It's been awhile since we've done an Owner Spotlight Series episode. This week, we're happy to welcome Chris Powell, owner of Lighthouse Studio in Seattle, WA. Chris was a speaker at the REPP 2025 conference, and we're excited to have him share part of his story that led him from resisting hiring, to loving it.

You can contact Chris via his Instagram at: @lhstudio.re or visit his website at: http://lh.studio

Book Suggestions from Chris:

"The Servant Leader" - James Autry - https://a.co/d/00D2DZO

"Build a Business You Love" - Dave Ramsey - https://a.co/d/dWc1VJX

Chapter Timestamps:

0:00 Episode Open

02:10 Guest Introduction - Chris Powell

06:53 From Resisting Hiring to Loving It

45:10 - Episode Wrap-up

Todd, Craig and the Spiro and WOW Video Tours teams are back from the REPP 2025 Conference in Las Vegas.  They share their thoughts, and the thoughts of some of the attendees that were there.  If you've never been to a real estate media industry conference, we highly encourage you to invest in yourself and/or your team, and make sure you get to one!

Chapter Timestamps:

0:00 Episode Open

01:27 Spiro & Industry Updates

10:00 Spiro Sync Information

12:12 REPP 2025 Recap

34:43 Episode Wrap-up

A much requested topic for the Spiro Podcast: Hiring. The challenges. The tips on how to hire. Tricks for finding good candidates. Things to consider like do you hire contractors or employees? We cover as much as we can to help you find your next great hire to grow your business.

Spiro Sync Event: https://spiro.media/spiro-sync/

Chapter Timestamps:

0:00 Episode Open

02:59 Industry Conferences

03:44 Spiro Sync Event

05:40 Hiring Challenges & Solutions

45:27 Episode Wrap-up

Shannon Landers, VP of Product for Spiro joins Craig on this week's episode to look back at the 3rd Quarter of 2025, and to forecast what you might expect for the 4th quarter of the year.

To get registered for the Spiro Sync '26 Event, check out: https://spiro.media/spiro-sync/

Chapter Timestamps:

0:00 Episode Open

02:46 Industry Conferences

08:27 3rd Quarter Review & 4th Quarter Forecast

43:44 Episode Wrap-up

There is often a lot of anxiety and fear over having to go out and "sell" your real estate media services and products. But what if we told you that not selling, sells? Steve Musser, Director of Sales & Marketing, along with Chris Voge, Sales Manager both of WOW Video Tours joins Craig this week to talk about an approach to business development that doesn't feel so...well...like you're a used car salesman. (Sorry any used car salespeople that may see this).

What are some ways to approaching business development that will allow you to get word out about your business and build a clientele, without resorting to the myriad of "sales tactics & training" that feel less than...honest? Genuine? Authentic? You get the drift.

Spiro Sync '26 Information: https://spiro.media/spiro-sync/

Chapter Timestamps:

0:00 Episode Open

01:14 Spiro Sync Event

02:11 How Not Selling, Sells

47:05 Episode Wrap-up

Decisions, decisions, decisions. As the owner and leader of your real estate media business, you face countless decisions every day. Every hour. Shoot, sometimes every minute. Some are easy to make. Some are hard to make. How do you prioritize them? How do you handle the hardest and most challenging decisions? Todd shares the top 3 hardest business decisions he's faced as owner of WOW Video Tours and Spiro, and how he approached them.

Chapter Timestamps:

0:00 Episode Open

01:56 Industry Events

03:09 Spiro Updates

03:24 The Top 3 Hardest Business Decisions

39:41 Episode Wrap-up

What role does faith play in our daily lives? And when we say daily lives, we include our work/business lives. Think about it: At least 8 out of our waking hours (usually more) is spent in the marketplace...our businesses and our interactions with other business people. So if you're a person of faith, what role do your beliefs have on your business? If you're not a person of faith, what role could it have? We realize this isn't a "normal" topic to discuss in the business world. But in light of recent events and conversations we see happening more and more around us, we felt it was important to talk about it: Faith in the our businesses. We hope this is a blessing and encouragement to you.

Books mentioned in the Podcast (this is not a sponsored podcast or sponsored product placement):

"Every Good Endeavor" by Timothy Keller: https://a.co/d/dnBXxMj

"The 9 to 5 Window" by Os Hillman: https://a.co/d/ezVmU0C

"The Word Before Work" by Jordan Raynor: https://a.co/d/dD99mxK

"Called to Create" by Jordan Raynor: https://a.co/d/fatPQvd

"The Case for Christ" by Lee Strobel: https://a.co/d/d77elyE

Industry Conferenes:

REPP Conference: http://repplaunch.com/repp2025

PMRE Conference: http://pmreconference.com

Spiro Sync Conference: http://spiro.media (Click "Spiro Sync" in the Menu Bar starting at 10am EDST on October 8, 2025)

Chapter Timestamps:

0:00 Episode Open

02:23 Spiro Updates

04:50 Industry Conferences

08:19 Faith in Your Business

49:49 Book Suggestions

51:16 Episode Wrap-up

Wisdom is the application of knowledge. We hope this episode is an opportunity for you to apply the knowledge of what mistakes NOT to make, that we've already made for you. It's always fun to hear how others screwed up, right? We hope you get some laughs and good information.

Links mentioned in the episode:

REPP Conference: http://repplaunch.com/repp2025

Spiro Sync Event (Tickets not available yet): http://spiro.media Chapter

Timestamps:

00:00 Episode Open

02:00 Spiro Updates

06:12 Industry Conferences

08:35 Top 3 Mistakes We've Learned From

54:54 Episode Wrap-up

Craig is put in the hotseat as the owner of Spiro and WOW Video Tours, Todd, goes through Craig's Grade Card. Does Craig pass? Watch & listen to find out!

Chapter Timestamps:

0:00 Episode Open

02:18 Spiro Updates & Events

07:27 Craig's Grade Card

42:37 Episode Wrap-up

This week we get an inside view from the Brokerage's perspective on what it's looking for in marketing for it's Realtors. Steve Helton, Realtor and Director of Marketing for Keller Williams Advisors & Pinnacle Group joins Todd, Shannon and Craig on this week's episode to talk all things Marketing from the Broker's perspective.

Chapter Timestamps:

0:00 Episode Open

04:30 Spiro Announcements & Updates

06:12 A Brokerage's Perspective

01:02:39 Episode Wrap-up