Balancing Family, Investing & Real Estate the Right Way - Rachel Hanes
Real Estate Excellence
What if the people who doubted your dreams actually helped fuel your success? In this episode of the Real Estate Excellence Podcast, Tracy Hayes sits down with powerhouse realtor Rachel Hanes, a former educator turned top-producing real estate agent in Northeast Florida. Rachel shares her inspiring journey from a young mom with no laptop to a referral-based business owner dominating the Jacksonville market. She dives into her early struggles, how a Craigslist ad and a leap of faith kickstarted her career, and how surrounding herself with the right mentors helped her build a thriving,...
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How AI, Reviews & Referrals Are Shaping Real Estate
Real Estate Excellence
What if the secret to scaling your real estate business isn’t leads—but relationships? In this episode of the Real Estate Excellence Podcast, Tracy Hayes welcomes back powerhouse Realtor Sarah Schwartz, who shares how she dominated her market with over $36 million in sales from 57 transactions—all while managing life as a mom, wife, and business owner. Sarah reveals the secrets behind her explosive growth, including how she leverages her husband as her business partner, invests in her neighborhood relationships, and maintains an unrivaled level of client service that converts every...
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Real Estate Branding, Viral Marketing & No Fluff Content Strategy
Real Estate Excellence
Are you missing out on 90% of your potential business because you’re afraid to show your face on social media? In this episode of the Real Estate Excellence Podcast, Tracy Hayes welcomes Amy B. Cotney, a real estate powerhouse who’s turned her authentic personality into a thriving brand online. With over 300,000 followers on Instagram and more than 1.3 million on TikTok, Amy breaks down the real ROI of social media for agents and why being yourself is your biggest marketing weapon. From humble beginnings and mistakes to landing $4 million listings off a Jet Ski video, Amy’s journey...
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Real Estate 2026: How Buyers, Sellers & Agents Win in a Shifting Market
Real Estate Excellence
Are you building a business that feels like you—or one you think people expect to see? In this episode of the Real Estate Excellence Podcast, Tracy Hayes welcomes powerhouse agent Dori Nugent, whose bold pivot from a 20-year fitness career to real estate during the pandemic has quickly made her a standout in Northeast Florida. Dori shares how her deep roots in client service, leadership, and authentic human connection have been the key drivers of her rapid success, closing over 90 transactions in just a few years. From mastering social media with purpose to navigating the unique...
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What Makes a Broker Great? Jonathan Lickstein on Building Real Brokerage Culture
Real Estate Excellence
What if the key to scaling your real estate career wasn’t selling more—but letting go? In this episode of the Real Estate Excellence Podcast, Tracy Hayes sits down with Jonathan Lickstein, the award-winning COO of one of the nation’s fastest-growing independent brokerages. From launching his career unexpectedly in Honduras to leading a 5,000-agent operation across six states, Jonathan reveals how he uses cutting-edge AI, strong culture, and deep mentorship to scale operations, without losing the human touch. Jonathan dives deep into how brokers can truly support agents in today’s...
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How to Buy Equestrian Property in Florida’s Top Horse Regions
Real Estate Excellence
Can mastering a niche early in your real estate career be the secret to selling million-dollar homes in your 20s? In this episode of the Real Estate Excellence Podcast, Tracy Hayes welcomes second-generation real estate agent Emma Horvatincic, a driven and self-made rising star specializing in equestrian properties in Northeast Florida. Emma shares her journey from growing up immersed in a business-minded household to building a flourishing career in real estate—all before turning 25. Her unique blend of professionalism, niche marketing, and dedication to elite service shines throughout...
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How To Make Real Estate Agents CEO's
Real Estate Excellence
Are you holding back your real estate growth because you’re afraid to let go of control? In this episode of the Real Estate Excellence Podcast, Tracy Hayes sits down with the sharp and candid Sasha Tripp, founder of Story House Real Estate in Central Virginia. Sasha opens up about her journey from independent boutique brokerage owner to partnering with Real and Place to scale her operations without sacrificing her brand. With a strong emphasis on leadership, systems, and strategic partnerships, she shares how she broke through growth plateaus and found new ways to elevate both her...
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He Bet Everything on Real Estate — And It Worked
Real Estate Excellence
Would you be willing to remove an organ just to escape your 9-to-5 and chase your dream? In this episode of the Real Estate Excellence Podcast, Tracy Hayes sits down with Drew Kazemba. Drew shares one of the most unconventional entries into real estate ever told—he voluntarily had his appendix removed to get time off work and take his real estate exam. Drew walks us through how he transitioned from a miserable medical sales job into building a thriving real estate career in Jacksonville, Florida. From cold-calling hedge funds and wholesaling to learning the ropes at DJ & Lindsey,...
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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...
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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_outlineAre 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 framework—Set the vision, Capture attention, Acquire business, Lead with systems, Elevate experience—showing agents how to replace chaos with clarity. From CRMs and lead magnets to touch plans and KPI dashboards, Lauren reveals the tools and mindset shifts that free agents from survival mode and position them to grow like true CEOs.
If this conversation gave you clarity, share it with another agent who’s grinding without a plan. Subscribe to Real Estate Excellence, leave a review, and commit to setting up one system this week that will carry your business further.
Highlights:
0:00 - 6:00 Introduction and agent struggles
- Why agents hit a ceiling early
- Misconceptions about brokerage support
- Overwhelm from CRMs and tech tools
- Why systems matter before scaling
6:00 - 15:00 Lauren’s background and entry into real estate
- From hairdresser to military spouse life
- Launching a VA business on Facebook
- First role as a transaction coordinator
- Learning operations by trial and error
15:00 - 25:00 Building and leading teams
- Expanding to 21 locations nationwide
- Managing 100+ agents and staff
- Culture vs. family in teams
- Launching Core Ops Collective after parting ways
25:00 - 41:00 The SCALE framework
- Setting the vision with audits
- Capturing attention with core values
- Acquiring business through CRMs
- Leading with measurable systems
41:00 - 55:00 Systems, automation, and client touch plans
- Building landing pages and lead forms
- Using Facebook groups for lead gen
00:45:30 to 01:22:23 Dashboards, hiring, and team building
· CEO dashboards for KPIs and cost of sale
· Avoiding the pay-per-lead trap
· Setting clear roles and accountability for admins
- Dashboards and KPIs for agents
- Final advice on scaling with clarity
Quotes:
“We replace survival mode with structure.” – Lauren Duke
“You can’t grow a team if you don’t even know how you want to show up for clients.” – Lauren Duke
“If you don’t know your core values, decisions will paralyze you.” – Lauren Duke
“Your assistant should be an extension of you.” – Lauren Duke
To contact Lauren Duke, learn more about her business, and make her a part of your network, make sure to follow her on her Website, Instagram, Facebook, and Podcast.
Connect with Lauren Duke!
Website: https://www.coreopscollective.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coreopscollective
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/coreopscollective
Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/0CeMtpitmpW2KB4j05cI7i
Connect with me!
Website: toprealtorjacksonville.com
Website: toprealtorstaugustine.com
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