The surge in real estate professionals launching podcasts has revealed a critical flaw in how many approach the medium, according to Tomás Fonseca, CEO of Icons of Real Estate, who warns that lack of clear vision is derailing many would-be podcasters before they begin.
“We always like to attach an objective to the podcast. We want to attach a vision because podcasts with no vision are going blindly and it’s not going to work out. And that’s one of the biggest reasons that podcasts fail,” Fonseca says, drawing from his experience overseeing more than 70 real estate podcasts nationwide.
The Vision-Reality Gap
Fonseca points to a common disconnect between expectations and reality among new podcasters. “Sometimes they say, ‘I want to sell 50 houses from the podcast.’ And I’m like, ‘We’re charging a couple hundred dollars a month, it’s a bit unreal to expect that,'” he shares, highlighting how misaligned goals can lead to disappointment and eventual abandonment of podcasting efforts.
This misalignment, Fonseca argues, stems from treating podcasting as a direct sales tool rather than understanding its role in building long-term authority and relationships. “The results are compounding, and they are both short-term, medium-term and long-term,” he explains, emphasizing the need for more nuanced success metrics.
The Perfectionism Trap
Another major pitfall Fonseca identifies is overthinking the launch process. “Some might think they’re just launching a show on Netflix. And as much as it’s important, and you need to do it in the proper way, just get started,” he advises, pointing to how even major podcasters like Joe Rogan started with relatively basic productions.
“You look at episode number one of any podcast, and you look at its quality,” Fonseca notes, arguing that improvement comes through iteration rather than perfect initial execution.
Building a Sustainable Framework
To address the pitfalls that cause so many real estate podcasts to fizzle out, Icons of Real Estate has designed a structured framework for podcast development. At its core, the model stresses the importance of setting clear, measurable goals from the outset, ensuring that each show is aligned with broader business objectives rather than being treated as a side project. By understanding the compound nature of podcast benefits, where growth builds slowly over time through credibility, brand recognition, and lead generation, creators can stay motivated even when immediate results are not obvious.
Equally important is the emphasis on consistent execution over flawless production. Icons of Real Estate argues that listeners value authenticity and reliability more than studio-perfect sound, meaning consistency is the true driver of long-term engagement. To that end, the program encourages measuring success across multiple timeframes, evaluating both short-term listener metrics and longer-term brand impact. This holistic approach not only keeps creators focused but also positions podcasts as sustainable, strategic marketing assets rather than fleeting experiments.
The Solution Landscape
Icons of Real Estate is launching a new platform called “ICONS hub” to help address these challenges by connecting podcast hosts with guests in the real estate industry. “We already have hundreds of podcasts signed up before launch,” Fonseca says, suggesting strong market interest in tools that help create sustainable podcast operations.
According to Fonseca, this platform represents part of a broader solution to help real estate professionals approach podcasting with clearer vision and more sustainable expectations.
