Ryan Serhant began his professional journey as a hand model, earning $150 per hour—this income helped fund his real estate company, and today he brokers penthouses worth hundreds of millions to billionaire clients.

Ryan Serhant: From Humble Beginnings to Real Estate Powerhouse

Ryan Serhant has become a familiar face in the real estate world, and his widespread recognition is the result of deliberate effort.

Many know Serhant, now 41, from his long run on Million Dollar Listing New York, his own Netflix show Owning Manhattan, or from spotting his name on property signs as his business expands to over a dozen states.

However, his rise to prominence was far from instantaneous.

After finishing college, Serhant’s aspirations were simple. He lacked a detailed career plan and instead set his sights on moving to New York City, trusting he would figure things out along the way.

“At first, it wasn’t about chasing happiness or success,” Serhant shared with Fortune. “It was about proving that if you can make it in New York, you can make it anywhere.”

To support himself, Serhant relied on savings from a ranch job in Colorado and took on any work he could find. He even worked as a hand model, earning $150 an hour—money that helped launch his real estate career—and distributed up to 500 Equinox gym flyers daily.

The flyer job wasn’t just about earning money. It gave him free gym access and, more importantly, introduced him to a wealthy clientele.

This experience taught him an early lesson in networking—a strategy he still uses today. Serhant’s approach, which he calls the “two Cs,” involves always giving a compliment and finding shared interests.

This philosophy extended beyond gyms and auditions. “I never wanted to depend on someone else,” Serhant explained. “I didn’t want a boss who could hire or fire me at will. I wanted to create something of my own.”

And that’s exactly what he accomplished. Today, Serhant leads SERHANT, a real estate and media firm that surpassed $6 billion in sales last year and regularly handles luxury properties for billionaire clients.

Building a National Brand While Staying True to His Roots

Entering the real estate profession is notoriously challenging. Each year, thousands of new agents join the field, but many leave within a few years due to inconsistent income, fierce competition, and burnout.

Serhant realized early on that simply selling homes wouldn’t set him apart.

“From the beginning, I believed the brand shouldn’t be about the properties, but about the people,” he said.

This belief influenced every aspect of his business—from his social media presence and TV appearances to the way he structured his company. Unlike many CEOs who step back from day-to-day operations, Serhant remains actively involved in sales, even with hundreds of agents on his team.

Staying Hands-On and Facing Challenges

“I think it’s crucial for CEOs to stay connected to what got them started,” he emphasized.

Over the past year, Serhant has represented high-profile clients, including Andy Cohen in the sale of a $12 million West Village apartment, Dave Portnoy in the purchase of a $27.75 million home in the Florida Keys, and a British investor’s sale of a $72 million mansion in Palm Beach.

Despite his success, Serhant admits that his days are often far from easy, regardless of how effortless things might appear to his millions of fans and followers.

“Every day is a challenge. I wouldn’t wish the title of ‘CEO’ on anyone,” he confessed.

What motivates him isn’t just financial gain—which he describes as a “moving target”—but the excitement of new opportunities and the drive to achieve fresh goals. Without this sense of purpose, he says, work can feel endless: “Otherwise, it’s like running a marathon with no finish line.”

Looking ahead to 2026, Serhant is determined to explore new creative avenues while expanding SERHANT as a brokerage that prioritizes AI innovation. With plans to triple the company’s presence across states, he continues to rely on the momentum that took him from handing out gym flyers to brokering multimillion-dollar deals.

This article was first published on Fortune.com.