Real Estate Thought Leaders

Matt Johnson
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If you're a leader in residential real estate, mortgage, title or proptech... ...and you're creating content for agents (or you plan to)... ...this interview series was designed for you. Through industry interviews and analysis, you get an inside look at how leaders are tackling challenges like: How to reach and engage agents How to build a sense of community and shared mission among agents How to deliver razor-sharp messaging and cut through the noise How to deal with marketing platforms getting more expensive and less effective You’ll hear from thought leaders who are in the trenches talking to agents and creating content for them every day. You'll also hear from front line leaders at real estate, mortgage and title brands who are innovating, driving sales and dominating their market. Brought to you by MicroFamous, a done-for-you content agency with 10 years experience launching B2B media platforms. Our story started with the launch of Real Estate Uncensored in 2015, which went on to get 3.5 million views across multiple platforms. Visit GetMicroFamous.com to learn more. rethoughtleaders.substack.com

  1. 9H AGO

    How Speakers REALLY Get Booked:

    Community-driven events are very different from big name brokerage or coaching events. They value different things.Choose topics differently.Find speakers differently. Karen is on both sides, as a speaker and running her annual conference, Empowering Women in Real Estate. Here are a few of the… Non-Obvious Insights from our Conversation: Look for Communities Where You Fit the Vibe and Conversation Already Taking Place Here’s Karen on her process for searching for speakers… “It just starts on social media. Honestly, I just start connecting. I already know a lot of people. So it’s either people that jumped out at me from social media for whatever reason that I’ve connected to through other people. Maybe it’s conversations I’ve had in my team or just the flow of conversation I see happening in our Facebook group, then I’ll target a speaker or a panel around that.” If you want to speak at this kind of event, your best bet is to already be in the community, contributing and being visible. But if not, you’ll have to show the event organizer that you understand and resonate with the community. For the event organizer, one of the worst outcomes is a speaker that gets the audience thinking, “Why did they put THIS speaker on stage??” Get Involved & Build Relationships WELL in Advance “Plans start early, honestly…following the event, I have to take time off… so once I come back about a week later is usually when we start putting things together. Right now it’s 9-10 months out from our 2026 event…. And we’re looking at venues. I’ve already booked two speakers.” The planning for next year’s event starts the week after this year’s event. That’s how far out event organizers are thinking and planning. If you’re pitching 3-4 months before an event, the entire speaking lineup might already be locked down. Reverse Engineer the Emotional Effect You Want to Have on the Audience “We do a debrief generally within 24-48 hours following the event so we can talk about what went well, who did we love, who did the room respond well to, what do we never want to do again? We also send out a survey to our attendees…the questions are really catered to the different speakers. A great example is one of our speakers…last year was so well-received, literally every single survey mentioned her. And we actually had her back to speak at a virtual event this week. So that’s how we do it.” Repeat and referral speaking gigs are a game of optimizing how the audience feels, throughout (and especially) at the end of your talk. Instead of planning your talk from beginning to end, try reversing that. First think about your topic, and what emotion you want to make the audience feel. Then go backwards through the stories, examples, ideas or concepts that will stir up that emotion. You’ll end up at the start, but it will probably be a very different talk. People will forget 99% of what you say. But if you make them feel something, they’ll remember you. Want to go deeper? Click on the audio file for the full chat, where Karen shared more on her mission with Empowering Women in Real Estate. You can also search Real Estate Thought Leaders on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Or Hit Reply and share any insight or opinion you have on the booking process for community-driven events Ask This: If you were left to your own devices, giving a standard talk, what emotional effect do you have on the audience? Are they…inspired…overwhelmed by options…determined, hopeful, cheerful? The emotional effect needed to overcome inertia and motivate prospects to buy from you probably isn’t the same effect you want to have on an audience at an event. Especially if you’re looking to create more speaking opportunities. Quick Links & Resources Empowering Women in Real Estate conferenceEmpowering Women in Real Estate podcastKaren’s book Empowering Women in Real Estate - a collection of short storiesFacebook Group that started it allKaren on Instagram Thanks so much to Karen for taking us behind the scenes of a very unique event! Connect with her on Instagram, or get involved in the Facebook Group (if you fit the vibe and conversation). If you’re looking for a guest for your podcast or YouTube channel, she’s fantastic as well, let me know if you want a personal intro! Talk soon, -Matt Agency Founder & Author of MicroFamous PS Here’s how we can help… Done-for-You Content Production & Strategy - We turn raw footage into professional YouTube videos, podcasts and email newsletters. All with zero overwhelm, guaranteed. From Michael Maher and Lars Hedenborg to Jeff Cohn and Marki Lemons Ryhal, we’ve been the content team behind many of your fellow real estate coaches, speakers and authors. We start every client engagement by developing your ‘Signature Talk’ - So you have a message you’re excited to take to stages, guest interviews and all your content. Then we launch your flagship video show - supported by audio podcast and email newsletter, delivered with pro-quality and relentless consistency. We promote with short video clips and social posts on any platform where you’re active. Each month we give you research-based video title and topic ideas, scripts, outlines, even slides. Plus all the support you need to stay consistent, from email updates to strategy calls. So if you’re not putting out the quality of content…consistently…to become the thought leader you’re meant to be, let’s talk. Click here to learn more and schedule a Free Brainstorm Call. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit rethoughtleaders.substack.com

    18 min

  2. FEB 19

    Steal This Tactic to Turbocharge Your ‘Signature Talk’

    Ever finished your talk and looked out at a confused audience? Horrible feeling. And you’re not alone. “I used to give talks…on panels, interviews…where I’d talk about strategy….And I noticed a lot of the audience would be sitting there dumbfounded, not in a good way, but basically confused.” That’s Eric Simon, founder of BAM Media. Starting with his Broke Agent following on social media, Eric co-founded BAM, and has grown BAMx into possibly the largest hybrid group coaching/community membership in real estate. Along the way, he and the BAM team have put on physical events both large and small, as well as regular themed virtual events with guest speakers like Alex Hormozi. So Eric is on both sides, speaking and booking speakers. Here are the… Non-Obvious Insights from our Conversation: Marked-Up Screenshots are a Secret Weapon Thanks to Sharran Srivatsaa serving on the board of BAM, Eric had an experience that changed how he built his talks. Sharran interviewed him on stage, breaking down Eric’s videos and social posts on screen in front of the audience. The result? “By far the best talk I’ve ever given…because you get the audience reaction from the video itself…Then another thing you want to do is show proof over promise. This is not my idea, this is another Sharran thing. So it’s really just showing what worked, why it worked, and the results.” In Eric’s case, that meant sharing marked up screenshots, including circling the results (like engagement numbers on specific posts), so the audience had visual, concrete proof. It’s easy to forget about this when building slide decks for a talk. Or maybe you disregard screenshots because they don’t look professional, or you’d have to blur out some details, which is extra work. Eric’s point is that all of that…capturing the right screenshot, marking it up, adding it into the slide deck, picking the right spot…it’s all worth it. Because the effect on the audience is SO much greater. Send Your Slide Deck EARLY & Offer to Walk Through It on Zoom “Sometimes [we] do have to just take a flyer though [on a new speaker]…like if we’re filling a full day of content…The due diligence leading up to it, a lot of it is consuming the [speaker’s] content and then actually saying, ‘Hey, what do you want to talk about?’ Zooming with them and going over their presentation.” With some seasoned speakers, Eric said it would be ‘psychotic’ to ask them to go over their presentation in advance. But for everyone else, it’s part of their vetting and preparation. One of the biggest pet peeves of event organizers are speakers sending their slide decks late. Don’t make the event organizer’s life harder. They all talk to each other, so even little mistakes can cost you referrals and repeat gigs. Remove Risk By Publishing Long Form Content “If I hear someone that’s really good on YouTube or a podcast or has their own podcast, I’ve heard them speak long form....That’s probably someone that’s a little bit better and more tuned on stage than someone who maybe had an Instagram post go viral and wants to speak on a social panel.” For many ‘casual speakers,’ you don’t have great footage of you speaking on stage. Tracking down footage from past events is tough, and many speakers end up hiring a videographer just to get good footage. After all, the event videographer is documenting the event, they’re not there to serve your needs. So while speaker reels are critical (and we’ll happily edit yours if you’re a client), without a killer speaker reel, long form content is your best option to remove the risk of booking you. Especially polished, pro-level YouTube videos, 5-10 minutes long, shot in ‘talking head’ style, just you and the camera. That’s enough for event organizers to see your delivery and body language, the type of energy you bring, the topics you cover, and whether you truly have something unique to say. That goes a long way to remove their risk of putting you on stage. ‘New Blood’ Matters More Than Big Name “I don’t think [big names] move the needle as much as people think, meaning the speakers don’t actually get people to sign up…In the real estate space, it’s really the brand of the person throwing the event that matters more…. Like if you get a Gary Vaynerchuk, Gary is not going to post that he’s going to this thing… We’re always looking for new blood because I kind of feel like the whole real estate space is a little incestuous…where you’ve seen everybody speak so many times. If you’ve been to a REAL conference or a Tom Ferry conference, or hopefully you’ve been to a BAM conference, we’re not trying to repeat the same people over and over again. So we look at our speakers really based on the topics we want to cover.” Eric isn’t the only event organizer who’s told me this. They know that to keep attracting an audience, they need new hooks and new angles to get people to show up. So if you’re a ‘casual speaker’ (speaking a few times a year), “new blood” is a powerful position to claim. Lean into it, pick a topic that’s current without being a potential fad, and play up your fresh perspective. Want to meet in person? I’ll be at the BEATS conference, April 19-22nd in Oklahoma City. Last week’s guest, Craig Grant, puts on this event to connect speakers with the associations and event organizers who book them. I can’t imagine a more straight line to booking more speaking gigs. If you’re attending, or interested in attending, hit me with any questions or let’s connect prior. It would be great to meet in person! Ask This: What examples, screenshots or visual demonstrations can you add to your Signature Talk that would make it more powerful, impactful and concrete to the audience? Quick Links & Resources BAM Media Website BAM Virtual Events Page - Check out BAMFest in April and BAM BBQ in July BAMx - ‘The #1 Agent Community to Close More Deals’ Massive thanks to Eric for being so fun and brutally honest! What he and the BAM team have built is super impressive, and they’re working on bigger things to drive membership growth. I know I’ll be checking in with Eric down the road to see what’s worked and what didn’t. Talk soon, -Matt Agency Founder & Author of MicroFamous PS Here’s how we can help… Done-for-You Content Production & Strategy - We turn raw footage into professional YouTube videos, podcasts and email newsletters. All with zero overwhelm, guaranteed. From Michael Maher and Lars Hedenborg to Jeff Cohn and Marki Lemons Ryhal, we’ve been the content team behind many of your fellow real estate coaches, speakers and authors. We start every client engagement by developing your ‘Signature Talk’ - So you have a message you’re excited to take to stages, guest interviews and all your content. Then we launch your flagship video show - supported by audio podcast and email newsletter, delivered with pro-quality and relentless consistency. We promote with short video clips and social posts on any platform where you’re active. Each month we give you research-based video titles and topic ideas, scripts, outlines, even slides. Plus all the support you need to stay consistent, from email updates to strategy calls. So if you’re not putting out the quality of content…consistently…to become the thought leader you’re meant to be, let’s talk. Click here to learn more and schedule a Free Brainstorm Call. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit rethoughtleaders.substack.com

    22 min

  3. FEB 12

    The ‘Casual Speaker’ Trap

    Most of us are casual speakers. You get a handful of opportunities a year. If you could increase that to 1-2 times a month…you’d 2X…even 5X your business. Selling more services, books and courses to the audience, of course. But also the added exposure and marketing content that comes from consistent speaking gigs. But there’s a LOT you don’t know. Things event organizers notice….and mention to each other…but will never tell you. And what you don’t know…is killing your chances of getting booked consistently. That’s why I reached out to Craig Grant… * Pro speaker * Averaging 150+ speaking gigs a year * Founder of Real Estate Technology Institute He’s also the creator and event organizer for the BEATS conference - a conference for speakers to be found and those who hire them, April 19-22 in Oklahoma City. I’ll be attending, and a client, Marki Lemons Ryhal, is a keynote speaker. If you’re attending, hit REPLY and let me know! Now let’s get into the… 10 Things “Casual Speakers” Don’t Know That Are Quietly Locking You OUT of More Speaking Gigs You’re treating gigs like gigs. “It’s a cardinal sin…they just show up, do their thing, shake a couple hands and leave. …If I can turn that gig into a friendship, I almost guarantee I’m going to get additional gigs…I have clients who, if they book me, they reach out to other associations, other companies in the geographic area,...they’ll literally build the trip for me.” - Craig Grant I’m absolutely guilty of this. But speakers who do 100+ events a year treat every gig like the beginning of a friendship. That’s a mindset shift any of us can make. And it can turn one gig into multiple gigs. You have no idea what event organizers actually WANT right now. “Having good relationships and communicating with my clients (event organizers) all the time does help me with that. The other thing is I read the RFPs. So if a conference puts out an RFP (request for proposals) I read the details. A lot of times they tell you right in those RFPs, what kinds of topics they’re really looking for. And sometimes you [have] to mold your topic into fitting what they want.” While casual speakers are guessing, Craig is doing market research. So maybe you don’t have event organizers on speed dial, but anyone can read RFPs. You’re a jack of all topics. “If you talk to a lot of association executives or people that hire for events, they’ll literally tell you the worst thing a speaker could ever say is ‘I can speak on that!’ They don’t want somebody who just figures it out. They want a subject matter expert.” You don’t fit into their ‘mental rolodex.’ “Every hiring person, they have a little mental Rolodex in their head. So if they’re putting together their education calendar or an event, they’re [thinking], ‘I need somebody for [this topic]. Who are my top three people that popped in my head right away for that topic’. You want to be in their little mental Rolodex of that top three people they think of in your subject matter.” You can’t be in three Rolodexes for three different topics. That’s why it’s so important that your video show, podcast, email newsletter and social content all revolve around a single, unified message. That makes it very, very easy for event organizers to instantly know your key topic and where you fit in their mental Rolodex. In our done-for-you service, we help our agency clients stay on message in a bunch of different ways from the topics we suggest, or the copywriting in the content we produce, to scripts, outlines and personalized coaching on how they record their video content. It’s absolutely critical and will instantly set you apart from the sea of competing coaches, speakers and authors. You’re riding a topic that peaked two years ago and you don’t even know it. “I’ve pivoted many times over my career. I’ve been speaking about AI at least in pieces for the last 20 years. But [when] it blew up at the end of 2022, I realized it had to become a dedicated topic. I couldn’t just sprinkle it in. Reading those tea leaves…figuring out when to pivot…is huge.” Craig gave the example of speakers in the tech space jumping on crypto and making it their primary topic. And it worked….right up until it didn’t. You’re doing free gigs without negotiating the terms of the free gig. Everyone says “do free gigs to get started.” Fine. But Craig didn’t just do free gigs… “When I did that, I told them, I’m going to come in and do this free or dirt cheap, but you’ve got to help me out if I crush it. If I do a great job, you’ve got to guarantee you’re going to hire me and you’ve got to at least call a couple of your friends and tell them how good I was. And they were happy to do it because they were able to hire me for nothing. Treat your first few gigs almost like an audition to build up your speaker profile.” I love this approach because it maintains your value as a speaker, and ties a concession on speaker compensation to something concrete…referrals and more opportunities. You don’t have a speaker reel and you’re wondering why nobody’s calling. “I always say for a speaker, the most important thing you need if you don’t have it is a speaker reel, an actual video content of you speaking in front of an audience, because nobody is going to invest money and bring you in if they don’t know you’re good in front of a crowd. So creating that little hype video of how good of a speaker you are goes a long, long way.” In our done-for-you service, our team can edit a speaker reel for you. All we need is raw footage of you speaking in front of a crowd. If you don’t have that, the next best thing is having a video show (which we produce as part of our service). A great speaker reel removes risk. As Craig put it, “that’s what most [hiring people] will say.. just don’t make me look bad.” You’ve never once asked the person who booked you to dinner. “I can’t tell you how many clients have told me, ‘Wow, nobody’s ever asked me that before. I’d love to!’ And even if they can’t, they’re still shocked that I even wanted to do so. So it really does break down a lot of barriers. Then when I send them that friend request on Facebook or whatever network they’re on, they accept it. And then they get to see what’s going on in my family life, what I see what’s going on in theirs, and that becomes talking points in our friendships. It’s not just showing up and speaking for two hours. Now I’m building that friendship and getting more business out of it because of it.” When it comes to building relationships with event organizers, the bar has been set pretty low. Doesn’t take much to clear it and make a lasting impression on event organizers. You’re leaving the event promotion entirely up to the organizer. “I am hardcore about the fact that if you hire me, I am providing you marketing materials. I know if I control the marketing, I control the message and the look…that I can help fill those seats. If it’s struggling, I’ll [offer to] do a webinar for them, whatever we need to do. But the way I do things is ‘I’m going to help you make sure all those seats are filled.” Craig has built a system that allows him to create co-branded marketing materials in that sponsor’s logo, their color scheme, everything…so he knows they’ll use it. He understands that to an event organizer, his session is just one thing on the To Do list. By stepping in and providing materials and support, he’s no longer just a speaker that checked a box, he’s part of the solution to a pressing problem…filling the seats. You have no business plan for your speaking. “I really believe that most people in the speaking industry don’t treat it like a business. I run my speaking business like a flat out business. Business plans, budgets…I forecast everything. I have processes in place for how I’m going to get hired and where I’m going to get hired.” Maybe you only want to speak 1-2x a month, so you don’t need complex forecasting and budgeting. But you can still have a plan for that 1-2 per month level. Treat speaking as an ongoing system, with dedicated timeblocks for… * Follow up * Optimizing your slide deck * Improving your presentation and body language * Building a dedicated Speaker page with a killer speaker reel * Tweaking and improving your ‘Signature Talk’ - something we do with every client when they first sign up Basically, go from ‘casual speaker’ to ‘pro speaker who is very selective about how many opportunities you take.’ You don’t realize that event organizers are a tiny, tight-knit community who all talk to each other. “It’s crazy. I’ve talked to so many speakers who have blown up. It’s like all of a sudden at one point, your phone starts ringing like crazy. And your email inbox is getting stocked because they talk to each other. Which is another reason why I’m so focused on relationships with my clients…they’re a small community…So if you do a great job in one location, they tell their friends how good you were and [tell them] to bring you in as well.” I love that real estate is such a small world. But it also means every single gig is critical and should be treated accordingly. One great performance can get you recommended across an entire network. One mediocre, transactional, show-up-and-leave performance gets you... crickets. Which might be worse than a bad review, because at least a bad review means they remembered you! Want to go deeper? Click on the audio file for the full chat, or search Real Estate Thought Leaders on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Craig dropped so many incredible nuggets in this conversation, it’s worth listening to multiple times to catch everything. Steal This: Create a recurring timeblock - a dedicated time where you treat speaking as a b

    21 min

  4. FEB 5

    “We Grew By Telling Prospects Something They Didn’t Know About Themselves”

    It was the AI platform that originally caught my eye… But my conversation with founder Sean Soderstrom brought up something even more interesting: They don’t use AI cold email tactics to promote their AI-powered platform. That led to some killer insights that go way beyond AI and into the psychology of earning attention. If you don’t know Sean, you should, he was… * Dir of Expansion & Regional Management at Compass * Co-leader of McKinsey’s North American Residential Real Estate practice Now the founder of Courted.io - a platform that aims to help brokers recruit agents, retain talent and stay ahead of the market. Let’s jump into the… Non-Obvious Insights from our Conversation: Down Markets Cause LESS Turnover in Agents, Not More. “The rate that agents move between brokerages each year [is] fairly consistently between 15 to 18% of agents switching companies each year. But statistically speaking…fewer agents move in a down market, which I was surprised by because…People always said more [agents] move in a down market.” - Sean Soderstrom A good reminder to question assumptions and look for hard data (if you can get your hands on it). Knowing that fewer agents move in down markets gives you better insight into agents’ mindset in tough times. Which allows you to create better content or outreach if you… Give Agents Unique Insights About THEMSELVES. Sean broke down their early growth strategy like this… “Let’s go tell them something that they don’t know about themselves. That’s hugely valuable. So what our team does takes more time, but they’ll screenshot…a cool summary of what’s happening in [the brokers] office [or area] and send that to them. [something] like ‘Here are the 5 agents that are going to be moving [brokerages in your area]. And…here are the 5 emails that you should send to them. If you want to just copy and send this…” So instead of mass content marketing, they go one-to-one. Their team… * Generates unique insights using their own AI platform * Puts those insights into one-to-one, ultra-custom cold emails * Email content speaks to the pain of losing agents or the gain of attracting agents But the reason it’s worked for them as an outreach strategy is that element of “This will tell you something you didn’t know about yourself” It’s the same reason quizzes & persona tests go viral on social media (your aunt might be filling one out on Facebook right now). It’s also the reason we see trends like this on YouTube.. “Every Hidden Advantage of [___] Explained” - If you can break your audience down into types and explain the hidden advantages of each, you can accomplish several things in one piece of content… * Use a unique hook that feels personal…so you grab agents’ attention * Give each type a reason to feel good about themselves…so you deliver a self-esteem boost * Show how you help each type succeed… so you create demand for your offers Want to Recruit Agents? Stop Sending Mass Email. “Maybe there’s an AI way of doing it [cold outreach], but there’s too many emails in this industry. So we don’t promote for our customers to send mass emails because especially in agent recruiting…[there’s] not an infinite number of prospects. When you’re focused on a segment you really want to go after, it’s about building relationships.” Sean is a fan of the Ninja Selling approach, even quoting Larry Kendall’s ‘Give Ask Receive’ as the basis of their outreach system. They don’t send cold emails pushing their service, they lead with unique insight the prospect can’t get anywhere else. And they don’t ask for a prospect’s time until they’ve given something valuable and built the relationship. Sean thinks about it almost as one-to-one content marketing, a really interesting concept! Want to join the conversation? Hit Reply and shoot me some thoughts, or if you read this on the Substack app, leave a comment. Want to go deeper? Click on the audio file for the full chat, or search Real Estate Thought Leaders on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Steal This: Look for ways you can tell your audience something they didn’t know about themselves. Do you have access to unique data?Could you run polls or surveys of your audience? Do you have specific ways you serve different types of agents? Even if you just have opinions on why certain lead gen tactics work better for certain personality types, that’s a great start to a video or podcast episode. Quick Links & Resources Courted.io Connect with Sean on LinkedIn Massive thank you to Sean for giving freely of his time while being in the hustle stage with Courted.io. Check out what the platform can do, and if you want to bring Sean on a podcast or video show to talk recruiting and agent trends, he has hard data and unique insights to share! -Matt Agency Founder & Author of MicroFamous PS Here’s how we can help… Done-for-You Content Production & Strategy - We turn raw footage into professional YouTube videos, podcasts and email newsletters. All with zero overwhelm, guaranteed. From Michael Maher and Lars Hedenborg to Jeff Cohn and Marki Lemons Ryhal, we’ve been the content team behind many of your fellow real estate coaches, speakers and authors. We start every client engagement by developing your Signature Talk - uncovering the Clear & Compelling Idea that serves as the ‘north star’ of your content. So you have a message you’re excited to take to stages, guest interviews and videos. Then we launch your flagship video show, supported by audio podcast and email newsletter, delivered with pro-quality and relentless consistency. We promote with short video clips and social posts on any platform where you’re active. And you get all the support you need to stay consistent, from research-based video title and topic ideas, scripts, outlines, even slides, to weekly updates and monthly strategy calls. So if you’re not putting out the quality of content…consistently…to become the thought leader you’re meant to be, let’s talk. Click here to learn more and schedule a Free Brainstorm Call. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit rethoughtleaders.substack.com

    39 min

  5. JAN 29

    Way-Too-Early Predictions About the Broker-Team Relationship of the Future

    I want to pull back this week and give a 30,000 ft view. I reached out to Jeff Levine because he’s served in nearly every role in the industry. High producing agent, team leader, broker, even association leader at multiple levels. In our conversation he called out several key, long-term disruptive trends that are shifting the landscape right underneath brokers, agents, brands and associations. “There has to be a shift. We have to realize things are not always going to be the same as they were. And this goes even back to agents. Agents have to realize that what worked for the last 10, 15, 100 years is not what the next 10, 15, 100 years are going to look like for this industry.” - Jeff Levine So let’s get into the… Non-Obvious Insights & Predictions For Brokers, the Commission Split Model is Broken “There’s lots of things that brokerages offer. Now, there’s a lot of ancillary businesses that tie into that too. So there is the profit margins or the profitability of a brokerage might look different in the future, but it’s always fueled by production. All the entities are fueled by production. So the more production you have within your ecosystem, the more that you have potential to do ancillary business with.” This is creating all sorts of friction between brokerages and teams, with some brokerages being very anti-team, and some being very pro-team. And if you’re on the coaching side, with high producing agents or team leader clients, you need to keep these dynamics in mind. A poor fit with a broker leads to poor relationships, friction and ultimately, distraction from the agent’s or team’s growth. This also creates opportunities for content - helping agents and teams cash in on ancillary services, find a brokerage that aligns with their vision, and how to build good relationships with their broker so they can focus on production. Teams Are Beginning to Serve as “Farm Systems” for Brokerages “There’s an opportunity there too, right? Because we know that…if 10 agents come into the business, we’re looking at 1-2 actually survive. Well, with having teams in place, it probably raises those numbers to 3-4 to survive within the brokerage. There’s volume, there’s additional leads, there’s assisting, there’s lots of other things that could happen.” I love this point because I’ve been around real estate teams enough to know he’s right about the core idea. Teams give new agents a better chance to succeed than the traditional brokerage model (like the one I experienced in my 20s). If agents eventually leave their team but stay within the brokerage, there’s an opportunity to create a new (and better) relationship between team and broker. That’s where Jeff sees the broker/team relationship heading, where the broker focuses on serving teams. “So I think the brokerage model needs to shift a little bit and become all those, anything that the team needs or needs support or is lacking, or there’s a gap, that’s where the broker should be able to come in and show value to the teams.” For content creation, this can be spun in multiple ways. For brokers, this “farm system” shift might be good, and you can certainly create content around that shift. But content that speaks to agent retention within the team will reach team leaders. Interstate Migration is Bringing New Competition “Traditional real estate brokerages and agents here in Florida that have been basically entrenched in the market for up to 100 years…they haven’t had this outside competition…Boutique agencies you might know from the NYC, Chicago, or California that never had a footprint here in Florida…that now DO have a footprint because of their investors and their people moving to Florida.” I hadn’t thought about this side of demographic migration in the US. Basically it’s creating competitive invasions where boutique brokerages follow their clients into new markets, forcing 100-year-old local brands to compete against out-of-state brands they’ve never faced before. For content creation, show agents, teams and brokerages how to differentiate. How to find their strengths, claim a position based on those strengths, and sharpen their message to the consumer. Want to go deeper? Click on the audio file for the full chat, or search Real Estate Thought Leaders on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Or Hit Reply and tell me what you’re seeing! Ask This: Are you creating content on the trends that will shape 2026? Now is the perfect time to make content around trends and predictions for the year. Quick Links & Resources Connect with Jeff on Facebook Connect with Jeff on Instagram Huge thanks to Jeff for this fun, wide-ranging conversation! Make sure to connect with him on Facebook and Instagram, and keep him in mind for guest features on other shows! -Matt Agency Founder & Author of MicroFamous PS Here’s how we can help… Done-for-You Content Strategy & Production - From Michael Maher and Lars Hedenborg to Jeff Cohn and Marki Lemons Ryhal, we’ve been the content team behind many of your fellow real estate coaches, speakers and authors. We turn raw footage into polished YouTube videos, podcasts and email newsletters, all with zero overwhelm. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit rethoughtleaders.substack.com

    20 min

  6. JAN 15

    If You Want Your Next Speaking Gig to Turn into MORE Gigs…

    Speakers rarely get to see through the eyes of an event organizer. But Jeff Cohn did. Each year running The Team Building Summit, Jeff and his team carefully tracked which speakers… * delivered great content * created the most buzz * received rave reviews from attendees Because he was putting his own money on the line to throw those events, he also spent a lot of time thinking about which speakers to book and how their content and delivery affected the audience. And he’s come to believe that speakers aren’t judged on how smart your content is, but on how you deliver it emotionally. So this newsletter is for any coach, speaker or author who uses speaking gigs to sell, and you want your next speaking gig to turn into more speaking gigs. Non-Obvious Insights from our Conversation: No One Wants a Perfect Speaker “You win audiences by actually making fun of all the things you’re embarrassed about. If you let them see all of those things, they’re actually going to like you more. All the things you’re on stage worrying people [will] find out about you, you WANT everyone to find out…and then still deliver your message” If you’ve read the book Letting Go by David Hawkins, he shares a story of how he dealt with his fear of public speaking. He called out his flaw, admitting right up front that he was a boring speaker. Then he read his entire talk, barely looking up from his papers! Yet it still went well. The audience could relax. He was a speaker they could relate to. Suddenly it didn’t matter that he was boring, because the audience was “in on the joke.” Topics Come First…Speakers Come Second “Recruiting is a big deal...So if we knew we wanted to have a breakout around recruiting agents, we would ask all of our clientele, maybe 3-4 months leading up to the event, we’d [ask] Who feels like they’re doing a great job recruiting?” Not every event organizer goes about it this way, and certain speakers are so well-known that they’re booked first and adjust their topic to the event. But in many, many cases, event organizers are just like Jeff…they plan the topics first, speakers second. So your strongest position is to be KNOWN for a high-value topic in high demand. If you haven’t reached that point yet, the next strongest position is to produce content on that topic so consistently that you come up in a search for speakers on that topic. In the case of Jeff and Elite Real Estate Systems, they put their coaching clients on stage as subject matter experts. They only brought in outside speakers for topics where they couldn’t find clients with that expertise. This is a super powerful tactic for coaching organizations, and a great way to build a pipeline of future staff coaches. Other types of events work differently. But any big event will have a bench of last year’s speakers to consider before they look for new speakers. Your content needs to be consistent and compelling enough that when event organizers start googling or asking around, your name comes up. It’s Not the Words You Say, But the Way You Say the Words “I’ve said this a lot when I teach agents dialogue training. It’s not the words you say, but the way you say the words. Even me saying that quote just now, I slowed down and was more intentional to deliver the message. It’s not the words you say, it’s the way you say the words.” Never sacrifice energy and emotional content to get the words perfect. It’s far better to fumble some of your words and still have the right energy and emotional content in your delivery. This is especially true on stage and on video, where the audience sees your body language and facial expressions. I’ve given this advice to many, many clients as we produce their video shows and other content. Are there places where the exact words are important? Yes, the intro of a YouTube video. That’s about it. Everywhere else, energy and emotional content are more important. How to Double Your Coaching Retention… “When we first launched coaching, clients [stayed] for 7-10 months. That’s kind of the average. When we started hosting the yearly events, I’d say it went to about 12-14 months. People would stay on because they want to attend the next event and they didn’t want to leave and then miss the event, or go to the event and not be in coaching. Everyone feels a badge of honor to go to an event of the company they’re paying. They feel like they’ve invested in this. They believe in this and they want to hang out with you.” This doesn’t mean you have to rent a ballroom and throw down 5 figure deposits for Food & Bev. You can look at options like… * Mastermind happy hours at hotel bars around big conferences * Mastermind dinner that piggybacks on a big industry event * Meetup in a city where multiple clients are within easy driving distance Anything where you can get face-to-face with your coaching clients will boost retention. The higher quality experience you give them, and the more emotional effect you have on them, the more it boosts your retention. Want to go deeper? Click on the audio file for the full chat, or search Real Estate Thought Leaders on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. There’s SO much in this episode, Jeff also went deep on tactics for creating “Disney Moments” that make your events memorable and profitable: * One weird trick with color coordinated lanyards that created buzz and sparked conversations around their coaching offer * What went into their Welcome Package in every attendee’s hotel room * How they provided Text-to-Order coffee service…without paying extra staff * How they leveraged a “hyper-niche” event to book better sponsors * How they got sponsors to CO-promote the event Check out the audio episode because it was a LOT of content in a short time! Steal This: Picture yourself stepping on stage. What’s the ONE thing you hope the audience doesn’t see or find out about you? Now imagine yourself calling out that flaw, whatever it is. Picture the audience breathing a sigh of relief and leaning forward, engaged and ready to hear you. All because you made yourself relatable, and gave them permission to be imperfect, too. Quick Links & Resources Elite Real Estate Systems website Massive thanks to Jeff for spilling all the secrets behind the Team Building Summit. If you need a guest speaker on team building, leadership, culture and lead gen, hit Reply. I’m happy to make a personal intro to Jeff. He brings everything he’s got every time he steps on stage or in front of a mic! -Matt Agency Founder & Author of MicroFamous PS Here’s how we can help… Plug-&-Play Content Machine - From Michael Maher and Lars Hedenborg to Jeff Cohn and Marki Lemons Ryhal, we’ve been the content team behind many of your fellow real estate coaches, speakers and authors. We turn conversations into videos, podcasts and email newsletters, all with zero overwhelm. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit rethoughtleaders.substack.com

    36 min

  7. JAN 8

    “When can I start coaching?”

    A few years ago, Alisia Krastel posted a video that helped explode her agent coaching business. “I would have people message me being [saying], ‘Can I schedule a coaching call? When can I start coaching?’ No conversation, no nothing... Even now I have people who [say],’ I watched your video two years ago. Can you start coaching me next week?’ We never have a conversation. They already know me. It’s already done.” - Alisia Krastel Here are the ingredients for that video… * Diaper box * Smartphone * Public restroom “The most effective as far as getting [clients from] my channel was a video that I did in a bathroom at the beach. I spent five weeks at the beach [during] C0vid. I took a leap of faith, did all my real estate, all my coaching from there. Propped my phone up on a diaper box [and said] I’m just going to make it and say what I can do. It [has] 45,000 views. I still get people from it and I still have people saying ‘You are so relatable. And if you can do it like that, I can do it.’ “ Alisia is another great example of this new crop of real estate coaches. Radically authentic. Vulnerable without losing credibility. Hyper-specific in her messaging and content style. And making zero apologies. I’ve been excited to share this conversation, and it’s a great one to kick off 2026! Non-Obvious Insights from our Conversation: The Key to Putting the YouTube Algorithm To Work FOR You “If I can reach one, someone like me, YouTube is going to find a hundred more. I just have to get one or two to [say] ‘Yes, this is my content!’ YouTube will take care of the rest. If I’m too broad, then I’m fighting with Mike Sherrard…But if I just stick in my own lane, YouTube will find people who need me.” Here’s how I’d act on that. Visualize your perfect coaching client… Then create a video they’d drop everything to watch. Not just for a few minutes. All the way through. In her experience, that’s where YouTube’s algorithm gave her the biggest push. Her point is if you can just get a few people to care that much about one of your videos, YouTube will find others like them. That defies most YouTube advice…and I love it. When you go for a wider audience, it’s tempting to water down your message. But when you do, you sound like every other coach, speaker, author, whatever. So agents watch for a few minutes and then bounce. Just like every other video. YouTube wants people glued to YouTube. Create videos that do that, even for a small niche of people, and YouTube will find them. Steal Your Audience’s Words “I had 50 hours of interviews with people I wanted to watch my channel so I could get their words….My target audience had the same exact questions. I did a spreadsheet of all the answers… highlighted the commonalities…. Put all the questions when they were similar and I [said], “Okay, I’m going to talk about that using those words, even though that’s not my words. And that’s what I think they want.” It’s SO easy to skip this step. Assume you know your target audience. Especially if you ARE your target audience (or were in the past). But even if you’re building an audience of people very similar to you, that doesn’t mean you use the same exact words and phrases they’re using…right now, in this market. We know the power of word choice from copywriting and direct response marketing. One word in a headline can turn a failing campaign into a huge success. And vice versa. One wrong word in a YouTube title or intro, and you might lose your target audience instantly….without knowing why. So the more groundwork you do, the more conversations you have with the kind of agents you want to coach, the more you can deliver a hyper-specific message in their exact language. Your Audience Is Always Searching for the Wrong Thing…Solve the REAL Problem “They want lead generation. They want social media advice, but it’s all hubbed around getting clients. I’m going to do it [create content] in a way that speaks differently to the people I’m going after…What they’re searching for is never what they need, right? So you get them searching for lead gen.” It seems like most content falls into two categories. Copycat - where the creator comes across as a second rate imitation of a bigger name Original (but self-centered) - where the creator’s topics or style is original to them, but they don’t take the audience into account much at all. Alisia is doing something completely different, her content is… Hyper-Targeted & Authentic - That’s the content that builds an ultra-niche, loyal audience. Here’s a bonus tactic that caught my attention… Replace boring PDF lead magnets with actual tools that get your audience results “Now I have guides. So now I have things of value, not crappy PDF downloads. Like I have a plan for new construction that real estate agents can do to create a whole content plan around if they’re afraid of video. They can download that [and] I walk them through how to do it. There’s videos that they can download. Now I have them. And not only do I have them, they love me because I actually helped them instead of just giving them something cheap.” Want to go deeper? Click on the audio file for the full chat, or search Real Estate Thought Leaders on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Know another upcoming real estate coach?Hit Reply and send me their name or make an introduction! Steal This: If you already have a show, line up 10+ episodes with your ideal coaching clients. Not to sell them, but to ask them the same set of questions and track the answers and language they use. Look for places where they use different language, and test those words in your marketing to see if it boosts response. Quick Links & Resources Alisia on YouTube Alisia’s website Huge, huge thanks to Alisia for sharing, there were other insights and tactics I didn’t have room for, so listen to the conversation for those. If you need a podcast or show guest, Alisia would be an amazing guest. Let me know if you want a personal introduction! -Matt Agency Founder & Author of MicroFamous PS Here’s how we can help… Plug-&-Play Content Machine - From Michael Maher and Lars Hedenborg to Jeff Cohn and Marki Lemons Ryhal, we’ve been the content team behind many of your fellow real estate coaches, speakers and authors. We turn raw footage into polished videos, podcasts and email newsletters, all with zero overwhelm. GUARANTEED. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit rethoughtleaders.substack.com

    25 min

  8. 12/19/2025

    What Inman REALLY Wants from Contributors

    I’m sure this episode will annoy some people, but it can’t be helped. Whatever your opinion of Inman…(and I genuinely don’t care) The question of how to become a contributor has come up a LOT over the years.  I contributed articles for several  years and always had good experiences, especially with Dani Vanderboegh, editor and Head of Contributor Program.  So I asked her to step into the spotlight a bit (which she’s not accustomed to) and share what makes a great contributor, article and pitch.  Because it amuses me, let’s start with the quickest way to shoot yourself in the foot… Self-serving content. “Just doing it for vanity purposes is maybe not a great idea…or doing it simply to get on stage…that type of content is a turnoff to readers. Nobody wants to read about your business. They want to learn from what you have to say.” - Dani  Vanderboegh With that out of the way, here are the… Non-Obvious Insights from our Conversation: Pitch Something Surprising At this point, Inman’s goal is to cover any big conversation going on in the industry, and present all major sides. So Dani is looking for articles with a fresh perspective, a unique point of view, that hasn’t been covered in previous articles. “A perfect pitch for me is two to three paragraphs. It starts with the hook and why it's relevant now. And then offers very short, succinct ideas on what you're bringing to the table in this discussion that we have not already discussed... undiscovered insights are what we're looking for.” Don’t pitch “the definitive” article on a topic. Zero in on ONE part of the conversation that’s overlooked, neglected or glossed over. Then pitch a BIG hook… bold opinions unusual angles secondary effects overlooked perspectives  predictions based on overlooked factors impacted groups that haven’t had their voice heard yet If you recognize this process, it’s what great journalists have been doing for 100s of years. It’s what great YouTubers are doing every day. A little extra care and intention on the hook can be the difference between getting published or not. An example would be something like this… The Mistake: Pitching "6 Ways to Use Video in 2026." The Winning Pitch: "Polished listing videos kill your engagement…consumers want 'messy’' content AND it generates more leads” Why this works: Bold opinion, non-obvious insight…AND a bite-sized tactic agents can try that day. Use AI Sparingly or Not at All. “Our kind of…guideline, if you will…for how to use AI as a writer is [that] it's fine to use it as an idea generation type tool, but we want your anecdotal experiences and your thoughts. So if it's all just very clinical, that's not something we're [looking for].” When you read and edit articles every day, you spot AI instantly. Not by the easy signs like em dashes, but by feel. The generic tone of authority, the lack of personal stories and anecdotes, the words and phrases AI favors for some odd reason.  And editors aren’t the only ones who pick up on AI in writing Ryan Levesque writes a weekly newsletter, over 70 weeks running at this point. Up til then he’d used AI in the brainstorm process and even for some of the writing. He asked himself, “Is my use of AI affecting reader engagement?” Since email replies are a decent metric for engagement, he analyzed the number of replies to all of his weekly editions.  What he found was shocking. The more he used AI in the writing process, the fewer email replies he got. Readers could pick up AI at a subconscious level in his writing, and at least for him, that directly led to lower engagement. Do I think that’s always the case universally? No, but it’s an interesting anecdote. And I’m keeping an eye out for similar stories from other newsletter writers and email marketers. Lean Into Your Expertise, Not Your Name. Inman is actively looking for contributors with specialized expertise who publish on a specific niche or topic. Dani gave the example of Andrea Brambila, who has covered MLS’s for over 15 years. So even if you’re an established big name in the industry, find a niche you can own. A part of the industry where you have passion, deep expertise, and bold opinions. Choose your niche well, pitch consistently good articles, and then deliver on what you pitched.  You’ll probably find yourself on the priority list for publication anytime there’s a big event or conversation that affects your niche. There are only a couple specifics here that are unique to Inman. Otherwise this is a pretty good blueprint for contributing to any industry news or trade publication. And the skillset of looking for unique angles, bold opinions and overlooked factors for your articles will improve all your other content. Quick Links & Resources Inman Dani’s About page (with contact links) Massive thank you to Dani for stepping into the spotlight! Know someone who’d be an amazing contributor because they obsess over a very specific niche of the industry? Encourage them to submit an article, especially if they’re an active agent or broker. Use the contact info on Dani’s About page to connect. -Matt Agency Founder & Author of MicroFamous PS Here’s how we can help… Done-for-You Content Service - From Michael Maher and Lars Hedenborg to Jeff Cohn and Marki Lemons Ryhal, we’ve been the content team behind many of your fellow real estate coaches, speakers and authors. We turn conversations into videos, podcasts and email newsletters, all with zero overwhelm. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit rethoughtleaders.substack.com

    25 min
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If you're a leader in residential real estate, mortgage, title or proptech... ...and you're creating content for agents (or you plan to)... ...this interview series was designed for you. Through industry interviews and analysis, you get an inside look at how leaders are tackling challenges like: How to reach and engage agents How to build a sense of community and shared mission among agents How to deliver razor-sharp messaging and cut through the noise How to deal with marketing platforms getting more expensive and less effective You’ll hear from thought leaders who are in the trenches talking to agents and creating content for them every day. You'll also hear from front line leaders at real estate, mortgage and title brands who are innovating, driving sales and dominating their market. Brought to you by MicroFamous, a done-for-you content agency with 10 years experience launching B2B media platforms. Our story started with the launch of Real Estate Uncensored in 2015, which went on to get 3.5 million views across multiple platforms. Visit GetMicroFamous.com to learn more. rethoughtleaders.substack.com

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