🔑 A former librarian turned tech researcher now runs a $137M/year real estate business and her secret weapon is data, not doors.

Sandra Rathe, host of Mastering Luxury with Sandra and leader of The Sandra Rathe Team a South Florida luxury powerhouse with nearly $1 billion in sales since 2009 and a top 0.5% national ranking sits down with an agent who never planned to work in real estate at all.

Gwinn Volen spent over 20 years in library science and web search including roles at America Online, Netscape, and CNN before getting her real estate license in 2015 in Jacksonville, FL. She built a content-rich website that has pulled in over $20 million a year in organic search leads, and today runs monthly MLS data through AI tools to generate client-ready reports for her high-net-worth buyers and sellers.

🎙 What we cover:

✔️ How to turn a "non-traditional" career into a real estate marketing edge

✔️ Building a content-rich website that drives seven-figure organic leads

✔️ Using AI tools like Manis and Gamma to turn MLS data into client reports

✔️ Leading pricing conversations with data instead of opinion

✔️ Earning ultra-high-net-worth trust through responsiveness and discretion

✔️ Running a monthly database touch system that keeps referrals coming

✔️ Recognizing when it's time to bring in a second producer

✔️ Applying real estate strategy lessons that scale beyond one person

🎧 HOSTED BY: Sandra Rathe

👤 GUEST:

Gwinn Volen is the Owner and Agent of The Volen Group with Keller Williams Luxury International, ranked the #1 real estate team in Jacksonville, Florida, for 2025. Leveraging her digital strategy background at CNN and AOL, she runs a $137M business specializing in smart marketing and white-glove service across Ponte Vedra Beach, Nocatee, and waterfront properties.

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👉🏻 CONNECT WITH GWINN VOLEN:

• Website: https://www.pontevedrafocus.com/

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thevolengroup

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gwinn-volen-baa50b3/

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thevolengroup

👉🏻 FOLLOW SANDRA RATHE – MASTERING LUXURY:

• Website: https://sandrarathe.com/

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandrarathe/

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thesandraratheteam/

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sandraratheteam/

Don’t forget to LIKE 👍 SUBSCRIBE 🔔 COMMENT 💬 below!

💎 Produced by Icons of Real Estate https://iconsofrealestate.com/

#MasteringLuxury #LuxuryRealEstate #RealEstateAgent #LuxuryRealEstateStrategy #TopProducingAgent #HighEndRealEstatePodcast #LuxuryAgentMentorship #LuxuryHomeMarketing

🔑 How do you transition from top-tier hospitality management into closing multimillion-dollar real estate deals?

🏆 In this episode of Mastering Luxury with Sandra, host Sandra Rathe sits down with Naples luxury broker Mitch Norgart to discuss how high-end service standards create lifelong client loyalty. Mitch shares his path from managing Ritz-Carlton properties to earning a $90,000 commission on his very first real estate deal, building 35+ years of success in one of Florida's premier markets.

🎙 What we cover:

✔️ Applying Ritz-Carlton customer service models to high-net-worth real estate

✔️ Establishing doctor-level trust with buyers and sellers early in the process

✔️ Navigating long-term client cycles and securing generational referrals

✔️ Marketing unique luxury properties priced over $13 million

✔️ Essential mindset and discipline traits for breaking into luxury markets

🎧 HOSTED BY: Sandra Rathe

👤 GUEST: Mitch Norgart – Broker Associate at William Raveis Real Estate & President of Gulf Coast Runners

Mitchell Norgart is a highly respected Luxury Real Estate Broker Associate with William Raveis Real Estate, specializing in elite Naples, Florida neighborhoods like Old Naples, Aqualane Shores, and Port Royal. Known for providing "concierge-level service," he is also a dedicated community leader who serves on local boards, competes as an Ironman triathlete, and acts as President of the Gulf Coast Runners.

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👉🏻 CONNECT WITH MITCH NORGART

• Email address: mitch.norgart@raveis.com

• Website: https://norgartteamrealestate.com/agents/mitch-norgart

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mitch-norgart-61968518/

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheNorgartTeam

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thenorgartteam/

👉🏻 FOLLOW SANDRA RATHE – MASTERING LUXURY:

• Website: https://sandrarathe.com/

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandrarathe/

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thesandraratheteam/

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sandraratheteam/

Don’t forget to LIKE 👍 SUBSCRIBE 🔔 COMMENT 💬 below!

💎 Produced by Icons of Real Estate https://iconsofrealestate.com/

🏘️ How do you break into one of the toughest real estate markets in the world and consistently deliver top-tier service?

In this episode of Mastering Luxury with Sandra, NYC broker Lauren Pepin drops by to reveal how she built a successful real estate career on Fifth Avenue. Drawing from her background as a professional actress, Lauren explains why every client interaction is like a performance, how she stays cool when high-stakes deals get tense, and why exceptional service matters whether you are working with a renter or a $30 million townhouse buyer.

🎙 In this episode, you will learn:

✔️ The mindset required to handle rejection and succeed in competitive markets.

✔️ How to build authentic client relationships without sounding salesy.

✔️ Simple, high-impact marketing habits that keep you top of mind.

✔️ How Lauren manages a busy pipeline alongside family life.

🎧 HOSTED BY: Sandra Rathe

👤 GUEST: Lauren Pepin – NYC Real Estate Broker at Compass & Professional Actress

Lauren Pepin is a Licensed Associate Real Estate Broker at Compass NYC. Recognized as a top-producing agent nationwide, she is known for her "white-glove" approach, elevating the real estate experience for her loyal, high-profile clientele. Prior to real estate, Lauren worked in the Hollywood entertainment industry and gained an international perspective from her time living in London.

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👉🏻 CONNECT WITH LAUREN PEPIN

• Website: https://laurenpepinrealestate.com/

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurenpepin22/

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laurenpepin22/

👉🏻 FOLLOW SANDRA RATHE – MASTERING LUXURY:

• Website: https://sandrarathe.com/

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sandra.rathe

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sandraratheteam/

Don’t forget to LIKE 👍 SUBSCRIBE 🔔 COMMENT 💬 below!

💎 Produced by Icons of Real Estate https://iconsofrealestate.com/

Are you relying too much on technology and forgetting the human element of real estate?

In this episode of Mastering Luxury, host Sandra Rathe sits down with Andrew Mortaza, a top-producing luxury real estate agent who has closed over $650 million in career sales! In an unbelievable coincidence, Sandra and Andrew discover they both graduated from George Mason University with accounting degrees before pivoting to real estate. Andrew shares his incredible journey from the corporate world of Pricewaterhouse to dominating the luxury markets in Los Angeles and Nashville.

Andrew drops massive value on the importance of old-school relationship building. He debunks the myth that "buyers are liars," explains why door-knocking is highly effective in luxury neighborhoods, and shares a painful $3.9 million listing betrayal that taught him why you must always get everything in writing.

🎧 Hosted by: Sandra Rathe

🎤 Featuring: Andrew Mortaza

Andrew Mortaza is the Director of the Luxury Estates Division at The Agency, serving the Los Angeles and Nashville real estate markets. Leveraging his background in business management and the real estate tax division at Arthur Andersen, he specializes in property valuation, financial structuring, and complex transactions for high-net-worth clients.

💡 What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

✔️ How an accounting background translates into a massive advantage in real estate.

✔️ Why "buyers are liars" is just an excuse for not vetting clients properly.

✔️ How a chance encounter helping Hilary Duff's family move launched his luxury career.

✔️ Why high-end neighborhoods are the best places to door knock.

✔️ The $3.9 million handshake mistake that proves you must always get it in writing.

✔️ How to scale to $650M using simple paper checklists instead of complex tech.

📇 Connect with Andrew Mortaza:

🌎 Website → https://www.theagencyre.com/agent/andrew-mortaza

🔗 LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-mortaza-59488726a/

🎙 FOLLOW SANDRA RATHE & MASTERING LUXURY:

🌎 Website → https://sandrarathe.com/

📘 Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/sandra.rathe

📷 Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/sandraratheteam/

⭐ Produced by Icons of Real Estate → https://iconsofrealestate.com/

🔖 DON’T FORGET TO LIKE, SUBSCRIBE, AND COMMENT BELOW!

Are you winging your open houses and wondering why you aren't getting any qualified buyer leads?

In this episode of Mastering Luxury, host Sandra Rathe sits down with Kelly Cook, a powerhouse real estate agent from Scottsdale, Arizona, who has sold over $1 billion in real estate! Kelly shares his incredible journey from working 95 hours a week as a severely underpaid college football coach to launching a massive real estate empire during the 2008 crash.

Kelly drops absolute gold in this episode, detailing his exact, 5-step "Open House System" designed to convert high-end luxury buyers. He explains why treating an open house like a high-end salon experience is crucial, reveals the "pivotal question" that consistently wins him listing appointments on the spot, and breaks down his unbeatable 4-step follow-up sequence.

🎧 Hosted by: Sandra Rathe

🎤 Featuring: Kelly Cook

💡 What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

✔️ How taking on the hardest transactions during the 2008 crash built Kelly's real estate empire.

✔️ Why proximity is power and how to network in luxury neighborhoods.

✔️ The exact 5-Step Open House System to capture high-intent buyers.

✔️ The "Pivotal Question" that instantly turns open house conversations into listing appointments.

✔️ How to use physical video mailers to win over expired luxury listings.

✔️ Why YouTube is the ultimate evergreen lead generation tool.

📇 Connect with Kelly Cook:

📷 Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/kellycookhomes/

📺 YouTube → https://www.youtube.com/user/kellycookhomes

🎙 FOLLOW SANDRA RATHE & MASTERING LUXURY:

🌎 Website → https://sandrarathe.com/

📘 Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/sandra.rathe

📷 Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/sandraratheteam/

⭐ Produced by Icons of Real Estate → https://iconsofrealestate.com/

🔖 DON’T FORGET TO LIKE, SUBSCRIBE, AND COMMENT BELOW!

Are you neglecting your personal business development because you think you don't have enough time?

In this episode of Mastering Luxury with Sandra, host Sandra Rathe sits down with Karen Briscoe, an elite luxury real estate agent based in McLean, Virginia, who has sold over a billion dollars in real estate! Karen shares her incredible journey from working in land development during the Texas savings and loan crisis to becoming a partner on a team closing $100 million a year in the early 2000s.

Karen breaks down her proven strategies for thriving in the luxury market, explaining why an agent's "soft skills" (connecting with people) are just as important as their "hard skills" (market knowledge). She also discusses the power of a true mentor-mentee relationship, why top-tier agents must constantly adapt to new technologies, and the brilliant concept behind her book, Real Estate Success in Five Minutes a Day.

🎧 Hosted by: Sandra Rathe

🎤 Featuring: Karen Briscoe, HBC Group at Serhant

Karen Briscoe is a partner with the Huckaby Briscoe Conroy Group (HBC) at SERHANT, a team recognized by the Wall Street Journal among the Top 250 real estate teams in the United States. She is also the creator of the 5 Minute Success concept, a four-time author, and the host of the 5 Minute Success podcast, where she shares insights on real estate, business growth, and personal development.

💡 What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

✔️ The Soft & Hard Skills: Why you need both a "heart for people" and strong market knowledge to succeed.

✔️ Mentorship Works Both Ways: How Karen's millennial partner pushed her to embrace TikTok and video content.

✔️ The 5-Minute Success Formula: How to commit just five minutes a day to lead generation and system building.

✔️ The $10M Listing Launch: How Karen markets uber-luxury properties using themed launch parties.

✔️ Future-Proofing Your Business: Why you must constantly seek new clientele because luxury sellers eventually downsize and leave!

📇 Connect with Karen Briscoe:

🌎 Website → https://www.5minutesuccess.com/

🎙 Follow Sandra Rathe:

🌎 Website → https://sandrarathe.com/

📘 Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/sandra.rathe

📷 Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/sandraratheteam/

🔖 Don’t Forget to LIKE 👍, SUBSCRIBE 🔔 & COMMENT 💬 Below!

⭐ Produced by Icons of Real Estate - https://iconsofrealestate.com/

Are you looking to level up your luxury real estate business without relying on cold calls? In this episode of Mastering Luxury with Sandra, host Sandra sits down with Simon Westfall-Kwong, leader of the Lux Life Real Estate Group out of Short Hills, New Jersey.

Simon shares his masterclass on building a robust, referral-based luxury real estate business through hyper-personalized client events, strategic social media, and true agent-to-agent collaboration. He breaks down his exact playbook for hosting 8 to 9 massive client events a year—including a 400-pumpkin fall festival and a Mother's Day bouquet-building day. Simon also reveals his strategy for executing over 600 holiday pop-bys, why showing up authentically on social media is crucial, and how building strong relationships with competing agents will win you more multiple-offer situations. If you want to learn how to lead with a culture of caring and white-glove service, this episode is a must-listen!

🎧 Hosted by: Sandra

🎤 Featuring: Simon Westfall-Kwong, Luxury Real Estate Team Leader

Simon Westfall-Kwong runs the Lux Life Real Estate Group (EXP), specializing in luxury properties from Hoboken down to the Jersey Shore, with a heavy focus on the Short Hills and Summit, New Jersey areas. With over 20 years in the community, Simon and his team provide unmatched local expertise and white-glove service to high-net-worth clients, commuters, and luxury buyers.

💡 What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

✔️ Agent Collaboration: Why building strong relationships with competing local agents is your secret weapon to winning multiple-offer situations.

✔️ The Ultimate Event Playbook: How Simon plans and executes 8-9 high-ROI events a year, from pumpkin patches to roller skating nights.

✔️ Mastering the "Pop-By": How to execute 600+ strategic drop-off gifts to your Sphere of Influence (and a zero-cost video alternative).

✔️ Protecting the Luxury Client: The extra steps Simon takes—like calling brokerage account managers to verify proof of funds—to protect high-net-worth buyers and sellers.

✔️ Authentic Social Media: Why your feeds shouldn't be overly polished, and how mixing personal life with business drives massive engagement.

🎙 Connect with Simon Westfall-Kwong:

📘 Facebook→ https://www.facebook.com/simon.westfallkwong/

🔗 LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/simonwestfallkwong/

📷 Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/simonwestfallkwong/

🎙 Follow Sandra Rathe:

🌎 Website → https://sandrarathe.com/

📘 Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/sandra.rathe

📷 Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/sandraratheteam/

🔖 Don’t Forget to LIKE 👍, SUBSCRIBE 🔔 & COMMENT 💬 Below!
⭐ Produced by Icons of Real Estate - https://iconsofrealestate.com/

Are you tired of wasting money on cold internet leads that never convert? In this episode of Mastering Luxury with Sandra, host Sandra sits down with Kate Swensen, a top-producing team leader who closed over $113 million in volume last year across the Denver Metro area, Colorado, and Northern California. Kate shares the relationship-building secrets behind her astounding growth from a broker's assistant to the head of a 25-person team.

Kate opens up about building her business during a personal financial crisis with a zero-dollar marketing budget, utilizing Facebook groups and a nationwide referral network. She explains why she prioritizes face-to-face client events—like mini-golf and movie nights—over buying leads, how she helps clients challenge their property taxes, and why you don't need designer clothes to thrive in luxury real estate. If you want to learn how to build a highly authentic, referral-based business, this episode is a must-listen!

🎧 Hosted by: Sandra

🎤 Featuring: Kate Swensen, Luxury Real Estate Team Leader

Kate Swensen is a premier luxury real estate specialist and co-founder of the CORE Home Team at HomeSmart Colorado, serving elite clients across the Denver Metro and Northern Colorado regions. She is consistently ranked in the Top 1% of agents at HomeSmart Colorado and is a Chairman’s Club member, recognized among the Top 50 agents nationally.

💡 What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

✔️ From Assistant to $113M: How Kate grew from a broker's assistant to leading a massive 25-person team.

✔️ Zero-Budget Lead Gen: How she built a nationwide referral network and Facebook groups while stuck at home with no marketing budget.

✔️ Creating vs. Buying Leads: Why hosting community events like mini-golf and movie nights converts better than chasing cold internet leads.

✔️ The Property Tax Strategy: How using Lofty CRM to send zip code reports and helping clients challenge their taxes builds ultimate loyalty.

✔️ Demystifying Luxury Real Estate: Why authenticity, honesty, and strong online reviews matter way more than driving a fancy car or wearing designer clothes.

🎙 Connect with Kate Swensen:

🌎 Website → https://corehometeam.com/

📘 Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/COREHomeTeam

📷 Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/realestatekate5280/

🎙 Follow Sandra Rathe:

🌎 Website → https://sandrarathe.com/

📘 Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/sandra.rathe

📷 Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/sandraratheteam/

🔖 Don’t Forget to LIKE 👍, SUBSCRIBE 🔔 & COMMENT 💬 Below!
⭐ Produced by Icons of Real Estate - https://iconsofrealestate.com/