New Agent Success System · Executive Working Framework · November 6, 2026
Building the next generation of First Team agents
ENERGY. BELIEF. EXECUTION.
A proposed system to turn education into action, action into confidence, and confidence into repeatable production.
Prepared by Jacob Lawlor
First Team Real Estate
50
Years · Since 1976
For 50 years, we've built agents.
Developing successful real estate professionals from the ground up has been part of First Team's identity since 1976. Today we have an opportunity to rebuild that advantage — for a different market and a different generation of agents.
We recruit. We train. We graduate agents.But too many never build the momentum to become productive.
Leadership has discussed an estimate of roughly one transaction or fewer per newly recruited agent per year. Estimate pending verification.
The opportunity is to create a reliable bridge between graduation and production.
Training isn't the same as execution.
The current risk
- Power Curve graduation
- Agent returns to office
- Uncertainty about what to do
- Prospecting avoidance
- Rejection / lack of early wins
- Declining confidence
- Disengagement
The proposed system
Proposed- Power Curve + practice
- Prescribed daily activity
- Real conversations
- Supported appointments
- Small wins
- Growing belief
- More energy and activity
- Progress toward production
Knowledge creates awareness.
Execution creates experience.
Experience creates belief.
Strategic framing for the proposed system — not a verified research finding.
The founder's philosophy becomes the operating system.
I
“This business runs on energy.”
Energy comes from purposeful activity, forward motion, meaningful conversations, and visible progress.
II
“Agents need belief.”
Confidence grows when agents accumulate evidence that they can succeed.
III
“The iron fist in the velvet glove.”
Clear standards and accountability, balanced with encouragement, empathy, and practical help. Some agents need more reinforcement, others firmer accountability — everyone needs clear expectations and support.
IV
“Don't think. Just do.”
New agents shouldn't invent their business development strategy every morning. Give them the plan, the words, the tools, and the support — then expect them to execute.
This philosophy simplifies business development routines. It does not replace professional judgment, legal duties, ethical conduct, or required brokerage supervision.
The reinforcing loop
Three things an agent must learn to do.
01
Prospect
Create conversations and opportunities.
02
Follow up
Develop interest and secure appointments.
03
Close
Convert qualified appointments into clients and transactions.
The critical innovation — early career
ProposedThe new agent
+ The experienced producer
- Proven presentation expertise
- Helps convert the opportunity
- Supports early client and transaction execution
Let new agents do what they can do today.Support them in what they haven't mastered yet.
The objective is independent agents over time — not permanent dependence on the experienced producer.
What if the agent isn't afraid of getting the appointment?
A new agent knocks on a door. The homeowner says:
“Actually, we've been thinking about selling.”
Internal reaction
“What do I do now?”
We don't just need to help agents overcome the fear of rejection.We need to remove the fear of success.
Manager discussion
How many of our new agents hesitate to prospect because they aren't confident in what happens next?
From new license to productive professional.
Proposed structurePhase 2 · First 30 days of structured execution
Activate
- Daily prospecting
- Sphere outreach
- Open houses
- Education-based marketing
- Follow-up
- Activity tracking
- Early success milestones
Proposed program structure. Specific timing and milestones will be refined through leadership review and pilot testing. No transaction is guaranteed by day 90.
Open the playbook. Follow the calendar. Report the result.
Pilot starting point- 01
Start of Day
10–15 min
- Role-play the approved script
- Practice a common objection
- Rehearse the appointment handoff
- Identify one skill to improve
- 02
Primary Prospecting
60–90 min
- Sphere outreach
- Approved educational prospecting
- Meaningful consumer conversations
- Record attempts and results
- 03
Follow-Up
20–30 min
- Follow up with prospective buyers and sellers
- Confirm appointments
- Advance the next step with existing contacts
- 04
Field Execution
As scheduled
- Weekday open houses
- Weekend open houses
- Community outreach
- Appointments
- Additional planned follow-up
- 05
End-of-Day Report
~5 min
- Submit activity
- Report wins
- Identify obstacles
- Confirm tomorrow's first action
Weekly rhythm
Proposed pilot starting points — not approved company-wide quotas.
The new agent doesn't need another strategy.The new agent needs a clear next action.
Give agents something worth saying.
Engine 1
Sphere of Influence
A professionally written announcement introducing the agent's real estate career, First Team, their partnership with a proven participating professional, and the expertise available to their clients.
You may be new to the business, but you aren't serving your clients alone.
Engine 2
Education-Based Outreach
Using the First Team Rate Rescue and mortgage buydown strategy as an example: approved materials and scripts that explain financing concepts consumers may not understand, leading to consultations with a participating loan officer.
“Have you seen some of the ways buyers and sellers are structuring financing concessions to improve affordability?”
Engine 3
Open Houses
A coordinated list of open house opportunities. Managers work with listing agents to identify properties — weekday and weekend — with preparation, consumer conversations, lead capture, and follow-up.
Available opportunity should not be lost because of poor coordination.
Sphere + Educational Outreach + Open Houses
↓Conversations
↓Appointments
All prospecting and marketing must follow brokerage supervision, fair housing, advertising, and applicable consumer-contact requirements.
What happens when an agent gets an appointment?
- 1
New agent generates an interested prospect.
- 2
Agent documents the opportunity and alerts the manager.
- 3
Manager coordinates with a qualified experienced closer.
- 4
New agent and closer prepare together.
- 5
Closer leads or co-leads the appointment while the new agent observes and participates.
- 6
Team debriefs, follows up, and executes the transaction with appropriate brokerage supervision.
New agent
- Generate the opportunity
- Schedule the appointment
- Participate
- Learn
- Follow up
- Develop independence
Experienced producer
- Bring proven consultation expertise
- Demonstrate effective presentation
- Help convert appropriate opportunities
- Model best practices
- Fulfill agreed client-service responsibilities
Proposed first-deal model
50/50 participating-agent compensation-sharing concept. Possible brokerage contribution or temporary split adjustment for the new agent.
All terms subject to company leadership approval, written agreements, brokerage compensation policies, and legal review. Not a guaranteed split or mandatory policy.
This is not an unlimited mentorship arrangement.It is a defined, compensated partnership around a real opportunity.
Manager discussion
Who are the proven closers in your branch who could help a brand-new agent convert their first appointment?
The system does not run itself.The manager makes it work.
Power Curve provides the educational foundation. The system provides the execution framework. Managers own implementation within their branches.
1
Set expectations
Clearly explain what the program requires and provides.
2
Create access
Identify closers, open house opportunities, and available partner support.
3
Practice the words
Make role-play a regular, observable part of agent development.
4
Inspect activity
Know whether agents are executing the system — not merely attending classes.
5
Intervene early
Recognize wins, remove obstacles, and address persistent avoidance before an agent disengages.
Jacob designs and supports the system.Managers own execution in their branches.
Proposed accountability for alignmentThe iron fist in the velvet glove.
The velvet glove
- Encouragement
- Skill development
- Role-play
- Positive reinforcement
- Removing obstacles
- Celebrating small wins
Same standards.
Individualized
coaching.
The iron fist
- Clear expectations
- Accountability
- Direct feedback
- Commitments
- Consistent follow-through
- Appropriate corrective steps
Coaching scenarios — select one
Recommended response
More practice, encouragement, skill coaching, and a specific next attempt.
Illustrative manager coaching script
“I believe you can do this, and I'll help you do it. Here is what we agreed you would do. What happened? What got in the way? Let's address that, and then agree on the next action.”
Accountability must be respectful, fair, consistent with approved agreements, and tailored to genuine barriers or support needs — never public shaming or arbitrary penalties.
One agent. An entire support system.
Power Curve
Foundational education and practical skill development.
Branch Manager
Execution, accountability, coaching, and coordination.
Experienced Closer
Presentation expertise, initial conversion support, learning through participation.
Loan Officer
Approved financing education, consumer consultation, appropriate collaborative marketing.
Title & Escrow
Defined educational and transaction support, set through cross-functional planning.
Broker / Compliance
Approved agreements, advertising, compensation, supervision, and client protections.
The agent is responsible for the work.The company is responsible for creating an environment in which that work can succeed.
Success begins before the first closing.
Level 1
Activity
What can managers coach immediately?
- Role-play participation
- Prospecting sessions
- Outreach attempts
- Meaningful conversations
- Follow-up completion
- Open houses held
Level 2
Momentum
Which early wins build belief?
- First live conversation
- First qualified lead
- First appointment
- First joint presentation
- First signed client
- First opened escrow
Level 3
Production
What ultimately validates the program?
- First closed transaction
- Transactions in the first year
- New agent retention
- Time to first transaction
- Brokerage financial return
Milestone staircase
First conversation
First qualified lead
First appointment
First joint presentation
First signed client
First opened escrow
First closing
Baseline
Compare 2024–2026 historical new-agent cohorts where reliable data are available.
Pilot measurement
Evaluate pilot participants' activity, conversion, retention, and company economics.
Baselines and performance targets must be established before claiming success. No projected outcome shown here has been achieved.
How we move from an idea to a system.
Timing pending leadership approvalGate 1
Alignment
Cam and leadership agree on:
- — Strategic direction
- — Program scope
- — Closing-partner concept
- — Manager responsibilities
- — Pilot authority
Gate 2
Readiness
Develop:
- — Manager playbook
- — Agent daily execution playbook
- — Approved marketing kit
- — Role-play materials
- — Closer roster & written agreements
- — Open house coordination
- — Activity scorecard
Gate 3
Pilot
Run a controlled proposed 90-day activation pilot. Monitor:
- — Agent engagement
- — Activity consistency
- — Appointment generation
- — Partner capacity
- — Coaching workload
- — Early production milestones
Gate 4
Refine & Scale
Review results and operational constraints.
- — Improve
- — Retain
- — Remove
- — Expand — before broader implementation
Today's managers meeting is a discussion step — not final approval or an immediate company-wide rollout.
What do we need from our managers?
Manager discussion
How do we create consistent support across every branch without relying on heroic effort from a few managers?
Today, we're not being asked to pretend the system is finished.We're being asked to help build a system that works.
Energy.
Belief.
Execution.
“We will show you exactly what to do, practice it with you, back you up when opportunity arrives, and hold you accountable to the work.”
You are not on your own.But you are responsible for doing the work.
Let's build the next generation of First Team agents.
16-Page Executive Working Draft
Executive Working Draft | Internal Use · First Team Real Estate · DRE #01008773