Fredrik Eklund Soars from Café Jobs to $15 Billion Real Estate Empire

Fredrik Eklund, the star of Million Dollar Listing New York, has gone from handing out paninis outside David Letterman’s show to leading a real estate team that has closed over $15 billion in property transactions. His journey began in the early 2000s when he moved from Stockholm to New York with no job, connections, or financial support. To survive, he worked at a café outside the Late Show, earning $15 to $20 an hour, a penny per sandwich, and some free meals [1]. A friend suggested real estate as a career, and Eklund took the advice seriously. After obtaining his real estate license from NYU, a boutique agency—remarkably “stupid enough” to hire him with no experience—gave him his first break [1].

Eklund’s career quickly gained momentum. Within six months, he secured his first client, and over the next two decades, he built a formidable reputation in the luxury real estate market. Today, he leads the Eklund|Gomes Team at Douglas Elliman, a group of about 100 agents operating in 10 major markets. His clientele includes high-profile names like Sarah Jessica Parker, Jennifer Lopez, and John Legend [1]. In 2023 alone, the team recorded $3.77 billion in sales across New York, California, Florida, and Texas [1].

Eklund’s rise was not without its challenges. He admits that for the first two to three years in the business, he nearly gave up. The real estate industry, he says, is extremely competitive and takes time to master. “It takes five years to really make it,” he warns, noting that patience and persistence are essential [1]. Eklund’s personality—described as eccentric, driven, and cutthroat—played a key role in his success. He attributes much of his achievements to his own determination and the lack of any external support. “I didn’t have all those contacts,” he says. “I did it all by myself” [1].

Beyond New York, Eklund has expanded his influence to Miami, where he serves as a sales ambassador for a $2 billion luxury project in Bahia Mar. His decade-long tenure on Million Dollar Listing New York, from 2012 to 2022, further cemented his status as a household name in real estate [1]. The show not only highlighted his charismatic personality but also gave viewers insight into the high-stakes world of luxury property sales.

Eklund’s story is a testament to the power of resilience, timing, and seizing opportunities. He entered the market just as New York real estate was poised for a boom. “It was very undervalued,” he says, and he was fortunate to be in the right place at the right time [1]. His experience underscores the reality that success in real estate is rarely immediate. It requires years of hard work, learning from failures, and navigating the complexities of the industry.

For aspiring real estate professionals, Eklund’s journey offers a cautionary tale as well as inspiration. He acknowledges that the early years are tough, and many would-be agents may lose motivation before seeing results. His advice? Stick with it. The industry is a craft best learned through experience, not theory. “You cannot really learn it in school,” he says. “You’ve gotta be out on the streets, the mean streets” [1]. His impulsive nature, which could easily lead someone to abandon the profession, is what he leverages to stay ahead in a fast-paced and demanding field.

Fredrik Eklund’s transformation from panini-slinger to a real estate mogul is a compelling narrative of self-made success. His career not only showcases the potential for growth in the real estate sector but also highlights the importance of perseverance in the face of uncertainty.

Source: [1]‘Million Dollar Listing’ star used to sling paninis, but now leads a team closing $15 billion in deals—because someone was ‘stupid enough’ to hire him (https://fortune.com/2025/08/17/million-dollar-listing-nyc-fredrik-eklund-real-estate-career-jobs-experience/)