KGCI: Real Estate on Air - Scaling Production Through Team Culture, Consistency, and Personal Branding

Episode Date: July 3, 2026

Summary:Discover how three top-producing agents on a massive real estate team navigated one of the toughest markets in decades by relying on a healthy, collaborative office culture. The guests break down their exact daily habits for success, emphasizing that sustainable growth relies on consistent lead generation rather than forced quotas. Learn why establishing a distinct personal brand underneath a larger team umbrella is the ultimate secret to scaling your production.

Welcome to Next Level Agents, the podcast that's all about breaking barriers and building empires. I'm Kevin Kaufman and together with my crew bringing you straight up fire. Interviews with top tier agents, game changing thinkers, plus the strategies and mindset shifts to dominate in real estate. Whether it's personal growth, leadership packs, or next level tactics, we've got you covered. So tell me, what does the next level look like for you? Buckle up because we're about to take you there right now. Hello listeners. I am your host today, Katie Dewitt, and I've got three incredible teammates that are on the Adam Rutledge Group out of Medford, Oregon. And we are going to kind of dive into their mega team. They did over 200 units as a whole. We've interviewed Adam on the team before. He's the team owner. And they ended 2025 with over 200 units, which is incredible for what the market was and with 12 strong agents. So we're going to break down. We've got. but Jason, Jenna, and Kristen here, who'll all have them introduce so you can identify their voices

in a second. But we thought it'd be fun to have kind of just the insights of what it's like being on such a massive producing team, what their pros and cons are of just kind of working in that kind of environment and what it's been like for them. They have experience from two to five years of being in the industry and being on the team. And then lastly, what they are specifically doing to level up their production and their goals for the year. So Jason, take it off. Who are you? I mean, you're a little bit easier to identify since you're a male. Tell us about your history real quick, your units and your goals for next year. Yeah, I've been at the Rutledge property group for this is year five. So I've been with Adam my whole entire career, which has been great. Last year,

I did around 20 units. And I also had like a sales manager role on the team. So I did a love of mentoring and coaching and just kind of getting our newer agents into production. I'm excited about 26 because I've taken that I'm not part of that sales manager role anymore. So I'm just an agent, which I'm super stoked about. So I've set a really high goal of doing 40 units this year, which I definitely knew I could crush. Double down. I level. Yeah, I'm sure you take away new agent training. Now you have like hundreds of hours a week. Exactly. Yeah. Yeah. How long were you, the sales manager for? I was that for about two and a half years, two, two and a half years. Okay. So your schedule is really going to open up. Okay. I love that. Jenna, tell us about you.

Okay, so I have a little bit of a unique start with the team. I was actually a buyer and Adam was my agent when I bought my very first home in 2016. He worked through one of his clients to come work for him. Yes. Well, they Rutledge just had such a different approach of like client care. So you kind of become part of the family once you do a transaction. And I actually decided to get into real estate after coming to one of his seminars. So I have been with the team for, I've been with a team for about two, no, three and a half years now. And 2025, I did 22 units. I have a goal of 30 this year. So yeah, going strong. Love it. Awesome. Eric Kisten, how about you? Hey, so I'm Krista Mize. And I've been with the Rutledge team for two. years. This is also my second year as a real estate agent. I'm a Rogue Valley business owner for the past 13 years. So I'm using kind of my network as an already existing entrepreneur to transfer that over to real estate sales. I sold 10 units last year and I'm looking to double it this year.

Nice. Do you guys set your own goals or do you like does he work with you each year to push? Like what does that look like? We set our own goals based on what we want for our self and our family. I love that because a lot of teams will, especially newbie teams, will come into it and be like, everyone has to sell 25 units and you have to go up 10% and whatever that looks like. So I've always loved and appreciated Adam's approach to just being more human and saying, all right. And honestly, I've been quoting him in my coaching for years when teams were kind of really being developed and hitting the market of being like, hey, here's the model.

And it was like, lead done for two hours a day and do this and make 100 calls. And Adam's like, that doesn't really work. I'm just going to tell people to show up at nine. And the one hour I'm requiring is just this one hour. Now, I don't know if he's still doing it that way. You guys can correct me. But I've always loved his approach. It's clearly successful.

You guys already seem happy and be mean to be on his team, especially someone five years into it, such as Jason. But yeah, so tell me about like, what's that environment like for you guys, like when you set your goals and like, okay, it's because, like, are you encouraged by other people around you? the culture of the office. And by the way, 10 units your second year and 22 years, 20 plus doubling to 40, which easy for you, Jason. Like that's, those are incredible numbers considering we just left one of the worst markets we've ever seen in 30 years. So how do you guys feel about like moving

forward and hitting that? I think we have a strong foundation as far as our goal setting. That's kind of where we start. We actually, we talk a lot about our big why, why we show up every day, why these numbers are important for us. And then when those numbers have value and meaning, it just makes it that much easier to show up for ourselves on a daily basis. I love that. So tell us about the structure. Like when you guys go in, are you there all day? Is it still just like one hour mandatory? What does that look like? Yeah. I mean, I think we really tailor it to each person because we all live such different lives. But the expectation is that we're all here in person at 9 a.m. at least for a few minutes. And not just so we can see each other face

to face, know we're all still alive. But the real kind of secret reason behind that is so that we can push everyone. Because we talk about our wins from the previous day. We talk about what's new and hot on the market. And then we talk about what everyone's doing. So when you have people like Adam, who are who are pushers saying they're going to make 10, 15, 20 contacts that day, it always kind of levels you up and pushes you to do a little bit more. So we found that then people are going back to their desk spaces and making those calls. Some are here for an hour, some are here for two hours, somewhere here until four o'clock, kind of whatever works for them. It's a really motivating environment to be in. I know that like when I come here and I show up and listen to Adam or listen to

Jason or listen to Jenna, it just fires you up and gets you ready to go out there and lead Jen. And so it's definitely a very like disciplined and motivated environment that can be easy to thrive in. that's really inspiring that it's not forced which actually then he's getting the results as a team leader by not enforcing it. Like you guys are showing it. Has there been someone on the team that you've seen that you're like, like Debbie Dowder, like are you allowed like are there people that set up camps of just negativity or like

mean girl status? Is there anything that or does it get addressed quickly? I don't think those people last. No. They need themselves out honestly. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

I mean, it's it's we all sort of. no, when we have someone or we brought someone on, like, we can all make eye contact and know, like, okay, this isn't going to work. And even when we try and pour into them, it's just a personality thing. And I think that's a huge reason why our team is so successful. We're all so different, but also similar at the same time. And we really do root each other on and compete in a really successful way. I want Jenna to sell 30 houses. And I'm pushing myself to be more like Jenna, because I know if I'm more like Jenna, I'm leveling up my skills in different ways.

I might have to sell 41. Yes. Exactly. That rings true what Jason just said for sure. Yeah. Yeah. Well, honestly, I mean, you're joking, Jenna, but like, I love that.

Like, honestly, like the competitiveness and the friendliness and the funness of like, okay, well, maybe I'll go a little bit more. Like secretly, how badass would that be to beat him by one? Totally. I'm just to keep my position as a top sales agent. Yes. I love it. Yes.

Awesome. I mean, really, I wanted to camp on this for a second because I know that when you guys agreed to come on the podcast, it's what's the one thing you guys are doing to level up your business? So talk a little bit of that backstory of just culture. I know Adam Nails that of just a positive environment, pushing harder, wanting to be who, you know, you guys deserve to be. It sounds like you guys are good fits for the team. So tell me then what are you guys going to do to hit these big goals of up to the 100% doubling. So what are you guys going to do? Yeah, I think for me this year, Adam is such a big personality and he's created such good systems and has a such good reputation that that just sort of puts us on this great trajectory to be successful.

And I found that now that I'm in my five years, now it's time for Jason to figure out who Jason is and keep everything that Adam taught me and stay with the team, but then sort of veer off just slightly to create my own thing and create my own personality and persona with everything that he's taught me in the background. And I don't want to shoot to the negative, but we've had some people that have been fantastic and wonderful. And they get to this point where they feel like they're ready to go out on their own and they do. And they just change too much. And so that's why I'm here, because I know the system's work. I know having Adam in my back pocket is great. I know we get deals done because of the reputation is built, but just time to kind of level up my own game and my own brand for

myself. Can you guys do marketing on your own or it's everything like the Rutledge group and then you have your writer? Like how does someone distinguish between your, like who you guys are on team? I think we, you have an individual persona or character. Rutledge is always there. You know what I mean? Like I think you can present yourself authentically as who you are with the backing of Rutledge is kind of how I see it, right? Like I'm marketing myself as Kristen Mize and this is who I am and I can be that persona, but Rutledge is there and as my brokerage and always. Yeah, I always have thought of Rutledge as a bigger brand than our brokerage. When I joined we were with Keller Williams and they asked me, so why did you join Keller Williams? And my honest

question or answer was I didn't join Keller Williams. I joined Rutledge property group. Yes. It was not naive and I had no idea what I was even doing. And then we switched to EXP and I was like, okay, cool, like whatever. I'm part of Rutledge. And so when I make calls and answer the phone, I never say, this is Jason Nelson with EXP. It's always this is Jason with Rutledge because that's just how I see it and feel it. Yeah.

Well, and it's really important that you touch on the fact of identity or five and the average person stays on a team for around three years. And you're saying, and I love, for someone who owns a team, and has team members, I love that you were able to see people who have left a team and failed. And of course, there's people. I just literally interviewed someone who left a team and double our business, right? There's always, of course, both sides of that. But if you, especially with the healthy environment that you're in, it's what is best for you.

And if you know that they make it look easy, you're showing up every day at 9 o'clock and calling and doing your lean gen and things like that, it's because you have a. accountability and that structure. And so for you to see that and say, I still can go on my own and do these things underneath Rutledge is really important. There's, there's an agent who, in one of my brokerages, who always did around 30 million and she was on a team. 30 million. By the way, she was like, I think in her late 50s to early 60s, and she had been on the top team for the whole time I was there about 15 years. But I'd always be like, you've been doing this for like 20 plus years. You sell over 30 million, which means you're giving 50.

million a production to your team member. She was on a 50-50 split. And I'm like, why are you doing this? Like, go get the extra money yourself. And she just deadpanned look at me. Genevind Hustain said, I could not do 30 million if I was, if I was alone. Totally. And I just, I just, that was in my early career where I just, that kind of shook me because I'm all about like, win, win, win, more and more. I'm just like, what can I do better? And it's like, I just thought I saw it as complacent at first. And then I was like, oh my God, well, yeah, what's percentage of zero if you're not selling anything without the help and support of others?

So whether it's your own network that you build or the team that you're on. And by the way, we can talk crap about Adam. This is not a, oh my God, let's all boost about how amazing he is because sadly he is and he's beautiful and he's kind. He's got a perfect family. He's really like someone you can hate. Like he's so perfect. But no, really this is about, I love the insight from a team perspective and a healthy one that you guys can strive. for this if you're ever going to build your own team as listeners.

And then, oh, so if you're on a team, maybe if you're not talking the same way, maybe it's not the right team. Don't get scarred that this is the only option that you're currently in. So I love that insight on that. So again, so you guys, we've established great culture, great positive momentum for just being able to be in a productive environment. What makes you, like, what are you focusing on specifically? And then two part of that is like most of your business from the team or is it from your

like sphere, where does your business come from? I think for for me, definitely, I don't know. It's really hard to say. I feel like it's probably about 50-50 as far as like where my business comes from. We work our database daily. And so we do get leads from the team often that we're able to convert over time. Sometimes the ones that come from the team will convert more quickly. And that's always nice.

But at this point in my business, I'm starting to see some repeat clients, lots of referral business, people that know like and trust me that have seen me be successful as a real estate agent over the past few years, they're starting to send my name and number out to their friends and family too. So it's probably about half and half for me. Okay. Awesome. And then Kristen, you said you have a great database. Yeah, I would say my sphere has been a really great resource for me. So people that have been my clients in the past or my other business have also converted to real estate clients, which has been really great. And then those people have referred me out to people that they're interested in buying and selling. So my sphere's been great. Also, team referrals has been really

good. So it's definitely like Jenna, just a combination of both. But I think just being in the Rogue Valley for so long and having a good network of already existing people has helped. Re reaching out to my sphere. Yeah. When you guys say that some are from the team, is it Zillow or is it because of like you guys do like seminars or network events or sign calls? Do you guys know where the majority of those come from? I mean, we have a few different like team lead sources. We do a lot of Google. We don't do any Zillow, Homelight, Mobato or a couple that we utilize. But most we spend most of our ad spend on like Google ads. When people are looking for a realtor near me, realtor Southern Oregon, like we want to be up there at the top. And that's where we found

we don't love paying those huge referral fees. So we try and keep as much money in our pockets as possible. Love that. All right. So from an agent who's saying, oh my gosh, these people just got into it, two, three years into it and selling over 10 homes,

that's incredible. So what advice would you, like, what are you guys learning and doing daily to get that amount of business from your sphere? Jen and I kind of talked about this earlier is just adding value. finding and showing people that you're of value and adding value to your clients and to your sphere. So I'm constantly trying to think of new ways that I can engage with my sphere and add value.

Can you give me an example of that? Like we let's say we've been friends for 10 years, which actually, to be fair, I feel like the older friendships get screwed the most. Like you work with family. You're kind of like, oh, whatever, I'll call them tomorrow or, oh, they know I was just kidding. Might be my own personal thing. I have a weird thing where I, like, the closer you are to me, the worst service I'm going to give you.

I don't know. So how do you guys give that value to your said sphere when it to stand out from the person over at Remax or Windermere? So how do you show that? I think for me it's been availability that like you contact me. I am available for you. I'm answering your phone call. I'm responding back.

If I don't know the answer, I'm getting the answer as soon as possible. I'm showing up when you need me. And I feel like that's definitely a value in something that a lot of people aren't getting. of real estate agents aren't offering and being there for for my clients and getting the information they need. Yeah. Speed, speed and lead right now. Or yeah, speed, speed, speed gets the lead right now. So if you're able to communicate and get that faster, awesome. Jenna, what about you? I think one of the biggest things that has helped me maintain that that space of like offering value is just doing what you say you're going to do. Yeah. So and that comes back to the follow up.

They ask you for something, oh, yeah, I'll get that back to you. Like, just make sure you don't commit to say you're going to do something that you can't follow up with. And then, you know, if you can't find the answer, you don't have the answer, I would probably come and talk to one of these guys and get some backup. If it's something I haven't seen before, providing different types of referrals. We get a lot of people that are looking for contractors or plumbers, things like that. So building a network outside of just buying and selling homes and then being able to show for our clients in all those areas. Huge. I mean, especially for in the beginning to build that immediately or have a team or someone to reference and just say who's got a contractor, who's got this. That's gold. Jason, how about you?

Yeah, I think my like sort of thing is just, it's really boring. It's doing boring, consistent things every single day. My kids think that I'm like Ryan Searant and I get to drive around and I have a driver and I look at these huge houses and post things on social and it's funny, but it's it's so boring. I mean, I'm sitting in my desk. I'm calling 50, 100, 150 people a day, saying the same thing over and asking what they're looking for. And of course, providing value and having really good conversations.

But just doing that consistently every single day. And that's what I've done for the past five years. Yeah. Yeah. Consistency is 100%. I mean, yeah. By the way, don't you feel that all of our kids are, like everyone thinks that we just have fun all day?

Like, that's all we do. Oh, yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I'll like to come home and I can't talk because I called 300 people. Yeah. And yeah, they think I just golf and have lunch and get to be driven around all day. Well, and how amazing Jason to really bring that number up because, I mean, literally just left a class from this morning. And the agent says he's doing about 15 to 20 transactions a month. And it's because he's doing 1,200 calls a month. plus. And I mean, and those are two-way conversations. Those aren't just calls. That's not just a, hey, how's it going? It's not, how's your dog? It's 1,200 last conversations about real estate, which everyone has a different definition of what a contact is or touchpoint, but that's full-on conversations about real estate. That's insane. I mean, but then people hear that part and they

are like, eh, I'm not going to do that, but they want the 15 to 20 pending a month. So I love and appreciate your five years into this. And by the way, we get it. You had a whole time other full job teaching agents and running the team as well. So to be able to hit over 20 units doing that, that's impressive. It's a lot of work. And also too, for team owners to know that that's a standard. Like you, he created this environment that you can do that, whether it's enough leads for that, script practice, things like that. Okay, so we got availability, speed, consistency. So you guys, what is that what now dive into? Like, what are you? going to do with the clients that you have, the events that you have lined up with the team?

Like, what are you going to do to level up? I think just to add to what Jason was talking about, just showing up as our own kind of brand within Rutledge. So we talked to, I think it was Lisa Copeland we were talking with who was talking about creating your own avatar. Who do you want to show up as? Who do you want people to perceive you to be? And just showing up as that person consistently. the three of us, we all have kids, we're very active in the community and just their extracurriculars. So it's so easy to like run home, slip into the sweatpants, throw your hair on top of your head, like, and just kind of hide in the corner and maybe you make a couple contacts while you're there, do a CMA during practice, whatever.

But if you take the time to really establish who you want to be and who you want to be perceived as, you can show up as that person in so many areas of your life. So I think that's something that the three of us have talked about, just kind of doing more for ourselves, setting ourselves up for those extra conversations and utilizing the places that we're already at in the community to show up as real estate professionals. Oh, I hope listeners, if you're driving, pull over, re-listen to that last like 30 seconds. I just, this is such a like sensitive subject, I feel like with, for some reason people still think that COVID was like yesterday and that we were. still locked in and we can be sloppy and not going to offices and not dress appropriately. And it's like, well, whatever. It's like since COVID.

That was six years ago, you guys. Like, bro, get over it. Yeah. And by the way, I'm not perfect. Like, I still have definitely toned down like the casualness, but that's also the look now, like whatever. But I love that. Like, I love, you always hear about the avatar for the client.

Like, who are we going to work for? So the fact that you brought that to, and it sounds like your mentor. which I love that. Look at who you want to show up at. That's so cool. What else? What other tips on that? So like, was this an exercise you guys did of like truly think about like, okay, if I want to be the person that's known as helpful or kind or present or like how did you decide was it easy for you to do that? Was there an exercise or was it just kind of like, yeah, of course, I want to be as person. And then how did you hold yourself to that? I think what I've done with it is just kind of look at who I am as a person. I am a real estate professional, but I'm also a mother and an investor.

And so I try to look at how to relate to the people that are already around me and just show up as the best version of myself and also be like an advocate and have helpful information available for people that might be either in my similar situation or like wanting to level themselves up. A lot of that for me personally comes to building wealth through real estate and just kind of having that information to help people open their eyes to the possibilities. I love that. Good luck topping that together, too. Come on. All right. So what are you guys doing? Well, I back to your first question, right? So my goal or how I'm going to level up my business this year, I think is just work more and work harder. Everything that I have done up into this point has gotten me to 10 units. So if I want to exceed that, I need to be doing something different, right? So I need to be doing something more. I need to be taking everything that I'm doing and turning up the volume, right? More calls. more social media posts, more reaching out to my sphere. So I want to take what I have done last year, but amplify it. Oh, so common math. I love this. Everything that I've done has gotten me thus far. So if I want to do more, then I have to do more activity. Yes. It's really just plain and simple as

that for me. So take what I've done and do more of it. Yeah. You guys, it's simple. It's not easy. It's not easy. Yes. If you normally talk to three people all day, you guys, and you sell five houses, guess what? If you want to double it, it's people, you guys? It's super easy math. And I love that tracking it. That's really the key.

I know that's very difficult for realtors and we feel like we're just always busy all day. But tracking it will make it more simplistic for you, actually. So the extra step of if you want to lose weight, guess what? You have to count your calories. Like, you have to know your numbers. You have to know how many steps you're doing. You have to know how much weight you're lifting. If you winged it every single day in the gym, you're not going to get the results.

So your business is the exact same. So I love that. You're just saying, I know what I have to do. Like, like, Kristen, like, yeah, this is the dumb question, Katie. Like, I just have to double my efforts. I love it. Jason, what do you got? Yeah, I mean, I think as far as leveling up, it's just letting my personality shine.

I've always been the atom number two. So I've always done everything exactly how he. us and I've always been Adam's guy. And so now I just want to let people, even my past clients know, like, I'm my own person. Adam and I are polar opposites, which is probably why we get along so well. I like to say he has no feelings and I have a lot of feelings. And it's just been good with our working relationship. But I would love people just to see that part of me and know that there's more to me than just the real estate guy that gets the job done. So how are you going to to demonstrate that this year? Yeah, I think it's just I, when I did my business plan, I was really

thoughtful this year. In the previous years, I was like, I'm going to do three deals from this and three expires and three FISBOS. And I've realized as I look back in my five year career, half of my deals always came from the team. Half of the deals came from my work. So my open houses, my sphere. And so I just want to create really valuable relationships with that half. I want to do really good open houses and really get to know people versus just doing them to get people through the door and get their contact information and follow up with them the next day. I really want them to get to know me in that short span of time. I really want to just talk to my sphere, not just about real estate, but about their life and to kind of re-engage those relationships. Because when you're doing my

manager roles and then I was real estate, I wasn't really good at either. I was just getting both of the things done, very task-oriented. And so just really cherishing those relationships and kind of rebuilding those things I need to do because I know that the other 50 deals are going to come. The internet leads are going to come. Like, there'll be enough of that to supply that other half of my business. It's interesting because you guys look young. I know the viewers can't see you guys right now.

And for how much you guys are talking about connecting it with your sphere and it seems like you guys are looking at time, especially with kids. It sounds like you guys are being very. intentional of like this is these are the actions I need to do and just really honing into the humanistic part of this none of you have said anything about social media I just find that kind of odd because that's kind of the fun sexy hot topic that everyone's like oh yeah this year to connect with my people I'm going to post more and do this and I haven't heard you guys say anything about that which I love and I'm so appreciative that you went to the actual core of oh no I'm going to

engage with them Jason that you just so beautifully like I know I can get it this way so I'm to focus my energy on the people in front of me. What are your thoughts on that? I mean, I think we all love social. I think we're so busy and we all have families that are also busy that it's important to us, but it's not like our business plan focus. I've found that I get more social interaction and business from posting things about my family, my wife and my two kids versus when I'm posting about my new listing or what I just sold or what I just penned or these are the market statistics. I still do all those things, but I focus more attention on posting reels about what my fans were going to a hockey game on the weekend or we're going to

this hockey tournament or we're doing this or we're doing that because again, that's the humanness piece and that's where I can kind of re-engage those relationships that I've already created over the past few years. So do you guys post intentionally, like, are you guys just kind of using that as like a third? Like it's a natural thing. You're just using it for like personal and whatever and stuff comes from it. Or do you like plan out saying, okay, I've done kind of five family posts. Now I'm going to do a business one. I plan it out and I'm pretty intentional about it. I like to do 80% is just Jason, personal family, kind of what I'm doing, 20% is business. And there's no like specific like five post and then one or anything like that. I just always lean towards the more personal side of it.

And I think for me, because I am a newer agent and newer into real estate, I'm really trying to do more educational content so I can show that I have the value of knowledge in this business. So for me, it's trying to get my sphere to see that I've shifted industries and that I can be viable in this industry. And I feel like the best way that I can do that right now is posting educational content and add value through that. So I can gain trust in that I'm a local expert in this or an expert in real estate. And the easiest way I feel like that I can do that right now is the masses is through social media. I'm trying to do a lot of educational content to help with those goals. I love that. Do you have any like tactics on that or anything for your goals?

Yeah, social media is not my favorite. Honestly, I do really well. to face. I love meeting with people. I love just connecting with the people that are already around me. And then also putting myself out there like open house situations, marketing and stuff like that, networking events to meet people. I do utilize social media. I feel like I use it more for my family and just connecting and just kind of being a real person. But that being said, I do post. We have a great operations person here on the team that puts together content for us pretty regularly. So I try to trickle those in. And then Kristen and I have actually been getting a little bit more creative as far as doing some like just intentional content creation to get some value.

But I feel like it's more to stay relevant, to stay with the times of social media. But that's not like the main focus for getting clients. I love how drastically different all three of you are in that. Really cool. Again, not a standard that's enforced. And as you guys are sticking true to just being authentic with the key part being, whether it's education or being in person or the family part. It's just being intentful, just that, like, what are you giving to the people in your life? So whether that's the direct relationship or

value, I love that. And that's very unique. I feel like it's, that was, that was a cool moment. Awesome. Well, as we wrap up, what other? Is there anything that you guys want to share of just something that you've been like, you know what, this is, this is really powerful. This is what's going to change or where you're shifting some of that attention and to make sure that you stay on track for the for 2026. I mean, I think in this, I don't know if it's in this business or just in adult life being a parent. It's so hard to focus on just yourself because I know if I don't take care of myself, I'm not going to be a great husband and I'm not going to be a great dad. I just kind of goes down. And so just really focusing on things that I need that Jason needs,

whether that's to get to the gym every morning, get a good night's sleep. Sometimes it's, hey, Adam, I'm not going to be at the 9 a.m. meeting because I just need to 10 minutes, drink my coffee and my car by myself. Just always focusing on yourself first. And that's hard in any service-based business where you always want to be attached to your phone. You always want to be the first one to get that lead or to get that showing scheduled or to get into that, you know, freaking new house that everyone wants. Oh, that, it's an unpopular opinion to voice. And I love it more than anything. That's my claim to fame is you first, right? Like if the plane is crashing, what do they tell you to do? Like, you have to protect yourself first. Yeah. This industry is brutal. And, and honestly, I love the cup analogy,

too, because it's like, you can't pour from an empty cup. So if you are exhausted by the second hour already from the day of, like, kids draining from you and work and clients yelling at you and a deal falling through, and you're just constantly emptying that cup and it's noon and you're like, I have nothing left to give. I have no more energy. There's days where I'll just tell my, my clients, I'm like, when I say my real estate clients, when I coach, I'm like, you look like crap today. I'm like, take the rest of the day off. I'm like, you need to go get a pedicure. Like, go grab a beer.

Take the day off. Because if you do this five more days like this, no one's winning. Your wife's not winning. Your kids aren't winning. You aren't winning. It's just go. I'd rather you sacrifice a day and focus on you than seven days and everyone around you hates you. So I love that, especially with kids in your lives, you guys.

I think that's really cool. you see the importance of just this industry just is all about like being cut thrown like be number one and double your business and do this. It's like yeah. Or I'm okay making 200,000, 100,000 and living a balanced life with my kids. That's okay too. That's an amazing life. So focusing on you, getting that balance, really cool, you guys, really cool. And I'm not what, and this is a new thing. This isn't like Jason has been this way for five years. Like my shift from being the manager, to not wasn't my idea. It was Adam knew my production was down. I was not in a good mood. I was dropping some balls like nothing. It wasn't perfect. And it was a hard adjustment for me. Like the

the 530 phone call when he told me, hey, we should probably do this. I was not like a happy dude because I want to help people. Like that's just in my blood. Like I want to give everything. But I was giving too much of myself and not enough. And so it was a few weeks of like, honestly, I don't like you, Adam. I'm probably going to leave the team. Like, I was having these conversations with myself and with my wife and with people here. And but then it was like, I woke up and was like, okay, like this is what I needed. I needed to focus on myself.

And I will tell you, the last four weeks have been phenomenal. Like, I've pinned a deals. I've had great relationships. I think my wife loves me again. Like, so. Thank you for sharing that. Yeah. And that takes an amazing.

leader and I think just a tribe around you to say whether it's your girlfriend, a mentor, a coach, a team leader of your team, I've just been like, again, you look like shit today. Or hey, maybe this role isn't right for you. Or maybe you're just over leveraged. Like try something different. So I love that takeaway because I think we're naturally a tribal community. Like we need that. And again, going back to people kind of reverted to indoors and not talking to going to civilization.

So the fact that you guys are saying I want to be present for the people in my life. I need to fill your own bucket first and make sure that you're strong enough to do that. And then just pour into the people around you is when it sounds like all three of you are equally unison on that goal. I think that's really beautiful. So thank you guys for sharing the insights of what sounds like an awful team. I mean, geez, you guys. I had to call Adam afterwards and be like, I have to mess with him because it's just such a like a promo for him. but this is an example of a very well-done team.

And by the way, he's worked really hard at that to create this culture. So look them up, you guys, see if it's everything that you think on social media as well, if they're portraying the real life. But I know you guys are, you're happy and doing great. And I can't wait to see you guys double your business next year. And Jenna, please get that 41. I'm after it now. It wasn't on the radar, but now I know his goal.

Yes, I love it. All right. Thank you guys. Have a great grocery day. And stay tuned for the next episode. We'll have you guys back soon. That's a wrap for this episode of the Next Level Agents. I'm Kevin Kaufman and we've just drawn some serious heat with my crew to level up your real estate game. What does the next level look like for you? Subscribe to the podcast now so you don't miss a single strategy and head over to NextLevelagents.com. Check out our events tab so you can find out all the information on our next virtual and in-person mastermind calendar. Let's keep this momentum rolling. See you next time.