In this Best Year Yet episode, Eric Thompson interviews Derek Walden, a Wichita, Kansas–based agent with At Home Wichita, who more than doubled his business in 2025. Derek closed 56 transactions for approximately 15 million in volume while raising a large family of eight children, with another on the way. He shares how shifting away from a lead heavy, grind based team model and embracing the Ninja approach transformed both his results and his quality of life.

Derek describes his early years on a lead generation focused team as a hamster wheel that did not align with his values or his family priorities. Discovering Ninja Selling introduced a relationship centered model built on service, trust, and depth rather than volume and pressure. In 2025, Derek produced his best year yet by staying persistent, tracking his numbers closely, prioritizing meaningful live conversations, and building business with people who know, like, and trust him.

A key theme of the conversation is depth over small talk. Drawing from his military background, Derek explains how he naturally gravitates toward substantive conversations and emotional connection, which has become a differentiator in his real estate business. He focuses on long, intentional one on one interactions rather than high frequency surface level contacts, creating an integrated business that feels natural rather than exhausting. With the support of Ninja Coaching and Coach Mark Johnson, Derek also shares how coaching helped him live more on purpose, stay inspired, and remain accountable to the fundamentals that drive consistent growth.

• Relationship based business scales better than lead based grinding when aligned with your values and life priorities.
• Persistence compounds over time and momentum builds like adding cars to a train year after year.
• Deep conversations outperform small talk by creating trust, emotional connection, and long term loyalty.
• Tracking your numbers creates clarity and confidence in decision making and business planning.
• Live conversations do not need to be high volume if they are meaningful, intentional, and unhurried.
• Auto flow can be simple and personal through consistent mail, newsletters, and authentic updates.

"If you work hard and do the right things, good things will happen."

"I hate small talk."

"When it's a friend calling, it doesn't feel like work."

"This year didn't feel like a treadmill."

"I believe an integrated life is a powerful life."

"I was created to love and serve others."

"Just relax, take a deep breath, and focus on what you can control."

"Coaching helped me move from living on accident to living on purpose."

"I've never had a conversation where I wished I hadn't had it."

Links:

• Website: https://ninjaselling.com/ninja-podcast/
• Email: [email protected]
• Phone: 1-800-254-1650
• Podcast Facebook Group: http://www.facebook.com/groups/TheNinjaSellingPodcast
• Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/NinjaSelling
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ninjasellingofficial/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ninjaselling
• Upcoming Public Ninja Installations: https://NinjaSelling.com/events/list/?tribe_eventcategory%5B0%5D=183&tribe__ecp_custom_2%5B0%5D=Public
• Ninja Coaching: http://www.NinjaSelling.com/course/ninja-coaching/
• Derek Walden: https://www.athomewichita.com/agent/derek-walden/

In this Best Year Yet episode, Eric Thompson interviews Belle Caplis, a Brooklyn based Compass agent on the Bateman Fields team. Belle shares how she grew from 9 million in sales volume to 23.6 million in 2025, increasing from 11 to 25 sales transactions, while also expanding rentals and referral business. Belle's story is especially compelling because her real estate career began in March of 2020, just days before New York City shut down. With the city locked down and her new career uncertain, she found structure and community through a Compass recovery meeting that led her to Ninja Selling and a powerful accountability practice called the 10 at 10. Three times a week, Belle joined a Zoom session, started with gratitude, then turned cameras off and called 10 people using FORD questions before regrouping to report back. That early rhythm gave her confidence, listening skills, and the ability to build trust fast, which later made her highly effective even with Zillow leads, where she routinely stayed on calls 30 to 40 minutes to deepen connection.

Belle explains that her 2025 growth came from two main shifts. First, she became much better at follow up after open houses, using specific, personalized follow up tied to what the person said and continuing to deliver value through listings, pricing strategy, and education rather than generic check ins. Second, she leaned fully into education and service across her sphere by giving real estate advice freely, offering to find answers when she did not know them, and becoming the person people consult for clarity. Belle's approach is rooted in what she calls rigorous honesty, transparency, and risk analysis. She promises clients she cannot control outcomes, but she can control how honest and clear she is, and she builds deep trust by pointing out both pros and potential risks so clients can make confident decisions. She closes by encouraging listeners to be imperfect, take small steps, be honest about what they are not doing, and start again tomorrow.

Accountability creates momentum and Belle's early 10 at 10 practice built confidence, consistency, and relationship skills fast

FORD questions are a business builder because they shift the focus to people, create trust, and help you listen for what matters

Attraction over promotion works because you do not need to announce you are an agent, you just lead with curiosity and care

Trust building beats pretending and the phrase "I'm not one hundred percent on that, so I'll get back to you very soon" protects credibility and creates natural follow up

Longer first conversations create faster trust and Belle's ability to stay connected for 30 to 40 minutes helped her convert leads at a higher level

Open house follow up is a growth lever when it is specific, personal, and value based rather than generic check ins

Education is a referral engine when you freely explain pricing strategy, negotiation, and why listings sell or do not sell

Service creates opportunity because you never know where the next referral will come from, so treat everyone like they matter

Define your A list as the people you are rooting for and call them to reset your mindset and get out of your own head

Humor and personality can be part of flow and Belle uses memes, "real estate gossip," and stories to stay top of mind while reinforcing expertise

Rigorous honesty builds lifetime clients and Belle's promise is transparency, not outcomes she cannot control

Risk analysis is a differentiator because clients feel protected, informed, and confident in their decisions

Progress matters more than perfection and small daily improvements compound into big years

"I onboarded at Compass on a Wednesday in March of 2020 and on Friday the entire city shut down."

"I don't know how to do real estate, but I know how to go to a meeting."

"This is attraction, not promotion."

"I'm not one hundred percent on that and I don't want to answer until I am, so I'm going to get back to you very soon."

"My goal was to gain trust before I got off that phone call."

"I'm not a gatekeeper."

"My A's are the people that I am rooting for."

"The fastest way for me to reset to factory settings is to focus on other people."

"I'm going to tell you no way more than I'm going to tell you yes."

"I give you permission to not do it well today. Just do it."

"Make one or two baby steps of progress today, then start over tomorrow."

Links:

• Website: https://ninjaselling.com/ninja-podcast/
• Email: [email protected]
• Phone: 1-800-254-1650
• Podcast Facebook Group: http://www.facebook.com/groups/TheNinjaSellingPodcast
• Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/NinjaSelling
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ninjasellingofficial/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ninjaselling
• Upcoming Public Ninja Installations: https://NinjaSelling.com/events/list/?tribe_eventcategory%5B0%5D=183&tribe__ecp_custom_2%5B0%5D=Public
• Ninja Coaching: http://www.NinjaSelling.com/course/ninja-coaching/
• Belle Caplis: https://www.compass.com/agents/belle-caplis/
• Belle's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/belleclosing

Eric Thompson interviews Jed Inductivo, a Ninja with Compass in Los Angeles, who achieved his best year yet in 2025 with business up 56% year over year. What makes the story remarkable is that it happened during significant adversity. LA faced devastating fires that impacted clients and the community at large. Jed's brokerage dissolved, forcing a rapid transition. Instead of contracting, Jed expanded by choosing a player mindset, leading with value, and committing to simple, repeatable Ninja fundamentals.

Jed credits a guiding belief, "This is happening for me, not to me," as the mindset shift that kept him solution-focused. During the fires, he stepped into service by supporting displaced clients, helping people find temporary housing, and sending resource packed newsletters that were widely shared and generated inbound calls for lease support. Jed breaks down the systems that drove his growth. He created two versions of a Real Estate Review, a five-minute version and a fifteen-minute version, to make Habit 7 consistent. He pairs those reviews with a steady rhythm of coffees and lunches, and he built a highly intentional agent referral engine that now contributes roughly two-thirds of his business. He also shares how his hospitality background helps him deliver a Four Seasons level experience through intake forms, milestone moments, and event style open houses.

Looking ahead to 2026, Jed's focus is on calm in the hard, protecting mornings for focus and clarity, and doubling down on his vital few activities, including Real Estate Reviews, two coffees or lunches per week, and his power hour.

Adversity can be fuel when you choose a player mindset and stay focused on solutions

This is happening for me, not to me, is a practical mental shift that prevents victim thinking and creates forward motion

Value creates opportunity, and Jed's fire resource newsletters were shared widely and led directly to new lease clients

Real Estate Reviews paired with coffee or lunch became Jed's strongest growth lever and biggest source of sales

Simplify the habit so it happens consistently, and the five-minute and fifteen-minute review options removed friction and made execution weekly

Follow up with an insight rather than asking if they have questions, which keeps the burden off the client and highlights your expertise

Agent referrals are built intentionally through consistent relationship building, two agent connection calls per week, and making it easy to remember and refer you

Make referring you easy with a simple one sheet that explains your market areas, specialties, and personal connection points

Hospitality creates bespoke service and intake sheets plus milestone touches create a Four Seasons experience

Authentic flow wins and the most sustainable systems are the ones aligned with your DNA and interests

This is happening for me, not to me

Real estate agents are problem solvers

My biggest sales this year have come from this combination of real estate review, coffee, lunch by far

Treat your clients like they're staying at a Four Seasons

The best flow is authentic flow

Links:

• Website: https://ninjaselling.com/ninja-podcast/
• Email: [email protected]
• Phone: 1-800-254-1650
• Podcast Facebook Group: http://www.facebook.com/groups/TheNinjaSellingPodcast
• Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/NinjaSelling
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ninjasellingofficial/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ninjaselling
• Upcoming Public Ninja Installations: https://NinjaSelling.com/events/list/?tribe_eventcategory%5B0%5D=183&tribe__ecp_custom_2%5B0%5D=Public
• Ninja Coaching: http://www.NinjaSelling.com/course/ninja-coaching/
• Jed Inductivo: https://jedi.la/
• Jed's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jedi.agent/
• Schedule a meeting with Jed: http://www.calendly.com/jed_i

In this special live episode of the Ninja Selling Podcast, Eric Thompson records in front of a live audience at the first Ninja Installation of 2026 in Fort Collins, Colorado. Eric is joined by Denver agent Dave Hettrick of RE/MAX Professionals and Dave's Ninja Coach, Julie WIll. Dave had his best year yet in 2025, growing his business 62% year over year in a market that was essentially flat, and he broke through a major income milestone by earning just over $300,000 for the year.

The central theme of the conversation is flow, specifically hyper flow, and how Dave creates massive results without asking for referrals. Dave is known in the coaching community as Mr. Gratitude, and he shares how leading every coaching call with wins and gratitude keeps him in a powerful mindset that helps him see opportunities, stay positive, and show up better for clients. Eric and Julie highlight that Dave's breakthrough came as he learned to trust the process, lean into consistency, and stay committed to incremental progress rather than perfection.

Dave explains how he has structured his life around live flow through intentional networking groups, coffees, lunches, and social time with friends, turning everyday connection into a predictable business engine. He shares how he built clarity and focus by knowing his numbers, maintaining a database of 426 people, and identifying a top 100 "client base" who receive extra attention and meaningful experiences such as an intimate annual pie party. He also shares the strategy that made his pie party so effective, emphasizing that the real power is in the touches before and after the event, including calls, texts, handwritten notes, and personal deliveries.

Julie shares how Dave's growth accelerated when he stopped rushing out of conversations to handle lower value tasks, and instead stayed present in relationship building while delegating operational and marketing tasks to his wife, Christine, who now works full time in the business. Dave closes by sharing his 2026 goal of 95 transactions, along with the visual accountability anchors he is using, and the creation of a "President's Club" travel reward system that celebrates their success and reinforces the life they are building.

Gratitude is a performance advantage and Dave uses it intentionally to fuel mindset, energy, and opportunity awareness

Trusting the process creates momentum and Dave's results grew when he stopped forcing what he thought he should do and committed to what works consistently

Flow fixes everything and live flow in particular becomes a predictable engine when it is scheduled and protected on the calendar

Hyper flow does not require asking for referrals when relationships are nurtured with genuine care and consistent connection

Incremental progress beats perfection and Dave does not miss twice because anything missed gets scheduled and corrected the following week

Know your numbers because your database is your primary asset and Dave can immediately state his database size and what matters most within it

Focus on a top 100 client base and give them extra love through deeper experiences and more intentional touches

Events work best when you maximize the before and after touches because invitations, reminders, thank you calls, notes, and follow up visits create multiple flow opportunities

Personal delivery creates outsized impact and Dave generated seven referrals from delivering cookies and handwritten notes to people who could not attend his event

Networking groups are only the beginning and the real value comes from turning brief interactions into coffees, lunches, dinners, and deeper relationships

Delegation increases flow capacity and Dave's wife took over tasks that do not require a license, freeing Dave to stay in high value conversations

A strong warm list is built by listening for change in FORD and Dave is consistently adding people each week because he is in frequent live conversation

Anchors increase accountability and a simple visual reminder can keep a goal present and actionable every day

Coaching becomes leverage when it shifts from cost thinking to value thinking and when the cadence is customized to what keeps momentum alive

It was not a strategy. It was a way of life

Trust the process

The most powerful form of flow is live flow

Consistency and just doing the same things every week

If you miss it once it is a mistake, miss it twice it is the start of a new habit

Consistency brings power

It is not just about the event, it is about what happens before and after the event

What is it worth, not what does it cost

Links:

• Website: https://ninjaselling.com/ninja-podcast/
• Email: [email protected]
• Phone: 1-800-254-1650
• Podcast Facebook Group: http://www.facebook.com/groups/TheNinjaSellingPodcast
• Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/NinjaSelling
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ninjasellingofficial/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ninjaselling
• Upcoming Public Ninja Installations: https://NinjaSelling.com/events/list/?tribe_eventcategory%5B0%5D=183&tribe__ecp_custom_2%5B0%5D=Public
• Ninja Coaching: http://www.NinjaSelling.com/course/ninja-coaching/
• Dave Hettrick: https://david-hettrick.remax.com/

In this wide-ranging conversation, Rob Nelson is joined by longtime mentor, friend, and Ninja partner Peter Parnegg to explore what sits at the very foundation of Ninja Selling: personal mastery. As the first of the four cornerstones of Ninja, personal mastery isn't a destination or a checklist; it's a lifelong path of alignment between mindset, skills, and daily actions.

Peter and Rob discuss what it means to live from abundance instead of scarcity, to choose creation over competition, and to take full responsibility for how we present ourselves in the world. They move beyond business planning and tactics to examine character, emotions, habits, and the behaviors that either move us forward or hold us back.

The conversation weaves together neuroscience, gratitude, ego, confirmation bias, leadership, and the discipline of consistency, especially when things are hard. They challenge listeners to stop chasing perfection, embrace grace, and recognize that executing at 50–70% consistently can radically transform life and business. The episode closes with a powerful reflection on Word of the Year, daily routines, and how personal mastery is ultimately about becoming a better human, not just a better salesperson.

• Personal Mastery Is a Path, Not a Destination: It's a continual practice of aligning mindset, skills, and actions with who you want to become.
• Creation Over Competition: Ninja is built on the belief that the world is abundant and that we are here to create, not compete or take.
• Responsibility Is Foundational: Personal mastery requires taking responsibility for outcomes, emotions, and how you show up.
• Gratitude Is the Reset Button: Gratitude is the fastest way to move out of scarcity and reframe mindset, even in difficult moments.
• Upward vs. Downward Spirals: What you focus on expands; choose the upward spiral intentionally.
• Consistency Beats Perfection: Dramatic improvement comes from consistent execution, not flawless performance.
• Grace Over Perfectionism: Perfectionism is not mastery; progress and grace are.
• Character Before Results: Personal mastery is about how you show up: as a leader, partner, parent, and human, before any business outcome.
• Word of the Year as an Anchor: A meaningful word can guide daily decisions and reconnect you to what truly matters.
• Daily Habits Matter: Small, repeatable routines (gratitude, reflection, practice) compound into fulfillment and growth.

• "We are here not to compete, but to create."
• "Personal mastery isn't a destination...it's a path."
• "Abundance doesn't just mean more money; it can mean more joy, love, and fulfillment."
• "When you are afraid, you are usually thinking about yourself."
• "Gratitude is the fastest way out of scarcity."
• "What you focus on expands."
• "It's easy when it's easy, mastery shows up when it's hard."
• "Perfectionism is a form of self-abuse."
• "Most wildly successful people execute at 50–70% consistently."
• "Progress is the ultimate motivator."
• "Personal mastery is a character issue, not a goal."
• "Be graceful with yourself."

Links:

• Website: https://ninjaselling.com/ninja-podcast/
• Email: [email protected]
• Phone: 1-800-254-1650
• Podcast Facebook Group: http://www.facebook.com/groups/TheNinjaSellingPodcast
• Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/NinjaSelling
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ninjasellingofficial/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ninjaselling
• Upcoming Public Ninja Installations: https://NinjaSelling.com/events/list/?tribe_eventcategory%5B0%5D=183&tribe__ecp_custom_2%5B0%5D=Public
• Ninja Coaching: http://www.NinjaSelling.com/course/ninja-coaching/

In this New Year's episode, Rob Nelson and Eric Thompson unpack one of the most powerful, and deceptively simple, Ninja coaching tools: "If you could wave your magic wand…" What sounds playful on the surface is actually a strategic question that fosters psychological safety, removes invisible limits, and enables people to access what they truly want without fear, risk, or "yeah-but" thinking.

Rob and Eric explain how the magic wand question puts people into a pretend state where there's no ceiling and no consequences, allowing clarity, emotion, and authentic motivation to surface. They explore how the tool applies to business planning for 2026, coaching oneself through challenging moments, and guiding clients to make better decisions in emotionally charged transactions.

The episode also delves into how the magic wand works in real estate, uncovering genuine priorities for buyers and sellers, anchoring clients back to their original "why" during negotiations, and helping agents build trust by asking questions that go beyond must-haves and logistics. Eric shares his personal magic wand goal—buying a home in the Colorado mountains—and connects it to Ninja's broader framework of designing life first, then setting goals to fund it. They close by tying the concept to the Ninja "Word of the Year" as an anchor for focus and growth in 2026.

Key Takeaways

• The Magic Wand Creates Possibility: It removes ceilings and risk, quiets defensive thinking, and unlocks clearer, more creative truth.
• Pretend State = Psychological Safety: Clients (and you) feel safe to share what they want, not just what seems practical or "reasonable."
• Clarity Beats Logic Lists: With buyers, the magic wand gets you beyond "must-haves" into how they want to live—which reveals what matters most.
• Meaning Fuels Motivation: Goals aren't about transactions or income—they're about the emotion and life those outcomes create.
• Anchor Back During Conflict: In inspection drama or negotiation gridlock, the magic wand helps clients reconnect to the bigger purpose and regain perspective.
• Coach Yourself the Same Way: When you feel bogged down, return to your magic wand vision, ask "Has anything changed?", then recommit with clarity.
• Use "Tell Me More About That": This follow-up deepens meaning and uncovers the real "why" beneath the goal.
• Works Beyond Real Estate: It's a powerful conversation starter with spouses, kids, friends, and teams, helping people dream out loud.
• Word of the Year as an Anchor: A single word can reconnect you to your magic wand vision and align your mindset, skillset, and actions.

Memorable Quotes

• "It's cute, but it is really powerful."
• "In a pretend state, there's no ceiling and there's no risk."
• "It diffuses the little voice that says, 'Yeah, but…' and 'What if…'"
• "It's not about the property. It's about what it means."
• "What's on the other side isn't a number; it's an emotion."
• "Begin with the end in mind."
• "Tell me more about that."
• "Buying or selling a home is emotional, even if people insist that it's not."
• "Your word of the year can be the ultimate anchor."
• "My word of the year is Elevate."

Links:

• Website: https://ninjaselling.com/ninja-podcast/
• Email: [email protected]
• Phone: 1-800-254-1650
• Podcast Facebook Group: http://www.facebook.com/groups/TheNinjaSellingPodcast
• Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/NinjaSelling
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ninjasellingofficial/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ninjaselling
• Upcoming Public Ninja Installations: https://NinjaSelling.com/events/list/?tribe_eventcategory%5B0%5D=183&tribe__ecp_custom_2%5B0%5D=Public
• Ninja Coaching: http://www.NinjaSelling.com/course/ninja-coaching/

Episode Summary

In this episode of the Ninja Selling Podcast, Rob Nelson and Eric Thompson break down "Ninja in a Nutshell", offering a clear, high-level overview of what Ninja Selling is, why it exists, and how it works. Designed for listeners who want a straightforward starting point, this conversation distills the Ninja philosophy into its core components, avoiding jargon and hype.

Rob explains that Ninja Selling is a complete operating system for a sales business, combining proven methods for generating business with a relationship-centered approach to serving clients. Together, Rob and Eric explore the foundations of Ninja (mindset, skillset, and actions) and explain how subtle skills consistently produce big results, regardless of personality, market conditions, or experience level.

Listeners learn how Ninja replaces pressure with value, competition with creation, and transactions with long-term relationships. The episode also shares the origin of the Ninja name, the story behind the original "Ninja," and why the Ninja community has grown into a collaborative movement rooted in abundance, gratitude, and service.

Key Takeaways

• Ninja Is an Operating System: Ninja Selling integrates how to generate business and how to do business, both rooted in relationships and value creation.
• Relationships Are the Business: Ninja focuses on people you already know, not cold calls, door knocking, or chasing strangers.
• Mindset Comes First: Gratitude, abundance, collaboration, and creation-over-competition form the foundation of Ninja success.
• Skills Beat Personality: Great salespeople are developed, not born; Ninja works for every personality type.
• Questions Over Pitching: Ninja conversations are built on asking better questions, listening for feelings, and recognizing change through FORD.
• The Ninja Nine Drive Action: Nine simple, repeatable habits—done consistently—produce extraordinary results.
• Value Replaces Pressure: Education, clarity, and collaboration remove resistance and make decisions easier for clients.
• Income Per Hour Matters: Ninja Selling is designed to help professionals earn more while working less and living fully.
• Ninja Is a Community and Movement: The Ninja Nation thrives on collaboration, shared values, and helping others succeed.

Links:

• Website: https://ninjaselling.com/ninja-podcast/
• Email: [email protected]
• Phone: 1-800-254-1650
• Podcast Facebook Group: http://www.facebook.com/groups/TheNinjaSellingPodcast
• Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/NinjaSelling
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ninjasellingofficial/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ninjaselling

Caroline Bourgeault, a Ninja Realtor® in Pueblo, Colorado, became the #1 agent in her market in just two and a half years. A mother of four (including a newborn) and a recent Ninja Installation graduate, Caroline shares how intentionality, discipline, and deep care for her "extended family" of clients have fueled her rapid rise, without a traditional assistant.

Caroline, originally from Australia and now thriving in Pueblo, Colorado, has built a high-production, relationship-based business on pace for 100 transactions in 2025, following 91 transactions in her first full year. She discovered Ninja through the Ninja Selling book, then flew to the Installation seven months pregnant, choosing to double down on her commitment by also enrolling in Ninja Coaching with Steve Mangelson.

Shortly after her Installation, Caroline experienced a complicated C-section and a ruptured uterus, yet she continued her affirmations, gratitudes, and even wrote contracts from the hospital. Guided by her mantra of "God and gratitude before the grind," she built work/life harmony by scheduling what matters most first: breastfeeding, family, mindset, then layering her Ninja Nine and client work around those priorities.

Caroline treats her 350-person database as extended family, organizing detailed FORD notes and staying in consistent flow through texts, personalized touches, and thoughtfully designed 8-in-8 campaigns. She also leverages housewarming parties, staging expertise, and hyper-personal gifts to make real estate deeply relational, not transactional. Steve adds powerful insight into how her success comes not from tactics alone, but from who she has become: a person whose business is simply an expression of service and love.

Key Takeaways

• Momentum Is Consistency, Not Noise: Caroline's success is built on the belief that "momentum isn't loud, it's consistent," and that small, steady habits compound.
• Ninja Your Way: She customizes Ninja, leaning on staging skills, math strengths, and an internal scoreboard for her Ninja Nine.
• Database as Extended Family: Her 350-person "extended family" is tracked with detailed FORD notes and regularly updated insights, not just static contact records.
• Structured 8-in-8 Follow-Up: After meeting someone (often at a housewarming party), she runs a pre-planned eight-touch sequence of texts, calls, reviews, and face-to-face meetings.
• Housewarming Parties as Flow Engines: Streamlined, repeatable celebrations for buyers deepen relationships, generate introductions, and create natural reasons to stay in flow.
• Work–Life Harmony Through Scheduling: "Priorities don't fight for space; they get scheduled," she built her calendar around feeding a newborn, family, mindset, and then business.
• Service as the Business Model: Caroline's guiding question is: How can I use this to serve more people? The relationship itself is the leverage.

Memorable Quotes

• "Momentum isn't loud. It's consistent."
• "Discipline doesn't disappear, it adapts."
• "God and gratitude before the grind."
• "Priorities don't fight for space; they get scheduled."
• "Show up, serve up, and keep swimming."
• "This is not transactional, this is relational."
• "If you love on people, you will serve them like no other."

Links:

• Website: https://ninjaselling.com/ninja-podcast/
• Email: [email protected]
• Phone: 1-800-254-1650
• Podcast Facebook Group: http://www.facebook.com/groups/TheNinjaSellingPodcast
• Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/NinjaSelling
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ninjasellingofficial/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ninjaselling
• Upcoming Public Ninja Installations: https://NinjaSelling.com/events/list/?tribe_eventcategory%5B0%5D=183&tribe__ecp_custom_2%5B0%5D=Public
• Ninja Coaching: http://www.NinjaSelling.com/course/ninja-coaching/
• Caroline Bourgeault https://carolinebourgeault.com/

In this episode, Eric Thompson sits down with Stephanie Peterson, a dedicated Ninja Realtor® from Spokane, Washington. With 11 years of experience and an incredible ability to generate over $200,000 annually working just 20 hours a week, Stephanie shares how living intentionally, staying in flow, and focusing on relationships has completely transformed her life and business.

Episode Summary Stephanie Peterson, a long-time Ninja and real estate professional with Windermere City Group, has built a highly efficient and relationship-driven business centered around a select group of 100 people. Rather than expanding endlessly, she focuses on depth by tracking her productivity, staying in consistent contact with her top clients, and living a well-rounded, fulfilling life outside of work. Her systematic and intentional approach enables her to balance a high income with meaningful free time.

This episode delves into Stephanie's annual business planning method, including how she calculates the value of her time, schedules her week around her top priorities, and makes every decision based on ROI, both financial and emotional. Through quarterly pop-bys, annual reviews, and handwritten notes, she has made her business a hub of authentic relationships and genuine care. She also explains the art of managing her time into productive (P), indirectly productive (I), and eliminated (E) activities (she has zero E-time in her calendar).

Listeners will also learn how Stephanie cultivates strong connections with fellow agents through intentional networking, hosting events, and thoughtful follow-up strategies. Whether you're seeking to streamline your business or increase your joy in your career, Stephanie's insights offer a powerful model of simplicity, connection, and purpose.

Key Takeaways

• Focus Beats Volume: You don't need thousands of contacts to succeed; Stephanie generates six figures by serving 100 people with depth and care.
• Work Smarter: She works only 20 hours a week by scheduling her time with precision and tracking income per hour — over $2,000/hour for client time.
• Pop-By Strategy: Personalized quarterly gifts (like homemade salsa or Dad's Root Beer kits) strengthen relationships and generate referrals.
• Annual Reviews = Relationship Gold: She uses annual real estate reviews to provide value, deepen connection, and identify new business opportunities.
• Efficiency Through Systems: Everything, from gift inventory to CRM input, is systematized, allowing her to stay creative without being overwhelmed.
• Intentional Realtor Networking: Stephanie nurtures a nationwide referral network through memorable follow-up, event hosting, and meaningful gifts.
• Living Beyond Work: Embracing creativity, travel, and personal connection, she has built a life where work supports but doesn't define her.

Memorable Quotes

"The system is simple if you work the system."

"I work 20 hours a week, earn over $200K, and focus on just 100 people."

"If I want a big crop, I have to take care of my plants: I weed, water, and prune. That's how I treat my database."

"Real estate has given me some of the best friendships in my life."

"Don't just brush your teeth once; don't just go to one Ninja Installation. Keep brushing your business."

"Busy doesn't equal productive. It's the right activities that bring results."

"Who are your vital few? And what are the vital few activities?"

Links:

• Website: https://ninjaselling.com/ninja-podcast/
• Email: [email protected]
• Phone: 1-800-254-1650
• Podcast Facebook Group: http://www.facebook.com/groups/TheNinjaSellingPodcast
• Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/NinjaSelling
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ninjasellingofficial/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ninjaselling
• Upcoming Public Ninja Installations: https://NinjaSelling.com/events/list/?tribe_eventcategory%5B0%5D=183&tribe__ecp_custom_2%5B0%5D=Public
• Ninja Coaching: http://www.NinjaSelling.com/course/ninja-coaching/
• Stephanie Peterson: https://stephaniesellsspokane.com/

In this episode of the Ninja Selling Podcast, Northern Virginia Realtor and Ninja, April Myers, explores what it really looks like to stay magnetic, consistent, and growth-minded when life gets very real.

Based in Arlington, Virginia, with @properties in the DC suburbs, April shares how her background as a recruiting leader and VP of strategic growth helped her become fearless in sales and build powerful relationships with agents across her market. Those relationships are now a major asset in her real estate business.

But the heart of this episode is deeply personal. In late 2024, April's husband, who has epilepsy, experienced a seizure after more than 10 years without one, and then another in early 2025. He lost his driver's license for nearly a year, which meant April became the full-time driver for her husband, her young son, and her clients… all while working in a volatile DC-area market with layoffs, uncertainty, and a government shutdown.

Despite all of that, April is on track to grow her business by roughly 20% over last year in a market that is not up 20%. She walks through, very candidly, how she did it: mindset work, strict time blocking, non-negotiable morning routines, consistent FLOW (both live and auto), and a refusal to become a victim of her circumstances. This episode is a powerful example of Ninja principles in action when life is anything but easy.

Key Takeaways

• Mindset first, always. April made a conscious decision early on: "I will not be a victim of my circumstances." That choice, to be a player instead of a victim, became the foundation for everything that followed.
• Systems let your business run while you're running. Before her family crisis hit, April had already built a solid Ninja business plan, a database, and consistent habits. When life got harder, those systems kept the business moving even when time shrank.
• Time blocking is self-preservation, not punishment. April blocks her calendar for real estate reviews, monthly emails, FLOW activities, and even which clients get a review each month. By deciding ahead of time, she removes the thinking burden from "future April" and just executes.
• FLOW is her superpower: auto + live.
  • About 225–240 people in her database, with ~150 local in the DMV.
  • At least two emails per month: one local lifestyle/events email and one real estate/market update from her Gmail.
  • Regular mailings: quarterly newsletters, postcards, topical or seasonal pieces, plus tools like Homebot, and a vendor guide.
  • Live FLOW: birthday calls, home anniversaries, client service calls every week, and at least one client dinner a month. April rarely "misses a beat" with her FLOW, even in a chaotic year.
• Recruiting experience turned into a massive advantage. Years of recruiting 175–200 agents made her fearless on the phone, great at conversations, and deeply connected to top agents in her market. These relationships now help her get offers accepted in competitive situations.
• Look for silver linings in hard seasons. When her husband lost his license, April chose to use extra time at school pickups, games, and events to go deeper with other parents, neighbors, and community members. That intentional presence has led to unexpected, high-quality clients in a tough year.
• Consistency beats "doing it all." April openly admits she didn't do as many open houses as she "should" have, but she stayed consistent on the core Ninja activities she could execute. The result: her business is up in a down market.

Memorable Quotes

"I refused to become a victim of my circumstances."

"I still look back on the last 10 or 11 months and think, 'I don't know how I did it.' But I knew I needed a plan and a system to run my business like a business."

"Those years recruiting agents made me fearless. If you can call Realtors every day who don't want to talk to you, it's a lot easier to talk to people who actually do want to talk to you."

"I wanted to be an anomaly. I was already going to be, so why let this stop me?"

"I started getting up a half hour to an hour earlier every day. I needed that time for affirmations and mindset because it keeps me grounded and sane."

"It's like going to the gym. It's hard at first, and you don't see changes, but change doesn't happen overnight. You start to see results, and that keeps you going."

"Trust the silver linings. Something hard might be happening, but there might be something better around the corner that you can't see yet."

"We say the three keys to success are mindset, skill set, and action, in that order. I couldn't control what happened, but I could control my response to what happened."

Links:

• Website: https://ninjaselling.com/ninja-podcast/
• Email: [email protected]
• Phone: 1-800-254-1650
• Podcast Facebook Group: http://www.facebook.com/groups/TheNinjaSellingPodcast
• Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/NinjaSelling
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ninjasellingofficial/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ninjaselling
• Upcoming Public Ninja Installations: https://NinjaSelling.com/events/list/?tribe_eventcategory%5B0%5D=183&tribe__ecp_custom_2%5B0%5D=Public
• Ninja Coaching: http://www.NinjaSelling.com/course/ninja-coaching/
• April Myers: https://www.atproperties.com/agents/13000/april-myers