Zoei Billions is a trailblazing figure in the real estate industry whose journey from aspiring pediatric oncologist to a successful realtor and builder has captivated many. In this candid conversation, we delve into Zoei’s unique path, exploring the unexpected twists that led her to the realm of real estate, the inspiration behind her ventures, and the invaluable lessons she’s gleaned from her over two-decade-long partnership with her mother.
Join us as we uncover the driving force behind Zoei’s “go-getter” mentality, her unwavering commitment to family and generational wealth, and the future goals that continue to propel her real estate empire to new heights.
Can you tell us about your journey from pursuing a career as a pediatric oncologist to becoming a successful realtor and builder?
I graduated from high school early, and I was valedictorian of my class. I always dreamed of being a doctor for kids with cancer. That has been a dream of mine since elementary. I went on to college to study biology, intending to pursue that career. In the midst of going to school, I found out I was pregnant with my now four-year-old son. I had no plans of becoming a mom at such an early time in my life. My focus was strictly chasing what I thought was a dream of mine. So, during my pregnancy, I started struggling trying to balance school on top of preparing to bring a new life into this world. My whole world shifted to a different route. I just remember really sitting with my thoughts and weighing my options of being able to be a present mother or devoting my life to my career. You know, being a doctor is a job that you don’t get to take breaks from. You’re on call on your off days. It’s a career that you truly have to be devoted to and from the time I found out I was going to become a mother; I knew that becoming a doctor was not the career for me. I always knew I wanted to be a present mommy. I never wanted to miss my kids’ childhood or miss any milestones because I was at work trying to make the next dollar. So of course, I took a different route, which led me to make fast money that resulted in me getting into real estate.
What inspired you to enter the real estate industry, especially considering your initial career path in healthcare?
On top of the fact that I wanted to have a career that gives me the opportunity to be able to be a present mother and partner outside of “work,” I will have to say My mother is the reason I got into real estate. She is definitely my inspiration considering she has been in the real estate world for over 20 years.
How did motherhood influence your decision to transition into real estate and build generational wealth?
Building generational wealth has always been a goal of mine. But becoming a mother brought this heightened sense of responsibility and desire to create a financial safety net for not just my kids, but the next generation of my family as well. I know my kids didn’t ask to come into this world, so the least I want to do as a parent is to make sure I set them up for success to live a higher quality of life. I’m not the parent that believes my kids have to “get it out the mud” to know the value of things or to become successful. It’s my job as their mother to create a solid foundation by accumulating wealth so they can thrive. So, motherhood influenced me to start investing in assets, building savings accounts, and other wealth-building strategies to pass down to my kids.
Can you share some key moments or experiences that shaped your “go-getter” mentality and drive to succeed in real estate?
Growing up as a young girl with a single mother altered my perspective on a lot of things in life. But watching my mother make the impossible happen on her own, all while trying to still show up as mommy instilled the “go-getter” mentality in me. My mother taught me a lot of things in life, but the main thing she taught me was how to go and make something out of nothing! Her hustle and drive motivated me in so many ways. My mother was very adamant about being an independent woman.
What was the million-dollar plan you and your mom developed during that pivotal moment in your life, and how did it evolve over time?
As I previously mentioned my mother has been a realtor for over 20 years. But for the time being, she was just a realtor who helped her clients sell their houses and buy their dream homes. She wasn’t building new construction homes or contracting work out because we didn’t have the finances to do such a thing. When I decided to take a different career route in the midst of that I started making fast money that wasn’t secure and I knew I had to make some changes if I wanted to set myself and my son up financially. That is when I sat down with my mother as a young woman ready to truly take on the next level and she said, “ok this is what we’re going to do!”. We built our first new construction home together and sold it all within 3 1/2 months and once we received our profit from that we just kept applying the same method and before a year passed, we profited a little over a million dollars all while building up a whole neighborhood.
Could you describe the scope and scale of your real estate empire today, including the various aspects of your business, such as new construction, rehabbing, flipping, and commercial properties?
From what started as one new construction project my mother and I Have built a multi-million-dollar empire throughout the years. We’ve built up many neighborhoods from the ground up as well as going in and revamping neighborhoods. We’ve expanded from primarily residential builders to the commercial side where our projects are now building Hi-rise buildings, apartment complexes, hotels, resorts, etc. Aside from building and rehabbing properties, I not only continue to build up my portfolio but my sons as well. I aim to buy him a new property every year and put as many investments under his belt as possible. He has quite a few assets, including a shopping center I purchased to put in his trust.
What lessons have you learned from working alongside your mother in the real estate business for over 20 years?
I carry many many life lessons that my mother has embedded in me. But The biggest lesson I’ve learned working alongside her is to always stay hungry! Stay hungry for what you’re passionate about. Stay hungry for your dreams and your career. She never quit. She never let me quit therefore, I never let myself quit.
How do you balance your role as a mother and partner with the demands of your career and real estate projects?
So many people ask me how I balance being a mother/a partner and my career, but I have to be completely honest. I don’t balance anything. Real estate has given me the luxury of being able to be a present mom and a present partner 24/7. The point I’ve reached in my career, humbly speaking I make money in my sleep and that is the reason why I took the route of getting into real estate.
What motivates you to continue expanding and growing your real estate empire, and what are your future goals in this field?
My motivation stems from my little family. I go extremely hard at everything I do because they are my reasons! When I look into my son’s eyes, that is all the motivation I need to continue building this legacy. I also have to give credit to my significant other. He inspires me in so many ways and gives me the motivation and confidence to achieve anything I set my mind to. My future goal in this field is to expand into other countries. I want my portfolio to consist of vacation resorts and hotels that I have 100% ownership of outside of the US. Also, as my significant other and I continue building our empire in the real estate industry, we have plans to launch a new investment company that helps others build wealth through real estate.
Can you share some insights into your approach to building and maintaining generational wealth for your family?
You have to first have wealth to create generational wealth. Building generational wealth requires discipline, patience, and a long-term perspective. It’s a journey that doesn’t happen overnight. I did so much research and educated myself on investing, finances, wealth management, etc. You never want to put all your eggs in one basket. Invest in as many things as you can, but it has to make sense! The saying “You have to take a risk on your money to make money” is true. You can’t create generational wealth by placing all of your money into your savings with no investments or passive money coming in.
What challenges have you encountered while building your real estate empire, and how did you overcome them?
I think the biggest challenge I faced so far was in the beginning of building this empire. The business kind of took off faster and on a much larger scale than my mother and I expected. And it became too much for just us to handle all aspects and the one set of contractors we had in the beginning trying to pertain to multiple projects at once in a short matter of time. So, we had to hire a team such as project managers, accountants, etc., as well as build a few more groups of our own contractors.
Are there any specific neighborhoods or areas that hold special significance for you in your real estate journey?
Houston itself holds a special place in my heart because that’s where this all started. Houston was the first city we started building homes in before we expanded to Ohio and a few other states.
How do you prioritize family time and ensure that you’re actively involved in your household despite your busy career?
The little family I’ve created is my number one priority before any career. I am big on being present in my household so that I can pour into my family. I have built my career to the point that allows me to be able to fully show up and be present for my son and my significant other. My career doesn’t involve me physically being at the job sites.
Could you share some tips or advice for individuals looking to enter the real estate industry and build a successful career like yours?
My advice is to first define your version of success, then stay consistent! CONSISTENCY IS KEY! Success requires taking consistent action! Secondly, always be a student in life. Develop a growth mindset of continuous learning and improvement! View failure and challenges as an opportunity for growth! It’s all a part of the journey. And most importantly, PRAY and manifest your life. I have to throw this in here because God is the reason for my success. He gets all the credit for the position I am in today.
Be’n Original
