Written by: Mariah Isom (@ma.riahh)

A Naptown native who’s showing the city what it looks like to take a leap of faith and change your life; Douglas Parson is proof that transformation is possible with vision and hustle. A graduate of Arlington High School, Parson made a way out of no way. Known as one of the biggest hustlers in the city, he recognized it was time to evolve, from one kind of hustle to another.

Shortly after high school, Parson made a bold decision to leave Indianapolis. In 1996, he told his now-wife, Atiya, that he was moving to Kentucky to start fresh and without hesitation, she followed. Parson understood early on that success often depends on the company you keep. Once in Kentucky, he surrounded himself with people in the real estate game, folks flipping houses and making serious money. He began connecting with banks to do short appraisals. The banks would provide him with a list of low-priced properties, and Parson watched how investors bought, renovated, and resold those homes for profit.

Later, Parson and Atiya made another strategic move, this time to Atlanta. It was there they met Elizabeth Johnson, a pivotal figure in Parson’s real estate journey. She told him, “Finish real estate school and call me, I’ll help put you on.” And that’s exactly what she did. Soon after, the celebrities started calling, beginning with Love and Hip-Hop Miami star PreMadonna. One Instagram post from her brought major visibility, leading other celebrities to trust Parson with finding their dream homes.

With years of knowledge and experience under his belt, Parson decided to give back through education. He authored two top-selling books: ‘The Art of Flipping Bricks’, ‘Bricks and Blondie: We Nailed It!’, and ‘The Blueprint for Real Estate and Relationships’. His goal? To inspire and teach those ready to take control of their lives and careers.

Men don’t always see examples of others taking leaps of faith and winning. It’s important to surround yourself around successful people who are successful in the lanes you want to be successful in. You have to place yourself in the path of success and that’s what Parson did by connecting with banks to do short appraisals. Parson’s journey hasn’t been easy. When he first landed in Kentucky, he had to downsize from luxury cars to sharing a single vehicle with Atiya. At one point, he even worked a 9-to-5 detailing the same kind of luxury cars he once drove. But that’s the truth about success, it takes time. You have to build it. If you don’t work toward it, it’ll never develop. Douglas Parson’s story is a blueprint for what happens when you believe in yourself and hustle with purpose.