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You can’t fake perspective. It’s earned in the lows that most people won’t talk about: childhood chaos, addiction, grief that knocks the air from your lungs, and careers capped by glass ceilings. We sat down as owners and team leads to tell the truth about how those lows forged our leadership, sharpened our empathy, and set the tone for how we build brokerages that actually serve people.

We start with raw origin stories and the flip from victimhood to agency—therapy before tactics, faith before funnels, and mentors who make you fix your life before your lead gen. Then we break down the real market from 2023 to 2025 without spin: morale is a metric, culture is hard work, and smaller wins keep teams moving. You’ll hear how we cut break-even side plays, killed bad spend, and focused on what we do best so our people could keep winning even when the weather turned.

Looking ahead, we outline a clear 2026 plan. Scott shares a global dive into modular construction and factory robotics that could cut build times to days and costs below $100 per foot, with partnerships spanning China, LA, and Dubai. Ronnie leans into scaling Resi Realty by embracing the hard lessons of 2025 and doubling down on people-first systems. Jeff commits to owning a headquarters, expanding into new cities, resurrecting a profit-focused production team, and entering asset management and REO as cycles shift. The throughline is simple: invest in people, protect hope, eliminate waste, and make sure every effort returns value.

If you’re tired of empty hype and hungry for practical strategy, mindset shifts, and real leadership, this conversation is your playbook. Subscribe, share it with someone who needs the push, and leave a review telling us the one choice you’ll make differently this year.

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2025 Wins & Losses — A Conversation About Pain, Purpose & Leadership

In this Christmas Day special, Mark Jones hosts an incredibly raw and transparent roundtable with Scott Malouff, Jeff Garza, and Ronnie Trevino—three of San Antonio’s top real estate leaders.

Together, they discuss:

• Childhood trauma
• Addiction and recovery
• Loss of loved ones
• Leadership pressure
• Betrayals in business
• Mental health & emotional intelligence
• Faith, healing, and rebuilding a life of purpose

This is the most vulnerable conversation ever recorded on the Key Factors Podcast.

If you're navigating life, business, or leadership in any capacity—this episode will speak directly to you.

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CHANNEL DISCLOSURE: Mark Jones, Senior Loan Officer | NMLS#513437 iThink Mortgage powered by Premier Mortgage Resources | NMLS #1169 Equal Housing Lender All content on this channel is for educational purposes only and does not constitute a commitment to lend. Loan terms and availability are subject to credit approval, underwriting guidelines, and market conditions. Opinions are my own and do not necessarily reflect those of my company. No compensation is given or received for referrals, endorsements, or podcast appearances, in co

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Key Factors Podcast is Powered by LoanBot.com
Host: Mark Jones | Sr. Loan Officer | NMLS# 513437
If you would like to work with Mark on your next home purchase or as a partner visit iThink Mortgage.

Send us a text

Support the show

Key Factors Podcast is Powered by LoanBot.com
Host: Mark Jones | Sr. Loan Officer | NMLS# 513437
If you would like to work with Mark on your next home purchase or as a partner visit iThink Mortgage.

Send us a text

What if your best business partner is also your spouse—and your toughest boss? We share how two teachers packed a U-Haul, chased a bigger life in Texas, and transformed a side hustle into a top-producing real estate brokerage without losing the plot at home. The path wasn’t linear: a 2008 licensing sprint, early Zillow experiments, a move to San Antonio with a small sphere, and mentors who cared as much about margins and jeans as they did about GCI. Along the way, a premature birth at 27 weeks forced a reset that changed everything. Erin stepped out of the classroom, mastered the back office, and turned scattered spreadsheets into systems, client parties into community, and chaos into four times the profitability.

We talk real tactics—open houses that still work, bank-branch prospecting, positioning that fits both luxury listings and first-time buyers, and the small branding choices that make clients feel safe. We pull back the curtain on launching a brokerage: when to leave the big split, how to price your time, and why clean accounting is a growth engine, not a chore. Then we go deeper: rules for couples who work together, like resolving conflict the same day, setting lanes for sales and operations, and remembering the first job is family. You’ll hear how a CASA toy-drive holiday party grew to hundreds at The Rock, why community beats cold ads, and how to find mentors who save you years by telling you the inconvenient truth.

If you’re a realtor, loan officer, or small-business owner wondering when to jump, this story offers a clear blueprint: stop waiting for perfect, ship the work, and iterate in public. Subscribe for more real estate strategy, business systems, and honest conversations about building a life and a company you’re proud of. If this resonated, share it with someone you’d trust as a business partner—and a life partner.

#KeyFactorsPodcast #RealEstateAF #CesarAmezcua #ErinAmezcua #RealEstateJourney #CouplesInBusiness #ImmigrantStory #BrokerLife #NICUSurvivor #FamilyFirst #LoanBot #TexasRealEstate


2:27 – Meet Cesar & Erin
3:16 – Cesar’s journey from Mexico to college in Texas
5:07 – Erin’s military upbringing & family sacrifice
8:10 – The hilarious story of how they met
16:01 – The ultimatum that led to their move to Garland
19:55 – Becoming a bilingual teacher on an H-1B visa
27:23 – Both get real estate licenses in Dallas
30:04 – Why they left it all to move to San Antonio
33:53 – From PO Box in Helotes to full-time real estate
43:02 – Launching their own brokerage in 2013
46:07 – Premature birth changes everything
49:10 – Erin joins the business—and makes it 400% more profitable
54:01 – Advice for couples working together in real estate

Support the show

Key Factors Podcast is Powered by LoanBot.com
Host: Mark Jones | Sr. Loan Officer | NMLS# 513437
If you would like to work with Mark on your next home purchase or as a partner visit iThink Mortgage.