Below, the star broker talks about his TV-ready agents, his emphasis on the power of social media, and who should play him in a biopic.
Architectural Digest: What about the real estate agent persona makes for such perfect reality TV casting?
Ryan Serhant: You have to remember what it takes to become a real estate agent. First, you have to work for free; there’s no salary, no benefits, no nothing. And if you haven’t made any money that month, you’re paying for it in savings, or you have to get a second job to cover your bases. You have to be somebody who takes risks.
One of the things that I worked really hard on, as a producer on this show (and obviously showcasing our company), was that I don’t want this to be a format. I don’t want to say, “Here’s all the business we do. Yay.” I don’t think people care anymore. I think they want to see a moment in time that’s very, very vulnerable and they want to see the wins, but they also want to see the losses. How you handle failure is, oftentimes, more entertaining and more interesting than how you jump up and down from a win.
What would you say is the tougher part in your job right now: managing expectations with your clients or managing your own stable of employees?
Oh God. Well, we are at about 750 people now, including agents and employees, so staff. It’s a lot. The market’s been on our side this year so far, so I would say my agents and employees.
Is there a part of you that feels too exposed with it being your own business this time around, or are you so comfortable in that role as a showman that it’s second nature?