The $100M Tech Brain Behind Ryan Serhant’s Empire | Ryan J. Coyne | EP 86
Timestamps are as accurate as they can be but may be slightly off. We encourage you to listen to the full context.
Podcast Summary
This episode features Ryan Coyne, CXO and co-founder of Serhant, the multi-hundred-million-dollar real estate brokerage. Coyne shares his unconventional journey from a tech-curious 12-year-old reading title reports at his father's company to becoming the technology architect behind one of the most recognizable real estate brands in the world. (02:06) The conversation explores how Coyne built his business through authentic relationship-building at tech stores, leveraging those connections to eventually partner with Ryan Serhant. (06:47)
- Main Theme: The intersection of technology and human connection in real estate, demonstrating that successful tech implementation requires understanding people first, systems second.
Speakers
Ryan Coyne
Co-founder and Chief Experience Officer of Serhant, a multi-hundred-million-dollar real estate brokerage with over 1,400 people across 12 states. Coyne started his technology consultancy at 17 and has been working with Ryan Serhant for over 11 years, helping build the company from 15 founding team members to its current scale. He's known for pioneering the concept of a "mostly screenless brokerage" through AI-human collaboration.
Justin Colby
Host of the Entrepreneur DNA podcast and real estate investor with extensive experience in the industry. Colby focuses on interviewing successful entrepreneurs and business leaders to extract actionable insights for ambitious professionals seeking mastery in their fields.
Key Takeaways
Be a Resourceful Facilitator, Not a Guru
Coyne's success didn't come from being a technology expert but from being genuinely helpful and connecting people with solutions. (10:51) He emphasized being "enthusiastic, curious and helpful" rather than positioning himself as a guru. This approach built trust and generated referrals naturally. His strategy of offering to be on business coaches' "speed dial" for any technology questions, providing immediate "swoop and poop" assistance without expecting anything in return, created a network of advocates who introduced him to high-value clients like Ryan Serhant.
Authenticity Through Vulnerability Creates Connection
The most powerful example came from Coyne's story about Raymond, the Suffolk County police officer who struggled to find his brand voice. (46:52) By digging deeper into Raymond's personal story about missing time with his grandfather due to over-commitment during COVID, Coyne helped him reframe his identity as "the real estate first responder." This demonstrates that authentic branding comes from understanding and sharing personal struggles, not just professional accomplishments.
Use AI as a Thinking Partner, Not a Replacement
Rather than using AI for simple outputs like email responses or listing descriptions, Coyne advocates using it to expand thinking and self-awareness. (39:39) His recommendation to "tell me all the reasons that my idea is a good one, then take the counter viewpoint and tell me all the reasons my idea sucks" turns AI into a debate partner. Most importantly, asking AI to "reveal my cognitive biases that I tend to approach life or my problem solving with" creates opportunities for deeper self-reflection and personal growth.
Context Switching Remains Humanity's Superpower
Coyne identifies humans' ability to take "50 different pieces of information about our given scenario" and make confident decisions with only 30% of available information as our evolutionary advantage. (31:29) This includes reading body language, hearing tone, and adapting to who's in front of you - skills that AI cannot replicate effectively. The premium on face-to-face interactions and "manual artistry" will increase as AI-generated content becomes more prevalent, making genuine human connection more valuable.
Build Culture Through Shared Growth Vision
Serhant's growth from 15 people to over 1,400 across 12 states demonstrates the power of embedding growth mindset into company DNA. (19:38) Their "expansion always in all ways" philosophy, combined with mantras like "disrupt for good" and "be relentless," creates alignment around continuous improvement. The flat organizational structure where "everybody's ideas are valid" and anyone can "walk into any space with ideas and bring the heat" fosters innovation and ownership at every level.
Statistics & Facts
- Serhant grew from 15 founding team members in September 2020 to over 1,400 people (employees and agents) across 12 states. (19:38) This represents explosive growth during the COVID pandemic when most businesses struggled.
- Serhant Studios produces north of 70 pieces of video content per day across all platforms for their brand and real estate agents. (20:18) This massive content output supports their content-to-commerce flywheel strategy.
- The most engaged Serhant agents who brought AI into their daily workflow saw a 144% average GCI (Gross Commission Income) increase between comparable quarters in 2024 and 2025. (43:53) This dramatic improvement was isolated from market conditions, proving the impact of meaningful AI integration.
