Real Estate Team OS

Episode 018 of Real Estate Team OS features Preston Guyton, an entrepreneur who’s been a founder and leader of companies in real estate, mortgage, design and construction, online lead gen, and coaching.

Learn how these all work together and learn from his expertise in online lead generation, lead conversion, and email marketing. Pay special attention to the 7-11-4 formula to connect with people.

Watch or listen to this conversation with Preston for insights into:
0:00 Intro and welcome
1:00 The need for every team member to be committed, consistent, and accountable (even when it’s *boring*)
4:19 How leadership and marketing translate across the industries he’s served and companies he’s founded
6:24 How his door-to-door sales job kicked off his entrepreneurial journey through real estate, mortgage, construction, and online lead gen
12:18 The challenge of letting people do what they were hired to do
14:43 How they hit the ground running when they opened Palms Realty and the first 3 leadership positions they hired
19:15 Why they opted for an independent brokerage rather than a teamerage or a franchise
20:16 How their Agent Excellence Program provides onboarding for about 10 agents per quarter and improves results across the team
25:12 The lead generation goal of 20-30 leads per agent per month
26:36 The 7-11-4 formula for lead generation, engagement, and conversion (7 hours, 11 interactions, and 4 places)
29:04 Why he still takes a hands-on approach to marketing
33:58 Why your conversion problem is much more about lead follow-up than lead source (and a reminder to stop using canned action plans)
38:38 Tips for email list segmentation and newsletter engagement (including how to structure your emails based on how people read them)
46:53 Why his approach to AI is one of caution

51:15 At the end, learn about his appreciation for Justin Havre, Gary Ashton, and the Real Estate Webmasters community, how he styles up a canned tuna lunch, why he doesn’t listen to music while running or working out, and the benefits of a national (rather than a local) network.

Connect with Preston Guyton:

- https://www.instagram.com/prestonguyton/

- https://www.facebook.com/preston.guyton/

Learn more about Preston’s companies:
- https://www.palmshome.com/

- https://www.ezhomesearch.com/

- https://cheplakdigital.com/

- https://resideplatform.com/

Learn more about Real Estate Team OS:
- https://www.realestateteamos.com

- https://linktr.ee/realestateteamos

Follow Real Estate Team OS:
- https://www.instagram.com/realestateteamos/

- https://www.tiktok.com/@realestateteamos

Episode 017 of Real Estate Team OS features Jim Remley, who coaches team leaders and brokerage owners on per-agent productivity and profitable growth.
 
He pioneered one of the first real estate teams in the late 80s and grew it to a 17-office company across Oregon. He later grew a 30-agent team to 250 agents. The keys to both successes: acquisitions, partnerships, and per-agent productivity.

Here, you’ll get telltale signs of an unprofitable real estate company, the best hire a team leader can make, and the simplest recruiting message you can offer.

Listen to Ep 017 with Jim for:
0:00 Intro and welcome
1:15 The balance of empathy and automation in “world-class service”
7:36 A team as a brokerage within a brokerage with specialized positions and why they'll absolutely be the dominant players” - responsible for 60-80% of GCI and challenging solo agents at scale
9:14 How the emerging “virtual team” model works and why it makes sense financially
14:25 “The best hire a team leader can make” and the value of coaching and mentorship for agents looking to invest and grow
16:48 A caution on building teams within teams (and a proposed way to do it effectively)
18:25 How a company he started at age 23 grew to 17 offices across Oregon (through acquisitions, partnerships, and recruiting)
20:02 The simplest recruiting message you can offer and how he leveraged it to grow two real estate businesses
23:46 The two ways they entered new markets as they expanded their business and a strategy to bring top performers into new offices
27:06 The per-agent productivity metric to pay attention to (and new data about it)
30:14 The telltale sign of a weak real estate company (and potential acquisition target)
33:18 The importance of listings for profitable growth and “the #1 place where listings will come from in 2024 without question”
35:30 A basic marketing strategy to speak to those 30 million people who’ll be listing over the next several years
38:20 How the Hawthorne Effect helps you recruit and retain productive agents - and the two things to hold them to (participation or performance)
40:59 The “magic words” of “How’s your pipeline?”
43:40 How to decide whether to leave sales production and the one role you have to figure out how to pay for when you do
46:56 Positive signs in the market and 4 top sources to find more stories and data 

50:30 At the end, learn about the power of a paper route, what he seeks at used book stores, and the travel goal he’s working toward at least 7-8 weeks per year.

Follow Jim Remley:
- https://www.instagram.com/erealestatecoach
- https://www.tiktok.com/@erealestatecoach

See Jim's News and Data Sources:
- Zillow research https://www.zillow.com/research/
- NAR Economists’ Outlook https://www.nar.realtor/blogs/economists-outlook
- Redfin News https://www.redfin.com/news/housing-market-news/
- KCM Blog https://www.keepingcurrentmatters.com/blog/

Learn more about eRealEstateCoach:
- http://erealestatecoach.com/
- https://linktr.ee/erealestatecoach

Learn more about Real Estate Team OS:
- https://www.realestateteamos.com
- https://linktr.ee/realestateteamos

Follow Real Estate Team OS:
- https://www.instagram.com/realestateteamos/
- https://www.tiktok.com/@realestateteamos

For more than 8 years, Emily Smith has helped build Wemert Group Realty, an 80-person independent teamerage in which "team" is as much a culture and set of commitments as it is a business model.

Though Emily’s held just two titles, Marketing Director and COO, she's served in many roles and initiated many projects.

By watching, you’ll develop a picture that a) you need an intrapreneur in your growing company and b) that person may already be a team member.

Watch this episode with Emily Smith for insights into:
0:00 Intro and welcome
2:04 The importance of being solution-based and how to find this quality in the hiring process
5:58 How she transitioned from her own entrepreneurial journey into a real estate team
8:18 Her path from Marketing Director to Chief Operating Officer at Wemert Group Realty
13:26 How to find your team’s COO through the “hole plugging” method and other names the role might go by
18:30 How to prioritize the operational improvements your business needs (no matter your size or structure, including solo real estate agents)
22:36 A simple habit to accelerate the growth of your assistant(s)
25:04 Why their team is more than a business model and what agents are opting into when they join their teamerage
29:58 Two reasons why recruiting ISN’T a top priority for Wemert Group Realty
32:44 A fundamental, self-reflective decision that most team leaders will face
37:22 The one question that helps you and every team member run a more successful business (and how Emily would answer that question herself)
40:36 Why every entrepreneur needs an intrapreneur and tips to build the relationship, share the successes, and manage the vision from both sides

47:54 At the end, Emily shares her appreciation for the OpsBoss community, her not-so-frivolous throw pillow obsession, and her pursuit of the expert.

Meet the Wemert Group Realty team:
- https://wemertgrouprealty.com/the-team/

Connect with Emily Smith:
- https://www.facebook.com/emilytompkinssmith
- https://www.instagram.com/emily_t_smith/

Learn more about Ops Boss Coaching:
- https://opsbosscoaching.com/meetchristy/

Learn more about Real Estate Team OS:
- https://www.realestateteamos.com
- https://linktr.ee/realestateteamos

Follow Real Estate Team OS:
- https://www.instagram.com/realestateteamos/
- https://www.tiktok.com/@realestateteamos

Episode 015 of Real Estate Team OS features Suneet Agarwal, CEO and Owner of Big Block Realty North and the Best Sac Homes Group, the #1 team in Sacramento and a top team in California.

A co-founder of the Reside Platform, Suneet also coaches top teams and brokerages.

In this conversation, we hit on three of his favorite topics: recruiting, email marketing, and ISAs!
 
Listen to Ep 015 with Suneet for:
0:00 Intro and welcome
1:50 Why leadership separates good teams from great teams
4:35 How he landed in real estate after experiences in mortgage, cannabis, bulldog breeding, and other businesses
7:44 How Tristan Ahumada, Jon Cheplak, Lab Coat Agents, and the Keller Williams community helped him on the path to #1 in Sacramento, then #1 in California
12:38 “Recruiting solves all problems” - agents, managers, and admins alike, as well as "compartmentalizing the business"
20:40 The top challenge he hears “across the board” from agents and team leaders right now
24:40 Why the real estate team model is more effective than the traditional brokerage model right now
27:20 Why more team leaders should ignore the “merit badge” of leaving sales production
30:05 How to adjust ad spend in a tough or slow real estate market
35:55 Just how simple the recruiting conversation can be (and how - specifically - he runs his recruiting conversations)
40:24 How he scaled up, then topgraded his ISA team (which includes local and international agents) 
44:52 Why earlier is better for the ISA-to-agent handoff 
47:12 Why joining a team is the best option for most agents right now

49:50 At the end, Suneet shares the best team he’s ever been a part of (and he’s part of it right now), picks up a beautiful, frivolous purchase, and speaks to investments in both coaching and video games.

Connect with Suneet (and get his free stuff):
- https://suneetagarwal.com
- https://www.instagram.com/suneet_agarwal916/

Check out Reside Platform:
- https://resideplatform.com/

Learn more about Real Estate Team OS:
- https://www.realestateteamos.com
- https://linktr.ee/realestateteamos

Follow Real Estate Team OS:
- https://www.instagram.com/realestateteamos/
- https://www.tiktok.com/@realestateteamos

The ISA. The inside sales agent. The “keeper of the leads.”
 
Travis Halverson is “just an ISA” in the very best way. He coaches and consults on the ISA function with Cheplak Digital and EZ Home Search. For years, he served in ISA and inside sales leadership roles with Keller Williams Oak and Ocean Group and the Anderson Hicks Group. 

In this conversation, Travis shares a step-by-step process you can use today as a solo agent, team, or brokerage to find missed sales opportunities in your database. He also speaks to the three keys to success in engaging people: speed to lead, speed to response, and speed to relationship.

Listen to this episode of Team OS with Travis for insights into:
0:00 Intro and welcome
2:00 Self-accountability and team accountability
3:30 Staring his career taking calls in a DirecTV call center, then setting up call centers and training staff in Cost Rica and El Salvador
6:45 Overcoming the negative stereotypes about call centers and high-volume outreach, as well as the stereotype of the ISA role as a "stepping stone" role
11:20 The importance of framing the ISA position as a sales position (plus a fun, little hack to stay motivated)
14:58 Speed to lead and the reason NOT to call immediately
17:04 Speed to response and the idea of too much automation
21:18 Speed to relationship and the importance of connecting deeper than surface level before anyone else
23:30 AI as another point of leverage for agents and for ISAs
27:10 Why your database size tells you whether and when to hire an ISA or an ISA team (and the risk of lead exhaustion if you miscalculate)
32:25 A step-by-step process for any agent, ISA, or team to organize a database to create sales opportunities you’ve missed
36:45 Tips for solo agents who need to prospect on their own - without an ISA
39:15 Balancing quality and quantity in outreach - and automating the WAY you follow up and the WAY you work (rather than automating the follow up itself)
43:47 How timeline and motivation should inform client handoffs between ISAs and agents
49:00 What a team leader should look for (and avoid) when hiring an ISA
52:05 Why every agent should spend a little time in the ISA seat

53:35 At the end, hear about the Anderson Hicks team in Idaho Falls, a traveling coin collection, podcast apps as search engines, and the benefits of a balanced relationship.

Connect with Travis Halverson:
- https://www.facebook.com/travis.j.halverson/
- https://www.instagram.com/travishalversonnn

Learn more about Real Estate Team OS:
- https://www.realestateteamos.com
- https://linktr.ee/realestateteamos

Follow Real Estate Team OS:
- https://www.instagram.com/realestateteamos/
- https://www.tiktok.com/@realestateteamos

After surviving an IED attack in Afghanistan as a Special Forces Green Beret and retiring from the US Army, Levi Rodgers started a real estate career.

Hear about his journey from solo agent to team leader to RE/MAX franchise owner to independent brokerage owner.His 300-person-strong organization operates in three markets, is characterized by speed, flexibility, and service, and was sparked by success with Zillow Offers.

Watch or listen for Levi's insights into:
- Drawing on a variety of voices and stories for information, inspiration, and ideas
- The need to be adaptable in the “constant startup environment” of a real estate business
- How military leadership and real estate leadership are similar (spoiler: they’re about people)
- His path from solo agent to team leader, to RE/MAX franchise owner, to independent brokerage owner
- An overview of his team structure and leadership positions on the path from 30 people to more than 300
- A view into their annual planning process that’s driven by an outside facilitator and captured in an 8’ wide graphic (rather than a multi-page document)
- How an aspiring team leader should think about the brokerage they’re in=
- How the Zillow Offers opportunity led him to go independent for greater speed and flexibility
- The recruiting philosophy and approach bringing 10-15 agents a month and hundreds of agents over the past several into the team
- Why successful teams are attractive to experienced agents right now

At the end, find out how this Lakers fan became a “life-long Spurs fan” and a frivolous purchase of “dirt” that may not be so frivolous after all.

Connect with Levi Rodgers:
- https://www.facebook.com/levi.rodgers.714

Hear Levi's story on Ep 040 of The MedEvac Podcast from Black Rifle Coffee:  
- https://youtu.be/4aSofDN7LEo

Learn about the Levi Rodgers Real Estate Group:
- https://lrgrealty.com/
- https://www.instagram.com/levirodgerslrg/
- https://www.tiktok.com/@levirodgerslrg

Learn more about Real Estate Team OS:
- https://www.realestateteamos.com
- https://linktr.ee/realestateteamos

Follow Real Estate Team OS:
- https://www.instagram.com/realestateteamos/
- https://www.tiktok.com/@realestateteamos

Episode 012 of Real Estate Team OS features Winston Murray, Founder of Works Real Estate in Portland and Seattle.

Winston speaks to the gap and opportunity that inspired the way they’ve built Works Real Estate: being high-volume and tech-forward while remaining hands-on with a focus on long-term relationships.

Listen to this episode of Team OS with Winston for insights into:
- Balancing your relentlessness and determination with humility
- The path from getting fired as a transaction coordinator to joining a team to becoming a solo agent to starting a team to growing from 4 to 140 agents
- Staffing up and recruiting agents to handle the volume brought by the Zillow Flex program
- Why “endless leads mean nothing without quality control”
- Designing a brokerage that balances high-volume, online opportunities with old-school, hands-on service
- The exact splits and service combination he landed at after changing it four times over the past few years
- The tiered levels of splits on SOI business that works for Works
- How they landed at 10x the agents but 1/3 the staff
- Their approach to market expansion
- How they communicated changes in splits and services
- How they make it easy for agents to understand the value of their model
- Why they went independent with the brokerage
- How and why he participates on the Agent Advisory Board for both Zillow and Sisu - and the value of both partnerships
- Why he remains hands-on and active in the team
- How starting a nonprofit for addiction recovery prepared him for building a real estate business

At the end, learn which real estate team leaders inform and inspire his own growth and where he went “all out” instead of holding back “a little more” investing in their new office.

Connect with Winston Murray:
- https://www.instagram.com/winston_murray1/

Connect with Works Real Estate:
- https://www.instagram.com/worksrealestateco/
- https://worksrealestate.co/

Learn more about Real Estate Team OS:
- https://www.realestateteamos.com
- https://linktr.ee/realestateteamos

Follow Real Estate Team OS:
- https://www.instagram.com/realestateteamos/
- https://www.tiktok.com/@realestateteamos

Episode 011 of Real Estate Team OS features Lauren Bowen, Chief Operating Officer at Robert Slack, the fourth-ranked mega team in America and top-ranked in Florida.

Her roles with the company as it’s grown from 4 to 800 agents over the past 9 years: Realtor, Team Leader, Senior Team Leader Director, and now COO.

Learn about her career journey, her new responsibilities, and the company's market expansion into 5 states in a challenging, uncertain market.

Watch or listen for Lauren’s insights into:
- Consistency not just in processes, but also in rollouts and in team leader
- A snapshot of the 16 lead sources their lead-provided brokerage runs on (including Realtor.com, Zillow Flex, and Connect by Zillow Group)
- The leeway team leaders in different markets need to support their agents and the company
- How Slack Academy helps new agents and how they graduate into lead sources
- A vigilant approach to a family culture, culture as their fundamental differentiator, and the benefits to solo agents joining their team
- The 3am email that shifted her to COO and a drastic change she needed to make once in the role
- How “Making agent’s lives easier” as a decision-making filter led to a new application of VA and ISA talents
- The love of spreadsheets and the need to live in them, not just review them
- The biggest jump in her career - Realtor to Team Leader
- Why she left sales production and how she stays in touch
- The flexibility and bending required to shift from Team Leader to leader of Team Leaders
- Four characteristics that make a good team leader and the difference between a good agent and a good team leader
- The necessary foundation to invest and grow in a challenging and uncertain market
- Why there are NO “bad leads”

At the end, hear about shoes that aren’t lonely, how to learn something “from anywhere and anyone”, and the Phantoms of the Operating Room.

Learn more about Robert Slack:
- https://robertslack.com/careers/
- https://www.instagram.com/robertslackllc/
- https://www.tiktok.com/@robertslackllc

Learn more about Real Estate Team OS:
- https://www.realestateteamos.com
- https://linktr.ee/realestateteamos

Follow Real Estate Team OS:
- https://www.instagram.com/realestateteamos/
- https://www.tiktok.com/@realestateteamos

This FUBCON Session of Real Estate Team OS features marketing and branding expert Nick Mallory, who’s got deep expertise in craft beer and who worked with Elysian Brewing, Rogue Ales, and the Craft Brew Alliance before joining Boneyard Beer as Brand Director.

Watch or listen to this Session with Nick for insights into:
- Your ability to open up conversation, remove obstacles, and unlock creativity by being an empathetic leader
- How a leader should always be working to hire their replacement
- The 6 characteristics every great brand or marketing initiative should have to stand out and differentiate in a commoditized market: Simple, Interesting, Meaningful, Unique, Understandable, and Unexpected
- How to ladder up from agent brand to team brand to brokerage brand to franchise brand
- Balancing investments into your brand promise and your client experience

At the end, find out who he honors to honor his own soul and why the toughest times give you the most learning and growth.

Connect with Nick Mallory:
- https://www.instagram.com/thenickmallory/
- https://www.nickmallory.com/

Learn more about Real Estate Team OS:
- https://www.realestateteamos.com
- https://linktr.ee/realestateteamos

Follow Real Estate Team OS:
- https://www.instagram.com/realestateteamos/
- https://www.tiktok.com/@realestateteamos

This FUBCON Session of Real Estate Team OS features Howard Tager, Co-founder and CEO at Ylopo. Among the other companies he’s founded (and sold) is TigerLead.

Watch or listen for Howard’s insights into:
- Why it takes a village to create a high-performing team (curating diversity, synergy, and uniqueness to create magic)
- The founding of Ylopo, even though he was already on a different, safer path
- The story and lesson from one of the four times they nearly lost the entire company (a story of diversification)
- What he learned from his TigerLead journey that led to Ylopo Realtors in Residence, ambassadors, coaches, and professors
- Why the ugly of AI gets all the attention
- What’s good about AI for real estate professionals who are thoughtfully solving the “last mile” problem every day

At the end, Howard shares the “most fun game” he plays (and why - after much reflection - he’s decided never to retire).

Connect with Howard and Ylopo:
- https://www.instagram.com/howard_tager/
- https://www.instagram.com/ylopo_official/
- https://www.tiktok.com/@ylopo_official

Learn more about Real Estate Team OS:
- https://www.realestateteamos.com
- https://linktr.ee/realestateteamos

Follow Real Estate Team OS:
- https://www.instagram.com/realestateteamos/
- https://www.tiktok.com/@realestateteamos