Connect and Communicate: The Fourth Cornerstone of Ninja Selling
Ninja Selling Podcast
In this episode, Eric Thompson interviews Larry Kendall about the fourth principle of Ninja Selling: Connect and Communicate. Larry explains that great communication begins with connection. The best communicators create a sense of trust through what he calls a "non-anxious presence," making the conversation about the other person rather than themselves. By asking thoughtful questions, listening deeply, and adapting to clients' communication styles, Ninjas help clients gain clarity and make confident decisions. The conversation explores the Platinum Rule, the importance of asking rather than...
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Turn 15 Conversations into 80 Closings
Ninja Selling Podcast
Eric Thompson interviews Gavin Vargas of Windermere Group One in Richland, Washington, who shares the mindset and habits behind building an 80-plus transaction business in a market of just 65,000 people. After attending his first Ninja Installation at age 21, Gavin steadily built his business by committing to the Ninja system, and in 2026 is on pace for his first $100,000 month. Gavin credits his success to three things: mastering his mindset, maintaining consistent live flow, and treating everyone in his business as a relationship rather than a transaction. His goal is 15 live interviews per...
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The Power of Going All In
Ninja Selling Podcast
Eric Thompson interviews D.J. Farris of Nashville, Tennessee, who shares the mindset shift that led to his first $100,000 month after nearly 20 years in real estate. While D.J. had experienced success throughout his career, he realized he had never fully committed to becoming the best Realtor he could be. Instead, he viewed real estate as something temporary while waiting for “something bigger.” Everything changed at the beginning of 2026. Through Ninja 90 and coaching with Steve Mandelson, D.J. embraced a new identity, committed fully to his business, and eliminated distractions that...
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Where Books Find New Homes
Ninja Selling Podcast
Eric Thompson interviews Alexis Pinter of Albuquerque, New Mexico, who shares the relationship-building strategies that helped her achieve her entire 2026 income goal by mid-June. After 12 years in real estate and two and a half years of coaching with Tracy Peterson-Nienaber, Alexis has built a business centered on authentic live flow, creative client events, and meaningful personal touches. Her signature strategy is a quarterly book swap, where clients, friends, family, and community members gather around a shared love of reading. The event naturally attracts like-minded people, creates new...
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Take a Month Off Without Losing Momentum
Ninja Selling Podcast
In this episode, Eric Thompson interviews Sumina Bhatti of Austin, Texas, about how to take a truly restorative vacation without sacrificing your real estate business. Sumina shares a practical framework she has developed over years of travel, including trips lasting several weeks to several months, while maintaining strong client service and business momentum. The key is preparation. Sumina explains that successful time away begins with deciding what kind of trip you want to take: fully disconnected, partially working, or fully working from another location. Once that decision is made,...
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The Pickleball League That Built a $40 Million Business
Ninja Selling Podcast
Rob Nelson interviews Greg Roeder of Fort Collins, Colorado, who shares how he built a thriving real estate business by creating community around his passions rather than relying on traditional prospecting. A pivotal moment came when he invited a struggling homeowner to join a pickleball game, helping him realize he could offer more than real estate services—he could create meaningful connections. Greg began organizing what he calls strategic gatherings and signature events, including pickleball leagues, wellness events, coffee tastings, and other experiences that bring people together...
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Premium Service = Premium Fees
Ninja Selling Podcast
Eric Thompson interviews Cyndi Olmstead, owner of Consi Realtors in Oldsmar, Florida, about two powerful business strategies: networking like a Ninja and offering premium service for a premium fee. Cyndi shares how she built a thriving real estate business from scratch after relocating to Florida without an existing sphere. By intentionally immersing herself in networking groups and later refining her focus to the most productive relationships, she created a strong referral-based business and achieved her best year yet. A major component of Cyndi’s success is her innovative use of real...
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Obsessed with Results - the Ninja Installation Evolves
Ninja Selling Podcast
In this bonus episode, Rob Nelson and Larry Kendall reflect on the evolution of Ninja Selling and announce a major change to Ninja training. Larry explains that The Group Real Estate served as the original testing ground for the systems that eventually became the buyer process, seller process, and Ninja Nine. A key theme is that most agents do not struggle because they lack knowledge. They struggle because they fail to consistently apply what they already know. While the Ninja Installation has long been praised as transformational, Ninja found that many agents needed additional accountability...
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Why Does Time Feel So Fast?
Ninja Selling Podcast
Rob Nelson and Peter Parnegg explore a question many people are asking: why does it feel like time is moving faster than ever? Rather than concluding that time itself has changed, they suggest that our perception of time has shifted because of how we spend our attention and energy. The conversation examines how distractions, obligations, and a lack of intentionality can create the feeling that life is speeding by. Peter reflects on how many professionals have become disconnected from where their time actually goes. He argues that the solution is not finding more time, but becoming more...
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When One Sentence Changes Your Life
Ninja Selling Podcast
Eric Thompson interviews longtime Realtor and Ninja, Brenda Fortna of Allentown, Pennsylvania. Brenda shares how a single sentence completely transformed her mindset, her business, and her life: “What if it all went right?” After stepping away from coaching and slipping into a mindset that quietly suggested her best years might be behind her, Brenda heard that phrase on a Ninja podcast and immediately adopted it as her new lens for life. What followed was a dramatic shift in both mindset and action. Brenda began preparing more intentionally for appointments, saying yes to opportunities she...
info_outlineHaving addressed the “P.I.E. Time” concept in early episodes - be sure to check them out on the website if you haven’t already - Matt and Garrett drill down on its “I” component in today’s episode. Stressing the importance of “I-Time”, aka “Indirectly Productive Time”, our hosts discuss why it is so crucial for business development, offer insights into balancing productive and indirectly productive time, and explore practical strategies for planning and committing to these essential activities.
As they delve into the nuances of business development, Matt and Garrett draw analogies with pizza restaurants and food trucks to illustrate the importance of visibility and relationship building. They emphasize that creating leads isn't just about buying lists but fostering genuine connections that translate to business opportunities. They also offer actionable challenges to help listeners plan their “I-Time” effectively and illustrate how the right mix of activities can help agents navigate a thriving business, avoid burnout, and create lasting client relationships.
Even more help will be available to you the minute you join the close to 16000 other Ninjas with all levels of experience who collaborate, ask and answer questions, network, and more in the Ninja Selling Podcast group on Facebook at Ninja Selling Podcast Facebook. Leave a voicemail at 208-MY-NINJA if you’d like to offer more direct feedback. Be sure to check out Ninja Selling Events for upcoming installations and other events, and if you’d like personalized help in achieving your goals, visit Ninja Coaching to connect with one of our fantastic coaches.
Episode Highlights:
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Understanding "I-Time"
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Balancing "I-Time" and "P Time"
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The importance of genuine connections
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Committing to "I-Time"
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Visibility through "I-Time"
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Integrating "I-Time" in daily schedules
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Preventing burnout
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Actionable "I-Time" strategies
Quotes:
"The I stands for Indirectly Productive, but it really also stands for Important, the most important."
"It's the I-Time that creates the business.”
"If we don't have any of this stuff going out, you are just a restaurant sitting in the strip mall going, ‘When are people going to show up?’"
"You should be able to look at your day and your calendar at the end of it and go, ‘I put in five hours of my eight-hour day into I-Time.’"
"If you're not sending out flyers, thanking customers, and creating that experience, they will forget about you."
"Even when we're busy, I know it's hard, but if you get control of it, you're going to have probably too much business."
"Your day should be primarily I-Time when you're trying to get a business off the ground."
"You need to be out there helping people understand exactly what it is that you offer."
"Scheduling I-Time before emails or client calls can help integrate it seamlessly into your daily routine."
Links:
www.TheNinjaSellingPodcast.com
Email us at TSW@TheNinjaSellingPodcast.com
Leave a voicemail at (208) MY-NINJA
Ninja Selling
@ninjasellingofficial
Ninja Coaching:
@ninja.coaching
Ninja Events
Garrett
@ninjaredding
Matt
@matthewjbonelli
The Ninja Selling Podcast Facebook Group
Ninja Selling by Larry Kendall