Some clients will love you no matter what. Some won't, no matter what you do. In this episode, Andrew Ellis shares his 10/80/10 rule and why agents who build lasting careers put their energy into the 80% in between.

Andrew tells three stories from his career to show how the rule plays out: a couple who made an early deal feel effortless, a cash buyer who wanted to lowball every manufactured home in the state (with an email handle Andrew still hasn't forgotten), and a seller who felt rushed during a phone call from a drive-thru line.

Along the way, he shares what a managing broker told him after an angry complaint, why it's worth looking honestly at your own part in a tough relationship, and how one open conversation turned a frustrated client into a working partnership.

The episode closes with a simple way to set expectations for yourself. You're never quite as good as your biggest fans think, or as bad as your harshest critics say. The work that matters happens with the clients in the middle.

CHAPTERS
00:00 The 10/80/10 rule
00:53 The 10% who love you no matter what
02:29 The 10% you can't win over
04:57 What a tough complaint taught Andrew
06:18 A harder client in the 80%
09:27 Communicate the way they need
09:57 Set expectations for yourself

Follow The Five Star Agent for more honest lessons on serving every kind of client well.

Working with buyers isn't just about opening doors and writing offers. A lot of the work that creates a five-star experience happens well before there's a contract on the table.

In this episode, Andrew Ellis shares five lessons he learned during his early years working almost exclusively with buyers in Central Oregon. He talks about why getting to know the person should come before qualifying the deal, how to handle conversations about money without making them awkward, and why buyers often need more help figuring out what they want than they realize.

Andrew also explains why agents need to move beyond simply agreeing with their clients and start offering thoughtful professional guidance. The goal isn't to control the decision. It's to understand your buyers well enough to help them make a better one.

You'll learn:

• Why you should be interested in the person before the deal
• How and when to have the money conversation
• Why buyers don't always know what they want yet
• When your professional opinion can help create clarity
• Why a buyer's agent should guide the process from the very beginning

Great buyer representation starts long before the offer. Ask better questions, listen closely, and don't underestimate how much value you can bring before there's ever paperwork involved.

Follow The Five Star Agent for more practical conversations about becoming the agent your clients deserve.

Listen wherever you get your podcasts.

Getting a real estate license is only the beginning. Andrew Ellis and Roseanne Garza share three lessons new agents need to guide clients through emotional decisions, complex transactions, and the gap between passing an exam and doing the work well.

Roseanne explains how she entered real estate as an assistant, became licensed, and built practical knowledge before taking on more responsibility with clients. Together, she and Andrew discuss the emotional weight behind buying and selling a home, why agents need enough distance to remain steady guides, and how setting expectations early can make a transaction easier to navigate.

They also explore what new agents must learn beyond licensing, including local markets, contracts, inspections, lending, timelines, and the questions that reveal a potential problem. Their practical challenge is to identify where you need more experience, then intentionally seek training, conversations, calls, open houses, or mentorship that will help you improve.

You’ll learn:

• How to care about a client’s emotions without absorbing them
• Why transaction expectations should be explained early
• How process knowledge helps agents spot red flags
• Why licensing alone does not prepare someone to serve clients
• How to choose learning opportunities based on your weaknesses

CHAPTERS
00:00 Meet Roseanne Garza
03:49 The emotional side of real estate
08:34 Learn the transaction’s moving pieces
14:09 What licensing does not teach
16:43 Build experience intentionally
19:25 Look beyond fees and commission splits

Follow The Five Star Agent for more practical conversations about becoming the agent your clients deserve.