What happens when you stop building your real estate business the way everyone tells you to and start building it around who you really are? On this episode, JD Reese shares how he rebuilt from that exact moment and what came next. He takes us inside Genuine Real Estate Group, one of the most consistent teams in Southern Utah, where 60 listings stay active and under contract, and agent turnover is nearly zero. He breaks down how they keep that kind of performance steady without burning out. From pricing strategy and emotional sellers to tracking accountability and team culture, JD gets into the decisions that drive results. “You’ve got to be the best house and the best offering in the neighborhood,” he says. But that’s just the beginning. JD also unpacks how his team uses tools like Sisu’s new product “Battr”, to track every step of the lead journey, flag breakdowns, and stay focused on what actually moves the needle. “It’s not about more leads. It’s about calling fewer leads more.” No outbound recruiting. No scripts. Just structure, speed, and real coaching. “If you're not converting anything into your name, your database is too small.” You’ll hear how they onboard new agents, use mentorship to drive growth, and create space for real conversations instead of surface-level tactics. Top Takeaways:

(1:56) Listings sitting longer & seller strategy

(3:22) Pricing strategy that actually works

(7:26) Impact of interest rates dropping to 5%

(10:31) Lead gen strategy for every listing

(11:26) Sisu's new product “Battr”

(12:29) Tracking lead life from start to close

(18:24) Lead spending vs. accountability

(20:45) Training agents without scripts

(23:53) Using Sisu dashboards to coach agents

(28:05) Picky recruiting & low team turnover

(31:05) Builder partnerships through lead strategy

(33:58) Real estate and Porsche passions

(36:47) The 1% rule for long-term growth If you’re trying to build a business that lasts and lead in a market where most are pulling back, this one’s worth your time. Hit play and dive in. About JD Reese JD Reese is the founder and CEO of The Genuine Group, a real estate team based in Southern Utah. With nearly a decade in the industry, he’s facilitated close to 1,000 transactions and continues to stay active in both sales and team leadership. Raised in St. George, JD brings local expertise and a strong focus on systems, follow-up, and agent development. He’s also a licensed general contractor and runs his business with a hands-on, practical approach. Connect with JD Reese:

LinkedIn

JD Reese - Instagram

The Genuine Group - Instagram

This week on GRIT: The Real Estate Growth Mindset, Brian Charlesworth is joined by Jace Gillies, team leader at Utah Life. They talk about growth, leadership, and building a team that performs with consistency. From closing 29 deals in his first year to now leading over 90 agents, Jace shares what it looks like to scale while keeping culture intact. Jace talks about his start in real estate, coming from warehouse work and having no idea how to write a contract. A quick ask for help turned into joining a six-agent team and earning six figures in year one. “I thought I couldn’t make money on a team, but I had no idea what teams even offered,” he says. The conversation moves into Jace’s transition from top producer to team leader and what it took to turn around the Salt Lake office. With systems missing and accountability lacking, Jace lost nearly half the agents in his first month. “They didn’t want to work. They didn’t want to be held accountable,” he explains. But with daily effort, recruiting, and buy-in, that office went on to close over $100M. Brian asks Jace about recruiting, and Jace shares the script and mindset shift that helped him add 31 agents in one quarter. He highlights how he uses social proof, automation, and consistent follow-up to find the right people. “I finally believed we were the best place for agents. Once I owned that, everything changed,” he says. They close out by discussing agent productivity and how Sisu plays a central role. From onboarding to coaching to contests, everything is built around tracking what matters. “I don’t know how to coach without numbers. Sisu gives us everything,” Jace adds. Top Takeaways:

(4:16) Value of teams & shifting mindset

(9:35) Taking over the salt lake office

(14:09) Mental shift in recruiting

(18:24) Tracking for predictable closings

(25:57) Sales contests & team culture

(29:50) Leading by example in real time

(33:26) Impact of sisu on everything If you're a team leader looking for structure or an agent trying to grow without guessing, this episode is packed with examples of how to do both. Tune in now! About Jace Gillies Jace Gillies leads the Salt Lake City expansion at Utah Life Real Estate. He entered the industry five years ago and now oversees sales for the entire team. Using Sisu, Jace coaches agents, tracks performance, and drives recruiting. His focus is on building a team where growth and results stay consistent.

Connect with Jace:

LinkedIn

In this episode of GRIT: The Real Estate Growth Mindset, Brian Charlesworth sits down with Leo Pareja, CEO of eXp Realty, to talk about the journey from selling nearly 4,000 homes to leading one of the fastest-growing brokerages in the industry. Leo shares how he started in real estate at 19, thinking he would be an investor, and became one of the country's top agents. Leo dives into how market cycles shaped his career, from making over $300,000 as a college student to nearly going bankrupt during the 2008 financial crisis. He explains how those experiences taught him to adapt and build resilience. "I thought I was that good. I wasn’t. I was just in a bubble," he admits. He also shares how these lessons now influence his leadership at eXp, where he focuses on staying ahead of industry shifts. The conversation explores what it takes to scale in real estate. Leo discusses how he built one of the first teams to do over $100 million in sales and why understanding unit economics and market timing made the difference. He explains how the best agents and teams today focus on efficiency, lead generation, and knowing their numbers. As CEO, Leo is now leading eXp 2.0, a new phase of the company focused on making everything faster, smoother, and more agent-centric. He breaks down how eXp is investing in better technology, faster payments, and deeper agent support to stay ahead. "My goal is to deliver so much value that it’s silly not to be with us," he says. Leo also gets personal, sharing how he prioritizes family and work-life balance despite a demanding role. He tracks time with his kids, blocks out non-negotiable time for them, and keeps his schedule tight. "90 percent of the time you’ll spend with your kids is before they turn 18. Make it count," he shares.

Top Takeaways:

(1:53) Leo's real estate and tech journey

(6:22) Entering tech at the worst possible time

(8:32) The first big real estate win

(10:19) The two ways to scale in real estate

(11:27) Why should agents not copy top producers?

(13:38) The importance of relationships

(19:15) Why eXp changed everything

(20:49) Why franchises are dying

(21:53) What makes eXp 2.0 different?

(24:54) Real estate market growth predictions

(27:43) What agents should focus on now

(29:42) Adapting to change in business

(31:08) Controlling your own success Don’t miss this episode if you want insight into scaling a business, navigating market cycles, and building a real estate career that lasts. Tune in to hear Leo’s perspective on the future of the industry and how the right mindset can make all the difference. About Leo Pareja

Leo Pareja started his real estate career at 19 and became the #1 Keller Williams Agent worldwide by 28. Over 15 years, he sold around 4,000 homes before co-founding Washington Capital Partners in 2012, which grew into one of the largest private lending firms on the East Coast. In 2016, he co-founded Remine, a real estate tech platform that reached 80% market share and over 1.1 million users. After exiting both companies, he joined eXp Realty’s leadership team and now serves as CEO. He has been featured in the Swanepoel Power 200 and co-founded the Pareja Family Foundation, providing scholarships for women and minorities to enter the tech industry.

Connect with Leo:

Website

LinkedIn