The Aligned & Prosperous Podcast

Deborah Stellingwerff

For high-integrity real estate professionals ready to grow a profitable business without losing their soul. Hosted by Deborah Stellingwerff, Business & Mindset Coach for Realtors, this podcast is your space for honest conversations, powerful mindset shifts, and practical business strategies that actually work. You’ll learn how to attract aligned clients, lead with confidence, and structure your business for sustainable success—without burning out or selling out. From mastering sales conversations to rewriting your money story, Deborah shares the tools, coaching, and unfiltered truth you need to go from stuck and scattered to aligned and prosperous. Along the way, you’ll also hear candid conversations with inspiring guests—real estate professionals, coaches, and thought leaders—who are walking their own path of alignment and prosperity. Because it’s not about doing more. It’s about doing what matters—on purpose, with heart. Follow for more episodes.

  1. 3d ago

    69. Stop Trying to Make Friends. Instead Be the Leader They Can Trust.

    Stop Trying to Be Friends with Your Leads You can be friendly without trying to make everyone your friend. In this episode of the Aligned & Prosperous Podcast, Deborah challenges one of the most misunderstood ideas in sales: that building relationships means trying to be liked. You’ll learn why strong business relationships are built through clarity, consistency, competence, and care, and why showing up as a leader instead of falling into your Social Self can help you protect your energy, establish healthier boundaries, and build greater trust with clients and prospects. Because the goal isn’t to turn every lead into a friend. It’s to create meaningful professional relationships where people understand how you can help, trust you to lead, and want to work with you again and refer you to others. Be friendly. Care deeply. But lead the relationship. Take the Leadership Edge Assessment Discover the one shift that will help you become a more effective leader, create stronger client relationships, and build a more profitable, sustainable business. ➡️ Take the assessment: https://ivlv.me/ZZkpt Work with Deborah If you're ready to create more focus, more sales, and a business that supports the life you want to live, learn more about coaching opportunities. ➡️ www.deborahstellingwerff.com Connect with Deborah LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/deborahstellingwerff Instagram: instagram.com/coachdebstell Website: www.deborahstellingwerff.com

    69. Stop Trying to Make Friends. Instead Be the Leader They Can Trust.
  2. Aug 12

    68. Optimism is a Leadership Skill

    Optimism isn’t something you’re born with. It’s a skill you can develop — and it may be one of the most important leadership skills you practice. Research has linked optimism with greater success, stronger relationships, better health, and increased resilience. But optimism isn’t about pretending everything is going to work out or ignoring the challenges in front of you. It’s about training yourself to see possibility — and then being willing to act on it. In this episode of the Aligned & Prosperous Podcast, Deborah Stellingwerff explores how our habitual thought patterns create deeply ingrained neural pathways, why our brains often resist optimism in an attempt to keep us safe, and how fear of disappointment or rejection can quietly cause us to lower our expectations and play smaller than we need to. You’ll discover: Why optimism is a learned skill, not simply a personality traitWhat research tells us about optimism, happiness, health, and successHow your habitual thoughts influence your behaviour and resultsWhy protecting yourself from disappointment can cost you opportunitiesHow to stop making rejection mean something about youWhy optimism matters even more when business or the market feels challengingHow to strengthen optimism through intentional practice and inspired actionOptimism isn’t about assuming everything will go your way. It’s about trusting yourself to respond when it doesn’t. And the more you practice that, the more possibilities you begin to see — in your business, your relationships, and your life. Take the Leadership Edge Assessment Discover the one shift that will help you become a more effective leader, create stronger client relationships, and build a more profitable, sustainable business. ➡️ Take the assessment: https://ivlv.me/ZZkpt Work with Deborah If you're ready to create more focus, more sales, and a business that supports the life you want to live, learn more about coaching opportunities. ➡️ www.deborahstellingwerff.com Connect with Deborah LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/deborahstellingwerff Instagram: instagram.com/coachdebstell Website: www.deborahstellingwerff.com

    68. Optimism is a Leadership Skill
  3. Aug 5

    67. What Your Marketing Says About Your Leadership

    What if your biggest marketing challenge isn't marketing at all? Most business owners think they need a better marketing strategy. More content. More social media. More visibility. But what if the real challenge is leadership? In this conversation, I sit down with marketing expert Mike Cuevas (Your Marketing Dude) to explore the surprising connection between leadership, visibility, authenticity, delegation, and building a business that doesn't depend on you doing everything yourself. We discuss why so many talented professionals stay invisible, why consistency matters more than perfection, how to discover your authentic voice, and why your personal brand evolves as you do. If you've ever wondered what to post, struggled with putting yourself out there, or questioned whether marketing feels "too salesy," this episode will change the way you think about marketing forever. Because marketing isn't just about getting attention. It's about leading. In this episode, you'll discover:Why marketing is a leadership responsibilityThe difference between marketing and advertisingWhy authenticity isn't something you create, it's something you uncoverHow to identify your own content pillars and personal brandWhy consistency beats perfection every timeHow to overcome the fear of visibilityWhat AI can (and can't) replace in marketingThe first leadership decision to make if you're ready to stop doing everything yourself Remember: The business you want begins with the leader you become. If you'd like to discover your own leadership strengths and identify the next step in your growth, take the Leadership Edge Assessment using the link in the show notes. Connect with Mike Cuevas here: https://yourmarketingdude.com/

    67. What Your Marketing Says About Your Leadership
  4. Jul 22

    65. The Leadership Skill Nobody Teaches: How to Challenge Clients Without Making Them Feel Wrong

    One of the hardest leadership skills in real estate has nothing to do with negotiating, handling objections, or getting more listings. It's learning how to challenge your clients without making them feel wrong. In this episode of the Aligned and Prosperous Podcast, Deborah shares a powerful coaching story about an agent who was ready to fire a difficult client, until one simple question changed everything: "Have you actually shown up in full leadership here?" What happened next surprised them both. You'll discover why the clients who push back the hardest are often the ones who need your leadership the most, how to set boundaries without damaging trust, and why true leadership lives in the space between support and challenge. Whether you're a real estate professional, coach, business owner, or leader of any kind, this conversation will help you navigate difficult conversations with greater confidence, clarity, and compassion. In this episode you'll learn:Why avoiding difficult conversations isn't leadershipHow to challenge people without making them feel judged or criticizedThe difference between correcting someone and helping them think more clearlyWhy difficult clients are often looking for someone they can trust to leadPractical language you can use to create safety while holding firm boundaries Ready to strengthen your leadership? Take the Leadership Edge Assessment to discover your greatest leadership strengths and identify the habits that may be limiting your business growth. It only takes a few minutes and will give you personalized insight into where to focus next. 👉 Take the Leadership Edge Assessment If this episode resonated with you, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone who leads others. Every conversation like this helps create more confident leaders, and better businesses. Remember: The business you want begins with the leader you become.

    65. The Leadership Skill Nobody Teaches: How to Challenge Clients Without Making Them Feel Wrong
  5. Jul 8

    63. Stop Convincing

    Most people think convincing is part of the job. A client hesitates. They ask more questions. They raise an objection. And suddenly you feel the urge to explain more, justify your recommendation, and help them see why your solution is the right one. But what if that urge is actually a warning sign? In this episode, Deb explores one of the most important lessons she's learned through sales, coaching, leadership, and life: the moment you start trying to convince someone, you've already moved away from leadership. You'll learn why convincing creates resistance, how discomfort often triggers us into pushing harder, and what to do instead when a client seems uncertain. Deb shares practical questions and leadership principles that help people think more clearly, make decisions they trust, and move forward without pressure. In this episode you'll discover: Why convincing often creates the very resistance you're trying to overcome • How to recognize when you've slipped into "convincing mode" • Why client hesitation isn't necessarily a problem to solve • The difference between helping someone think and influencing an outcome • How great leaders create clarity instead of pressure • Practical questions that lead to better conversations and better decisionsIf you've ever found yourself explaining, justifying, or pushing harder in an effort to help someone move forward, this episode will help you shift from persuasion to leadership—and build deeper trust with your clients in the process. In the next episode, Deb continues the conversation by exploring the psychology of decision-making and what is really happening when people struggle to choose. Take the Leadership Edge Assessment Discover the one shift that will help you become a more effective leader, create stronger client relationships, and build a more profitable, sustainable business. ➡️ Take the assessment: https://ivlv.me/ZZkpt Work with Deborah If you're ready to create more focus, more sales, and a business that supports the life you want to live, learn more about coaching opportunities. ➡️ www.deborahstellingwerff.com Connect with Deborah LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/deborahstellingwerff Instagram: instagram.com/coachdebstell Website: www.deborahstellingwerff.com Join the Aligned & Prosperous Leaders Hub here: https://app.heartbeat.chat/alignedandprosperouscommunity/invitation?code=4C4J9D

  6. Jun 18

    62. You Don't Have a Team — You Have a Dependency Problem

    Do you actually have a team, or have you accidentally built a dependency? Most real estate and financial services professionals reach a point of overwhelm and assume the answer is to bring people on board. But adding people to a broken or unstructured business doesn't create relief, it magnifies every gap you've been avoiding. In this episode, Deb and Tracey get real about why so many teams fail, what separates a true team from a group of people sharing a workload, and the leadership identity you need to develop before you ever post that first job listing. Tracey shares her own firsthand journey, from exhausted lead distributor to leading a thriving seven-person team, and the pivotal mindset shifts that made it possible. You'll walk away knowing: The real difference between a team and a group of people working togetherWhy most teams fall apart (and the warning signs to watch for)The hidden cost of becoming a lead distributor instead of a leaderThe three things that must come before people: leadership, systems, and visionHow role clarity transformed Tracey's team, and how it can transform yoursWhy hiring won't fix a broken business, but will expose itThe order matters: Leadership first. Systems second. People third. If you're thinking about building a team, or wondering why your current one isn't working, this episode gives you the foundation to do it right. 🔗 Join the Aligned and Prosperous Leaders Community — link in show notes. https://app.heartbeat.chat/alignedandprosperouscommunity/invitation?code=AG3863

About

For high-integrity real estate professionals ready to grow a profitable business without losing their soul. Hosted by Deborah Stellingwerff, Business & Mindset Coach for Realtors, this podcast is your space for honest conversations, powerful mindset shifts, and practical business strategies that actually work. You’ll learn how to attract aligned clients, lead with confidence, and structure your business for sustainable success—without burning out or selling out. From mastering sales conversations to rewriting your money story, Deborah shares the tools, coaching, and unfiltered truth you need to go from stuck and scattered to aligned and prosperous. Along the way, you’ll also hear candid conversations with inspiring guests—real estate professionals, coaches, and thought leaders—who are walking their own path of alignment and prosperity. Because it’s not about doing more. It’s about doing what matters—on purpose, with heart. Follow for more episodes.

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