In 1994, while working a side hustle as a waiter at Tony Roma’s at Universal CityWalk in Hollywood, California, my life changed forever. Deborah—the most beautiful woman I had ever seen—walked in, and when our eyes met, I knew everything was about to be different. We began a love story that would eventually lead to marriage, a growing family, and a complete career transformation.

At the time, I was pursuing acting and music, but I realized that if I wanted a stable future with Deborah, I needed something more. In 1996, I bought my first home—a foreclosure—with my two best friends, Rob and Jay. That purchase opened my eyes: we weren’t just buying a home; we were making an investment. I felt like I had discovered a secret, and I knew I had to share it.

In 1997, I became licensed in real estate and began my career with Century 21 Prechtl & Associates in Granada Hills, CA. I was fortunate to be mentored by Ron Prechtl, one of the top Century 21 agents in the world at the time. Ron saw something in me and entrusted me with his foreclosure accounts, allowing me to manage REO properties for major institutions like Bank of America, Countrywide, CHFA, and more. Between 1997 and 2001, I closed over 275 transactions and became a Top 10 producer company-wide. I even launched and led the in-house training program and Real estate School, helping many new licensees become top agents.