From Commissions to Connection: Faith, Work Ethic, and 5x Growth with Nick LaBate

New agents chase leads; pros chase consistency and character. In this conversation, Realtor Nick LaBate shares how centering his business on faith, choosing connections over commissions, and running a disciplined morning system took him from ~$6–8M a year to ~$25M—and why he’s now blueprinting a $50M year. We break down his 4:30 a.m. routine, prospecting cadence, how to remove drama from heated deals, and the mindset shift that made everything click.

Key Takeaways

• Connection > Commission: Put the client’s interest first. The dividends show up later—bigger and better.

• Consistency compounds: Daily prospecting beats the feast-or-famine cycle. Same morning system, Monday–Thursday.

• Belief drives performance: When your conviction matches your habits, results jump.

• Slow the drama: When emotions spike, step back for hours—not minutes—then solve.

• Design your day: Faith → fitness → family → focused prospecting → afternoon appointments.

• Know your why: A real purpose prevents burnout; if you don’t have it, pivot.

• Level up with systems: Buy back time so you can do high-leverage work (matching buyers/sellers, luxury focus).

Chapter Markers

• 00:00 — Why faith changed Nick’s business

• 02:45 — Work ethic origins: splitting wood for a first phone

• 06:30 — Credibility hurdles as a young agent

• 09:45 — Mentorship and “teach to fish” foundations

• 15:40 — Phones, mailers, sphere: the simple, hard stuff

• 19:50 — The belief inflection point (≈$8M → ≈$26M)

• 24:30 — 1% better daily; momentum and grace

• 30:10 — Perfect-day design: 4:30 a.m. routine & prospect blocks

• 35:20 — Consistency vs. burnout and having a why

• 38:05 — Next 5 years: systems, luxury, and a $50M target

• 39:50 — How to reach Nick & closing thoughts

Nick’s “Perfect Day” Framework (steal this)

• 4:30–5:30 a.m.: Devotional/prayer + light stretch

• 5:30–6:30 a.m.: Gym

• 6:30–7:30 a.m.: Coffee + quiet

• 7:30–9:00 a.m.: Family time

• 9:00–9:30 a.m.: Inbox, quick follow-ups

• 9:30–12:00 p.m.: Prospecting (phones + mailers/sphere/social)

• Afternoons: Appointments, showings, negotiations

• Friday: Work from home, family-centric, still touch the system

Try This This Week

1. 60 minutes of calls daily (no zero days).

2. 100 mailers or 50 warm reach-outs.

3. Write your WHY on an index card; keep it at your desk.

4. When a deal gets hot, remove the drama—pause 3–4 hours, then re-approach.

Pull Quotes

• “Connections over commissions.” —Nick

• “You can’t do the right things over time and not get the right results.” —Mark

• “When belief caught up with my habits, my volume jumped.” —Nick

• “Take the drama out of the deal, and solutions appear.” —Nick

Resources Mentioned

• Daily devotional / morning routine