Egypt Sherrod

Starring as Co-Host Alongside Her Husband in The New HGTV Series Married to Real Estate

Q: Was real estate a pathway to design for you or the other way around?

ES: I was a real estate broker first and organically began to evolve into the design space. It started with architecture, then focusing on floor plan layout and functionality, now I love all things design. There is something so amazing about turning a plain-Jane room into a curated work of art.

Q: Whose room was the first you were asked to decorate?

ES: My first design projects were actually [for] my own flip homes, so I guess I asked myself! It truly came out of a necessity for increasing my profit margin and keeping costs low. I decided, “Hey, let me go ahead and give myself the job and really step up my game and be cost effective with design.” Those homes would sell very fast with a lot of compliments from the buyers on my finishes and staging. So, that’s when I recognized I had an eye for it.

Q: How did your experience at New York University Tisch School of the Arts impact your path to success?

ES: Actually, I only went to Tisch for a year. I was there with a scholarship and, unfortunately, they did not extend my scholarship past my freshman year. Much of my proving ground was at Temple University in Philadelphia, which is my hometown. Temple was an excellent school. I majored in broadcasting, which took me down the road of working as a radio personality and then further blossoming into a TV career. It was the perfect foundation for me. I had the love of real estate and design, but then I also had a background in broadcasting, and it brought me to where I am today: doing design and educating people about real estate, all on television.

Q: How did you make the leap from real estate and design to being an author and speaker?

ES: I think it all kind of came at the same time, to be honest with you. I was hosting the show Property Virgins and then went on to executive produce Flipping Virgins. I had goals to further brand myself in that space and cement myself as an authority. At that time, I took notice that those who were being booked for conferences and making six figures just from speaking engagements, also had a book as [their] calling card. Viewers would often e-mail me or DM me with questions about real estate, so it made sense to put it in a book as a one-stop shop. That’s how everything evolved, and I’m often booked to speak on design panels, real estate conferences, and in the motivational space. I love it! I enjoy it and every day looks different.

Q: With family in the real estate business, do you ‘talk shop’ very often?

ES: That was the very reason I ran away from real estate early on because I had a family of real estate brokers. My uncles at Thanksgiving dinner would overtake the entire conversation and, instead of pass the turkey, it was pass the house on Brown street, which was very annoying. I ran away from real estate early on only to circle back. I try not to dominate every conversation and I certainly try not to make every moment about real estate, because there is more to life. It’s great to know and have that foundation, but that’s not all that I am!

Q: What role does your faith play in your day-to-day inspiration?

ES: Without a spiritual foundation, I doubt that I could have fallen as many times as I have and gotten back up even stronger! I really am grateful that I grew up in church and had that foundation, so I know when the times get tough, that it’s only a season. I know who I am and whose I am – and that’s important. I still have a sense of spirituality of God, of knowing that through all things it is Christ who strengthens me. It plays a huge part in my personal life and in my career because, just like anyone else, I come up against rough periods of time where I have to dig deep and find my base to recenter myself.

Q: What would you like to tell us about the Egypt Cares Family Foundation?

ES: The Egypt Cares Family Foundation really was a labor of love for me. I started it because I wanted to create something that was an extension of what I stand for, so we started creating financial boot camps, financial literacy camps, [and] raising goods and resources for people who needed them. We’ve been very successful!

Q: You’ve done a variety of radio hosting. What was that like and would you like to do it again?

ES: I had an almost 20-year radio career. I retired just before I hit 20 years and it was a wonderful, incredible season for my life, but that’s exactly what it was. Onward and upward. I’m grateful for it but I’ve redefined myself and my interests lie elsewhere at the moment.

Q: More recently, you’ve hosted a few episodes of ‘Black Love.’ How was that as a departure from real estate and design?

ES: I did not host ‘Black Love,’ my husband and I were featured on ‘Black Love.’ Cody and Tommy Oliver are the producers and hosts.

Q: Who would you like to interview?

ES: Folks that were on my bucket list, I’ve interviewed. Oprah, Prince, James Brown, Beyoncé, and Tyler Perry. It’s just about everybody that I want to interview, I have. But of course, you know I couldn’t close out that list without saying the Obamas.

Q: Who would you like to have interview you?

ES: Trevor Noah, because he makes me laugh so much! I think we’d have a lot of fun.

Q: What stone is still unturned for you as an author and speaker?

ES: Well, I’m working on another book. So, I guess you can [say] that the stone left unturned will soon be flipped on its head.