Atlanta broker T. Dallas Smith's book, In the Black, is part memoir, part guide for budding entrepreneurs seeking to make it in commercial real estate.

There's a fine line between accountability and micromanaging, fine-tuned systems and creating busy work. For large brokerages, striking the balance is an important part of ensuring growth.

If you have a habit of crossing your arms, fidgeting, not making eye contact or slumping your shoulders while interacting with your team, your body language may be communicating disinterest, nervousness or lack of confidence, writes Lolly Daskal. "To improve your nonverbal communication, try to focus on being still and present in your body. This can help you to appear more confident and in control," Daskal recommends.

Rates are still above 6.5%, a key affordability threshold.

To navigate this competitive housing market, real estate pros advise buyers to have all their financing in order and be ready to make larger earnest money deposits. The market is largely favoring sellers, with many owners choosing to become landlords because of the low-interest rates on their mortgages.

For projects large and small, the residents of Bartlesville, Okla., call on Cortney McClure for their interior design needs. McClure is noted as being the sole interior designer within an hour's drive, making her a go-to resource for home renovations in this small city.

A video of Julia Henning opening a staircase door hidden in a small closet of her old home and finding a dirty old room beneath her home has topped 22.5 million views. "Imagine not only my shock and terror, but the notion that I had indeed lived here for three years without knowing this. It was shocking," says Henning.

Pam Graves, who participated in mission trips to Uganda, helped a local cook open a culinary school to teach abuse victims a trade to support themselves.

Barry Sternlicht, Starwood Capital chairman and CEO and chairman of Starwood Property Trust, discusses the the Federal Reserve's interest rate hikes and why the labor market has remained resilient. Sternlicht also addresses other aspects of the economy, including rents, retail sales, government spending and the state of regional banks.

Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell told House legislators this week that the U.S. is not yet close to achieving a low, stable inflation rate despite the central bank's efforts to control price increases and cool the economy. Powell told the House Financial Services Committee that the labor market is still tight, and inflation continues to rise too quickly despite a decline from last summer's peak, so the Fed may need to nudge the interest rate even higher than its current 5%.