LIFTED

Patrick Merrill
  • 0.0 (0)
  • Business
  • Updated Weekly

Lifted is where real estate, leadership, and real life come together. Hosted by Patrick Merrill, this podcast goes beyond transactions to explore personal growth, purpose, and the kind of impact that lasts longer than any deal. Patrick brings on realtors from all walks of life, along with industry partners and people with stories worth sharing. No hype, no shortcuts - just honest insight, perspective, and encouragement for wherever you are in your journey. #Pascagoula #OceanSprings #Biloxi #Mississippi

  1. 18h ago

    Estate Cleanouts and the Kids Who Can't Come Back: Kayla Hill

    Her parents passed away. She does not live in that town anymore, she does not want to come back, and she does not know a single realtor there. Kayla Hill gets that call constantly. Patrick Merrill hosts Lifted and sells Mississippi Gulf Coast real estate, a RealTrends Verified Top Agent holding the ABR and GRI designations. He turns 60 this year and says on this episode that he cannot get rid of anything, which is why he wanted to talk to someone who moves families through this for a living. Kayla Hill runs Golden Bridges, Inc. in Quincy, Illinois. Senior move management is the technical term, and she admits nobody knows what it means when she says it. In practice it covers downsizing before in-home care, moving into assisted living, closing out an estate, and helping people stay in the house they already have. She is direct about what she does not do, and she says the most valuable thing she owns is a list of people she trusts: the thrift store that picks up furniture, the auction people, the estate attorney, the financial group that works only with seniors. Patrick brings the Gulf Coast side, including reverse mortgages clients regret at 60, rotary club estate sales, and knowing when to send someone to a lawyer instead of guessing. Hosted by: Patrick Merrill Guest: Kayla Hill Kayla Hill is co-owner of Golden Bridges, Inc., a senior move management company in Quincy, Illinois serving the tri-state region where Iowa, Missouri, and Illinois meet. She and her fiancé acquired the thirteen-year-old business from its retiring founders in April 2026. Golden Bridges holds NASMM A+ accreditation, the highest tier of the national accrediting system Kayla explains on this episode. What You'll Learn: Start a client on downsizing with the zipper sandwich bag Kayla leaves after every consultation, because everybody has at least one junk drawer Vet a senior move manager anywhere in the country through the National Association of Senior Move Managers, and read the accreditation tiers before you refer a client to anyone Take the reverse mortgage question the way Patrick does, straight to a lawyer, instead of talking past your license Win the out-of-state adult child who inherited a house, knows nobody in town, and wants it handled without a return trip Let a third party say the spoon came from Walmart, so the family can spend the weekend grieving instead of arguing over a drawer Keep a client in their own home by clearing space for a hospital bed or making the place safe enough for grandkids to visit Build the referral bench that carries the work: estate attorneys, auctioneers, thrift stores that haul furniture, junk removal, and pet placement Connect with Kayla Hill and Golden Bridges: Website: https://goldenbridges4you.com/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/GoldenBridges4You Connect with Patrick Merrill: Website: https://cbsmithhomesalabama.com/agents/patrick-merrill YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@LIFTED-Patrick-Merrill Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/lifted/id1882611045 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/30tXkqPjyDfrcfPOoxd0kE Lifted is about growing as a professional, a leader, and a human. If this one moved something for you, subscribe on YouTube, and leave a rating on Apple Podcasts or Spotify so more agents find it. I am Patrick Merrill, and I hope you have been lifted. If not, let me know. We'll figure out a way. There's always a way. Hashtags: #LiftedPodcast #PatrickMerrill #MississippiRealEstate #GulfCoastRealEstate #RealEstateLeadership #AgentMindset #RealTrendsTopAgent #LegacyBuilding #RealEstatePodcast #RealEstateCoaching

    Estate Cleanouts and the Kids Who Can't Come Back: Kayla Hill

  2. Aug 26

    Fewer Turns, Longer Leases: Judy Bellack on the Business Case for Pets

    Fewer turns. Fewer turn costs. Less vacancy loss. Judy Bellack says the residents delivering all three are the ones a lot of buildings turn away. Patrick Merrill sells real estate on the Mississippi Gulf Coast and hosts Lifted, a RealTrends Verified Top Agent holding the ABR and GRI designations. On this episode he sits down with Judy Bellack, who spent her first twelve years at Apartment Guide, spent a year with the outfit that ran private housing for the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, where a house in the right ring of metro Atlanta pulled $18,000 over six days, and came back to move the industry from those little apartment books into digital at Apartment Finder and RentPath. Judy now runs her own consultancy advising early-stage property technology companies, and for five years she has advised the Pet Inclusive Housing Initiative at the Michelson Found Animals Foundation. Her argument is not sentimental. Pet owners renew, they cost less to turn, and they build the kind of community inside a property that keeps people from leaving. Patrick pushes her on the parts owners actually resist: the insurance objection, the weight caps, the HUD shift on emotional support animals, and the online letter mills selling their way around all of it for seventy-five dollars. Hosted by: Patrick Merrill Guest: Judy Bellack Judy Bellack is the Founder and Principal of Judith Lawrence Associates, an advisory firm serving the multifamily housing sector. With over two decades of industry experience, she helps property technology companies and suppliers accelerate growth and refine go-to-market strategies. Judy also advocates for pet-friendly rentals as an advisor to the Pet-Inclusive Housing Initiative.  What You'll Learn: Price the retention upside of pet owners in the terms an owner reacts to: fewer turns, fewer turn costs, less vacancy loss Answer the insurance objection by asking the provider for the actuarial data behind the restriction, which Judy says often does not exist Separate pet friendly from pet inclusive, where inclusive means no breed caps, no weight caps, and no unreasonable pet rent Handle an emotional support animal request without triggering fair housing exposure, since the HUD enforcement shift left the underlying law untouched Understand why weight limits fail on their own logic, because the bigger the dog, the more of a couch potato it usually is Screen the individual animal instead of the breed, which is what actually keeps a bite history off the property Pull the case studies, data, and how-tos Judy points owners to at petsandhousing.org Connect with Judy Bellack:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/judybellack/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JLAdvisorWebsite: http://jladvise.com/ Connect with Patrick Merrill:Website: https://cbsmithhomesalabama.com/agents/patrick-merrillYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@LIFTED-Patrick-MerrillApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/lifted/id1882611045Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/30tXkqPjyDfrcfPOoxd0kE Lifted is about growing as a professional, a leader, and a human. If this one moved something for you, subscribe on YouTube, and leave a rating on Apple Podcasts or Spotify so more agents find it. I am Patrick Merrill, and I hope you have been lifted. If not, let me know. We'll figure out a way. There's always a way. Hashtags: #LiftedPodcast #PatrickMerrill #MississippiRealEstate #GulfCoastRealEstate #RealEstateLeadership #AgentMindset #RealTrendsTopAgent #LegacyBuilding #RealEstatePodcast #RealEstateCoaching

    Fewer Turns, Longer Leases: Judy Bellack on the Business Case for Pets

  3. Aug 19

    Pregnant and Hiring Three People in 90 Days: Megan Ware Marsh's Playbook

    Her boss fired her over a company she hadn't started yet. Twenty-two years later, she runs one backing twenty-five brokerages in eight states. Patrick Merrill has sold Mississippi Gulf Coast real estate for sixteen years, a RealTrends Verified Top Agent holding the ABR and GRI designations. On this episode of Lifted he sits down with Megan Ware Marsh, twenty-two years into the mortgage industry, who was fired from the company where she was top producer after her boss assumed she was quietly starting her own business. Two coworkers walked out behind her, and a lawsuit followed. That's what pushed her to open her first mortgage brokerage. She's since opened three of her own and now runs a franchise model backing roughly twenty-five brokerages across eight states, aimed at the loan officers and brokers she calls boots on the ground, the ones stuck on what she calls the hamster wheel of selling nonstop just to get paid. Hosted by: Patrick Merrill Guest: Megan Marsh Megan Marsh is the Founder and CEO of Co/LAB Lending and its franchise division. A mortgage and real estate veteran with over 18 years of experience, she helps loan officers and industry professionals launch their own independent mortgage businesses. Through a proven franchise model, done-for-you back-office support, and education, she empowers entrepreneurs to be in business for themselves, but never by themselves. What You'll Learn: Hear how getting fired over a business she hadn't started yet led to opening her own, with two coworkers walking out behind her Borrow the one to ten scale her team uses to size up a bad day, where someone dying is a ten and a nasty email is a two See how hiring three people in ninety days while pregnant with her third child turned into a 30 to 40 percent growth year Compare Gulf Coast numbers to her own market, from average home prices to why she's never paid an annual car tag Learn what boots on the ground support looks like inside a twenty-five brokerage franchise Get her take on builder buydowns, and why she'd rather work with agents than compete against them Hear why investors and self-employed borrowers, the ones with complicated tax returns, were her favorite clients Connect with Megan Marsh: Website: https://colablendingfranchise.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/moneymentormeg Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/megan.w.marsh/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/moneymentormeg/ Connect with Patrick Merrill: Website: https://cbsmithhomesalabama.com/agents/patrick-merrill YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@LIFTED-Patrick-Merrill Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/lifted/id1882611045 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/30tXkqPjyDfrcfPOoxd0kE Hashtags: #LiftedPodcast #PatrickMerrill #MississippiRealEstate #GulfCoastRealEstate #RealEstateLeadership #AgentMindset #RealTrendsTopAgent #LegacyBuilding #RealEstatePodcast #RealEstateCoaching

    Pregnant and Hiring Three People in 90 Days: Megan Ware Marsh's Playbook

  4. Aug 12

    What LA Fire Survivors Actually Miss | Marija Volkman, Architect

    Marija Volkman asked LA fire survivors what they wished they'd saved. Nobody said the house. A violin someone's father gave them at seven. A cheerleading sweater from high school. Marija spent the year after the January fires with people who lost everything, and found clients who were not shopping for a house at all. They were grieving, under pressure of time, pressure of neighbors, pressure of insurance, being asked to decide things they had not had one day to think about. Patrick Merrill has sold on the Mississippi Gulf Coast for sixteen years and still catches himself reaching for something Katrina took in 2005. A RealTrends Verified Top Agent holding the ABR and GRI designations, he pushes Marija onto the numbers most agents never see. A canyon lot where shotcreting the hillside ran near half a million before a single wall went up. A teardown where a 3,600 square foot property acquired around 2.9 million became a 5,100 square foot build plus ADU that sold at 8.2 million. Hosted by: Patrick Merrill Guest: Marija Volkman Marija Volkman is an architect, designer, and the creative force behind Archicraft. Operating between Los Angeles and Prague, she specializes in transforming ambitious concepts into exceptional projects by combining thoughtful, resilient design with strategic problem-solving and a highly personalized approach to architecture. What You'll Learn Spot the client who is grieving rather than shopping, then reset your timeline Run teardown math before you decide how to list an aging property Budget a hillside lot for what disappears underground Raise insurance earlier, after hearing how policies vanished months before the fires See two houses where a buyer sees one, using SB9 and ADU rules Borrow the In-N-Out argument for clients who think design is decoration Ask the question Marija asks: what do you wish you saved Keep a pipeline alive when the market stalls, the way Patrick did twice Follow Lifted on Spotify and leave a rating so more agents find this one. CONNECT WITH MARIJA VOLKMAN Website: https://marijavolkman.com/ Studio: https://archicraft.co/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marijavolkman/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marija-volkman/ Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/makivolk/ CONNECT WITH PATRICK MERRILL Website: https://cbsmithhomesalabama.com/agents/patrick-merrill YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@LIFTED-Patrick-Merrill Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/lifted/id1882611045 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/30tXkqPjyDfrcfPOoxd0kE #LiftedPodcast #PatrickMerrill #MississippiRealEstate #GulfCoastRealEstate #RealEstateLeadership #AgentMindset #RealTrendsTopAgent #LegacyBuilding #RealEstatePodcast #RealEstateCoaching

    What LA Fire Survivors Actually Miss | Marija Volkman, Architect

  5. Aug 5

    Why No Brokerage Training Makes a Good Agent | Ryan Bruen

    Ask the next agent who tells you something is against the rules to name the rule. Ryan Bruen does, and the answer is almost never a rule. What comes back instead is "I've never done it this way." Ryan has thirteen years at Coldwell Banker in Morristown, New Jersey, and he reads the contracts and the legislation changes himself rather than inheriting his office's version of them. His view on the classes and certifications agents collect: none of it is sufficient. You learn by getting out there, shadowing top producers, listening to their calls, sitting in their appointments. Patrick Merrill hosts Lifted and sells Mississippi Gulf Coast real estate as a RealTrends Verified Top Agent with his ABR and GRI designations, and he came to it after 16 years in the casino business where he dealt roulette. He and Ryan trade numbers that make their two markets look unrelated. Ryan's starter homes sit in the sixes and a well-priced listing pulls four to twelve offers in the first week. Patrick sells a block off the water at $200,000. Underneath the different math, the same agent mindset holds: the one who actually read the paperwork builds the deal nobody else at the table saw. Hosted by: Patrick Merrill Guest: Ryan Bruen Ryan Bruen is a Coldwell Banker agent in Morristown, New Jersey, where he grew up and has worked in real estate for 13 years. His grandfather owned a local brokerage that was sold to a regional firm and later became part of Coldwell Banker, where Ryan has spent nearly his entire career. He works across Morris, Somerset and Essex counties, brings a graphic design and marketing background to his business, and uses a bear as his team logo, taken from his last name. What You'll Learn Structure a deal that nets the other side more money at no cost to your client, then hold it together when they push back because they don't understand it Read the contracts and legislation changes yourself instead of inheriting your office's version of the rules Question an agent citing a rule they can't name without torching the deal Walk a client to their own decision instead of making it for them Build real estate leadership by shadowing top producers, because no brokerage training gets you there Rebuild a business around a body that stopped cooperating and stay in production anyway Read a market where a well-priced listing draws twelve offers and 10% down still loses If this one lifted you, follow the show and leave a rating. Stay lifted. CONNECT WITH RYAN BRUEN Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ryanjbruen/ Website: http://bruenrealestate.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ryanbruen/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanbruen/ CONNECT WITH PATRICK MERRILL Website: https://cbsmithhomesalabama.com/agents/patrick-merrill YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@LIFTED-Patrick-Merrill Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/lifted/id1882611045 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/30tXkqPjyDfrcfPOoxd0kE

    Why No Brokerage Training Makes a Good Agent | Ryan Bruen

  6. Jul 29

    Identity Before Strategy in Real Estate with Kevin Yoder

    Is a "bad" market actually bad, or are you running the wrong strategy for your identity? Navigating shifting real estate conditions leaves many agents and team leaders struggling to maintain momentum. When lead sources dry up, relying on outdated routines creates friction, leading to missed opportunities and burnt-out careers. On this episode of Lifted Podcast, host Patrick Merrill catches up with 26-year real estate veteran and high-performance coach Kevin Yoder. Drawing on experience across four distinct market cycles, Kevin explains why long-term success requires matching your message to the moment and adopting "identity before strategy." Together, Patrick and Kevin unpack practical tactics for surviving market shifts. They cover why digital contracts demand strict detail to avoid multi-thousand-dollar oversights, why a $5,000 paint credit beats expensive pre-sale makeovers, and how direct phone outreach continues to drive top business growth in real estate. Hosted by: Patrick Merrill  Guest: Kevin Yoder Kevin Yoder is a mindset coach, entrepreneur, and CEO with over years of experience in business and real estate. He leads a real estate company and founded Infinite U, a coaching platform designed to help entrepreneurs rewire their belief systems and self-concept for business growth. What You'll Learn Kevin Yoder is a 26-year real estate veteran, high-performance coach, and founder of the Senior Smooth Move System. He has navigated four distinct market cycles, including buyers markets, severe market crashes, and sellers markets. On this episode, he shares his framework for identity-driven sales performance and specialized business strategy. Adapting to Shifting Markets: Recognize four major real estate cycles and pivot your messaging to guide clients through uncertainty. Applying "Identity Before Strategy": Master your internal mindset and professional identity as the foundation for sales growth. Executing High-Return Lead Generation: Return to direct phone prospecting when conventional marketing channels stall. Protecting Client Wealth via Contract Accuracy: Eliminate costly errors in negotiations to serve as a true fiduciary. Unlocking Niche Opportunities: Implement a structured senior downsizing system to serve an expanding demographic. Guiding Sellers on Smart Concessions: Educate listing clients on strategic credits instead of wasting capital on pre-sale updates. Connect with Kevin Yoder 🌐 Website: https://infiniteu.com 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/infiniteubykevin 📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/infiniteubykevin 💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thekevinyoder Connect with Patrick Merrill 🏡 CB Smith Homes 📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/patrickmerrillrealestate  📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/patrickmerrillrealestate  💼 LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/my-town-892051183/  🎙️ Subscribe for more conversations on leadership, mindset, business growth, and Mississippi Gulf Coast real estate. #LiftedPodcast #PatrickMerrill #MississippiRealEstate #GulfCoastRealEstate #RealEstateLeadership #AgentMindset #RealTrendsTopAgent #LegacyBuilding #RealEstatePodcast #RealEstateCoaching

    Identity Before Strategy in Real Estate with Kevin Yoder

  7. Jul 22

    Stop Buying Leads! Organic Real Estate Marketing Secrets with Matt Muscat

    Are you treating your real estate career like a real business, or are you just waiting for friends to call when it's time to sell Mom's house? In this episode, Patrick Merrill sits down with real estate marketing expert Matt Muscat, who brings 16 years of experience coaching and training top-producing realtors. Matt breaks down why the average agent doesn't need to spend a fortune on online leads, and instead reveals how to leverage your existing Sphere of Influence (SOI) to generate massive business. Together, Patrick and Matt discuss creative, high-impact strategies that cost absolutely nothing. From wearing your name tag everywhere to the "Bar Networking" strategy, to hunting for life events on Facebook, this episode is packed with tangible, actionable advice. 🎧 Hosted by: Patrick Merrill 🎤 Featuring: Matt Muscat Matt Muscat is a marketing strategist, speaker, and Founder of Maltese Marketing. As Marketing Director at Treadstone Funding, he helps real estate professionals leverage AI and social media for tangible business growth. He is also the host of The Neighborhood Agent podcast and author of the bestselling book, TAG: The Tangible Action Guide for Real Estate Marketing.  💡 What You’ll Learn in This Episode: ✔️ Why most agents fail to operate as a true business. ✔️ The exact script to use when calling your database to add real value. ✔️ How to use Facebook to "hunt" for major life events rather than just posting. ✔️ Unconventional networking: name tags, bar stools, and banana nut bread! ✔️ How to segment your CRM into 5 specific categories for better marketing. ✔️ Crucial advertising advice for brand new real estate agents. 📇 Connect with Matt Muscat: 🌐 Website→ https://maltesemarketing.com/ 📘 Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/matt.muscat1/ 📷 Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/mattmuscat88/ 🔗 LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/muscatm1/ 🎙 FOLLOW PATRICK MERRILL & LIFTED: 📘 Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/PatrickMerrillCBSH/ 📷 Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/patrickmerrillrealtor 🔗 LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/my-town-892051183/ 🔖 DON’T FORGET TO LIKE 👍, SUBSCRIBE 🔔 & COMMENT 💬 BELOW! ⭐ Produced by Icons of Real Estate - https://iconsofrealestate.com/

    Stop Buying Leads! Organic Real Estate Marketing Secrets with Matt Muscat

  8. Jul 15

    From Fax Machines to the AI Wave: Mastering Property Management with Kelli Segretto

    Are you a real estate agent tired of riding the commission roller coaster? Or maybe you're an investor trying to figure out how to scale your portfolio without losing your mind to the daily grind of tenants and toilet leaks? In this episode of Lifted, host Patrick Merrill sits down with Kelli Segretto, a powerhouse property management operations coach and the founder of PropertyDojo. Based in Salt Lake City, Utah, Kelli has spent over 25 years climbing the ranks of the industry—starting from general contracting, managing massive multifamily developments, and eventually consulting for portfolios ranging from 150 to over 25,000 doors! Kelli tracks the evolution of leasing from triplicate carbon-copy paper to modern AI integrations. She also drops major truth bombs about the changing landscape of short-term vacation rentals, why the standard "entrepreneur dream" fails 80% of real estate agents, and how to set up your pricing and operations so you can scale without burning out. 🎧 Hosted by: Patrick Merrill 🎤 Featuring: Kelli Segretto, Founder of PropertyDojo Kelli Segretto is the Founder of K Segretto Consulting and co-founder of PropDefend and Property Dojo, helping property management companies optimize their operations, technology, and team structures. She is a Certified Property Manager, licensed real estate agent, and Utah general contractor who speaks nationally on industry innovation and serves on the NARPM board. 💡 What You’ll Learn in This Episode: ✔️ How technology took property management from fax machines to complex AI algorithms. ✔️ Why vacation rentals are experiencing intense regulatory and taxation shifts post-COVID. ✔️ Why scaling "by accident" without a proper operational framework leaves you trapped with zero profit margin. ✔️ Why the vast majority of real estate license holders never close a transaction, and how property management provides a steady financial buffer. ✔️ How Kelli is building the ultimate online training catalog and document template library to protect your leasing business. 📇 Connect with Kelli Segretto: 🌐 Website → https://ksegretto.com/ 📘 Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/ksegrettoconsulting 📷 Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/ksegrettoconsulting/ 🔗 LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/company/ksegretto 🎙 FOLLOW PATRICK MERRILL & LIFTED: 📘 Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/PatrickMerrillCBSH/ 📷 Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/patrickmerrillrealtor 🔗 LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/my-town-892051183/ 🔖 DON’T FORGET TO LIKE 👍, SUBSCRIBE 🔔 & COMMENT 💬 BELOW! ⭐ Produced by Icons of Real Estate - https://iconsofrealestate.c

    From Fax Machines to the AI Wave: Mastering Property Management with Kelli Segretto
See All (26)

Trailer

About

Lifted is where real estate, leadership, and real life come together. Hosted by Patrick Merrill, this podcast goes beyond transactions to explore personal growth, purpose, and the kind of impact that lasts longer than any deal. Patrick brings on realtors from all walks of life, along with industry partners and people with stories worth sharing. No hype, no shortcuts - just honest insight, perspective, and encouragement for wherever you are in your journey. #Pascagoula #OceanSprings #Biloxi #Mississippi

Information

  • Creator
    Patrick Merrill
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    26
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Patrick Merrill
  • Show Website
    LIFTED