From the U.S. Marine Corps to running one of California’s largest brokerages, Michele Harrington’s leadership journey is anything but typical. Alongside Lauren Henss, a marketing powerhouse with a Chanel-to-Compass résumé, these two leaders are redefining what it means to build a modern, human-first brokerage.
In this episode of Real Estate Insiders Unfiltered, Harrington (CEO) and Henss (VP of Marketing and Strategic Initiatives) of FirstTeam Real Estate to unpack:
- The power of discipline and structure (and how the military shaped Harrington’s career)
- The “Behind the Agent” campaign and how it’s producing a 90 percent retention rate and 32 percent conversion rate
- What most agents get wrong about branding, TikTok and storytelling
- How to build a brokerage with vision, heart and standards
- Why women are still underrepresented in the real estate C-suite — and how that’s finally changing
This episode is packed with truth bombs, real laughs and sharp takes on private listings, Zillow, MLS reform, recruiting strategies and what it really takes to scale a business that lasts.
Highlights
You’ll learn:
- How to lead with empathy without sacrificing standards
- Why storytelling beats sales pitches (and how agents can apply this today)
- The surprising benefits of saying no to the wrong recruits
- Behind the scenes of the “Behind the Agent” campaign
- What it means to stop building rosters and start building careers
Go deep on private listings, AI’s role in real estate, the Zillow-Compass debate and why authenticity is the most underrated business strategy of 2025.
This isn’t just another leadership episode. It’s a roadmap for brokerages who want to scale with soul and for agents who want to build a business around who they really are.
Connect with Michele Harrington on LinkedIn. Connect with Lauren Henss on LinkedIn. Learn more about FirstTeam Real Estate on Facebook, X, LinkedIn, YouTube, Instagram, Pinterest and online at firstteam.com.
Real Estate Insiders Unfiltered is now exclusively on Inman. Tune in for agent- and team-focused content on Mondays and leadership interviews on Wednesdays each week. Listen on Apple or Spotify.
James Dwiggins is the Co-CEO of NextHome, Inc. and co-host of Real Estate Insiders Unfiltered.
Keith Robinson is the Co-CEO of NextHome, Inc. and co-host of Real Estate Insiders Unfiltered.
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