Many teams in real estate are struggling with how to grow without overspending on leads or losing control of profitability. At the same time, leaders are facing shifting interest rates, limited inventory, and the challenge of keeping agents productive in a competitive market.

On this episode of the GRIT podcast, Brian Charlesworth sits down with Robert Conway from the Jeremy Orton Group in Idaho. Robert leads both operations and sales, giving him a unique view of how to scale while keeping systems and people aligned.

Robert shares how he approached cutting lead costs, building a referral-based business, and using Sisu’s predictive models to forecast closings with precision. He explains why accountability is central to the culture of their team. “Accountability is the highest form of love,” he says.

With a team of 12 agents today and a goal to grow further, Robert talks about what it takes to bring new people into production quickly and why referrals remain their strongest growth channel. “It’s not the quantity of leads, it’s the quality and how you work it,” he adds.

Top Takeaways:

(4:40) Cutting lead costs without losing closings

(7:05) Using Sisu to forecast team growth

(10:39) Industry consolidation and AI ecosystems

(15:36) Explaining rates with “marry the house, date the rate”

(21:12) Will the U.S. hit 5M home sales again?

(26:03) Data, Sisu, and building accountability into culture

(28:37) Netting 18 agents before expansion

(33:46) How the team staggers new agent onboarding

(37:01) Fixing cracks in systems before they become canyons

If you are trying to figure out how to balance growth with profitability, and what to expect as the market shifts again, this conversation will give you practical insights you can apply to your own business. Tune in now to catch the full episode.

About Robert Conway

Robert Conway is the Director of Sales and Business Development at the Jeremy Orton Real Estate Group in Twin Falls, Idaho. He oversees both operations and sales for the team, which currently has 12 agents and is aiming to grow to 20. Robert has more than 15 years of management experience, with degrees in psychology, business, and human resources. He moved into real estate over three years ago to bring more flexibility to his life while driving the group’s growth and systems.

Connect with Robert:

LinkedIn

Real estate is an industry where the market can change overnight, making it harder for agents to know how to stay consistent. Some try to solve this by chasing more leads or working longer hours, but that often leads to burnout instead of growth. What if there was a way to build a predictable business no matter what the market does? That is what Zoocasa has been doing. Starting as a small brokerage in Ontario, Zoocasa built its own lead generation platform before joining eXp Realty in 2022. Today, they run one of the largest virtual real estate teams in North America with over 230 agents in their Agent Accelerator program. Their model provides the systems, coaching, and accountability that agents need to get into production and stay there. Carrie Linton Lysenko, CEO of Zoocasa, shares how they built a platform that now powers lead flow and technology for thousands of agents. Brittany Kostov, the company’s first agent and now Director of Sales, talks about what it takes to lead a fully remote team at this scale. “It’s all about creating an environment where agents feel supported and challenged,” says Brittany. In this conversation, Brian Charlesworth digs into how their team improved conversion rates from 2 percent to nearly 7 percent in just three quarters by using data and consistent coaching. Carrie explains how they hold leads longer and only pass them to agents when they are ready to take action. “Do the hard things until they aren’t hard anymore,” she says. Top Takeaways:

(0:55) From local brokerage to joining eXp

(4:32) Zoocasa’s surprising tech origins

(8:32) Why real estate success is always local

(14:55) From 2% to 7% conversion growth

(19:43) Daily huddles that keep agents aligned

(21:16) Monday focus on objections and wins

(24:08) Doing the hard things every day

(30:36) Staying connected during tough times

(33:39) Comparing the US and Canadian markets

(35:29) Creating a culture of accountability

You will also hear how their daily huddles keep agents connected across different markets, how they build accountability without micromanaging, and why their approach works even when transactions are down nationally. If you are trying to build a business that grows steadily instead of depending on market ups and downs, this episode is for you. Tune in now! About Carrie Linton Lysenko Carrie Linton Lysenko is the CEO of Zoocasa, leading its growth across Canada and the US. She has over 20 years of experience in marketing and digital business strategy. Carrie guided Zoocasa through its acquisition by eXp Realty and expansion into new markets. She oversees teams across product, sales, and operations to deliver scalable real estate solutions. Connect with Carrie:

LinkedIn About Brittany Kostov Brittany Kostov is the Sales Director at Zoocasa, managing agent recruitment and training. She supports agents with tools and processes to maintain high performance across the team. Brittany started as one of Zoocasa’s top agents, helping clients navigate buying and selling. She now focuses on building and developing the brokerage’s growing agent network. Connect with Brittany:

LinkedIn

Many agents are feeling the pressure as deals get harder to close and the market shifts. Some are waiting for things to improve, while others are putting in the work now to get ahead. The difference comes down to skills, systems, and long-term planning.

Jim Amen has lived through challenging markets before. He started in real estate during the 2008 housing crisis, first as an appraiser and later as a broker. What began as a small brokerage is now a 41-agent team in Sacramento. “You have to be willing to pivot when the market shifts,” Jim says.

In this episode, Jim talks with Brian Charlesworth about why his team has been able to grow year after year while so many others are falling behind. He explains the simple daily habits that drive results, including focused prospecting, clear expectations, and strong accountability.

Jim also shares how he built seven different revenue streams to protect his business and create new opportunities. From mortgage partnerships to flipping mobile homes, these extra businesses allow his team to scale without relying only on commissions.

They dig into how tools like Sisu and Battr help his team track data, hold agents accountable, and build a two-year pipeline instead of chasing short-term leads. “Building wealth comes from the work you do now, before the market turns,” Jim explains.

Top Takeaways:

(1:45) From marketing director to real estate team leader

(6:43) Growing while 71% of agents sell nothing

(7:53) Simple habits and expectations that drive success

(10:09) Taking market share before the shift hits

(12:56) Building wealth beyond just selling homes

(15:43) Lessons from losing $1M while scaling a team

(22:04) Why solo agents struggle to succeed today

(23:03) What joining a team really provides

(24:29) Turning client tracking into revenue with Sisu

(25:42) $150K in operations funded by TC fees

(27:09) Adding seven income streams to the business

(32:33) Four-step process to build a two-year pipeline

(34:58) Automating lead follow-up with Battr and AI

Listen in to learn how to prepare your team for the next big market shift and how to create a business that lasts.

About Jim Amen

Jim Amen is the CEO and Founder of Amen Real Estate, serving 14 counties across Northern California. With over 30 years of experience, including 20 years in real estate and 10 years in marketing, Jim brings a unique perspective to his work. He has completed over 4,000 home appraisals and has been part of multiple Realtor Associations for years. Jim also runs SOAR, a training company focused on coaching agents nationwide.

Connect with Jim:

Website