Ryan Serhant doesn’t romanticise the grind. CEO of SERHANT, the Star of Million Dollar Listing New York and Owning Manhattan, knows exactly what building something from nothing costs.

In this conversation with Marty Fox, Ryan opens up about balance, success in real estate, and the relationships that compound everything. From a bullied shy theatre kid, to one of the most recognisable figures in global real estate, this is a masterclass for anyone building a career in the industry - or thinking about it.

The Early Years

Childhood: Born in Houston, Texas, Ryan’s parents separated when he was just four days old. What followed was a childhood defined by movement - new cities, new schools, new people. Constantly adapting. Constantly learning how to fit in.

The Foundations: His disciplinarian stepfather ran a tight household where chores were not optional; money had to be earned. That structure left a mark. Even today, Ryan struggles to justify social time unless it serves a purpose. Productivity for him, isn’t optional it’s predesigned.

Theatre to Real Estate: After trying every sport as a teenager, Ryan knew early on that he wouldn’t be a professional athlete. This realisation saw him take the leap into theatre; which allowed him to finally be himself.

Auditions brought rejection. Roles came and went. Confidence stayed. Theatre taught him how to fail without folding and how to separate outcomes from identity.

Real Estate: The Survival Job That Took Over

Real Estate grew from a ‘survival job’ just to pay rent, to over $15 billion in career sales and an estimated $40 - $50 million from brokerage, books and TV deals; Ryan’s rise to dominance is nothing but impressive. What began as survival became obsession, then dominance.

Social media for Marketing: Ryan talks about Instagram not as a platform, but as infrastructure. Marketing. Brand. Leverage. Business. Used properly, it compounds. 

The Method

Ryan Serhant is intentional about everything he does and within every conversation he has.

The Importance of Relationships and Communication: Ryan believes in compound relationships; that one deal should lead to three. He also practices selective communication, believing strongly that timing matters. Say the right thing, to the right person, at the right moment.

He literally wrote the book on it Sell it Like Serhant. How to Sell More, Earn More, and Become the Ultimate Sales Machine. 

Getting the Deal Done: When brokering a deal, Ryan runs two visualisations:

• What’s the script of this deal ‘movie’?
• What is the buyer’s and seller’s biggest fear?

Understand those, and the deal tells you how it to close it.

Leadership at Scale:

Quick to hire.
Quick to fire.
Quick to promote.

Running SERHANT isn’t about tolerating mediocracy. He believes strongly in communication and recognising high performers within the company.

Leading his Team: Ryan has a remarkably straightforward approach to running team meetings with staff.

One annual in-person huddle.
Two virtual watch parties.
A combined premiere party and holiday party.
And a weekly, 30 minute SERHANT Live meeting for staff and subscribers.

Training. Panels. Special guests. Repetition breeds success.

Structure or Burnout

Ryan is blunt about the cost of leadership. Being CEO is mentally and physically taxing. Without structure it can break you.

The Importance of Balance: His days are engineered and structured into key areas - work, travel, health, family. Nothing accidental. Balance isn’t found, it’s built.

In Conclusion

 In this engaging conversation, Marty explored Ryan’s story; from his childhood through to his current role and business mindset.

This podcast is a must for real estate professionals and enthusiasts.

Listen to the full episode here: https://open.spotify.com/episode/4G4rs9F4hoc00EhtlpscnZ?si=94daa820d1994cce