Egypt Sherrod Gets Candid On Her Big Leap From Radio To Real Estate
Egypt Sherrod isn't your average real estate agent.
Turn your television to the latest episode of HGTV's Property Virgins and you'll likely catch her showing half million dollar homes for her first-time home buyers in a stylish pair of pumps. Her favorite pair? Green crocodile Casadei heels that she admits she hardly ever wears. Her shoe game will surely make any retail addict go into relapse. “I like to buy really nice things, but on sale," she assures me. “I believe in treating yourself, and I don't feel guilty at all."
And that she shouldn't.
The award-winning agent works hard for her money, and is no stranger to finding the best deals and turning them into long-term investments. Her motto:
Egypt Sherrod on "Flipping Virgins."
In fact, she's made a career out of it. She recently landed a new show on HGTV called Flipping Virgins, where she helps buyers purchase, flip, and sell lower priced homes at high profit margins. Add that to her broad portfolio of careers including radio, television, real estate, author and philanthropist, and it's clear that the wife and mother of one certainly knows how to finesse her skill sets both on and off camera.
For Sherrod, the key to wealth lies within the ability to have multiple streams of income—at least that's what has been the foundation of her success.
“My mentor told me early on, if you want to have longevity. You have to have a Plan A, Plan B, and Plan C and work them all at the same damn time!"
Talking with Sherrod, it's easy to see why she's been able to have longevity in multiple industries. I'm immediately drawn in by her warm personality and “sister girl" demeanor, and have decided that if I ever purchase a home in her current city of Atlanta, then she would be my go-to realtor. It's not just the fact that we share an appreciation of quality homes, but as our conversation would later reveal, it's also her confidence in knowing who she is and what she's talking about it.
Egypt Sherrod on "Flipping Virgins."
Earning a spot as one of HGTV's coveted show hosts takes time and dedication of learning the game, and Sherrod's certainly no novice to the real estate streets. A brief look at her resume would reveal that during her 20s the young Temple University graduate could be found buying dilapidated homes to renovate and resale, allowing her to sock away funds for rainy seasons when radio would no longer pay bills.
“I would get some money, and instead of putting it into some shoes and pocketbooks, I would put it into buying properties."
It was that hustling mentality that kept her pockets cushioned during periods of unemployment before being called back into radio to work the primetime slot at New York's WBLS 107.5. Unwilling to part with her more stable source of income, she chose to keep both career paths moving and rebranded herself as the go-to real estate girl, picking up a high profile list of clientele including athletes, celebrities, and record label executives. Although she was successfully balancing her careers in entertainment and real estate, she couldn't ignore the feeling that there was something more that would bring her fulfillment.
“Radio had been excellent to me, but I was growing out of it. I definitely was growing out of the gossip, I really didn't care who was doing who…I hated that I had to do entertainment and gossip reports. But unfortunately it was something very popular that I had become known for."
Determined to take her career to the next level she auditioned for Property Virgins, and in 2010 snagged the role as the show host—it was just the big break that she needed to begin her transition from radio to real estate.
Egypt Sherrod on set of "Flipping Virgins."
But her excitement quickly came to a halt after learning she was pregnant four episodes into shooting the first season. During a time when she should've been celebrating her motherhood, the mom-to-be found herself hiding her pregnancy in fear that her growing belly would lead to her termination. In radio she was used to competing against the youngest and the next best thing, and she was sure that being on primetime television was no different.
“I wasn't trying to be dishonest, I was just trying to make it just like everybody else. You want to fulfill your dreams, but you want it all. And I wanted my baby, and I wanted my happiness, but I wanted my dream too."
To her surprise, and relief, she was wrong. “I laughed and I cried because they were like we don't care we were waiting on you to tell us."
Her second obstacle came in the form of a snowstorm during October 2011. As a mother-to-be juggling two careers, being trapped in her home gave her a case of cabin fever. She decided that it was time to take her talents to another city, pitched the team at HGTV to move Property Virgins to Atlanta, landed a new role at WVEE V-103, and relocated south with her husband and four-week-old daughter.
It was a necessary move that also came with heavy consequences. The boss mom struggled to balance her marriage, motherhood, and a new territory in both radio and real estate. She describes this period one of the most challenging times in her life.
“I'm not going to say I failed in the radio industry, but it was wrong of me to try to take it all at once. I was forced to choose, and I chose to take a leap of faith and leave the business that I had ran for almost 20 years."
Already desiring a change in her career made the decision to leave easier. She was also battling postpartum depression due to breast feeding, sleepless nights, and working multiple jobs.
"And priority number one was my daughter, she was the single most important thing in my life that I am the most proud of. So she had to come first."
Focusing solely on real estate gave Sherrod just the balance that she needed, and enabled her to give time to both her career and family, and, of course, herself. Now when she wants a little personal time, she hits the gym or does a little meditation. She also finds balance in her friendships, keeping a positive group of lady friends who pour into and challenge her to not settle for mediocrity. There's no room for “yes women" in her circle.
Through the Egypt Cares Family Foundation—a non-profit dedicated to financial empowerment and awareness—she's able to give back to her community, and her priceless real estate advice, as detailed in her book Keep Calm…It's Just Real Estate, has become the go-to guide for homebuyers who are looking to get the most bang for their buck, both in their home and their realtor.
As a future homebuyer, I drill her with questions. How much money should I save for a down payment? How do I find a good real estate agent? I'm looking to add another stream of income, how do I become a real estate boss, too?
Her first piece of advice? Don't take advice from people who have no experience in real estate.
"Be careful who you listen to and get real estate advice from," she warns. "Sometimes our family members really want what's best for us but they don't realize they're giving us bad advice. In some cities the real estate market is booming! While in some cities it's still doing really, really bad. So why would we take advice from Auntie Vera who living in California if we're living in New York City?"
Point taken.
The rest of the answers to my questions? Well, they're all detailed in the book. No spoilers here.
One thing I can say about Sherrod is that she definitely knows her stuff. She's a woman that many women aspire to be: career-driven with a relentless work ethic, humbly confident and purposefully passionate. Even her definition of what it means to be a woman is an accurate reflection of her mentality.
“I realized I had gone from being a girl to womanhood when I start taking responsibility for my actions and not being afraid to apologize, being okay with starting over being 100% comfortable in my own skin, learning the importance of humility, and being well-rounded as a person, not one dimensional."
Find out more info on Flipping Virgins on HGTV.com.
All images courtesy of Egypt Sherrod
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Kiah McBride writes technical content by day and uses storytelling to pen real and raw personal development pieces on her blog Write On Kiah. Follow her on Instagram and Twitter at @writeonkiah.
ItGirl 100 Honors Black Women Who Create Culture & Put On For Their Cities
As they say, create the change you want to see in this world, besties. That’s why xoNecole linked up with Hyundai for the inaugural ItGirl 100 List, a celebration of 100 Genzennial women who aren’t afraid to pull up their own seats to the table. Across regions and industries, these women embody the essence of discovering self-value through purpose, honey! They're fierce, they’re ultra-creative, and we know they make their cities proud.
VIEW THE FULL ITGIRL 100 LIST HERE.
Don’t forget to also check out the ItGirl Directory, featuring 50 Black-woman-owned marketing and branding agencies, photographers and videographers, publicists, and more.
THE ITGIRL MEMO
I. An ItGirl puts on for her city and masters her self-worth through purpose.
II. An ItGirl celebrates all the things that make her unique.
III. An ItGirl empowers others to become the best versions of themselves.
IV. An ItGirl leads by example, inspiring others through her actions and integrity.
V. An ItGirl paves the way for authenticity and diversity in all aspects of life.
VI. An ItGirl uses the power of her voice to advocate for positive change in the world.
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Not too long ago, while in an interview, someone asked me for a top complaint that I hear husbands say (first) and then wives state (second) as it relates to what goes down (or doesn’t go down) in the bedroom.
Ladies first: when it comes to women, I think what comes up more than anything might surprise some: it’s boredom. A lot of wives want there to be more spontaneity instead of taking the “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” approach from their partner. As for men? I mean, would anyone be shocked to hear that they wished their wife would initiate sex more often?
I’m telling you, over frequency, technique, and even dressing up more for bed (and yes, those things also come up quite a bit), hands down, what I hear that more men want is for their partner to show them that they are desired by taking the initial steps to make copulation happen…more often.
And so, since I’m all about doing whatever I can to reduce dissatisfaction and frustration in the bedroom department, let’s explore this very topic today — from a few angles. For starters, what it truly means to be a sexual initiator; two, why it’s so vitally important to be a sexual initiator, and three, why it could literally change the entire tone, energy, and outcome of your sex life with your partner — if you’d simply be open to initiating sex more often than you (probably already) do.
What It Means to Initiate Something. LITERALLY.
Giphy
I’m word-literal — there’s no secret about that. So, when it comes to the topic of initiating sex, let’s start with what the word means. To initiate is “to begin, set going, or originate” and “to introduce into the knowledge of some art or subject.” Some synonyms for initiate include begin, open, set up, trigger, admit, introduce, and invest. And when it comes to all of the meanings of these words, between men and women, when it comes to sex specifically, guess who does it more? Men. BY A LONG SHOT TOO: a whopping 60 percent.
When it comes to why a lot of women are so comfortable with men initiating intimacy, many think that, just like men should pursue them for a relationship, it is also “the man’s role” to pursue sex in the bedroom; they literally think that it makes them look desperate or needy for them to be the initiator — yes, even as a wife. What in the world?
Listen, when two people sign up to be each other’s exclusive sex partner until death parts them, it means they are both saying that they desire each other so much that they are willing to make that kind of commitment — and so, there should be no “I don’t want to appear this way or that” when it comes to sexual activity.
So, with all of that ridiculous overthinking out of the way, that should make you want to “set up” some sex plans, “admit” to some sexual fantasies that you may have, and “introduce” some new ideas to your partner; especially since that’s exactly what so many men wish that their lady would do, to begin with.
So, with all of this said, if you’re someone who is hung up on not initiating, first spend some time really processing what the word means. Because when two people are eager to begin sex and invest in each other sexually, that is the recipe for a truly satisfying experience…over and over and over again.
C’mon. Who Doesn’t Want to Feel Wanted?
GiphyI remember once reading an article that said our brain processes rejection the same way that it does physical pain, and y’all, I don’t know about you, but if something is physically hurting me, my natural inclination is to get away from it. Along these lines, when it comes to relationships since research has proven that rejection can lead to things like jealousy, shame, anxiety, loneliness, and guilt — yes, it makes all of the common sense in the world that you would want to do all that you can to make your partner feel wanted…both in and outside of the bedroom because, just like no one wants to deal with physical pain, no one wants to keep dealing with rejection and all of the fallout that comes with it…either.
Actually, when it comes to this particular point, I think that an article that I once read on Psychology Today’s site said it best: “Not only does being needed help define your role in a relationship, but being needed can also influence how satisfied you feel in a relationship.” And before some of you say that “sex is not a need” — the hell you say? I mean, the only purpose of your clitoris is to provide sexual stimulation, so that alone should make us all deem sex (and sexual fulfillment) as pretty damn important.
Plus, by definition, a need is something that is deemed as being essential while also being something that is extremely necessary, and anyone who thinks that a romantic relationship doesn’t need physical intimacy? That’s someone who really needs to remain single because one of the top things that makes a relationship more than a friendship is there is intimacy that’s involved.
Besides, who doesn’t want to feel wanted by their partner — and I do mean, in every way? And when you make the decision to be in an exclusive relationship with someone else, you are declaring that they are someone who pleases you to the point where you don’t need to look for anyone else to do it; and, if that is indeed what you are saying, it doesn’t make sense that you wouldn’t initiate sex with them sometimes (and I do mean more than on their birthday).
One, because you choose them to “fill that role.” Two, because they are the source of your fulfillment in that area. Three, because it’s completely unfair (not to mention totally hypocritical) to expect them to make you feel wanted when you’re not being intentional about making them feel the same way in return. Not to mention the fact that initiating also helps to safeguard your relationship on a lot of levels too.
Since sex is important and rejection is detrimental on so many levels, it’s crucial to make your partner feel sexually wanted and desired by you. One way to definitely do that is to initiate sex.
What Initiating Sex Does for You
GiphySo, what does initiating sex do for the initiator? Something that I tell a lot of my women clients is it helps them to create an atmosphere that puts them in the mood. What I mean by that is, if their husband is perfectly content having sex on the couch during commercials (I’m kind of exaggerating to make a point…kind of…LOL) while they would like some candles, mood music, and rose petals — they can control that if they are the one who initiates.
Another perk that comes with being the initiator is you have more “control” over how the sex goes. The kind of foreplay you want, how fast or slow things go, how intercourse begins — all of this, you have more of a say so in if you’re the one who is initiating intimacy. Why? Well, think about when your bae initiates — doesn’t it seem like you tend to follow his lead more when he’s the one who is first to get the ball rolling?
Oftentimes, when a couple comes to me about being sexually dissatisfied, and I recommend that the one who doesn’t initiate takes more initiative, the one on the receiving end likes the fact that their partner is “running the show” — and the initiator likes “being in charge” more than they thought that they would. As a result, both end up experiencing far more pleasure.
The initiator shows what they want more of while the receiver feels desired in the process. A win/win for everyone.
What Initiating Sex Does for Him
sexy black and white GIFGiphyA couple of weeks ago, while in a session with a client, he was joking about how much he has “too much of a good thing” when it comes to his wife’s libido. Although science says that the fact that men have a higher amount of testosterone in their system, and it is the reason why they typically have a higher sex drive, don’t sleep on a lot of women out there who want to get it in more than their husband does. His wife is one of them. Since she’s a client of mine too (oftentimes, we do our sessions separately), it’s interesting that he’s fine with having sex a couple of times a month while she would like to a couple of times a week.
So, is he denying her when she wants it more often? Nope. The reason why they’re not having more sex is that even though her drive is higher, she still waits for him to initiate. Why? Because she thinks that’s what “the man should do”; not only that but “being wooed” turns her on more.
As I’ve been working on helping them to find a middle ground (because if marriage ain’t about compromise, I don’t know what is), he says that he feels like because he plans a lot of the dates, he wishes that she would initiate more: “I don’t think a lot of women get how hard it is to be a Black man out here. Nothing feels better than knowing that if no one else is thrilled by your presence, your woman is. For us, initiating isn’t just about sex. It’s about feeling wanted as a whole. And when we feel like our woman adores us, there is no greater turn-on.”
I’m not sure what y’all heard, but what it sounds like to me is when we, as women, initiate sex, men feel holistically special and cherished. That makes sense, too, because if we were to put our feet in their shoes, we would probably say the same thing. That’s just one more reason to pull the “gender roles” out of this topic; men and women both want to feel like they are the best thing on the planet by their sex partners. And again, initiating helps us all to feel that way.
What Initiating Ultimately Does for Your Relationship As a Whole
Issa Rae Love GIF by Insecure on HBOGiphyPersonally, I can only imagine how much better sex would be for everyone (who is in a sexual relationship) if people simply initiated copulation whenever they wanted to have it. That way, everyone would feel desired — and what could possibly be wrong with that? Especially if both individuals factored in some of the definitions for initiated that I already shared. Just think about if you rushed home tonight because you read about something that you want to introduce to your man or there’s a fantasy that you have that you want to admit.
The mere conversations alone will help to bring the two of you closer together because, after all, deep intimacy is about minds, bodies, and spirits getting as close as possible…right? And so, yes, by initiating sex, it can bring more closeness and stability to the relationship as a whole.
And what if you initiate and your partner isn’t interested at the time? Or what if you’re shy about initiating due to having a fear of rejection? That’s a fair and legitimate concern. One day, I’ll need to pen an article on how couples should handle situations like that with grace (on both ends) while applying the golden rule of “doing unto others as you would have them do unto you.” For now, I’ll just say that if this is your greatest point of concern, share that with your partner as well.
After all, it’s pretty unrealistic to expect them to always want it when you do (although it’s been my experience and observation that men are almost always far easier to convince…LOL); just know that not wanting sex at the exact moment that you do doesn’t mean that they don’t want you altogether. Besides, oftentimes, a nap or a night of sleep can rectify that issue. Trust me.
____
Rihanna was actually once quoted as saying, “To me, sex is power. It’s empowering to do it because you want to do it.” I personally think that’s a great way to bring this to a close. Make your partner feel wonderful, empower yourself, and strengthen your relationship by initiating sex more often. I can’t think of one reason why it’s not a wise move. Can you?
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Featured image by Jacob Wackerhausen/Getty Images