I didn't get into real estate looking for purpose. I was just looking for a fresh start. What I found was something I didn't know I was missing.

 

The seed of real estate was firmly planted in 2018, when I found myself sitting in a restaurant outside Savannah, having a surreal conversation with my boss. I had worked the day before on Mother's Day. I arrived early on Monday and received an unexpected visit from my boss. “Simon,” he said, “We're shutting this down."

 

I didn't understand what was happening. I worked for that restaurant group for 11 years. I started as a waiter at 20, then moved up to manager, and eventually helped implement their training programs. I excelled at my job because I took the time to observe each restaurant’s staff and identify who thrived in different roles, especially those who were natural mentors. I worked closely with managers to customize training programs around their team’s strengths and schedules, making the process more effective.

 

I had been asked to take over this struggling restaurant outside Savannah because I had a reputation for turning around low-performing locations. I moved there and spent nine months working to improve the business. Then one morning, my boss showed up randomly to say they were shutting it down? Well, just like that, after 11 years together, I was laid off without warning.

 

That moment changed everything. I sold my house, moved in with my girlfriend—who later became my wife—and realized I wanted a completely fresh start. A friend who had worked in real estate for years had always encouraged me to get my license. It made sense. After all, I had bought my first house at 23. When the restaurant closed, it finally felt like the right time to make the leap.

 

Still, I had doubts. I wasn’t sure real estate could match the income I had built in the restaurant industry. Financial independence had become deeply important to me, since my early twenties, after watching my parents go through a difficult divorce. My dad was paying alimony and child support, and my mom had very little work experience. Both of them struggled financially. Watching that shaped me: I never wanted to feel like the rug could be pulled out from under me again.

 

My biggest hesitation was starting over in a completely different industry. Restaurants were a familiar territory; real estate felt like stepping into the unknown. But in 2018, I took the leap anyway. What I found in real estate was far more than income—I found purpose. I’ve now helped more than 350 families, and some of my closest friends today are former clients. Real estate also gave my wife the ability to stay home with our three children: Logan, Amelia, and Nora.

 

When I'm not working, I try to squeeze in some decompression — though with three kids, four dogs, two cats, a turtle, and a rabbit, it's a challenge. I love playing basketball, fishing with my oldest, and shooting hoops with my youngest in the front yard. Sometimes, I even get a few minutes to lounge in my hammock or go out to eat with my wife.

 

Looking back, real estate gave me more than a career — it gave me a community, a sense of purpose, and the chance to build the kind of life I always wanted for my family. I'm grateful for every twist in the road, because it brought me here.

 

What sets me apart from other agents is my commitment to always doing what’s best for my clients. I give them my honest opinion, whether I believe they are making the right or wrong choice. I focus on building real relationships and communicating on a deeper level, not just sticking to surface-level interactions.

 

My background in management has given me the ability to interpret and use data, which I leverage to set the right expectations for my clients. I’ve worked with over a thousand agents and have seen that many don’t know how to pull or interpret the data that really matters. I know where to find the right information and how to connect the dots, so I can show clients the bigger picture and help them make decisions based on facts, not emotions.

 

Ultimately, I want my clients to feel confident and informed. I pride myself on being able to guide them through what can be an emotional process with clarity and honesty.

 

Sincerely,

 

Simon Mandell