#735: The Real Estate CEO Blueprint — How to Scale, Systemize, and Step Out of Production
John Kitchens Coach Podcast | Life. Coaching. Real Estate.
Release Date: 10/15/2025
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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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John and Matt unpack why most leaders feel overwhelmed—not because they lack ability, but because they’re carrying outdated thoughts, unhealthy emotions, and destructive habits into the future.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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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 of The John Kitchens Coach Podcast, John Kitchens and Joel Perso unpack what it really takes to scale your real estate business and eventually step out of production—without losing control, clarity, or cash flow.
From AI-powered leadership and communication to strategic planning and financial modeling, this conversation breaks down the mindset and systems behind building a business that serves your life, not the other way around.
Whether you’re a solo agent working toward your first million or a team leader looking to escape production, this episode delivers a playbook for scaling with strategy, clarity, and confidence.
What You’ll Learn in This Episode
The AI-Driven Leader
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Why AI should amplify your leadership—not replace it.
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How to prompt AI to challenge your thinking instead of feeding your bias.
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The key difference between AI-assisted leadership and AI-dependent leadership.
Strategic Planning: Escaping the Drift
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Why every agent and team needs a repeatable planning process.
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How to build clarity into your vision, model, and execution.
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The “Agent to CEO Framework” — a proven structure for thinking like a CEO.
Escaping Production the Right Way
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The three pillars of stepping out of production:
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Strategic planning to prevent drift.
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Repeatable value propositions for buyers, sellers, and agents.
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A clear financial model that supports your next move.
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Why most leaders fail at stepping out—and how to forecast before you leap.
The Power of Data, Discipline, and Margins
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Why market-based wages are the foundation of sustainable growth.
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The financial traps that keep leaders stuck in production.
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How to leverage your real estate business as a wealth engine for investments.
Mindset, Leadership, and Opportunity
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Why clarity and vision come before every major decision.
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The mindset shift from chasing transactions to building opportunities.
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How top agents are turning their teams into vehicles for financial freedom.
Resources & Mentions
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JohnKitchens.coach – Executive Coaching for agents ready to scale like CEOs
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The Agent to CEO Framework – Proven path from production to leadership
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Simple Numbers, Straight Talk, Big Profits! by Greg Crabtree
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The Working Genius by Patrick Lencioni
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The Culture Code by Daniel Coyle
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The Strangest Secret by Earl Nightingale
Final Takeaway
Building a business that gives you freedom isn’t about hustling harder—it’s about leading smarter. Strategic planning, financial clarity, and the right systems turn production into profit and chaos into control.
And as Joel Perso reminds us:
“The essence of strategy isn’t what you do—it’s what you decide not to do.”
Connect with Us:
- Instagram: @johnkitchenscoach
- LinkedIn: @johnkitchenscoach
- 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! 🔥