Ninja Selling Podcast

Eric Thompson interviews Brookelynn Cardenas of ERA Live Moore about how leaders can create more productive, engaged agents by building a culture of coaching, accountability, and genuine personal investment. The results are compelling: while her overall market is up just 1.29% in volume, ERA Live Moore is up 8.74%, and its Ninja agents are up an impressive 41%.
As VP of Growth, Brookelynn works alongside managers to coach agents, reinforce Ninja habits, and create clear development opportunities. Her philosophy is that agents are more than production numbers. Great leaders understand what their people are working toward personally and help them build businesses capable of funding those dreams. She uses the Ninja Manager Scorecard to ensure leadership consistently focuses on the activities that drive coaching, retention, and recruiting.
Brookelynn's message is simple: if you want agents to embrace the system, leadership has to model it. Know your people, stay in flow with them, measure the right activities, and create an environment where they feel seen, supported, and challenged to grow.
Key Takeaways
Great leadership starts with understanding each agent's personal definition of success and what fuels their motivation.
Use a leadership scorecard to create consistency around the three critical activities of coaching, retention, and recruiting.
Don't assume agents need more leads. Ask whether they actually need better conversations.
The agent scorecard helps diagnose the real problem: insufficient activity or ineffective conversations.
Leaders must model the behaviors they expect from their agents. You can't create a Ninja culture without personally living the principles.
Broker owners should identify talented leaders, invest in their development, and give them the freedom and authority to grow.
Memorable Quotes
"Are we fueling their success or are we failing them?"
"These agents are not just a number."
"If they feel seen by you and feel understood by you, they're likely to give you their all."
"Do you need more leads or do you need better conversations?"
"How can I ask my agents to do something that I'm not willing to do myself?"
"If you have somebody special, encourage and empower them."
Links:
Website: https://ninjaselling.com/ninja-podcast/
Email: TSW@NinjaSelling.com
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/
Brookelynn Cardenas: https://eralivemoore.com/2026/03/11/vice-president-of-growth-brookelynn-cardenas

Eric Thompson interviews Dan Dodd of Vanguard Properties in San Francisco about the dramatic shift that took him from a scarcity mindset in 2025 to one of the strongest years of his 22-year career. After closing $15 million in 2025, Dan had already closed $33 million by mid-August 2026, with $90 million in his funnel and a projected year of $65–80 million.
Dan explains that the breakthrough wasn't a new lead-generation strategy. With help from Ninja Coach Mark Johnson, he stopped simply checking the boxes of his Ninja habits and began focusing on the feelings and mindset behind them. A meaningful daily affirmation became the catalyst, helping him see possibilities he had previously overlooked, reconnect with clients, act on his warm and hot lists, and recognize opportunities already around him. The lesson is powerful: the circumstances may be the same, but an abundant mindset allows you to see and act on possibilities that scarcity causes you to miss.
Key Takeaways
Scarcity and abundance can produce completely different results from the exact same market conditions.
Don't simply check the boxes of the Ninja habits; engage with them in a way that creates genuine feeling and action.
A meaningful affirmation can become a powerful tool for changing your internal dialogue and behavior.
Abundance helps you recognize opportunities already hiding within your existing relationships and warm list.
Focus on the activities and behaviors you control rather than obsessing over production outcomes.
You don't have to execute Ninja perfectly. Consistency and intentionality matter far more than perfection.
Memorable Quotes
"I wasn't kind of in scarcity. I was in full scarcity."
"It was like wearing a different set of glasses."
"I consistently perform the activities that propel me to the top 1%."
"The behaviors are what leads to the volume."
"I'm worthy of love and all of the wonderful things that life has to offer."
"It's all about what we can control."
Links:
Website: https://ninjaselling.com/ninja-podcast/
Email: TSW@NinjaSelling.com
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/
Dan Dodd: https://vanguardproperties.com/agents/dan-dodd

Rob Nelson chats with Mike Staver, author of Navigating Crazy, to explore why modern life can feel overwhelming and how to stay grounded amid chaotic circumstances. Mike argues that the world isn't necessarily getting worse, but the pace, pressure, and constant demands on our attention have dramatically increased.
The solution isn't eliminating the crazy; it's learning to navigate through it. Mike recommends focusing on what you can control, establishing clear boundaries, and anchoring decisions to your core values. He also explores anxiety as a prediction about the future, the importance of slowing down before making decisions, and the power of accepting reality without necessarily approving of it. Ultimately, navigating crazy means knowing what matters most and consistently filtering your choices through that lens.
Key Takeaways
You can't eliminate the crazy, but you can become better at navigating through it.
Control what you can control and stop spending energy trying to manage outcomes you cannot.
Strong boundaries and clearly defined values create an anchor when circumstances become chaotic.
Anxiety is often a prediction of a negative future outcome, so returning attention to the present can reduce its power.
Slow down before making decisions. Even a short pause can interrupt the pattern of reacting from fear or overwhelm.
Accept reality as it is. Acceptance doesn't mean approval; it gives you a truthful starting point for deciding what to do next.
Memorable Quotes
"The work is about moving through it, not overcoming it."
"Anxiety is always a prediction."
"Acceptance is not approval."
"The beginning of all struggle is the misalignment with expectations and reality."
"The day before your life changes forever will be just an ordinary day. Don't waste ordinary days."
Links:
Website: https://ninjaselling.com/ninja-podcast/
Email: TSW@NinjaSelling.com
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/
Mike Staver: https://mikestaver.com/
Navigating Crazy book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0H9P9JBJJ

In this episode, Eric Thompson interviews Larry Kendall about the fourth principle of Ninja Selling: Connect and Communicate. Larry explains that great communication begins with connection. The best communicators create a sense of trust through what he calls a "non-anxious presence," making the conversation about the other person rather than themselves. By asking thoughtful questions, listening deeply, and adapting to clients' communication styles, Ninjas help clients gain clarity and make confident decisions.
The conversation explores the Platinum Rule, the importance of asking rather than telling, and the sequence of connection, foundational, diagnostic, and closing questions. Larry also shares one of his favorite coaching tools, the "magic wand" question, and the personal story of how asking that question helped him and his wife discover and ultimately purchase their dream home.
Key Takeaways
Great communication starts by creating connection before trying to communicate information.
Asking questions is more powerful than telling because it builds trust, uncovers needs, and creates clarity.
Match the other person's communication style, personality, and learning modality to build rapport.
Follow the sequence of connection, foundational, diagnostic, and closing questions.
The "magic wand" question helps people think freely and uncover what they truly want.
Focus on helping clients make great decisions rather than trying to sell them.
Memorable Quotes
"Connect first, then communicate."
"Treat others the way they want to be treated."
"Asking is better than telling."
"It matters who says it."
"If you could wave your magic wand…"
"The market is the bad guy. We're on the seller's team."
Links:
Website: https://ninjaselling.com/ninja-podcast/
Email: TSW@NinjaSelling.com
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/

Eric Thompson interviews Gavin Vargas of Windermere Group One in Richland, Washington, who shares the mindset and habits behind building an 80-plus transaction business in a market of just 65,000 people. After attending his first Ninja Installation at age 21, Gavin steadily built his business by committing to the Ninja system, and in 2026 is on pace for his first $100,000 month.
Gavin credits his success to three things: mastering his mindset, maintaining consistent live flow, and treating everyone in his business as a relationship rather than a transaction. His goal is 15 live interviews per day, including clients, vendors, contractors, and community members. He also consistently delivers real estate reviews, hosts open houses with a service mindset, and intentionally nurtures relationships with service providers, who now generate roughly a quarter of his business.
Throughout the conversation, Gavin reflects on the influence of his late grandfather, Jeff Thompson, whose mentorship shaped both his mindset and his approach to serving others. His message is simple: consistent daily activities, grounded in the right mindset, create extraordinary long-term results.
Key Takeaways
A strong mindset is the foundation for long-term business success.
Consistently completing 15 live interviews per day creates remarkable momentum.
Contractors, vendors, and service providers are valuable referral partners who deserve the same level of flow as clients.
Real estate reviews provide meaningful opportunities to reconnect and deliver value.
Open houses are most effective when you become the neighborhood expert rather than simply hosting the event.
Small daily habits, practiced consistently, compound into extraordinary results.
Memorable Quotes
"Provide value or make people feel good."
"Shake the dust off your feet and move on."
"Get your mindset right first."
"I can't afford to forget what I learned."
"The consistency is what matters."
"You don't have to have a larger-than-life personality to build a great business.
Links
Website: https://ninjaselling.com/ninja-podcast/
Email: TSW@NinjaSelling.com
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/
Gavin Vargas: https://www.windermere.com/directory/agents/gavin-vargas