Unlocking Real Estate: Colibri Real Estate Podcast
Welcome to Unlocking Real Estate - My First Commission where we dive into real stories, big wins, and early lessons learned from highly successful rookie real estate agents and brokers. This is the podcast where we explore how real estate can transform lives one home at a time by sitting down each week with a new agent or broker who has found incredible success in their first year.
Your hosts are instructors and leaders at Colibri Real Estate school, one of the largest real estate educators in the nation where we focus on helping people like you get started or find continued success in their careers.
We’d also love to hear from you! Send your comments, key takeaways, or recommendations to UnlockingRealEstate@colibrirealestate.com
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Unlocking Real Estate: Colibri Real Estate Podcast
From Bartender to Rookie Mentor: Carson Erickson’s Minnesota Real Estate Playbook
Forest Lake–based agent Carson Erickson went from juggling bartending, city work, and coaching lacrosse to passing his exam on the first try and closing a wildly complex first deal. He breaks down how he built momentum fast with open houses, consistent social content (yes, “Waterfront Wednesdays” ice dips), and ruthless time-blocking—then leveled up to mentoring new agents.
What you’ll learn:
How Carson landed his first listing in ~3 months and handled a 3x-fallout contract
Open houses as a rookie growth engine (how to pick the right ones + what to prep)
Building credibility when you’re young/new: short-form education and weekly posting
Time blocking, non-negotiables, and the calendar habit that changed everything
Finding clients without a past book: sphere, lender partners, door-knocking, circle dialing
First-time buyers focus: educating, setting expectations, and keeping stress low
Mentorship, accountability buddies, and planning a path to leading a team
Chapters:
00:00 Carson’s origin story (multi-job hustle to real estate)
01:16 Market and brokerage: Forest Lake/Twin Cities North; Call It Closed; Class & Home Group
03:45 Licensing path (Kaplan online, weekly mentor coffees, passed first try)
06:56 First listing in ~3 months—and the most complex deal of his career
10:45 Marketing when you’re new: beat imposter syndrome, show your knowledge
12:15 Social strategy: weekly education + “Waterfront Wednesdays” ice dips
13:45 First client via Facebook Marketplace; early wins from open houses
15:10 Open house playbook: selecting winners, knowing the house, simple scripts
16:56 Team growth, brokerage switch, and stepping into mentorship
19:55 Biggest rookie challenges: running a business + finding clients
22:06 Prospecting mix: sphere, lenders, door-knocking, circle dialing, social
24:45 Training cadence, continuing ed, and never stopping the learning loop
26:30 Memorable save: a delayed close turns into a better home at a better price
28:50 Client relationships: be yourself, reduce stress, enjoy the process
30:05 5-year vision: start a team, shift toward coaching agents
31:10 Lightning round: book recs, day-in-the-life, advice to rookies
35:07 Where to follow Carson
Connect with Carson:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carson.is.closing/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61580399647131
Email: Carson@clawsonhomegroup.com
Market: Forest Lake and North Twin Cities, MN
Brokerage/Team: https://carsonerickson.callitclosed.com/