Oklahoma’s Jay Kinder heard about eXp Realty two times. The third time he finally listened. “The first time, a lender friend wouldn’t stop talking about it. The second time, I heard about it through a friend I coached in Austin, Texas. Finally, when I heard Albie Stasek was moving over, that’s what got me,” said Kinder.

Kinder’s attention was finally piqued. He went to work, researching the model and then attended EXPCON in 2016 to get a closer look. He met eXp founder and CEO Glenn Sanford, and agent and influencers Gene Frederick and Brent Gove. He realized eXp was the solution for what he was trying to do, which was to build a powerhouse team and retain them, minus the headaches of owning your own independent brokerage.

> Learn why independent brokers are flocking to eXp

“In having an independent brokerage, the challenge was still with recruiting and retention and coaching and overhead. eXp solved all of those problems. It was the perfect business model,” said Kinder, who joined eXp in 2017.

Jay Kinder closed his independent brokerage and joined eXp in 2017. He calls eXp the “perfect business model.”

Once Kinder Invested in Himself, His Career Really Took Off

Kinder has built a team of nearly 5,000 agents in his eXp revenue share group and continues to focus on coaching and training. He and his business partner, Michael Reese, run a successful coaching business (National Association of Expert Advisors) that has been named one of the fastest-growing companies worldwide by Inc. 5000.

He started in real estate in 1997, initially resisting his father’s line of work (property management and real estate) until he saw how lucrative the industry could be. But, it wasn’t easy. He then started going to events and classes, learning how to speak in front of people, and attending training such as Dale Carnegie’s “How to Win Friends and Influence People.”

“For the first coach I hired ($1,000 a month), I had to put the downpayment on two credit cards. But, once I started investing in myself, that’s when my career really took off,” said Kinder.

Learn more about Jay Kinder:

Brokerage history:

eXp Realty (2017-current)
Independent brokerage (Dallas 2016-2017)
Independent brokerage (Oklahoma 2011-2016)
Coldwell Banker (1997-2010)

Main territory: Dallas-Fort Worth Texas

Main focus: Agent attraction/agent support

Number of people on team: eXp revenue share group (4,772 agents as of Jan. 21, 2021)

Accolades, accomplishments & awards:

No. 2 Coldwell Banker team worldwide (Top 10 for 4 years)
No. 14 team in world by Wall Street Journal
Inc. 5000 Fastest-Growing Independent Company Worldwide six years in a row with our coaching and training company, the National Association of Expert Advisors

What makes eXp special to you?

“The people. This model attracts agents with an abundance mindset. The culture is unlike anything I have ever experienced. Great people all want to help the company grow and we do that by helping each other succeed. How could you bet against a model that financially aligns the top people in the company to help others succeed?”

What is one thing about eXp you didn’t realize?

“Early on it was how much better the cloud-based model delivered value to the agent vs. the brick-and-mortar model. It’s obvious once you experience it but early on it’s something that’s hard to imagine. Much like when I ordered my first book from Amazon, I didn’t immediately recognize that I would someday order everything from Amazon and get it the same or next day. I didn’t see how quickly and easily agents would be able to get answers to questions, training, and support. It is just faster, easier, and more convenient to use an app on your phone than get in your car and drive to the office to get training and support.”

Best tip to share with other agents:

“Seek the best to be the best. Whenever you are stuck in your business, there are many agents who have been there and broke through to the next level. Make it your mission to find a mentor that has not only built a business that you desire, but also has a track record of performance in helping others do the same.”