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

In today’s episode, I’m catching up with my good friend, coach, author and speaker, Chad Hyams. In addition to writing a really awesome children’s book, Chad has now added a new book to his wise teachings. Achieve Your Apex is a book Chad wrote to lead people to maximize their lives, and he’s going to share what triggered and inspired the book and what he hopes people can get out of it.    Chad Hyams is a Speaker, Maximizational Coach and Podcast host. He is also the author of the children’s book Ketchup Can’t Hurt, and the new coaching book Achieve Your Apex. Chad has become known as the Voice of Reason, by delivering training in a” no fluff, let’s just cut to the chase” kind of way. Chad has lived through the highs and lows that many face and come through the other side having learned powerful lessons that he does his best to share with as many as he can. Through keynote presentations, in person workshops, over webinars or as the host of the Win Make Give podcast and the 15 Point Plan podcast, Chad’s goal is to assist others in achieving dreams and desires they didn’t believe possible.   Writing a book is one of the best ways to stake your claim on an area you specialize in, but it’s about a lot more than sharing ideas. For people who care about changing lives, it’s a way to mentor millions without even meeting them, and to inspire people to maximize their lives. So many of us have been taught valuable lessons by people we don’t know personally, and that’s the beauty of a really great book. Guest Info   Chad Hyams is a Speaker, Maximizational Coach and Podcast host. He is also the author of the children’s book Ketchup Can’t Hurt, and the new coaching book Achieve Your Apex. Chad has become known as the Voice of Reason, by delivering training in a” no fluff, let’s just cut to the chase” kind of way. Chad has lived through the highs and lows that many face and come through the other side having learned powerful lessons that he does his best to share with as many as he can. Through keynote presentations, in person workshops, over webinars or as the host of the Win Make Give podcast and the 15 Point Plan podcast, Chad’s goal is to assist others in achieving dreams and desires they didn’t believe possible.   To get a signed copy of Ketchup Can’t Hurt go to http://ketchupcanthurt.com/    To get a signed copy of Achieve Your Apex go to http://achieveyourapex.com/.    To listen to the podcast, visit https://winmakegive.com/.    CTA   ​​Please leave us a review at https://ratethispodcast.com/nla  

In today’s episode, I’m joined by Tim Tooker, an agent and investor with a very unique and inspiring story. As a retired army officer, Tim has used real estate, not just as a vehicle for freedom and wealth for himself, but for other veterans who seek a combat-free way to earn money. From buying his first property to owning a million dollar construction company, an incredible cash-flowing investment portfolio and a staging company, Tim has taken incremental steps towards financial freedom because of the way he thinks through opportunities.    Tim Tooker is the founder of the veteran-run company, Tooker Home Group. He began his real estate investing journey while he was still in active military service, and after serving 20 years, Tim has now built an incredible real estate empire, which he uses to empower fellow veterans.    Most soldiers live paycheck-to-paycheck and can’t even dream of having an investing portfolio and cash-flowing assets, but Tim Tooker sees things very differently. Thanks to real estate, he has been able to earn in 6 months what would have taken 20 years to earn on active duty. He has built an empire that includes residential investments, a multimillion dollar construction company by taking incremental steps and constantly failing forward. It’s proof that soldiers and vets have a path to wealth, by leveraging the loans and assets being in the army affords them and using them to their advantage.  Guest Info   Tim Tooker is the founder of the veteran-run company, Tooker Home Group. He began his real estate investing journey while he was still in active military service, and after serving 20 years, Tim has now built an incredible real estate empire, which he uses to empower fellow veterans.    For more information visit https://www.tookerhomegroup.com/.    CTA   ​​Please leave us a review at https://ratethispodcast.com/nla  

Two years ago, I sat down with real estate coach, Nick McLean, and the episode impacted a lot of people. Today we have the privilege of digging back into his mind, and learn from his knack for bringing an actionable framework to any concept. He’s going to share a powerful thought process that binds the most fulfilled and successful people - making your work more meaningful.    Nick is an entrepreneur, coach and founder/CEO of the Nick McLean Real Estate Group. The former pilot uses knowledge in systems pilot and applying the same techniques he learned from the aviation industry to build a successful real estate business.    What’s the most meaningful part of being in real estate? Money, financial success, commission checks? Surprisingly, no. For many agents, the buzz and satisfaction of cashing a commission check doesn’t live up to all the hype. From Nick McLean’s perspective there’s a really good reason why we don’t get a dopamine hit from the money - it doesn’t provide the meaning that makes us happy and fulfilled.    What do we pursue if we want our jobs and lives to have more meaning? Chasing the parts of the process that give us the most joy, and creating those meaningful impact points in our day.  Guest Info   Nick is an entrepreneur, coach and founder/CEO of the Nick McLean Real Estate Group. The former pilot uses knowledge in systems pilot and applying the same techniques he learned from the aviation industry to build a successful real estate business.    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/realestategreatnesswithnickmclean/?ref=bookmarks Instagram: @nickmcleanre Twitter: @nickmcleanre Books Mentioned    30 Lessons for Living by Karl Pillemer   The Psychology of Money: Timeless Lessons on Wealth, Greed, and Happiness by Morgan Housel   CTA   ​​Please leave us a review at https://ratethispodcast.com/nla

About the Episode We recently had an in-depth conversation with Mark Willis, a real estate industry leader and visionary who has shaped many career wins, lives and success stories. Many people in the industry have fond and epic memories of working alongside Mark, kicking butts, taking names and having a blast along the way. He is an inspiring figure in this business, and not just because of his leadership and influence, but also because he is driven by rising to meet the challenge of evolving through everything life throws at him. He has faced personal tragedy and loss, highs and lows, and tough moments that could overrun anyone, but Mark keeps going, choosing to get better even when life feels like it’s getting worse.  Mark has constantly reinvented himself. He has stepped through the gateways of evolution successfully, has won by helping people around him win, maintained his broad level thinking, and philosophy on personal and professional growth. What keeps Mark going isn’t just the art of evolution, it’s also understanding the underlying drive of anyone who welcomes and embraces change. That’s knowing that it’s important to be open, not be too attached to one way of doing things and being willing to shift, instead of being closed and willful.  Mark Willis, the former CEO of Keller Williams Realty International and current Founder of the Willis Family Foundation and Mark Willis Leadership, is a real estate leader, investor, philanthropist, thought leader, and lifestyle activist. Known for his dynamic and charismatic management style and tremendous influence, Willis’ was named one of the 10 most powerful people in residential real estate by the Swanepoel Power 200 in 2014; and since stepping down from his role at KW has used his platform and influence to actively serve and impact the lives of others. In Today’s Episode, We Talk About;   - The importance of getting comfortable with change, and Mark’s motto “KFG”. - The power of being a broad level thinker  - How to harness the power we have to control our outcomes by overcoming attachment.  - What it takes for a real estate agent to thrive through changes and disruption. - The importance of having a healthy dose of paranoia. - Giving feedback vs. complaining.   - The difference between willingness and willfulness.  Guest Info   Mark Willis, the former CEO of Keller Williams Realty International and current Founder of the Willis Family Foundation and Mark Willis Leadership, is a real estate leader, investor, philanthropist, thought leader, and lifestyle activist. Known for his dynamic and charismatic management style and tremendous influence, Willis’ was named one of the 10 most powerful people in residential real estate by the Swanepoel Power 200 in 2014; and since stepping down from his role at KW has used his platform and influence to actively serve and impact the lives of others.   As the former President and CEO of Keller Williams Realty International (from 2002-2014), Willis led the growth of the company from a regional firm to the largest real estate company in the world with over 120,000 agents worldwide. Integrating a unique philosophy that weaves servant leadership and living a spiritual and balanced life into daily.   CTA   ​​Please leave us a review at https://ratethispodcast.com/nla

In today’s episode, I’m joined by our good friend and fellow Arizona real estate, Chris Bowers. One of the most unique parts of Chris’ story is that he got into real estate at 22, after being exposed to different types of business models, including running his own skate shop as a teenager! Chris is going to open up about his journey, the shifts he has made along the way, how he maintains a high volume of personal production and the thought process behind his real estate business.    Chris Bowers is a Realtor®️, Investor and owner of the Bowers Team. 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.    Arizona is one of the most competitive real estate markets in the country, and doubling your business, selling 70 units in personal production and generating almost all your deals by referral is an incredible feat. This is exactly what Chris Bowers has accomplished, and it’s not by coincidence. Being exposed to different business models has been instrumental in his success, along with his ability to constantly renegotiate his thought process by taking in knowledge from different sources to further his own goals.    Time Stamps    01:00 - Chris’ business, how he got into real estate and his main sources of deals. 06:25 - How Chris does a high volume of personal production.  13:12 - The secret to generating up to 40 referral deals a year, and the difference between nurturing an internet lead and a sphere one.  20:25 - How Chris started thinking like a business owner very early on, and the story behind the skate shop he owned as a teenager.  26:25 - Why real estate investing is a huge part of Chris’ business and how it’s creating a unique exit strategy for him.  31:46 - The power of constantly renegotiating your thought process.  38:17 - The power of “overly-done customer” service and how to answer questions before our clients even ask them.  47:56 - Why our expertise is just a form of currency we can trade with others so we can all win.    Guest Info    Chris Bowers is a Realtor®️, Investor and owner of the Bowers Team. 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.    For more information send an email to chris@soldbybowers.com.    CTA   ​​Please leave us a review at https://ratethispodcast.com/nla  

In today’s episode, we’re joined by Chris Lesmeister and Warren Dazzio from CSSI® – Cost Segregation Services, Inc. They help people who own income-producing properties speed up the tax benefit process so they can get right now, what they would only get in at least 27 or 39 years. The CSSI team are the perfect brains to pick on this strategy and help us in our wealth-preserving journey.  CSSI® – Cost Segregation Services, Inc. is a cost segregation company specifically focused to perform engineering-based cost segregation studies for commercial properties valued at $200,000 – $1.5 billion. CSSI® performs engineering-based cost segregation studies as an essential tax savings tool for commercial property owners. Chris is a cash flow expert and has been increasing cash flow for clients since 2001. As a dedicated national account executive at CSSI®, he looks at his client’s money as if it were his own and does whatever he can to help them keep more of it. Chris strives to save his clients as much money as possible. He knows that with more cash flow comes more options for his clients. Since joining CSSI® in 2014, Chris has been on a mission to create $1 billion in tax savings for his clients through cost segregation services. He has been diligently working on his goal, saving his clients thousands of dollars by providing cost segregation studies on commercial properties of all types and sizes across the nation. Providing excellent service throughout the process, Chris’s clients know that he’ll deliver maximum cash flow with an engineering-based cost segregation study and keep them compliant with U.S. tax codes. Contact Chris today if you’re ready to grab your portion of $1 billion in tax savings. In his spare time, Chris enjoys attending concerts and baseball games as well as watching movies, reading, and cooking. His interest in cooking rocketed during the pandemic, and he enjoys trying different recipes regularly. He also incorporates his family and friends into his days as they are the most important aspect of his life. Warren is a natural leader and brings ethics and integrity into every aspect of his life and work. He spent the first 20 years of his career in ministry and has a degree in theology from Franciscan University in Steubenville, OH. Warren also has an MBA from Louisiana State University. Having owned his own healthcare company, Warren has extensive knowledge of sales and business development. Warren is instrumental in growing and maintaining our extensive sales channels. He has extensive knowledge of tax law and consults with building owners and development firms to reduce or defer their taxable income. He travels the US providing educational webinars on tax law and solutions for accounting professionals, building owners, wealth managers and real estate professionals. Warren and his wife of more than 20 years enjoy spending time with their three daughters and their yellow lab. As a family, they enjoy a variety of outdoor activities including hunting, hiking, and spending time at the beach. In our wealth-building and preservation journey, we have the opportunity to tap into advanced strategies that help us extract maximum value from our assets. Cost segregation is one of these strategies. If we’re investing in income-producing real estate, why not accelerate our tax benefit, get the 27-year deduction today and put money back in our pockets right now?  For more information, visit cml.cssistudy.com, call 262-358-5156 and send an email to chrisl@costsegregationservices.com.  CTA ​​Please leave us a review at https://ratethispodcast.com/nla

In today’s episode, I’m super excited to be joined by Phil M Jones, the author of the incredible book, Exactly What to Say: The Magic Words for Influence and Impact. I’ve studied influence for a long time, and I have to say, Phil’s book is one of the best in the category. Not only is it packed with brilliant insights, actionable principles - it’s also highly consumable and accessible enough that anyone can pour its teachings into their lives, and according to Phil, this is all by design. He sat down with us and shared what drove him to write the book, how and why he went completely against the grain in the writing, packaging and publishing of the book.  Phil M Jones is a Master of Influence and Persuasion, author of Seven Best Selling Business Books, including Exactly What To Say, and one children’s picture book, producer of the most listened to non-fiction audiobook of all time. His precise insights around communication, added to a proven personal pedigree of peak performance and a richness of real-world experience mean that Phil is the kind of thought-leader whose counsel is sought by other thought-leaders. Best known for his international best-selling book, Exactly What to Say – The Magic Words for Influence and Impact and his vast experience as a professional speaker at conferences and events, what is often overlooked is the strategic intellect he provides behind the scenes for some of the world’s biggest brands to understand their critical conversations and the success language required to maximize their effectiveness. To date, more than 800 different industries, across 59 countries and 5 continents have benefitted from his input. Trusted by dynamic and aspiring leaders in Healthcare, Real Estate, Automotive, Financial Services, SaaS, Home Improvement, Retail and many more – Phil is the kind of expert that achieves his success through the people he supports and adores seeing other people shine.  Influence is the ability to make our conversations count, but exactly how to do it isn’t something we’re taught. So we end up needing to be influential in high stakes situations, but what if we could distill influence down so that we can use it in low stakes interactions like convincing our kids to clean their rooms, or our spouse to eat at that Italian restaurant for dinner?  It’s hard to increase our influence without practice, and confidence is often the missing ingredient. If we turn down the pressure, ramp up our experience, increase the reps we can build our influence-competence through confidence and experience.  For more information, visit https://www.philmjones.com/.  CTA ​​Please leave us a review at https://ratethispodcast.com/nla 

In today’s episode, we’re joined by entrepreneur, speaker, author, real estate agent and CEO. Ben has been a long-term friend and supporter of ours, and there’s so much we can learn from him. With $50 million in commissions and 5085 transactions this year alone, Ben understands business at a very high level, and knows at a deep level what it takes to     There are two things at the core of Ben’s success and the philosophy that he teaches other agents - simplicity and models. The question we need to ask ourselves as we start doing our business planning for 2021 is what are the systems, technologies, models and plans and scripts that are holding us back from having the best year ever?    Ben Kinney is entrepreneur, professional speaker, author, real estate agent, and CEO of Ben Kinney Companies. He owns and operates one of the top 25 producing real estate teams in the nation from all brands. He also owns and operates multiple Keller Williams Realty Franchises that includes 1200+ agents across multiple locations servicing all of Washington State. In 2015 he opened his first international brokerage in London, UK and in 2016 he purchased the KW master franchise for all of the U.K. Those offices sold over 10,000 units equalling over 4 billion in closed sales volume. Ben is also a nationally recognized author, trainer, and speaker. In the last few years, he has personally trained over 100,000 business owners via conferences, classes, and webinars.  Ben Kinney Real Estate Team is ranked by the Wall Street Journal and Real Trends as one of the top 25 real estate teams in the nation.    Simplicity and systems create action, and when we focus on building a model behind what we want to achieve, success becomes inevitable. The way Ben looks at his business is that every part it should start and be run by a model. Behind whatever business or real estate goal we have for 2021, there’s a system that we can build and implement to achieve it.   Guest Info   Ben Kinney is an entrepreneur, professional speaker, author, real estate agent, and CEO of Ben Kinney Companies. He owns and operates one of the top 25 producing real estate teams in the nation from all brands. He also owns and operates multiple Keller Williams Realty Franchises that includes 1200+ agents across multiple locations servicing all of Washington State. In 2015 he opened his first international brokerage in London, UK and in 2016 he purchased the KW master franchise for all of the U.K. Those offices sold over 10,000 units equalling over 4 billion in closed sales volume. Ben is also a nationally recognized author, trainer, and speaker. In the last few years, he has personally trained over 100,000 business owners via conferences, classes, and webinars.  Ben Kinney Real Estate Team is ranked by the Wall Street Journal and Real Trends as one of the top 25 real estate teams in the nation.  https://www.youtube.com/BenKinney   CTA   ​​Please leave us a review at https://ratethispodcast.com/nla

In today’s episode, I’m excited to be joined by the episode of eXp’s Global, Michael Valdes. In 2020, eXp expanded to an 18-country, global footprint. This incredible journey of growth really speaks to how resonant this model is, and the stories and feedback Michael has been getting from eXp agents from India to Mexico, shows that it’s more than an economic model. In many parts of the world, it’s an equalizing model that isn’t just changing lives, it’s changing nations.    Michael has always had a global perspective in business, and he has a lot of unique expertise on becoming a global real estate agent. As president of eXp Global, he is currently the only Latino President of a publicly traded real estate company in the country (Nasdaq: EXPI). In his first year of joining, he has led a team that has opened 14 countries in 14 months without ever getting on a plane which is a feat that has never been done in the industry. This model has successfully touched the lives of thousands of people across the globe and given them an opportunity to change their lives. Michael was the former Senior Vice President of Global Servicing for Realogy Corporation. In that role he oversaw the international servicing platform for all Realogy brands including Century 21, Coldwell Banker, ERA, Better Homes & Garden, Corcoran, Climb and Sotheby’s International Realty in 113 countries. He had been with Realogy in a variety of roles for 15 years. Prior to that, Mr. Valdes was Director of Private Banking at Deutsche Bank for a decade where he oversaw a book of business of just under $1 billion. He has the distinction of being the first Director in the United States of Latino descent. Michael also hosts The Global Luxury Real Estate Mastermind.    eXp has now grown into 18 countries across the world, from India and Australia to Mexico and South Africa. The impact of the company and the economic model can’t be quantified by a balance sheet, it’s evident in the stories of agents all over the world, and how their lives have changed.  Guest Info   Michael is the President of eXp Global and host of the Global Luxury Real Estate Mastermind. He is currently the only Latino President of a publicly traded real estate company in the country (Nasdaq: EXPI). In his first year of joining, he has led a team that has opened 14 countries in 14 months without ever getting on a plane which is a feat that has never been done in the industry. This model has successfully touched the lives of thousands of people across the globe and given them an opportunity to change their lives. Michael was the former Senior Vice President of Global Servicing for Realogy Corporation. In that role he oversaw the international servicing platform for all Realogy brands including Century 21, Coldwell Banker, ERA, Better Homes & Garden, Corcoran, Climb and Sotheby’s International Realty in 113 countries. He had been with Realogy in a variety of roles for 15 years. Prior to that, Mr. Valdes was Director of Private Banking at Deutsche Bank for a decade where he oversaw a book of business of just under $1 billion. He has the distinction of being the first Director in the United States of Latino descent.   For more information, visit https://www.glrem.com/.    CTA   ​​Please leave us a review at https://ratethispodcast.com/nla

In today’s episode, I’m joined by Laurie Finklestein Reader - a few months ago I was a guest on her podcast, and today I’m excited to pick her brain, and learn more about what makes her tick. Laurie has such a strong passion for learning, growing herself, information gathering, attending masterminds and constantly putting herself in spaces where she can learn from others. Today, she shares why this approach has been vital to her success.    Laurie is a real estate rockstar, mentor and podcast host and the CEO of Laurie Reader Real Estate. She grew up in South Florida in a family dedicated to the real estate business. As a Multi-Million Dollar Top Producer, Laurie and her team are responsible for over $319.25 Million in real estate sales annually and have been recognized in the Top 1/2 of 1% of all Realtors in the Nation! In 2020, Laurie and her team helped over 965 families with their real estate needs. Laurie's success is due to her commitment to the enhancement of the real estate profession, client service, and the community. Her business experience & technical knowledge can now better serve your real estate needs. As a full-time, dedicated real estate professional, Laurie understands the unique challenges that face both buyers and sellers in our market, and knows how to overcome them.   As real estate agents, and even as people, it’s impossible to grow without the risk of being wrong. We have to go through moments where we feel uncomfortable and even intimidated because we’re learning something new.   That means being in rooms with people who are smarter or further along in the journey than us, pivoting and, yes, even collaborating with other agents. In pursuit of our best selves, we need to give ourselves permission to fail. We don’t always get the blue ribbon and the trophy, sometimes we get knocked down, and that’s okay.  Guest Info   Laurie is a real estate rockstar, mentor and podcast host and the CEO of Laurie Reader Real Estate. She grew up in South Florida in a family dedicated to the real estate business. As a Multi-Million Dollar Top Producer, Laurie and her team are responsible for over $319.25 Million in real estate sales annually and have been recognized in the Top 1/2 of 1% of all Realtors in the Nation! In 2020, Laurie and her team helped over 965 families with their real estate needs. Laurie's success is due to her commitment to the enhancement of the real estate profession, client service, and the community. Her business experience & technical knowledge can now better serve your real estate needs. As a full-time, dedicated real estate professional, Laurie understands the unique challenges that face both buyers and sellers in our market, and knows how to overcome them.   Watch the Laurie Reader Table Talk on YouTube. Follow Laurie on Instagram and LinkedIn.    CTA   ​​Please leave us a review at https://ratethispodcast.com/nla