What does it take to build a real estate business that you truly love - rather than one you secretly want to burn down?

In this conversation, Lindsay Dreyer, founder of City Chic Real Estate and Happy Agent Co, shares hard-won lessons from 14 years of brokerage ownership, including how she runs her boutique firm remotely, why intentionality trumps “team fever,” and how to design a business that supports—not sabotages—your life.

In a story of clarity, process, and self-awareness, Lindsay breaks down the difference between being a people person and a process person, why most agents shouldn’t start teams, and how to know if you’re better off plugging into someone else’s system or building your own.

You’ll hear how City Chic’s 30-day onboarding challenge weeds out the uncommitted, why their agents are 50/50 new and experienced, and how a focus on admin, marketing, and transaction management enables top solo agents to thrive without needing to build teams of their own.

Lindsay also details the leap to running their business from 500 miles away, the key roles that make remote leadership possible, and the systems that keep everything humming. You’ll get a transparent look at their tech stack (including why she’s a self-described “Zap-aholic”), the real numbers behind their 12-agent, $72M brokerage, and the philosophy that underpins the Happy Agent approach: start with joy, design for your life, and don’t buy into the myth that more is always better.

Watch or listen for insights into:

• What “team fever” is, why it’s rampant, and how to avoid building a business you’ll regret.
• Why intentionality—knowing your “why”—is the must-have characteristic for high-performing leaders and teams.
• How to assess if you’re a people person or a process person, and why it matters for team leadership and the hiring process.
• Why City Chic is a brokerage rather than a team, why agents are a 50/50 mix of new and experienced, and how that shapes culture.
• How to test-drive team leadership before going all-in—without risking your business or sanity.
• What it takes to run a brokerage remotely, including the key roles and systems that make it possible.
• How to design marketing that actually keeps agents in front of their sphere (and why most fail).
• How to ramp up newer agents by connecting them with renters.
• Why simplicity in tech stacks beats complexity, how she became a “Zapaholic,” and how to drive agent adoption.
• How agents can find their right fit team or brokerage by aligning personality, lifestyle, and goals

At the end, learn about a $10,000 fridge and solo, three-day retreats.

Follow Lindsay Dreyer:
→ https://www.instagram.com/lindsay.dreyer/
→ https://citychicrealestate.com
→ https://happyagent.co

Follow Real Estate Team OS:
→ https://www.realestateteamos.com
→ https://linktr.ee/realestateteamos
→ https://www.instagram.com/realestateteamos/

What if every online lead that enters your CRM was the start of a lifelong client relationship—and not just a one-off deal?

Here in our third Minisode, we reveal how top teams are converting above 20% by focusing on empathy, systems, and the long game … by starting conversations, assessing needs, and earning trust.

As we’ve heard here on Real Estate Team OS several times before: remember that all leads are created equal. But that doesn't mean we treat them exactly the same. In fact, it's the opposite: each lead is an individual person with unique needs and wants for us to learn, understand, and serve.

In under 10 minutes, four real estate leaders share with you:

• The mindset required to engage online leads in the most effective way
• The value of a “friends and family” approach to people in a vulnerable situation
• The DIRECT coaching model to drive the right mindset and culture with agents
• Google’s 7-11-4 rule to help people get to know you and what it means for your lead nurturing
• Caring about the person more than the price point, property, or commission

See or hear the full episodes with these guests:

• Koby Sway (The DIRECT Model for Agent Accountability) https://www.realestateteamos.com/episode/direct-model-real-estate-agent-accountability-koby-sway
• Winston Murray (Splits vs Services) https://www.realestateteamos.com/episode/winston-murray-works-real-estate-splits-services
• Preston Guyton (Hands-On Lead Generation and Conversion) https://www.realestateteamos.com/episode/preston-guyton-real-estate-lead-generation-conversion
• Justin McLellan (The Will and Skill Behind Agent Productivity) https://www.realestateteamos.com/episode/real-estate-agent-productivity-skill-justin-mclellan

Access the collective wisdom of our 100+ guests by talking or typing with our Team Bot: https://realestateteamos.com/bot

Get email-exclusive insights, guest previews, and subscriber-only episodes: https://realestateteamos.com/subscribe

Before Mike Schumm coached, consulted, and partnered with many of the top teams in the real estate industry, he built 10 small businesses - from meat packing to property management to national cleaning franchise.

He brought that experience to real estate concurrent with the release of The Millionaire Real Estate Agent, got blocked while building his team, started coaching top teams within the Tom Ferry organization, and started his own business that allows him to serve team leaders more like a fractional CEO than a coach.

The main theme of his work historically: turning your real estate job into a real business.
The main theme of his work lately: turning around your unprofitable business.

He’s helped people who are selling their investment properties or even their primary residences to keep their real estate business alive. And he shares cautions, tips, and step-by-step advice to help you stay ahead of that pain.

Watch or listen to this conversation with Mike for insights into:
- Two types of leaders - process-focused and outcome-focused
- How the library served Mike years ago as YouTube serves entrepreneurs today
- The transition from trying to grow a team in an environment that wasn’t team-friendly to coaching, consulting, and serving team leaders in a high-growth era
- Specific tips for any team leader, coach, or mentor to master personality styles and meet people where they are
- Four real estate team models with tips and cautions for each
- The first place a team leader should look for missing profits
- The basic steps of a business turnaround and the two factors that prevent it or slow it down
- The difference between hiring a leader and hiring a manager (besides the 2x cost of a leader)
- How to determine when you need a sales manager - and when you can afford one (with actual numbers)
- Why and how to set standards that eliminate low-producing agents who are costing you money (with actual numbers and examples)
- A specific caution to protect team culture and maintain productivity

At the end, learn about loyal fandom, a critical coach, a Miami Blue Porsche, and an actor’s or athlete’s cycles.

Resources mentioned in this conversation:
- DISC+ https://www.innermetrixnorthamerica.com/disc.aspx
- Social Styles Handbook https://global.wilsonlearning.com/resources/the-social-styles-handbook/
- Versatile Selling https://global.wilsonlearning.com/resources/versatile-selling/

Episodes related to this conversation:
- FUBCON Sessions https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLCJiXNo93cVopyNz34nrcV-kVacpWjvAm
- Tom Ferry https://www.realestateteamos.com/episode/tom-ferry-differentiation-accountability
- Chris VanderValk https://www.realestateteamos.com/episode/inside-whissel-realty-group-agent-leverage-coo-chris-vandervalk
- Mark Adams from RealTrends Verified https://www.realestateteamos.com/episode/real-trends-ranking-top-real-estate-teams-mark-adams
- Andy Mulholland from Simple Numbers https://www.realestateteamos.com/episode/mastering-real-estate-business-financials-andy-mulholland

Connect with Mike Schumm:
- https://www.instagram.com/mikeschumm_/
- https://profytz.com

Follow Real Estate Team OS:
- https://www.realestateteamos.com
- https://linktr.ee/realestateteamos
- https://www.instagram.com/realestateteamos/

Andy Mulholland spent a decade building and running a successful real estate team. He and his wife, Ellyn, now run the books for many top real estate teams.

He joins us on Real Estate Team OS to help you get a handle on your real estate business financials. Your P&L. Your net profit margin. And he does it by keeping things simple.

Andy shares with you why we’re so focused on top line numbers, why we’re confused about our net profit, why me must align our economic model with our operating model (and what the three main models are), how to define our goal posts (not a specific target), why “reinvesting profits” is really just spending too much money, and more!

Watch or listen for insights into:
- Numbers as the purest form of communication
- Why lifestyle was the spark for his real estate team
- Three top takeaways from his team-building journey
- Why we’re so focused on top line numbers like agent count, units, and volume
- Three primary economic models (Teamerage, School of Fish, Shark with Feeder Fish)
- Three reasons team leaders are confused about their net profit
- Two questions to ask to help you understand the health of your business
- Ways to think about direct and indirect expenses for a clearer picture of your bottom line
- Two places a team leader is struggling if they’re not profitable
- The three (maybe four) elements of Cost of Goods Sold or Cost of Sale
- How and why to pay yourself as an agent before leaving production
- How to pay yourself after you’ve left sales production (remember: Profit First)
- Why “reinvesting profits” is really just “spending too much money”
- What NAVY Seal teams or Schools of Fish must keep an eye on to continue to thrive in the future

At the end, hear about a true team culture, an appreciation for Porsches, tractors, and old pickups alike, and hitting the road inn an RV.

Andy Mulholland:
- https://simple-numbers.com
- https://www.instagram.com/andy_mulholland/

Real Estate Team OS:
- https://www.realestateteamos.com
- https://linktr.ee/realestateteamos
- https://www.instagram.com/realestateteamos/

Welcome to our sixth and final episode in the all-new Summit Series! As we were in the third episode, we’re joined by four real estate agents in one conversation:

- Bree Tucker with Pozek Group
- Tony Galarza with Wemert Group Realty
- Matt Anderson, solo agent with eXp Realty
- Nick Nelson, solo agent with eXp Realty

See or hear our first conversation on solo agent success vs team agent success: www.realestateteamos.com/episode/real-estate-team-solo-agent-success-summit-series

Real Estate Team OS is bringing you the Summit Series, a new format that has an element of our Inside The Team series, but features multiple guests in each episode and 10 real estate professionals in total.

In this episode, long-time team agents Tony and Bree, as well as solo agents Matt and Nick, who started in the local eXp Realty ecosystem of Renee Funk and Ben Laube share how they’re communicating with sellers right now step-by-step, specific video and social media tactics that work for them, the pivotal moment they committed to real estate full time, and how and why new agents should find and join their right-fit real estate team.

Watch or listen to this Summit Series episode for insights into:

- Video and social media tactics they’re using (and how it intersects with team branding)

- How Matt sourced videographers to support his social media and listings

- What they like to see from agents on the other side of a transaction

- The pivotal moment when each of them committed to real estate full time (from quitting school to quitting jobs)

- What stays the same and what changes based on current market conditions, including step-by-step seller communication strategies

- What’s changed since the rollout of buyer broker agreements

- How agents can find their right-fit team or brokerage and why brand new agents should find the right team

We recorded these episodes at The Creator House, a studio in Orlando created and run by our friends at Sweet Fish Media.

In case you missed any of the series:
- Team Leaders: When, How, and Why We Started Our Teams
- Team Leaders: How Our Teams Create Growth Opportunities with Agents
- Ops Leaders: How Our Teams Keep Agents Productive at Scale
- Ops Leaders: How Our Teams Recruit, Train, and Retain Agents
- Agents: Successful Team Agent vs Successful Solo Agent

Sign up for subscriber-only episodes and email-exclusive insights: https://realestateteamos.com/subscribe

Follow our Summit Series agents:
- Matt Anderson https://www.instagram.com/matthewandersonproperties/
- Nick Nelson https://www.instagram.com/nicknelsonhome/
- Tony Galarza https://www.instagram.com/tonygalarza_realtor/
- Bree Tucker https://www.instagram.com/breeinorlando/

Follow Real Estate Team OS:
- https://www.realestateteamos.com
- https://linktr.ee/realestateteamos
- https://www.instagram.com/realestateteamos/

Holding agents accountable drives activity, productivity, and profitability.
But it can also create confusion, frustration, and burnout for you - and for your agents.

So how do you set up accountability systems that agents will actually use and benefit from?

In under 10 minutes, our five guests cover:
- The relationship between and metrics behind agent performance and agent participation
- A cadence for effective huddles for individual and group accountability
- Improving buy-in by innovating agent-up rather than top-down
- Reverse-engineering agents' goals and expectations into accountability metrics
- Creating scoreboards and tracking results

See the full episodes with these guests:

- Ben Bluemle from Bank-Owned To Luxury Listings https://www.realestateteamos.com/episode/ben-bluemle-bank-owned-luxury-real-estate-listings

- Barry Jenkins on The Trouble With Seeing Yourself In Other People https://www.realestateteamos.com/episode/barry-jenkins-too-nice-for-sales

- Daniel Dixon on Being The Lighthouse For Agents https://www.realestateteamos.com/episode/daniel-dixon-lighthouse-real-estate-agents

- Jonathan Campbell on Driving Per-Agent Productivity https://www.realestateteamos.com/episode/how-to-drive-per-agent-productivity-jonathan-campbell

- Jim Remley on Profitability Through Productivity https://www.realestateteamos.com/episode/jim-remley-real-estate-profitability-per-agent-productivity

Access the collective wisdom of our 100+ guests by talking or typing with our Team Bot: https://realestateteamos.com/bot

Get email-exclusive insights, guest previews, and subscriber-only episodes: https://realestateteamos.com/subscribe

Welcome to our fifth episode in the all-new Summit Series! As we were in the second episode, we’re joined by two operations leaders in one conversation:

- Emily Smith, Chief Operating Officer for Wemert Group Realty
- Gio Sanginesi, Agent Partner who's also served as VP of Growth for Pozek Group

See or hear our first conversation with Emily and Gio: www.realestateteamos.com/episode/real-estate-team-agents-productive-scale-summit-series

Here in this second conversation, we get an end-to-end walkthrough of agent recruiting, agent onboarding, and agent retention from leaders inside 60-agent and 30-agent teams (Wemert and Pozek, respectively).

Learn how they’re attracting $10M producers and helping them level up. Hear similarities and differences in their processes - including how one team uses a clear 30/60/90-day process and the other doesn’t.

Watch or listen to this Summit Series episode for insights into:

- Growing to 60 agents without a recruiting funnel - with half of the team at a tenure of 5 years or longer

- Key aspects of their agent avatars and why neither focuses on brand new agents

- Questions they ask to create a match between agent and value prop

- Elements of the 15-minute pre-interview and other ways to pre-qualify agents

- What the first 90 days looks like as a new agent with Pozek Group from Associate Agent Partner to Agent Partner

- Learn what the first two weeks looks like as a new agent at Wemert Group Realty, who agents meet, and how the process is supported by their Monday.com build out

- How both teams balance financial and cultural factors to improve retention

- Specifically why Gio joined Ken Pozek as an agent and why he’s continued to stay with the team

In case you missed these Summit Series episodes:

- Team Leaders: When, How, and Why We Started Our Teams

- Team Leaders: How Our Teams Create Growth Opportunities with Agents

- Ops Leaders: How Our Teams Keep Agents Productive at Scale
- Agents: Successful Team Agent vs Successful Solo Agent

We recorded this series at The Creator House, a studio in Orlando created and run by our friends at Sweet Fish Media.

Sign up for subscriber-only episodes and email-exclusive insights so you don’t miss any of them: https://realestateteamos.com/subscribe

Follow our Summit Series guests:

- Emily Smith https://www.instagram.com/emily_t_smith/

- Gio Sanginesi https://www.instagram.com/gio407realtor/

Real Estate Team OS:

- https://www.realestateteamos.com

- https://linktr.ee/realestateteamos

- https://www.instagram.com/realestateteamos/