Every Wednesday, Real Estate Magazine shares insights, experiences and advice from the top-performing teams and agents across Canada. If you would like to contribute or nominate a colleague or team, send us an email.
With two years of disciplined coaching, Jane Thuet has gone from a strong solo producer to a national top one percenter. In 2024, she tripled production and rose to the top 45 of more than 2,400 agents at her brokerage. So far in 2025, she is ranked 27th and on track for personal growth of 50 percent year-on-year, with her team growing at a pace of 31 percent.
Team: Inner Circle Real Estate Group, Re/Max Quality Mark
Market: Region Durham (Pickering, Ajax, Whitby, Oshawa, Clarington) and Toronto
Structure: Three agents, one administrator
BRAKE: How did you get into real estate?
JT: After moving to Whitby, I commuted three hours a day to the center and worked fifteen hours a day. I wanted my income to reflect my efforts, to be my own boss and to be able to set my schedule. My grandfather was a very successful real estate agent and my grandmother suggested I take the courses. I did that, and I’ve never looked back.
BRAKE: Why build a team?
JT: In 2020, I was overwhelmed. I couldn’t follow up to the level my clients deserved, and I quit on time. Building a team will help me maintain service standards and grow sustainably.
BRAKE: Who is doing what today?
JT: We collaborate through design. I manage vision, finance (with an accountant) and recruitment; ops runs through me and my administrator. The training is supported by KBI. I deliberately did not put my name on the team, so that partners have autonomy within the brand.
BRAKE: First hires that changed the company?
JT: Administrator, a sales agent and a coach. Coaching was the catalyst.
BRAKE: Your first rental advice?
JT: Hire slow, fire fast. Don’t hire another ‘you’. Hire someone for your blind spots: If you don’t like paperwork, find someone who is detail-obsessed and organized. The right fit beats ‘busy help’ every time.
BRAKE: Top lead sources now?
JT: Repeat and referral, Facebook leads and open houses.
BRAKE: If one channel were to disappear tomorrow, which would hurt the most – and why?
JT: References. If we stopped investing in our database, the company would feel it immediately.
BRAKE: How are new leads treated?
JT: Facebook and Realtor.ca flow into Follow Up Boss and then into the team in round-robin. The trickle will begin and agents will aim to reach out within an hour and continue calling/texting until we are connected and eligible. Frankly, accountability for follow-up is our biggest growth opportunity. That’s why we’re implementing a KBI ecosystem (Kathleen Black International) to tighten this up.
BRAKE: Typical response time target?
JT: Within an hour.
BRAKE: Core technology stack?
JT: Successor boss (CRM); Agent Locator (site/IDX); KBI coaching; KBI budgets for forecasts; Monday.com for tasks and visibility: it’s visual, intuitive and we actually use it.
BRAKE: Spending philosophy and ROI?
JT: About 25 to 30 percent goes back to marketing (staging, video, customer events), five to 10 percent to staff. Facebook cost per lead averages about $11. Our ROAS needs to improve: consistency in follow-up is the lever, and we’re addressing this with automation and accountability.
BRAKE: What types of agents thrive with you?
JT: Team players who execute the basics consistently.
BRAKE: Which behavior do you reward, which behavior gets you on the couch?
JT: Reward: prospecting, consistency, attitude, pushing your comfort zone and commitment to personal and professional development. A lack of responsibility, righteousness, and apathy will get you benched.
BRAKE: If a leader has $5,000 a month for the next six to twelve months, how should he invest it?
JT: Mine your database – customer events, networking and meaningful touches.
BRAKE: Minimum feasible follow-up cadence?
JT: We formalize it with the KBI/FUB buildout, but the goal is quick initial contact, structured details and visible accountability.
Lightning around
One technology you would fight to keep: Monday.com and follow-up boss
Marketing hill you die on: Customer events (and yes, even cake day)
Agents fail because… they don’t prospect or follow up. They chase shiny objects and stay ‘busy’ with non-income tasks. Real estate is a relationship business; you should have conversations every day.
Teams win because… a high-performance, collaborative culture forces everyone to bring their best ideas and strengths – and grow together.
Editor’s note: Jane Thuet answered our questions in the fall of 2025, as part of an article in a special print edition of REM.
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