Real estate has a new-agent launch problem, not recruiting

The real estate industry spends a tremendous amount of energy recruiting new agents. Brokerages advertise training, technology, leads, culture and commission structures. Aspiring professionals invest time and money completing their education, passing an examination and earning the license that allows them to begin practicing. Then something strange happens. A newly licensed agent walks into the industry and is often expected to figure out how to turn that license into a business almost immediately. We may not have a recruiting problem nearly as much as we have a new-agent launch problem. As a real estate broker and instructor, I see the transition from student to practicing professional from both sides. Pre-licensing education serves an important purpose: it establishes the foundational knowledge required to enter the profession. But licensing and career readiness are not the same thing. If brokerages want stronger retention, better-trained professionals and agents who are capable of serving consumers confidently, we need to rethink what happens during the first months after licensure. Stop measuring new agents only by production One of the quickest ways to discourage a new agent i...