In this CG Live Podcast episode, I'm joined by Marck de Lautour—real estate investor, CEO, and longtime CG leader—right after his main stage presentation at our Q2 CEO and Premier event in Clearwater Beach. Marck walks us through the hard lessons, pivotal mindset shifts, and leadership philosophies that have shaped his growth from small operator to executive-level business owner.

We talk about the curveballs of real estate—COVID, rising interest rates, and sitting on millions in inventory—and how Marck navigated each with strategic pivots and a people-first mentality. He shares why hiring A+ talent, cultivating culture, and leading with humility have become cornerstones of his success. If you're scaling a team or facing a ceiling in your leadership, this episode will challenge and inspire you.

Episode Highlights:

[0:00] - Introduction

[2:10] - Marck's journey from turnkey investor to developer and property manager

[3:15] - What real resilience looks like when markets shift hard

[4:47] - Surviving a $16M inventory glut and $147 assets on the books

[5:56] - Why overpaying for A+ talent gives infinite ROI

[7:21] - The "Dream Manager" program and building culture that truly serves people

[10:46] - How to go from 0 to 1 in team leadership—even with just a few hires

[13:01] - Inside the CG CEO room: hiring C-suite leaders and scaling vision

[18:12] - The diversity of operators in the CG CEO room and why it matters

[20:06] - A father-son moment: how legacy and leadership intersect in real life

[21:44] - The quote that stole the show: "It takes confidence to build empires, but humility to sustain them"

3 Key Takeaways:

1. Talent isn't an expense, it's a lever – Pay for A+ people who can think, lead, and solve problems without you.

2. Culture scales when it's authentic – From daily huddles to dream programs, invest in people beyond their roles.

3. Leadership evolves – To grow the business, you must become the version of yourself that no longer holds it back.

Links & Resources:

• Learn more about Collective Genius: explorecg.com

If you got value from this episode, please follow, rate, and share the CG Podcast. And if you're ready to lead from the front in a room of visionary entrepreneurs, apply to join us at explorecg.com.