Ninja Selling Podcast

Eric Thompson interviews Ryan Wentworth and Michael Parsiola of Reve Realtors in New Orleans, Louisiana, who experienced a dramatic turnaround after realizing they had been running their business "on accident." After dropping from 20 million in volume to 13 million in a challenging market shaped by rising interest rates and skyrocketing insurance costs, they consciously decided to rebuild their business on purpose.
The shift was not about chasing more leads. It was about returning to fundamentals, implementing consistent flow systems, and intentionally structuring their partnership. In 2025, they produced 29 million in volume, a 123% year-over-year Increase, while the market grew only 3%.
They share how they streamlined operations, eliminated inefficiencies, and recommitted to consistent client touches including just sold mailers, newsletters, market reports, and highly creative live flow events like Saints football games and architectural cycling tours. They also discuss how they divide responsibilities within their partnership to maximize clarity and efficiency, with one focusing on listings and the other on buyers, while maintaining unified communication.
At its core, their breakthrough came from moving from reactive to intentional, from accidental production to systemized flow, and from perfection paralysis to consistent action.
Key Takeaways
Being "on accident" often means managing incoming business without proactive flow systems
Market shifts expose weak systems and force clarity
Rebuilding from the ground up creates stronger, more efficient processes
Intentional flow beats accidental momentum
Mailers and market reports work when consistent and visible
Auto flow creates visibility even when you are busy
Invitations are as powerful as attendance for generating connection
Creative, authentic flow tied to personal interests increases engagement
Partnership clarity prevents confusion and builds client trust
Clearly defined roles create efficiency and confidence
Coaching provides accountability, fresh ideas, and perspective
Perfection is the enemy of good and progress beats paralysis
Consistency compounds, even if it feels small in the moment
Memorable Quotes
"We were managing the business that was coming at us, not on purpose."
"We need to go back to basics."
"We needed to know how the sausage is made."
"Just sold cards were all in my head. Clients loved them."
"We didn't want them to feel passed off."
"Perfection is the enemy of good."
"Look at where you were two years ago."
"We're not a 10, but we're a 7, and that's way better than a 2."
Links:
Website: https://ninjaselling.com/ninja-podcast/
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 1-800-254-1650
Podcast Facebook Group: http://www.facebook.com/groups/TheNinjaSellingPodcast
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/NinjaSelling
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ninjasellingofficial/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ninjaselling
Upcoming Public Ninja Installations: https://NinjaSelling.com/events/list/?tribe_eventcategory%5B0%5D=183&tribe__ecp_custom_2%5B0%5D=Public
Ninja Coaching: http://www.NinjaSelling.com/course/ninja-coaching/
Ryan Wentworth: Website
Michael Parsiola: Website

This episode opens with a simple question that hits home for many agents: Do you struggle with consistency? Rob Nelson is joined by Larry Kendall and Eric Thompson to review the pattern they found while researching Ninja Coaching clients who had their best year yet in 2025. Across different personalities, markets, and business styles, the common denominator was not a specific lead source or marketing tactic. It was consistency, and the clearest measurable indicator of consistency was turning in a weekly scorecard.
They share that 87% of the "Best Year Yet" Ninha Coaching clients consistently turned in a weekly scorecard, making it the strongest correlation they found. The scorecard is positioned as the truth teller and the ultimate tool for tracking, gamifying, and sustaining the Ninja Nine habits over time. Rather than chasing results, the conversation emphasizes managing activities, because activities repeated over time create predictable outcomes.
Larry and Eric walk through what the scorecard is, why it works, and how it has evolved, including modern enhancements like daily personal text messages and tracking open house conversations. They explain the five pathways to consistency, track activities, gamify, join a group, hire a coach, and find an encouragement partner, and show how the scorecard supports all five. They also discuss realistic targets and the idea that perfection is not required. A score of 70 out of 100 is the acceleration point where business becomes consistent, while missing one week is a mistake and missing two is the start of a new habit.
The episode closes with practical guidance on how to restart after falling off, how to plan for 45 full on weeks and seven recharge weeks, and why keeping scorecards in a binder becomes a powerful way to measure progress and diagnose a slump. Larry reinforces the message with a personal example, his long running pushup log, showing how tracking drives consistency, and consistency drives results.
Key Takeaways
Consistency is the common denominator behind best year yet results, even when the specific business style varies
Turning in a weekly scorecard is the strongest measurable correlation, with 87 percent of best year yet coaching clients doing it
Scorecards shift focus from results to activities, which restores control, reduces frustration, and creates momentum
The scorecard supports five ways to stay consistent, tracking, gamifying, joining a group, hiring a coach, and using an encouragement partner
Missing one week is a mistake, missing two is the start of a new habit, so the goal is to avoid the second miss
Managing activities is more effective than managing production, and it is especially useful for managers and sales leaders
Modern enhancements include personal text messages with a FORD question and tracking open houses as a major buyer entry point
Plan for 45 full on weeks and seven recharge weeks to build consistency with grace, sustainability, and real life flexibility
Memorable Quotes
Do you struggle with consistency
The number one correlation between having a best year yet is that they turn in a weekly scorecard
Most people do not fail because they do not know what to do, they fail because they do not do what they know consistently
The answer may be you are not keeping score
If you do the activities, the production takes care of itself
Stop trying to manage production and start managing activity
The scorecard is the truth
You can miss one, that is a mistake, but if you miss two, that is the start of a new habit
Two weeks at a hundred and ten weeks at zero is not the same as twelve weeks at seventy
Links:
Website: https://ninjaselling.com/ninja-podcast/
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 1-800-254-1650
Podcast Facebook Group: http://www.facebook.com/groups/TheNinjaSellingPodcast
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/NinjaSelling
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ninjasellingofficial/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ninjaselling
Upcoming Public Ninja Installations: https://NinjaSelling.com/events/list/?tribe_eventcategory%5B0%5D=183&tribe__ecp_custom_2%5B0%5D=Public
Ninja Coaching: http://www.NinjaSelling.com/course/ninja-coaching/
The Ninja Flow Scorecard: http://www.ninjaselling.com/scorecard

In this Best Year Yet episode, Eric Thompson interviews Derek Walden, a Wichita, Kansas–based agent with At Home Wichita, who more than doubled his business in 2025. Derek closed 56 transactions for approximately 15 million in volume while raising a large family of eight children, with another on the way. He shares how shifting away from a lead heavy, grind based team model and embracing the Ninja approach transformed both his results and his quality of life.
Derek describes his early years on a lead generation focused team as a hamster wheel that did not align with his values or his family priorities. Discovering Ninja Selling introduced a relationship centered model built on service, trust, and depth rather than volume and pressure. In 2025, Derek produced his best year yet by staying persistent, tracking his numbers closely, prioritizing meaningful live conversations, and building business with people who know, like, and trust him.
A key theme of the conversation is depth over small talk. Drawing from his military background, Derek explains how he naturally gravitates toward substantive conversations and emotional connection, which has become a differentiator in his real estate business. He focuses on long, intentional one on one interactions rather than high frequency surface level contacts, creating an integrated business that feels natural rather than exhausting. With the support of Ninja Coaching and Coach Mark Johnson, Derek also shares how coaching helped him live more on purpose, stay inspired, and remain accountable to the fundamentals that drive consistent growth.
Key Takeaways
Relationship based business scales better than lead based grinding when aligned with your values and life priorities.
Persistence compounds over time and momentum builds like adding cars to a train year after year.
Deep conversations outperform small talk by creating trust, emotional connection, and long term loyalty.
Tracking your numbers creates clarity and confidence in decision making and business planning.
Live conversations do not need to be high volume if they are meaningful, intentional, and unhurried.
Auto flow can be simple and personal through consistent mail, newsletters, and authentic updates.
Memorable Quotes
"If you work hard and do the right things, good things will happen."
"I hate small talk."
"When it's a friend calling, it doesn't feel like work."
"This year didn't feel like a treadmill."
"I believe an integrated life is a powerful life."
"I was created to love and serve others."
"Just relax, take a deep breath, and focus on what you can control."
"Coaching helped me move from living on accident to living on purpose."
"I've never had a conversation where I wished I hadn't had it."
Links:
Website: https://ninjaselling.com/ninja-podcast/
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 1-800-254-1650
Podcast Facebook Group: http://www.facebook.com/groups/TheNinjaSellingPodcast
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/NinjaSelling
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ninjasellingofficial/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ninjaselling
Upcoming Public Ninja Installations: https://NinjaSelling.com/events/list/?tribe_eventcategory%5B0%5D=183&tribe__ecp_custom_2%5B0%5D=Public
Ninja Coaching: http://www.NinjaSelling.com/course/ninja-coaching/
Derek Walden: https://www.athomewichita.com/agent/derek-walden/

In this Best Year Yet episode, Eric Thompson interviews Belle Caplis, a Brooklyn based Compass agent on the Bateman Fields team. Belle shares how she grew from 9 million in sales volume to 23.6 million in 2025, increasing from 11 to 25 sales transactions, while also expanding rentals and referral business. Belle's story is especially compelling because her real estate career began in March of 2020, just days before New York City shut down. With the city locked down and her new career uncertain, she found structure and community through a Compass recovery meeting that led her to Ninja Selling and a powerful accountability practice called the 10 at 10. Three times a week, Belle joined a Zoom session, started with gratitude, then turned cameras off and called 10 people using FORD questions before regrouping to report back. That early rhythm gave her confidence, listening skills, and the ability to build trust fast, which later made her highly effective even with Zillow leads, where she routinely stayed on calls 30 to 40 minutes to deepen connection.
Belle explains that her 2025 growth came from two main shifts. First, she became much better at follow up after open houses, using specific, personalized follow up tied to what the person said and continuing to deliver value through listings, pricing strategy, and education rather than generic check ins. Second, she leaned fully into education and service across her sphere by giving real estate advice freely, offering to find answers when she did not know them, and becoming the person people consult for clarity. Belle's approach is rooted in what she calls rigorous honesty, transparency, and risk analysis. She promises clients she cannot control outcomes, but she can control how honest and clear she is, and she builds deep trust by pointing out both pros and potential risks so clients can make confident decisions. She closes by encouraging listeners to be imperfect, take small steps, be honest about what they are not doing, and start again tomorrow.
Key Takeaways
Accountability creates momentum and Belle's early 10 at 10 practice built confidence, consistency, and relationship skills fast
FORD questions are a business builder because they shift the focus to people, create trust, and help you listen for what matters
Attraction over promotion works because you do not need to announce you are an agent, you just lead with curiosity and care
Trust building beats pretending and the phrase "I'm not one hundred percent on that, so I'll get back to you very soon" protects credibility and creates natural follow up
Longer first conversations create faster trust and Belle's ability to stay connected for 30 to 40 minutes helped her convert leads at a higher level
Open house follow up is a growth lever when it is specific, personal, and value based rather than generic check ins
Education is a referral engine when you freely explain pricing strategy, negotiation, and why listings sell or do not sell
Service creates opportunity because you never know where the next referral will come from, so treat everyone like they matter
Define your A list as the people you are rooting for and call them to reset your mindset and get out of your own head
Humor and personality can be part of flow and Belle uses memes, "real estate gossip," and stories to stay top of mind while reinforcing expertise
Rigorous honesty builds lifetime clients and Belle's promise is transparency, not outcomes she cannot control
Risk analysis is a differentiator because clients feel protected, informed, and confident in their decisions
Progress matters more than perfection and small daily improvements compound into big years
Memorable Quotes
"I onboarded at Compass on a Wednesday in March of 2020 and on Friday the entire city shut down."
"I don't know how to do real estate, but I know how to go to a meeting."
"This is attraction, not promotion."
"I'm not one hundred percent on that and I don't want to answer until I am, so I'm going to get back to you very soon."
"My goal was to gain trust before I got off that phone call."
"I'm not a gatekeeper."
"My A's are the people that I am rooting for."
"The fastest way for me to reset to factory settings is to focus on other people."
"I'm going to tell you no way more than I'm going to tell you yes."
"I give you permission to not do it well today. Just do it."
"Make one or two baby steps of progress today, then start over tomorrow."
Links:
Website: https://ninjaselling.com/ninja-podcast/
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 1-800-254-1650
Podcast Facebook Group: http://www.facebook.com/groups/TheNinjaSellingPodcast
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/NinjaSelling
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ninjasellingofficial/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ninjaselling
Upcoming Public Ninja Installations: https://NinjaSelling.com/events/list/?tribe_eventcategory%5B0%5D=183&tribe__ecp_custom_2%5B0%5D=Public
Ninja Coaching: http://www.NinjaSelling.com/course/ninja-coaching/
Belle Caplis: https://www.compass.com/agents/belle-caplis/
Belle's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/belleclosing

Eric Thompson interviews Jed Inductivo, a Ninja with Compass in Los Angeles, who achieved his best year yet in 2025 with business up 56% year over year. What makes the story remarkable is that it happened during significant adversity. LA faced devastating fires that impacted clients and the community at large. Jed's brokerage dissolved, forcing a rapid transition. Instead of contracting, Jed expanded by choosing a player mindset, leading with value, and committing to simple, repeatable Ninja fundamentals.
Jed credits a guiding belief, "This is happening for me, not to me," as the mindset shift that kept him solution-focused. During the fires, he stepped into service by supporting displaced clients, helping people find temporary housing, and sending resource packed newsletters that were widely shared and generated inbound calls for lease support. Jed breaks down the systems that drove his growth. He created two versions of a Real Estate Review, a five-minute version and a fifteen-minute version, to make Habit 7 consistent. He pairs those reviews with a steady rhythm of coffees and lunches, and he built a highly intentional agent referral engine that now contributes roughly two-thirds of his business. He also shares how his hospitality background helps him deliver a Four Seasons level experience through intake forms, milestone moments, and event style open houses.
Looking ahead to 2026, Jed's focus is on calm in the hard, protecting mornings for focus and clarity, and doubling down on his vital few activities, including Real Estate Reviews, two coffees or lunches per week, and his power hour.
Key Takeaways
Adversity can be fuel when you choose a player mindset and stay focused on solutions
This is happening for me, not to me, is a practical mental shift that prevents victim thinking and creates forward motion
Value creates opportunity, and Jed's fire resource newsletters were shared widely and led directly to new lease clients
Real Estate Reviews paired with coffee or lunch became Jed's strongest growth lever and biggest source of sales
Simplify the habit so it happens consistently, and the five-minute and fifteen-minute review options removed friction and made execution weekly
Follow up with an insight rather than asking if they have questions, which keeps the burden off the client and highlights your expertise
Agent referrals are built intentionally through consistent relationship building, two agent connection calls per week, and making it easy to remember and refer you
Make referring you easy with a simple one sheet that explains your market areas, specialties, and personal connection points
Hospitality creates bespoke service and intake sheets plus milestone touches create a Four Seasons experience
Authentic flow wins and the most sustainable systems are the ones aligned with your DNA and interests
Memorable Quotes
This is happening for me, not to me
Real estate agents are problem solvers
My biggest sales this year have come from this combination of real estate review, coffee, lunch by far
Treat your clients like they're staying at a Four Seasons
The best flow is authentic flow
Links:
Website: https://ninjaselling.com/ninja-podcast/
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 1-800-254-1650
Podcast Facebook Group: http://www.facebook.com/groups/TheNinjaSellingPodcast
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/NinjaSelling
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ninjasellingofficial/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ninjaselling
Upcoming Public Ninja Installations: https://NinjaSelling.com/events/list/?tribe_eventcategory%5B0%5D=183&tribe__ecp_custom_2%5B0%5D=Public
Ninja Coaching: http://www.NinjaSelling.com/course/ninja-coaching/
Jed Inductivo: https://jedi.la/
Jed's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jedi.agent/
Schedule a meeting with Jed: http://www.calendly.com/jed_i