Forward One Podcast

Ice hockey rink to Los Angeles real estate: Maxim Sidelnik joins Forward One hosts Paul Mark Morris and Josh Spitzen to share how 12 years of competitive hockey built an agent now closing about 1.5 deals a month. Maxim explains why you still need a buyer’s agent even when you found the house on Zillow yourself, plus how to win repair negotiations, price a listing the right way, and get your offer accepted in a multiple-offer battle. When mortgage rates drop, he shows what that really means for your monthly payment, and why waiting on the sidelines can cost you more than the rate does. 
Chapters:
0:00 Maxim Sidelnik, Los Angeles real estate agent
2:12 From ice hockey to real estate
4:01 Real estate license exam prep
5:06 Getting your first deal: cold calling
9:51 Tips for new real estate agents
13:57 Athlete mindset in real estate sales
15:30 How many deals an LA agent closes
18:58 Mortgage rates and your monthly payment
23:24 Buying a home in a slow market
25:41 Repair requests after a home inspection
27:52 Real estate negotiation tips
30:46 Do you need a buyer’s agent?
31:55 How to win a bidding war
37:04 Negotiating an $8 million home
41:18 Why agent reputation matters
44:57 Selling a home in a slow market
49:36 How to price your home
53:38 Home appraisal tips for sellers
56:24 Home inspection tips
59:55 Communicating with sellers
1:03:07 Mentoring new real estate agents
1:05:59 Rapid-fire questions
#RealEstateTips #HomeBuyingTips #LosAngelesRealEstate

A telecom store manager from Texas got his real estate license in 2018. In 2025, he closed just under $50M, and he has sold more than $130M in his career. On this episode of the Forward One podcast, hosts Paul Morris and Josh sit down with LA agent Derek Smith to break down how he did it. In this episode, he shares his real strategies for getting and closing millions in deals.

Timestamps
0:00 Welcome
0:15 How Derek got into real estate
1:20 Reality TV vs. the real work
2:36 $50M in 2025, $130M career
4:08 How he got business as a new agent
4:55 "Follow the money"
6:35 How to stand out with investors
8:32 The cold-call script (live role-play)
11:09 Building trust and the Brentwood deal
12:17 Forcing your way into top neighborhoods
12:58 Niche vs. jack of all trades
16:28 Why new agents should start in a niche
17:37 Branding and negotiation
18:42 Staying accountable without a boss
19:19 Weekly goals: five offers, one or two escrows
21:24 What he does when he misses the week
23:15 Finding inventory through other agents
26:07 The sticky-note accountability idea
28:03 Rapid-fire round

Lynette Marble joins the Forward One podcast to break down the real estate social media strategies she uses to turn TikTok views into new clients and sold homes. From music and editing tools to her 80/20 content formula, she shares the tested tactics that drive sales and build relationships. But her strategy doesn’t end when she puts her phone down. It ties directly into her face-to-face relationships in Ventura County.00:00 Welcome to Forward One with Lynette Marble
00:11 Her real estate journey: starting from ground zero
01:24 Life events that drive buying and selling
02:28 Why real estate is a relationship business, not "churn and burn"
03:32 Two lead-gen models: high-volume vs. relational
04:59 Ventura County roots and community trust
05:33 Turning relationships into business: authenticity and volunteering
06:53 Starting on social media as a new agent
07:44 Targeting first-time home buyers on TikTok
08:37 The 80/20 content formula
09:14 What is a TikTok duet?
10:15 How much business comes from social media (it took 3 years)
10:58 Tracking analytics to see what works
11:35 Social proof vs. lead generation
12:46 Why 99% of buyers use online tools
14:09 Educating viewers vs. "just listed, just sold" posts
15:29 Meeting your audience where they are
16:06 The "How Did We Do It?" series
16:54 The most affordable one-bedroom in Ventura County post
17:59 Editing tools: CapCut and Canva
19:54 Instagram vs. TikTok vs. Facebook: every platform is a language
21:36 Learning new platforms with YouTube
22:21 Running ads from TikTok content
22:50 Why social media skills win over any client
24:05 Filming listings and timing music to video
25:05 Offering to film other agents' home tours
25:52 TikTok affiliate program
26:43 Why she won't sell to her audience
27:35 The next two years: consistency and phone calls
28:04 Marketing-enhanced prospecting
28:29 Her open house system
29:32 Final thoughts

How do you price a home when there’s nothing to compare it to? Gary Gold has the answer, and he’s sharing his system. Gold is the legendary agent behind the Playboy Mansion sale, the first home in Los Angeles to sell for $100 million, as well as the $150 million Chartwell Estate and the Hearst Estate. In this episode, he joins Paul Morris and Josh Spitzen to explain how he prices the most unusual homes on the market. It starts with doing away with the term “comps” and rethinking what a premier blue chip property brings to the table.
Connect with Gary Gold
https://soldbygold.net/
https://www.instagram.com/soldbygold/
Timestamps
00:00 Meet Gary Gold: from Hilton & Hyland to record-setting sales

04:55 The challenge of pricing a home with no comparables

07:15 Why Gary banned the word “comps”

11:50 Why “How’s the market?” is a meaningless question

16:35 The two-part answer to pricing luxury

21:50 Creating urgency without faking it

26:00 Pricing 5% high vs. 5% low

31:10 Gary’s AI-assisted valuation system

34:10 Quantifiable value vs. the “it factor”

40:20 The seller who wanted $26 million

43:30 When listings become billboards

48:40 The off-market offer that raised a tough question

51:50 The buyer who walked away from the house they wanted

55:50 The real purpose of the price of luxury

1:00:50 The restaurant waiter analogy

1:02:40 Finding the buyer for a $15 million Malibu listing

Welcome to the Forward One Podcast! James Harris shares his incredible journey in real estate with Josh Spitzen and guest host Joey Sacavitch, starting from his early days in London to becoming a top agent in LA. He emphasizes the importance of building trust and relationships in this competitive industry. With a passion for helping clients, James believes that every interaction is an opportunity to create lasting connections. He discusses the challenges he faced in the beginning, including door knocking for hours without immediate success, but how perseverance led to significant breakthroughs. His story is a testament to the power of hard work, dedication, and a positive mindset. James also highlights the importance of treating every client like family and the value of nurturing those relationships over time. If you're looking to thrive in real estate, his insights are invaluable!
Connect with Forward One Podcast

YouTube: www.youtube.com/@forwardonepodcast 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/forwardonemedia 

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@itspaulmarkmorris 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/paulmarkmorris

Connect with James Harris

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jamesbondst

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamesbondst

https://www.breezy.com/

https://carolwoodre.com/agent/james-harris

Presented by Forward One Real Estate 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/forwardonerealestate 

https://forwardone.com/

Timestamps

00:00:01 - James’s Start in Real Estate
00:02:03 - Moving to LA and Going All In
00:04:42 - How One Lease Led to a Million-Dollar Deal
00:08:59 - Earning and Keeping Clients’ Trust
00:12:09 - Growth, Service, and a Relationship-Driven Business
00:15:08 - Thriving in a Skill-Based Market
00:15:46 - Healthy Competition and Learning from Success
00:19:52 - How the Team Stays Accountable
00:23:42 - Hiring for Hunger and Keeping Real Estate Simple
00:26:14 - Why James Built Breezy AI
00:29:13 - Breezy’s Growth and UnderBuilt in Action
00:30:27 - How UnderBuilt Helps Agents Spot Opportunities
00:32:56 - Finding Opportunity in a Difficult Market
00:35:49 - Why Positivity Matters in Real Estate
00:36:43 - Fire Round: Balance, Family, and Trust