Why Relationship-Based Selling Still Wins: Lessons from Ninja Selling and The Faces Of
Over the years, I’ve read a lot of books about real estate, sales, and business. Most are helpful in the moment, but only a few genuinely change how you think and behave long-term. One of those books for me was Larry Kendall’s Ninja Selling.
What resonated with me wasn’t tactics or scripts. It was the underlying philosophy: that the best businesses are built on trust, clarity, service, and genuine relationships—not pressure, manipulation, or constant noise. Long before I could articulate it clearly, that mindset shaped how I worked with clients and how I coached agents.
Years later, when The Faces Of began to take shape, I didn’t set out to build something around Ninja Selling. But much like The Go-Giver, the alignment was already there.
At its core, The Faces Of is about relationships. It’s about listening before talking. It’s about curiosity instead of control. And it’s about earning trust by showing up consistently and giving value without asking for anything in return.
One of the practical teachings from Ninja Selling that resonated deeply with me was the use of FORD questions—Family, Occupation, Recreation, and Dreams—as a way to truly get to know people. That thinking directly influenced how we created many of the interview questions used when selecting and featuring the next Face of our community. We weren’t just gathering facts; we were listening for what mattered to people, what shaped them, and what they cared about most.
Those ideas are central to Ninja Selling.
After I wrote my book, Face Value, I felt compelled to send a copy to Larry Kendall. I didn’t know him personally, and I didn’t expect a response. I simply believed that if someone truly understood what we were teaching and building through The Faces Of, it would be him.
So I wrote him a letter. I mailed the book. And again—I let it go.
Larry reached out after reading it.
He understood what we were doing. More importantly, he saw that The Faces Of wasn’t just talking about relationships—it had operationalized them. It gave agents a simple, repeatable way to build trust and relevance in their communities by putting people first.
Larry later shared a quote that I’ve never taken lightly:
“Brad Abernathy has built a system around relationships that every real estate agent and entrepreneur needs to see.”
That meant a great deal to me—not because of the endorsement itself, but because it confirmed something deeper: that the work we were doing aligned with the very best thinking in our industry.
Although Larry and I have never met in person, he graciously agreed to join a Zoom call with The Faces Of partners from across the country, sharing his perspective and reinforcing the importance of relationship-based business in a world that increasingly pushes shortcuts.
What struck me most was how naturally his philosophy fit into what our partners were already experiencing. Agents weren’t trying to “sell” more. They were trying to serve better. And as a result, their businesses grew in ways that felt calmer, more sustainable, and more human.
That’s what I believe Ninja Selling has always been about. And it’s what The Faces Of exists to support.
Today, whether I’m leading agents through The Faces Of platform or through Next Boulevard Real Estate, my focus hasn’t changed. I want to help professionals build businesses rooted in trust, relationships, and long-term relevance—not burnout and constant hustle.
In a market full of noise, people still respond to authenticity.
They still remember how you made them feel.
And they still choose the person who truly sees them.
That’s not a trend.
That’s a principle.
And principles, when practiced consistently, always win.
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