We were homeless at times. I had to get a job when I was super young. I was 12. It was pretty bad. I hit over 70 million in listings this year. I told you about this other listing that I have coming up and it will be the biggest listing for me in Laguna. It'll be around 50 million when I first started door knocking LA. People would yell at me, slam the door. It was kind of scary. I went by myself. Now it's just every person I talk to, most people let me in their house. They're so sweet. The minute they open the door, I'm like, hi. I just have this big, hi, I'm Alex. I'm with the Altman Brothers. I always want to offer something instead of, you own this house. Can I sell your house? Selling Sunset and selling OC. They reached out to me right before I saw you a couple months ago. I immediately was like,
No, it's one of those dramatic TV shows and that's just not who I am. With my team, the Altman Brothers and Million Dollar Listing, it's more of a, okay, we're selling real estate. We're actually selling houses. This is no drama. Well, there's like some fun, like real estate drama. It's real estate versus I think that one is more so like, even when I door knock and they're like, oh, are you with that? Selling Sunset? And if they were like making fun of it, I was like, no, I'm not actually, you know, I just think it would really hurt my business being a part of that team. And I hate to see that, you know, but I think it's just reality.
Imagine growing up homeless with four other siblings, being raised by a single mom and then going on to sell $50 million homes with billionaire clients. That is the remarkable story of Alexandra Rubo Taylor. She has been a true inspiration to all. And if you're an entrepreneur or builder, you are going to be selling to somebody, your investors, your customers, and you need to learn how to sell a dream. Alex does precisely that every single day as one of LA's top selling real estate agents. Today, she will give us a playbook on how to be resilient and tenacious while being authentic to sell very successfully. And she did all of this before she turned the age of 30. I'm so excited. Please tune in.
Hi, everyone. I'm so excited to welcome you to a very special episode of the Icons podcast with a dear friend of mine, Alexandra Rubo. Thank you for having me. I'm so happy to be here. I have known you as a friend and been able to witness your journey from when you first started in real estate till now. And it's been one of the most inspiring journeys. Just getting to see and witness what you've been doing through a distance. Yeah.
And this podcast and this community is so much about how we can help the next generation of visionaries build their dreams. For those of you who are just getting to know Alex, we'd love to hear some impressive facts about you. Maybe you can brag to us about some of your accomplishments at the Altman Brothers and before. I want to be humble. I really do. And that's just it's tough talking about yourself. But I told you about this other listing that I have coming up and it will be the biggest listing for me in Laguna.
It'll be around 50 million. And so I've had my eye on this for years because this is like the unicorn of Laguna and Laguna is my farm. So I'm like, I want to I want to have all the biggest listing, which is possible. It's so funny because I've literally have dreamt of listing and selling it. And so randomly called the wife, talked to her, hit it off with her. And she's like, OK, call my husband. So she gave me his number.
I was like, wow, OK, that's that's a good sign. You know, but I'm really just talking like myself, like I'm just genuine. I talk about my team and what we've done and you have to do a lot of storytelling. We sold something similar off market, which is true, you know, and so insane. It's like an 18,000 square foot house, 50 million on the top of a mountain, like on three acres. So I'm also just it's been a good year.
It has. And I hit over 70 million in listings this year, which not all of them have sold. But I think it's definitely given me a lot of hope for next year, because if I'm getting that in my in one of the toughest market, like I'm seeing this next year is going to go crazy. Yeah. Was this year the best year you've had yet? Definitely. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. This was my best year, but I didn't meet my goals. But I still I had those moments where I was like, OK, I didn't meet my goals and had a breakdown or whatever.
But I'm like, if I'm getting this, like I should be in one of the worst markets. Exactly. Yeah. And I just kind of had like a moment to myself like, it's fine. I'm doing good. I'm fine. And I think I am staying humble being on the team because there's agents that are selling like two, 300 million a year. And I'm just getting into the team. This is going on like a year and a half, maybe almost two years. But every agent on the team should be able to sell at least 50 million a year, like bottom line.
But I think I'm more so just comparing myself to some of the like some big like Josh Altman. I mean, like there's no comparison. You can't compare it, but that's just kind of what I do. And I think that's what pushes me to be better. I want to talk a little bit more about the Altman brothers and what great leaders can bring out of their team. Yeah. Yeah. Honestly, being on this team has really changed my life. And to see how much, how far they've come because they're really selling 1.2 billion a year in real estate, which is insane.
It's exceptional. And what is their total sales? Over seven and a half billion. That's crazy. Yeah. Yeah. Wow. Working with the Altman's, it's changed the name of the game for everyone. And they are, it's no joke, whenever we're in team meetings, they step in and they just have this power to them. And it feels like every time I'm around them, I'm like, you know, we're all just people, right? But you just, they know they're number one and they want to be number one.
And it's so cool being around that because it's so inspiring just to see that. And they keep pushing and they make shit happen, you know? And I think everything stems from your past, really. I think it could be their upbringing. They weren't given everything like on a silver platter. You know, I think that's a big part of it. They've just always been go-getters. And I just think that's in their blood. They're just one of a kind.
Let's take a step back. I want to get into, you know, your life story and how you developed your philosophy, everything like that. But people will look at you and think, you're so beautiful. You are so radiant. You work in glamorous homes, selling these double-digit $10 million plus homes all the time. And they would never think that you had overcome so much adversity. And I think that's one of the things I look up to and admire the most about you.
So I grew up with my mother, five kids. So I was the second oldest of my siblings. And so she struggled. My dad was out of the picture. And I get it. Everyone has had their stories and all that. We were homeless at times. I had to get a job when I was super young. I was 12. It was pretty bad. It was under the table. My older sister got a job at 14. And then her boss let me work under the table, too, for him. So we kind of hopped around a lot, met with so many realtors.
My mom struggled. She was a big dreamer. And that's where I got my dreaming qualities from. She was very that spiritual believer. And at times, she taught me. I guess I grew up with the secret. The secret is. I feel like everyone knows what that is. No, I don't know. You don't know what the secret is? No, no, no. What's the secret? Okay. So I'm super big on manifestation. And that's, I mean, it's pretty big. And I feel like it's very trendy nowadays.
A lot of people just talk about, let's manifest this. Let's manifest that. You have to believe it. So growing up with that at a young age, that was kind of like our religion. We weren't religious. But having that, that was like our belief system. She'd be like, let's go. Let's go into Crystal Cove and see this big estate and just visualize having it. And then it'll happen. So we would do that when we were younger. And I just became obsessed with houses because we always had a little house.
I've shared a room with my mom, with two of my sisters. And I tell you, you know what I mean? And we moved every single year. And sometimes every six months we moved. So we met with a ton of realtors, even if we weren't like buying a house or renting a house. But that was just very consistent in our life as moving. And it was just very unstable. I guess I grew to love real estate because I was so involved in it. And I saw the realtors and I met with them.
And I just had a passion for homes. And I actually got used to moving so much where I was like, okay, what's next? You know what I mean? It's almost an adventure. I love change now. And I love novelty. I love newness. I love moving. And my husband is like, you're going to kill me. It's like, you need some stability. Yeah. Like, I'm always in the house changing around the furniture, like buying new things and swapping out things just because I love a new, fresh feel.
But I guess that's where my love and passion for real estate came from was just moving around a lot and just having that instability, I guess. There was a lot that came with that, too. So that was really my childhood. And I think that's where my drive came from, too, with having those struggles and not having money. You know, like I grew up in Laguna where everyone, most people had wealth. And so we were the family that didn't, even though I was very quiet about it.
And so that was something I always strived for. I was like, I want what they have. You know what I mean? And so that's what I looked at every day. And I was like, I want to get there. And I want to build this for my family. And I don't have my own kids right now. But I want to make sure I wanted to make sure I'm in a good place to provide that to my kids when I get there. So I think that's where my motivation comes mainly.
It's such a beautiful dream, I think, that you had growing up. And now sitting here living that dream in that beautiful house that you had envisioned for yourself manifested. Honestly, just kept pushing and persevering. Yeah. Yeah. I think it's, you've touched on a couple really incredible things, is how you are willing to go above and beyond. And how you're authentic and true to yourself. Yeah. But that authentic and true to yourself version is still one that is very tenacious and resilient and door knocking, putting in all the work.
Can you tell us a little bit about maybe some advice that you have for people who want to stay authentic to who they are? Yeah. And combine that with a strong work ethic to be successful? I guess it's more so, like, befriending people. Like, be their friend, get to know them, become personable. Because if you come off as, like, a sales agent, like, you're not a robot. You know, just talk with your normal voice, you know.
Because when I first started cold calling, I was very, like, it just wasn't my voice. Sit back a little bit. Exactly. Yeah, like, sit back a little bit. Like, loosen up. Take a breather. Maybe, like, call someone as you're walking around the block. Honestly, just be yourself and throw in some banter. Or just compliment them on something. And know just, oh, my gosh, so amazing. How'd you do this? And you know what I mean?
Just, like, how do you... It's just about being your genuine self and really connecting with them. And I think that's why a lot of my clients have come back to me. Because I really connect with them on a deeper level. Like, they have a daughter. Okay, what am I going to do? I'm going to talk to their daughter. They'll send me her phone number. We're, like, you know, searching for houses together. And I kind of include them all, like, on the search and make it fun.
And I feel like every client I've had, like, we're still so close. And we're friends. You know, and that's really it. Like, someone's going to want to work with you if they like you. Yeah. Not just if you're the best. So that's really my key to success. Yeah. Is, like, building that trustful relationship with them. And just being your authentic self. And I think that's how you have referrals, repeat customers, continued loyalty.
Is because of that genuine relationship that you can build with other people. Right. And that trust. Yeah. Can you tell us a little bit about how you turn an initial first interaction into a lasting connection or a real relationship? Yeah. Yeah. I think it's more so just tone of voice, you know. And it really depends on how I meet them. Like, I'm either going to meet them at an open house through a phone call, you know,
which is different. Or door knocking. And first impression is everything. Because there's people that are just going to come through open houses and, like, leave right away. And you could be, like, take a look at the house. Okay, bye. Whatever. You know, have a good day, but more so you have to draw them in. Ask them questions. Get to know them. It's honestly, it comes in asking the questions. Because that's how you're going to find out what do they want?
What excites them? What are they looking for? And then focus on that. And so if this house doesn't work, oh my gosh, I have the perfect house for you. Like, get them excited. And get them imagining what they can end up in. Or if I'm door knocking, I'm really just, like, having a big, like, presence and smile. Like, and inviting them. Like, my way with door knocking, it's really been my bread and butter recently. Tell us about, well, for those who are, I mean, door knocking sounds pretty self-explanatory.
But tell us about, like, the process of what that actually looks like. Yeah. So my way with door knocking, you could be any agent going to knock on a door and being, like, do you want to sell your house? That's not my way. Yeah. Because they're just going to slam the door on you. You know, like, you just, you can't do that. And when I first started door knocking in LA, I got a lot of people, you know, people would yell at me, slam the door.
It was kind of scary, you know. And I went by myself. So, but now it's just, I, every person I talk to, most people let me in their house. They're so sweet. Which is, like, a shocker. Because you'll talk to a lot of other agents that do it. And they're just like, nope, not doing that. Like, people are yelling at me, this and that. And it's easier for, I would say, a woman, you know. To, like, I'll always bring a partner with me, whether it's, like, a male or a female
or whatever. But I have, it's all about the opening. You have to get them on, like, the first 10 seconds. Yeah. So I'll always have a flyer with me. The minute they open the door, I'm like, hi. So I just have this big, like, hi, I'm Alex. I'm with the Altman Brothers. And I always want to offer something. Instead of, you own this house. Can I sell your house? Like, that's never my go-to. I'm always, like, I have a listing here.
I wanted to invite you. I'm having a big open house. Like, do you know anyone thinking about moving into the neighborhood? Because I'm sure you have friends and family looking. So, yeah, it's so different. And I just, like, get super personable with them right away. And after that opening, how long have you lived here? Would love to have you come. I'm never asking for any business, anything. But my goal at the end of it is to get their phone number.
And a lot of the times, they'll let me in their house. Like, I was just door knocking a few weeks ago around my farm in Newport. And a couple people let us in. And they're just, like, the sweetest people. And you just get to know them. And, oh, my gosh, this house is amazing. They talk about their architect. And we're like, how long have you been here? But you ask certain questions where you're, like, trying. You do it indirectly.
And they have no idea. Where you're just trying to understand how long have they been there. Do you see yourself moving somewhere else? We don't ask them these. But at the end of it all, sometimes we're, like, we're kind of, like, getting to know them. I do say I have a couple buyers looking for my open house. Which is true. Because, you know, we meet all these buyers coming in. And I do have a lot of investors looking for fixers, too.
Or things like that. So I use those buyers. So I'm, like, I have a couple buyers for my open houses. Do you know any of the neighbors thinking about selling anytime soon? Wow. So instead of asking them, they're not going to be, like, they're immediately going to be, like, well, I'm thinking about selling soon. Right. You know, so you're not asking them. You're, like, do you know any of the neighbors thinking about selling soon?
You know? So that. Less pressure. Exactly. Less pressure. And they're always going to say, well, I might, you know, we've been thinking about it maybe in the next couple of years or whatever. They always say that if they're thinking about it. You know, because we have buyers. Even if it's not now, then down the road they'll let us know. And so that's, like, okay, add them to my CRM. It's all in the follow-up. You have to send them a card.
You have to stay on it. You have to give them a call. And I think just giving that, honestly, just a quick phone call sometimes where you're just following up and saying, hey, we met at your house. You were so nice. Thank you so much for having us in. Give them, like, an update about the listing, where we're at. We got an offer, which is amazing for you because we're going to break a record. They want to know these things.
And it'll, like, your home will appreciate with that. Exactly. So we're just providing value and checking in so they hear our voice. And so we're, like, the go-to whenever they think about a realtor in the neighborhood. Like, we're the go-to. And we're on it. And we're consistently, like, staying, following up with them. And we just stay on it. We know they're going to sell within, like, the next year or so. Then we're calling them every couple of months.
Not just to, like, see if they're going to be selling soon, but just to check in and kind of give them some information. And it'll always turn into something. So, yeah. And that's incredible. It's from, like, the actual, like, knocking on people's doors, being invited in, getting to build this warmth and banter going on. And then following up with continued at added value. Right. Is such a great playbook for people to follow.
How frequently do you follow up? Like, what does that look like in terms of, let's say you met somebody at an open house. When do you follow up with them with a phone call? How often, what's the cadence like when you're building and maintaining and trying to have these organic relationships? Yeah, it definitely varies per lead. Because I will get leads from an open house. And typically buyers are, okay, they're looking, like, right away.
Or they're just kind of browsing. And, you know, they have a timeline to buy within six months or whatever. And usually I'll get that within six months. But I know that those buyers, if they find the perfect property right away, they're going to make a move on it. And so it's, I kind of, it just depends on which lead. So my goal with an open house lead is to book an appointment with them and take them out to coffee or lunch.
And get to know who they are, what they're looking for. Because you can just call these leads the next day with all of, you know, all the buyers are signing into these open houses. You can just call them the next day, which I do. They're not going to stick. So I think it's really important to take the time to sit down with them and get to know them. And understand what they're really looking for in their timelines and everything.
And just build that connection and commitment. It really depends on the buyers. But with door knocking, that's more of, like, a long-term thing. Where you meet sellers and you're just kind of building. Sometimes, you know, you get lucky. Like, I met this lady in Newport. I went with her girlfriend door knocking. And she was like, actually, my sister, you know, she wants to sell. And we were talking to another realtor.
But you guys seem great. And so we met with her. I actually invited her to my open house. Like, you know what? Like, come to my open house on Sunday. Bring your sister. Let's talk about it. And then let's go to her house. And we'll give you an evaluation on her home. That's how we got it right away. Was, you know, you get lucky sometimes when you have those, like, quick needs. Like, seller needs. But honestly, door knocking, for the most part, is, like, a long-term game.
But with cold calls, I'm teaching you everything. Yeah. So cold calls is a little bit different. And I started cold calling in L.A. my first year. And the reason why I did all this, cold calling, door knocking, everything, was because being so young out of college or in college, I'm like, who's going to buy a house for me right now? You know, so you have to go out there and get those leads. And so I learned a lot with scripts, Tom Ferry's scripts.
I had a team that really drilled us on get on the phone. We're going to do it every day from 9 to 12. And we're going to book appointments every day. And there's different ways to book appointments that way when you're calling. So we called expired and canceled. So we called a lot of expired and canceled leads. And then there's also circle dialing. So circle dialing is when you're just, you pick a farm. And you call, like, all 500 houses, right?
And those aren't hot leads. You're just really checking in. Hey, I'm a realtor with the Altman Brothers. I'm also your neighbor. Wanted to see if there's anything in the world I can do for you regarding real estate. If not, maybe they might know anyone else looking to buy or sell. Just wanted to be a resource for you since I live down the street. And I sold a property doing that last year. I sold my neighbor's house because I was like, I'm your neighbor.
And I was just super, like, myself and laughing with them. Like, you know what? Maybe you can come over here and tell me how much my house is worth. And so I literally ran over there within 45 minutes and met with him. And they were incredible. I was a couple. And listed their house within 30 days and sold it the next 30 days. So there's that with circle dialing. You get lucky with that sometimes. But with expired and canceled leads, those are more of the hot leads.
Those are listings that are on the market that were on the market and they canceled or expired with another realtor. So they're not, you know, under active contract with a realtor. And the fact that they were on the market, clearly they want to sell. Right? So, but those are a little bit more difficult to call. You have to be quick with those. Because they're getting calls by a million different agents. You know, a million.
And so you have to just be, it's your first, like, seven, ten seconds you're opening with them. And I find myself really being good at those, too. You know, because I don't sound like every other agent. I'm just, like, myself. And we talk about, you know, this sale or this sale. And we wanted to see if it's still available. And that's another really, really big, you know, lead source that we'll do, too. But it just depends with them, too.
So sometimes they'll, like, I get this call all the time. And they hang up. And da-da-da-da-da. But then you really have to, like, get through to them somehow. Whether, do you have a buyer? Do you really have a buyer? Send them, you know, tell them as much information as you can. Like, who's your client? What are they looking for? What's their timeline? Like, really give them all that information. Because there's a lot of agents that really, like, bullshit.
And there's also a lot of teams that are, like, we're the best. We're number one. But really, like, we're the best. I can show you the stats. Right, right. You know? Like, let me send you the numbers. Tone of voice is everything. Wow. And your first opening with them is also everything, too. So, yeah. To get them to stay on the call. Exactly. To get them to want to take that next meeting with you. To let you into their house.
Exactly. Yeah. So, and there's so many questions that you want to ask. Like, why did it sell? Like, I'm so shocked it didn't sell. And did you get any offers? Did you get any feedback from your agent? Just, you have to know the area, too. And you have to know the sales in that market. You just have to really understand, like, why it didn't sell. And if you do have a buyer, set an appointment. Can I preview it for them?
Right away. Right away. Yeah. And so, but sometimes they want to take a break. And they're like, you know, I'm going to relist it in the new year. Honestly, I get spam calls all the time. I hate it. People door knock me, too. And it freaks me out. I don't like it when people knock on my door. I don't know why. And so I was like, how am I going to be able to door knock and cold call when I can't stand it, when people do that to me?
I get it. I get it. So, and it was kind of challenging for me to get over that. But something switched when I really started getting good at it. I was thinking to myself, you know, like, these people, they want to hear from me. They do. They need to be represented. And they're working with the best. And I know I can deliver the best. And I know I have their back. I truly believe that. I do. And so that's where it really, like, turned around for me when I had that switch of the mic.
And it doesn't bother me anymore. Because I know I'm calling. Because I know I'm going to represent them and have their best interest. Yeah, exactly. We talked a little bit about all the ways that you differentiate yourself. Can you tell us about this world of real estate and these industries of sales where it can be so competitive? And there are probably so many people who even want to poach your listings or your clients.
How do you really stand out from the people that are offering very similar skill sets as you are? And maybe you're coming from a similar background selling luxury real estate homes behind a great agent. What is the key factor that you do to continuously stand out? I think I win a lot of listings with my team because they don't just hire one agent. And they're hiring me as the local in Laguna, in Newport, in Orange County.
And then they're hiring the team, Josh Altman. And he's global. He has the high net worth individual clientele that he brings in. And he's the powerhouse. You come in and we're a team. And so I can sell Laguna more than anything. And Josh might not know the restaurants and the lifestyle and whatever. But then Josh comes in and he's the powerhouse. And so I think us as a team, we're a good dynamic duo to get the job done.
And, of course, they want a strong negotiator. And it's better working as a team. I don't know. I think it's the fact that you're so personable. Build this relationship and this real sense of loyalty with the other person. Because they know continuously. Sometimes you may have these relationships for years. Yeah. And then second of all, it's not just, oh, I'm representing you. It's my team. Yeah. Exactly. It's representing you.
And you are standing on the shoulders of giants. Right. Exactly. That are the best. Yeah. Yeah. Exactly. And so I would say, honestly, that. Because, I mean, who doesn't want to work with the best? But they also want to feel like they're secure. And I do a lot of hand-holding. And, you know, I really connect with them and make sure that they're getting what they need out of this. Because, honestly, on both sides of the transaction, it could be very stressful.
Sometimes we're dealing with a divorce sale. And it's stressful for the sellers. And they're selling their house. Or maybe they have a lot of memories in their house. And they've had it for 20, 30, 40 years. They're letting that go. And so it could get very emotional. And then, you know, even with the buy side, sometimes it's like their biggest investment. So they want to make sure that they're in good hands. And I think I do a good job of making them feel that way, that they can trust me.
And I always have a conversation with them before we go into a transaction where I'm like, you know what? Like, I'm always going to check in with them. And I do a lot of check-ins with my clients just to make sure that they're happy. Because the last thing I want is them to have buyer's remorse and come back to me. You know what I mean? And there's been situations and some transactions where I'm like, how do you feel about this?
You know, just checking in. Are you still okay with it? Are you happy or comfortable? Because sometimes we have to move quick on things. And there's deadlines and all this. And my client was one of my clients in LA. They were super stressed. I could tell that they were off. And I was like, look, if it doesn't feel right, let's back out. Like, you can back out before the contingencies are up, right? And so we backed out.
And they got their deposit back. And they were, like, super grateful. And there's another time where my client, the contingency was up. The inspections were almost up. And I was like, look, we either have to remove this and make an agreement or we need to back out. Because you're going to lose your deposit. It was, like, the day before. And I kept bugging him, bugging him, bugging him. We have to make a decision. Like, what do you want to do?
We got all these inspections. And just really guiding them in the transaction and getting them, you know, everything they need to make an informed decision. And I had to, like, call their daughters. And I was like, hey, like, he's not making a move on it. We either need to back out or he needs to, like, remove this inspection contingency. And she goes, okay, well, I would just back out then. And, you know, because he obviously doesn't know what he wants to do.
And if he didn't remove it, then he would have lost his huge deposit. And then he would have been, you know, he would have canceled everything. So I guess I'm just very hands-on. And I take every situation like it's mine. If I were buying the house, if I was selling a house, I want to know everything. I think it's so amazing that you are thinking long-term about their happiness, about their needs versus thinking short-term, I'm going to get the commission.
Yeah. Yeah. It's never about that, ever. Yeah. It's wanting to really genuinely care for the long-term needs. And I think that's also really genuine because I've worked with realtors that it's very, like, let's make this happen. Let's make this happen. Very pushy. Yeah. And that's not your style. There's a lot of those out there. And it's not me at all. Like, I'm not for the commission. Of course, it's great, you know, when you have a sale.
But it's even better when your clients are so happy and then you close and it's so rewarding. And then I'm taking them out to dinner. Like, let's celebrate, you know, let's continue this relationship and let's keep going. And they're just so happy. And you just stay connected and you're friends for life, pretty much. So I think that's really my secret sauce. It's just, like, getting close to my clients and informing them and making sure that they
know they're making the right decision. It's about setting expectations, too, before anything. Because you don't want to step into a situation where they're blindsided. You know, you want to make sure that they're aware of everything. Just give them the best advice as we go along. For sure. Yeah. I think that's so important. For someone who is thinking about getting into real estate, can you talk a little bit about the difference between the regular residential real estate versus this ultra high net worth
real estate? You went straight into this market. What does that journey typically look like? Or how did you break into this? Yeah. So honestly, whenever I have some, you know, some of my younger siblings, friends will call me, what are you doing? And they want to take me out. And they want to, they want me to give them all the advice. And my advice to them is start small because you will learn so much. And it's just easier to get more sales that way.
Starting out small. You can call all these track homes that are selling for a million and probably get like so many out of that. I mean, it's, to be honest, it's really all the same. It's really just different personalities and numbers. But I jumped in into luxury real estate and I just wanted to get there. There was something about me where I just, I wanted to be there already. And I, I think I have a lot of impatience, but it takes time no matter what.
And it was not easy. And I think that's why my first year was like kind of rocky. I guess every, everyone, everyone in their first year. But I mean, I, I started with Rodeo Realty right away and a team took me in and I begged, you know, I was like, can I please shadow you? Like I'll work for free, whatever I need to do. And I was taken in and I learned so much and I just knew that's where I wanted to be. Like I didn't care.
I just, I wanted to be there. And you, you definitely have to work your way up, you know? Pause there and take a step back on how did you even get into shadowing somebody? I think that there's so much hustle that people don't see. Okay. And they think like, oh, I just snapped my fingers. I work hard once I get there. Yeah. But they don't see the door knocking. They don't see all the DMs or, you know, how you built that initial connection.
So maybe you can walk us through the journey. Yeah. I'm a perfectionist and I often don't feel like these videos meet my standards. And for me, that's where Be Creatives comes in. I sent them my raw, imperfect footage and they worked their magic. They helped me clean up the audio, video quality, fix the lighting, and help me make everything look more professional and polished. Now, no matter where I'm recording, I know my content is going to be in good hands.
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He runs one of my favorite organizations in San Francisco, Founders Bay, along with Marianne Becker. And here to talk to us a little bit about all the amazing things and how you guys can be involved in person through different conferences, events, and get connected. Christopher, so can you tell us a little bit more? First of all, thank you so much for having me. It's a pleasure to be here and I love what you're doing.
Founders Bay, it's awesome. So we're based in San Francisco. We're a community of getting close to 80,000 members. That's huge, guys. You have to be a part of it. Yes, you have to be a part of it. So we're based in San Francisco, but our members are spread across the country, across the globe. But we have a very high concentration of folks that are based here in the city. We do events constantly. We do large events, you know, 2,000 plus people.
We also do smaller events. Basically, what we're trying to do is connect founders, investors, operators, and even just tech enthusiasts to each other and give them an avenue to share ideas, collaborate, and kind of expand their networks. At foundersbay.com. Thank you. So, honestly, I was still in school with you and I wanted to start right away. And so I didn't know how to do it. I was like, do I walk into an office?
Do I ask for the manager? Who can I work for? But I knew where I wanted to be. I wanted to be at Rodeo Realty. I started getting on Instagram and going through, you know, finding all these agents and just kind of getting a feel. I was like, how am I going to find my team? Okay. So I'm sure a lot of teams have their own accounts, you know, and I wanted to feel out like the right team for me. But I saw a few agents at Rodeo Realty that I found and I reached out to them and one of them got back to me right away.
And I just wrote him like this long time. Yeah, this long DM of I'm a student. You know, I'm going to be finishing. My dream is to be in real estate. I really admire your work and da, da, da. And I just kind of put myself out there. I'd love to get coffee with you and pick your brain about what you're doing and how I can get started. And asked if I could, you know, shadow him and see what he was doing and listen to his phone calls and go on broker previews with him.
I met with him at the office and it was kind of like, I think this is how it's kind of like going full circle. I think the reason why I'm on this team right now is because I was obsessed with million dollar listings. And so I was like, I just want to be around the office because they would film in that office. And that, oh my gosh, it just had like a light bulb. I didn't realize that until now, but I wanted to be in that office.
I wanted to be around it. You know, I just I always want to be around the mix, the energy, whatever it is. But I want to learn from the best. And so and so this agent took me in. I was super nervous meeting with him, but I just told him a little bit about myself, my background, what my goals were. And I think he saw it in me. I don't know. You know, I just you have to be vulnerable and you have to put yourself out there.
And that's exactly what I did. And he was like 100 percent. He had a tiny team. I think he had like one or two other agents at the time. He knew I was starting from scratch and he took me in and just taught me a lot. But I was there for about a year or so. It was an office with older agents. And so there was not a lot of youth. So it kind of got old to me after a minute. And I was there for a year and then I found a new team.
And that that was the team that really fine tuned all my skills with cold calling, door knocking, all that jazz. And, you know, you have to keep moving up. If if there's if something isn't serving you anymore, you have to keep moving up and keep learning just to get to the next level. So you always have to keep doing that. Just keep climbing. So and then from Rodeo Realty to the next Hilton and Highland. Hilton. Yeah.
So I switched over to Hilton and Highland. I just felt kind of stuck at my first. I honestly I would book appointments and I brought my team leader on appointments with me and he didn't close. And so I was like, I'm young. I need I need a closer. You know, I need to learn from my team leader. And that's the whole point of a team is when you're calling and booking appointments, you bring them with you so they can get the deal for you.
You know what I mean? Especially when you're new. That's that's it. That's that's how you're going to build your business. Yeah. And so because I was so young. How old is I? 23, 22. I don't know. After a minute, I was like, what am I doing? I'm spending so much time booking appointments and he's not closing for me. So I learned a lot. I'm super grateful for what he brought at that time. But then I was like, I need to find something new.
So something that's going to push me to the next level. And then that brought me to Hilton and Highland. It was so crazy. I like I put it out in the universe. I was like, I want to find a new team, something that's, you know, exactly what I just had talked about. And I got a marketing email like two weeks later after I put that out into the universe. And it was like this new team at Hilton Highland. I was like, Hilton and Highland is such a it's highly respected.
It's your it was like the most luxury boutique real estate firm in L.A. at the time. And I was like, wow, it was incredible. It was a great experience being there. It was more so like a sales team, which is good for me. And I think it's good for any new agent that wants to be getting into real estate like that. That was gold. But it got old for me. And it's like, I want to be on my own after about a year and a half of being on that team.
Had an amazing experience. And that's exactly what I needed. And then meeting with the Altman brothers, that was like. How did that opportunity come about? So it literally just fell in my lap. I shit you not. And there's so many agents that are that apply to be on this team. Yeah. Like, I think they were like, oh, we get like 500 emails a month or something like something crazy, you know. And so they're very particular.
They only bring in big producers into the team. And they want everyone to be family. And so I, when I was, so I got engaged, right? And so my husband was like, okay, you're moving back down to Laguna. And I was like, no. I wanted to stay in LA so bad. Which I'm grateful to be down here now. But being with Hilton and Highland, I was like, I can't be with Hilton and Highland. No one knows Hilton and Highland and Laguna and Orange County.
So I had to switch teams. And so I talked to an agent up there. And he's like, you should reach out to this agent in Orange County. And so I interviewed with about three agents and teams down here. And one of them was with Douglas Elliman. And so I met with him. And he was like, okay, well, let's get you a meeting with Josh Altman. And I was like, what? Like, why? And I didn't know they partnered together. I thought this agent had his own team.
Because someone told me that. They're like, they're expanding their team. But then he was on the Altman's team. And I had no idea. Because he had his own branding and logo and everything, you know? I didn't see any of the Altman Brothers stuff with his stuff. And it's just not like me to go after the TV stuff. So then I got a meeting with him. And I was like, okay, I'll just take the meeting. Like, I don't think I'm going to do it.
But I'll take the meeting. And then I met with them. And I was like, I can't turn this down. Like, it would be an incredible opportunity. Plus, I'm so about just working with amazing people and genuine. The entire team, they're all just incredible and so real. And just so exactly what I needed. But they're like so hardworking and driven. And just being surrounded by a team like this with these incredible leaders has really,
it's put me in such a good place. It really has changed the game for me. So, yeah, it's a crazy journey, you know, going from Rodeo to Hilton and Highland. Which is like, all the top producers are from Hilton and Highland. The elements are. A lot of the big producers came from Hilton and Highland. Including you. Well, it was, you know, it's very exclusive. And so the reason why I got in at such a young age was because I joined a team.
I don't think there's a lot. There were a lot of teams at the time there. So it was just such a great experience, you know, to be a part of it. Especially when Jeff Highland was still there. But the minute he passed, it started, I guess you could say it started, it really shifted. And a lot of agents started leaving and creating their own firms and everything. So I was there during like the last good year of it. So I would say it's still good.
You know, it's still a great firm. But it was really cool to be a part of all of it. What I really admire about you is that you're really in it for the work. You're not in it for the quick commission, for the quick payout, for the 5 to 15 minutes of fame. You're not chasing clout or any of those things. But you did get approached by famous producers to go on a certain TV show. Maybe you can tell us a little bit about.
Oh my gosh. I immediately said no. So selling Sunset and selling OC. I haven't even told really anyone on my team because I just don't care. Well, I told a couple agents, but I didn't tell the Allmans. But they reached out to me right before I saw you, like a couple months ago. And I immediately was like, fuck no. Excuse my language. Sorry. It's one of those dramatic TV shows. And, you know, that's just not who I am.
Like, number one, I don't think I have the personality for that. Like, I told them, I took the interview. But I told them, it's not going to work out if I have to leave my team because I love my team. And I'm so loyal and dedicated to them. Like, there's no way. And he's like, okay, we'll just figure out that later. But I knew it wasn't going to work out to begin with unless I could stay with my team. I think, you know, most of the agents on that team don't do a lot of business, you know.
And there were a couple agents in the Orange County office that reached out to me, or one of them. And we went out to lunch, and she was like, what are you doing? Like, can you tell me exactly what you're doing? And, of course, I didn't, like, tell her everything I was doing. I did tell her. I was like, you need to use the power of your team and name drop. And maybe it's, which I didn't think was going to help her at all.
Because you could say, I'm with Selling Sunset and the Oppenheim. But, like, is that really going to help you? I think it just has a different reputation. Yeah. You know, so with my team, the Allman Brothers and Million Dollar Listing, it's more of a, it's, okay, we're selling real estate. We're actually selling houses. Like, this is no drama. Well, there's, like, some fun, like, real estate drama. But it's just, it's real estate.
Yeah. Versus I think that one is more so, like, the hookups and the partying, the drama. And I've honestly talked to a lot of, even when I doorknock, and they're like, oh, are you with that Selling Sunset? And they were, like, making fun of it. I was like, no, I'm not, actually. You know, I just think it would really hurt my business being a part of that team. And I hate to say that, you know? Right. But I think it's just reality.
And I just don't think anyone would take me serious at all. And I think if I was that influencer type or that model or whatever, like, sure, I'd go do it because it would probably give me more gigs. And I think that's what it does for all of those girls. But that's just not who I am. And I'm selling houses and real estate. And this is what I want to do. And this is my dream. So I just don't care to do that. To stay focused.
And that's why I admire so much about you is that you're not chasing the clout and the fame. And there are a million girls who would take that job in a second. Yeah. Who would jump at that kind of opportunity. But for you, it's almost a demotion. Yeah. And how amazing it is that you've climbed so far so fast. That these opportunities should be flattering. Yeah. That, you know, you're considered. But I love that you're so serious about the business.
Yeah. And you will continue to be so successful. Yeah. Because you have your heart and your mind in real estate. Yeah. I really do. Yeah. One last question, which is when you look back at this incredible journey that you've had of being homeless. Of being raised by a single mom. In a sense, almost parenting your siblings. Mm-hmm. All those hard times that you had. Mm-hmm. What would you tell, like, your young version of yourself?
And how proud would you be of her? I think I'd be blown away. You know? And I think I would probably not have so much fear if I knew where I could be now back then. But I just, yeah, I think it would be a game changer for me. But I couldn't be more grateful for everything. You know? And I wake up, I'm just, I'm so happy. And I think I just, a lot of people are like, you're laughing nonstop and you're smiling. And I'm like, I'm just happy to, like, be living this life.
You know? Yeah. But yeah, I mean, I think that would have, I think that would have been huge. Yeah. Yeah, I'm sure. So. Thank you so much for coming on today. Thanks for having me. It was such a pleasure. Everyone, I'm so glad that you had a chance to connect with Alex and hear her incredible story and vision and are as inspired as I am. Thank you. Thank you. If you're an investor, a builder, an entrepreneur, and someone who likes to attend events in person, you guys have to check this out.
It's great to meet the ICONS community here. It's amazing work that you've done. AIFI produces events, everything from summits with thousands of people to workshops, hackathons, and we'd love to invite you. Go to AIIFY.io for links to all the events we have coming up. And if you put in icons when you go to purchase your ticket, you'll get a significant discount on all of our upcoming events. Please visit the website at AIIFY.io.
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