Brian Icenhower explains how to build a real estate team in less than 10 minutes!
Hey there, I’m Brian Icenhower, and today I’m excited to share with you a quick but informative guide on how to build a real estate team in just 10 minutes. Before we dive in, let me clarify that building a real estate team is a process that can take time, but I’ll break it down into easy steps for you to get started.
Whether you’re a solo agent, team leader, or a broker-owner, understanding how to build a real estate team is critical for scaling your business and creating sustainable growth. My bestselling book, The High-Performing Real Estate Team, offers an in-depth guide, but today, let’s focus on giving you the foundation to start building without getting bogged down in the details.
Be sure to listen to this episode of The Brian Icenhower Podcast and subscribe to the podcast so you never miss an episode!
VIDEO: How to Build a Real Estate Team in 10 Minutes
The Importance of Building a Real Estate Team
First, let’s get one thing straight—building a real estate team isn’t about spending tons of money upfront. In fact, many of the top real estate teams we coach and consult with started by growing gradually, without major financial investments at the start.
Some team leaders may come into the industry with capital, such as an inheritance or a retirement payout, and can fast-track their growth by investing right away. However, that’s not the norm.
For most people, growing your team will be a more incremental process, relying on reinvesting your earnings back into your business. The focus is on playing with the house’s money—meaning you take the revenue your business generates and use a portion of it to grow further.
Start with a Clear Strategy
To build a real estate team, you must start with a clear strategy. Many agents ask, “How do some teams grow faster than others?” The answer lies in their willingness to take on two uncomfortable but essential tasks:
Do Uncomfortable Activities
One of the biggest challenges team leaders face is the reluctance to engage in prospecting or recruiting. It’s much easier to focus on customer service and managing the transactions you already have. But if you want to grow, you need to put yourself out there and engage in sales-generating activities. This might involve cold-calling, networking, or reaching out to potential recruits—activities that are often uncomfortable but necessary for growth.Invest in Your Business
Growth also requires financial investment, specifically in marketing and administrative support. One of the core principles I teach is to reinvest 10% of your gross commission income (GCI) into your marketing efforts. Whether you’re creating online ads, developing a social media presence, or running traditional marketing campaigns, this reinvestment will help you generate more leads and grow your client base.
In addition to marketing, you’ll need to allocate another 10% of your GCI toward administrative support. Having transaction coordinators, marketing assistants, and other administrative roles in place will allow you to focus on high-value activities that drive your business forward.
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Team Coaching Program
The Team Real Estate Coaching Program is for smaller teams looking for internal structure, leverage and leadership.
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Executive Team Coaching Program
The Executive Team Real Estate Coaching Program is designed for a high functioning larger team. These team leaders will build their influence, structure their brokerage systems and growth, recruit, lead internal divisions to operate at a high level and leverage their time. Opportunities to add ancillary services to build wealth.
Slow and Steady Growth
If you’re not ready to put a large sum of money into growing your real estate team, that’s completely fine. Most teams grow slowly by reinvesting the profits they make, and this method is highly effective. As your team grows, your income will increase, allowing you to reinvest more into your business.
However, growth through reinvestment takes time. Some teams get there faster than others because they’re willing to take uncomfortable steps—whether that’s increasing their marketing budget or making their first hires. The speed at which your team grows depends largely on how quickly you’re willing to take these steps.
The Challenges of Building a Real Estate Team
It’s important to understand that while the steps to building a real estate team are simple, they aren’t easy. There are two main obstacles:
Uncomfortable Activities
The first challenge is getting yourself and your team to do the uncomfortable activities required to grow. For example, as a team leader, you need to constantly recruit new agents. Yet, many leaders hesitate because recruiting can be time-consuming and challenging. It’s much easier to hope that agents will come to you organically, but waiting for that to happen will slow down your growth.Similarly, agents on your team need to engage in lead generation activities that might feel uncomfortable. Whether it’s prospecting, calling expired listings, or door-knocking, these activities are essential for bringing in new business. The more uncomfortable activities you and your agents are willing to do, the faster your team will grow.
Spending Money to Make Money
The second challenge is being willing to reinvest a portion of your earnings back into the business. No one likes spending money, especially when profits start rolling in, but continual investment is necessary for growth. By allocating a percentage of your GCI to marketing and administrative support, you’ll build a sustainable team that can handle more transactions without burning you out.
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Team Onboarding
Online CoursesInitial onboarding for agents joining teams.
Designed for all learning types
Video Training
In-depth professional video training on every module, presented by the author, Brian Icenhower.Written Modules
Detailed and downloadable written modules with detailed graphics, scripts, spreadsheets, forms, and so much more.Course curriculum
Enrollment includes access to the following course materials for 2 years
Module 1: Create Your Sphere of Influence Database- VIDEO: How to Create a Real Estate Sphere of Influence List – PART 1
- VIDEO: How to Create a Real Estate Sphere of Influence List – PART 2
- AUDIO: How to Create a Sphere of Influence List – PART 1
- AUDIO: How to Create a Sphere of Influence List – PART 2
- WORKBOOK: How to Create a Real Estate Sphere of Influence List
- VIDEO: How to Set Up Your CRM
- Script: Update Database
- SOI Member Contact Form (fillable)
- Daily SOI Contact Form (fillable)
- Script: Update Database & Direct Message
- VIDEO: Who Do You Know
- AUDIO: Who Do You Know?
- Workbook: Who to Put in Your SOI
- Who Do I Know From These Industries? (fillable)
- SOI Call & Text Contact Cycle
- QUIZ: Module 2 Part 1
- QUIZ: Module 2 Part 2
- Module 2 Action Steps
- VIDEO: How to Contact Your SOI
- AUDIO: How to Contact Your SOI
- Workbook: How to Contact Your SOI
- VIDEO: Create Your SOI Contact Plan
- AUDIO: Create Your SOI Contact Plan
- Workbook: Create Your SOI Contact Plan
- Sample Contact Plans
- Sample Plan #1: The Basic
- Sample Plan #2: Giving to Get
- Sample Plan #3: Social Butterfly
- Monthly Mailer Topics
- QUIZ: Module 4
- Module 4 Action Steps
- VIDEO: Get Uncomfortable
- AUDIO: Get Uncomfortable
- Workbook: Get Uncomfortable
- The Comfort Zone PDF
- Action Steps
- VIDEO: How to Grow Your SOI
- AUDIO: How to Grow Your SOI
- Workbook: How to Grow Your SOI
- VIDEO: Build Your Vendor Database
- AUDIO: Build Your Vendor Database
- Workbook: Build Your Vendor Database
- Script: Asking for Referrals
- Script: Update Database & Ask for Referral
- QUIZ: Module 6 Part 1
- QUIZ: Module 6 Part 2
- Module 6 Action Steps
- VIDEO: Developing Referral Networks
- AUDIO: Developing Referral Networks
- Workbook: Developing Referral Networks
- Who Do I Know From These Industries Worksheet
- Who Do I Know From These Industries Spreadsheet
- VIDEO: Growing Vendor Relationships
- AUDIO: Growing Vendor Relationships
- Workbook: Growing Vendor Relationships
- Script: Referral Business Partnership I
- Script: Referral Business Partnership II
- Script: Follow Up After Referring a Client to a Vendor
- Script: To Contact SOI to Grow Vendor List
- QUIZ: Module 12
- Module 12 Action Steps
- VIDEO: Rights vs. Responsibilities
- AUDIO: Rights vs. Responsibilities
- Workbook: Rights vs. Responsibilities
- Rights vs. Responsibilities PDF
- Action Steps
- VIDEO: Social Media Basics
- AUDIO: Social Media Basics
- Workbook: Social Media Basics
- VIDEO: Social Media Strategy – PART 1
- VIDEO: Social Media Strategy – PART 2
- AUDIO: Social Media Strategy – PART 1
- AUDIO: Social Media Strategy – PART 2
- Workbook: Social Media Strategy
- Social Media Calendar STAY Strategy for Content
- Script: Personal Facebook Direct Message
- 12-Month SOI Video Touch System
- QUIZ: Module 8
- Module 8 Action Steps
- VIDEO: Scarcity vs. Abundance
- AUDIO: Scarcity vs. Abundance
- Workbook: Scarcity vs. Abundance
- 5 Steps to Mastery PDF – full page version
- 5 Steps to Mastery PDF
- 5 Steps to Mastery – Social Media Post
- Scarcity Vs. Abundance Chart
- Action Steps
- VIDEO: Real Estate Video Texting
- AUDIO: Real Estate Video Texting
- Workbook: Real Estate Video Texting
- Video Texting Example #1
- Video Texting Example #2
- Module 9 Action Steps
- VIDEO: Facebook Business Page
- Workbook: Setting Up Your Facebook Business Page
- BONUS HELP: Creating a Facebook Page for Your Business
- BONUS HELP: Adding Essential Information to Your Facebook Page
- Facebook Description Examples
- BONUS HELP: Creating a Professional Cover Image for Your Facebook Page – PART 1
- BONUS HELP: Creating a Professional Cover Image for Your Facebook Page – PART 2
- BONUS HELP: How to Use Canva Tutorial
- BONUS HELP: How to Find Royalty Free Images
- BONUS HELP: Stock Photo Download
- Facebook Cover Templates
- Keyword Research Toolkit
- Successful Facebook Ad Examples
- VIDEO: Thoughts Control Actions
- AUDIO: Thoughts Control Actions
- Workbook: Thoughts Control Actions
- The Gandhi Circle PDF
- 6 Rules for Controlling Your Words PDF
- Action Steps for Module 16
- VIDEO: Open Houses
- Workbook: Open Houses
- Resource: Open House Prospecting Activities
- Resource: Open House Feedback Form (Printable)
- Resource: Positive Need Affirmation Sandwich (Fillable)
- Graphic: Open House Timeline
- Open House System Checklist (fillable)
- Open House System Checklist (editable)
- VIDEO: Listing E-Alert Updates – PART 1
- VIDEO: Listing E-Alert Updates – PART 2
- VIDEO: Listing E-Alert Updates – PART 3
- AUDIO: Listing E-Alert Updates – PART 1
- AUDIO: Listing E-Alert Updates – PART 2
- AUDIO: Listing E-Alert Updates – PART 3
- Workbook: Listing E-Alert Updates
- Listing E-Alert Campaign Promotional Ad (fillable)
- Script: Neighborhood Listing E-Alert Email Drip
- Script: Geographic Farming Listing E-Alert Email Drip
- Script: Seller Lead Listing E-Alert Email Drip
- Script: Buyer Lead Listing E-Alert Email Drip
- QUIZ: Module 14
- Module 14 Action Steps
- VIDEO: Embrace Routines & Rituals
- AUDIO: Embrace Routines & Rituals
- Workbook: Embrace Routines & Rituals
- Listing & Closing Checklists
- Action Steps for Module 19
- VIDEO: Time Management & Tracking
- AUDIO: Time Management & Tracking
- Workbook: Time Management & Tracking
- Daily SOI Contact Form (fillable)
- Lead Tracking (fillable)
- SOI Member Contact Form (fillable)
- Eisenhower Decision Matrix
- VIDEO: Daily Schedule & Time Blocking
- AUDIO: Daily Schedule & Time Blocking
- Workbook: Daily Schedule & Time Blocking
- Sample Weekly Calendar
- Daily Schedule for Realtors
- The Erase and Replace Rule
- VIDEO: Activities Over Results
- AUDIO: Activities Over Results
- Workbook: Activities Over Results
- Action Steps for Module 7
- VIDEO: Tracking with a Dashboard
- AUDIO: Tracking with a Dashboard
- Workbook: Tracking with a Dashboard
- ICC Team Dashboard – Excel Spreadsheet
- QUIZ: Module 19 Part 1
- QUIZ: Module 19 Part 2
- Module 19 Action Steps
- VIDEO: 2 Week Assault Plan Explained
- Workbook: Making Initial Contact with Online Leads
- Mastering Lead Follow Up – Infographic
- The Sales Process – Infographic
- Should I Keep Trying – Infographic
- They Didn’t Answer – Infographic
- Converting a Prospect to a Client – Infographic
- 2-WEEK ASSAULT PLAN For Making Initial Contact with Online Leads
- 2-Week Assault Plan Phone Call Scripts
- 2-Week Assault Plan Text Scripts
- 2-Week Assault Plan Email Template Scripts
- 2-Week Assault Plan Video Email Scripts
- 2-Week Assault Plan Facebook and Social Media Scripts
- VIDEO: Online Lead Follow Up Plans
- “I’ll Do You One Better”
- VIDEO: How to Be a Professional
- AUDIO: How to Be a Professional
- Workbook: How to Be a Professional
- Keep Emotions Between the Lines PDF
- DISC Behavioral Assessment Image
- Action Steps for Module 26
- Part One: Buyers don’t know what they don’t know
- Part Two: From contact to appointment
- Part Three: Buyer and lender consultations
- Part Four: Making things official
- Workbook: Buyer Lead Conversion & Consultation Process
- Buyer Questionnaire & Lead Sheet
- Pre-Buyer Consult Video #1 Script
- Buyer Consultation Video Script
- Scripts: Presenting the Exclusive Buyer Agency Agreement
- Scripts: Handling Objections to Signing the Buyer Agency Agreement
- Script: MLS Auto-Prospecting
- Part One: Overcoming common objections
- Part Two: Getting answers
- Part Three: The pre-listing packet
- Part Four: The kitchen table consultation
- Workbook: Seller Lead Conversion & Listing Presentation Process
- Seller Lead Sheet
- Price Reduction Graphic
- Listing Consultation
- Pre-Listing Consultation Video Scripts
- Pre-Listing Video #1 Script
- Pre-Listing Video #2 Script
- Pre-Listing Video #3 Script
- Pre-Listing Video #4 Script
- Pre-Listing Video #5 Script
- Virtual Listing Presentation – Luxury Theme
- Virtual Listing Presentation – Classic Theme
- Listing and Closing Checklists
- The Listing Consultation Script
- Objections about Finding a Home to Buy Before Listing
- Scripts for Listing Consultation Objections about Price
- Urgency Objections
- Overcoming Objections about Paying a Commission
- VIDEO: Fail Forward
- AUDIO: Fail Forward
- Workbook: Fail Forward
- Action Steps for Module 29
- VIDEO: Understanding the Needs Analysis
- AUDIO: Understanding the Needs Analysis
- Workbook: Understanding the Needs Analysis
- The Feelings Wheel
- Real Estate Trainer Podcast: Episode 196 – Real Estate Recruiting Scripts: Conducting the Appointment
- Action Steps for Module 30
- VIDEO: Negotiating With a Needs Analysis
- AUDIO: Negotiating With a Needs Analysis
- Workbook: Negotiating With a Needs Analysis
- Buyer Lead Sheet (fillable)
- Seller Lead Sheet (fillable)
- Action Steps for Module 31
- VIDEO: The Mirroring Technique
- AUDIO: The Mirroring Technique
- Workbook: The Mirroring Technique
- Real Estate Trainer Podcast: Episode 184 – NLP Real Estate Scripts for Realtors
- Action Step for Module 32
- VIDEO: Mirroring & Matching
- AUDIO: Mirroring & Matching
- Workbook: Mirroring & Matching
- Mirror & Matching – Real Estate Negotiation Strategies
- Action Steps for Module 33
- VIDEO: The Negotiation Blueprint
- AUDIO: The Negotiation Blueprint
- Workbook: The Negotiation Blueprint
- Meet in the Middle Negotiation Model Graphic
- The Icenhower Method Negotiation Model Graphic
- Action Steps for Module 34
About this course
- $349.00
- 252 lessons
- 15.5 hours of video content
Reviews
"I use ICC systems, the Online Learning Center, and the coaching program to coach and train my team of over 30 agents. I use the ICC dashboard systems to keep my entire team accountable for their activities and set proper expectations."
Jake Rockwell
Over 500 Units Sold Annually I have coached with ICC for over five years. ICC has helped me quadruple my luxury business through marketing strategies so that I receive listings and sales through lead generation and multiple pillars of income.
Dennis Adelpour
Luxury Agent - West Los Angeles When we started coaching with ICC we worked all the time with some degree of success. Now, seven years later, we have grown to have the #1 market share in our area, we more than tripled our income and production, while also improving our work-life balance to enjoy our personal life with family and friends.
Tammi Humphrey
#1 Market Share & 100 Million in Annual Sales Volume Instructor Brian Icenhower.I designed Team Onboarding to get new agents joining a team up into production quickly. In this course, we do it two ways.
First, you will learn how to generate and convert leads from potential customers looking to buy or sell a home that you don't know. You'll learn all the top methods with the highest conversion rates so you can generate business right off the bat. Second, you will learn how to generate business from your own personal sphere of influence (SOI). These are the people you already know. You will learn how to build your book of business, and as it grows over time, so you will find more and more business coming to you as you progress year by year. This course, which is over 30 modules long, will help you develop your business in those two healthy ways at the same time, so your own book of business is diversified. Along the way, you'll receive training on other essential topics, like time management, buyer and seller lead conversion, negotiations training, and mindset training. You'll learn all of these skills and tools (and more) that a new agent should learn to get them into production and selling real estate extremely quickly.
Get into production quickly.
One of the biggest challenges about starting out on a real estate team for the first time is the lag between starting on the team and getting into production. This course will accelerate your progress and allow you to get into production much more quickly, which will help you thrive as a new member on your team. Add to CartTeam Onboarding
More about this real estate training course
Talk to a coach
If you've been considering hiring a coach, now's the time. Book a FREE coaching consultation session with your purchase of this course! Book Your Call
The Step-by-Step Process of Team Growth
Now that we’ve covered the challenges, let’s walk through the step-by-step process to build a real estate team:
Grow Your Business as a Solo Agent
Before you even think about adding team members, you need to grow your personal business. Focus on getting to a point where you’re consistently closing 30, 40, or even 50 transactions a year. At this level, you’ll find that handling everything yourself becomes nearly impossible, which is the ideal time to start expanding.Hire Administrative Support
Once you’ve maxed out your personal capacity, your first hire should be an administrative assistant. This person can take over transaction coordination, marketing, and other non-sales activities, freeing up your time to focus on generating new business.Add Buyer’s Agents
As your business continues to grow, you’ll eventually need help handling buyers. At this point, it’s time to bring on a buyer’s agent. Offering them a split of your commissions might seem like a financial hit at first, but it will allow you to scale by focusing on generating more leads and closing more deals.Continue Hiring and Recruiting
With administrative support and a buyer’s agent in place, you’ll be able to focus on recruiting more agents and expanding your team. Don’t worry if not every hire works out—building a team is about constantly finding the right people who align with your goals.Leverage and Delegate
As your team grows, your role will shift from being in production to managing and leading the business. You’ll need to delegate more responsibilities to others, including bringing on new agents, managing client relationships, and overseeing administrative tasks. This shift will allow you to focus on the high-level activities that drive the growth of your business.
Learn more about the Agent Management Portal
Looking for the best way to add value for your agents? The Agent Management Portal is a powerful learning management system. You get access to all of our state-of-the-industry training materials, as well as tools to help you create your own training content for your agents.
The Key to Success: Consistency and Patience
The key to building a real estate team is consistency and patience. Growth takes time, and while some agents and team leaders may experience rapid expansion, most will grow incrementally by reinvesting their earnings and doing the uncomfortable activities necessary for success.
It’s crucial to understand that team growth is a long-term game. As your business grows, you’ll continue to face new challenges, from managing a larger team to handling the complexities of recruiting and training new agents. But if you stay consistent, reinvest your earnings, and remain patient, you’ll build a team that not only supports your business but also allows you to step back from production and lead from the top.
Building a real estate team isn’t a sprint—it’s a marathon. Whether you’re just starting as a solo agent or are looking to scale your team to the next level, the process requires consistent effort, reinvestment, and a willingness to take on uncomfortable activities.
Brian Icenhower
Conclusion: how to build a real estate team
Building a real estate team isn’t a sprint—it’s a marathon. Whether you’re just starting as a solo agent or are looking to scale your team to the next level, the process requires consistent effort, reinvestment, and a willingness to take on uncomfortable activities.
The steps are simple: grow your business, hire the right people, and reinvest in your team. The sooner you start taking those steps, the sooner you’ll find yourself leading a thriving, successful real estate team.
So, are you ready to take that first step? Let’s get started, and I’ll see you at the top!
Get there faster with a one-on-one coach! Reach out today and get a free coaching call with an Icenhower coach.
