Sandra Rathe built a $138M/year business—but she nearly sabotaged her future by ignoring her CRM at the start.

The Mistake?
She didn’t set up a database for the first two years. “I thought I could remember everyone,” she admits. But when business grew, she couldn’t keep up—and had to retroactively rebuild it.

What She Does Now:

• Every lead is entered immediately
  
  
• Tags are applied for area, profession, and niche (ex: military, teacher, golf)
  
  
• Follow-ups include printed and digital newsletters, event invites, and calls
  
  
• Past clients stay in the ecosystem—forever
  
  

The Power of Tags
When a dog park opens in one neighborhood, only homeowners in that zone get that touchpoint. When it’s National Teacher Day, teachers get thanked. This isn’t mass-blast. It’s relationship-building at scale.

The Outcome?
Referrals flood in—even from leads who never closed. Because she cared, stayed in touch, and made the system do the heavy lifting.

Key Takeaway:
Your CRM is your retirement plan. Every unlogged lead is a lost check. Build it now, tag everyone, and treat it like gold.