Work Is Not Your Whole Identity: What Qadra Evans, Mrs. Montana 2026, Taught Me About Bold Living

Slower Market, Bigger Opportunity: Jimmy Miller on Real Time Signals & What You Should Do Right Now

➡️ Download the FREE "Content Creation Realities & Lessons: A Guide to Smarter Strategy": https://stan.store/wendyforsythe Zillow processes more real estate leads than almost anyone on the planet. But knowing what to do with a lead once you have received it is a completely different skill. Jimmy Miller, Zillow's agent enablement expert, spends his days inside that exact problem. His job is helping agents actually convert the opportunity sitting in front of them. In this episode, Jimmy breaks down his core philosophy (make the right thing to do the easy thing to do), the green dot real time browsing signal, how Zillow Pro connects buyer activity data directly into your CRM, the difference between generative and agentic AI explained simply, why the home value conversation is the most underused tool in any agent's database, and what separates agents who thrive on platforms from those who just show up on them. Plus Wendy shares her go-to content recommendation and Jimmy turns the tables with a great question at the end. Timestamps 0:00 - Intro: What Is Agent Enablement and Why Does It Matter?  1:04 - Jimmy Miller: More Good Days Than Bad Days  1:53 - Enablement Is Not Even a Real Word (But It Means Everything)  2:38 - Make the Right Thing the Easy Thing to Do  3:32 - A Day in the Life of Agent Enablement at Zillow  5:13 - Book Smart vs. Agent Smart (Hood of the Car Moment)  6:48 - What Is Zillow Pro and Why Does It Matter for Agents?  7:35 - 70% of Buyers and Sellers Use Zillow During Their Transaction  8:49 - What Is My Agent and How Does Lead Exclusivity Work?  10:18 - The Timer Problem (And How Zillow Pro Solves It)  11:46 - No More Countdown Clock. Your Lead Is Yours Permanently.  14:13 - Real Time Signals: The Green Dot Strategy  15:44 - How to Use the Green Dot Without Being Creepy  16:48 - Tenured Agents Know What to Do Next. Here Is How to Get There Faster.  17:22 - Generative AI vs. Agentic AI Explained Simply  20:23 - Smart Messages: AI in Your CRM That Knows Your History  21:39 - The Grocery Store Problem (And Why It Matters)  22:56 - The One Thing Agents Leave on the Table Most Often  24:00 - Always Tell People What Their Home Is Worth  25:35 - The Win-Win Home Value Conversation  26:07 - What Is Your X Factor, Jimmy?  26:29 - Say Yes to Everything People Suggest You Consume  27:25 - How to Find Jimmy Miller and Zillow Academy  29:49 - Jimmy Turns the Tables: Wendy's Recommendation (Neil Patel) Key Takeaways: Make the right thing to do the easy thing to do. That is agent enablement in one sentence. 70% of buyers and sellers in the U.S. use Zillow during their transaction. My Agent removes the countdown timer and makes a lead yours permanently on Zillow. The green dot means a lead is actively browsing right now. That is the moment to reach out. Tenured agents know what to do next. Smart tools give newer agents that same confidence. Generative AI is the back and forth you have with ChatGPT or Claude. Agentic AI is like hiring a VA and letting it work in the background. Smart messages let AI draft follow-ups using your full conversation history, including email, calls, and texts, all in one place. The most underused conversation in any agent's database is telling people what their home is worth. Best case it becomes a listing. Worst case the client feels great. There is no downside. Jimmy's X factor: say yes to every book, show, or podcast anyone recommends. The things you do not love teach you why other people do. Zillow Academy courses are free. Log in with your Zillow account and start there.

The 46% Production Gap: Sean Soderstrom on Why Brokerages Lose More Than They Recruit

➡️ Download the FREE "Content Creation Realities & Lessons: A Guide to Smarter Strategy": https://stan.store/wendyforsythe Sean Soderstrom, founder and CEO of Courted, has built one of the most quoted data sources in real estate — and his numbers tell a story most brokerages aren't tracking closely enough. The average outgoing agent's production was $2.11 million. The average incoming agent replacing them produced $1.44 million. That's a 46% productivity gap. In this episode, Sean walks through his path from joining Compass when it had just 10 agents to co-leading McKinsey's residential real estate practice to founding Courted, why headcount is the wrong metric for brokerages to chase, why the sales manager might have the hardest job in the industry, why middle-tier producers are the most profitable (and most overlooked) segment of any roster, and what the data says about where brokerage M&A and agent migration are heading next. Timestamps 0:00 - Intro: Sean Soderstrom, Founder & CEO of Courted 1:12 - From Compass to McKinsey to Founder 2:04 - The Moment Recruiting Became a Data Problem 3:50 - Taking the Leap into Entrepreneurship 6:23 - Starting with Data, Not Workflow 8:05 - Predictive Analytics Before It Was Called AI 8:58 - Early Pivots: Listening to the Wrong VC Feedback 10:55 - The Hammer Looking for a Nail 12:25 - Macro Pivots vs. Micro Pivots in Building Tech 13:40 - An AI Company Building AI Products for AI Users 14:06 - Why Recruiting and Retention Are Treated as Separate Strategies 14:48 - The Sales Manager: Hardest Job in the Industry 16:55 - Net Recruited Volume vs. Headcount Goals 17:58 - The 46% Production Gap (The "In and Out" Report) 18:51 - Why Losing Two and Hiring Two Isn't a Win 19:29 - Headcount Doesn't Tie to the P&L 20:10 - The Fixed Cost of Every Agent ($5K-$12K/Year) 21:09 - Team Leaders Make the Same Mistake 22:08 - Why Middle-Tier Producers Are Most Profitable (and Most Overlooked) 23:13 - Hot Topics: Mergers, Consolidation, and Industry Trends 24:50 - The Economics Behind Brokerage Profit Margin Decline 25:42 - Why Well-Capitalized Companies Are Acquiring Now 26:46 - Will M&A Continue Through the Year? 27:47 - Agent Migration Trends Within "Houses of Brands" 28:35 - Top 100 Brands Only Account for 59% of the Market 29:35 - Why the Agent Gets Chosen Before the Brand 30:42 - How to Find Sean Soderstrom and Courted Key Takeaways Average outgoing agent production: $2.11M. Average incoming: $1.44M. A 46% gap. Headcount doesn't tie to the P&L — net recruited volume does The sales manager is effectively the CFO, COO, CHRO, and CRO of their office Every agent carries a fixed cost of $5,000–$12,000/year, even non-producers Middle-tier producers are the most profitable — and most overlooked — segment High-split top producers are often less profitable than they appear Recruiting and retention should be one strategy, not two Brokerage M&A is likely to continue due to declining margins and rising team economics Top 100 brands account for only 59% of the U.S. market Consumers choose the agent first, the brand second The right way to build a product: get sharp on the problem before talking solutions

From Retail to Real Estate: Amanda Miller on Equity, Community, & Why Change Happens with Movements

➡️ Download the FREE "Content Creation Realities & Lessons: A Guide to Smarter Strategy": https://stan.store/wendyforsythe Amanda Miller did not enter real estate the way most people do. She came from a corporate retail career — eight years at Gap Incorporated and a director of training and development role at Tilly's — before making the leap into real estate in 2018. Four months into her new career, her business partner had a health emergency and stepped away. She inherited 37 pending transactions and a full pipeline. She called it the duck strategy: gliding on top of the water, paddling furiously underneath. She figured it out — and that experience became the foundation of everything she has built since. Today Amanda is a broker associate at EXP Realty, founder of Valley Real Property in Fresno, California, and the newly appointed chair of the EXP Pride Network inside OneEXP. In this episode, Amanda talks about building 13,000 Instagram followers through authentic humanized content, her equity-focused business philosophy (all her favorite EQs: equality, equity, and emotional intelligence), why she stepped into the Pride Network chair role, and her belief that change happens with movements, not moments. Timestamps 0:00 - Intro: Amanda Miller, Broker Associate, EXP Pride Network Chair 1:00 - From Retail to Real Estate: The Background 2:30 - Single Mom, Corporate Climb, Gap and Tilly's 4:00 - Allowing Yourself the Space to Adopt the Risk 5:15 - Shadowing Warren: Pitching a Job Before Getting Licensed 7:00 - The Duck Strategy: 37 Pending Transactions in Month Four 9:00 - Building a Name in the Local Market 10:30 - Why Instagram? Using a Tool You Can Use Well 12:00 - Professional and Polished + Humanized on Repeat 13:30 - Cold Chicken and Watermelon: 30 Comments by Morning 15:00 - Authentic Content Outperforms Polished Every Time 16:15 - Community: The Personal Board of Directors 17:45 - Equity Strategy: All Her Favorite EQs 19:30 - Equality, Equity, and Emotional Intelligence 21:00 - The EXP Pride Network: Why Timing Felt Right 22:30 - Raising the Rainbow Flag as Visibility and Responsibility 24:00 - Change Happens with Movements, Not Moments 25:30 - Open Dialogue Over Defense 27:00 - Meeting People Where They Are: Amanda's X Factor 28:30 - How to Find Amanda Miller Key Takeaways The duck strategy: gliding on top, paddling furiously underneath Make yourself visible before you feel ready — that is what opens every door Pitch the role that doesn't exist yet — Amanda did it twice in corporate and once in real estate 13,000 Instagram followers built on professional content humanized on repeat Cold chicken at 8pm got 30 comments — authentic beats polished every time All her favorite EQs: equality, equity, and emotional intelligence Equity in relationships, community, and physical assets — her full business philosophy Build a personal board of directors — eliminate draining and negative energy intentionally Change happens with movements, not moments Open dialogue and education create more change than argument and defense Meeting people where they are is both a relationship skill and a business strategy X factor: external perspective and gaining trust by acknowledging where someone is

Work Is Not Your Whole Identity: What Qadra Evans, Mrs. Montana 2026, Taught Me About Bold Living

➡️ Download the FREE "Content Creation Realities & Lessons: A Guide to Smarter Strategy": https://stan.store/wendyforsythe What happens when an accomplished woman in real estate decides her career isn't the whole of who she is? She competes in a pageant. And she wins. In this episode of X-Factor Marketing, I sit down with Qadra Evans — a leader and connector I've known for years in the real estate industry — who recently won the title of Mrs. Montana 2026. Now she's heading to Mrs. America, and she's sharing everything: the preparation, the discipline, the platform, and the mindset that made it all possible. This conversation is for anyone who has ever felt like their job title was starting to swallow their identity. It's proof that you can be excellent at your career and still have room to chase something else — something that's purely, boldly yours. In this episode, you'll hear: Why Qadra Evans decided to compete — and why she did it for herself, not for anyone else How she managed a high-demand corporate career alongside 5:30 AM gym sessions, pageant prep, and social media batching The hardest part of the whole process (hint: it wasn't the swimsuit competition) Her platform, The House That She Built — and why she's reading books to kindergartners about women in the trades What Mrs. America actually looks like: 10 days, three outfits a day, and the Super Bowl of pageants Her X-Factor: being a cheerleader — and what that really means Resources mentioned: The House That She Built by Molly Elkwin — available on Amazon Follow Qadra Evans' journey: @MrsMontana2026 on Instagram Qadra Evans' website: MrsMontana2026.com Leverage Your X-Factor by Wendy Forsythe — on Amazon (all proceeds benefit Extend a Hand) Connect with Wendy: Instagram: @wendyforsythe LinkedIn: Wendy Forsythe Book: Leverage Your X-Factor on Amazon Timestamps: 0:00 — Introduction 1:40 — Why Qadra Evans decided to compete in Mrs. Montana 3:30 — The preparation: gym, interview practice, and time management 6:00 — The decision and the five months of prep 7:00 — The hardest part: learning to tell your own story 9:30 — Tips for answering questions and pitching yourself 11:00 — What Mrs. America looks like 14:00 — Her platform: The House That She Built 17:00 — Growing up and losing the spark — and what we can do about it 20:00 — Her X-Factor: being a cheerleader

The Table Wasn't Built for Us: 3 Moves Every Woman in Leadership Needs to Make Right Now

➡️ Download the FREE "Content Creation Realities & Lessons: A Guide to Smarter Strategy": https://stan.store/wendyforsythe In this episode of X-Factor Marketing, I'm giving you a front-row seat to one of the talks I'm most proud of — my keynote at HousingWire's The Gathering: "The Table Wasn't Built for Us: Stop Asking for a Seat." I open with the story of Anne Boden — a woman who spent 30 years in UK banking, rose to COO of the country's largest bank, pitched a transformative idea twice, and was ultimately told to retire at 54. Her response? She founded Starling Bank — the UK's first digital bank — which later sold for a billion dollars. Anne's story is proof that "too late" is a lie we tell ourselves. And it's the entry point for three moves I believe every woman in leadership needs to make right now. In this episode, you'll learn: Why fighting for a seat at a table that wasn't built for you is a strategy that's never going to work — and what to do instead The critical difference between mentorship and sponsorship, and why women need to sponsor each other more aggressively How to be bold before you feel ready — and why waiting for the perfect moment is costing you opportunities right now The data behind the gender gap in real estate and mortgage C-suites — and why it's not a pipeline problem What Anne Boden's story really teaches us about confidence, timing, and building something great ⏱️ TIMESTAMPS 0:00 - Intro: A Different Kind of Episode  1:15 - Meet Anne Boden: COO to Billion-Dollar Founder  3:30 - The Middle of the Story Is Where the Lessons Live  4:45 - The Reality: Talent Pipeline Is Full, C-Suite Hasn't Changed  5:30 - The Lie We Tell Ourselves (Imposter Syndrome)  6:15 - 53% of Female Founders Start Outside Their Background  7:00 - Move 1: Build Your Own Table  8:30 - Move 2: Advocate for Sponsorship Over Mentorship  10:15 - The Difference Between a Mentor and a Sponsor  11:30 - You Can Sponsor from Any Level  12:00 - Move 3: Be More Bold  13:30 - We Fight Hard for Everyone Else  14:15 - Figure It Out on the Go: One of Our Greatest Strengths  15:00 - Conclusion: Be Like Anne Boden  16:00 - Leverage Your X-Factor Book + Extend a Hand Charity 🎯 KEY TAKEAWAYS ✔️ The table wasn't built for us — stop fighting for a seat, build your own room  ✔️ Anne Boden was told to retire at 54 and founded a billion-dollar bank instead  ✔️ 53% of female founders start businesses outside their background  ✔️ Female founders over 40 are creating extraordinary opportunities  ✔️ Mentorship guides — sponsorship opens doors  ✔️ A sponsor says your name in rooms you're not in  ✔️ You can sponsor from any level — advocacy changes things  ✔️ We negotiate fiercely for others but not for ourselves  ✔️ Ask for the opportunity before you feel ready — that's how you get it  ✔️ You don't need the perfect plan — figure it out on the go  ✔️ Fight for yourself with the same gusto you fight for everyone else