How Entrepreneur Charlie Lazarus is Challenging Real Estate Industry Norms

Lazarus is a luxury real estate business owner whose unconventional marketing strategies set him apart.

Who is Charlie Lazarus?

Charlie Lazarus, also known as Charlie “Hustle” by many of his peers, is a 29-year old entrepreneur, investor, and real estate business owner in the Southern California region. Although Charlie is just 29, he has been involved in the real estate industry for almost a decade. Lazarus is someone who strives to make a positive difference in the world, and he has made it clear that his mission is to inspire and pave the way for entrepreneurs of the future. Charlie is known in the real estate world as an ambitious, extremely determined individual, hence how he earned his nickname, “Hustle”. He is also known for his creative strategies and trend-setting ideas.

What led Charlie to start his own business, and how did he find success in this challenging industry?

In 2012, Charlie was in college studying economics at The University of Arizona. He accepted a job working for a private equity company where he gathered hands-on experience working with finance, multi-family real estate, and commercial acquisitions. Lazarus acquired many skills in this role, such as “cold” outreach, one of the most important skills needed when starting any business. He was a top producer in his company, and as a result, was offered a position dedicated to luxury vacation rentals. “Hustle” was sourcing multi-million dollar single-family acquisitions in the San Diego market, which taught him a substantial amount about the most lavish side of the real estate market.

After dedicating himself to being a student of his craft, Charlie felt very confident dealing with luxury real estate, so much so that he began to have thoughts of starting his own real estate business. He knew that as someone with a natural entrepreneurial spirit, it was just a matter of time before he left his role and started his own business. Charlie left his job after a very successful run with the company and obtained his real estate license. From there, he launched his real estate career and company. At first, things were challenging for Lazarus, but he knew this was all a part of the process of becoming a full-time entrepreneur. He put in consistent time and effort which led him to accumulate sales of over $50 million worth of residential real estate since 2015. He has also flipped and wholesaled over 25 properties at that time.

“I always wanted to create a job for myself instead of relying on someone to provide me one. A job is a product of value created, and I knew that I could bring value to people using my experience, skills, and work ethic in the San Diego real estate market.” – Charlie Lazarus  

Real estate is a competitive industry- how does Charlie differentiate himself from the competition? Does he have any suggestions for mastering the industry?

Real estate is definitely a competitive industry; however, Lazarus was able to differentiate himself in many ways. Although the concept sounds simple, having a strong and dedicated work ethic is essential to stand out in a crowd of individuals doing the same thing, no matter what it is. There are many things you can’t control in life, but you can always control how much effort you put forth into achieving a set goal. Charlie realized this at a young age and made it a goal to be the hardest worker in the “room” at all times. Over time, people began to take notice of Charlie’s relentless pursuit of success. He believes that in order to become the best at your craft, you can’t sit around and wait for opportunities to knock on your door, you must go out and take what is yours; it’s a mindset. For Charlie, authenticity is equally as important, as he’s found that in order to succeed in such a relationship-focused industry, one must be able to connect with people on a personal level and build relationships. Lazarus always gives his full time and attention to anyone he interacts with, and that definitely pays dividends in the long run. Charlie stated, “People can sense when you are authentic, and that energy definitely makes people want to work with you.”

Aside from work ethic and authenticity, Charlie “Hustle” constantly strives to think outside of the box when it comes to his strategies. For example, after spending a few years in the luxury real estate space, he realized that when prospective clients are searching for a luxury home, they have painted a picture in their minds of the lavish lifestyle associated with owning such a home. With this in mind, Charlie built a marketing platform which he calls “Social Estates”. This tool enables clients to experience the luxury lifestyle they have envisioned for quite some time. This experience includes “a day in the life” videos, which are essentially highlight-reels of the luxury lifestyle one would imagine. These videos consist of things such as sushi chefs, bartenders, DJ performances, and luxury cars.  

What does Charlie do outside of real estate? What else is he currently working on?

When Charlie isn’t working on real estate, he spends the majority of his time running one of his many e-commerce businesses, as well as adding to his impressive investment portfolio. Lazarus has been able to build multiple six-figure drop shipping businesses. He believes e-commerce is an area in which everyone should learn to build and operate a business, as the world is going digital, and now is the time to capitalize. Charlie also just recently took a stake in a hemp clothing company by the name of Drihp, which many people, including Charlie, believe will be the face of the hemp industry in 2020 and beyond. He is also heavily involved in a company by the name of Clone Connect, a hemp consulting company dedicated to solving problems in the hemp industry.  

Where can readers keep up with Charlie Lazarus online?

You can visit Charlie’s website, or feel free to follow him on Instagram.