Team Eligibility & Team Building Policies

Purpose

Our number one goal is to support agents in building highly profitable, efficient, and personally fulfilling real estate businesses. For some, that path includes starting and growing a team. We support this—but only when done intentionally, with clear standards for eligibility, structure, and profitability. This SOP outlines our approach to team building and sets the expectations for all team leaders.

Why Our Messaging Is Different

In much of the industry, team building is framed as the next obvious step. At Bramlett, we challenge that assumption. Not every agent should start a team, and many who do would be better off doubling down on a leaner, more profitable solo operation. Our eligibility requirements and strategies reflect that belief.

Many brokerages push team formation because it serves their growth metrics. When team building becomes a recruiting strategy for the brokerage, the result is oversized, undertrained, and unprofitable teams. That is not our model. Our goal is quality over quantity. We want to help agents build profitable, time-leveraged businesses—and that means approaching team building with clarity and discipline.

Eligibility Requirements

Basic Team Eligibility

• Agents become eligible to start a team when they exceed $15M in personally generated sales (previous calendar year or rolling 12 months).

Branded Team Eligibility

• At $30M in production, a team becomes eligible to launch a branded team with identity and branding distinct from the brokerage (subject to approval).

These thresholds are designed to ensure agents have the production, systems, and focus necessary to lead others effectively.

Team Structures

1. Traditional Team

• The team leader earns a profit on the production of team members.
• These teams require strong systems, recruiting discipline, and time-leveraged leadership.
• The focus should be on lead generation and quality control—not mentorship for mentorship’s sake.

2. Partnership Team

• Members are relative equals in production and responsibility.
• Splits are the same and costs are shared.
• Often formed by spouses, partners, or collaborators with long-standing working relationships.

Each team type must be clearly defined up front and reviewed by leadership for structural soundness and profitability.

Approval Requirements

• All team hires and split structures must be approved by leadership in advance.
• We care deeply about each team's profitability and will only support growth strategies that reinforce that goal.
• We do not allow unstructured or misaligned compensation that creates confusion, resentment, or financial drag.

Strategic Priorities

Time Is Your Most Valuable Asset

Profitability is important—but so is your time. A successful team structure should free up your time, not consume more of it.

• Every decision about hiring, structure, or strategy should include a time calculation.
• Time-intensive mentorship should only be offered after scalable systems and lead gen are established.

Focus on Lead Generation Over Mentorship

• Low-producing team members create support drag and are often unprofitable.
• High-producing agents with inbound leads require less of your time and contribute to overall team margin.
• If mentorship is a passion, build it in intentionally—but not at the expense of leverage.

Leads Program

Teams are not eligible for the leads programs.

Partnerships and Informal Teams

We support and encourage collaborative partnerships, including informal partnerships and co-branded teams between spouses or longtime collaborators. These arrangements are often highly effective and are welcomed so long as they align with our branding and production requirements.

Once the team production level hits $15M, the partnership may be formalized into a team within the brokerage structure.

Questions to Ask Before You Start

• Do I enjoy managing people more than helping clients?
• Am I prepared to trade production income for time spent recruiting, training, and managing?
• Have I documented the systems and playbooks that will make others successful?
• Can I handle team member turnover, accountability, and conflict?
• Have I budgeted my own time as carefully as I’m budgeting money?

Final Note

Team building is not passive income. It’s operational leadership. It’s systems design. It’s recruiting and retention. It can be deeply rewarding and scalable—but only when executed with intention.

We’re here to help you think strategically about your business model. That includes teams, partnerships, and scaled solo production. Let’s make sure you’re building the business that fits your vision and values.