Why Agents Stay: Inside Howard Hanna’s #1 Retention Strategy [Interview with Courted CEO]

Описание: In this conversation, Courted CEO Sean Soderstrom sits down with Gwen Bradley, Vice President of Career Development at Howard Hanna, to unpack why one of the largest brokerages in the country is outperforming its peers on retention.

According to Courted’s analysis of the Top 25 U.S. brokerages, Howard Hanna ranked #1 in retention — losing just 5% of its sales volume in 2025. In a market defined by aggressive recruiting, rising splits, and increasingly rich compensation offers, that result stands out.

So what’s driving it?

Gwen shares a powerful insight: most agents don’t ultimately make decisions based on splits alone. They make decisions based on growth. The brokerage that helps them close more transactions, build a larger book of business, and expand their long-term opportunity often wins — even if the split isn’t the highest in the market.

The math is simple:

• 90% of a small business is still small
• 60% of a much larger business changes your life

This conversation explores:

Why productivity support beats split incentives over time

What career development really looks like inside a mega brokerage

How culture and infrastructure drive loyalty

Why retention is the hardest metric in modern brokerage competition

What leaders should focus on if they want durable growth

In an industry where the Top 100 brands recruited 12% of their volume last year and lost 10%, the real strategic advantage isn’t recruiting — it’s retention.

Howard Hanna’s model offers an important lesson for brokerage leaders navigating today’s environment.

If you’re a brokerage executive, team leader, or growth strategist thinking about recruiting and retention in 2026 and beyond, this is a conversation worth watching.