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RUNNIN' VEGAS - The John McNamara Podcast
Talking local sports, business and real estate.
RUNNIN' VEGAS - The John McNamara Podcast
Darin Marques Vision: Building a Thriving Virtue Real Estate Brokerage
Hey guys, john McNamara host Runnin' Vegas. We're talking local sports, business, real estate. If you guys like what you see, like subscribe, follow us on Instagram at Run Vegas Podcast. And today we got a special guest, mr.
Speaker 2:Some people say I'm special.
Speaker 1:I don't know if it's in the way that I want but Darren Marquez, owner CEO of Virtue Real Estate Group Nice In the house.
Speaker 2:Thanks, brother, happy to be here. Man, excited to be back, got the caffeine pumping today. I'm ready to go.
Speaker 1:Yes, sir, so we had you on a year ago. Yeah, we should be all done in about seven minutes, so excited to have you on. The cool thing is like last time we kind of got your background story where you're from. We were just getting started, yeah, just getting started. We're a true real estate group. We were about a year into the brokerage, maybe a little bit more Yep, and now you happy anniversary.
Speaker 2:Yeah, thank you. Tomorrow's our second anniversary. It was my wife's Valentine's present, just kidding it wasn't, I'm sure she loves that. Yeah, I told her someday it will be her present. That's great so. But yeah, no, we're coming up on two years, or tomorrow's two years, man, so pretty exciting that we've made it this far, so that's awesome Well congrats.
Speaker 1:That's a that's a huge step.
Speaker 1:Cause then, you're having super success with the brokerage yeah, top 40 in the Las Vegas area. So congrats to you, thank you. And I'm sure, starting your own brokerage, there's some learning lessons, some wins, some you know. So I kind of want to dive into that, to learn even though I'm there at the brokerage, kind of learn, like from your point of view, like how the last year has gone since we last met, and dive into that a little bit. Yeah, let's do it, man, let's dive in. All right, cool, okay. So tell me, the last year, so what were some wins, what were some things that you really you learned?
Speaker 2:Uh well, the number one win was that we made it through the year, right, I mean, which was exciting, because 2024 has gone down as one of the worst years in real estate in 25 years. So, um, you know, I'm always a big believer, though that's, that's when the opportunities arise, starting during those slow times, and so, you know, the win is honestly, man just making it, making it through the year. The challenges were definitely, um, not having a lot of manpower and mostly doing everything myself. I was the accountant and bookkeeper and, uh, managing broker and still selling and you know, uh calling the copier company when there's a problem with the copier. So you know that that was some of the challenges throughout the year were definitely that. But you know, I think that's that's like any business man is that you're always going to have your challenges. So for sure, yeah.
Speaker 1:Yeah, tell us about that, cause you, you have added some manpower to the brokerage. It kind of was like a big. It seemed like from my eyes being on, you know, in the brokerage for the last year, from my eyes being on, you know, in the brokerage for the last year um, like about six months through year two, there was a big shift of you adding people to surround yourself with. That. It's, it seems like some pretty good ads of leaders. Yeah, so tell us more about that, how, how the brokerage has really grown and taken to the next level.
Speaker 2:So I I've always got kind of the backward philosophy from my probably most people. Like you know, most people start a business and then they wait until they get to X to add new people in and grow into a new building. Um, I'm you know, me being a fitness background I'm that type of mindset of like you know, if I want to lose weight and get in shape, I go buy those jeans or that shirt that I want to fit into as motivation. I don't wait until I get in shape to go buy it. And it was kind of my same mindset with the business right, like we grew into 7,000 square feet long before we needed 7,000 square feet. But my reason for that is because I want to build that brokerage to 250 agents and I don't want to get to the point where we're busting out the seams and then people are frustrated and get upset.
Speaker 2:And I felt that same way with the business and with the staffing. Is that, you know, when I brought my business partner back in in September, and I brought a partner in, the whole reason for that was that look man, I'm ready to go, I'm ready to grow this business and in order to do that I need to have the right people in place so that as we grow there's no disruptions, because there's nothing worse for agents Me being a salesperson my entire life, I get it as well there's nothing worse than having all kinds of disruptions and problems when you're trying to sell and then you're trying to deal with all these administrative headaches. So I wanted to make sure I had all the right people in place before we really put our foot on the gas and go, and man, it's been. We've been really fortunate. I mean almost a little scary how some of these people came about, which have all been perfect fits.
Speaker 2:I was reading a book not too long ago Entrepreneurship 2.0, and it talked about if you could look at your business and say that at least 90% of your staff are all the right people in the right seats, then you're on a good path and I would say 100% of the people that we have on board and on staff are all the right people to help us move forward and grow the company yeah, yeah, kudos to you because I met you, gosh, about a year and a quarter ago, yeah, and we originally met and I'll be I don't know if we ever had this conversation, for so Darren personally coaches me one-on-one weekly as well.
Speaker 1:You've really helped me with my business. We'll talk about that later. But kudos to you because when we first met and I saw your like original office, I was like we're not going here really like you, uh. But then you took that step to build out the office and then I could, I could feel the vision from you, yeah, and I was excited, you know, because I was like, hey, hey, we need space and you provided that and that takes a lot of courage. It's a deep dive, yeah.
Speaker 2:A very deep dive.
Speaker 1:Screw it and we went off of that. So I appreciate that a lot from you and, yeah, I think what you have added over the last six months, with Corey as controller, chris as the coach yeah, seems like Kevin's doing a great job with recruiting Michael on the front desk, so you've surrounded yourself with a really good team to really help continue to build the brokerage. Yep.
Speaker 2:So you know, it's kind of like reorganizing a sports team, right? Everybody's seen that, yeah, and sometimes you go through challenges, you have your downfalls, your rough seasons, and then you know what you're like. Okay, we need to revamp this, we need a whole new coaching staff, we need to bring in all the right new people and you begin to rebuild that team. And that's where we're at now. We've got all the right coaching staff, we've got all the right people in place and now it's just a matter of moving forward and growing it.
Speaker 1:So yeah, and I've noticed too just in the last couple of months, because it seemed like you know, just to be frank, it seemed like kind of in terms of like agent adding on, it kind of got a little stagnant. But it seems like last couple of months you've been kind of on fire adding agents. So what do you think like that shift was? What do you think is working for you guys? Part of that was intentional I made the decision at one point last year.
Speaker 2:You know, we grew really quickly last year when we moved into that new office and that was part of the thing, right, like it goes back to the old saying like you know, you build it and they'll come. Um, that was kind of my thought process with with the office. I'm like, hey, man, I'll build it, I'll get it there, and then and then the people will come. And then we got to a point where I'm get, let's just kind of get our head above water and get caught up. And that's what we did was we paused, essentially spring of last year. I paused from bringing any new agents on um, just kind of held tight until I could start to get all the right things in the right place. And then, um, once I had all the right people in the place again, it was pour the fuel on the fire and let's get going. And now we're cranking. I think we've added close to 30 agents in probably the last 60 days. So we're we're nearing a hundred agents right now, um, and the goal for this year is 250 agents total.
Speaker 1:So that's great, yeah, yeah, and that's that's incredibly impressive because I've been a part of, like I've always, so this is the smallest brokerage in terms of numbers of agents. Um, so it was kind of fun for me to do something new, because I've been with all the big brokerages all of them you can name. I got around town but to add like just like 10 agents for those big brokerages that have a big name you know that have been in business for you know the franchises have been around forever they're probably adding about 10 agents to their company net. Maybe you know about 10 agents and you're just you're doing that We've got a big goal, man.
Speaker 2:I mean, when we sat down, I sat down with Kevin and I said, hey, our goal is 16 agents a month. And he looked at me and he was like 16. And I'm like, yeah, I'm like I, I, you know, I, I'm not a conservative, you know this about me, Like when, when I talk about numbers, I'm not like a, I'm not like a, oh, I'd be happy if I could increase, you know, 10% this year. I'm like, Nope, I'm doubling, I'm going to go a hundred percent, we're going 500 million this year.
Speaker 2:Um, and it was kind of the same process with, with the, with the agents. You know, I'm like, if we set our number low for a month, right, which for most brokerages would probably be a good number, Um, problem is it's super slow growth and it's not exciting. And the other thing is is that you know, then if you don't hit it and you only hit two, it wasn't that big a deal. So I'm like I'm all about setting big goals, man, and you know, I like to set goals to where it scares me out of bed in the morning and it makes me nervous.
Speaker 1:So yeah, yeah, you can feel the energy right, cause I know because some of these brokers I've worked with the past. It's like they hit their mark, whatever. It's like 150 agents on a branch, it's like the typical branch, right yeah, and then it just gets stagnant and you can feel it in the energy. So I've definitely felt the energy just like really pick up, like about nine months ago, and then it just keeps moving. Just the last few months it's been really fun to see all the new and then when you get just new blood in it just makes it fun right now, because I'm competitive.
Speaker 1:So as soon as I you tell me on the side like this agent's coming, I'm like looking them up on zillow.
Speaker 2:Oh, they're doing more business than me yeah, yeah, I gotta get competitive, man gotta get competitive so yeah and yeah in terms of like numbers.
Speaker 1:yeah, because I remember so deep dive into one of our our moments. I was sharing my business plan with you and my goal for the year and I've done a lot of units over my career, you know, and this broker just a little bit more well, it's more about volume, it's a luxury brokerage, right? So I told Darren, I'm like man, I'm going to do 24 million in volume and, by the way, I've never my best year was a little over 18 million, so I'm hitting 20. This is good, right. And he just like, was quiet, which felt like an eternity, staring at me. I was like what, 24 this quarter? And he just kind of laughed at me like you could do a lot more than that. I'm like man, I'm not thinking big enough. Yeah, so it's great. So I really appreciate that, because we're already at 13 million active pending, sold, that's awesome.
Speaker 2:You guys are on fire 45 days.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that's a big part of you. Well, thank you, they're pushing us and then seeing the big board and seeing you take all those big lessons, it's like I think I'm having a good week. I just I need, but I need that, so I appreciate that.
Speaker 2:I mean, I love it being back up on the board and I know one of the agents right now just put a big transaction in contract at 9 million and now I'm like, oh man, like I gotta, I gotta beat I. There's no way I can be number two, right, like I'm the leader, I'm the ceo of the company, I gotta be number one like I can't and so now I'm like freaking out dude, I'm like I gotta go get some deals and make some happen man.
Speaker 2:So yeah, but it's, it's exciting. I, I love the competition as well. I'm very competitive. Um, I may not always say that out loud, but deep inside I'm, I'm very competitive.
Speaker 1:Yeah you're and introverted too yeah, very interesting your wife said that on the podcast and thought you were introverted. I'm like we've got to get you to do a diss test, I don't know so. Besides, so we're having success. The Mac team is having success being at the brokerage. We really appreciate it. But I don't necessarily want to talk about us no-transcript.
Speaker 2:I started. Then I started thinking I'm like, oh yeah, we've got, we've got tons of them. I mean number one to your credit. You guys have done a great job. I love seeing like one of the greatest successes for me, man, is watching you close that $1.3 million deal last week. Now you've got a 2.2 in contract and that was just a matter of you and I having a conversation. I'm like John, you need to step your price point up.
Speaker 2:Moved in with us and you know there was some retooling there, right? Because like a whole different direction you're changing what you're doing. You're back to being in sales and you know he's been working with Chris and he shared with me the other day. He's like, dude, my business is completely shifting and just watching that. And then Darren Melton I mean Darren had a really rough year last year, a lot of changes in his business and Darren's a killer. And then to watch him come out number one this year and just like, hit it hard at the end of the year and crush it, um and and he's starting off. He, he's the one that just put the big, big uh deal in contract. He's double signing it, and I'm like these are the stories I love watching, you know, and he was at a point where he was just like frustrated and you know we've all been there right, like I've been there in my worst times and it's like, dude, that's one of the things that I enjoy the most now about the business is helping other agents when they're in their tough time is getting through that.
Speaker 2:Jessica, that's on my team. I mean she's a great example as well. I mean Jessica's a killer and she did really well this last year. Jessica, a year into the business, she came to me one day with like tears in her eyes dude, she's like Darren, I can't do this anymore. She's like this was really frustrating year and I don't think I'm meant for this. And I'm like, jessica, you are meant for it. People love you and I'm like, but are you ready to start doing what you need to do? And she was like, yeah, and I'm like, well, number one, you got to start being here every morning, you got to start doing this. This dude, literally the next day she turned it on. She was in that office the next morning and then she's been there every day since. And Jessica's just, I mean her third. This is her third or fourth year in the business and she finished at like 17 million this year.
Speaker 2:You, you know so yeah, so she's just you know, those are the things that I love seeing with the agents is um watching them, or or just what you know. A couple of agents on the team, um, one of them in particular, I mean to do she's done more in volume in three months than she's than her best year in real estate. Yeah, and it's really awesome to watch that that's cool.
Speaker 1:Yeah, shout out to jessica. She's been the pod. Yeah, beat the mac team this year, so we're on.
Speaker 2:Got a little competition going now I love it. I love it. It's all good, though we're all friends, that's right.
Speaker 1:I like it actually when everybody does more business because I know just naturally I'm going to do more business.
Speaker 2:Oh, absolutely.
Speaker 1:I love that so cool. So say, you're an agent out right now. They're like they're looking at brokerages because you know, uh, in terms of luxury, because I know a lot of the luxury agents, uh, brokers in town kudos to you, I really.
Speaker 1:One thing I really appreciate about you is like you're an open book and you and I can just have like we can talk about anything. You just have normal conversations. But one thing I like about you is I can ask you questions and I don't feel like you b BS me and you're just honest with me and you give me really good information where I don't think a lot of other brokers in town would do that and probably not. But kudos to you. But say there's an agent out there that's looking to get in luxury or just join a new brokerage. What do you? Would say the value proposition of your brokerage is, and maybe some advice to new agents out there as well.
Speaker 2:Um, I think the number one value proposition is that. You know I don't view the. I think a lot of brokers view a brokerage as like hey, I'm here to look out for you. If you need something, contact me, um, but you need to help on your deal. That's, that's your, that's your job. Right, you need help with this. Or you want to sit down and strategize? Well, that's not really hire a coach. And for me, dude, I'm so excited about the business Like number one, I know we will be the number one brokerage within the next couple of years.
Speaker 2:There's no doubt in that in my mind. I've worked for two of the biggest brokerages and biggest teams. I know what works and what doesn't work. I know I can't do that on my own right. That can't be done just by me out there selling. I have to teach all the agents what I know and share with them my mistakes, what I've learned, what I've done. That's worked well and I am an open book. I can't wait for the day I go up against one of our agents on a $5 million transaction, the fact that they're even there. I'll step back. Hey, man, it's yours Like, go for it. You know what I mean.
Speaker 2:I love that part of it. I love watching everyone grow. I came from nothing. I didn't go to college, I didn't do all that stuff. I've had to work hard and learn through hard lessons, and so I love helping the agents grow their business. And I really look at the brokerages. I was telling somebody the other day I said I look at the brokerages like we're like the army, right, and we're all part of the same group and we're all part of the same. We all have the same mission and what we're looking to do. And then within our army we have special forces and every one of those special forces have their own unique business models and what they do and how they go after business. And I love just being there to be the general and help support all of them and help guide them. And I think that's the thing that's different with me.
Speaker 2:Man, I'll get in the car with an agent I just did this two weeks ago One of the agents that used to be on my team. He's independent now and he calls me up and he's like Darren, I don't even feel right doing this. He's like but dude, I got an opportunity for a $1.8 million listing. I don't know what to say he's like, would you go with me? I'm like, absolutely dude, what time? He's like 8.30 Saturday morning, I go, I'm there and I went and helped him close the deal and we got the listing To me. It's so I'll get out there in the field and play with you and you know we're all going for the for the same goal.
Speaker 2:So, um, I think that's the one thing that I would say sets us apart from everyone else, and I really, you know, the one thing, probably one of the biggest things I've learned from the brokerage this year is that the agents are my clients just as much as my clients are my clients, and that I need to, I need to listen to the agents, I need to treat them like customers. Um, they generate income for our business, and so I think that's the other things. I've really changed, even the way I look at that, um, and that's why I do want to help everybody. I want to treat them like customers and make sure they're happy and that they want to continue to grow and they want to stay as well.
Speaker 1:I don't want, I don't want anybody leaving, so, yeah, yeah, and I'll say this cause I've seen all the brokerages in town it just the training's not very good, yeah. So I know you have big aspirations to change that with your brokerage.
Speaker 1:You and I have talked about you having training programs in place in the future that are going to be coming on here in the near future. Also, you're creating a media room as well, so you want to dive into the training and also that media room to help out agents joining you here in the future.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I think the training is the biggest thing, right. So I mean we offer a lot right now. I mean I do a Monday class at 11 o'clock. Chris, you know he's our great coach and he's brought a whole new element to the business as well. So we've got a full-time coach, one of the top Tom Ferry coaches that's there in our office helping people and instructing them and showing them what to do. So we've got that's already, which I think is probably a lot more than what most brokerages already offer. And now we're starting to build out a virtue university to take the agents through a process where, if it's a new agent just starting out, they don't have to be embarrassed about asking how to open a lockbox or anything. We're going to train them how to do all that stuff and get them ready for the teams as well, so that if a new agent joins your team, you don't have to go show them how to open a lockbox. We're going to train them for you and then plug them into your team, get them all set up and ready to go Again like the army, right? You're gonna go through bootcamp, you're gonna do basic training, then eventually, maybe one of these days, you'll advance to a more advanced team, and that's kind of the way that I look at the business now. So we're starting to implement some of those things.
Speaker 2:On the media side, I've always said my vision for the company is not that we're a real estate company like everyone else. We are a marketing agency that markets real estate for our agents, and that's really where I want to go with it. And I learned this years ago when I worked in the sports nutrition industry. A friend of mine was a lead sales or national sales manager for Monster, and so I was asking her, like man, how do you guys grow so fast? She says, Darren, we're not an energy drink company, we're a marketing company that happens to have an energy drink right that we market. And I was like, damn, that's brilliant.
Speaker 2:And so that's the way I look at the company now, and so by having the media room, by having a, you know, we're building out a full media agency where we can handle an agent's email campaigns for them or help them customize their social media, help them shoot video, photography, all that type of stuff. We want to be able to incorporate all of that and we have consistent branding and people that know the game, versus where, a lot of times, agents will hire someone for marketing, they're hiring them outside of the industry and then that person's calling them every day Well, what do you want to post? I don't know that. Calling them every day, well, what do you want to post? I don't know. That's why I hired you. So you know our team, they know real estate, our lead, our marketing director, rachel she's been working with me for 11 years, um, so she knows the business, she knows what, what we're looking to do, and I think that's one of the things that really sets us apart even now as a brokerage, and long-term sets us apart because I think the training is a key component.
Speaker 2:You know, you look at any. I always relate things to professional sports teams, right? Or to the military. You don't just train one day and then go out and fight or go out and compete in a game and don't practice anymore. You practice every day. Every day you're practicing, and I think that's what we can offer to our agents, is that, hey, we're going to. You know, I think I told you yesterday I ordered the um, that game for role-playing with the agents and dude.
Speaker 2:I'm so excited about that. I'm like I can't wait to get that started so that we can all role-play, because I'm like you know what? I know it even helps me. It's got to really help them. Yeah, Now, if we've had 250 agents that are finally tuned and trained, dude, we'll crush it.
Speaker 1:Well, you and I have been in the business like 20 years give or take, and I know myself. I know what to say and do. But when I'm actually doing the role plays or doing the classes, the reason I do it is so I stay sharp, absolutely Because there is that complete difference, because people feel that when you're in sales, because you're one of the best salespeople that I know, so you understand it. But it's like sometimes it's just those little details if you're on or not, and you kind of stutter a little bit, or you don't you know you don't sound as confident.
Speaker 1:People want people that are confident that they can get the job.
Speaker 2:Well it's like a professional boxer, right? Yeah, like they don't learn how to fight and then just wait for their next fight. Yeah, when they know that they're getting ready to step in for the next fight, they step in the ring and they spar. Well, why do they need to spar the professional boxer, the best in the world? Because they want to fine tune those things.
Speaker 2:And when we're not doing it every day and we're not practicing I shared this with my team, and that's when I realized role-playing was so important is that I've been out new agent. I forgot to have people sign in. They'd ask me questions. I didn't know what to say. I've been in sales my entire life and I've been in real estate for 15 years and I didn't know what to say, right?
Speaker 2:So an agent who doesn't get that practice every day, who's trying to get started maybe they're only doing a deal a month, maybe they're only getting a, you know one or two listings here and there they don't get that constant practice. And so that's why we need to practice daily, so that, when they do, I personally, I also believe that we have a responsibility to practice and hone our skill so that when we show up, we are the best for our client right? Because that's what we're doing daily. We're training to be the best for our clients, so that when we do get an offer and we're negotiating, who do you want to go up against Right? Who do you want representing you? Do you want the person who, maybe once in a while, practices? Maybe once in a while they get a deal? Or do you want the person who, daily, is practicing and fine tune and knows how to negotiate and is being challenged every day by multiple agents? That's the person I want working for me.
Speaker 1:Yeah, you don't want to be practicing on your clients, folks and the biggest thing I've got as part of the last year because you bring athletes a lot right or the military One thing I've noticed is super successful people that have been on the pod is like 99% of them, used to be a former athlete.
Speaker 2:Yeah, Because there's a mentality there. Right, it's everything you're talking about right.
Speaker 1:Like you practice, you know you learn to lose. You fail, you get down and you keep going and you keep pushing.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yep, and you got to be competitive, you got to have that instinct in you. That's why, you know, even people ask me like, oh man, it's crazy, why do you get up in the morning? And like, part of why I work out is partly because, um, yes, to get in shape and feel better physically. But a big part of why I work out is because, dude, when I step into the office at eight o'clock like who do you want negotiating your deal? Me, who's been up since 5am, I've ran, I've, I've eaten breakfast, I'm trained, I'm ready to go Brain's pumping.
Speaker 2:Or the agent who was out till two o'clock in the morning partying and hung over, and now we're going to negotiate a deal at nine o'clock in the morning, I'll fucking crush them, right, I'll crush them. They won't even know what to say. And so that's why I look at it. I look at it as I have a responsibility to my clients to train and be at the very best and the top of my game so that I can get what they need and I can help accomplish the deal for them. And I need to be on point for the agents as well, right, because when a challenge comes up and they need something I need to be finely tuned and ready to go.
Speaker 1:Yeah, same thing with me, because back in the day I used to, just like you, work out and you know, let's get the muscles look good. Now it's like I don't even care about that. I want that like the blood to go in and absolutely cranking. So I'm there at eight and it's just like I'm ready to go and I'm not like still waking up. Which is 90, 95% of the agents and all the Las Vegas.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, I'm going 99%, Uh, anyways.
Speaker 1:So talk about your vision a little bit. Five years out, we're back on this pod. We're talking about Virtue Real Estate Group. What is it looking like? Oh man, I love this 50 locations, wow, 50 locations.
Speaker 2:And obviously the number one firm in town and number one luxury brokerage in town. Yeah, 50 locations, man, and it's a big number. But my reason for that and I learned from one of my great mentors who was the former CEO for Berkshire Hathaway here locally, mark Stark. It was funny because every time I and this is right when I was first starting I'd get together with everyone and they're like well, darren, what's your goal? And I'd almost be a little shy. I'm like, uh, 50 locations. And people are like what? Like you're crazy, man, how are you going to do that? Like to open up, to look, don't. And then you always hear this oh, man, don't grow too fast. Like you don't want to grow too fast.
Speaker 2:And I loved when I sat down with Mark cause Mark is one of the greatest entrepreneurs, one of the biggest thinkers in the world, extremely successful sold. You know he had he'd built to 42 locations. And I was kind of shy. I said, mark, he's like, Darren, what's your goal? And I go 50 locations in five years. And he slams his hands on the table, he goes. Yeah, that's what I'm talking about, man, he goes, that's what you got to do. He goes. You have to. He goes. You have to think big, he goes.
Speaker 2:Darren, let me tell you why. He says in this market, in the real estate market, there's going to be ups and downs. He goes. Your vision and your growth trajectory has to be so strong that you outpace the downturns. He said that was the one thing I did in growing the business. He goes every year, no matter even there was downturns in the market, overall a company grew because we were growing so fast that we were outpacing the market.
Speaker 2:And so you know that was reassurance for me that I was on the right path with what I was, what I was looking for, and that is part of my, my vision, man, we, we've got it and I've done that consistently for the last five years with my team Um, we haven't worried about the market, we don't care what the market is. Last year was the worst year in real estate. We had our record year as a team and um, and we broke 200 million as a brokerage in our second year of real estate. Uh, or second year as a broker.
Speaker 2:So you know to me, I don't get caught up in the market, I don't worry about interest rates, I don't worry about all that bullshit. That's just a part of any sales and real estate agents act like it's only in real estate. Every industry you work in as a salesperson, you have your ups and downs and their cycles and you have to be a salesperson and not an order taker, to get out there and work hard. And when you as a salesperson, you have to find the opportunities in the market to again offset those downturns.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and one thing I'd really recommend out, cause I'll personally I wouldn't work with somebody who wasn't, cause you and I were kind of born in one of the worst real estate markets.
Speaker 2:Oh yeah, this last market.
Speaker 1:That's been bad. Nothing close, by the way. This is easy, but I really recommend if you're out there for a broker, somebody who's actually experienced it Cause I love what you're talking about because that's the time to take a market share and build Like. We never slowed down, we just ramped up and did more deals. So I'm curious about the 50, though Are you looking like regionally Southwest West Coast, like nationally?
Speaker 2:It would probably end up being nationally Key markets, key luxury markets, obviously, where we would go into Also feeder markets for us. I would identify what are our top 10 feeder markets that are feeding us. That way we can capture those leads that are coming in ahead of time, before they get to our market. We're sending those to our own brokerage. A lot of it will be mergers and acquisitions, finding existing small brokerages that just need that help and that support to get to the next level. And we'll be that team that helps and that support to get to the next level. And we'll be that team that helps and supports them to get to the next level Awesome.
Speaker 1:Well, guys, we are going to wrap this up. I want to thank Darren Marquez, one of the best brokers in town.
Speaker 2:Yeah, Next year maybe I'll have my trophy.
Speaker 1:Best broker. No kidding, I'll get you one man. You guys are looking for a great mentor, a luxury broker. You're just looking to get into real estate. Call Texas man, meet with him 15, 20 minutes. He will definitely help you out. He's a great mentor for the Mac team, so we really appreciate it. Guys, this is Running Vegas. John McNamara, take care of yourselves today. Awesome, we'll see you next time.