Taya DiCarlo

My Local List

• Favorite Restaurant: The Rex Steakhouse
• Favorite MedSpa: SkinSpirit Manhattan Beach
• Favorite Gym: Flex Base Training
• Favorite Hair Stylist: Marcela Cabrera

Taya DiCarlo is a real estate advisor with more than $215 million in closed residential sales, who is consistently ranked by RealTrends in the top 1.5% of advisors nationwide. She helps individuals and families buy, sell and invest properties. Taya is also a keynote speaker with a community of over 100,000 organic social media followers, where she shares hyper-local lifestyle content, her video series Taya’s 2 Cents, and relatable wisdom about business and life. A graduate of the University of Oregon School of Journalism and Communication, she has worked in real estate since 2009.

How did your upbringing influence your path?

I’m a third-generation San Franciscan who grew up in the Bay Area surrounded by a big, close-knit family. With immigrant roots from Greece, Ireland and Scotland shaping my childhood, I was raised with strong values, resilience, grit and a deep appreciation for hard work and doing right by others. My fiercely tenacious mom—one of the first women in the U.S. to secure a mortgage in her own name after it finally became legal for women in the 1970s—showed me that if you don’t give up and lead with integrity, anything is possible.

Tell us about a time when you felt like giving up. What motivated you to keep going?

Like anyone, I’ve faced seasons in life that felt completely overwhelming—even debilitating—while still needing to show up fully in my business. My 3½-year divorce was, without question, the hardest chapter of my life. It consumed nearly everything, but I refused to let it define me. In those moments, my children were my anchor. I wanted them to see that resilience is possible and that challenges can shape us in the most beautiful ways. I’ve carried those hard-earned lessons forward with gratitude and grace, and I’m damn proud of the woman I’ve become on the other side of it.

What can we each do to support other women in business?

We can support other women in business by singing their praises in rooms they’re not in, making introductions, sharing resources and collaborating without ego. Empowered women empower women—and I’ll never stop believing it, because I know firsthand how powerful that is.

What strategies help you avoid burnout?

I avoid burnout by unplugging whenever possible and carving out time for myself. I recently went on my first solo retreat, and it was the best decision I’ve ever made. I plan to make it a yearly tradition. Day to day, I prioritize movement and sunshine; physical activity and fresh air are the best medicine.

What belief about yourself did you have to let go TO become the woman you are today?

That I wasn’t good enough and my success was just luck. Today I fully believe I am worthy of happiness and success, and I know it’s my hard work and integrity that have brought me to where I am.

What’s your go-to move when everything feels like it’s falling apart—but you have to keep going anyway?

When everything feels like it’s falling apart, I lean on my faith—and my friends. Jane Fonda said it perfectly: “I don’t even know what I would do without my women friends. They make me stronger, they make me smarter, they make me braver.”

What’s the most unconventional advice you’ve ever received?

The most unconventional advice I’ve ever received was: “Be mindful of how you speak to yourself. Words are powerful and can cast spells (that’s why it’s called spelling), so choose your words carefully.” Sounds a little woo-woo, I know, but speaking to myself with kindness has been a total game-changer—and honestly, the best magic trick I know.

What strategies have you found to be most effective in growing your business?

Consistently showing up on social media since 2015 has been key to growing my business. While Instagram is the biggest driver, my online presence as a whole has helped me build connections—whether through mutual friends, clients or referrals from Realtors across the country.

Tell us about your family.

I’m a proud single mom of two incredible boys, ages 9 and 11, who keep me laughing, grounded and motivated. They’re not only my biggest cheerleaders but also my greatest teachers—and without question, my proudest accomplishment.

Photographed by Shane O’Donnell