Ryan Gillen built a $90M real estate business by flipping the script on lead generation, turning community into his greatest asset. Growing up in a real estate family, Ryan learned to hustle early and quickly realized cold calling and chasing FSBOs wasn’t a long-term game. Instead, he leaned into what he loved: golf, country clubs, and connecting people.
By starting small networking groups and masterminds, Ryan became “the mayor” of his circles, introducing like-minded professionals and solving problems together. That sense of community not only gave members real value, it also fueled millions of dollars worth of annual referrals to his team. In this episode, Ryan breaks down his simple but powerful model: find a problem, gather people who share it, and create consistent spaces to connect.
If you’ve ever dreaded lead gen, this conversation is proof that it doesn’t have to be painful. When you build groups around your passions, business flows naturally and relationships become your most profitable investment.
We talk about:
[00:00] Intro
[00:27] Welcome to the MREA Podcast
[00:37] Turning Golf Into a Real Estate Edge
[01:43] Growing Up in Real Estate
[05:27] From Solo Agent to Team Builder
[06:33] Learning Models From MREA
[07:58] The Power of Networking Groups
[10:13] Building a Group the Simple Way
[13:37] Hosting at Your Office
[15:43] Cross-Business Referrals in Action
[18:15] Conversations Beyond Business
[20:03] Turning Masterminds Into Millions
[21:43] Learning From Other Entrepreneurs
[23:05] How to Win in a Country Club
[26:01] Why People Keep Coming Back
[27:37] Jason’s Closing Insights
Links & Tools from This Episode:
The Millionaire Real Estate Agent (book by Gary Keller, Dave Jenks, and Jay Papasan):
https://kellerink.com/products/the-millionaire-real-estate-agentMAPS Coaching with Leah Lemberg:
https://mapscoaching.com Keller Williams Mega Camp:
https://events.kw.com/event/mega-agent-camp-2025 MREA Notes (weekly models & systems PDF):
https://mreanotes.comMillionaire Real Estate Agent Podcast Newsletter:
https://millionaireagentpodcast.com Order the Millionaire Real Estate Agent Playbook | Volume 3:
https://kwredlabel.com/products/millionaire-real-estate-agent-playbook-volume-3?srsltid=AfmBOor4UsjomQYKJe2_rEdMc-x5QELjuYCP2Q-FNagyaqxcqjJIQDEk Produced by NOVA:
https://novapodcasting.com/ This podcast is for general informational purposes only. The views, thoughts, and opinions of the guest represent those of the guest and not Keller Williams Realty, LLC and its affiliates, and should not be construed as financial, economic, legal, tax, or other advice. This podcast is provided without any warranty, or guarantee of its accuracy, completeness, timeliness, or results from using the information.
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