Tyler Davidson shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Good morning Tyler, it’s such a great way to kick off the day – I think our readers will love hearing your stories, experiences and about how you think about life and work. Let’s jump right in? What do you think others are secretly struggling with—but never say?
Let’s be real—we’ve all got that annoying voice in our head. The one that says we’re not good enough, smart enough, liked enough. The one that says, “Don’t stand out. Don’t speak up. Don’t be too much.”
Here’s the kicker: that voice? It’s lying. And worse—it’s keeping you small.
The truth is, everyone else is just as in their own head as you are. Most people are too busy worrying about themselves to care if you stumble, shine, or shake the room.
So what if you stop tiptoeing and start taking up space? What if the version of you you’ve been holding back is exactly who you were meant to be all along?
When you stop letting that inner critic run the show, you make room for something way more powerful: the real you. The bold you. The free you.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m Tyler Davidson—second-generation real estate broker, and founder of TenFold Real Estate in San Diego, CA.
We’re a small but fierce boutique brokerage built on one simple promise: we help our clients win.
Whether it’s prepping a property to squeeze out every last dollar in value, or going to battle in negotiations to help our buyers not just find—but actually secure—their dream home, we don’t play small.
We know the market. We know the psychology. And we know how to get the job done without all the fluff.
At TenFold, we don’t just sell homes—we build strategies, fight for results, and make sure our clients walk away feeling like they won the game.
On top of our services that we offer our clients, we are a company that is deeply rooted in philanthropy. 10% of our net commissions go to a charity of our clients choice when we help someone buy or sell a home. We believe that it is crucial to Give Where You Live.
Appreciate your sharing that. Let’s talk about your life, growing up and some of topics and learnings around that. Who were you before the world told you who you had to be?
I Was a Nobody.
No real direction. No big plan. Like a lot of kids, I dreamed of being a pro athlete—but when that dream faded, I drifted. Not into disaster… just into mediocrity. I coasted.
Even when I got into real estate—making decent money, doing well enough—I still felt hollow. I didn’t have a purpose. I was just going through the motions.
But something shifted.
I realized I wasn’t building a business—I was building a second chance. Not just for me, but for anyone out there who ever felt like they didn’t matter… like they didn’t have a path.
Now, I run a company with a mission rooted in giving back. A business that turns success into service. My needs are met. I’m financially secure. And now, I get to pour my energy into helping the people who needed the help I once needed myself.
This isn’t about houses. It’s about impact. And I’m just getting started.
Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
Here’s a shocker… I almost quit. Weekly.
And honestly? Who could blame a real estate professional.
We wake up every day basically unemployed—no salary, no benefits, no safety net. Just hope and hustle.
We’re expected to carry the weight of one of the three biggest decisions in someone’s life—every single day—without any guarantee we’ll even get paid for it. We walk into every deal knowing it could fall apart. That emotions could boil over. That someone’s dream could become our disaster.
It’s anxiety-inducing. It’s exhausting. Some days, it’s absolute hell.
But then—there’s that moment.
When you get to hand the keys to a single mom who never thought homeownership was in the cards for her.
When you help a couple sell the home they raised their kids in so they can finally retire and exhale.
When you see tears of joy instead of fear.
That’s the swing that brings me back.
Real estate, to me, is like a round of golf. You might shank 50 shots. You might swear, throw a club, want to walk off the course. But then—one perfect swing. That sweet spot. That sound. That feeling.
And just like that… you say,
“I’ll be back again tomorrow.”
So a lot of these questions go deep, but if you are open to it, we’ve got a few more questions that we’d love to get your take on. What are the biggest lies your industry tells itself?
Let’s Talk About One of the Big Lies in Real Estate.
You know the one: the idea that this job is glamorous.
Thanks to reality TV, everyone thinks being an agent means dressing in designer clothes, driving six-figure cars, and casually showing $10 million dollar homes to people with black cards and bottomless budgets.
But here’s the truth:
The average agent isn’t sipping champagne in stilettos.
They’re in everyday clothes, hauling furniture to stage a listing.
They’re skipping lunch to make a last-minute showing happen.
They’re sending their 30th text of the day, double-checking every moving piece in a deal that could fall apart at any second.
They’re working on paperwork at 10pm when everyone else is winding down.
It’s not glamorous. It’s gritty.
But you know what? I’ll take purpose over polish.
Rewarding over red carpets.
Impact over image—every single time.
Because while the job might not look like a reality show…
When you help a real family close a real chapter in their life—it’s more real than anything you’ll ever see on screen.
Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. Have you ever gotten what you wanted, and found it did not satisfy you?
For the First Half of My Career, It Was All About the Money.
Close the deal. Cash the check. Stack the wins.
That was the game. That was the grind.
And I played it hard.
I spent most of my 20s—and a good chunk of my 30s—working 6 or 7 days a week. On the rare occasion I did take a day off, I wasn’t really off. I felt guilty. Anxious. Like I was falling behind.
Sure, I made good money. More than I ever had before.
As someone who grew up without a lot, it had its perks.
But it came at a price: my peace.
I was burned out. Numb. Hollow.
Eventually, I asked myself a simple but uncomfortable question:
“If I make more than I did last year… what would I even do with that extra?”
And I didn’t have a good answer. Not one that felt real.
That’s when I knew something had to change.
That moment—that pause in the grind—was the beginning of something entirely new.
It was the spark that led me to create a business rooted in purpose, not just profit.
That was the beginning of my journey into philanthropy.
Into building something that gives back.
Into making impact my new bottom line.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://TenFoldRE.com
- Instagram: @princedavidson
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TylerDavidson33
Image Credits
Matt Marshall Photography
