The Lion's Mentality: Leading with Commitment, Growth, and Fearlessness

You know, I’ve always prided ourselves on being a strong team—prepared, driven, and backed by great leadership. But today, I felt something different. It’s a Monday, and not just any Monday, but the one right after the Super Bowl. The energy in the room was low, and I could feel it. It made me reflect on something we talk about often: how we let our lives dictate our business when it should be the other way around.

Last night, a few of us in leadership were texting, realizing we probably shouldn’t have scheduled this meeting for today. But then I thought—this is business. We can’t work around everything. If we had a million-dollar buyer calling us at 6 a.m., we’d all be up and ready. So why do we let something like a late football game throw us off? It’s about commitment and mindset.

This morning, while taking my kids to school, they asked me a simple but profound question: Why is the lion the king of the jungle? We had just watched The Lion King over the weekend, and it stuck with them. Naturally, I pulled up YouTube and looked it up. Lions aren’t the biggest, fastest, or strongest animals in the jungle, so why are they the kings? The answer? Their mentality. Lions don’t run when they’re scared. They hunt in packs. They move with confidence. They commit.

It made me think about DOBI—why we started it, what it stands for, and why we continue to push forward. I started DOBI because I didn’t feel like I had a team in my previous brokerage. I felt alone. Whether it was deal flow issues, legal questions, or mentorship, there was no real support system. That frustration turned into action. We jumped into business with the belief that we could build something better. And when you jump, there’s no going back.

A lot of agents jump into this industry, but many jump right back out. Why? Because it’s easy. There’s no real investment. But when we started DOBI, we put everything on the line—leasing an office, building it out, hiring a team. There was no “jumping out” because we had too much skin in the game. And when you’re truly committed, you stop making emotional decisions and start making smart business decisions.

Starting a business is full of mental roadblocks. When you invest real money, you feel the pressure—losing isn’t an option. But that’s where growth happens. The more you push forward, the stronger you become. And I learned something critical early on: for the business to improve, I had to improve. If I wanted to build something sustainable, I had to get better as a leader.

Early on, I remember a leadership meeting with 12 employees. We went around the room, everyone saying how much they loved DOBI and that they’d never leave. Fast forward, and I was the only one left. At first, it bothered me. Then I realized—it wasn’t them, it was me. My leadership skills weren’t there yet. I wasn’t providing the right environment for people to thrive. That realization changed everything. I had to become the leader who could retain and grow talent, not just attract it.

Now, I look at our top agents and see a common pattern—those who commit, who push past frustration, who keep growing, they’re the ones doubling their business. The top 20% are in it for the long haul, because once you’re making $200K, $300K, $400K+ a year, where else are you going to go? But even then, they hit those moments where they think, Is this worth it? That’s when you double down.

When you’re exhausted, that’s when you push harder. That’s when you grow. The business doesn’t get easier—you get better.

The biggest difference between those who stagnate and those who thrive? A commitment to learning. I go to every training, every seminar I can, and every time I walk away with something valuable. It’s the small things—the way you word an email, the way you follow up—that can be the difference between stagnation and scaling to the next level. We’re all one skill away from doubling our business. One mindset shift away from a breakthrough.

I get it—this business can be exhausting. It’s never-ending. But you’re surrounded by a great team, at a great company, with the best people. The question is—are you committed? Are you willing to be the lion?

Let’s make this a year of growth. No distractions, no excuses. Just results.