We recently had the chance to connect with Rodolfo Delgado and have shared our conversation below.
Rodolfo, really appreciate you sharing your stories and insights with us. The world would have so much more understanding and empathy if we all were a bit more open about our stories and how they have helped shaped our journey and worldview. Let’s jump in with a fun one: What are you most proud of building — that nobody sees?
What I’m most proud of isn’t a product, a headline, or even a business—it’s the trust and resilience I’ve quietly built behind the scenes.
Over the years, I’ve had to earn people’s confidence from scratch. As a Mexican immigrant with no family in the U.S., no industry connections, and an unusual name in a competitive New York City market, I had to build my reputation the long way—through consistency, integrity, and doing the right thing even when no one’s watching. That part doesn’t get featured in press releases.
I’m also proud of the internal systems and habits I’ve developed to keep going. The self-discipline to show up when things weren’t working. The emotional stamina to hear “no” again and again and still move forward. These are things people don’t see on LinkedIn or in pitch decks, but they’re the foundation of everything else I’ve built—from Replay Listings to my role on a top real estate team to the articles I now write and the mentorship I provide.
In short, I’m proud of having built a life where the values behind the work—authenticity, transparency, and grit—are the real legacy, even if they don’t show up on paper.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Rodolfo Delgado, and I’m a Mexican immigrant, entrepreneur, and real estate expert living in New York City. I’m the Founder and CEO of Replay Listings, a proptech company revolutionizing how people rent apartments in NYC through unedited video tours—what you see is what you get. I’m also a Senior Associate on The Vigon Team at BOND New York, where I help clients—especially those relocating for work—find homes that fit not just their budget, but their lives.
What makes my journey special is that I started from zero. I came to the U.S. alone, with no connections and no blueprint, and built a career through resilience, transparency, and a lot of cold emails. What began as an immigrant’s survival story turned into a mission: to bring honesty and clarity to one of the most overwhelming industries out there—real estate.
Today, I split my time between building tech, closing deals, mentoring young entrepreneurs, and writing for platforms like Forbes and Entrepreneur, where I share real-world lessons on business, investing, and self-growth. I believe that the best opportunities are often hidden, and I’ve made it my job to uncover them—for my clients, my readers, and myself.
Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. Who taught you the most about work?
Without question, my parents.
They may not have given lectures on business strategy or scaling startups, but they taught me something far more valuable—the ethic of effort and the power of education. From an early age, they instilled in me the idea that hard work wasn’t optional, and that learning wasn’t just something you did in school—it was a lifelong responsibility.
My mother, with her relentless discipline, showed me that there’s no substitute for consistency. My father, always curious, always reading, modeled what it meant to be a student of life. They didn’t push me toward a specific career—they simply encouraged me to keep growing, keep asking questions, and never settle for a surface-level understanding.
Everything I’ve built—whether it’s a tech platform, a career in real estate, or a life in New York City—was made possible by the foundation they gave me. They didn’t just support my education. They made it clear that investing in knowledge is never a waste, and that no job is beneath you if you’re learning something valuable from it.
That mindset has stayed with me through every chapter. And I’m forever grateful.
What’s something you changed your mind about after failing hard?
I used to believe that failure and success were roads heading in opposite directions—that if I failed, I was drifting further from success. But after enough hard lessons and missed shots, I’ve completely changed my mind.
Today, I believe failure and success are actually part of the same path. Failure is not the opposite of progress; it is progress. Every rejection, every misstep, every project that didn’t pan out taught me something I couldn’t have learned otherwise. Those moments don’t signal the end—they sharpen your instincts, test your resolve, and ultimately bring you closer to where you’re meant to go.
Now, I don’t fear failure the way I used to. I see it as part of the process, not a detour from it. If anything, the only real failure is never starting at all.
Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. Is the public version of you the real you?
Absolutely.
What you see publicly—whether in interviews, articles, or the way I communicate online—is a direct reflection of who I am privately. I’ve never felt the need to manufacture a persona or present an exaggerated version of myself. If anything, I’ve worked hard to build a career and life where the lines between the personal and professional feel aligned.
That doesn’t mean I share everything. Like anyone, I keep some parts of my life sacred. But the values, the voice, the curiosity, the grit—that’s all me. I believe authenticity isn’t about oversharing; it’s about consistency. If someone who knows me well reads something I’ve written or sees me on stage, I want them to say, “Yep, that’s Rodolfo.”
Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. What are you doing today that won’t pay off for 7–10 years?
I’m laying the groundwork for long-term trust—both personally and professionally. Whether it’s the way I treat my clients, how I lead my team, or the systems I’m quietly building behind the scenes, I’m investing in things that won’t make headlines now but will compound over time.
For example, I’m developing internal tools and workflows that will make my real estate and tech businesses more scalable and transparent. Most people won’t ever see these efforts—but they’ll feel them in the form of smoother experiences and better service. I’m also nurturing relationships, especially with younger agents and collaborators, in ways that prioritize mentorship over immediate returns.
On a personal level, I’m intentionally shaping a reputation for integrity and resilience. That’s not something you can rush or fake. It’s a slow accumulation—built tour by tour, meeting by meeting, year by year.
It’s like real estate: the best value often comes from what’s beneath the surface, patiently developed over time.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.rodolfodelgado.com
- Instagram: @rodolfodelgado
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rodolfodelgadob/
