REAL TIME Podcast

Everyone’s been put to the test in their career. On this episode of REAL TIME, we invite two members of the REALTOR® community, Anu Joshi-Mehendale and Dusko Sremac, to reflect on their top lessons learned in real estate as they approach a decade of experience in their respective practices.Get advice to help you minimize mistakes, set yourself up for success, and stay motivated in your own practice – new or established.

A survivor of two civil wars, Zahra Al-Harazi immigrated to Canada in 1996 with her three children and no higher education. Today, she’s one of Canada’s most successful entrepreneurs.On this episode of REAL TIME, Zahra unpacks the turning point in her story, when she defined her sense of purpose, and how it continues to guide her and her businesses. She also shares strategies for defining your own purpose, and how to harmonize your personal and professional values, so you can stay focused, motivated, and fulfilled.Discover Ikigai, the Japanese concept Zahra swears by for inspiring your sense of purpose: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IkigaiLearn more about the Enneagram personality types: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enneagram_of_Personality

Anthony Morgan is an award-winning science communicator. He’s also a PhD researcher and startup founder who’s hosted dozens of TV shows, including the Discovery Channel’s Daily Planet and CBC’s The Nature of Things with Sarika Cullis-Suzuki. He’s the mastermind behind Freestyle Socials, a live, hilarious game designed to “undivide” people by blurring the lines we draw between one another.On this episode of REAL TIME, Anthony shares science-based insight to help REALTORS® become better problem solvers in the face of a disagreement.Watch the experiment Anthony describes as a “magic trick”– Daniel Simons’ selective attention test: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vJG698U2Mvo

Colour affects us physically and mentally. In business, it’s a silent salesperson, a powerful way to send a message.To start the year, we invited one of the world’s leading colour consultants to help us explore colour trends and the malleable nature of colour itself – how we perceive it, what we can do with it, and how REALTORS® can wield it to instill confidence in their clients. Leatrice (Lee) Eiseman is Executive Director of the Pantone Color Institute™ and Director of the Eiseman Center for Color Information and Technology. For more than 20 years, she’s been responsible for choosing the Pantone® Color of the Year, which has vastly influenced the worlds of fashion, interior design, product development, and beyond.Visit LeatriceEiseman.com to explore Lee’s books on colour and online training courses.

For all its opportunities, a career in real estate can be demanding. Continuing our Working REALTOR® series, this episode highlights the importance of finding balance, not just for your health but to reconcile your hard work with a sense of purpose and fulfillment. Hear from three members of the REALTOR® community who’ve made it their mission to find balance: Crystal Hung, a 2023 Canadian REALTORS Care® Award nominee and the owner of Icon&co.; Peggy Hill, broker and CEO at the Peggy Hill Team; and Darin Germyn, a REALTOR® and leader of the Germyn Group and Director-at-Large with the Canadian Real Estate Association.

Every REALTOR® needs to negotiate, whether it’s with a client, another agent, a brokerage, or otherwise. But it doesn’t need to be as stressful as it seems.On this episode of REAL TIME, we speak with Fotini Iconomopoulos, a Fortune 500 negotiator, author, and educator whose advice you won’t soon forget. From engaging your mental pause button to psyching yourself up, get inspired to boost your competitive edge using Fotini’s unconventional principles of negotiation.

For more than five decades, Canadians have trusted Peter Mansbridge to guide them through countless political, economic, and cultural events that have shaped our nation. He’s one of Canada’s most respected and recognizable figures, having spent 30 years as CBC News’ chief correspondent and anchor of The National. On this episode of REAL TIME, Peter helps us understand why, how, and where we’ve deviated from trust and truth – all through his unique journalistic lens – and how Canadians can respond.

On this episode of REAL TIME, we’re joined by George Mumford, AKA the “Performance Whisperer.” George is a pioneer in sports psychology and performance coaching, and is globally renowned for his liberating perspectives on mindfulness and flow. Throughout his career, he’s worked with an all-star roster of clients including Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant, and now, he’s bringing his expertise to REAL TIME to help REALTORS® elevate their game in business and life.

So, you’re starting to build a name for yourself as a REALTOR®, but how do you propel your already solid foundation to new heights of success? Continuing our Working REALTOR® series, this episode shares tips, strategies, and lessons learned to help you continue building a successful real estate career, at any phase. Hear from three REALTORS® from across the country: Ruth Alexander from Calgary, Alberta, Nene Akintan from Oakville, Ontario, and Steve Saretsky from Vancouver, British Columbia.

Customer support, content creation, social media sentiment analysis – artificial intelligence (AI) presents a world of business potential for REALTORS®. But how do you know what’s right for you?On this episode of REAL TIME, we have the privilege of hearing from Sharon Tehrani, one of CBC’s data and machine learning product leaders. We look at the opportunities and risks of incorporating AI into your business, where to start (and how to do so responsibly), and the skills you should sharpen to maximize its impact.

With research showing Canadians want to live more sustainably, businesses big and small have an opportunity to deliver a new form of value. On this episode of REAL TIME, Geoffrey Macdonald, CFO of IKEA Canada, shares advice to help REALTORS® support their clients’ sustainability journeys, operate more sustainably themselves, and be as authentic as possible on their path to positive change.

Thinking about a career in real estate? Want to build your name as a REALTOR®? While there’s no universal formula for success, there’s a lot to learn from the people behind the profession. This month, we get up close and personal with two REALTORS® for the first episode in our new series, exploring the world of the working REALTOR®. Edmonton-based James Mabey, CREA’s Chair-Elect, and Halifax-based Chris Peters, CREA’s Regional Director (Atlantic), reflect on how they got their start in the industry and share lessons learned.

On this special episode of REAL TIME, live-recorded at the Canadian Real Estate Association’s (CREA) 2023 Leadership Summit, we’re joined by Lital Marom, a globally recognized thought leader, entrepreneur, innovation strategist, and business visionary.Lital has spoken at industry conferences worldwide, inspiring organizations to “disrupt themselves” and unlock their potential in the new, exponential economy. She’s a trailblazer on topics ranging from digital transformation and emerging technologies to workplace culture and agile leadership.On this episode, Lital focuses on how organizations can reimagine themselves through mindset shifts, the power of data, exploring new business models, and more.

Each year, REALTOR.ca generates more than five million leads for REALTORS® across Canada. Developed and operated by the Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) on behalf of its REALTOR® members, it’s the country’s most popular and trusted real estate platform. As technology advances, however, and new contenders enter the market, it’s critical REALTOR.ca secures its relevance for the future. On this episode of REAL TIME, we explore the future of Canada’s real estate landscape as well as the vision behind shifting REALTOR.ca from a not-for-profit, association-driven product to a wholly owned, for-profit subsidiary of CREA. Ultimately, we look at how this shift will expand the platform’s potential to keep REALTORS® at the heart of the real estate transaction. Guests include Jill Oudil, CREA Chair, Patrick Pichette, VP of REALTOR.ca, and Andrew Jackson, Head of Business Development at CREA.

In a hyper-digital world, savvy brands are finding success tapping into and nurturing online communities. On this episode, Shannae Ingleton Smith joins REAL TIME to help REALTORS® find and build a niche of their own, true to their personal and professional brand. Shannae, President, CEO, and Co-Founder of Kensington Grey, a boutique influencer agency rooted in diversity, is an expert in content creation and brand storytelling. In addition to “finding your people” and building a niche, she also talks about how to portray your authenticity online, make the most of each platform, and strike a balance between creating your own content and having others, like influencers or clients, champion your brand for you.

While Canada’s housing market has felt like a roller coaster over the last few years, 2023 might be the year it turns a corner. Slowly.On Episode 34 of REAL TIME, we’re joined by Shaun Cathcart, Director and Senior Economist, Housing Data and Market Analysis, at the Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA). Shaun takes a step back to help REALTORS® and their clients look forward, painting a picture of Canada’s housing market pre-pandemic, how it changed, and what the data can tell us about the future.

At times, the phrase “business innovation” can feel as amorphous as any other buzzword: what does it mean, and what’s the opportunity for REALTORS®?On Episode 33 of REAL TIME, researcher, keynote speaker, and one of The Globe and Mail’s top changemakers of 2022, Dr. Chitra Anand, explores the many ways in which REALTORS® can innovate. She also unpacks an important new movement in the workplace: intrapreneurship. Learn how you can foster an intrapreneurial spirit to challenge the norm, spur new ideas, and continue building trust through value-added solutions. Dr. Anand breaks it all down, including how to focus your efforts for the greatest impact if you’re a smaller business with limited resources.

As part of REALTORS Care® Week 2022, we’re joined by Chris Jarvis, co-founder of Realized Worth. At Realized Worth, Chris designs volunteering strategies to help businesses drive engagement, retention, inclusivity, and stronger relationships with their communities. On Episode 32 of REAL TIME, Chris helps us understand how we can reprogram our brains to feel empathy for groups with whom we don’t identify. By breaking down barriers, and adopting a transformative approach to volunteering, it can help us see the world with a fresh perspective. Episode Resources Realized WorthInvisible PeopleThe RW InstituteThe Brain, Episode 5: Why Do I Need You?

Canada frequently ranks as the best country in the world for its quality of life, but what does it mean to live in Canada? How does the Canadian experience differ among subsets of the population? And what social, cultural, or lifestyle trends might be impacting Canadians’ real estate decisions?On Episode 31 of REAL TIME, we’re joined by Canadian media figure Lainey Lui, ETALK correspondent and co-host of The Social. Known for her sociological perspective on the value of pop culture, Lainey joins REAL TIME to put the Canadian experience under the microscope.

Over the last few years some industries have experienced a labour shortage while others have seen an increase. As the workforce continues to evolve, creating a culture that employees value is critical to attracting and keeping the right talent, and driving your business forward. On Episode 30 of REAL TIME, we’re joined by Neil Thornton, President of the Thornton Group, to help REALTORS® and brokers, regardless of their role on a team, strengthen their leadership, coaching, and engagement skills. Gain insight on how to build a strong team culture anchored in a shared vision.