Advertise on podcast: Leader's Path

One of the leadership topics they talk about at Buffini & Company is the difference between teaching, training, mentoring and coaching. People often use these terms interchangeably. During this episode, Terri King, Chief Customer Officer at Buffini & Company explains how they see teaching as a transfer of knowledge, training is a transfer of skill, mentoring is a transfer of experience, and coaching is unlocking a person’s potential. A teacher, trainer and mentor will give a person advice, insights, and action steps to take, but if the person doesn’t take action, it ends with inaction. A coach stays in there, works to help remove those things that get in our way, and champions the person to achieve great things. As leaders we sometimes wear all these hats! It helps to know which role we’re playing.

From the back side of association work to leading from the front with Women’s Council of REALTORS® as the new CEO, Amanda Stinton shares the impact that professional connections and windows of opportunity can make in a life years from now.   In this episode, Amanda and Lori talk about not being afraid to respectfully decline an opportunity that does not fit BUT also the importance of being able to say “Yes” when the right opportunities present themselves.    Ask yourself the question, “Is it a good use of my time?”  and look at the opportunity as a way to create new connections, new communities, and new opportunities that will strengthen and broaden you both personally and professionally.    

In the small town of Canton TX there is a real estate office towering above all others.  Canton has a population of under 5,000 with approximately 62,000 in the entire county plus every major brand in real estate; maybe 200 agents total. In that area are four Top 100 agents in all of EXIT. Debbie and Mike Murdock’s EXIT Realty Pro is home to approximately 45 agents - that is 23% of the total. Growth, production, market share and high agent count who are sponsoring like crazy. How? The Murdock Method.  Listen as Mike and Debbie share their secrets.

EXIT Realty Bend in Bend, OR, is a three-act play of success.  In this episode, we discover how Jim Mazziotti started his EXIT brokerage from scratch, hired brand-new agent, Juana Beede, early on, trained and prepared her to be a very productive agent, and all was well.  Act one.   Then one day life changed for Jim, and he was faced with the decision to move to Texas. Having a succession plan is a must for any business but he had no idea that when Juana learned of his dilemma, she was interested in buying the brokerage.  Just as he had trained Juana to sell real estate, Jim began to mentor her to lead the office. Act two.   Jim then moved to a northern suburb of Dallas where he joined EXIT Elite Realty. Paul Reitz and team immediately put Jim to work mentoring agents there and within a year and a half Jim became the sales manager, all the while mentoring Juana back in Bend. Act three.   Listen to Jim and Juana tell the story of how it all happened.

In part 2 of our interview with real estate industry icon, Leigh Brown, you’ll hear how her windows of opportunities become her own personal journey.  From there Lori and Leigh talk about Leigh’s volunteer leadership path and her insights on the current challenges at NAR and inside the real estate industry. Leigh works on her real estate business and just not in it.  Now she pays it forward by speaking and coaching.

Stop what you are doing to really listen to this industry icon talk about how she has taken her spit fire personality and created an amazing business with authentic video and an amazing team.  Leigh Brown learned early on to replace herself with someone who could do the things she either didn’t want to do or wasn’t good at doing. In part 1, Leigh shares how her mentor recognized that she had something to give so he nudged her to be on a panel.  It was then she realized she was not just getting nuggets from others, but she was able to share with others who started asking for more.  That was the start of her speaking and then coaching journey. She continued to pour into herself and learned from all different platforms and coaches so that she could be a better version of herself.  She created her own content and then reproduced other producing agents, brokers, and leaders.

John's not a young man, but when I answered a call from him, he was as enthusiastic as a little kid.  He was so excited he just had to share with me his news that after 40 years in real estate averaging hundreds of transactions a year, he had set a new personal best.    John's first career was playing guitar in his band all over Upstate New York but when he found real estate there was no looking back.  Sounds like there are a few stories you may want to hear.   EXIT Realty Homeward Bound is a family affair. Based in Vestal, NY this is one of our most successful offices that truly make us proud.  Recently you heard a podcast episode featuring John's son, Robert Farrell, who is the company's general manager, sharing with us the successful formula he uses to lead in his marketplace and build strong individuals along the way.   Can you imagine closing an average of 181 deals yearly and making it look easy? John holds every production award EXIT Realty has and we had to make up one just for him.   So, what was the new personal best he was so excited to share?  Hear it for yourself as we chat with a true legend.

In Gulf Shores, AL, real estate is a family affair. After years in the construction business, Tom started his real estate sales career and built a significant presence in the coastal area. When he and his wife, Toni Stanton, discovered EXIT Realty, the model fit their values, and over the years they have built an excellent brokerage.   When their son, Tommy, graduated from Troy University uncertain about his future and having no interest in the family business, he was asked to help with organizational projects. He found he fit after all and now plays major roles in the two offices: EXIT Realty Gulf Shores and EXIT Realty Orange Beach, an upscale community. Following in Dad's footsteps in local real estate leadership, Tommy is a board past president and state director.   This family triad is very successful.  Listen as Tommy shares the company vision statement, and you’ll feel their passion for people and excellence. Tom is so well known in his area he loves being greeted the phrase, “You’re My REALTOR®!”, which are sweetest three words any of us can hear.    We present the Stantons and know you will enjoy hearing from these professionals and great leaders; real salt of the earth people.

In the small Ohio town of Belpre, Ohio, is a lady with two charming offices on each side of the Ohio River.  Charm galore and backed up by a mature engaged businesswoman, Marian DuVall, Broker/Owner of  EXIT Riverbend Realty has built an enterprise to envy.  I am always amazed at how our small market offices fare against all the large brands, and in Marian's case, she’s scaring the big boys for sure.   At Broker/Owner training or Master Broker Summit, Marian is there soaking it all in and when she speaks we listen because her confidence and strength demand it. In this episode, Marian explains her approach to having strong administrative help, technology engagement and then being selective to hire the best folks in town. Her total focus is on being the real deal in caring service to clients, community and her team.  Marian's is a big story from a small town.

During our conversation we hear how Diana Zaya spent her first year as a starving real estate agent working hard, marketing, networking, holding open houses, and answering the phone, all without a sale.  Her persistence led to multiple millions in sales by her third year in the business.   After taking some time away from the industry she came back to real estate on the affiliate side and worked in various roles.  Her latest role on the data analytics side gave her a sneak peek into what was missing once brokers had the data.  They did not know what to do with it or how to follow through and follow back within 3, 6, 12, or even 18 months. So, after some frustration and months of planning, MaverickRE Consulting was created.  Diana took the leap and started her own company focused on helping brokers create and nurture systems and incentivize strategies for better agent recruitment and retention outcomes to grow their brokerages.  Hers is a true story of find the need and fill the need.  You will not want to miss this opportunity to hear the rest.

Dave Harris is a mature, true professional in both real estate and business.  After four decades in real estate, he has been spending the last decade building EXIT Cape Realty with three locations on Cape Cod.   Historic quaint towns allow for small local offices that pack a punch in sales and market awareness. Check his website exitcaperealty.com to look at some beautiful properties.   Dave is a positive EXIT example in every way, totally emersed in everything EXIT Realty offers. He also owns a real estate licensing school and has developed solid onboarding and training systems that grow and keep superstars.   Dave is a fine man who makes us all look so good in a unique corner of the U.S..  

In all of the effective real estate offices I have seen, the company's vision and/or mission statement is posted or painted for all to read. Brian Lawton has built a two-office company, EXIT Realty HGM, based in Janesville, WI and his offices cover an area two hours north of Chicago that are small markets while they make a big name for themselves.   Brian, an educator, with a master's in educational leadership, brings his deep and mature knowledge into EXIT Realty and by design builds something special. He says, “I'm a dad, I build companies, take cold showers, give speeches, finish races, and help agents and investors live with intention.”   So what is Brian's vision statement?  Listen and you will find out, and here is a tip, it is in his company's name.