AN IDEA.
LOCAL MEDIA.
TRUSTED.
I'm TJ Larkin. I build modern local media companies and the software that runs them. I believe Keller Williams is uniquely positioned to own local attention in a way no other brokerage can.
If you work on strategy, tech, or growth at Keller Williams, this is for you.
Why This Page
I'm not here to pitch you a generic "real estate tool" or ask for an investment.
I'm here because:
- 01I've spent the last few years building local media brands and an AI-first platform to run them.
- 02I keep bumping into the same realization: no big brokerage is taking local media seriously yet.
- 03Out of everyone in the industry, this fits Keller Williams the best.
So instead of sending a cold email with a deck attached, I made this page. If this resonates with even one person inside KW, I'd love 30 minutes to walk you through what I'm seeing.
The Core Insight
AI is about to flood the internet with more content than anyone can process. Leads will get cheaper to generate and harder to trust.
But one thing won't change:
People will still buy and sell homes with humans they trust in their community.
Right now:
- Everyone is fighting over the same portal leads and SEO.
- Agents are renting attention from Facebook, Instagram, and Zillow.
- Almost nobody is systematically building owned local audiences – email lists, local media brands, and in-person touchpoints – at scale.
"What happens when 'top agent' and 'local media brand' become the same person in every city?"
I think KW is in the perfect position to answer that.
Why Keller Williams
From the outside, here's how I see you:
Agent-centric
You exist to build agent businesses and wealth, not just a logo.
Technology-driven
You've invested heavily in Command and Keller Cloud to be the operating system.
Education-based
You train and coach at scale better than almost anyone.
What you don't yet have (at scale) is the local media layer that:
You built the back-end brain (Command). I've been building the front-end attention engine that can feed it.
Who I Am
Quick background:
- Almost 20 years in local, relationship-driven business (including a large Allstate agency).
- Sold that business and shifted into local media and AI-powered software.
- Now run Local Media HQ – local newsletters and modern media brands in multiple markets.
- Grown newsletters to tens of thousands of subscribers and six-figure annual revenue.
- Building Local Media Engine – an AI-first platform for local media companies.
- Created Hometown Legend – helping realtors become trusted local media personalities.
I'm not a pure SaaS founder or a coach who's never shipped anything.
I'm the weird intersection of:
That's the lens I'm bringing to Keller Williams.
THE ONE-SENTENCE VERSION.
Keller Williams can become the first major brokerage to systematically turn its agents and market centers into real local media brands – powered by AI, owned audiences, and a playbook that can be rolled out one city at a time.
I've already built large pieces of that playbook and the software to support it.
What This Could Look Like
I'm staying high-level here – details should be co-designed with your team. But here are a few shapes this could take:
3–5 Market Pilot
- —Choose flagship markets
- —Launch local media brands (newsletter + social + site)
- —Pair with KW mega teams as the 'face'
- —Use paid acquisition + local partnerships
- —Track awareness, database growth, and opportunities
Co-Branded Program
- —Top teams opt in to become the local media brand
- —We run tech, systems, and playbooks
- —KW gets strategic advantage and rollout ability
Market Center Layer
- —MCs get playbook + platform access
- —Select agents become the faces
- —MC shares in media revenue and deal flow
- —All contacts flow back to Command
None of this requires a massive, immediate rollout. The first goal is to prove the concept.
30 Minutes
If this sparks even a little curiosity, here's what I'd bring to a short call:
- 01Real examples of local media brands we've built (audience size, revenue, what the content looks like).
- 02How agents respond when a newsletter shows up that "gets" their town.
- 03A simple visual of the "local media → Command → closings" funnel.
- 04A realistic pilot structure for 3–5 markets that doesn't disrupt what you're doing.
No big pitch deck. No "here's the price per seat." Just: "Here's what I'm seeing. Here's what I've built. Here's how this could become a Keller Williams advantage."
"Build It Yourself?"
It's a fair question. You've built a lot already.
The short answer: you could build some of it internally. It would just take time, experiments, and focus away from what your tech team is already doing.
On my side, I've already:
- Spent years on trial-and-error growing local audiences and selling local sponsorships.
- Designed an AI-native platform specifically for local media workflows.
- Built a real estate–specific program (Hometown Legend) that agents are already asking for.
The proposal:
Let's combine what you already have (distribution, agents, Command, culture) with what I've already built (media systems, AI workflows, local playbooks) and move faster together than either of us could alone.
IF THIS RESONATES...
I'd love to talk with someone on your strategy, tech, or growth team.
Minutes
Pitch Decks
Honest Look
Or connect on LinkedIn: TJ Larkin