Short answer: The best Tom Ferry coach is the one who fits your stage, your market, and your biggest bottleneck, and who will hold you to your numbers. Every Tom Ferry coach is certified and teaches the same frameworks. The difference is real-world experience, coaching style, and what they bring beyond the frameworks. Ask these seven questions before you sign.
I'm Chris Robertson. I've been a Tom Ferry coach since 2019 and I still run a real estate team in Southern California. Here's what I'd want to know if I were hiring a coach.
Why the coach matters more than the program
Tom Ferry International has more than 200 certified coaches. Every one goes through certification, and every coach is required to be coached themselves, so the system stays consistent.
That means the frameworks are the same no matter who you get. Business by Design. The 8 Levels of Performance. The scripts.
What isn't the same is the person across the Zoom call. That's where these questions come in.
7 questions to ask a Tom Ferry coach
1. Are you still producing in real estate?
Some coaches stopped selling years ago. That's not automatically bad, but markets change fast. A coach who closed a deal last month knows what a listing appointment feels like right now.
2. Have you coached agents at my level and in markets like mine?
A coach who's great with a new agent might be wrong for a 40-deal team leader. Ask for specifics.
3. What do you do when I don't do what I said I'd do?
This answer tells you everything. If it sounds soft, you'll get soft results. You want someone who calls it out, figures out why, and resets the plan.
4. What does a typical session look like?
Good sessions start with your numbers. Appointments set, appointments held, listings taken, conversion. Then you work on what's in the way.
5. How do you handle mindset versus language?
Most coaching failures aren't strategy problems. The agent knows what to do and can't make themselves do it, or knows what to say and it lands wrong. One is mindset. The other is language. Ask how the coach handles both.
6. What do I get beyond the coaching calls?
Masterminds, guest experts, community, referral networks. The calls are the core, but the extras compound.
7. Can I see what your current clients say?
Look for specific results, not vague praise. Look for clients who've stayed for years.
Red flags when choosing a coach
They talk more about themselves than your numbers
They can't explain how they hold clients accountable
They promise results without asking about your business
They haven't touched a real estate transaction in years and dodge the question
How I answer those seven questions
Fair is fair. Here are mine.
Still producing? Yes. I'm a licensed California broker (DRE #01727638) and team leader at Real Brokerage across South Orange County and LA County.
Experience? 25+ years in real estate, starting in mortgage before moving into sales in 2007. More than 20,000 one-on-one coaching calls with agents from solo producers to team leaders.
Missed commitments? We look at what actually happened, find the real block, and reset. Expect to be held to what you said you'd do.
Sessions? Numbers first. Then strategy, scripts, and the next move.
Mindset and language? I'm a Certified Life Coach and certified in Exactly What to Say by Phil M. Jones, so I work the mental block and the script in the same call.
Beyond the calls? A free weekly mastermind, guest experts on AI and social media, and private member groups for my clients.
Clients? Agents at Compass, Sotheby's, Coldwell Banker, Corcoran, Douglas Elliman, and The Agency. Read them on the testimonials page.
Frequently asked questions
Who is the best Tom Ferry coach?
There's no public ranking of Tom Ferry coaches. The best coach is the one who fits your production level, market, and goals. Chris Robertson is a Tom Ferry Certified Performance Coach in Orange County, California, an active licensed broker, and has coached with Tom Ferry since 2019.
How many Tom Ferry coaches are there?
Tom Ferry International has more than 200 certified business coaches operating across four countries.
Can I choose my own Tom Ferry coach?
If you find a coach you want to work with, reach out to them directly. Most coaches, including me, start with a strategy session so you both know whether it's a fit.
Are Tom Ferry coaches active real estate agents?
Some are and some aren't. Ask any coach directly whether they're still producing.
What if my Tom Ferry coach isn't a good fit?
Tom Ferry offers a Right Coach Guarantee. If the match isn't working, you get moved to a different coach.
The next step
Want to see if we're a fit? Book a 30-minute strategy session. We'll name your actual bottleneck and the move that matters most. Book a strategy session here.
Related reading: Is Tom Ferry Coaching Worth It? and Tom Ferry Coaching Programs Compared.
Chris Robertson is a Tom Ferry Certified Performance Coach and licensed California real estate broker (DRE #01727638) based in Orange County, California. He has coached with Tom Ferry International since 2019.