The Focus Formula: How Niche Branding Builds Long-Term Success in Land (Podcast Ep#131)

Kay Walker didn’t scale with a massive team or high-volume cold calling. Instead, she built a lean, local operation that closes high-value land deals using direct mail, in-house systems, and trusted people she already knows.In this episode, Kay shares how she keeps her operations tight but effective, relying on local relationships across NC, SC, and GA, and a close-knit team that understands her process.From managing mail campaigns in-house to coordinating with realtors, soil testers, and contractors she’s worked with for years, Kay shows that smaller teams can move fast, stay personal, and win big.IN THIS EPISODE:Why local relationships make the differenceHow a smaller team keeps things efficient and profitableRunning direct mail campaigns in-houseLessons from scaling a busy short-term rental businessWhat developers really want when buying landHow to build a high-trust, low-chaos team

Ann and Mary Danielson run a land business from two sides of the world one in Denver, the other in the Philippines.No team. No VAs. No mailing in nearly a year.Yet their business hasn’t slowed down—it’s gotten more focused, more profitable, and more intentional.In this episode, they share how clearly defined roles, trusted local partners, and a well-timed seasonal rhythm have helped them scale from simple flips to complex subdivides—without burning out or chasing every deal.IN THIS EPISODE:How to stay consistent without hiring or outsourcingWhat async operations look like in a real land businessWhy focusing on fewer counties led to more deal flowHow they prepped and bought $1M in land in just 3 weeks

Daniel Seavers was brought on to handle cold calls. But very quickly, it became clear he could do more. A lot more.In this episode, Daniel shares how his role evolved into managing the full acquisitions process within a land investing business. From generating leads to making offers, following up, and closing deals, Daniel breaks down the systems and mindset that help him consistently land one deal a week.He also talks about the advantages of keeping this work in-house, how his sales background shaped his approach, and what to look for when bringing someone into this kind of role.IN THIS EPISODE:How a cold calling role became full-cycle acquisitionsWhat the day-to-day looks like when one person owns the seller pipelineThe tools and workflows that support consistent deal flowWhy follow-up and live contract signing matterWhat to consider when hiring for this role internally

From burning out in finance to crushing it in land, Ryan Becker learned something surprising—putting service before sales actually makes you more successful.After climbing the ranks as a top 2% Zillow agent, Ryan brought his “service-to-sales” mindset into the land world, using transparency and honesty as his secret weapons.In this episode, Ryan shares how leading with the bad news, focusing on what customers actually need, and documenting everything can help you build a thriving business (and sleep better at night). His approach to team management and operations is inspired by Richard Branson’s business philosophy—but packed with practical takeaways for land investors.IN THIS EPISODE:How the “service-to-sales” approach makes land deals easier to closeWhy transparency builds trust (and helps you win 99% of the time)How documenting processes makes scaling smootherThe surprising upside of putting bad news first in your marketing

How many cold calls does it take to get a lead? What about texts?Nicholas Nick, founder of Lead Mining Pros, does the heavy lifting for investors, handling the entire lead generation process from list pulling to skip tracing to handing off leads that are primed to closed.After 8 years in business, he’s turned the art of cold outreach into a science and walks us through the process step-by-step.He’s even put together a library of 7 free courses, including “Hour a Day Investor” which includes the exact scripts you need to turn leads into closed deals.His white-glove lead gen service specializes in cold calling and texting, ensuring you get high-quality leads without spending hours on the phone.Learn how many cold calls or texts it takes to generate lead with Lead Mining ProsThe difference in lead quality and quantity when it comes to cold calling vs textingThe importance of American vs foreign callers depending on the market you’re working inUnderstand the new one-to-one consent rule

Land investing has changed – deals take longer, competition is fiercer and the investors who thrive are the ones who adapt.Our guest, Logan Swanson, has spent years building a land business that stands the test of time and his biggest lesson?Focus.Not that he was!Logan dabbled in countless areas in land (and outside of land, he’s opening a coffee shop in Dallas!) but after 7+ years, his advice for new investors is to be hyper-focused.In this episode, he explains why a strong brand and niche expertise are essential for long-term success in land.We dive into how to create a business that compounds value, attracts the right deals and builds an audience that sustains growth.IN THIS EPISODE: Why branding builds authority and attracts deals How to transition from generalist to expert in land investing Why being hyper-focused is the key to long-term land investing success

Is land investing still a great opportunity in 2025? Absolutely – but the game has changed.Deals are taking longer, competition is fiercer and investors face a choice: get out or get better.In this episode, we sit down with Clay Hepler, a top-tier land investor who’s doubling down on the latter, building a high-quality, scalable business.Instead of chasing volume, he’s focusing on fewer, larger deals while structuring his team and capital for long-term growth.Clay breaks down the process of transitioning from a high-volume model to a quality-focused operation – fewer deals, bigger profits and the team required to support it. He walks us through the decision-making process, the marketing shifts required and the capital strategies that make it all possible.If you're looking to grow past the 7-figure mark, this episode is packed with insights on mindset, systematizing acquisitions, understanding key metrics and leveraging capital partnerships to scale smartly.IN THIS EPISODE:Understand the critical decision at $1M: are you going to be a high volume or high-quality shop?Find out the key numbers every land investormust track to scaleGet tips on how to sustainably transition your business and the mindset to adopt

Ready to dive into the world of distressed properties and the big margins they bring?In this episode, we chat with Clint Turner, a land investing legend who shares his secrets on turning seemingly unsellable properties into hugely lucrative deals.How lucrative?How does $800k on a deal he was all in for $230k + entitlements sound? (He takes us through the whole wild story, rest assured)Always in the lab working on new strategies, distressed properties and finding solutions for sellers turned into an absolute goldmine of new business for his team.Also known as encumbered properties, these deals have become a blue ocean strategy that has completely replaced traditional land flips for him.Tune in as he explains the ins and outs of marketing, acquisitions, and the legal challenges that come with them, showing us how to turn opportunities into profitable deals.**IN THIS EPISODE:**- Understand how shifting from land-flipper to problem-solver can pay big dividends- Learn the flags Clint looks for when hunting for acquisitions- Discover the marketing techniques that bring these properties to lightShownotes:- learn.land

How do 17 to 20 responses for every 100 messages you send sound? That’s the cold, clockwork math behind texting and – good news! – it’s far less complicated than it seems to get started with it. In this episode, we’re talking to Michael Bartolomei of Launch Control about the ins and outs of texting marketing, including the benefits of features like “Text Spinners” and “Quick Replies”. Plus, why it’s a stellar complement to your other marketing channels. Initially started by a real estate investor looking to solve his own problem, Launch Control is actually not optimized for messages sent – it’s optimized for discovery calls booked and hyper-focused on creating individual conversations. Ready to get active with your marketing and build consistent inbound responses? This is the episode for you. IN THIS EPISODE: Discover the difference between active and passive marketing – and why you should do both Understand that 10DLC registration is NOT as scary as it seems Learn about the guardrails Launch Control puts in place to protect you

The beauty of flipping land for Wayne Mutata? Not having to deal with the dreaded Three T’s. “No toilets, termites or tenants” as he puts it. A winding road took Wayne from Zimbabwe to Pennsylvania and then from gym owner to house wholesaler and eventually top-tier land flipper. Transitioning from houses to land wasn’t exactly a walk in the park though and he candidly takes us through the mistakes he made along the way – some of which became blessings in disguise. Whether it was finding out how to hire the right VAs, the value of moving from spreadsheets to a proper CRM to manage his land biz or teaming up with other investors to learn the ropes, Wayne is a true fountain of knowledge. Tune in for the goods. IN THIS EPISODE: Learn why Wayne switched from Investment Dominator to Pebble Discover how joint ventures can accelerate your growth as a land investor Find out why specialized, land VAs are a gamechanger Show notes IG: https://www.instagram.com/landflipking/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@landflipking FB: https://www.facebook.com/wmutata https://www.skool.com/landskool/about