In the Fast Lane: Lane Larson got his start in real estate at the tender age of 18. He worked for a salesperson, dialing up names from the phone book to see who would like to buy or sell a home. After graduating in 2003 from Saint John’s University in Collegeville, Minn., with a business management degree, Larson took a job with national home builder Pulte Homes. It was a great time to be selling new construction—and Larson excelled at it. Within six months, he held the No. 1 sales position and wrapped up that year with $10 million in sales volume. When new-home sales slowed, Larson decided a move to existing-home sales was in order.

Good move: In 2008, he and business partner Rob Monson closed on $28 million in sales. They’re so confident in their ability to sell that they offer a 120-day guarantee. "If we don’t sell it in the first four months, it reverts to 0 percent commission and 100 percent effort," he says. "Nine times out of 10, the home is sold in the first 55 days." This marketing push earned Larson and Monson a mention in The Washington Post.