Intelligent Luxury with Asha Saxena and Julie Faupel

Episode 24 - Intelligent Luxury: From Contacts to Capital: Relationship Intelligence

Featured Guests

• Abigail Posner — Futurist based in New York City. She delivered a keynote at the Realm event in Scottsdale, Arizona, and also teaches at Columbia University. She specializes in the intersection of technology, culture, and human behavior, with a focus on how AI can serve as a creative partner rather than just a productivity tool.
• Asha Saxena — Host of Intelligent Luxury, CEO and thought leader in data and technology.
• Julie Faupel — Co-host of Intelligent Luxury, Asha's collaborator with a background in luxury and lifestyle.

Key Takeaways

1. The 70/30 rule of AI: Approximately 70% of day-to-day tasks can be automated by AI, but the remaining 30% — the deeply human work — is "where the magic happens." That 30% is the true differentiator for luxury advisors.
2. Luxury consumers are more educated than ever: AI-related searches about luxury have surged 1,470%, meaning clients arrive with significant knowledge. Advisors must validate, contextualize, and elevate that information rather than simply repeat it.
3. There's a major service gap in luxury: About 56% of luxury buyers report being dissatisfied with the service they receive. Advisors who close this gap through deeper human insight create a competitive advantage.
4. Technology is a creative partner, not a replacement: AI excels at finding connections and generating ideas, but human judgment is essential to filter, challenge, and redirect those outputs. Blindly accepting AI answers is a mistake.
5. Advisors must ask the questions clients wouldn't think to ask: Clients can only prompt AI based on what they already know. A great advisor expands the client's thinking by introducing perspectives and questions they wouldn't conceive on their own.
6. Luxury has shifted from scarcity to abundance: Traditional luxury was about rarity and limited editions. Today's luxury is about depth of understanding, personalized experience, and human connection in a world saturated with information.
7. Human energy and presence are irreplaceable: The human-to-human energy exchange — presence, empathy, and emotional intelligence — is something AI will never replicate. AI actually frees up space for advisors to lean into these qualities.
8. Start small, bring your team along: The practical advice is to take baby steps with AI, build quick wins solving day-to-day problems, then scale up. The journey isn't solo — bring your team and become a constant learner in the age of intelligence.

Episode 23: Intelligent Luxury - Decoding Motivations of AI & Tech Entrepreneurs

Featured Guest: Brian Solis — a futurist and digital anthropologist based in Silicon Valley, with a career spanning since the '90s studying signals, trends, and the impact of technology on human behavior, culture, and markets. He has served as head of innovation for ServiceNow.

Episode Summary: In Episode 23 of Intelligent Luxury, hosts Asha Saxena and Julie Faupel welcome Brian Solis, who appeared at a Realm-hosted real estate and technology event in Scottsdale, Arizona. The conversation centers on the intersection of AI, innovation, and luxury real estate. Brian shares his perspective as a futurist and digital anthropologist, discussing how organizations should approach AI not just as an automation tool but as a catalyst for reimagination and positive disruption. The episode explores how technology has historically been used to scale yesterday's models rather than create new paradigms, and challenges listeners to use AI to unlock new value rather than simply optimize existing processes.

Key Takeaways:

1. Don't just automate — reimagine. Most organizations use new technology (AI, smartphones, etc.) to do what they already did yesterday, just faster or cheaper. True innovation comes from using AI to do what you couldn't do before.
2. Keep human intelligence at the center. In an era of AI, the human element — relationships, curiosity, creativity — matters more than ever. Don't outsource your thinking to AI; use it to augment your unique value.
3. Give yourself space for imagination. If you fill your calendar automating old processes, you leave no room for the curiosity, creativity, and exploration that drive real innovation.
4. Fix broken processes before automating them. Automation is an opportunity to rediscover and redesign workflows — don't automate what doesn't work; use AI to create new, better processes.
5. Mistakes are essential to learning. Experimentation and failure are necessary parts of evolving with new technology. If you're not making mistakes, you're not pushing boundaries.
6. Positive disruption over reactive disruption. The goal is to disrupt yourself — doing new things that make old things obsolete — rather than waiting to be disrupted by outside forces.
7. Challenge the information AI gives you. Innovation requires validating AI outputs, challenging norms, and applying your own intelligence to ensure you're moving in the right direction.

Episode 22: Intelligent Luxury - The Invisible Buyer: Next-Generation Tech Wealth

Featured Guest: Mark McLaughlin, a residential real estate broker from Jackson Hole, Wyoming, with approximately 20 years of experience in the brokerage business.

Episode Summary:
Hosts Asha Saxena and Julie Faupel sit down with Mark McLaughlin to explore how AI, shifting consumer expectations, and generational wealth transfer are reshaping luxury real estate. Recorded at a Realm real estate and technology event in Scottsdale, Arizona, the conversation centers on the concept of "Intelligent Luxury" — how real estate professionals must evolve from transactional agents into trusted advisors who understand lifestyle, legacy, and the human element. The discussion draws on insights from a panel of eight futurists and emphasizes that technology is not replacing the human connection but raising the bar for it.

Key Takeaways:

1. Disrupt yourself or be disrupted. As futurist Brian noted, "If you're not willing to disrupt yourself, it'll be a gift given to you by someone else." Professionals who aren't actively learning AI risk being outperformed by those who are.
2. Clients benchmark you against every experience, not just other agents. Consumers don't compare your tech savviness to another real estate professional — they compare it to Amazon, Netflix, Domino's, and every other seamless digital experience in their lives.
3. Information is abundant; judgment is the differentiator. Buyers arrive "armed with information," but the advisor's value lies in market knowledge, empathy, and the ability to interpret data in ways the client cannot.
4. Shift from agent to advisor. The role is no longer about closing a deal — it's about deeply understanding what the client truly wants, even when they can't articulate it, and curating options rather than flooding them with choices.
5. Time is the ultimate luxury. Research shows the wealthy feel richest when they have time and experiences. Wasting a client's time — say, sending ten properties instead of the right three — is the fastest way to lose them.
6. Pay attention to the generational wealth transfer. Legacy now carries deeper meaning. Wealth is flowing to younger generations and to women, and buying a second home is often about the people who will occupy it, not the property itself.
7. Trust is a loyalty card only the client can take back. In a world of abundant data and AI tools, the cornerstone of the advisor-client relationship remains human trust and connection.

Episode 21: Intelligent Luxury - REALM's Vision: Voice of Wealth, AI, and Influence

Featured Guest: Moira Boyle — data and wealth intelligence expert from the New York area, representing Altrata, a firm that maintains a massive database on ultra-high-net-worth individuals.

Key Takeaways

1. The luxury market is booming — Ultra-high-net-worth wealth is projected to grow 30% in the next four years, creating a new white space for advisors to establish themselves as trusted partners.
2. The new wealthy are self-made and savvy — Today's ultra-wealthy are primarily self-made, educated, and entrepreneurial. Even those inheriting wealth are acting like entrepreneurs. You cannot show up unprepared.
3. Exclusivity and differentiation win — High-net-worth clients want access to something no one else has. Advisors must clearly communicate what sets them apart and create a sense of exclusive value.
4. AI is a powerful silent partner, not a replacement — Roughly 70% of an advisor's work can be automated (email, scheduling, research), but the remaining 30% — human connection, empathy, and insight — cannot be replicated by AI.
5. Speak fluent luxury — Knowing who your clients are, understanding their language, and being proactive (not just reactive) is what elevates an advisor from transactional to essential.
6. Follow-through matters — Thoughtful follow-up — sending a relevant article, sharing an unexpected idea — is what builds lasting loyalty in a competitive luxury space.
7. AI frees time for human connection — Rather than replacing relationships, AI gives professionals more time to invest in the communities and connections that fuel long-term success and fulfillment.

Episode 20: Intelligent Luxury - From Board Appointments to Charitable Giving, Uncovering the Moments that Matter.

Featured Guest: Paul Benson, real estate advisor with Engel & Völkers, operating across the western United States (based in Park City, Utah)

Episode Summary: Hosts Asha Saxena and Julie Faupel open Episode 20 of Intelligent Luxury before Asha sits down with Paul Benson to discuss how AI and technology are reshaping real estate. Paul argues that agents can no longer rely on being the sole source of information — clients can get data instantly — so the real value now lies in emotional intelligence, service, and genuine relationships. They discuss how luxury clients increasingly want purpose-driven advising (protecting wealth and future generations) rather than transactional deals, using Netflix's customer-data-driven transformation as an analogy for how real estate professionals should leverage technology to anticipate client needs.

Key Takeaways:

• Information is no longer scarce — value now comes from emotional intelligence, empathy, and service, not being a "gatekeeper" of data.
• Technology (AI, instant valuations, research tools) should be embraced as an asset, not feared — agents who don't use it risk being left behind by competitors who do.
• Knowing your client and offering personalized recognition (like luxury hospitality) fosters trust and stronger relationships.
• Global connectivity and information access are shrinking geographic boundaries, letting advisors serve clients and coordinate expertise across markets worldwide.
• Always challenge and verify AI-generated answers rather than passing them along unquestioned.
• Luxury has shifted from status symbols (views, cars, ski/golf properties) to purpose — protecting wealth and legacy for future generations.
• Trust and predictability have become the new luxury, especially as clients focus on longevity and safeguarding their family's future.
• Continuous self-investment and learning are essential to staying relevant and adding value in an evolving, AI-driven era.

Episode 19: Intelligent Luxury - Human Expertise & AI: Scalable Competitive Advantage

Featured Guests: Jason Udoff (co-founder, self-storage real estate company in New York)

Episode Overview:
Asha Saxena and co-host Julie Faupel open the episode from Scottsdale, Arizona, before Asha sits down with Jason Udoff to discuss how AI is transforming the self-storage industry — an unexpected corner of "intelligent luxury." Jason shares his path from working at large real estate developers to co-founding his own self-storage company, and how AI has shaped nearly every part of the business, from virtual facility management to hiring and investor communication.

Key Takeaways:

• AI enables virtual management of small, scattered self-storage facilities where full-time on-site staff isn't practical — while human customer service is still preserved for critical touchpoints.
• Growing a team from 2 to 14 people in two years, the company values AI fluency in hiring but is also willing to train motivated new hires.
• Internal "hackathon"-style brainstorming (even at small companies) helps teams surface creative AI use cases and share wins across the organization.
• Affordable AI tools (~$20/month) have democratized access to capabilities once reserved for companies with expensive infrastructure.
• AI is used across the business — underwriting, legal work, market research, investor communications — to synthesize information and improve efficiency, not replace human judgment.
• The real disruptive advantage isn't AI alone but pairing it with the human element: relationships, values, and understanding what customers actually want.
• Staying "ahead of the curve" with AI (like Netflix, Amazon, and Domino's did with their own innovations) is positioned as essential to remaining competitive in real estate and luxury industries.

Episode 18: Intelligent Luxury - Tribal Knowledge Meets AI: Advisor of the Future

Featured Guest: Yasmin Saad, real estate agent from Naples, Florida

Episode Summary:
This episode of Intelligent Luxury features hosts Asha Saxena and Julie Faupel sitting down with Yasmin Saad to discuss how AI is transforming real estate and everyday life. Yasmin shares her journey from using AI for simple personal tasks (like meal planning) to fully systematizing her real estate business with it — including rewriting her standard operating procedures, building a "sell by chat" system, and creating an agentic AI trained to respond like her. She also describes building a real estate goal-tracking app in under two days using AI. The conversation explores AI's role in education, personal growth, communication, and client relationships, emphasizing that success comes from starting small, staying curious, and using AI as a tool for human connection rather than a replacement for it.

Key Takeaways:

• Start small and build momentum — begin with simple, low-stakes AI use cases (meal planning, quick writing tasks) before scaling to business-critical systems.
• Systematize and share knowledge — Yasmin used AI to review and refresh her business's standard operating procedures, then made them agnostic so other agents could adopt them.
• Build agentic workflows — she trained AI to respond to client chats in her own voice, creating a scalable "sell by chat" system.
• AI accelerates learning — asking AI "how do we get here faster next time?" turns every task into a teaching moment; Yasmin says she's learned more in 180 days than in the previous five years.
• Clients are already using AI — real estate agents must stay ahead by using AI themselves or risk being less informed than their own clients.
• AI still requires human oversight — errors happen daily, so professionals must verify AI output and remain the trusted expert.
• Democratize access — Yasmin built a real estate goal-tracking app in under two days and made it simple enough for anyone to use.
• AI enhances relationships, not just tasks — from coaching a teenager through a text conversation to briefing on emails, AI can support communication and human connection across every part of life.

Episode 17: Intelligent Luxury - Why Static Reports Give Way to Predictive Intelligence

Featured Guest: Allison Richards, luxury real estate advisor with The Richards Group on 30A, Florida (in the Realm network)

Episode Summary:
Julie Faupel sits down with Allison Richards in Scottsdale, Arizona, to explore how 30A has evolved from a seasonal family vacation spot into a full-time luxury destination. Allison shares how improved accessibility (new direct flights to LaGuardia and Boston), post-COVID migration trends, and a growing multi-generational client base are reshaping the area. She dives into how her team blends AI tools like ChatGPT with genuine human connection to attract and serve luxury clients, and how a trusted-advisor network (via Realm) lets her extend service beyond 30A into markets like Charleston, London, and Portugal. The conversation closes on what "intelligent luxury" really means: using technology to draw people in, then delivering deeply personal, human expertise.

Key Takeaways:

• 30A has shifted from a legacy vacation destination to a full-time residence hub, driven by new direct flights and post-COVID relocation trends.
• Luxury clients often split their year across multiple homes/destinations, "scripting" their annual calendar — making efficient access and trusted local expertise essential.
• A demographically diverse agent team (young professionals, retirees, multi-market agents) allows the Richards Group to serve varied client lifestyles and generational transfers.
• AI and search visibility (e.g., ranking in ChatGPT queries) drive initial discovery, but human relationships and local insider knowledge close the deal and retain clients.
• The Realm network of trusted advisors lets agents offer clients seamless access to other luxury markets nationally and internationally.
• "Intelligent luxury" means using technology to reach people efficiently, then delivering highly personalized, expert guidance no algorithm can replace.

Episode 16 - Intelligent Luxury - Beyond the Dashboard: Future of Market Intelligence

Featured Guest: Carmen Carr — real estate professional and community builder, joining host Julie Faupel in Scottsdale, Arizona for the Realm Global Collective.

Episode Summary:
This episode of Intelligent Luxury explores how the definition of luxury is evolving — centering on peace of mind, technology-enabled homes, sustainability, and generational wealth transfer in real estate. Carmen shares her perspective as a longtime real estate professional (and former structural engineer/draftsman) working with high-net-worth clients on second and third home purchases in environments exposed to natural elements like snow and wildfire terrain.

Key Takeaways:

• Luxury = peace of mind: For remote second/third homeowners, true luxury is knowing their property is protected via smart-home tech — leak detection, automated snowmelt driveways, remote temperature monitoring.
• Human expertise remains irreplaceable: Years of local, hands-on experience (reading rooflines, snow shed patterns, terrain) can't be replaced by data alone.
• Wealth transfer dynamics: Increasingly, younger clients who've built wealth quickly lean on parents, advisors, or family offices to guide major real estate decisions.
• Trusted advisors matter: Buyers often rely on one "go-to person" (parent, attorney, wealth advisor) to filter noise and make sound decisions.
• Sustainability is now central to luxury: Repurposed materials (e.g., timber-built homes), eco-conscious design, and electric vehicle ownership are increasingly valued, especially by younger, environmentally-minded buyers.
• Luxury goes beyond the property: It's about lifestyle, experience, and environmental harmony — not just the physical home.
• Best advice for high-net-worth clients: Choose a knowledgeable advisor, don't rush the decision, and consider factors like sun exposure, roofline design, and material durability.

Episode 15 - Intelligent Luxury - Generational Wealth Shifts in Real Estate & Philanthropy

Featured guest: Kris Berger — a residential realtor based in Hinsdale, Illinois (Chicago's western suburbs), with 30+ years of real estate experience and a design/photography background.

Episode summary: Hosts Asha Saxena and Julie Faupel introduce Intelligent Luxury, then Asha sits down with Kris to discuss how AI is transforming the luxury real estate market. They explore how technology has increased luxury searches by 4,700%, how AI helps handle time-consuming manual tasks (marketing materials, photo editing, listing cleanup), and why human relationships and lived experience remain irreplaceable in high-end real estate transactions.

Key takeaways:

• Luxury searches on AI platforms have surged 4,700%, meaning clients now arrive far more informed — realtors must use AI themselves to stay ahead.
• AI can't replicate a realtor's firsthand knowledge of neighborhoods, builders, and property history, or judge "walkability" and lifestyle fit.
• AI hallucinates — clients still need a trusted human to validate information.
• AI excels at the "70%" of manual work (feature sheets, photo touch-ups, listing admin), freeing realtors to spend the remaining "30%" on relationship-building.
• Buying/selling isn't just a property transaction — it's selling a lifestyle, which requires understanding a client's family dynamics and priorities.
• Post-COVID and amid rising screen time, people are gravitating back toward in-person, human-to-human connection — a trend AI adoption is accelerating, not reversing.
• Time saved by AI is reframed as the ultimate luxury, reinvested into deeper client relationships and trust.