When Stacie Rihl hosted her first first-time homebuyer class, only 10 people showed up and she had 15 pizzas. Fast forward a few years, and she now runs a national referral business built entirely around teaching buyers how the process works.
After gaining experience in both the real estate and mortgage industries, Stacie Rihl recognized a major gap in education and resources for first-time homebuyers. She went on to become an online educator for new buyers, offering free virtual classes that have helped over 20,000 people learn the home-buying process.
In this episode, we chat with Stacie about how she went from in-person flops to 50+ monthly referrals all while wearing yoga pants and working from her laptop.
She shares how her journey through real estate sales and mortgages gave her a unique perspective, why consistency mattered more than perfection, and how a simple Zoom class changed her entire career.
💡 If you've ever thought about hosting a class (and then chickened out)... this is your permission slip.
Here’s what we cover in this episode:
How one failed class turned into a full-time business
Why educating buyers builds instant trust
How to teach homebuyers without boring them
Creating a scalable system from your passion
The importance of strong follow-up systems
How Stacie chooses the agents she refers to
The unexpected power of being the “expert” early in the process
What most agents get wrong about first-time buyer events
Why she teaches live — and keeps it free
The agent interview process she uses before sending leads
If you’ve been looking for a lead gen strategy that’s actually aligned with your values, this one’s for you.
“You have to have a way to turn class attendees into clients. It’s not just about showing up with snacks.” — Stacie Rihl
“I want people to come to me before they’re ready — that’s where the trust starts.” — Stacie Rihl
“Don’t give up because your first class was a flop. My first one was, too.” — Stacie Rihl
“You can teach homebuyers and still build a serious business.” — Katy Caldwell
“Consistency wins. It's not magic; it's a system.” — Alissa Jenkins
Products, People & Previous Episodes Mentioned:
Stacie Rihl on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iamstacierihl/
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Agent Systems 101: http://agentsystems101.com
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Music:
Straight A’s by Conner Price
The Good Life by Summer Kennedy
