R
yan Serhant keeps a list of every billionaire he’s met—101 in all. For the real‑estate mogul whose firm, Serhant., is set to close $6 billion in sales this year, building relationships with the ultra‑wealthy is his top priority. At 41, he went from a struggling actor earning about $9,000 in his first real‑estate year in 2008, the week Lehman Brothers collapsed, to one of America’s most successful brokers. He’s closed over $15 billion in transactions, runs a brokerage with more than 1,100 agents in 14 states, and turned his career into the Netflix series “Owning Manhattan.” His net worth is roughly $40 million, and in the first 35 days of 2025 alone, Serhant. surpassed $1 billion in closed and in‑contract sales.
In a TikTok interview with The School of Hard Knocks, Serhant explained the simple networking rule that launched him: “Every room I enter, I use the two C’s.” He gives a compliment and finds common ground, then follows up within ten minutes with a quick note: “Great meeting you seven‑and‑a‑half minutes ago. Let’s do something great together.” He keeps the message unread as a visual cue and continues engagement until the deal closes or he dies. Serhant meets 5–15 new people daily; his contact list is “contact currency,” built on relationships, not transactions.
His $6 billion strategy focuses on approachability: “People hate being sold, but they love shopping with friends.” The goal is to create relationships, not just sell products. This mindset helped him close a $308 million Palm Beach portfolio over the phone, crediting the trust he built between buyers and sellers. “I don’t think I ever actually sell apartments or buildings,” he says.
Since launching Serhant. in September 2020 amid the pandemic, the firm has become one of the fastest‑growing U.S. real‑estate companies, with a 99 % agent retention rate. When asked what he would tell younger generations, Serhant shared wisdom from his billionaire clients: “Most people race against time; the wealthiest race against moments.” He urges taking risks: “I’d rather regret what I did than what I never tried.”
Watch the full interview with The School of Hard Knocks below: @theschoolofhardknocks $6 BILLION THIS YEAR 🤯 I interviewed real estate MOGUL @Ryan Serhant in New York City and I asked him how he got RICH! Since he’s met over 100 billionaires, I asked him for his best networking advice for anyone in business. I also asked him for his secret to sales since his company is going to do over $6 Billion in sales this year. Lastly, I asked him the best advice he’d give to the younger generation. #wealth#entrepreneur#financialfreedom♬ original sound – The School of Hard Knocks
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