The Long Game by Ryan Richards

Most people don't have a knowledge problem. They have an action problem.

In this episode of The Long Game Podcast, Ryan sits down with Carolyn Hearn, a Dispositions Manager at Moss Home Solutions, a real estate wholesaling company based in Rhode Island, to talk about what it actually looks like to move from idea to action at 23 years old.

Carolyn has been with Moss Home Solutions since she was 19, studying real estate at Penn State while building real-world experience every summer. Now full-time in dispositions and on her second house flip, she moves before she has every answer and figures it out on the way.

Ryan and Carolyn also dig into analysis paralysis, the case for building a team before you feel ready, and what the nature versus nurture question actually looks like for two entrepreneurs who both learned the game from their dads.

What You'll Learn:

• Why taking imperfect action beats waiting for the perfect plan, and what it actually costs to learn on a live deal
• How to use proximity to people who are further along as a shortcut that no book can replicate
• Why the advice "swim with the river" beats pushing yourself into a mold that doesn't fit
• What it really looks like to build a team from scratch, including how Ryan onboarded his marketing manager with a whiteboard instead of an SOP
• The difference between doing everything yourself to build competence and doing everything yourself out of habit
• Why gratitude and endurance work together as a mental framework for entrepreneurs at every level
• How to know if your goal is big enough: if it doesn't make you smile when you say it out loud, set a bigger one

If you're early in your entrepreneurial journey and still waiting until you know enough to start, this episode will show you what it looks like to build confidence through action instead.

Interested in connecting?

GUEST
Carolyn Hearn
Dispositions Manager, Moss Home Solutions 
[email protected] | https://mosshomesolutions.com
Instagram: @carolyn.real.estate 
YouTube: @carolynhearn6239

HOST
Ryan Richards | Branch Manager, Northpoint Mortgage | NMLS 1987735
[email protected] | www.financewithteamrichards.com 
204 Turnpike Rd, Westborough, MA 01581
Licensed in MA, CT, FL, NC, NH, PA, RI, ME, TN

Follow us on Instagram @financewithteamrichards @the.longgamepodcast

#TheLongGamePodcast #FinanceWithTeamRichards

Chapters:
00:00 Intro
02:04 Her Real Estate Path
03:55 Wholesaling Explained
05:22 Power of Proximity
07:39 Who Not How Mindset
09:48 Building a Team Fast
15:27 Flip One vs Flip Two
19:48 Lessons From Mistakes
22:45 Beating Analysis Paralysis
24:09 Mentors Dad vs Moss
27:50 Big Goals and Empire
29:49 Host Vision and Business
30:59 Why Businesses Win
33:41 Second Flip Solo
38:06 Protecting Personal Time
40:23 Atomic Habits Showing Up
42:11 Get in the Room
43:33 Starting a YouTube Channel
47:06 Advice Gratitude and Endure
51:59 Nature Versus Nurture
56:12 Final Wrap and Next Steps

Most entrepreneurs don't have a hiring problem. They have a timing problem.

In this episode of The Long Game Podcast, Ryan Richards discusses hiring before you think you're ready. Drawing from his own experience building out his team, Ryan breaks down why waiting until you're overwhelmed is the exact moment hiring becomes hardest, and what it costs you when momentum stalls.

Ryan walks through the two traps entrepreneurs fall into when they wait too long to delegate: either they stop promoting new business to protect their service levels, or they try to do both and watch quality slip. He unpacks the "snowball" problem, where hesitation hands your competitors the time they need to close the gap. 

Find the right person, build the systems together, and stop letting the fear of imperfection slow down what is already working.

What You'll Learn:

• Why hiring when you're already overwhelmed makes the process harder, not easier
• How waiting too long forces a costly trade-off between promoting new business and serving existing clients
• Why momentum is more valuable than perfection when you're in a growth phase
• How delaying a hire gives competitors time to catch up on what makes your approach unique
• Why you don't need a complete SOP or perfect systems before bringing someone on
• The mental shift from "I can't afford to hire" to "I can't afford not to"
• How to frame a new role honestly with candidates when you're building the position from scratch

If you're a business owner who keeps saying you need help but keeps putting off the hire, this episode will show you exactly what that delay is costing you, and what to do about it instead.

Interested in connecting?

HOST
Ryan Richards | Branch Manager, Northpoint Mortgage | NMLS 1987735
[email protected] | www.financewithteamrichards.com 
204 Turnpike Rd, Westborough, MA 01581
Licensed in MA, CT, FL, NC, NH, PA, RI, ME, TN

Follow us on Instagram @financewithteamrichards @the.longgamepodcast

#TheLongGamePodcast #FinanceWithTeamRichards

Chapters:
00:00 Reflecting on Growth
01:02 The Hiring Lesson
01:45 Capacity Kills Promotion
02:16 Service vs Sales Tradeoff
03:35 Momentum and Competition
04:17 Fear and Worst Case
06:36 Building the Team Vision
07:00 Final Takeaway

Most people think in tasks. CEOs think in systems.

In this episode of The Long Game Podcast, I sit down with Andrew Bosco, CEO of Candor Realty Group and founder of Granite and Pine Properties, to break down what it actually means to run a business from a 10,000-foot view and why that perspective changes everything.

Andrew's path to the CEO seat wasn't a straight line. He spent time as a teacher, a scientist at Moderna and Pfizer, a real estate agent, and an investor before stepping into the top seat at Candor; a company on a mission to help one million people reach financial independence through real estate. He shares how imposter syndrome followed him into the role, why he initially said no, and what ultimately made him put the gas on the fire and commit.

What You'll Learn:

• Why shifting from a 100-foot to a 10,000-foot view changes how you lead and build
• How Andrew went from imposter syndrome to CEO and what changed between the first no and the final yes
• What a system actually is and how people, processes, and technology work together
• Why focus is the ultimate superpower in an era of infinite distraction
• How to implement automation and new software without overwhelming your team
• Why the worst thing you can do is nothing 

If you're an entrepreneur, business owner, or operator trying to think bigger, build smarter, and stop getting in your own way, this one's for you.

Interested in connecting?

GUEST
Andrew Bosco
CEO, Candor Investment Group | Founder, Granite & Pine Properties
[email protected] | candorinvestmentgroup.com
Instagram: @candorinvestmentgroup 

HOST
Ryan Richards | Branch Manager, Northpoint Mortgage | NMLS 1987735
[email protected] | www.financewithteamrichards.com 
204 Turnpike Rd, Westborough, MA 01581
Licensed in MA, CT, FL, NC, NH, PA, RI, ME, TN

Follow us on Instagram @financewithteamrichards @the.longgamepodcast

#TheLongGamePodcast #FinanceWithTeamRichards

Chapters:
00:00 Intro
02:13 Andrew’s Background
03:18 Why He Became CEO
04:53 CEO Mindset Shift
07:56 Saying Yes Faster
11:13 Focus and Consistency
15:13 Authenticity Over Polish
18:21 Systems and Processes
22:59 Empowering the Team
26:31 Automation and Tools
35:49 BRRRR Strategy Explained
37:10 Perfect Day Freedom Goal
41:22 Calendar Control Systems
47:20 Meeting Days and Prospecting
52:26 Delegation and Partnerships
56:02 Imperfect Action Mindset
01:01:09 Community Beats Fear
01:04:19 Final Take Action Push

Busy and productive are not the same thing.

In this solo episode of The Long Game Podcast, Ryan breaks down one of the most common traps entrepreneurs fall into: confusing activity with output. The problem is rarely discipline. More often, it is the absence of a clear, intentional process tied directly to revenue.

Ryan walks through how to identify the highest ROI task in your business, why most people unknowingly replace that task with lower-value work, and how to build a repeatable process around the inputs that actually drive results. Using real examples from real estate, loan origination, and sales, he lays out a simple working-backwards framework for getting out of the busy-but-stuck cycle and into consistent, focused execution.

What You'll Learn:

• Why busy entrepreneurs still stall and what the real bottleneck usually is
• How to define the highest ROI activity for your specific business model
• The difference between prospect-related work and actual prospecting
• How to use a working-backwards framework to build your ideal sales process
• Why the problem is almost always the process, not the person
• How to stay intentional about the tasks that actually move the needle

If you have been putting in the hours but not seeing the results, this episode will help you identify what is actually getting in the way and give you a practical framework for fixing it.

Interested in connecting?

HOST
Ryan Richards | Branch Manager, Northpoint Mortgage | NMLS 1987735
[email protected] | www.financewithteamrichards.com 
204 Turnpike Rd, Westborough, MA 01581
Licensed in MA, CT, FL, NC, NH, PA, RI, ME, TN

Follow us on Instagram @financewithteamrichards @the.longgamepodcast

#TheLongGamePodcast #FinanceWithTeamRichards

Chapters:
00:49 Find Your Highest ROI Task
01:52 Busy Work vs Real Prospecting
02:54 Why You Avoid The Hard Stuff
03:18 Work Backwards From Sales
04:19 Build The Ideal Sales Process
05:12 One Hour Done Right
06:45 Process Beats Discipline
07:31 Repeat Optimize And Follow Up
07:58 Final Focus On Revenue

Most people know the decision they should make. They just don't have the courage to act on it.

In this episode of The Long Game Podcast, Ryan Richards sits down with Viktor Ryan, Team Lead of Ryan & Co Realty Group based in Worcester, Massachusetts, to break down what it really takes to evolve from a solo operator into a business owner.

Viktor shares his journey from managing 300 employees at trampoline parks, to launching a franchise restaurant, to accidentally starting a marketing company, and more. Each transition came with lessons, setbacks, and a willingness to find the exit point before hitting the breaking point.

What You'll Learn:

• Why most people already know the decision they need to make and what stops them from acting on it.
• How Viktor transitioned from restaurants and marketing into full-time real estate.
• What to look for in a brokerage or mentor when you're starting from zero.
• The systems and checklists Viktor uses to manage a team, multiple flips, and a marketing business simultaneously.
• Why building a team requires learning an entirely new skill set and how Viktor's management background gave him a head start.
• How to flip for the right buyer by matching your renovation to the market, not your personal taste.

If you're an entrepreneur navigating multiple ventures, thinking about building a real estate team, or trying to make a big career decision you've been putting off, this episode is the honest, real-world perspective you've been looking for.

Interested in connecting?

GUEST

Viktor Ryan

Ryan & Co Realty Group | Neighborhood Realty Group

[email protected] | viktorryan.theneighborhoodrg.com

65 Southbridge St, Auburn, MA 01501

HOST

Ryan Richards | Branch Manager, Northpoint Mortgage | NMLS 1987735

[email protected] | www.financewithteamrichards.com 

204 Turnpike Rd, Westborough, MA 01581

Licensed in MA, CT, FL, NC, NH, PA, RI, ME, TN

Follow us on Instagram @financewithteamrichards @the.longgamepodcast

#TheLongGamePodcast #FinanceWithTeamRichards

Chapters:

01:15 Meet Viktor Ryan

03:15 From Parks to Protein

05:11 Finding Real Estate Path

09:41 Client Experience Mindset

13:27 Building a Real Estate Team

18:18 Why Agents Fail

23:47 Leadership and Culture

30:28 Mentors and Investing Shift

31:56 Hard Money Flip Plan

32:22 First Off Market Deal

33:16 Permit Shutdown Lesson

36:18 First Flip Results

38:12 Market Fit Mistake

40:33 Hyper Analyze Markets

42:53 Avoid Overspending Finishes

45:29 Systems Structure Delegation

48:14 Checklists Follow Up

53:48 Advice New Agents

56:34 Mentors Work Ethic

58:16 Closing Thanks Next Flips

Leadership isn’t something you’re born with… it’s something you build.

In this episode, I break down a shift in thinking that completely changed how I approach leadership in my business. Too many people believe you either “have it or you don’t” but the reality is leadership is a skill set you can develop with intention.

We get into what it actually means to be a good leader, how to identify what motivates the people around you, and why adaptability is one of the most important traits you can have. Not everyone is driven by the same things, and if you’re leading a team, it’s your responsibility to understand that.

I also talk about the importance of leading by example. Your actions set the standard whether you realize it or not. The effort you bring, the habits you build, and the expectations you create all shape your company culture.

But the biggest piece is this… your mission.

People don’t work hard for your income goals or your sales targets. They work hard for something they believe in. If your vision is strong enough and your purpose is clear, your team will rally behind it.

What you’ll learn:

• Why leadership is a learned skill, not something you’re born with
• How to identify what actually motivates each person on your team
• Why adaptability is critical when leading different personalities
• The impact of leading by example on company culture
• How to create a mission that people genuinely want to rally behind

If you’re building a business, leading a team, or looking to grow into a leadership role, this episode will challenge how you think about what it actually takes to lead effectively.

#TheLongGamePodcast #FinanceWithTeamRichards

In this solo episode of The Long Game Podcast, Ryan Richards breaks down one of the most common limiting beliefs entrepreneurs, business owners, and sales professionals tell themselves: “I just don’t have enough time.”

Ryan challenges the idea that success is limited by the number of hours in a day and explains why the real issue is usually priorities, systems, and how effectively you use your time. From building better habits to creating leverage through delegation, this episode is all about shifting your mindset so time stops being your excuse and starts becoming your advantage.

Using real examples from business, fitness, and daily life, Ryan shares how he personally approaches calendar management, non-negotiable commitments, and system building to create more freedom without working more hours.

What you’ll learn:

• Why “I don’t have enough time” is often a limiting belief, not a fact
• How priorities—not time—determine what gets accomplished
• The difference between being busy and being truly effective
• Why time blocking and calendar control are critical for growth
• How to create leverage through systems, delegation, and hiring
• Why honoring commitments to yourself matters just as much as business commitments

If you’ve ever felt stuck, overwhelmed, or like there simply aren’t enough hours in the day, this episode will help you rethink how you approach your goals and give you practical strategies to take back control of your time. 

#TheLongGamePodcast #FinancewithTeamRichards

In this episode of The Long Game Podcast, we sit down with Zack Levesque, Regional Vice President at Northpoint Bank, to break down what it really takes to lead, scale, and adapt in a changing market.

Zack shares his journey from top-producing salesperson to sales leader, including the pivotal moment that forced him to rethink his entire business model during a market shift. From laying off half his team to rebuilding through purchase business, this conversation is packed with real-world lessons on resilience, leadership, and taking control of what you can control. 

We dive deep into the importance of relationships, not just building them, but maintaining the right ones, even when it means having difficult conversations. Zack also shares how true leaders create growth by investing in their people, leading from the front, and focusing on long-term impact over short-term gain.

What you’ll learn:

• Why market shifts expose weaknesses in your business model
• The moment that forced a complete pivot from refinance to purchase business
• What great leadership actually looks like in practice
• How to build strong, reciprocal relationships that drive growth
• Why work ethic and consistency are still the ultimate differentiators
• When and how to scale your business with the right support
• The mindset shift required to move from producer to true business owner

If you’re an entrepreneur, sales professional, or business owner trying to scale, hire, or navigate uncertainty, this episode gives you a real look at what it takes to grow through it instead of getting stuck.

Most entrepreneurs don’t actually have a time problem… They have a capacity problem.

In this episode of The Long Game Podcast, we break down one of the biggest transitions in business, the shift from being self-employed to becoming a true business owner. Because if everything in your business relies on you, growth will always hit a ceiling.

If you’ve ever felt maxed out, overwhelmed, or like you’re doing everything yourself, this episode will challenge how you think about scaling. It’s not about working more hours, it’s about building systems and leveraging people to create real momentum.

We dive into what it actually looks like to delegate effectively, when it’s the right time to hire, and how to identify the tasks that are holding your business back from growing.

🎯 Key takeaways:

• Why hitting a ceiling is a sign it’s time to evolve, not slow down
• The difference between being self-employed and being a true owner
• How to identify the tasks that don’t move your business forward
• A simple exercise to track your time and uncover inefficiencies
• Why most entrepreneurs wait too long to hire
• How to think about delegation as a system, not just task management
• Why imperfect action beats waiting for the “perfect” process

At the end of the day, scaling a business isn’t about doing more, it’s about doing less of the wrong things and building the right structure to grow.

If you’re ready to stop operating inside your business and start building one that runs without you, this is an episode you don’t want to miss.

#TheLongGamePodcast #FinanceWithTeamRichards

Most entrepreneurs don’t actually have a lead problem… they have a process problem. 

In this episode of The Long Game Podcast, we break down one of the biggest misconceptions in business growth. The idea that more leads automatically fix everything. The reality? Without the right systems in place, even the best opportunities fall through the cracks.

If you’ve ever felt stuck trying to “get more business,” this episode will challenge how you think about growth, sales, and scaling. It’s not about chasing one-off opportunities, it’s about building repeatable processes that consistently generate results.

We dive into what it actually takes to create a sustainable pipeline, how to properly nurture leads, and why your client experience is the foundation of long-term success.

🎯 Key takeaways:

• Why “I need more leads” is often the wrong question
• The difference between one-off marketing and a true system
• How follow-up (7–14 touches) is where most deals are won
• Why your database is one of your most underutilized assets
• How client experience directly impacts referrals and growth
• The 3-step framework: lead generation → lead nurturing → client experience
• Why small value-adds only matter if your core process is strong

At the end of the day, it’s not about a single transaction. It’s about building a reputation through consistency, systems, and delivering at a high level every time.

If you’re serious about growing your business, this is an episode you don’t want to miss.

#TheLongGamePodcast #FinanceWithTeamRichards