GRIT: The Real Estate Growth Mindset

Spring Bengtzen started in real estate while she was only 22. A developer refused to hire her at that time because they thought she was too young. However, she was determined to prove herself, so she agreed to work for free for the first couple of months. After learning the trade, she was able to sell her first house just by transacting over the phone. This impressed the developer, and they decided to keep her. She worked her way up to being their principal broker and sold thousands of properties while she was there. But when the economy tanked in ‘08, they filed for bankruptcy. At that time, Spring was listed as one of REALTOR’s Magazine 30 under 30, and she had the opportunity to join Keller-Williams. From 2010 to 2019, she built and grew her team to become the largest in Utah. Eventually, Spring felt she was ready for something more. So in 2019, she started her own brokerage under Realty One. While she loved its branding and transaction model, she realized that she’s really not meant to be a broker-owner. She had to let go of her ego, sell her brokerage, and ultimately joined REAL Broker LLC. Today, Spring is the CEO of the Utah Life Real Estate Group & REAL Broker LLC. at Real Broker USA.   In today’s episode, we talked about her plans for building wealth, what she loves about joining REAL Broker LLC, and the biggest challenge she ever had to deal with in her life. Top Takeaways: 02:47 The projects that Spring is currently working on 04:57 How Spring manages to continue to double her business every year 06:06 How you should do morning huddles 08:18 What one-on-one sessions look like in Spring’s business 11:24  How does “special agent attraction strategy” work?  16:36 Why Spring decided to buy a brokerage 19:34 What Spring loves about REAL Broker LLC 23:59 The value of having a plan for building wealth 28:07 How to achieve work-life balance when you and your spouse are both in real estate 31:35 How Spring’s determination helped her get to the next level 32:29 Why you need to believe that the worst day of your life has already happened 33:41 The worst trauma Spring had to deal with in her life  36:28 Why you should live your life as a choice To get in touch with Spring, check her Instagram page @springbengtzen. You may also send an email to spring@liveutah.com or contact 801-641-1431.

Before coming into the real estate world, Brindley Tucker worked in the financial sector and sold country club memberships.  She realized then that the best way to learn things is to become an assistant to someone doing it.  So when she wanted to go into real estate in 2011, she decided to apply as a real estate assistant and ended up working as a KW Marketplace Director of Agent Services. This was also the time where she went through massive personal challenges and had to make some major life decisions - one of which was to start her own transactions management company. She started as an independent operation, and in 3 years, she grew her team and was able to close 2,000 real estate transactions in a year. Due to her success, Keller-Williams invited her to become a MAPS coach to teach and train other people how to do transaction management.   Today, Brindley Tucker is a licensed REALTOR® and the owner of Your Realty Leverage, Inc., a recruiting, training, and coaching firm where she specializes in unifying teams and helping agents increase leverage in their businesses.  In this episode, we talked about her journey, how an incident that happened during the darkest point in her life changed her, and how she viewed the world. Top takeaways: 03:49 Brindley’s vision for her company 05:33 How Brindley went through the darkest part of her life and what it taught her. 12:47 What is Fail Forward Friday? 13:50 Why is Brindley called “The Queen of Leverage”? 15:40 The 5 things real estate agents should be doing from the time they enter the industry 24:33 How do agents determine their hourly rate? 26:21 How to make leverage work for team owners 28:40 The importance of regularly auditing your systems, technology, and people 37:21 What self-care should be all about 38:58 What is Brindley’s number 1 source of growth   To get in touch with Brindley, go to www.yourrealtyleverage.com You may also reach her directly at 727-512-9098 or check her Facebook and Instagram page @brindleytucker

Hedda Parashos has been a real estate agent since 2006. Eight years ago, she started Palisades Realty with 14 agents. For the longest time, Hedda didn't want to grow her business mainly because she was afraid of growth.  Eventually, a third of her staff left the company and in her mind, she felt stagnant. That’s when she decided to change and do an overhaul of not just her mindset but of the entire brokerage as well.  That’s when Raquel Rivas came into the picture. An in 2019, their brokerage experienced a tremendous amount of growth. Today, Hedda Parashos is the owner and Raquel Rivas is the COO of Palisades Realty. From selling 136 units in 2019, they’ve projected to hit 250 units in 2020.  In this episode, we talked about Hedda and Raquel’s journey on how they took their business to the next level and how SISU has been an instrumental part of that.  Top Takeaways: 02:29 How to move on from your fear of growth to the next level 07:19 When did Hedda realize what her true problem was 11:48 What is Palisades Realty’s vision for 2021? 13:15 How Palisades Realty attract agents because of SISU 21:03 How to make agents love attending weekly meetings 25:32 How the competitive spirit of their brokerage has driven them to success 28:17 How competitiveness leads to lifting others up 28:56 The value of feedback

After going through a massive business failure almost 10 years ago, Chris decided to give real estate a try. He’s always been attracted to this industry because of the many different things one gets to learn from it and how there are no limits on personal growth. Chris started doing really well as an agent.  But eventually, he found that the work that needed to be done was taking too much of his time. He started to lose flexibility and freedom which are some of the main reasons why he went into this business in the first place.  This led him to build his own brokerage in the summer of 2011. Unfortunately, things didn’t go as well as he had planned. From a profitability perspective, he knew he worked harder but he realized that he made less money now than he did a couple of years back.  He ended up literally burning his business down to the ground and started to implement Gary Keller’s MREA model.  Today, Chris is the founder of Watters International Realty which is one of the most respected teams in Central Texas.  In this episode, we talked about how Chris took his business to the next level and who are the first three key hires to hitting $1M in annual GCI. Top Takeaways: 01:36 Why Chris got into real estate 02:12 What made Chris decide to build a team 05:55 How much do you need to make to afford leadership to help you run the business 07:16 The one skill you need to master to become wealthy in real estate 08:26 Who your first hire should be from a leverage perspective 13:36 The 3 things a listing agent should be focusing on 16:09 What are the 3 unique phases of the growth curve 21:09 One of the biggest mistake people make when hiring an agent 23:14 The 3 things to look for in candidates while within the 90-day probationary window  25:36 The value of creating a conducive environment to set people up for success.   To get a FREE copy of Chris’ book, The Million Dollar Real Estate Team, go to https://www.themilliondollarrealestateteam.com/

Matt Mick started his own real estate team with 5 to 6 agents. However, year after year, they noticed that their sales slowed down, with only minor growth. In order to go to the next phase of their business, they knew they needed a better way to manage things in their team.  That’s when they decided to jump on with Sisu. Today, Matt is the Team Lead at Lincoln Select Real Estate Group - Nebraska Realty.  From doing 130 transactions a year, they are now aiming for 500 this year.  And after finishing with $50M two years ago, their closings and under contracts are currently at $60M with 6 more months to go before this year ends. In this episode, we talked about: (03:10) What Matt’s business looked like before they had SISU (04:44) What to love about having systems (06:00) The key to doing more transactions without having to hire more agents (06:44) The difference between hiring experienced agents vs. new agents (07:20) What are some misconceptions about teams (07:50) How important is transparency when it comes to commission splits with agents (14:22) How to deal with ISAs who want to transition into the agent role (18:00) Why do some team owners/leads prefer to select which agents get certain lead types (18:42) What does an agent have to do to get into the lead rotation  (26:03) What are the 3-5 things that you absolutely must do to succeed as a new team owner (32:23) One of the biggest challenges that a leader must face (34:47) Why we must always keep learning 

Michelle Seiler Tucker is the CEO and Founder of Seiler Tucker Incorporated. Michelle has sold over 500 enterprises and currently owns and operates a number of profitable companies. Michelle Seiler Tucker is a professional with the following distinctions and certifications: M&AMI (Master Intermediary in Mergers and Acquisitions), CSBA (Certified Senior Business Analyst), Best-Selling Author, and M&A Panelist. Michelle is a foremost expert in buying, selling, fixing, and growing businesses, as well as boosting revenue streams. Michelle has sold hundreds of businesses and franchises over the last ten years. She continues to assist customers from all walks of life in achieving the American Dream, achieving financial independence, becoming their own boss, and improving their quality of life.  Her latest book, Exit Rich, is a must-have guide for business owners who are looking to sell their business now, and for those who are just starting to build their companies to sell for huge profits in the future. In this episode, we talked about: 03:21  How Michelle got into buying, selling, fixing, and growing businesses 04:55 The biggest mistake that a lot of business owners make 07:19 What’s the GPS Exit Model 08:06 Why every business need an annual valuation 08:53  Events that can increase or decrease valuations 10:11 The 5 different types of buyers 11:33  How to reverse engineer your business to increase its value 13:26 The importance of having a powerful “why” in exiting a business.  17:01 The reason why some businesses go out of business after 10 years 19:01 Why businesses are not selling 24:02 Why business owners should stop designing processes around their own agendas 37:35 Michelle’s one piece of advice 38:10 Why business owners need to find a mentor Exit Rich will be available on June 22nd To get a copy of the book Exit Rich. go to exitrichbook.com To get in touch with Michelle, go to seilertucker.com    

Twin brothers, Clint and Shane Neal jumped into the real estate business right after they graduated from Texas A&M University in 2008.  After spending 4 years as solo agents, they realized that although they are successful, handling everything independently has become difficult and they needed some leverage in order to take some time back to themselves. That’s when they decided to build a team. In less than three years, the Neal & Neal Team has sold more than 500 homes per year. With the right people joining their team, they now focus on growing to become great leaders. In this episode, we talked about: 05:44  How Clint and Shane shifted from working in the business to working on the business 07:18  The importance of surrounding yourself with the right people 08.06  What differentiates a great leader from the not so good ones 13:25  How Sisu helps agents with positive accountability 16:38  How to double your transactions in 24 months 18:54  How does the systems Shane and Clint use today differ from what they used 3 years ago 20:20  Does removing duplicate entries due to spreadsheets have a significant impact on their team’s efficiency 24:15  How to get over challenges in today’s market 30:31  What business advice does Shane and Clint have for anyone growing their business 32:15  How to set yourself up for success despite changes in the market 34:23  How Shane and Clint strike a balance in their lives 36:45  The role of virtualization in expanding businesses  38:56  Where does Shane and Clint plan to take their business 5 years from now 41:52  What is the biggest avenue of learning for anyone who wants to grow.      

Brian Icenhower has been in the real estate industry for nearly 3 decades. His father was a real estate broker which got him exposed to this business at a young age. He went into law school and practiced for a couple of years until he realized it wasn’t for him.  That’s when he decided to start a high producing real estate team in California and run a small boutique brokerage that later grew to a big brokerage. From then on, he opened a few more large brokerages in California and in the midwest, which he still owns today. Along the way, Brian realized that his true passion is helping people succeed. So he decided to become a real estate coach and trainer where he focuses more of his time nowadays. Today, Brian is the CEO and Founder of Icenhower Coaching & Consulting (ICC), which provides customized and structured coaching & training programs for real estate agents & team leaders, representing many of the top producing agents in North America. Aside from being an internationally recognized real estate trainer, speaker and coach, Brian is also a best-selling author.  His most recent book, The High Performing Real Estate Team is due to be out in September, later this year. In this episode, we talked about: 02:02 How Brian got into the real estate industry  04:12 The value of having a passion for something (other than money) that fuels you 06:20 What made Brian decide to write a book about real estate teams 09:05 Who has a better chance of survival? Solo agents or Teams? 14:44 How crucial is having a team dashboard to monitor activities that generate business 16:01True or False: Today’s market is the easiest market for buyer’s agents to operate in 19:56 The key you should be focusing on as an agent in this market 24:16 Why every agent should have their own dashboard 24:30 Why you need to focus on activities, not just results 26:32 How SISU helps in cultivating responsibility through public accountability 28:52 What Brian thinks of agents being replaced by iBuyers 35:13 The biggest missing piece for most agents To get a FREE 30-minute consultation with top coaches from Icenhower Coaching and Consultation, go to www.icenhowercoaching.com To pre-order Brian’s book: The High Performing Real Estate Team, go to: https://www.amazon.com/High-Performing-Real-Estate-Team/dp/1119801850 Get 1 FREE course of your choice from their site if you forward your order confirmation to books@icenhowercoaching.com 

Jeff Quintin started his career in real estate in 1992. He established the Quintin Group in Southern New Jersey and since then it has expanded into Cherry Hill, NJ, and Philadelphia, PA, Jupiter, FL, and Outer Banks, NC. Jeff is considered one of the most successful real estate agents in the country and was recognized by The Wall Street Journal as #44 out of 1.2 million real estate agents for selling over $139 million in volume in a single year. Today, Jeff is the CEO and Team Owner of The Quintin Group of Keller Williams Realty.  The Quintin Group continues to sell over 250 homes per year amounting to over $120 million in sales. As a leader, Jeff is a firm believer of committing to your goals through discipline, hard work and passion. In this episode, we talked about: 01:50 What is a “super team” 02:54 How do you motivate your team into having the discipline it takes to be a successful real estate agent 04:33 The 4 qualities Jeff looks for in an agent 07:22 How to turn your work into your passion 08:49 How to enforce positive accountability 15:21 What you need to become to win in today’s market 18:23 What Jeff thinks an agent should be doing in the next 12 to 24 month 21:12 How having the right skills can affect your income 22:20 How to identify weaknesses in the team and how to deal with it 40:12 The one book everyone in real estate should read/listen to    

Todd Crockett has been in the real estate business since 1995. He is an instructor who trains fellow realtors across the United States. He's also a much sought after speaker for conventions and business seminars. Todd uses his education and experience to incorporate innovative concepts that give sellers a major marketing advantage in selling their home.  Today, Todd is a partner for The Crockett Team at Howard Hannah.  He is also the Chief Encouragement Officer for TrainLaunch, a video presentation training technology. Currently, he’s into using video to revolutionize marketing. In this episode, we talked about: 01:52 Why the leads you got during the pandemic, are the leads you’re going to keep 04:30 How Todd got into video advertising online  06:01 How Facebook allowed Todd to connect with talented videographers 10:42 Why sharing solutions for prepping a property enhances your client’s experience.  12:54 Why Todd does property prep at his own expense 16:03 What does “entertrainment” mean? 18:02 The importance of creating a memorable experience for the client and capture it in video 19:06 How making things fun and convenient can drive a referral business 20:05 How to create videos that make a difference 21:11 What are the key things that are going to take your business to the next level in 2021 24:04 The value of providing a fluid performance 24 42 Why it’s not always about transferring the title