Want to Get Good at Sales? Tarek El Moussa Says Make 50 Calls a Day

Tarek El Moussa describes how prioritizing conversation volume, emotional detachment, and consistent practice transformed his career, starting from a novice in real estate at 20 to significant financial success.

Prioritize Contact Volume and Conversation Frequency Over Talent in Sales

Novice in Real Estate at 20, He Committed To 50 Conversations Daily For 90 Days, Double His Coach's Recommendation, Unaware It Seemed Impossible

At 20 years old, Tarek El Moussa entered real estate with no prior experience and struggled during his first six months, making almost no money despite trying open houses and various events. Everything changed after he attended a free training event, where he invested in one-on-one coaching by charging $1,000 a month to his credit card while living in his mom’s garage. The coach advised speaking to 20 homeowners a day. Instead, El Moussa set his target at 50 conversations daily, despite his coach’s claim that nobody does that. Unfazed by the seemingly impossible goal, he dedicated himself to a 90-day sprint, promising to either remain in real estate or return to college depending on his results.

In 90 Days, He Built a $100,000 Commission Pipeline, Bought a Million-Dollar House, and Grossed $300,000

Within three weeks, El Moussa had already built a commission pipeline worth $100,000. After 90 days, he bought nearly a million-dollar house and grossed about $300,000 from cold calling alone. He attributes this extraordinary outcome not to talent, but to high-volume outreach and relentless consistency.

Key to Success in High-Volume Sales: View Rejection as Progress, Not Failure, So Being Hung Up At Contact 50 Means You Can Go Home

El Moussa’s key insight was to treat every interaction as a step toward his contact goal, not as a judgment on his abilities. If his 50th call of the day led to a hang-up, he celebrated reaching his daily target—he could finally go home. This perspective reframed rejection as positive progress, not failure.

Emotional Detachment and Resilience Are Key for Volume-Based Sales Discipline

Decade as Cold Caller Required Abandoning Ego, Seeing Rejection As Progress

El Moussa spent a decade cold calling, building his resilience to daily rejection. He learned early not to take negative responses personally, ignoring his ego and focusing solely on the process.

Celebrates 50 Daily Contacts, Ignores Negative Calls

He trained himself to feel satisfaction upon reaching his 50th call, regardless of whether it ended positively or with a harsh response. Emotional detachment grew as he ignored insults and negati ...

Tarek El Moussa shares a practical approach to building wealth by buying and flipping distressed properties, emphasizing the importance of strategic buying, careful risk management, and having access to capital and a strong network.

Distressed Properties Offer Profit Opportunities as They Can Be Bought At Discounts and Resold Post-Renovation

El Moussa’s philosophy is straightforward: buy distressed properties at a significant discount, renovate them, and resell for profit. He gives several examples, stating, “I’ve bought houses, triple homicides, and they sell. Oh my God. I might sell it for 50 grand less, but I'll pay 50 grand less.” He describes properties with even the most disturbing histories still being marketable—for example, homes where multiple deaths have occurred, including one where three people died and their bodies remained for an extended period. Even with such stigmas, these homes are purchased for less, renovated, and then sold at a discount relative to the unaffected market, but the margin remains profitable. El Moussa emphasizes, “dead bodies, cockroaches, the worst, the nastier, the better,” since there is always a buyer at the right price.

However, he cautions against investing in very low-end properties in the $20,000 to $70,000 range, stating that renovating these is often costlier than the property’s final value. “Sometimes it’s more expensive to fix the house than it’s going to be worth when it’s done,” he notes, making these unprofitable investments.

Reserves and Capitalization Safeguard Against Real Estate Downturns

El Moussa stresses the importance of financial preparation, especially for bad market years. He advocates keeping at least a year’s worth of reserves for business expenses. Drawing from his own experience in 2022, he explains, “I ended up buying, I think it was 90 houses or 91 houses first quarter of 2022. The hard money mortgages…were, I think, 700,000 a month. And the rates doubled overnight.” Despite market conditions shifting dramatically and mortgage costs doubling, he was forced to hold and renovate these properties, resulting in nearly universal losses for that year, including a $700,000 loss in Laguna Beach and $683,000 in Los Angeles, with many other properties losing $50,000–$100,000 each.

He likens real estate investing to gambling in Vegas: “If I told you you can go to Vegas and win 18 out of 20 times…that’s my analogy with real estate. If I can win 9 out of 10 years, well, shit, that’s not so bad.” The critical safeguar ...

Tarek El Moussa discusses the realities of experiencing both wealth and poverty, highlighting the unique stresses that come with each, and reflects on how his motivations have transformed throughout his journey of success.

Money Brings Different Stresses Than Lack of It

Poverty Stresses Basic Needs; Wealth Stresses Obligations and Empire Maintenance

El Moussa shares that he has lived at both extremes—coming from nothing and later attaining significant wealth. He explains that each condition presents distinct difficulties: “The stress of not having money is different than the stress of having money and obligations.” While poverty centers on anxiety over basic needs, wealth brings stress related to maintaining financial obligations and managing a broader empire. El Moussa summarizes, “They’re both hard. You just pick your hard.” Having been both broke and rich, he finds that neither state is inherently easier than the other, making it misleading to claim one is better.

Past Luxury Purchases Signaled Success; Motivations Have Evolved

From Exotic Cars to Peace: Why He Let Go Of His Lamborghini and Ferrari

El Moussa candidly describes how, early in his success, he purchased luxury items like a Lamborghini and even bought a Ferrari for Heather, his partner, on their second date after asking her about her dream car. These early purchases were often intended more as displays of accomplishment than for personal satisfaction. “When you first got money, you bought things to impress people,” he admits, sometimes acquiring possessions he didn’t even like for the sake of external validation.

Over time, his perspective shifted. El Moussa no longer owns those luxury cars and says he finds such things to be “more headaches and more stress” than they’re worth. Now, his focus is on building businesses and meaningful projects—particularly in AI—and investing time in his family. He no longer seeks validation through possessions, remarking, “I’m excited about building, so if I lost everything today building what I love, it was worth it.”

True Confidence and Belief Stem From Success, Not Wealth or Possessions

"The True Value Of Earning Wealth Lay In the Confidence and Self-Belief From Achieving Tough Goals."

El Moussa believes that the true reward of his journey isn’t the financial windfall, but the confidence and belief he gained from accomplishing difficult things as an entrepreneur. He affirms, “It was not because of the financial win, but because of what it gave me as an entrepreneur—which is the confidence and the belief that I could acc ...

Tarek El Moussa discusses the complexities of raising disciplined, driven children when wealth is abundant. He believes it's possible to encourage hard work and responsibility, even with privileges such as expensive cars and early exposure to investments, as long as parenting remains intentional, accountable, and focused on character.

$150,000 BMW For Daughter's 16th: Safety, Reward, Investment

Daughter Earns Car With 4.2 GPA and Soccer MVP

Tarek El Moussa confirms he bought his daughter a $150,000 BMW, but emphasizes that it was earned. She achieved a 4.2 GPA and was named MVP on her freshman soccer team, in addition to dedicating herself to extra coaching. He notes she didn't ask for the car—it was a reward and a surprise for her commitment and accomplishment. El Moussa is clear that had she been "a spoiled brat," she wouldn't have achieved her accolades or received the car; this is his way of recognizing her hard work.

BMW: A Safe Vehicle With Robust Features for Parental Peace of Mind

El Moussa’s primary concern in purchasing the BMW is safety. He describes the car as “built like a tank” and highlights its robust features, offering parental peace of mind. He tracks her speed and location with technology like Life360 to further ensure her wellbeing, emphasizing that having a safe, dependable vehicle was the biggest priority for him.

Financially, the Purchase May Offer Section 179 Tax Advantages Since the Vehicle Is a Heavy Asset, and He Also Noted His Daughter Is Already Invested In Stocks and Real Estate For Her Future

The purchase may also provide financial advantages. Nicole Lapin suggests that, as a heavy car, the BMW could be written off as a business asset under section 179 of the tax code—El Moussa is “a smart dude.” Beyond the car, he’s already helped his daughter invest in stocks and real estate, securing her long-term future and exposing her to responsible asset management from a young age.

Wealthy Children Avoid Being Spoiled if They See Hard Work, Discipline, and Privilege With Responsibility

Wealthy Children Find Luxury Unremarkable

El Moussa observes that children raised in wealthy environments can become indifferent to luxury. He notes his daughter has traveled by private jet since infancy and that growing up surrounded by luxury items removes their novelty. Unlike those who attain wealth after knowing scarcity, children like his may not fixate on material things because “they don't even care about it” and “it’s nothing unique.”

Wealthy Upbringing Reduces Materialism and Entitlement

He points out that because luxury is never withheld, these children are less likely to be materialistic or develop entitlement. For example, when asked if his daughter would appreciate being picked up in an old Toyota, he’s confident she would love it—proving comfort with simplicity despite privilege.

Daughter's 4.2 GPA, MVP Status Reflect Her Character Despite Privilege

El Moussa argues that true character in wealthy kids shows through their achievements and discipline, not just in what they’re given. His daughter's academic success and athletic leadership are results of her personal drive, not of being spoiled.

Good Parenting in Wealthy Environments: Modeling Work Ethic, Accountability, and Discipline

He Emphasizes Showing Children Hard Work, Accountability, Discipline, and Consequences of Neglect

El Moussa stresses that consistency and example are crucial. He advocates for “good parenting”: demonstrating hard work, holding kids accountable, teaching discipline, and showing the consequences of unmet expectations.

Children Know Their Lifestyle Requires Hard Work From Parents and Heather

He asserts that his children understand their lifestyle is possible because of his, their mother's, and Heath ...

Initial Success Builds Confidence and Fulfillment Over Starting With Passion

Tarek El Moussa reflects on the years he spent doing miserable work solely for money, explaining that those experiences taught him a host of valuable skills. Now, he is able to use those skills to pursue projects that excite him. Moussa warns against choosing a career only for financial reasons, arguing instead that pursuing what you love leads to greater success. If people choose careers based on their true interests, he believes they are more likely to achieve excellence, and the financial rewards will naturally follow. Passion, he says, sustains commitment and leads to outstanding results, which are then rewarded with higher pay.

Nicole Lapin shares a similar but nuanced perspective. Coming from a background without wealth, she wanted to pursue poetry but felt the need to enter a more lucrative field to pay the bills. She says she initially disliked finance, but after committing to her role and gaining skill, she began to appreciate and enjoy it. El Moussa argues that even unconventional passions, like poetry, can turn into successful ventures if approached with dedication and creativity—for instance, by creating an online platform, building a community, and developing a business around that interest. Building competence and confidence, he suggests, is key to making even unlikely passions financially viable.

Success Fosters Competence, Builds Confidence, and Transforms Dislike Into Enthusiasm

Both Moussa and Lapin stress that initial success builds the self-confidence necessary for long-term satisfaction and fulfillment. Lapin recounts how mastery in her finance job transformed her attitude from dislike to authentic enthusiasm. Success not only brings financial rewards but also fosters real interest in the work.

Moussa uses the metaphor of teaching children to kick a soccer ball harder; when kids see their powerful kick outpaces others, their confidence soars, encouraging them to thrive. By focusing on building skills and confidence in one area first, individuals gain a transferable sense of self-belief that empowers them to approach new challenges with assurance. Lapin affirms that as she became better in her chosen field and started to enjoy success, she liked her work even more, and her career continued to flourish because of the confidence that competence brings.

Key to Success: Excel In one Area Before Mastering Many Domains

Moussa believes early career focus is vital; mastering one area creates a foundation for broader success. He notes that no one can be great at many things at once, so young professionals should develop expertise and confidence in a single field first. He uses not only his soccer practice example but also his own career path—had he started directly in house flipping rather than delaying with unrelated jobs, he believes he would have gotten further, faster.

Mous ...

Tarek El Moussa emphasizes the importance of taking immediate action rather than getting stuck in endless preparation or study. He believes success comes to those who actually engage with their ambitions rather than overanalyzing.

Stop Studying—Take Action and Learn Through Experience

El Moussa encourages aspiring real estate investors to stop reading books and instead interact directly with property owners, trying to negotiate and make real deals. He insists that practical experience is how he has achieved all his success.

Become a Real Estate Investor: Negotiate With Property Owners

For those who want to get started in real estate, El Moussa's advice is simple: skip the extended research phase, talk to people who actually own properties, and try to purchase them. This hands-on approach, he argues, leads to meaningful learning and progress.

Pitched "Flip or Flop" Four Days After First House Purchase, Admitting He Had No Idea of Show's Content

El Moussa shares the story of how, right after purchasing his very first house to flip, he decided to pitch a TV show having no concrete idea of what the content would be. He and his ex-wife, Christine, brainstormed and settled on the concept of “Flip or Flop”—successful if they made money, a flop if they didn’t. He admits that his idea sounded crazy and that Christine laughed at it, but he went ahead regardless.

Success From Immediate Idea Implementation, Consistently Producing Results

Immediate pursuit of his ideas is a constant theme in El Moussa’s career. He credits his achievements to always implementing his ideas without delay, which consistently opens up new opportunities and delivers tangible results.

Ambition Requires Optimism and Fearless ...