In negotiations and sales, data informs but stories inspire action.

In this episode of Shear Line: Negotiation Mastery, host Eirik Gislason sits down with NYC-based writer, podcaster, actor, and master storyteller James Scully to explore how storytelling elevates persuasion, builds trust, and transforms client conversations.

James also shares insights from his work across theater, podcasting, and NYC walking tours, revealing how the right narrative can captivate, influence, and inspire action. Whether you’re presenting an offer, managing a client relationship, or negotiating at the highest level, stories sell.

Filmed at Brown Harris Stevens’ Studio 1873, Part of the Mastery of Real Estate (MORE) Network.

Subscribe:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/shear-line-negotiation-mastery-with-eirik-gislason/id1809006572

Watch:

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL7_x00Dbn3OSUo1bS37AcfjgF7BLI93lr

Connect with Eirik Gislason:

https://www.bhsusa.com/real-estate-agent/the-excelsior-team

Follow Eirik Gislason on LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/eirikgislason/

Follow Eirik Gislason on Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/eiriktheexpert

Learn More about Coaching with Eirik Gislason:

https://archwaypartnersinc.com/

Connect with James Scully:

Website: https://www.thewallbreakers.com/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamesscully/

Bay Ridge Digest Podcast site: https://bayridgedigest.com/

Burning Gotham: https://burninggotham.com/

Brown Harris Stevens is one of the largest privately owned real estate brokerages in the country, with more than 40 offices across four states: New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Florida.

https://bhsusa.com/

#ShearLinePodcast #EirikGislason #negotiation #strategy #psychology #nycrealestate #brownharrisstevens #morenetwork #nyc

In this episode of Shear Line: Negotiation Mastery, Eirik welcomes back the insightful and dynamic Jacob Feldman, returning from the show’s most popular episode to date. Together, they delve deeper into the intersection of logical reasoning and emotional intelligence in negotiation—unpacking how to anticipate objections before they surface, decode the language cues that reveal hidden concerns, separate hard facts from untested assumptions, and navigate those moments when clients make “irrational” choices that run counter to their own best interests. Packed with sharp insights and real-world examples, this conversation is a must-listen for anyone looking to sharpen their skills, earn trust, and negotiate with clarity and confidence.

Filmed at Brown Harris Stevens’ Studio 1873, Part of the Mastery of Real Estate (MORE) Network.

Subscribe:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/shear-line-negotiation-mastery-with-eirik-gislason/id180900657...

Watch:

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL7_x00Dbn3OSUo1bS37AcfjgF7BLI93lr

Connect with Eirik Gislason:

https://www.bhsusa.com/real-estate-agent/the-excelsior-team

Follow Eirik Gislason on LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/eirikgislason/

Follow Eirik Gislason on Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/eiriktheexpert

Learn More about Coaching with Eirik Gislason:

https://archwaypartnersinc.com/

Connect with Jacob Feldman:

https://www.nexusacademics.com/meet-us-1

Brown Harris Stevens is one of the largest privately owned real estate brokerages in the country, with more than 40 offices across four states: New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Florida.

https://bhsusa.com/

#ShearLinePodcast #EirikGislason #negotiation #strategy #psychology #nycrealestate #brownharrisstevens #morenetwork #nyc

Shear Line is back with a very special episode where we ask—what if the key to becoming a more skilled negotiator is buried somewhere in your much younger self? Joining Eirik once again is our sharp and fun co-host Jay Billiet from Jay J. Billiet Interior Design, and two very special guests: Eirik’s daughters, Cici and Sydney Gislason! Together, this dynamic crew explores how children naturally display some of the most essential negotiation skills—like curiosity, collaboration, empathy, timing, persistence…and sometimes brutal honesty. This episode is insightful, funny, heartwarming, and full of reminders that asking “why?” might just be the smartest move you can make.

Filmed at Brown Harris Stevens’ Studio 1873, Part of the Mastery of Real Estate (MORE) Network.

Subscribe:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/shear-line-negotiation-mastery-with-eirik-gislason/id1809006572

Watch:

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL7_x00Dbn3OSUo1bS37AcfjgF7BLI93lr

Connect with Eirik Gislason:

https://www.bhsusa.com/real-estate-agent/the-excelsior-team

Follow Eirik Gislason on LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/eirikgislason/

Follow Eirik Gislason on Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/eiriktheexpert

Learn More about Coaching with Eirik Gislason:

https://archwaypartnersinc.com/

Learn More about Jay J. Billiet, Interior Design:

https://www.jayjbilliet.com/

Brown Harris Stevens is one of the largest privately owned real estate brokerages in the country, with more than 40 offices across four states: New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Florida.

https://bhsusa.com/

#ShearLinePodcast #EirikGislason #negotiation #strategy #psychology #nycrealestate #brownharrisstevens #morenetwork #nyc

The long-anticipated, much-debated FARE Act is officially in effect as of June 11—and with it comes a significant shift in how renters, landlords, and agents define value, representation, and advocacy.

In this episode, we explore a central question: did the role of the real estate agent just become less essential—or more? We unpack the ripple effects of the new law—from rising rents and restructured fees to disappearing inventory—and ask how agents can reframe their value proposition now that “access” is no longer the default pitch.

Back in the guest host chair is the sharp, funny, and ever-curious Jay Billiet of Jay J. Billiet Interior Design, bringing a fresh perspective—and hitting Eirik with some seriously probing questions—as we navigate the new normal of NYC rentals.

Filmed at Brown Harris Stevens’ Studio 1873, Part of the Mastery of Real Estate (MORE) Network.

Subscribe:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/shear-line-negotiation-mastery-with-eirik-gislason/id180900657...

Watch:

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL7_x00Dbn3OSUo1bS37AcfjgF7BLI93lr

Connect with Eirik Gislason:

https://www.bhsusa.com/real-estate-agent/the-excelsior-team

Follow Eirik Gislason on LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/eirikgislason/

Follow Eirik Gislason on Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/eiriktheexpert

Learn More about Coaching with Eirik Gislason:

https://archwaypartnersinc.com/

Learn More about Jay J. Billiet, Interior Design:

https://www.jayjbilliet.com/

Brown Harris Stevens is one of the largest privately owned real estate brokerages in the country, with more than 40 offices across four states: New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Florida.

https://bhsusa.com/

#ShearLinePodcast #EirikGislason #negotiation #strategy #psychology #nycrealestate #brownharrisstevens #morenetwork #nyc

When it comes to negotiation, or unlocking value in any aspect of our lives, self-confidence and competence are a powerful pair of pins in the lock—and neither works as well without the other.

Confidence gives us the courage to speak up, hold our ground, and project strength. Competence gives you the substance to back it up. Together, they create a presence that’s hard to ignore and even harder to manipulate, gaslight, or bully.

In this episode, we’re isolating self-confidence —the internal force that allows you to walk into the room knowing your value, your worth, and your ability to deliver. Our guest is attorney, coach, mentor, and negotiation expert, Ms. Maria Yiannitsarakos, Esq.

Filmed at Brown Harris Stevens’ Studio 1873, Part of the Mastery of Real Estate (MORE) Network.

Subscribe:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/shear-line-negotiation-mastery-with-eirik-gislason/id180900657...

Watch:

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL7_x00Dbn3OSUo1bS37AcfjgF7BLI93lr

Connect with Eirik Gislason:

https://www.bhsusa.com/real-estate-agent/the-excelsior-team

Follow Eirik Gislason on LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/eirikgislason/

Follow Eirik Gislason on Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/eiriktheexpert

Learn More about Coaching with Eirik Gislason:

https://archwaypartnersinc.com/

Follow Maria Yiannitsarakos, Esq., on LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/maria-yiannitsarakos-9898b4101/

Follow Maria Yiannitsarakos, Esq on Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/myrealny/

Brown Harris Stevens is one of the largest privately owned real estate brokerages in the country, with more than 40 offices across four states: New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Florida.

https://bhsusa.com/

#ShearLinePodcast #EirikGislason #negotiation #strategy #psychology #nycrealestate #brownharrisstevens #morenetwork #nyc

In this episode of Shear Line: Negotiation Mastery with Eirik Gislason, we examine a fundamental principle that quietly influences nearly every negotiation and decision we encounter: self-interest.

At its core, negotiation is about alignment—and yet, many of our most critical conversations are undermined by a mismatch between actual and perceived self-interest. Nowhere is this more evident than in the mortgage process, where buyers often present a carefully curated version of their financial profile in an effort to appear stronger. But in doing so, they may inadvertently compromise the very partnership meant to guide and support them.

Eirik is joined by Ms. Jacqueline Plaza of Chase Home Lending to explore how trust, transparency, and perception intersect in this high-stakes environment. Together, they discuss the challenges professionals face when clients operate from a place of protection rather than collaboration—and how to reframe vulnerability and transparency as a strategic advantage.

Filmed at Brown Harris Stevens’ Studio 1873, Part of the Mastery of Real Estate (MORE) Network.

Subscribe:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/shear-line-negotiation-mastery-with-eirik-gislason/id180900657...

Watch:

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL7_x00Dbn3OSUo1bS37AcfjgF7BLI93lr

Connect with Eirik Gislason:

https://www.bhsusa.com/real-estate-agent/the-excelsior-team

Follow Eirik Gislason on LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/eirikgislason/

Follow Eirik Gislason on Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/eiriktheexpert

Learn More about Coaching with Eirik Gislason:

https://archwaypartnersinc.com/

Connect with Jacqueline Plaza:

https://homelendingadvisor.chase.com/ny/new-york/277-park-ave-hla-624075

Brown Harris Stevens is one of the largest privately owned real estate brokerages in the country, with more than 40 offices across four states: New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Florida.

https://bhsusa.com/

#ShearLinePodcast #EirikGislason #negotiation #strategy #psychology #nycrealestate #brownharrisstevens #morenetwork #nyc

In negotiation, we tend to talk about power balance as if it's fixed, or static. You’ve got it, or you don’t. But, power isn’t safely contained or bottled for one side or the other from start to finish. It shifts. It pivots. … and sometimes it hides in the fine print. That’s why understanding power balance—and identifying the sources of power in a negotiation—is crucial to negotiating success.

On this episode of Shear Line: Negotiation Mastery with Eirik Gislason, we’re unpacking how power shifts during a negotiation—and how smart negotiators track, anticipate, and sometimes influence those shifts with guest, Pierre Debbas, Esq. at this year’s The Real Deal Forum.

All episodes filmed and recorded as part of Brown Harris Stevens’ Mastery of Real Estate (MoRE) Network.

Subscribe:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/shear-line-negotiation-mastery-with-eirik-gislason/id180900657...

Watch:

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL7_x00Dbn3OSUo1bS37AcfjgF7BLI93lr

Connect with Eirik Gislason:

https://www.bhsusa.com/real-estate-agent/the-excelsior-team

Follow Eirik Gislason on LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/eirikgislason/

Follow Eirik Gislason on Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/eiriktheexpert

Learn More about Coaching with Eirik Gislason:

https://archwaypartnersinc.com/

Connect with Pierre Debbas, Esq.

https://romerdebbas.com/

Brown Harris Stevens is one of the largest privately owned real estate brokerages in the country, with more than 40 offices across four states: New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Florida.

https://bhsusa.com/

#ShearLinePodcast #EirikGislason #negotiation #strategy #psychology #nycrealestate #brownharrisstevens #morenetwork #nyc

In this episode of Shear Line, we’re skydiving into something that doesn’t get nearly enough airtime in real estate negotiation: logical reasoning.

We negotiate every day, but we don’t always pause to examine the assumptions, the claims, or the logic or even the reasoning behind the positions we hear — or the ones we take. Truth isn't always objective—it's often subjective, shaped by belief, experience, and observation.

So, buckle up – because as Albert Einstein said...and I am paraphrasing here…”Logic will get you from A to B, but the Shear Line Podcast featuring Jacob Feldman will take you everywhere.”

Filmed at Brown Harris Stevens’ Studio 1873, Part of the Mastery of Real Estate (MORE) Network.

Subscribe:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/shear-line-negotiation-mastery-with-eirik-gislason/id180900657...

Watch:

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL7_x00Dbn3OSUo1bS37AcfjgF7BLI93lr

Connect with Eirik Gislason:

https://www.bhsusa.com/real-estate-agent/the-excelsior-team

Follow Eirik Gislason on LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/eirikgislason/

Follow Eirik Gislason on Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/eiriktheexpert

Learn More about Coaching with Eirik Gislason:

https://archwaypartnersinc.com/

Connect with Jacob Feldman:

https://www.nexusacademics.com/meet-us-1

Brown Harris Stevens is one of the largest privately owned real estate brokerages in the country, with more than 40 offices across four states: New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Florida.

https://bhsusa.com/

#ShearLinePodcast #EirikGislason #negotiation #strategy #psychology #nycrealestate #brownharrisstevens #morenetwork #nyc

Welcome to Shear Line: Negotiation Mastery with Eirik Gislason— A podcast that dives headfirst into the psychology, strategy, execution, and missteps of collaborative negotiation.

Have you ever heard the term “Minnesota Nice”? It’s smiling at a stranger in line at the grocery store who rudely cut in front of you, while internally resenting them with every fiber of your being. It’s saying, “Oh no, take your time!” to that person blocking the entrance to your driveway when what you really mean is, “I hate you but I’ll die before I say it out loud.”

So, what does it mean to be Minnesota Nice? It’s actually a cultural communication style rooted in politeness, indirectness, aversion to confrontation, and a near-spiritual belief in being agreeable—even when you’re not. It’s about harmony over honesty. Smooth over sharp. Warm over real. And that’s why it is relevant to our conversation on Negotiation Mastery.

Filmed at Brown Harris Stevens’ Studio 1873, Part of the Mastery of Real Estate (MORE) Network.

Subscribe:

https://www.bhsusa.com/morenetwork

Watch:

https://www.youtube.com/@MasteryOfRealEstateNetwork

Connect with Eirik Gislason:

https://www.bhsusa.com/real-estate-agent/the-excelsior-team

Follow Eirik Gislason on LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/eirikgislason/

Follow Eirik Gislason on Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/eiriktheexpert

Learn More about Coaching with Eirik Gislason:

https://archwaypartnersinc.com/

Learn More about Jay J. Billiet, Interior Design:

https://www.jayjbilliet.com/

Brown Harris Stevens is one of the largest privately owned real estate brokerages in the country, with more than 40 offices across four states: New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Florida.

https://bhsusa.com/

#ShearLinePodcast #EirikGislason #negotiation #strategy #psychology #nycrealestate #brownharrisstevens #morenetwork #nyc