Stay Paid Podcast (Sept 15, 2025): "Accounting For Agents, Podcasting Wins & Social Media Lead Myths"

Hosts: Luke Acree (ReminderMedia), Cody Smith & Stephen Acree (Acre Brothers Real Estate)
Episode Theme:
This live call-in episode tackles some of the most practical roadblocks agents and entrepreneurs face—including mastering basic business accounting, evaluating the ROI of podcasting, and unlocking the true power of social media relationships. The hosts offer no-nonsense, battle-tested advice designed to help agents and entrepreneurs level up through systems, clarity, and actionable steps.

1. Essential Accounting for Agents

Segment: 00:00 - 16:12

Main Caller: Gene (Missouri-based ReMax Agent, 7 years experience)

Key Topic:

Why isn’t basic accounting and bookkeeping properly taught to real estate agents, and how can agents build systems that actually help them run their businesses successfully?

Key Discussion Points & Advice

• Lack of Industry Education

  • Agents aren’t taught essential accounting; even high school education lacks real-world business acumen.
  • Luke Acree: “They don’t even teach that… It’s shocking.” [02:47]

• The Pain of DIY Accounting

  • Many waste money on accountants before revenue justifies it, adding stress in slow years.
  • QuickBooks is recommended, but without daily discipline, chaos quickly builds up.

• Framework from the Field

  • Acre Brothers’ Formula: 30% expenses / 40% cost of sale / 30% profit.
    • Label every expense specifically (ex: gas vs. vehicle maintenance) for clarity.
    • Stephen Acree: "When we downloaded the chart of accounts, there was a lot of broad stuff... You have to be able to accurately determine things very quickly.” [08:17]
  • Daily accounting is non-negotiable:
    • Luke Acree: “…on your calendar every day, at the close of every day, you need to balance the account every day.” [09:51]

• Tracking & Budgeting for Solo Agents

  • For solo agents: your cost of sale is typically what you pay your brokerage, plus transaction fees.
  • Back your business out from your target profit (“profit first” approach).
  • Know your goal number—then reverse-engineer: what activities and expenses will get you there?
    • Quote: “Start your accounting at your profit to figure out... then you make decisions based on your expenses.” – (Stephen, 13:36)

• Takeaway Steps

  • Use (or download) an industry-specific chart of accounts for QuickBooks.
  • Implement a daily process: reconcile expenditures and income every single day.
  • Organize your sphere-of-influence/contact database for better business tracking.

Notable Quotes:

• Luke: “What you focus on expands. Right. Where your focus goes, your energy flows.” [14:04]
• Stephen: “There is no magic formula… it really is knowing your numbers.” [08:34]
• Luke: “…it's only just more painful when you haven't done it. We lived through that as Acre brothers.” [15:02]

2. Does Podcasting Really Work for Business Growth?

Segment: 17:04 – 32:02

Main Caller: Jay Quigley (Tampa, FL, 24 transactions, $16M)

Key Questions:

• Has launching the Stay Paid podcast helped ReminderMedia build its brand and client base?
• Should a real estate agent consider starting a podcast themselves? What are the pitfalls or best practices?

Key Insights

• Podcasting’s Real Value

  • The real gold: relationships with guests, not just listener numbers.
  • Consistency is key—most podcasts fail from “Pod Fade” (quitting after <10 episodes).
  • “For three years, we did Reminder Media Stay Paid… nobody listened.” – Luke Acree [19:53]
  • Leverage relationships and networking; traction will follow.

• Metrics & ROI

  • Podcasting is not a direct-response tactic—ROI comes from connections, brand authority, and strategic introductions.
  • “Unless you’re selling ads… the connections and relationships… have been unbelievable.” – Luke Acree [24:12]
  • Joining established stages (other people’s audiences) accelerates brand building.
  • Define a clear end goal: Is it relationships, consumer leads, or industry influence?

• Tactical Advice

  • Don’t start unless you have consistent bandwidth—record 4-5 episodes before launch.
  • Ignore low view counts—focus on your sphere: “If you have 200 people in your database and can average 200 views, you’re crushing it a year in.”
  • Don’t let the podcast cannibalize what’s already working for you; add, don’t replace.
  • Track your activity/ROI, but recognize brand-building is intangible and long-term.

Notable Quotes:

• “The biggest pain in podcasting is producing content consistently and especially when you’re getting no traction… Pod Fade.” – Luke Acree [18:41]
• “We just didn’t have a clear picture or couldn’t see the trajectory… so we stopped it.” – Stephen Acree on past failed podcast [25:26]
• “If something’s worth doing, it’s worth doing well... so don’t do something and not try to do it well…” – Luke [29:17]

3. Turning Social Media Connections Into Loyal Clients

Segment: 32:25 – 45:31

Main Caller: Courtney Thompson (Richmond, VA, new agent, former teacher, 3 weeks in the business)

Key Question:

What’s the most overlooked move for turning a casual social media connection or quick chat into a loyal client or referral partner?

Key Insights

• Lead With Your Sphere First (not social media)

  • For new agents, the only thing you should focus on at first: call everyone you know.
    • “The only thing we focus on is sphere. We won’t make one other activity.” – Cody Smith [34:07]
  • Classify your sphere: VIPs (top 10%), Tier 1 (call quarterly), Tier 2 (annual touches).

• How to Approach Social Media

  • Social media is mostly an amplifier—it keeps you top of mind with your sphere, not a cold-lead engine when starting out.
    • “Social media is just to make my sphere... see that I’m an active realtor doing business in my local area.” – Stephen [37:08]
  • Share both business activity and personal stories/values (e.g., teaching background, family) to build authentic rapport.

• Client Nurture Advice for New Agents

  • Make a list—aim for at least 100 sphere entries. Call all 60 if that’s what you have.
  • Be direct with your outreach: “I’m reaching out because I value our relationship…”
  • Offer simple, meaningful value: free home value reports, local guides, invite to events.

• Practical Social Strategy:

  • Cody’s “3x3x3” rule: Each day, like 3 posts, comment on 3, post 3 times, add 3 friends, DM 3 people. “Do that every day.” [42:22]
  • It’s about disciplined, systematic, repeatable action.

Notable Quotes:

• “Marketing doesn’t have to be the perfect script. It must be frequency. Frequency creates greatness.” – Luke Acree [44:45]
• “There is no magic formula to social media. It literally is just the consistency behind it.” – Stephen [43:58]

4. Standing Out as a Multimedia Brand Agency

Segment: 46:37 – 58:22

Main Caller: Shravni (Founder of a personal brand agency)

Key Question:

How do you make your agency’s value clear to prospects who can’t discern your “high-benefit multimedia” branding from cheap, commoditized PR services?

Key Insights

• Biggest Mistake: Talking Features, Not Results

  • If your pitch isn’t focused on business value and tangible outcomes, prospects will default to comparing price alone.
  • “Everything relates down to how much money are you bringing that company.” – Stephen [49:44]

• Sharpening the Pitch

  • Use case studies and niche-specific testimonials.
  • Use feature comparison charts, but tie every differentiator to business outcomes (not just feature checklists).
  • “When you confuse, you lose… And how you’re describing it to us, you’re losing.” – Luke Acree [55:06]

• Niche Down for Clarity

  • The broader and more “blue ocean” your positioning, the less your ideal prospect will see themselves in your offer.
  • Identify exactly who your best clients are—and build copy, ads, and outreach with that avatar in mind.
  • “The death of every entrepreneur is they just see the world as a blue ocean … get really niche, master that niche.” – Luke [54:00]

Notable Quotes:

• “There’s a difference between having value and communicating what that value is.” – Luke [58:26]
• “A lot of real estate agents… are doing well. But if you want to grow, you got to know your numbers, you got to have the system, the plan…” – Stephen [59:26]

5. Rapid Fire Takeaways & Final Thoughts

• Daily discipline in accounting, contacts, and client touches is the differentiator between top and average performers.
• Don’t chase every opportunity; focus on systems, niches, and consistent action.
• The highest ROI marketing is often rooted in relationships and real value—not just advertising or technology.
• Be relentless, patient, and systematic, especially in the dull, repetitive “boring stuff”—that’s where greatness is built.

Memorable Moments & Quotes (with Timestamps)

• “What you focus on expands. Right. Where your focus goes, your energy flows.” — Luke, [14:04]
• “For three years, nobody listened... Mondays and Thursdays, releasing episodes, no views, no listeners.” — Luke, [19:53]
• “There is no magic formula. It really is knowing your numbers.” — Stephen, [08:34]
• “If something’s worth doing, it’s worth doing well...” — Luke, [29:17]
• “When you confuse, you lose.” — Luke, [55:06]
• “Call all 60 people, add to that database... Be relentless.” — Luke, [44:30]
• “The difference between top producers and mediocre producers: top producers take action.” — Stephen, [61:25]

Resources and Connections

• remindermedia.com/ask
• Hosts:
  • Instagram: @LukeAcree, @Stephen_Acree, @Cody_Smith
• Podcast show notes and resources: staypaidpodcast.com

This summary brings you all the practical strategies, hard-earned insights, and motivating moments from the episode—so you can apply these lessons and take massive action in your business today.