Broker and contributor Nick Schlekeway says indie brokers don’t need deep pockets to develop agents. They need systems that work.
Independent brokers don’t need deep pockets to develop their people; they need proven systems, daily accountability and a real estate agent training approach that goes beyond “what” to teach the “why” and “how.”
I founded my brokerage over a decade ago and made every rookie mistake in the book. Training meant onboarding. Hand someone a desk, wish them luck, hope they figure it out. The result was predictable: Talented people washed out, production stagnated and I watched good agents leave for franchises that promised what I wasn’t providing.
A decade of building one of Idaho’s top-producing independent brokerages has taught me something different: The franchises aren’t winning on quality of training. They’re winning on perception. And that’s a gap any independent broker can close.
Here’s how I develop new agents with proven systems and accountability, without flashy franchise programming, and yield new agents who are knowledgeable, not just branded. The first part? Helping new agents push past illusions and into essential habits that will build purpose and understanding into their new business.
Typical agents
According to the National Association of Realtors 2025 Member Profile, agents with two years or less experience earn a median of just $8,100, while those with 16-plus years earn $78,900.
The typical agent closes 10 transactions per year at $2.5 million in volume, but new agents fall far below that benchmark.
This is a systems and consistency problem. The franchise model often fails new agents for a simple reason: It confuses information with transformation. They hand agents a library of content and assume consumption equals competence. Real development requires a different approach entirely.
Debunking illusions
Inman reported that 71 percent of real estate agents didn’t close a single transaction in 2024.
We’ve found that this is the result of what we call “illusions,” and we address the most problematic ones head-on in the first phase of training.
For example, many training courses push “this is a relationship business.” The truth is more nuanced: While relationships matter, this illusion conveniently leaves out the hard work.
The calls, the rejection, the constant marketing, the willingness to pitch your services and be told no. If I had to describe what we actually do, I’d say it’s an experience business. People want to know what it feels like to be genuinely taken care of.
Addressing these illusions early prevents the slow erosion of motivation that kills most real estate careers before they really begin.
Build disciplines that compound
Once purpose is established and illusions are addressed, training should move to what we call the “Seven Daily Essentials.”
These aren’t suggestions; they’re the baseline.
7 daily essentials
- Mind: Mental preparation and mindset work
- Body: Physical health as business foundation
- Soul: Spiritual/emotional wellness practices
- Pipeline management: Lead organization and systematic follow-up
- Product knowledge: Continuous learning and market intelligence
- Client service: Daily service touches that create referrals
- Hot prospects: Active lead pursuit and conversion activities
But daily isn’t enough, we also layer in weekly and monthly essentials/habits to build momentum:
Weekly essentials
- 1 strategic business development activity (networking event, open house or high-value meeting)
- 5 personal touches (handwritten notes, voice messages, value-add communications)
- 25 prospect conversations (database calls, outreach, follow-ups)
- 3 social media posts (positioning content, market insights, thought leadership)
Monthly essentials
- Monthly value communication (newsletter, market report, insights piece)
- Cold prospect activation (reaching dormant leads with new value)
- 2 – 4 major business development activities (speaking, hosting, strategic partnerships)
- Deep product knowledge work (industry study, competitive analysis, skill development)
These aren’t optional enrichment activities. They are the non-negotiables that separate agents who produce from agents who dabble.
The numbers to grow a business, habits grow the agent
The math is simple, and we make sure every agent understands it. If an agent wants 10 closings, they need 50 consultations. If they convert 10 percent of conversations into consultations, they need 500 conversations or roughly 1.3 intentional conversations per day.
When you break the business down to its mathematics, the mystery disappears. The new agent goal becomes clear: Book two to three buyer consultations per week, which starts with intentional daily conversations.
By focusing on real numbers and building essential habits and skills, our new agents not only have purpose, but they also know how to drive their day and conversations with their clients. In Part 2 of this article, I will drill down on how we break our foundational training into phases to connect with clients and grow their business.
Nick Schlekeway is the founder of Amherst Madison, a Boise, Idaho-based real estate brokerage. Connect with him on LinkedIn.
