loader from loading.io

Dana Johnson: Top Jacksonville Agent "She's Owning It"

Real Estate Excellence

Release Date: 07/28/2025

From Recruiting to Real Estate: Karen Saez’s Rise in Northeast Florida show art From Recruiting to Real Estate: Karen Saez’s Rise in Northeast Florida

Real Estate Excellence

What would you risk—your career, your comfort, or your security—to build the life you really want? In this episode of the Real Estate Excellence Podcast, Tracy Hayes welcomes Karen Saez. Karen shares her incredible journey from corporate recruiting at Deutsche Bank to owning a bar and eventually finding her true passion in real estate. As a bilingual advisor and former military spouse, Karen brings heart, hustle, and unique experience to the Jacksonville market. She dives deep into what it takes to break into the industry, create a client-first business, and overcome the personal and...

info_outline
Selling $5M Homes in Ponte Vedra Beach show art Selling $5M Homes in Ponte Vedra Beach

Real Estate Excellence

What if the key to succeeding in the luxury real estate market isn't flash or fame—but quiet consistency and old-school relationship-building? In this episode of the Real Estate Excellence Podcast, Tracy Hayes sits down with luxury real estate veteran Michael Curet, a former pro tennis writer turned top-tier coastal agent. With nearly three decades in the game, Michael shares how he transitioned from ATP rankings to real estate royalty in northeast Florida. He opens up about the early hustle, key relationships, and how his sports background uniquely positioned him to serve elite clientele,...

info_outline
She Flipped the NYC Brokerage Model --And Agents Are Thriving show art She Flipped the NYC Brokerage Model --And Agents Are Thriving

Real Estate Excellence

What does it really take to lead one of Manhattan’s most iconic brokerages through a historic acquisition while preserving its soul and scaling its influence? In this episode of the Real Estate Excellence Podcast, Tracy Hayes sits down with Kevelyn Guzman, a visionary leader who took a 100-year-old boutique Manhattan brokerage through a transformative acquisition by Coldwell Banker. She opens up about her journey from Wall Street to real estate, her philosophy of treating agents as clients, and her approach to maintaining culture, innovation, and collaboration in a fiercely competitive...

info_outline
How to 2.5x Your Sales in a Down Market: $8M to $20M in 2025 show art How to 2.5x Your Sales in a Down Market: $8M to $20M in 2025

Real Estate Excellence

What if the secret to your real estate breakthrough isn't a better market... but a better mindset? In this episode of the Real Estate Excellence Podcast, Tracy Hayes welcomes Kaitlin Chernyshov. Kaitin shares how she went from uncertainty and switching seven brokerages to becoming one of Northeast Florida’s top-producing agents. Despite working in what headlines call the worst real estate market in recent years, she has already closed over 40 homes and is tracking more than 20 million in sales for 2025. Kaitlin unpacks the mindset shift that sparked her explosive growth, her transition...

info_outline
Jamie McLaughlin: From Classroom to Closing - Top St Johns Cty Realtor show art Jamie McLaughlin: From Classroom to Closing - Top St Johns Cty Realtor

Real Estate Excellence

Are you just buying a house, or are you investing in a lifestyle that matches your future? In this episode of the Real Estate Excellence Podcast, Tracy Hayes welcomes former middle school math teacher turned real estate agent, Jamie McLaughlin. Jamie shares her inspiring journey from the classroom to becoming a trusted realtor in St. Johns County, Florida. With deep roots in the community and a teacher’s heart, Jamie brings patience, structure, and honesty to every transaction—serving not just clients, but building long-lasting relationships. Tracy dives into the challenges and...

info_outline
Tiffany High: How Wholesalers / Flippers Build Predictable Scalable Businesses show art Tiffany High: How Wholesalers / Flippers Build Predictable Scalable Businesses

Real Estate Excellence

What would change if you stopped chasing one off flips and rebuilt a real business that runs without you? In this episode of the Real Estate Excellence Podcast, Tracy Hayes sits down with Tiffany High. Tiffany lays out how she left a demanding corporate path to be present for family, stumbled into flipping, then scaled from 40 flips in year one to a virtual operation closing 20 plus deals a month. The turning point was tearing everything down in 90 days and rebuilding with systems, training, and leadership so the company could run without constant firefighting. She explains why newbies...

info_outline
Maria Raymer: Top 1% Realtor JAX/St Augustine/Ponte Vedra show art Maria Raymer: Top 1% Realtor JAX/St Augustine/Ponte Vedra

Real Estate Excellence

What do buyers and sellers really need an agent for, beyond opening doors and filling forms   In this episode of the Real Estate Excellence Podcast, Tracy Hayes sits down Maria Raymer. Maria’s journey from a young agent who questioned her value to a market leader known for straight talk and service. She explains how treating people with honesty and investing real time in them creates momentum that money follows. She shares how early office mentorship and daily reps built skill and confidence, plus how to communicate value even when you are new and your clients are older than you are....

info_outline
Corey Hasting: Christie's International Real Estate First Coast show art Corey Hasting: Christie's International Real Estate First Coast

Real Estate Excellence

What bold move would you make if you knew your entire team’s future was on the line? In this episode of the Real Estate Excellence Podcast, Tracy Hayes sits down with Corey Hasting for his third appearance — this time unveiling the biggest pivot of his career. At just 27, Corey launched a boutique Engel & Völkers franchise in Jacksonville Beach and scaled it into five thriving offices with 138 agents. But instead of resting on awards and billion-dollar sales, he shocked the market by transitioning his entire brokerage to Christie’s International Real Estate First Coast. Corey...

info_outline
Gail DeMarco: Top St Johns County FL Agent show art Gail DeMarco: Top St Johns County FL Agent

Real Estate Excellence

What would change in your business if you treated time as your most valuable commodity and priced every hour accordingly? In this episode of the Real Estate Excellence Podcast, Tracy Hayes sits down with luxury agent and team leader Gail DeMarco. Gail drops the polite filter and lays out how she built a near billion in lifetime sales by staying lean, obsessing over data, and designing a brand that shows up everywhere. From four open houses every weekend to hyper-focused farming and YouTube consistency, she explains exactly how she creates momentum in new markets and turns listings into...

info_outline
Jamie Hallman: Jamie Hallman: "Consider It Closed" Professional TC's

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...

info_outline
 
More Episodes

How can one woman’s mission to stabilize families through homeownership ripple out to transform entire communities—and even the world?

In this episode of the Real Estate Excellence Podcast, Tracy Hayes sits down with Dana Johnson, a dynamic leader in real estate and economic empowerment. Dana shares her journey from aspiring fighter pilot to real estate mogul, highlighting how owning a home can offer not just wealth but stability, resilience, and generational impact. She delves into her work with the "She's Owning It" Home Buyers Club, a 10-module course that arms women with the tools to leverage real estate for financial growth.

Dana also talks about graduating from Goldman Sachs’ One Million Black Women program, revealing how it enhanced her business acumen and helped scale her mission to close the wealth gap. She opens up about mentoring agents, the power of RPAC, and how grit, education, and community are foundational for success in today’s real estate climate. A must-listen for anyone ready to break ceilings and build legacy.

Inspired by Dana’s mission? Reach out, join the “She’s Owning It” movement, and take that first step toward building generational wealth through real estate. Follow Dana Johnson on social media and get involved with your local real estate associations!

 

Highlights:

00:00 - 13:30 Foundations of Impact

  • Dana’s passion for real estate
  • Power of homeownership for community stability
  • Insights from Goldman Sachs 1MBB program
  • Social impact and access to capital
  • Transformational success stories

13:31 - 27:50 She's Owning It Movement

  • Creation of She's Owning It Home Buyers Club
  • 10-step homeownership and investing course
  • Faith-based approach to financial empowerment
  • Addressing the wealth gap for women
  • Real-life results and community accountability

27:51 - 41:10 From IT to Real Estate

  • Dana’s journey from tech to real estate
  • Lessons from buying her first home at 23
  • Passion for education and mentorship
  • Surviving the 2008 market crash
  • Grit and consistency as career anchors

41:11 - 54:10 Coaching and Connection

  • Mentoring new agents with systems and strategy
  • Identifying agent and client personas
  • Importance of organic networking
  • Leveraging technology for follow-up
  • Staying visible and intentional

54:11 - 1:08:00 Advocacy and Mindset

  • The power of mindset in down markets
  • RPAC advocacy and agent involvement
  • Collaborating with top producers
  • Real estate as a service ministry
  • Free resources and relationship building

1:08:01 - 1:21:40 Branding with Purpose

  • Everyday branding and marketing tips
  • Leveraging identity and visibility
  • Practical networking scenarios
  • Building consistency with community
  • Final thoughts on service and impact

 

Quotes:

"If you stabilize a family, you'll stabilize a community. If you stabilize a community, the world is going to be better." – Dana Johnson

 

"We don’t just sell homes—we teach women how to emotionally and financially own them." – Dana Johnson

 

"I was my worst client. If someone takes longer than four years to buy a home, I’m retiring." – Dana Johnson

 

"I’m just a speck of dust with a shelf life, but the impact I help make can last generations." – Dana Johnson

 

To contact Dana Johnson, learn more about her business, and make him a part of your network, make sure to follow him on his website, Instagram, Facebook.

 

Connect with Dana Johnson!

Website: https://provincerealtygroup.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dana.o.johnson.2025

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ProvinceRealtyGroup

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danaojohnson

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@danaojohnson

 

Connect with me!
Website:
toprealtorjacksonville.com  

Website: toprealtorstaugustine.com 

 

SUBSCRIBE & LEAVE A 5-STAR REVIEW as we discuss real estate excellence with the best of the best.

 

#RealEstateExcellence #DanaJohnson #HomeBuyersClub #SheOwnsIt #WomenInRealEstate #GenerationalWealth #BlackWomenInBusiness #RealEstateMentor #RPAC #CommunityHousing #FaithAndFinance #WealthBuilding #JacksonvilleRealEstate #FirstTimeHomeBuyer #WomenInvestors #EconomicEmpowerment #LuxuryRealEstate #RealEstateEducation #RealEstateLeadership #MortgageMindset