Why Rusty Glines Quit Owning a Brokerage (And Grew Bigger Than Ever)

Guntersville native. Lakefront expert. 600+ transactions.

In this episode, we sit down with Rusty Glines, a top-producing Alabama agent who turned a factory job into a lakefront real estate empire. Rusty shares how a copy of Rich Dad Poor Dad sparked a total career reinvention—and how he built a brand of results rooted in faith, family, and work ethic.

We cover:

• His leap from manufacturing to real estate success
• Why he walked away from brokerage ownership (and how it changed his life)
• The difference between volume and value
• His biggest failure (and the system that could’ve saved him)
• How he defines success after 600+ closings

If you’ve ever thought about going all-in on real estate—or taking a step back to do more of what you love—this is the episode you’ve been waiting for.

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Transcript

create a viral title and podcast description and social media posts for our episode with Rusty Glines from the following transcript.        Shane Kilby (00:30)

it.

Duane Murphy (00:32)

Welcome to another episode of Real Estate Agent Life. I'm Dwayne Murphy. That's my co-host, Shane Kilby from the great state of...

Shane Kilby (00:39)

Sweet home Alabama.

Duane Murphy (00:41)

We have home Alabama. I tell you what, we have another amazing guest that we can't wait to introduce to you. And so you can learn a little bit more about real estate and how to increase your business. Shane, who do we got today?

Rusty Glines (00:41)

Yeah.

Shane Kilby (00:52)

So today we have a special guest, Russ D. Glines, a good friend in the business. He is a Guntersville, Alabama native and a lake authority. He does a lot of business in the lake industry, the lakeside of real estate, but he also doesn't just specialize in lake homes, but that is a very, very strong background he has. He lives in Spring Creek area and is known as a local expert on Lake Guntersville.

Rusty Glines (01:13)

Okay.

Shane Kilby (01:15)

As a veteran veteran realtor and top producer not veteran military background But veteran seasoned expert real estate top producer with a career that has started all the way back in 2015 Rusty quickly grows to the top of the ranks owning his own brokerage before Moving over into leading red leading edge real estate group in 2024 waterfront and luxury

property

specialist, Rusty has built a brand around high-end lakefront homes, land, and custom market strategies that get results. To prove that, with the receipts, Rusty has had over 600 transactions closed, 54 transactions in the past year alone. He's a volume and relationship-driven producer. He's also family and faith first. Proud dad of three, active member of Compassion City Church, Rusty leads with purpose and lives by the motto, Let's Make It Happen.

Rusty Glines (01:54)

Okay.

Shane Kilby (02:10)

Rusty,

how are you?

Rusty Glines (02:11)

I'm good appreciate y'all having me on this is this is exciting

Shane Kilby (02:15)

So we had some good times, we had some good brotherhood bonding here for a few minutes before we came on this episode. So, we had a few, yeah, we call it problem solving skills, team building skills. Rusty, so for the folks, the listeners and the viewers out there that don't know who Rusty is, but have heard of that Lake Garnesville market, kind of give us a little backstory of.

Rusty Glines (02:23)

Yeah, you get to know each other. Yeah, yeah. That's right, ⁓ yeah.

Shane Kilby (02:41)

Who rusty is and how you got started in the business?

Rusty Glines (02:44)

So yeah, I've been in about 10 years. I worked in manufacturing facilities on and off since 2002. I was about 22 when I did that. I worked till 2015, about 10 years. So 2015, well 2014, I was following some different people online and stuff and I wanted something different besides working in the same four walls.

something that I could use for retirement. So that's why I came into real estate. And of course you read the rich dad poor dad and you get all excited about everything. So I got the itch to do some investment side stuff. So I wanted to, I thought, well, to get on that side of it, let's do real estate, let's become a realtor. And I was living, actually living, I had moved to Ohio at the time, but I was moving back.

I did all my stuff online and reached out to a few brokerages here in Gunnersville because I knew I was moving back. And I'd worked at TSTech at the time before I moved. So I put in to try to get back in up there and I ended up getting the same job I had when I left, coming back to TSTech in Alabama. And so I passed my test, moved back. I started with Caldwell Banker here in Albuble.

when I moved back and it just kind of took off. After that, you know, didn't do anything crazy as far as like quit my day job. When I first started, I worked for about a year and half getting going. And I mean, I would do, I worked first shift there and I would just, you know, work nights and weekends, just trying to build everything up. And that was like 2015. And at the time, that's kind of when everything,

you know, people were starting to utilize social media, Facebook to help grow their business. And I took advantage of it. I read a few, you know, good books and stuff. I said, wrist and foredad, know, the grant card on stuff like that. And just like really got me motivated to put myself out there. I think the best thing that happened for me was moving away, getting away from everybody that knew me or whatever, you know, and got me.

more comfortable with putting myself out there. So when I got back, I didn't really care. I wanted to do it. I was posting every day, every morning, sharing whatever I could. And just letting, I wanted everybody to know, hey, I'm in real estate and I can help you. And that's kind of how I got started. And I did it for a year and half. And I thought, well, I'm gonna make a goal of saving up for six months of reserves just in case, know, all heck breaks loose, can't, know, no closing, whatever.

I got really busy, saved up six months work and I just had to quit my day job because I was so busy. So I got blessed and it's been good ever since. That's kind how I got started.

Shane Kilby (05:24)

Yeah, it's that Once you get that once you get in the business and realize like yeah, I can do this and This is nice like it maybe had to it's you know, as I say 90-day business You know what you're working on the day you you will you know cash out in 90 days? So it just becomes that 90-day cycle and soon as you realize that man is this this can be pretty lucrative This can be pretty profitable. They can take a lot Yeah

Rusty Glines (05:49)

Yeah, it was really fun.

I learned a lot too with starting with Cova Banker. Coy Graven was the broker there and just, I mean, just kind of really took me in and mentored me a lot. mean, he was one of the best here in Marshall County ever. So I was lucky to get to work with him for a while. And he showed me the ins and outs and the do's and don'ts and who to put me in touch with. And he was really, I guess, big on surrounding yourself with good people.

So that kind of taught me a lot of that too.

Shane Kilby (06:17)

Yeah, and typically the best leaders are the ones you turn around and give to those who are hungry. It's not the ones who say, got this secret. I'm not telling you my secret. I'm not sharing my secret. You don't have a secret. Work ethic is the secret sauce. But when you pair that with someone willing to share and pour into you, yeah, we've all got that key person or key people that have invested their time into us. cut you off. I didn't mean to.

Duane Murphy (06:17)

support.

Rusty Glines (06:25)

Yeah,

Yeah.

Yeah.

Duane Murphy (06:43)

No, no, that's

right. That's right. I appreciate that that that background glimpse and So then from there you're worth cold well banker. have we have that in common I have my old cold well banker tattoo that they made me get you know when I started with them 20 years ago You know, you gotta you gotta support big blue. So ⁓ Started with cold well and then went on to open your open your own firm

Rusty Glines (06:57)

Ha

Yeah.

Yeah, so I was 2020, right at the beginning of the year, some folks had approached me about kind of going into business and open up a brokerage. So I teamed up with couple of people and we opened up in March of 2020.

Duane Murphy (07:20)

so like right as the zombies are getting ready to attack. Awesome.

Rusty Glines (07:21)

Right when COVID. Yep. So

I thought, what have I done? You know, and it's just like, just scared, not knowing what to do, not knowing the future. Of course, everything's shutting down. And that's when everything blew up for us in real estate. know what mean? We just like had one of the best years and it's like everything was starting to fly off the shelf. So I thought, well, this has turned out pretty good, but we started, yeah, right in March and just everything took off for us. So I'm not.

Duane Murphy (07:33)

You

Rusty Glines (07:47)

I mean, it was scary, but it was good.

Duane Murphy (07:47)

Yeah. Yeah, your governor did you well down in Alabama, because I can remember a lot of conversations between a lot of the broker owners that we know throughout the United States and we'd all pow wow quite frequently during that time period. And certain states that were completely shut down, they tried to shut us down and you guys are just blazing. And it's just like, OK, like what the heck.

Rusty Glines (07:50)

Yeah. Yeah.

Shane Kilby (08:10)

We were essential.

Rusty Glines (08:11)

We were essential, yeah, we made sure we

Duane Murphy (08:13)

Yeah,

Rusty Glines (08:13)

were essential.

Duane Murphy (08:13)

yeah, we were not for a while and then we got relabeled. But, you know, it's probably the only time I liked getting labeled, you know, was was like essential. I was like, yeah, let's go. Right. They touch me. Look at my are you can't pull me over. Right. So so from there, had your own brokerage. When did you so nothing you switched over to under a brand? Now, what does your what does your structure look like now?

Rusty Glines (08:22)

Yeah, that's right.

Shane Kilby (08:27)

you

Rusty Glines (08:35)

Yeah.

Duane Murphy (08:37)

Do you have a team? Are you just yourself and assistant based and showing agents? What does that look like? What does your business look

Rusty Glines (08:44)

So yeah, so end of 2024, I swapped over to leading edge. I wanted to get back into helping the day-to-day stuff, not having to run the brokerage, less stress, what can I do to better serve the clients and stuff. So went with them and now when I joined them, I just have an assistant, I don't have a team right now. I've dabbled in it a little bit trying to.

I would love to, you know, and have some just if I can grow it. But right now it's just a, you know, just a small, just me and an assistant right now. So.

Duane Murphy (09:14)

Yeah,

but there's nothing wrong with that. tell you what, It sounds like you kind of, we've talked about this with a lot of guests and all the podcasts that we've had on finding your lane and finding what truly drives you and makes you happy. And sometimes dealing, I mean, I had hair before I started running my brokerage, so I can understand why.

Rusty Glines (09:32)

That's why I quit. I wanted to keep mine. ⁓

Shane Kilby (09:32)

He had a mullet.

Duane Murphy (09:34)

Yeah, I was gonna say, you still got a good head of hair there, Rossie.

So you made a good decision when you did. Yeah, because otherwise, I tell you what, another couple years and you'd look like this.

Shane Kilby (09:38)

They bailed on time.

Rusty Glines (09:40)

Yeah

Yeah, I know I knew it was coming so I had to get out so

Duane Murphy (09:47)

Hahaha

Shane Kilby (09:48)

Well, it's o-

Rusty Glines (09:48)

But I'm

a lot of hands on too. it's, I guess, top A, you know, and I like to, it's hard for me to let go of some things sometimes as far as, you know, other people like a team showing age and stuff like that. But I'm not opposed to it if I could just get the right people.

Duane Murphy (10:03)

I tell you what, your reviews, your reputation, your following and all that definitely supports all that of how much you care and that hands-on, right? Somebody call it too much, but I mean, it obviously is working very, very well. So, good old.

Rusty Glines (10:17)

Yeah.

Thank you. appreciate it.

Shane Kilby (10:18)

And

and you know for full disclosure, know the the purpose of this this podcast is is is a means to give back to to other agents, know other agents who have Turned around said I'm gonna burn it down like, you know, I mean like and the leadership role especially in the broken broke like you've been there like you on a weekly basis you should like I'm just gonna

Rusty Glines (10:38)

Yeah.

Shane Kilby (10:41)

wash my hands of it, right? So this we do these they're completely brand agnostic. A lot of our guests are big franchise agents and teams and a lot of them aren't big franchise teams. They may be big brokerage teams. But this podcast is all about the agent or the lender, know, the folks of the industry. And our purpose is to is to give back like we were just kind of joking about it. But you know, we've all

Rusty Glines (10:43)

Yeah.

Yeah.

Shane Kilby (11:07)

had successes, we've all had valleys in the peaks and the obstacles in between. But this is a way to give back to other folks that are where we are, even at greater level, and those coming down the path behind us. And what's interesting about all this is when you get to a certain level of this business and you realize that I'm not competing with the agent next to me, because the buyers and sellers that they do business with

Rusty Glines (11:30)

Yeah.

Shane Kilby (11:33)

Those don't know me and mine don't know them, right? If we focus on the consumer, the buyer, the seller, the client, then we all win in the end. So let me ask you this.

What would you say to this point in 10 years in this business and with five of those been right there in the middle of COVID, that's like a 35 year career. What's like a 35 year career? What would you say your biggest success

Rusty Glines (11:54)

Probably. ⁓

Shane Kilby (11:59)

has been thus far in real estate.

Rusty Glines (12:05)

Probably being able to give back. I only talked about that a second ago, but like it's opened up a lot of doors and you know, just being able to give back. People reach out to me all the time. I mean, you you and people over the years, when I first got going and got big, people would reach out just to take me to lunch. I'm like, me? Why me? You know, I mean, but if just to sit down and talk to them and let them know it's going to be okay.

And then you can make it, especially where I come from. I didn't come from money or anything like that. You can set some goals and you can make it. So being able to get back and just help out others. I guess the giving back part would be the biggest benefit to me. I'm all for it. People call all time, hey, can I thank you to call up here or whatever. I'm all about it, so just help out.

Shane Kilby (12:52)

Yeah, I think a lot of times it's nice having you on here is because you've come in, you've had focus, you've had discipline, you've had commitment, you've had success, you've had obstacles, you rose through the ranks, you faced COVID, you started at a franchise, it's apparent that you learned a lot, you had great mentorship, you went out on your own, you created a brokerage.

Rusty Glines (13:17)

Okay.

Shane Kilby (13:18)

successful brokerage but What a lot of agents, you know including myself at one point time it failed to realize is Well, I'd done my homework. I knew I was getting into something that was gonna be over my head But I was hard-headed I wanted the challenge and you know, well, it's still beat me in the face I'm still here surviving but it's because of guys and gals that they're in the space like this that I am

But you know a lot of times I just think that you know, I do a few units

Like I can open a brokerage and then I can just get wealthy and I want I just want to you you survived it and you're still in this industry thriving I want to take that back a little deeper right to to what made you want to go into the brokerage and where and where was the crossroads you said you know what I'd make more money doing my own thing with an assistant. Walk me through that.

Rusty Glines (13:57)

Yeah.

Yeah.

So going into the brokerage was like, I'm doing good with Co-op Banker. And it met a lot of people. And I thought, well, if I can do this myself and set up a brokerage, I can make more money. can do this. I can do that. Maybe open more doors and stuff. So I was like, let's just go ahead and do it. And you take on agents and the responsibility for other agents and stuff.

They don't always do it the way you did it or whatever, but you're constantly having to worry about if they're doing anything right or are they in compliance? The whole outlook of it. And it was just like, it's taken away from me being able to answer those other calls for the people being there and for my family and stuff too. It was just taken away a lot.

And it just took me like, mean, it's like, hey, this is not for me. I'm not made to be an owner. know, I just, I'm here to help other people, but I'm okay with not being an owner. You know, I've tried it and it didn't work and I'm okay with it. It's not, you know, I didn't fail. I learned from it. So if I could help somebody else realize that too, you know, I mean, I'm all for people on their own brokerages and stuff, you know, but you just gotta have the proper support.

the team that goes into it, you know, and everything that you surround yourself with, I think, and it just wasn't the right time, you know, for me. I mean, we got busy during COVID and everything seemed good, but then it started to pan out, you know, it's like, okay, well, I didn't have the resources to recruit agents. You know, when I first started, I had a few people that said, hey, just because I was doing good, they wanted to come on board with me, which was fine. I mean, that made me feel good because they came on with me. And

Duane Murphy (15:46)

Yeah.

Rusty Glines (15:49)

Once you get going, can't support them. They don't have the trainings and stuff that you need to keep people and to grow a team overall brokerage and stuff. And I was like, well, I just can't do it. I want to refocus back to what I like doing as far as serving the people and helping everybody else out and taking some of my time back for me and the family.

Shane Kilby (16:11)

So what would you say makes a successful agent?

Rusty Glines (16:14)

Yes.

Shane Kilby (16:15)

Because I know for I know for we all three of them Have all three shared this guilt that at one point time we thought that that every agent wanted to be had the same success, right so I My mind shifted at older at a more wise age that everybody wants success I won't take that away from me every agent was successful they wouldn't go through the pain and agony of pre license post license and paying all these dues of fees, so

Rusty Glines (16:18)

Yeah.

Shane Kilby (16:40)

To all the ages out there, I know you all want to be successful. But at one point in time, I thought that we all thought about success at the same way, I guess. What's your definition, and what would you think that would be?

Rusty Glines (16:52)

A successful agent, think. Man, that's a tough one. I mean, for me, I know that I'll wake up every day.

I wake up every day without a job, unemployed. You wake up and you get that mindset, like, I have to go get it today. And I don't think a lot of them do. They get into it and we, for example, we make it look easy sometimes. They don't see the behind the scenes stuff as far as the get up and go and the drive and stuff. I'll be 45 this year and I feel like I'm in the best shape of my life.

set myself up for that because I get up and I go to the gym and work out or I've got my daily routine stuff. But you've got to have that drive, a successful agent, I guess, to make sure you get, you've got to motivate yourself sometimes. That's sometimes a lot. got to, like I said, you wake up every day without a job and you just got to that drive to get up and go and help people every day. And to be able to do that and to get to say, hey, I'm a successful agent is

you know, for people to call me and say, hey, you know, so and so recommended you that that makes me feel good. It makes me feel like I'm doing my job to be asked to be on a podcast. mean, it's my first one ever. You know, mean, like, it's just humbling to for somebody to ask me to be on there, you know, but I guess there's a lot of different, I guess, successful, but I guess the successful agents have to motivate themselves every day to keep that drive.

Shane Kilby (18:15)

Yeah, yeah, it's funny. know, teach, you know, pre-license, post-license and CE and just growth and development in general. it's funny, I talk to lot of students and the question is, know, what's your commitment? What's your future? What are your plans as far as being a full-time agent? And oftentimes it's like, well, you know, I got to have my regular job.

you know, you know, cause, you know, don't, you know, what if I, what if I don't get paid, you know, what if I don't have a clothes and I'm like, well, you know, I'm going to be shoot you straight. Like, you know, you don't definitely don't walk off that job with a hundred bucks in your pocket, but you need to, if you really want the freedom that this career path can create for you, you need to set yourself up with a few months worth of reserves and you need to burn the boats.

Rusty Glines (18:55)

.

Shane Kilby (19:05)

Because unfortunately in this business every time you have a closing you are now gainfully laid off and unemployed right you're now furloughed right and So you just like you said you need that discipline you need that motivation and you got to have that why you can't chase the money Because you get tired and fatigued and your bills are paid so I don't need any money today So I won't go to work right so it's got to be more about that that why that like you're you know, you like to help people

Rusty Glines (19:12)

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

Yeah.

Shane Kilby (19:32)

Like you like to have that family balance. You like to stay healthy, right? So those are key contributors. That's your motivation. That's your motivation. And you already have a discipline work ethic. that's, you know, thanks for that response. was really what I was looking for. That was really what could you, we lose our job every day. I mean, we we list inventory and we get a seller's like not happy and wants to take the house off the market. You're unemployed.

Rusty Glines (19:33)

Yeah.

Yeah. Yeah.

Shane Kilby (19:58)

Right. So before you and now you've already got money and resources committed to it, but you know, it is what it is so what do you think? Out of you know, you got 10 years in the business First podcast with technical difficulty, but we overcome those we're resourceful and problem solver by nature Real estate age of life ⁓ We persevered we hung in there we made it happen we made it happen

Rusty Glines (19:58)

Yeah.

Yeah.

Duane Murphy (20:12)

Who's that who's that podcast with?

Rusty Glines (20:14)

Right.

Duane Murphy (20:18)

Boom.

It might

Rusty Glines (20:22)

May to

Duane Murphy (20:23)

happen.

Shane Kilby (20:24)

So besides

our technical difficulties today, what's been your biggest failure in business thus far?

Rusty Glines (20:31)

That's tough. don't really don't like, you know, when you read a lot of books and stuff, I didn't read any books in high school. I swear you know it's worse. Like when I got into real estate, I started reading all this motivational stuff and I don't really like, I've learned a lot. I don't think I've failed a lot. mean like, I think more if I can turn it into something else, it's not really a failure. Like leaving, you know, the brokerage and stuff, don't.

I didn't consider it a failure. thought maybe at the time it was, you know, when I was leaving, like I can't do it. I'm not made out to be an owner or whatever. You know, you get down on yourself about it, but looking back, it's just opened up more doors, you know? so I'm not trying to say I don't have any failures. mean, think, you know, I've lost a lot of transactions. I've lost, you know, follow up people. Probably the biggest failure, I guess, was not setting up.

systems early enough to retain a good customer base. Because I've lost, I feel like I've lost a lot of people over the years just by, if I just write it down on a piece of paper or something like that, you know, but I guess not having the systems in place, not seeing the value of a good system to retain people and to maintain that relationship.

Duane Murphy (21:39)

Yeah, I think you measure the success level on the...

Willingness or want to serve people by the agents who measure themselves on the ones they didn't get versus the ones they did Like I I can agree I can relate with that I could feel that when you're stating that it's like I Can still to this day still remember appointments from 10 15 years ago or? When I was first starting on living rooms I walked into or kitchens I walked into where I didn't get that appointment or I didn't get that listing or whatever it might be in it

Rusty Glines (21:44)

Mm-hmm.

Yeah. Yeah.

Duane Murphy (22:09)

I still got those burning in my head. Whereas I've forgotten some of the homes that I bought and sold over the years. But I tell you what, some of those ones that I didn't get just right. You know, I love to win, but I really hate losing.

Rusty Glines (22:14)

Yeah.

Oh, big time. Yeah, I don't

play to lose. You play to win, you know? And that's just, we're in the relationship business and I just felt like if I hadn't developed that relationship good enough, maybe that's why I didn't. you know, I'm reading another book called Let Them Now, know, Mel Robbins, let them, yeah, so, you you just kind of learn to let it, let them and let me do what I need to do. you know, it kind of helps out a lot as far as accepting it.

Duane Murphy (22:25)

Yeah.

Mel Robbins, great book.

Yeah, no, that's

a great book. I finished that one and it was kind of at first I was like, don't know, not my typical book that I might read. It wasn't business related and just high A and just driving and whatever. the more I read it, it's like, well, this is really relevant. Can't wear it on your sleeve, right? Just let them.

Rusty Glines (22:55)

Yeah.

Oh yeah, for sure. It's helped me a lot.

Shane Kilby (23:08)

Yeah, it's always-

Rusty Glines (23:12)

Mm. Sure.

Shane Kilby (23:13)

Yeah, it's always, it's

always, you know, once you, once you learn that lesson in life, that, it's, know, not, not why is it, you know, why is this happening to me? You know, what is this? What is this opportunity? What is this lesson? What is this growth, you know, curve? What am I going to take away from this? And there are days it's like, like you have to have that conversation with yourself. You're like, you know, and if someone looks at you like, what the heck is he doing?

Rusty Glines (23:28)

Yeah.

Shane Kilby (23:39)

You're seriously like Frustrated, you know, and you're like I know that I know I know there's a lesson to be learned here I'm not gonna just take this as a loss Like what is you know, so even talking about units and production and stuff like that mean, we've we've put up a lot of numbers over the years and What's kept me up at night is is the missed opportunities, you know and the database sitting there with

Rusty Glines (23:39)

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

Shane Kilby (24:01)

Thousands of buyers and sellers and ages and it's like I'm always like, you know, how could we not? do we miss? How could we have gotten it? You know, how could we what did what what could we have done different? To have had one more unit whether we already had We had plenty units, but what we do to move the marker a little bit farther down the field, you know ⁓ Keeps me awake. It still keeps me awake at night, right? It still does so

Rusty Glines (24:09)

Yeah.

Yeah.

Right.

Yeah, yeah.

Duane Murphy (24:28)

Yeah. So with where you're at now, and could be personal side, could be on the business side, either or, possibly separate, who would you say or who's had the greatest influence in your life and business?

Rusty Glines (24:43)

Probably when I first got started, the broker there at Coldwell Bunker, he had a great influence. He didn't give me stuff or whatever. He had his way of teaching me how to do business. He would walk by, I'm just going to list this farm or I'll close this deal. I'm like, who's this man coming in here trying to me what he's going to do? Why can't I do it?

He had his way of teaching, you know, and I think he was my, greatest influence. And I, when I first got into it, I, like I said, I had a full-time job and I'd reached out to another friend of mine that was a realtor and he was with another brokerage. And he's like, he's like, go with him. You know, I could have went with a different brokerage or whatever, just with them. And he's like, he can train. He's, good at that. That's his, you know, he's the, he's the best one around to do that. And so that's why I went with him and I'm glad he told me to go with him.

I think he was the biggest influence. I still look back at some of lessons and stuff and I'm very thankful for him.

Shane Kilby (25:40)

One thing it's been, and I know Dwayne, you'll back me up on this. One thing, like you know a lot of people, know a lot of people, and you just kind of, you start surrounding yourself with the right people so that you can continue to grow, learn, and develop. But one thing that we've, it's been nice with the podcast is that we get to see how much alike all of these people think, right?

Rusty Glines (25:58)

it.

Yeah.

Shane Kilby (26:05)

What is, you know, it seems to be always, and we've had guests on here that been in the business 40, almost 50 years. And even going 40, 50 years back to today, the same message, the same lessons of life have been shared from these individuals. And some of these individuals don't even know each other. They've never met one another. But it's always that mentor, that business leader,

Rusty Glines (26:26)

Yeah.

Shane Kilby (26:31)

you know, that coach, the accountability partner, know, someone that's poured into them and said, look, if you want to be successful in this business, do what I do. Don't ask questions. Do the stuff that's mundane and boring and stay consistent at it. And everything you want out of this business will fall into place. Don't overthink it. Just execute, right?

Rusty Glines (26:43)

Mm-hmm.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Shane Kilby (26:58)

And somewhere, every rock star that we've had on this podcast, you know where they've in the business, they found success in two years that they've been in the business or 45, 50 years ago. It's that same message from start to finish. It's funny how that resonates.

Duane Murphy (27:11)

you

Rusty Glines (27:14)

Yeah,

yeah, it's, I don't know. Yeah, it is. You talk to other people, even in other different industries and stuff too. It's the same thing.

Shane Kilby (27:20)

Yeah, yeah. So if you're looking back at the younger version of Rusty or someone coming up through the ranks or just a consumer out there on the street that says, you know, think I can be great at real estate and they absolutely can. What's something that you would like to have known at a younger version of Rusty when he come down this path or that you could share with someone else?

traveling down that path that might help them.

Rusty Glines (27:46)

Don't be afraid to ask questions. The more that you can surround yourself with other leaders, the better. I mean, it's true. You surround, you're the average of five people that you hang around with. So show up, network with people, ask questions, and don't be afraid to look dumb sometimes. But we've all been there.

We've all been humbled by a dumb question, but then we turn around and okay, well, it wasn't too bad. wasn't, you I found out the answer and I learned from it and go from there. So I guess in that it's okay to, you know, don't try, know, don't consider it a failure if you have a few setbacks, you know, as long as you can learn from it, I think you're gonna be fine. And don't give up.

Shane Kilby (28:25)

Yeah, you know, it's it'll always I don't this is never going to change you got it. You have to always

Be comfortable staying uncomfortable. You know, you've always got to seek out the smaller rooms with the bigger players. Like you used to be like, you know, getting bigger rooms, a bigger plan. No, it'll get small, get smaller rooms with bigger players that the walls start tightening up. Then you can't hide in the back. You can't be in a silent observer. Like you have to be up. You're going to be vulnerable. And if you're in the back in a small room, they're going to find you.

Rusty Glines (28:35)

Yeah.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Shane Kilby (29:00)

Like, why not? We go straight to the front seat. Right. Right.

Rusty Glines (29:00)

Yeah.

Duane Murphy (29:02)

Yeah, we make sure we can't get away. that part

Rusty Glines (29:05)

Hahaha.

Duane Murphy (29:06)

about asking questions. I can still remember early in my career in the big blue office, it is a cubicle setting and back in those days, I'll date myself a little bit because this is 20 years ago, everybody was in the office. The office was completely full.

Rusty Glines (29:24)

yeah, floor duty.

Duane Murphy (29:25)

That's just the way real estate was done back then, right? There wasn't, know, and by the way, the contracts were in triplicate. So, right, with carbon copy. we'll probably have to explain that to our younger listeners, but. Yeah, and fax machines, right? So the, but asking questions, I can remember back then I had, there's some mega producers in our office that were just, just ballers. They just did.

Shane Kilby (29:31)

Yeah

Rusty Glines (29:34)

yeah.

Shane Kilby (29:38)

and Pax Machines.

Duane Murphy (29:50)

more business than I even thought was possible in real estate. by asking questions, mean, you know which, the ones that answer your questions, that truly wanna help you, that wanna see you succeed, that don't see you as a competitor, the ones that you want around you anyway. And there's some that I would ask questions to and they would shut me down like, who are you and what do you think you're doing by asking me questions? Like, why are you afraid of me? I sold one home in the last three months.

Rusty Glines (29:53)

Thank

Yeah. Yeah.

Yeah.

Duane Murphy (30:18)

Like, what

do you have that you're afraid of with where I'm at? And then there's some other mega producers in the office that literally I can, they opened up their books and they showed me every line and they're, here's what I do and I do this and I do that. by the way, you can't, because you're not there yet, but you can do this, this and this. And I would suggest you start there. Right, they came from a mindset of abundance.

Rusty Glines (30:35)

Yeah.

Duane Murphy (30:42)

rather than scarcity of going, let me help you. And I owe still to this day a massive amount of credit to some of those producers that shared their thoughts, that helped me through some contracts or helped me through situations or shared what they were doing or maybe where I should concentrate some time. And it all came from asking questions. And the ones that tell you no are,

Rusty Glines (30:44)

Mm-hmm.

Duane Murphy (31:06)

hurt your feelings because you know they won't share whatever it is guess what you didn't want their advice anyway they're not running that they're not running their business their life anywhere near how you're gonna want to run yours any anybody with the right intentions and the right heart and mindset they're going to answer your questions

Rusty Glines (31:10)

Yeah, you'll make them.

Yeah, absolutely.

Yeah, absolutely. Yeah, there's enough for everybody out there. I mean, that's, you know, it's not a scarcity thing. There's enough. If you go out there and work hard enough, you're going to get it.

Shane Kilby (31:31)

And that's the thing, you collaborate. It's like, know, Dwayne and I met at a tech, you know, CRM, you know, training event, I don't know, 10 years ago, 12 years ago, I lost count. had about 15 more hairs then on his head. So he had been in the business a little while. But in those spaces, it wasn't brand agnostic. Like to this day, I'm still close friends with

Rusty Glines (31:33)

Yeah.

Shane Kilby (31:54)

A massive amount of those. I couldn't tell you 10 % of the brands that they represent. know? Because I know them as people, I know their spouses, I know their kids. I've watched the kids grow up and graduate, I've visited them, I've been at some of their weddings. And that's what it's all about at the end of the day. It's like, we don't have any competition. We rise by lifting each other up. High tides lift all ships. So Rusty, if listeners or viewers wanted to connect with you,

Rusty Glines (32:00)

Yeah.

Okay.

Shane Kilby (32:23)

It may be send referrals your way vice versa maybe buyer-sale is looking in your area like what's the best way to contact you?

Rusty Glines (32:27)

Okay.

Basically just call me. mean, you know, 256-960-2024 or Facebook, you know, I'm pretty big on Facebook and Instagram so too. They can reach out there. I think that's about it. I don't, I got messenger and all that stuff too. mean, but you know, usually just call or email me is the best way.

Shane Kilby (32:52)

Okay, we'll, we'll,

Duane Murphy (32:52)

Hey, Rusty, I got a

question on the left field for you. Just a thought that came about on some of our conversation today and stuff that we've been talking back and forth on and sharing. And something I've been pondering a little bit outside of that as well. So we all have a clock, right? So there's a clock in life. Can't see it, but we all know it's there. We don't know.

How much time is on it? We don't know what it reads, right? We just, we don't have that luxury. Probably a good thing, maybe, right, that we can't see the clock, but we all have one. So when your clock gets all the way to the end, what is it that...

Rusty Glines (33:22)

Yeah. ⁓

Duane Murphy (33:29)

How do you want to be remembered?

Rusty Glines (33:30)

Just, I know, I mean, that's tough one, but.

Somebody that was honest, hard worker, it's just a cliche kind of deal, but that made a difference. We get to make a difference in a lot of people's lives. And if I can help that first time buyer to make their dream come true, I mean, we've made a difference in their life where they've gained confidence to get a better job or something. Maybe it just stemmed from just getting that first high off or something. But if I can just make a difference, a small difference over

over time, think. Maybe that's it, I guess. As far as business goes, I mean, of course you want to be the best dad and husband and all that you can be, but if I can just make a positive impact on somebody, think I've done my job. Yeah, thanks a lot. That's right. Yeah, yeah, thank you. Yeah, yeah.

Shane Kilby (34:16)

Leave it better than you found it. Leave it better than you found it. Yeah. Good question. Whoa, that was a tough one. I did not know that was coming. Damn, that's

Duane Murphy (34:18)

I appreciate that.

Shane Kilby (34:25)

rough.

Rusty Glines (34:26)

Yes.

yeah.

Duane Murphy (34:27)

I saw

beads of sweat on Shane's head started like whoa

Shane Kilby (34:29)

I'm like, woo.

Rusty Glines (34:30)

Yeah.

Shane Kilby (34:30)

I'm like, well, Rusty, you found the seat, Golly.

Duane Murphy (34:33)

Hahaha

Rusty Glines (34:33)

That's right. That's right. You're right.

Oh, now that I get, yeah, I can just do that, but I appreciate the question, for sure. Yeah.

Shane Kilby (34:39)

Yeah.

Duane Murphy (34:40)

That's awesome. Thank you.

Shane Kilby (34:41)

Good question. Good question. All right. Dwayne, you want to put a bow on it? You want to take us on out of here?

Rusty Glines (34:41)

Thanks.

Duane Murphy (34:46)

Yeah, so everybody who listens to us on a regular basis, you know what comes next. Smash, smash, Hulk smash, smash that like button, right? Yeah, you'll find someplace where can leave a review, whether you listen to us on Apple, Spotify, Podbean, podcast, pod, I don't know, the pod, wherever, YouTube. mean, hey, wherever the heck you are listening to us today, leave us a review. That helps, that helps our guests, that helps.

Shane Kilby (34:52)

Thank

That light button.

smash that subscribe button.

Rusty Glines (35:04)

Thank

Duane Murphy (35:11)

Right. helps move us up on the Google juice. Right. And we like to we like to be high on the Google juice meter. So if you can if you can give us a five five star review, those are what we love. We appreciate it. If you know somebody that we should be talking with, possibly you want to be a guest on our podcast, we'd love to hear from you. And if you know somebody that we should be talking with and someone that we should put into our circle, we'd love to talk to them as well. So don't be afraid to reach out to us and and send them to us. And until next time.

Shane Kilby (35:17)

Good juice

Rusty Glines (35:18)

Yeah.

Shane Kilby (35:39)

Share an episode, subscribe to the channel. Share an episode, subscribe to the podcast.

Duane Murphy (35:44)

That is it.

Share and subscribe and until next time, peace.

Shane Kilby (35:48)

Peace.

Rusty Glines (35:48)

Hmph.