Offer Accepted

Q: What's the most incredible thing about working as a real estate admin? A: There are countless directions that you can take your career.  It's true! As you grow, learn and achieve, you can use your skills to build the life that you've always dreamed of. Don't believe me? Just ask Mo.  Margaret Smith (aka. “Mo”) is a legend in the real estate admin community. Now, she is fulfilling her dream of becoming a coach, consultant and mentor to admin professionals in real estate and beyond. Mo was my very first guest on the podcast almost two years ago, and so much has changed since then! We’re going to talk about Mo's journey from real estate assistant, to Director of Operations, to starting her own company. I can’t wait to share her story with you! About Mo Mo is on a mission to revolutionize the operations world in the Real Estate Industry. Born and raised in Seattle, WA, she has a passion for seeking truth and asking the hard questions. Mo's parents provided an environment where she and her brothers

When it comes to residential real estate, Tiffany Lawson has seen it all. Not only has she worked as an admin, an agent and a trainer, but she has an incredibly unique perspective - one that I can't wait to share with you! If you've listened to the podcast before, then you'll have heard me say that one person - the right person - can make all the difference. In fact, hiring the right admin can give you the tools you need to double your business in less than two years. This week, we're tackling what it takes to truly be successful in real estate, and how to hire and train an admin who can transform your business.  About Tiffany Tiffany Lawson is a Florida native that has been working her way up the Real Estate ladder since 2014. She began her career as an assistant to the director of operations for a residential and commercial real estate company. That led her to develop a passion for training and coaching administrative admins - after all, she has always set out to break the glass ceiling in all of her r

I knew the moment I met Jessica that I needed to have her on the podcast. Her unstoppable attitude and seemingly endless drive is inspiring, and her journey is relatable to anyone working in real estate. As a Marketing Director and Operations Director for a very large and busy team (when I say busy, I mean they did over 100 transactions in July of 2020!), she has insights that can help any admin grow to be more successful in their role. She also provides some helpful information on what it is that a Marketing/Operations Director actually does, and how their role might fit into the framework of a multifaceted real estate team.  In her arguably limited amount of free time, Jessica also created a clever program to help real estate professionals talk about real estate on social media... without annoying their friends and family. We'll discuss this, how her team is tackling COVID, the trust she maintains with her boss and more.  About Jessica Jes Yeager comes from an entrepreneurial background, having o

Do you want to build a business that supports the life you want to lead? The secret may lie in your ability to simplify your path to success! My guest this week is Stacy Bahrenfuss. She is an incredibly valuable resource for anyone looking to hone, sculpt or completely revamp their business strategy in 2020. In this interview, we’re going to talk about how Stacy grew a very successful real estate team, and why she decided to start over – from scratch. We’ll also find out if making such a drastic move was worth the risk, and we’ll delve into the details of her new business model. About Stacy Bahrenfuss Founder + CEO of the Catalyst Group, Stacy started her real estate company at the early age of 19, sustained through the housing crisis of 2007-2010, and continued to build the business to be a 7-figure operation and one of the top real estate teams in the state (rated #15 in Idaho by Real Trends in 2018). An avid student of personal and spiritual development, having visited India multiple times she has become o

Have you ever had a big idea that someone told you was impossible? Are you looking for freedom and flexibility - both in your career and your life? Maybe you're even considering becoming an entrepreneur, or you recently made the leap to running your own business or team? If any of these sound like you, then this episode of Offer Accepted is right up your alley.  My guest this week is Michelle Spalding - she's a bit of a legend in the TC world. We aren't, however, discussing transaction coordination in this episode; we're taking a deep dive into what it means to be a truly successful entrepreneur. Michelle's unique insights, positive outlook and ability to overcome challenges will speak to anyone looking to break new ground and follow their dreams.  Whether you're thinking about venturing out on your own or you already own a business, you’ll appreciate hearing Michelle’s take on defining success on your own terms. Join us as we discuss setting boundaries with clients, letting go of limiting beliefs a

Recruiting top-producing agents for your team or brokerage is no small feat. It takes a rock-solid value proposition, a clear strategy and hard work to find people that align with your vision and values. In this episode of Offer Accepted, I interview Brett Jennings and Lauren Moseley from Real Estate Experts in San Jose, California. From attracting agents to distributing leads, we tackle everything you need to know about recruiting revenue producing agents that share your values. If you want to create a recruiting strategy that helps you attract agents (rather than chase them) you are going to love this interview! About Brett Jennings Brett Jennings is the owner and founder of Real Estate Experts. Brett is an award-winning luxury home marketing specialist and also holds a certificate in negotiation from Harvard Law. In 2017, the Wall Street Journal recognized Brett and his team as one of the top 250 real estate groups in the United States. With over one million agents in the country, this prestigious award pl

Let's face it: whether we like it or not, the landscape of real estate marketing has changed. Virtual open houses have become the new norm, and agents across the country are thinking of inventive (and sometimes amusing) ways to keep selling. While some COVID marketing methods have proven to be successful, others have fallen painfully flat. So, what's working? And what isn't? My guest this week is Andre Bodnar, the founder of Artifakt Digital. Andre's agency is well-versed in the ways of real estate marketing. He offers some valuable insight on how his clients are adapting their marketing strategies to navigate the waters of COVID, and we discuss the best way to manage creative employees. In a time where it's increasingly important to keep moving forward, this podcast episode can help you answer that looming (and difficult) question: "What's next?"  About Andre Andre is the founder of Artifakt Digital, a digital strategy agency specializing in fully custom and strategic real estate websites, marketing, PP

Trust. Intuition. Fear. Success. What do all these words have in common? Each of them plays an important role in this week's unique episode of Offer Accepted. Although I wouldn't categorize En-May Mangels as my typical podcast guest, her insights, abilities and passion will strike a chord with anyone looking to grow their business or further their career. She is a bright and resourceful leader, and her unique perspective has helped countless people envision and create the life that they've always wanted to live. Listen in as we discuss trusting your gut, easy ways to identify the difference between irrational fear and intuition, and the key to pushing past fear and embracing the unknown. This is an episode you can't afford to miss.  About En-May En-May Mangels is an internationally renowned Strategic Intuitive Advisor, Empath, and modern-day Spiritualist. Working with high-performing individuals in the business world, entertainment, and arts, En-May engages with her clients to safely, compassionately, an

With the employment landscape changing and many companies working entirely from home, COVID has brought the need for (and the benefits of) virtual assistants to the forefront of our minds. I thought this would be the perfect opportunity to catch up with Clint Muhlenberg and discuss the logistics behind working with a virtual assistant, and, more specifically, what it’s like to work with a virtual assistant from the Philippines.  Whether you’re considering hiring a virtual assistant or you’re interested in learning about what a virtual assistant does, this episode is packed with useful information.  Clint runs a company called Level. They provide top-notch virtual assistants from the Philippines to real estate agents and companies across the United States. He has a massive team, and Clint and I share similar philosophies regarding hiring, training and managing remote employees. I can’t think of anyone that would be better suited to discuss this topic. Start listening now to join the discussion! 

How Entrepreneurs & Executive Assistants Can Work Together to Achieve More What can be achieved when a founder and force multiplier work together towards a common goal? In this episode of Offer Accepted, Hallie Warner us takes through the birth, growth and inspiring result of her collaborative partnership with Adam Hergenrother.  If you're in a leadership role, how are you shaping your vision of the future? Will you be able to retain your employees by providing them with consistent growth?  If you're an EA or in a supportive role, do you know how to identify and create opportunities when you see them? Are you dedicated to making yourself an essential part of the team?  I have been so excited to share this interview with Hallie - her story really speaks to me as a business owner, boss and leader. She is an incredible force (a force multiplier, if you will) and if you're looking to explore the possibilities behind partnership and collaboration, then this episode will be sure to pique your int

Is your world suddenly upside down because of COVID-19? Many of us are learning to master Zoom, Slack and virtual listing appointments, and some of us have the added obligation of childcare and homeschooling.  As we navigate these rapid changes and risks together, I wanted to talk to someone who is a well-respected leader in the real estate administrative community. She is in the trenches, trying to navigate working from home and running a real estate team, all while homeschooling her young kids. Meagan Moulden is the Director of Operations for the Kima Real Estate group in North Carolina. She has some incredible insights and ideas to share with you that she learned after moving her 7-person team online.  Meagan shares her perspective on swift adaptation, balance and navigating the challenges that ensue when work/family are no longer separated.  Podcast Resources: Click here to learn more about Meagan and her team.  Admin Success Principles Remote Revolution Operation: Tungsten Light If yo

Okay, I know I don't normally post two podcasts in one week, but I couldn't help myself - this too great not to immediately share. Do you aspire to become 50% of a dynamic Visionary/Implementor partnership? Do you want to learn how to attract and lead a superstar director of operations? Or, are you a real estate administrator who wants to know what might be possible if you found the right team leaders? Either way, this podcast is for you. Grab a cup of coffee and listen as Amanda Doll shares her inspiring story and gives you an inside look into what a truly excellent Visionary/Implementor partnership is really like.  Amanda Doll is the VP of Operations and Growth for Team Borham at Keller Williams Realty. She was first introduced to real estate in 2015 with a background in hospitality and hotel management of over 14 years. Shortly after joining Team Owner, Jeff Borham, Amanda became licensed in the state of Florida and over the last 5 years has played a leading role in taking Team Borham from $8M to

Ah, HR - everyone's favorite part of running (or working in) a business. Right? Well... okay, maybe not. HR is complicated, and that's why we're so excited to have HR Pro LeiLani Quiray share her wisdom on this week's episode of Offer Accepted. New laws? Old laws? Things you should definitely know if you're in the real estate industry? We tackle it all. Founder and HR expert LeiLani Quiray has a fiery passion for both Human Resources (nerdy, we know) and philanthropy. After 20 years of dedicated HR and philanthropic work, she wanted to build a business that was different from your everyday Human Resources consulting firm. Be The Change HR, Inc., a conscious company and social enterprise, provides HR support for small-to-medium sized businesses in any facet of HR - from pre-hire to post-term and everything in between. As Ghandi once said, "Be the chance you wish to see in the world" - and LeiLani is doing just that! Podcast Resources: Connect with LeiLani: https://bethechangehr.org/ For even more resources for

If you’re not using automation to free up your time and focus on your business, then you’re fighting a losing battle. On this week’s episode of Offer Accepted, technology expert Bret Shugrue tackles the changing tech landscape and provides an insightful glimpse into the power behind automation for agents and admins. Bret is the First Technology Coach for KW Maps as well as a Maps on Demand Coach, creator of the Tech-Enabled Agent coaching program, co-creator of Tech-Enabled Leader. In short: this is his bread and butter. He is a master of communication and connection and teaches teams to see (and use) technology as their most valuable asset. AI technology is changing the way people do business in real estate. Are you going to stay on the cutting edge? Podcast Resources: Connect with Bret on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BretShugrue For even more resources for growing your career or growing your real estate business, visit our YouTube Channel. Follow Pro REA Staffing on social: FaceBook Instagram If you

What do you think would happen if you let go of all of the “shoulds” in your life and your business? What if you just showed up 100% as yourself every day and you focused on providing value to others while staying true to your personal values? Would you be happier? Less stressed? Do you think that you could also be MORE successful? We do.  Nicole Sarenpa and her husband Tony started selling real estate in 2006. They worked HARD and they pushed for more and faster growth. Their business was expanding but their life was completely out of whack. Their family and health were suffering and they experienced turn-over and strife in the business. But slowly at first, and then with conviction, they started to make profound changes in how they approached the business and their life as a whole. They centered their decisions and actions around their core values, they slowed down, and they let go of the things that did not serve them. And then things got interesting. Their business doubled. Then it doubled again and

As we close out a decade and prepare for the next, this is the perfect time to take stock of where you are in your life and career and decide what changes you are going to make to build a career that fuels your passion and supports the life you dream about. “Most people overestimate what they can do in a year, and they underestimate what they can do in two or three decades.” - Tony Robbins Jen Stalcup is a force within the real estate admin world. She is passionate about supporting the admin community and supporting real estate agents and teams. We cover a lot of ground in this interview, but one key theme runs through it. YOU can create the career and life you dream of, and it doesn’t have to look like anybody else’s ideal career. Jen manages a 40+ person team and supports 200+ real estate agents as the CEO of AgentREbox while living in the far reaches of Alaska.  The transaction coordination division of her business handled 3,500 closings last year. She also offers a wide range of virtual assistant

The role of the Administrator is evolving rapidly, and there has never been a better time to be insanely good at logistics, details, and organization. Gone are the days of secretaries and order-takers. Today’s Admins Run.The.Show. And thank goodness because we need them! Executives count on their Admins to be their eyes and ears, their sounding board, and to take their ideas and run with them. However, just like any other relationship, this one needs some care and attention if it is going to work well. And that is where Monique Helstrom comes in. Monique Helstrom is the founder of On Point and a leading advocate for Admin Professionals. She believes passionately in empowering administrators to become leaders in their roles. And teaching executives and their admins how to work more effectively together. She consults, trains, and is a keynote speaker on topics such as communication styles, personality types, leadership methods, and ways to motivate. She gained practical experience and understanding of these top

Get ready to think about your work and your CAPACITY for work in a whole new light. David Breckheimer can get more done in a day than most people accomplish in a week, and he does it all with a giant smile on his face. If you want to achieve more in less time, listen up! David Breckheimer has been involved in the real estate, mortgage, closing, and coaching sides of this business since 1997. As a solo agent, David spent multiple years closing over 100 transactions per year, without a team or admin. This lack of support drove David to become very passionate about developing efficiencies and systems that would help him to continue to own his business rather than it owning him. After years of this, David became obsessed with the admin and TC side of the business and began developing systems that would allow him to handle between 70-100 pending transactions at a time, all while maintaining a healthy work-life balance (no nights, no weekends).  Today, David coaches and trains other TCs and business owners on

Anna Lovec is the owner and founder of The Alchemy Company. Her mission is to change the opinion of real estate support staff one transaction at a time. Her team of real estate transaction coordinators provides high-level transaction coordination in CA and FL. I wanted to talk to Anna for a couple of reasons. First, she has a great story, and it's one that I think plenty of my listeners can either relate to or tap into for inspiration. She found a field of work that she loves, cultivated her talent, and grew a business that delivers high-level service for her clients. She also balances running her thriving business with being a wife and mom to 3 young kids. In this interview, we talk about how she leveraged herself out of transaction coordinating and into her current leadership role, and what she has learned about growing and managing a high-performing virtual team of 11 who close 100 transactions per month. This episode is particularly interesting to fellow TC's and real estate teams, but I think that the th

If you listen to the Offer Accepted podcast, you know that systems and processes are a common, reoccurring topic among our guests. Systems are a competitive advantage that anyone can access. The better your systems, the better your business. When you lack documented systems, or your processes are not easily duplicated by other employees, you will find yourself overly dependent on a single Rock Star employee. Ross Novotny takes it one step further. He automates his systems at a very high level. You will be blown away by how he thinks about the use of technology in his daily life. Ross Novotny has been the Director of Operations for a residential real estate team called Group 4610 based in Scottsdale, Arizona. Prior to joining the team, Ross spent 11 years working in operations and project management for a home builder. He is now parlaying his combined 15+ years of experience in the operations world to start his own company  Ross’ new company, www.ThirdDegreeLeverage.com aims to help small businesses with