I walked into rooms where I was the only Black person and the assumption was always that I was there to park someone's car. Then I bought the building. That changes assumptions quickly.
The Royal Palm was a $230 million bet that a Black developer could build a world-class luxury hotel on Miami Beach. I did not build it to prove a point. I built it because it was a great deal. The point proved itself.
Nobody gave me a building. Nobody gave me a contact list. Nobody gave me a family trust fund. I started with a $2 million government contract at 27 and built an $8 billion portfolio. That is what is possible in America if people get out of your way.
Black developers get 1 percent of major development contracts in America. One percent. That is not a pipeline problem. That is a gatekeeping problem.
My mother sold houses in Washington DC. She taught me that every piece of property has a story and a price. If you understand both, you can make money in any market.
I develop in Miami, New York, DC, and LA. If one market dips, the others carry you. Geographic diversification is the oldest trick in real estate and most developers still do not do it.