Last week hit me hard. I was on a call with James, a broker in SoCal who’s been in the business for seven years. From the outside, he looked successful – consistent deals, good relationships, solid market presence. But something he said stopped me in my tracks:
“I’m working harder than ever, but my deal volume hasn’t changed in three years. Everyone keeps telling me to ‘just do more,’ but that’s not working anymore.”
Sound familiar?
Here’s what most brokers don’t realize: there are distinct stages we all go through in CRE, and what works in one stage will actually hold you back in another.
Let me explain.
Take Sarah, who joined my group coaching program last quarter. Classic Start-up stage broker – making 50 calls a day, running to every possible tour, saying yes to any property type. She was exhausted but proud of her hustle. The problem? She was six months in and had yet to close a deal.
During our first session, I asked her to show me her follow-up system. Her response? “I keep everything in my head.” That’s when it clicked. She was using Start-up energy with no Success stage systems. Within two months of implementing basic pipeline tracking and follow-up protocols, she had two deals under contract.
But here’s where it gets interesting.
Mark, a 12-year veteran in industrial sales, faced the opposite problem. He had all the systems in place – CRM, marketing automation, virtual assistant. But his business had plateaued. He’d hit what I call the Stagnation stage, where comfort becomes your biggest enemy.
“I realized I was running my business on autopilot,” he told me recently. “Same landlords, same property types, same cold call and email marketing from three years ago. I wasn’t growing; I was just maintaining.”
Let’s break down what’s really happening in each stage:
In Start-up, everything feels like climbing a mountain. That’s normal. Your job isn’t to look experienced; it’s to become experienced. Focus on one property and transaction type, master the fundamentals, and track everything.
Survival stage is where things get interesting. You’re closing deals, but inconsistently. One month you’re on fire, the next you’re wondering if your pipeline will ever fill again. The key? Stop trying to do everything yourself. Begin building systems, even simple ones.
Success stage brokers face a unique challenge. You’re closing consistently but working unsustainable hours. This is where most brokers get stuck because they’re afraid to change what’s working. But remember: what got you here won’t get you there.
Then there’s the Soar stage. Your reputation starts opening doors. Deals come to you. But this creates a new danger – complacency. I see too many brokers coast here until they wake up one day in…
Stagnation. Your business is either on autopilot or slowly declining. This is the most dangerous stage because it’s comfortable. You’re making good money, but you’re becoming increasingly irrelevant in your market.
Here’s the reality check: in today’s market, with competition increasing and deal velocity slowing, knowing your stage isn’t just helpful – it’s survival.
Take a moment right now. Look at your last quarter:
Next week, I’ll show you how to pull the right triggers on the 6 different management areas of your business, in the right growth stage.
But for now, ask yourself: Are you running the business you built three years ago, or building the business you want three years from now?
Ready for a real conversation about where you’re stuck? Let’s do a Triage Call. No pitch, no fluff – just 15+ minutes focused on identifying your roadblocks and creating your breakthrough plan.
P.S.: Quick win for this week – identify ONE activity you’re doing that belongs to a previous stage, and ONE you should be doing for your current stage. You might be surprised at what you find.
P.P.S. Whenever you’re ready… here are 4 ways I can help you grow your brokerage business:
1. Grab a free copy of my Ultimate LinkedIn Guide for CRE Brokers
It’s the roadmap to turning your LinkedIn Profile from a boring resume into a powerful Sales & Marketing Funnel to get qualified leads every day — CLICK HERE
2. Join the GROUP COACHING PROGRAM and scale with other brokers like you.
It’s our group/private hybrid coaching program where smart brokers learn to get more income, impact, and independence. If you’d like to get some leads & clients this month, email me HERE with the word GROUP, and I’ll get you all the details.
3. Join our PRIVATE COACHING Program and become an authority in your market
If you’d like to work directly with me and my team to take you from 6 to 7 figures… just send me an email to HERE with the word PRIVATE, tell me a little about your business and what you’d like to work on together, and I’ll get you all the details.
4. Join our PEER ADVISORY GROUP and take your business to the next level.
This exclusive Mastermind program is tailored for visionary leaders, like you, aiming to dominate markets, diversify assets, streamline operations, pivot strategically or prepare for a sale or move firms. This is limited to either current or past PRIVATE clients only
Subscribe to our exclusive newsletter and unlock the secrets to growing your business to seven figures.