We’ve got you.
“What previously seemed impossible became doable with the Buffini & Company systems and activities.”
For some agents, the idea of a Pop-By can be a little intimidating at first, but not for Pauline Maloney — or should we say, Moxie.
“Moxie is my alter ego which I let out for special occasions,” explains Pauline.
In 1999, Moxie, a clown, shared the stage briefly with Brian Buffini, founder and chairman of Buffini & Company. Head draped with a red wig, Pauline suited up in shorts, suspenders, red hi-top converse and plenty of stripes to demonstrate how she delivered Pop-Bys.
“I wrote a skit and gave it to Brian to follow,” says Pauline. “It was a big stretch for him!”
You might say she was leveling the playing field. Just before Moxie’s stage debut, Brian Buffini had urged Pauline to take a leap of her own. In December 1998, Brian popped on the coaching call where Pauline revealed her plans to own a brokerage.
“He challenged me to take the steps necessary to open my agency in two weeks' time,” recalls Pauline. “I did just that and have never looked back. It was much easier than I thought, and since then, I have encouraged other solo agents to do the same.”
This wasn’t the only thing Pauline achieved through Buffini & Company One2One Coaching™. She nearly tripled her production in that first year of real estate coaching while also spending more time with her young children. Later, Pauline’s coach would help her successfully navigate the Great Recession as well as her own personal challenges.
“What previously seemed impossible became doable with the Buffini & Company systems and activities,” says Pauline.
Pauline has also leaned into the Buffini & Company community as a Buffini Group leader. She synergizes and brainstorms regularly with Members in her region and has done so for 20 years now.
“Small group meetings have added even more accountability, cooperation and structure to my business,” says Pauline.
Most significantly, the powerful Buffini & Company systems and supportive Member community have given Pauline space for creativity. After many years of expert planning, saving and scheduling with her coach, Pauline recently acquired an art studio where she creates landscapes, portrait and still life paintings — something that’s always been a long-term goal of hers.
Whether she’s pursuing her art, tackling a business challenge or dressing up as Moxie the clown, Pauline knows that the Buffini & Company community has her back.
“All of the events over the last 25 years have helped me meet with likeminded colleagues and reinforce the fundamentals and my inspiration, friendships and accountability,” says Pauline.
“I have visited and run many places in the world that I would never have had the pleasure of doing had I not implemented the Buffini & Company systems.”
A few years ago, Kathy Martin was voted as the World Masters Female Athlete of the Year. This was an incredible achievement for Kathy, who has run competitively for decades, but it almost didn’t happen.
“I was contemplating giving up running, because I did not think I could run a successful real estate business and run competitively," says Kathy. “It was tough, because running was a passion of mine.”
At this same time, Kathy was also involved with Buffini & Company One2One Coaching™ as a Member. She discussed her predicament with Brian Buffini, the company’s founder and chairman. The advice he offered completely shifted her course.
“Brian explained it was not an either/or option, but a both/and option,” recalls Kathy. “He told me I needed to have some structure, boundaries and systems, and that I could be very successful and fulfilled.”
Kathy went to work with her coach to figure out how she could achieve her “both/and” reality — and she did. Today, she is a rockstar in the competitive running space. Her achievements have been featured in The New York Times, Runner’s World, and most recently, a national commercial. Kathy managed to do all of this while also building a thriving referral-based business with the help of Buffini & Company.
“I love to travel, and I have visited and run many places in the world that I would never have had the pleasure of doing had I not implemented the Buffini & Company systems,” says Kathy.
The business Kathy built remains on solid ground. Thanks to Buffini & Company’s teachings, she now controls her business — it doesn’t control her. She’s cut her expenses and separated her business and personal accounts. Her retirement savings are stocked, and taxes are no longer a source of stress, since she always sets money aside.
“We would not be where we are now financially had I not listened and accepted Buffini & Company coaching and the lessons in accountability, goal setting and budgeting," says Kathy.
As a Broker Associate at Signature Premier Properties in Northport, New York, Kathy always has her eyes on the prize. She is constantly exceeding her personal and financial goals — her most recent accomplishments were paying for her car with cash and purchasing an investment home with her family. She meets with a Buffini & Company small group in her area to synergize and grow with likeminded people.
“I truly believe that outwardly focused people live a very rich and rewarding life,” says Kathy. “We just have to dream big and set goals, even if we do not yet know how we will achieve them.”
"My little world has become a warmer, friendlier place because of Buffini & Company."
When New Hampshire-based real estate agent Mary-Ellen Berg first heard Brian Buffini, founder and chairman of Buffini & Company, speak at a half-day seminar in 1996, she embraced Working by Referral with open arms.
“I realized that the type of business that I wanted was one that was based on relationships, not an Internet lead or a cold call,” says Mary-Ellen.
Mary-Ellen's husband, Carroll Berg, had recently joined her in real estate full time, and she knew they needed a third-party perspective to keep them accountable with their new business system. That’s when she turned to Buffini & Company real estate coaching.
“The first year with my coach, we doubled our business, and then it happened again,” Mary-Ellen explains. “In addition to our numbers increasing, we had a better quality of life and spent much more time with our only child.”
As an Associate Broker at Keller Williams Realty – Metropolitan, Mary-Ellen is dedicated to sharing the powerful Working by Referral system. She has led hundreds of agents in Buffini & Company real estate training programs, transforming the way these agents work while creating a unique culture of synergy.
“The agents who we have introduced to Buffini & Company have gone on to join coaching and build their own successful teams, and we mastermind with each other constantly,” says Mary-Ellen.
Buffini & Company also transformed Mary-Ellen's personal real estate team of six — last year, they did $38 million in sales from referrals alone.
“Facilitating training programs like The Pathway to Mastery® keeps us working the basics of calls, notes and Pop-Bys, and has kept us from drifting,” explains Mary-Ellen.
Over the years, Mary-Ellen has also introduced her son, Carroll Berg III, to Brian Buffini’s teachings on personal development. Each summer, she would bring her whole family to San Diego for Buffini & Company MasterMind Summit™, the company’s major three-day motivational event. In fact, her son — who’s now in his thirties – was the first child to attend. Mary-Ellen is proud to say that the concepts he learned at MasterMind are ones he carries with him to this day.
“Today, my son is growing his own graphic design business and achieving his goals based on lessons he learned from Buffini & Company,” says Mary-Ellen.
Mary-Ellen is proud that Buffini & Company has helped her impact and improve the lives of her son and family, as well as her clients and co-workers.
“I am certainly a far better person than I would have been left to my own devices,” says Mary-Ellen. “My little world has become a warmer, friendlier place because of Buffini & Company.”
"I have learned how to see life and business to focus on the fundamentals that lead to mastery."
Keith McKinney came to real estate after spending some time in hospitality management, and the transition just made sense. Keith went from helping restaurant and hotel guests to helping home buyers and sellers — and it was that servant’s heart that drew him toward Buffini & Company real estate coaching nearly 25 years ago.
“I joined coaching with Buffini and Company to build a referral-based business by working with people I like,” says Keith.
Keith considers himself fortunate to have jumped into real estate coaching very early on in his career. Even to this day, he is still absorbing new ideas from his coach, who has helped him implement and maintain a business system grounded in contact, care and community.
“I have learned how to see life and business to focus on the fundamentals that lead to mastery,” says Keith.
Aside from improving his business, Buffini & Company One2One Coaching™ has also made an impact on Keith’s family life. He has a deep appreciation for the positive example set by Brian Buffini, founder and chairman of Buffini & Company, and his wife, Beverly, on how to make personal growth a family affair.
“These teachings have become a family lifestyle,” says Keith. “Brian, Beverly and the whole company are continually learning and growing, and it’s been a lot of fun to pursue the best of this journey called life with them.”
In 25 years of Buffini & Company membership, Keith has reached many major personal and professional goals. Still, it isn’t necessarily the business wins that he’s most proud of — it’s the lifestyle he’s been able to achieve by learning to effectively manage his business, time and money.
“I have traveled to places I never would have gone before and enjoyed rich life experiences,” explains Keith. “I’m especially grateful for my mission trips to North and South America, Haiti and Asia to serve disadvantaged groups.”
Today, Keith has a thriving real estate business serving folks in the Mill Creek and Marysville areas of Washington State. He continues to improve himself and his business with the help of his Buffini & Company Certified Coach, and he is always working toward mastery.
“I appreciate the care that they show as they help me see different perspectives and ways to become a better me,” says Keith.
"I was able to reduce my work week to ordinary business hours and rarely work on weekends. Most years, my income doubled and sometimes even tripled."
Before Diana Plank joined Buffini & Company, she was already pretty established in the real estate business. She had been an agent for nearly 20 years at that point, but while business was steady, Diana’s schedule was out of control. Her 60-to-70-hour work weeks were taking time away from her two-year-old son, and Diana needed a change.
“I knew that I had to find a way to work less or leave the business, since ‘you only get one chance to watch your child grow up,’” she recalls.
When Diana joined Buffini & Company One2One Coaching™ , the first thing her coach did was get her on a set schedule so she could spend more time with her son. At the same time, Diana's income skyrocketed. Even though she was working less hours, she quickly found herself making more money by leveraging the Working by Referral system.
“I was able to reduce my work week to ordinary business hours and rarely work on weekends,” says Diana. “Most years, my income doubled and sometimes even tripled.”
Today, Diana’s son is fully grown with a family of his own. Diana is incredibly grateful for the person he’s become, and she attributes much of that to the independence Buffini & Company taught her. By choosing when to work and who to work with, Diana could devote more time to building her family.
"My son rocks as a parent, and I believe it to be partly because he had two full–time parents of his own,” she says.
Diana and her husband are both in real estate in the Half Moon Bay/Coastside area of California. As an associate broker at the local Coldwell Banker Realty, Diana has led Buffini & Company training programs like The Pathway to Mastery®—Essentials to agents on the team. With the help of Buffini & Company coaching and training, Diana was able to turn a challenging year like 2020 into her best year ever.
"Within six months of joining coaching and working the referral system diligently, our sales increased exponentially — within twelve months we tripled our production and generated 306 referrals."
When Sam and Edith Elzie joined Buffini & Company One2One Coaching 25 years ago, they were searching for a program that would deliver actual results. In their first five years on the job, the husband-and-wife real estate team were closing transactions right and left, but their income was lacking. Tired of hands-off, ineffective coaching programs, the Elzie’s decided to try their luck with Buffini & Company real estate coaching — and it paid off!
"Within six months of joining coaching and working the referral system diligently, our sales increased exponentially," explains Edith. "Within twelve months we tripled our production and generated 306 referrals."
Sam admits he had his doubts at first — he expected the coaching program to be no different than the rest of them. But after witnessing their incredible results in that first year, the pair went all-in with Buffini & Company. They continued to implement the systems created by the company founder, real estate leader Brian Buffini.
"We knew Brian’s program was real, and the earnest application of the systems would allow us achieve our goals in business and in life," says Edith.
The biggest lesson they’ve learned in coaching? Always know your numbers. Their first coach instilled in them the importance of recording and tracking your results, and it’s something they prioritize still to this day.
"To build and maintain a successful business, it is essential that you always know where you are in order to get where you want to go," explains Edith.
Today, business is booming for Sam and Edith, who are licensed to serve in Delaware, North Carolina and South Carolina. They enjoy mentoring and training newer agents in their brokerage to grow within the Working by Referral system. Thanks to Buffini & Company coaching, the couple also has time to spend on the things they love — they volunteer at a local hospice, mentor high school students interested in a career in real estate and/or business and assist their son, a high school basketball coach.
"What Buffini was offering was more than a way to run a business; it was a way to live a life."
Although Judy Adler joined Buffini & Company in search of a relational business system, she ended up gaining so much more.
"It was quickly apparent to me that what Buffini was offering was more than a way to run a business," explains Judy. "It was a way to live a life."
At the time, she was raising four young kids while also trying to run a successful real estate business in the Portland-Metro area. Her plate was pretty full, but with the help of her Buffini & Company coach, Judy achieved a healthy balance between real estate and family.
"I am proud to know that our family for generations to come is forever better having lived our lives this way," says Judy.
Today, Judy’s kids are all grown up — the youngest is 18 years old. Personal growth is a big deal in her family, and all her children have attended Buffini & Company’s flagship motivational event, MasterMind Summit, multiple times. She’s proud of the lifestyle Buffini & Company has helped her create, and now, in her 25th year of membership, she continues to find more ways to grow.
"Currently, my coach is helping me reach, comprehend, and fully embrace the business side of Working By Referral, now that she knows I have the lifestyle mastered,” says Judy. “It is exciting to have more focus on growing my business."
As the principal broker at Windermere Realty Group, LLC., in the Portland metro area, Judy is a trusted advisor to her agents and real estate clients. She is a star of Working by Referral, with a commitment to serving her clients at the highest possible level.
"My mission is to give you personal attention and make the buying and/or selling process exceed expectations," Judy says on her website. "I hope to make your experience so good that you will be personally satisfied and will trust me enough to refer your friends and family members to me as well."
"I owe all my success to Brian Buffini and the Buffini & Company coaching program."
At the beginning of her career, Margaret Barton had a tremendous passion for real estate, but found herself with no direction on how to build a sustainable business. She had tried several real estate training programs, but none seemed to stick.
"I was a struggling agent with lots of passion, yet I had no idea how to create the business I needed to support my family and myself,” recalls Margaret.
Little did she know, her luck was about to change. In 1996, Margaret heard Buffini & Company founder Brian Buffini speak about the Working by Referral system at a training event in Monterey, California. She signed up for coaching that day.
"I owe all my success to Brian Buffini and the Buffini & Company coaching program," says Margaret. "I worked with my coach, Judy Hummerich, for 20 years until she retired."
While in coaching, Margaret was able to get out of debt and create a thriving real estate business. At the same time, Margaret learned how to achieve a balance between her personal and professional life, which she views as one of the most powerful lessons Buffini & Company teaches.
"Brian covers all aspects of a successful life," explains Margaret. "My business is just part of the picture."
Over the past 25 years, Buffini & Company has helped Margaret grow in all Five Circles of life (spiritual, family, business, finance and personal), which she feels extremely grateful for. Today, she is Living the Good Life in the Silicon Valley — she spends quality time with her sons and gets to work with her favorite clients as well as their friends and family.
"I provide quality real estate services through a business model operated 100% by referral, and I love what I do."
"Buffini has kept me in the business. I became a better and more professional agent and friend. It really is a good life!"
Todd Nordstrom was considering dropping out of real estate when he was first introduced to Buffini & Company. He was about two years into his new career and found himself getting frustrated by a population that didn’t seem to trust real estate agents. Once he realized there was a way to build a real estate business based on relationships and exceptional customer service, Todd was re-inspired.
"I was excited to see that what I had been striving to do was not only possible, but the best way to do it!" says Todd.
Once Todd got a Buffini & Company real estate coach and implemented the Working by Referral system, his business started to boom. The client-centered approach to real estate was right up his alley.
"For me, it was, and still is, a perfect fit," explains Todd. "Putting the customer first by 'hugging' them with notes and Pop-Bys and 'wowing' them with client appreciation events is amazing."
For Todd, Buffini & Company is more than just a coaching company — it’s a community. In nearly 25 years of membership, Todd has formed lasting friendships with like-minded real estate agents across the United States and Canada.
"The community that I've developed from attending events like The Peak Experience is something you can’t put a price on!" says Todd. "Quite frankly, 2020 would have been much more difficult without this community, even without in-person events."
With the help of the Buffini & Company coaches and community, Todd has found tremendous success in the real estate industry. Today, he leads his own real estate team, and he is constantly giving back to the South Florida community through team-sponsored charity events.
"Buffini has kept me in the business. I became a better and more professional agent and friend,” says Todd. “It really is a good life"
"Buffini & Company has brought a lot of joy to my life, work and family."
After attending a few of Buffini & Company’s early events, Larry Hassan knew that Working by Referral was exactly how he wanted to operate his real estate business. With about 10 years of experience already, and he was eager to streamline his approach.
“Up to that point, most of my ‘good’ business was by referral, and Brian Buffini’s systems were a perfect fit on how I wanted my business to be,” says Larry.
When Larry first joined Buffini & Company, he worked one-on-one with a real estate coach who guided him toward balance in his life and career. He has learned to constantly adjust and check in with each of the Five Circles: spiritual, family, business, financial and personal. This, he says, has transformed him into a more successful and well-rounded professional.
“Before discovering Buffini & Company, I never really paid much attention to the Five Circles,” explains Larry. “Now, they have become part of who I am.”
Over the years, Larry has grown his real estate business at a healthy pace by working this system. Today, he runs about 95% of his business by referral, utilizing the Buffini & Company Referral Maker® PRO real estate marketing kit and other lead generation techniques to stay top of mind with relationships.
“I am a big believer in personal notes, calls and client parties,” says Larry. “They help me develop and deepen my relationships with clients and business people.”
Throughout his 25 years in membership, Larry has found Buffini & Company’s consistent innovation most impressive. He continues to grow and train within the Working by Referral system to maintain a healthy, thriving real estate business in his home of South Easton, Massachusetts.
“Buffini & Company has brought a lot of joy to my life, work and family," says Larry.
"I stayed with Buffini & Company for the energy, relationships and best coaching program ever."
When Carol McDonald came to the real estate business, she was leaving a life of comfort and stability and diving into the unknown.
"I left a full-time job with benefits, so I had to succeed," says Carol.
To help jumpstart her new career, Carol decided to attend a Buffini & Company event. That was where Brian Buffini, founder of Buffini & Company, offered insights, systems and strategies that gave Carol a new perspective on how to better run her business.
"I didn’t realize how scattered I was until I attended Brian’s event," explains Carol. "Failure was not an option."
Over the years, Carol immersed herself in all that Buffini & Company had to offer. She began attending more of the company’s events, forming lifelong friendships with like-minded agents while also committing to a journey of personal growth.
"I love the energy and relationships developed by attending events across the country and the opportunity for continued personal growth," says Carol.
Perhaps the most significant part of Carol's time with Buffini & Company has been her experience with One2One Coaching. Buffini & Company coaches focus on more than just real estate — they help Members grow in all major areas of life, personal and professional. That’s why, with the support of her coach, Carol was able to serve as her dad’s primary caretaker in the last years of his life — an accomplishment for which she is incredibly grateful.
"There were days I wanted to give up and didn’t know how to move forward," says Carol. "My coach was able to give me perspective on how to keep my priorities in line so I could work my business smarter, take care of my dad and attend my daughter’s softball games."
Today, Carol is a broker associate who lists and sells in all areas north of Boston and into Southern New Hampshire. She has become a master of the Working by Referral system, sending out monthly Items of Value and regularly updating Referral Maker® CRM. She also serves as a Buffini Certified Mentor to help new agents improve their skills, productivity and profits.
"My coach pointed out things that I didn’t realize I was capable of doing."
When Marge O’Neill and her colleagues first heard founder Brian Buffini speak at a Buffini & Company event, they quickly realized that the Working by Referral philosophy was the real deal.
But Marge didn’t join right away — financial freedom was a big deal for her, and she wanted to pay down some credit card debt before signing up for membership.
“I didn’t want to put it on the credit card,” she explains. “I wanted to pay for that with cash, because I really wanted to feel the value of it.”
A few months later, Marge achieved that goal and signed up for Buffini & Company real estate coaching. Later, with the help of her coach, she became a master of financial management so she would never again have to worry about business expenses. She paid off debt, separated her personal and business accounts and put money away for taxes and retirement. Most significantly, her coach had her establish business reserves, which became her saving grace when the market crashed in 2008.
“If I didn’t have that money saved, I wouldn’t have stayed in the business at all,” says Marge.
At the same time, One2One Coaching taught Marge to create a balance in her personal and professional life. Before she joined, she was always on the clock, fielding calls after hours, working weekends and rarely taking days off. Once the boundaries went up, her stress levels went down.
“I felt I had to be ‘Miss Real Estate’ on the spot, and I didn’t know how to do it any other way,” explains Marge. “I now know how to take the day off and enjoy myself the whole time.”
For Marge, the biggest takeaway over these past 25 years was learning how to be coachable. She found that when she opened herself up to the guidance of her coach and actively applied their tips and strategies, her business began to reach new heights.
“My coach pointed out things that I didn’t realize I was capable of doing,” says Marge. “It was very encouraging.”
Today, Marge leads a real estate team in Walpole, Massachusetts, just outside of Boston. Thanks to her coach, she’s been able to build a successful business while spending quality time with her kids and her grandchildren and taking time for herself.
"My coach gives me perspective and insight that I wouldn’t have found on my own."
Cathy LaMon was about five years into the real estate business when she decided to join Buffini & Company. As someone who had always been obsessed with learning, Cathy was trying out multiple seminars and industry trainings — but Buffini & Company stood out from the rest.
“Brian Buffini’s systems felt right to me, and it seemed like something I could stick with over the long haul,” says Cathy.
And stick with it she did. Cathy has spent nearly 25 years growing as a Buffini & Company Member. Currently, Cathy manages a small team, handling the listings and most of the lead generation. Cathy is also one of the owners for her Keller Williams office in Atlanta, Georgia. As a lifelong learner, Cathy says she’s still a work in progress, but her coach keeps her on the right track.
“My coach gives me perspective and insight that I wouldn’t have on my own,” says Cathy.
In addition to the strong real estate coaching, Cathy chose to stay with Buffini & Company for the tight-knit community of Members. Over the past 25 years, she has formed lasting friendships with likeminded agents she’s met at Buffini & Company events.
“I cherish the friendships with sharp, accomplished Members who have servants’ hearts,” she says.
While Cathy is extremely grateful for all she’s achieved in her business over the years, her proudest Buffini & Company accomplishment has more to do with her family. The company’s commitment to personal growth and development has inspired her daughters over the years, completely transforming their lives. Since they were in middle school, the girls accompanied Cathy to Buffini & Company MasterMind Summit®, the flagship personal growth event. Although they were reluctant at first, her daughters — who are now in their 30s — currently live by these teachings and look forward to the event each year.
“The messages of hope and goal-setting are foundations upon which they have built successful lives,” explains Cathy. “The continual, gradual progress over time for me and for my daughters is what I am most proud of.”
View Buffini's History Timeline