Question 1

Do I need to be fully licensed before I meet with Jacob?

Accepted Answer

No.
You can meet with me while you are still considering the business, taking licensing courses, preparing for the state exam, or already licensed.
In many cases, meeting before you are fully licensed is useful because it gives you more clarity about what happens after the exam and what you should be evaluating when choosing a brokerage.

Question 2

Can I meet with Jacob while I am still taking my licensing courses?

Accepted Answer

Yes.
That is one of the reasons Series 101 exists.
It was originally created for future agents who were still in the licensing process and wanted to understand what the business actually looks like after licensing.
You do not need to wait until you pass the exam to begin learning how the business works.

Question 3

What happens after I pass the state exam?

Accepted Answer

The license is the starting line, not the finish line.
The next steps typically include:
• Choosing a brokerage
• Completing affiliation / transfer paperwork
• Setting up company systems
• Joining the applicable REALTOR® association / MLS
• Building your professional presence
• Starting training
• Building your database
• Beginning market study
• Getting into real client-facing activity
Inside my offices, that sequence is organized through the First 90 roadmap.

Question 4

How quickly can I get started after joining?

Accepted Answer

The goal is to begin immediately.
The first 24 hours focus on affiliation, access, email, calendar, and setup.
The first week focuses on professional credibility and systems.
Power Curve and field activity begin quickly after that.
Actual timing depends on licensing status, company onboarding, Board/MLS timing, training schedule, and the agent completing the required steps.

Question 5

Do I need to quit my current job before starting real estate?

Accepted Answer

Not necessarily.
Some agents transition gradually.
Others enter full-time immediately.
The better question is whether you can protect enough time to train, generate business, follow up, study the market, and serve clients when opportunities appear.
A full-time job can slow the learning curve if it prevents you from doing the activities that create business.
But I would rather help you build a realistic transition plan than tell you to quit a job before the numbers make sense.

Question 6

How many hours per week do I need to commit?

Accepted Answer

There is no universal number that guarantees success.
What matters is whether enough of your time is spent on the activities that actually build the business:
• Conversations
• Lead generation
• Follow-up
• Open houses
• Market study
• Property previewing
• Skill practice
• Training
• Client work
Twenty focused hours can be more valuable than forty hours of organizing, researching, and avoiding conversations.
The issue is not only time.
It is how the time is used.

Question 7

What if I need income while I build my sales pipeline?

Accepted Answer

That is one of the most legitimate concerns new agents have.
Traditional buyer and seller transactions can take time.
That is why we built the Lease Lead Multiplier as an accelerated production strategy.
The goal is to help agents pursue shorter-cycle opportunities inside real estate while the larger purchase and listing pipeline develops.
It is not an income guarantee and it is not meant to replace the long-term sales business.
It is a bridge strategy.

Question 8

Should I have savings before starting?

Accepted Answer

Having financial reserves can make the transition easier.
But there is no single savings number that determines whether someone can succeed.
What matters is understanding:
• Your current expenses
• Your income needs
• Your runway
• Your time availability
• Your current job
• Your willingness to generate business
• The costs of operating as an agent
The more honest we are about the financial reality up front, the better we can plan the transition.

Question 9

What is Power Curve?

Accepted Answer

Power Curve is First Team’s accelerated new-agent training program.
At a high level:
Week 1
Foundations, MLS, contracts, risk management, and previewing.
Week 2
Buyers, lead generation, follow-up, consultations, showings, and offers.
Week 3
Sellers, seller lead generation, listing conversations, presentations, pricing, marketing, and open houses.
The purpose is to move an agent from licensed to operational.

Question 10

Is Power Curve the only training I receive?

Accepted Answer

No.
Power Curve is the launch.
The broader development system includes:
• Monday New Agent Mastermind
• Office meetings
• Company training
• One-on-one business planning
• Daily “What’s Next?” coaching when implementing
• Role-play
• Market study
• Appointment preparation
• Buyer and seller coaching
Training is not treated as something that ends after three weeks.

Question 11

What is the daily “What’s Next?” call?

Accepted Answer

It is a simple agent-initiated coaching rhythm.
You take action.
Something happens.
You call me and say:
““Jacob, I did what you asked me to do. This happened. What should I do next?””
Then we determine the next move.
The purpose is to keep a new agent from losing a week to confusion, fear, or a wrong assumption.

Question 12

How often do I meet one-on-one with Jacob?

Accepted Answer

The formal business-planning cadence includes monthly one-on-one review.
But implementation support does not only happen monthly.
The daily “What’s Next?” call exists for real-time course correction, and important buyer or seller opportunities may require additional preparation.
The goal is not to create dependency.
The goal is to shorten the feedback loop while you are building competence.

Question 13

Can I see the training before I join?

Accepted Answer

Yes.
That is one of the reasons the Training page and Series 101 are public.
I would rather let you experience the way I teach before you decide whether the coaching style fits you.

Question 14

Where are my first clients supposed to come from?

Accepted Answer

For most new agents, the first business plan starts with three lead-generation strategies:
1. Sphere of Influence
2. Open Houses
3. A third strategy matched to the agent
The third strategy may be:
• Outbound prospecting
• Geographic farming
• Social media / personal brand
The goal is not to use every lead source.
The goal is to create a few repeatable channels you will actually work.

Question 15

What is the 1-3-5 Business Plan?

Accepted Answer

It is a one-page operating plan:
1 Objective
Your income target translated into business math.
3 Lead Sources
The three primary ways you intend to create opportunity.
5 Tactical Actions
Five repeatable actions under each lead source.
The plan is intentionally simple.
If the business plan does not tell you what to do today, it is not finished.

Question 16

Do I have to cold call?

Accepted Answer

No.
Cold calling can be an effective lead source for the right person.
It is not the only way to build a business.
Every new-agent plan starts with sphere and open houses, then the third strategy is chosen around the agent’s strengths and willingness to execute.
Possible third strategies include:
• Outbound prospecting
• Geographic farming
• Social media / personal brand
The best strategy is not the one somebody else likes.
It is the one that can create conversations and that you will actually execute.

Question 17

What if I do not have a large sphere?

Accepted Answer

That is not a disqualifier.
A sphere does not need to be huge to be useful.
You may already have relationships through:
• Former coworkers
• Family
• Friends
• Neighbors
• School communities
• Sports
• Hobbies
• Local organizations
• Previous industries
And your database grows as you work open houses, leases, buyers, sellers, referrals, and community relationships.
The goal is to start with what you have and build from there.

Question 18

What if I am uncomfortable selling to friends and family?

Accepted Answer

That is common.
The sphere strategy should not feel like begging people for business.
The goal is to communicate what you do, become useful, provide relevant information, and stay in relationship.
You do not need to pressure your friends.
You do need to make sure people who already trust you understand that real estate is now part of how you can help them.

Question 19

Do you provide leads?

Accepted Answer

The stronger way to think about the system is:
We help you build lead-generation systems.
First Team has tools, buyer demand, internal networks, open-house opportunities, and other business-development resources.
But I do not want a new agent dependent on waiting for the company to hand them a lead.
The goal is to build a business where you know how to create conversations and opportunities yourself.

Question 20

What is the Lease Lead Multiplier?

Accepted Answer

It is an accelerated production strategy built around lease and rental opportunities.
The purpose is to help a new agent:
• Get field repetitions
• Work with real consumers
• Build tenant relationships
• Build landlord relationships
• Create future buyer and seller opportunities
• Grow the database
• Potentially create shorter-cycle commission income
The long-term goal is still to build a traditional sales business.
The lease strategy is designed to help create momentum while that pipeline develops.

Question 21

Are lease commissions guaranteed to come faster?

Accepted Answer

No.
Lease transactions may have shorter decision cycles than some purchase or listing opportunities, but no transaction timing or income is guaranteed.
The strategy is about creating another legitimate path to production.

Question 22

Do I need to know all of Orange County before I start?

Accepted Answer

No.
I would rather have you know one market deeply than pretend to know every market superficially.
Choose one market.
Set up the hot sheet.
Track inventory.
Preview property.
Study sales.
Learn the neighborhoods.
Then expand.

Question 23

What is SouthOCMarkets.com?

Accepted Answer

It is a dedicated market-intelligence resource we built around 15 South Orange County markets.
It is designed to help agents understand the structure and dynamics of the markets they serve.
It does not replace:
• MLS data
• Previewing property
• Live market study
• Client-specific research
It gives the agent a stronger starting point.

Question 24

Why is property previewing so important?

Accepted Answer

Because the MLS gives you data.
Previewing gives you context.
You learn:
• Layout
• Condition
• Street
• Lot
• Privacy
• Remodel quality
• Buyer appeal
• Neighborhood differences
That knowledge becomes extremely useful when speaking with buyers and sellers.

Question 25

What happens if I get a buyer before I feel ready?

Accepted Answer

You prepare.
You do not need to know everything before the first buyer appears.
You do need to know where to go for help.
We can work through:
• Buyer consultation
• Representation agreement
• Property search
• Showing process
• Offer strategy
• Writing the offer
• Listing-agent communication
• Contract questions
• Escrow process
The goal is not to keep you from getting opportunities until you feel confident.
The goal is to help you become more competent while the opportunities are happening.

Question 26

What happens if I get a listing appointment before I feel ready?

Accepted Answer

You prepare inside the listing system.
That may include:
• Property research
• Market context
• Comparable sales
• Pricing
• Seller questions
• AI-assisted preparation
• Listing conversation
• Marketing strategy
• First Team platform
• Objections
• Commission conversation
• Follow-up
• Role-play
Your first listing opportunity should not be the first time you figure out how to take a listing.

Question 27

What is the Listing Lead Multiplier?

Accepted Answer

It is a strategy designed to help an agent turn the legitimate activity around one listing into additional future opportunity.
That may include:
• Open-house visitors
• Buyer inquiries
• Neighbors
• Sphere conversations
• Agent relationships
• Future sellers
• Database growth
The seller remains the first priority.
The multiplier happens around excellent representation, not instead of it.

Question 28

Why First Team?

Accepted Answer

Because the brokerage gives the agent a serious platform behind the business:
• Brand credibility
• CRM
• Marketing
• Buyer systems
• Listing tools
• Legal support
• Technology support
• Transaction infrastructure
• Training
• Luxury / relocation reach
• Local market presence
Then my role is to help you turn that access into implementation.

Question 29

How is Jacob different from First Team?

Accepted Answer

First Team provides the platform.
I provide the implementation layer.
The company provides the infrastructure.
I help you decide how to use it to:
• Build the business plan
• Generate leads
• Follow up
• Learn the market
• Prepare for buyers
• Prepare for listings
• Use AI
• Review the pipeline
• Make course corrections
They are complementary roles.

Question 30

Is First Team the cheapest brokerage?

Accepted Answer

That is not how I position it.
First Team is designed to provide a serious platform, support structure, technology, legal infrastructure, training, and business resources.
There may be brokerages with lower costs or higher starting splits.
The better question is whether the environment helps you create enough production for those percentages and costs to matter.

Question 31

What split does a brand-new agent start at?

Accepted Answer

Under the current standard schedule, a brand-new inexperienced agent typically starts at a 50% office split.
The current recruiting model also includes a 6% administrative fee applied to GCI.
For simple illustration, that produces a 44% effective percentage of GCI before other applicable items.
A different approved starting split may sometimes be available based on background, experience, or other factors.
It is not guaranteed.

Question 32

Can I start higher than 50%?

Accepted Answer

Possibly.
In some cases, professional background, sales experience, leadership experience, entrepreneurial experience, or other relevant factors may support a higher approved starting split.
Possible approved levels may include:
• 55%
• 60%
• 65%
• 70%
Any higher starting split is subject to approval and current company policy.

Question 33

How does the split increase?

Accepted Answer

The current First Team commission schedule uses Associate Earnings to move through a graduated split ladder.
The public site should explain this as:
Produce → Earn → Move Up the Ladder
The written agreement controls the exact thresholds and treatment.

Question 34

Do I automatically get to 90%?

Accepted Answer

No.
The 90% level is subject to approval under the current schedule.
It should not be treated as automatic.

Question 35

What are the current standard annual First Team fixed fees?

Accepted Answer

Current September 2026 project control:
• E&O: $1,500
• Legal: $195
• Technology: $295
Total
$1,990 per year
Older documents may still show the previous $1,790 total.
That older figure is no longer current.

Question 36

Is there a first-year new-agent program?

Accepted Answer

For eligible brand-new agents under the current recruiting structure, the first-year program is currently modeled at:
Total
$699
Current launch structure
$150 to begin + $549 after 90 days
Eligibility, payment timing, continuation requirements, and all final terms are governed by the current written agreement and company policy.

Question 37

Are Orange County REALTORS® / MLS dues included in First Team’s fees?

Accepted Answer

No.
Association and MLS costs are separate from First Team’s brokerage fees.
Because those costs can change and are often prorated based on when you join, use the official Orange County REALTORS® membership page for current information.

Question 38

Is 2.5% the standard commission?

Accepted Answer

No.
Real estate commission is negotiable and transaction-specific.
The Business Math calculator may use 2.5% as a simple default example, but it is not a standard or guaranteed rate.

Question 39

Can you guarantee how much I will make?

Accepted Answer

No.
No legitimate brokerage or manager can guarantee your income.
Results depend on:
• Effort
• Market conditions
• Time commitment
• Skill
• Consistency
• Lead quality
• Follow-up
• Client decisions
• Transaction timing
• Compliance
• Execution
What I can give you is structure, training, coaching, tools, accountability, and a production plan.

Question 40

What technology do I receive?

Accepted Answer

First Team’s current platform includes or supports tools such as:
• Follow Up Boss
• RealScout
• MAXA
• MLS / ZipForms
• Company email
• Website / digital presence
• Transaction systems
• Listing / seller tools
• Market tools
• Legal / operational support
Tool availability and exact products can change.
The important question is not how many tools exist.
It is how they fit into the business.

Question 41

Do you teach AI?

Accepted Answer

Yes.
But I do not teach AI as a substitute for the fundamentals.
AI can help with:
• Research
• Preparation
• Follow-up drafts
• Market summaries
• Listing preparation
• Role-play
• Content
• Client communication
• Organization
It does not replace:
• Relationships
• Contracts
• Market knowledge
• Judgment
• Follow-up
• Human conversations
The principle is:
Proven principles first. Modern leverage second.

Question 42

Is this environment right for every new agent?

Accepted Answer

No.
This environment is designed for agents who want:
• Structure
• Training
• Accountability
• Coaching
• Implementation
• Market knowledge
• Skill development
• A real business plan
If you want to hang your license somewhere and largely be left alone, another environment may fit you better.

Question 43

What does Jacob expect from the agents he coaches?

Accepted Answer

I expect agents to:
• Be coachable
• Move quickly
• Attend training
• Track leads
• Follow up
• Practice scripts out loud
• Protect the calendar
• Study the market
• Ask questions
• Tell the truth about what is and is not happening
• Take action before they feel fully ready
The system only works if the agent implements.

Question 44

What if I am nervous or lack confidence?

Accepted Answer

That is normal.
The goal is not to wait until you feel confident.
The goal is to build competence through:
• Training
• Repetition
• Market study
• Contracts
• Conversations
• Open houses
• Follow-up
• Real client experience
• Coaching
Confidence becomes more durable when it is earned.

Question 45

What is the Agent Discovery Session?

Accepted Answer

It is a working conversation about whether this is the right environment for you.
We typically discuss:
• Your background
• Your goals
• Your timeline
• Your income needs
• Your concerns
• Your schedule
• Your strengths
• Your possible lead sources
• Your first 90 days
• The First Team platform
• Financials
• Fit
It should feel more like business planning than a sales pitch.

Question 46

What should I bring to the meeting?

Accepted Answer

You do not need a formal presentation.
It is useful to come prepared to discuss:
• Why you are considering real estate
• Your current job
• Your income needs
• Your timeline
• Your sphere
• The markets you are interested in
• Your strengths
• Your concerns
• Other brokerages you are considering
• Any financial or split questions
You are welcome to bring another brokerage’s offer.

Question 47

Will Jacob pressure me to join?

Accepted Answer

The purpose of the meeting is clarity and fit.
If the environment is right for you, that should become clear through the conversation.
If it is not, I would rather you understand what to look for elsewhere than make a decision that is wrong for you.

Straight Answers Before You Make a Career Decision.

Questions new agents should ask early.

A clearer plan starts with a conversation.

Straight Answers Before You Make a Career Decision.

Questions new agents should ask early.

Getting StartedDo I need to be fully licensed before I meet with Jacob?

Getting StartedCan I meet with Jacob while I am still taking my licensing courses?

Getting StartedWhat happens after I pass the state exam?

Getting StartedHow quickly can I get started after joining?

Career Transition + TimeDo I need to quit my current job before starting real estate?

Career Transition + TimeHow many hours per week do I need to commit?

Career Transition + TimeWhat if I need income while I build my sales pipeline?

Career Transition + TimeShould I have savings before starting?

Training + CoachingWhat is Power Curve?

Training + CoachingIs Power Curve the only training I receive?

Training + CoachingWhat is the daily “What’s Next?” call?

Training + CoachingHow often do I meet one-on-one with Jacob?

Training + CoachingCan I see the training before I join?

Lead Generation + ProductionWhere are my first clients supposed to come from?

Lead Generation + ProductionWhat is the 1-3-5 Business Plan?

Lead Generation + ProductionDo I have to cold call?

Lead Generation + ProductionWhat if I do not have a large sphere?

Lead Generation + ProductionWhat if I am uncomfortable selling to friends and family?

Lead Generation + ProductionDo you provide leads?

Lease Lead MultiplierWhat is the Lease Lead Multiplier?

Lease Lead MultiplierAre lease commissions guaranteed to come faster?

Market KnowledgeDo I need to know all of Orange County before I start?

Market KnowledgeWhat is SouthOCMarkets.com?

Market KnowledgeWhy is property previewing so important?

Buyers + ListingsWhat happens if I get a buyer before I feel ready?

Buyers + ListingsWhat happens if I get a listing appointment before I feel ready?

Buyers + ListingsWhat is the Listing Lead Multiplier?

First TeamWhy First Team?

First TeamHow is Jacob different from First Team?

First TeamIs First Team the cheapest brokerage?

Splits + FeesWhat split does a brand-new agent start at?

Splits + FeesCan I start higher than 50%?

Splits + FeesHow does the split increase?

Splits + FeesDo I automatically get to 90%?

Splits + FeesWhat are the current standard annual First Team fixed fees?

Splits + FeesIs there a first-year new-agent program?

Splits + FeesAre Orange County REALTORS® / MLS dues included in First Team’s fees?

Splits + FeesIs 2.5% the standard commission?

Splits + FeesCan you guarantee how much I will make?

Technology + AiWhat technology do I receive?

Technology + AiDo you teach AI?

Fit + ExpectationsIs this environment right for every new agent?

Fit + ExpectationsWhat does Jacob expect from the agents he coaches?

Fit + ExpectationsWhat if I am nervous or lack confidence?

Agent Discovery SessionWhat is the Agent Discovery Session?

Agent Discovery SessionWhat should I bring to the meeting?

Agent Discovery SessionWill Jacob pressure me to join?

A clearer plan starts with a conversation.