Today we’d like to introduce you to Arie Midkiff.
Hi Arie, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I’ve always known I was going to be a business own/entrepreneur. It took some trial and error to figure out what venture I would be in but after scaling my hair business back I really became intentional in planning and creating the lifestyle I wanted for myself. I found I was pregnant in March of 2023, and that is what really pushed me to exit out if the service industry of doing hair and more into sales. Pregnant I enrolled into real estate school in Dallas, Texas. It was tough but on my 25th birthday 8 months pregnant, I took my Texas realtor exam and passed what was the hardest test in my life. After having my daughter, and taking 6 weeks off I immediately joined my first brokerage and found success rather quickly. My first two clients came early 2024 and things started to look good. Unfortunately the market still wasn’t the best and many people were not looking to buy a home. I pivoted and focused on apartment locating. This helped, but I still had to do hair, content, and keep my bartending jobs to make ends meet. I felt stretched so thin, all while juggling motherhood. I knew I has to do something. I went back to researching other careers and jobs that I could work within the real estate field. I sent in application after application, interview after interview, and nothing stuck. The whole year had been a roller coaster, but finally in 2025 February I caught a break by the grace of God. I was contracted to lease and/or sale homes for a home builder in Camden Homes. This was the game changer. Business was busy in the beginning of the year and within my first month I had leased 4 homes. By month 2 I was leasing 8 homes. I now lease on average minimum 12 homes a month. I was doing what I wanted, helping and changing so many lives, and able to provide for myself and y daughter abundantly. I have been the most successful I’ve ever been, and it has been consistent for almost a year. I think the biggest change in myself was the foundation. I’ve always had hustle, adaptability, creativity, gift of gab, and knowledge. What I was missing was building my business on something that could stand through anything, and that was centering my life around my faith.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It definitely was not smooth. The glitz and glam of real estate is like any other thing plastered on TV made to seem all good. I went months at a time with less than $5 to my name. I had to move back in with my parents after having my daughter, because I could not afford my lifestyle I once created when I was doing hair, bartending/nightlife full time. I had to make drastic changes in my life because I wanted something permanent, and I wanted a better lifestyle for my daughter. I wanted to be home more, and not depend on fast money to get me by. I went from living on my own for 6 years, completely changing my life. I also dealt with heartbreak, and postpartum all throughout my pregnancy. I went through all this while in school as well. It was definitely not easy, but I wouldn’t change once piece of it. The journey is what got me to where I am today. Now I can look back and see that that situation was just motivation.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I am a residential leasing specialist! I work for a home builder that builds 4-5 bedroom homes into communities all over DFW. I helped families find heir starter homes, and often help many people transition from apartments to their first homes. We also sell homes as well. I am a licensed realtor so I also help/advise new home buyers in my community as well.
Any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general?
I would say never stop researching, never stop learning. The mentors will naturally come to you stay on the path intended for you. Stay in tune with yourself as well, because only you know what’s best for you.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/itsjustarie/
