KGCI: Real Estate on Air - Transitioning From Producer to CEO Through Relationship-Driven Systems and Referral Growth

Episode Date: June 25, 2026

Summary:Richelle Davis discusses her evolution from an entrepreneur in the service industry to leading a high-performance, referral-only real estate team. She emphasizes how "CEO-minded" agents can replace paid leads by building a structured community network and implementing rigorous communication systems. The episode details tactical approaches to client appreciation, such as localized referral rewards that only incur costs upon redemption. Agents will learn how to leverage team roles to maintain a balanced personal life without sacrificing production quality.

Seven-figure success starts when you start thinking like a CEO. Welcome to the John Kitchens coach podcast experience. This is your host, John Kitchens. Get ready to think bigger and transform your business into a path to lasting freedom. What is how in everybody, man? Thank you guys. Tune in to another episode of the Agent to CEO podcast. Show for those that are done thinking like producers and ready to start operating like true CEOs.

I am excited. We've got the one and only Michelle D. Davis in the house joining us. And I'm really excited to jump in with you, Rochelle, because of kind of what you've, you've stood firm on, you know, building your business, building your business through relationships. And so I'm really excited to dive in with you on that. And listen, guys, if you guys are getting value from these conversations, just, you know, make sure you subscribe, share this with another agent who's ready to make the leap from agent to CEO. So let's dive in. Rochelle, welcome. Thank you

so much for being able to to jump in here with us today. And like I said, looking forward to the conversation and, you know, how I don't want to say uniquely you've built your business, but uniquely how you've built your business and really staying, you know, tried and true to, you know, your core strengths, how you want the business to be, not like falling in. Well, you know, this mentor says this is how it should be. This is how this top producer does it. But really finding your lane and in running with it. So I'm excited to jump in and unpack that with you. Yeah. Thanks for having me. Happy to be here. Absolutely. So talk to us a little bit, kind of kind of give a little bit of background, right? You know, maybe life before real estate,

getting into real estate and kind of where you found kind of that footing to where you're like, okay, I can do this. I can get behind this. I can build my business. this way. I think that'll be, that'll be good to kind of walk us into kind of where your business at today. Okay. So I started as a hairdresser. I did that for a really long time. I used it to get through college and raise my babies and kind of be a part, you know, on my own business, part, stay at home with my little ones. And then when they got a little bit older, I started a company called, well, I actually designed new home layouts and interior finishes for a builder for a short period of time. And then I started a business called on Hampered Laundry. And in the first eight

months, it took off. We had already leased out an entire laundry mat at that point. And it was time to go to the next level, hire staff, build our own facility. Like it was going to be a big investment to continue the way we were going. And that was when I was approached by a top agent here in our area. And she said, I've seen how you've grown this business. And I want to retire in five years. Could you help me come and continue to grow this business and then take over when I retire? So it was hard for me to let go of my baby because every business you start, I don't know,

it's just your baby, right? You put your heart and soul into it. So, but I did. I decided to let that go, set that aside and kind of. come and do this with this agent. And that's how I got into real estate. What, I mean, just kind of got bit by the entrepreneurial bug there for a period of time and being able to, you know, run, run the shop and then getting into the laundry business. And then like, what part of you was like, okay, I got to like go of those monkey bars to be

able to just fully grasp onto the real estate one? At what point you were like, okay, I'm all in. on the real estate side of things. Yeah, I just made that decision. When she approached me, I, you know, took a beat, really thought through everything. And in order to continue where my business was growing on that unhampered laundry side, I would have had to make a lot of financial investments to continue. And that was great. It was going well.

Absolutely, that was the plan. But, you know, I thought about it, prayed about it. And I felt like I needed to take this opportunity that presented itself in real estate and go for it. Plus, I've always been drawn to homes. I mean, like I said, I designed homes. I, you know, did that before. So it wasn't totally out of my will house. What, you know, and I love this from, especially speaking with business-minded entrepreneurs that, you know, kind of bounce and start different things.

And obviously the real estate you walked into and assisting and taking over while still building. And, you know, you're in the making people feel and look good business, right? and then into making them, you know, feel good from a, from a laundry perspective and then into the real estate side of things. But, you know, for you kind of over kind of this, this journey in your career on the business side of things, has there been like a foundational, like, a set of values or a set of discipline that you learned early on, you know, when you had, you know, the hair salon and then into the laundry business now into real estate. Is there kind of a common theme on like, you know, hey, these are my values. I, you know, this is kind of the core foundation of

everything that I do is built on these things. Do you, do you have kind of a foundational framework that you operate within no matter what endeavor that you're pursuing? Yes, absolutely. Well, all of the businesses I've owned have been service-based industry type businesses. And so customer service has always been really the cornerstone of all of those businesses. Great customer service was necessary to be successful at any of them. And I think my opinion on that, good customer service, you have to care about the people that you're working for, first and foremost. You have to hear them.

You have to listen to them. You have to understand them. Because if you don't ask those questions and you don't understand them, You don't know how to help them. And so just really getting to know people, asking hard questions, being open to whatever they have to say, and then taking that and doing your best for them, that's really how we've gotten to where we are. Yeah, I love that. Was that instilled from the hair salon days mentor kind of growing up in that?

Was that kind of forged there? Or was it a parent? was it a grandparent or somebody that kind of put those customer first values in you? Well, my mom was an entrepreneur. She also owned many businesses as I was growing up. So I helped her in some of those. I did a little customer service with her. So yeah,

I would say that that's just always kind of been ingrained in me since I was little. Yeah, I love that. My dad had no business being, you know, definitely was an entrepreneur. I mean, he, you know, had a little bit of a bug. He ended up buying my, my grandmother worked at this little, it was called night and day grocery. And it had been there forever. It was in a little strip part of not a very good part of town. And the gentleman that owned it and he worked for her forever.

He was, he was retiring. He was just done. And so, you know, she wasn't going to have anything to do. She would have just sat at home and, you know, probably passed sooner than. than what she ended up passing. And so my dad ended up buying it. And I remember being, you know, just a little kid sitting on the bar stool behind, you know, people come in. I was, you know, check them out. I mean, it was a penny candy store, right? I mean, but, you know, we had fresh, fresh deli meats, had the coldest beer in town. And, you know, being a, being a, not in a very good

part of town, you know, we had, you know, special discounts and special things for police officers. So, if they would come in, you know, they would get, we would give them certain things or certain discounts just to, just to keep their presence in. But it was just, it was just really, you know, as a kid, you know, there observing that and being a part of that and, you know, got this kid, you know, guy coming in and I'm running the cash register and checking them out. So it was, it was pretty cool to kind of grow up and be a part of that just kind of made me think about that. when you're talking about talking about your mom. When you look at kind of, you know, the business and starting the hair salon business and then obviously the laundry, when you start to look out from a marketing and branding and how are we going to get customers type of approach, kind of what has always been your default on the customer

acquisition. I mean, you know, customer service first and foremost, but from getting new clients continuing to grow the business, kind of where have you always leaned, you know, early on and then obviously into the real estate career today? Yeah, I think a lot, well, obviously people have to know what you do, right? Number one, if they don't know, they can't use you. It's not possible. So making sure that they understand that this is what I do, this is what my business is and how can I help, right? So that's number one. Making sure that that's in social media, conversations face-to-a-face. you're going places where you're meeting people, new people, talking to people,

you have to be willing to talk to people and be comfortable with that. But also, you know, your reputation is huge. What people know of you in all aspects of your life. Are you a trustworthy person? Are you the kind of person that they want to work with? You know, that as far as real estate for me, because my business is so relational, that has been a huge part that has helped me be successful. because people that you know from high school, people that you know from college, people that you know from work, people you know down the street, your neighbors, your people you go to church with. If they, you know, don't trust you in those settings, they're not going to trust you with one of their biggest investments that they ever had. And so, you know, making sure that you represent yourself well, no matter where you're at is a big part of it because they have to know you, they have to like you, and they have to trust you to ultimately use you in business.

So that's really it. It's such a great point. One of my buddies, one of my longest friends from high school, he's a custom builder and back in Oklahoma. And we would always point that out, right? Man, that's a classy individual. Look at the way they carry themselves. Look how they're work in the room.

Right. We would observe those people. And, you know, knowing your business, knowing how. relationship driven your business is. And the other, the other component, not only relationship driven, but how connected and involved you are in the community. And touch on that a little bit, how important that has been for you and how important that has been for the business to be plugged into, you know, the small business, small business entrepreneurs, and really forming that bond and that, you know, network within the community.

Yeah. Well, you know, honestly, knowing a lot of small business owners in our area, not only is a benefit to me, right? I get to know them and learn from them. But I also am a resource for my clients when they need something because I have a relationship in our community that I know and trust that I can fully send to them. And then they are taking care of in the same way. So it's really just this, you know, full circle thing.

It really serves me. It serves the people I know and it serves the people that trust me in business. So I think the more people you know and trust in your community, the better. We do do some sort of community charity event every year as one of our events that we throw. Just to make sure that we're giving back. I'm also meeting with business owners every single week. we have about 17 or 18 in our group that we meet and talk and discuss and, you know, refer to each other.

And that just, it just really helps me kind of branch out, which then they introduce me to more people. And it's just a great network. Yeah. That was one of the things that catapulted us in our, in our community, in our market was we ended up,

we found those people. I mean, obviously we were, you know, conversations through other business owners. And it was just, I think it was timing. And this is not for everybody, but this just happened to be really good timing was getting plugged into the chamber. And I think, you know, that's not always a good avenue for, for some folks and some markets. But for us, it really was because that was one where the Economic Development Committee hung out, that their office was inside of the chamber's office.

So in real estate, there's nothing better than knowing who's coming and going business-wise in your community. And that's all driven for us, was driven through the economic development. And so being a part of any of those committees, getting plugged in with those people. And, you know, obviously this was, you know, 2005, 2006, 2007. And so, you know, the emergence of, you know, what is, what social is today, eyeballs everywhere, the distractions really wasn't as, you know, such of a challenge or an opportunity as it is today. And so we, we really built that network.

And we found that they were starving for information of what's really happening in the marketplace. And so we kind of positioned ourselves as the go-tubeau. to authority in providing them accurate information on the market, which was items of value. But within that community, that reciprocity was there, right? It's pretty similar to what you were just explaining inside of that network. And so for us, getting involved, because that's where the leaders amongst the leaders inside of the business community were all giving at that time, right?

Just that peer group kind of pushed everybody. And so it was just, it was perfect timing for us. but those groups are out there. Those people are out there. And I think one of the things that we found to your network and why it's so important is because there's so many people, especially small business entrepreneurs that feel like they're all alone. They feel like they're out on an island.

So you create that community where you guys, it's kind of a, it's a structured sphere, right? It's not just a sphere. It's more structured. We have meetings. We have intent. We're trying to push and help each other grow. And I think that's a segment of the,

database that a lot of folks miss is they have their sphere, but they don't have that structured sphere that they're going with their intent to add value, but there's going to be reciprocity to where, you know, business is going to come from it. You don't go there to take, but you go there to give and then just the side benefit of it is business will come. Well, and I want to say really quick about that. So multiple members of this business meeting are small business owners that I invited to be a part of it because I saw something in the way that they do business and I really, really appreciate that about them and feel like I can confidently refer them. And a few of them have stood up and said that I helped build their business, that they were at the very beginning

and they didn't know if they're going to make it. And by supporting them, bringing them into this fear, they're now a successful business and they're super grateful. Like that is where the relationship side of anything comes in, right? Like, if I believe in you, I'm going to support you. I'm to be there. I'm going to push you. And I was just asked last week if I'd be someone's mentor in business. And I don't know that I'm ready to take that on, but I will absolutely help anybody that asks me questions or, you know, want something and doesn't know how to get there. I don't know all things, but I'll show you what I do know. And if you do that for each other, because I've definitely have people who've done that for me, it just always ends up being a good thing.

There's nothing negative that comes from that ever. No, it's so good. That, I mean, that makes me feel good that, that, you know, you were hearing that because it is and it's, we don't realize it, right? Those, those little things of, we see something as somebody that they don't see in themselves. We invite them to a community where there's some like-mindedness, just being able to just contribute and, you know, help each other, help the community grow. And, I mean, that, that's the fulfillment.

that's the reward side of things. I mean, yeah, they tee up business for you. But if you're going there to take and going there because you need business, it said what you said early on, right, that it's going to be hard to build trust. Yeah. So getting into the real estate side of things, you, you know, you made the jump. You got in. How much of the business when you first started.

it is foundational and there's still a lot of what you learned is how the business is. Or did you come in and learn and then start to kind of morph the business around what you knew from, you know, being a kid and seeing your mom to I'm going to do things like this, but I'm also going to do things not like this and that you carried into the hair salon days into the laundry business that carried into the real estate. So how much of it is kind of this foundation was laid or, you know, I took what was here. I saw what was missing and then I added my elements, my secret sauce to where the business is today. Yeah.

So I would say there are a lot of things I still do that I did from the beginning. You know, and that's, you know, well, okay. So for instance, when I joined this agent's team, I started out as her admin while I was getting my license. And then once I finished and got my license, then I moved to an agent. And in the first year, we doubled her business. And we did that because I was able to implement some systems. We incorporated events, which she had never done before. And we just added some marketing things that she hadn't ever capitalized on.

And so I kind of created that system with her. We had coaches at the time. And so we were also working with those coaches. and they also had input and helped. So a lot of that I still do. But I've also, I've coached with a lot of different coaches. I obviously coached with you now and couldn't be happier. I'm happy where I'm at.

Learned a lot from you and I know I'm going to have a lot to learn in the future. And I took those bits and pieces from all those different approaches, right? There's a lot of different approaches to selling in real estate. Some of them are very cold and then some of them are very warm. and I tend to be drawn to the very warm places. I don't want to help someone that doesn't want me to help them. That is not best for either party. And I always want to do what's best for both of us.

And in some, you know, some people teach you to just hit it and, you know, drive it and just force your way in. And that's just not how I do it. So I take what I learn from each of those systems. If it's warm and it feels genuine and it feels true and it feels like it's something that's going to build both and, you know, the client and myself up, I usually incorporate it. But the most important part of systems. And there are a few people out there that will sell you their checklists, but every state is so different, right? The laws are different.

The processes are a bit different. So there isn't going to be a one-size-fit-all checklist that you could just send out in the United States and someone's got a fully functioning system. And so that is something that we always are continuing to build. Anytime something doesn't go perfect, we review, we figure out what that is, and we add it to the checklist to prevent it from possibly happening, even if it isn't our fault. We want to make sure that we're on top of that, whether it's an extra question to title to make sure that they are remembering to do something.

We want to make sure that what we provide for our clients is super, super smooth. So that is one thing that's always being developed. Our marketing is always being developed. The world changes every year, right? Every year, especially in the last five, six years. And so the way we approach people, you know, needs to adjust as well. And so obviously every year we have a marketing plan for the full year and why we're doing what we're doing. And if we're providing value, because we try to never do anything marketing that doesn't actually provide value.

I'm never going to do a pop eye on your porch of something that you're just going to want to throw away and how annoying that I have to now pick it up off my porch and walk it to my garbage can. That is not what we do. No, definitely, especially on the, you know, the heart and touch and warm side of the business, you definitely don't want to drop off something that is completely doesn't align, you know, it's the whole personally relevant, right? And, you know, obviously a lot of agents, business side, we want the professional relevance, but really to hit them on the emotional side of things,

it's got to be personally relevant as well. So I'm so glad that you said, you know, my favorite S word, the systems, and really diving into to that. So what are some of like the most critical foundational systems for you and how you've been able to grow the business to where it is today? Checklists are huge. our team structure is huge and set dates in our calendar that are just repeating that you just do it

on the first month, you do it on the 15th of the month, you do on the 25th. It is just something you do. You do not miss it. And in our calendars, if something has to adjust, that's fine. It gets moved. It does not get deleted. So those are all systems that really make up the business. I mean, there's a lot more to each one of those things.

Yeah, for sure, for sure. And I think, and maybe, you know, when you, when you really look at it, and maybe from a customer acquisition side of things and how, how you built your business, maybe unpack that a little bit too, Rochelle, kind of talk about, you know, where a massive amount, we don't pay for leads, where does a massive amount, you know, where does the business come from? How do we manage that business? And I think there's a few systems around that of what we do. You just alluded to a few, you know, the events, times in the calendar. under certain touches go out on the first, the middle. Like, how are you acquiring the opportunities that you're acquiring in the business?

Okay. Well, acquiring, you know, meeting with business owners every single week, calling my clients and checking in with them, making sure they're okay, make sure they don't need anything for me. We send everyone in our database something in the mail every single month, some form of item of value. also send them fun things in the mail too. Like St. Patrick's Day, we send them green tattoos and stickers so they don't get pinched. Just silly things like that. We, what else do we do? We do so many things, but it's all systematized. I don't have to keep it in my brain. That's the beauty of it. But when we do get a client, let's say, because we are fully referral based. We don't pay for leads at all at this

point. And so it's just people who've used us or know of us and send somebody that they know to us because they trust us. And so when we do get a client, though, we do have a system that we put them into right away, right? We immediately do a buyer intake or a listing intake and I meet with them. And we discuss, tell me about you, what's most important to you. And I let them talk first because I want them to be able to get out what they need because everyone needs something a little bit different. And then we have a set list of questions and that gets filed. So we always have it to refer to. You know, we have checklists on how we handle everything. So nothing ever gets dropped. They're well cared for and they can trust that we're not going to

drop the ball essentially all the way through the transaction. We have multiple checklists for each part of the transaction and you have to get through one to get to the next. And then we we do follow up to make sure that they are okay after the transaction closes. And we do stay in touch with them. And we're happy to do a market analysis on your home. Even if you just need it to potentially refinance or find the value of your home for insurance. You know, we consider ourselves real estate advisors for life. We don't see ourselves as transactional real estate agents. Yeah. And that's the beauty of systems is I feel confident that I don't have to memorize everything and keep it in my head because that will never work long term. Our clients feel cared for.

Yeah, and I mean, that's the only way they're going to, you know, want to scream from the rooftops and, you know, stop traffic to send people your way. Hey, quick pause before we keep going. This market is shifting fast and if you've been feeling the pressure, you're not alone. But here's the thing. It's not going to slow down so you can catch up. I've opened a limited number of executive 101 coaching spots this month for agents who are ready to stop spinning their wills and lead with clarity. If that's you, head to john kitchens. coach and let's make it happen. Now back to the episode. What are some of the the key musts,

right? Maybe give us top two, top three like musts like non-negotiable. It's not going to work if you don't do these things in a referral based business. What what kind of what are your top musts in a referral based business? Um, communication number one. I feel when, you know, when our clients give us reviews, that's usually absolutely in every single review. Top notch communication. When you say you're going to do something, do it so often in our business, you know, because we have so many conversations over the phone. And, you know, when a client has a concern, it is so easy to say, oh, I'll do this or I'll take care of this or, and then forget you set it and not do it. And so I train my team. If you say you're going to do something, you write it down while you're talking to that person.

you so it's impossible to forget and then you get on it because you said you would. I think that that's a huge, a huge piece. And then three, don't treat it transactional, right? Every person has something unique about them and you're dealing with one of the three main safety things in life, right? Food, water, shelter. You're dealing in shelter. So shelter often creates a stress reaction. in a lot of people.

Not only that, but it has to do with large amounts of money, which we all know also creates stress in people. And so taking that into consideration, acknowledging that, being the professional who's steady and calm through the storm, somebody who knows what they're talking about, so that the person who's nervous feels confident in the advice they're receiving, and know that they have an advocate fighting for them, no matter what that looks like, I think that that's the third piece.

I love that. On the communication, is there, are you and the team drilling down to really find their preferred method of communication and communicating with them in that way? Is that why they feel heard? They feel communication was at an all time high? We do in our buyer intake ask what, you know, what times of days are appropriate to contact you? Do you prefer to be? called texted, emailed, what is your preferred communication? So we do ask those questions and we do absolutely respect that. But I think it's more that when somebody is having a moment of panic, we show up. We don't put them off. We don't let them sit in their stress. If we anticipate something might be a little stressful for them, we call them so that they have a chance to vent and be scared from that moment if that's what it is or angry or happy, whatever it is. We give them, acknowledge that emotion and then we advise. And, you know, sometimes I do push back. I don't always

just, you know, let somebody, you know, think that what they best if it's not what's best for them. I will push back in a very gentle way and just make sure that they understand, you know, that the consequence of moving forward in that direction could be this. But we also have this option. And I feel that this might be a good one for you. And I've actually been thanked recently. I'm an engineer because we all know how engineers think. He thanked me for pushing back on him. And we were very successful in our outcome. I love that.

What's your working genius again? My working genius. So my top working. Yeah. What's your genius? What are your top two? Tenacity and discernment. There you go.

Right. Right. And tenacity, get things done. That is you. You just get things done. You do crave clarity, right? And then, you know, the discernment sign of things, that's your ability to push back. That's your ability to question everything, not take everything at surface value.

So that makes a lot of sense in that regard. So that's really cool to see. On the referral side of things, do you have something in the referral. based to where part of part of the system, part of the checklist is to acknowledge the referral. Are you doing anything? In fact, I know you are. You got to share this because I like, I love what you've done and done it and kept it local. But it aligns to your brand and the high standard that your brand, which is your reputation.

and when you were sharing this with me with kind of what you do and keeping it local. But once you told me the type of where you're sending them, where they're going, I was like, I love that. That makes sense. That is so you. That's like it ties in perfectly. So I would love if you would just kind of share that story because I think it's a people listening in, agents listening in to this business owners listening in.

This is a plague that they can run. They can run this exact play that you're running in their market as well. Yeah. So when someone sends us a referral, I sat down with a local restaurant owner who, this is a local restaurant. It's not a chain. He created. And I just said, hey, you know, can we make it so that I can send my clients to you when they refer me?

And you acknowledge this coupon that I've made up. And that will bring people to you. And it's kind of beneficial for both of us. And so when someone sends me a referral, they get this coupon that I've made. And it's up to a certain dollar amount at this restaurant. And they're happy to fulfill that. And it's enough for them to have dinner. Like it's enough for them to eat.

And then that way on the business side of things, if they don't use it, I'm not paying anything. I don't lose money if it's a gift card that sits in their, you know, drawer never gets used. And that money just was flushed down the drain. And this way, they're getting something for, you know, as a huge thank you, it's supporting this local restaurant. And, you know, the money goes to the person or nothing at all. Yeah. Yeah, I thought that was so good.

And I'm like, man, like, that's a play that, you know, agents should be, should be using, right? It's, it's a great high-end restaurant. And then it's local. And so it has that, that connection into the community. And I just think it's a great thank you. you to be able to send. And the way you have it set up, you're not, there's not slippage there, right?

You're not just, you only pay if they actually use it. You're not paying to buy out ahead of time. So that was, that was really, really smart from a business side of things. It's not just wasting money and then it slip through the cracks, but actually, you know, paying, you know, when and if they, they do utilize it. And as we know, yeah, it's great that they,

if they do go and have a, have a great dinner, but it's the act of, being acknowledged that's more valuable than $25, $50, $100 even to, you know, a local nice restaurant. We also do something similar for birthday cards. So we have another local restaurant here. And they are a bakery and a restaurant. And so we also did the same thing, made up little coupons for them. And so we send a free cupcake.

These are gourmet cupcakes in every birthday card, but I only get charged if they redeem it. And so same with that. And then for our Zillow reviews or our, you know, Google reviews, we send a Starbucks card. But Starbucks also has a program where you can go in and you can designate the gift card number into your system. And if they don't use it within a year, you can remove the money off that gift card and put it on another one.

So it's just another great avenue for making sure the money goes where it needs to go. Yeah. Yeah. It's not being wasted. It's only being used when it's used. I love that. So, Rochelle, talk. to a little bit, you know, coming in, just coming in as an admin on the side of things and then

kind of growing into now, kind of, you know, the whole true agent to CEO evolution. For you, where was, you know, I mean, I feel the mindset, owner mindset mentality was already there, but you coming in as kind of a team member employee, if you will, you know, where for you was that shift to where it's like, okay, I'm more than this. Okay. I'm actually stepping into. this role as leader and really embracing the head of company role, kind of what was that evolution for you like? Yeah. So it's a little different just because I was never planning on being in that role as anything other than owner of that business in the end, right? That was the agreement. So I didn't, I came in and I was just absorbing, right? Just teach me what I need to know.

And then once I felt like I had a good base, then I was like, okay, where do we go from here? And then I started helping grow the business. So I needed to learn. And then I, and then I was ready to kind of take what I know and help grow. Gotcha. So just took the seat, try to, hey, put me in the back of the house. Let me, let me see how the back of the house operates before I get out on, out on the front stage. Yeah. Yeah. It was just, and just absorbing and learning at that time so that I, because you can't, you can't improve on something you don't understand. Yeah. Right. So that's how it started. Yeah. You got to take it. Sometimes you take it at face value in the people that are that are operating in the seat.

And I remember, you know, for me coming in, it was more out of pain and taking the position. And no intent, no idea that, you know, hey, this is going to be the next, you know, 22 year ride that you're going to go on. And so, you know, for me coming into that role and getting licensed just out of just to protect from a legal perspective being a part of a successful team by definition of a successful team during that time. And obviously, as you know, right, when you are gaining momentum. them and gaining some mind share and ultimately some market share, you paint a target on your back.

And, you know, sometimes people have more time than they, than they have doing the activity. And it's one of my favorite things, right? You either build the tallest building in town or you tear everybody's down. And a lot of people, you know, would rather just sit around and tear you down. So we got licensed just to kind of protect ourselves, everybody. I mean, our receptionist, everybody was licensed. That was just part of the gig. But I remember. remember, you know, running for a good, almost a good three-year run and taking a lot of people at their word and then 0-8, 07-08 hit, right? And it was all hands on deck. And really getting in the trenches, you know, working leads, converting leads, working with clients, converting

clients, working with builders. And I'm like, man, was I an idiot? These people were like, like telling me things and like they're full of crap. Like, like I can't believe that I believed half of the BS that I was being fed. But that to your point is that if you never sat in the seat, you don't know. You just take it at kind of face value of the individual telling you. And I thought people were being honest. And it was just, you know, obviously I.

I'm so grateful to be able to go through that, that period of 7, 8, 9, 10 time frame, because then nobody could BS me anymore. It was like, nah, that's not true, right? Because I had been able to be in the trenches on that side, knowing the back of the house, now out on the front stage. And it just makes you, you know, well, all the way well, round it. So that was cool that you came in at the back of the house, got the back of the house understanding and in order and then, you know, moved to your seat at the, you know,

front of the stage. It does matter. You know, when me and my right hand man, who's Hannah, she is my C-O-O, she is the person who executes systems, right, and kind of holds down the hub of the office. You know, when we have meetings, which are every single day, we have conversations. I've been in her seat. I know exactly what's going on. And so that just really helps when we're planning and forecasting and all those things. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, it's great, right? It's not like you, you have that seat's advantage today, right? You have a perspective and an understanding of that viewpoint. And it's, it's like, you know, we're all on the same bus, but my seat, you know, five or six rows back on the left or three or four rows back on

the right or at the front or at the very back. They're all different vantage points. We're going to the same place. We see a lot of the same things, but we see little distinctions a little different. And it's, it really is so important to be able to have, have that experience to draw from, from every angle on, on the bus. I'm so glad you brought up Hannah because kind of my, my, you know, it's super important to have great solid systems, a process to create the processes, a, you know, a way to constantly improve on it, but they're only as good as the people that's executing them. And so for you, you know, heavily leaning on systems, but also having the right people that are executing the systems, how have you, you know, been able to juggle that balance of, you know,

strong systems and strong people, managing the systems, leading people? how for you, you know, from your leadership style, being able to kind of navigate, you know, the, the systems and the people component of every business. Yeah. I, okay. So Hannah worked with me when I was working with that first team. And then she left. And, and then me and the previous business owner decided to go our own ways.

We couldn't get pen to paper. It just wasn't working out logistically. That was fine. It worked for both of us. and that's when I started Davis Real Estate Group. After I started Davis Real Estate Group, I was like three months in and Hannah reached out and said, hey, I'd love to work with you again. And so when she did that, you know, I immediately brought her on. I was like, absolutely. And we've been together ever since. So I was really lucky in that when we hired Hannah to that previous, you know,

we just put it on indeed. She came in. We interviewed multiple people and chose Hannah. That's how we found Hannah. But I'm so grateful we did because truly, at this point, we know each other so well. We finish each other sentences. Yes, you do. She's half my brain. And we just work so well together. And I'm super grateful for that. So I think having a right hand man that you are that connected with makes your life so much easier. And she's kind of right there at the head of that pyramid, right? everyone else that joins Davis real estate, they have to have a strong moral conviction. They have to be super ethical. They have to care about people.

They have to be able to carry on conversations and be driven. There are certain prerequisites to joining our team. Not everyone gets to be a part of Davis real estate because I want to make sure that our dynamic and the office and everything runs smoothly without extra things that aren't needed. and I want to make sure that I trust that they're going to deliver to our clients the way I would, right? So I think making sure who you bring on your team is one of the most important things you can do. I trust you because I know who you are and I know what you're about, then everything else I can teach you, everything else we can learn together and grow together.

So that's number one. Yeah, and you said that early on too. you said that keyword trust. And it's one of the things you and I talk about all the time, right? You know, high character, high trust. High character, high trust. Where are they at on a scale of one to ten character? Where are they at scale of one to ten with trust?

And it's just constantly, right? Like we're looking for those type of people, but we're also showing up with high character, high trust, because we're not going to be able to attract those type of people into our business, you know, our lives, right? if we're not showing up and operating that way as well, which is, which is so,

so important. And, you know, it's all lessons that we've gone through, man. I look back and I'm like, man, I,

you know, I went and hired, you know, 27-year-old, 28-year-old knucklehead me, knowing what I know now, but, you know,

Kinder didn't know what he didn't know either then. So it was just, it worked out. But, so what I love about strong systems, great people. You guys have been in the foxhole together for quite some time. You and Hannah and being able to kind of this next evolution,

kind of where your career goes. And, you know, serial entrepreneurs, I mean, sounds like you grew up that with your mom, you know, business to get you through school, into another business and into real estate. That entrepreneurial bug can stay down for, for only, you know, so long, how, you know, as you're kind of looking into kind of the next, the next evolution of you and obviously some some passion projects and things in the, in the

forefront, what are you really excited about? In just context, what we were able to pull off over the last couple months with you really taking a severe step? back in structuring. I mean, what were we working two, two and a half days, max, and kind of juggling that around and full steam ahead and bringing on a brand new agent at the same time. And one of your best winters that you've that you've had in your career, you know, one of the fastest starts to any year that you've ever had. I mean, there's so much momentum. So so many things going in in the right direction. Mentally mindset-wise,

like for you, because that's not for everybody, right, to be able to step back two and a half days a week, knowing that all systems go. We're still progressing. We're still moving, but the balls are not getting dropped. And we're onboarding a brand new agent right out of school,

young. And that's not missing a beat. So for you, mindset-wise, being able to work yourself in that position and excited about going into the future. I guess it's kind of a two-part question to kind of think about as we start to wind down here, Michelle, mindset-wise, to be able to get to where you're at today, what are some of the key things and then kind of excited about with the mindset, with the current team dynamics, current

structure moving into the future, what does that look like? Yeah. So I definitely could not have done what I did this winter and taking them out of time I took off. If I didn't have my system so dialed in. I mean, if you just think in general how stressful it is to try not to forget a list of items or a list of things to do in your normal life, right? It's stressful to keep it in your brain. But when you have enough systems in place that you know you're not going to drop the ball as long as the system is followed. First of all, that takes a ton of that stress off my

shoulders. Then trusting my team. You know, we've been doing this long enough together. I added two virtual assistants and a transaction, simple transactions as well this year, having them do all those, the paperwork filing, that sort of thing, compliance and learning to trust them. It's trusting my team to do the systems that I've created. And I'm at a point now where I do. I do trust them. You know, I'm not not working. I'm checking in. I'm double checking work. I'm making sure everything's getting done. I'm talking to my clients, you know, and staying in touch with them so that they're getting, you know, the care. But I don't have to do all the small, you know, um, you know, checklist type items anymore. Um, because I have a team that we've created that can do

those things for me and do them well. So that's how I was able to do it and not totally be stressed out all the time. Yeah. As far as going forward, yeah, I don't plan to have like a 50 agent team ever. That's not my goal. My goal is to have a few amazing agents, agents that, you know, will go out there and be that advocate for their clients and, you know, run with Davis real estate systems the way that we do and and and being able to rely on each other, you know, as we do these things so that we can have personal lives because I'm sure many real estate agents know, you know, there's been years where I'm working 15 hours a day, seven days a week, years of that and building what I've built. And that's a lot of sacrifice, especially because

I have six children. Yes. Yes, we didn't throw that into the mix as well. And so there's just been a lot of sacrificing. And so creating a more balanced schedule and one that every agent on my team can also benefit from eventually. And making this a realistic long-term career for everyone on my team instead of burning out in three years and quitting. And doing it in a way that feels good. We have an excellent product going out. Our clients love us. That's my goal. That's my goal. I love it. And You know, being able to see in one of my favorite things to hear from from clients and working with individuals is I don't want my business to be like that, right?

Not so much in, man, I would love this. I want to look like this. Like what I love more than anything, Rochelle is like, nope, I don't want that at all. Zero. I'm out. Like I won't even show up. Like I won't get out of bed if that's what I. got to do. Yes. Because it's easier to move away from that and get clear on that than it is for a lot of

people to get clear on what they want. It's easier to know what they don't than what they do. But if we know what we don't want, then we can start to build all of the possibilities of what it could be, even if we don't know exactly. But we do have a framework to move away from, which I absolutely love. And, you know, I think I think clarity. I think the, the, the, the, the, the, the, consumer experience is the secret sauce and the recipe moving into the future, and you've got it. And so I'm so excited to see where this year goes. And it's really been a fun ride. And with you, with that level of clarity and direction, solid foundation, built on true,

tried and true, proved systems. You know, you can really design and build whatever you want. at that point. Yeah, we're excited. This is a good, it's going to be a good year. It'll be a great year. It's going to be a great year. So, Michelle, thank you. Thank you guys for listening in to this episode of the agent to CEO podcast. And listen, you know, if you guys are are ready to like stop full on tilt running like with your hair on fire every day and really truly step into that CEO head of company role like Rochelle has, go to John Kitchens.com. coach, book a seven figure consultation hall.

I'd love to kind of chat with you, talk you through it. And I can't, you know, recommend enough getting connected with Rochelle. She's really built such a human business that connects deep and makes a massive impact in her community. Davis real estate. Rochelle, best way to get connected with you? Yeah. So we have a website.

We're on Facebook, we're on Instagram, all of the social channels. obviously always feel free to text us, call us. We do lots of agent referrals in and out every year. So if you enjoy agent referrals and you're someone that we can trust, please send us the information. We would love to send you clients as well. Yeah, absolutely. Rochelle, thank you so much.

You're amazing and I can't wait to see what unfolds out in front of us. Guys, thank you. And look forward to catching you guys on the next episode. We'll see you. Thanks for tuning in. If you're done guessing and ready to lead like a real CEO with a custom strategy, real accountability, and proven systems, check out my executive 101 coaching at john kitchens.coach. Fill out the application and book your one-on-one call with me. Be sure to hit follow so you never miss an episode. Catch you on the next one.