➡️ Download the FREE "Content Creation Realities & Lessons: A Guide to Smarter Strategy": https://stan.store/wendyforsythe
Mike DelPrete wrote an article that dropped Zillow's stock 9% in one day. What did he discover? Google was testing full real estate search embedded in their platform—actual listings with filters, agent contact info, the works. The industry freaked out. In this episode, Mike and I unpack what's really happening with Compass, Zillow, Rocket, Redfin, Google, and AI—and what it all means for agents building sustainable businesses. His theme for 2026: Everything is changing, nothing is changing. The fundamentals haven't changed. Agents are still the center of the transaction. Personal connections can't be replaced. But you need to compete where you can win.

⏱️ TIMESTAMPS
0:00 - Intro: Mike DelPrete, Industry Strategist & Observer 
1:00 - Is the Industry at a Tipping Point? 
3:02 - Mike's Advice: Stop Going on the Internet 
4:43 - Compass vs. Zillow: The Exclusive Listings Battle 
6:48 - The Redfin/Rocket Partnership: What It Means 
9:02 - Mega Brokers & the Agent's Role 
13:03 - The Holy Grail Race: Owning the Entire Transaction 
16:45 - Is Bundling Better for Consumers? 
19:11 - Who Should Be Your Dance Partner? 
20:11 - The Article That Dropped Zillow's Stock 9% 
22:40 - Google's Crystal Ball: What's Next? 
25:12 - The Last Mile: Where Agents Win 
27:42 - Mike's X-Factor: Pattern Matching

🎯 KEY TAKEAWAYS
✔️ "Everything is changing, nothing is changing" - Mike's 2026 theme 
✔️ Stop going on the internet - best advice for cutting through noise 
✔️ Private exclusives are "so 2025" - Compass has 10K listings, accept it and move forward 
✔️ Google tested full real estate search (dropped Zillow's stock 9%) 
✔️ The Holy Grail race: Zillow and Rocket want to own the entire transaction 
✔️ Compete where you can win - you're the last mile solution 
✔️ 50% of online leads go ignored - massive opportunity gap 
✔️ If someone calls you, pick up the phone (they've done everything to avoid calling)

🏠 ABOUT MIKE DELPRETTE
Mike DelPrete is an industry strategist, writer, consultant, and one of the most respected observers in real estate. His research and analysis literally moves markets—one of his articles dropped Zillow's stock 9% in a single day. He has an uncanny ability to see patterns before anyone else and connect dots from a distance. Mike's writing and insights are followed by industry leaders, investors, and agents worldwide.

🎤 ABOUT WENDY FORSYTHE
Executive Leader | Marketing Innovator | Author & Podcast Host
Wendy Forsythe is the Chief Marketing Officer of eXp Realty, one of the largest real estate brokerages globally with over 83,000 agents. With 25+ years of experience driving growth and brand transformation across real estate, she's recognized as a HousingWire 2025 Woman of Influence and appears on the 2025 Swanepoel Power 200 list.
​Wendy is the host of the X-Factor Marketing podcast and author of Leverage Your X-Factor: The 6-Step Framework to Scale Your Real Estate Business and Reclaim Your Life, a #1 new release on Amazon. A sought-after speaker and thought leader, she leads with authenticity, purpose, and a people-first approach to building what's next.

➡️ Download the FREE "Content Creation Realities & Lessons: A Guide to Smarter Strategy": https://stan.store/wendyforsythe

I wrote a book in 2025. And I almost didn't finish it—not because of time, but because I got stuck between 80% done and 100% perfect. In this episode, I'm pulling back the curtain on the entire process of writing Leverage Your X-Factor: the when, the how, the why, and the 6-part framework that helps agents scale smarter and avoid burnout.
Here's the truth: We're being pulled on both ends of a rope right now. AI has made everyone a "perfect marketer," so your uniqueness needs to shine brighter than ever. And the industry is in chaos—regulations, lawsuits, tough markets. Without a framework? You'll burn out.
This is the behind-the-scenes story you need to hear.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GQK38L6P

📖 THE X-FACTOR FRAMEWORK
Focus • Action • Community • Technology • Operations • Resilience
A proven system to scale smarter, live better, and build businesses that last.

🎯 KEY TAKEAWAYS
✔️ Say your goals out loud to other people (accountability is everything)
✔️ Find a coach when you're doing something new
✔️ The writing process: 30 minutes/week, interview → record → transcribe → edit → repeat
✔️ Don't get stuck in the perfectionist trap between 80% and 100%
✔️ Your uniqueness matters more than ever in the AI era
✔️ Build a framework or you'll burn out

📚 GET THE BOOK: LEVERAGE YOUR X-FACTOR
All proceeds support eXp's Extend a Hand charity, which helps agents during disasters and medical crises.
Grab your copy here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GQK38L6P

🎤 ABOUT WENDY FORSYTHE
Wendy Forsythe is the Chief Marketing Officer at eXp Realty and host of the X-Factor Marketing Podcast. With 30+ years in real estate, she's helped thousands of agents build sustainable, fulfilling businesses through personal branding, strategic marketing, and authentic leadership.
Named a 2024 HousingWire Marketing Leader and 2025 Woman of Influence.

SPECIAL THANKS
Noor Marzook (Book Editor)
Jenny Berger (Book Cover Design)
Mindy Grubb (Extend a Hand Executive Director)

#RealEstateMarketing #PersonalBranding #XFactorMarketing #BookWriting #AgentEmpowerment #eXpRealty #LeverageYourXFactor #RealEstatePodcast #MarketingStrategy #Entrepreneurship #WendyForsythe #ScaleYourBusiness #AvoidBurnout #RealEstateCoach
Mindy Grubb (Extend a Hand Executive Director)

➡️ Download the FREE "Content Creation Realities & Lessons: A Guide to Smarter Strategy": https://stan.store/wendyforsythe

No script. No filter. Just real talk about building a real estate business.
Gina Kirschenheiter from Real Housewives of Orange County sits down with me at Inman Connect NYC for a rapid-fire Q&A you won't want to miss. We skip the corporate speak and get straight to what actually matters: Does platform equal clients? How do you thrive in uncertainty? What wins with luxury clients?
Spoiler: This got honest fast.

WHAT YOU'LL LEARN:
✔️ Does having a celebrity platform make real estate easier? Gina has 1M+ followers. Here's the truth about platform vs. actual clients (it's not what you think).
✔️ What's Gina's real estate superpower? She only knows uncertainty—and why that's her competitive advantage.
✔️ What should agents focus on in 2026? My three predictions (mergers, lawsuits, uncertainty) and why RESET is my word for the year.
✔️ How do you win luxury listings? Why preparedness beats Chanel bags every single time.
✔️ What social media trends are working in 2026? Netflix-style listing videos, AI storytelling (like Glenda Baker's AI grandma), and why we need to "up the Annie."
✔️  How do you build a personal brand authentically? "Who you are IS your brand. Just start showing up and showing who you are."

TIMESTAMPS:
0:00 - Introduction: Rapid-Fire Q&A with Gina Kirschenheiter
0:22 - Where Are the Husbands? (New York Adventures)
2:06 - Gina's Favorite Podcast: Legally Brunette
2:50 - How Gina & Emily Simpson Batch Content
3:47 - Favorite Inman Panel: eXp CEO Leo Perea Killed It
5:17 - Why eXp Leadership Works (They're Actually Realtors)
6:33 - Wendy Needs a Hype Song (Help Us Out!)
8:30 - Wendy's 3 Predictions for 2026
9:52 - Wendy's Word for 2026: RESET
10:25 - What to Reset in Your Business Right Now
10:56 - Gina: I Only Know Uncertainty (It's a Superpower)
11:30 - If You Can Win in Uncertainty, You're in for the Long Haul
12:27 - Consistency: Doing the Job Over and Over
12:47 - Social Media Ideas for 2026
13:05 - Netflix-Style Listing Videos Trending
14:32 - Glenda Baker's AI Grandma Story (Mind-Blowing)
15:43 - Gina's Take on AI: Great Tool, But Creepy
17:24 - Wendy's Highest Sale & Overcoming Impostor Syndrome
18:42 - Starting in Your 20s: The Impostor Syndrome Challenge
20:00 - Win in Your Head Before You Win at the Kitchen Table
20:08 - Preparedness Over Chanel Bag (Always)
20:43 - Educate Yourself on How Money Works
21:22 - Building The Gated Group: What Surprised Gina
22:02 - Platform Doesn't Mean It's Easy
22:37 - Buyers and Sellers Aren't Just Lining Up
22:51 - Most Business Is Referral Business
23:24 - "I Get Those Listing Appointments (Platform Doesn't)"
24:15 - Personal Brand Revolution Question
24:45 - Who You Are IS Your Brand
25:28 - AI Has a Place, But Don't Replace Yourself
26:32 - Just Show Up and Show Who You Are

➡️ Connect With Wendy https://www.instagram.com/brandwendy
  / brandwendy

➡️ Download the FREE "Content Creation Realities & Lessons: A Guide to Smarter Strategy": https://stan.store/wendyforsythe

Street credibility. Performance credibility. Referral credibility. The three things you need to get on real estate stages.
In this episode, Kendall Bonner breaks down the credibility gap that prevents agents from turning speaking opportunities into career-changing moments. She also shares the launch of two major projects: Climber (a free community that hit 700+ members in launch week) and Industry Speaks Academy (teaching aspiring speakers how to get on stages).
Plus: the hard conversation about women in leadership and why women need more sponsors, not just mentors.

WHAT YOU'LL LEARN:
✔️ The 3 credibilities you need to get on real estate stages (and why most speakers are missing 2 of them)
✔️ Why event organizers don't book speakers—they book TOPICS
✔️ The #1 mistake speakers make when sending samples (hint: podcasts don't count)
✔️ How to build performance credibility BEFORE you get on stage
✔️ Why "I can speak on anything" kills your opportunities
✔️ What Climber is and why 700+ agents joined in launch week
✔️ The difference between mentorship and sponsorship for women in leadership
✔️ Panel etiquette: why you should never look at the moderator when responding

KEY QUOTE:
"Don't chase likes and comments. The business happens in a DM. Social media isn't a strategy for business—it is a tool." — Kendall Bonner

➡️ Connect With Wendy
https://www.instagram.com/brandwendy

Are you exhausted by the real estate industry's toxic "hustle culture"? In this special deep-dive episode, we are pulling back the curtain on Wendy Forsythe’s brand new book, Leverage Your X-Factor: The 6-Step Framework to Scale Your Real Estate Business and Reclaim Your Life.

If you feel like you are working harder than ever but spinning your wheels, this episode is for you. We break down the proven 6-pillar X-Factor blueprint designed to help you step out of the frantic "Agent" role and into the empowered "CEO" mindset. Stop trying to mimic the competition and learn how to uncover your unique X-Factor to build an aligned, highly profitable, and sustainable business.

📚 GET THE BOOK: Grab your copy of Leverage Your X-Factor on Amazon today!
💛 Giving Back: All proceeds support eXtend a Hand, eXp Realty's official charitable foundation that supports agents and their families during times of medical emergencies, natural disasters, and crisis. 👉 Order Here

🔑 WHAT WE COVER IN THIS EPISODE:

• The Crisis of Clarity: Why being busy is not the same as being productive, and how to find your true "superpower".
• The 6-Pillar Framework: A breakdown of Focus, Action, Community, Technology, Operations, and Resilience.
• The AI Advantage: The critical difference between being "AI-Generated" (forgettable) and "AI-Enhanced" (unforgettable).
• Ditching the 12-Month Plan: Why annual business plans are dangerous and how 90-day sprint cycles create massive momentum.
• Resilience as a Strategy: Why protecting your energy and scheduling rest before business is the ultimate key to longevity.

🤝 CONNECT WITH WENDY:

• Instagram: @brandwendy
• Website: wendyforsythe.com
• Learn more about the charity: extendahandcharity.org

🔔 SUBSCRIBE to the channel for weekly strategies on mindset, storytelling, and building an unforgettable real estate brand that the market can't ignore!

➡️ Download the FREE "Content Creation Realities & Lessons: A Guide to Smarter Strategy": https://stan.store/wendyforsythe

She left a stable job when her kids were little with no master plan. Just passion, a good reputation, and a phone call to her husband. 13 years later, Katie Lance has helped thousands of real estate agents crack the code on social media — and just crossed $1 million in course sales on Kajabi. She breaks down the Focus 5 system she's been teaching for years that takes five minutes a day and actually moves the needle, why most agents are overthinking their content strategy, how to use AI without destroying the trust you've spent years building, and why "done is better than perfect" isn't just a cliché — it's the whole strategy.

➡️ Timestamps

0:00 Why real estate is still a relationship business — no matter what changes
2:10 The Focus 5 system: 5 minutes, 5 posts, meaningful comments
5:30 Why you have to create a lot of bad video before the good stuff comes
11:20 How to figure out which platform your clients are actually on
17:15 Katie's hot take on AI avatars and why trust is at an all-time low
33:00 Leaving Inman, betting on herself, and diving in before she was ready
41:20 Katie's X factor: making overwhelmed agents feel like they can actually do it

➡️ Connect With Wendy

https://x.com/brandWendy/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/wendyforsythe/
https://www.instagram.com/brandwendy/

➡️ Download the FREE "Content Creation Realities & Lessons: A Guide to Smarter Strategy": https://stan.store/wendyforsythe

She once fought with her husband over a $3 guacamole charge. Now she's managed $200 million in ad spend. Ashley Brock went from scarcity mindset and three failed businesses to building a near 8-figure company in under three years — all by betting on the one thing she'd done her whole career. She breaks down exactly why most small business owners think about ad spend completely wrong, how to pick the right platform for your business, why your mindset about money is the first thing that needs to change before you ever run your first ad, and the three things she's always paid for — skill, speed, and energy — that turned every investment into a 10x return.

➡️ Timestamps

0:00 From $3 guacamole fights to $200M in ad spend — Ashley's story
2:35 Why Ashley's been in advertising since day one out of college
3:17 Why people are scared to spend money on ads
4:37 The floating analogy — why you just have to do it
5:35 The first thing Ashley addresses with every new student: money mindset
6:04 Why "build it and they'll come" is killing your business
6:29 The bad date analogy — one bad ad isn't a reason to quit
7:02 How to figure out where to actually spend your ad budget
19:24 Cost per lead by platform and why Google leads cost more
20:26 The Chipotle guacamole fight that changed everything
22:21 Three failed businesses before going all-in on paid ads
23:11 Paying for speed: how her first investment led to a six-figure day
24:07 Pay for skill, pay for speed, pay for energy
26:04 Ashley's X factor: seeing possibility in people before they see it themselves

➡️ Connect With Wendy

https://x.com/brandWendy/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/wendyforsythe/
https://www.instagram.com/brandwendy/

➡️ Download the FREE "Content Creation Realities & Lessons: A Guide to Smarter Strategy": https://stan.store/wendyforsythe

418 pumpkin pies, 10 pickup locations, zero ad spend—60 organic leads in 90 days. Yvonne Ku partnered with a local bakery, got three home builders to host pie pickups at their model homes, and turned a Thanksgiving giveaway into a lead generation machine. The bakery blasted her campaign to 10,000 people for free, one location refilled three times, and a hockey mom connection landed her on local TV. She breaks down exactly how she built the campaign from scratch, why the "no sales pitch" rule is everything, and how to replicate this for any holiday with zero budget.

➡️ Timestamps

0:00 418 pies, zero ad spend—Yvonne's Thanksgiving lead gen strategy
1:15 Why Thanksgiving is the least commercial (and most powerful) holiday
3:42 Partnering with a local bakery: how she pitched it cold
5:28 Using new home builders as pie pickup locations
7:51 One location refilled three times in a single day
10:19 The "no pitch" rule: just say enjoy your pie
12:47 How a hockey mom connection led to a local TV segment
15:23 60 referrals in 90 days: leveraging your partner's database
17:55 Start small: why you don't need the full operation on day one
19:38 Yvonne's X factor: give value first, business follows

➡️ Connect With Wendy

https://x.com/brandWendy/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/wendyforsythe/
https://www.instagram.com/brandwendy/

➡️ Download the FREE "Content Creation Realities & Lessons: A Guide to Smarter Strategy": https://stan.store/wendyforsythe

Neymar Lopez got her real estate license without speaking English. Sold her first house in Boulder, Colorado without a driver's license. Closed 7 transactions in her first 6 months—and hit 38 deals last year while serving on the DMAR Board of Directors and getting appointed to the NAREP National Board.

Neymar breaks down how she built a business where 90-95% of clients come from the Latino community, why she mixes personal and business content on one Instagram account, and how connecting with governors, mayors, and nonprofits created trust before she ever asked for a listing. You'll learn her "camera ready every day" rule, why being a "secret agent" kills your business, and how she tells buyers NOT to buy when the timing is wrong.

If you want to build a real estate brand rooted in community, leadership, and showing up loud—this conversation is your blueprint.

➡️ Timestamps

0:00 What's your X factor?
1:07 Neymar's business today: Denver, Boulder, and 90% Latino clients
3:05 Board positions: DMAR and NAREP National
4:02 Origin story: no English, no driver's license, passed the test anyway
6:26 7 transactions in 6 months without speaking English
7:09 From 7 deals to 38: building community in Denver
8:07 How connecting with governors and mayors built instant trust
10:32 "If you're a secret agent, you're in trouble"
13:24 Stories over posts: why daily content wins
14:25 One account vs. two: mixing personal and business
15:45 Coaching first-time buyers through high interest rates
17:58 When Neymar tells buyers NOT to buy
18:24 Her X factor: top producer with her heart
19:47 Why she left her old brokerage for eXp

➡️ Connect With Wendy

https://x.com/brandWendy/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/wendyforsythe/
https://www.instagram.com/brandwendy/

➡️ Download the FREE "Content Creation Realities & Lessons: A Guide to Smarter Strategy": https://stan.store/wendyforsythe

Discover how Rafael "Ray" Reyes turned Instagram into his #1 lead generation tool—racking up 300K views per video, landing properties in Cardi B's hands, and expanding globally without spending $3,000/month on Zillow.

Ray breaks down his exact content formula: the 3-second hook rule, why trending audio matters more than production quality, and how collaboration unlocked international opportunities. You'll learn why his father's passing became the catalyst for going all-in on social media and why his philosophy is simple: stop overthinking, just jump.

If you want to turn social media into actual revenue—this conversation is your blueprint.

➡️ Timestamps

0:00 What's your X factor?
1:15 How Instagram became Ray's #1 lead source
3:42 The viral AI video: 300K views in 24 hours
5:28 How Cardi B bought a house from Ray's video
7:51 Expanding globally through Instagram collaborations
10:19 The 4 pillars: cold calling, mailers, social media, networking
12:47 Ray's listing video formula: hooks, trending audio, staging
15:23 Copy and paste: why perfection kills progress
17:55 The "just jump" philosophy and immigrant hustle
19:38 Ray's X factor: jumping into what you don't understand

➡️ Connect With Wendy

https://x.com/brandWendy/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/wendyforsythe/
https://www.instagram.com/brandwendy/