Leo Pareja Unfiltered

➡️ Access ALL FREE business resources, episode blueprints, and exclusive content from past episodes: https://stan.store/leopareja

Dermot Buffini turned a family painting business into Buffini & Company—North America's largest real estate coaching firm, training 3+ million professionals across 45 countries. Known as "The Leader's Leader," Dermot shares how his brother Brian started with $0 and medical debt, discovered the power of working by referral, and built a coaching empire one agent at a time. From surviving the 2008 financial crisis to navigating COVID and the NAR settlement, Dermot reveals the secrets to building trust at scale, leading through market chaos, and why becoming an "influential person" beats being an influencer every time. Plus: his philosophy on Will vs. Skill, how to lead burnt-out teams, why the best relationships form during tough times, and the one book that changed his leadership forever.

➡️  Show Links

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/curiousceo
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/curious_ceo/
Twitter/X: https://x.com/dermot_buffini

➡️  Timestamps

- 0:00 Intro: Meet Dermot Buffini, CEO of Buffini & Company
- 1:33 The Buffini Origin Story: From Painting to Real Estate Empire
- 2:34 Brother Brian's Journey: Medical Debt to Top Producer
- 5:21 The Gap Between Information and Implementation
- 6:12 Dermot Joins the Business: From Skeptic to Believer
- 8:03 Evolution of "Oh By The Way" and Items of Value
- 12:09 Balancing Strategic Vision with Daily Operations
- 14:13 Protecting Your Calendar and Leading from Strengths
- 15:43 Leading Through Crisis: Financial Collapse, COVID & NAR Settlement
- 18:47 Eagles vs. Turkeys: Preparing for Market Downturns
- 20:24 Building Trust at Scale: The Drops vs. Buckets Philosophy
- 24:46 Influential Person vs. Influencer: What Agents Need Now
- 28:33 Will vs. Skill: The Two Pillars of Success
- 33:03 Success is Just Attrition: Why Not Quitting Wins
- 34:29 Leading Burnt-Out Teams Through Painful Market Cycles
- 37:56 Advice for Your 30-Year-Old Self That You'd Ignore
- 40:33 "It's Not About You": The Purpose-Driven Life

➡️  Connect With Leo Pareja

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/leopareja/
Instagram: https://instagram.com/leopareja/
Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@leo.pareja

What is Leo Pareja Unfiltered?

Welcome to Pareja Unfiltered, where host Leo Pareja explores what it takes to lead, grow, and win.

Leo built companies and led tens of thousands of agents as CEO of eXp Realty (NASDAQ: EXPI). He's learned the difference between good and great isn't what you know—it's how you think, adapt, and inspire others.

Real strategies for real leaders, featuring CEOs, founders, and game-changers who've been in the trenches. This is podcast for leaders ready to stop playing small and start playing to win.