Inspiring Conversations with David Simpson, MBA of Live&Gather Homes Group

Today we’d like to introduce you to David Simpson, MBA.

Hi David, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I moved to Atlanta from Brooklyn, and that move ended up shaping the entire direction of my career.

I actually got my start in real estate as a wholesaler. That gave me a strategic, behind-the-scenes look at the industry how deals really work, how value gets created before I ever got licensed. Once I got my license, I started to see real estate for what it really is: one of the most powerful vehicles to create and move wealth.

I also came from a corporate sales and customer service background, and real estate turned out to be the perfect blend of the two, if you’re intentional about how you use it.

At one point, I stepped away from the day-to-day business for about a year to get my MBA. During that time, I was running sales operations for my wife’s full-service interior design firm, Live&Gather Co. That season away gave me the space to look at my business through a completely different lens and the question I kept coming back to was, how do I give my clients real white-glove service?

That question became the foundation for Live&Gather Homes; where we provide a turnkey experiences to buyers, sellers and investors through a full service model.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Honestly, no, it hasn’t been a straight line, but every bump taught me something I needed.

Rebranding was hard. Walking away from an old identity and building something new from scratch means a lot of trial and error, and a lot of second-guessing yourself along the way.

Niching down was even harder, mentally. When you decide to focus specifically on relocation clients instead of trying to serve everyone, there’s this real fear that you’re closing doors — that you’ll shrink your business by narrowing your lane. It takes discipline to trust that going deeper with the right clients beats going wide with the wrong ones.

But the biggest struggle, by far, was stepping away from the business to get my MBA and then finding my way back in. Leaving “your thing” behind is scary. Rebuilding is scary. But that time away and being intentional with our strategy is exactly what gave me the clarity to build Live&Gather Homes the right way instead of just the fast way.

Looking back, all of it happened for a reason. I’m just now starting to see the fruits of that labor, and it makes every hard season worth it.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
Live&Gather Homes is a full-service real estate brand based in Atlanta, brokered by Real Broker. We work with buyers, sellers, and corporate relocators across the metro area, with a specialty in relocation, helping people move here from major cities/states across the country like New York, Boston, and DC to name a few.

What sets us apart is that we don’t stop at the closing table. Our sister brand, Live&Gather Co., is a full-service interior design firm, which lets us offer a true white-glove, turnkey experience. Most agents hand you the keys and wish you luck, we help clients actually settle in.

I’m most proud that the brand is built on a real story, not a gimmick. “Live&Gather” reflects how we actually live, gathering people, building community, creating spaces worth showing up to. That authenticity is what earns trust with relocation clients: we’re not selling a script, we’re guiding people through something we’ve personally lived.

What I want readers to take away is this: if you’re relocating to Atlanta and overwhelmed by the unknowns, neighborhoods, logistics, where to even start that’s exactly who we built this business for. We take that stress off your plate, from the first showing to the last box unpacked.

Is there anyone you’d like to thank or give credit to?

Without a doubt, my wife Starr. She’s my rock, my strategic partner, my sounding board, honestly, my business therapist. We complement each other well, and we catch each other’s blind spots in a way that’s made both of us better. I’m confident saying I’m not where I am today without her.

Beyond Starr, we’re also surrounded by friends who’ve become family to us, people who support us, cheer us on, and show up to help in whatever way they can. I believe it takes a village to raise children, and I believe the same is true for running a successful business. Nobody builds something meaningful alone, and I’m grateful for the people who’ve chosen to be in our corner along the way.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.liveandgatherhomes.co
• Instagram: https://Instagram.com/liveandgatherhomes
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1BXMyiiZaG/?mibextid=wwXIfr
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/@livegatherhomes?si=tDv42yfMFW2amcI4