Three exclusive VIP breakout sessions, crafted specifically for VIP pass holders, took center stage at eXpcon Miami on Wednesday. These sessions brought together top executives and A-list agents and who offered invaluable insights on the industry, eXp Realty and best practices to help aspiring agents elevate their growth and leadership.
eXp Execs Discuss Plans for 2025 Amid Industry Shifts and New Agent Resources
Chief Learning Officer Bryon Ellington kicked off a much-anticipated panel of eXp Realty’s executive leadership. CEO Leo Pareja, CMO Wendy Forsythe, SVP of Brokerage Operations Holly Mabery and VP of Industry Relations and Strategic Partnerships Kendall Bonner joined him on stage to answer the audience’s burning questions on everything from industry issues and the NAR settlement to eXp Realty’s upcoming tools and resources for 2025.
Holly started the spirited discussion, which opened with an attendee question on NAR and its future impact.
“I’m not going to wait for NAR,” she said. “Leo has put us at the centerpoint of NAR and we will steer our own course. We didn’t ask for this but we will own it and we have your back.”
Leo continued the thought with his view of eXp Realty’s role: “We are not going to let a committee of people determine our course, full stop,” he said. “We need to be in control of our future.”
The discussion covered a wide range of topics from dual agencies to serving underserved communities. “What you see as a challenge is just an opportunity,” said Bryon, who also outlined all the training available to eXp agents, which is available on the all-new eXp University website.
When asked what each panelist is most looking forward to in 2025, Kendall talked about eXp Solutions: “I have a whole plan for Solutions in 2025, where we will have a marketplace that is competitive and valuable to you, with exclusive discounts and cancellation clauses,” she said.
“I am so excited about all the branding initiatives we will be bringing to you, including Canva, where we are the first company to have an enterprise account,” Wendy explained. “We are thrilled to bring you Canva Enterprise and to make it in our new eXp Marketing Center.”
“I am ready to take over the world,” Leo concluded. “We truly are where the pros go to grow. And now we will be where people come to start their career.”
Building a Massive Empire Through Real Estate
The next VIP session, “Building a Massive Empire through Real Estate,” brought together powerhouse speakers and ICON agents Gogo Bethke, Jay Kinder, Amanda Williams, and Albie Stasek. Each shared their journeys from real estate agents to empire builders, speaking about what’s possible in real estate, and how the eXp business model put them on a trajectory for wealth-building and expansion.
Gogo Bethke Set the Stage
Kicking off the session, Bethke, widely known as “The Social Media Queen of Real Estate,” introduced the theme: growth through intention, adaptability and the eXp model. Gogo’s focus on agent attraction resonated with attendees as she shared her approach to building a network of agents and nurturing them to succeed.
“You can build it wide and bring in agents who can build it deep,” Bethke stated, emphasizing the power of duplication in scaling her business.
Jay Kinder, a top real estate coach, reinforced the value of embracing learning and replication. After initially doubting he could achieve his current success, Jay explained, “If someone else has done it, I can. Who do I have to become to do it?”
His journey from skeptic to believer highlighted the importance of attending events and learning from those who have already reached success. “Once you see it, when someone shows you the numbers and you know it can be done, it’s the learning that needs to happen. It’s leverage like you have in no other model.”
Building Wealth and Empowerment through Revenue Share
Amanda Williams and Albie Stasek discussed the transformative impact of eXp’s revenue share model. For Williams, seeing the revenue share in action was the turning point.
“I watched my revenue share increase before my eyes, literally — it was life-changing,” she said. While her real estate business started in home flips and rental properties, she quickly saw eXp as a gateway to financial independence.
Stasek, famously known for his motto, “I work daily to build a lifestyle I never need a vacation from,” echoed the sentiment. “There is no better business model than the revenue share business model, and I initially underestimated its potential.”
Today, his organization spans thousands of agents, and he proudly acknowledged that this model scales in a way traditional real estate simply cannot.
“We never thought we’d be in 50 states and 20 countries around the world.”
Events for Attraction
While all the panelists spoke to the power of social media for attraction, events were an overarching method for bringing agents to eXp.
“We got very loud on social media,” said Kinder, “but I believe events are the most powerful way to recruit. Host a group and attendees bump into people who are winning. They have conversations and see the possibilities. I didn’t even talk about rev share, I simply taught people how to build teams because that’s what I knew. So if you want time back in your life, come here.”
Stasek echoed the sentiment. “We hosted events to help our partners grow and we had a system. ‘Double Your Business Live’ was the theme and we traveled to different markets and talked for free. We went deep and gave everyone the best of the best. Our goal wasn’t to recruit everyone, it was to build authority and trust with the audience. When you speak from the heart, it’s hard not to build trust. And at the end, we asked, ‘Did everyone get value?’ When we heard yeses from the room, we followed up with, ‘If we were your business partner, do you think you’d be successful?’ More yeses. And then we told them we had a bonus thing to tell them about.”
With financial empires that afford all of the panelists to invest and build wealth beyond what they ever thought possible, Stasek shared, “The reason we aren’t retired is because we love what we’re doing.”
How Big Can You Go? Insights from eXp Realty’s Top Producers at eXpcon 2024
During the final session moderated by eXp ICON Justin Havre, eXpcon attendees were treated to a VIP track discussion on, “How Big Can You Go?” Panelists included other ICONs, Katrina Amurao, Kenny Truong, and Jennifer Jones, who covered a variety of topics, while sharing their journeys to scaling high-performance real estate teams.
The Importance of Intentional Team Building
Katrina Amurao, a real estate professional for more than 20 years, talked about forming a team to balance work with family life. While she emphasized that growing a team can bring invaluable time freedom, she faced challenges when working previously in a traditional brokerage model.
“The costs were prohibitive, with franchise fees, transaction fees, and brokerage fees. I came to eXp and doors were opened in ways traditional models couldn’t. We could be who we wanted to be, and scale opportunities here that no one else could provide.”
Jennifer Jones built her brand on exceptional customer service and needed a solution to maintain that level of quality as her business scaled. “I understood the challenges of providing that high level of customer care. I couldn’t maintain it at the pace we were growing. So for me, it was out of necessity. To continue providing that high level of service, I needed a team.”
Leveraging Social Media for Organic Growth
Kenny Truong’s strategy speaks to the power of building a brand that attracts like-minded agents who want to join a high-energy, production-focused team. Social media allowed him to scale without traditional recruiting.
“I didn’t recruit; agents reached out naturally through my webinars and online presence, but I’m selective in my hiring process. I want people with grit, and I’ve parted ways with 100 agents because it wasn’t a fit. I have a 90% retention rate with our top 50 agents and I’m constantly evaluating our team. We are a younger company and can take you from zero to a high level. We are beating legacy agents in our market and taking more market share. We always say, ‘Be you, but fast.’”
Implementing AI for Greater Efficiency
Jennifer Jones, known for her system-driven approach, revealed her team’s use of AI-powered agents for lead generation and pre-qualifications. She explained, “We’ve incorporated AI agents with human oversight to manage lead flow. It’s a game-changer, especially with ChatGPT enabling real-time client responses.”
Justin Havre added that AI changed his business. “We are leveraging efficiencies we couldn’t produce on our own. Everything is professionally done, looks great, and enhances our communications with clients in terms of speed and quality. AI isn’t replacing us; it’s making us better.”
Everyone on the panel is currently leveraging the power of AI. All agree that AI will bring “amazing workflows” to the way they do business in the coming year.
Maintaining High Standards
For Justin Havre, holding his team accountable is non-negotiable. “Real estate success is a numbers game,” he emphasized, noting the value of tracking performance metrics to drive productivity.
This commitment to accountability was echoed by Jennifer, who runs boot camps to set a high standard for new agents, asking them, “Do you want to be held accountable into success or failure?”
Attracting the Right Agents
Each panelist was clear about their hiring process and the profiles of the candidates they hire.
Katrina Amurao believes deeply in supporting and growing her team. “We want team players who are solution focused, confident, compassionate and humble. We get to know them and invest in them with training, onboarding, and agent development. We want individuals who believe their clients are worthy of exceptional service and that they, as real estate professionals, are worthy of the rewards of their work and commitment. We meet people where they are and we have to be all in; agents on our team are entrusting us with their lives.”
Kenny Truong gets to know his team members on a personal level. “We talk about life, our health journeys, but very little about production. I believe in being the person who plugs into their personal side. Fitness and business are intertwined.”
Jennifer Jones places an emphasis on the DISC assessments, so she can understand agents as human beings. “I recognize people as individuals. Just because they may seem similar to me, doesn’t mean they’re going to react to things in the same way I do. I want to really know my team and build trust and rapport with them for the long haul.”
