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

Tarneshia, appreciate you joining us today. We’d love to hear the backstory behind a risk you’ve taken – whether big or small, walk us through what it was like and how it ultimately turned out.

I worked for UnitedHealthcare for eight years, moving up from community health worker to team lead, community engagement coordinator, associate marketing specialist, volunteer coordinator, and even a volunteer board member. It was a solid career with benefits, 401k, paid time off, and stability. I was working on my bachelor’s degree in healthcare administration leadership to eventually step into management. At that time, I was also a single mother with three children, so stability mattered. On paper, I had everything I needed.

But deep down, I felt a pull toward something else, something I had dreamed about since I was 18 years old: real estate. Walking away from that career wasn’t easy. I kept second-guessing myself, wondering if I was putting too much pressure on my husband by chasing something unknown and unstable. Still, I realized that if I didn’t take the leap, I would always regret it. I couldn’t live with myself knowing I ignored a dream that had been in my heart for so long.

In 2020, I got licensed as a Realtor, but my job at UnitedHealthcare was so demanding that I couldn’t give real estate the focus it needed. I was investing money but not making any because I simply didn’t have the time. Eventually, I made the decision to quit my job and go into real estate full-time while still finishing my degree. The moment I walked away, it felt like a weight lifted off my shoulders. I felt free.

Becoming a full-time entrepreneur was frightening. I had always done side hustles or small entrepreneurial work, but never depended solely on it. This time I did. I had a small safety net of savings, but shifting to 100% commission-based income was a huge adjustment. There were plenty of days and nights I cried because I felt like a failure. I didn’t have a mentor, a guide, or someone to show me the ropes. But I refused to quit.

It’s now been almost six years since I made that pivot, and I can say the risk was worth it. I’ve grown in real estate, helped families relocate, built my business in Mississippi and Tennessee, and created a name for myself. Most importantly, I’m living out the dream I wrote down as a teenager.

What I’ve learned is that fear and faith can’t live in the same place. You can spend your life climbing someone else’s ladder, or you can build your own. Taking that risk taught me to trust my vision and reminded me that sometimes the most dangerous move is staying right where you are.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I’m Tarneshia Barnett, a licensed Realtor in Mississippi and Tennessee, helping homeowners sell with confidence while also guiding first-time buyers and families relocating to start their next chapter. I work with first-time sellers who may be unsure of the process, seasoned homeowners ready to make a change, and buyers who are stepping into homeownership for the very first time.

Selling a home or buying one is a big transition, and my role is to make it less overwhelming. For sellers, I focus on helping them understand their equity, prepare their homes for the market, and attract the right buyers. For buyers, especially first-timers, I provide the education, guidance, and support they need to make informed decisions. For families relocating to Mississippi or Tennessee, I help them navigate the move smoothly and find not just a house, but the right community to call home.

What sets me apart is the way I combine personal care with professional expertise. I don’t just handle transactions. I focus on people, their goals, and their vision for the future. Many of my clients come to me with uncertainty, and I love showing them what’s possible, answering their questions, and giving them confidence to move forward.

I’m most proud of building a business rooted in intention, vision, and authenticity. My brand slogan is “Moving with Intention. Building with Vision.” To me, those words represent more than real estate. They represent how I live and how I guide my clients. My hope is that when people think of me, they think of someone who not only sells homes, but also empowers them to move forward in life with clarity and purpose.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

When I got licensed in 2020, I entered real estate at one of the busiest, craziest times in the industry. Interest rates were at 2–3%, homes were flying off the market, and it felt like every Realtor was running around like a chicken with their head cut off. For most people, that was the “perfect time” to start, but for someone brand new with no experience, it was overwhelming.

I depended heavily on my first brokerage to guide me, train me, and keep the promises they made about teaching me how to succeed. But the truth is, they were so focused on chasing the pandemic boom that I couldn’t get the help I needed. I didn’t know what a lead was, didn’t know how to get one, and didn’t have anyone slowing down long enough to show me. There were plenty of nights I cried, wondering if I made the right choice, but I knew I couldn’t quit.

So, I decided if I wasn’t going to get a client right away, I would still prepare myself to be the best Realtor possible. I started reading contracts, taking every class I could, researching marketing, and teaching myself how to run my business. I became determined that even without experience, I would be so knowledgeable that when the opportunity came, I could answer questions with confidence.

I leaned on affirmations, journaling, prayer, and the support of my husband and children. I wrote in my journal that I wanted my name to be tied to Mississippi real estate, and today, most of the client’s I’ve worked with have been in Mississippi. I had to learn that in this business, you cannot wait for someone to save you or train you. You have to take responsibility, invest in yourself, and trust your vision.

Over time, I changed brokerages. Each one promised training and coaching, but I realized I had to build my foundation myself. By the time I landed at my third brokerage, a 100% commission model, I knew exactly what that meant: you are on your own, and you either create your own success or you don’t. I chose to create mine.

Looking back, resilience wasn’t about never feeling discouraged. It was about refusing to let those moments define me. I taught myself, I kept showing up, and I built a business through faith, persistence, and self-belief. That resilience is what carried me from being a brand-new agent with no direction to becoming a Realtor known in Mississippi and Tennessee for helping families move with intention and build with vision.

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

What I believe helped me build my reputation in the market is staying authentic and consistent from the very beginning. I made a decision early on that I wasn’t going to change who I am to fit into real estate. I wanted people to feel like they knew me, could trust me, and that I was genuinely here to help, not just sell.

Education has been the foundation of my reputation. I started out by teaching myself everything I could, and I carried that same mindset into how I serve others. I share knowledge with my clients and through my social media so that people feel empowered to make the right decisions. Even when my marketing wasn’t perfect in the beginning, I showed up anyway. I knew if I stayed consistent, the quality would grow, and it did. But what mattered most was that people could see my heart, my effort, and my knowledge behind the work.

I’ve also built my reputation by making sure I’m not one-sided. I focus on both buyers and sellers, from first-time homebuyers to first-time sellers and beyond. I wanted people to see me as someone who could guide them at any stage of the process, not just when they were ready to buy. That balance has helped me connect with more families and meet them exactly where they are.

The biggest compliment I get, and I hear it often is when clients tell me they decided to work with me because of my social media presence. They say they felt like I was knowledgeable, trustworthy, humble, family-oriented, and authentic just from how I showed up online. That means everything to me, because it shows that being real, being consistent, and focusing on education built the kind of reputation money can’t buy.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://tarneshiabarnettrealtor.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tbarnett.realtor/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100041394076267
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tarneshia-barnett-6491b9230/