Sarah Olson: Time Tested Pro / Top Agent Nocatee

What if the key to long-term success in real estate isn’t sales skills—but mentorship, purpose, and adaptability?

In this episode of the Real Estate Excellence Podcast, Tracy Hayes welcomes Sarah Olson, a powerhouse broker and mentor with over two decades of experience in Northeast Florida. From leading First Coast Collective at RE/MAX Unlimited to launching her own Real Estate Agent Success Academy, Sarah shares her journey of transformation—from a tax accountant to a top-tier agent and educator. With an innate ability to connect, teach, and inspire, she reveals the secrets behind her longevity in the business: personalized mentorship, entrepreneurial thinking, and building relationships that last decades.

Sarah opens up about why most agents fail, the crucial mistakes they make when choosing brokerages, and how she’s leveraging both data and AI to coach her team effectively. Whether discussing the perils of kids on e-bikes in Nocatee or explaining the logic behind her successful lead tracker, Sarah offers a masterclass in running a real estate business like a business. Her passion for helping agents succeed shines through every story.

If you’re an agent looking to level up your career or someone considering diving into the real estate world, follow Sarah Olson and dive into the Real Estate Agent Success Academy.

Subscribe to the Real Estate Excellence Podcast and leave us a 5-star review if you’re inspired by Sarah’s story!

Highlights:

00:00 – 07:59 From Burnout to Breakthrough: Knowing When to Delegate

• Understanding personal capacity and time limits
• Tracy’s AI-powered podcast intro strategy
• Tiffany’s take on ChatGPT in bios and branding
• How AI is reshaping home search and buyer interactions
• The future of conversational real estate websites

08:00 – 17:59 From Real Estate Legacy to Reluctant Heir

• Growing up in a small-town real estate family
• Why Tiffany originally rejected the real estate path
• How military life shifted her career vision
• Meeting Debbie Tufts and finding mentorship
• The early admin years and learning the business backend

18:00 – 26:59 Beacon Born: Building a Business Behind the Scenes

• Launching a transaction coordination company
• Supporting agents with scale and efficiency
• Tiffany’s behind-the-scenes role in 2,000+ transactions
• The value of TC systems and training
• Why she eventually shut down Beacon

27:00 – 38:59 Tools of the Trade: TC Systems and Outsourcing Smarts

• What to look for when hiring a TC
• The power of Open to Close software
• TCs vs. assistants—what agents should know
• Personality matching with transaction partners
• Vacation coverage, communication, and expectations

39:00 – 01:00:59 Growth Gaps: Breaking Through the Agent Ceiling

• Why so many agents plateau at $6–9M
• How TCs can free agents to grow
• Real client experiences and better service
• Overcoming the mental block of paying for help
• Transitioning from TC to front-end sales

01:01:00 – 01:29:52 Scaling with Intention: Teams, Tools & Real Talk

• Breaking income ceilings through delegation
• Hiring a marketing manager: Sarah’s first leap after 20+ years
• The difference a great TC can make
• Building systems that support consistent referral flow
• Choosing the right brokerage and leadership mindset
• Conclusion

Quotes:

“You’ve got to have a pillar—what you wake up in the morning and what you do.” – Sarah Olson “I have never sold a house in my life. I service my clients, and that’s why they refer me.” – Sarah Olson “It’s not about the sale; it’s about the story. The lifestyle. What’s your weekend look like?” – Sarah Olson “Be so good they never forget you—and track you down 15 years later.” – Sarah Olson

To contact Sarah Olson, learn more about her business, and make her a part of your network, make sure to follow her on her Website, Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn.

Connect with Sarah Olson!

Website: https://www.firstcoastcollective.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reagentsuccessacademy/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/realestateagentsuccessacademy

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/saraholiviaolson/

Connect with me! Website: toprealtorjacksonville.com  

Website: toprealtorstaugustine.com 

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