Growth Drivers

5 Mistakes We Made As New Agents

Mike & Rachael Novak

We did 79 deals our first year—and still screwed up. Today we rip open the playbook and tell you exactly what we’d do differently so you can scale faster, cleaner, and with way more profit.

You’ll learn:

  • Paid Leads Trap: why leaning too hard on ads without skills/systems nukes cash flow—and the smarter 50/50 mix (PPC + sphere/open houses).
  • PCSOI Neglect: the cost of not systematizing past clients & sphere—birthdays, home anniversaries, monthly market videos, quarterly mailers, small-but-mighty client events.
  • Hiring Too Late: how delaying an assistant stalls production; when to hire (1–2 deals/month trend + 6 months salary saved) and what to offload first.
  • Team Mirage: big headcount, tiny profit. The “micro-team” model (assistant, showing partner, listing coordinator) that can net 7-figures without the chaos.
  • No Financial Controls: the silent killer. QuickBooks, chart of accounts, daily 10-minute cost-coding, tax buckets (35–40%), true cost per closing, subscription audits.

This isn’t theory. It’s scar tissue.
 Steal the systems, skip the pain, and build a business that actually pays you.

Listen. Implement. Level up.

Want more real talk like this?

Join our Weekly “Wednesday Warrior” Newsletter
Get strategies, mindset shifts, and tactical moves that help you win in business without losing your life.
Subscribe Now

💪 Want to be Mentored by Rachael and Mike?
Lock arms with us at REAL Brokerage

🔥 Step Into the Warrior Agent Coaching Movement
Because working 80 hours a week isn’t the flex you think it is.
Build the systems. Get the support. Have it all.
Join the Movement