Real Estate Agents Must Shift from 'Mirror Problem' to Audience-Centric Messaging

Courtney Poulos, Founder of SERHANT. CA and Team Lead of ACME | SERHANT. in Los Angeles, is on a mission to change how real estate agents are perceived. She argues that the industry suffers from a "mirror problem"—agents are often viewed as overpaid paper pushers, a reputation that has been worsened by class action lawsuits and public battles. Poulos believes that while some forces are beyond individual control, agents themselves are responsible for how they communicate and position themselves. After completing Harvard University's Advanced Management Development Program (AMDP), Poulos is now developing workshops to help agents rebuild public trust by focusing on audience-centric messaging rather than marketing to each other.

Poulos's experience at Harvard sharpened her conviction that real estate agents do not see themselves as senior-level executives, unlike lawyers or other professionals. She cites a client who tried to negotiate her commission down after she had already spent on marketing, calling it a sign of disrespect. The solution, she says, lies in messaging: agents must explain in plain terms what they actually do—data analysis, risk management, negotiation, and client protection—rather than competing on metrics that clients don't care about. Poulos is launching a series of workshops, starting in Orlando, to help agents craft narratives that resonate with clients, the press, and regulators.

ACME was founded in 2011 as a boutique brokerage in Los Angeles specializing in residential real estate, luxury properties, and renovation-resale strategy, and as of April 2026 is now ACME | SERHANT., under the national firm led by celebrity agent Ryan Serhant. Poulos's initiative aims to reverse the negative narrative and bring optimism to the housing market. Agents interested can reach out to courtney@acme-re.com.