From Hand Model to Billionaire Broker: How Ryan Serhant Turned $150 an Hour into 9-Figure Deals!

Ryan Serhant, a familiar face from nine seasons of Million Dollar Listing New York and his own Netflix series, Owning Manhattan, has built an impressive real estate empire that spans over a dozen states. However, his success didn’t come without hard work and determination.

After graduating from college, Serhant had modest ambitions; he didn’t possess a clear career path but had one primary goal: to move to New York City and figure the rest out as he went along. “It wasn’t about finding happiness. It wasn’t about chasing success,” he told Fortune. “At least initially, it was, if you can make it in New York, you can make it anywhere.”

With limited funds saved from working on a ranch in Colorado, Serhant took on various jobs to survive. He became a hand model for $150 an hour, money he later used to fund his first real estate ventures. Additionally, he distributed as many as 500 flyers a day for Equinox, not for the paycheck but for free gym access and the chance to network with its affluent clientele.

This early experience taught him invaluable lessons about networking. Serhant adheres to a strategy he calls the “two Cs”: always offer a compliment and find something in common. This philosophy has influenced his approach not just in real estate, but across all aspects of his career. “I never wanted to be beholden to anyone else,” he said. “I never wanted a boss who could hire me on one day, fire me on another day. I wanted to build something for myself.”

And build something he did. Now, as CEO of SERHANT, a brokerage and media company, Serhant reported over $6 billion in sales last year, regularly marketing nine-figure penthouses to billionaire buyers.

Serhant’s Path to National Recognition

Breaking into the real estate industry is notoriously challenging. Thousands of agents enter the market every year, many leaving within just a few years due to inconsistent pay, tough competition, and burnout. Serhant understood that simply selling properties would not be sufficient to stand out.

“I believed even early on, the brand was never going to be about the property, but was going to be about the person,” he noted, a philosophy that has shaped his social media presence, television career, and the structure of his brokerage. Unlike many CEOs who distance themselves from the hands-on work, Serhant remains closely engaged with transactions. He continues to personally sell properties, even with hundreds of agents working under him.

“I think it’s really important for CEOs to never let go of the thing that got them there in the first place,” he emphasized. Recently, he represented notable clients such as Andy Cohen in the sale of his $12 million West Village apartment, Dave Portnoy in purchasing a $27.75 million home in the Florida Keys, and a British investor in the sale of a $72 million mansion in Palm Beach.

Despite the glitz and glamour often portrayed on television, Serhant acknowledges the challenges he faces. “I have tough days all the time. Every day is tough,” he said. “I would not wish ‘CEO’ on anyone.” What drives him is not just financial incentives, which he describes as a “moving target,” but the realization that tomorrow brings new opportunities to effect change and achieve goals. “Otherwise, I feel like I wake up running a marathon with no end in sight,” he shared.

Looking ahead to 2026, Serhant aims to push into new creative avenues while scaling SERHANT as an AI-first brokerage. He plans to more than triple the company’s footprint across the states, betting on the momentum that has propelled him from distributing gym flyers to closing nine-figure deals.