I Am Ceo Podcast Powered By Cbnation.co & Blue 16 Media #iamceo

On day 154 of his franchise broker journey, Gresham Harkless reflects on the emotional and strategic challenges of building momentum without having closed a traditional deal.   While others in his cohort have closed deals—mostly through personal connections—he’s navigating the harder road of building a system that doesn’t rely on warm leads.   Gresham acknowledges the temptation to press clients when deals lag, especially with long lead times, like one prospect who keeps pushing meetings back months at a time—but he consciously focuses on planting seeds and celebrating small wins.   Gresham recognizes lead quality as the biggest challenge and is shifting his strategy toward more targeted outreach, including cold emailing, LinkedIn messaging, and Google Ads aimed at experienced franchise owners.   He also sees potential in reconnecting with candidates who didn’t complete the process with other brokers, viewing partnerships and strategic collaborations as a smart path to create new opportunities. Blue Star