Sitting at a poker table for hours (and days…) on end teaches you more about life and business than you'd expect. The tension, the calculations, the silent reads of your opponents - all of it sharpens your instincts in a way few experiences can. Little did I know that those nights spent weighing odds and managing risks would become the bedrock of my real estate strategy.

There was a time when I believed sheer grit and solo effort were all I needed to succeed in real estate. I'd wake up early, handle every aspect of the business myself, and burn the midnight oil thinking I was getting ahead. But despite all that hard work, I felt like I was spinning my wheels.

One day, I realized something had to change…

Success isn't just about hard skills or how much you know. It's about understanding people - starting with yourself. Emotional intelligence has been a complete game-changer for me in every single aspect of my life.