What Happens in Vegas Should NOT Stay in Vegas | FORWARD Recap Pt. 1

1,000 of the industry's best spent two days locked in a Vegas ballroom — and the people who coach the coaches were the ones taking notes. Melvyn and KJ were in the front row at FORWARD, and this is everything they brought back. No gatekeeping.

In Part 1, we cover:

- TIGAs — tiny income generating assets, and why one paycheck will never set you free

- The "Rich Uncle" 10% question — one text message that changed an entire financial bloodline

- The Triple Threat structure for real estate investing (agent + capital partner + contractor)

- The Second Door — how to market to the 85% of your audience that isn't ready to buy yet, instead of fighting everyone else for the 8% who are

- Why you get chosen instead of compared when you sell the story, not the stats

- The curse of knowledge — why smart agents confuse their clients, and the 5-year-old test that fixes it

- The blind man and the magic trick — the story that had the whole room in tears

Plus: "Use a tool, don't be a tool," get over the cringe to make them binge, and the full speaker preview for Part 2 — Ed Mylett, Vanessa Van Edwards, Chris Do, Daniel Priestley, and more.

Want our full notes and audio from every single speaker? Just reach out — DM us on Instagram or text Melvyn directly. We took them for you.

Timestamps:

0:00 Intro

0:21 Welcome Back — No Guest, No Problem

1:14 What Is FORWARD?

2:55 Sold Out: 1,000 People

7:58 The Full Speaker Lineup

12:26 Use a Tool, Don't Be a Tool

19:53 Sharran's Money Factory

20:17 TIGAs — Tiny Income Generating Assets

21:49 The "Rich Uncle" 10% Question

24:08 The Triple Threat

26:01 The Short-Term Rental Tax Play

28:29 "Ignorance Is Expensive"

30:37 Schwarzenegger's Real Estate Story

31:45 Neil Dhingra on Premium Branding

33:15 Get Chosen, Not Compared

35:05 Don't Post the Win — Post the Story

37:48 The Second Door

40:17 "Come With Me" Beats "Look at Me"

42:32 Give Away the Secrets, Sell the Implementation

43:53 Get Over the Cringe to Make Them Binge

45:15 Brian Miller — Audience First, Always

47:54 The Curse of Knowledge

51:44 Clarity Is the Lowest Bar

54:22 The Blind Man & the Magic Trick

57:17 The Unlocked Room

58:37 Reflective Listening

1:00:16 The Plaud + Claude Workflow

1:01:56 Part 2 Is Coming

Enjoyed this episode? Share it with an agent who needs to hear it — and leave a review so more people can find us.

Angie Richison walked away from a 26-year career at Feld Entertainment — Ringling Bros, Monster Jam, Disney on Ice — after a COVID layoff she never saw coming.

Instead of playing it safe, her son looked at her and said, "Will you gamble on yourself for once?" She said yes. Then she launched into real estate post-hurricane season, at 7% rates, in a buyer's market — and won a Ruby Award in year one.

In this episode, Melvyn and KJ sit down with Angie to talk about what it actually takes to build a real estate business when the deck is stacked against you, and why most agents are making it harder on themselves than it needs to be.

They cover: - Why Angie dreamed about being a realtor since 4th grade — and what finally pushed her to go all-in - How 26 years of national travel gave her 6,000+ Facebook connections she turned into a real pipeline from day one - The real truth about appraisals — Tidewater, VA loans, seawalls, and why being honest about value sometimes costs you the listing - Her "Date the Realtor" philosophy for buyer agreements — and why it's actually converting more clients than long-term contracts ever did - The listing photo order strategy most agents are completely sleeping on (pool goes in photo 2 or 3, not buried at the end) - What she'd tell anyone thinking about getting into real estate right now: "Start. Start faster."

📲 Connect with Angie Richison: Instagram: @angierichison Website: www.angierichison.com Enjoyed this episode? Share it with an agent who needs a reality check — and leave a review so more people can find us.

Pine to Palm: One Broker's Journey from New York to Florida | Ft. Andrew Derminio He had 9 years of real estate experience, a loyal client base, and a career built from scratch — and then he walked away from all of it to start over in Florida. Andrew Derminio didn't just relocate. He rebuilt. And what came out the other side is Pine to Palm Realty Group, a relocation-focused brokerage built around the idea that buying a home should feel like an experience, not a transaction.In this episode,

Melvyn and Andrew cover: - How New York and Florida real estate are completely different industries — and what agents get wrong when they try to cross over - Why Pine to Palm Realty Group exists: the story behind the name, the wife who pushed him to start it, and the market gap they're filling - The Babcock Ranch deep dive: solar power, hurricane Ian, EcoTours, baby gators, and why this community is unlike anything else in Florida - Why Andrew refuses to use lockboxes and still shows up in person — and what that says about where real estate professionalism is headed - How Milestone Title Services played a direct role in unlocking a career-changing $800K listing Andrew Derminio is the Broker/Owner of Pine to Palm Realty Group, specializing in relocation between New York and Southwest Florida. Before real estate, he was a country radio personality at Big Frog 104 in Utica, NY — and that background in communication and storytelling shows up in every single client interaction.

📲 Connect with Andrew Derminio: Instagram: @andrewderminio4 Instagram: @pinetopalm_realtygroup Facebook: Pine to Palm Realty Group Phone: 315-272-7419Enjoyed this episode? Share it with an agent who's thinking about making a move — or one who needs to be reminded why showing up still matters. And leave a review so more people can find us.

What happens when a realtor with ADHD, dry humor, and zero tolerance for corporate nonsense decides to just be himself on the internet? You get Tampa Turf — and apparently, you also get a call from a 40-year-old woman in Atlanta who leads with "I'm a taddy batty and I love smut." True story. Hit play.

In this episode, Melvyn, KJ, and Chandler cover:

- How the house-roasting content format was born (and the DM to Brad the Realtor that made it happen)

- What 200,000 views in a day actually feels like when you don't know what to do with it

- The signature moves: murder shed voice, headbutting plants, the smut tub, bisexual green, and ceiling titties

- Why funny content brings in followers — but serious content brings in clients

- The real problem Chandler is solving for buyers: making one of the most stressful purchases of their lives actually enjoyable

- How he handles haters (including other brokers), copycats, and the occasional very bold DM

- His take on social media being "a plague" — from someone who generates most of his business from it

- And why he'd rather frolic in a field than work till he's dead

Chandler Thompson is a Tampa-based realtor with Frank Albert Realtors, 200+ transactions, and 110+ five-star reviews. His content has gone viral multiple times, been recognized at national real estate events, and somehow brought a client to him via a smut tub joke. He is exactly who you think he is — and also way more than that.

Connect with Chandler:

Instagram: @Tampa_Turf

TikTok: Tampa Turf

Facebook: Tampa Turf

Enjoyed this episode? Share it with an agent who needs to hear it — and leave us a review so more people can find us.

In this episode of Not Subtle. SEEN., we get brutally honest about burnout, discipline, and why your health directly impacts your income.

Coach Noreen joins us for a real, unfiltered conversation about why motivation fades, why fitness isn’t about being skinny, and how small, consistent habits change everything—from energy and focus to confidence and deal flow.

This isn’t about becoming a gym rat. It’s about treating your body like the business asset it actually is.

Key Takeaways:

• Burnout quietly destroys performance
• Discipline matters more than motivation
• Health drives clarity, confidence, and consistency
• You don’t need extreme routines—just repeatable habits
• Your future success depends on today’s health choices

Guest Bio: Coach Noreen is a fitness and performance coach with 26+ years of experience in functional training, martial arts, boot camps, and high-accountability coaching. Known for her tough-love approach paired with compassion, she helps busy professionals build sustainable strength, energy, and confidence.

Follow Coach Noreen on Instagram: @xtremenorine and @Powered_By_No

Links & Mentions: Guest: Coach Noreen — @xtremenorine | @Powered_By_No Resources: Apple Fitness, Walking Pads Host: @NotSubtle.Seen Listen Anywhere: https://rss.com/podcasts/not-subtle-seen-podcast/

In this episode, we sit down with Gabe Chisari of Acropolis Realty Group Tampa — a young agent with an old-soul mindset, a generational real estate background, and the kind of drive you wish more people had.

We get into learning through YouTube University, the value of strong mentors, what wealthy people REALLY do differently, the psychology behind great sales, why “failures” are just training reps, and how grit shapes an entire career.

Whether you’re growing a business, building a real estate career, or just trying to figure out your next step — this episode gives you real clarity, real honesty, and real strategy.

KEY TAKEAWAYS • Failure is tuition — learn from it, don’t fear it • Success comes from curiosity and consistency • Sales is human psychology, not pressure • Generational wealth starts with one rental • Reviews matter more than most agents realize • Mentors accelerate growth — especially early • Don’t skip the grind; that’s where the skills come from

GUEST BIO Gabe Chisari is a Tampa-based Realtor with Acropolis Realty Group, blending generational experience, blue-collar grit, and modern sales psychology. Born and raised in upstate New York, Gabe grew up around flips, rentals, and real estate entrepreneurship before bringing his mindset and hustle to Tampa. Known for his professionalism, negotiation strength, and genuine relationship-building, he’s quickly becoming a standout young agent in the area.

Instagram: @gabechisari Website: https://acropolisrealtygrouptampa.com/agent/gabriel-chisari Brokerage IG: @acropolisrealtytpa

LINKS & MENTIONS Guest: Gabe Chisari – @gabechisari Brokerage – @acropolisrealtytpa

Resources: Acropolis Realty Group Tampa – https://acropolisrealtygrouptampa.com/

Host: @NotSubtle.Seen Listen Anywhere: https://rss.com/podcasts/not-subtle-seen-podcast/

Cold Calls = Closed Deals, and this episode proves it.

Mel & KJ sit down with top-producing lender Doug Smith of Smith Lending for a sharp, hilarious, no-excuses breakdown of the one habit agents avoid the most… and the one that actually grows a business: picking up the phone.

Doug shares how he went from answering phones as a receptionist to building a multi–million dollar lending company rooted in consistency, relationships, follow-up, and actually doing the work. From his early industry days to his current life of kids, cows, and closings on 40 acres — this episode is packed with real strategy and real talk.

We dig into: • Cold calling and why agents run from the phone • The follow-up muscle (and why yours is weak) • Why your CRM isn’t the problem • Calendaring like a top producer • The difference between “busy” and “productive” • How Doug built a referral-driven business from scratch • Life, family, boundaries, and taking calls next to the cows • Market noise vs. real-world reality

If you’ve been feeling stuck, unmotivated, disorganized, or overwhelmed — this one will snap you out of it.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Cold calling still works — most people just refuse to do it.
• Busy does not mean productive.
• Consistency beats talent every time.
• Follow-up isn’t annoying; disappearing is.
• Simple systems outperform complicated ones.
• Your calendar predicts your paycheck.
• Market predictions don’t matter if you’re not making calls.

GUEST BIO — DOUG SMITH

Doug Smith is the founder of Smith Lending, a high-performance, relationship-driven mortgage company based in Florida. Starting as a receptionist in 2012, Doug learned the lending world from the inside out and now runs a referral-first business closing nearly 200 loans in 14 months. Known for elite communication, relentless follow-up, and straight-up hustle, Doug brings clarity, simplicity, and realness to an industry full of noise.

LINKS & MENTIONS

Guest

Instagram — https://www.instagram.com/thedouglassmith/ Website — https://www.smithlending.com

Host

@NotSubtle.Seen Listen Anywhere — https://rss.com/podcasts/not-subtle-seen-podcast/

On this episode of Not Subtle.SEEN, we sit down with two real estate pros who are done playing the same game as everyone else. Cherilyn Mitchell (@cherilyn_realtor) and Natosha Scungio (@the.realtorinred) share how they built brands and businesses that actually reflect who they are — and why that’s their edge.

If you’re over the hustle hamster wheel and want strategy that works for how you do business, this one's for you. We get into niche clarity, sustainable growth, and systems that make your business run without running you into the ground.

Key Takeaways

• Pick a niche that makes you stand out
• Why “build value” beats “chase leads”
• The mindset shift from chaos to clarity
• Real marketing moves that still work in 2025
• Two different business models, one shared goal: freedom

Guest Bio Cherilyn Mitchell is a real estate powerhouse known for flipping the “do it all” mindset on its head. Her approach is focused, intentional, and system-driven — no chaos required. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cherilyn_realtor

Natosha Scungio, aka The Realtor in Red, built her business with bold branding, community connection, and a fearless approach to being herself online. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the.realtorinred

Links & Mentions

• Cherilyn Mitchell IG: https://www.instagram.com/cherilyn_realtor
• Natosha Scungio IG: https://www.instagram.com/the.realtorinred
• Host: Not Subtle.SEEN
• Subscribe: https://rss.com/podcasts/not-subtle-seen-podcast/

You can fake a filter — but you can’t fake follow-through. 💅

In this episode of Not Nice, Subtle, hosts KJ Workman and Melvyn Bermúdez sit down with Chantel DiMuzio, the Florida Realtor proving that being real will always beat being “perfect.”

From fitness coaching to full-time real estate, Chantel shares how she built a thriving referral-based business — no gimmicks, no burnout, just discipline, consistency, and a little chaos.

They get into:

💪 How fitness discipline translates to real-estate success

📅 Why “I don’t have time” actually means “I didn’t plan it”

🏡 What’s really happening in Florida’s tornado market

📱 How to build a brand through personality-driven content

🔥 Why authenticity is the ultimate marketing strategy

If you’re tired of fake hustle and ready for results that actually feel like you, this one’s for you.

🎧 Listen on Spotify + Apple Podcasts

🔗 Follow Not Nice, Subtle: @notnicesubtle

👤 Connect with Chantel: @chantelsellstampa

🎙️ Hosts: KJ Workman & Melvyn Bermúdez

If you’re still blaming the market, this one’s gonna sting.

This week, we’re joined by real estate relocation king Thom Tillier — aka the guy who moved his whole family from Michigan to Florida because his wife had a moment in a Costco vestibule (yes, that’s a real word).

We dive deep into:

• Why your lack of leads is a YOU problem
• How video and AI are saving time, building trust, and exposing the lazy
• The hard truth about Florida real estate (spoiler: there’s plenty of business)
• Finding your tribe, owning your niche, and actually giving a damn
• Why the “faceless realtor” strategy isn’t as dumb as it sounds

This episode is a masterclass in what modern agents should actually be doing — minus the fluff, filters, and fear.

Whether you’re new to the game or burned out pretending you’re booked, this one’s your wake-up call.

Mentioned in this episode:

• TampaRelo.com
• Thom’s luxury brand with eXp
• Instagram: @thomtillier
• YouTube: Living in Tampa TV