Conversations with Dalarie Gonzales

Today we’d like to introduce you to Dalarie Gonzales.

Hi Dalarie, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I grew up in Las Vegas… yes, Las Vegas. Growing up in the entertainment capital of the world was a unique experience. I mean, you spend your free nights at some of the best restaurants with your girlfriends, you’re exposed to world-class entertainment nightly, and you meet people from all over the world.

My first job was with my mom’s friend, who ran a mortgage brokerage. I was 15 and a half years old, cold calling people to FHA Streamline Refinance their homes. In 2005, it was a different time, people actually answered calls from random numbers. After that, I started working with another lender as their assistant. By 2008, we all know what happened in real estate. I worked side-by-side with this lender as we navigated bank closures and other obstacles, always doing whatever we could to get buyers and sellers to the closing table.

After my first gray eyelash, I decided the Great Recession was too much for me and went to find a “regular job.” Being in Las Vegas, that meant the front desk. I worked at the Westin for a few years and quickly moved up to Group Sales and Events before moving on to a bigger property: The Cosmopolitan.

While hospitality is the main industry in Las Vegas, I knew it wasn’t my calling. All the suits and “my pleasures”? There had to be something else for me. That’s when I met someone who changed the trajectory of my life. My new friend Sameen was in town opening a music venue, Brooklyn Bowl. I was instantly drawn to her and the opportunity to try something new. I started interning for free after work at the venue, soaking up information and discovering what else might be out there for me. Eventually, I was offered a full-time job as their Marketing Coordinator.

I had the best time working in such a lively place, it was a complete 180 from hotel life. Once the venue was up and running, Sameen returned home to Austin. I went to visit her, and after buying a round of drinks for just $25 (yes, the whole round), I went home, loaded a U-Haul, and moved to Austin.

Austin was a trip. My friend and I started producing events all over the country. It was my first time living away from my family, and it was a huge adjustment. After a year, I decided to move back home and get my life together. Yes… I needed to go to Las Vegas to reevaluate my plan.

Back home, I started working for a destination management company called ACCESS DMC, a corporate event producer that helped clients experience Las Vegas. From airport arrivals to décor and entertainment for welcome receptions, activity coordination, and awards ceremony venues, this company did it all. We were the local experts.

This was a huge growth opportunity, but it’s also where I fell in love with sales. It was more casual than a hotel, but not as loose as the music venue, it was the perfect balance for me. I was quickly promoted from account manager to sales manager. I was the first in my region to hit my sales goal, and our office was the only one to meet its target. I was also the sole contact for a major hotel contract, which was burning me out. I needed to pivot. I didn’t want to lose my contacts, but I knew I had to shift out of that style of events.

That’s when I found SoulCycle.

In November 2019, I started selling the studio for private events. I spent my days in Lululemon and really started to hit my stride. Everything looked great…until March 2020. We all know what happened. Anything indoors and group-based was suddenly on pause… first for two weeks, then for months. I was out of work for nine months.

But that didn’t stop me. I learned Spanish, spent time with my grandparents, and learned how to slow down. Eventually, I knew it was time to start making money again. Events were slow to return, so I had to shift once more.

Sameen (yes, same Sameen!) was now working with several clients, and I joined her, selling digital and print media, sponsorships for festivals across the country, even going on tour to sell t-shirts for a band she managed.

During a show in New York, my life changed unexpectedly when I sold a t-shirt to a tall, handsome man. Two weeks later, that same man, Wes, was first in my line again. I didn’t know that giving him my number would put me on the path that would bring me to Atlanta.

After dating Wes long-distance for a while, I wanted to know what it would be like to spend more than 2–3 days at a time together. So I packed up my car with my dog and my laptop and drove 30 hours to Atlanta. I planned to stay for two weeks… and ended up staying for five.

Wes lived in Woodstock (not really Atlanta), but he brought me into the city for a date. He took me to Beetlecat in Inman Park, and it was love at first sight. That night cemented my love for the city. After that, I was all in, I started looking for jobs and apartments. Every place I toured, I checked its walking distance to Beetlecat. I knew I had to be in that neighborhood.

I found a job in software sales at Ponce City Market and landed an apartment across the street by Old Fourth Ward Park.

I officially moved to Atlanta in January 2023. I knew one person: Wes. I knew nothing about Atlanta. I was learning everything—neighborhoods, making friends, and figuring out my job in software sales focused on IT departments. If you’ve been reading, you know I had zero IT experience, so I was learning that too.

After a year, I realized software sales wasn’t for me. I missed relationship-based selling. The fast in-and-out deals weren’t my style. I convinced Wes to move into the city with me (I had my sales hat on). And after a few meetings, my real estate agent asked me, “Have you ever thought about becoming an agent?”

The idea was planted. A few months later, I signed up for real estate school taking classes and studying after work. I passed the exam and was ready.

I joined Keller Williams Realty Intown Atlanta, just down the street from my home and haven’t looked back. It’s been incredibly tough building a real estate business in a city I’m still getting to know, but I’m finding my way.

I specialize in East Beltline living. It’s a neighborhood I love, and I want to share that admiration with others. My goal is to help first-time homebuyers find their way home. I love educating, empowering, and guiding my clients through the process.

While I’m just getting started, I can already see my future… and man, it’s bright.

Atlanta was never on my radar… but now, I couldn’t imagine my life anywhere else.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
If there’s one word that sums up my journey, it’s pivot. My story has been a mix of smooth roads and sharp turns, every chapter brought something new, and I’ve learned to embrace change as part of the process.

Each time something didn’t feel like the right fit, or when the economy threw a curveball, I pivoted. I left hotel life for live music, left Austin to regroup in Vegas, left events for fitness, and even shifted into software sales with zero IT background. And when that didn’t feel aligned? I pivoted again, this time into real estate.

What ties it all together is that I follow curiosity and stay open to new opportunities. It took time to find my lane, but now that I’m here, helping first-time buyers find home, I know I’m building something that’s truly mine. I’m proof that reinvention isn’t something to fear, it’s something to master.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I’m a real estate agent in Atlanta, specializing in helping first-time homebuyers carve out their own space in the city. I work mostly with buyers who are ready to stop renting and start building wealth but who might not know where to begin. I guide them through every step of the process with clear, down-to-earth explanations and a whole lot of patience. I believe that buying a home shouldn’t feel intimidating. It should feel empowering.

Something I’m especially proud of is my tenacity. I’m building a real estate business in a city that’s still relatively new to me, but my passion for helping people find their place is what drives me. I believe that everyone deserves the opportunity to buy a home if they want to, and I love uncovering affordable gems in the city for those who want to live out their version of the urban dream.

What sets me apart is my ability to make the complex feel approachable. I break down big ideas into everyday language so my clients actually feel confident in their decisions. My goal isn’t just to get you to the closing table. It’s to make sure you learn along the way and feel empowered when you get the keys.

How do you define success?
For a lot of people, success is a place or a dollar amount. For me, it’s a feeling. It’s the feeling of security, knowing you’re stable and supported. It’s the feeling of having control over your time and how you spend your days. And most importantly, it’s the feeling of helping others. If I can wake up each day doing work that makes a difference in someone else’s life while also building a life I love, that’s success to me.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://dalarie.kw.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dalariesellsatl/
• TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@dalariesellsatl
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dalarieg/
• Other: https://linktr.ee/dalariesellsatl