Episodios

  • 💌 Take Flight Weekly, Episode #303: The Science Behind Gifting and Handwritten Notes

    💌 Take Flight Weekly, Episode #303: The Science Behind Gifting and Handwritten Notes
    Nov 16 2025
    On episode 303 of Take Flight Weekly, I walk you through one of the most overlooked yet powerful opportunities in our relationship business—holiday gifting and handwritten notes. Every advisor knows they should send something during the holidays, but few do it strategically. The difference between an average gesture and a lasting impression comes down to timing, thoughtfulness, and execution. This isn't about spending more money; it's about being intentional. Your goal isn't to impress—it's to express. The power of a well-timed, authentic note or gift lies in its ability to make someone feel seen, appreciated, and remembered. Timing is Everything USPS 2025 Domestic Mailing Deadlines: → First-Class Mail: December 18 → Priority Mail: December 19 → Priority Mail Express: December 21 Send early to stand out. Once you cross December 15, mailboxes explode. You want your message to land before the clutter. Best Practice: → Send cards between November 29–December 8 → Ship gifts between December 10–15 → Send New Year's cards between January 2–10 Strategic Playbook for 2025: → November 15: Finalize your Top 100 list → November 22: Order cards, gifts, and packaging → December 1–10: Send handwritten notes → December 10–15: Deliver gifts → December 26–January 5: Send "New Year Gratitude" notes Handwritten Notes: The Data → Open Rate: 90–99% versus 20–30% for email → Response Rate: 10–15% engagement versus 1–3% for printed mail → ROI: Nearly double compared to printed equivalents → Retention: Clients receiving 2+ handwritten notes per year are 80% more likely to refer or transact again → Physical mail activates stronger memory and emotional response centers than digital communication → 70% of consumers say handwritten notes make professionals appear more trustworthy Real-World Results: → Local company tested printed versus handwritten: handwritten cards generated more than double the conversion rate → Luxury brands saw 16–56x ROI with handwritten direct mail → Open rates increased from 42% to 90% by switching to handwritten notes How to Write the Card 3–5 sentences is the sweet spot. Structure: → Greeting – Use their name → Personal Connection – Reference something specific → Gratitude – Acknowledge their trust → Forward Look – End with optimism → Signature – Hand-sign it. Always Time: Plan 3–4 minutes per card. 50–75 cards = 4–5 hours total. Break into two or three 90-minute sessions. A four-minute handwritten card can sit on a client's desk for four months. That's marketing you can't buy. Gifting Principles → Keep It Local and useful → Stay under $100 per client → Personalize with a handwritten note → Align with your brand Birthdays Matter If holidays are your annual gratitude statement, birthdays are your year-round connection opportunity. Clients receiving 3+ personalized touches a year are 70% more likely to reach out first when they have a need. The Close Compare the ROI: → $500 postcard campaign: 1% response rate → $5 handwritten note: 10–15% response rate and deeper loyalty That's the kind of ROI you can't buy with clicks. It's earned through authenticity. If this resonated, share it. Subscribe at @askjimmiller. ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ 🔔 SUBSCRIBE → https://askjimmiller.com/contact/ 📲 CONNECT → Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/askjimmiller → LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimmillerchicago → YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@AskJimMiller 📚 RESOURCES → https://askjimmiller.com/my-reading-list-2024/ → https://askjimmiller.com/take-flight-2/
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    21 m
  • ✈️ Take Flight Weekly #302: A Simple System to Qualify Clients Before You Commit

    ✈️ Take Flight Weekly #302: A Simple System to Qualify Clients Before You Commit
    Nov 9 2025
    Welcome to episode 302 of Take Flight Weekly. Today, I walk you through one of the most critical conversations an elite-level producer can have: the client qualification and selection process. Too many advisors blindly accept every opportunity. I learned 2 things: No listings are better than listings that never get sold because of unrealistic expectations. And 20% of your clients steal 80% of your joy. Today, I'll break down a simple three-strike qualification framework that protects your time, energy, and brand integrity. The Elite Producer Mindset Elite-level producers aren't order takers; they're curators of fit. They operate like true fiduciaries. Their time, expertise, and marketing dollars are reserved for clients who respect their process. When you qualify leads effectively, you attract clients who value your professionalism. This isn't about arrogance; this is about protecting your time. Tactical Framework: The Three Strikes Rule → Strike One: Source of Business Ask: "How did you hear about me?" If it isn't a referral within two degrees of separation, note it. Referrals indicate trust. Cold leads require more time and energy. → Strike Two: Competition Check Ask: "How many agents are you interviewing?" If you're the only one, great. If they're talking to others, note the second strike. Multiple interviews mean they're shopping, not selecting. → Strike Three: Motivation and Mindset Ask: "Are you looking for full-service marketing, or focused on a specific net number?" If the conversation turns to net proceeds, not market value, that's strike three. The Professional Walk-Away Script "I don't think I'm the right fit for your listing. I'm not the cheapest in the marketplace. I'm full-service and full exposure. I invest heavily in marketing and my team. Most of my business comes from relationships built on trust. Talk to other advisors and decide the best fit. If it doesn't feel right, call me back." That's not rejection. That's disciplined leadership. Building Your Championship Roster Look at every spot on your client roster like a GM building a sports team. You only have so many roster spots. Choose carefully. Remember: "Fit." Does a client "fit" your business model? ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ 🔔 SUBSCRIBE → https://askjimmiller.com/contact/ 📲 CONNECT → Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/askjimmiller → LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimmillerchicago → YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@AskJimMiller 📚 RESOURCES → https://askjimmiller.com/my-reading-list-2024/ → https://askjimmiller.com/take-flight-2/
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    12 m
  • 📏 Take Flight Weekly, Episode #301: RightSize Your 2026

    📏 Take Flight Weekly, Episode #301: RightSize Your 2026
    Nov 2 2025
    Welcome to the 301st episode of Take Flight Weekly. Today, I introduce my word for 2026: RightSize. It's more than a word—it's a mindset I'll use throughout 2026. RightSizing is about creating alignment between who you are, what you want, and how you operate. For some, it means scaling back; for others, expanding. It could mean eliminating the unnecessary, moving up in quality, or moving down in volume to make room for what truly matters and creates an ROI or ROT (return on time). RightSizing is a philosophy rooted in awareness and discipline. It's about resisting the pull toward "more" and choosing what's right. It's making decisions based on energy, alignment, and outcome. In a world that glorifies growth at any cost, RightSizing is the counter-move. Over time, we accumulate commitments, systems, and clients that no longer fit. We add before we edit. We say yes because we can, not because we should. The result? Overwhelm, inefficiency, and a business that feels heavy instead of freeing. RightSizing forces you to create boundaries and audit your time. Are your goals still yours, or have they become someone else's expectations? Is your business operating at 30,000 feet, or are you still in constant takeoff mode? 10 Areas to RightSize in 2026: → Your Business Model – Built for profit, predictability, and joy? → Your Team – Right people in the right seats? → Your Client Base – Working with clients who energize you? → Your Time – How much is proactive vs. reactive? → Your Marketing – Focus on consistency over complexity → Your Systems – Eliminate what's redundant → Your Financial Structure – Align expenses with your vision → Your Health & Energy – Peak performance or running on fumes? → Your Space – Inspiring or cluttering your headspace? → Your Vision – Does your 3-Year Vision still excite you? RightSizing sets you up for the next level. In 2026, refuse to live on autopilot. Audit your commitments, align your priorities, and design 2026 to reflect what truly matters. What is your word for 2026? If this resonated, share it with someone who needs to hear it. Subscribe via email at @askjimmiller. ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ 🔔 SUBSCRIBE → https://askjimmiller.com/contact/ 📲 CONNECT → Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/askjimmiller → LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimmillerchicago → YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@AskJimMiller 📚 RESOURCES → https://askjimmiller.com/my-reading-list-2024/ → https://askjimmiller.com/take-flight-2/
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    9 m
  • ✈️ Take Flight Weekly, Episode #300: Win the Week: The Power of a Weekly Planning Session

    ✈️ Take Flight Weekly, Episode #300: Win the Week: The Power of a Weekly Planning Session
    Oct 26 2025
    On this 300th episode of Take Flight Weekly, I want to teach you one of the simplest, most effective habits for running your business like a professional: the weekly planning session. If you've ever wondered how elite-level entrepreneurs and advisors stay focused, consistent, and calm in the middle of chaos, it's not luck—it comes down to elite-level planning and staying in a rhythm of consistency. Their weeks are built by design. The weekly planning session is your reset button, your opportunity to move from week to week proactively. It sets up each week to ensure that what you're doing each day aligns with your quarterly goals, annual goals, and your 3 Year Vision. Done right, it's the single most important 60 to 90 minutes of your week. When you run a high-performance business, you can't wing it. No one is that good. A weekly planning session ensures you're grounded, focused, and prepared—moving seamlessly from week to week. Without it, you drift into reactive mode, chasing what's urgent instead of what's important. With it, you gain control of your calendar, energy, and your outcomes. Best Practices for a Weekly Planning Session: → Create a recurring calendar invite. Choose the same time every week. Allow 60–90 minutes. Protect this block like a client meeting. → Review all correspondence from the previous week. Ask yourself: Did I miss an opportunity? → Review your previous week's calendar. Identify what worked, what didn't, and what needs follow-up. → Review your upcoming week. What events or meetings need preparation? → Review your CRM. Identify your "Next 10"—the retention and conversion process. → Identify one project that aligns with your quarterly goal. → Review your 3 Year Vision. See it. Feel it. Experience it in advance. When you treat your weekly planning session as a non-negotiable, you'll find yourself more grounded, better prepared, with way fewer missed opportunities. You'll walk into Monday playing on offense without the anxiety of not being prepared. Calculate the monetary value of the missed opportunities with your clients just in the last year. What's that number? $1M, $5M, $15M in production? What did you leave on the table? Get out your calendar right now and schedule a recurring appointment with yourself for 60-90 minutes each week. ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ 🔔 SUBSCRIBE FOR WEEKLY COACHING → Weekly Email: https://askjimmiller.com/contact/ 📲 CONNECT WITH ME → Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/askjimmiller → LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimmillerchicago → YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@AskJimMiller 📚 RESOURCES → Reading List: https://askjimmiller.com/my-reading-list-2024/ → Business Planning: https://askjimmiller.com/take-flight-2/
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    7 m
  • Take Flight Weekly Episode #299: You Have Earned the Right to Want Things and Achieve Things ⭐

    Take Flight Weekly Episode #299: You Have Earned the Right to Want Things and Achieve Things ⭐
    Oct 19 2025
    On this 299th episode of Take Flight Weekly, I want to recognize all of you who are toggling between your life and your business and navigating an industry that never slows down. Will it ever be easy? No. But here's what I know for certain: you've earned the right to want things and achieve things. You've put in the work, you've weathered the storms, and now it's time to claim what's yours: clarity, fulfillment, and a business that is predictable, sustainable, and enjoyable. Over the past year, I've watched many of you wrestle with uncertainty—new compensation models, big industry changes, rising costs, new pressures, heightened expectations. But beneath the stress is something else: proof. Proof that you belong here. Proof that you've earned the right to design a business that rewards your expertise, not your exhaustion. In this episode, I walk you through the hard truths of what you've overcome: Working for months in a 100% commission environment with no financial reward until closing Tending to your family and friends while negotiating deals with stressed clients Rebuilding your systems, protecting your compensation, and staying composed when everyone else is overly emotional Caring for clients at all hours while trying to nurture your own mental and physical health Resisting the constant pull to compare yourself to others You've developed a craft that looks effortless because you've mastered what few ever will. Your value isn't in the transaction—it's in your consistency, your resilience, and your ability to lead with calm during chaos. We have entered a new chapter in this business. The hobbyist era is ending, and that's good news for true professionals. The transactional model is fading. The relationship model is the future. Your clients don't just want service; they want stewardship. They want you. That's why the rest of this year and into 2026 is about right-sizing: simplifying what no longer serves you and doubling down on what does. It's about moving from wide and shallow to narrow and deep. You've earned the right to stop proving yourself and start refining yourself. Here's your challenge this week: Decide what you want next—financially, personally, and relationally. Ambition is not arrogance. Commit to one decision that honors your growth; something that makes your business work for you instead of against you. Acknowledge how far you've come. Write down five moments this year that prove you've earned the right to want things and achieve things. Own them. You don't need permission to want more. You've already earned that right through every late night, every interrupted dinner, and every risk you've taken. Stop apologizing for your ambition. The life and business you want won't happen by luck—it will happen because you finally decide you're worthy of it. Re-listen to this. Make the decision. Claim it. You! Have Earned! The Right! To Want Things! And Achieve Things! 🏆 🔔 SUBSCRIBE FOR WEEKLY REAL ESTATE COACHING New episodes every week with strategies, systems, and mindset coaching to help real estate advisors and entrepreneurs build predictable, enjoyable businesses. Weekly Coaching Email → https://askjimmiller.com/contact/ 📲 CONNECT WITH ME Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/askjimmiller LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimmillerchicago YouTube → https://www.youtube.com/@AskJimMiller 📚 RESOURCES FOR REAL ESTATE PROFESSIONALS My 2024 Real Estate Reading List → https://askjimmiller.com/my-reading-list-2024/ Business Planning Docs + About Me → https://askjimmiller.com/take-flight-2/
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    12 m
  • Take Flight Weekly Episode #298: 5 High Performance Strategies You Cannot Ignore

    Take Flight Weekly Episode #298: 5 High Performance Strategies You Cannot Ignore
    Oct 12 2025
    On this 298th episode of Take Flight Weekly, I'm revealing the five high-performance strategies that have stood the test of time—the fundamentals I would build my entire business around if I had to start over from scratch in 2008. If you study elite-level producers long enough, you'll notice their success looks deceptively simple. They don't chase every shiny object. They master a small set of principles and live them daily. Performance at the highest level isn't about doing more—it's about doing more of what matters, better. Every year, Q4 gives me the time and space to think. This week, during one of those thinking sessions, I asked myself: "If I had to start all over, what five strategies would I build my business around?" In this episode, I break down the five non-negotiable strategies every full-service, full-fee real estate advisor and entrepreneur must master: Use Goals for Fuel. Use Vision for Why. Your goals create structure, but your vision gives it soul. Goals are short-term metrics. Vision is the long-term emotional destination that guides every decision. Declutter Your Life. Fly Light. Simplify your systems, schedule, and surroundings so your energy stays focused on the vital few. Complexity kills execution. Clarity creates capacity. The Weekly Meeting with Yourself. Create your weekly business plan—the most powerful routine for driving consistent results. If you want to win quarters, you have to win weeks. Set aside 1-2 hours weekly to review calls, texts, emails, and DMs. This turns chaos into clarity. Commit to Your CRM. Your CRM is the structural side of the Law of Compensation. It organizes your five lists: Top 100, Top 100 Referral Partners, Warm List, Hot List, and Local Collaborators. Without it, you're operating on memory instead of data. Your CRM is your future income. Use Social Media for Intelligence, Retention, and Conversion. Social media is your digital credibility platform. It serves three purposes: Intelligence (track what clients are up to), Retention (clients confirm you're active and producing), and Conversion (prospects search you first—if you're not verifiable, they move on). BONUS: Create Space to Think. Your best ideas arrive when you pause long enough to listen. Reflection is not idle time—it's strategy. Thoughts create feelings. Feelings create action. Action creates results. These six strategies are the operating system for a scalable business and a sustainable life. When you declutter, plan intentionally, build structure around relationships, and show up online with purpose, you create momentum that compounds. Consistency and simplicity wins. Complexity and chaos fails every single time. 🔔 SUBSCRIBE FOR WEEKLY REAL ESTATE COACHING Weekly Coaching Email → https://askjimmiller.com/contact/ 📲 CONNECT WITH ME Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/askjimmiller LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimmillerchicago YouTube → https://www.youtube.com/@AskJimMiller 📚 RESOURCES My 2024 Reading List → https://askjimmiller.com/my-reading-list-2024/ Business Planning Docs → https://askjimmiller.com/take-flight-2/
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    14 m
  • ✈️ Take Flight Weekly EP #297: 5 Boundaries Every Real Estate Advisor Must Establish

    ✈️ Take Flight Weekly EP #297: 5 Boundaries Every Real Estate Advisor Must Establish
    Sep 28 2025
    real estate advisor, real estate coaching, real estate boundaries, real estate business tips, real estate systems, real estate productivity, realtor success, realtor coaching, business boundaries, client management real estate, time management for advisors, build a real estate business, sustainable real estate success, entrepreneur boundaries, sales coaching real estate, mindset coaching real estate, predictable real estate business, take flight weekly, #AskJimMiller On this 297th episode of Take Flight Weekly, I cover one of the toughest—but most important—skills every real estate advisor must learn: setting boundaries. Too many advisors chase every client, every deal, and every opportunity. The result? Burnout, frustration, and a business that controls you instead of the other way around. Boundaries are not walls—they’re filters. They protect your time, energy, and confidence while allowing you to serve at the highest level. In this episode, I’ll walk you through five core boundaries every advisor must establish if you want to build a business that is predictable, sustainable, profitable, and fulfilling: 1. Price Point – Know your range and protect your time. 2. Geography – Define your markets and own them. 3. Degrees of Separation – Prioritize trusted introductions over cold leads. 4. Structure – Hold firm to your value—no discounting. 5. Client Commitment – Require buy-in to your process, systems, and time. Saying “no” to misaligned opportunities is not leaving money on the table—it’s creating space for the right opportunities. Boundaries are an abundance play. Top producers who master this do not have less opportunity; they have better opportunity. This is your one-on-one coaching session. Listen carefully, take notes, and most importantly—take action. 🔔 SUBSCRIBE FOR WEEKLY REAL ESTATE COACHING New episodes every week with strategies, systems, and mindset coaching to help real estate advisors and entrepreneurs build predictable, enjoyable businesses. • Weekly Coaching Email → https://askjimmiller.com/contact/ 📲 CONNECT WITH ME • Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/askjimmiller • LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimmillerchicago • YouTube → https://www.youtube.com/@AskJimMiller 📚 RESOURCES FOR REAL ESTATE PROFESSIONALS • My 2024 Real Estate Reading List → https://askjimmiller.com/my-reading-list-2024/ • Business Planning Docs + About Me → https://askjimmiller.com/take-flight-2/
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    13 m
  • Take Flight Weekly EP #296: The Only Thing Standing Between You and Success is You

    Take Flight Weekly EP #296: The Only Thing Standing Between You and Success is You
    Sep 21 2025
    What if the only thing separating you from the business and life you want isn’t money, the market, or your competition—but you? In Episode 296 of Take Flight Weekly, I dive into the uncomfortable truth that success often comes down to one thing: your willingness to execute consistently on the basics. This is not theory. This is practical coaching designed to give you a mirror. I will walk you through a series of questions that, if you answer honestly and commit to acting on them, could change the trajectory of your business and your life. These are habits and strategies that cost almost nothing—yet they can transform everything. • We are closing out Q3 2025, and now is the time to get honest with yourself: • Are you further ahead today than you were at the end of Q2? • Have you built sustainable daily, weekly, and quarterly planning habits? • Are you connecting with 10 clients or prospects every single week? • Have you created cloud-based systems and standard operating procedures to streamline your business? • Are you converting clients from low-cost lead sources consistently? If you could answer “yes” to those questions by the end of 2026, would you celebrate? The truth is, none of those results require massive spending. They require commitment, discipline, and focus. The difference between finishing another year frustrated or finally building a predictable, enjoyable business comes down to you. I share my personal story of what I call my “real estate heart attack” in 2008, when stress and uncertainty forced me to wake up at 3:30 a.m. to work on my business. Those early mornings, spent learning, planning, and improving myself, built the foundation of everything I teach today. The lesson? You don’t have to spend money to get results. You just have to invest in yourself. By early Q4 2025, your 2026 business plan should be written and in motion. That plan is not about doing more—it’s about becoming more. Consistency. Execution. The boring, unsexy work that compounds over time into extraordinary results. This episode is your one-on-one coaching session. Listen carefully, take notes, and then take action. Because at the end of the day, the only thing standing between you and success is you. 🔔 SUBSCRIBE FOR WEEKLY REAL ESTATE COACHING New episodes every week with strategies, systems, and mindset coaching to help real estate advisors and entrepreneurs build predictable, enjoyable businesses. • Weekly Coaching Email → https://askjimmiller.com/contact/ 📲 CONNECT WITH ME Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/askjimmiller LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimmillerchicago YouTube → https://www.youtube.com/@AskJimMiller 📚 RESOURCES FOR REAL ESTATE PROFESSIONALS • My 2024 Real Estate Reading List → https://askjimmiller.com/my-reading-list-2024/ • Business Planning Docs + About Me → https://askjimmiller.com/take-flight-2/
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    11 m