Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Sean Hanford. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Sean, thanks for joining us today. What was it like going from idea to execution? Can you share some of the backstory and some of the major steps or milestones?

The idea of becoming a relator at such a young age was no small feat. I started my road to being a realtor in my college dorm, where I took a 75-hour pre-licensing course, which I passed on the first try. I then enrolled in a mentoring real estate program under my mentor, Justin Giles of Real Estate Gurus. This mentoring program solidified my interest in becoming a realtor and investor because not only did I want to invest, but I also did not want to leave money on the closing table. The next step in my process was to take my dream of becoming a realtor and make it a reality. I studied any and everything that I could about real estate and passed my real estate exam at the age of 19. Hence, began my journey of becoming one of the youngest realtors in my state and establishing my own real estate company called The Hanford Group. These milestones became my roadmap for me to accomplish some of my many goals that I have for myself and bringing them to fruition.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers

My name is Sean Hanford, and I am a sophomore majoring in entrepreneurship at Kennesaw State University. When I was first interviewed by Voyage ATL in 2019, I was still in high school and was creating a dream book for my life. I must say that a lot has happened in the last 3 years since my first published article. In 2021, I graduated from Tucker High School with full academic and STEM honors, and now I am making my mark academically at KSU by being on the Dean’s List in my first full academic year! Nevertheless, the best part of my journey thus far has been becoming a realtor at the age of 19, creating my own real estate company, The Hanford Group, with my business partner, and being accepted into the Kennesaw State Real Estate Society.

The last story in Voyage ATL depicted my role in the Steve Harvey Mentoring Camp for Young Men and how I was named the Steve Harvey Rising Star Award recipient because of my ability to capture my dreams in my DREAM BOOK. The task given to the campers was to write over 200 dreams in a book no matter how big or small they were, and I was the camper who completed all 200 dreams. Unbeknownst to me, Mr. Harvey told the mentors, “The young man who completes this dream book task will be your entrepreneur, millionaire, and success story.” As the day was coming to an end and everyone else was doing activities, the mentors found me on my knees praying over my 200 dreams and crying to God to send people who would help me realize them. I still remember this day!

The scripture Habakkuk 2:2 has been my biggest inspiration and is now tattooed on my chest. It reads, “And the Lord answered me and said, write the vision down and make it plain upon the tables, that he may run that readeth it.” This scripture serves as my constant reminder to dream big, write my visions down, and surround myself with people who can help me bring them to life.

Since the camp and the creation of my dream book, many of my dreams have been realized. I traveled internationally with the Harvey Foundation, I was selected to be a Disney Dreamer, Class of 2019, received a 2-year scholarship from the Harvey Foundation to pursue my degree in entrepreneurship, and I was a guest speaker at the 2022 Steve Harvey Celebrity Golf Tournament where I spoke about my entrepreneurship journey. Being on Fox 5’s Good Day Atlanta, Passionate Pursuits, and the Steve Harvey show has given me the courage to find my voice, share my story, and gain a following of young people who are inspired by my journey.
However, none of my accomplishments would have been possible without the guidance of my mentors. Frank Hallum, who is the Director of Mentoring for the Steve & Marjorie Harvey Foundation, is the mentor who has put me in rooms that I would never have imagined being in and who has started me on my entrepreneurial journey. My Disney Dreamer mentor, Dr. Alex Ellis, keeps me grounded and gives me sound advice. Pastor Edward “Kodi” Long, who has been my mentor and big brother for as long as I can remember, is the one who gives me bible scriptures to keep me grounded. Ms. Pamela Chance, a real estate broker, is my real estate mentor who has afforded me amazing opportunities that have been keen to my development as a realtor. Mrs. Jennifer Isom Ames, owner of John Casablancas’s Modeling and Talent Agency, has given me the ability to be more confident in myself and be more intentional about how I show up in spaces. She also offers me great advice on how to best serve my clients as well. Ms. Chamina Curtis, who is a professor at Miami University, is my life coach who offers me support both in life and in the classroom. Finally, I have to acknowledge my dad, George Hanford, who has given me the tools to be financially savvy and helps me with my business, and my sister, Kennede, who keeps my appearance up to par. My mom, Lori Hanford, has been my biggest cheerleader and fan since day one. She is instrumental in connecting me to people, places, and things that will equip me for success. Because of her networking ability, she ensures that I am connecting with the right people to build my brand.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

For me, passing the real estate exam was not for the faint of heart. It took much resilience as I had to take the exam six times before I passed it. Most people would have given up because the test is very rigorous, but I was determined to realize my dream of becoming a realtor by my 18th birthday. Although that did not happen, I did receive my real estate license 2 weeks later at the age of 19. I then opened my own real estate company with my business partner, where we offer a full-service real estate experience to our clients. Initially, this whole process of becoming a realtor and opening my own business has been met with a lot of challenges, but my aspirations of being a successful entrepreneur at a young age have outweighed them all. From studying and passing the real estate exam, to me opening my own business, this journey has been one for the books. It has taken a lot of time, money, collaboration, sweat equity, and tears. However, I am just getting started and it’s all going to be worth it in the end.

Do you have multiple revenue streams – if so, can you talk to us about those streams and how your developed them?

Contact Info:

• Website: https://linktr.ee/iamseanofficial
• Instagram: @iamseanofficial & @thehanfordgroup
• Facebook: @sean.hanford.50
• Twitter: @hanfordgroup

Image Credits
Steve Harvey, Jennifer Isom, Dr. Alex Ellis, Devan Smith, and The Hanford Group