Leo Pareja Unfiltered

eXp Media
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  • Entrepreneurship

Welcome to Pareja Unfiltered, where host Leo Pareja explores what it takes to lead, grow, and win. Leo built companies and led tens of thousands of agents as CEO of eXp Realty (NASDAQ: EXPI). He's learned the difference between good and great isn't what you know—it's how you think, adapt, and inspire others. Real strategies for real leaders, featuring CEOs, founders, and game-changers who've been in the trenches. This is podcast for leaders ready to stop playing small and start playing to win.

  1. Jun 23

    Your Best Marketing Strategy Is Giving Everything Away for Free

    ➡️ Access ALL FREE business resources, episode blueprints, and exclusive content from past episodes: https://stan.store/leopareja Leo breaks down why everyone's BS meter is higher than ever and why generic marketing is dead on arrival — most people literally open their mail over the trash can. He explains why he open sourced all of eXp's forms during one of the most confusing moments in real estate history, the goodwill it generated 12 to 24 months later, and why your best strategy as a business owner is to take your best stuff and give it away with no paywall and no gatekeeping. He gets into why the trust-building cycle starts months or years before someone is ready to buy, the moment people started showing up on his calendar talking like they'd known him for years, and why he used to tell customers they should not buy a house — and how those people became his most rabid advocates. ➡️ Timestamps 00:00 Everyone's BS Meter Is Higher Than Ever01:41 Most People Open Their Mail Over the Trash Can02:13 I Follow Dentists and Chiropractors Now — Here's Why02:59 "That's My Person" — How Content Replaces the Sales Pitch03:41 The Only Marketing Question You Should Be Asking Yourself05:00 The Trust Cycle Starts Months Before Anyone Is Ready to Buy05:35 They Get on My Calendar and Talk Like We've Known Each Other for Years06:17 If They Don't Like You They'll Never Be on Your Calendar06:43 "If I Give It All Away for Free Why Would Anyone Pay Me?"07:44 We Open Sourced Our Forms and It Changed Everything09:16 Imagine a Dentist Charging You $495 Before Looking at Your Mouth10:30 Chewy's Sends a Memorial When Your Dog Dies — That's the Standard10:53 You Don't Realize How Much of an Expert You Already Are12:32 "You Should Not Buy This House" — The Line That Built My Business ➡️ Connect With Leo Pareja LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/leopareja/Instagram: https://instagram.com/leopareja/Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@leo.pareja

    13 min

  2. Jun 6

    Barbara Corcoran: Couldn't Read Until 7th Grade, Became the Queen of New York Real Estate

    ➡️ Access ALL FREE business resources, episode blueprints, and exclusive content from past episodes: https://stan.store/leopareja Barbara Corcoran borrowed $1,000 from her boyfriend to start a real estate company. He owned 51% of it. Seven years later, he left her to marry her secretary. She was 30, broke, and convinced she'd never make it without him. Leo sits down with the woman who turned that wreckage into one of the most recognized real estate brands in America to unpack how she fired four out of every five agents she hired on purpose, why she lost $2 million on Shark Tank before realizing she was shopping for the wrong thing, and the email she wrote after getting rejected from the show that changed her entire second career. Barbara also gets into why she bought every building during markets nobody else would touch, the moment she realized she wasn't the owner of a golden goose but the golden goose herself, and why the best entrepreneurs she's ever backed have no degree at all. ➡️ Timestamps 00:00 Her Boyfriend Became Her Business Partner Then Left Her for Her Secretary02:53 Being 30 and Convinced She'd Never Survive Without Him03:36 Ten Kids in a Two-Bedroom House and the Mother Who Made It Feel Like Winning05:13 Labeled the Dumb Kid Until 3:15 PM When Everything Changed06:24 The Only Leadership Style That Scaled From One Agent to a Thousand06:40 Sell One Apartment in Two Months or You Can't Stay Here08:42 What Nobody Tells You About Selling Your Company and Losing Your Name10:20 She Thought She Sold Her Golden Goose Until She Realized She Was the Golden Goose10:57 Shark Tank Rejected Her So She Wrote an Email Listing Every Failure That Made Her12:35 Leo Raised $48 Million Feeling Like a Realtor in a Room Full of Stanford MBAs13:39 The First Two Years on Shark Tank She Lost All Her Money Shopping for the Wrong Thing14:52 Most Businesses Don't Fail the Founders Quit16:53 Cold Feet on a Studio at 24 and It Took Four Years to Get Back In17:56 Every Building She Bought Was in a Market Nobody Else Would Touch20:10 Leo Made $300K in College Then Lost Everything by 2324:22 Leo's Mom Refused to Bail Him Out and It Was the Best Advice He Ever Got25:07 The Daydream About Being Queen of New York Real Estate That Became Her Business Plan25:53 Why AI Won't Replace Humans It'll Make the Human Touch the Only Thing That Matters27:20 The Advice She'd Give Gen Z That Their Parents Would Hate ➡️ Connect With Barbara Corcoran Instagram: https://instagram.com/barbaracorcoranTikTok: https://tiktok.com/@barbaracorcoranLinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/barbaracorcoranYouTube: https://youtube.com/@BarbaraCorcoran

    30 min

  3. May 26

    You Only Get One Life: Stop Wasting It on Things That Don't Matter

    ➡️ Access ALL FREE business resources, episode blueprints, and exclusive content from past episodes: https://stan.store/leopareja Most people say they know life is short, but they live like they have unlimited time. Leo gets personal about the moments he traded for work and can't get back, the stat that changed how he parents (90-95% of the time you spend with your kids happens before they turn 18), and why he moved his 82-year-old father down the street after doing the math on how many visits he had left. He also breaks down why your brain is wired to trick you into doing the wrong work, how he tracked his way to only missing 3.3 bedtimes a month, and the conversation every entrepreneur needs to have with their partner before the grind destroys the relationship. ➡️ Timestamps 00:00 You Have a 100% Chance of Not Getting Out Alive01:21 Nobody Was Ever Watching You, They Were Worried About Themselves02:36 The Scariest Thing From Your 20s Means Nothing Now03:09 One Less Day, Not One More Day03:32 The Tiny Window You Get With Your Kids as Kids04:20 Failure Taught Me More Than My Early Success Ever Did04:47 I Don't Remember the Meeting, I Remember the Dance05:38 Treat Your Priorities Like a Math Problem06:56 Tracking My Time Hurt My Own Feelings07:14 The Stat That Hit Like a Ton of Bricks: 90-95% Before 1808:47 "He Doesn't Understand Where I'm At" — Yes I Do09:43 Your Brain Wants You to Do the Wrong Work First10:27 Do the One Thing That Generates Revenue, Ignore Everything Else11:04 The Hard Conversation Every Entrepreneur Avoids Having ➡️ Connect With Leo Pareja LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/leopareja/Instagram: https://instagram.com/leopareja/Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@leo.pareja

    13 min

  4. May 12

    Glennda Baker: Embrace What Makes You Different and Build From There

    ➡️ Access ALL FREE business resources, episode blueprints, and exclusive content from past episodes: https://stan.store/leopareja Glennda Baker didn't become the most recognized face in real estate by following the playbook. She barely graduated high school, never went to college, and started her career parked outside the top agent's office just to eavesdrop on how deals got done. Leo sits down with the woman who built a 1M+ following and a powerhouse Atlanta real estate brand to unpack why she bought her dead mother's dream house in the middle of a divorce, how getting bullied as a kid became the foundation of a brand worth millions, and the content strategy behind 6,000+ videos without a single call to action. Glennda also gets into why virality is a trap most agents fall for, the sobriety decision that changed her leadership, and the one thing her mom told her that still runs every decision she makes. ➡️ Timestamps 00:00 The Dream House on the Hill Her Mom Pointed To From a Car With No AC01:58 Buying That Exact House During a Divorce 30 Years Later04:45 What Happens When a Goal You Set as a Poor Kid Actually Comes True06:22 Why the Stars Aren't a Gimmick and What Her Mom Really Meant by "Dress Like One"07:40 Getting Bullied Relentlessly Until She Stopped Trying to Fit In08:20 The Four Words That Filter Every Brand Decision Glennda Makes09:14 The Difference Between Confidence and Arrogance Is a Resume11:32 What To Do When You Have 20,000 Followers and Zero Listings12:30 The Elementary Content Nobody Makes Because They Assume People Already Know13:19 Don't Go Wide, Go Deep: The Three Mile Zone Strategy15:03 Reddit Is Where the Pain Points Are and LLMs Are Pulling From It16:13 Why Glennda Calls Herself the Dear Abby of Real Estate17:33 Shooting 30 to 50 Videos in One Day With a Google Form and a Laptop Camera20:49 The Mortgage Guy Who Went Viral Talking About Chicken Nuggets and Got Zero Leads22:35 6,093 Videos and Never Once a Call to Action23:23 The YouTube Attempt That Failed So Badly the Videos Are Still Up24:53 Why Leo Banned Alcohol at Every Corporate Event He Pays For26:06 "I Am the Michael Jordan of Real Estate" and Why That Requires Sobriety28:13 The Tony Robbins Hug That Rewired How Glennda Thinks About Time29:38 The One Thing Her Mom Said That Still Runs Every Decision Today ➡️ Connect With Glennda Baker Instagram: https://instagram.com/glenndabaker/TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@glenndabakerLinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/glenndabaker/YouTube: https://youtube.com/@glenndabakeratlPodcast: Glitter and Gay (with Tyler Whitman)

    32 min
  5. Elena Cardone: Find the One You Trust and Build an Empire

    Apr 21

    Elena Cardone: Find the One You Trust and Build an Empire

    ➡️ Access ALL FREE business resources, episode blueprints, and exclusive content from past episodes: https://stan.store/leopareja Elena Cardone didn't build an empire by playing the independent woman card the culture keeps selling. She built it by doing the exact opposite, and the backlash almost buried her. Leo sits down with the force behind a multi-billion dollar organization to break down why trust is the only non-negotiable, what most ambitious couples lie to themselves about, and the uncomfortable truth about who you let near your inner circle. Elena also gets into why she cut out anyone she considers out-ethics, the parenting move that turns kids into criminals, and the mindset shift that stops driven partners from destroying each other. ➡️ Timestamps 00:00 Find The One You Trust and Build an Empire01:25 The One Standard Elena Will Never Lower for Anyone02:28 Why Elena Cuts Out Anyone She Considers Out-Ethics04:06 Protecting the People Who Depend On You To Make Right Decisions04:34 The REM Sleep Reason Leo Quit Drinking Entirely06:33 Growing Up When People Smoked on Airplanes and Nobody Blinked08:10 The Gene Test That Told Elena Alcohol Is a Poison to Her Body09:12 Why Grant and Elena Refuse To Close the Curtain Like Everyone Else Does10:18 The Control Habit That Was Making Elena Weaker Not Stronger12:36 Why Collaboration Is the New Currency When You're Competing for the Top13:20 The Biggest Lie in Business: "I Can't Find Good People"15:37 The 2017 Decision That Got Elena Hate From Women Everywhere17:02 What a Functional Marriage Between Two Driven Adults Actually Requires18:18 Racking Up Wins Together Is the Love Language Nobody Talks About19:38 The Hard Conversation Ambitious Couples Avoid Until It's Too Late20:26 Money Doesn't Change You, It Magnifies You23:49 Why Elena Still Wouldn't Buy a Harry Winston Without Consulting Grant24:31 What People Completely Underestimate About Building in Public for Decades25:26 The One Thing a Leader Should Never Share No Matter How Trendy Transparency Gets26:49 Parenting Teenagers When You've Been Through Everything They're About To Try29:26 Why Elena Stopped Lecturing Her Kids and Started Listening Instead31:37 Report Cards Don't Matter, Jiu Jitsu Does32:40 How the Cardone Kids Got Contracts, Lawyers, and Dividends as Children35:04 The Exchange Rule That Separates Functional Kids From Future Criminals36:19 Why the Cardone Kids Paid Their Piggy Banks To Ride the Family Plane ➡️ Connect With Leo Pareja LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/leopareja/Instagram: https://instagram.com/leopareja/Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@leo.pareja

    38 min

  6. Mar 3

    Byron Lazine: He Went Bankrupt, Couldn't Buy an Ad, and Built Real Estate's Biggest Media Company

    ➡️ Access ALL FREE business resources, episode blueprints, and exclusive content from past episodes: https://stan.store/leopareja Byron Lazine built a media empire starting from bankruptcy — no budget, no audience, no choice but to figure out what everyone else was ignoring. Leo sits down with the co-founder of BAM to break down why distribution beats skill, what 15 years of building in public actually costs, and the uncomfortable truth about agents who post versus agents who actually build. Byron also gets into what live content is going to dominate in 2026, the backdoor narratives still controlling the real estate industry, and the two paths forward for anyone scared to put themselves out there. ➡️ Timestamps 00:00 The Bankrupt Agent Who Couldn't Buy an Ad and Built a Media Empire Instead01:17 When Byron Realized Distribution Mattered More Than Skill03:06 The Facebook Live That Changed Everything (A Builder, 9 Homes, and Zero Foot Traffic)04:31 What That Version of Byron Got Dead Wrong About Success05:22 The Real Cost of Building in Public for 15 Years06:41 Why Chasing Trends Is the Slowest Path to Consistency07:44 The Deleted Podcast, the Stop Zillow Debate, and the First Real Inflection Point13:00 How BAM Was Born and Why the Industry Needed a Media Company, Not Another Blog17:45 The Difference Between Agents Who Build Audiences and Agents Who Just Post24:30 Why Byron Wouldn't Post on Social If It Wasn't for Business30:15 Raw Content, Live Format, and What's Going to Crush in 202637:34 The Emerging Trend Most Agents Are Completely Sleeping On39:52 Live Content for Listings: Why Zoning Meetings Are Goldmines Nobody Is Mining42:05 Cringe Mountain and the Two-to-Four Year Grind Nobody Talks About44:06 Grind It Alone or Latch On — Byron's Closing Advice for Anyone Scared to Build in Public ➡️ Connect With Leo Pareja LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/leopareja/Instagram: https://instagram.com/leopareja/Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@leo.pareja

    45 min

  7. Feb 20

    Neil Patel: SEO Is Dead — Here's What's Actually Driving Revenue Now

    ➡️ Access ALL FREE business resources, episode blueprints, and exclusive content from past episodes: https://stan.store/leopareja Most marketers are spending money on SEO that was never going to drive revenue anyway and Neil Patel is the first to admit it. Leo sits down with one of the most recognized names in digital marketing to break down why informational SEO is collapsing, how LLMs are rewriting the rules of visibility, and what actually drives revenue in a world where ChatGPT answers the question before anyone clicks your link. Neil also gets brutally honest about losing clients for telling the truth, burning millions on a cloud computing bet before AWS existed, and the hard lesson every founder eventually learns: drinking your own Kool-Aid is necessary until it isn't. ➡️ Timestamps 00:00 Why Informational SEO Is Dead (And Was Never Driving Revenue Anyway)00:55 How LLMs Are Replacing Google and What to Do About It02:10 The Exact Strategy to Get Mentioned by ChatGPT and Gemini04:45 Personal Brand vs. Corporate Brand, Which One to Build First07:30 Why AI Slop Is Flooding the Internet and How to Stand Out10:20 The Coca-Cola AI Ad Backlash and What It Tells Us About Human Content13:00 Neil's 2008 Collapse and the Three-Year Grind That Followed17:45 Burning Millions on Cloud Computing Before AWS Existed21:00 The Investor Who Hired His Girlfriend and Gave Her $50K for a Logo24:30 Don't Drink Your Own Kool-Aid, Hire People Who've Already Made the Mistakes27:00 Why Boring, Ugly Businesses Make the Most Money30:15 When to Expand vs. When You're Just Adding Feature Creep33:40 The Zero-to-One Founder vs. The Scale Operator, Know Which One You Are36:00 Quality Time Over Quantity, How Neil Thinks About Family and the Grind ➡️ Connect With Leo Pareja LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/leopareja/Instagram: https://instagram.com/leopareja/Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@leo.pareja

    40 min

  8. Feb 13

    Focus Is a Superpower: How to Know When to Quit or Keep Going

    ➡️ Access ALL FREE business resources, episode blueprints, and exclusive content from past episodes: https://stan.store/leopareja Most entrepreneurs don't fail because their product is bad—they fail because they try to do everything and slowly become forgettable. Leo breaks down why hyper-focus is a superpower, how to audit where your marketing dollars actually go, and the hardest question in entrepreneurship: when to keep watering the seedling versus when you're pounding solid concrete on a bad idea. He also shares what marquee capital allocators told him they actually look for in founders—and it's not first-time winners. ➡️ Timestamps 00:00 The Feature Creep Trap That Kills Businesses00:45 Why the Best Brands in the World Are Hyper-Focused01:20 The Framework: Audit Your Marketing Spend Ruthlessly02:10 Saying No to Good Ideas Is Mandatory, Not Optional02:55 The Duality of Never Quit vs. Knowing When to Walk Away03:40 Watering a Seedling vs. Pounding Solid Concrete04:25 The Sunk Cost Fallacy Will Destroy Your Business05:00 Separate Your Identity from Your Business05:40 Feedback Loops: Trust Your Gut, Filter External Advice06:20 Why You Should Start as a Side Hustle First07:00 Having Hard Conversations with Investors and Employees07:45 Failure Is a Superpower: What $48M in Fundraising Taught Me08:30 What Marquee Investors Actually Look for in Founders09:10 Ask Yourself Why—And Be Honest About the Answer ➡️ Connect With Leo Pareja LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/leopareja/Instagram: https://instagram.com/leopareja/Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@leo.pareja

    11 min
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About

Welcome to Pareja Unfiltered, where host Leo Pareja explores what it takes to lead, grow, and win. Leo built companies and led tens of thousands of agents as CEO of eXp Realty (NASDAQ: EXPI). He's learned the difference between good and great isn't what you know—it's how you think, adapt, and inspire others. Real strategies for real leaders, featuring CEOs, founders, and game-changers who've been in the trenches. This is podcast for leaders ready to stop playing small and start playing to win.

Information

  • Creator
    eXp Media
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    34
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2025 eXp Media
  • Show Website
    Leo Pareja Unfiltered