On this episode, Aaron sits down with Maya Vander, luxury real estate agent known for her role on Netflix's "Selling Sunset." She candidly speaks on her journey with the Oppenheim Group, her new life in Miami, and how her personal life shines through her personal brand.
On this episode, Aaron welcomes Maya Vander, luxury real estate agent known for her role on Netflix's "Selling Sunset." Maya shares her journey from moving to Los Angeles in 2002 from Israel, initially for love, and how she transitioned into real estate after the relationship ended. She later joined the Oppenheim Group and became a key member of the cast of "Selling Sunset."
The discussion touches on the challenges Maya faced, given her limited network and the competitive nature of the industry, as well as her experiences on the reality TV show. They delve into the differences between the show's portrayal of real estate and the realities of the profession, emphasizing the hard work and challenges involved.
Maya reflects on the importance of having an online presence in the real estate industry and highlights how being meticulous in marketing and branding can make a significant difference in your business. She discusses her role as a team leader for the Maya Vander Group, her desire to support her team members, and the challenges of building a business and network in Miami. Maya's insights provide valuable advice for aspiring real estate agents and those looking to build a personal brand in the field.
Bio:
Maya Vander, is a well-known television personality, real estate agent, and entrepreneur, celebrated for her appearances on the popular reality web series "Selling Sunset."
Maya's early exposure to her family's investments in properties and home flipping ignited her passion for real estate from a young age. She officially entered the real estate industry after completing her education, initially working part-time. In 2011, she joined Nourmand And Associates as a real estate agent, later working at Keller Williams Realty, Inc., before making the significant career move to The Oppenheim Group in 2015. Currently, Maya serves as a Realtor Associate at Douglas Elliman Real Estate in Miami while also pursuing her roles as a television personality and entrepreneur.
Maya's personal life includes her marriage to her husband, whom she met in Los Angeles before moving to Miami when he received a job offer. In her free time, Maya enjoys cooking, beach outings, walking her dog, teaching Pilates, spending time with her children, and indulging in TV shows like Ozarks and Game of Thrones. She is multilingual, speaking English, Hebrew, and Dutch.
Quote:
"The key is to have some sort of schedule, and time block for the important things. So, if you want to prospect: Block two hours of your day. Whether if you go sit in Starbucks and talk to people, or go to the dog park with your dog, or if you want to cold call, block those two hours to build your pipeline!" - Maya Vander
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Aaron Grushow: [00:00:00] My guest today is a luxury real estate agent who runs a very successful team based in Miami, Florida, but many of you know her from her prominent role on Netflix's Selling Sunset. Maya Vander, thanks so much for being here today.
Maya Vander: thank you so much for having me. Sorry if I have a crying baby or a dog scratching. That's, that's my life. I work from home.
Aaron Grushow: No worries, I totally understand and I actually really admire on social media how much you share about your personal life, your family. Um, I think that's so important for an agent or anyone looking to build a personal brand. How important do you think that is for, yeah, a real estate agent to really show the behind the scenes of, of their life and who they truly are as a person?
Maya Vander: I think it's extremely important because if I notice my engagement, if I post anything about real estate, I barely get any likes. And then if I post a picture of me and my babies or my dog, like get like a ton of engagement. And at the end of the day, um, people wanna get to know you and by you sharing.[00:01:00]
Maya Vander: It's, it's only going to help you as a person because people want get, okay, who am I doing deal with? Like what they're about? Maybe you guys have something in common, same hobbies. So I think don't be shy, share your personal stuff. I mean, to some extent, obviously I share extra because I wasn't selling sunset, but I think it's great to, show your personality.
Aaron Grushow: Yeah. No, absolutely. I, I really couldn't agree more. Um, would love for you to just share a quick synopsis of your journey up until this point. I know you moved to, I believe, Los Angeles in 2002 from Israel. Is that correct?
Maya Vander: 100%. Yeah. I moved, I moved for love. I was dating a guy. Um, that's the reason I moved to LA from the beginning.
Aaron Grushow: Mm hmm.
Maya Vander: That's how I ended up there. Didn't work out, but I love Los Angeles. And that's when I actually, right when we broke up, I got my real estate license and I worked on my, my next chapter, which was real estate.
Aaron Grushow: Love it. And at what point did you [00:02:00] join the Oppenheim Group? Mm hmm.
Maya Vander: So I was doing real estate for about, I want to say two and a half years. I told, I shared this story before. I don't know if some of you know, but I used to door knock and I used to see Jason's marketing material at the doors. It was up in the hills.
Aaron Grushow: hmm.
Maya Vander: you know, I just came with like some basic letter and nothing impressive.
Maya Vander: I'm like, wow, how I gonna compete with this guy here in the same business? Um, and oddly enough he just opened his office in Sunset, on Sunset, and he actually reached out to me and said, if I wanna, you know, join, it's a small boutique brokerage. I love the marketing, I love the location. I, and I saw great future there and I made transition for my previous brokerage and left and I joined the Oppenheim group.
Maya Vander: So I wanna say, Wait, if I started this in 2012 or 2014, something like that, 2015, maybe.
Aaron Grushow: Amazing. So what was your career like at that point? Um, I'm just curious how you were able to build such a impressive [00:03:00] business coming from somewhere like Israel. What were some of the challenges you faced being from another country trying to work in the United States?
Maya Vander: It's hard because I was doing an interview yesterday and you do real estate, like, I mean, look, some people know developers, some people, their parents, you know, very well connected or they grew up in the town. So they have a great network. I had zero network. I knew nobody, you know, I'm with a thick accent.
Maya Vander: I really didn't know. I mean, I didn't grow up in LA. I did a lot of networking event. did a ton of open houses. I was doing, I didn't have any money to advertise. So I was doing cold call and door knocking. Like literally every neighborhood in LA I door knock. And it takes time. It's a process. Um, look, then moved Miami and I had to start all over again, literally.
Maya Vander: Um, cause it was before the show started. So, my advice is like you gotta be consistent with what you do because it's not easy as we see on million dollar listing or on selling sunset. It's a lot of legwork and it's [00:04:00] about consistency.
Aaron Grushow: Yeah, definitely. I, I completely agree. Um, at what point were you asked to join the show selling sunset? Um, was that pretty early on when, when joining the team or was that a few years later?
Maya Vander: No, so it was me and Brett and Jason in the, in the Oppenheim group with another like two guys. Then Heather joined, then Christine joined, then Mary got her license. So we were all actually licensed in the Oppenheim group. And Jason decided to do it with a couple other girls. Uh, Jason did billboard, like a, you know, a team photo shoot and he posted, he put it on a billboard, uh, on Sunset, which I think it's a great marketing, great breadth of awareness.
Maya Vander: But he did call up the producer, I, who was driving on Sunset. It's a main street. If you guys don't know LA, Sunset is like their main street. And he pitched the show to Jason, like, Hey, this is a good, you know, cool group of looking people. That's the show about real estate, which turned out to be more like Real Housewife, but it started as real estate.[00:05:00]
Maya Vander: Uh, and it was a great idea, and you know what, we shot small demo, the demo turned into a pilot. And by the way, it takes months and months and months, it's not like from one week It took about a
Aaron Grushow: Yeah. It's not an overnight thing. Yeah.
Maya Vander: not an overnight, even doing a reality show, I always thought, oh, you just take a camera, but it's a lot behind reality show, and I give a lot of credit to the producers of Sailing Sunset.
Maya Vander: And yeah, I mean, they pitched the show to different networks, some of them rejected Sailing Sunset. Thankfully, Netflix picked it up. And it was a just major hit.
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Aaron Grushow: Yeah. Did you have any doubts going on the show? Um, that this was gonna be successful, or it was just gonna be another real estate show, or were you pretty certain it was gonna do well?
Maya Vander: So let me tell you, uh, don't know if some of you know, I've mentioned before, but I used to watch Million Dollar Listing. Um, I love that show because it was about real estate and it was right around when I started. I was very excited about it. And I, I found out who was the producer of MDL back then.
Maya Vander: And I messaged him on Facebook. like, Hey, why don't you [00:06:00] do a show like this? But just with women. And he's like, Oh, cool idea. But he never really executed. Nothing happened. Then I joined the O group and, um, in my mind, I'm like, you know, this is a cool office. It's very sexy. We could totally do a million dollar listing here.
Maya Vander: Like we can do a reality show. Uh, but then sure enough, producer, you know, Adam, he, um, so actually get the concept. I wish I was executing and pitching it cause I would probably make more money. But, uh. Yeah, so that's how it all came about. Um, I was never worried about being on a reality show. I think it's a great marketing, great exposure, especially for a real estate agent.
Maya Vander: You know, you want to, it's, there are so many agents and mean, obviously looking at MDL agents, they all did very successful, um, stuff during their career and still obviously is. Um, so yeah, I, I mean, I wasn't worried about it, but look. Moving forward, now we are season 6 and 7. Season 6 just came out after 5 seasons just because logistically, they [00:07:00] film in LA, I'm full time in Miami, it's just too much.
Aaron Grushow: hmm.
Maya Vander: I love the crew, I love cast, but it's also shifted little bit towards more drama. And that being said, I am, you know, full time an agent and it could be a little risky as well. So I think it's, um, you have to be careful if you are in a reality show to know that you might be the villain. And you might, you know, people hate on you.
Aaron Grushow: Right. No, absolutely. Um, it sounds like you were actually like one of the driving forces for the show. That's, that's amazing. Um, yeah, I think you should have been running it . Um, yeah. I, I always admired you on the show. Um, you seemed, um, like you had everything together. You were very put together, and I think, um, like you mentioned, it's scary because you don't know how the producers may paint you, but, um, you did a wonderful job.
Aaron Grushow: How do you think. That translated to building your own sort of personal brand, um, today. Do you think it was very helpful? Do you think it may have, uh, impacted it negatively in some way?
Maya Vander: thankfully. No, not with me. Uh, look, if I would be the [00:08:00] villain of the show, I, I think it could, I mean, I, I was very naive going to a reality show. I'm like, oh, you know, just gonna be myself. But you can say one line and roll your eyes on something and then they will twist the whole thing in the editing, and all of a sudden it look like bad guy.
Maya Vander: Or like, say something. So it, it's very risky. I'm very thankful that in my care, um, in my case, my character was kinda like who I am.
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Maya Vander: I was like, yeah, I was like, here and there I have like those one line airs and I'm very sarcastic, but I wasn't like, um, the drama, the center of the drama, thank God, but so think it really helped me because people say, oh, you know, you, you, you, we can tell you're in real estate and so on, and that was really important for me.
Maya Vander: That's actually the main reason I got into the show. I've been doing real estate for 10 years. I love real estate. Um, and, and I wanted to elevate this show to obviously like, you know, Take it to the next level because I'm in Miami now. So at least get the credit from the show to build my business in Miami.
Aaron Grushow: [00:09:00] Yeah. Absolutely. Yeah, no, you, you remain very professional on the show, which is admirable. Um, what, do you have any, uh, specific memories that really stand out, uh, while filming the show?
Maya Vander: You know, filming was great. I mean, look, I'm not gonna lie. I miss it. I mean, I didn't even watch season six because I'm not in it. So I didn't want to watch it. But I'm very true. I'm like, um, and I know they did well. Um, I do miss the girls. miss filming. I think we had great times together. And obviously the girls are still doing it because they're still filming.
Maya Vander: Um, but you know, sometimes you always say, like, good things must come to an end. I have three kids now, I'm, again, I cannot be all over, and I cannot sell all over, and I don't want to. don't want to be all over the place and be here and there, and I'm focusing on Miami and my brand here. Uh, building my team, and basically getting my career going here in the high end, because I don't have the network.
Maya Vander: I mean, sure, have the TV show, but... Generally, I mean, [00:10:00] I'm just starting to expand my network in Miami and takes time as well.
Aaron Grushow: Yeah, certainly. What, uh, inspired the move to Miami?
Maya Vander: My husband got a job here, uh, we lived literally five minutes from the office, he got a job offer, a great job offer, he's in finance, in Miami and we shot the demo and then, uh, we moved to Miami and soon as we moved there, once a couple of months later, the show got picked up. And thankfully, they still wanted me to be part of the show and they're like, listen, we want you We'll just play like as it is.
Maya Vander: You're back and forth between Miami and LA, and that's how it turned out. And I had a feeling it was going to be successful. I saw the demo, it was like maybe two minutes,
Aaron Grushow: Mm hmm.
Maya Vander: uh, in the pilot, and I loved it. Uh, obviously Adam did the heels, so you have the sexiness of LA, the cinematography was great, the music, we were funny, and it was, it was a great demo in pilot, and I knew was going to be successful.
Maya Vander: Season one did okay. It did okay enough to get renewed for two seasons. And thankfully season two and three, [00:11:00] uh, they really took off and partially maybe because it was also COVID time and people were really locked at home. Nobody go anywhere. So they were forced to watch TV and selling Sunset was kind of like the escape for a lot of people.
Aaron Grushow: Yeah, yeah, no, definitely. It came out at a very interesting time. Um, I've, you know, I've grown, uh, a relatively large audience online. I've been very fortunate to, uh, have a background in content creation, and I leveraged that, uh, to grow my personal brand, and so many people comment on, on my content, like, Oh my God, this is just like selling Sunset, or this is just like Million Dollar Listing.
Aaron Grushow: I think there's a lot of people out there who watch these types of shows and have a certain... Perspective or idea what it's actually like selling real estate. How, how realistic do you think selling Sunset is, um, compared to what, you know, it truly is like on a daily basis selling luxury real estate in LA?
Maya Vander: It's not realistic. Nobody make a [00:12:00] deal over a phone call. Maybe once in a blue moon. I think, look, real estate is a tough business. Everybody look the commission check, but at the end of the day. Sometimes we have to cut commissions, we deal with crazy sellers, the buyers, you know, you don't if they're real or fake, you know, people flake on you, closing day, someone die.
Maya Vander: Like it happened, so many things happened to me. It's not as easy as we see on the show. I wish it was, um, and I feel that's the reason with real estate, people get their license, they get excited, but they quit after a couple of months because it's commission only. It's very hard to, to have consistency. It's tough. Look, even now, like, I do cold calling. I mean, I drive around and write addresses. I cold call people. Like, you gotta like, oh, you know, if you have to network, whatever works for you, um, is an agent. But it's not easy. It's, it's not easy.
Aaron Grushow: yeah, no, absolutely. Um, This show is called The Standouts, you know, it's all about finding ways to stand out, [00:13:00] learning what you're good at, and leveraging that to really find success. And, you know, for me that was content creation and social media strategy. Um, do you think it's extremely important today to have a personal brand online and utilize social media?
Aaron Grushow: And, and create content and find a way to stand out, or do you think you can be successful simply just by cold calling? What do you think is, is, uh, important in, in today's world in terms of, you know, getting started in real estate and, and leveraging, you know, what you have to your disposal?
Maya Vander: Look, everyone are online. Uh, but that means that I do know a lot of successful agents who actually don't have an Instagram. And they just do the old school, whatever, a spiel of influence, cold calling. Um, I have to be online personally because obviously selling sunset, but also look at the end of the day, if you interact someone, they're going to maybe Google your name and you want to have some sort of a presence.
Maya Vander: So I have everything. I have LinkedIn, I'm on treads, which I haven't tried in like, by the way, three [00:14:00] weeks. Cause I'm like, okay, what do I need to do? What do I need to say now? And it's like, it's exhausting. It's full time job. I have a videographer coming to my house at least once every two weeks to Maybe film 4 or 5 videos, I will do personal videos and I'll do real estate videos because I still want to show people, yes, I am in real estate, hi, I sell houses, don't forget about me, but don't want to bore them too much with real estate only because not all my audience are real estate people, uh, or buyers or sellers, so I mix it up.
Maya Vander: So I think it's good to have online presence. Do you have to count on your business to absolutely be based on IG or Facebook? No. I mean, it's a great way to maybe generate leads. It's maybe Facebook more than IG or TikTok, uh, just because the old school, you know, it's more old school and people, they're like, uh, it's just different demographic, um, and you could definitely advertise and generate leads there or at least engage with people and prospect technically on Facebook, which prospect mean liking, commenting.
Maya Vander: That's another way of prospecting. You remind people that you're [00:15:00] existing, but you, I don't think you necessarily have to build your, um, business based on social media.
Aaron Grushow: yeah, yeah, totally. Um, staying top of mind, like you mentioned, is, is one of the most... I think important aspects of it. What did you learn from the show that you've been able to sort of bring to your business today? Is there anything that you sort of experienced and, and, uh, realized, wow, this is something maybe I should be doing or implementing in my everyday life?
Maya Vander: not from the show, but I would, I would give a of credit to Jason. I think he is an amazing brand and marketing and everything that he does in la I mean, wanna do here, like wanna do the same marketing. Um, I did billboard twice. I'm gonna do another one again. I'm gonna do the best like thing brand awareness, like I want my marketing will, will look very consistent, appealing, sexy, and classy at the same time.
Maya Vander: So I do want to give a lot of credit to [00:16:00] Jason because he's very meticulate and very picky. And I think I applied the pickiness from him, from being in the whole group to my business here in Miami, which I'm sure he's going appreciate because I'm in Miami and not competing with each other. But, um, I do, I do respect, respect him a lot, him and Brent.
Aaron Grushow: Definitely, that's awesome. How is uh, the MyAvander group progressing? How has it been starting your own team? What is it like to be a team leader?
Maya Vander: Yeah, it's a, it's responsibility too, right? Because look, I have great, I have four girls on my team. I want them to be happy. I'm trying to provide them with leads, which, when I was on the team here, I didn't get anything. And look, granted, nobody gives you anything. You have to go do your own business.
Maya Vander: But I try to be as supportive as possible because I know how hard it is to get clients, and it takes time. And you can go one year with closing two deals. Like, you just, that's the nature of the business, especially in the beginning. So, I had a couple of, you know, extra, I mean, I get leads and all that because I do online marketing, [00:17:00] and I cannot be everywhere and be helpful to all of them.
Maya Vander: That's the reason why I decided to have a team. It's a small team. I'm not looking to have 20 people on my team. Because I want to make sure I'm involved the transaction and I still give the same care to my agent and the client. So it's a small team and I'm very happy about that. Um, and just trying to help them grow their business.
Maya Vander: Because I know when I started how hard it was and really nobody helped me. And I'm still, by the way, I'm still learning. I'm still trying to get more because I'm trying to build my network in Miami.
Aaron Grushow: Yeah, definitely. What advice would you give to an agent who maybe has spent time on another team and has just branched off to start their own team? Yeah, what would you share with them?
Maya Vander: Don't, try to not be all over the place and get overwhelmed. Try to delegate, um, the business, like I have a TC, I have a marketing person that helps me with marketing, um, try to see how you spend your dollar wisely, like where do you need to [00:18:00] spend the money if you need like TC or an assistant, um, maybe start smaller so don't go over the place because look, people will join your team but they will maybe expect something.
Maya Vander: Uh, with me I assume the most reason they join my team is because of my exposure on social media and everybody wants to have followers and so on, and I try to tag as much as I can and give them the credibility as well. But for someone else, I would say start small, you know, little by little.
Aaron Grushow: Yeah, definitely. What is the the difference from LA to Miami? Are you changing your approach to how you're selling real estate?
Maya Vander: Yes, because you know when I moved here, technically I moved to Miami six years ago, but I was doing the back and forth for the last four and a half years. I moved, it was more easier in sense that People just want a part time condo, they're going to come here maybe twice a year, they want the pool and the gym and that's it, they didn't care much.
Maya Vander: Now, uh, we're looking for much higher price points, similar to LA. Um, note of thousand per square foot in a lot of cases. [00:19:00] Uh, two thousand per square foot, even three in Miami Beach and other locations like Bal Harbour. So it's very expensive and um, and then you know, all of a sudden you cater to people who are relocating from California and New York.
Maya Vander: And you need to know what schools are decent, or at least, you know, have basic education about okay, you know, where do, what's your lifestyle, where do you want to be, like what school do you want to have your kids in. So you have to be very knowledgeable, I mean, look, you always have to be knowledgeable.
Maya Vander: But now you just see more people who move here full time versus the people who just want to come here in December. So it's, it's changed. And I love, I love the growth. I think Miami was underrated, frankly, when we moved here, I'm like, wow, it's so cheap. Like, how come the places here are so cheap? But coming L.
Maya Vander: A. so everything, everything, you know, relatively. And now, yes, it's, it's, it's just gotten much more expensive, uh, but Miami has a lot to offer in terms of lifestyle and, um, just, you know, different areas that you have here. [00:20:00] And I, I love it.
Aaron Grushow: Are you enjoying it more than LA?
Maya Vander: Oh, yeah, much better. I mean, look, the ocean here, I can swim. I can actually go into the water.
Aaron Grushow: Yeah, it's warm.
Maya Vander: beautiful, but yeah, it's beautiful from far. It's too cold. Um, look, the weather in Miami is not perfect. Granted, the summer you have tropical weather, you have a storm, you have, but I think the nightlife here, not that I'm going out that late, but I want to have some ambience, I feel like the places here have great ambience, and different, different, again, different places, the Zion District, the Grove, Miami Beach, Brickell, um, I feel like you just have more to do, and you know, if I do show in the beach, I'm not like, oh gosh, I have to drive all the way, like you drive, you see the ocean, the cruise ship, It's not as stressful, in my opinion.
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Aaron Grushow: I mean, I'd consider spending, you know, uh, different amounts of time in different places, but I think LA is my home base. Um, what advice would you give to an agent who's relocating to a brand new city, [00:21:00] um, that they may not, uh, have a lot of experience in or knowledge about?
Aaron Grushow: Would you start with, you know, learning as much as you can about the neighborhoods or what would you do?
Maya Vander: That's what I did. Look, moved and everything was, you know, the building looks the same to me. I'm like, okay, what is the difference between downtown and brick and there is a difference. So every day I walk to different buildings to learn the amenities, where they locate. I literally walk building to building and I know buildings very well.
Maya Vander: So I would say that in terms of condo, or yeah, pick an area that you specialize in, a location at least, or at least a couple of areas so you know, so you sound like you've been here forever. Um, I spend money online and I got leads, bought leads. That's how I started building my business in. In Miami, because, you know, that was before the show was out, so now I have a little bit
Aaron Grushow: Mm hmm.
Maya Vander: But we still do online leads, and I can spend the money now, being so much, so many years in the business, and invest. But definitely learn the area and the buildings and, you know, if [00:22:00] you do single family home, again, like drive around so you know, like, educate yourself.
Aaron Grushow: Yeah, for sure. So you do a lot , you're running a team, you have a big family that you take care of. Uh, you're doing social media stuff. I'm sure you're still getting some action from selling Sunset. How do you balance, um, your, your work with your daily life? Um, that seems to be a challenge for a lot of the people that I speak to, challenge for myself.
Aaron Grushow: Uh, what are some tips you'd give to someone who is just struggling to balance their, their work and life? Mm-hmm.
Maya Vander: I mean, look, it's, it's difficult because I can plan my day I'm very good with planning and prioritizing, but if one of my kids are sick and they don't have school, then my whole plan is gone. So like, if I want to code code for two hours, forget it. So I have to learn how to just, it is what it is.
Maya Vander: But I write things down. I'm very old school. So every day I'm like, okay, what's important for me, what, what I need to get done. Uh, I try to find time to either do meditation, guided meditation, 30 days, [00:23:00] 30 minutes a day, or workout, some, some self care between as well. But once I get my kids from school around 4, 4.
Maya Vander: 30, then I can't really do much work. If they go to bed around 9, then I go back to the computer, then I check the MLS inventory. But I think just the key is to have some sort of like, uh, schedule and time block for the important things. So if you want to prospect. Block two hours of your day, whether if you go sit in Starbucks and talk to people, or go to the dog park with your dog, or if you want to do cold call, block those two to build your pipeline.
Maya Vander: Um, if you, you know, and then maybe do your showings or whatever. So just time block for what's important to you, and what, what is, what you really need to get done. Like, who do you need to follow up with? And find time to the family too, because time flies, and you know what, like we're all stressing and really, with, with real estate and deals, but at the end of day, it's not the most important thing.
Aaron Grushow: Yeah, absolutely. Um, you seem to be able to prioritize different [00:24:00] things, um, in a very good way. So I, uh, commend you for that. What are your, your goals, um, over the next few years professionally and, and with your family? Where do you see your, your business in, in five years from now?
Maya Vander: So I really want to sell more higher end price point, uh, luxury estate, obviously been selling, but we also, we do all kinds of deals, right, like lower price point to mid price point. So I really want to do like, and, and associate myself with the luxury top agency in Miami, at least in my area where I'm, where I am, which is like Grove, Gable, Pinecrest, that's kind of like a pocket outside of Brickell.
Aaron Grushow: Mm hmm.
Maya Vander: just elevate my team. I mean, I don't, I don't care necessarily to grow the team for 20 people, but maybe go a little bit to expand potentially more. That's the professional, um, aspect. I think you always want to sell more and close more transactions. Um, obviously that would be great, but at the same time, I don't want to go and go nuts because still have three kids and they are [00:25:00] very little.
Maya Vander: And I want to be able to, to enjoy them too in the time with family. So I think again, I just. Continuing to have the right balance between family and work. I couldn't be just a stay home mom. Um, but sometimes it's nice to also have a little break, because in a real estate, they, they, it's non stop.
Maya Vander: They say it's flexible, but is it? You know?
Aaron Grushow: Not really.
Maya Vander: Not really. Always available Sunday, Saturday, Super Bowl. They want to see a house right before. I'm like, really? So, um, just continue to have that sort of, sort of, sort of like the balance and, and, and life, you know, some life, not just like work all the time.
Aaron Grushow: definitely. If you were asked to be on another successful real estate show, would you join?
Maya Vander: I like that you say successful. Yes. But, um, as long as drama is not around me, yes. Cause at the end of the day, like, look, if I want to just do Hollywood, I don't care about the drama. But given I've been [00:26:00] building so much with my real estate, I couldn't just say, okay, F that. I'm just going to. Do whatever, like, I am really here for the business.
Aaron Grushow: Right, yeah, it would have to give some benefit towards your, your sales career. Um, yeah, no, that makes sense. It seems like you're sort of past the, the drama stage and that's not something you want to be involved with at this point.
Maya Vander: Yeah, basically.
Aaron Grushow: Um, who are some people that you've looked up to, uh, throughout the years? I know you said, you know, uh, the Oppenheim bros, but anyone else who has, has stood out as, as a mentor or someone you've, uh, been inspired by?
Maya Vander: You know, I think my mom always inspired me. She's a very independent woman. She always worked hard. She always told me to not be dependent on guy. And those words stuck to me. So would say my mom. And then in general, I always like to read books about... Successful people and their life stories, um, [00:27:00] about goals and so on.
Maya Vander: But yeah, inspired definitely my mom. And then I always look at like top agents, whether if it's in LA or Miami, I'm just like, okay, what did they do? Like, how can I learn from them? And I just like, you always want to be around successful people. mean, you look at people like Jeff Bezos, people hate on rich people, but you know what?
Maya Vander: Good for him. He started from, from nothing, like bookstore in the garage. I have a lot of respect for people like that. So I don't why people hate it because, you know what, like, good, good for them. Like, good for whoever, like, start from somewhere and, and, and where they are. Why, why people hate on them, have no clue.
Maya Vander: I think they need to respect admire them.
Aaron Grushow: Totally. I mean, I think some people may feel that it's completely outside of the realm of their possibility, so maybe they're intimidated, um, you know, with social media, so much nonsense is thrown around and, um, people may get the wrong idea about someone, uh, Based on some [00:28:00] words that were flipped around.
Aaron Grushow: I don't know, but I, I completely agree. I think it's so important to kind of study the greats and the people you aspire to be like and You know learn from them and try and apply what you've learned to your own business your own life And that's what the show is is really all about. I Want to bring people on who inspire me who have given me You know, the ideas, the basis to think differently, think outside the box, and yeah, apply that to my own business and my, you're absolutely one of them, and I think my audience is going to love hearing from you and your story.
Aaron Grushow: So thank you so much for being on the show, I really appreciate it, and best of luck with everything going forward.
Maya Vander: you. Thank you so much, to you as well.