From Fighter Pilot to Scrum Creator: Jeff Sutherland on Doing More with Less
Release Date: 09/19/2025
Pursuing Freedom: Helping Realtors & Mortgage Lenders Build Profitable, Scalable Businesses and Lives They Love — No Hustle, No Burnout
Listen in as Erin and Michael discuss: How Michael accidentally launched a referral engine in his first year by hosting a housewarming party for his very first clients — and walked away with 11 referrals from a single event. The “What’s Next” concept: Every interaction should naturally lead to a future interaction Why events are especially powerful for introverts: you don’t need 50 one-to-one conversations when an event creates hundreds...
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Listen in as Erin shares how: Success can look great on paper and still feel empty. The hamster wheel is real — and it usually started with fear. Growth doesn’t have to mean more effort. To rewrite the identity, not the to-do list. Turn your database into a community. About Erin Bradley Erin Bradley is a speaker and...
info_outlinePursuing Freedom: Helping Realtors & Mortgage Lenders Build Profitable, Scalable Businesses and Lives They Love — No Hustle, No Burnout
Listen in as Erin and Ruben discuss: How perseverance (not talent) was Ruben’s edge — he decided early to stop quitting. How Ruben reverse-engineered a plan around his strengths and chose the luge because it rewarded tenacity and outlasting the quitters. The power of mentorship as a true “shortcut”: borrow someone else’s belief, follow their proven path, and stop arguing logical reasons you can’t do it. Proximity + authenticity win:...
info_outlinePursuing Freedom: Helping Realtors & Mortgage Lenders Build Profitable, Scalable Businesses and Lives They Love — No Hustle, No Burnout
Listen in as Erin shares: Why 2026 is a “new beginning” year Before you add more… subtract first: the breakthrough lesson that changed everything How consistent activity tends to create results in about 90 days, regardless of season Freedom is built through systems + support How the biggest leaps (hiring, investing, visibility, grief seasons) were done while scared — and still worked ...
info_outlinePursuing Freedom: Helping Realtors & Mortgage Lenders Build Profitable, Scalable Businesses and Lives They Love — No Hustle, No Burnout
Listen in as Erin and Nathan discuss: The life-altering moment that changed everything: a training ride that ended in a 60-mph collision, a coma, and the long road of learning to walk, talk, and live again. How adversity can become fuel instead of dead weight — and why “tomorrow is never promised” reframes how we use our time today. The difference between knowledge and wisdom, and why mentorship + proximity to high-level thinkers compresses your learning curve. A powerful redefinition of wealth:...
info_outlinePursuing Freedom: Helping Realtors & Mortgage Lenders Build Profitable, Scalable Businesses and Lives They Love — No Hustle, No Burnout
Listen in as Erin and Sharon discuss: How early exposure to money conversations and entrepreneurship shaped her lifelong mission around financial literacy and empowerment Why one of her “worst” business decisions ultimately led to her best life decision — and how closing one door often opens many others The powerful distinction between chasing income vs. building assets — and why assets only get “sexier” with time. Sharon introduces the core message of her...
info_outlinePursuing Freedom: Helping Realtors & Mortgage Lenders Build Profitable, Scalable Businesses and Lives They Love — No Hustle, No Burnout
Listen in as Erin and Edith discuss: How growing up in a tight-knit family shaped Edith’s desire to create community and connection in both life and business. The importance of seeing people — truly hearing their stories and understanding how human dignity affects every decision they make. How hard seasons can become catalysts for finding purpose, building resilience, and creating support systems that strengthen entire communities....
info_outlinePursuing Freedom: Helping Realtors & Mortgage Lenders Build Profitable, Scalable Businesses and Lives They Love — No Hustle, No Burnout
Listen in as Erin and Angela discuss: How a career pivot during college opened the door to an unexpected, purpose-driven path in entrepreneurship and financial education. The Agency Operating System, an acronym-based framework designed to realign your identity, energy, and actions so you can grow in life and business simultaneously. How accountability is actually a form of self-love — and why most people avoid it due to fear of being “called...
info_outlinePursuing Freedom: Helping Realtors & Mortgage Lenders Build Profitable, Scalable Businesses and Lives They Love — No Hustle, No Burnout
Listen in as Erin and Jennifer discuss: How “fun first” became Jennifer’s unconventional success strategy after burnout in two careers Why most high achievers block joy — and how childhood moments often hard-wire that pattern The simple daily question that doubled her income almost overnight How curiosity, not hustle, becomes a reliable business strategy Jennifer’s C-M-O Framework for magnetic marketing: Clarity, Magnetism, Offer ...
info_outlinePursuing Freedom: Helping Realtors & Mortgage Lenders Build Profitable, Scalable Businesses and Lives They Love — No Hustle, No Burnout
Listen in as Erin shares: Why freedom has a feeling — and how most real estate pros postpone it instead of accessing it now. The origin story of Pursuing Freedom and how misalignment — not effort— created burnout during the early success. The moment I stopped tolerating what wasn’t aligned and started leading with authenticity, joy, and “vacation energy.” How stepping into your future self requires choosing new standards, new boundaries, and new levels of belief. The...
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Listen in as Erin and Jeff discuss:
- How Jeff’s career as a fighter pilot, cancer researcher, and tech leader shaped the creation of Scrum.
- Why breaking work into small, prioritized pieces can eliminate 75% of wasted effort.
- The importance of “working with the willing” and creating a culture of commitment.
- How Scrum teams can quickly identify performance gaps and self-correct.
- Why adaptability and short feedback cycles are critical in the AI era
- … and much more.

About
Dr. Jeff Sutherland, co-creator of Scrum, is a global pioneer in agile methodologies. A West Point graduate and former U.S. Air Force fighter pilot, he flew over 100 missions in Vietnam, honing skills in adaptability and teamwork. After earning a Ph.D. in Biometrics and working as a cancer researcher, Jeff transitioned to technology, starting the first Scrum team in 1993 at Easel Corporation, naming it after Takeuchi and Nonaka’s rugby-inspired concept. A signatory of the 2001 Agile Manifesto, he developed Scrum@Scale and founded Scrum Inc., training thousands to achieve double the productivity in half the time. His books, including Scrum: The Art of Doing Twice the Work in Half the Time and First Principles in Scrum, share his insights on building high-performing teams.
How to Connect With Jeff
- Website: https://www.scruminc.com/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffsutherland
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ScrumInc/
- X profile: https://x.com/jeffsutherland
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/scruminc
Recommended Resources
- Book: Scrum: The Art of Doing Twice the Work in Half the Time: https://www.amazon.com/Scrum-Doing-Twice-Work-Half/dp/038534645X
- Book: First Principles in Scrum: Advanced Strategies and Reflections: https://leanpub.com/firstprinciplesinscrum
- Scrum Guide: https://scrumguides.org/