Vincent Clark founded Marketplace One Realty, one of the only Black-owned boutique brokerages in the Valley, in 2018. “At M1, we pride ourselves on delivering a results-driven unique real estate experience for each client we represent.” Learn about Vincent Clark…
Hometown: San Diego, California
First job: My first job was a paper route through my childhood neighborhood. I would wake up at 4 a.m., fold over a hundred newspapers and deliver each of them before school.
Favorite ways to spend your free time in AZ: When I’m not working with clients, I’m pretty much happy doing anything as long as it is spending time with my wife, Diana. We’ve been married over 20 years, and she’s still my favorite person to spend my time with. We love to golf or go out to restaurants together. While there are so many great spots across the Valley, I think we’ll always be partial to Houston’s. It’s become a classic Phoenix place we always enjoy.
Your biggest accomplishment and why: At my core, I’m an entrepreneur. I knew from a pretty young age that I was not going to find fulfillment or joy by climbing my way up the corporate ladder. My biggest accomplishment has been following that intuition and building businesses from the ground up. I haven’t had a “traditional” job in 20 years. It’s been challenging but extremely rewarding to be able to have success and provide for my family on my own terms.
The biggest obstacle you overcame: I believe if you look up the definition of entrepreneurship, one of the descriptions listed is the willingness to take risks in order to make profit. That can be scary, especially when you have a family to provide for. The biggest obstacle I overcame that set the trajectory for my success was getting my wife’s buy-in to be along for the ride. Without that support, I wouldn’t have been able to take chances that have led me to be as successful as I am today.
Someone who inspires you and why: That’s easy, my wife. She is one of the only people who can motivate me to always do better. I admire her faith and how she takes on challenges in life. She’s an amazingly supportive wife and a fantastic mother as well as the backbone of our family.
Advice to someone pursuing a career path in what you do: Like any other career path that requires risk, you have to really love what you do. This is undoubtedly one of the most dynamic eras the Valley has experienced in residential real estate. You have to truly be enthusiastic and passionate about finding the best deals for clients you represent.
From a general business standpoint, you can’t grow a company without understanding what your weaknesses are. You can lean into your strengths, but if you don’t have the right people around you to help you where you need, you can only push forward so far.
Favorite quote: “It matters both where you come from, and the daily life decisions you make.” -Unknown
It’s pretty direct, but has helped me navigate through a diverse number of situations I’ve found myself in; mainly by recognizing what it is in my story that prompts me to process things a certain way, but also the ability to not fall prey to a victim mentality.
Something someone would be surprised to learn about you: Prior to real estate, I spent several years in the hospitality industry, opening my first fine dining restaurant at the age of 25. What people may be surprised to know is that my career actually began at Chuck E. Cheese. I was hired to be a cashier as a young kid, and the rest is history.
What makes someone fabulous: I would say someone who has a humble spirit and a continuing desire to see and understand people from all walks of life.