Justin A. Ckezepis
Chief Vibez Officer & Host
Real estate isn’t just about numbers or the color of carpet. It is about community. Community is what Justin is passionate about. After growing up in North Carolina, Justin has no desire to call any other place “home”. Spending his early education years in the public school system, Justin then attended Appalachian State University where he met the rest of the TRT Team. That is also where he met his wife. After graduating, Justin headed home to the Lake Norman area where he began his professional real estate career. Licensed as a North Carolina Real Estate Broker in 2012, Justin started out as a Buyer Specialist on his dad’s real estate team.
Justin often remembers the early days working with his dad, “I grew up with real estate. It is in my blood. When I first got licensed I remember coming to my dad with all of these great ideas; marketing, lead generation, innovative ideas. Real game-changing stuff. My dad would just look at me and respond with ‘yeah, yeah, but have you dialed your lead calls yet today?’ Not the response I was hoping for but one I learned to understand and appreciate.” A simplistic response that sticks with Justin to this day.
As he continued working in the family business, and being encouraged by his parents to continue growing, Justin applied to law school. With no interest in moving again, only one school was an option – Charlotte School of Law. There Justin received his Juris Doctorate and went on to pass the North Carolina Bar Exam in July of 2015 after graduating that May. Once licensed, Justin hung his own shingle and opened ‘Ckezepis Law, PLLC.’ After building a great practice with the best team in the game, Justin sold his interest in the practice at the end of 2021. The firm’s sole focus was Transactional Real Estate, both residential and commercial.
Life is complicated. Real estate doesn’t have to be. While Justin loves to laugh, he doesn’t like noise or nonsense. He prefers to keep it real. Justin wanted to find a way to help others understand and thrive in this ever-changing game of Real Estate. Thus, Today’s Real Talk was born.
In addition to other professional roles and organizations, Justin currently serves as a Board of Director to The Hope House – a transitional homeless shelter for women & children located in Huntersville, North Carolina.
Jon Wood
Chief Engagement Officer
A good story can change everything. It moves our communication forward and drives relationship. Storytelling and connection are why Jon gets up every morning. A native of NC, Jon has lived on each end of the Tarheel state and loves it all. Starting his education in the public school system, Jon eventually graduated as a homeschool student before attending Appalachian State University. Upon graduation, he relocated to Asheville, NC to continue his broadcasting career working in various radio formats.
Throughout his broadcasting career, Jon has had the privilege of working with some of the most brilliant minds in the industry. This was reflected in several awards that Jon’s teams worked together to earn including being named as Major Market Station of the Year for their work in the Charlotte market and beyond. Having served on-air as well as in programming leadership, Jon understands the value of compelling content that engages listeners and drives them into exciting opportunities. Thus, Jon counts it a privilege to be a part of the Today’s Real Talk team in empowering consumers to be gamechangers in today’s marketplace.
Ben Daniels
Senior Director of Sensory
Today’s Real Talk is the product of friendships though radio. After meeting at Appalachian State University, Ben, Justin, Jon and Brian quickly became close and have stayed in touch since. Ben went to work in television in Winston Salem, NC. and eventually ended up at a local non-profit all while continuing part time work in radio and owning a mobile DJ business. As the Chief Director of Sensory, Ben takes creativity to a new level and always strives to ensure our listeners feel like they are in the room with Justin at the TRT studios.
In his free time Ben enjoys hanging out with family including his 2 wild boys, Emory and Hudson. Ben serves on the North Forsyth Little League board and is the Assistant Cub Scout Master of Pack 914 in Rural Hall North Carolina.
Brian Fisher
Director of Content Strategy
Is Brian a Real Estate expert? No. Does Brian understand terms like “Cost of Funds Index“ or “Fully Amortized Mortgage”? Definitely not. Brian DOES understand the importance of community and connection, and how important those aspects are in the world of Real Estate. Real Estate offers that opportunity to be a part of community, to dig in the dirt and find the root of building a life, and Today’s Real Talk offers insight on how to accomplish that in an ever-changing industry.
Growing up in the mountains of Western North Carolina, Brian learned the importance of connection and family. Being taught to say “Yes Ma’am”, “No Sir” and what it means to earn a dollar through hard work, Brian knew the life lessons he was raised on was something he wanted to carry over into his professional career. Brian discovered his passion for broadcasting by listening to play-by-play sports announcers and the way they could paint a picture in the minds of listeners without being able to see the action. He took his first job at a small Country radio station in Newland, NC when he was 14, leading him to attend Appalachian State University, where he bonded with the other members of TRT through the University’s College Radio Station. After college, Brian worked in local television and radio, before being called to the radio ministry of The Light FM in Asheville, NC as the Engagement & Outreach Manager. There, he has been able to take his heart for connection and community and pour it into his career through community outreach, both in-person and digitally. Overseeing the ministry’s digital platforms, Brian continues to learn and evolve his skill set in the ever changing digital world.
After hearing the vision behind the goal of Today’s Real Talk, Brian knew he wanted to be a part of something that could revolutionize the world of Real Estate and broadcasting. The opportunity to provide such “real”, unique content and connection to a starving and hungry industry was all it took for Brian to jump on board. Here, Brian oversees audio distribution, as well as TRT’s social and digital platforms. He also counts it a blessing to be able to collaborate with 3 of his college buddies.
Brian is also a husband to his wife, Shelby. They continue to reside in the beautiful mountains of Western North Carolina, where they are excited to welcome their first child in the coming weeks! Brian also serves as the Sound Technician for his home Church and Assistant Basketball Coach for the Church’s Christian Academy.
