I just got back late Friday night from Jackson Hole, Wyoming, where we held the REtipster Inner Circle retreat. And wow…what a week. (Note--- those of you who saw the FB post--- this is longer form and has more meat and is still worth a read) To be honest, when I came out of the Land Unconference about a month and a half ago, I was tired. Worn out. Spent. I told myself, “I just have to push through and finish the process.” But as the days got closer to Jackson Hole, my energy started to rise again. By the time I boarded the plane, I was buzzing with anticipation. And it was worth it. The Power of the Room One of the things I’ve learned time and time again in event like these is that the people in the room make the event. Of course, my buddy @Seth Williams was there as we published it under his brand. I am so grateful for his trust in allowing me to put this together and associate it with him This trip brought together an incredible mix: - Old friends like Denise, @Bob Scott , @Xing Gao, and @Brian Wied . - New faces like @Jonathan Newth (welcome to the community, brother), Neil Clements (Seth’s new podcast partner), Mitch Klein, Abi and Erika from Gokce Capital (whose YouTube channel I’ve followed for years), and Jim Kramer from South Carolina. Between all of us, there was easily 1,000–1,500 land deals a year represented, with businesses ranging from $500K to $7M in revenue. Some focus on small flips, some on subdivides, others on entitlements or messy title work. Some are even moving toward vertical development. It was a diverse room, and the expertise was incredible. The Adventures We didn’t just sit in a room. We lived together for a week. - We fished. - We went on a wildlife safari. - We took a gondola up 10,000 feet and hiked the ridge. - We stargazed under the Milky Way, seeing millions of stars and the bands of light stretching across the sky. - And we did my favorite moment of all: a sunrise hike at Jenny Lake.

This week on Leadership in Land with @Chris Duff, an experienced land investor and funder who has built his business by staying focused, committed, and people first. In this episode, Chris shares: 1️⃣ The most important leadership quality land investors need to grow 2️⃣ How focusing on what you are best at can change your business 3️⃣ Simple lessons from hiring and working with VAs and contractors 4️⃣ Why stories and books can teach powerful lessons about leadership If you are building a land business or thinking about your next step, Chris’s story will give you encouragement and practical ideas. 👉 Listen to Leadership in Land Podcast for this episode and more resources.

In this episode with @Danielle Scillia, a veteran hair colorist with 35 years of experience turned land investor, we talk about her bold decision to leave a reliable, recession-proof career to go all in on her land business. Danielle shares the lessons learned from scaling too fast, the systems she is building to keep her team aligned, and why a personal touch matters more than ever in today's market. She also opens up about navigating tough years, rebuilding confidence, and leading with purpose. If you have ever wondered what it takes to pivot into land full time and keep your business moving forward even when the market is not, this conversation is packed with real-world leadership insights you can use today. 👉 Explore the Land Leadership Course to access resources

Hey Leadership in Land crew 👋 I just recorded a quick off-the-cuff video (inspired while out on a walk this morning) sharing some thoughts on change—both the expected and unexpected kinds that hit us as entrepreneurs. 🎥 Watch the full video here: https://vimeo.com/1100882275/4e813375d6?share=copy 🧠 What’s on My Mind Lately: - One of my key team members in financial planning is transitioning out… right before the Unconference and my Wyoming trip 🥴 - That’s forcing me to rethink priorities and scale back some initiatives I had planned (like hiring a new Facebook poster or lead manager). - At the same time, we’re digging deep into our mailing data—what’s working, what’s not, and how to get more ROI from each cycle. 💥 Major Data Takeaways: 📬 We mailed ~200,000 letters from Jan–Apr. Our target was 1 deal per 5,000 letters…👉 Reality: 1 out of 10,000 😩 Here’s what we uncovered: - Blind offers outperformed neutral and range letters across the board - Neutral letter response rates dropped significantly (as low as 0.15%) - Most appointments came from in-state owners—more than we expected - Owners with no recorded purchase date had a much higher response rate than those who bought in 2020–2022 - Residential vacant land made up 60%+ of successful appointments - Zoning classifications matter more than we used to think—miscellaneous and conservation zones were killing ROI We're adjusting accordingly: - Cutting out 2020–2022 ownership data - Narrowing zoning filters to only top-performing land types - Removing counties and data segments that don’t yield results 🧭 Why This Matters: Mailing is still our bread and butter—but the game has changed.To stay profitable, we can’t just “spray and pray” anymore. We have to be disciplined, data-driven, and open to pivoting—even when it's uncomfortable. 🙋‍♂️ What About You? I’d love to hear how you’re adjusting to changes in the land game:

Did you miss the hot seats with Ajay? Check it out here!! We had Colin and Dianne and Alex hang out with us! These guys know their stuff, but even they are trying to figure out issues in their business. Luckily, it's not the last opportunity.... Want to take your land business to the next level — even in this economy? Next Thursday 4/17 at 1:30p CT, we’re running a special UnConference-style hotseat session, hosted by @Chris Duff , me, and the OG Justin Sliva. Two people will get 45 minutes each of deep-dive, no-BS feedback to break through whatever’s holding them back — pricing, deal flow, systems, you name it. This is a sneak preview of what’s coming at the big UnConference (only 15 tickets still available!) in Minneapolis (8/7–8/9) — which is also moderated by Seth Williams & Ajay Sharma, in addition to the 3 of us above. If you’re even thinking of going, this is your chance to get a taste of the magic. These 2 hotseats WILL go fast. If you want in, drop a comment or DM @Chris Duff ASAP. Full event info https://www.facebook.com/events/2816181668561244/