From Agent to Authority: How Real Estate Professionals Can Launch Their Own Digital Magazine and Own the Local Narrative A deep-dive conversation with Joseph Haecker, Founder of Ignite Business Insider, on the Ignite Your City program and why it’s revolutionizing real estate marketing. In a world where content is king, and visibility is currency, real estate agents are constantly battling to stay top-of-mind. Between social media posts, postcard mailers, open houses, and Zillow ads, agents often find themselves spending a fortune just to be seen. But what if you could flip the script? What if, instead of paying for local press—you became the local press? And what if that platform didn’t just grow your personal brand, but actually paid you to market yourself? That’s the vision behind Ignite Your City, a new initiative from Ignite Business Insider, led by serial entrepreneur and media innovator Joseph Haecker. This program empowers real estate agents and local professionals to become the Editor-in-Chief of their own user-generated content digital magazine, focused on their city, and earn 50% of all digital ad and article revenue—without needing a journalism degree, tech background, or full-time staff. We sat down with Joseph for a one-on-one interview to break down how the program works, why it’s perfectly built for real estate professionals, and how it can radically shift the way agents market themselves while becoming pillars of their communities. INTERVIEW WITH JOSEPH HAECKER Founder, Ignite Business Insider Creator, Ignite Your City Program Ignite Business Insider: Joseph, this program is incredibly innovative. Let’s start at the top. What exactly is Ignite Your City? Joseph Haecker: Thanks so much! Ignite Your City is a way for real estate professionals—or really any community-minded entrepreneur—to become the Editor-in-Chief of a digital magazine in their city. But here’s the key: it’s not about writing articles or spending hours editing content. It’s a user-generated content model. Local businesses, nonprofits, and community leaders choose interview questions from a list, answer them, and submit everything directly through the platform. You, as the Editor-in-Chief, simply invite them to be featured—and we handle the rest. You’re essentially creating a branded, monetized, community-building media asset that takes about 20 minutes a day to manage and promotes you as the face of local connection. Ignite Business Insider: And agents earn 50% commissions on the content and ads submitted? Joseph Haecker: That’s right. For every article that’s submitted and every digital ad placed in the magazine, the local Editor—who owns the city license—earns 50% of the revenue. That means as you grow your community and magazine content, you’re also creating a new monthly revenue stream. It’s designed to be scalable. The more stories you publish, the more ads you attract, the more you earn. And we make it super simple and automated so you’re not buried in the weeds. Ignite Business Insider: Why is this such a perfect fit for real estate agents in particular? Joseph Haecker: Great question. Real estate is hyperlocal, and success is all about visibility, trust, and relationships. Most agents are already embedded in their communities, networking with small business owners, sponsoring local events, handing out business cards. But that kind of visibility can be exhausting—and expensive. With Ignite Your City, you turn the table. You’re no longer chasing exposure—you’re creating it. You’re building a platform where you are the one shining the spotlight on local businesses and leaders. That kind of value-driven marketing builds trust fast—and trust closes deals. Ignite Business Insider: So this becomes a branding and networking engine? Joseph Haecker: Exactly. Think about it: every time you feature a local bakery, gym owner, or nonprofit director in your magazine, they’re going to share it with their followers, friends, and community. That traffic comes back to you. Your brand becomes attached to local goodwill, and you become the connector—not just the agent. People start to say, “Oh yeah, [Your Name] runs the local magazine. They’re super involved.” When they’re ready to buy, sell, or refer, who do you think they’re calling? Ignite Business Insider: We love the idea that this also reduces the need to pay for press. Joseph Haecker: One of the best-kept secrets in marketing is this: being the press beats paying for the press. Most agents spend hundreds—sometimes thousands—each year trying to get featured in local publications, news outlets, or community blogs. But with Ignite Your City, you’re building your own media asset. You control the narrative, the frequency, the features. And instead of paying for one article… you can now get paid for publishing 20. Ignite Business Insider: Can you give us a sense of the time commitment? What does a typical day look like for an Editor-in-Chief? Joseph Haecker: It’s surprisingly light. Most editors spend about 20–30 minutes a day simply inviting businesses to be featured. You can post on social, message people you already know, or invite folks at networking events. Once someone clicks the submission link, they handle everything: they pick their questions, answer them, upload photos, and submit payment. Our platform handles formatting, notifications, and publishing. You're not writing, editing, or designing. You’re building relationships and positioning yourself as the face of the magazine. Ignite Business Insider: You mentioned earlier that this is a user-generated content magazine. Can you explain that a bit more for someone new to that term? Joseph Haecker: Absolutely. "User-generated content" just means that your contributors create their own content. Instead of having to interview, write, or curate stories yourself, they choose pre-written questions and answer them in their own words. That makes this system incredibly fast, scalable, and authentic. You’re not in the weeds producing content. Your role is to curate and promote the stories submitted by your community. Think of it like running a digital version of your local paper—without the printing costs or editorial headaches. Ignite Business Insider: Let’s talk results. What’s the earning potential for agents who really lean in? Joseph Haecker: We’ve structured pricing so it’s both affordable for local businesses and rewarding for editors. For example, if you publish just 30 articles a month at $99 each, that’s nearly $3,000 in monthly revenue—you’d keep $1,500 of that. And that doesn’t include recurring advertisers or sponsorships, which can add up fast. Some of our early editors are already seeing strong growth and using their magazines to sponsor events, land speaking gigs, and create brand collaborations that wouldn’t have been possible before. Ignite Business Insider: This is an exciting vision, Joseph. How can agents find out more or sign up? Joseph Haecker: Thank you! It’s been amazing seeing this come to life. Anyone interested can go to: 👉 https://www.josephhaecker.com/ignite-your-city All the details are there, including how to apply to become the Editor-in-Chief in your city. We only allow one editor per city, so if your area is available, grab it! You can even schedule a one-on-one call with me if you’d like to talk through the opportunity personally. FINAL THOUGHTS Ignite Your City isn’t just another marketing tool—it’s a platform, brand-builder, and income stream all rolled into one. It allows real estate agents to shift from chasing attention to creating it. From buying ads to owning media. From local salesperson to trusted community voice. If you're ready to lead, connect, and earn on your own terms, the opportunity is knocking. The only question is: Will you be the one to Ignite Your City? 🔗 Learn more and apply now: www.josephhaecker.com/ignite-your-city