The Better Agent Podcast

In this episode of The Better Agent Podcast, host Josh Lavik sits down with Terra Beaver, a top-producing agent based in the Castle Rock Lake and New Lisbon area of Wisconsin. Terra shares her unique journey from working as a drug and alcohol counselor to building a thriving real estate business. The conversation dives deep into the turning point of her career at the four-year mark, explaining how getting serious about a CRM and building a consistent follow-up cadence changed everything.
Josh and Terra also explore how to beat automated valuation algorithms with hyper-local market knowledge and how to build a profitable niche right in your own backyard. Finally, learn Terra's brilliant strategy of using preemptive "next steps" videos to calm client emotions during inspections and appraisals, ensuring smoother transactions from accepted offer to closing day.
🎧 Host: Josh Lavik
🎤 Guest: Terra Beaver, Real Estate Professional from New Lisbon, WI
Terra Beaver is a Real Estate Broker and co-founder of the Lakes Region Team at Fathom Realty in New Lisbon, Wisconsin. She specializes in waterfront and vacation properties throughout Central Wisconsin’s Lakes Region, including the Castle Rock Lake and Lake Petenwell areas. Since 2014, Terra has closed more than 200 transactions and was recognized as a 2022 Top Producer by the South Central Wisconsin MLS.  
💡 What You’ll Learn:
✔️ How skills from a career in counseling perfectly translate into real estate success
✔️ Why local market expertise will always beat out automated online home values
✔️ The four-year turning point: How mastering a CRM took Terra's business to the next level
✔️ How to categorize leads and build a follow-up cadence so you never have to chase business
✔️ Finding your niche by leaning into the market that is already in your backyard
✔️ How to use proactive "next steps" videos to manage client emotions during inspections
🎙 Follow Terra Beaver:
📷 Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/petmommarealtor/
📘 Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/leavethehomeworktous/
🎙 FOLLOW JOSH LAVIK & THE BETTER AGENT PODCAST:
🌎 Website → https://www.joshlavik.com/
📘 Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/joshlavikassoc
📷 Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/jla_madison/
🔗 LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/jlavik
🔖 DON’T FORGET TO LIKE, SUBSCRIBE, AND COMMENT BELOW!
⭐ Produced by Icons of Real Estate – iconsofrealestate.com

In this episode of The Better Agent Podcast, host Josh Lavik discusses how real estate professionals can achieve long-term success not only through consistency but also by connecting their business to a higher purpose. Joined by Jake Johnson, a seasoned realtor from Southern Wisconsin, the conversation explores how giving back through philanthropy can motivate agents during tough times. Jake shares his journey from starting in real estate to hitting the five-year milestone, offering insights into his growth, daily habits, and the power of building relationships. Learn how small, consistent actions and community involvement can lead to extraordinary results in the real estate world.
🎧 Host: Josh Lavik
🎤 Guest: Jake Johnson, Real Estate Professional from Johnson Creek, WI
Jake Johnson, known as “Jake with the Glasses,” is a top-producing REALTOR® with Real Broker based in Madison, Wisconsin. With just over five years in the industry, he has helped more than 100 families buy and sell homes across South-Central Wisconsin. 
💡 What You’ll Learn:
✔️ How philanthropy can drive your real estate business beyond profit
✔️ Why consistency is key in real estate, especially in the first five years
✔️ How to maintain focus on long-term growth while dealing with market ups and downs
✔️ The power of relationship-building and networking for career success
✔️ Jake’s personal tips on growing your business, from cold calling to leveraging video content
🎙 Follow Jake Johnson:
🌎 Website → https://www.jakeknowshomes.com/
📘 Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/JakeJohnsonKellerWilliams
🔗 LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/jake-johnson-37532722/
🎙 FOLLOW JOSH LAVIK & THE BETTER AGENT PODCAST:
🌎 Website → https://www.joshlavik.com/
📘 Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/joshlavikassoc
📷 Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/jla_madison/
🔗 LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/jlavik
🔖 DON’T FORGET TO LIKE, SUBSCRIBE, AND COMMENT BELOW!
⭐ Produced by Icons of Real Estate – iconsofrealestate.com

Josh Lavik welcomes brokerage valuation and M&A advisor Norma Rawlings to break down how real estate brokerages are valued and how brokers can scale through acquisition instead of slow, one-agent-at-a-time recruiting.
They discuss cash flow multiples, agent value, luxury brokerage premiums, transition strategy, and why scale is increasingly necessary to compete. Norma also explains how a professional valuation becomes a growth roadmap — not just a number on paper.
If you’re serious about building enterprise value in your brokerage, this episode is essential listening.
🎧 Hosted by: Josh Lavik
🎙 Guest: Norma Rawlings
Norma Rawlings is a real estate professional with BrokerVMA and the co-author of The Complete Guide to Buying and Selling Real Estate Brokerages: 10 Steps to Success. She specializes in brokerage valuation, mergers, and acquisitions, helping firms navigate the financial and operational steps involved in successful transitions. Norma supports brokers and owners seeking clarity, structure, and strategic guidance throughout the brokerage sales process.
💡 Key Takeaways:
✔️ Valuations should educate — not inflate
✔️ Cash flow + agent count drive brokerage value
✔️ Transition strategy protects agent retention
✔️ Recruiting through acquisition accelerates growth
✔️ Scale improves tools, efficiency, and profitability
✔️ A formal valuation creates clarity and leverage
🎙 FOLLOW NORMA RAWLINGS
🌎 Website → https://brokervma.com/
🔗 LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/norma-rawlings-00b089256/
🎙 FOLLOW JOSH LAVIK & THE BETTER AGENT PODCAST:
🌎 Website → https://www.joshlavik.com/
📘 Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/joshlavikassoc
📷 Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/jla_madison/
🔗 LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/jlavik
🔖 DON’T FORGET TO LIKE, SUBSCRIBE, AND COMMENT BELOW!
⭐ Produced by Icons of Real Estate – iconsofrealestate.com

Host Josh Lavik welcomes Raegan Trimmer, Broker Owner at RE/MAX Preferred, for a practical conversation on building a real estate business that’s both profitable and sustainable.
The big idea: real estate isn’t hard — it gets hard when you don’t have systems.
They cover how to stop “starting from scratch” before every appointment, what to delegate first, how to avoid drowning in tools and subscriptions, why boundaries actually increase trust, and how to set goals based on real numbers — not random income targets.Raegan also shares how AI can speed up everyday tasks so agents can sell more homes in less time — without losing their sanity.
🎧 HOSTED BY: Josh Lavik
🎙 GUEST: Raegan Trimmer
Raegan Trimmer is a Broker Owner at RE/MAX Preferred and a producing agent licensed since 2018. She previously helped grow and operate a real estate coaching and training company in Southern California, focused on teaching agents the operational side of running a real estate business.Today, she helps agents build systems, leverage support, and create sustainable growth strategies that reduce burnout and increase production.
💡 KEY TAKEAWAYS:
✔️ Systems reduce stress and prevent burnout
✔️ Leverage help (TCs, assistants, automation) to grow faster
✔️ Boundaries and expectations protect your time and raise your value
✔️ Plan income goals based on the life you want to live
✔️ AI can save hours when used intentionally
🎙 FOLLOW RAEGAN TRIMMER:
🌎 Website → https://raegentrimmer.realestatepreferred.com/
📘 Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/raegentrimmer
📷 Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/raegentrimmer/
🔗 LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/raegen-trimmer-335b942b
🎙 FOLLOW JOSH LAVIK & THE BETTER AGENT PODCAST:
🌎 Website → https://www.joshlavik.com/
📘 Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/joshlavikassoc
📷 Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/jla_madison/
🔗 LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/jlavik
🔖 DON’T FORGET TO LIKE, SUBSCRIBE, AND COMMENT!
⭐ Produced by Icons of Real Estate – iconsofrealestate.com

Join Josh Lavik and Sheri Marie, a top real estate agent who balances business in both Wisconsin and Florida. In this episode of the Better Agent Podcast, Sheri  opens up about her real estate career, working in two different markets, and how she incorporates luxury homes and new construction into her business. Learn about the evolving role of the agent, the growing impact of transparency and social selling, and how to stay ahead of industry trends. Whether you're a seasoned agent or a newbie, Sheri shares valuable advice to help you thrive in today’s competitive market.
🎧 Hosted by: Josh Lavik
🎤 Featuring: Sheri St. Marie
Sheri St Marie is a Broker Associate with eXp Realty, licensed in Florida and Wisconsin, with real estate experience dating back to 2003. Her work spans residential, luxury, new construction, and commercial real estate, and she partners nationally on commercial sales, private funding, and strategic partnerships through eXp Commercial. Sheri also serves as Co-Chair of the Florida Agent Advisory Council for eXp Realty, where she helps shape agent advocacy and growth at a national level.
💡 What You’ll Learn:
✔️ Sheri ’s journey from teaching to real estate and new construction
✔️ How working in multiple states changed her approach to business
✔️ The importance of transparency and ethical practices in real estate
✔️ Why social selling is the future of real estate
✔️ How new construction fits into luxury real estate transactions
✔️ Sheri ’s tips for navigating difficult market conditions
✔️ The changing role of agents in the face of new technology
✔️ Valuable advice for real estate agents at every level
📇 Connect with Sheri St. Marie:
📷 Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/sheristmarie/
🔗 LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/sheri-st-marie-ms-%F0%9F%87%BA%F0%9F%87%B8-8089b494/
🎙 Follow Josh Lavik and the Better Agent Podcast:
🌎 Website → https://www.joshlavik.com/
📘 Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/joshlavikassoc
📷 Instagram →  https://www.instagram.com/jla_madison/
🔗 LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/jlavik
🔖 Don’t forget to LIKE, SUBSCRIBE, and COMMENT below!
⭐ Produced by Icons of Real Estate – iconsofrealestate.com