The hard truth about real estate is that getting your license doesn't prepare you to sell homes. It only makes you legally allowed to try.

Pre-licensing only teaches us consumer protection. We learn nothing about lead generation, building a brand, running a database, using a CRM, or building a real business with staying power.

Real estate success doesn't come from passing a test or "figuring it out as you go"; it comes from systems, support, and real education. The kind you get from strong instructors, the right broker environment, and intentionally building skills you weren't taught in the classroom.

And if you think you can wing it because you're smart, you're in for a reality check.

There's a big difference between being licensed and being prepared, and the agents who stop confusing a license with readiness are the ones who don't flame out in the first few years.

And the kind of support you get matters; it has to set you up for success in today's industry, where AI and technology are no longer optional, but expected.

What do agents need to learn to succeed? What does being prepared actually look like in 2026?

In this episode, I'm joined by Craig Grant, one of the most respected voices in real estate tech and education, as we talk CRM, AI, relationships, and why the right rooms and the right training change everything.

Things You'll Learn In This Episode

The license is not the skillset
Pre-licensing teaches protection, not production. Why are so many agents still shocked when they get licensed and realize they have no business model in place?

Your database is your pipeline (if you run it like one)
A CRM isn't optional if you want longevity. What's the cost of managing your business with sticky notes and "I'll remember"?

Relationships beat automation every time
Automated follow-up is the minimum; friendship is the differentiator. How do you stop treating clients like transactions and start building a real connection from day one?

Guest Bio

Craig Grant is a real estate instructor, course creator, coach, and technologist. Craig Grant is considered one of the most sought-after technology, marketing & cybersecurity speakers around. Whether it be at an industry event, in the classroom, or online, one thing that fuels Craig is to help today's real estate professionals embrace and get over their fear of technology so that it can work for them and not against them. Connect with Craig on LinkedIn, and find out more about the BEATS Conference at beatsconference.com.

About Your Host

Marki Lemons Ryhal is a ​​Licensed Managing Broker, REALTOR®, and avid volunteer.

She is a dynamic keynote speaker and workshop facilitator, both on-site and virtual; she's the go-to expert for artificial Intelligence, entrepreneurship, and social media in real estate. Marki Lemons Ryhal is dedicated to all things real estate, and with 25+ years of marketing experience, Marki has taught over 250,000 REALTORS® how to earn up to a 2682% return on their marketing dollars. Marki's expertise has been featured in Forbes, the Washington Post, Homes.com, and REALTOR® Magazine.

Subscribe, Rate & Review

Check out this episode on our website, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify, and don't forget to leave a review if you like what you heard. Your review feeds the algorithm, so our show reaches more people. Thank you!

One of the most common questions I hear in real estate is, "Will you mentor me?"
Here's the truth: most people asking that question haven't done a single thing to earn mentorship.

They don't know us, we don't know them, there's no shared work or contribution, just an expectation that access should be free because they asked nicely.

Let's clear something up. Mentorship doesn't come from chasing people down hallways or sending hopeful DMs; it comes from contribution.

What most agents miss is the ultimate power move that doesn't seem like one at first. It puts you in rooms you'd never get into otherwise, and gets you standing with the people you wish would mentor you.

What's the key to getting the mentorship you need to succeed in real estate? How do you get the most out of this opportunity? In this episode, we get real about why asking for mentorship without offering value first backfires and what to do instead.

Things You'll Learn In This Episode

Stop asking for mentorship before you've earned it
If someone doesn't know your name, your story, or your work ethic, why would they invest in you?

Volunteering is access, not charity
When you show up early, prepared, and useful, you stop being invisible. How do you stop treating volunteering like a favor instead of the opportunity it actually is?

People are watching when you think they're not
Lateness, inconsistency, and excuses don't get forgotten; they get labeled. How can this work against you in real estate?

About Your Host

Marki Lemons Ryhal is a ​​Licensed Managing Broker, REALTOR®, and avid volunteer.

She is a dynamic keynote speaker and workshop facilitator, both on-site and virtual; she's the go-to expert for artificial Intelligence, entrepreneurship, and social media in real estate. Marki Lemons Ryhal is dedicated to all things real estate, and with 25+ years of marketing experience, Marki has taught over 250,000 REALTORS® how to earn up to a 2682% return on their marketing dollars. Marki's expertise has been featured in Forbes, the Washington Post, Homes.com, and REALTOR® Magazine.

Subscribe, Rate & Review

Check out this episode on our website, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify, and don't forget to leave a review if you like what you heard. Your review feeds the algorithm, so our show reaches more people. Thank you!

For years, we've been taught that SEO was the key to being found online, write the blogs, keep the website fresh, get your backlinks, and trust the process. But there's a new shift happening in real estate that most agents haven't caught onto yet.

AEO, or Answer Engine Optimization, is quietly becoming more powerful than traditional SEO. And it makes perfect sense. Buyers and sellers aren't searching the way they used to. They're asking full questions out loud into their phones, their cars, and their AI tools. They don't want links…they want answers.

AEO is built for exactly that. It rewards the agents who show up with real answers to real questions, not just blog posts stuffed with keywords. It's the reason some agents are suddenly popping up in AI overviews, even if their websites aren't the "best ranked."

How do we set ourselves up for success with AEO? How can we take AI to the next level?

In this episode, I'm joined by digital marketing expert, StoryBrand Certified Guide, and the founder of Changescape Web, Ken Tucker.

We talk about what this shift means for real estate pros: why AEO is winning, how zero-click search is changing consumer behavior, and why some of the platforms we stopped paying attention to, like Yelp and Bing Places, are becoming essential again.

Things You'll Learn In This Episode

Yelp and Bing Places matter more than you think
LLMs pull their local business data from platforms most agents ignore. What opportunities open up when our Yelp and Bing profiles are fully optimized and feeding the AI tools directly?

Zero-click search is reshaping how people choose agents
Consumers are getting everything they need in the AI overview, no clicks required. How do we stand out when the decision is made before they ever reach our sites?

Your FAQs are the new fuel for visibility
AI tools elevate the agents who answer specific buyer and seller questions clearly and consistently. How do we build a robust FAQ ecosystem?

Speed-to-lead is being rewritten by AI phone systems.
AI voice assistants respond instantly and book appointments before a human can even glance at their phone. How would this impact our conversion rates?

About the Guest

Ken Tucker is a Fractional CMO and Marketing Solution Architect, StoryBrand Certified Guide, marketing expert, speaker, and President and Founder of Changescape Web. Changescape Web was founded in 2005. Many businesses struggle to be found online. Changescape Web builds websites that generate customers so their clients can grow and thrive. They specialize in digital marketing: marketing strategy, website design, search engine optimization (SEO), social media marketing, content marketing, lead generation, and marketing automation. To learn more, head to https://changescapeweb.com/ or follow @changescape on Instagram.

About Your Host

Marki Lemons Ryhal is a ​​Licensed Managing Broker, REALTOR®, and avid volunteer.

She is a dynamic keynote speaker and workshop facilitator, both on-site and virtual; she's the go-to expert for artificial Intelligence, entrepreneurship, and social media in real estate. Marki Lemons Ryhal is dedicated to all things real estate, and with 25+ years of marketing experience, Marki has taught over 250,000 REALTORS® how to earn up to a 2682% return on their marketing dollars. Marki's expertise has been featured in Forbes, the Washington Post, Homes.com, and REALTOR® Magazine.

Subscribe, Rate & Review

Check out this episode on our website, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify, and don't forget to leave a review if you like what you heard. Your review feeds the algorithm, so our show reaches more people. Thank you!

Most agents think marketing has gotten harder, that technology, AI, and algorithms have made everything too complicated. But the truth is, it's never been easier to be a marketer and to actually get results.

You can create video content without showing your face. You can automate your emails, SMS, and social posts in minutes. You can turn one idea into ten pieces of content that generate leads while you sleep.

Yet most agents still struggle to grow; not because the tools are hard, but because they're doing what everyone else is doing… or worse, doing the bare minimum.

In today's market, average doesn't convert. The agents winning right now aren't the ones spending the most money; they're the ones showing up consistently, leveraging automation, and using AI to amplify their expertise instead of hiding behind excuses.

How can you turn one real estate deal into multiple streams of income? How do agents embrace tech?

That's what I'm unpacking on Constant Contact's Be a Marketer podcast, where I was featured as a guest.

Along with co-hosts Dave Charest, Stephanie Alonso, I break down why most agents misunderstand marketing, how to simplify your systems, and what it takes to build a business that compounds while you're off the clock.

Things You'll Learn In This Episode

The no excuse zone mindset
Success doesn't come from talent or timing; it comes from eliminating excuses. How do you rewire your habits to operate like an entrepreneur, not an employee?

Consistency over charisma
The most profitable agents aren't the flashiest; they're the most consistent. What boring, daily habits separate six-figure producers from struggling agents?

Video is the ultimate multiplier
Video isn't optional; it's the only form of content that can be repurposed into text, audio, and leads. How can you use AI and automation to make video your most scalable marketing tool?

Leads, loyalty, and longevity
New agents often wait for brokers to hand them leads. How can CRMs, landing pages, and follow-ups turn your list into a self-sustaining income engine?

Guest Bios

Stephanie Alonso is a speaker and the Senior Director of Vertical Innovation at Constant Contact. She is a dynamic, results-driven sales and strategy leader with a relentless passion for empowering individuals and teams to achieve their highest potential. Stephanie's track record as a revenue generator, strategic thinker, and sales training and enablement expert has led to success in developing and executing go-to-market strategies that drive revenue growth. Connect with Stephanie on LinkedIn.

Dave Charest is a keynote speaker, award-winning podcast host of Be A Marketer, and the Director of Small Business Success at Constant Contact, the digital marketing platform trusted by millions of small businesses. Every day, Dave talks with small business owners about what really works in marketing. His job is to take those lessons, strip out the noise, and make marketing make sense—whether it's email, social, text, or AI. Connect with Dave on LinkedIn.

Listen to Be a Marketer here.

About Your Host

Marki Lemons Ryhal is a ​​Licensed Managing Broker, REALTOR®, and avid volunteer.

She is a dynamic keynote speaker and workshop facilitator, both on-site and virtual; she's the go-to expert for artificial Intelligence, entrepreneurship, and social media in real estate. Marki Lemons Ryhal is dedicated to all things real estate, and with 25+ years of marketing experience, Marki has taught over 250,000 REALTORS® how to earn up to a 2682% return on their marketing dollars. Marki's expertise has been featured in Forbes, the Washington Post, Homes.com, and REALTOR® Magazine.

Check out this episode on our website, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify, and don't forget to leave a review if you like what you heard. Your review feeds the algorithm so our show reaches more people. Thank you!

Real estate ain't just about buying and selling houses, it's about people. The families we help, the communities we build, the dreams we make possible through ownership. Anybody can chase closings. But being a REALTOR® means something deeper; it means showing up with integrity, protecting consumers, and building trust one deal, one class, one conversation at a time.

And let's get one thing straight, mentorship isn't a Facebook post. It's not about being seen. Mentorship is a promise. It's about opening doors, not hoarding keys. It's not proximity, it's access. Don't just sit beside someone and call that guidance. Give them your process, show the checklist, and share the script.

Because when we teach what we know, we don't just create success, we create standards for our industry.

That's why I've spent my career teaching, mentoring, and sharing the blueprint.

Because when we lift as we climb, the whole industry rises. When we gatekeep, everybody loses.

And now, I'm honored to share that I've been inducted into the Chicago Association of REALTORS® Hall of Fame. In this episode, I'm sharing my full Hall of Fame acceptance speech, which includes the lessons and legacy that have built my career and what this means to me.

Things You'll Learn In This Episode

• The real meaning of real estate It's not about listings, it's about lives. How do we make sure people stay at the heart of this business?

• Lift as you climb When one of us grows, we all grow. How do we build each other up instead of competing to stay small?

• Why mentorship matters Mentorship isn't charity; it's how we protect the profession. How do you make sure your success leaves a door open for someone else?

• A hall of fame moment for us all This honor isn't about status, it's about service. What does it mean to represent real estate at its very best?

About Your Host

Marki Lemons Ryhal is a ​​Licensed Managing Broker, REALTOR®, and avid volunteer.

She is a dynamic keynote speaker and workshop facilitator, both on-site and virtual; she's the go-to expert for artificial Intelligence, entrepreneurship, and social media in real estate. Marki Lemons Ryhal is dedicated to all things real estate, and with 25+ years of marketing experience, Marki has taught over 250,000 REALTORS® how to earn up to a 2682% return on their marketing dollars. Marki's expertise has been featured in Forbes, the Washington Post, Homes.com, and REALTOR® Magazine.

Check out this episode on our website, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify, and don't forget to leave a review if you like what you heard. Your review feeds the algorithm so our show reaches more people. Thank you!

Most agents are a little freaked out by AI, but here's the truth: it's not here to replace the real estate professional. It's here to replace inefficiency.

For years, real estate has rewarded the agents who grind harder, not smarter. The ones who show up earlier, stay up later, and never stop hustling. But the next wave of top producers will be the ones who out-automate everyone else.

When most agents hear "AI," they think job loss. But what if it's actually the key to something real estate's never offered: predictable income and real financial freedom? What if it's the missing link between chaos and consistency in your business?

How do we lean into AI and leverage it to run profitable businesses? I was featured on Atlanta real estate broker Glennda Baker's show, Glennda's Gurus.

We talked about how to build a retirement-ready business in a field that doesn't even have pensions. We also discussed how to use AI to scale your brand and influence, and why fear is the biggest wealth killer in real estate right now.

We've been using AI for many years, but companies have been charging us for it. Now we have the choice to use these tools to increase our income, return on investment, and return on time for free. -Marki Lemons Ryhal

Things You'll Learn In This Episode

• AI as your income multiplier
  I boosted my productivity by 261% and my monthly income by 283% by automating repetitive tasks. How can you use AI to do the same, without losing your personal touch?
  
  
• Consistency as your competitive edge
  Success in real estate isn't about doing more; it's about doing the right things consistently. How can AI help you stay consistent when motivation fades?
  
  
• Automation as your retirement plan
  Most agents don't have pensions, but technology can help you build one. How can automation create the financial freedom real estate rarely provides?
  
  
• Fear is your biggest opportunity
  If most agents are too scared to adopt AI, what happens to those who lean in early and master it while others hesitate?

Guest Bio

Glennda Baker is an international real estate broker with three decades of expertise, recognized as both a prominent social media influencer and a distinguished thought leader in the field. As a highly respected Atlanta real estate broker, she specializes in residential real estate and has been recognized nationally as one of Newsweek's America's Best Agents. Glennda's expertise in the local market and global connections are unparalleled, making her the go-to source for real estate guidance worldwide. As the leader of The Diamond Squad, an all-female real estate team, Glennda has honed her marketing skills and out-of-the-box thinking to build a signature brand that is recognized and respected worldwide. Industry leaders refer to Glennda as the most recognized face in real estate. As the Queen of Real Estate Video, Glennda shares her love and passion for real estate to impact, inform, and inspire buyers and sellers all over the world to create generational wealth through real estate as well as level up the real estate agent community. To learn more, visit https://glennda.net/.

About Your Host

Marki Lemons Ryhal is a ​​Licensed Managing Broker, REALTOR®, and avid volunteer.

She is a dynamic keynote speaker and workshop facilitator, both on-site and virtual; she's the go-to expert for artificial Intelligence, entrepreneurship, and social media in real estate. Marki Lemons Ryhal is dedicated to all things real estate, and with 25+ years of marketing experience, Marki has taught over 250,000 REALTORS® how to earn up to a 2682% return on their marketing dollars. Marki's expertise has been featured in Forbes, the Washington Post, Homes.com, and REALTOR® Magazine.

Check out this episode on our website, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify, and don't forget to leave a review if you like what you heard. Your review feeds the algorithm so our show reaches more people. Thank you!

"Secret agents don't get found, and closed mouths don't get fed." It's more than a catchphrase; it's a survival strategy for today's market.

In an environment where inventory is scarce, clients are cautious, and other agents are everywhere, invisibility will keep you from earning more.

If you aren't proactively creating opportunities, asking for business, and showing up where consumers are, you'll get overlooked every time.

That's why differentiation isn't a luxury; it's the core of winning in real estate right now.

And the sharpest ways to position yourself apart from the competition aren't the ones most agents think about.

Social media isn't just a branding tool; it's a live feed of consumer behavior. AI isn't a toy; it can turn one bad listing photo into a winning expired pitch.

Consistency isn't boring; it's the edge that compounds when your competitors give up.

So how do you stop being invisible in this market? How can you create a blue ocean strategy for yourself?

I was featured on Knolly Williams' Success With Listings Podcast, and we discussed what it really takes to succeed in real estate today.

Things You'll Learn In This Episode

• Social media as real-time consumer intelligence
  Clients reveal their needs online every day. How can you use their digital footprints to update your CRM, build trust, and stay two steps ahead of competitors?
  
  
• The 2006 wake-up call that changed everything
  When consumer internet use jumped from 2% to 80%, agents who ignored it disappeared. How do you make sure you're showing up where buyers and sellers are actually looking today?
  
  
• AI as your expired-listing superpower
  You can use a custom GPT to take one photo, generate staging recommendations, and create "after" images in minutes. How can you turn AI into a unique selling proposition that wins listings your competitors overlook?
  
  
• The adoption gap = your blue ocean
  Only 15% of adults use ChatGPT, and even fewer pay for Plus. How does this low adoption create a massive competitive edge for the agents who lean in now?

Guest Bio

Knolly Williams, known as "The Business Healer," is a bestselling author, international speaker, and real estate broker who specializes in helping homeowners sell smarter and coaching real estate agents to build thriving businesses with less stress. Knolly is the author of the national bestsellers Success with Listings and 3 Hours a Day, a McGraw-Hill-published book that teaches entrepreneurs how to multiply their income while doing less. He's trained thousands of agents nationwide and leads a powerful movement through his Mentorship Masters group at eXp Realty and the Success with Listings Academy. Visit https://knolly.com/ to learn more and subscribe to his YouTube channel here.

About Your Host

Marki Lemons Ryhal is a ​​Licensed Managing Broker, REALTOR®, and avid volunteer.

She is a dynamic keynote speaker and workshop facilitator, both on-site and virtual; she's the go-to expert for artificial Intelligence, entrepreneurship, and social media in real estate. Marki Lemons Ryhal is dedicated to all things real estate, and with 25+ years of marketing experience, Marki has taught over 250,000 REALTORS® how to earn up to a 2682% return on their marketing dollars. Marki's expertise has been featured in Forbes, the Washington Post, Homes.com, and REALTOR® Magazine.

Check out this episode on our website, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify, and don't forget to leave a review if you like what you heard. Your review feeds the algorithm so our show reaches more people. Thank you!