Stay Paid Podcast Summary

Episode: The HARSH Truth About What Makes Top Agents Succeed | Vince Leisey

Release Date: December 1, 2025
Guest: Vince Leisey, President of Berkshire Hathaway Home Services Network and CEO of BHHS Ambassador Real Estate
Hosts: Luke Acree and Josh Stike

Overview

This episode dives deep into the fundamentals of what separates top real estate agents from the rest, exploring the role of discipline, culture, coaching, and adaptation in a rapidly evolving industry. Vince Leisey shares the essential (and sometimes harsh) truths about success, the necessity of cultivating relationships, and the impact of organizational culture—especially in the face-to-face era versus remote work. Listeners get actionable insights into leadership, accountability, and what brokerages and agents must focus on to survive in a future marked by industry consolidation and rising consumer expectations.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Leadership Lessons and the Value of Patience

• Hardest Leadership Lesson: Vince candidly admits his struggle with impatience due to his ADHD and reflects on how learning patience is crucial for effective leadership and team unity.
  • “When I'm not patient, then I don't make good decisions. You don't get people to buy into what I'm doing…It's bringing people together to work as a team…Even today, I still have to work on that.”
    (Vince, 01:24)
• Patience vs. Speed: Vince embraces action and decision-making but stresses the importance of knowing when to move fast and when to slow down and gather the right facts.
  • “The more knowledge you have, the better your ability is to make faster decisions…We're gonna make more bad decisions than all of our competition combined, but we're going to make more good decisions because we're not going to sit on the sideline for the fear of failure.”
    (Vince, 02:42 & 05:09)

2. Culture: Face-to-Face Trumps Virtual

• Physical Presence Builds True Culture: Vince stands firm that the best cultures are grown through regular, in-person interaction—be it company events, potlucks, or just hallway conversations.
  • “I believe culture…is built best when you're face to face. You nurture stronger and better relationships when we're together in the same space.”
    (Vince, 06:31)
• Downside of Remote Work: While virtual tools enabled productivity, they eroded personal connection, relationship-building, and ultimately loyalty and retention.
  (Luke Acree, 09:11–10:57)
  • “When people work virtually…there's too many distractions…Put yourself in the right environment, you have a better culture.”
    (Vince, 06:31)

Notable Quote:

“It's…a bunch of individuals that are…plucked together, but it's not a true team…I think companies that are true, 100% virtual offices, there's not going to be any…us.”
(Vince, 11:16)

3. Overcoming Doubt and Change through Confidence and Understanding People

• Personal Story: Vince shares his experience inheriting the company after his mother’s passing and feeling deep self-doubt; he found strength in learning human behavior and adapting to generational changes.
  • “My biggest doubt was really my doubt of myself…To be a good leader, you got to build knowledge, but you got to build confidence in yourself…”
    (Vince, 13:14)

4. What Really Separates Top Agents from the Rest

• Discipline is King: The ultra-successful aren’t necessarily smarter, but they are incredibly disciplined and consistent in revenue-generating, prospecting, and relationship activities.
  • “The most successful agents…are disciplined. They consistently do revenue generating…activities on a regular basis…They tweak them, but it's the discipline of the consistency.”
    (Vince, 15:58)
• Relationships Remain Central: No amount of technology replaces the value of strong, trust-based client relationships.
  • “We are in the relationship building business…[Tech] enhances but does not replace the relationship-building business we're in.”
    (Vince, 17:08)

Notable Quote:

"The number one thing…absolutely…they are disciplined…consistently do those things…It's the discipline of the consistency."
(Vince, 15:58)

5. Future of Real Estate: Survival, Value, and Coaching

• Industry Trends: The industry is compressing, brokerages are being consolidated, and margins are tight. Only those that continually deliver value and adapt to change will survive.
  • “If you continue to do same things the same way…you’re going to get left behind…You have to embrace innovation, AI, but it’s not just one spoke…You have to be a coaching organization.”
    (Vince, 19:24–21:29)
• Coaching vs. Training: Vince differentiates between the two: training is procedural; coaching is ongoing, adaptive, and focused on mastery and accountability.
  • “Coaching is substantially more important than training…You gotta continue to learn…Coaching helps you take those tools…to be better.”
    (Vince, 21:29)
• Consumer Expectations: Clients expect seamless, one-stop solutions and will always value convenience, service, and trust.
  • “People will pay for ease…to make it an enjoyable transaction and relieve that stress.”
    (Vince, 24:27)
• Generational Renewal: Attracting younger agents is vital for the long-term survival of brokerages.
  • “We have to continue to bring younger people into our organizations. That is our lifeline and that is our future.”
    (Vince, 24:27)

6. Accountability and Masterminds

• Execution Over Knowledge: The main issue is not a lack of information, but a lack of consistent execution—thus, accountability is key.
  • “Most agents know what to do…But the truth is…we’ve not done a good enough job of coaching our agents.”
    (Vince, 27:02)
• How Vince Implements Accountability: Through masterminds, focused coaching, goal setting, and group accountability.
  • “Part of that is what's one thing you're focused on?…You have goals and you read them daily…you're going to be more likely to accomplish your goals.”
    (Vince, 27:28)
• Mentorship Models: Traditional mentoring can backfire if pairing new agents with average producers, so Vince prefers high-excellence group mentoring and masterminds to raise the bar.
  • “You're putting the new agent with a mentor that's average…You're coaching them up to be average…We're only doing things that excel people to excellence.”
    (Vince, 32:29)

Memorable Quotes

• “The more we're together, the better…It will reflect in a better culture, we will enjoy working here…and we’re going to be more successful and productive because of it.” (Vince, 09:01)
• “Our primary goal is not to focus on the agent that wants to be a part time agent…We are here to help you be great.” (Vince, 30:19)

Notable Moments & Timestamps

• Patience and Decision-Making: 01:24–05:22
• Building Culture (in-person vs. virtual): 06:31–11:40
• Industry’s Greatest Doubt / Generational Change: 13:14–15:24
• Traits of Top Producers: 15:58–17:50
• Industry Outlook & Survival: 18:53–25:39
• Coaching & Accountability: 27:02–29:34
• Mentoring Pitfalls/Excellence: 30:50–32:45

Takeaways & Actions

• For Agents:
  • Discipline in daily prospecting and relationship-building is the cornerstone of success.
  • Use technology to support (not replace) genuine client relationships.
  • Seek out environments and organizations that offer true coaching and accountability.
• For Brokers/Leaders:
  • Be relentless in building culture—prioritize in-person connection where possible.
  • Make ongoing coaching (not just training) central to your value proposition.
  • Attract and integrate the next generation; organizational renewal is crucial.
  • Accountability should be woven into your coaching and culture systems. Masterminds and group programs can help drive this.

Final Words

“What separates the top producers is really two things: discipline and relationships.”
(Luke Acree, 34:42)

"At the end of the day…have we enriched the lives of other people? That, to me, is really my goal in life."
(Vince, 33:20)

For more details, actionable tips, and the full episode, visit Stay Paid Podcast.