An Absolutely Amazing Journey


Jordan Espeseth grew up in Thief River Falls. He raced snow cross during his growing up years, right up until the age of 17,

“I always thought I was going to go into snow cross professionally, but after my junior year of high school I retired as a semi pro on the national circuit,” Jordan said. “I wanted to have a normal life, hang out with my friends and play football.”

Finding a Career Path

After quitting snow cross, Jordan struggled trying to figure out what to do with his life after high school. Many of his friends were going into nursing, the pay was decent, and he liked helping people, so he decided to pursue nursing as a career path.

But, halfway through his nursing program, he decided it was not the right choice. “I still did not know what I wanted to do,” Jordan said. “I ended up getting a random bachelor’s degree from North Dakota State University. That was five years of schooling and I was still lost. I still had no idea what I wanted to do. I had some friends doing physical therapy, so I said, ‘hey, I like physical therapy. I like to work out, so I think I’ll try that’”

Hooked on Entrepreneurship

He ended up earning a physical therapy assistant (PTA) degree and worked in Texas as a traveling physical therapist for seven months. It was at that point that he decided to pursue a more entrepreneurial path.

He was introduced to entrepreneurship when he was 20 years old, working with a company called, “World Ventures.” “It wrecked me for 9 to 5 work,” Jordan said. “It introduced me to the concept of entrepreneurship, being your own boss, making your own money, setting your own schedule and the whole idea that you will never become truly wealthy if you’re only paid for your time.”

“I was hooked. I absolutely loved it,” Jordan said. “I didn’t make much money, but I saw a future and I wanted it.”

Fast forward to 25 years old , Jordan knew deep down that physical therapy was not where he wanted to end up. “I was just working and buying time until I figured out how I could get out of the nine to five world and get into that entrepreneurial world.”

He tried a few different endeavors, following a seemingly meandering path.

Hoping to Make Something Happen

In February of 2018, Jordan came across a new opportunity, one that enticed him to take a big step. He hopped in his car and drove 1,300 miles to Texas to start a Real Producers franchise business. Jordan was convinced that Real Producers was the opportunity he had been looking for, but it came with a great deal of risk.

“I was about $65 to $70K in debt and I’m going to work for six months for no pay on a whim, hoping I can make something happen,” Jordan said. “I didn’t know a single person. Not one person in a metroplex of 7.5 million people.”

“I had so much riding on it because I felt like I had failed a lot in my life, and I was just kind of bumbling around to a bunch of different things. I felt like a lot of my friends and family were like, ‘man what is Jordan doing? Why doesn’t he just get a job and settle down?’ I felt like it was my last chance.”

“The business is 100 percent based on sales,” Jordan said. “If you don’t sell, you don’t make any money.”

The Real Producers business model creates a community around the best producing real estate agents. They host big events and put out a monthly publication that goes to the top 500 producing real estate agents in the market, sharing top realtor stories and successes, as well as providing a glimpse into their personal lives.

The franchise started as a single location business in 2015, quickly growing into a national franchise that serves 100 markets across the United States.

Importance of Persistence

When Jordan started his Real Producers franchise business, he learned the importance of persistence. “I was told, ‘no,’ 40 times. Most people are told, ‘no,’ ten times before they start making sales. For me, it was 40 times, and man, my tail was absolutely between my legs. I didn’t think it was going to happen and I was so grateful that finally it did.”

Once he got some traction, things started to come together for Jordan. He now runs three franchise locations in the Dallas/Fort Worth area and couldn’t be happier with where things are at.
“I’ve grown a team. I have full time employees, and it’s been an absolutely amazing journey,” he said. “I’m so grateful for it, but it’s not for the faint of heart that’s for sure.”

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