Meet Samantha DeBianchi, Million Dollar Real Estate Mogul

You may recognize Samantha DeBianchi from Bravo’s ‘Million Dollar Listing Miami’. But did you know she’s the founder and real estate maven behind DeBianchi Real Estate, one of Florida’s top real estate firms? Her massive success comes down to two things: a work ethic ingrained in her since childhood, and an relentless determination to take the bad and make it an opportunity to grow and succeed.

My first job ever was… Working for my dad. I literally had to work for my dad since the day I was born. But that instilled an immediate hustle. My father paid me and made me understand the value of a dollar and how you can create your own life when you work hard.

I decided to be an entrepreneur because… I knew from a very young age I couldn’t “work” for anyone else. I had my own ideas, my own plans and I knew I couldn’t answer to anyone but myself.

My background prepared me for my career by… Teaching me that the word “no” just meant I needed to try harder.

My proudest accomplishment is… Quitting everything and starting my own business (and never turning back).

My boldest move to date was… Same as above — quitting everything and starting my own business (and never turning back).

I surprise people when I tell them… I’m extremely shy outside of the business world.

My best advice to people starting out in business is… Put blinders on. Don’t look at what anyone else is doing. Focus on your craft, seek out your goal, and go after it.

My best advice from a mentor was… Be yourself. As simple as that sounds, it’s rare that people are their real selves. I’m fortunate that being myself is what’s built me an empire.

My biggest setback was…. Having a rare brain tumour called Cushing’s Disease. It made me look different (overweight, excess hair on face, etc.) and feel different (depression, etc.), so my middle school and high school years were very tough for me as I was heavily bullied by other kids. It wasn’t pleasant but it actually helped mould me into the person I am today. It made me stronger, more resilient and taught me to not listen to people who didn’t support me or believe in me.

I overcame it by… Realizing early on that I had two choices: Succumb to the teasing and crawl up in a hole and be really upset about it. Or, I could ignore them, go about my business and be the person I was meant to be. I chose the second option.

“I try to live as limitless as possible”

Being a woman in real estate is… Not easy. I’m constantly having to “prove myself” but I come prepared every time.

Work/life balance is… Overrated. There’s no magic recipe with how much you should work and how much you should do anything else. I enjoy work — the hustle, the grind, and everything in between. When I want to work, I work and when I want to play, I play. Being able to do what I want, when I want is balance to me.

If you googled me, you still wouldn’t know… My real age. For some reason, Google has me younger than I am (no complaints). I am 32.

I stay inspired by… Traveling the world. Seeing different cultures, different ways of life, and bringing back ideas and creativity from my explorations.

The future excites me because… Anything is possible when you focus, visualize, work your tail off, and execute your thoughts and goals. The fact that I can do anything I put my mind to excites me. I try to live as limitless as possible.

My next step is… Growing my brand of real estate, business and lifestyle to the next level.

What’s next… I never liked the question of “where do you see yourself in 5 years”. You can’t predict tomorrow, let alone the future. Success isn’t something you should think about for “the future” but rather a mindset of the present. If you think you are successful, you will in fact become it.

Do you know a successful female entrepreneur who deserves recognition? Nominate her for the RBC Canadian Women Entrepreneur Awards!