The Double Duty Agent® Podcast with Carla Higgins

Carla Higgins
  • 5.0 (26)
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Updated Weekly

The Double Duty Agent® Podcast with Coach Carla is for real estate agents who are building their business alongside another career, family responsibilities, caregiving, school, or a full life. If you have ever felt behind, overwhelmed, inconsistent, or unsure how to make real estate work with the time you actually have, this podcast was created for you. Coach Carla Higgins, founder of Double Duty by Design™, helps busy agents turn limited time into focused, income-producing action so they can build a real estate business that fits their life and helps their license become a path to income, freedom, and confidence. Each week, you’ll get practical coaching, mindset support, real agent stories, and simple systems to help you focus on what matters most: conversations, appointments, clients, closings, and income. This is not about hustle, comparison, or building your business like everyone else. It is about building by design. You are not behind. You are building.

  1. Busy But Still Not Getting Clients? 5 Signs You’re Spinning Instead of Building

    2d ago

    Busy But Still Not Getting Clients? 5 Signs You’re Spinning Instead of Building

    You can be busy, tired, and doing “all the things” in real estate and still not be building momentum. In this episode, Carla walks you through 5 signs you may be spinning instead of building, and how to shift back into simple, aligned action that moves your business forward. This podcast is for the real estate agents building their dream life and business on their terms, especially if you're working another job, raising a family, or building it all at once. In this episode of the Double Duty Agent Podcast, we are talking about the difference between spinning and building.  Spinning can feel productive. It can look like planning, learning, organizing, researching, updating your database, working on your brand, or trying to get everything ready. But if your pipeline still feels quiet, your confidence still feels shaky, and you cannot point to what actually moved your business forward, it may be time to pause and check in. This episode is not about shame. It is about clarity. Coach Carla breaks down 5 signs you may be spinning instead of building, including constantly changing your plan, hiding behind preparation, staying busy without income-producing actions, consuming more training than you implement, and waiting to know everything before you start having conversations.  You’ll also learn the antidote for each pattern so you can stop starting over and begin creating real momentum. You’ll learn:  Why spinning can feel responsible, productive, and professional, even when it is keeping you stuck.How to tell the difference between real estate busywork and business-building action.Why conversations are still the starting point for appointments, clients, closings, and income.How to create a simple weekly evidence list so you can see what is actually moving.What to say when someone asks you a question and you do not know the answer yet. “Spinning creates motion. Building creates momentum.” COACHING REFLECTION QUESTION At the end of this week, ask yourself: Did I create evidence that my business is being built? Did I create conversations? Did I follow up? Did I invite anyone to an appointment? Did I move any relationship forward? Did I add anyone to my database? Did I ask for business or referrals? And if the answer is no, do not beat yourself up. Come back to the next aligned action. If you have a challenge, a stuck place, a question, or something you are wrestling with, submit it at DoubleDutyPodcast.com.  Submit your Coach’s Corner question or challenge and Subscribe to the Double Duty Download Newsletter: https://DoubleDutyPodcast.com  Share this episode with one other agent who needs to hear that adjusting a goal is not the same as giving up. And if this episode helped you, leave a 5-star review to help more Double Duty Agents find this podcast.  LET’S CONNECT Join the community and get weekly coaching in your inbox at https://DoubleDutyPodcast.com. Share this episode with one other agent who feels busy but stuck, and if you found value, leave a 5-star review to help more agents find this podcast.   Send us Fan Mail

    30 min
  2. Coach’s Corner: Stuck in Preparation Mode? Here’s How to Get Moving

    May 29

    Coach’s Corner: Stuck in Preparation Mode? Here’s How to Get Moving

    If you keep learning, watching, and taking classes but still feel stuck when it comes to taking action, this episode will help you find your next focused step. This podcast is for the real estate agents building their dream life and business on their terms, especially if you're working another job, raising a family, or building it all at once. In this Coach’s Corner episode of the Double Duty Agent Podcast, Coach Carla responds to a powerful website submission from Gloria, who shared that she feels like she is experiencing “failure to launch.” She keeps taking classes, wishes she could shadow someone through every type of transaction, feels embarrassed when people ask what she is doing with real estate, and wonders if she can really do this because she does not see herself as a salesperson. This episode is a grounded coaching conversation for any agent who feels frozen, overwhelmed, or unsure where to begin. Carla walks through the difference between preparation and protection, how fear can disguise itself as “I just need one more class,” and why the next right step may be much simpler than learning every possible transaction scenario.  You’ll learn:  How to recognize when preparation has become protection.Why your “protector part” may be trying to keep you safe, but also keeping you stuck.How to come back to the real estate formula: conversations lead to appointments, appointments lead to clients, clients lead to closings, and closings lead to income.Why being a consultant does not mean being passive.How to identify where you are in the formula and choose your next focused step.What to do before taking another class, watching another replay, or waiting to feel ready. This isn’t just content. This is coaching. Let’s go. “Sometimes preparation is wisdom. And sometimes preparation is protection.” Your Coach’s Corner Coaching Reflection Questions: Where are you in the formula right now?  Are you focused on conversations, appointments, clients, closings, or income?  And what is one focused action you can take in the next 24 hours? This Week’s Focused for More Challenge  Before you take another class, register for another training, or watch another replay, take one real-world action that moves you forward in the formula. Start by writing this sentence: The action I’m avoiding is ______ because I’m afraid ______. Then identify your next focused step: If you need conversations, have five.If you need appointments, practice asking for the next step.If you need client confidence, ask a mentor to walk you through a consultation.If you need transaction confidence, ask to shadow one specific part of the process.Not everything. Just one thing.  One focused step. Submit your question for a future Coach’s Corner episode:  https://DoubleDutyPodcast.com And while you there, sign up for the weekly newsletter If this episode helped you see your next step more clearly, share it with one other agent who may be stuck in preparation mode too. And if you found value, leave a 5-star review to help more agents find the Double Duty Agent Podcast. Send us Fan Mail

    23 min
  3. The Real Estate Formula That Actually Creates Income

    May 27

    The Real Estate Formula That Actually Creates Income

    Most agents are doing too much… and still not building consistent momentum. In this episode of the Double Duty Agent Podcast, Coach Carla breaks down the simple formula that actually creates business in real estate — especially for Double Duty Agents balancing another career, family responsibilities, and limited time.  If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by social media, branding, trainings, systems, or trying to “do it all,” this episode will help you refocus on the activities that truly move the needle. This is not about hustle. This is about conversations. And more importantly, it’s about understanding how consistent conversations create consistent appointments, consistent clients, consistent closings, and ultimately… consistent income.  We also dive into:  what actually counts as a real estate conversationwhy confidence comes from action, not before itthe Law of the Harvest and why results often lag behind the efforthow to build momentum even if you don’t have a large sphere of influencewhy small consistent actions matter more than occasional massive efforthow the Double Duty 5x5 system helps agents stay focused without burnoutThis episode is a reminder that you do not need to become someone else to succeed in real estate.  You need focus. You need consistency. And you need to stay in conversation long enough for the harvest to grow.  You’ll Learn: The real estate formula that creates predictable momentumWhat qualifies as a meaningful “conversation”Why many agents mistake busy work for business-buildingHow to create opportunities naturally through everyday connectionThe mindset shift that helps Double Duty Agents stop overcomplicating lead generation“The business already exists around you. Conversations uncover it.” This Week’s Coaching Reflection Question:  What conversations are you avoiding right now… and what could change if you consistently focused on connection instead of perfection? Join the Double Duty community and newsletter: https://DoubleDutyPodcast.com Share this episode with another agent who feels overwhelmed or stuck in inconsistency. If this episode encouraged you, challenged you, or helped you simplify your focus, would you take a moment to leave a 5-star review? Your review helps more Double Duty Agents discover the podcast and reminds them that they are not building this business alone. And remember: Double Duty by Design™. Your design. Send us Fan Mail

    20 min
  4. The Real Estate Formula That Actually Creates Income

    May 22

    The Real Estate Formula That Actually Creates Income

    Feeling busy but not building momentum? This episode brings you back to the one focused action that creates opportunity: consistent conversations. This podcast is for real estate agents building their dream life and business on their terms, especially if you're working another job, raising a family, or building it all at once. In this episode of the Double Duty Agent Podcast, we continue Season 3: Focused for More by breaking down the simple formula that creates momentum in real estate: Conversations → Appointments → Clients → Closings → Income You’ll learn:  Why conversations are the starting point for every real estate opportunityThe four things that make a conversation “count”How simple math can help you find the 10% of people in your world who may need your helpWhy the Magic Question opens the door to more referralsHow consistency creates consistent appointments, clients, closings, and income This isn’t just content. This is coaching. Let’s go.  “Income is the outcome. Income is not the first step. The first step is the conversation.”  This Week’s Coaching Reflection Question:  What number of real conversations can you commit to each day this week?  Take Action:   Join the weekly newsletter: DoubleDutyPodcast.com Ask the Magic Question: “Who do you know that might need help with real estate?” Share this episode with one agent who needs to refocus on the activity that creates opportunity.   Send us Fan Mail

    20 min
  5. What If Real Estate Success Is Simpler Than You Think? with David Burton

    May 20

    What If Real Estate Success Is Simpler Than You Think? with David Burton

    What if building your real estate business was simpler than you thought? In this episode, David Burton shares how relationships, consistency, service, and the willingness to ask for help can create sustainable success without losing yourself in the process.  This podcast is for the real estate agents building their dream life and business on their terms, especially if you're working another job, raising a family, or building it all at once. In this episode of the Double Duty Agent Podcast, Coach Carla sits down with her friend, coach, and real estate professional David Burton for a grounded conversation about what it really takes to build a lasting real estate business. David shares his journey from mortgage and title into real estate, what it was like starting as a dual-career agent, and how his first year in the business was built almost entirely through relationships and referrals. From navigating the 2008 market shift to learning how to protect his health, energy, and boundaries, David brings honest wisdom from nearly two decades in the industry. This conversation brings us back to the heart of Season 3: being Focused for More. Not more hustle. Not more pressure. More intention. More service. More meaningful conversations. More consistency in the right things. You’ll learn:  Why your sphere of influence may be your most powerful business-building assetHow asking for help can open doors you cannot open aloneWhy success without boundaries can quickly turn into burnoutHow to stay consistent without expecting every day to look the sameWhy real estate is a service profession, not just a sales professionHow to stop making assumptions and start having real conversationsWhy focusing on relationships, follow-up, and intentional action still works in any marketThis isn’t just content. This is coaching. Let’s go. “Sometimes someone else can see your capacity before you are ready to claim it.”  Key Takeaways  1. Your sphere is not just a database. It is a relationship network.   David’s first year in real estate was built through conversations with people who already knew him and trusted him. He did not overcomplicate it. He reached out, asked for help, and allowed the people in his life to introduce him to others. For Double Duty Agents, this is such an important reminder: you do not need to be everywhere. You need to start with the people already in your world. 2. Asking for help is not weakness. It is part of growth.  David’s story about his friend Monica introducing him as one of the top agents in Austin is a powerful example of what can happen when we allow others to support us. Many agents struggle to receive help because they are used to being the giver. But when we refuse to receive, we may be taking away someone else’s opportunity to contribute, support, and celebrate us. 3. Consistency matters, but so do boundaries.  David was honest about reaching success while also dealing with burnout, health challenges, and the cost of not prioritizing himself.  That is a message every agent needs to hear: success is not just about transactions, awards, or production. A sustainable business must also protect your health, your energy, your relationships, and your life. 4. Real estate is a service business.  This conversation is a beautiful reminder that agents walk with people through some of the biggest transitions of their lives: marriage, babies, divorce, downsizing, death, financial stress, and new beginnings. When you focus on serving people well, the business follows. 5. Focused for More means doing the right things with intention.  David and Carla talk about the importance of intentional daily action, meaningful conversations, and staying connected to the activities that actually move the business forward.  Focused for More does not mean doing everything. It means choosing the work that matters and returning to it consistently. Coaching Reflection Question:  Where do you need to simplify and refocus in your business right now? Is it your sphere?  Your follow-up?  Your boundaries?  Your willingness to ask for help? Your commitment to having real conversations?  Choose one small, aligned action you can take today.  Mentioned in This Episode Building a business through your sphere of influenceRelationship-based lead generationDual-career real estate successConsistency and intentional actionSetting boundaries to avoid burnoutAsking for help and receiving supportOpen houses as a business-building strategyThe power of coaching and accountabilityTurning your phone to grayscale to reduce distractionsSimon Sinek’s work on finding your whyThe Purpose FactorMark Manson’s Everything Is Fcked* Links + Resources  Join the weekly newsletter: DoubleDutyPodcast.comShare a question or challenge for a future Coach’s Corner episode: DoubleDutyPodcast.comLearn more about Double Duty by Design coaching and resources: DoubleDutyPodcast.comBooks David referenced: Start With Why by Simon SinekThe Purpose Factor by Brian Bosché and Gabrielle BoschéEverything Is Fcked: A Book About Hope* by Mark MansonConnect with David Burton:  If you have someone moving to, from, or within the Austin, Texas area, David would be a wonderful referral partner.  David Burton Keller Williams Email: dburton@kw.com Join the community and get weekly coaching in your inbox at DoubleDutyPodcast.com. If this episode encouraged you, challenged you, or helped you think differently about your business, share it with one other agent who needs the reminder that they do not have to build this business alone.  And if you found value in today’s episode, please leave a 5-star review. It helps other agents find the podcast and lets us keep growing this Double Duty Agent community together. SEO Keywords:  Double Duty Agent, dual-career real estate agent, part-time real estate agent, real estate coaching, real estate business planning, Austin Texas real estate, Austin real estate referral, David Burton Keller Williams, real estate sphere of influence, relationship-based lead generation, real estate referrals, real estate database, real estate conversations, real estate consistency, real estate boundaries, burnout in real estate, sustainable real estate business, open house lead generation, real estate accountability, real estate coaching podcast, Focused for More, Double Duty by Design.  Send us Fan Mail

    57 min
  6. Coach’s Corner: You Don’t Have to Figure This Out Alone

    May 15

    Coach’s Corner: You Don’t Have to Figure This Out Alone

    If you have been carrying real estate questions you are afraid to ask out loud, this Coach’s Corner episode is your invitation to bring them here. Coach’s Corner is back for Season 3, and this episode reintroduces it as a safe coaching space for Double Duty Agents who are building real estate alongside another job, family responsibilities, caregiving, school, or a full life.  Coach Carla shares how Coach’s Corner will help agents bring their real challenges, get honest support without shame, and find the next right step when they feel stuck, scattered, behind, overwhelmed, or unsure what to focus on.  This season, Coach’s Corner will connect directly to the Focused for More theme by helping agents turn real-life challenges into focused, income-producing action, one step at a time.  Why You Should Listen Listen to this episode if you are: Carrying real estate questions you have not wanted to say out loudFeeling stuck, scattered, behind, or inconsistentTrying to build real estate in the margins of a full lifeWondering what to focus on nextStruggling with confidence, comparison, follow-up, lead generation, or consistencyNeeding a safe place to bring the real challenge underneath the taskIn this episode, you’ll learn:  What Coach’s Corner is and how it will support you in Season 3Why your challenge does not have to be dramatic, polished, or perfectly worded to matterHow practical challenges often have deeper stories underneath themWhy getting coached is not about shame, pressure, or doing moreHow to submit your question or challenge for a future Coach’s Corner episodeSeason 3 is about choosing what matters most, setting weekly intentions, taking consistent action, and building momentum with the time you actually have. In Coach’s Corner, Coach Carla will help bring each challenge back to focus: What matters most here?What is the real obstacle?What is the story underneath it?What is the next income-producing action?What support or system would make this easier?What is the smallest focused step you can take this week? Episode Highlights  00:00 Reintroducing Coach’s Corner for Season 3 00:35 Why Coach’s Corner is a place for real challenges 01:00 The questions Double Duty Agents often keep to themselves 02:15 Why this is a safe coaching space, not a shame-based space 03:00 Practical challenges and the deeper stories underneath them 04:20 How to submit your challenge for a future Coach’s Corner episode 05:20 Why your privacy and story will be protected 06:00 What building by design means inside Coach’s Corner 06:45 How Coach’s Corner connects to Focused for More 07:35 Why your challenge matters, even if it does not feel dramatic 08:35 Your next step: submit your question at DoubleDutyPodcast.com Quotable Moment:  “The goal is to support you and help another agent who may be carrying the same thing silently.” Ask yourself:  What challenge have I been carrying quietly because I thought I should already know how to handle it?  Then take one small step: Go to DoubleDutyPodcast.com and submit your question or challenge for a future Coach’s Corner episode. It does not have to be polished. It does not have to be perfect. It just needs to be real.  Resources Mentioned Submit your question or challenge for Coach’s Corner at DoubleDutyPodcast.comJoin the Double Duty Community at DoubleDutyPodcast.comSubscribe to the Double Duty Download newsletterFind more Double Duty by Design resources at DoubleDutyPodcast.comReady to bring your real challenge into a space where it can be coached with honesty, compassion, and clarity? Head to DoubleDutyPodcast.com and click the button to submit your question or challenge for a future Coach’s Corner episode.  And if this episode helped you feel less alone, please leave a 5-star review and share it with one other agent who needs the reminder that they do not have to figure this business out alone. SEO Keywords:  Double Duty Agent, Coach’s Corner, dual-career real estate agent, real estate coaching, real estate confidence, real estate consistency, income-producing action, Focused for More, Double Duty by Design, real estate business that fits your life. Send us Fan Mail

    12 min
  7. Season 3: Episode 1: This Is How You Stop Spinning and Start Building

    May 13

    Season 3: Episode 1: This Is How You Stop Spinning and Start Building

    Episode Title:  S.3 E.1:  This Is How You Stop Spinning and Start Building:  Introducing Season 3: Focused for More If your real estate business has felt scattered, start-stop, or stuck in your head, this episode will help you understand how to move from spinning to focused, income-producing action. In this episode of the Double Duty Agent Podcast, Coach Carla introduces Season 3: Focused for More. Season 2 helped us get aligned. Now Season 3 is about turning that alignment into focused, consistent, income-producing action. You’ll hear why alignment was never meant to be the finish line, how focus helps you protect what matters, and why weekly intentions are the starting point for building real momentum with the time you actually have. Why You Should Listen  Listen to this episode if you are: Feeling scattered and unsure what to focus onTrying to build real estate around another job, family, caregiving, school, or a full lifeTired of starting and stoppingComparing your pace to full-time agentsReady to turn clarity into action that creates conversations, clients, closings, income, and freedom What You’ll Learn In this episode, you’ll learn:  Why alignment is the foundation, but focus is how you build on itHow to stop chasing someone else’s version of successWhy your pace does not determine your potentialHow weekly intentions help create consistency one week at a timeWhy focus helps you turn limited time into income-producing actionIn this episode, Carla introduces the Consistency Wheel, a Season 3 framework designed to help Double Duty Agents build consistency without relying on willpower alone.  The wheel includes:  WhyGoalsScheduleFocusTrackingSystemsSupportAdjustAt the center are weekly intentions, because consistency happens one week at a time. Episode Highlights  00:00 Why this episode is the handoff into Season 3 01:20 The bridge from alignment to focus 03:40 What Season 2 helped us clarify 10:30 Why alignment is the foundation, not the finish line 12:10 Introducing Season 3: Focused for More 14:00 Why focus matters when your time is limited 15:35 Introducing the Consistency Wheel 21:25 Reflection questions for stepping into Season 3 23:30 The handoff: aligned for more to focused for more Quotable Moment:  “Alignment tells you what matters. Focus helps you keep choosing it.” Coaching Reflection:  Ask yourself:  Where do I need more focus right now?  Then take one small step:  Set one weekly intention that connects to income-producing action. Not fifteen things. One focused step. One week at a time.  Resources Mentioned Join the Double Duty Community at DoubleDutyPodcast.comSubscribe to the Double Duty Download newsletter Submit a question or challenge for Coach’s Corner at DoubleDutyPodcast.comFind more Double Duty resources at DoubleDutyPodcast.comFramework mentioned: The Consistency WheelReady for more support as you build real estate alongside a full life?  Head to DoubleDutyPodcast.com to join the Double Duty Community, subscribe to the Double Duty Download newsletter, submit a question for Coach’s Corner, and find resources designed to help you turn limited time into focused, income-producing action. If this episode helped you, please leave a 5-star review and share it with one other agent who needs the reminder that they are not behind. They are building.  SEO Keywords;  Doubl Send us Fan Mail

    28 min
  8. Coach’s Corner: From Conversations to Closings: Building Confidence for Real Estate Appointments

    May 1

    Coach’s Corner: From Conversations to Closings: Building Confidence for Real Estate Appointments

    If you’re generating leads but struggling to turn them into appointments, this episode will help you close the confidence gap and take the next step with clarity.  EPISODE OVERVIEW This podcast is for the real estate agents building their dream life and business on their terms, especially if you're working another job, raising a family, or building it all at once. In this episode of the Double Duty Agent Podcast, we’re diving into one of the most common challenges agents face: feeling confident when it’s time to ask for and lead an appointment. If you’ve ever felt strong in conversations but unsure when it’s time to take the next step, you are not alone. This episode breaks down what’s really happening in that moment and how to move forward with clarity and confidence. You’ll learn:  Why struggling with appointments is not a lead generation problem, but a confidence and clarity gapWhat an appointment actually is and how to remove the pressure so you can show up more naturallyA simple, practical step you can take this week to start building real confidence through practiceYou’ll also hear about the three most common points where confidence breaks down and how to begin strengthening each one.  “Confidence doesn’t come from thinking about it. It comes from practicing it.” Where do you feel the most hesitation right now, asking for the appointment, showing up to it, or navigating the conversation? What is one small step you can take today to move forward? Join the Save your Seat for the May 16 Appointment Confidence Lab, join the Double Duty community and access resources: https://doubledutypodcast.com Send us Fan Mail

    9 min
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About

The Double Duty Agent® Podcast with Coach Carla is for real estate agents who are building their business alongside another career, family responsibilities, caregiving, school, or a full life. If you have ever felt behind, overwhelmed, inconsistent, or unsure how to make real estate work with the time you actually have, this podcast was created for you. Coach Carla Higgins, founder of Double Duty by Design™, helps busy agents turn limited time into focused, income-producing action so they can build a real estate business that fits their life and helps their license become a path to income, freedom, and confidence. Each week, you’ll get practical coaching, mindset support, real agent stories, and simple systems to help you focus on what matters most: conversations, appointments, clients, closings, and income. This is not about hustle, comparison, or building your business like everyone else. It is about building by design. You are not behind. You are building.

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