One step forward quickly set everything into motion. Once I committed to putting in the work, effort, and intention, my life transformed, and I found a meaningful way to serve others.
Everything started to change when I decided to go back to college. Up until that point, I was drifting, working after high school, unsure of what I really wanted. Then I latched onto a goal that finally felt clear: I wanted to become a chef and open a restaurant with my best friend. It gave me something to work toward.
When I told my dad, he didn’t shut it down. He just said, “If you’re going to do that, you need to understand business.” That conversation pushed me to enroll in college and start learning what it actually takes to run something. And that’s when reality set in. The restaurant industry is tough, high risk, long hours, and thin margins. What I thought I wanted didn’t match the life I saw it leading to.
So I pivoted. I shifted into studying information systems, thinking tech might be a more stable direction. But I didn’t connect with that either. I wasn’t passionate about programming or hardware. I cared more about people, about building something real and having control over my future.
I graduated in 2010 during a rough job market and ended up back where I had worked at during school. The store gave me the chance to launch a wholesale business, and that hands-on experience opened my eyes. I loved building something from the ground up. That was the first time I felt what it was like to create value, to take ownership, and to lead. That clarity didn’t come from having a perfect plan. It came from doing the work and paying attention to what lit me up.
I started exploring careers where I could keep doing that: insurance, financial advising, anything entrepreneurial. I even got a job offer. But right before I accepted, I had a conversation with someone in real estate. Her team needed an investment specialist, and once I saw what was possible, I jumped in. I got licensed in three weeks and started working on flips, rentals, and auctions.
That first year nearly broke me. The deals were hard to find, the competition was fierce, and progress felt slow. I was grinding nonstop but getting nowhere. I seriously thought about quitting. But I gave myself one more year, this time fully committed, and shifted my focus to traditional buyers and sellers. That’s when it all changed. I realized I wasn’t just in real estate to close deals. I was here to help people make life-changing decisions, to guide them through something that mattered. That’s when I found my stride. I closed 18 transactions in my second year.
From there, I joined one of the top teams in the country, kept learning, kept growing, and eventually went out on my own. Now I have my managing broker’s license, lead a modern team at eXp Realty, and oversee 80 agents. Mentoring others, especially those trying to figure it out like I once was, has become one of the most meaningful parts of what I do.
Outside of work, I have a wonderful wife, Mia, who I married in 2021. Our family consists of my son Geno, 13, and our daughter Zoe, who just turned 4. Stepping into fatherhood really made me prioritize finding balance and learning to be more patient, more focused, and more intentional about how I use my time.
Looking back, going to college was just the first step—by staying open to new opportunities, I was able to turn real estate into a career where I could continually grow and improve. You don’t need certainty to get started. You just need the determination to keep moving forward, the openness to embrace new opportunities, and the persistence to never give up.
My expertise in real estate comes from a combination of hands-on experience and a business-minded approach. Early in my career, I focused on investment properties such as flips, rentals, and auctions, which taught me how to evaluate risk, identify value, and think strategically about long-term returns. That foundation sharpened my ability to analyze properties and markets with precision, but my background doesn’t stop at numbers. Growing up around an engineer gave me a practical understanding of how homes are built and what to look for structurally, so I can help clients spot potential issues or opportunities that might otherwise be overlooked. All of this creates a toolkit I draw from to ensure every decision is grounded in both practicality and insight.
Just as important as expertise is connection. I enjoy working with people and building a relationship as we partner together to achieve a goal. I take time to understand each client’s unique situation, priorities, and lifestyle, and then use my knowledge to guide them toward options that truly fit. Whether it’s a first home, a downsizing move, or a long-term investment, I work to make the process clear, manageable, and aligned with their goals. By combining market knowledge, practical skills, and strong communication, I create an experience where clients feel supported, confident, and understood at every step.
Sincerely,
Jason Windom
