How Jade Medeiros Balances Four Kids, Client Relationships, and Mortgage Life in Hawaiʻi
In Search of Excellence, Island Style
Release Date: 06/24/2026
In Search of Excellence, Island Style
Can you really afford to buy a home in Hawaiʻi? For many first-time buyers, military families, and veterans, homeownership feels impossible. High home prices, rising HOA fees, insurance costs, and uncertainty about mortgage rates often keep people renting longer than they planned. In this episode of In Search of Excellence: Island Style, Larry Gonzales sits down with Uliya Sparks to discuss what it really takes to become a homeowner in Hawaiʻi—and why waiting for the "perfect time" isn't always the best financial decision. Uliya shares her incredible journey from being born in Russia,...
info_outlineIn Search of Excellence, Island Style
What should military families know before buying a home in Hawaii? Is it better to buy or rent? How do you build wealth while stationed in one of the country's most expensive housing markets? In this episode of In Search of Excellence: Island Style, Larry Gonzales sits down with Hawaii REALTOR®, photographer, and military spouse Lexi Brown to discuss the financial, emotional, and personal decisions that shape a successful move to Hawaii. Lexi shares why she specializes in serving military families, how she built a thriving real estate business through authentic social media, and the biggest...
info_outlineIn Search of Excellence, Island Style
What makes a great Realtor? According to Jasmine Bell and Kirsten Connell of Hawaiʻi Home Group, it's not about selling homes—it's about helping clients make confident, informed financial decisions. In this episode of In Search of Excellence: Island Style, Larry Gonzales sits down with two of Oʻahu's top real estate professionals to discuss what it means to put clients first. From military relocations and negotiating incredible deals to helping homeowners maximize equity through strategic renovations, this conversation is packed with practical advice for buyers, sellers, investors, and...
info_outlineIn Search of Excellence, Island Style
In this episode of In Search of Excellence: Island Style, Larry Gonzales sits down with Jade Medeiros, Client Relations Manager at The Broker, for a candid conversation about family, work, leadership, and what it takes to build a service-first mortgage business in Hawaiʻi. Jade shares what life looks like as a mother of four while balancing client relations, business development, events, CRM systems, and the day-to-day needs of a growing mortgage team. From football practices and family routines to helping run the Successful Homeowner series, holiday trolley events, webinars, and client...
info_outlineIn Search of Excellence, Island Style
Men’s Mental Health Crisis: Suicide, Depression & Military Mental Health With Mike Melso & Dr. Jenny In this powerful Men’s Mental Health Awareness Month episode of In Search of Excellence: Island Style, the host is joined by retired U.S. Marine Corps service member Mike Melso and active-duty clinical psychologist Dr. Jenny to unpack the silent mental health crisis affecting men across military and civilian life. The conversation explores sobering statistics—one in eight men suffer from depression and men are four times more likely to die by suicide—and goes deeper into the...
info_outlineIn Search of Excellence, Island Style
In this inspiring episode of In Search of Excellence: Island Style, host Larry Gonzales sits down with Izaiah Dillion, a 24-year-old active duty Air Force member, to discuss his journey from a challenging upbringing in Stockton, California, to becoming a homeowner in Hawaii. Izaiah shares how he leveraged his VA home loan benefit to purchase a condo with minimal out-of-pocket costs, gaining instant equity and aligning his mortgage with his BAH. Izaiah recounts growing up without his father, getting into legal trouble as a teenager, and how the Air Force offered him structure, discipline, and...
info_outlineIn Search of Excellence, Island Style
In this episode of In Search of Excellence: Island Style, Larry sits down with Kanani Ching, a longtime real estate professional and business transformation consultant, to talk about stepping outside your comfort zone, embracing change, and using artificial intelligence to help businesses work smarter without losing the human connection. Kanani shares how her journey from hospitality to real estate leadership eventually led her into the AI industry. She talks about discovering ChatGPT in 2022, recognizing its potential beyond simple writing tasks, and building a business focused on helping...
info_outlineIn Search of Excellence, Island Style
In this episode of In Search of Excellence: Island Style, Larry sits down with Dearonne Bethea, CEO of Band of Brothers Investment Group, to talk about the journey from humble beginnings in Enfield, North Carolina, to building businesses, investing in real estate, and creating a family office structure with more than $200M in personally managed assets. Dearonne shares how a second chance through the U.S. Army changed the direction of his life. After joining the Army at 19, he found mentorship, discipline, and a new way of thinking about money. A pivotal lesson from his command sergeant major...
info_outlineIn Search of Excellence, Island Style
Chris Wirsing on the Power of Relationships, Reputation, and Real Producers In this episode of In Search of Excellence: Island Style, host Larry Gonzales sits down with Chris Wirsing, Publisher of Honolulu Real Producers, for a conversation about what truly separates top performers in Hawaii real estate. Chris shares his journey from Chicago to Hawaii, his local family roots, and the path that eventually led him to build Honolulu Real Producers on the island. From there, Larry and Chris dive into the habits and standards that define excellence: adaptability, discipline, relationship-building,...
info_outlineIn Search of Excellence, Island Style
The Truth About Growth, Standards, and Success, With Tony Robbins’ Trainer Mandi Rose In this episode of In Search of Excellence Island Style, the host sits down with Mandi Rose, a Tony Robbins Professional Trainer & Keynote Speaker, after she leads an in-person training in Hawaii for The Broker Mortgage Experts and Century 21 Island Homes. The conversation opens with the power of live training, why in-person energy creates stronger breakthroughs, and how Mandi helps people shift from simply learning information to actually taking action. Mandi shares her journey from radio and...
info_outlineIn this episode of In Search of Excellence: Island Style, Larry Gonzales sits down with Jade Medeiros, Client Relations Manager at The Broker, for a candid conversation about family, work, leadership, and what it takes to build a service-first mortgage business in Hawaiʻi.
Jade shares what life looks like as a mother of four while balancing client relations, business development, events, CRM systems, and the day-to-day needs of a growing mortgage team. From football practices and family routines to helping run the Successful Homeowner series, holiday trolley events, webinars, and client education efforts, Jade gives listeners a behind-the-scenes look at the “work is life” rhythm that keeps everything moving.
Larry and Jade also talk about leadership lessons, team accountability, communication, and why taking care of people matters in a high-stress industry like mortgage and real estate. Larry reflects on his biggest career mistake, the importance of sharing bad news early, and how education became the heart of The Broker’s mission.
The episode also dives into the reality of living and buying a home in Hawaiʻi, especially for local families trying to make it work. From first-time buyer education to affordability challenges, VA loans, renovation loan options, and The Broker’s five-year vision, this conversation highlights the deeper purpose behind the business: helping people feel informed, supported, and ready for homeownership.
Guest List
Jade Medeiros
Client Relations Manager, The Broker
Email: jade@thebrokerhi.com
Social: @jadekohou
Timestamp Highlights
00:00 Doubt and Beginnings
00:08 Meet Jade Medeiros
02:30 Jade’s Roots and Family
03:43 Why Their Partnership Works
04:43 Work Life Balance Reality
08:12 Pet Peeves and Email Habits
09:44 Client Relations vs Growth
13:20 Teamwork Under Pressure
14:56 Career Lessons and Advice
19:49 Managing Four Kids Daily
23:32 Raising Teens and Future Plans
24:09 Making Hawaii Living Work
24:58 Balancing Routines and Roles
25:22 Homeownership Timeline Plans
26:49 Hawaii Housing Reality Check
27:48 Taxes and Kupuna Relief
29:31 Beach Life and Culture
29:58 First Time Buyer Education
30:33 Real Client Numbers Breakthrough
33:02 Success Stories and Misinformation
34:41 Growing The Broker Vision
41:58 Branding Beyond VA Loans
43:51 New Renovation HELOC Product
45:28 Why Education Matters Most
47:52 Gratitude and Closing Aloha