Dear Reader,

Here’s a little secret most practice owners don’t want to admit:

Your associates are watching you. Closely. Quietly. Constantly. They watch how you lead. They notice when you're distracted. They feel when something shifts — even when you don’t say a word.

And if you think they aren’t already talking to recruiters…
Googling DSOs…
Browsing Facebook groups with “practice exit” threads…

You’re wrong. Because while you’re trying to hold the practice together, they’re thinking about what’s next. And if you’re not the one leading that conversation? Someone else already is.

Dear Reader,

You’ve heard the stories. A friend sells their practice. Two years later, they’re semi-retired. Kids in private school. Beach house in Florida. No more 12-hour days. No more insurance games. No more late-night stress.

You smile, nod, and tell yourself:

“I’ll wait a few more years. Grow a little more. Time it just right.”

But here’s what we’ve learned after guiding hundreds of doctors through the DSO process:

Dear Reader,

You’ve heard all the warnings before:

“The market’s cooling down.”
“There’s more competition than ever.”
“You need more leads if you want to survive.”

But let’s set the record straight.

Dear Reader,

Let’s talk about the most frustrating part of real estate.

No, it’s not paperwork.
It’s not nosy neighbors at open houses.
It’s not even lowball offers.

It’s leads that disappear.
You know the ones.

They clicked.
They inquired.
Maybe they even said, “We’re ready to make a move.”

And then… poof.

It’s the “go-to plan” for broke agents who don’t know any better.

Dear Reader,

You hear it all the time:

“I just need to get a few rentals under my belt.”
“That’s my retirement plan—passive income.”
“I want to start building wealth, so I’m looking for a duplex.”

If you’re a real estate agent over 60, chances are you’ve thought the same thing. Maybe you even own a few rentals already.

But here’s the truth nobody wants to say out loud:

No shady stuff—just smart, strategic influence.

Dear Reader,

Let’s get something straight right up front:

You don’t win in real estate by being the nicest agent in the room.
You win by being the smartest, sharpest, and most strategic.

And if you’ve been in this business long enough, you know how it feels to lose a listing you should’ve won.

Maybe you were late to the table.
Maybe the seller had a “friend” in the business.
Maybe the other agent talked a good game but couldn't back it up.

Whatever the case, here’s the good news:

Competing on price is a race to the bottom.
Here’s how the pros win without discounting.

Dear Reader,

If your biggest selling point is “I’ll do it for less,” you’ve already lost.

Because competing on price doesn’t position you as the best choice.
It positions you as the cheapest option.
And when you’re the cheapest, you’re never respected—you’re just tolerated.

That may work for selling toilet paper.
But it’s a terrible strategy for selling homes.

Dear Reader,

You’ve probably heard this one before:

“The house is too dated.”
“Buyers want move-in ready.”
“This one’s going to be a tough sell.”

That’s what most agents say when they walk into a house with green shag carpet, gold fixtures, and cabinets that haven’t seen daylight since the Reagan administration.

But here’s what the top agents know:

The truth hurts… but not as much as running out of money.

Dear Reader,

Let’s have a real conversation.

Not the polite, sugar-coated version you hear at real estate conferences. Not the Instagram-filtered version that shows off big closings and fancy lockbox selfies. I mean the kind of talk nobody’s having—but everyone needs.

You don’t love the hustle.
You’ve just convinced yourself you do… because the alternative scares the hell out of you.

Most agents keep taking bad deals because
they’re broke… not because they’re busy

Dear Reader,

Let’s be honest.

You’ve had clients you wish you could have walked away from.

The ones who drain your energy, fight you on every detail, ignore your advice, call at all hours, and then want to lowball your commission when it’s all over.

But you didn’t say no.