TheUPside Podcast

Leading Through Disruption: Smokey Garrett on Speed, Culture & the Future of Real Estate

Theresa Flood

 Smokey Garrett—founder of The GO Network and owner of the largest Keller Williams franchise brokerage in the U.S.—joins Theresa for a candid conversation on leading through disruption, building a culture that competes and cares, and why speed is a core leadership value. They cover Smokey’s unconventional path (yes, cutting horses 🐴), rookie year lessons, rebuilding a failing market center into #1, and how agents and leaders can adapt faster than the market. You’ll learn: Why orgs “start to look like their leader”—and how to make that a good thing The two real reasons people change (and how to lead both) How to translate vision into culture, momentum, and results What will actually matter for agents over the next 5–10 years (AI, service, communication)