Brandi Fugate built Private Label Real Estate by doing the impossible—she walked away from selling 100 homes a year to become a full-time broker and team leader. In this episode, Brandi shares her journey from mortgage lending to real estate, how she scaled her indie brokerage by 370% in one year through relentless recruiting, and the systems that allow her to be home by 3 PM every day while her team projects 500 transactions for 2026. She reveals her playbook for working online leads (especially realtor.com and Zillow), why LP MAMA is superior to quick ALM calls, how she onboards new agents in just five days with "Hello Week," and why spoiling agents with white-glove support is her competitive advantage. Brandi also opens up about caring for her 97-year-old grandmother with dementia and how building a business that supports life—not consumes it—became her mission. If you're a producing agent wondering how to scale without burning out, or a broker looking for a recruiting and systems blueprint, this episode is pure gold.

Chapters:

• (00:00:00) - Why Most Agents Can't Scale Past 100 Deals—And What Brandi Did Instead
• (00:02:48) - From Mortgage Lending to Real Estate Success
• (00:05:42) - Opening Private Label Real Estate
• (00:09:47) - Working Online Leads: Realtor.com and Zillow Strategy
• (00:12:23) - The Decision to Exit Production for Family
• (00:15:18) - Recruiting 370% Growth: The Numbers Behind the Scale
• (00:19:12) - Culture First: What Brandi Looks for in Agents
• (00:22:47) - Hello Week: Five-Day Agent Onboarding System
• (00:27:38) - LP MAMA vs. ALM: Why Longer Calls Win
• (00:32:18) - Building a White Glove Admin Team with VAs
• (00:37:22) - Pod System and Future Leadership Development
• (00:40:15) - Final Advice: Keep Recruiting and Implement Fast

Links and Resources:

• Website
• Brandi Fugate on LinkedIn
• Reside Platform
• Reside Platform Website

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Nick McLean and Mie Yamashita dive deep into the critical importance of role play and skill development for real estate agents in today's challenging market. With Gary Keller's recent declaration that "easy deals are dead," Nick and Mie break down why mastering sales conversations through consistent role play is no longer optional—it's essential for survival. Drawing from their experience running Script Inferno, a weekly role play session for agents across North America, they share proven techniques for conducting effective role play sessions, both one-on-one and in groups. They explore the psychology behind skill development, comparing it to GPS navigation and flight training, and reveal why even top producers who've sold thousands of homes need to continuously sharpen their skills. The conversation covers everything from overcoming the discomfort of role play to creating a culture where feedback drives growth, emphasizing that conversion competency—not just memorizing scripts—is what separates high-performing agents from the rest. Whether you're a new agent or a seasoned team leader, this episode provides actionable strategies to build the hard skills required to close deals in today's competitive real estate landscape.

Chapters:

• (00:00:00) - Introduction: Why No One Is Above Sharpening Their Sword
• (00:01:00) - Easy Deals Are Dead: Gary Keller's Message and What It Means
• (00:03:00) - The Benefits of Role Play: Beyond Just Phone Scripts
• (00:06:00) - How to Run Effective Group Role Play Sessions
• (00:09:00) - Role Play Games: The Snake, Head-to-Head Battles, and Hot Potato
• (00:12:00) - Leading by Example: Facilitating vs. Performing
• (00:15:00) - Using Real-Time Opportunities for Organic Role Play
• (00:18:00) - The GPS Analogy: Learning Scripts to Build Conversion Competency
• (00:21:00) - Phases of Flight: Role Playing Every Stage of the Transaction
• (00:24:00) - Giving Feedback Without Crushing Confidence
• (00:27:00) - Building Resiliency Through Uncomfortable Practice
• (00:30:00) - The Art of Learning: Why End Moves Matter More Than Openings
• (00:33:00) - Sales as a Language: The 400-Hour Rule to Become Good

Links and Resources:

• Reside Platform
• Reside Platform Website
• Mie on LinkedIn

Thanks so much for joining us this week. Want to subscribe to the Reside Platform Podcast? Have some feedback you’d like to share? Connect with us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and YouTube to leave us a review!

Brooke sits down with Tracy Hernly, a powerhouse realtor, team leader, broker owner, title company owner, and race car driver who leads the #1 team by units sold in the Greater Lansing area. Tracy shares her incredible journey from mortgage processing to opening her own brokerage during COVID, revealing the hard-won lessons about leadership, team building, and maintaining work-life balance while scaling multiple businesses. She opens up about her early leadership struggles, including high turnover rates and a "rough" bedside manner that she had to transform to build a thriving culture. Tracy discusses how she leveraged her racing background to carve out a unique niche in rural real estate, why clarity is kindness in leadership, and how implementing core values and mission statements changed everything for her team. She also shares practical advice on community involvement, client events, organic team growth, and why she's focusing on recruiting and refining systems in 2026. This episode is packed with real talk about the messy middle of business growth, the importance of knowing your "why," and how to build a sustainable business that doesn't sacrifice your family or personal passions.

Chapters:

• (00:00:00) - Opening: Tracy's Journey from Mortgage Processing to Real Estate Success
• (00:02:00) - Making the Leap: Leaving a Steady Paycheck for Real Estate
• (00:04:00) - Building the #1 Team by Units Sold in Greater Lansing
• (00:06:00) - The First Hire: Why Tracy Needed an Assistant to Scale
• (00:09:00) - Leadership Growing Pains: Learning to Manage People and Expectations
• (00:13:00) - Clarity is Kindness: Transforming Leadership Through Accountability
• (00:17:00) - Building Culture Through Core Values and Mission Statements
• (00:20:00) - Community Involvement: Racing Events, Cookies with Santa, and Local Leadership
• (00:25:00) - The Racing Realtor: How Tracy Found Her Niche in Rural Real Estate
• (00:30:00) - Looking Ahead: 2026 Goals, Recruiting Focus, and Work-Life Balance

Links and Resources:

• Website
• Tracey Hernly on LinkedIn
• Reside Platform

Thanks so much for joining us this week. Want to subscribe to the Reside Platform Podcast? Have some feedback you’d like to share? Connect with us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and YouTube to leave us a review!