03/26/2026
25 years ago, I was trying to break into the mortgage industry.
I drove to Austin, Texas three different times for an interview…
and each time, the person I was supposed to meet with never showed up.
No call. No explanation.
Most people would’ve stopped trying.
But something in me said… keep going.
I didn’t even have a proper suit.
I borrowed my dad’s—it didn’t fit, but I wore it anyway.
It was August in Texas ☀️
My car had no A/C, so I showed up every time soaked in sweat.
I was driving a beat-up Dodge Neon with a dent in the driver’s door.
And every time I pulled into that parking lot…
I saw luxury cars everywhere—Porsches, BMWs, Mercedes, Jaguars.
But I wasn’t intimidated.
Because deep down, I felt like… I belonged there.
The 4th time I showed up, the interviewer still didn’t come.
But this time, the assistant called him right in front of me and said:
“Your 1:00 PM interview is here again.”
He asked, “Who is it?”
She said, “It’s that guy… Eric Simmons.”
Then he asked her,
“What do you think about him?”
And she said something I’ll never forget:
“He’s well spoken, charismatic, and sharp.
He has no experience… but I think we can train him.”
That moment changed my life.
The very next week… I was in training.
Later, when that same hiring manager finally saw me,
he looked shocked… and walked right past me when I reached out to shake his hand.
In that moment, I knew…
👉 I had something to prove.
And I did.
I became one of the top loan officers in the company
and built a name for myself in this industry.
Looking back, I know God was guiding me the entire time.
Don’t ever let someone tell you what you can’t do.
Fast forward to today…
I am now:
✅ A Licensed Realtor
✅ A Mortgage Loan Officer licensed in 15 states
✅ A Licensed Insurance Agent
Fight for what you want.
Be coachable.
Listen more than you speak.
Learn your craft.
My goal has always been bigger than me:
To build one of the largest minority-owned mortgage companies in the U.S.
Not for recognition…
but because I’ve seen the lack of opportunity that still exists.
There are talented people out there right now
who just need ONE chance.
If you’re going through something right now…
feeling overlooked, doubted, or denied…
KEEP GOING. KEEP SHOWING UP. Love you Mom and Dad!
Your moment is coming.
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“Sometimes we just need a chance.” That one line from The Pursuit of Happyness always hits deep. It’s a reminder that behind every success story is someone who was simply waiting for an opportunity — a door slightly open, a person who believed, a system that gave them space to prove themselv...
