5 Questions Every Serious Agent Should Be Asking Their Brokerage

Over the past year in Northwest Arkansas alone, more than 100 agents moved to our brokerage. Almost all of them asked the same thing:

“What questions should I actually be asking my broker?”

So instead of answering that one conversation at a time, I’m sharing it here.

I’ve created 10 questions every agent, team leader, or independent should be asking their current brokerage—or asking themselves if they’re independent.

In this post, I’ll give you five.

Quick context

If we haven’t met, I’m Mike Duley, Operating Principal of Keller Williams Northwest Arkansas:

• 401 agents

• Over $1B in closed volume last year

• 3,200+ transactions

• Regional leader across five states and 26 offices

This isn’t theory. This is what I see daily from top producers across the Heartland.

The 5 Questions

1. Is My Brokerage Actively Teaching Me How to Use AI?

Not talking about it.

Teaching and implementing it.

AI is moving fast, and the gap between agents using it and those who aren’t is widening every month. We provide our agents with an AI playbook they can apply immediately—and we’re already on version four.

If your brokerage doesn’t have a clear AI strategy, that’s a real risk to your future business.

2. What Does My Coaching and Training Calendar Actually Look Like?

Here’s what I see often with large independents and mega agents:

They’re the biggest producer in their office—and no one is pushing them.

At our market center, we have multiple billion-dollar teams under one roof. There’s no ceiling. You’re learning from people who are ahead of you.

Add to that the largest real estate coaching organization in the world, and the question becomes simple:

Are you being coached like a business owner—or just left alone?

3. What Is My Real Growth Path?

Ten years ago, I started in real estate. Today, I’m an owner, investor, and leader—with no ceiling on what I can grow into.

Ask yourself:

• What can I become at my current brokerage?

• Ownership?

• Investing?

• Leadership?

• Expansion?

If the answer is “nowhere beyond where I am,” that’s important to acknowledge.

4. What Marketing and Content Support Do I Actually Get?

Content isn’t optional anymore.

Our agents have access to podcast rooms, studios, Canva Pro, and a full tech stack designed to help them move fast and look professional.

I recently jumped into our Canva platform and built a flyer in about 90 seconds—and I’m not a tech guy.

The question isn’t whether you can do marketing alone.

It’s whether your brokerage is making it easier or harder for you to win.

5. Where Does the Profit Go?

There are a lot of models in real estate.

Ours is driven by profit, not endless losses—and we share that profit with agents.

For example, in January alone, our brokerage paid out $17,000 in profit share to agents.

So ask:

• Who benefits when the company wins?

• Do you?

Why This Matters Right Now

With 1099 season here, I keep hearing:

• “I paid my broker $100,000 last year…”

• “I thought I was on a 90/10…”

• “I’m not sure what I actually got for what I paid.”

That’s exactly why these questions exist.

At Keller Williams, we operate on a capping model and treat agents like business owners—because that’s what they are.

Want the Full 10 Questions?

If you want the full list of 10 questions to evaluate your broker, your brokerage, or your independent model, just DM me, text me, or email me and I’ll send them over.

My goal is simple:

I want you to have a real, scalable business in 2026 and beyond.

Let’s grow.

Go real estate. Go Realtor.

Let’s be awesome together. 👊

— Mike

Small Steps Create Big Shifts

Confidence doesn’t always arrive with a bold entrance. Sometimes, it builds quietly, step by step, as we show up for ourselves day after day. It grows when we choose to try, even when we’re unsure of the outcome. Every time you take action despite self-doubt, you reinforce the belief that you’re capable. Confidence isn’t about having all the answers — it’s about trusting that you can figure it out along the way.

The key to making things happen isn’t waiting for the perfect moment; it’s starting with what you have, where you are. Big goals can feel overwhelming when viewed all at once, but momentum builds through small, consistent action. Whether you’re working toward a personal milestone or a professional dream, progress comes from showing up — not perfectly, but persistently. Action creates clarity, and over time, those steps forward add up to something real.

You don’t need to be fearless to reach your goals, you just need to be willing. Willing to try, willing to learn, and willing to believe that you’re capable of more than you know. The road may not always be smooth, but growth rarely is. What matters most is that you keep going, keep learning, and keep believing in the version of yourself you’re becoming.

Turn Intention Into Action

Confidence doesn’t always arrive with a bold entrance. Sometimes, it builds quietly, step by step, as we show up for ourselves day after day. It grows when we choose to try, even when we’re unsure of the outcome. Every time you take action despite self-doubt, you reinforce the belief that you’re capable. Confidence isn’t about having all the answers — it’s about trusting that you can figure it out along the way.

The key to making things happen isn’t waiting for the perfect moment; it’s starting with what you have, where you are. Big goals can feel overwhelming when viewed all at once, but momentum builds through small, consistent action. Whether you’re working toward a personal milestone or a professional dream, progress comes from showing up — not perfectly, but persistently. Action creates clarity, and over time, those steps forward add up to something real.

You don’t need to be fearless to reach your goals, you just need to be willing. Willing to try, willing to learn, and willing to believe that you’re capable of more than you know. The road may not always be smooth, but growth rarely is. What matters most is that you keep going, keep learning, and keep believing in the version of yourself you’re becoming.

Make Room for Growth

Confidence doesn’t always arrive with a bold entrance. Sometimes, it builds quietly, step by step, as we show up for ourselves day after day. It grows when we choose to try, even when we’re unsure of the outcome. Every time you take action despite self-doubt, you reinforce the belief that you’re capable. Confidence isn’t about having all the answers — it’s about trusting that you can figure it out along the way.

The key to making things happen isn’t waiting for the perfect moment; it’s starting with what you have, where you are. Big goals can feel overwhelming when viewed all at once, but momentum builds through small, consistent action. Whether you’re working toward a personal milestone or a professional dream, progress comes from showing up — not perfectly, but persistently. Action creates clarity, and over time, those steps forward add up to something real.

You don’t need to be fearless to reach your goals, you just need to be willing. Willing to try, willing to learn, and willing to believe that you’re capable of more than you know. The road may not always be smooth, but growth rarely is. What matters most is that you keep going, keep learning, and keep believing in the version of yourself you’re becoming.