Tarek El Moussa rose to popularity during his first HGTV show, “Flip or Flop.” Since then, he’s built an admirable real estate empire.
As fans eagerly anticipate the second season of “The Flip Off,” the father of three is sharing secrets to real estate success on his social media page.
In a new update, Tarek El Moussa revealed that he once had a tremendously “toxic” boss who asked him to change his name.
Tarek El Moussa’s Employer Tried to Change His Name
Today, Tarek El Moussa is one of the biggest names on HGTV. But 18 years ago, he was floundering in a struggling real estate market. After the 2008 crash, Tarek was barely able to keep his head above water.
One of his employers thought it might help if he changed his name to sound more American and “professional.” Thankfully, Tarek El Moussa did not follow their advice.
“My boss told me to change my name from Tarek to Derek 😬,” the HGTV star captioned a recent Instagram post.
“17 years later, I became a TV star, flipped over 1,000 homes, built multiple real estate businesses, and now, I’m building a system that gives homeowners smarter, more transparent ways to sell their homes, and keep more of their equity without overpaying fees,” Tarek continued.
“It was 2008, I just lost everything in the recession, and I needed a job,” the HGTV star explained in the video. “So I finally got a job at a commercial real estate company. The very first day, the office manager came up to me and said, ‘Hey Tarek, we’re going to call you ‘Derek.’ It sounds more professional.'”
“But my manager was even worse. The most arrogant, cocky, condescending person I had ever met in my entire life. And I met a lot,” the “Flip or Flop” star added.
Tarek El Moussa went on to share that he decided to be incredibly competitive. He stayed late and cold called clients in hopes of establishing a strong presence in the office. However, his boss was furious instead because he hadn’t instructed Tarek to do any of that. Eventually, the HGTV star grew tired of the “toxic energy” and left.
The HGTV Star Stayed True to Himself and Built Something Beautiful
Thankfully, Tarek El Moussa didn’t change his name and continued to honor his Lebanese heritage. Though he faced several setbacks and challenges while building his empire, he’s wildly successful today and has a beautiful family too.
He and his “Flip or Flop” co-star, Christina Haack, eventually divorced. However, they maintain a strong friendship and have an excellent co-parenting relationship for the sake of their kids, Taylor and Brayden.
Tarek went on to marry “Selling Sunset” star, Heather Rae Young. They welcomed a son of their own, Tristan, in 2023. Heather absolutely adores being a stepmother to Tarek’s children and frequently shows off family outings on social media.
Fans have routinely praised the adults for setting such an excellent example for the children.
“The Flip Off” season 2 will arrive on HGTV sometime soon.
