We're sold on this new addition to Selling Sunset.
Season four of the hit Netflix reality series arrives on Nov. 24, and with it comes the long-awaited debut of realtor and businesswoman Emma Hernan. Though the latest Selling Sunset trailer teased drama between Hernan and Oppenheim Group troublemaker Christine Quinn, it seems that the newcomer has become quite close with her other co-stars, especially Chrishell Stause, Mary Fitzgerald, Heather Rae Young and Amanza Smith.
In fact, in an exclusive chat with E! News, the empanada entrepreneur shed light on the family dynamic at, what the realtors call, "the O Group" and how she handled putting her personal and professional business in front of the camera. (And, yes, Hernan was at Young's Oct. wedding to Tarek El Moussa.)
So, if you're like us and curious to learn more about Hernan ahead of season four's debut, check out our exclusive Q & A below.
E! News: Let's go back to the beginning: How did you go from nannying to modeling to investing to real estate?
Emma Hernan: When people ask me what I do...I'm like, "What do I start with?" Because I think it's so important, especially as a woman, to just have so many different streams of revenue...I started out back in Boston, modeling, babysitting, working ice cream shops—I mean, you name it. I love to work and I saved every penny I got, started investing it, eventually, obviously, you know, made a large chunk of change. And I helped fund my family's seafood company at 16 years old. And I was lending the company hundreds of thousands of dollars to make payroll and to get where they are today. And now you know they're a multi-million dollar business.
E!: Is your family in Boston? Do you have any family out in LA?
EH: Well, it's funny enough, my mom is actually visiting right now. Yeah, they come out all the time. So before I started filming and all that, I was 100 percent bicoastal, so I would be, probably a month in Boston, a month in LA, especially because I have my business as well. I partnered with Beyond Meat for my empanadas. And I'm 100 percent a woman-owned company, which is another thing that's really important to me. But my family is out here more now than ever, because I can't fly back as often.
E!: What's your favorite part about going to work every day at the Oppenheim Group?
EH: People are like, "You don't get to pick your coworkers," but it just happens to be that if I could pick my coworkers, they would be all of the people that genuinely work at the Oppenheim Group. They are like my family. I formed...such a great bond with filming and stuff like that...they're genuinely my closest friends. You know, you don't always think that's gonna happen in the workplace, but when it does, it's so special.
E!: Is it ever a challenge to work with your best friends? Does it ever make the friendship more complicated?
EH: No, I mean, for me, I'm one of those people where like, your success is my success and my success is your success. So, if I sell a huge home, we are all going on vacation. I'd love to see these girls succeed. I really honest to God do. I mean you know, Mary and Chrishell, when they are killing it in real estate? Like I literally, I swear to God, I'm like their number one fan in the background like clapping, I'm sending them like heartfelt texts.
E!: Do you have any kind of number one investing rule or like a rule you live by as an agent?
EH: Real estate is probably one of the best investments that anyone could make. The real estate market in general is always going to go up, even if, you know, we have our ups and downs in general...It's always a really great investment to make, especially in the LA market. I mean, I'm sure you've seen, it's just taken off. We're seeing houses go up in multiples...Because the interest rates are so low, it's a whole different game now.
E!: Now I don't remember which one, but it was either Brett or Jason who encouraged you to get your license, right?
EH: Both Brett and Jason encouraged me to get my license. I used to go around every Sunday with them to open houses because, when we met, I was looking for a property. So I bought my property, then every Sunday we would do brunch and then we would go around to all the open houses...And honestly, I was like, "Wow, I love this." And then I was picking up a lot of the things that they were saying about square footage and stuff like that, and they were like, "You have to get your license." And I was like, "You know what? I should. Because I know I'm going to be buying more homes, so, why not get involved? Why not help other people?"
E!: What are you most excited for fans to see in season four?
EH: I definitely think season four will be the best season yet. Stay tuned for more. But I'm really excited for the fans to get to know me, my personality...what drives me, my family...Not everyone knew exactly what I did, because I was very private. I've been a very private person for the majority of my life. So I'm definitely opening up my entire life for the world to see, and I'm really excited to share that. I'm excited to inspire young girls—and I'm excited to show everybody that...you can accomplish absolutely everything that you want.
E!: Does it make you nervous at all to open yourself up like that?
EH: I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a touch hesitant, there are some nerves that go with it. But you know, I made the decision to join Selling Sunset, and I made that decision because of everything that I think that I can share and inspire...[it] takes over all of the nervousness and anything else.
For more of Hernan, catch Selling Sunset's Nov. 24 return on Netflix.