Beyond the Resume Summer Series featuring Marie Murphy (Building a Real Estate Empire from Scratch)

Beyond the Resume

In this Summer Series throwback of Beyond the Resume, we revisit a powerful conversation with Marie Murphy, Principal and CEO of MJD Capital Partners, a full-service development and management firm based in San Francisco.

Marie opens up about her untraditional path into real estate—starting in pharmaceutical sales, pivoting into residential brokerage, and eventually founding her own investment firm. She now oversees a 50+ person team and manages a portfolio focused on value-add multifamily housing in key West Coast markets.

If you're exploring how to scale in real estate, break into institutional deals, or lead with purpose in a male-dominated field, this episode is essential listening.

Chapters:

[0:03:47] From Pharma Sales to Real Estate

Marie shares how a background in sales prepared her for a successful leap into residential real estate.

[0:09:34] Learning by Doing (and Failing)

After being turned away from brokerage firms, Marie found opportunity in a family office and used it to build her investment acumen.

[0:11:41] Starting Her Own Firm from Scratch

With no outside backing, Marie bootstrapped her first deals, learned every role in the business, and slowly scaled MJD Capital Partners.

[0:14:12] Investment Strategy: Value-Add Multifamily

Marie explains her focus on workforce housing in markets like Sacramento and Reno—and why timing and local insight are critical.

[0:18:29] Breaking into New Markets

Strategic hiring, partnerships, and on-the-ground credibility helped Marie gain traction in tight-knit markets like Reno.

[0:22:02] Balancing Motherhood and Leadership

Marie reflects on the real sacrifices of being a single mom and CEO—and how she wants her daughters to see her journey.

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Links

YouTube: https://youtu.be/Oa825s-ucxQ

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/35ZJGLT

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3I3nkG9

Web: https://www.jacksonlucas.com/podcast/marie-murphy-summer