Next Level Agents: The Kevin & Fred Show - Interviews with the best and brightest minds in the real estate industry

Hosted by Kevin Kauffman and Fred Weaver

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651

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Jun 2026

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About the show

Interviews from the best and brightest minds in the real estate industry. We cover topics like Investing, listings, buyers, brokerage, technology, entrepreneurship and so much more. Brought to you by KevinandFred.com

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60 recent

June 15, 202612 min

Identity First, Results Follow: The Shift Every Agent Avoids

What if the thing holding your business back isn't your lead gen, your market, or your systems? What if it's the version of you that's showing up every day? That's the question Kevin Kauffman puts on the table in this episode, and it changes everything about how you approach growth. Most agents don't have a knowledge problem. They know they should be making more calls, recruiting, posting more, following up better. The information is everywhere. What's rare is transformation, and transformation requires an identity shift that most people avoid because it's uncomfortable. This one is all about closing that gap between who you are today and who your future requires you to become. What you'll take away: Why the skills that got you to your first sale, or your fiftieth, won't automatically get you to a team or an organization The "identity gap" and why every breakthrough is preceded by an identity shift, not a new tactic How to borrow strength from a different version of yourself before a hard conversation, a recruiting call, or a listing appointment The one question that shifts your focus from tactics to transformation: who do I need to become to do this? Three journal questions to find the version of you that already has the result you want Your future business is waiting on a future version of you. If this one hit, go listen to the full episode, then come find out what becoming that person looks like inside our community at nextlevelagents.com/exp. Want to connect in person or virtually first? Check the events tab at nextlevelagents.com for the upcoming mastermind calendar. Please leave us a review at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://ratethispodcast.com/nla⁠⁠⁠⁠

June 11, 202618 min

8 Principles to Market Proof Your Business

The market always changes. The mistake most agents make is believing whatever market they're in right now is permanent. It isn't. The agents who got licensed in 2020 rode low rates and easy appreciation, then watched a shift expose every weak habit they'd been able to hide. So how do you build a business that still works when everything changes? In this one, Kevin Kauffman walks through eight principles to market-proof your business. These aren't tricks or tactics for one season. They're operating standards that hold up in every market, easy or hard. Here's what gets covered: Does it make the boat go faster? Filter every decision through one question and stop confusing activity with progress Double down and narrow your lead gen. Winners do two or three things exceptionally well, not twenty things halfway Master conversion. Most agents don't have a lead problem, they have a conversion problem, and conversion is a learnable skill Be visible and communicative. Silence creates anxiety in uncertain markets, and most agents disappear when things get hard Seek more accountability and mentorship. Hard markets expose isolated people, so don't pull away from the rooms that keep you sharp Ready to find the room where this kind of thinking is the standard, not the exception? That's exactly what we've built at Next Level Agents. Come see what it looks like to grow alongside agents who refuse to coast: https://nextlevelagents.com/exp/ Please leave us a review at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://ratethispodcast.com/nla⁠⁠⁠⁠

June 8, 202619 min

7 Business Lessons Every Real Estate Agent Needs to Hear

What if the reason you're stuck has nothing to do with the market and everything to do with the stories you keep telling yourself? You don't need a new CRM, a new lead source, or one more class. Most of the time you need fewer distractions, more focus, and the willingness to do the boring work long enough for it to pay off. This one is simple on purpose. No hype, no shiny systems. Just seven lessons from a mentor early in my career that shaped how I think about business, leadership, and the life I'm trying to build. They've stuck with me for years, and the older I get the more true they feel. Here's what we get into: Why small goals create small actions, and how a bigger vision changes who you become The way agents hide behind complexity to justify not taking action Why activity creates clarity, and confidence comes after you move, not before Going wide versus going deep, and where the compound effect actually lives Making peace with the boredom of repetition that real success requires How your standards, not your goals, set the ceiling for your future Why your habits are already telling you the truth about your results Pick one lesson. Find where you're out of alignment with it. Then make one change. One new standard, one new habit, one courageous action. Small shifts repeated consistently are what create the big outcomes. If this one hits, share it with another agent and come see what we're building. Start at nextlevelagents.com/exp and check the events tab at nextlevelagents.com for our next virtual and in-person masterminds. Please leave us a review at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://ratethispodcast.com/nla⁠⁠⁠⁠

June 4, 202643 min

If It's Lasted Six Months, It's a You Problem

Most agents think transformation is a moment: the big win, the award, the closing that changes everything. It isn't. It's the quiet, daily work nobody claps for. In this conversation, Brandon Snyder and Erik Kelly get into what it actually takes to become the person your goals require, and why the standards you hold (for yourself and the people around you) shape everything else. If a problem has been hanging around in your business for more than six months, this one's going to sting in the best way. Brandon and Erik unpack integrity, accountability, and the kind of legacy you build in the moments when nobody's watching. Not the stage, not the trophy, the Tuesday-afternoon version of you. What you'll take away from this episode: Why a problem that persists past six months is a "you problem," and how that reframe changes your leadership The difference between big change and the small, repeated choices that actually create it How to use integrity as your filter for the relationships and partnerships you allow in Why micro-commitments (the small promises you keep) are the fastest way to build trust, including trust with yourself How dishonoring commitments to yourself quietly erodes your own confidence Why comfort keeps you safe and stuck at the same time What it means to let go of your old version of success to make room for the next one Ready to surround yourself with people who hold a higher standard? That's exactly what we're building. Learn how to plug into the team and the bigger vision at nextlevelagents.com/exp. Want to connect in person? Check the events tab at nextlevelagents.com for upcoming virtual and in-person masterminds. Please leave us a review at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://ratethispodcast.com/nla⁠⁠⁠⁠

June 1, 202613 min

Your Lowest Moments Are Often Building Your Greatest Growth

Every agent hits a season where nothing seems to work. Confidence is low, the business feels shaky, and the future looks blurry. The hardest part isn't even the struggle itself — it's that while you're in it, you can't see what any of it is producing. You think you're losing. But here's the pattern hiding in plain sight: right before the breakthrough, there's almost always a breaking point. This solo episode digs into one of the most uncomfortable truths in business and life — that your greatest growth rarely comes from your wins. It comes from the moments that humbled you, broke you down, and made you question whether you'd make it. Those are the exact moments quietly building the next version of you. Here's what you'll take away: Why comfort almost never creates transformation, but pressure does The identity shift that happens when you stop asking "why is this happening to me?" and start asking "who is this shaping me into?" The "bamboo principle": why your most important growth stays invisible long before it shows up How to tell the difference between losing momentum and losing hope (one is temporary, the other is fatal) Why people trust leaders who've survived something, not just leaders who've won If you're in a hard season right now, this one's for you. Don't interpret the silence as failure. Your roots might be growing deeper than you can see. The only real requirement is that you don't give up on yourself. When you're ready to surround yourself with people who'll push you to your next level, come see what we're building. Learn more about joining us at eXp here: https://nextlevelagents.com/exp/ — and check out the events tab at https://nextlevelagents.com for our upcoming virtual and in-person masterminds. Please leave us a review at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://ratethispodcast.com/nla⁠⁠⁠⁠

May 28, 202615 min

The Power of Underthinking

Overthinking disguises itself as intelligence. It feels strategic. It feels responsible. Meanwhile, somebody else made a decision in six minutes that you've been sitting on for six months — and they're already on version 10 while you're still trying to perfect the launch. In this solo episode, Kevin breaks down a concept he picked up from his friend Dustin Runyon: underthinking. Not recklessness. Not carelessness. Just shrinking the gap between idea and execution so you can actually build the business you keep planning to build. What you'll take away from this episode: Why overthinking is one of the biggest business killers in real estate today How clarity actually comes after movement, not before The truth about reversible vs. irreversible decisions (and why you're treating everything like it's permanent) How speed compounds learning and creates a real competitive edge Five practical ways to start underthinking your way to more action this week Ready to take it further? If this hit home, the next step is finding the right environment to actually execute on what you just heard. Head to nextlevelagents.com/exp to learn more about what we're building at Next Level Agents, or check out the events tab at nextlevelagents.com for the next virtual or in-person mastermind on the calendar. The leaders who win in this market aren't the ones with the best slogans — they're the ones willing to execute consistently. Come join a room full of them. Please leave us a review at⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://ratethispodcast.com/nla

May 25, 202616 min

I Don't Have Time

Every agent says it eventually: "I just don't have enough time." But the agents crushing it in your market have the exact same 24 hours you do. So what's the actual difference? In this solo episode, Kevin breaks down a conversation he had with Chris Suarez from PLACE that reframes the whole "time" conversation and exposes the real culprit behind most agents stalling out. This one is about the decisions you're making (or avoiding), the difference between busy and productive, and why so much of what feels like work is actually just emotional relief in disguise. If your calendar is full but your pipeline isn't, this episode is for you. What you'll take away from this episode: Why "I don't have time" is almost never a time problem, and what it actually is The concept of "safe work" and why it's quietly killing your production The simple filter to decide what belongs in your highest-value work hours How knowing your conversion math changes your behavior overnight A two-day exercise to expose where your time is actually going Ready to stop tweaking and start scaling? If this episode hit home and you're craving the kind of mastermind that actually moves the needle on your business, head to⁠ nextlevelagents.com/exp⁠ to learn what it looks like to plug into our community. Or check out the events tab at⁠ nextlevelagents.com⁠ for our upcoming virtual and in-person masterminds — the same kind of room where this conversation happened. Please leave us a review at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://ratethispodcast.com/nla⁠⁠⁠⁠

May 21, 202619 min

10 Controversial Truths About Success & Failure: What Leaders Need to Hear

Most successful people aren't doing something secret. They're just executing faster than everyone else. In this solo episode, Kevin unpacks 10 controversial truths about leadership, production, and personal responsibility — inspired by notes he's revisited multiple times from Alex Hormozi's "24 Controversial Truths About Success and Failure" on the Modern Wisdom podcast. This isn't a soft listen. Kevin gets direct about the leadership trap most agents won't admit to, why preparation is often procrastination in disguise, and the difference between keeping the peace and keeping the tension. If you lead a team — or you're trying to build something meaningful in a market that keeps exposing weak habits, weak standards, and weak culture — this one's worth your time. What you'll take away from this episode: Why speed of execution beats perfect strategy every time How consistency outperforms intensity (and why the sprint-and-burnout cycle is killing your momentum) Why the hard conversation you're avoiding is the one that matters most The uncomfortable reality that your organization is a mirror of you What it really takes to fall in love with the climb, not just the rewards Ready to take it further? If this hit home, the next step is finding the right environment to actually execute on what you just heard. Head to nextlevelagents.com/exp to learn more about what we're building at Next Level Agents, or check out the events tab at nextlevelagents.com for the next virtual or in-person mastermind on the calendar. The leaders who win in this market aren't the ones with the best slogans — they're the ones willing to execute consistently. Come join a room full of them. Please leave us a review at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://ratethispodcast.com/nla

May 18, 202657 min

Stop Tweaking the System (The Boring Playbook Behind a 240-Deal Year)

This week's episode is a little different — and that's the point. While Kevin and the crew were out of town, Dustin Runyon stepped in to host the weekly eXp mastermind, with Kody Weitzel joining to break down exactly how he's on track to close 240+ deals and $72 million in volume this year. It was too good to keep behind closed doors, so we're sharing the full conversation here. If you've been wondering what actually separates mid-level agents from the ones quietly stacking seven figures, this is the episode. No hacks. No funnels. No "secret strategies." Just the boring, unsexy, repeatable stuff most agents refuse to do — and the mindset that makes doing it feel easy. What you'll take away: Why "business shape" is the real difference between agents who hit their numbers and the ones constantly chasing them The Level 10 Open House framework Kody used to scale from 64 deals his first year to 240+ deals today The five pillars Kody runs his entire business on (and why he doesn't need a sixth) The follow-up rule worth $7,500+ checks: never stop until they buy, sell, block, or die Why most agents work harder avoiding the work than they would just doing it — and how to break the loop Ready to stop tweaking and start scaling? If this episode hit home and you're craving the kind of mastermind that actually moves the needle on your business, head to nextlevelagents.com/exp to learn what it looks like to plug into our community. Or check out the events tab at nextlevelagents.com for our upcoming virtual and in-person masterminds — the same kind of room where this conversation happened.

May 14, 202610 min

Truth Lives in the Tension: The Leadership Skill Nobody Teaches

Here's a question worth sitting with this week. Do you want to be interesting? Or do you want to make people feel interesting? Most agents are chasing the first one. They walk into listing appointments, recruiting conversations, and team meetings trying to prove how much they know — their stats, their scripts, their systems. Meanwhile, the agents who actually win are running a completely different play. In this solo episode, Kevin Kauffman breaks down why the agents people keep choosing aren't the most impressive ones in the room. They're the ones who make everyone else feel like the most impressive ones in the room. What you'll take away from this episode: The honest question to ask after every conversation — did they walk away feeling impressed by you, or feeling more capable themselves? Why most agents lose business by trying to prove how much they know The recruiting shift that turns "pitching the model" into a conversation people actually want to have The leadership question every team builder needs to answer — do my agents feel more dependent on me, or more capable without me? A simple 4-step framework you can run in your next conversation tomorrow If you want to lead a business and a team that compounds trust over time, the way you show up in conversations matters more than any script, system, or stat sheet. That's exactly the kind of leadership we've built at Next Level Agents — a community of agents who win by making other people more capable. If that sounds like the room you want to be in, learn more at nextlevelagents.com/exp. Please leave us a review at https://ratethispodcast.com/nla⁠⁠⁠⁠