Real Producers

When your upbringing is dark, there's two options - take the same path or crawl towards the light. For Mike Little, only one route was acceptable - get out and achieve his dreams. He went from the Navy to monster agent and broker with 5 offices and 180 agents.

When you can turn a rough life into a success story, there's no excuse for anyone to fail in real estate. How did Mike channel the hunger of tough early life into the massive success he has now?

In this episode, he shares his story and why real estate success isn't as hard as people make it.

There's always a real estate market, whether you're built to work in it is on you. -Mike Little

Three Things You'll Learn In This Episode

- Be a business, not an agent How do you use real estate as a vehicle for excellence and performance?

- The military is like a business How did life in the Navy train Mike for real estate?

- No excuses People blame interest rates and inventory for their struggles in real estate, but is the real culprit in the mirror?

Guest Bio

Mike Little is an entrepreneur, investor and principal broker/owner of Iron Valley Real Estate Hampton Roads. He is a 14 Year Navy Vet and top producer in residential real estate. For more information head to https://www.ironvalleyrealestate.com/.

Florida might be the third most populous city in the US, but it has the most Realtors - a whopping 238,000. Serving as the president of such a large contingent of agents is a huge responsibility and privilege.

You have a pulse on the concerns of the industry and a voice in shaping the lives of both Realtors and consumers.

What does this role entail, and what's this year's president advocating for? In this episode, Mike McGraw shares what goes into the role and what he's passionate about.

Real estate is relationships. Take care of other agents and even if the agents are new, hard-headed or lacking in professionalism. -Mike McGraw

Three Things You'll Learn In This Episode

- Sharpen your sword If you're an agent selling homes and doing well, why would you spend more time doing more education?

- The Airbnb debate What do the governing bodies in real estate think of short-term rentals?

- Advocating for the empowerment of homeowners What are some of the initiatives and causes the Realtor boards support and what effect do they have?

Guest Bio

Mike McGraw is the 2023 President of Florida REALTORS. A lifelong resident of the Orlando area, Mike has been involved in Real Estate all of his life and he has been a licensed Realtor since 1997. Connect with Mike on LinkedIn .

Brett Boone shouldn't be alive today, but he is. From age 13 to 32, he was in a spiral of addiction - drinking daily. He even got to the point of drinking a liter of vodka every single day.

Today, he's 8 years sober and the leader of a very successful real estate team. The journey has been dark, but there's light at the end of the tunnel. How did he end up addicted to alcohol at such a young age? What led him to real estate and into recovery?

In this episode, he talks about his journey, what drives his recovery and what people need to understand about addiction.

Every day you're waking up saying you're sorry, asking what you messed up and what damage you did, and it adds up. -Brett Boone

Three Things You'll Learn In This Episode

- Discipline is a non-negotiable agreement you make with yourself From building a real estate team to staying sober and the IVF journey, why is the concept of not giving up so simple and yet so powerful?

- You can't hold onto two different doors How did getting sober impact the growth of Brett's real estate team?

- The truth about addiction Most people think being addicted means not being able to function. How should we really define it?

Guest Bio

Brett Boone is an ambitious leader and professional as well as an expert in marketing and negotiating real estate to maximize profit for his clients. Brett attributes his success to this winning formula upon which he has built his career and his team: Integrity, Knowledge, Results. This formula has served him, his clients, and his team members well for almost a decade. For more information, head to https://www.brettboone.com/.

There might not be a bunch of HGTV shows about it, but residential assisted living is a great model to specialize in. It's a win-win asset class that provides value to people who need it, while giving investors a hands-off cash flowing asset.

Many people in real estate think this investing channel is too complex, but with the right approach, you can succeed. What do we need to get started? How do we provide value to tenants?

In this episode, I'm joined by the COO of RAL Academy, Isabelle Guarino. She shares the secrets to success in residential assisted living.

There's things we're looking for in RAL properties that a regular single family investor isn't. -Isabelle Guarino

Three Things You'll Learn In This Episode

- What assisted living tenants need Why do smaller residential assisted living properties beat the big box facilities?

- Own the real estate, own the business What steps can we take to elevate assisted living to really deliver quality of life to tenants?

- How to recruit the right people Assisted living is usually a high turnover industry, what's the secret to retention?

Guest Bio

Isabelle Guarino is the COO of RAL Academy. She trains and coaches entrepreneurs and investors at the Residential Assisted Living Academy. With a background in Business Marketing and Communications, from interning at Walt Disney World to working at two Fortune 500 companies, she is a true leader in business development and operations. She is responsible for the creation and success of RAL National Convention, RAL National Association, Recovery Housing Academy, Pitch Masters Academy, and most of the Impact Housing Group's companies.

Isabelle has spoken across the country and has been featured in magazines & articles nationally. She was named a "Future Leader" in the Senior Housing industry, one of the "Top Senior Housing Influencer" under 30, as well as one of the "Top 5 Disruptive Entrepreneurs Going Into 2023".

She is a sought-after coach and trainer for all things "RAL"! But she is also a best-selling author of the book Living Legacy. Isabelle's mission is to positively impact 10,000,000 people through Residential Assisted Living, and carry on her father's legacy by training investors & entrepreneurs how to "Do Good & Do Well". For more information, head to https://ral101.com, and check out the https://ralhomelocator.com/ tool here.

When you've been in the military for almost a decade, it's hard to imagine doing anything else. Being a soldier is so ingrained in you, and if a brain tumor cuts your career short, it's hard to pick up the pieces.

Jamie Krakofsky pivoted into real estate when his military career ended, and he hasn't stopped leveling up since. Between 2021 and 2022, a tough market for many, his team's production went from $18 million to $38 million.

What's behind his team's success? How did he go from corrections officer to soldier and then agent?

In this episode, Jamie shares his story, how he dealt with the end of his military career and the catalyst of his success in real estate.

Build relationships, take care of people, don't worry about the transaction because the money will come in if you take care of people. -Jamie Krakofsky

Three Things You'll Learn In This Episode

- From undeployable to business owner After retiring from the military, how did Jamie make his way into real estate?

- The secret to a $38 million team How do you take an already high performing team and double it in a tough market?

- Giving back constantly From an unexpected adoption to serving military buyers and sellers, why does Jamie put contribution at the heart of what he does?

Guest Bio

Jamie Krakofsky is a retired Army veteran and brings his decades of experience working with people of different backgrounds to Colorado Springs. Krakofsky Team Realty is your go-to team for professional, friendly and tenacious Colorado Springs real estate agents. They have an extensive portfolio of beautiful homes for sale in Colorado Springs that will take your breath away, and they are passionate about helping our clients find their dream homes. Krakofsky Team Realty is a family run and veteran-owned business, and they take pride in going above and beyond with their customer service.

For more information, head to https://krakofskyteamrealty.com/ or call 719.249.2905 and 719.231.9544.

For an MMA fighter turned real estate agent, any day you're not getting punched in the face is a good day. The rejections and challenges in real estate beat losing in the cage.

For Tim Stout, taking multiple beatings as an MMA fighter prepared him for the game of real estate. Today, he takes everything he learned in the cage and applies it to a highly successful real estate career.

What did his losses teach him? How did the killer instinct of sport translate to selling homes?

In this episode the coach and author of "Forged in Fire: 50 Fight-to-Win Tactics to Help Your Business Succeed", shares his transition from fighter to team leader.

Sports taught me that you don't have to be the most talented or gifted, you just had to be the hardest worker to win. -Tim Stout

Three Things You'll Learn In This Episode

- Sport is the best way to prepare for the business world What can sport teach us about the value of hard work and determination over talent?

- How to tap into the killer instinct How do we find our fighter mentality and apply it to our careers?

- Knockouts and beatings are lessons What did Tim learn from his biggest losses?

Guest Bio

Tim Stout is a coach, author of "Forged in Fire: 50 Fight-to-Win Tactics to Help Your Business Succeed", and the team leader of The Tim Stout Group. A former MMA fighter with a black belt in jiu-jitsu, Tim uses his experiences in the ring and the cage to train agents to win. Follow @thetimstout on Instagram and get a copy of the book here.

From losing her childhood home in a fire and battling cancer to suffering multiple life-threatening injuries in a matter of weeks - Pam Socha has had more trauma than most.

Not only have these events defined her. They also provide a ton of perspective which makes the ups and downs of real estate so much easier. After facing so many challenges, Pam's motto is "nothing seems very difficult to me anymore" and she navigates it all with grace and a sense of humor.

What can we learn from her journey? How do you maintain optimism when you're up against a lot of hardship?

In this episode, Pam shares her story, and how her trauma informs her work in real estate.

Your home is your safe place from the world. That's my big why - I want everyone to have that feeling of their safe place. -Pam Socha

Three Things You'll Learn In This Episode

- Pam's inspiring story From spending 9 months on a feeding tube and being away from her family during the pandemic, how did Pam get through the worst moments in her life?

- Giving everyone a safe space How did Pam Socha turn a traumatic childhood experience into her big why?

- A cancer survivor's perspective How do you maintain optimism when you don't know what the future holds?

Guest Bio

Pam Socha is an award-winning Real Estate Agent at Keller Williams Pinnacle Group Realty- Cincinnati, She has sold over $15 Million in real estate since starting the business. She proudly represents buyers and sellers, facilitating first-time starter homes to luxury estates. Investors also call on Pam Socha when looking to buy and sell multifamily properties. When Pam is not catering to her clients, she is spending time with her family at her home in Warren County or traveling with her husband, John. As a mother of five boys, a new grandma, and a cancer survivor, Pam understands the fragility of life and the value of family. She brings this passion to every client experience. Hear about Pam's unique expertise firsthand from her clients. For more information, head to https://www.sochasells.com/.

Challenges and setbacks aren't fun to go through, but they are huge catalysts for massive success. For Ryan Lawasani, these words ring very true - from having a rocky start early in life, making it to America, ending up in a job he hated to struggling with gambling, he's gone through a lot. Today, he's a successful agent who sold 100 homes last year.

How did he get past his challenges? What's his mindset around real estate? In this episode, Ryan shares his story and how he's come this far.

Sometimes getting beat down or getting behind is the catalyst to finally push you forward. -Remington Ramsey

Three Things You'll Learn In This Episode

- The path into real estate How did Ryan turn an early stumble in real estate into a huge opportunity to learn and grow?

- How to change the trajectory of your life What's the difference between being a good leader and being accountable to yourself?

- How Ryan stopped gambling, bet on himself, and won Why did Ryan take his life savings and put it into advertising?

Guest Bio

Ryan Lawasani is a dedicated real estate professional with a passion for helping clients achieve their real estate goals. He was born in Iran and grew up in Germany before making the United States his home. Currently residing in Delaware, Ohio, with his wife, Isabelle Lawasani, who is also a real estate agent, and their four beloved dogs, Ryan has established himself as a reputable real estate agent serving Central Ohio. With a background in the restaurant industry for 16 years, Ryan developed exceptional customer service skills and a strong desire to help others. His passion for serving people extends to his real estate career, where he is committed to providing exceptional service to his clients. As a team, Ryan and Isabelle are known for their outgoing and friendly personalities, building meaningful relationships based on trust and professionalism. They both share a love for travel and are avid explorers, enjoying the opportunity to discover new destinations and experience different cultures. They are also passionate about animals and cherish the time spent with their four dogs, who are an important part of their family.

Connect with Ryan on LinkedIn and Instagram.

With the resources, access and expertise that Realtors have, it's mind blowing how many agents just don't invest in real estate in their own right.

Whether it's limiting beliefs, a perceived lack of capital or deals, a lot of agents could be building wealth, but they just aren't. There are steps we can take to get started and take advantage of the opportunity in this market right now.

How did Greg Kurzner become the #1 agent in Atlanta through investing? In this episode, he shares how he has built a successful real estate operation a little differently.

If you're not taking advantage of all the opportunities that you have as a real estate professional, you're missing the big win at the end. -Greg Kurzner

Three Things You'll Learn In This Episode

- How to roll with the punches With the market shifting, how do we pivot towards our next move?

- The power of investing We wake up every morning unemployed, even if our businesses are big and predictable. How do we use investing to make our income more stable?

- How to balance your assets with the economy Is it possible to be too leveraged in real estate?

Guest Bio

Greg Kurzner is the Broker and Team Leader of Kurzner Group. Greg has been a force in Atlanta real estate for over 30 years. He has been involved in the sale of over 1 Billion dollars in real estate transactions in his career and consistently ranks #1 in sales by units by Atlanta Realtor Association. In addition to Greg being a licensed real estate broker, he is also a licensed general contractor and a nationally-recognized expert in investment real estate. For more information, head to https://www.kurznergroup.com/.

Alan and Betsy Thompson aren't just very successful real estate professionals and pillars in their community, they are survivors. Having both beat cancer, the pair's unique story is reflected in how they carry themselves in business.

They've seen market cycles come and go, but they have maintained their success and intention to serve.

What's their secret? How do they see the market shaping up for the next few years? In this episode, the couple talk about their journey and how they run their business.

We create clients that create our next clients. -Alan Thompson

Three Things You'll Learn In This Episode

- Survivor story Both Alan and Betsy have endured cancer (for Besty it happened while she was pregnant). How did they get through these difficult times?

-The secret to a shift-proof business How do you make the client experience so good that they bring you the next ones?

- How to master your database Markets like the one we're in prove that pouring into your database will never grow old. What are Alan and Besty doing to pour into their relationships?

Guest Bio

Alan and Betsy Thompson are co-managing partners at The Agency Coastal Virginia. They are widely respected for their nuanced regional knowledge, approachable nature, easy communication style and positive approach to problem-solving. Trusted, in-demand agents with a vibrant referral network, Alan and Betsy specialize in residential sales throughout Coastal Virginia, from Virginia Beach to Williamsburg, Chesapeake, Norfolk, Suffolk, Smithfield, Poquoson and Yorktown. For more information, head to https://www.theagencyre.com/region/coastal-virginia for more information.