Mike Ferry’s Podcast the Original: 135 Deals, One Agent — Mike Ferry Interviews Leigh Marcus
In Episode 17 of Mike Ferry’s Podcast: The Original, Mike sits down with Leigh Marcus from Chicago, Illinois. Leigh is a 17-year coaching client and one of the most productive solo agents in the country.
After building a team of 24 agents, Leigh made a bold decision. He disbanded the team and returned to personal production. The result? 135 transactions a year — with one agent supporting him.
This conversation is honest, practical, and direct. It covers what the team-building process actually costs, why personal production pays more, and what it takes to build a business that lasts.
Leigh’s two pieces of advice are simple. First, follow the Mike Ferry Sales System. Second, don’t quit.
In this episode you’ll learn
- Why Leigh disbanded a 24-agent team — and how personal production became ten times more rewarding
- How tightening team standards caused 7 agents to leave in the first week — and why that was the right outcome
- Why 135 transactions a year with one support agent beats 24 agents every time
- How Leigh prospects 2.5 hours a day — and has done so consistently for 17 years
- Why a database of 2,500 contacts drives the majority of his business through monthly mail and Just Listed/Just Sold calls
- The difference between ego-driven production and sustainable, client-first business
- Why deviating from the Mike Ferry Sales System is the number one reason any agent’s business goes off track
- Why slowing down to review the system is the fastest way to speed back up
- The two things every agent must do to succeed: follow a repeatable system and never quit