Renee Miller

Real Estate Agent

October 5, 2026·By: Mbaire

Courtesy of Renee Miller

"If you want a different result than most people, you have to do things differently and go about life in different ways."

Renee Miller didn’t wait to “figure it out later.” By 18, she had earned her real estate license after spending years teaching herself about money, investing, and financial freedom. Now 19, she’s building on that foundation while studying finance, playing Division I soccer, creating content, and helping bring Rho Epsilon Iota to Alabama A&M. “I believe if you want a different result than most people, you have to do things differently.” For The Ones to Watch, Renee talks about starting early, failing and pivoting, staying consistent, and using real estate as a path toward freedom and impact.

You got your real estate license at 18. What made you want to get into real estate so young?

It was important to me to achieve financial freedom, and I knew that to achieve financial freedom early, I had to start earlier than most people. I believe if you want a different result than most people, you have to do things differently and go about life in different ways.

Where did that mindset around money and building wealth come from?

Financial literacy was something I had to teach myself. I read books, listened to podcasts, and learned through social media. When I was around 13 years old, I was already taking notes about things people usually learn in their twenties. Being the oldest sister, I’ve always been very independent. I knew eventually I would have to take care of myself. I wanted to make sure I could maintain the peace and security my parents gave me. I’m very much a “work hard now so you don’t have to stress later” type of person.

You’re balancing Division I soccer, finance, real estate and other projects. How do you manage it all?

I believe in handwritten planners so much. At the beginning of every year, I invest in one and write down even the smallest daily habits. If I wait until that day to decide what I’m going to do, I might make the decision based on how I feel. But if it’s already written down, it becomes a promise to myself. My confidence grows when I execute on those promises to myself. You start building a reputation with yourself that says, “When I say I’m going to do something, I do it.”

People see the accomplishments online. What don’t they see?

People don’t see the consistency and how boring it can be. They don’t see studying every day for 20 or 30 minutes. When I was getting my real estate license, they didn’t see me on buses or in hotels traveling with my soccer team with huge decks of flashcards. People see when you pass the exam. They don’t always see everything that happened before it. I’ve learned to work hard in the background and let the accomplishments show in the foreground.

What has being an athlete taught you that carries into business?

Time management and perseverance, definitely. Soccer taught me that having a goal isn’t enough. You have to know the steps you’re going to take to get there and then show up consistently. You don’t achieve a goal all at once. You achieve it task by task, day by day. That’s something I carry into business and real estate. I focus on what I need to do today, then keep building from there. For me, consistency is what turns a goal into something real.

What happens when Renee doesn’t achieve something she wanted?

Renee learns from it, because Renee never quits. I failed my real estate exam before. Instead of stopping, I figured out what went wrong, adjusted how I approached it and tried again. There’s a lot of pivoting. Readjust and pivot. The journey might not happen exactly how you imagined it, but that doesn’t mean you can’t still reach the larger goal.

Why is it important for you to teach other young people what you’ve learned?

It’s important for me to teach others because there was so much I had to figure out on my own. Sometimes I would learn something and think, “Someone could have easily told me this.” Honestly, it would feel selfish to learn all of this and not share it. If something I know can make someone else’s journey easier, especially someone younger who’s just getting started, I want to help.

You also founded the Rho Epsilon Iota chapter at Alabama A&M. Why was that important to you?

I wanted our Black community here to have access to some of the same resources and people students at large PWIs (Predominantly White Institutions) are being exposed to. When I was first approached about opening the chapter, I thought, “I might be too busy.” But then I realized this was a big opportunity, not just for me, but for my peers. Our goal is to get 10 people licensed this year. Even if I don’t know exactly how to do something when I start, I know I’ll figure it out.

Where does the “I’ll figure it out” mentality come from?

Once you start making promises to yourself and achieving them, you build case studies of yourself. You can say, “I did this. I did that. So why can’t I do this next thing?” I didn’t know how to get a real estate license until I researched it and did it. I didn’t know what committing to Division I soccer would look like until I did it. You go into something knowing nothing and come out knowing a lot more, while still having room to learn.

You’ve accomplished a lot at 19. What drives your ambition now?

At first, the goal was financial freedom. As I’ve gotten closer to that, the goal has started shifting toward impact. Now I think about how I can replicate what I’ve learned in other people. Meeting new people, having new experiences and building a fulfilling life motivates me more than just making money.

When you picture yourself at 25, what do you hope to have built?

I want to build a real estate education company centered around visual media and entertainment. I want people to learn something from me, execute on it, improve financially and then use that freedom to experience life. Whether they end up in sports, real estate, lending, publishing, social media or something completely different, I want them to gain the freedom to figure out what they actually want their life to look like.

Renee Miller

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