What does it really take to succeed in real estate when the market turns against you?

In this episode of Change Agents, Bennett Richardson sits down with Ryan Serhant to break down the mindset, discipline, and strategy behind long-term success in real estate.

Ryan shares how he got his start in 2008—the same day Lehman Brothers collapsed—and why those early struggles shaped everything that followed. From making less than $10,000 his first year to building a global brand, he explains why agents must go "all in," pick a clear direction, and commit for the long game.

This episode dives into:

• Why real estate success comes years after the work
• The power of building attention and personal brand
• How to choose your "real estate AND" to stand out
• Why consistency and daily decisions drive long-term income
• What agents get wrong about patience, growth, and momentum

If you're serious about building a sustainable real estate business—not just surviving the next market cycle—this is your playbook.

RE/MAX agent Brandon Holtz from Bloomington, IL made history as one of the rare REALTORS® to qualify for the Masters — and now he's headed to the US Open. In this conversation with NAR's Bennett Richardson, Brandon gets candid about time management, client communication, and why staying present is the key to succeeding in both real estate and golf. A must-listen for agents who refuse to put their passions on hold.

Too many deals fall apart because agents wait too long to have the hard conversations. Christina Pappas, President of the Keyes Company — one of South Florida's largest independent brokerages with 4,000 agents across 50 offices — has a different approach: full cost transparency before clients ever make an offer.

In this episode of Change Agents, Christina walks through how Keyes trains agents to discuss HOA fees, insurance, and property taxes upfront, why they pull insurance quotes during showings, and how that full-service consultation model has been central to their 100 years in business.

She also gets candid about Miami's international buyer landscape, the Canadian market slowdown, domestic migration trends from the Northeast and California, and what the industry's shift toward buyer representation agreements means for agent value propositions.

If you work in a complex market with high carrying costs, this one's for you.

TAGS: Change Agents podcast, Christina Pappas, Keyes Company, Miami real estate, South Florida real estate, buyer consultation, HOA fees, real estate agent training, NAR podcast