Stop Wineing About Real Estate

This episode was just too good not to serve again! We’re re-airing our wildly popular conversation with Shaina Wizov, the creative force behind Take a Bite Out of South Florida. In this listener-favorite, Shaina shares how she turned her passion for food, travel, and storytelling into a full-blown influencer brand.

From navigating press trips and partnerships to surviving travel fails (yes, broken shoes included!), Shaina dishes out...

What happens when deep industry knowledge meets genuine empathy? In this candid and entertaining episode, underwriting manager Marla Grassgreen joins the show to pull back the curtain on what really goes on behind mortgage approvals. From debunking industry jargon to revealing how one underwriting decision saved a borrower $1,700, Marla shares how her sales background, detail-driven mindset, and client-first approach create a rare,...

This episode brings the laughs, the leadership, and the real talk. Special guest Amy Stark-Snook, powerhouse Realtor®, leadership coach, and co-founder of the Amy & Noreen Team at Lang Realty, joins us for a ride that’s anything but business as usual. With 25+ years of experience across real estate and title, Amy shares her signature no-nonsense wisdom—from navigating contracts like a boss to building a team rooted in values, n...

This episode is packed with stories you won’t hear in sales training. From wild AmeriQuest memories and money-tree incentives to navigating $10 million cash closings, hosts Emmanuel and Sarah sit down with longtime friends and real estate pros Paul Richmond and Mark Barone for a brutally honest (and hilarious) look at the industry.

They break down what it really takes to survive in South Florida’s luxury market, why first-time homeb...

What happens when a former business development exec from LA pivots into South Florida real estate—and builds a $45M portfolio in under three years? In this high-energy episode, Sarah Galperin joins hosts Sarah Biernbaum and Emmanuel St. Germain to unpack the real-life lessons behind her rise in one of the most saturated markets in the U.S. From nailing client expectations to calling out lazy listing agents, this conversation gets ...

What happens when a former financial professional decides to walk away from her career and dive headfirst into podcasting and television production? In this episode of Stop Wineing About Real Estate, Janine Stella—TV producer turned podcast strategist—shares her incredible journey from working with Montel Williams and Fox Business to building her own production company, Stella Mix. You’ll hear how she found her voice, created impac...

What if manipulation wasn’t the villain in your sales strategy—but the misunderstood hero? In this powerful conversation, clinical social worker Mary Owens joins Emmanuel and Sarah to unravel the emotional and psychological undercurrents that drive real estate, leadership, and everyday decision-making. From reframing stress and anxiety to decoding body language and communication styles, this episode is a deep-dive into how self-awa...

In this jam-packed episode of Stop Wineing About Real Estate, hosts Emmanuel St. Germain and Sarah Biernbaum sit down with Jeffrey Levine—CEO of Levine Coaching Company and team leader of Lux Places and Spaces Group—for an unfiltered, high-impact conversation on what real coaching actually looks like. From board-breaking epiphanies to the emotional side of business growth, Jeff opens up about how coaching transformed his life and t...

What happens when a former mortgage mogul trades Wall Street hustle for oceanfront listings? In this power-packed episode of Stop Wineing About Real Estate, Sarah Biernbaum and Emmanuel St. Germain sit down with Gregory Frank—Compass luxury agent and former founder of Blackstone Mortgage—to unpack his incredible journey from finance to high-end Florida real estate. From absorbing real estate insights at an early age while spending ...

In this special episode of Stop Wineing About Real Estate, host Sarah Biernbaum sits down with the one and only Elizabeth Bensassi—loan partner, problem-solver, team builder, and self-proclaimed Batman of the mortgage world. With wit, heart, and a desk full of Lego flowers and Keanu Reeves memorabilia, Elizabeth shares how she's grown from supporting just a few loan officers to overseeing the department's expansion and tr...

In this can't-miss episode of Stop Wineing About Real Estate, rockstar agent Stacy Plean spills the real (estate) tea on everything from spending $14K/month on Zillow leads to answering client calls at 1AM—yes, really. Stacey’s not your average Realtor. She’s part coach, part strategist, part psychologist, and all-in when it comes to building trust with buyers before asking for a pre-approval. Her unconventional approach? Mass...

What do knee surgery, reality TV drama, and cutting-edge AI tools have in common? Richie Gehrlein, of course. In this dynamic episode of Stop Wineing About Real Estate, host Emmanuel St. Germain and co-host Sarah Biernbaum welcome their longtime friend and now teammate Richie for a candid, funny, and inspiring conversation. Richie opens up about his transition from hospitality to home loans, how an ACL tear taught him humility, and...

After 30 years at Mortgage Network and a stint at a major corporate lender, Kirk Todd made a bold move—leaving behind the big-box mortgage world for something better: Choice Mortgage Group. Why? Because he wanted more than just a job—he wanted a home. In this exclusive interview, Kirk spills the truth about his transition, the challenges of uprooting decades of business, and why he chose culture over corporate red tape.

With a brand...

In this no-holds-barred (and wine-fueled) episode of Stop Wineing About Real Estate, we sit down for a wildly entertaining Part 2 with attorney Steve Wallace. From awkward celebrity encounters with Red Sox owner John Henry to shocking real estate horror stories (hello, black mold and $150K in damages), Steve, Sarah, and Emmanuel spill it all — the good, the bad, and the legally questionable.

You’ll hear why skipping an attorney on y...

What’s really happening in real estate after the NAR settlement? Are commissions truly changing, or are agents just finding workarounds? In this episode of Stop Wineing About Real Estate, Florida board-certified real estate attorney Steve Wallace unpacks the impact on buyers, sellers, and agents, why commercial real estate is still a free-for-all, and how interest rate shifts are affecting deals across the board.

Hosts Sarah Biernba...

What happens when industry titans collide? In this episode of Stop Wineing About Real Estate, we uncork the untold story behind a game-changing merger in the mortgage world. Emmanuel, Brian, and Jared take us behind the scenes—how a chance meeting in a coaching group led to years of friendship, strategic growth, and the ultimate partnership. But it wasn’t all smooth sailing! From navigating culture clashes to tackling market downtu...

What happens when real estate, dating, and million-dollar negotiations collide? In this episode of Stop Wineing About Real Estate, hosts Sarah Biernbaum and Emmanuel St. Germain sit down with powerhouse agent Becky Skeba-Mancini from Remax for a no-holds-barred conversation about the current market, high-stakes deals, and personal boundaries. From overpriced mansions to secret dating lives, Becky shares jaw-dropping insights on the...

Dating in your 40s and 50s isn’t for the faint of heart—especially when your date’s background check reveals 38 criminal offenses! In this unfiltered and wildly entertaining episode of Stop Wineing About Real Estate, Sarah Biernbaum and Emmanuel St. Germain team up with Carolina Rush from the Sweet and Spicy podcast to expose the highs and horrors of online dating. From men with solicitation charges to the art of profile takeovers ...

What does it take to merge three massive Realtor associations, manage 75 employees, and oversee a real estate empire spanning 43,000 agents? Dionna Hall, CEO of the Realtor Association for Broward, Palm Beaches, and St. Lucie County, joins us to reveal the power moves, leadership strategies, and game-changing industry insights that helped her shape one of the largest real estate organizations in the country.

From AI’s growing role i...