Sean Bautista: From Burnout to Luxury Real Estate Leader | Ep 38
In this compelling episode of the LFG Energy Podcast, I sit down with former U.S. Navy Special Operations veteran and resilience coach, Sean Bautista, to unpack the powerful journey of post-traumatic growth. Sean opens up about his transition from elite military service to civilian life, shedding light on the invisible battles many veterans face and the importance of identity beyond the uniform.
We explore his near-fatal injuries, the mental and emotional toll of service, and how he turned pain into purpose by helping others redefine strength and healing. From redefining masculinity and vulnerability to navigating trauma, self-awareness, and transformation, Sean’s insights are as raw as they are inspiring. Whether you're a veteran, athlete, entrepreneur, or simply someone striving to reclaim control of your life, this episode will move you to reflect, reset, and rise.
Timestamps:
(00:05) - A Reunion of Friends
(07:20) - Transitioning from Employment to Real Estate
(11:08) - The Power of Personal Branding and Confidence in Real Estate
(21:14) - Elevating to Luxury Sales: Strategies for Success
(28:23) - The Importance of Discipline and Fitness in Business
Welcome to the LFG Energy podcast! Your host, Arjun Dhingra, is a two-time Taekwondo world champion and the former Team USA co-head coach. He is a 23-year mortgage veteran of the industry who loves influencing change in people.
This podcast is about the stories and lessons of those who have had their backs against the wall and have ultimately overcome. Former Olympians, coaches, entrepreneurs, and incredible human beings will share their experiences of resilience and beating the odds in spite of adversity so that you too can learn to start doing the same in your life.
Connect with Arjun:
▶️ LinkedIn | Instagram | Website
Follow the show:
Connect with Sean Bautista:
▶️ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sean_m_bautista/
Transcript
Foreign.
Speaker A:What's up, my brother?
Speaker A:It's good to see you, man.
Speaker B:Good to see you, Arjun.
Speaker B:Thank you.
Speaker A:Listen, we've been talking about this for a while and it's been on my mind for a lot of reasons that we're going to get into today with the audience and it'll be really clear to them why I so badly wanted you on the show.
Speaker A:But for everyone, here I am talking to my favorite Batista, only because I know him better.
Speaker A:Sean Batista of the Batista Twins, a very powerful and ever growing real estate brand up in the Seattle market.
Speaker A:But Sean, what I want to first get into for our audience and getting a bit to understand who you are, you guys were like me, children of immigrants.
Speaker A:Your parents came from the Philippines and were where on the East Coast.
Speaker B:We were growing up in New Jersey, but my dad worked in New York City, so he was working for the Grand Central train station over there.
Speaker B:And life was pretty good over there in the east coast until he, he made a bad investment.
Speaker B:He opened up a restaurant back a sushi restaurant and thought he was going to kill it with one of his friends.
Speaker B:From there, it was a mistake and they just went down and went bankrupt.
Speaker B:And we had to leave.
Speaker B:We had to leave New Jersey because my mom's side of the family lived in Seattle.
Speaker B:She has seven sisters and she's like, no, I want to take the kids to Washington.
Speaker B:I want to raise him there now.
Speaker B:So at 10, we got up and left.
Speaker B:We cried because all of my dad's family was in New Jersey.
Speaker B:He has four sisters, five brothers.
Speaker B:They're of nine.
Speaker B:So all my cousins, we were crying so much.
Speaker B:You're like, man, I don't want to leave.
Speaker B:We're just, we didn't know.
Speaker B:We were just small.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker B:So it was a big change.
Speaker A:Was this your first experience with something that was like a letdown or a failure or like a huge shortfall?
Speaker B:Yeah, this was, this was definitely a big letdown.
Speaker B:And it was just, okay, what's going on?
Speaker B:Because we moved from.
Speaker B:We were living decently.
Speaker B:I mean, we weren't rich or anything, but we, we weren't struggling, I would say.
Speaker B:But then when that happened, then we ended up moving here to one of my aunt's house and all of us staying in a bedroom, one bedroom, five of us in just one bedroom for three months to get on our feet and find a place.
Speaker B:Wow.
Speaker A:And so this now fast forwarding.
Speaker A:So this is when you guys came to Washington in Seattle and how long were you in that before you guys got into your own digs.
Speaker B:So we were living with our aunt, I think, three, four months, and with my aunt and uncle, and they had two kids.
Speaker B:My grandma lived in the house, but we were just living in one bedroom.
Speaker B:We all stayed in one room.
Speaker B:I remember it like, again, like, yesterday.
Speaker B:There was a bunk bed, and my mom went.
Speaker B:And dad would sleep on the bottom of the bunk bed.
Speaker B:And then my older brother would sleep up top.
Speaker B:And then there was, like, a little twin bed my brother and I shared.
Speaker B:This is different.
Speaker B:Like, life is different now, of course.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:And, you know, I mean, we'll touch on that a little bit in terms of, like, how that formed you and molded you.
Speaker A:And I'll ask you quickly there, like, living in one bedroom with your whole family, was it like you guys just didn't kind of know any different?
Speaker A:Like, you know, we were happy, or was it, like, really stressful, or were you making the most of it?
Speaker B:We were making the most of it.
Speaker B:Honestly, we didn't know too much.
Speaker B:We were just like, okay, we were staying with aunt and uncle.
Speaker B:This is kind of fun and whatnot, but probably stressful for my mom and dad.
Speaker B:But as kids, I didn't know any better.
Speaker B:I didn't know much of what was going on.
Speaker B:Just the kid wanting to go outside and play basketball.
Speaker B:You know what I mean?
Speaker B:Or play.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:Ignorance was bliss, right?
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker A:Did you guys ever feel any negativity from other people outside, or were you guys able to kind of block that out or.
Speaker A:It was.
Speaker A:None of it happened.
Speaker B:None of it happened.
Speaker B:I didn't feel any negativity at all.
Speaker B:We just stayed tight as a family.
Speaker B:Even if we were not in the best living situation, we still stayed tight and made the best of it.
Speaker A:All right?
Speaker A:And I think there's a lesson in that for everyone that's listening, because so often I think we feel like our biography is going to be our destiny or that we are, you know, we're going to be a victim of our circumstances, or I may not amount to something because I'm growing up this way and other people didn't.
Speaker A:Now, let me fast forward this because I.
Speaker A:If you've heard me talk about Sean, and I reference him a lot in speaking engagements and in circles because I admire and respect and look up to him, even though he's much younger than me so much, I say that Sean and his brothers are the American dream.
Speaker A:They literally are, as children of immigrants coming here, enduring hardship, which is a classic immigrant story of an investment gone bad and the changes the finance family's Trajectory, and this family could have gone in a totally different direction.
Speaker A:Now let's fast forward.
Speaker A:These two have Sean and Scott, the Batista twins.
Speaker A:You can find them on Instagram.
Speaker A:Have one of the biggest real estate brands in the country.
Speaker A:And this brand is so polished and so good.
Speaker A:I've admired it since the day I met him years and years ago.
Speaker A:Sean, I've known each other, I think, for about eight years now.
Speaker A:You guys have built something so special.
Speaker A:But talk to me about how you ended up in real estate, and then we'll get into a little bit about, you know, how.
Speaker A:How the success is, is driving you guys now and.
Speaker A:And what continues to fuel it.
Speaker A:Maybe from.
Speaker A:From your early and humble digs.
Speaker B:Let's get into how I got into real estate.
Speaker B:Because I was in the car business for 15 years of my life, from 17 to 32.
Speaker B:From 17 to 32, I washed cars, I worked in the parts department.
Speaker B:I sold cars, became the top salesman at a young age, at 22 years old within my first three months, and then became Salesman of the Year for three years straight.
Speaker B:From there, they promoted me into becoming a finance manager.
Speaker B:And this was a job that people just come in, the deal's already done.
Speaker B:The salesman already closed it.
Speaker B:All that you got to do is just close them on protection and financing, leasing, whatever they're doing, paying cash.
Speaker B:That was me.
Speaker B:And I did that for seven years too long, way too long that I got so burnt out working 8am to sometimes 8pm or even later during the Christmas, during December, the busiest time of the year in the car business.
Speaker B:We would stay till midnight.
Speaker B:Past midnight is insane.
Speaker B:So you're working all day long, and I'm thinking to myself, how's this going to work out for my future if I want to have kids?
Speaker B:Because everybody that keeps moving up in the car business still has to stay there.
Speaker B:They still got to clock in.
Speaker B:They still got to work those long hours.
Speaker B:So I had to think ahead, and I was just burned out.
Speaker B:And Scott's like, hey, man, you're not loving it here.
Speaker B:I could tell my twin brother was already in real estate.
Speaker B: It's funny because in: Speaker B: to get my license with him in: Speaker B:I took the classes, but I never got the license because the fast money came.
Speaker A:Then.
Speaker A:You eventually did get the license, and this was what year again?
Speaker B:2016.
Speaker B:I finally got the license, and I said, I'm done with the car business.
Speaker B:There's no turning back.
Speaker B:I don't want to.
Speaker B:I don't want to do it.
Speaker B:I don't want to go into that office anymore.
Speaker B:I don't want to go into BMW of the deal and where I was at.
Speaker B:And so May.
Speaker B:May 1, actually.
Speaker B:Is today May 1, bro?
Speaker A:Today is May 1, bro.
Speaker B: ,: Speaker A:No way.
Speaker A:How serendipitous and special is this then, man?
Speaker A:This was my first day as a real estate agent, so happy anniversary, man.
Speaker B:Thank you, bro.
Speaker B:Nine years.
Speaker B:Wow.
Speaker A:Wow.
Speaker A:I mean, we.
Speaker A:And guys, we didn't have that planned at all.
Speaker A:I mean, regardless of when people are going to hear this, we just.
Speaker A:It just so happened to be May 1st today.
Speaker A:Were there any doubts as you made that transition?
Speaker A:Obviously you saw what your brother was doing, right?
Speaker A:And a big part of this show and the essence of what LFJ energy is, is that you have belief in yourself and you go for it, right?
Speaker A:You're all in.
Speaker A:Even if there might be some nervousness or a lack of belief here and there, whatever, which is normal.
Speaker A:But talk to me about how that transition was like, with your confidence and how you viewed yourself and what some of those struggles were.
Speaker B:A lot of struggles, bro.
Speaker B:Because coming from an employee mindset, then having a guarantee check, you already know, just because it's a commission job, 100% commission job as a finance manager at a BMW dealership, you're still having guaranteed checks coming in every two weeks.
Speaker B:You know the.
Speaker B:How many customers are going to come in per month.
Speaker B:So I knew how much money I was going to make.
Speaker B:It was a comfy job.
Speaker B:I was so comfortable.
Speaker B:But going into real estate was a struggle because I was like, should I go to Redfin and work there and learn first?
Speaker B:Then my brother got so pissed.
Speaker B:He was so mad at me when I said that.
Speaker B:He's like, dude, shut up.
Speaker B:Shut the fuck up.
Speaker B:You're not going to go there.
Speaker B:Don't go to Redfin.
Speaker B:Why are you going to do that?
Speaker B:Because I was looking for a guarantee.
Speaker B:I wanted to guarantee something.
Speaker A:Employee mindset.
Speaker B:Employee mindset.
Speaker B:And he, he obviously had his business, but he can't take care of me, you know what I mean?
Speaker B:I still had to do what I had to do, right?
Speaker B:So it was a really big struggle for the first year.
Speaker A:It was.
Speaker A:Yeah, I'm sure.
Speaker A:And then, you know, again, taking it more forward, you take your licks and, you know, hit the bumps in the business, start to do some things, gain some confidence.
Speaker A:Let's fast forward to where we are now because.
Speaker A:And this Is where I want to get tactical here in the show is that you guys have built one of the most successful.
Speaker A:And I don't say this lightly, man.
Speaker A:Successful real estate brands in the country.
Speaker A:I mean, you are so well known for what you do, but it's all you guys.
Speaker A:Where did this sense?
Speaker A:And if you guys aren't following Sean, you'll know.
Speaker A:Or you.
Speaker A:Once you start, you'll know exactly what I mean.
Speaker A:These are the most fashionable dudes you've ever met.
Speaker A:These guys, their game in terms of how they dress and what they bring, in terms of a panache and a polish to this industry is unbelievable.
Speaker A:It's like next level.
Speaker A:Was the first thing I knew.
Speaker A:Noticed about you when I met you in Seattle at that event that we did together was a panel.
Speaker A:This guy had a custom suit.
Speaker A:It was bright red.
Speaker A:It was beautiful.
Speaker A:I was like, whoa.
Speaker A:And he's like, I do everything custom, man.
Speaker A:You know, I walk the walk.
Speaker A:And I was like, okay, there's some polish here.
Speaker A:Talk to me about where that came in and your love of fashion and cars and things.
Speaker A:Was it something that you guys just dreamed about as kids and now you have it, or did this happen somewhere else?
Speaker B:You know, the love for fashion was from being a kid, from being around my dad.
Speaker B:He.
Speaker B:He was always gq.
Speaker B:He was the original.
Speaker B:He always dressed up.
Speaker B:He grew up in the 70s in New York.
Speaker A:Oh, yeah.
Speaker B:So we would look at.
Speaker B:He was a G.
Speaker B:He's going disco with my mom.
Speaker B:They're going out, dressing up every night.
Speaker B:Like, I saw that.
Speaker B:Like, we saw that, and we saw it in photos.
Speaker B:And he would also leave GQ magazines for us to just take a look, but happened naturally just by seeing my dad.
Speaker A:Okay, so that's been a big part of the brand.
Speaker A:It's what you guys are known for, and you continue to do it.
Speaker A:How has having a personal brand and taking such ownership of it and running with it, right?
Speaker A:And being so authentically yourselves, which is what you guys are, how has that either made or broken you in business?
Speaker A:Obviously, you know, the answer is obvious here, but, you know, in looking back in your advice or guidance to other people that are listening to this, regardless of what industry they're in, how important has that been to you?
Speaker B:Oh, man.
Speaker B:Just being that person now, it's been so important.
Speaker B:And we started from day.
Speaker B:The moment I got into real estate and started doing this, I started branding that way because we would just go in front of homes.
Speaker B: I know this was in: Speaker B:This is way back before anybody was even Creating content.
Speaker A:Right?
Speaker B:We will put on our suits and we're like, why?
Speaker B:Why are those million dollar listing agents, like, why?
Speaker B:Why can they do it?
Speaker B:We could be that too.
Speaker B:I could be that person now.
Speaker B:I don't have to wait until something.
Speaker B:I don't have to wait.
Speaker B:I already know that I am that now.
Speaker B:So why not act like it?
Speaker B:Act as if.
Speaker B:Acting as if.
Speaker B:And just being that person.
Speaker B:How would they act?
Speaker B:How would they present themselves online?
Speaker B:How.
Speaker B:What type of feeling can they create online?
Speaker B:And that's just who we are.
Speaker B:And we put on the suits.
Speaker B:We weren't faking anything.
Speaker B:We just believed in ourselves, like truly believed.
Speaker B:And that's what I believe that people are lacking nowadays.
Speaker B:If they, they don't believe that they're there yet, they haven't arrived.
Speaker A:What do you think that is that holds them back?
Speaker B:It's the mindset.
Speaker B:I think it is the mindset.
Speaker B:The cop, the confidence you were talking about.
Speaker B:It's the low confidence.
Speaker B:And they feel like they haven't arrived yet.
Speaker B:They feel like they need to in order for them to be something they need to actually have done.
Speaker B:Million dollar, multi, million dollar sale until they.
Speaker B:But you have to become that person before you even arrive.
Speaker A:Right?
Speaker B:I, I became that person.
Speaker B:Right?
Speaker B:And believed it right away.
Speaker B:But it's all, it's all in your head.
Speaker B:It really is.
Speaker A:That belief that you said you guys had in yourselves, where do you think that came from?
Speaker A:Because I think that's so powerful.
Speaker A:Because many people don't have belief.
Speaker A:They have to.
Speaker A:It slowly grows and you know, through results.
Speaker A:But you guys didn't have the results.
Speaker A:You were literally starting off.
Speaker A:You like having not sold anything, but you're like, why can't that be me?
Speaker A:Like, where did that confidence and belief in self come from?
Speaker B:It started off even when we were younger.
Speaker B:Just so you know.
Speaker B:I'll take you back to when we were in Little league baseball.
Speaker B:We were nine years old.
Speaker B:Little League baseball.
Speaker B:We became world champions with our team and are not world champions.
Speaker B:I'm sorry.
Speaker B:Inner city league champions, Tennessee league champions.
Speaker B:World champions would have been even crazier.
Speaker B:But that gave us a little taste of winning and putting in work and seeing the results from consistently putting in work day in, day out, taking action that, that gives you confidence, taking action over time and you, you get better.
Speaker B:How do you feel?
Speaker B:You feel even you feel confident you'll walk in there confidently.
Speaker B:And so I feel like sports played a huge role in it.
Speaker B:And also just self development, just focusing on self development and having mentors this.
Speaker A:Is something that's a big part of your career now and your life.
Speaker A:And your evolution is that you've got mentors and you're very committed to personal growth.
Speaker A:Talk to me more about that.
Speaker B:Yeah, we're.
Speaker B:We're so committed to personal growth.
Speaker B:And I believe that books, there's so many resources out there.
Speaker B:Podcasts, listening to you, bro.
Speaker B:All the successful people.
Speaker B:Success leaves clues.
Speaker B:And so why not listen to the successful people and do what they're doing?
Speaker B:If I couldn't afford it, I'll throw on a podcast.
Speaker B: Back in: Speaker A:Oh, yeah, man, I remember.
Speaker B:And I had Grant Cardone, Tony Robbins, all of these guys, just listening to these guys back in the day, just to see what success was like, how they got there.
Speaker B:And I would play it.
Speaker B:It's literally having mentors and having that advice in your car listening to it.
Speaker A:That's amazing, man.
Speaker A:And what do you say to someone who's listening to this?
Speaker A:Sean, who may be going back to confidence, doesn't have the confidence.
Speaker A:And you got that win early that you remember.
Speaker A:It's clear, like the way you were describing it, the Little League experience in winning the inner city championship.
Speaker A:And it felt like a world.
Speaker A:It felt like winning the world championship right to you guys, but it gave you a taste of winning.
Speaker A:If someone listening to this has been taking loss after loss after loss, yet they keep getting up, what do you say to them so that they reach a level of success that you guys have?
Speaker B:You know, I.
Speaker B:I believe in affirmations.
Speaker B:A big play, big role in my life is affirmations and writing down exactly, clearly, exactly what you want to accomplish in life and reading it daily.
Speaker B:This gives you clarity.
Speaker B:And people don't have the clarity in life, and that's why they keep losing and they keep losing is because there's nothing clear about where they want to go.
Speaker B:Just to show you, I even have, like, past letters in my office that I write to myself.
Speaker B:I write these letters every 90 days, bro.
Speaker B:Every 90 days, write these letters to myself.
Speaker B:Not many people do this, bro, but I don't call it manifest thing.
Speaker B:Yeah, yeah, you can say manifesting or a law of attraction, this and that.
Speaker B:But honestly, if you get clear and you take the action this, these letters, the affirmations that makes you take the action that you wouldn't have taken, it makes you recognize the opportunities that you would have never recognized because you're opening up something in your mind, in the.
Speaker A:Subconscious mind as everyone's listening to this.
Speaker A:Like the work is never done, right?
Speaker A:Like, he's constantly doing it and having these affirmations as a way of checking in with himself and reminding himself why he's doing it and then having that clarity is so big in business right now, Sean.
Speaker A:For like, even though whether people are in real estate and let's stick with real estate because there's a lot of real estate and mortgage professionals that listen to this podcast.
Speaker A:What, what do you tell people now who are maybe just getting in this business or just getting into this industry and they maybe question whether or not, you know, am I too late to get into this?
Speaker A:Is it a good time?
Speaker A:Is it a bad time?
Speaker A:What do you tell people?
Speaker A:Because I know you mentor and talk to a lot of new folks in our industry.
Speaker B:Man, I have so many success stories, so many cases where these new agents who surround themselves and put themselves right in front of me so they could get to learn these kids take action.
Speaker B:It doesn't matter what market we're in, what interest rates are, these kids are killing it.
Speaker B:They're getting listings, they're getting buyers, they're under contract, they're hitting all, getting all the awards in a market where interest rates are super high and shifted.
Speaker B:But why are they doing that?
Speaker B:It's because, number one, they're first off, they're getting mentored by the right person.
Speaker B:Two, their mindset is bulletproof.
Speaker B:They're not letting any negativity, they're not letting the news scare them.
Speaker B:And they're going out there and they're taking action.
Speaker B:They're taking action.
Speaker B:They're showing up to open houses, they're showing up to off market deals.
Speaker B:They're going places where most people just don't want to go.
Speaker B:They just stay home.
Speaker B:And they think that staying home, you can't stay home and like think that you can kill it in this business unless you have killer marketing.
Speaker B:And you're always constantly creating content.
Speaker A:Well, okay, let's talk about that.
Speaker A:Because you guys put out a lot of content, right?
Speaker A:And you said in there, like, you guys execute.
Speaker A:Speed of execution is a trait that separates the successful from the unsuccessful.
Speaker A:It's not intelligence, it's not resources, it's literally speed of execution.
Speaker A:But you guys execute quickly.
Speaker A:You take action.
Speaker A:You don't overthink it.
Speaker A:Talk to me about the role in which content, creating content and distributing content is keeping you guys so on top of the game.
Speaker A:Because as you said, this is a challenging market and there's been, you know, we're dealing with elevated interest rates.
Speaker A:There's a lot of media negativity.
Speaker A:But yet you guys are still killing it.
Speaker A:Your business is growing, you're helping more families, more investors, more people on such a level, man.
Speaker A:Talk to me about the role that content is playing in your business.
Speaker B:Oh, bro, it changed the game.
Speaker B:Content has changed the game because you're building something that's working for you 24 7, 365, you know what I mean?
Speaker B:I'm not having to door knock.
Speaker B:I'm not having to go cold call.
Speaker B:Like when you build a brand, the beauty about this is we've been doing it like I said for nine years now.
Speaker B:I started on day one on May 1.
Speaker B:I still have the video of me in a.
Speaker B:It's not perfect.
Speaker B:I still have the video of me at an open house just talking, just talking and showing what I'm associating myself with.
Speaker B:Real estate.
Speaker B:If people keep seeing you and they see me over the years, me in front of luxury homes, they're going to think, sean, I want to go with the Bautista twins brand.
Speaker B:I want to go with those guys.
Speaker B:They have a great brand.
Speaker B:They know how to present, they know how to market.
Speaker B:Which part of real estate is market like it is marketing.
Speaker B:You got to know how to market and we're the best at it.
Speaker B:And so when you put out videos consistently for a long period of time, you are going to be known and you're associating yourself with a niche.
Speaker B:And it doesn't have to be luxury.
Speaker B:It could be flipping whatever, whatever type of real estate that you're in.
Speaker B:You keep showing up, you keep delivering that message.
Speaker B:You're gonna if you want to.
Speaker B:Your goal is to build a team.
Speaker B:You can build a team online.
Speaker B:You can build a business on a book of business online.
Speaker B:The DMS are going to come rolling in because people are attracted to what you're putting out there.
Speaker A:Look, everyone in business is always been sales more specifically is always looking for ways to elevate.
Speaker A:Like I want to get into the luxury market.
Speaker A:I want to into the high end market.
Speaker A:You know, you're selling cars, I want to sell luxury vehicles.
Speaker A:I want to sell Bentley's.
Speaker A:You know, I don't want to sell Hyundais all day.
Speaker A:What do you how give me a blueprint.
Speaker A:If you were coaching me right now on how I can take what I'm doing in sales and maybe I've got some success here at this level, but I want to start elevating.
Speaker A:I want to break into that higher market.
Speaker A:Because I feel regardless of whoever's listening to this, if you're in sales or in business, we all want to do more, we want to reach more, we want to make more, we want to have more of an impact.
Speaker A:What's the blueprint?
Speaker A:What's the steps that you would take tactically to guide me in going from where I'm at now to breaking into that higher end market?
Speaker B:Like I said in the beginning, number one, you got to believe in yourself.
Speaker B:Ultra believe in yourself.
Speaker B:Not just believe, you got to like really believe that you're.
Speaker B:You already arrived.
Speaker B:Number two, you have to put yourself in that right environment.
Speaker B:So when I did it, I put myself in an environment in the most expensive zip code that I can be in.
Speaker B:And I.
Speaker B:How did I get there?
Speaker B:I went to somewhere that I can relate to the people that I was putting myself to.
Speaker B:The gym, let's call it the gym.
Speaker B:I put myself in a CrossFit gym at the most expensive zip code.
Speaker B:And I ran into the people with money and I just saw them every single day.
Speaker B:We all had something in common.
Speaker B:Fitness, a goal to be healthy and just to work, working out.
Speaker B:It's, it's a partner workout.
Speaker B:Every, it's a group workout, I should say.
Speaker B:And you're meeting people that have money.
Speaker B:Put yourself in places that people have money.
Speaker A:So being in the right environments.
Speaker A:Yeah, right.
Speaker A:And get, get around those people, around those.
Speaker A:Put yourself in the right environments.
Speaker A:Obviously having the belief and then what from a content standpoint or a marketing standpoint, talk to me, tell me like, what do I need to be doing?
Speaker A:Coach Sean.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:So here's, here's what I like, like I said, those people, I didn't even tell those people at the gym what I did.
Speaker B:I just was.
Speaker B:Sean, I just showed up to the gym with their friend.
Speaker B:Now what you would.
Speaker B:I did there though was everybody's on social media.
Speaker B:Everybody.
Speaker B:How many?
Speaker B:4 billion plus people on social media now.
Speaker B:Same thing back then.
Speaker B:People were on social media.
Speaker B:I said, hey, would you, let's connect.
Speaker B:Would you mind connecting with me on social media?
Speaker B:What do you have said?
Speaker B:Facebook, Instagram, whatever it is.
Speaker B:And then we would connect and then from there they wouldn't, they would see the lifestyle that we would be posting us around multimillion dollar homes hanging out with.
Speaker B:We were hanging out with the top agents, the top five agents in the state.
Speaker B:They, they trusted Scott and I to hold their open houses.
Speaker B:5, 10, 15, $20 million listings, even up to 40 million.
Speaker B:We would be there.
Speaker B:I would Be on story saying, hey, we're here at a $15 million listing.
Speaker B:I'm just showing, showcasing that I'm in front of these homes and that I belong.
Speaker B:And then from there, that audience saw me doing that and then they would reach out.
Speaker B:Sean, I saw you were at this place.
Speaker B:Can you, can you represent me on one of my homes?
Speaker A:How did you guys, you know, I mean, I hate the expression fake it till you make it right.
Speaker A:You had so much luxury yet, but you guys were trying to, you guys were trying to crack into it.
Speaker A:So one, you wanted to look the part.
Speaker A:Two, you were networking and putting yourselves in the right environments to talk to these people and have these kinds of conversations and build out your social media in terms of connections and, and followers and the people that you fall.
Speaker A:How did you gain the trust of a luxury agent to let you and your brother handle their open house?
Speaker A:Was it just because they're lazy and they don't want to do it and they're like, oh, if these guys want to do it, they look the part?
Speaker A:Or what did you do?
Speaker A:Like, talk to me about that process.
Speaker B:We reached out to these top agents.
Speaker B:They owned the brokerage.
Speaker B:It was a little boutique brokerage at the time called Avenue Properties.
Speaker B:Again, the top five agents.
Speaker B:And we just said, hey, we would love to work with you guys.
Speaker B:We believe that we can represent the clients.
Speaker B:I told them about how I used to work for BMW and talked to all the people that had money.
Speaker B:I dealt with high end luxury cars, so why can't I do this?
Speaker B:I know I could do this.
Speaker B:And so we just asked.
Speaker A:So you just asked and that was it?
Speaker B:That was it.
Speaker B:And they said, okay, yeah, come along.
Speaker B:And they, they would take us on tour.
Speaker B:We would tour it during the week, know the inventory.
Speaker B:While we're touring, we're taking videos.
Speaker B:And we asked them, hey, can we post this on, on video?
Speaker B:Can we post this online on social media?
Speaker B:We would always ask.
Speaker B:And they, and they said, yeah, no problem.
Speaker B:Sometimes where it's so private, where the sellers wouldn't want us to post it, they would say no.
Speaker B:But most people stop themselves from asking because they always think, oh, the worst.
Speaker B:Oh, they're going to say no.
Speaker B:They won't let us record because they're afraid of asking.
Speaker B:We weren't afraid to ask anything.
Speaker B:We're like, hey, can we post this?
Speaker B:Can we post that?
Speaker B:Can we post this?
Speaker A:So you really built your credibility in this space by creating it.
Speaker A:Creating, creating it, meaning taking those chances, making the asks, elbowing your way in and not Sitting back.
Speaker A:Because if you don't ask, you'll never know.
Speaker A:And the answer is always no if you never ask.
Speaker A:So you took your shots and fortunately, and it was, it was in a place where it was well received.
Speaker A:Now you guys are so well established as, as luxury agents.
Speaker A:And how is working in that market, what kind of challenges do you guys see in that market?
Speaker A:Because you know, the game's never over.
Speaker A:There's always new sets of challenges.
Speaker A:But what are you guys seeing in today's market, in today's times, in dealing with the highest level of clients there in the Seattle market that you're facing?
Speaker B:You know, I would say that it's harder between the price points, I would say between like 1.6 million to 2 million, which isn't that high end here.
Speaker B:And you know it in your market, it's not that high end.
Speaker B:That's, that's a tougher price point based off of the tech people where, okay, their salary doesn't meet this.
Speaker B:Okay, between 1.6 to 2 million, there's not very many buyers on that and that part.
Speaker B:But for luxury, man, if it's in the right area, you're going pending in this market here.
Speaker B:We're pretty strong, We're a pretty strong market.
Speaker B:You could go pending within two days to a week on 6 million to 10 million, just as long as you're in the right area.
Speaker B:So people have money, people have the cash.
Speaker B:People are closing challenges are there are a lot of other agents out there that are also in the luxury space.
Speaker B:Right.
Speaker B:And so the challenges could be interviewing and trying to beat out those other agents that are the top agents in the area that are consistently the top people.
Speaker B:So that, that, that's a challenge, if, if you call it that.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker B:Just competing against the other guys.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:And just being relentless with it.
Speaker A:If you guys are listening again, another big tenet of LFG energy is being relentless.
Speaker A:And you can hear it in Sean's story.
Speaker A:You know, he doesn't hold back, he takes his shots.
Speaker A:And I think that going back to something you had mentioned earlier, which was your love of fitness and how being in these high end gyms or a particular high end gym put you around the higher end clients where you could start to build your network.
Speaker A:Talk to me about the role that fitness and discipline, because I know it's really important.
Speaker A:In fact, when I first met you, you talked about how you cook all your own food and how you changed up your diet and you were so lean and I mean, yeah, I mean, you look like the like you belong on the COVID of Men's Health Philippines.
Speaker A:You know, so and so talk to me about the role of discipline and fitness and like even mental well being and how that plays into business because so often it's overlooked.
Speaker A:We're so focused on doing things and tactics and X's and O's, we forget about these other intangibles.
Speaker A:But talk to me about how important that's been in your business.
Speaker B:You know, Arjun, I appreciate you bringing this up because it is the most important thing, honestly is you taking care of you first.
Speaker B:How are you going to take care of your clients?
Speaker B:How are you going to take care of your family if you're not taking care of yourself?
Speaker B:Like you are the most important thing to.
Speaker B:You have to take care of yourself.
Speaker B:This is like your, you have one body, you have one mind, you got to take care of it.
Speaker B:You really, I really believe it's played the biggest role in my life.
Speaker B:It's been so important and so crucial in business because it's not just physically, bro.
Speaker B:It's mentally like it's a mental aspect of going in.
Speaker B:Even though you, you don't feel like you want to do it, but you got to move your body.
Speaker B:I feel like you got to move the energy, you got to change the ways, you got to change something that you're doing.
Speaker B:And so moving the energy, moving your body, it releases something, I don't know what it is, endorphins, whatever you call it.
Speaker B:And then it gives you confidence, bro.
Speaker B:Yeah, it gives you a lot of confidence.
Speaker A:And you know, as we get older, life gets harder, more challenging.
Speaker A:I shouldn't say harder.
Speaker A:Like it's, it's more challenging in beautiful ways.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:Like when I met you, you were just, I think just married because how long have you and your wife been married?
Speaker B: Since I met her in: Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:So maybe you were just freshly married but you didn't have any kids.
Speaker A:Now if you follow Sean, he has a beautiful family, two gorgeous daughters.
Speaker A:Him and his wife, again, they look like a model couple.
Speaker A:And in raising his family and having all this discipline, what I want to know.
Speaker A:Because it's hard, man.
Speaker A:Also being a dad who's in the same shoes as you and, and has to build a business and keep up a brand and create content and then maintaining all these disciplines and structure.
Speaker A:Walk me through a typical day for you in terms of the discipline and the structure, the non negotiables for Sha Batista that he has to do every day because I think people need to really understand how structured and disciplined it really is.
Speaker A:This isn't just shoot first and figure it out later like there's a plan to everything you do.
Speaker A:I know that.
Speaker A:Talk me, talk to me about that.
Speaker B:First thing is I spend time with my girls in the morning.
Speaker B:I love that time waking up, seeing them wake up and just giving them hugs, teasing them, tickling them and making them breakfast.
Speaker B:That's the morning, that's the morning.
Speaker B:Spending time with my girls from there, after I cook them breakfast, I get my girls ready.
Speaker B:I get Zoe ready because she goes to school.
Speaker B:She goes to school.
Speaker B:So I get her ready to take her to school and I take her there.
Speaker B:And I'm thankful enough that I've been able to buy my time to spend the mornings with them and spend the mornings and dropping her off.
Speaker B:So I drop her off from there.
Speaker B:I hit the gym, I'll go to the gym.
Speaker B:Now I'm doing either the gym, which is lifting weights or going to hot yoga.
Speaker B:I love hot yoga.
Speaker B:I don't know, it pushes me.
Speaker B:It pushes me mentally.
Speaker B:So I either do the gym or hot yoga.
Speaker B:From there I'll go home, get all cleaned up.
Speaker B:And I also work from home.
Speaker B:I work from home because I'm digital exp.
Speaker B:Cloud based.
Speaker B:And so from home, on analyzing deals from 10 to 3pm I'm analyzing.
Speaker B:So now I don't know if you know this about me, but we've been investing a lot.
Speaker B:We've been buying, selling, buying, holding, buying, developing.
Speaker B:So I'm analyzing deals that are sent to me daily.
Speaker B:Now I have my whole team.
Speaker B:I run a team of 400 agents at exp, but the ones here in Washington are sending me deals that I want to analyze that I'd say, okay, I'm going to do this or I'm not going to do this.
Speaker B:Here, let's, let's list it or let me buy it.
Speaker A:And how do your days end, Sean?
Speaker A:Like how do you wrap up a day?
Speaker A:Like what, what does the end of a day look like?
Speaker A:Because sometimes you know, it's a late one.
Speaker B:Other times day ends with chaos, man.
Speaker B:It ends with getting my.
Speaker B:There's a routine like, honestly, do you have to have structure with the kids or else everything's going to go crazy.
Speaker B:So we end the day by giving the times, giving the time back to the girls.
Speaker B:We feed them dinner, obviously we feed them dinner, get them ready for, get them bath time, reading and brushing their teeth, reading to them.
Speaker B:Then you know how it's tough to get kids to go to sleep.
Speaker B:It's a battle every single day.
Speaker B:So it's chaos.
Speaker B:But that's how I end the day, is I put them to bed and then from there I have my time to end the day.
Speaker B:I listen to affirmations to end the day, bro.
Speaker B:That's, that's how I, that's how I end my day.
Speaker A:Is there, is there something, you know, on this, just for everyone listening, is there something recently that you added to, whether it's mantras or routine or structure to your day at any point in the day that you felt caused a big shift, like it took you to another level in your business and in life?
Speaker B:Recently, I would say sleeping, playing affirmations while I sleep is what took me to another level.
Speaker B:And recently getting, I know I've been doing this, but getting so clear on these, because I look back at like 10 year letters, 10 year letters from 10 years ago.
Speaker B:It looked like, I don't know, it just wasn't as clear.
Speaker B:But I could see the progression of how detailed and how clear I want my life and how things have happened since I've been writing it.
Speaker B:So those are those things that I love doing and that, that have been working for me recently.
Speaker A:It's amazing, man.
Speaker A:And you know, look, I think for everyone listening, you see here, there's a method to the madness.
Speaker A:Things just don't happen, right?
Speaker A:You've got a plan, you have to structure, you've got to be disciplined.
Speaker A:And then aside from all of that and having that foundation, you've got to have belief in yourself and in everything you do and take your shots and not be afraid of the rejection.
Speaker A:While everyone may not have the same background or upbringing that Sean has, because I believe, and if you're hearing this and you've listened, you know that all of those things were formative steps.
Speaker A:It was part of his amazing story from being a kid in New Jersey at 10 years old and witnessing the devastation of the family business going under and how hard that must have been on his parents and really dealing with that disappointment.
Speaker A:Because when we see our parents hurting, especially at a young age, right, it's so painful because they're the Superman and the Superwoman's in our life, right?
Speaker A:Like they're supposed to be untouched, like always.
Speaker A:Everything's supposed to be good and it wasn't.
Speaker A:And then you guys leave and you have that painful goodbye with so much family and you come and you're staying all in one room.
Speaker A:And I remember the story because my eyes welled up when you told this story at a dinner that you and I were both leading.
Speaker A:It was a VIP dinner in Arizona, and you talked about the fact that you guys would sometimes trade off who got to sleep on the couch and.
Speaker A:But you didn't know any better.
Speaker A:And we just stayed happy and we stuck together.
Speaker A:And my eyes welled up, and I said, this guy is the American dream.
Speaker A:Him and his brother are, without a doubt, the American dream.
Speaker A:For anyone that ever says, oh, I don't know if I can make it, like, there really are no excuses when you listen to what this family's done, what these brothers have done, the respect they've put on their father's last name that they carry, I don't think.
Speaker A:I mean, I could run through a wall when I talk to this guy with everything that he's done and the life that he's created and how and his beautiful family and the impact he's continuing to have, and he's giving back.
Speaker A:So, Sean, I commend you, brother.
Speaker A:Again, I tell you, I look up to you so much, both you and your brother, man, and it's been a gift and a privilege to be your friend and also to have you on this show.
Speaker A:And we definitely want to bring you back, man, and keep talking about your successes and have you continue to guide and.
Speaker A:And mentor our people from afar through the podcast.
Speaker A:But I just want to tell you thank you, brother, for your time and for your contribution to the marketplace, to the industry.
Speaker A:Keep doing your thing, man, because you inspire so many of us.
Speaker B:Thank you, Arjun.
Speaker B:Thank you so much, brother.
Speaker B:And, man, this relationship started from social media, too.
Speaker B:It did.
Speaker B:Social media.
Speaker B:You gotta love me.
Speaker B:And I look up to you and your brother as well, bro.
Speaker B:You guys are doing major things, and you are the most consistent that I've ever seen.
Speaker B:Like, anytime, any place, I always think of Arjun because you're consistent.
Speaker B:Like you definition of it.
Speaker B:I got.
Speaker A:Thanks, brother.
Speaker A:Guys, that means a lot.
Speaker A:That's high praise from you, man.
Speaker A:And we're gonna wrap here on the show with that.
Speaker A:So, Sean, I appreciate you, brother.
Speaker A:I always ask this question at the very end in closing, and there's no right or wrong answer to it.
Speaker A:It's entirely your feeling.
Speaker A:But what does LFG Energy mean to you?
Speaker A:How would you describe it?
Speaker B:LFG energy.
Speaker B:Let's go.
Speaker B:So, to me, I.
Speaker B:I believe it's showing up every single day, day in, day out.
Speaker B:No matter how you feel, no matter if you feel like you want to quit, it's never giving up in life and just going all in, knowing that just say, today will be if today's your last day?
Speaker B:Like, what would you do if today was your last day?
Speaker B:That's what LFG is.
Speaker B:LFG energy is like, don't wait for tomorrow.
Speaker B:It's now.
Speaker B:That's.
Speaker B:That's what LFG energy is.
Speaker A:Let's go.
Speaker A:Well, thanks again, Sean.
Speaker A:God bless you, brother.
Speaker A:And I'll.
Speaker A:I'll be looking forward to seeing you soon in person.
Speaker B:Definitely.
Speaker B:Let's link.
