Stay Paid Podcast – Episode Summary

Podcast: Stay Paid Podcast
Hosts: Luke Acree, Josh Stike, Stephen Acree, Cody Smith
Guest: Matt Curcio
Episode: How Matt Curcio Built a 900-Agent Downline
Release Date: October 2, 2025

Episode Overview

In this episode, the Stay Paid Podcast welcomes powerhouse New Jersey Realtor, Matt Curcio. With a track record spanning over two decades, Matt shares how he rapidly built a downline of 900 agents at Real Broker. The conversation uncovers his philosophy of value-driven networking, why authentic community-building works better than hard-selling, and the specific tactics Matt uses (and avoids) to scale his business and influence. Listeners get actionable insights on building a strong professional reputation, the realities of revenue share models, and why being a genuinely good person is central to sustainable recruiting and leadership.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Matt Curcio’s Journey & Mindset

• Leverage and Leadership: Matt started expanding beyond solo real estate after realizing his business was too dependent on his personal output. An injury convinced him to start a team for better leverage and stability.
  • "If I broke my leg last night, my kids aren't eating in three months." (02:54)
• Transition to Downline Building: Matt leveraged team-building experience to build large agent networks at eXp and then Real Broker, always focusing on providing value.
• Proximity & Influence: Matt credits much of his success to being in the right rooms and circles, emphasizing the concept “proximity is power.” (06:16 onward)

2. Building a Downline: Not About Hard Selling

• No Pressure Recruitment: Matt became known for “selling and delivering value without selling,” a trait that draws agents in rather than pushes them away.
  • "They don't feel like you're selling them, and that's just incredible." (01:53)
• Value-First Engagement: Focused on curating high-quality events, masterminds, and connections rather than overt recruitment pitches.
• Not an MLM Gimmick: Matt demystifies real estate network models, emphasizing genuine business growth over exploitative ‘MLM’ tactics.
  • "There's an MLM behind the scenes, but it's not an MLM where you're putting toilet paper on a monthly, you know, recurring order..." (04:13)
• Tailored Conversations: Never force-fits a “revenue share” pitch; listens for agents' true motivations (“some people care about Rev Share, some don’t”).

3. Tactics and Systems

• Events as Core Strategy: Matt hosts four or more annual events, focusing on education, upskilling, and local networking—never selling.
  • "We run it with different brokerages and we have a clear no recruiting because I'm not going to bring my agents if Berkshire starts recruiting..." (12:45)
• Sponsorships for Scale: Most events are sponsored, keeping costs low and participation high. (17:08)
• Attraction-based, Not Outbound: No cold outreach, drip email campaigns, or software-driven recruitment. Instead, his system is based on inbound interest from agents experiencing value at his events or interacting in the community.
  • "We're kind of attraction based where we're not really using softwares or anything like that." (14:23)
• Local Mentorship: Maintains a very small local team for hands-on mentorship, preferring agents “grow up and grow off” once trained. (15:42)

4. Community, Culture, and Compatibility

• Importance of Reputation in Local Market:
  • "You could be doing a bunch of business but they may not want to be around you. So again, it goes back to being a good person in your marketplace." (25:32)
• Long-Term Thinking: Leaders must avoid shortcuts—slow-cooked relationships and reputations have more lasting impact than quick wins.
  • "You cannot quick bake. You cannot microwave a leader. They have to be slow cooked." (27:29)
• Responsiveness & Support: Being available to agents and co-ops is a “secret sauce” for attraction and retention.
  • "Thank you for picking up on the first ring... that helps them, see, Matt's available." (20:35)

5. Reality Check on Revenue Share Models

• Not Everyone Wins: Only 12-15% of agents in these brokerage models earn anything from revenue share.
  • "More than 80% of all these revenue share models don't collect a dollar in revenue share at all." (10:12)
• You Must Produce: Revenue share only exists if agents are closing homes; “big numbers” don’t matter if there’s no production.
  • "Revenue share doesn't exist if nobody's closing houses." (14:09)
• Retention & Attrition: Networks naturally shrink if leadership becomes too hands-off; keeping people engaged is essential.

6. Common Mistakes in Downline Building

• Overhyping Revenue Share: The “throw up” approach of hyping up Rev Share turns people off and is inaccurate for most agents. (25:12)
• Poor Reputation: Even large producers may struggle to recruit if they are not well-liked or respected in their market.
• Lack of Authenticity: Sustainable downlines are built on sincerity, presence, and consistent value, not aggressive tactics.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Team Leverage:
  "If I broke my leg last night, my kids aren't eating in three months." – Matt Curcio [02:54]
• On Recruiting Philosophy:
  "We just drop tons of value and they want to be around. If you teach people to get in the right rooms to help their businesses grow, proximity is power." – Matt Curcio [05:48]
• On Attraction vs. Outreach:
  "We're kind of attraction based... not really using softwares or anything like that." – Matt Curcio [14:23]
• On Event Strategy:
  "We run it with different brokerages and we have a clear no recruiting..." – Matt Curcio [12:45]
• On Reputation:
  "You could be doing a bunch of business but they may not want to be around you. So again, it goes back to being a good person in your marketplace." – Matt Curcio [25:32]
• On Building Leaders:
  "You cannot quick bake. You cannot microwave a leader. ...They have to be slow cooked." – Luke Acree [27:29]
• On Revenue Share Reality:
  "More than 80% of all these revenue share models don't collect a dollar in revenue share at all." – Matt Curcio [10:12]
• Responsiveness as Differentiator:
  "Thank you for picking up on the first ring... that helps them, see, Matt's available." – Matt Curcio [20:35]
• On Community and Competition:
  "If you can get Realtors to stop being jerks to each other, you get so much more real estate sold." – Matt Curcio recounting advice from Nikki Shaw [12:08]

Timestamps of Key Segments

• Matt’s Background & Achievements [00:56 – 02:00]
• Switch to Team Building & Motivation [02:48 – 04:20]
• Realities of MLM/Downline Models [04:12 – 06:30]
• Networking for Success [07:00 – 08:00]
• How to Recruit Without ‘Selling’ [09:32 – 11:00]
• Role of Events in Downline Growth [11:18 – 13:44]
• Event Execution and Scaling [16:24 – 18:54]
• Local Presence & Responsiveness [20:33 – 21:13]
• Revenue Share Reality & Agent Production [23:04 – 24:54]
• Why Some Downlines Fail [25:12 – 26:04]
• Sustainable Leadership (Long-Term Mindset) [27:29 – 28:41]

Actionable Takeaways

• Focus on delivering value rather than pushing a sales pitch; give agents reasons to want to join you.
• Host authentic, non-salesy events to build relationships and demonstrate your value in the marketplace.
• Be present, available, and supportive to those in your network. Responsiveness is a competitive edge.
• Success in referral/revenue share models requires genuine production—both you and your network must sell homes.
• Your professional reputation is invaluable: check in with your market regularly to see how you’re perceived.
• Building a sizable downline is a long-game of consistent, values-based leadership, not shortcuts.

Connect with Matt Curcio

• Instagram: @MJCurcio7
  "Everybody's welcome in my world." – Matt Curcio [29:08]

This episode is a masterclass in relationship-based business building, perfect for agents or entrepreneurs looking to elevate their growth strategy, reputation, and leadership in any market.