Do you feel stuck, frustrated, or like you’re not making progress toward your goals?
In this episode of Exit Strategies Radio Show, host Corwyn J. Melette sits down with the renowned Real Estate Queen Pin, Keira Ingram. She reveals her “controversial” yet powerful strategy for building a legacy: start where you’re comfortable.
Join us as we explore how consistency is the key to unlocking your full potential in real estate and beyond.
Keira Ingram, affectionately known as the Real Estate Queen Pin, is the founder and independent broker of REB Realty (Real Estate Bosses Realty). With over two decades of experience, she is a dedicated broker, coach, and educator driven to help people use real estate to build generational wealth. She is also the author of the book, How to Become a Real Estate Boss, a guide for frustrated agents seeking to build a consistent and successful real estate business.
Key Takeaways:
- 0:03 Keira’s counter-intuitive advice: Why you should start in your comfort zone to build long-term success.
- 3:33 The mission to empower underserved communities through financial literacy and real estate.
- 9:58 The real truth behind the real estate industry and why success is about more than just commissions.
- 15:47 How a mindset shift can take you from feeling hopeless to becoming a successful homeowner and investor.
- 19:12 Insights from her book How to Become a Real Estate Boss
- 21:37 Keira’s biggest regret: The one thing she would have done differently to achieve more in her career.
- 22:01 The mindset shift that unlocked her biggest growth
Connect with Keira:
- Website: www.growwithkeira.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/growwithkeira/
Connect with Corwyn:
- Contact Number: 843-619-3005
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cmelette/
Shoutout to our Sponsor: Mellifund Capital, LLC
Need funding for your next real estate flip or build? MelliFund Capital makes it fast, flexible, and investor-friendly. Visit MelliFundCapital.com and fund your future today. Again, that’s MelliFundCapital.com, M-E-L-L-I-L-U-N-D, Capital.com.
Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/corwyn-j-melette/support
KEIRA:
The biggest piece of advice that I give is a little controversial, so I don’t know if everybody’s gonna like it, but it’s to start in your comfort zone. A lot of times we push ourselves too fast and too hard and we cannot even build consistency. So you should start where you’re comfortable. Where you’re comfortable is you’re comfortable in places and doing things that God has already gifted you and graced you to do. Start there first and build consistency and then venture outside of your comfort zone. If you jump too fast outside of your comfort zone, you won’t be consistent and you won’t be able to keep going. But that’s what I always tell people. Number one, be honest about what you’re already comfortable with and start there. Don’t look to the million dollars from day one. Look to where you are and what you can already do consistently first and then build on that for something greater.
CORWYN:
Good morning, good morning, and great morning, guys. Welcome to another fabulous, yes, fabulous episode of Exit Strategies Radio Show. Hey, I’m your host, Corwyn J. Melette, broker and owner of Exit Realty Low Country Group in beautiful North Charleston, South Carolina. Hey, if this is your first time listening to this show, y’all know it. Come on, say it with me. You are in for a treat, my people. You are in for a treat because our mission here is very simple. That is to empower our community through financial literacy and real estate education, guys. That’s what we do. We are legacy building. I tell you to put that hashtag on that thing when you’re doing it because you want people to know, but also you want to be reminded of why you’re doing this thing that you’re doing, which is you’re working to create wealth. You’re trying to build it. You’re trying to do whatever you can to make sure that you leave something for the generations yet to come. Our word talks about that, but generations yet to come, people. So let’s get that right. Hey, got to give a shout out. Y’all know y’all listen to us. I love you. Out there in Hollywood, what you know no good. All the way up through Monkey’s Corner, y’all know my mama live out there, y’all. Always got to give a shout out to Pastor Vanderbilt Evans Sr. And that dude will jack me up if I don’t put that senior on there. He want to make sure I got it right. And his beautiful wife, Elder Evans. Thank y’all so much for tuning in, as y’all always do. Always got to give a shout out to my people from the Muddy Mud. Y’all listen to us. Y’all are connecting with us. And I thank you for tuning in. So guys, we have a super amazing show today. We’ve managed to track down as those in the Philly area, affectionately call her the real estate queen pin. I love that. Hey, so we have with us today, none other than Keira Ingram. She is the founder of REB Realty and is a broker. That word broker sometimes would throw us down. But she is a broker, a coach, and an educator with over 20 years of experience. So Keira, how are you doing today?
KEIRA:
I’m doing good. I’m glad to be here.
CORWYN:
Well, thank you. I’m thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule. Because look here, the queen must reign. I appreciate you taking time out to be with us today. So if you don’t mind, Keira, give our listeners kind of that high level overview of who you are and what it is that you do.
KEIRA:
I’m Keira Ingram, the real estate queen pin. And what I do is I help people use the power of real estate to build wealth. And I increase real estate education, ownership, and understanding in underserved communities.
CORWYN:
So you mentioned underserved. So let’s define that, right? Let’s put a definition on that. Define that for us. What is an underserved community?
KEIRA:
Black, brown, and communities of color primarily. Because many times, either by systematic forces and even ourselves, we often count ourselves out of the wealth that can be built in real estate. So those tend to be the communities that we serve.
CORWYN:
So if you don’t mind me asking, what kind of drives this? Obviously, there are statistics say ownership rates vary by, and you can kind of segment this out by nearly everything nowadays. You can obviously, by ethnicity, you can segment it by male, female. I mean, just about everything. You can kind of pinpoint and look and analyze that. But what was your driver for diving in deep, if you will, into this end of the pool?
KEIRA:
Well, mostly because of how I grew up. I grew up as someone who should not be where I am based off the statistic. I was a child of teenage mother, teenage father. My father was in jail most of my life. My mother was on drugs. My grandmother raised me. So being in that situation, luckily, I was able to go to a home with my grandmother that was like a middle income home. But I knew a lot of people with my same story who just didn’t have the same options and opportunities that I had. And I know a lot of those people in those communities count themselves out of real estate, wealth, those type of things. So I’ve had this conversation over and over again, I feel like since I was a child about not falling into the trap of what your statistics say you should become and really diving in deep to find out what just got there.
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CORWYN:
That is huge. That’s huge. I can appreciate what you said about you’re not supposed to be here. I can definitely appreciate that. That’s interesting, you know, for sure. Because at the end of the day, ways are made, avenues are created, and doors appear and are open. So kudos to you and congratulations. But we know it’s a blessing. So we ain’t going to go too far. We’ll all be up here jumping and shouting here in a minute. So we ain’t going to do that. I’m going to save you from that right there if I can. Now look, we might come back around on it. But if you don’t mind me asking, what does that look like in your community? So you are seeking to, again, advance home ownership, those, if you will, marginalized communities. So what does that action look like for you? I mean, obviously, you’re a real estate broker. So obviously, I want to make sure we get that piece of it in. But you also coach and educate people. So also, I want to make sure we loop that component as well. So tell us, if you don’t mind, let’s start with that from the broker standpoint. What does that look like for you in your community?
KEIRA:
So on the broker side, it basically looks like me showing black and brown agents how they can succeed in real estate. Many times, black, brown, white, whatever color agents, people on Instagram, and it looks like they’re making a lot of money. And then you find out they’re not really making a lot of money. They’re just doing a lot of talking. And my goal has been, in real estate, to really show people how to build a consistent income using real estate on the real estate sales side. Because sometimes people are thinking like, well, if I can’t make a million dollars doing real estate, it’s just not for me. Or they feel like they have to fake it until they make it. And they end up paying for their license for 10 years and not selling anything. So my goal is really to show people how you can use basic skills and systems to build a consistent real estate business that can feed your needs. Because to me, if you have a business and you’re not making money, you really don’t have a business. So I try to teach people that principle so that they can actually see income in their business. That’s on the real estate sales side.
CORWYN:
Okay. All right. So I’m going to come back around on that because you hit on some stuff. But yeah, we’re going to talk about it. I know. So let’s move it over a little bit. But we’re going to circle this one a little bit too. But what about… So, okay. That’s what you do with agents. So the coaching and the education piece. Let’s talk about those and break them up however you like.
KEIRA:
So I wrote a book a few years ago called How to Become a Real Estate Boss. But I include in this book about the steps that people can take so that they can just become more aware on the real estate sales side of what they need to do. And part of the things that I tell my real estate agents that I have at my brokerage, but also the ones that I coach, is that if your end goal doesn’t have something to do with impacting your community, it’s really not going to be worth it. So that comes in on our community side, where we help to provide financial literacy to our community. Because that’s really where it starts. We can do first-time homebuyer classes all day. But if you have no idea and no understanding of your credit or how to save from where you are, it’s really not going to impact the lives of the people that we’re trying to serve. So that together helps me be able to fulfill my mission of spreading a real estate education, as well as home ownership, wealth, and legacy using real estate.
CORWYN:
Let’s bring this back around. You touched on something. Yes, sir. So as a broker, you’re a broker owner. Yes or no?
KEIRA:
Yes. I’m an independent broker owner.
CORWYN:
Okay. Independent company. If you don’t mind, let’s get this out again. What’s the name of your company?
KEIRA:
The name of my company is REB Realty, which stands for Real Estate Bosses Realty.
CORWYN:
Hold on. You ain’t seen me. I just dropped the pen. I’m like, boom, just drop it right there. That’s what I’m talking about. So a lot of times, social media has real estate in a framework that really does not accurately display the correct image or picture of what the industry really is. All right. But you see it glamorized on TV. You see all the shows and all that stuff. And a lot of people think, oh, people just go out and look at three houses. I don’t know about you, but when’s the last time you showed three houses? And that was it, right? And people come into the industry with that belief. And then they also believe that it’s an easy payday, that you really don’t work for people. If you want to find success in this business, I’m pretty sure that you’ve experienced this. You have to have a commitment that goes beyond the commission. Yes, no?
KEIRA:
Yes.
CORWYN:
And a lot of times, that’s where it is. If I can’t get this, then I’m out. So as you work with agents, Black, Brown agents to shape them and encourage them, what have you been telling them? What are you saying to them to get them to understand how they can best be of service, how they can be instrumental and impactful in increasing marginalized home ownership?
KEIRA:
Well, I do think it is strategy. And that’s one of the things that I think makes my brokerage in our market different than a lot brokerages is that I’m focused on number one, helping an agent recognize and be honest about where they currently are. Because depending on where you are, a strategy is specific for that particular track. So we have something that’s called the boss track. And then within the boss track, we have separate paths for each agent, depending on where they are and what their goals are. So if you’re a part-time agent, your strategy is going to be totally different than somebody who is a full-time agent, and this is their bread and butter. If you are an agent that also is an entrepreneur, then your strategy is going to be different than an agent that’s just newly trying to get licensed. So I think that really understanding where the agent is and being able to speak to the things that type of agent needs to do in order to succeed is what will make or break that agent’s business. If you just come in the door and think that, oh, I just read your book and I’m just going to do the same thing that everybody does, that I see on YouTube, that I hear on podcasts, that’s not going to necessarily be effective and you’re probably going to be burnt out and frustrated.
CORWYN:
So that is very fair, very fair. And that’s what happens from experience. You’ve seen it, which is why you speak upon it and coach it. Others witness it and just, man, look, it’s kind of like the whole, it’s the cycle over and over again. And you might have a group come through and a handful or less than, depending upon the size of the group, will stick because the other ones thought it was whatever it is. Now, how, you know, sort of a proxy on this is the consumer. So you may mention something about how your brokerage operates and in turn, how you coach and educate your agents so they can be more effective in working with consumers in your market and more impactful. I always like that word impact. On the other side, for the consumer side, what does this look like? And what is the consumer’s experience that you guys are able to deliver?
KEIRA:
Well, number one, you’re going to get educated because that’s where everything kind of starts and stops. If your consumer doesn’t know what to expect or what the process looks like, they are going to be mad at you the entire time. So we spend a lot of time educating our consumers, making sure that we are really doing what now seems to be old fashioned, but having a meeting with the person first, like that’s not a thing all the time now. But that’s important to build the authority of the agent and to make the consumer understand that this is a serious thing and we are serious business people. We’re not just, you’re calling us from Zillow, we just want to meet you at a property and then that’s just going to be it. We want to make sure that you’re understanding how committed we are to you, but also that you are committing to what we’re telling you the process is going to be. And then making sure that the consumer is understanding that we are basically like your social worker through the process. We want to hold your hand. We’re going to tell you it’s going to be okay. We’re going to direct you to the right other vendors. We’re going to be your liaison to explain what looks right, what doesn’t look right. This is what the agent is here for. And that’s why we hear a lot of talk about in the industry, like every two years, it’s no one’s going to need real estate agents anymore. Well, no one’s going to need bad real estate agents anymore, but everyone will always need a good real estate agent to actually make them aware of what’s going on and walk them through the process and answer the questions. I don’t know about where you are, but our firms look crazy. So if you were just a lay person and you’ve never experienced real estate before, and you’re looking at some of these forms and people are asking you questions, it can be very overwhelming. So a good real estate agent is there to guide that client through. And we want our clients to feel at the end of the day that they were well represented and that we weren’t rushing them through the process. And we understand where they are coming from. Our clients mostly will leave feeling educated, and they’ll also feel like they were treated well. And that’s what we want.
CORWYN:
That’s fair. That’s very fair. And I like that. So one of the things that, and I imagine the goal is to empower people. Yes or no? And information, education equips people, but it also empowers them to accomplish that thing, what they in turn set out to accomplish. So for you, increasing marginalized homeownership, what does that result in for the consumer? What have you seen from your experience, the outcome that happens with the consumers that you all serve?
KEIRA:
I think one of the outcomes that I enjoy the most is people recognizing what they can do. Because most of the people that we service, they come in thinking like, I’m not really sure about this. I don’t know if it will actually make a difference in my life, but I’ll listen to what you have to say. So to see someone go from feeling hopeless about real estate, they’re like, I’m not really here about buying a house. I’m here trying to figure out balancing my checkbook and my bank account. And a house seems like such a big, far off dream that can’t be accomplished. So to see those same consumers buy a house and later invest in a house or share their story with someone else and explain to that person that they too can buy a house. That to me, it makes it all worth it because that’s the change that we’re looking to see. It’s really a mindset thing first. Like one of the first steps of everything that I do, I tell people spiritual alignment is number one. Because if you don’t have the right mindset, you’re not spiritually aligned. It’s very hard to even have the courage to hope for something different. So we start there and be able to see that person progresses to become an investor. I just, that makes it all worth it. I love that.
CORWYN:
So that realization is obviously very important of what it is that you can’t accomplish. A lot of times kids don’t ever think they can ride a bike until you let them go. Oh, wait a minute. I’m doing it. Wait a minute. So even though they may fall, get scraped up, getting back on the bike is a game changer, differentiator. So I definitely get that. And anyone who’s a parent definitely probably understand that was listening to this show. So Carol, I’m going to kind of change up a little bit because we’ve been talking a lot about the front end. So when I say the front end, the consumer, average consumer, home buyer, or what have you, let’s kind of shift this up a little bit and let’s talk about investing because you made mention of that kind of in that whole, you empower this person and make this happen. And then they can start looking at investing and creating and building wealth for their family and changing essentially that changing for generations, not just impacting just what’s going on here. What does that look like for you? Are you, your team, are you guys focused on and or having successes in that space of converting your homeowners into investors?
KEIRA:
Well, my whole first 13, I did homeowners for my first two years as an agent. So when I was just an agent, not a broker, I came in thinking the same thing. I think now I want to help educate people. I want them to become homeowners. And honestly, for some home buyers, they got on my nerves so bad that I switched over to investors after two years, only because I’m a very analytical person. So when I had buyers that are like, oh, I just can’t with this yellow paint. I just can’t buy this house. I’m like, you can paint the house, girl. Like you can do things to the house. So that made me switch from first time home buyers to investors. So after that, after my first couple of years, for about 13 years, I primarily worked with real estate investors. And I love them as well because they’re very analytical. If a deal makes sense, if the numbers make sense, then they’re ready to buy. They’re ready to move on, purchase the property. So I always have a soft spot for investors. Right now, I don’t produce. I haven’t produced in probably about 10 years or so. My clients now are my agent. And I just push them on how to deal with their clients and the things that they can do for their businesses. But I do think that real estate investing is something that comes in and out of style, but it’s always the right decision. Something that is very needed. And usually it takes something awful happening in the world for people to remember. Maybe we should be investing in real estate because everything else is so unstable. Everything else can become unstable. Unlike real estate investment, which is always a sound investment, sound investment strategy for people to use.
CORWYN:
Okay. Awesome. Matter of fact, this is probably a very good place to kind of make sure that we got your teams, you and your teams information out there. And then you also may mention a book. So matter of fact, let me segue to this book. So you’re an author, all right? If you don’t mind, give our listeners the name of the book again.
KEIRA:
It’s How to Become a Real Estate Boss. And it’s literally a guide for real estate agents. I typically draw agents who like me, I did not make any money, zero, in my first year of real estate. And you do not hear people admitting that typically. So I was frustrated and getting ready to get out of the business. Like this is not working out. So those are typically agents that I draw, people who are frustrated. They cannot figure out how to make consistent income in the business. And this book basically walks them through step-by-step on how to build systems and make a business out of their real estate license.
CORWYN:
Aha. So where can people find it? Let’s make sure, because we want to get some of them books out there in the streets now. Where can people find it?
KEIRA:
You can find it on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, anywhere you can find books, you can find it. If you just search How to Become a Real Estate Boss or Keira Ingram, K-E-I-R-A-I-N-G-R-A-M, any place that sells books, you can find it.
CORWYN:
Awesomeness, awesomeness. Now, Keira, let’s make sure we get your information out. How can people find you? How can people connect with you, ask questions, seek assistance, all that good stuff?
KEIRA:
The best place to find me is either on my website, www.growwithkeira.com or on Instagram. @growwithkeira.com. And you can ask me any question, any real… I literally answer real estate questions in my DM all the time. So if you have a question, you can DM me and you will get real me answering your questions. So feel free to…
CORWYN:
So what I just heard you say is nobody.
KEIRA:
Is nobody! My kids, my son does help me with my Instagram from time to time, but I’m the one answering those DMs. I love it, I love it.
CORWYN:
So Keira, how level, that old question that we always sometimes have or otherwise sometimes ask, because you’ve been doing this. How many years have you been in this space again?
KEIRA:
CORWYN:
20 years. So yeah, you’ve seen some stuff now. I’m 21 about to cross over, or counting towards 22. I always tell people I’m too stupid to leave it. I just love this particular space. If you knew back when you started, what you know now, what, if anything, would you have done differently that you believe would have changed or otherwise gotten you to where you are faster or quicker?
KEIRA:
I would have taken the limits off of myself and off of my business. But I think sometimes we always try to duplicate what we’ve seen, and there’s nothing wrong with that. It’s nothing wrong with admiring things and wanting to do something similar. But sometimes we put ourselves in a box and we limit what we expect to happen or what we think God can do. So I just think that I would have took the limits off of myself and my business. Earlier in my career, I think I would have been able to do more than what I’ve already been able to accomplish.
CORWYN:
Wow. Okay. All right. So take the shackles off, take the restraints off.
KEIRA:
Yes. Take yourself out of the box that we put ourselves in.
CORWYN:
That’s fair. So you do a lot of coaching business and otherwise, yes, no?
KEIRA:
Yeah.
CORWYN:
All right. So I imagine that’s a recurring theme as to oftentimes we self-impose limitations that hinder us from the life of our dreams. Yes, no? Yeah. Interesting. I like that. So Keira, I want to thank you. We’re quickly getting to the end of the show today. But I do want to ask you one other thing. First of all, I want to make sure I thank you for taking time out your busy schedule to be on with us. But I do want to ask you for a piece of, and it may tie into what you said at that 50,000, the hindsight piece of what you did for yourselves. But what is the number one piece of advice that you give to people, whether it be agent, consumer or otherwise, that you give out to people? What is that number one piece of advice that you can think of that you use or give in order to encourage someone or strengthen them for the road yet to come?
KEIRA:
The biggest piece of advice that I give is a little controversial. I don’t know if everybody likes it, but it’s to start in your comfort zone. A lot of times we push ourselves too fast and too hard and we cannot even build consistency. So you should start where you’re comfortable. Where you’re comfortable is you’re comfortable in places and doing things that God has already gifted you and graced you to do. Start there first and build consistency and then venture outside of your comfort zone. If you jump too fast outside of your comfort zone, you won’t be consistent and you won’t be able to keep going. But that’s what I always tell people. Number one, be honest about what you’re already comfortable with and start there. Don’t look to the million dollars from day one. Look to where you are and what you can already do consistently first and then build on that for something greater.
CORWYN:
Wow. That was a mic drop piece, right? Yeah, that was right there. So Keira, thank you. Thank you for that. Thank you for being on the show with us today. Again, bottom of my heart, I really appreciate it. Appreciate you being part of Exit Strategies Radio Show family. For our listeners, hey, y’all got some good information. Y’all got some good encouragement. So I need y’all to not just take it and quote unquote hang it on the shelf. I want you to quote unquote put that on your hat or in your hat and I want you to use your hat. Put your head from holding a hat, right? So we want to do something. We don’t want to apply all that stuff. Now I’m giving you all this old people stuff here. I can’t just say, you know, that’s what they say. You use your head from holding a hat, right? But we want to make sure, guys, that you’re taking this information and applying it. So again, Keira, one last time again, thank you. Thank you so much for being here. Thank you for having me. You’re welcome. So for our listeners, hey, y’all know how I feel. Y’all know what I say. Y’all know I always put the two of those things together and I give it to you this way, which is to tell you that I love you. I love you. and we’re going to see you guys out there in those streets.
