Episode Details

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What if the secret to a bigger business wasn't better scripts, a new CRM, or another lead source — but just becoming more fully yourself? In this Quick Cut, Garrett unpacks the concept of affinity groups: a simple, organic strategy for building community, trust, and referrals around the things you already love to do.

Garrett shares real stories from agents in his organization — a fishing enthusiast who closed 7 deals from a 40-person Facebook group, a stay-at-home mom who launched a neighborhood walking group, and an agent who built a wine-and-true-crime podcast night that women actually showed up to. The secret isn't the activity. The activity is just the hook. What people are really after is community — and you get to be the one who creates it.

This episode is a challenge to stop asking "how do I get more leads?" and start asking "who are my people?" Because the agents who thrive long-term aren't the ones who perfected their personal brand — they're the ones who gave themselves permission to show up as who they actually are. Your affinity group isn't a marketing funnel. It's a front door to genuine relationship, and genuine relationship builds the kind of trust that turns into referrals for life.

Key Takeaways

• People work with people they like — and people they are like. The fastest path to a business you love may not be becoming more professional. It may be becoming more yourself.
• The affinity group concept. An affinity group is a community you build around something you already enjoy — fishing, walking, wine, bourbon, gardening, pickleball. You don't manufacture it. You just invite people into what you're already doing.
• The hook vs. the real reason. People don't show up for the activity. They show up because they want community and don't know where to find it. The activity is what gets their attention. The relationship is what keeps them.
• Real examples, real results. Jesse created "Real Estate Reel" for fellow fishing enthusiasts — just 40 members his first year, zero from his existing database, and 7 closed deals. He later added a bourbon group and landed an $850K cash purchase from it.
• This is a second leg, not a replacement. Your database and systematic follow-up come first. The affinity group is an additional, joy-filled way to grow — not a shortcut around the fundamentals.
• Alignment over performance. The industry pushes agents to disconnect from who they actually are in order to look more "professional." Garrett calls that submission, not strategy. The greater you are in alignment with who you naturally are, the greater your success will be.
• Your people are already out there. They're looking for someone familiar, someone who shares their values, someone authentic. You don't need to become more polished to grow. You may just need to become more real.

Need help winning at work without losing at life? I'm here for you!

📖 Get the FREE E-Book — The 10 Biblical Principles for Real Estate Agents ebook is my gift to you; it's full of biblical truths about your calling, reflection questions, and practical steps to win at work without losing at life. Download it here: https://www.garrettmaroon.com/freegift

📱 Want to talk business? Shoot me an email: garrett@garrettmaroon.com