From Bartender to Rookie Mentor: Carson Erickson’s Minnesota Real Estate Playbook

Forest Lake–based agent Carson Erickson went from juggling bartending, city work, and coaching lacrosse to passing his exam on the first try and closing a wildly complex first deal. He breaks down how he built momentum fast with open houses, consistent social content (yes, “Waterfront Wednesdays” ice dips), and ruthless time-blocking—then leveled up to mentoring new agents.

What you’ll learn:

How Carson landed his first listing in ~3 months and handled a 3x-fallout contract
Open houses as a rookie growth engine (how to pick the right ones + what to prep)
Building credibility when you’re young/new: short-form education and weekly posting
Time blocking, non-negotiables, and the calendar habit that changed everything
Finding clients without a past book: sphere, lender partners, door-knocking, circle dialing
First-time buyers focus: educating, setting expectations, and keeping stress low
Mentorship, accountability buddies, and planning a path to leading a team
Chapters:

00:00 Carson’s origin story (multi-job hustle to real estate)
01:16 Market and brokerage: Forest Lake/Twin Cities North; Call It Closed; Class & Home Group
03:45 Licensing path (Kaplan online, weekly mentor coffees, passed first try)
06:56 First listing in ~3 months—and the most complex deal of his career
10:45 Marketing when you’re new: beat imposter syndrome, show your knowledge
12:15 Social strategy: weekly education + “Waterfront Wednesdays” ice dips
13:45 First client via Facebook Marketplace; early wins from open houses
15:10 Open house playbook: selecting winners, knowing the house, simple scripts
16:56 Team growth, brokerage switch, and stepping into mentorship
19:55 Biggest rookie challenges: running a business + finding clients
22:06 Prospecting mix: sphere, lenders, door-knocking, circle dialing, social
24:45 Training cadence, continuing ed, and never stopping the learning loop
26:30 Memorable save: a delayed close turns into a better home at a better price
28:50 Client relationships: be yourself, reduce stress, enjoy the process
30:05 5-year vision: start a team, shift toward coaching agents
31:10 Lightning round: book recs, day-in-the-life, advice to rookies
35:07 Where to follow Carson
Connect with Carson:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carson.is.closing/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61580399647131
Email: [e-mail]
Market: Forest Lake and North Twin Cities, MN
Brokerage/Team: https://carsonerickson.callitclosed.com/