Meekel Buchannon: From Poverty to Real Estate Success

Meekel Buchannon (00:00)
Don’t get excited till that check clear the bank. You know, I’ve had to call and move bills here and here. I’ve had to borrow. I’ve had to do things to get to the next check. What a good situation. And I’ll say this, it’s great to have a good name. Have a good relationship with people. Because I was blessed to have options and opportunities to help me through them hard times off a phone call.

Quentin Edmonds (01:32)
Hello everyone, welcome to the Real Estate Pros podcast. I am your host Q Edmonds. And you know what I like to say, I’m excited to be here. I’m excited to be here. I’m excited about my guests. You know, we always bring people on that comes from, you know, different experiences, especially within this real estate space. And it’s always great to hear everybody unique perspective. Because one perspective is not like the next. And so I’m excited. I know y’all are going to get some good, good value out of the guests that’s here. And so.

Meekel Buchannon (01:34)
you

Quentin Edmonds (02:00)
This guy’s been 15 years in the real estate game. I’m excited for y’all to hear his unique lens. And so please help me welcome my friend here, Mr. Meekel Buchannon How you doing today,

Meekel Buchannon (02:10)
I’m

not good. How are you

Quentin Edmonds (02:12)
Man, I’m doing good, brother. I’m doing good, man. So glad to have you here. So glad. I’m looking forward to us chatting it up. We’ve been chatting a little bit behind the scenes. I’m looking forward to the people just to get to know more about you, your business, what you do, your unique lens of your outlook on what you do. so, brother, if you don’t mind, man, I just want to dive in for people who may not be familiar with you and your world. I would love for you to tell us, what’s your main focus these days? And man, what markets are you operating in?

Meekel Buchannon (02:40)
Hello world, my name is Meekel Buchannon. I’ve been in real estate almost a push of 15 years now. I’ve been in sales since I was, I ain’t gonna date myself, but I’ve been in sales for 30 years like quick. So we were talking a little bit before chopping it up and we’ve had the same unique experiences to my unique lenses. One of my most unique sales jobs was working at Banana Republic for Women and I dominated.

And I did it as a challenge to see if I could pull it off and I did very well that summer. But what I do now is real estate. I’ve been in real estate, like I said, 15 years. I specialize in new construction. I did general for a little bit, but I saw what I felt like, what the future was leaning more toward. So I went into the new construction space and I’ve been doing very well the last 14 plus years in the new construction space.

Quentin Edmonds (03:27)
Absolutely, man. I love it. I hope you don’t mind me mentioning this. know, I was taking some notes, but I love how you say, man, you said you’re a conscious capitalist, man. You want people to use you, right? You, extend yourself to people to use to be able to get, you know, to get accomplished what they need to accomplish. Do I have that right?

Meekel Buchannon (03:45)
Yeah, I’m a call myself a conscious capitalist. can’t I can’t think of that term for 50 cents one day. And when I heard the term, I was like, OK, and he kind of elaborated on it. Do I want to make money? Yes. Do I want to screw people over? No. And, know, I got groomed at Birmingham, went to college in Birmingham and stayed in Birmingham. So a lot of folks, not all of Birmingham, but people know that it is in Birmingham. Even tell you live in a major city, things move different.

people react different, you know? And so I tell people, I’ve seen people knocked out for a dollar. So I’m not gonna do anything to make you, or try not to do anything to make you wanna come in my office or act a fool online that I did you wrong, right? So yes, do I wanna make a lot of money, help people? But you know, some of my best commissions came from the smallest houses because people were so happy to have a house.

If they don’t warn me on the inside, you’re not human. know, people that, you know, I’ve dealt with like about 65 % of my clientele at one time was single women for whatever reason. And some of the, I’ve seen women break down crying in my office because they got away from an abusive situation. And it was start over and get a bigger house than what they left. Talk about a come up and God is good. And then I’ve seen, I remember a guy at six foot five, he had to be a 240, 250.

just break down crying because he was able, when he clothed on his last paperwork, man, he just started crying. And this was a man, man, it’s one of little, but he wanted a house for his daughter to grow up in. So you hear those type stories, you know, that’s what a consciousness for me kicks in.

Quentin Edmonds (06:08)
No, brother, I hear you loud and clear. I grew up in one of those places as well where you respect people and their money. You respect people in their shoes. You respect people in their bike. Like we grew up in a environment where we respect what people worked hard for, right? People worked hard for their dollar. People worked hard and had pride in the things that they had. And so what I love about you, bro, is that not only are you trying to grow yourself and you want to grow economically, but you want to grow your community.

And that’s something that I deeply admire about you, And what I know is that that’s not always easy in this climate, right? And so I guess my question to you, what’s been the key to keeping the machine running smoothly? What keeps you motivated?

Meekel Buchannon (06:49)
You know, I’m going be real real with you. I used to be broke. And even with a recent situation, you know, I’ve had, I’ve had some, when my mother was alive, she used to tell me, me and your daddy lay in the bed and wonder why you? How, why? mean, major, major losses. And that drives me. Where I grew up from, where I came from was poverty. We saw poverty. And then,

You didn’t know it was public. Everybody was doing the same thing until you got outside of the zip code and you saw something different. you know, wanting to give my parents something better than they had. But to me have things that I didn’t have. And to me, it’s not about having the biggest car. I could be a millionaire. You wouldn’t know it unless you came to my house. You know, that’s the type person I am. You know, I’m going to invest in those things. But what drives me is seeing my mom struggle.

My mom just struggled before my father came along. And even then, they struggled. My dad just bought a brand new truck, and I was so happy for him. I was happy like it was my truck, because I seen him drive the Raggedy truck for so long. my background, well, from what I’ve seen, my experience, my losses were huge. My losses were huge, devastating.

Even as recent as the past, 2025 has been a monster for me. But I just keep pushing forward.

Quentin Edmonds (08:05)
No, I thank you, man. I thank you for the gift of your vulnerability. And I’m going to ask a little bit more because what I tell people all the time is that we got to normalize the heart, right? Like everybody want to talk about the success. Anybody want to make it rain, let’s see, you know, talk about the good times. But there are real times that we got to deal with within business, right? Like every operator I know has a moment where things kind of get real. Like maybe a deal goes sideways or a time that you had to pivot fast.

Mikel, you got one of those stories that maybe you can share with people who’s trying to normalize the hard situation that they in, but push through it at the same time.

Meekel Buchannon (08:41)
Yeah, so I had a situation where, you know, I don’t never get excited until the whistle blows. I used have a coach say that, don’t stop tackling and don’t get excited until you hear the whistle blow. And my very small run playing football. And I take that to business because I used to look on the board. I never forget. They had all these closings. I’m like, yeah, okay. Yeah, big checks coming. Yeah, bro. All of them fell apart in the end.

I ain’t already spent the money. I didn’t spend the future money. know what they are. I Jesus blow the money and spend the money, make it right back. Well, there was no right back.

Quentin Edmonds (09:10)
Yeah.

Meekel Buchannon (09:48)
And that was that was early in my career. That but I mean, it shit like. Happens now, you know, I go to work and I grind. I go to work and I work. I wake up every day like I’m on zero. I wake up every day. It’s a good New York.

Quentin Edmonds (10:03)
Yeah.

Meekel Buchannon (10:04)
On zero. I don’t care what I sold yesterday. Today, today. There is no tomorrow. You gotta handle today. And that’s my mentality. I tell everybody, man, don’t get excited till that check clear the bank. You know, I’ve had to call and move bills here and here. I’ve had to borrow. I’ve had to do things to get to the next check. What a good situation. And I’ll say this, it’s great to have a good name. Have a good relationship with people. Because I was blessed to have

options and opportunities to help me through them hard times off a phone call. You know what mean? Like, hey man, you know, I remember doing, hey man, I know you good. Don’t worry about it. You good for it. Get it to me. You get it to me. And I mean, but I tell everybody, don’t get excited to that check cash. In our world, we sell a house. We don’t get excited. My mother didn’t know I didn’t get paid. My mom thought I got paid every two weeks. And she saw these houses going. And she said, baby, that’s

Your daddy told me you sold 20 houses, a small, a lot of houses at the time. I said, yeah. And she was like, is that good? I’m like, yeah. She’s like, why aren’t you excited? I said, well, hell, my mom get paid to do, it was like March.

I was like, what? You’ll on check till two or three months? I nah, ma. I mean, it’ll be raining in June, but right now, it’s desert. And I was working like two jobs to make sure it ends me, right? For those people who are commission based or entrepreneur based and gotta make their own income. So, you know, that’s where all that come from, you know? Yeah, don’t count your eggs to the hatch.

Quentin Edmonds (11:32)
Man, thank you, bro. Thank you for the gift of your vulnerability. Thank you for the honesty, man, because honestly, this what separates people from dabble to people that’s kind of in it for the long term. And so I love your approach. I love your perspective. Let me know. Like, nah, we’re going to keep this thing running. We’re going to run this thing for a long time because of your mindset and your perspective. So I appreciate you sharing, man. Let me ask you this. What are you most focused on solving or scaling next? Like, what’s the next real goal for you?

Meekel Buchannon (12:00)
My next real goal is to get into modular homes and bar bar bar dominiums. They call them bar dominiums. I mean, how they making them all in. So the basic and smaller and smaller, but people still need need homes. So I’m looking at two different opportunities. Town, the town, tiny house space. I bought my house and I look at my house as a business deal.

Quentin Edmonds (12:16)
Yeah.

Meekel Buchannon (12:24)
Whereas my parents and my grandparents, especially great grandparents, and black folks don’t know, the Fair Housing Act is not even 60 years old. So you could not, your grandparents, your parents, depending on their age, especially your grandparents, could not live where they wanted to live, right? So even if I could, and once they got that house, they were like, you know, we’re happy, which is a great accomplishment. Fast forward 40, 50 years, I look at the house and its investment.

Like I’m finna take this house, flip it, sell it, buy another house, flip it, sell it, till get the property that I want. But I also can use that money to help fund other houses or fund other projects. I tell everybody, get out your conference zone, go to other states. I went to the International Builders Symposium Conference in Las Vegas. It’s the second largest convention in the country. I learned so much at that

Quentin Edmonds (13:13)
Mmm.

Meekel Buchannon (13:13)
And it’s everything I do at a house from finance and nails, what they’re doing in India, China, Canada, Cali. And my wheels really got to spin like, okay, it’s so much. even though I do travel, when I travel a lot of times, it’s for pleasure. But now I’m a travel, I start traveling a little more. It’s okay, it’s pleasure, but we gotta get some money. And how can I get it?

I’m always looking for a new thing out. So renewable energy sources, things like nature, the bar dominions, the tiny house, the modular home spaces. Yeah, that’s what I’m looking into now.

Quentin Edmonds (13:44)
I love it, man. You’re a man on a mission, on a man on a move. So I love it. You said the bar dominions, like you keep and listen, you always looking for the next way to keep this thing going. And I love it, man. And of course, you know, the next move, can either compound things or create total chaos, depending on how you play it. And so I love the way you like, you staying, you staying focused on a man. And so that’s beautiful. I think, you know, people can…

Meekel Buchannon (14:07)
Yeah.

Quentin Edmonds (14:11)
benefit hearing this from you because I heard you say earlier talking about your name, right?

Meekel Buchannon (00:00)
my name mean everything to me, man. You know, so people don’t allow you and stuff like that. But when you get to know the person and have a sit down conversation with the person and you do deals with the person, you might start out small. You know, one thing I do when I’m working with other especially black entrepreneurs or anybody really, and they’d be like, well, hey, man, I give you a discount now. I’m a pay full price.

I’m gonna pay whatever the price is. Charge him like you charge everybody else. Don’t give me no discount because it might come a day on my 12th 15th order. I don’t have all the money, but you know, I’ve given you all the money the last 12 times. I don’t start out with, let me see what I can get. Hey dog, how much the price? $19.99, $2,000, $5,000, $1. It doesn’t matter. I make sure I handle business correctly. And what’s real cool, excuse me about that.

But the great thing is when people have your back when you’re not in the room and that’s going to get back to you in some shape or form of fashion. Let it be a lie. Let it be an allegation. Let it be how great your name is. And that’s starting to happen, especially with social media, because a lot of people I’ve had explained to many people, sometimes even girlfriends, there’s persona and then there’s reality. And I might not be what you see on Facebook or a certain comment I made on Facebook.

or sometime I post something on Facebook, come talk to me. And then I put myself in spaces to represent myself in a great way that I don’t have certain issues. I don’t hang out with certain people. So that helps building your name and building your brand too. What is it what you’re about? And I started seeing like, I’ll never forget this very beautiful woman and she had to be a Caucasian woman and her husband was right behind it, which made it very awkward. And she gave me one of

better than I’ve ever had in my life. And one of things she said during that time, she said, we see you, we see you, and we see where you are. And a sister broke it down for me because I didn’t understand. She was like, Meekel because what you do for a living and the money that you’re making, you’re in restaurants and bars, hotels that typically only certain tax brackets are in. And now that you’ve entered that tax bracket, that lady was married to a high-price, high-time lawyer.

And she’s like, she’s seeing you. And we, me and this lady seen each other different places, like the restaurants, bars, downtown areas. We never talked. And she raised me at a bar. What are we talking to her? I was sitting there enjoying my meal, talking to the bartender. When she said that, that really gave me an idea about social capital and that I had relationships with people that we did so much stuff free. You know, there was times, you know, where I was telling somebody asked me what was going on. Certain people, I tell them the truth.

Hey man, I know you’re going through that. You know, and that thing I know, my cash app get hit. So now I got light bill money or I had cart gap, whatever. And then, you know, being honest, leveling up. These people know what my expenses are because they got the same expenses. So they’re coming up to woodwork like, know, man, you got that over there? Yeah, man, I got to figure out I’m going pay for it this month. Cash app. And then it’s a message, don’t worry about it.

because they know how it is. Some might be the OGs, the old heads. I’ve been called OG lately by some of the young people. Now got OGs too. You always should have a mentor, a mentor is a buck that can just give you information and knowledge and you share back and forth. And that grows your brand as well and grows your name.

Quentin Edmonds (03:08)
No, man, I love it, man. I love it. Listen, we got a couple more minutes before we wrap, but I feel like I want to ask you, before we get out of here, you know, is there anything on your mind that you want to give as far as like inspiration, encouragement, just a word of knowledge, anything you want to give to the audience, kind of coming from the heart, you know, just, I just, I love your perspective, man. I just want to open up that little bit of opportunity for you. If it’s something that, you know, kind of parting words that you wanted to leave, bro.

Meekel Buchannon (03:36)
I’m gonna take my hat off y’all and see my eyes real good. I want to talk to the crowd make sure they can see me No matter what you going through

Huck it down and fight. No matter what you’re going through, God will send you people that you won’t even believe will send you people. People that you wouldn’t even think will bless you with something, an opportunity. Keep grinding. I forgot the name of that Will Smith movie where he was a salesman and he kept trying and his child was in the bathroom and stuff like that with him. He had no place to stay. He lost everything.

but we see what happened toward the end of the movie, right? Do the same thing, man. Don’t let nobody, look man, it might just be you believing in yourself. As long as you’re the product, you have to believe in you before anybody else wanna believe in you. And I tell people, I mentor kids, I mentor, we start with you. You might not have nobody but you. You have to believe in yourself. Don’t be too ignorant that you can’t ask for information.

ask for help, men especially, we have to ask for help. Information about taxes, mental health, self care, doctor care, know, I mean you got gray in our beard, you know I’ve been growing a beard since I was 14, 15 years old. The gray is not indicative of your age, but it is indicative of it might be time to go get that that test, that inspection, especially with black men. These are things we have to do and there’s one thing I like to hear people with. Now here when I say this, I do not want to get it twisted.

And I think people use the Lord in the wrong way. I know the Lord say put himself in everything that you do, but don’t have no, don’t put the Lord in drama. Don’t put the Lord in drop best. And I say, yo, you might be the mess. Put the Lord in a great situation, which is in you. And then I’ll leave on this right here. And I’m kind of paraphrasing a quote I love by Frederick Douglass. He said, I did not see any miracle work till a man got off his knees. That mean after he prayed, you have to work.

faith without work is what? Dead. So you can pray to the cows, but if you don’t get off your behind and go get it, we ain’t gonna never have. That’s it.

Quentin Edmonds (05:30)
Man, so well said, man. In the name of that movie, Y’all, Pursuit of Happiness, the movie he referenced about Will Smith, Pursuit of Happiness. Man, brother, I thank you. listen, before we write, if someone wanted to reach out to you, connect with you, collaborate with you, what’s the best way for them to reach you?

Meekel Buchannon (05:45)
The best way to reach me, believe it or not, is on my cell phone. I’m on construction sites a lot. I’m flying around. People email, that’s true, but I not see email for two or three hours, but the cell phone on me. It’s business of hours, business of hours of operation. So the best way to reach out to me, two ways, Instagram, Meekel, M-E-E-K-E-L, Buchannon.

There’s not too many Meekel in the world. Meekel Buchannon, you’ll see this face. And then my cell phone number, 256-975-8421. 256-975-8421. That’s the business line. It’s open 24-7. Holla at me.

Quentin Edmonds (06:17)
There he is y’all Mr. Meekel Buchannon Sir, man. Thank you, bro. Thank you for your special man. Thank you for your perspective and your time. Your story brother. I really, really appreciate it, man. I know people are to get great value from this. So again, my brother, thank you for being here, man.

Meekel Buchannon (06:34)
Thanks Quinn. Appreciate your time,

Quentin Edmonds (06:37)
And listen for those tuning in, if you got value from this, please make sure you are subscribed. You don’t want to miss out on these unique stories. so until the next time, we’ll see you. Y’all have a great one.