Consult with AME

Two Conversations I'm Having Right Now

We’re coming into the back half of Q1, and this is usually where things start to feel a little different. The excitement from the start of the year has settled, the plans are either working or starting to slip, and the noise in the industry feels louder than ever. This is the point in the year where it’s easy to get distracted—but it’s also where the agents and leaders who stay focused begin to separate themselves. There are a few things I keep coming back to right now, both in conversations with agents and in how I’m thinking about leadership. Some of these are tactical, some are mindset, but all of them come back to the same idea: simplify and refocus on what actually works. For agents, the first thing is around AI. It’s everywhere right now, and it’s incredibly useful. I use it every day. But the agents who are going to win this year are not the ones who rely on it to replace their voice. They’re the ones who use it as a tool while doubling down on being human. People don’t hire you because your follow-up is perfectly written or because you’re consistent on social. They hire you because they trust you, because they know you, and because they feel connected to you. That only happens through real conversations. It doesn’t have to be overwhelming—one intentional conversation a day is enough. The ripple effect of that kind of connection is hard to measure, but it’s very real. The second thing is your hot and warm list. We tend to overcomplicate this by focusing on building out a perfect database, but if you don’t see it every day, it won’t actually drive your business. When your people are visible—when you have a clear list of who is ready now and who is moving in your defined future—your awareness changes. You start noticing opportunities more quickly. You connect dots faster. It’s the same phenomenon as when you buy a car and suddenly see it everywhere. Nothing actually changed except your focus, and the same is true in your business. The third is something simple but often overlooked: getting everything out of your head. When you try to carry every task, reminder, and loose end mentally, it creates a constant background noise that drains your energy. A weekly brain dump—whether it’s on a Sunday afternoon or Monday morning—gives you clarity and control. Once it’s written down, you can organize it, prioritize it, and let go of what doesn’t matter. More than anything, it frees up your mental energy so you can actually show up focused and productive during the week. If this is a conversation your office or team needs right now, send it to them. For brokers and leaders, the conversation shifts a bit. The tactics still matter, but your role is bigger than execution—you’re setting the tone for how your agents experience the business. I think one of the biggest shifts happening right now is how we define a “top producer.” For a long time, that definition has been tied almost exclusively to volume and sides. And while those things absolutely matter, they’re not the full picture anymore. More agents are asking how to build a business that allows them to succeed professionally without sacrificing everything personally. The leaders who recognize and model that balance will be the ones who attract and retain the right people. Because the reality is, agents are paying attention not just to what you say, but to how you live and lead. Culture plays a bigger role in that than we sometimes acknowledge. Agents are drawn to energy. They’re influenced by what they see modeled around them every day. If the environment feels reactive or scattered, they’ll mirror that. If it feels intentional and steady, they’ll rise to it. As a broker or leader, the way you show up—your communication, your preparation, your presence—sets that tone more than anything else. And that brings me to something I’ve been thinking about a lot lately: what it actually means to be a high-capacity leader. It’s easy to assume that it means doing more or being busier, but I don’t think that’s true. The leaders who create the most impact are the ones who are fully present. When they’re with someone, they’re with them. They’re not distracted, they’re not rushing to the next thing, and they’re not trying to do five things at once. That level of presence builds trust, and over time, it builds a culture people want to be part of. It also requires letting go of the idea that you have to do everything yourself. Strong leaders know where they add the most value, and they rely on the people around them to support the rest. Whether it’s marketing, operations, or administrative support, the goal isn’t to be everything—it’s to make sure everything is covered in a way that serves your agents well. At the end of the day, whether you’re an agent or a broker, the throughline is the same. This season isn’t about doing more. It’s about doing the right things consistently. It’s about staying connected when it would be easier to automate, staying focused when it would be easier to get distracted, and staying present in a business that constantly pulls you in different directions. That’s the work that actually moves things forward. If you’re in real estate and in the middle of building, leading, and figuring it out as you go, subscribe for more. Get full access to Consult with AME at consultwithame.substack.com/subscribe [https://consultwithame.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

Leadership, According to a 17-Year-Old

“What does leadership mean to you?” He’s a junior in high school. He plays defensive end. He lifts. He studies. He notices plot holes in movies. And as it turns out, he has a remarkably grounded view of leadership that most adults are still trying to figure out. What followed was one of those conversations that sticks with you. Not because it was polished, but because it was honest. Leadership Isn’t Always Loud Major was quick to point out something important: not all leaders look the same. Some situations need the fired-up, locker-room, rah-rah voice. Football definitely does. But not every moment calls for someone pounding their chest and yelling speeches. Sometimes leadership looks quieter. Sometimes it’s consistency.Sometimes it’s being a steady presence.Sometimes it’s just doing what you said you’d do, day after day. He said something that really stuck with me: a lot of what people call “leadership” feels like just doing your job. Showing up. Working hard. Treating people well. Cleaning up after yourself. And honestly? He’s not wrong. Doing the Small Things When No One’s Watching One of the clearest examples of leadership in Major’s world shows up in the weight room. There are days he’s tired. Days he’d rather coast. Days when moving from one exercise to the next feels slower than usual. But when the weight is in his hands, the effort stays the same. Not because he feels motivated, but because it’s the standard he’s set for himself. He talked about how that consistency creates accountability. When you show up the same way every day, people notice. And suddenly, your effort becomes the expectation, not just for you, but for everyone around you. That same mindset shows up after games, when the locker room is trashed and everyone just wants to go home. He stays. Picks up. Resets the space. Not because he’s told to. Because it matters. “How you do anything is how you do everything.” That lesson shows up early for some people. For others, it takes a lifetime. If this conversation resonated with you, I’d love for you to share it with someone who’s leading a team, raising a teenager, or learning how to lead themselves. Leading Yourself First One of the most powerful parts of our conversation was about self-leadership. Doing the things you don’t want to do. Managing your thoughts. Regulating your emotions. Not spiraling into worry. Major shared a simple framework he uses when he feels overwhelmed: First, list everything you know. Get it all out. Facts, fears, frustrations. Then ask, “Now what?” What can I control?What can I act on?What actually matters right now? Sometimes he turns it into a game. Sometimes he puts on music to create rhythm. The point isn’t to eliminate discomfort. It’s to move through it with intention instead of avoidance. That’s a skill a lot of adults never fully develop. Worry Shrinks Your World We talked about worry and how it quietly limits what you’re capable of. If you can’t control something, worrying about it doesn’t help.If you can control it, worrying still doesn’t help. That doesn’t make it easy. It just makes it clearer. Getting thoughts out of your head and onto paper. Naming what’s real. Letting go of what isn’t yours to carry. That’s leadership, too. You Can’t Lead Others If You Don’t Love Yourself Toward the end of the conversation, Major said something unexpectedly profound. “You can’t love other people well if you don’t love yourself.” He described love less like a feeling and more like a resource. Something that has to come from you first. If you don’t have it internally, you end up dependent on others for it. And when they’re gone, so is your sense of worth. Loving yourself, to him, looks a lot like forgiveness. Accepting that you’re human. Learning to live with yourself. Letting go of perfection. That’s where real confidence comes from. The Leaders Who Shape Us When I asked him who he looks up to, his answers weren’t flashy. A coach who knows when to be loud and when to pull someone aside quietly.A teammate who stepped up and owned the moment, even when it was uncomfortable.A teacher who meets every student where they are, every single day. Different styles. Same heart. Leadership, at its best, is adaptive. It’s aware. It’s rooted in respect. A Front-Row Seat At the end of the conversation, I told him how proud I am. Not because he has it all figured out.But because he’s curious. Disciplined. Thoughtful. Grounded in his values. Leadership isn’t about titles or age or volume. Sometimes it sounds like a 17-year-old quietly doing the right thing, even when no one is watching. And honestly, I’m grateful I get a front-row seat. Get full access to Consult with AME at consultwithame.substack.com/subscribe [https://consultwithame.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

The Leadership Lesson Hidden in 'Forks'

We finally started watching The Bear.And the episode Forks stopped me in my tracks. I don’t work in restaurants.But I do work in service. In leadership. In environments where details matter and people matter. That episode isn’t about forks.It’s about growth. When Growth Feels Like a Step Back Richie gets sent away for “professional development.”From his point of view, it feels like a demotion. New environment.New expectations.His first job? Cleaning forks. One at a time. He resents it. And honestly? Most of us have been there. Anytime you step into a new role or a new organization, there’s a moment where your ego says, this is beneath me. That’s usually the moment that matters most. Respect Starts With Yourself Richie rushes the work. Cuts corners. Gets frustrated. Until someone pulls him aside and says, plainly:You may not like the task, but you should respect yourself enough to do it well. That’s the shift. Leadership isn’t about the task itself.It’s about how you show up inside the task. Once Richie slows down, he realizes he’s part of something bigger — a system designed to create care, calm, and a “wow” experience for other people. And suddenly, the work matters. If this resonated, share it with a leader or teammate who’s navigating change — or helping others grow through it. Invest Instead of Replace Here’s the leadership lesson that stuck with me. Carmy could have fired his team and hired people with more experience.He didn’t. Instead, he invested. He sent people out to learn. To see what excellence actually looks like. To gain perspective they couldn’t get where they were. That takes clarity.And confidence. Great leaders know where they’re going — and they’re willing to pour resources into their people to get there together. Don’t Send People to Learn, Then Shut Them Down There’s nothing worse than being sent to grow…and then being told, we don’t do it that way when you return. Why send someone at all? Growth dies when curiosity gets punished. Carmy didn’t micromanage Richie when he came back. He didn’t demand explanations. He let him implement. He let him lead. That kind of trust creates ownership. Leadership Is a Team Sport Richie’s final realization is simple but powerful: The “wow” moments don’t happen alone. One person notices the opportunity.Others execute it.Together, they deliver something exceptional. Leadership isn’t about being the hero.It’s about building a team that can execute at a high level — without you holding every lever. The Takeaway Professional development isn’t a perk.It’s a strategy. And it shouldn’t stop with the loudest voices or the top performers. Everyone who supports the mission deserves investment. Different roles need different paths.But growth should be available to all. Sometimes it starts with forks.And sometimes, that’s exactly the point. Subscribe for reflections on leadership, growth, and building businesses that actually support the people inside them. Get full access to Consult with AME at consultwithame.substack.com/subscribe [https://consultwithame.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

Busy Isn’t the Same as Effective

One of the biggest traps I see in real estate, leadership, and entrepreneurship is busyness masquerading as effectiveness. There are weeks where you feel productive.You crossed things off.You stayed moving.You were “on.” And then you look back and realize…none of it actually mattered. It didn’t move the needle.It didn’t roll up to the goal.It didn’t make you better. It was just busy. And busy can feel really convincing. transcript_2026-01-09T18_12_48.… The Litmus Test for Busy Work Here’s the question I come back to over and over: Does this activity roll up to what we said was important? This week.This month.This quarter.This year. If it doesn’t connect to the goal, it’s noise. That doesn’t mean busy work disappears. Some of it has to get done. But it does mean it shouldn’t dominate your calendar or your energy. If this resonated, send it to a leader or agent who’s juggling too much. Clarity Starts at the Top As a leader, one of your primary jobs is to remove gray area. People need to know: * Why we’re here * What we’re trying to accomplish * How their role connects to the bigger picture I used to get eye rolls for starting meetings by repeating the goal.Same goal. Every time. But there was never confusion.Marketing knew how their work mattered.Admin knew how their work mattered.Relocation knew how their work mattered. Clarity creates focus.Focus eliminates busy work. Batch the Noise So You Can Do the Work One of the most practical shifts you can make: batch your busy work. Give it a home. * Focus Friday * Momentum Monday * Half a day. One block. Then protect the rest of your week for the work that actually produces results. At the time we recorded this, I was having business planning conversations with agents who were shocked to realize something simple: For many of them, one listing a month would hit their goal. Not chaos.Not exhaustion.Not being “on” all the time. Just intention. Boundaries Create Breathing Room Here’s something I had to learn the hard way: You don’t have to do everything this week. Most people aren’t putting the pressure on you — you are. I stopped scheduling new requests in the same week they came in.Then I moved to one week out.Now, sometimes it’s two. And nothing broke.No opportunities disappeared.No fires started. There is still next week. Honest Evaluation Requires Data You can’t evaluate what you can’t see. If you want clarity, start with awareness. For two weeks: * Track your time * Write down what you’re actually doing * No judgment. Just data Color code it if that helps: * Green: money-making or goal-driving * Yellow: admin / busy work * Purple: personal and relationship time The goal isn’t perfection.The goal is alignment. Stop Comparing. Start Aligning. One of the fastest ways to lose clarity is comparison. Someone else’s calendar is not your measuring stick. If you decided this week was about family, health, or rest — and you honored that — that’s success. If you decided this week was about growth, listings, or conversations — and you honored that — that’s success. Alignment beats optics every time. The Question That Changes Everything At the end of the week, ask yourself: Did my time match what I said mattered? If yes — you’re winning.If no — now you know what to adjust. Clarity doesn’t come from doing more.It comes from doing on purpose. If you like thinking about work, leadership, and life a little more intentionally, subscribe here. Get full access to Consult with AME at consultwithame.substack.com/subscribe [https://consultwithame.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

The Problem With Clean Dates

January 14 is an interesting day. It’s far enough into the year that the new year energy has faded,but close enough that we’re tempted to reset again. Next Monday.The 1st of the month.A fresh start. Clean dates feel productive. They promise clarity. Control. A do-over. But they also give us permission to pause. And pause can quietly turn into delay. Clean Dates Don’t Create Change Planning feels like progress. You rewrite the goals.You reorganize the calendar.You tell yourself, “I’ll start fresh.” But planning without movement is just comfort. Real change doesn’t come from a perfect start date.It comes from reducing the distance between intention and action. If you’ve been waiting for the right day to start, this might be your nudge. Share with someone who could use a simpler way forward. What Actually Works If you’re someone who likes structure (I am), here’s the shift: You can keep the clean date.Just don’t wait on it. Use the days before as preparation. Fix the system that’s been tripping you up.Remove the friction that made the habit hard to keep.Set things up so Monday isn’t heavy—it’s inevitable. Momentum doesn’t start when you track it.It starts when you remove resistance. Study What Worked, Not Just What Didn’t Instead of asking: * Why did I fall off? * What did I miss? Try this:When did this work—and why? The wins tell you what’s repeatable. That’s where confidence comes from. Consistency Is More Powerful Than Motivation One of my biggest lessons this past year was this: Doing a few things, consistently, beats doing everything—sporadically. Consistency builds trust.With yourself.With others. And trust is what keeps you going when motivation fades. It doesn’t have to be perfect.It just has to be dependable. Start Smaller Than Your Ego Wants To You don’t need a full reset. Start with one thing you can keep—even on your worst week. One walk.One meeting.One boundary. Get solid there. Then build. Momentum compounds faster when it’s realistic. Remove Before You Add Instead of asking, “What do I need to add?”Ask, “What do I need to remove?” Most excuses are just friction wearing a different name. Make the right thing easier.Make the wrong thing harder. If You’re Waiting for Monday… This is your reminder: You don’t need a clean date.You need a cleaner path. Start now—by making it easier to begin. Leadership, growth, and navigating the messy parts with clarity. Get full access to Consult with AME at consultwithame.substack.com/subscribe [https://consultwithame.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]