Ninja Selling Podcast

In this episode, Eric Thompson interviews Hope George, a Richmond, Virginia based team leader who has built a highly effective Ninja-style farming business that generates consistent listings and income. With 60 percent of her nearly $880,000 in GCI coming from farming, Hope shares a clear, repeatable system for farming intentionally and profitably. Hope's approach begins with selecting the right farm using both relationship affinity and data. She analyzes past transactions, proximity, turnover rates, and competition to identify "fertile ground" before committing resources. From there, she implements a multi-layered flow system that combines high-quality monthly newsletters, targeted postcards with dynamic QR codes, and a strong follow-up system that includes handwritten notes, video messages, and in-person events. A key differentiator is her commitment to both art and science in her marketing. Her eight-page newsletter blends community content, real estate data, and local connections, while her postcards and brand kits create strong visibility and credibility. She complements this auto flow with live flow through charitable events, sponsorships, and consistent community presence. Hope emphasizes that farming requires persistence and financial discipline, noting it took eight months before her first listing. However, once momentum builds, the results compound. Her success illustrates that effective farming is not about luck but about consistent execution, strategic selection, and delivering exceptional value. Key Takeaways Start farming where you already have connection, familiarity, or past success Use data to validate your farm including turnover rate, competition, and ROI potential Commit financially and mentally because farming requires consistency before results appear Combine art and science in your marketing to connect emotionally and demonstrate expertise Use systems to convert auto flow into live flow through follow up and personal touches Leverage your listings aggressively to build visibility and momentum within the farm Memorable Quotes "I have clients calling me every month." "It felt like feeding a slot machine until it hit." "I'm trying to live on your fridge." "I had to stay in it until it started bearing fruit." "I almost quit at eight months." Links: Website: https://ninjaselling.com/ninja-podcast/ Email: [email protected] Phone: 1-800-254-1650 Podcast Facebook Group: http://www.facebook.com/groups/TheNinjaSellingPodcast Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/NinjaSelling Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ninjasellingofficial/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ninjaselling Upcoming Public Ninja Installations: https://NinjaSelling.com/events/list/?tribe_eventcategory%5B0%5D=183&tribe__ecp_custom_2%5B0%5D=Public Ninja Coaching: http://www.NinjaSelling.com/course/ninja-coaching/ Hope George: https://hopegeorgerealestate.com/ Hope George's samples: https://1qr.com/kiw9uuq3

In this bonus episode, we're sharing a recording from our live Ninja Sales Meeting, held the first Monday of every month, after many of you asked to hear these sessions on the podcast. Peter Parnegg delivers an energizing and practical message focused on one core idea: if you want to quickly build your business, master the subtle skills that create real connection. Drawing on insights from Sarah Blakely and the Ninja principles, Peter explores how entrepreneurship exposes our fears and how many of us avoid live conversations because of discomfort, guilt, or fear of "feeling salesy." In reality, marketing creates awareness, but relationships create business. And relationships are built through consistent flow. This episode is a reminder that nothing happens until something moves and that authentic, emotionally intelligent outreach will always outperform sales pressure. If you're ready to overcome hesitation, reconnect with your people, and create opportunities, this conversation will give you practical tools you can implement immediately. And if you'd like to join us live for future Ninja Sales Meetings, tune in on the first Monday of each month at 9:00 a.m. Mountain Time on the Ninja Selling YouTube channel. Links: Website: https://ninjaselling.com/ninja-podcast/ Email: [email protected] Phone: 1-800-254-1650 Podcast Facebook Group: http://www.facebook.com/groups/TheNinjaSellingPodcast Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/NinjaSelling Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ninjasellingofficial/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ninjaselling Upcoming Public Ninja Installations: https://NinjaSelling.com/events/list/?tribe_eventcategory%5B0%5D=183&tribe__ecp_custom_2%5B0%5D=Public Ninja Coaching: http://www.NinjaSelling.com/course/ninja-coaching/  

In this Best Year Yet episode, Eric Thompson interviews Derek Walden, a Wichita, Kansas–based agent with At Home Wichita, who more than doubled his business in 2025. Derek closed 56 transactions for approximately 15 million in volume while raising a large family of eight children, with another on the way. He shares how shifting away from a lead heavy, grind based team model and embracing the Ninja approach transformed both his results and his quality of life. Derek describes his early years on a lead generation focused team as a hamster wheel that did not align with his values or his family priorities. Discovering Ninja Selling introduced a relationship centered model built on service, trust, and depth rather than volume and pressure. In 2025, Derek produced his best year yet by staying persistent, tracking his numbers closely, prioritizing meaningful live conversations, and building business with people who know, like, and trust him. A key theme of the conversation is depth over small talk. Drawing from his military background, Derek explains how he naturally gravitates toward substantive conversations and emotional connection, which has become a differentiator in his real estate business. He focuses on long, intentional one on one interactions rather than high frequency surface level contacts, creating an integrated business that feels natural rather than exhausting. With the support of Ninja Coaching and Coach Mark Johnson, Derek also shares how coaching helped him live more on purpose, stay inspired, and remain accountable to the fundamentals that drive consistent growth. Key Takeaways Relationship based business scales better than lead based grinding when aligned with your values and life priorities. Persistence compounds over time and momentum builds like adding cars to a train year after year. Deep conversations outperform small talk by creating trust, emotional connection, and long term loyalty. Tracking your numbers creates clarity and confidence in decision making and business planning. Live conversations do not need to be high volume if they are meaningful, intentional, and unhurried. Auto flow can be simple and personal through consistent mail, newsletters, and authentic updates. Memorable Quotes "If you work hard and do the right things, good things will happen." "I hate small talk." "When it's a friend calling, it doesn't feel like work." "This year didn't feel like a treadmill." "I believe an integrated life is a powerful life." "I was created to love and serve others." "Just relax, take a deep breath, and focus on what you can control." "Coaching helped me move from living on accident to living on purpose." "I've never had a conversation where I wished I hadn't had it." Links: Website: https://ninjaselling.com/ninja-podcast/ Email: [email protected] Phone: 1-800-254-1650 Podcast Facebook Group: http://www.facebook.com/groups/TheNinjaSellingPodcast Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/NinjaSelling Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ninjasellingofficial/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ninjaselling Upcoming Public Ninja Installations: https://NinjaSelling.com/events/list/?tribe_eventcategory%5B0%5D=183&tribe__ecp_custom_2%5B0%5D=Public Ninja Coaching: http://www.NinjaSelling.com/course/ninja-coaching/ Derek Walden: https://www.athomewichita.com/agent/derek-walden/

In this Best Year Yet episode, Eric Thompson interviews Belle Caplis, a Brooklyn based Compass agent on the Bateman Fields team. Belle shares how she grew from 9 million in sales volume to 23.6 million in 2025, increasing from 11 to 25 sales transactions, while also expanding rentals and referral business. Belle's story is especially compelling because her real estate career began in March of 2020, just days before New York City shut down. With the city locked down and her new career uncertain, she found structure and community through a Compass recovery meeting that led her to Ninja Selling and a powerful accountability practice called the 10 at 10. Three times a week, Belle joined a Zoom session, started with gratitude, then turned cameras off and called 10 people using FORD questions before regrouping to report back. That early rhythm gave her confidence, listening skills, and the ability to build trust fast, which later made her highly effective even with Zillow leads, where she routinely stayed on calls 30 to 40 minutes to deepen connection. Belle explains that her 2025 growth came from two main shifts. First, she became much better at follow up after open houses, using specific, personalized follow up tied to what the person said and continuing to deliver value through listings, pricing strategy, and education rather than generic check ins. Second, she leaned fully into education and service across her sphere by giving real estate advice freely, offering to find answers when she did not know them, and becoming the person people consult for clarity. Belle's approach is rooted in what she calls rigorous honesty, transparency, and risk analysis. She promises clients she cannot control outcomes, but she can control how honest and clear she is, and she builds deep trust by pointing out both pros and potential risks so clients can make confident decisions. She closes by encouraging listeners to be imperfect, take small steps, be honest about what they are not doing, and start again tomorrow. Key Takeaways Accountability creates momentum and Belle's early 10 at 10 practice built confidence, consistency, and relationship skills fast FORD questions are a business builder because they shift the focus to people, create trust, and help you listen for what matters Attraction over promotion works because you do not need to announce you are an agent, you just lead with curiosity and care Trust building beats pretending and the phrase "I'm not one hundred percent on that, so I'll get back to you very soon" protects credibility and creates natural follow up Longer first conversations create faster trust and Belle's ability to stay connected for 30 to 40 minutes helped her convert leads at a higher level Open house follow up is a growth lever when it is specific, personal, and value based rather than generic check ins Education is a referral engine when you freely explain pricing strategy, negotiation, and why listings sell or do not sell Service creates opportunity because you never know where the next referral will come from, so treat everyone like they matter Define your A list as the people you are rooting for and call them to reset your mindset and get out of your own head Humor and personality can be part of flow and Belle uses memes, "real estate gossip," and stories to stay top of mind while reinforcing expertise Rigorous honesty builds lifetime clients and Belle's promise is transparency, not outcomes she cannot control Risk analysis is a differentiator because clients feel protected, informed, and confident in their decisions Progress matters more than perfection and small daily improvements compound into big years Memorable Quotes "I onboarded at Compass on a Wednesday in March of 2020 and on Friday the entire city shut down." "I don't know how to do real estate, but I know how to go to a meeting." "This is attraction, not promotion." "I'm not one hundred percent on that and I don't want to answer until I am, so I'm going to get back to you very soon." "My goal was to gain trust before I got off that phone call." "I'm not a gatekeeper." "My A's are the people that I am rooting for." "The fastest way for me to reset to factory settings is to focus on other people." "I'm going to tell you no way more than I'm going to tell you yes." "I give you permission to not do it well today. Just do it." "Make one or two baby steps of progress today, then start over tomorrow." Links: Website: https://ninjaselling.com/ninja-podcast/ Email: [email protected] Phone: 1-800-254-1650 Podcast Facebook Group: http://www.facebook.com/groups/TheNinjaSellingPodcast Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/NinjaSelling Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ninjasellingofficial/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ninjaselling Upcoming Public Ninja Installations: https://NinjaSelling.com/events/list/?tribe_eventcategory%5B0%5D=183&tribe__ecp_custom_2%5B0%5D=Public Ninja Coaching: http://www.NinjaSelling.com/course/ninja-coaching/ Belle Caplis: https://www.compass.com/agents/belle-caplis/ Belle's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/belleclosing

Eric Thompson interviews Jed Inductivo, a Ninja with Compass in Los Angeles, who achieved his best year yet in 2025 with business up 56% year over year. What makes the story remarkable is that it happened during significant adversity. LA faced devastating fires that impacted clients and the community at large. Jed's brokerage dissolved, forcing a rapid transition. Instead of contracting, Jed expanded by choosing a player mindset, leading with value, and committing to simple, repeatable Ninja fundamentals. Jed credits a guiding belief, "This is happening for me, not to me," as the mindset shift that kept him solution-focused. During the fires, he stepped into service by supporting displaced clients, helping people find temporary housing, and sending resource packed newsletters that were widely shared and generated inbound calls for lease support. Jed breaks down the systems that drove his growth. He created two versions of a Real Estate Review, a five-minute version and a fifteen-minute version, to make Habit 7 consistent. He pairs those reviews with a steady rhythm of coffees and lunches, and he built a highly intentional agent referral engine that now contributes roughly two-thirds of his business. He also shares how his hospitality background helps him deliver a Four Seasons level experience through intake forms, milestone moments, and event style open houses. Looking ahead to 2026, Jed's focus is on calm in the hard, protecting mornings for focus and clarity, and doubling down on his vital few activities, including Real Estate Reviews, two coffees or lunches per week, and his power hour. Key Takeaways Adversity can be fuel when you choose a player mindset and stay focused on solutions This is happening for me, not to me, is a practical mental shift that prevents victim thinking and creates forward motion Value creates opportunity, and Jed's fire resource newsletters were shared widely and led directly to new lease clients Real Estate Reviews paired with coffee or lunch became Jed's strongest growth lever and biggest source of sales Simplify the habit so it happens consistently, and the five-minute and fifteen-minute review options removed friction and made execution weekly Follow up with an insight rather than asking if they have questions, which keeps the burden off the client and highlights your expertise Agent referrals are built intentionally through consistent relationship building, two agent connection calls per week, and making it easy to remember and refer you Make referring you easy with a simple one sheet that explains your market areas, specialties, and personal connection points Hospitality creates bespoke service and intake sheets plus milestone touches create a Four Seasons experience Authentic flow wins and the most sustainable systems are the ones aligned with your DNA and interests Memorable Quotes This is happening for me, not to me Real estate agents are problem solvers My biggest sales this year have come from this combination of real estate review, coffee, lunch by far Treat your clients like they're staying at a Four Seasons The best flow is authentic flow Links: Website: https://ninjaselling.com/ninja-podcast/ Email: [email protected] Phone: 1-800-254-1650 Podcast Facebook Group: http://www.facebook.com/groups/TheNinjaSellingPodcast Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/NinjaSelling Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ninjasellingofficial/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ninjaselling Upcoming Public Ninja Installations: https://NinjaSelling.com/events/list/?tribe_eventcategory%5B0%5D=183&tribe__ecp_custom_2%5B0%5D=Public Ninja Coaching: http://www.NinjaSelling.com/course/ninja-coaching/ Jed Inductivo: https://jedi.la/ Jed's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jedi.agent/ Schedule a meeting with Jed: http://www.calendly.com/jed_i