The Grand Life Podcast: Recent Episodes
Brian Marcy
In the summer of 2021 I achieved a major milestone of business growth: I built an inspection team so that I could leave the field and focus on executing a vision.
It was always my goal to evolve from technician in the field to running a business, but the transition came with a new revelation. In my effort to create a smooth running machine, I created opportunities for inspectors, admins, and marketers, which left me with no well-defined task. I enjoy imagining a better future and creating the plan to achieve it, but the reality is you can’t just sit around dreaming all day. That’s when I realized that my role needed to expand beyond Grand Home Inspection and into the larger community.
Thus, The Grand Life podcast was created! My goal is to share the stories of other leaders in real estate and discuss their journey to personal fulfillment. Every person has their version of what makes life “grand” and has grand ambitions they’re working toward. These are the things I want to explore through conversation.
Hopefully, listeners can take away meaningful lessons, inspiration and a deeper look at what’s behind the success of those I interview on the show. I’m looking forward to learning from my guests, too!
-Brian Marcy
I first met Bryant at the beginning of the COVID pandemeic and have admired his positivity and ability to adapt ever since. On this podcast we discussed the amazing events that got him started in real estate (you won't want to miss), work life INTEGRATION (not balance), and giving back. I think that last part, giving back, really speaks to what Bryant's all about. I hope you enjoy!
This episode features Steve Volkers, and we talked about shipping it. That means it’s better to get a product out there, you know, shipped, and improve it later, than to spend the rest of eternity chasing perfection but never releasing anything. So if you think you have a great idea, but it’s not ready yet, just ship it! You can always improve it later.
Steve and I covered a ton of ground, and I think every minute is worth a listen. We talked about his journey from corporate life to founding his brokerage and what that means for his ability to enjoy his time.
We also talked about the opposite, which is letting comparison to others steal your joy. If you’ve spent more than five minutes on social media, I’m sure you can relate - everybody posts their highlight reel, but are they even enjoying the journey?
From there, we got into possible future business models for real estate brokerages and inspection businesses. How’d we do? You’ll have to check in with me 20 years from now to know for sure.
Drew is the type of guest I really get excited about because he’s on a very intentional self-improvement journey. Known too many as the Amway agent, Drew got started in real estate as a side hustle while working for Amway.
He realized that he wanted something different for his life and jumped into real estate full time. Since then, he’s several breakthroughs both in his career and personal life.
This is a great episode, and I think there are so many takeaways for people out there looking to make a change. We cover a ton of ground from the magic of real estate investing, to life-changing books, the power of affirmations, and the events that started Drew on this path of self-improvement.
There’s so much good stuff that no intro can do this episode justice, so let’s get right to it!
Today I sat down with Jon Ornee. For those of you who don’t know Jon, he is not afraid to dive in and try new things.
We talk about intentionally creating your own life. To me, that purposeful intention really embodies what the grand life is all about.
We started the day at riley trail in holland for Not Alone November. Jon recently lost a neighbor to suicide and he decided to create an amazing opportunity for people to connect in an effort to fight loneliness. He created Not Alone November as an open invite for people to join him for a morning hike and talk about life.
That’s just a small part of what makes Jon so amazing. When he sees a need, he does not hesitate to do something about it. This drive has lead him to swim across lake michigan, set some cycling records, and become one of the most successful first year agents I’ve ever met with about 30 transactions closed since March.
Beyond that, we also talk about the journey. It can be lonely having such high aspirations and every achievement leaves a void that can only be filled by the next big thing. I think many entrepreneurs can identify with that feeling, and I hope you enjoy listening as much as I enjoyed talking to Jon. I think there’s a lot to learn from his journey, so let’s jump in!
On this episode, Hannah and I talk about being true to yourself. There is no more "work life" and "personal life," but instead One Life™. It's not a cult, we promise. It's the best term we could come up with to replace the myth of "work/life balance" and it covers being authentic about who you are, what you believe, and the people and things you allow into your world.