⏱️ Top 10 Timestamps 0:00 – Introduction: Recruiting, Teams & The Business of Real Estate 1:20 – Jessica's Recruiting Journey Across Major Brokerages 3:05 – Why Most Team Leads Don't Actually Know What They're Looking For 5:10 – The Real Cost of a 50/50 Split: Value vs. Income 7:50 – Why Agents Leave Teams (and What Team Leads Miss) 10:05 – Leads, Support & Camaraderie: Why Agents Join Teams 13:00 – The Sweet Spot Agent: Why 3–5 Deal Agents Win on Teams 17:25 – Why New Agents Should Start on a Team 20:10 – What Agents Should Look for in a Team Leader 27:15 – Shadowing, Mentorship & Accountability That Actually Works In this insightful episode of The Business of Real Estate Podcast, hosts Lynn Hoffmann and Eric Johnson sit down with Jessica Tsaturyan, Escarpment Niagara's recruiter extraordinaire, to unpack the realities of recruiting, team structures, and what truly makes a real estate team successful. Drawing from years of hands-on recruiting experience, Jessica breaks down why so many teams struggle to attract and retain talent, the disconnect between splits and value propositions, and how changing market conditions have reshaped what agents actually need. Together, they explore why agents leave teams, how team leaders can better articulate their value, and why mentorship, systems, and accountability matter more than ever. This episode is essential listening for team leaders, solo agents considering teams, and agents navigating their next career move in an increasingly competitive real estate landscape.

🔑 In This Episode You'll Learn: Why most teams fail to clearly communicate their value proposition What agents are really looking for when joining a team How splits, support, and systems impact long-term retention Why 3–5 deal agents are the ideal team recruits The importance of shadowing, mentorship, and accountability How to run a real estate team like a true business—not a side hustle

👉 Subscribe for more candid conversations on leadership, recruiting, and building sustainable real estate businesses.

⏱️ Timestamps 0:00 – Introduction: Working in Real Estate With Your Spouse — Can It Really Work? 0:45 – Meet Kelsey Cumberland & Andrew DeMars: A Family-Run Real Estate Business 2:00 – How COVID Changed Everything: From One Agent to a Husband-Wife Team 4:00 – Blurred Lines: Balancing Marriage, Kids & a 24/7 Business 6:15 – Playing to Strengths: Dividing Roles at Home and in the Business 8:30 – Two Personalities, One Presentation: Reading Clients in Real Time 10:45 – The Real Risks of Dual Commission Income & How to Prepare 13:00 – Building a "Family-First" Team (and Why Bigger Isn't Always Better) 15:30 – Collaboration Over Competition: The Power of Office Culture 18:45 – Advice for Couples Thinking About Working Together 22:00 – Communication, Ego & Trust: What Makes It Work (and What Breaks It) 26:00 – Rentals, Relationships & Playing the Long Game 31:00 – Time Boundaries, Shared Calendars & Protecting Date Nights 35:30 – Final Advice: Designing a Business That Supports Family, Not Replaces It

🎙️ Episode Description In this insightful and refreshingly honest episode of The Business of Real Estate Podcast, hosts Lynn Hoffmann and Eric Johnson sit down with Kelsey Cumberland and Andrew DeMars, a husband-and-wife real estate team based out of the Brandt office, to explore what it really takes to build a successful real estate business together — without sacrificing marriage, family, or sanity. From navigating the transition into working side by side during COVID, to managing kids, clients, income volatility, and time boundaries, Kelsey and Andrew pull back the curtain on the realities of blending business and personal life. This episode goes far beyond "team structure" — it's about communication, trust, ego management, and intentional design in both life and business. If you've ever considered working with your spouse, joining a family-based team, or simply want to build a more sustainable real estate career, this conversation is packed with real-world wisdom.

🔑 In This Episode You'll Learn: Why strong communication is non-negotiable when working with your spouse How to divide roles naturally based on strengths (at work and at home) The financial realities — and risks — of dual commission income How shared calendars and time-blocking protect relationships Why collaboration beats competition inside brokerages How rentals and long-term relationships fuel sustainable growth The importance of protecting marriage time, not just business time

👉 Subscribe for more real, unfiltered conversations on real estate, leadership, teamwork, and building a business that supports your life — not the other way around.

⏱️ Top 10 Timestamps

0:00 – Introduction: Can You Build a Massive Real Estate Business and Have a Life?

2:10 – From Lawn-Cutting at 12 to $500M+ in Sales: Early Lessons in Time & Focus

6:50 – Burnout, Anxiety & the Dark Side of "Success" in Your 20s

9:00 – The Cottage Epiphany: Redefining What Success Actually Means

12:05 – Stepping Out of Production: How Letting Go Changed Everything

15:40 – Working ON the Business vs. IN the Business

19:10 – The Two-Month Test: How to Know If You Truly Have a Business

26:30 – Time Boundaries, Client Expectations & Saying No Without Guilt

33:00 – Why Social Media Doesn't Sell Homes (and What Actually Does)

39:15 – Designing a Real Estate Career Around Life, Family & Freedom

In this powerful and deeply honest episode of The Business of Real Estate Podcast, hosts Lynn Hoffmann and Eric Johnson sit down with Matthew Regan of the Regan Irish & Associates Team to answer a question most agents quietly ask:

👉 Can you build an elite real estate business without burning out your life, relationships, and health? Matthew shares his full journey — from cutting lawns at age 12, to selling over $500M annually, to hitting burnout in his 20s, and ultimately restructuring his business to prioritize freedom, family, and sustainability without sacrificing income.

This episode is a masterclass in time leverage, leadership, delegation, mindset, and real ROI — not just financially, but personally.

🔑 In This Episode You'll Learn:

How burnout shows up even when income is high Why most agents confuse "busy" with "productive"

The real test to know if you own a business or just a job

How to set firm boundaries with clients and protect your time

Why relationships — not marketing — drive long-term success

When to let go of production and trust your team How to design a real estate career around the life you actually want

👉 Subscribe for more unfiltered conversations on real estate, leadership, lifestyle design, and building a business that serves your life — not the other way around.