Real Estate Excellence
What if the key to scaling your real estate business isn’t selling more homes, but learning how to delegate smarter? In this episode of the Real Estate Excellence Podcast, Tracy Hayes sits down with Jamie Hallman, founder of Consider It Closed and a powerhouse in the world of transaction coordination. Jamie shares her fascinating journey from working as a registered dietitian to traveling the world on a mission trip, and ultimately discovering her passion and skillset were perfectly aligned with real estate coordination. She opens up about how her solutions-driven mindset, love for...
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Are you running a business or just duct taping one together? In this episode of the Real Estate Excellence Podcast, Tracy Hayes sits down with Lauren Duke. Lauren is the founder and CEO of Core Ops Collective, to unpack how she went from military spouse and hairdresser to running operations for one of the nation’s top real estate teams—closing over 3000 transactions and opening 21 expansion locations. Lauren explains why so many agents get stuck wearing every hat, how culture can’t just be “family,” and the difference between surviving and scaling. She dives into her signature SCALE...
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Are you truly listening to clients or just waiting to ask your next question? In this episode of the Real Estate Excellence Podcast, Tracy Hayes welcomes Shannon Messina. Shannon brings a kinetic blend of New York grit and Florida community savvy. In this conversation she unpacks how fitness and training shaped her sales engine, why relationships beat cold prospecting, and how themed open houses with real vibes convert neighbors into buyers. She shares the move that reset her life, rebuilt her career, and led to record sales in St Johns Golf. Shannon fought through nine months of impaired...
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Are you building a website that answers your ideal client’s real questions or a brochure that only talks about you? In this episode of the Real Estate Excellence Podcast, Tracy Hayes welcomes Real Estate Tomato founder Jim Cronin. Jim breaks down how agents win online today by pairing deeply targeted websites with consistently updated, authority rich content. Long tail questions drive discovery, and AI overviews now pull heavily from blog articles and market snapshots written by true local experts. If your site speaks directly to a defined persona and proves expertise with specifics,...
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What does it really take to thrive as a real estate professional when the market collapses and short sales dominate? In this episode of the Real Estate Excellence Podcast, Tracy Hayes welcomes Jacksonville native and seasoned agent Ethan Gregory, who has averaged 50+ transactions annually for over two decades. Ethan shares how he entered the industry after graduating from the University of Florida, beginning with flipping homes before the 2007–2008 crash shifted him into the world of short sales and REO properties. His adaptability, discipline, and problem-solving approach helped him...
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If rejection is the price of success, how many “no’s” are you willing to endure before you get your breakthrough “yes”? In this episode of the Real Estate Excellence Podcast, Tracy Hayes sits down with powerhouse agent, author, and YouTube influencer Kati Spaniak. From her beginnings in photography and graphic design to building a half-billion-dollar sales career, Kati shares the pivotal moments that shaped her journey—navigating 9/11’s economic crash, re-entering real estate post-divorce, and scaling to become one of the top agents in her market. Her story reveals the...
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What does it really take to thrive in real estate for nearly three decades through every market shift imaginable? In this episode of the Real Estate Excellence Podcast, Tracy Hayes sits down with Clay County real estate icon Eden Jordan. With 27 years of experience, over 800 families served, and countless agents mentored, Eden shares a candid look at the grit, adaptability, and strategic thinking needed to not only survive but thrive in the industry’s constant cycles. From the early days of handwritten contracts to the rise of social media marketing, Eden’s story blends hard-earned...
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What happens when a Broadway-bound performer turns her stage presence into real estate success? In this episode of the Real Estate Excellence Podcast, Tracy Hayes sits Michele Tremblay. Michelle shares her inspiring journey from center stage to top-producing real estate agent in Northeast Florida. With a rich background in performance, voiceover, and hospitality, Michele brings a rare blend of empathy, creativity, and grit to her clients—earning accolades such as a 2024 Five Star Rising Star award and ranking #55 out of nearly 12,000 agents by the Jacksonville Business Journal. Tracy...
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What if the hardest transaction you face becomes the one that teaches you the most? In this episode of the Real Estate Excellence Podcast, Tracy Hayes sits down with top-producing agent Delaney Henderson to uncover the mindset, grit, and strategies that catapulted her from a burned-out paralegal in DC to one of Northeast Florida’s most respected and relatable real estate mentors. Delaney doesn’t sugarcoat the truth—she opens up about industry misconceptions, failed transactions, emotional burnouts, and the quiet resilience required to succeed in a chaotic market. Delaney shares the...
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What if your biggest limitation became the launchpad for your real estate empire? In this episode of the Real Estate Excellence Podcast, Tracy Hayes sits down with Julianne Grant-Johnson, a top-producing real estate agent in Northeast Florida, for her second appearance on the show. This time, they dive deep into the business side of her success, exploring how she built the Grant Johnson Group while on pregnancy bedrest, leveraged her military ties to dominate the VA market, and now leads a thriving, multi-location real estate team. Julianne gets real about the challenges of growing a...
info_outlineWhat if the key to long-term success in real estate isn’t sales skills—but mentorship, purpose, and adaptability?
In this episode of the Real Estate Excellence Podcast, Tracy Hayes welcomes Sarah Olson, a powerhouse broker and mentor with over two decades of experience in Northeast Florida. From leading First Coast Collective at RE/MAX Unlimited to launching her own Real Estate Agent Success Academy, Sarah shares her journey of transformation—from a tax accountant to a top-tier agent and educator. With an innate ability to connect, teach, and inspire, she reveals the secrets behind her longevity in the business: personalized mentorship, entrepreneurial thinking, and building relationships that last decades.
Sarah opens up about why most agents fail, the crucial mistakes they make when choosing brokerages, and how she’s leveraging both data and AI to coach her team effectively. Whether discussing the perils of kids on e-bikes in Nocatee or explaining the logic behind her successful lead tracker, Sarah offers a masterclass in running a real estate business like a business. Her passion for helping agents succeed shines through every story.
If you’re an agent looking to level up your career or someone considering diving into the real estate world, follow Sarah Olson and dive into the Real Estate Agent Success Academy.
Subscribe to the Real Estate Excellence Podcast and leave us a 5-star review if you’re inspired by Sarah’s story!
Highlights:
00:00 – 07:59 From Burnout to Breakthrough: Knowing When to Delegate
- Understanding personal capacity and time limits
- Tracy’s AI-powered podcast intro strategy
- Tiffany’s take on ChatGPT in bios and branding
- How AI is reshaping home search and buyer interactions
- The future of conversational real estate websites
08:00 – 17:59 From Real Estate Legacy to Reluctant Heir
- Growing up in a small-town real estate family
- Why Tiffany originally rejected the real estate path
- How military life shifted her career vision
- Meeting Debbie Tufts and finding mentorship
- The early admin years and learning the business backend
18:00 – 26:59 Beacon Born: Building a Business Behind the Scenes
- Launching a transaction coordination company
- Supporting agents with scale and efficiency
- Tiffany’s behind-the-scenes role in 2,000+ transactions
- The value of TC systems and training
- Why she eventually shut down Beacon
27:00 – 38:59 Tools of the Trade: TC Systems and Outsourcing Smarts
- What to look for when hiring a TC
- The power of Open to Close software
- TCs vs. assistants—what agents should know
- Personality matching with transaction partners
- Vacation coverage, communication, and expectations
39:00 – 01:00:59 Growth Gaps: Breaking Through the Agent Ceiling
- Why so many agents plateau at $6–9M
- How TCs can free agents to grow
- Real client experiences and better service
- Overcoming the mental block of paying for help
- Transitioning from TC to front-end sales
01:01:00 – 01:29:52 Scaling with Intention: Teams, Tools & Real Talk
- Breaking income ceilings through delegation
- Hiring a marketing manager: Sarah’s first leap after 20+ years
- The difference a great TC can make
- Building systems that support consistent referral flow
- Choosing the right brokerage and leadership mindset
- Conclusion
Quotes:
“You’ve got to have a pillar—what you wake up in the morning and what you do.” – Sarah Olson
“I have never sold a house in my life. I service my clients, and that’s why they refer me.” – Sarah Olson
“It’s not about the sale; it’s about the story. The lifestyle. What’s your weekend look like?” – Sarah Olson
“Be so good they never forget you—and track you down 15 years later.” – Sarah Olson
To contact Sarah Olson, learn more about her business, and make her a part of your network, make sure to follow her on her Website, Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn.
Connect with Sarah Olson!
Website: https://www.firstcoastcollective.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reagentsuccessacademy/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/realestateagentsuccessacademy
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/saraholiviaolson/
Connect with me!
Website: toprealtorjacksonville.com
Website: toprealtorstaugustine.com
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