Meet Sade Harper

We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Sade Harper. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with sade below.

Sade, we’re thrilled to have you sharing your thoughts and lessons with our community. So, for folks who are at a stage in their life or career where they are trying to be more resilient, can you share where you get your resilience from?

I got my resilience from life itself—specifically from growing up on the east side of Detroit. That environment taught me early on how to adapt, survive, and push through no matter what. But beyond the grit, it was watching the women in my family—my mother, my grandmother—handle every storm with grace that really shaped me. I learned that struggle doesn’t mean stop. It just means shift, pivot, and keep going.

Then when I bought my first investment property in college using my student loan, I had a light bulb moment. That decision changed the entire trajectory of my life—but it didn’t come without setbacks. What I learned through it all is that resilience isn’t something you’re born with. It’s something you build, moment by moment, choice by choice.

Today, whether I’m flipping homes, mentoring new agents, or parenting my son, that same Detroit-grown resilience shows up in everything I do.

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?

I’m Sade Harper—Realtor, real estate investor, and founder of Sold by Sade. I help first-time homebuyers, sellers, and aspiring investors build wealth through real estate, while flipping homes, managing rentals, and mentoring new agents across Michigan. What makes my work special is that I don’t just close deals—I teach people how to create financial freedom and break generational cycles through real estate.

I was born and raised on the east side of Detroit, and now I get to reinvest in the same community that raised me. That’s something I don’t take lightly. I remember what it felt like growing up and not seeing wealth-building pathways made visible—so now, I make sure my clients and my audience know what’s possible.

One of my biggest motivations is my son Kaleb. Everything I do is about building a legacy that he can stand on. I want him to see what it looks like when you bet on yourself, build something from scratch, and stay committed even when it’s hard.

I recently launched my flipping course, Flip Game Strong: Real Estate Flipping 101, to help new investors learn how to confidently flip houses from start to finish. I walk students through everything—finding deals, running numbers, funding with OPM, and avoiding costly mistakes.

I’m also working on a brand-new YouTube series that takes people behind the scenes of my real estate flips. Think HGTV—but real, raw, and unfiltered. I’m showing it all: the wins, the delays, the design decisions, the contractor struggles—everything. It’s part inspiration, part education, and 100% authentic.

Whether you’re looking to buy your first home, flip your first property, or just need someone to show you the ropes—I’m here to help make that journey real and reachable.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

Looking back, the three most impactful things on my journey have been: resilience, financial literacy, and relationship-building.

Resilience kept me going when things didn’t go as planned—because in real estate, setbacks are part of the process. Deals fall through, contractors quit, properties sit longer than expected. But I learned how to pivot without giving up. For anyone just starting out, my advice is: don’t let failure shake your faith. Every challenge is preparing you for the next level.

Financial literacy changed everything for me. Once I understood how to leverage other people’s money, use credit strategically, and analyze deals with confidence, that’s when I really started to scale. If you’re early in the game, start learning how money works—study terms, interest rates, return on investment, and cash flow. You don’t have to be a financial expert, but you do need to understand the basics of how to make your money move.

And lastly, relationship-building has been a major key. This business is about people. Your network can open doors your money or knowledge can’t. Treat people well—whether they’re clients, lenders, contractors, or fellow investors. You never know who’s watching, referring, or recommending you.

If you’re new, don’t chase perfection—chase growth. Stay curious, stay humble, and stay consistent. You don’t have to have it all figured out on day one. Just be willing to show up, learn, and keep pushing forward.

Do you think it’s better to go all in on our strengths or to try to be more well-rounded by investing effort on improving areas you aren’t as strong in?

I think the sweet spot is knowing when to lean into your strengths unapologetically—and when to build a team or system around the areas you’re not as strong in. You don’t have to be good at everything to be successful, but you do need to know yourself.

For me, my strength has always been strategy and vision. I can look at a property and instantly see the potential. I can break down numbers, spot the value, and create a game plan that works. That’s my zone of genius, so I double down on it. That’s what drives my flips and how I coach others.

But in the beginning, I tried to do everything myself—answering every email, handling marketing, dealing with paperwork, chasing contractors, you name it. And honestly? It almost burned me out. I wasn’t operating in my lane, and it slowed me down.

The real shift happened when I realized that being well-rounded doesn’t mean doing it all—it means building a well-rounded business. That’s when I started delegating: I brought on virtual assistants, partnered with professionals, and gave myself permission to not be the expert in everything.

A great example is my flipping business. I don’t swing hammers, but I know how to put the right team in place, run the numbers, and make the deal make sense. I trust my team to execute so I can focus on scaling.

My advice? Go all in on what makes you powerful. Sharpen your strengths until they become your signature. Then build structure around your weaknesses—whether that’s with tools, training, or team members. That’s how you grow smart and sustainable.

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