My name is Egypt Sherrod. I am a real estate broker and designer. My husband, Mike Jackson, and I work together and we actually met on one of my house flips many many years ago in Newark, New Jersey – where I started my real estate career.
I fell in love with the business of real estate. Real Estate is the foundation of wealth and I loved how empowered I felt being a co-creator of my own financial destiny. Previously I was a radio talk show personality, which I left to focus on getting my real estate license – and the rest is history.
I have since become a host across several different real estate television programs from “Property Virgins” and “Flipping Virgins” to, most recently, “Married to Real Estate.” I also run Indigo Road, which is a family of companies encompassing real estate and design. With my husband’s business Jackson Draper Renovations, together we’re a one-stop shop.
Egypt Sherrod and Mike Jackson
We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today. Can you share your story with us?
My name is Egypt Sherrod. I am a real estate broker and designer. My husband, Mike Jackson, and I work together and we actually met on one of my house flips many many years ago in Newark, New Jersey – where I started my real estate career.
I fell in love with the business of real estate. Real Estate is the foundation of wealth and I loved how empowered I felt being a co-creator of my own financial destiny. Previously I was a radio talk show personality, which I left to focus on getting my real estate license – and the rest is history.
I have since become a host across several different real estate television programs from “Property Virgins” and “Flipping Virgins” to, most recently, “Married to Real Estate.” I also run Indigo Road, which is a family of companies encompassing real estate and design. With my husband’s business Jackson Draper Renovations, together we’re a one-stop shop.
How did you market your business when it was brand new?
When we were brand new, there were different phases of the business. At first, I was Egypt Sherrod Real Estate Group for many years, but when we came together into one family business – we had a very unique value proposition. We could sell you the house, renovate it, design it, then turn around and sell it again if you wanted us to.
We wanted to make sure we were rebranding properly since we were now a legacy family business. The only thing harder than branding yourself is rebranding yourself. You must be consistent and persistent with your messaging.
Social media played a huge part in our rebrand. It was a new fresh look and we started integrating the design across all of our channels.
We also needed to think outside of the box to continue driving awareness, Mike started filming us around the house, and at work, we edited it into a sizzle reel, and that’s how we ended up with the TV Show “Married to Real Estate.” This was a huge marketing tool that was unique to our family and business.
What are the three most important habits to be a successful entrepreneur?
- Consistency. You can’t say one thing on Monday and then feel differently on Tuesday.
- Delegation. You don’t want to take on too much. Delegate to people who can help you and build a dream team that you trust. With TurboTax Business, you have access to experts with years of experience in your specific industry who can help with all of your filing needs. You don’t want to take on too much because it might sacrifice how well you can service your clients. When you’re focusing on a million other things, it’s important to delegate where you can.
- Have a business plan. If you fail to plan then you’ve already failed. There will always be curve balls and you have to plan for the unexpected. Know your growth strategy and how you’ll grow your digital imprint over the next 5-10 years.
As a business, we help people create the home of their dreams. And that is a service because the home is where the heart is and where we find our inspiration. From helping families sell their homes for top dollar to finding the perfect home and creating the aesthetic in it. Our clients become our friends.
I also started the nonprofit 1,000 Women Owned, an organization that is a labor of love and passion project. I want to pour back into others, and I find it very organically that as a woman I can relate to the struggles of other women business owners from lack of funding and resources to lack of sisterhood. Our goal is by 2030 to help 1,000 women to open, fund, and provide resources for their businesses.
How do you prioritize self-care and well-being while managing the demands of your business?
Live a healthy lifestyle! We’re constantly physically and mentally working out from meditation to having a healthy diet. We also have fun, it can’t be all work! If it’s all work, you’re going to burn out. Take breaks and have fun, then you’re well rounded and you can bring that back to your business.
What advice would you give to a new business owner? Or to your younger self?
You have to have the right people surrounding you – from a good business attorney to a bookkeeper – of course, that’s not always easy during the very early stages – so having TurboTax Business offers such incredible peace of mind every day. TurboTax Business provides unlimited year-round expert support at no extra cost and provides 100% audit protection.
Egypt & Mike have partnered with TurboTax to help small business owners.
TurboTax Knows Small Business: Being tax compliant is among small business owners’ top concerns, but it’s often time-consuming and research-intensive to figure out taxes on your own. TurboTax Business provides small business owners and solopreneurs access to unlimited live expert help to get your taxes prepared and filed.
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Melissa Stewart is the founder of SheOwnsIt.com. She is a Purveyor of Possibility, Entrepreneur Advocate and Coffee Addict. She believes that behind every successful woman is her story. What’s your story?