In an industry often dominated by egos and empty hype, Michele Harrington and Lauren Henss are bringing something refreshingly real to the table.
Michele, a former U.S. Marine, now CEO of First Team Real Estate, shares how discipline, service, and authenticity helped her rise from selling homes to running one of California’s largest brokerages. Lauren, VP of Marketing & Strategic Initiatives, pulls back the curtain on what it really takes to build a brokerage brand that attracts top talent and stands out in a noisy world.
You’ll learn:
- How to lead with empathy without sacrificing standards
- Why storytelling beats sales pitches (and how agents can apply this today)
- The surprising benefits of saying no to the wrong recruits
- Behind the scenes of the “Behind the Agent” campaign
- What it means to stop building rosters and start building careers
James and Keith go deep with their guests on private listings, AI’s role in real estate, the Zillow-Compass debate, and why authenticity is the most underrated business strategy of 2025.
This isn’t just another leadership episode. It’s a roadmap for brokerages who want to scale with soul and for agents who want to build a business around who they really are.
Links mentioned in the episode:
Connect with our guest, Michele Harrington:
Connect with our guest, Lauren Henss:
Learn more about FirstTeam Real Estate:
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