Business Plan Before The Year Ends? Yes.

Business Plan Before The Year Ends? Yes.

Quick context if you’re new here: iO agents plan in the third quarter (which we’re in) on purpose. The goal isn’t to make a pretty plan. The goal is to have real action installed so that when January 1 arrives, you’re not “getting ready.” You’re already running. Because you and I know a good idea takes three things: * Space to think * Time to build a system * Consistent implementation Ideas like changing business models, adopting new positioning, adding/deleting a new marketing channel, or hiring/firing deserves careful consideration. From experience, I can tell you that any one ot the three takes more time than you think. Do you have time and space during the holidays? Maybe you do - but most don’t. But July through September? It’s much more likely that you can steal a few hours each week for this kind of work. When I began training agents to plan this way, the pushback was immediate: “How can you plan when the year isn’t over yet?” Because the industry trains for the transactional model. Planning is something you do based on volume. In a transactional model - “planning” just isn’t that deep. It’s numerical. Anyone will suffice as a client, so simply analyze your P&L, decide which portal makes you profitable, and stay on the hamster wheel when the calendar hits January 1st. But what if you’re building a “relationship-based” business? A brand? If you’re building a brand rooted in identity and you wait until the year is “done,” you’re already late—and you’ll keep building around urgency rather than identity. A business rooted in identity plans early so January 1st isn’t a restart. It’s a launch. Which brings me to the first decision you can’t skip: you can’t choose a strategy until you can name the problem you’re wired to solve. And I don’t mean “I help people buy and sell homes.” That’s what you do. It’s not what you’re wired to solve. If you build your planning season on what you do, here’s what happens: you’ll make safe decisions, pick tactics, and sound like a competent agent. You’ll also sound like everyone else—because “I help people buy and sell homes” is the real estate version of “we provide exceptional service.” Not wrong. Just not differentiating. And not decision-making material. So, if you’d like to do it differently this year, your job in July is simple: Name the problem you’re wired to solve. Not your services. Not your process. The situation you’re built for. “Wired to solve” isn’t a niche. It’s identity. It’s the moment you stay calm and other people spiral. It’s the thing you can see before the client can even articulate it. And once you name it, it becomes your filter. It clarifies who to hire, what to invest in, what’s a waste of your time, where to market and advertise, and so much more. This is what I mean… You’ll likely see a version of yourself in the descriptions below. Without overthinking it, pick the one that mostly describes what it’s like to be on the other side of you. Pick the primary feeling people get from you. The one you know comes most naturally to you (and if you haven’t read The Five Voices, order it today). * “I’m the clarity + momentum operator.” I don’t add useless information—I reduce confusion. I upgrade the question, name what matters, and help people choose a direction without spiraling. My superpower is getting someone unstuck fast. * “I’m the risk + protection operator.” I’m paid for judgment. I see tradeoffs early, tell the truth cleanly, and protect people from expensive regret. I’m calm because I’ve already thought through the downside. * “I’m the care + steadiness operator.” I can tell when the move isn’t really about the move. I’m good at holding the human stakes without making it messy. People feel safe with me because I don’t rush them or perform—I support them. * “I’m the lightness + confidence operator.” I refuse to make this dramatic. I bring calm energy, practical humor, and a sense of “we’ve got this.” I’m serious about outcomes—but I don’t believe the process needs to feel like stress and strife to be legitimate. * “I’m the positioning + leverage operator.” I stay unbothered when stakes rise. I actually enjoy it. I know how to frame the story, negotiate, and protect the outcome. I’m not aggressive—I’m precise. And I don’t let emotion drive the deal. Your July assignment (bring this to August) Write one sentence: “I’m wired to solve _____ for people who _____” If you can’t fill that in cleanly, you’re not ready for August decisions yet. Then do this quickly: * List 5 right-fit clients (the ones you’d clone) and what they really needed. * List 5 wrong-fit clients (the ones that drained you) and what they resisted. From those lists, finish: * I do my best work when the client is… * I’m not the agent for people who… That’s not you being mean. That’s you being specific. Because August isn’t for brainstorming. It’s for decisions that hold up under pressure. And you can’t decide well until you know what you solve. Your turn: What kind of operator are you? Thanks for reading. Take advantage of industry change and do things differently. Your agents will love you for it. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sandymcmaster.substack.com [https://sandymcmaster.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

Lead the Conversation, Don’t Perform

Most people ask “How’s the market?” like it’s small talk—but underneath it could be a real question: What does this market mean for me? In this episode, Sandy breaks down how to upgrade the polite question, get clarity without interrogating, and move the conversation from generic information to actual decisions. You’ll hear a simple two-part upgrade you can use immediately, plus a quick test that helps you decide how deep to go depending on whether you’re talking to a customer or a client. Read the full essay on Substack or subscribe on You Tube. Search Renovating Real Estate. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sandymcmaster.substack.com [https://sandymcmaster.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

The Stance Gap

The post-lawsuit landscape didn’t just change compliance—it changed the social contract. Add AI-assisted interpretation and a structural re-ordering of the industry, and vague value gets exposed fast. In this episode, Sandy breaks down what’s changed (information advantage, attention, and trust), why “stance” now matters in two directions (agent-to-consumer and broker/owner-to-agent), and what breaks when no one will take a position—especially for agents living inside the blast radius. You’ll leave with a cleaner definition of what holds up now: promise, proof, process, and conviction. Read the full essay on Substack. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sandymcmaster.substack.com [https://sandymcmaster.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

It Isn’t Just A Tough Market. It’s a New Industry.

The market isn’t simply slowing — it’s re-sorting. And that changes what it costs to be vague. In this episode, Sandy McMaster walks through the deeper forces behind the shakeout and why the “relational middle” is collapsing: not because relationships don’t matter, but because undefined relationships don’t scale when margin disappears. This isn’t only agent-to-client. It’s brokerage-to-agent too: recruiting, retention, training, accountability, and culture all break down when a platform can’t name what it is, what it expects, and how it helps people win. Read the full essay on Substack. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sandymcmaster.substack.com [https://sandymcmaster.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

If You’re Resentful, Read This

Borrowed identity creates burnout—and most agents don’t notice it until the resentment shows up. In this episode, Sandy breaks down the operator-level difference between optimizing for “yes” versus optimizing for “fit,” and why the first boundary is internal: who you are, who you’re not, and what you will and won’t build. You’ll hear how identity becomes a real business advantage when it drives the three places most agents leak: promotion (inconsistent marketing), pricing (no margin), and planning (systems too fragile to hire help). If you want a business you don’t resent, this is your mirror-first reset. Read the full essay on Substack. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sandymcmaster.substack.com [https://sandymcmaster.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]