In this episode of The Collective Genius Podcast, we sit down with my good friend and standout leader, Eric Brewer. Eric's path into real estate is anything but typical. From humble beginnings in Gettysburg to a career in the military, to selling luxury cars, and finally scaling a high-volume real estate investment business—his journey is packed with powerful, hard-earned lessons.

We dive deep into the life experiences that shaped his identity and leadership style. Eric opens up about the turning points in his life—from desperately wanting to be accepted as a kid, to discovering sales as a way to connect with people, to becoming a visionary leader who now builds other leaders. You'll hear how he scaled his business in a relatively small market using creativity, consistency, and a deep commitment to personal growth. And how joining a mastermind like Collective Genius completely changed the game for him.

Episode Highlights Timeline

[0:00] - Introduction

[2:05] - Eric lays out his market footprint and deal volume across PA, Baltimore, and NJ

[4:00] - How flipping cars led directly to flipping houses

[7:18] - Why being liked shaped his early ambitions—and what that means today

[9:02] - Moving seven times as a kid and the impact on his ability to build relationships

[13:03] - Observing how sales changed his family's financial future

[22:16] - The turning point: walking off a job site and enlisting in the military

[30:25] - The moment a double-breasted suit and picking up trash landed him a career

[34:00] - The value of the "little things" in career growth

[40:00] - Quitting the car industry to protect his future and family

[44:14] - Finding Collective Genius and transforming his business model

[47:00] - Learning to wholesale, scale marketing, and systematize his operations

[50:47] - Insights from keynote speakers that shifted how he leads his company

[54:08] - Moving from being a business owner to a leader of leaders

[56:30] - Hiring a coach who became his COO and changed his entire approach to business

[1:01:00] - Why building leadership is the long game that never ends

5 Key Takeaways

1. Your childhood experiences shape your superpowers – Eric's frequent moves and need for connection as a kid helped him develop elite-level people skills and emotional intelligence that serve him in sales and leadership.

2. The smallest actions can open the biggest doors – Picking up trash at a dealership unexpectedly launched Eric's career and showed how attention to detail can set you apart.

3. Sales isn't about manipulation—it's about connection and belief – Eric learned that great salespeople truly believe in what they're offering, and that authenticity creates trust.

4. Joining the right community accelerates your growth – The knowledge, connections, and ideas from Collective Genius helped Eric scale into new verticals, including novations and turnkey properties.

5. Visionary leadership means building leaders, not just doing deals – Eric's business exploded when he invested in high-level talent, got out of the way, and focused on culture and clarity.

Links & Resources

• Learn more about The Collective Genius: thecollectivegenius.com

• Vivid Vision by Cameron Herold: https://a.co/d/5fPCD0O

If this episode inspired you, it would mean the world if you'd rate, follow, and review the podcast. And if you know someone who needs to hear Eric's story—send it their way. Let's keep building this community of real estate leaders together.