It was the very values and lessons I learned in trying to rise above the circumstances that shaped me and gave me the passion to help others do the same.

The American Dream was something my parents always talked about as I was growing up. They had risked everything to get to this country, escaping post-war Vietnam by boat. On the journey, they were robbed by pirates multiple times, with few supplies and constant danger. My sister and brother were on the boat, too. They would pass around bottled caps of water and small bits of food, and my parents often gave up their share for them. They sacrificed everything to give us a chance at a better life here in San Francisco.

Growing up, I saw their sacrifices continue as they worked incredibly hard to achieve the American Dream: homeownership. My dad worked himself into the ground driving taxis, often for more than 24 hours at a time. But despite all their hard work, they never owned a home when I was a kid. We lived in a rough neighborhood in San Francisco, and our family relied on government assistance—food stamps, Section 8, all of it. If I wanted something, I would have to earn it. So, I was working by sixth grade, passing out flyers, reselling candy and trading cards, and flipping anything I could. Eventually, I moved into jobs like newspaper routes, In-N-Out, data entry in my teens, and sales roles.

 

Even then, I understood that what my parents wanted for us wasn’t out of reach—they just never had the right opportunity. Their belief in homeownership planted the seed early. By middle school, I already knew I wanted to be in real estate. I knew it could be a way to change lives, including my own.

 

After working in sales for a while, learning how to connect with people, pinpoint their needs, and finding solutions, my sister got into real estate. Once I saw what she was doing, I knew it was time to give it a try. I got licensed in December 2007, right before the market collapsed. It was the worst possible time to start, but I stuck with it, and it probably made me a better agent in the long run, having to work twice as hard to help my clients.

From 2009 to 2014, I leaned into flipping, starting with a $75,000 property that we sold for $115,000. After that, I was hooked. I flipped dozens of homes, learned from my mistakes, and started an investment group called Meta Realty and Investments. Eventually, my parents joined me as investors—after everything they sacrificed; they were finally building wealth through real estate.

 

I later helped run a brokerage, leading a team and overseeing 60+ agents while still serving clients. Today, I focus on hands-on work with buyers, sellers, and investors, combining everything I’ve learned to guide people through smart, strategic decisions.

 

Years later, real estate allowed my sister and me to retire our dad. He no longer had to work exhausting hours just to scrape by. That’s one of the proudest things I’ve ever done.

I’ll never forget where I started or what my parents sacrificed to get me here. I’ve seen how real estate can transform lives—it changed the story of my own family, and I’ve watched it do the same for countless clients. That’s why I’m so passionate about what I do. I want to be the guide my family never had—helping people change their story and achieve the American Dream. And that mission extends into community involvement, industry leadership, and supporting the very programs that once helped my family as I was growing up.