I'm in the throes of putting together the next Elevate Retreat with Blaine Feyen, and I couldn't be more excited about this event. We're planning for February 2026, and after last year's incredible experience, this one is lining up to be even better. There's something magical that happens when you get a group of forward-thinking appraisers together in an environment designed for growth and connection. The energy, the ideas, the relationships that form—it's exactly what our industry needs more of. If you've been thinking about taking your business to the next level, this retreat will be the catalyst you've been looking for.

Let's talk about KPIs—Key Performance Indicators. I know, I know, it sounds like corporate speak, and sometimes that's a turn-off. It sounds so official and stuffy. But really, all we're talking about is stepping stones to getting to your broader vision. Think of them as your roadmap markers, not some fancy business jargon.

Obviously, we've got to start with the ultimate vision. Where do you want to be five to ten years from now? But here's what I've found as a coach: the most usable timeline for Vision is two years. It's long enough away that it gives you real opportunity to actually get there, but it's not so far out that major life changes could completely derail your plans. Two years is the sweet spot.

The importance of setting that vision first cannot be overstated, but then you've got to break it down into small baby steps. Those are your KPIs—or goals, or steps, or whatever the hell you want to call them. The name doesn't matter; the tracking does. These can be done on a yearly, quarterly, monthly, and weekly basis.

In fact, I highly recommend that on a weekly basis you sit down and read your Vision Story of where you want to be, then set your weekly goals accordingly. This isn't just feel-good motivation—it's practical business planning. When you constantly remind yourself of the destination, your weekly actions start aligning naturally with that bigger picture.

In the Mastermind, we set KPIs every time we meet, which is quarterly. Those KPIs are for the next 90 days. I encourage people to make sure they are big enough that they make you stretch but still achievable. There's a balance here—too easy and you're not growing, too hard and you'll get discouraged and quit.

I also make sure that people set them so they are quantifiable. You can't just say "I'm going to make more money this quarter." Tell me how much more money you're going to make. Make it something that you can actually track and measure. Vague goals get vague results.

Here's the reason we are here in the All-Star Team: we are here to get better. You came for a reason. What is that reason? If your goal is to work less and make more money, what are you doing specifically on a regular basis to track your progress? Are you measuring your hourly rate? Are you tracking how many hours you're actually working? Are you monitoring which clients pay the best for the least hassle?

The appraisers who succeed long-term are the ones who treat their practice like a business, not just a job. And businesses track metrics. They know their numbers. They make decisions based on data, not just gut feelings.

Point #1: YouTube Premium. I've always been kind of a cheapskate, and if I can get something for free, I will. But I was paying for it in my time with ads, and I spend a lot of time on YouTube. Making the jump to YouTube Premium was well worth it. Plus, I actually did it for free because I was able to get rid of Spotify. The ad-free experience and background play features have made my YouTube consumption much more efficient and enjoyable.

Point #2: Rocket Money. This is a free service that watches your finances once you connect all of your credit cards and bank accounts, allowing you to make better financial decisions. It's particularly good at looking at those subscriptions that you are paying on a monthly, quarterly, or yearly basis that you've forgotten about. You'd be surprised how many $9.99 monthly charges you have running that you completely forgot about. Rocket Money helps you identify and cancel these forgotten subscriptions.

Let's dive into report cards for our clients. It's interesting how often I see complaints on social media from other appraisers who are offended by the fact that their clients have a report card for them. In fact, a lot of AMCs have stopped sending those report cards because there has been such a backlash from appraisers.

By report cards, I mean when you work for ABC Management Company and they send you monthly criteria showing how you measure up against that criteria. This includes things like turn time, revision rate, fees, and how you stack up against the competition. Appraisers often say things like, "What do they think we are, in second grade again?"

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Fact is, I love to know exactly where I stand with each of my clients and how I stack up against other appraisers in my area. It gives me information, and information allows me to make decisions. Some appraisers see this as insulting, but I see it as valuable business intelligence.

The fact is, your clients are going to keep track of your progress regardless of whether or not they share it with you. So some appraisers might feel like they have a victory because they are no longer getting report cards from their clients, but to me, that information is still there—they're just not seeing it, which puts them at a disadvantage.

Now, let's flip it on its head. Are you keeping track of your clients? Do you keep track of the types of clients you are working with and how they stack up against their competition? How do you make decisions on who you want to work for if you don't keep track of this?

By keeping track, I'm talking about how often they send you work, what their fees are, what their turn time requirements are, their revision rate and response time, and how often they ask for revisions on stuff that you've already done correctly or is unnecessary. How long does it take you to collect payment? How do they send you payment? How easy are they to work with?

A Clients are your preferred list. These are the ones that you will bend over backward and push other clients aside to get their work done because you appreciate them as a client and want to maintain that relationship. B clients fill the slow times, but you're not going to move heaven and earth for a B client. Y clients are short for "Why (Y) the Hell Am I Working For You?" These are the clients that should be fired.

How do you keep track of all this information? You can do it as simply as a spreadsheet. I keep track of it in Monday.com, but it doesn't matter where you keep track. What matters is that you keep track and that you regularly review your clients and make decisions when you are working on your business. Remember, a business owner doesn't just accept every order that comes through the door—they are selective about the type of business they want to run, and keeping track of these metrics allows you to make informed decisions.

Let's talk about retirement and what that means specifically. I like to use the analogy of a car getting new tires—so think of it as a "re-tire-ment." We don't live in the same world that we used to with regard to working at the same factory for 30 years, getting a gold watch, and then taking up golf in your later years.

If you are doing something you love, you will want to continue to do it and keep yourself active. The traditional model of retirement—where you completely stop working at 65 and spend your days in leisure—doesn't fit our modern world or our modern lifespans.

So let's make a plan now to set up our life in such a way that this can be what we do. Find something you are passionate about and put more effort into that than things you are less passionate about. The goal isn't to stop working entirely; it's to transition into work that energizes you rather than drains you.

For appraisers, this might mean shifting toward consulting, teaching, or specializing in the types of appraisals you find most interesting. It might mean building passive income streams or developing your business to the point where it runs without your constant involvement. 

Now go create some value!