference between lone wolf agents and plugged-in producers who use accountability as fuel - How to protect your momentum when life interrupts (and why momentum is easier to maintain than rebuild) Stop waiting to feel ready. Stop waiting for perfect conditions. The agents who build momentum now are going to dominate in January, February, and March while everyone else is scrambling to restart. This episode shows you exactly how to get, and stay, in motion. Ready to take your business to the next level? Learn more about joining a community of agents who are building unstoppable momentum at nextlevelagents.com/exp. ​​Please leave us a review at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://ratethispodcast.com/nla⁠⁠

Tim Rist closed 170 units in a year, led a team of twelve, and was flying everyone to Maui to celebrate. Then 2020 hit, and he lost everything—his marriage, millions of dollars, and the entire empire he'd spent his twenties building. But this isn't a story about failure. It's about what happens when you realize the ladder you've been climbing is leaning against the wrong building, and you choose to rebuild with wisdom instead of insecurity. In this raw conversation with host Katie DeWitt, Tim gets brutally honest about the chip on his shoulder that drove impressive results but also created chaos. He breaks down the difference between building a business on ego versus collaboration, why ravenous hustle isolates you, and what sustainable growth actually looks like when you're still ambitious. If you've ever felt like you're running from something instead of building toward something, this episode will challenge everything you think you know about success in real estate. Key Themes: Why ego is the biggest threat to scaling your business and how to unsubscribe from it The three prices every seller needs to understand (and why most agents are too scared to present them) How daily prospecting, price watching, and process expertise justify your commission when photos and MLS listings don't Why capping your personal production might be the smartest growth strategy The difference between building a pedestal and building a platform for others What it takes to go from surviving to creating sturdy shoulders for others to stand on Ready to build a real estate business that doesn't require you to sacrifice everything else? Learn more about the systems, culture, and collaboration that make sustainable growth possible at nextlevelagents.com/exp. ​​Please leave us a review at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://ratethispodcast.com/nla⁠⁠