For a real estate agent, success is not only about productivity, lead generation, or growth. In a recent real estate podcast conversation, James Dwiggins and Keith Robinson spoke with Wendy Forsythe, chief operating officer of eXp Realty, about building a career that remains sustainable and fulfilling.
Wendy’s path through the real estate industry began in Nova Scotia, Canada. After earning her license during college, she worked as an agent, managed an office, purchased a real estate brokerage franchise, and later moved into corporate leadership. Her experience includes the agent, broker, franchise, and executive perspectives.
Flexibility Is a Career-Defining Skill
Wendy identified flexibility as the skill that carried her from agent to COO. For any real estate broker, leader, or real estate agent, the ability to listen, adapt, and accept change can open important opportunities.
That flexibility matters across every business model, including:
- A traditional real estate brokerage
- A virtual, cloud-based company
- A real estate franchise
- A flat-fee transaction model
- A large corporate operation such as NextHome or a NextHome real estate franchise
Wendy explained that agents want to understand how a change affects them. Whether a brokerage is changing brands, adopting new systems, or responding to real estate trends, clear communication and careful listening are essential.
Asking Better Questions
Wendy’s approach to hiring also applies directly to prospecting. She asks open-ended questions such as:
- “Tell me about a project that didn’t go your way.”
- “Tell me about a time you were disappointed in yourself.”
- “Is there anything else you’d like to share?”
The goal is not simply to ask questions but to listen carefully to the answers. This approach helps an agent understand a seller’s goals, concerns, past experiences, and expectations instead of immediately presenting a standard marketing plan.
That process can help an agent compete in a crowded real estate market, whether discussing real estate for sale, real estate listings, real estate prices, or real estate financing.
Protecting Energy and Preventing Burnout
Wendy’s book, Leverage Your X Factor, introduces a framework built around:
- Focus
- Action
- Community
- Technology
- Operations
- Resilience
Her message is especially relevant to real estate investing, investing in real estate, and real estate investing for beginners. Sustainable success requires more than working harder. It also requires boundaries, personal energy, and systems that support long-term performance.
Practical boundaries include using “Do Not Disturb” on a phone and placing personal commitments, exercise, family time, and vacations on a calendar. Real estate technology can improve productivity, but it should support a healthy business rather than eliminate personal time.
Choosing the Right Content Strategy
Wendy’s final advice was simple: choose a content strategy that feels natural and use it consistently. That could mean creating videos, sharing local information, or delivering printed content door to door.
A useful strategy can help an agent become known, liked, and trusted. It may also help people searching for real estate agents near me, real estate companies near me, real estate blogs, real estate books, real estate courses, or real estate events investing find valuable guidance.
For anyone navigating real estate taxes, real estate laws, or real estate investment real estate brokerage decisions, consistent education builds credibility. The conversation on Real Estate Insiders Unfiltered offered a practical reminder for real estate professionals: ask better questions, remain flexible, protect personal energy, and build a business that can last.
