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A Community of Raving Fans

The Ninja Selling Podcast

Release Date: 04/28/2025

How to Build a Ninja Company: A Blueprint from Jenny Usaj show art How to Build a Ninja Company: A Blueprint from Jenny Usaj

The Ninja Selling Podcast

  How do you build a real estate brokerage where 81% of your agents increase their business by an average of 65% in a single year, especially when the overall market is down? You build a Ninja company. Join Eric Thompson as he sits down with Jenny Usaj, the innovative owner of Usaj Realty in Denver, Colorado, and a new addition to the Ninja Coaching team. Jenny provides a masterclass on how she has intentionally and systematically infused the Ninja Selling philosophy into every aspect of her brokerage, creating a culture of incredible support, accountability, and success. Jenny pulls back...

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Frictionless Referrals: Introducing Referral Flow and the New Find a Ninja show art Frictionless Referrals: Introducing Referral Flow and the New Find a Ninja

The Ninja Selling Podcast

Welcome back to the Ninja Selling Podcast! Today, Rob Nelson sits down with Joseph Chiavatti – Ninja, brokerage owner, and tech entrepreneur – to discuss a common challenge in the real estate industry: the friction involved in sending and receiving referrals. Joseph Chiavatti shares his personal experience of struggling to connect with qualified Ninja agents for outbound referrals, a frustration that led him to develop a groundbreaking solution. This episode unveils Referral Flow, a new platform designed to streamline the entire referral process for all real estate agents, and its...

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How To Be a Resort Market Ninja show art How To Be a Resort Market Ninja

The Ninja Selling Podcast

Join Eric Thompson on the Ninja Selling Podcast as he sits down with "Ninja Jack" Affleck, a top-producing real estate broker with Slifer, Smith & Frampton in beautiful Vail, Colorado. Recorded on location in Vail, this episode explores how to successfully apply Ninja principles in a unique resort market. Jack shares his inspiring journey, from his previous career as the iconic resort photographer for Vail Resorts to becoming a leading real estate professional, and how he's achieved his best year ever and best start to a year by embracing authentic Ninja practices. Discover how Jack...

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The Return of the Sales Meeting: Announcing the Monthly Ninja Sales Meeting with Larry Kendall show art The Return of the Sales Meeting: Announcing the Monthly Ninja Sales Meeting with Larry Kendall

The Ninja Selling Podcast

Get ready for an exciting new chapter in the Ninja Selling community! Rob Nelson welcomes the founder of Ninja Selling, Larry Kendall, to the podcast for a special episode. They reminisce about the legendary sales meetings at The Group Real Estate, which were instrumental in building its high-performance culture and achieving remarkable productivity (averaging 52 transactions per associate!). Larry shares the core principles behind those impactful meetings – ethos, logos, and pathos – and how they fostered energy, collaboration, and real business results for attendees. The conversation...

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Create More, Work Less show art Create More, Work Less

The Ninja Selling Podcast

Is it possible to achieve your biggest results yet while actually working less? Absolutely! Join Eric Thompson on the Ninja Selling Podcast as he welcomes Deanna Foreman of Coldwell Banker Vanguard Realty in Jacksonville, Florida, and her Ninja Coach, Jon Hill. Deanna shares her inspiring journey of how she achieved her best first quarter ever (17 closings!) and is on pace for her best second quarter, all while reclaiming her time and creating better work-life harmony. Deanna, a dedicated Ninja who has attended six installations and Ninja Now, discusses the pivotal decision to "level up"...

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Navigating Seller Risk: A Modern Approach to Pricing Conversations show art Navigating Seller Risk: A Modern Approach to Pricing Conversations

The Ninja Selling Podcast

Join Rob Nelson and Peter Parnegg  on this "intellectual safari" as they explore a timely and crucial topic: how to effectively discuss pricing with sellers by understanding and addressing their inherent risk tolerance. Moving beyond traditional, often adversarial, pricing conversations, Peter introduces a Ninja-inspired approach that positions the agent as a trusted advisor and partner, helping sellers navigate their two primary fears: leaving money on the table and the property not selling at all. Triggered by observations during the pandemic and the current market shift where price...

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The Heart of a Ninja: Building a Thriving Team and Business with John Newman show art The Heart of a Ninja: Building a Thriving Team and Business with John Newman

The Ninja Selling Podcast

Join Eric Thompson on the Ninja Selling Podcast as he welcomes John Newman, a dynamic Ninja from Greensboro, North Carolina, and his Ninja Leadership Coach, Tracy Peterson-Nienaber. Recorded while John was in the Dominican Republic for his daughter's wedding, this episode is a testament to dedication and offers a deep dive into building a successful real estate business and team with "The Heart of a Ninja." Discover how John's 37 years of experience, combined with a passion for teamwork honed through a lifetime in sports, has shaped his approach to leadership and client service. John shares...

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How to Go From Earning $8,000 a Year to $308,000 a Year in Five Years show art How to Go From Earning $8,000 a Year to $308,000 a Year in Five Years

The Ninja Selling Podcast

Get ready for an inspiring story of transformation! Eric Thompson is joined on the Ninja Selling Podcast by Mike DePalma of DePalma Realty in South Jersey, and his Ninja Coach, Mark Johnson. This episode dives deep into Mike's incredible journey from earning $8,000 a year to over $308,000 in just five years – all while maintaining control of his schedule and prioritizing family time. Discover how Mike, initially hesitant about real estate despite his family's legacy in the business, found his path and built a thriving, referral-based business through the Ninja Selling system. Mike shares his...

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Your Ninja Nine Challenge with Julianne Rawlins show art Your Ninja Nine Challenge with Julianne Rawlins

The Ninja Selling Podcast

Eric Thompson hosts Julianne Rawlins, a Sotheby's agent from Southern Oregon, who recounts her discovery of Ninja Selling after a poor initial real estate experience, calling it a perfect fit. Hear about her "Ninja 9 Challenge" from Nov '24, where, seeking a strong start to the year, she gamified a 3-week push for herself and colleagues, focusing intensely on Ninja 9 tasks. The result? An incredible 700% business increase in Q1 2025!  Julianne discusses pushing past comfort zones (like hitting 50+ weekly calls), shifting her mindset from obligation to the joy of service, and her powerful...

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A Community of Raving Fans show art A Community of Raving Fans

The Ninja Selling Podcast

Want to know how to build an engaged community of raving fan clients who feel truly connected to your business? You're in the right place! Eric Thompson welcomes Michigan Ninja extraordinaire, Jon Zickert, and his Ninja Leadership Coach, Tracy Peterson-Nienaber, to the Ninja Selling Podcast. Jon shares the innovative strategies that have not only fueled impressive business growth (increasing volume by 38% in one year!) but have also fostered a vibrant team culture and a loyal client following. Dive deep into the concept of the "Z Crew," Jon's exclusive client community designed to maintain...

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More Episodes

Want to know how to build an engaged community of raving fan clients who feel truly connected to your business? You're in the right place! Eric Thompson welcomes Michigan Ninja extraordinaire, Jon Zickert, and his Ninja Leadership Coach, Tracy Peterson-Nienaber, to the Ninja Selling Podcast. Jon shares the innovative strategies that have not only fueled impressive business growth (increasing volume by 38% in one year!) but have also fostered a vibrant team culture and a loyal client following.

Dive deep into the concept of the "Z Crew," Jon's exclusive client community designed to maintain connection and provide ongoing value long after the transaction closes. Learn how this initiative, born from a desire to reconnect with past clients, utilizes branded events, targeted communication (including two monthly postcards!), and exclusive perks to make clients feel special and valued. Jon details the structure, benefits, and reception of the Z Crew, offering a replicable model for building your own client tribe.

Beyond the Z Crew, Jon discusses the importance of team culture, starting meetings with gratitude, focusing on process over results, and the impact of consistent Ninja practices. He also shares takeaways from attending Ninja Now and the profound effect Ninja coaching with Tracy has had on making him feel truly "on purpose" in his business, leading to greater success and more personal time off.

Join the community of 16,000+ Ninjas on the Ninja Selling Podcast Facebook Group for more valuable insights, collaboration, and networking opportunities! 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:

  • Introducing Jon Zickert (Michigan Ninja) & Tracy Peterson-Nienaber (Ninja Leadership Coach)

  • Jon's Impressive Team Growth & Performance (120+ transactions, $55M+ volume)

  • Building Team Culture: Starting Weekly Meetings with Gratitude

  • The Core Question: How Will This Provide Value to the Recipient?

  • Introducing the "Z Crew": Creating an Exclusive Client Community

  • The Origin Story: Reconnecting with Past Clients Post-Installation

  • Z Crew Mechanics: Invites, Events, Branding, and Exclusivity

  • Benefits of Z Crew Membership: Gifts, Flow Plan (Email & 2x Postcards/Month), Events, Referrals, Vendor Access

  • The Power of Invitation & Connection (Even if Clients Can't Attend Events)

  • Jon's Ninja Now Takeaways: Doubling Down on the Ninja 9, Process Over Results

  • The Impact of Ninja Coaching: Feeling "On Purpose" and Achieving Work-Life Balance

  • Jon's "House" Analogy: Mindset (Foundation), Skillset/Ninja 9 (Roof), Action/Relationships (Framing)

Key Takeaways:

  • "...finished 24, serving 120 clients, but our volume went up 38% to 55 and a half million. So attribute a lot of that to the Ninja System."

  • "We started off each meeting with sharing one gratitude... it kind of just starts that meeting out on that great mindset."

  • "...anything we do with our business, we ask ourselves one question... how will it provide value to the recipient...?"

  • "We wanted to create a community where past clients, friends or neighbors... we can stay connected, feel part of the journey."

  • "...it's the thought of us inviting them to be part of something different and the ability for us to reach out to them..."

  • "It doesn't matter even if they come or not. We want them to come... but all the people that can't... they're still feeling very connected to you. And that was... the intent of the task."

  • "I don't need anything else, shiny or new... I just need to double down on the Ninja 9."

  • "...my team has always been process focused, not results focused."

  • "...for the first time in my career, I feel like I'm on purpose..."

  • "Mindset's the foundation, skill set are the Ninja 9... actions really are your interactions with your people..."

  • "Surround yourself with good people and good things are going to happen."

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