#726 Building Community - The Secret to Leading Agents and Loving Clients with Cindi Shields
John Kitchens Coach Podcast | Life. Coaching. Real Estate.
Release Date: 09/14/2025
#754: The 93% Problem: How AI and GEO Are Rewriting Agent Visibility with Eric Post
John Kitchens Coach Podcast | Life. Coaching. Real Estate.
Episode Overview In this timely and thought-provoking episode of the John Kitchens Coach Podcast, John Kitchens is joined by returning guest Eric Post, AI strategist, founder of Huzi.ai, and one of the sharpest minds at the intersection of technology, consumer behavior, and real estate. This conversation goes far beyond “how to use AI.” John and Eric unpack the real threat and opportunity in the market today: the AI-powered consumer. As consumers gain instant access to information, agents can no longer win by being the knowledge holder. Instead, success now belongs to...
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#753: Emotional Resilience for High-Performing Leaders with Matt Townsend
John Kitchens Coach Podcast | Life. Coaching. Real Estate.
Episode Overview In this episode, John Kitchens sits down with Dr. Matt Townsend for a powerful, reflective conversation on emotional resilience, leadership maturity, and what high performers must leave behind to move forward. As the pace of business accelerates and uncertainty continues to rise, John and Matt unpack why most leaders feel overwhelmed—not because they lack ability, but because they’re carrying outdated thoughts, unhealthy emotions, and destructive habits into the future. This episode is a deep dive into growth through subtraction: letting go of what no longer...
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#752: The Leadership Flywheel: How to Build a Self-Managing Team That Scales Without You
John Kitchens Coach Podcast | Life. Coaching. Real Estate.
Episode Overview In this episode of the John Kitchens Coach Podcast, John Kitchens and Joel Perso close out the Agent to CEO six-part series by unpacking the final and most critical milestone: The Leadership Flywheel. This conversation is all about building a self-managing, self-sustaining team—one that doesn’t rely on you as the bottleneck. John and Joel break down how elite leaders design lean organizational structures, recruit true A-players, and create leadership development systems that generate momentum instead of burnout. If you’ve ever felt trapped by your team,...
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#751: The Leadership Playbook Behind Sustainable Scale with Brett Sikora
John Kitchens Coach Podcast | Life. Coaching. Real Estate.
Episode Overview: In this episode, John Kitchens welcomes back powerhouse leader Brett Sikora for a deep, real-world conversation on intentional growth, leadership decisions, and scaling without chaos. Recorded nearly five years after Brett’s first appearance during the height of COVID lockdowns, this conversation reflects on the pivotal moments that shaped his brokerage’s evolution—from doubling down during uncertainty to building one of the most stable, scalable, and culture-driven organizations in the country. Brett breaks down how real growth doesn’t come from chasing...
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#750: The CEO Execution Roadmap That Scales
John Kitchens Coach Podcast | Life. Coaching. Real Estate.
Episode Overview In this episode of the John Kitchens Coach Podcast, John Kitchens and Joel Perso break down Milestone 5 of the Agent to CEO Framework: The Execution Roadmap—the critical bridge between strategy and real-world results. Most agents don’t fail because they lack ideas or effort. They fail because they work on the wrong things, in the wrong order, with no execution rhythm. John and Joel unpack why second-best problems kill momentum, how to identify the single biggest constraint in your business, and how elite CEOs turn long-term vision into focused 90-day sprints....
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#749: Leading With Passion: The Real Estate Leadership Playbook with Will Mahan
John Kitchens Coach Podcast | Life. Coaching. Real Estate.
Episode Overview In this powerhouse episode, John Kitchens sits down with Oklahoma City powerhouse and brokerage owner Will Mahan for a raw, real, and revealing conversation about leadership, obsession, building culture, and the evolution every top-producing agent must go through to truly become a CEO. Will takes us through his 15-year journey—from life insurance to top-tier real estate producer, to team leader, to eXp influencer, and now the founder of a rapidly growing hybrid brokerage built around entrepreneurship, investing, and true wealth creation. He breaks down why most...
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#748: Breaking Through Your Biggest Real Estate Roadblocks
John Kitchens Coach Podcast | Life. Coaching. Real Estate.
Episode Overview In this another powerful guest episode, John Kitchens takes the hot seat for a deep dive into the real roadblocks holding agents back from real success. This conversation unpacks the journey from overwhelmed producer to intentional CEO — and why most agents stay stuck far longer than they should. John opens up about his early days in real estate, the tough lessons learned through market crashes, building and scaling brokerages, and how escaping “hero mode” transformed everything. He breaks down the exact mindset shifts, business models, and strategic frameworks agents...
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#747: From Agent to CEO — The Coaching Mindset That Builds Scalable Real Estate Businesses
John Kitchens Coach Podcast | Life. Coaching. Real Estate.
Episode Overview In this special guest appearance on the Career Coaching Secrets Podcast, John Kitchens sits down with host Kevin to unpack his 20-year journey from defaulting into real estate… to leading one of the most recognized residential real estate coaching platforms in North America. John shares how growing up in a coach’s home shaped his belief that “great coaches collapse time, see around corners, and become the catalyst for transformation.” This episode pulls back the curtain on what it truly takes to coach top producers, scale a real estate business, escape...
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#746: The Profit Engine Blueprint — Turn Your Real Estate Business Into a Predictable Growth Machine
John Kitchens Coach Podcast | Life. Coaching. Real Estate.
Episode Overview In Part 4 of the Power Hour Series, John Kitchens and Joel Perso deep-dive into one of the most pivotal milestones of the entire framework—the Profit Engine. If Milestone 1 gave you clarity, Milestone 2 charted your course, and Milestone 3 upgraded your thinking… this is where you finally start architecting the business machine that will free you from the transaction treadmill. John and Joel break down how to build a team-driven, financially sound, scalable real estate business that no longer depends on your personal production. They unpack the...
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#745: The CEO Operating System – How Leaders Think, Decide, and Scale
John Kitchens Coach Podcast | Life. Coaching. Real Estate.
Episode Overview In this third installment of the Agent to CEO Power Hour Series, John Kitchens and Joel Perso go deep into the milestone that changes everything for agents ready to step out of production and step into leadership: The CEO Operating System. If Part 1 (The Clarity Compass) revealed where you are, and Part 2 (Charting the Course) defined where you’re going, Part 3 is the mental upgrade that makes scaling possible. This session unpacks the critical thinking models, decision-making filters, and constraint-focused operating principles that separate agents stuck...
info_outlineEpisode Overview
In this episode, John Kitchens sits down with industry leader Cindi Featherstone-Shields to uncover the power of community in both real estate and leadership. From dominating her East Texas golf course community to building one of the most agent-centric offices in the business, Cindi reveals the strategies that have made her business recession-proof.
They dive into why true success isn’t about transactions—it’s about relationships. From moving trucks and margarita Fridays to 8:30 a.m. accountability calls and Working Genius assessments, Cindi has built a culture where clients feel loved, agents feel supported, and business continues to thrive no matter the market.
This is a masterclass in creating connection, leading with authenticity, and building a business that fuels both profits and fulfillment.
What You’ll Learn in This Episode
Building Client Communities That Last
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Why embedding yourself in a neighborhood makes your business recession-proof
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How events, moving trucks, and small touches create lifelong clients
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Turning past clients into friends—and friends into repeat customers
Leading Through Agent-Centric Culture
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How Cindi designed her office to feel like a coffee shop, not a brokerage
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The role of Working Genius in aligning agents with their strengths
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Why daily 8:30 Zoom huddles are non-negotiable for accountability
The Power of Events & Experiences
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From golf tournaments to Christmas parties: why shared experiences fuel referrals
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Why spending on food and hospitality beats spending on funnels
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How to gamify agent production with challenges and competitions
Mindset & Long-Term Growth
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Why chasing listings (not buyers) creates leverage
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The danger of “backup plans” in real estate success
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Why the best leaders never stop showing up for their people
Resources & Mentions
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Working Genius by Patrick Lencioni – Framework for leadership and team alignment
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HoneyBadgerNation.com – Coaching, training, and community for growth-minded agents
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Cindi’s Nonprofit: Wags – Supporting rescue animals through fundraising
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John Kitchens Executive Coaching → JohnKitchens.coach
Final Takeaway
Community is the ultimate competitive advantage. When you invest in people—whether it’s clients or agents—you create loyalty, referrals, and impact that no market shift can take away.
“This is not transactional business. This is about loving people, supporting them, and becoming part of their lives.” – Cindi Shields
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- Facebook: @johnkitchenscoach
If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a review. Stay tuned for more insights and strategies from the top minds. See you next time! 🔥