Two Jobs, One Leap: Mo Carpenter’s Journey into Real Estate
Episode Summary
In this episode of the Next Gen Strategies podcast, Grant and Tyler sit down with Mo Carpenter of Gallery Homes Real Estate to unpack what it really looks like to walk away from a safe corporate job and build a relationship driven real estate business.
Mo shares his journey from twelve years in a corporate role at Assurant to working two jobs for two years, then finally making the leap into real estate full time. He talks about the “golden handcuffs” of salary and benefits, how his wife pushed him to set boundaries, and why he refuses to build his business on cold leads and empty promises.
If you are thinking about leaving a stable role for entrepreneurship, getting into real estate, or just trying to grow a business without losing your values, this one hits a lot of nerves in a good way.
In this episode, we cover:
- Why law school turned into corporate life, and why corporate life stopped being enough
- How Covid downtime forced Mo to be brutally honest about work, marriage, and calling
- The promise he made to his wife before jumping into real estate
- Working two full jobs for two years and what that grind actually looked like
- How a simple “why” video launch went viral and jump started his book of business
- Why his first clients trusted him with big properties even when he had zero experience
- Building a business on relationships, not purchased leads
- Why “your sphere” will always beat the perfect marketing funnel
- When Mo knew he had to start a team and how he chose his first hire
- The difference values make when you are building a team, not just chasing sales numbers
- A wild story of winning a house with 18 offers without being the highest bid
- How clear communication and story can beat a higher price in multiple offer situations
- Boundaries, burnout, and why not all business is good business
- What reality TV gets wrong about real estate
- Why Mo is dipping into commercial deals while keeping his heart in residential
Key Takeaways
- Relationships and integrity will take you further than any paid lead source.
- You can respect the “golden handcuffs” of corporate while still planning your exit.
- Your sphere of influence is not a fallback plan, it is your first and best lead engine.
- It is okay to say no to business that does not fit your values or season of life.
- Real growth happens when you invest in the people on your team, not just your own production.
