AI for Realtors: How to Save Time, Scale Smart, and Build Relationships That Last

Host: Debbie Lariviere, Founder of Monter Coaching Guest: Rick Janson, Realtor & AI Strategist, Janson.ai

Episode Summary: AI isn’t here to replace real estate agents—it’s here to give you your time back. In this episode, Debbie sits down with Rick Janson, one of the leading AI educators for Realtors, to unpack how you can use AI to cut through the noise, streamline operations, and get back to what really drives your business: relationships.

From listing descriptions to staging advice, from VA hiring to brokerage-level strategy—Rick shows exactly where AI fits into your business today, and how to stay ahead as it evolves tomorrow.

What You’ll Learn:

• Why AI is the first tech that actually saves Realtors time (instead of stealing it)

• How to write listing descriptions that go beyond “light and bright”

• A step-by-step hack (“the Gobbledygook Method”) to prompt AI like a pro

• Using AI to stage, re-launch, and market listings that are stalling out

• The role of AI in blogging, SEO, and social content repurposing

• How to leverage VAs + AI for exponential efficiency

• Why brokerages need different AI strategies than agents—and where to start

• What’s coming next with video, custom GPTs, and AI agents

Spotlight on Strategy:

The Gobbledygook Method Stop wasting time with “kindergarten prompts.” Rick shares his signature method for turning a messy prompt into PhD-level outputs—from listing descriptions to buyer avatars.

AI for Staging & Listings Learn how Rick used AI to analyze comps, photos, and competition to re-stage a listing—and get it back in the game with a $500 Amazon shopping list and a fresh marketing campaign.

Virtual Assistants Supercharged by AI Why top-producing agents should stop doing $10/hour tasks—and how to train VAs with AI-powered SOPs to handle marketing, follow-up, transaction coordination, and more.

Brokerage-Level Efficiency From compliance and financial modeling to recruiting and culture, Rick explains how AI scales beyond individual agents into brokerage operations.

Take Action: Ready to free up hours in your week—and finally get ahead of AI? 👉 Book a free AI business consult with Rick: Janson.ai 👉 Explore VA support with Rick’s partner company: tinyurl.com/RicksVA

🔗 Connect: Rick Janson: Janson.ai Monter Coaching: montercoaching.com

📣 Listener Challenge: ✅ Ask AI: “What else do you need from me to do your best work?” (Try it today—you’ll be amazed.) 💬 Share this episode with a Realtor friend who needs more time back in their week 🗣 Leave a review if this conversation gave you at least one game-changing AI idea

Embracing Conflict: Turning Tension Into Team Growth

Host: Debbie Lariviere, Founder of Monter Coaching Guest: Laurie Fainer, Founder of Dynamic Alchemy Advisors

🔑 Episode Summary: Conflict in real estate teams isn’t just inevitable—it’s a powerful lever for growth when handled with strategy and empathy. In this episode of Real Estate Leadership Unlocked, Debbie sits down with Laurie Fainer, HR strategist, conflict resolution expert, and founder of Dynamic Alchemy Advisors, to unpack how leaders can transform friction into fuel.

From the five levels of conflict escalation to her HOME framework for resolution, Laurie shares practical tools leaders and team members can use to create healthier communication, stronger trust, and sustainable business culture.

Whether you’re a broker, team lead, or agent, you’ll learn how to embrace conflict instead of avoiding it—and how doing so can accelerate your leadership and your business.

🧭 What You’ll Learn:

The five levels of conflict escalation—and how to stop issues early

Why transparency isn’t the same as being “blunt”

How leaders can use vulnerability to build trust

Laurie’s HOME framework for conflict resolution: Hear fully, Own your view, Map the terrain, Execute with clarity

The role of authenticity and values alignment in hiring the right people

Practical coaching tools to silence inner conflict and create action

✨ Spotlight on Strategy: Conflict as a Growth Catalyst Conflict doesn’t have to derail teams—it can strengthen them. Laurie shows how miscommunication, skipped conversations, or mismatched expectations can escalate quickly, and how intentional dialogue stops problems from becoming entrenched.

The HOME Framework Laurie’s simple, memorable approach helps leaders and agents alike lean into hard conversations: Hear fully. Own your view. Map the terrain. Execute with clarity.

Authenticity in Leadership True trust is built when leaders show their humanity. Vulnerability, paired with accountability, creates cultures where people can thrive and feel heard.

Take Action: Ready to turn conflict into an accelerator instead of a setback? 👉 Ask yourself (and your team) after every meeting: “Is there anything we’re not saying that we should be?”

🔗 Connect: Laurie Fainer — Dynamic Alchemy Advisors | LinkedIn Monter Coaching — montercoaching.com Follow Debbie — @montercoaching

📣 Listener Challenge: ✅ Reflect on your last conflict—did you resolve it at a “level 2” or let it escalate to a “level 10”? 💬 Share this episode with a fellow leader who struggles with conflict on their team. 🗣 Leave a review if Laurie’s HOME framework gave you a new way to lead with clarity.

From Hustle → Freedom: How Systems Create Space to Live w/ Somer Padilla

Host: Debbie Lariviere, Founder of Monter Coaching Guest: Somer Padilla, Founder & Lead Agent at The Summerlin Group (Houston)

Episode Summary: How do you build a real estate team that delivers even when you're on a 30‑day vacation? In this conversation, Debbie zooms with Somer Padilla to unpack how she transitioned from a high-volume photography business into building a systems-first real estate team in Houston. Covering everything from checklist-driven client touchpoints to leveraging AI, newsletter strategies, and agent-aligned business models—this episode is a masterclass in crafting a business that never stops.

What You’ll Learn:

• How Somer grew from solo agent to a team of 10 with over 150 years combined experience

• Why empowering agents to own their brand under The The Somerlyn Group umbrella builds longevity

• How detailed touchpoint systems—from contact cards to calendar invites—create premium client experiences

• Ways to use AI for CMA analysis, inspection summaries, social posts, and email workflows

• Post-close rituals that build real relationships (like house‑anniversary cookies and curated events)

• How the “Vacanza Concierge” model positions you as a lifestyle advisor across markets

Spotlight on Strategy:

Blueprint Before Boom Somer shares the story of a single overwhelmed month of listings that led her to build transaction checklists and automated email templates. Those tools allowed her to step away for a full month—and still close deals without disruption.

Hyper-Designed Client Experience From a stacked digital contact card to video previews, weekly check-ins, welcome emails, and shared project dashboards (Compass or Trello), every client knows what to expect—and gets it—every step of the way.

Post-Close Magic for Referral & Retention Annual house‑warming cookies, homeowner anniversaries, curated social or dinner events: these touches cultivate community, client loyalty, and natural referrals.

Vakanz a Concierge: Elevating the Real Estate Experience Somer’s proprietary “Vacanza Collection” becomes her Houston clients’ trusted guide to second homes and investments in places like Vail and Aspen. Collaborative video content, insider local intel, and referral partnerships boost brand authority—and referrals across states.

🔗 Connect: Somer Padilla & The Somerlyn Group: www.thesomerlyngroup.com | Instagram: @somerlynne Monter Coaching: montercoaching.com | Instagram: @montercoaching

Download Somer's Free Guide: "Establish Your Signature Style" : https://tally.so/r/wko0RJ 

📣 Listener Challenge: ✅ Turn on select AI-powered processes (CMA, email, pipeline) and test them for 30 days 💬 Share one client touchpoint you’re adding this quarter—and why 🗣 Leave a review if this episode inspired you to systematize for freedom and growth

Hiring That Sticks: How to Find—and Keep—Great Leadership Talent”

Host: Debbie Lariviere, Founder of Monter Coaching Guest: Dan Breault, Executive Consultant, T3 Sixty

Episode Summary: What does it take to hire high-performing leaders in a post-2023 real estate landscape? Debbie welcomes Dan Breault of T3 Sixty—an executive placement expert with decades of experience matching brokerages and MLSs with transformational talent.

They unpack the messy middle of talent acquisition: what really matters beyond the resume, why most companies fail at defining KPIs, and how to vet leadership candidates for both performance and culture. Whether you’re thinking succession, expansion, or stabilization—this episode gives you the playbook for hiring right the first time.

What You’ll Learn:

• Why most brokerages fail to define leadership KPIs (and what to do instead)

• How to use AI to craft sharper interview questions and reduce hiring bias

• The real reason “great agents” don’t always make great leaders

• Compensation trends post-settlement: What’s shifted and why

• The mindset shift from individual success to team leadership

• How to vet candidates without falling into the “salesperson charm trap”

Spotlight on Strategy:

KPI-Driven Hiring Dan stresses the power of building every leadership role around measurable outcomes—not vague responsibilities. He explains how to write real KPIs and why they’re your secret weapon to screening, interviewing, and onboarding successfully.

Using AI to Strengthen the Process AI can help refine interview questions, summarize transcripts, and identify what a candidate didn’t say. Learn how Dan and Debbie both use ChatGPT in recruiting workflows to improve clarity, speed, and quality.

Leadership Fit vs. Resume Fit Dan shares why some leaders look perfect on paper but flop in the field—and how asking candidates to map their KPI history on paper reveals truth over charm. Bias-checking and involving multiple interviewers is critical to success.

What’s Changed Since 2023 Firms are consolidating roles, flattening leadership structures, and paying less. The result: leaders are wearing more hats—but also growing faster. The reward? Cross-functional strength and deeper organizational loyalty.

🔗 Connect: Dan Breault & T3 Sixty: t360.com | Email: [email protected] Monter Coaching: montercoaching.com | 📱 @montercoaching

Listener Challenge: ✅ Subscribe if leadership hiring is part of your 6-month roadmap 💬 Share this with a fellow leader considering succession planning 🗣 Leave a review if this helped you rethink your recruiting process

How to Expand Across Markets with Purpose: The Speicher Group Playbook

Host: Debbie Lariviere, Founder of Monter Coaching Guest: Peggy Lyn Speicher, Co‑Leader at Speicher Group & Regional Director, Real Luxury

Episode Summary:

How do you grow and lead a multi-market real estate team with cohesion, culture, and clarity? In this episode, Debbie chats with Peggy Lyn Speicher, who has built and managed thriving teams across DC, Maui, and Maryland's beaches—with systems and structure that endure across time zones.

From team recruiting and luxury market entry to team culture and ISA strategy—you’ll get a master class on expanding thoughtfully without losing your organizational soul.

What You’ll Learn:

• The real-world structure of Speicher Group’s presence in DC, Maui, and Maryland beaches

• How to build and scale in a second-home or resort market with intentional strategy

• Training, recruitment, and accountability systems that span locations

• Culture rituals that unify teams even when you're not physically together

• How to utilize quality ISAs and performance-based compensation effectively

• What talent traits really matter—hungry + humble = timeless success

Spotlight on Strategy: Expansion with Intention

Peggy and her husband moved from DC to Maui—and later to Maryland’s beaches—not for convenience, but strategic fit, lifestyle, and referral potential. She shares how to assess new markets based on affinity, agents’ needs, and community impact.

Training & Accountability at Scale

Learn how Speicher Group’s early adoption of Zoom and virtual meetings made remote team management seamless long before pandemic-driven digital shifts. The systems: Boomtown, FollowUp Boss, RealScout—and mandatory training paired with personal coaching.

Team Culture That Works Anywhere

From daily Slack shout-outs to quarterly retreats and bonus team events, Peggy shares how proactive culture beats absentee leadership every time. Team-driven events and communication practices keep energy high and loyalty stronger.

ISA & Compensation Structure That Works

Each member is paid at closing—aligning motivation across agents, ISAs, and leadership. Peggy highlights how creative compensation paired with clear accountability leads to sustainable team growth and fewer overhead challenges.

Recruiting That Builds Foundations

Speicher Group’s “Slow to Hire, Quick to Fire” approach includes agent panel interviews and multi-step vetting that ensures true cultural fit. Talent is defined by attitude and intention more than credentials.

Connect:

• Peggy Lyn Speicher & Speicher Group: Speichergroup.com

• Monter Coaching: montercoaching.com

• Follow Debbie: @montercoaching

Listener Challenge:

• ✅ Subscribe if you’re serious about scalable leadership in real estate

• 💬 Share this episode with a fellow leader thinking about market expansion

• 🗣 Leave a review if this helped shape your vision—or nudged you toward growth

Mid-Year Momentum: How to Make One Bold Move That Changes Everything

Host: Debbie Lariviere, Founder of Monter Coaching

🔑 Episode Summary:

We’re officially at halftime. The first half of the year is behind you—now it’s time to recalibrate, refocus, and rally for a stronger finish. In this solo episode, Debbie Lariviere walks you through a powerful, practical exercise to help you name your power move for the back half of 2025.

This isn’t about adding more to your to-do list. It’s about choosing one strategic decision that will 2X, 5X, or even 10X your business—and giving yourself the clarity and confidence to take action now.

Whether you’re a broker owner, team leader, or ambitious agent, this episode is your mid-year locker room reset. Grab your journal and get ready to create your Momentum Map.

What You’ll Learn:

• How to assess your year with clarity, not shame

• What Debbie’s three personal power moves were (and what worked!)

• How one bold move can buy back your time and scale your business

• A Mad Libs-inspired exercise to map your next level goals

• Why performance and personal alignment matter to finish strong

• How to make space for the life you want—while growing the business you lead

Journal Prompts from This Episode:

1. What one word do you want to use to describe your business on December 31st?

2. What are your 3 power moves (rocks) that would exponentially grow your business?

3. Which one will you take bold action on this quarter?

Mad Libs Momentum Map:

• “My next level opportunity that I will commit to is ______.”

• “The one thing I will systematize and delegate is ______.”

• “The personal victory I want to celebrate at year-end is ______.”

Take Action:

✨ Want help naming your next power move or building your momentum map? 👉 Book your free strategy session: MonterCoaching.com

Listener Challenge:

✅ Share your power move in the comments or tag @MonterreCoaching on social! 📬 Send this episode to someone who needs a mid-year reset. ⭐ Leave us a review if this helped you reignite your leadership energy.

What’s Your Brokerage Worth? Strategy, Succession & Scaling with Scott Wright

Host: Debbie Lariviere, Founder of Monter Coaching Guest: Scott Wright, Partner at RealTrends Consulting

Episode Summary:

What’s the value of your brokerage—not just on paper, but in real opportunity?

In this data-rich and eye-opening conversation, Debbie sits down with Scott Wright, partner at RealTrends and a national expert in brokerage valuations, to talk about what drives value, how to prepare for acquisition, and why every real estate leader should understand succession—even if they aren’t ready to exit yet.

If you’ve ever wondered what your company is really worth—or how to make it worth more—this is essential listening.

What You’ll Learn:

• What factors drive the value of a real estate brokerage in today’s market

• How to adjust for owner contributions and agent sales concentration

• Why cultural alignment and internal systems matter more than ever

• The evolving deal structures in M&A (and why big upfront payments are rare)

• How small and mid-sized firms can win through strategic acquisitions

• What to know about partnerships, team transitions, and succession planning

🔗 Connect with Us:

• Monter Coaching: montercoaching.com
• Follow Debbie: @montercoaching

For Listeners:

📬 Know someone building toward succession or growth? Share this episode with them! ✅ Subscribe & review Real Estate Leadership Unlocked to help other brokerage leaders find us.

Scaling Smart with Systems, Support & Strategy — with Allie Parker

Host: Debbie Lariviere, Founder of Monter Coaching Guest: Allie Parker, Realtor and 30 Under 30 Honoree

Episode Summary:

What does it really look like to grow a real estate business past the million-dollar mark in GCI—while building a team, preparing for maternity leave, and staying sane?

In this episode of Real Estate Leadership Unlocked, Debbie is joined by powerhouse agent Allie Parker to talk systems, support, and the mindset behind scaling with intention. From client management to hiring, lead generation to life balance, this conversation is packed with strategy and soul.

Whether you’re a solo agent getting serious or a team lead mapping out your next move, this episode will show you what’s possible when you lead with clarity and systems that actually support your life.

What You’ll Learn:

• How Allie scaled to 7 figures and why hiring early was key

• The 226-step checklist she uses to streamline the buying process

• How to set boundaries with clients and create value with referrals

• Tips for managing team members through maternity leave or vacations

• Creative lead gen ideas—from relocation packets to social media

• How to stay connected to your identity outside of real estate

🔗 Connect with Us:

• Monter Coaching: montercoaching.com

• Follow Debbie: @montercoaching

• Follow Allie Parker: @alliewparker

For Listeners:

✅ Subscribe to Real Estate Leadership Unlocked 🗣 Share this episode with a teammate who’s ready to grow 📬 Leave us a review to help more agents discover the show!

“Turning Connections Into Closings with Allie Buscemi”

Host: Debbie Lariviere, Founder of Monter Coaching Guest: Alley Buscemi, Realtor at Compass Raleigh

Episode Summary:

If you think agent referrals are just a happy accident—think again. In this power-packed masterclass, Debbie is joined by Alley Buscemi to break down exactly how she’s built a referral-based business by intentionally cultivating agent relationships and leveraging Instagram with purpose.

Alley pulls back the curtain on how 60% of her business comes from two key strategies—agent-to-agent referrals and Instagram engagement—and she shares the behind-the-scenes systems that make it all sustainable.

This episode is gold for brokers, team leads, and ambitious agents who want to turn networking into profitability.

What You’ll Learn:

• How Alley built a referral network that generates 40% of her business

• Why small, regional events are her secret weapon

• How to create memorable “mail joy” that keeps you top of mind

• The Instagram strategies that turn casual followers into real leads

• Why your CRM and tagging system are more important than ever

• How to get social without being spammy

Connect with Us:

• Monter Coaching: https://montercoaching.com/

• Follow Debbie on Instagram: @montercoaching

• Follow Alley on Instagram: @allieinraleigh

Your Turn:

💬 What’s your biggest takeaway from this episode? Tag us on Instagram @MonterCoaching with your answer!

✅ Subscribe, review, and share this episode with a teammate or referral partner who needs to hear it.

Real Estate Leadership Unlocked – "How to Exit with Income: The Golden Handoff with Nick Krautter"

Host: Debbie LaRiviere, Founder of Montere Coaching Guest: Nick Krautter, Realtor, Speaker, and Author of The Golden Handoff

Episode Summary:

What happens to your book of business when it’s time to step away? Whether you're looking to retire or simply take a new direction, there is a way to transition your business—and your relationships—without leaving money (or people) behind. In this powerful episode, Debbie sits down with Nick Krautter, the mind behind The Golden Handoff, to unpack how real estate professionals can retire with income and pass the torch with intention.

If you're a seasoned broker planning your next chapter, or an emerging leader looking for growth opportunities, this conversation reveals a rarely-talked-about strategy that just might change your exit plan—and your growth plan.

What You’ll Learn:

• The inspiration behind The Golden Handoff and how Nick built a repeatable transition model

• Why succession planning is the key to long-term profitability

• How agents can grow faster by stepping into established books of business

• The practical steps for creating a win-win handoff—both for the exiting agent and the incoming leader

Take Action:

Want to learn how to apply this strategy in your own brokerage or team? Download our free guide: “Scaling Smart: A Leadership Checklist for Real Estate Owners”

🔗 Connect with Us:

• Monter Coaching: https://montercoaching.com/

• Follow Debbie on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/debbielariviere/

• Learn more about Nick and The Golden Handoff: https://goldenhandoff.com/

CTA for Listeners:

If this episode got your wheels turning, don't keep it to yourself! ✅ Subscribe to Real Estate Leadership Unlocked ✅ Share this episode with a colleague who's planning their next move ✅ Leave us a review—it helps more leaders like you find the show!