How He Scaled Cold Calling to $50M in Sales
How He Scaled Cold Calling to $50M in Sales  
Podcast: Forward One Podcast
Published On: Mon Aug 18 2025
Description: Welcome back to the Forward One Podcast, hosted by Paul Mark Morris and Josh Spitzen of Forward One Real Estate. In this episode, we sit down with Merse Kallow to unpack what it really takes to break into one of the toughest markets in the world and build a business around persistence, discipline, and strategy. We explore how off-market opportunities can transform your deal flow, why developer clients can be both the easiest and most challenging to work with, and the overlooked mindset shifts that separate consistent closers from agents who burn out. We’re also joined by realtor Andrew Whaley, a rising star on Merse’s team who has built a reputation as a high performer through relentless cold calling and quality conversations. Together, we break down how Merse’s team built \$50 million in sales volume by staying focused on their lane, creating value in ways other agents overlook, and mastering the art of resilience. If you’ve ever wondered how to build lasting relationships with developers, turn cold calls into meaningful business, or elevate your own consistency in the face of rejection, this episode delivers the blueprint.Connect with the Forward One Team!Paul:https://www.instagram.com/paulmarkmorris/Josh:https://www.instagram.com/spitzenjosh/Merse:https://www.instagram.com/merse_kollo/Andrew:https://www.instagram.com/ajwhaleyy/Timestamps00:00:00 Intro00:00:31 Moving from Hungary to U.S.00:03:27 Learning English & high school struggles00:06:06 First real estate job in LA00:08:39 First deals & 50/50 split00:12:30 Proving yourself before asking00:15:19 Mistakes & persistence00:16:45 Willingness to try new things00:20:00 Building a small focused team00:21:50 Working with developers00:25:18 $50M sales volume & deal flow00:27:39 Getting developer clients00:32:18 Loyalty, value, and resale listings00:36:53 Finding deals & buy box00:47:45 Example deal breakdown00:56:19 Team culture & junior agents01:00:15 Andrew’s background & joining the team01:06:29 Cold calling mindset & quality conversations01:08:39 Positive work environment & fit01:11:32 Andrew’s recent deals01:16:34 How Andrew cold calls sellers01:24:13 Roleplay call example01:24:33 F1RE Round