Broker and contributor Nick Shulkway says indie brokers don’t need deep pockets to train agents. They need a system that works.
Independent brokers don’t need deep pockets to develop talent. They need a proven system, daily accountability, and a real estate agent training approach that goes beyond the “what” and teaches the “why” and “how.”
I started a brokerage firm over 10 years ago and made every rookie mistake in the book. Training means onboarding. Give someone your desk, wish them luck, and hope they figure it out. The results were as expected. I saw talent leave, production stalled, and great agents left for franchises that promised something I didn’t.
After 10 years of founding the most productive independent brokerage firm in Idaho, I’ve learned something else. It’s not that the franchise is winning on the quality of training. They win with perception. And that’s a gap that any independent broker can fill.
Here, I’ll show you how to develop new agents without fancy franchise programming, with proven systems and accountability, and create new agents who are not only branded but also knowledgeable. The first part? We help new agents break through illusions and develop key habits that build purpose and understanding in their new business.
representative agent
According to the National Association of Realtors’ 2025 Member Profile, agents with two years or less of experience earn a median of just $8,100, while agents with 16 years or more earn $78,900.
While a typical agent closes 10 deals a year with $2.5 million in volume, new agents fall far short of that benchmark.
This is a system and consistency issue. In the franchise model, new agents often fail for the simple reason that information and transformation are confused. They hand agents a library of content and assume that consuming it equals competence. Actual development requires a completely different approach.
expose the illusion
According to Inman’s report, 71% of real estate agents will not close a single deal in 2024.
We discover that this is the result of so-called “illusions” and address the most problematic illusions head-on in the first stages of training.
For example, many training courses force you to say, “This is a relationship business.” The truth is more nuanced. Relationships are important, but this fantasy conveniently ignores the hard work.
The phone calls, the rejections, the constant marketing, the willingness to pitch your services and be told no. If I had to describe what we actually do in one word, I would say it’s an “experience-based business.” People want to know what it feels like to be truly valued.
Addressing these illusions early can prevent the slow decline in motivation that derails most real estate careers before they even begin.
Build a complex discipline
Once the purpose is established and the illusions are addressed, training should move on to what we call the 7 Daily Essentials.
These are not suggestions. Those are the baseline.
7 daily essentials
Mind: Mental preparation and mindset work Body: Physical health as the foundation of your business Soul: Practicing mental/emotional health Pipeline management: Lead organization and systematic follow-up Product knowledge: Continuous learning and market intelligence Client services: Daily services that generate referrals Hot prospects: Proactive lead tracking and conversion efforts
But every day is not enough. We also layer on weekly and monthly essentials and habits to build momentum.
weekly essentials
1 strategic business development activity (networking event, open house, or high-value meeting) 5 personal touches (handwritten notes, voice messages, value-added communications) 25 prospect conversations (database calls, outreach, follow-ups) 3 social media posts (positioning content, market insights, thought leadership)
monthly essentials
Monthly value communications (newsletters, market reports, insight articles) Cold lead activation (reaching dormant leads with new value) 2-4 key business development activities (speaking, hosting, strategic partnerships) Deep product knowledge work (industry research, competitive analysis, skills development)
These are not optional reinforcement activities. They are the non-negotiables that separate agents who produce from those who dabble.
The numbers that grow your business, the habits that grow your agents
The calculation is simple, so we make sure all agents understand it. If an agent wants to close 10 deals, they need 50 consultations. If you were to convert 10 percent of your conversations into consultations, you would need 500 conversations per day, or about 1.3 intentional conversations.
When you analyze business mathematically, the mystery disappears. Clarify your new agent’s goals. Schedule two to three buyer consultations per week and start with intentional daily conversations.
By focusing on real numbers and building important habits and skills, our new agents not only have purpose, they also know how to navigate their day and conversations with clients. Part 2 of this article details how to break down your basic training into stages to connect with your clients and grow your business.
Nick Shulkway is the founder of Amherst Madison, a real estate brokerage firm based in Boise, Idaho. Connect with him on LinkedIn.
