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On the 95th episode of The Richard Robbins Show, I sit down with a husband and wife real estate team that has taken their prowess for technology to masterfully blend the power of AI with the irreplaceable touch of the human experience. Tara and Tom Lyons have been married since 1992 and in that time, have created an outstanding real estate business in the town of Belleville, Ontario. While Tara focuses on delivering a seamless client experience during the home buying or selling process, Tom ensures homes get fantastic online exposure, thanks to his love for technology and marketing expertise. Tom, who Tara affectionately nicknamed ‘Tom-dot-com’, has brought the dynamic duo into the 21st century. “If you’re not using AI, you will not have a competitive advantage,” Tom tells me. “It’s not about the technology, it’s about the consistency.” And consistent they have been. Tara and Tom have implemented AI into their business flawlessly to ensure their clients are taken care of at every opportunity. “I was in an appointment and I had 3 leads come in during that time,” Tara explains, “They don’t know I’m in an appointment because they’re getting a response immediately. The technology is available today so you utilize it.” In this episode, the importance of embracing technology in your real estate business is explored with Tara & Tom. They explain why you must adjust your business model to adapt to today’s consumer, how to effectively maintain a partnership - which I can certainly relate to - and why AI can be the perfect addition to your follow-up sequence to build a better business.  

In the 94th episode of The Richard Robbins Show, I sit down with a dear friend who, now in his mid-seventies, spends the winter months golfing in Arizona all while maintaining a robust real estate business as Owner/Investor of Keller Williams Energy R.E. brokerage in his Canadian hometown of Oshawa. Larry Lloyd began his working career as a P.E. teacher and coach. Coming from the world of professional lacrosse with the Philadelphia Wings, keeping active with the Durham Region youth seemed like the perfect fit. After teaching for roughly a decade, Larry decided to get his real estate license. Within 2.5 years, he was the #1 agent in his office selling real estate part-time! This led me to the obvious question of how was that possible? Larry tells me, “My bad answer was always, I showed up. I showed up at 8 in the morning and went to work. But really, if I think about it, there’s more than just showing up. I showed up with intention. I had something in mind and something to achieve.” Larry’s determination, goal-setting and work ethic were the reasons why he was so successful, but he tells me there was one important thing he did, or didn’t do, that made it all possible. “I didn’t wait,” he tells me. “I was just starting, I was in real estate 1 week. I didn’t wait to get my cards. I didn’t wait to get my sign. I think about that letter [I sent out] and I didn’t even put it on letterhead.” In this episode of The Richard Robbins Show, Larry and I discuss the importance of taking action. He tells me how he successfully balanced two jobs, the importance of continued education and learning from your peers and most importantly, Larry sheds light on why it is absolutely crucial for you to build a business worth owning.

On the 93rd episode of The Richard Robbins Show, my next interview is unlike any of the previous conversations I’ve had on this podcast. I sit down with a husband and wife super team who have the unique and incredible ability to communicate with the other side as a voice trance medium. Over the past 25 years, Marcus and Sheila Gillette have empowered and educated thousands of people worldwide through intimate conversations with THEO, a collective of twelve archangels that Sheila can speak through. “It’s like sticking your finger in a 220v outlet,” Sheila tells me. “It’s such a high electrical energy that travels on your nervous system. So, though it looks very  calm and peaceful there’s a lot going on in the physical body to match their vibrations so this can happen.” The duo have written 2 books together with Sheila writing her first book in 1998 called, The 5th Dimension. In this exciting episode of The Richard Robbins Show, listen to the incredible story of Sheila’s near-death experience that ultimately unlocked her innate ability to speak with THEO. In the 93rd episode of The Richard Robbins Show, listen to this transformative interview with Marcus and Sheila where they speak about unconditional love, relationship success and personal empowerment. This interview is both inspiring and complex; however, the message is truly simple - everything in life is relationship based and you should live life with love.

In the 92nd episode of The Richard Robbins Show, I sit down with a woman who uses science to determine whether your marketing materials will or won’t work. With a Neuroscience and Psychology Degree from the University of Toronto, she has used that education to study advertising effectiveness and explains why certain marketing materials are destined to work and why others inevitably fail.  Diana Lucaci is the Co-Founder and CEO of True Impact, a neuromarketing firm offering concept testing solutions to creative teams and agencies. She has helped organizations including Canada Post, Metro, Desjardins, General Motors, Costco, MillerCoors and others discover the importance of combining science and advertising.  Diana tells me that the avenue she chose to work in came naturally. “It started with a curiosity for self-knowledge and understanding - why do I do what I do? Why do people around me do what they do?”  Her educational background made the perfect combination to discover exactly why the brain reacts in certain ways to advertisements. “Neuroscience is about the brain, the connections and the wiring, and then psychology is more like the software. You look at the mind, emotions and when you connect the two together…you start to connect the dots.”  In this episode, Diana discusses creating the perfect marketing materials for your business. Diana explains how to tweak your website, direct mail marketing, door hangers and more. She explains the importance of text and image placement, why a thought-out and coordinated call-to-action is crucial and how you can up your marketing ROI by 10%.

On the 91st episode of The Richard Robbins Show, I have a brilliant conversation with a young man who I have come to respect very much. An RRI Business Coach and Broker Owner at RE/MAX Camosun, he is wise beyond his years and spends the next hour diving into ways to propel your business and personal life forward. Not enough can be said about Braden Wheatcroft. An inspiring leader amongst his peers, Braden has created a brokerage fuelled by open communication, future focus goal setting and continued education. Braden’s family has a long history of working in the real estate industry in Nanaimo, British Columbia. Since the 1920’s, Wheatcroft Construction has been developing the east coast city of Vancouver Island. However, instead of building homes, Braden found his calling selling them. “I’ve never sold a house that was built by my great-great-grandfather,” Braden tells me, “but I have shown one, which was a really cool experience.” Braden found his calling selling real estate and now is a successful Broker Owner in Camosun, just south of the city where he grew up. During his time at RE/MAX, Braden has been an inspiring force with his colleagues and tells me that his why has been the driving force. “My why is born out of the belief that, every person has the opportunity to improve their life.” At just 35 years old, Braden’s success is nothing short of extraordinary. In this episode of The Richard Robbins Show, Braden puts his pursuit of education on full display with energetic and inspirational ideas from some of his favourite books. He tells the audience how to be a leader and shares productivity hacks to help you win the day. This interview is more about attitude than it is about real estate. When Braden gets together with someone, he tells me he has one goal, “I want to elevate their state. I want them to feel better about themselves when they leave with me.” I hope that is what you take away from this interview with Braden.  

My next guest on The Richard Robbins Show has an aptitude for enriching the lives of everyone she meets. I’ve had the distinct pleasure of knowing her for over 20 years as an RRI Coaching Member and, more importantly, as a dear friend. Mary Roy, the Founder and Broker/Team Lead of Mary Roy & Team, is ranked in the top 1% of Realtors in Durham and the Greater Toronto area. Mary has an unrivaled real estate resume spanning over 35 years and, on average over her career, helps over 100 families each year with their real estate needs. Mary has also collected top tier RE/MAX awards including Luminary of Distinction, Circle of Legends, Diamond Award, Titan Award, Hall of Fame and Lifetime Achievement. Her passion for delivering exceptional customer service comes from her experience as a mortgage specialist while working with Royal Trust. She admits that her exposure to real estate agents wasn’t the most positive experience. “I learned that agents were bad. They didn’t explain everything to people.” Mary knew in her heart that the real estate industry deserved a better type of professional. “Once I made the choice to be a REALTOR®…[I knew] I was going to be someone that’s going to make a client's life easier. In my mind, I never saw myself as a salesperson, I thought I was someone who could create a much better experience for my clients.” In this episode of The Richard Robbins Show, we listen to the incredible story of Mary’s upbringing and what led her to real estate. Mary shares her advice for growing a people-centric business and what she does to achieve an 88% referral rate. Most importantly, we learn how to compete in the real estate industry with grace, dignity and happiness.  

My next guest on The Richard Robbins Show represented Canada at the 1984 Olympics and now leads his own real estate team inside the country’s capital in Ottawa, Ontario. Bill Meyer, a 35-year veteran in the Ottawa real estate market, is the Team Lead of The Tulip Team, one of RE/MAX’s top-performing teams in Canada. After the 84’ Olympics, Bill knew he had to provide for his wife and young child. He jokes that it was the barrier of entry to real estate that really helped push him into the industry. “Go to Algonquin College for 6 weeks, get your real estate license and we’ll hire you.” Today, and nearly 40 years later, he helps his team of 12 agents and 5 support staff service the Ottawa, Ontario area with real estate buying and selling. Bill tells me that his number one priority is helping others achieve success. “What can I do to help you be successful in real estate? Most people, when they get into this business, don’t know how to build a solid foundation for their business and my job is to do exactly that.” As a former Olympic athlete, Bill brings with him the discipline, dedication and desire of an Olympian to his real estate business, and is able to apply that experience to the training and mentoring that he provides to his team. In this episode of The Richard Robbins Show, Bill shares his secrets for going for gold in every aspect of your life. He shares stories of training for the Olympics and how you can bring that same energy into your business and personal life. He explains how to eliminate attrition from your business, how to build commodore among your peers and how he plans to live until he is the ripe old age of 111.

My next guest on The Richard Robbins Show has overcome incredible obstacles in her life to achieve some truly remarkable things. This guest boasts a 26-year military career, she served 4 years in the U.S. House of Representatives and 2 years as a U.S. Senator. Colonel Martha McSally is a pioneering combat-proven leader, inspiring speaker, and celebrated author. Growing up in Rhode Island, Martha was the youngest of 5 children and grew up in a humble household. However, losing her father at the age of 12 altered her life dramatically. “It shifted the trajectory of my life in profound ways,” Martha tells me, “It can be a tough mantel to carry and can sometimes be taken too far.” In Martha’s pursuit to make her father proud, she found herself at the doorstep of the U.S. military. While in basic training, the door to her future presented itself. “I thought I was going to be a doctor. I had zero desire to be a pilot but I got there and found out it was against the law for women to be fighter pilots.” Martha put it simply, “It just pissed me off”. From there, Martha became the 1st woman in U.S. history to fly a fighter jet in combat and command a fighter squadron in combat. She has flown 325 combat hours, earning the Bronze Star and six Air Medals for her service. As we continued our conversation, Martha tells me plainly, “Every failure, every tragedy, every diagnosis, all of it is an opportunity for growth.”

On the 87th episode of The Richard Robbins Show, I sit down with a man who, in his mid-twenties, was making a 7-figure salary in high-frequency trading building algorithms and coding computers. Today, his company helps businesses and individuals become more efficient so they can create a better life for themselves. Nick Sonnenberg, Author, Speaker, Founder and CEO of Leverage, a leading operational efficiency consultancy, has yet to touch 40 years old but has already led a remarkable and unique life. After making large sums of money in Asia and North America as a high-frequency trader, he left everything he knew and embarked on a journey of entrepreneurship. While leaving all that money and stability behind must sound unusual for some, it was a simple decision for Nick. “What am I going to regret more?” Nick told me. “That started swinging the decision to go into entrepreneurship.” Recently, Nick published a book called, Come Up for Air: How Teams Can Leverage Systems and Tools to Stop Drowning in Work. This passion project took 4 years to write and publish but it was all worth it. “This book is supposed to be as relevant in 10 years as it is today.” In this episode of The Richard Robbins Show, Nick and I talk about the importance of having your entire team speak the same ‘language’ with systems and tools. Nick talks about his 5 big ideas from his latest book, how to save exponential time in your business each year and why operational efficiency is the secret your business is missing.  

My next guest on The Richard Robbins Show is someone who is using their success in real estate to create opportunities for his family that he didn’t have growing up. His 111 deals as a single agent in 2022 are a testament to how this industry can provide life-changing possibilities. Michael Waddell, an Edmonton native, has been working in real estate for only 8 years but his working life began when he was much younger. Michael tells me that he started working at 14 years old to help pay for rent. He was raised by a single mother who suffered from alcohol addiction and life wasn’t easy, “My mom always did the best that she could [but] there was always a ton of struggle.” He knew that he wanted a better life for his family and that led him to real estate. After hiring his virtual assistant and creating systems for his business, he helped 111 people buy and sell real estate in 2022. Michael tells me, though, that getting to this point wasn’t an easy process.

On the 85th episode of The Richard Robbins Show, I sit down with a man who has truly seen every level of the real estate industry ladder. From Sales Representative to now President and CEO of RE/MAX, LLC, this guest has genuinely impacted our business. Nicky Bailey began selling real estate part-time in 1996 at the fresh age of 21. Interestingly enough, his real estate journey begins prior to this, incredibly, at age 17. At 17 years old as a junior in high school, he got the opportunity to purchase two retail commercial properties in the community where he lived. “I didn’t know what I was stepping into [but] it was very cool. When I graduated from high school, I decided to buy a house two blocks from the college and rent out two bedrooms to pay for it.”  After doing a million dollars in volume in his first year as a part-time real estate professional (while going to school and running his business), Nick was convinced real estate was his future. After a successful 12-year career within RE/MAX, LLC Regional Services, rising to the executive level, he went on to become Sr. Vice President at Market Leader, a Vice President at Trulia/Zillow and, just prior to rejoining RE/MAX, the President and CEO of Century 21. On the 85th episode of The Richard Robbins Show, Nick and I talk about real estate disruptors, iBuyers and the future of the real estate industry. Nick reminds listeners of the importance of sticking to the core fundamentals of real estate, he offers a glimpse of what to anticipate in 2023 and why he thinks there is truly room for optimism for the new year ahead.

On the 84th episode of The Richard Robbins Show, I sit down with a man who has dedicated his life to working with some of the highest-performing individuals on the planet. His clients include Olympic and World champions, and organizations ranging from General Electric to Deloitte, KPMG, BMW, Audi, and the Royal Bank of Canada. Author of 4 best-selling books, CEO and Founder of Wells Performance, Dr. Greg Wells, has made health and peak performance his personal and professional obsession.  Dr. Wells has a Ph.D. in Physiology and serves as a Senior Scientist at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto. As a scientist and physiologist, he is focused on making the science of human limits understandable and actionable. Though he has worked with Olympic athletes, Dr. Wells tells me that he wants to use his experience to help the general public live happier and healthier lives. “What I’m fascinated about at this stage in my life, is learning from those extremes. Learning from sports, learning from medicine to inform all of us mere mortals…I’m now trying to pull in all this information to help everybody that I can and have a bigger impact at this stage.” Dr. Wells tells me that understanding the thresholds between peak performance and exhaustion is a fine line. 

On the 83rd (and final episode of 2022), I sit down with someone who has been nicknamed The Gift Wizard and, appropriate for this time of year, the Indian Santa Claus. Milli Pajpani, a real estate professional since 2010 and RRI Coaching Member since 2019, has injected her personality into her business and has seen incredible success. She wants to be your real estate agent for life, building long-term relationships and staying in touch years after doing business. “My objective is, I don’t want it to be a 1-for-1 transaction and you never see me again,” Milli tells me. “For me, it’s all about the relationship. I don’t like to work with random people.” Milli’s decision to choose her clients and have her personality shine through her business was not an overnight decision. “[As an agent] you’re wearing so many different hats. Now I know you can choose your days and choose your business and how you want to run it. When you’re starting off, you’re taking any business that comes. You are a yes-taker sometimes to your clients until you learn.”

On the 82nd episode of The Richard Robbins Show, I had a great conversation with a man who not only builds luxury properties in the Muskokas but also has sold close to a Billion dollars worth of real estate in the area, as well. Bob Clarke, the owner of Clarke Muskoka Construction, has built 60+ cottages and lake homes in the beautiful and highly sought-after area. Over his career, he has seen the Muskoka area evolve to become known as ‘The Hamptons of Southwestern, Ontario’ or ‘a playground for the rich and famous’. During the height of the pandemic, he has also seen buying habits change. “Winter is not our big season in Muskoka, but in the last couple of years our real estate period has been 12 months.” You can find show notes and more information by clicking here:

On the 81st episode of The Richard Robbins Show, I sit down with Katie Dempsey, CEO and Founder of Brand Ambition, a boutique marketing and branding creative agency. While her company helps anyone in search of a stronger online presence, she has found her niche in the real estate sphere, with 60% of her clientele in this industry while helping more than 450 agents since she started her company just 7 years ago. Katie and Brand Ambition started focusing on real estate agents because, as she tells me, “For a long time, real estate agents were dependent on their brokerages for taking out expensive advertising on radio, tv spots, magazines, etc. ... but with the introduction of social media everything has changed. With social media, you have this free, 24-hour-a-day access to your client base.” But the big question is: How do you properly use social media to further your business?

On the 80th episode of The Richard Robbins Show, I sit down with a man who, for nearly 20 years has prided himself on providing consistent, award-winning results to his clients in the Ottawa, Ontario region. His 80+ transactions a year alongside his nearly 100% listing presentation acquisition rate has created a business that is freeing, consistent and customer-centric. Sean McCann, aka The Guy with the Dog, was born and raised in Ottawa, Ontario. In 2002 he began his real estate business and now 20 years later, or 80+ dog years later, Sean has created a predictable business that has freed up his time in monumental ways.  “I’m having trouble finding work to do in a way,” Sean tells me.  “We essentially have a customer service team, an admin team and a service team. It’s really freed me up in crazy ways and allowed me to do all the sales activity we’re doing.” You can find show notes and more information by clicking here:

On the 79th episode of The Richard Robbins Show, I sit down with an agent who, at the age of 23, started her real estate journey. Just 13 years later, she is a Certified Luxury Home Marketing Specialist enlisted in RE/MAX’s Top 100 in Canada, a Million Dollar Guide Award holder, Diamond Award holder, and inducted into the RE/MAX Hall of Fame & Lifetime Achievement circle.  Sydney Fairman, an RRI Coaching Member working out of the Northumberland County area, is a high-spirited, honest and clever real estate professional. Despite all of her career success, she would tell you that her biggest accomplishment has been running her business while also being a full-time mother. “I worked my business around breastfeeding, around nap time, it’s a real thing for a woman. I booked my appointments around my schedule.” You can find show notes and more information by clicking here:

On the 78th episode of The Richard Robbins Show, I sit down with a man who ranks within the top 1% of 18,000 agents at Royal LePage and has also spent time undercover in the Toronto Police Service, receiving over 25 commendations for heroic and highly intelligent police work. Today, however, he faces his toughest challenge yet. Rob Kelly, raised in the West Island of Montreal, has never shied away from competition. Playing competitive sports and competing at Provincial levels in swimming and water polo, he has always embraced challenges. He took his skills west to Toronto where he spent 17 years doing daring and often times dangerous police work. But today, as Rob puts it quite plainly, “My challenge has changed”. Rob was diagnosed with ALS two years ago in September of 2020. He is paralyzed in his right arm from his elbow down. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here:

My next guest on The Richard Robbins Show has already graced this podcast once with his experience, insight and incredible attitude. He began selling real estate at just 19 years old and today, at only 37 years of age, he’s retired from selling real estate and, instead, focuses his attention on being CEO of his own, industry-leading brokerage. Matthew Regan, CEO of The Regan Team, is in the Top 10 of 18,000 agents at Royal LePage. While the real estate industry has given Matthew the life he lives today, he tells me, “Not enough people talk about what’s wrong with the real estate industry.” In an industry that offers so much opportunity, there is a severe shortage of financial literacy. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here:

My next guest on The Richard Robbins Show has seen his business transform due to his dedication to one platform: YouTube. His passion for creating authentic, real-time video content has boosted his business and has provided a platform to showcase his talent in this industry. From February 2021 to August 2022, he has amassed 6,000 subscribers and can attribute 22 transactions from this lead source alone. Steve Karrasch, Team Leader of Karrasch Real Properties, currently ranks in the Top 1% in the Fraser Valley Real Estate Board. He began his real estate career in 2008 and said, “I transferred into real estate and for the first year and a half, I did absolutely nothing.” It wasn’t until 2010 when he partnered with Chris Whitehead that everything began to change. You can find show notes and more information by clicking here: