From Stage 4 Melanoma to Top Realtor: How Samantha Mendoza Built One of Reno's Fastest-Growing Real Estate Teams
- Shay Phillips
- 5 days ago
- 5 min read
Samantha Mendoza never planned to sell real estate. She spent 25 years running Nevada's Tupperware franchise, leading teams of up to 200 people, and building a career defined by sales, leadership, and an unwavering belief in the power of education. Real estate was not in the plan.
But life has a way of rewriting plans. After COVID, a conversation with a sister-in-law planted a seed. A friend who taught licensing courses told her she had been waiting for Samantha to walk through the door. So Samantha passed the exam on her first try, and four years later she leads one of the fastest-growing teams at Remax Professionals in Northern Nevada.
This is her story.
A Career Built on Sales, Not Job Titles
Samantha grew up in Gardnerville, Nevada, raised by parents who put education and independence above everything else. Those values became the foundation of how she has moved through every chapter of her career.
"I've never in my whole life worked an eight to five," she said. "I learned a long time ago that I'm better to work for myself."
Her 25 years in the Tupperware business were not just about moving product. She was building confidence in women, coaching teams, developing leadership skills, and solving real problems for real people. That experience shaped her approach to real estate more than she could have anticipated.
When she made the switch, she brought all of it with her.
A Meteoric Rise in a Challenging Market
Samantha's first six months as a licensed agent produced five transactions. She was not satisfied with that. She raised the bar.
In her second year, she closed 17 deals entirely on her own, without a transaction coordinator or assistant. Her third year, she hit 35. During a period when 75 percent of active agents in the country did not close a single deal, she was tripling and doubling her output year over year.
The growth came from a combination of systems, sphere of influence, and a relentless work ethic.
"With the sphere of people I've surrounded myself with over the years, they brought me more business than I expected," she said. "I grew really fast and really unexpectedly."
That growth eventually made one thing clear: she could not do it alone.
Building a Team She Never Wanted
Samantha said no to building a team at least three times. She had run large teams before and was not looking to do it again. She wanted something simpler, something that was just hers.
Then a close friend's daughter asked to join. Then her niece started shadowing her. Then her broker told her she was going to need help whether she wanted it or not. And then the team was real.
Today, the Samantha Mendoza and Homegirls Team is continuing to grow, with multiple agents currently in school who are expected to join before the end of summer. One of her agents, in her first year on the team, closed 11 deals while working full time and became one of the top new agents across all five Remax Professionals offices.
"The team is alongside me, not behind me," Samantha said. "We do everything together."
She approaches team-building the same way she approaches everything else: with the belief that if you have skills worth sharing, you share them.
The Moment That Changed Everything
When asked what shaped how she shows up in real estate today, Samantha did not hesitate.
Fifteen years ago, she was diagnosed with stage four melanoma. She has been through surgery more than 20 times. She has lived in remission. And through all of it, she has never stopped showing up.
"That was a very defining moment of handling my life differently," she said. "I've learned to never say never, because anything can change. Go with the flow. Give more grace to people."
That perspective is visible in how she works with clients, how she leads her team, and how she carries herself every day. She does not leave the house unprepared. She does not make excuses. She does not let the hard things become reasons to stop.
What Sellers Need to Hear
Samantha is honest with her clients in ways that not every agent is willing to be. She believes that honesty is part of the job, not a bonus feature.
One of the most common mistakes she sees sellers make is overvaluing their home based on emotional attachment rather than market data.
"A buyer is only going to pay what a buyer is going to pay," she said. "I've been in my house 20 years. There's a lot of memories there. But at the end of the day, it's only worth what the market says it's worth."
She also lays out every option available to her sellers, including a cash buyer route through WeBuyHouses.com, which her team is part owner of. On a net sheet, sellers can see exactly what each path means for their bottom line, from a traditional listing to a cash offer with no repairs, no staging, and no title or escrow fees.
The goal is always to give the seller the information they need to make the decision that is right for their situation.
What It Takes to Sell Fast
For sellers who want to move quickly, Samantha is direct about what works.
Cash is the fastest option, but it comes with a trade-off on price. For sellers who want to list, the preparation matters. Get the home ready. Make sure your agent is producing video content and professional photos. Make sure your home is showing up on social media, not just the MLS.
"If your agent is not doing social media, they are missing out," she said. "Your house should be everywhere, because that is the first place buyers are looking."
She also shared a clear answer on who should not list right now: anyone who is just testing the market or is not fully committed to the process. Real estate contracts are built to protect buyers, and sellers who are not ready to move when the time comes can find themselves in a difficult position.
American Dream TV and the Power of Positive Media
On top of running her team and serving her clients, Samantha has been one of the longest-running hosts of the American Dream TV show in Northern Nevada, a role she has held for nearly three years.
The show, which she admits she initially thought was a scam, is built around lifestyle, culture, and real estate. Samantha has used it to spotlight women-owned businesses, veteran communities, the Chicano and low rider communities in Reno, local builders, and spaces like Roller Kingdom and the Pennington Mansion, the largest home in Northern Nevada.
"We see enough negative out there in the world," she said. "If we can bring a positive outlet to people, why not?"
It fits the same philosophy she brings to everything else: show up, do good work, open the door for people who deserve more visibility, and keep going.
How to Connect with Samantha Mendoza
Samantha Mendoza and the Homegirls Team are based at Remax Professionals in Reno, Nevada, and serve buyers and sellers across Washoe, Carson, and Douglas counties and beyond.
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