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Selling Sunset’s Emma Hernan On Season 9 Looks, Style And Real Estate

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Season 9 of Selling Sunset is out now, and it is currently on the Top 10 globally most watched shows on the streaming platform. Besides the fights that keep viewers glued to the screen, the actual real estate business side of the show is more of a side dish to the dramatic, tabloid-friendly storylines.

The last thing that Selling Sunset’s Amanza Smith says during the Selling Sunset Reunion, which was released last week, cuts the noise on the toxic energy. She said: “If we have this platform, why not spread love?”

One of the cast members who has seen the ups and downs this season is Emma Hernan. She has been a cast member on Selling Sunset since season 4 and joined the Oppenheim Group in 2018. She has had her public feuds with other cast members, namely over her personal relationships.

But beyond the reality drama, Hernan is a self-made millionaire, an entrepreneur, angel investor, and founder of vegan food brand Emma Leigh and Co.

Real estate onscreen on Netflix is far different than sitting in front of your computer answering client emails or going to multiple home showings in a day. “The audience is seeing beautiful clips of us walking into million-dollar homes, sure, it’s glamorous, and we’re walking up the steps in, like, these 20-inch heels; there’s music, the fans going, our hair is blowing—but when you’re negotiating and you’re dealing with difficult clients, or dealing with inspections or a mold report, it’s a different story,” said Hernan.

Fashion wise, in the latest season, we see Hernan channel her inner Marilyn Monroe for the launch of her empanadas in episode three at Mel’s Drive-In in Los Angeles, sporting a retro bob, vintage style eyewear and sparkly dress. The rest of the cast showed up in 1950s diner getup, like polka dotted dresses.

“I did a custom Marilyn Monroe moment from the wig, the hair, the dress, everything,” she said. “My empanadas are now on the menu at Mel’s and the only other people that have items on the menu are Arnold Schwarzenegger and Lana Del Rey. So, I’m in very good company.”

But the backstory to making it happen is not as glamorous. Since building the Emma Leigh and Co website and promoting it on Instagram, several restaurants have been reached out to put the empanadas on their menu. But when Mel’s reached out, that was what Hernan was looking for. “I wanted to wait until it was probably the most iconic restaurant, and that’s how I picked Mel’s,” she said.

Besides the drama on Selling Sunset, the highlights are by far the fashion moments – they’re like a breath of fresh air between dark segments. “We’re on a show that is meant to be fun and uplifting, so fashion is a big part of that,” said Hernan. “I love a theme, I love a party, something that we can, go a little extra with, style-wise. Fashion is about whatever makes you feel good. For me, I love to put on a pink suit or dress and walk into a business meeting.”

Fashion and real estate are intertwined, to Hernan, not just onscreen, but while making deals. “I do think that fashion and real estate do go hand in hand because, a house, that’s a fashion statement,” she said. “How you design your house, there’s so many fashion pieces in a house. When people are looking for a realtor, they want a realtor that wants us to bring the fashion, too.”

Real estate is an industry built on networking, word of mouth and connections. But several agents are known for being pushy, which is not always the best approach.

“I remember when I was looking to buy my first property and the agent was very pushy, it was almost like every house they were telling me to put an offer in,” recalls Hernan. “It didn’t seem right. When I got my real estate license, I promised myself I would never be an agent that’s pushy. I will help friends, family, and the people that need me. I have told people not to sell their house. I have told people don’t take that offer. I have told people don’t put an offer in there. And I could have made so much money. But at the end of the day, I think you want people to trust you.”

Becoming part of the cast for Selling Sunset was never the plan. “I actually think I’m awful for reality TV, if I’m being honest,” said Hernan. “I hate drama. The only thing, I love fashion, so that’s a bonus. And then reality TV happens to love any relationship that I’m in. So that’s where producers love me, it is my fashion and my relationships. But they’re always like, Emma, can’t you just be meaner? I’m like, no.”

In season 9, we see Hernan wear dazzling attire, from pink suits to a latex red dress for Valentine’s Day. “I joined the show because I wanted to inspire women out there,” said Hernan. “I wanted to inspire women with my story, I came from almost, not nothing, but you know, it didn’t come from a lot at all. I worked hard and I self-taught myself about stocks, about savings, about investment. And that’s why it is unfortunate when the show starts to go in a bit of a different direction or things go a little bit sideways.”

Behind the scenes, Hernan is business focused. “I have a crazy business mind where I can talk to you for 10 minutes and you can tell me what you’re most passionate about. And I can create a business plan in my head, how you can monetize, how you can make money.”

It starts with her having her own business goals and hopes others will do the same. “I think it’s important to have goals as an entrepreneur so that you can grow. But I think creating a brand now is all about the team behind you, for sure. I love to surround myself with great people. Just uplifting, positive people.”

Kindness is one pillar of success for Hernan, who doesn’t underestimate the basics of customer service. “How you treat others is such a reflection on yourself, and I treat everyone around me with love and kindness,” she said. “If you’re going to be part of my team, represent me, my brand and everything, you have to treat others with love and kindness and respect.”

There’s the flipside of that, too, like being stubborn while negotiating a deal. “You have to be strong,” said Hernan. “I’m nice and sweet and bubbly, but when it comes to business and it comes to money, now you have to be tough. I want to get my clients the best deal, no matter what.”

Hernan’s empanadas business is not just a pet project but is a step in continuing her family legacy. Her grandfather Gerry McAdams founded Yankee Trader Seafood in 1994.

“The reason that I got into the food industry to begin with is because of him,” said Hernan. “My success in that industry, my family’s success, our family’s company means so much more because it’s my grandfather’s legacy and it’s everything that he created.”

Much of her early business education, which she has built upon, comes from her grandfather. “He was kind and I feel like that is an important part of running a business; always being kind,” she said. “My grandfather was the kindest soul in the world. To everyone. He was scooping crab cakes out of his kitchen and delivering them to all the local fish marts and just so sweet and so kind and didn’t have a mean bone in his body.”

That helped his business. “He ended up getting really far because everyone just wanted to work with Gerry. He was just so sweet and cute. And I do think that being kind and trustworthy is so important in business. That’s been a huge part of my success in business.”

Hernan adds: “Some people don’t go that far in business because people don’t want to work with people that aren’t good people. And I feel like I would love to get that message out there more and more.”

She bought and started her own manufacturing facility in Hingham, Massachusetts. “We needed manufacturing facilities in Boston, we were manufacturing for our family, everyone was coming to us to do all their items, and I realized it was going to be a money maker, no matter what,” said Hernan.

In the food industry, a “co-packer,” or contract packer, is a company you hire to outsource production. They manufacture and packages products for other brands, providing manufacturing and packaging services

“A lot of times companies fail because they don’t have a good co-packer, so I did the opposite, I’m going to become other people’s co-packer so then I’m creating another stream of revenue for myself.” Right now, she’s looking to buy another manufacturing property to expand.

Writing down goals is regular practice for Hernan. She carries around notebooks with her goals written down and brings them with her while traveling. “If I’m up on a plane, I am writing down my goals. Every single plane flight, all the time. I have a daily to-do list. I have goals, weekly goals, monthly goals, yearly goals. And I do think it’s important to put it out because it’s nice when you can check it off the list, and there’s something satisfying about it.”

Hernan has been practicing real estate since joining the Oppenheim Group in 2018. Selling Sunset *and other real estate shows) have ushered in a new, glamorous era of realtors—who may be temped by the luxury lifestyle. But it’s so much more.

Hernan claims to be an expert at difficult clients, namely, those that are mercurial or indecisive. “I’m really good with difficult clients because I’m super chill,” she said. “That’s the one thing I’m good at. I’m good with difficult clients. I deal with a lot of people that are very neurotic, high strung, and also to say one thing, then suddenly five minutes later, their mind has changed, and that’s okay. Whereas some people cannot handle that. I have agents that I work with.

She recalls hearing agents yelling at their clients. “I’m like, they’re not going to work with you again or they’re probably not going to use you for the rest of this deal,” said Hernan. “We have to be able to separate ourselves.”

Beyond the glitz and glamour of Netflix real estate, it’s a grind. For women who do want to get into real estate, the first step Hernan says is to start now. “Especially with real estate, everyone says ‘I’m going to get my real estate license, I’m going to do it.’ But you need to order the books. You need to start the quizzes. And, I mean, even if you’re not ready to read the books because it seems overwhelming when you get them, just start the process of doing the quizzes and getting to know the answers, the questions. Get familiar with it. Start going to open houses.”

For everyone else, she says just get started. “People come up to me for business advice all the time, and I’ll always ask, what’s holding you back? Because a lot of people procrastinate,” said Hernan.

“One thing I will say is, as soon as I do it, why didn’t I do that yesterday? Why didn’t I do that sooner? And I think that that’s always going to be my biggest piece of advice,” she said. “Start today. The sooner that you start, whatever it may be, whether it’s investing, whether it’s starting a company that you want to start, start today. Even if you fail, it’s okay. It will lead you next door. Yeah. You have to just do it.”