I've heard this so many times over the years: "My market's different, Jim." When it comes to recruiting, people say, "We're in a tiny market, a rural market, a niche market, or a very cliquey market. People here don’t make moves like they do in big cities. Recruiting doesn’t work here."

Let me tell you something: I come from a small town with a population of 25,000. I’ve worked in big cities, small towns, medium-sized cities, and even cliquey ones. Here’s the reality: the numbers behind recruiting aren’t something I’m making up. These are national statistics.

The average agent in America moves every five years.

Look at your entire database of agents in your market and think about this: every single one of them will likely move in the next five years.

Statistically, some will move sooner, some later, but overall, they’re going to move.

The question is: where are they going to go?

Think about your own career. Did you stay at one company forever without ever making a move? Probably ...

I get this question all the time from brokerage owners and team leaders: “How do I start recruiting today when I don’t have everything built yet?”

They often feel stuck in a catch-22: They think they need to build their vision first in order to start recruiting, but they don’t have the money or resources to build it because they don’t have agents yet.

Here’s the answer: People will buy into your vision as long as you can articulate it clearly and tie it to a timeline.

When you’re talking to agents, say something like:

"I’ve got this vision of the kind of company I want to build. I’m looking for a few people who want to get in on the ground floor and help me build it. We call them ‘founder agents.’ They’ll be right there, side by side with me, helping shape this vision. Can I explain to you what I’m trying to create?"

If you can sit with people and lay out a clear vision of what you’re working towards, they’ll buy into it. It doesn’t have to be 100% built yet—that’s what you’re wor...