What Writing Selling Buildings Reminded Me About My Prior Book

Over the past two-plus years, I’ve spent over two hundred hours writing Selling Buildings, a new book I co-authored with Bob Knakal and will launch this Tuesday, May 20. (Available on Amazon.com)

And in the process, something unexpected happened:

I found myself reflecting on the last book I wrote.

Knowing Isn’t Doing turns five this year, and it explored why so many professionals fail to reach their potential, not because they lack information, but because they fail to implement it.

And as I re-read parts of it while writing Selling Buildings, I realized something:

The ideas in Knowing Isn’t Doing are even more relevant today than they were in 2020.

Why?

• AI is eliminating the advantage of knowledge. Execution is the only differentiator now.
• CRE markets are tighter. The margin for error is smaller.
• Distractions are louder. Brokers are pulled in 50 directions, and the ones who don’t have systems in place get left behind.
• The 7-figure ceiling is harder to break without leverage.
• The “busy broker” myth is still alive and well, while the best are simplifying and scaling.

So today, I want to give you 5 takeaways from Knowing Isn’t Doing, and show you how they can sharpen your edge right now in 2025.

Let’s dive in.

1. “You’re Not a Broker. You’re a Business.”

This was (and still is) the foundation of the book.

If you’re earning your own income, you’re not an employee. You’re an owner. You don’t just have listings. You have a brand.

You don’t just make calls. You build pipeline systems.

The sooner you take full ownership of your brokerage practice, the faster it becomes predictable, scalable, and valuable.

2025 Application: Stop thinking like a salesperson. Start thinking like a CEO. This is your business.

2. Hustle Is Temporary. Systems Are Sustainable.

The brokers I coach don’t work harder than you. They work better.

Why? Because they have systems for everything:

How they follow up
How they prep for calls
How they source leads
How they review their week

And most importantly, they follow those systems week after week.

2025 Application: As AI tools rise and client expectations shift, a broker with solid systems will always outperform one relying on memory, momentum, or adrenaline.

3. Time Isn’t Money — It’s Your Only Leverage

Everyone says “time is money.” But in brokerage, time is how you earn more money.

Your ability to say no to low-value activity is directly tied to your ability to:

Prospect more
Follow up faster
Close deals cleaner

The I.P.A.I.D.™ system from Knowing Isn’t Doing was created for this reason, to help you sort what actually moves the needle from what just fills your calendar.

2025 Application: Want to make more? Start by protecting your time like it’s your most valuable asset.

4. Delegate What You’re Not World-Class At

If you’re still trying to be the:

• Designer
• Admin
• Marketing team
• CRM manager

…you’re not a broker. You’re a bottleneck. Let that one sink in!

Knowing Isn’t Doing pushed brokers to ask: “What’s one thing I can delegate this quarter that frees me up for more revenue-generating work?”

2025 Application: You’ll never get to 7+ figures if you’re stuck in Tier 1 tasks and thinking. Use your income to buy back your time.

5. Build Wealth, Not Just Commission

Most brokers run from deal to deal with no clear wealth strategy.
But the best? They treat each commission as fuel, not just income.

They reinvest in:

• Their platform
• Their brand
• Their people
• Their long-term financial freedom

Knowing Isn’t Doing laid this out in detail, and it’s more urgent now than ever.

2025 Application: You’re in the business of building wealth more than just closing deals (so start acting like it).

Final Takeaway: Execution Still Wins

Knowing Isn’t Doing is more about strategy than it is work ethic. After all, you don’t get paid for knowing the answer. You get paid for doing the thing.

If you want to turn 2025 into your breakout year, here’s your next step:

Join me, Bob Knakal, and Ryan Serhant in NYC on May 20 for the Knakal Massimo Brokerage Master Class.

You’ll get:

• Bob’s prospecting playbook (the same one that led to 2,300+ building sales)
• Ryan’s personal brand framework (the one that built a media empire)
• My updated Massimo Methods that are built to help brokers scale to 7 figures and beyond

Plus: Your ticket includes access to the Selling Buildings book launch party that evening.

This is a once-only, in-person experience. No recordings. No replays.

Just real strategy, in the room, with the best in the business.

Click here to secure your seat to the Knakal Massimo CRE Broker Masterclass

Pre-order the book: Selling Buildings

Let’s turn your knowledge into action.