You’ve seen the problem. Most agents are renting their business without realizing it. You understand what ownership means. It’s not just exporting a CSV. It’s having your data (all of it, including the metadata) in a place you control. Now let’s talk about what becomes possible. A data-independent agent isn’t a tech expert. They’re a business owner first. Their data lives in one place they control, and tools plug in to serve the business, not own it. Learn what changes when you’re truly data-independent and why ENRG is building the brokerage of the future around this reality. Part 3 of our data ownership series.

ENRG Founder and President Erinn Nobel joins Rivers and Charles on The Lab to share the story behind building a brokerage with intention. From 15 years at a boutique brokerage to discovering revenue share at eXp, Erinn explains why ENRG rejects false choices: boutique support AND virtual freedom, high splits AND strong infrastructure. Learn about Connect & Thrive (Recruiting-as-a-Service), what agent-owned data really means, and why leadership that still sells houses matters. Watch the full episode.

Most agents think exporting their contacts means they own their data. But when you leave a CRM, you get names and numbers—the conversation history, engagement data, and relationship context stays locked inside. That’s metadata, and metadata IS the business. Learn what agent-owned data actually means, why most CRMs were built to be sticky (not portable), and the 5 critical questions to ask any brokerage or tech platform before you commit. Part 2 of our data ownership series.

Agents love to say their business is built on relationships and sphere. But ask them what their network is worth or where it actually lives, and the answers get fuzzy. Your database is your business—so why is it scattered across tools and platforms you don’t fully control? Part 1 of a 3-part series on agent data ownership.