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The 5 Questions Podcast
Join us as we unlock real estate and business insights, one question at a time.
The 5 Questions Podcast
How to Build a Powerful Real Estate Brand with Heart, Consistency & Design | Debbi DiMaggio
We talk with luxury realtor and author Debbi DiMaggio about building a brand rooted in heart, consistency, and design, and how mindset and mentorship turn goals into wins. From visibility to leadership, we share practical ways to show up, lead teams, and turn influence into impact.
• Leading with heart across all price points
• The Mindset In Motion method and activation
• Writing goals, acting before certainty, seeking mentors
• Visibility as strategy and design as signal
• Consistency as the real competitive edge
• Leadership that honors different learning styles
• Placing people by strengths and fit
• Loving the work to sustain effort
• Expanding into media with courses and coaches
• Accountability as the bridge from ideas to results
Connect with Debbi:
Welcome to the Five Questions Podcast. I am your host, Mario Lamar. Our guest on today's show is a luxury realtor, author, speaker, and the host of Mastering the Art of Real Estate. From the East Bay to Beverly Hills, well, I didn't want to say your name yet, but I slipped it. Debbie Blends sophisticated marketing, wellness focused design and mindset mastery to help clients create homes and lives that truly inspire. Welcome, Debbie DiMaggio. Debbie, welcome to the show today. Thank you so much. It's great, great to be here. It's a pleasure to have you, Debbie. The concept of uh the podcast is five questions either about real estate or business, and we get straight to the point. You ready? Awesome. I love it. All right. First question I have for you uh you've built a name that represents both luxury and heart, uh, blending real estate, wellness, personal transformation. What core principles uh guided you in building such an authentic and trusted brand over the years?
SPEAKER_01:I think I do everything from the heart. So everything that I know, I learn, I want to bestow that on others. So whether I'm showing homes and I want them to experience whether it's a you know a$200,000 home or a$10 million home, I want them to have the same service and the same Debbie. Debbie shows up no matter the price point. That's number one. And in beauty at any age, as I started to get older, I'm now 61. I am I'm very into biohacking in the last couple of weeks. And I everything I learn, I want to teach others. I want to- You're not 61. I am. Oh my god, I would have never guessed. And I want everyone to know that they can learn as well. So I have this weird gene. I always want to help others and and bestow about what my wisdom onto them. I guess it's just something with aging you want to give back. And so I just everything comes from the heart.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah. And you know what? The when I when you do multiple things and everything is successful, it has to come exactly from that, from the heart. Because when it's fake, it won't last. And you've been doing it a long time, and it's you're still doing it. And I would agree with you that it has to come from a place of the heart.
SPEAKER_01:Right. Thank you.
SPEAKER_00:Uh, second question I have for you. Your upcoming book, the mindset in motion method to conquer your goals, sounds incredibly powerful. What's one mindset shift you believe every entrepreneur, uh, not just real estate professionals, needs to master to achieve lasting success?
SPEAKER_01:Get out of your own way. Stop making excuses. I how the mindset in motion method came to be was I reverse engineered everything I have done in my life. And as I started, I took one last year before I turned 60. I ran I ran the LA Marathon on mindset alone, no training. So I went and reverse engineered all of these different goals I had achieved. And it's just figuring it out, it's activating. But I noticed most people just have so many excuses. So just get out of your own way and move forward.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah. And you know what? One of my mentors uh told me that a few years ago, uh, after a downfall that I had in real estate. Um, but sometimes it's easier said than done. So, so without you know going into a full spiel of how to do it, maybe give give our listeners maybe one or two tricks. How can you start getting out of your own way?
SPEAKER_01:Well, you have to have a positive mindset. Yes, at some times you won't believe you could do something, but just write out what you want to do and start to internalize it. And just don't think about how you're getting there. Just keep moving forward in that action, whatever it is that you want. Also employ help from others. There are people who've come before you, whether it's in real estate or business, investment, banking, health insurance, whatever it is, you know, running a marathon, whatever it is. There are people who have done these things. So reach out to mentors, reach out to your boss, reach out to someone you know within your family circle, reach out to someone online. I reach, I literally follow my own words. I reached out to Bob Berg, who's a well-known author, and he's the author of The Go Giver. And we connected on Twitter, and I was following my own advice as I was writing this chapter. I reached out to him and he said yes to being on my podcast. And now we frequently email, and he's just, if I hadn't reached out, that would not have happened.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, and that's one problem that a lot of people put amongst them uh in front of themselves because they're afraid to go ask for help.
unknown:Right.
SPEAKER_00:I was the same way. Listen, we all get there. Um, I wanted to compete, I wanted to be the best, and that's when I did a mistake that cost me a lot of money. Instead of now, we work as teams, we go and, like you said, go search for mentors. Other people did the mistakes before you did, you know.
SPEAKER_01:For us, absolutely. There are some that's one of the reasons of my success is just because when's when someone says to do something or this is how it's done, why am I gonna change it if it's worked?
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, absolutely. Uh question number three for you today. Uh, you've embraced technology, design, and wellness in an industry often uh slow to evolve. How have innovation and empathy work together to set you apart in such a competitive market?
SPEAKER_01:So are we talking about design or just just tech in general?
SPEAKER_00:Or well, yeah, I guess I guess more design because uh it also could affect uh real estate because sometimes it's slow things move slower. Right.
SPEAKER_01:Well, I think with in in whatever it is that you're doing, right? You it doesn't have to be real estate, it could be any anything, whether I kind of speak to anyone with a service product or brand. So it could be a real estate, it could be something else. But you first of all, you can't be a secret agent, can't be a secret whatever it is you're doing. People need to know you exist, right? So some people, especially like as the younger generation's really great on social media and promoting themselves and putting themselves out there, they're great on video. But people who've been in the business before social media, whatever their business was, they're a little reluctant to do that. So, in order for people to get to know you, for you to build trust, for you to build an audience, whether that's on social media or podcasting or an open house or at a workshop or an event or a networking event, you have to be out there so people can get to know you and like you and trust you, right? So you have to build relationships. So we build relationships on podcasts, we build relationships at networking groups, we build relationships when we're out in public. So, and we also do that on social media. So design really helps to make it interesting. So, my backdrop today being on a yacht, this is me manifesting my yacht.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, well, listen, it looks beautiful. Uh, let's just say uh when you get it, I hope you're gonna invite me.
SPEAKER_01:I will, absolutely.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, I I agree, uh Debbie, with you. It's it's a key to putting yourself out there to create a brand. Um, that's what that's why there's so many young entrepreneurs. I call them entrepreneurs, but some people would call them YouTubers or or social media. It's still a business. I know because I'm doing it, uh, it's it's a lot of work. It's not, you know, it's a lot of work. But why are they so successful? Why are they making millions of dollars at such a young age versus it was non-existent before social media, right? Um, you need to put yourself out there and go after the audience that you want to attract and that and then create a product so they can buy it.
SPEAKER_01:And one of the big the big buzzwords that you're saying without saying it is consistency, yeah, right? You have to be consistent, you have to consistently show up, not here one day and then not for two weeks, right? Yeah, whatever it is that you're doing, you have to be consistent. Absolutely.
SPEAKER_00:All right, question number four for you. Uh, you've led teams, coach colleagues, and build partnerships from uh Oakland to Los Angeles. Uh what have you learned about leadership, especially in balancing strong business systems with genuine human connections? Because sometimes, you know, we can go in business mode and we forget that we're dealing with humans. So it's sometimes difficult to integrate both.
SPEAKER_01:Right. Well, I am definitely uh I'm a people person, so that part is really easy. Before I even got into real estate, I wrote things that I wanted to have in the career that I would have. It had to be meeting people all the time, meeting people of different cultures. I I wanted to help people. So those that is me. So that makes it easy for me to want to help and lead. And so, and I want people to be successful. So I again I lead from the heart, I lead from helping, I live from giving back. Um, people will say sometimes, why do you do that? You don't get paid. And I said, It makes me feel good. And then later in life, I realized, well, it is now people write about it, givers gain and giving to receiving and all of that, but it's always been natural for me to give. And I I would say some it comes back in other ways. It might not be because I did X and it's gonna have this result, it might come back somewhere completely different. So, um, and then yes, about the human side, because there is, even though I'm I love to give and help people and coach and help them find their success. I didn't realize because when I was writing my book, the mindset in motion method, and I was working with my coach, I said, Well, that's obvious. I was talking about how people just have to just do it and move forward and do what they're supposed to do. She's like, Debbie, people don't get that. Not everyone just does, follows, you know, achieves their goals and follows what they want to do. And I was breaking, and I and I realized in another meeting I was having with um a business person. He described, I was sitting in um, we were on Zoom with this guy who gave us a uh some kind of a test, not really a test, but to decipher how we're how we learn. And the two younger people in their 30s and 40s, I discovered, I thought you just you just do what you're supposed to do. Here's what I'm gonna tell you to do, and you just do it, and then you'll do it. That's me. You tell me, you give me an assignment, I'm gonna do it, no questions asked. But these their learning style was different. They needed a list, they needed um a very detailed, you know, one to ten. How am I gonna do that? It was very much a different way of executing than I than I ever thought. So people do have different styles of learning, of course, and of implementing and working. So I can't remember the name of the test, but I was very into it. And it really helped me see that and understand people do have a different way of moving around in this world, and we have to identify that. And for us to help our team and support our team and others, we it's nice for us to understand how people are different.
SPEAKER_00:And I think uh to be a successful leader is is key to understand that people learn in different ways, and people will not be successful. You have, you know, I don't know, five different employees, they might not be the best at the same task. So learning where to place your people for what task uh is key also.
SPEAKER_01:Very much and put them somewhere and how they I mean, nothing not everything's easy, they'll have to learn some things, but wherever it is that their strength lies, get them to you know to work that that angle.
SPEAKER_00:And another thing I'm gonna add, we're we're going longer on this question, but it's important. Uh make them do something, make sure that they like what they're doing. Because once they like, if if they like it, it's not gonna feel as much of a I've been in offices in sales before where I I was looking at the clock and I couldn't finish, I couldn't wait to get out of there. I was like, uh, you know, I didn't I didn't love my environment, I didn't love where I was. Yeah. Well, if if the environment, if the people are happy, they're gonna give a lot of efforts.
SPEAKER_01:Absolutely. And you you have to, whatever it is, whatever the job is you're trying to do, or the career you're trying to have, you have to love. I mean, you perfect example are tech people who are just, you know, day and night, day and night working on that thing, right? It's like you have to love it, you have to have a burning desire. Um, or it'll show, or you won't be successful, or it'll just be difficult. Like every day, I all the many things that I do every day. I'm just like right up until I got ready for this podcast. I was just immersed in a design uh catalog I was creating. I didn't like what they created, so I had to go in and edit it. I mean, I'm a control freak, but um, I love what I do every day, so it it doesn't feel like work.
SPEAKER_00:And I say the same thing. It doesn't feel like work. Yeah, exactly. Well, uh Debbie, our fifth and final question for today between your books, uh speaking and podcasts, you've turned your real estate career into a true platform of influence. You you've done it for many years. What advice would you give entrepreneurs who want to expand their business into media uh education or or taught leadership?
SPEAKER_01:Right. There are there are just so many ways. There's so many programs out there. And you know, you can like I took a few, like I tried to, I took an influencer course and it there was so much information, and it was, oh my gosh, I still can't figure out TikTok to save my life, other than posting. But, you know, there are all these experts out there who are doing really well. And take a class, a TEDx class, take a course, take uh, you know, an influencer course, take a food prep course if you want to, you know, whatever it is, there's so many, and there's so many, so many cool coaches out there that just on Instagram, there's so many, and they're not that expensive. So kind of explore or again, ask. I mean, if someone asked me a question that they wanted to connect with some sort of mentor or someone who could help them, I'm sure I could give them an answer and point them in the right direction. There's just a lot just with social media, I guess we just have so much at our fingertips. I mean, even free content. There is so much free content. Go on Instagram and type in a hashtag for whatever it is that you're interested in. You're gonna have so much content. It's crazy.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, and and uh, you know, I've I've invested a lot in in education and mentorship. Um, a lot of people sometimes are afraid because they think they can do it on their own. Right. You can uh use the free stuff online and you're gonna learn a lot. The thing that changes with paying for coaches or mentorship is the accountability accountability piece of it.
SPEAKER_01:Absolutely. That's what I call myself. When people are like, Are you a life coach? I go, I'm an accountability coach. Yeah, I can tell, you know, if you're if you're willing to come do the work, I will hold you accountable and I will get you through it. But yeah, you have to wanna you have to want to do it, and I'll hold you accountable if you do.
SPEAKER_00:Debbie, it was a pleasure to talk with you today on today's show. Uh, lots of great value. Obviously, you have lots of experience, uh, even though you still look like 25 years old. So um let me uh tell you that I hope our listeners are gonna take a piece of your knowledge and advice on their journey. And it was again a pleasure to have you. And don't forget me when you get that yacht. I want to be there.
SPEAKER_01:I will not. I will not. Thank you so much for having me. This was really fun. I appreciate it.
SPEAKER_00:All right.