When people ask me why I got into real estate, they're often surprised by my answer. The truth is, I fought it every step of the way. As a West Point graduate and Army combat veteran, I had deep-seated prejudices against salespeople and considered myself naturally introverted – hardly the personality type you'd expect in a successful realtor.

Reluctant Beginnings
Back in California, where my wife Sophie and I lived before our Tennessee homestead adventure, we had a mutual friend from high school who had started selling real estate as a side hustle from her tech job in Silicon Valley. During an afternoon when I was teaching her to shoot and clean her 1911, she shared something that caught me off guard – the genuine satisfaction she found in helping families find their homes in the competitive Bay Area market. Not only was it financially rewarding, but she genuinely enjoyed the work.

This concept was foreign to me. Growing up in a traditional Chinese household, I was taught that a job was simply something you endured to pay bills. Joy at work? That seemed like a fantasy.
Nevertheless, this friend introduced me to her broker, and in January 2018, I reluctantly obtained my real estate license. I approached it like any military mission – as a blank slate ready to absorb information from subject matter experts. My West Point training had instilled in me the importance of learning systems correctly from the beginning rather than developing bad habits that would need correction later.
Finding My Niche in a Saturated Market
California's real estate market was notoriously oversaturated. Everyone, including their mother (literally), seemed to have a license. That's why I always caution people against automatically choosing family members or friends as their realtor without first verifying their qualifications and track record.
To differentiate myself in this crowded market, I focused on serving the veteran community. As a West Point graduate, I understood their unique needs and challenges in ways other realtors couldn't.
Cultural Expectations and Identity Crisis
Being a realtor wasn't something I was initially proud to proclaim. In Chinese culture, transitioning from a West Point graduate to what was perceived as a "home salesman" could be viewed as a step down. As the firstborn son, I carried expectations of performance that often clashed with American culture – expectations difficult for others to comprehend.
My father's constant reminder to "Never bring shame upon the family" echoed in my mind. Anyone who's watched "Mulan" or "The Last Samurai" might glimpse a fraction of the cultural dynamics at play. Growing up, there was tremendous pressure to never settle for less than the best. I remember my parents' disappointment over an A- in high school history, fearing it would jeopardize my chances at a top college. The irony that I would go on to West Point and major in Military History wasn't lost on me.
Finding Purpose Beyond Uniform
During that first year in real estate, something unexpected happened – I discovered my passion for helping others. What began as reluctant career move transformed into a calling that rekindled the sense of service I had missed since leaving the military.
The transition from military to civilian life had been challenging. My identity was deeply tied to my rank, and all I knew was the military culture of structure and strict obedience – a familiar environment that resembled my traditional Chinese upbringing.
Breakthrough Success
2018 became my breakout year. I sold over $9 million in real estate as a solo agent, catching the attention of my local Sotheby's brokerage. Sophie obtained her license too, and together we elevated the brokerage to new heights, leading to expansion and acquisition of three offices on Hawaii's Big Island.
Our success continued when we joined Compass's Walnut Creek team, meeting with founder Rob Reffkin who revolutionized real estate with technology integration. Sophie, who had her real estate license since 2006 and extensive experience in loans, shifted back to focusing on lending while I concentrated on home sales. When the pandemic hit California hard and traditional open houses disappeared, many veteran agents with 30+ years of experience struggled to adapt. I leveraged technology and innovative approaches to continue serving clients, ultimately leading to our most successful year in 2021, when Sophie and I sold over $50 million in real estate.
The Call to Farms
Amidst this success, Sophie and I began feeling a different calling – to grow our own food and embrace a more self-sufficient lifestyle. After extensive research and exploring multiple states in our RV, we settled on East Tennessee, drawn by its abundance of natural resources, water availability, and relative safety from natural disasters.
My understanding of the American Dream evolved from simple home ownership to cultivating land and achieving food sovereignty. Today, Sophie and I host "The Call to Farms" podcast, providing weekly market updates and interviewing experts on homesteading, farming, health, gardening, and cooking.
I speak with hundreds of people weekly about homesteading and have built the HERO agent network (Homesteading Expert Realtor Organization) with over 200 agents across all 50 states who understand the unique needs of those seeking land for self-sufficiency.
What began as a reluctant career move has become my mission: helping Americans reclaim land being purchased by large corporations and returning to our agricultural roots by supporting small farmers and homeowners in their journey toward self-sufficiency.
Are you ready to answer the call to farms?