Loading summary
Colleen Marquez
I'm not the most important person in the room. I'm not the smartest person in the room, and I'm not maybe meant to be the richest person in the world. And that's okay. I always thought that my no was just one step closer to my yes.
Narrator
Colleen Marquez is a real estate leader, entrepreneur and the founder of Home on the Rock real estate team. Drawing from her background in business strategy, marketing and client advocacy, she helps individuals and families navigate real estate with confidence while creating opportunities for long term growth and financial security.
Colleen Marquez
I used to be in technology consulting and I use all of those technology skills to navigate this digital world to bring you the best options and to bring you the best data. So that way you're making informed decisions when you're making offers or you're pricing your home. And you know that, you know you're doing the right thing because numbers don't lie. My approach to real estate is find a way or make one. If the perfect house doesn't exist for you, we'll build it. Well, we'll find the land. But moreover,
Podcast Intro/Outro Voice
it spans the globe like a super high cold Internet. Elvis Presley. Today, Apple is going to reinvent the phone. It's not over until I win. The Living youg Legacy podcast for those who live to leave a legacy that's extraordinary. The impossible. Oh, that is sensational. Open Chicago with the lead. You said Paul is the fastest man on the planet. You can live your dream.
Ray Gutierrez
Welcome back to another episode of the Living your Legacy podcast for Inside Success. I am Ray Gutierrez. At least I think I am. This is Colleen Marquez. She's joining us fresh off her episode. She is the founder of Home on Real Estate. Excuse me. Home on the Rock Real Estate. You're the founder, the CEO, the all powerful or how does this work?
Colleen Marquez
Well, honestly, in real estate, when you're a team, you're all individual contributors, you're contractors. But I am the, I guess, visionary and the glue that brings all those pieces together. And yeah, I just one day decided that I was going to do my own thing and I haven't looked back.
Ray Gutierrez
So I briefly looked at your show notes because we're prepared here it says that originally from Miami. Talk about your background.
Colleen Marquez
Yeah, yeah. So I am originally from Miami. I was born at Baptist Hospital.
Ray Gutierrez
You know, I was born in Jackson Memorial.
Colleen Marquez
Okay. All right, cool. Yeah, heard so my family's still here. We're US 1 and 136. River by the falls. I've got family all up and down Florida and, you know, now I'm in Tennessee. And I've been there almost a decade. Wow. Yeah. So Nashville's definitely a different vibe.
Ray Gutierrez
I love Nashville. It's such a great place. It reminds me a lot of Austin. I know the. What's his face? You know that one country singer?
Colleen Marquez
The one that threw the chair?
Ray Gutierrez
No, the other one. Morgan Wallen? No, the nicer one. Garth Brooks.
Colleen Marquez
Yes.
Ray Gutierrez
Yeah. I was in his office cutting a project, so I always like to. Every time I hear Nashville, I'm like, oh, I was in his office. Hahaha. Did I get to meet him? No. Did I meet his manager? Yes. Yes. Nice. Nice guy.
Colleen Marquez
All right, well, there you go. I mean, that counts for something.
Ray Gutierrez
That counts. Absolutely. Thank you for that and for the security.
Podcast Intro/Outro Voice
Yeah.
Ray Gutierrez
Right on. Yeah. Yeah, I appreciate. I appreciate you patronizing me. I love it.
Colleen Marquez
Deserved. It was totally like, cheers to you.
Podcast Intro/Outro Voice
Oh, yeah.
Ray Gutierrez
No, but that's solely a sly Miami move. Talk about what it's like being born in Miami but thriving somewhere else.
Colleen Marquez
Oh, man, it's definitely different. You know, I've lived a lot of places, and one of the things I love about Miami is that there's a melting pot of just different culture. And one of the things I really miss is food. So, like, I used to get my favorite Jamaican patty ever from this gas station.
Ray Gutierrez
Wow.
Colleen Marquez
Everywhere I go, they say, do you want a midnight sandwich? I'm like, you. What is this? Yeah. I'm like, that's wrong. And that's Italian bread. Nice try.
Ray Gutierrez
Yeah, that's not Cuban bread. It's a French baguette, bruh. Get out of here with that shit.
Podcast Intro/Outro Voice
Yes.
Colleen Marquez
So, you know, it's definitely different, but I appreciate all cultures, all different kinds of people, so it's interesting to go to new places and, you know, just discover what they have to offer.
Ray Gutierrez
Cool. So let's talk about real estate and how you give it your own twist, especially with being born in Miami but operating somewhere else. Talk about how that cocktail of awesome actually leads to amazing sales.
Colleen Marquez
Honestly, I think I do. I speak a little Spanish. It's not good, but it's enough to get me by. Typically, I'm like, I know what you're saying, but do you know what I'm saying?
Ray Gutierrez
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Right on.
Colleen Marquez
So, you know, that helps me, especially in Tennessee, because it's not common like it is here to be able to connect with people in that way. I think it definitely helps me to be branded. And the fact that I'm covered in tattoos.
Ray Gutierrez
Yep.
Colleen Marquez
And so in Miami, that's not maybe as big a Deal. But I've definitely been some places where they're like, oh, wow, that's a lot.
Ray Gutierrez
Yeah, yeah, yeah. It's crazy.
Colleen Marquez
So if nothing else, I have notoriety.
Ray Gutierrez
Right on. Yeah, yeah, yeah. It's funny because I kind of figured out early on, like, my second tattoo was my triforce. I'm like, put right on the hand. I'm never going to have a corporate job. And my first corporate job was PlayStation. So it was for some, that's when I did the Miami thing again. That was me doing the humble brag. Anyways, there was a point to that. I understood that wearing literally your emotions on your sleeve gets you through a lot of doors and you get it. We understand the guff, especially as Miamians, but once you start seeing all this ink and understanding that when you sit there for a six hour session as an entrepreneur, there's a lot going on here. There's a lot going on there and you're sort of talk about what it's like to literally wear your story on your body.
Colleen Marquez
Well, if nothing else, it holds you accountable to being your authentic self. There's no hiding from it. And I think honestly, it requires a lot of commitment and forethought. Not just sitting through eight hours in pain, but also saying, I want this and I'm willing to. This is what I'm willing to do to get it. And what do I want? What am I gonna put on myself forever that I'm not gonna look back and be like, oh, why did I do that? So people will ask me, you know, oh, I really wanna get a tattoo, but I'm just not sure. And I'm like, see, if you want it, wait six months. If you still want it, wait another six months and then pull the trigger.
Ray Gutierrez
Oh, for sure.
Colleen Marquez
But at this point, I mean, after my first, I don't know, 24 hours of tattoos, I'm pretty confident in my choices. I really have to do that waiting process, starting out, you know, make sure that that's the one.
Ray Gutierrez
Yeah, for sure, for sure.
Colleen Marquez
And also do your research. Yeah, I, I troll tattoo profiles.
Ray Gutierrez
You have to.
Colleen Marquez
And like, I waited over a year on a wait list before to get tattooed by somebody.
Podcast Intro/Outro Voice
Good for you.
Colleen Marquez
Because I'm like, this is forever.
Ray Gutierrez
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Colleen Marquez
And there is such a thing as, like, not an awesome tattoo and execution, you know.
Ray Gutierrez
Oh, for sure.
Colleen Marquez
So I always tell my husband, I have expensive skin.
Ray Gutierrez
Yes. I let's use this, like, forte as this motto. And how do you apply that to real estate? Like a lot of folks have don't have forever homes unless you're a cat. But, you know, a lot of folks invest their time and energy and there's life savings into a property, an asset.
Colleen Marquez
Yes.
Ray Gutierrez
How do you crawl in there and work your magic?
Colleen Marquez
Well, I think one of the things that I'm really good at is using the tools that are given to me. So I am. I used to be in technology consulting, and I use all of those technology skills to navigate this digital world, to bring you the best options and to bring you the best data. So that way you're making informed decisions when you're making offers or you're pricing your home. And you know that, you know you're doing the right thing. Because numbers don't lie.
Ray Gutierrez
Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. So when you look at the numbers, folks that are tax, tax supervisors, strategists, they. Or even musicians or pianists or fol like you and I, they see the, the, the numbers in music, the numbers in patterns and numbers in sales, the numbers in the guff. How do you communicate to folks that, yo, there's patterns everywhere, there's numbers. How do you kind of direct folks away from the tattoos and onto their own lives?
Colleen Marquez
Well, it really just starts with knowing what you're talking about. And I think that's just a very underestimated skill is if you're going to open your mouth, know what you're going to say, and know that it's correct. Right. That really separates yourself from other people, especially when you bring in confidence. You know, I'm, I'm confident in what I'm saying because I do know what I'm talking about. And so I think that translates. It crosses any barrier or language when they're like, oh, well, she's, she knows what she's saying, you know. Yeah. But it also is catering to the audience. Different people understand things differently. And so, you know, really affirming the way that they learn and presenting the information in a way that they can ingest and understand and allowing them to feel comfortable enough to ask questions. You know, real estate is not everybody's cup of tea. They don't know all the things. And sometimes people are afraid to just ask the stupid question. But because I am authentically myself, it allows people that freedom to say, okay, this might be dumb, but. And I'm like, it's not dumb. That's a great question.
Ray Gutierrez
Yeah, yeah.
Colleen Marquez
This is probably one of the biggest purchases of your life. Let's ask all of those and make, make sure that we're on the same page.
Ray Gutierrez
Yeah, yeah, yeah. Let's let's, let's dive into your method here. You call it trolling, I call it market research. Tell folks why this is important to understand. You know your friends, but keep your friends close to your enemies, even closer. And I don't mean enemies. I mean frenemies, like your competitors. Keep you on your toes. How do you stay on your toes?
Colleen Marquez
Well, I'm constantly consuming content, and I think that's one of the things that, in this day and age, really sets you apart and being able to identify content that is performing well but also is true to your brand. You know, there's a lot of things that other agents do and how they present themselves and what they repost. And I'm like, that's great. That's not something that I would do. So, you know, taking the time to say, I want my Persona to educate people. I want it to be light hearted, I want it to be professional. I want there to be, you know, information in there that they're not going to get just watching a tick tock reel of, you know, something funny about getting into a door. You know, I want it to bring value.
Ray Gutierrez
So talk about value, but also value is, is equated based on your experiences. What are we going to learn about you on your episode and how do you think you ended up sitting here? Because you and I were on podcasts, trolling on it. But you're, you're podcasting really well because you're sitting there. You know what you're talking about. You just happen to have a microphone, cameras on you.
Colleen Marquez
Yeah, actually, I feel more comfortable doing this than I did in my episode, which is strange considering I don't consume a lot of podcasts.
Ray Gutierrez
Yeah.
Colleen Marquez
But I think what people will learn is that I'm able to translate all of my business skills, my background in consulting, analytics, marketing, and combine all of those skills to really put you in the best position possible to find the real estate, to purchase the real estate, to sell the real estate. And it's, it's all been just a twisted route to where I am now, but that this is where I'm supposed to be and, you know, that I'm excited to, to just help people.
Ray Gutierrez
Awesome. So I guess trust the process. Is it kind of like, yeah, absolutely.
Colleen Marquez
Yeah. You know, I think, I believe that there's nothing that's meant for me that won't be if it's supposed to be mine. You know, I believe that, you know, only person that closes doors is God. And if he's closing a door for me, that it is with purpose. And it is to bless me and to, you know, further who I am on this journey of being more like Christ. So, you know, I don't look at them as negatives. Even when I was doing, you know, heavy, heavy sales, I always thought that my no was just one step closer to my yes. Right. And so it's just a frame of mind of I'm just going to keep trying and I'm going to keep going and when things mess up. Okay, whatever. Like you should roll with the punches.
Ray Gutierrez
Yeah, for sure. Because everything is a lesson. Everything is not a challenge. It's, it's. Life is happening for you, not to you. And it's A lot of folks, you'll start hearing that a lot. Shout out to what's his face from Dune, because he was. Yeah. Anyways, I don't want to go off on a tangent because here I'll do that. Watch Dune. It's amazing. Talk about the divine, the walking the path. A lot of folks, the super churches, the non churches, the private ministries, the entrepreneurs that believe in nothing, but the entrepreneurs that believe in something. Talk about the difference and what it's really like walking into rooms knowing that you're walking a separate path because you have the, the, the guidance of a thousand angels at your behalf. Because you walk a certain path.
Colleen Marquez
Yeah, it's definitely peaceful. It takes away a lot of the pressure. And you know, I have a propensity to be anxious or fearful sometimes and having the tools at my like hands to, to pray and to ground myself and to remind myself that I am a child of God and everything I have isn't mine, it belongs to him. So, you know, what am I going to do with my father's gifts and how am I going to use them to bless his children? And you know, I'm a tither. I think people, you know, think that that's wild. But 10% of everything that I make goes back to the community. And you know, I'm a firm believer in that. I'll never stop doing that and it hasn't impeded my success at all.
Ray Gutierrez
Yep, yep. And a lot of folks, when you start paying for the master classes and you start ascending on these chats with the Gary Vee's of the world or whoever you want to pledge allegiance to, you start to realize that that energy, that philanthropy bounces right back tenfold and that's what it's really all about. And then once you start figuring out that, that matrix code, it's really up to you not to, to, to, to gate it, but it's really to share it as best you can. Sure. Eat and enjoy life, but at the same time, send the elevator back down.
Colleen Marquez
Absolutely.
Ray Gutierrez
Do what do, do what you got to do. Because we, we are very much saved, but we have our palaces in the sky and in our, in our, in our, in our streets and our sidewalks made of gold, but for a special reason, because we are truly living in a special unique kingdom under one true Lord of lords and kings of kings.
Podcast Intro/Outro Voice
Amen.
Colleen Marquez
Absolutely. And I think, honestly, it's a great tool for me to my own personal growth. And the better person I am, in a spiritual and emotional sense, the better I am able to serve my clients. And so just taking that time to understand that I. Humility is important and that it allows me to love people better when I understand that I'm not the most important person in the room. I'm not the smartest person in the room. And, you know, I'm not maybe meant to be the richest person in the world, and that's okay. I'm meant to be as rich as God would have me. And, you know, I don't have to worry about those things. I really don't.
Ray Gutierrez
You've been blessed with the ability to be a mother. Let's talk about that legacy, what you're doing, as that powerful, powerful blessing, man.
Colleen Marquez
It is a blessing, but it's definitely difficult.
Ray Gutierrez
Yeah, for sure.
Colleen Marquez
I love my children. I have two children from my late husband, so my first husband passed, and I was their stepmom for many years. So they're still in my life and love them to pieces. I've got two of my own kids, one of which is special needs. So he, he's a handful, but he says the funniest things, and he's just such a light. And you talk about being authentic, like, that's the most authentic kid I've ever met. Amazing.
Ray Gutierrez
Amazing.
Colleen Marquez
And then I have two step kids from my current husband. So, you know, we're like a Brady Bunch family. And it's really cool as they grow to get to see who they are.
Ray Gutierrez
Yeah.
Colleen Marquez
And, you know, I'm the same mother, but I'm a different mother to all of them because they need different things.
Ray Gutierrez
Right on.
Colleen Marquez
And so, you know, it's my job to help them be the best versions of themselves and not necessarily to make them into what I want them to be.
Ray Gutierrez
Right on. I, I, I would hate to do this quick pivot, but I want to talk about Home on the Rock, Real estate, the commercial part of the podcast. What's this about? How are you different? Are you taking special stories, special clients? What is your approach to real estate, Sue?
Colleen Marquez
My approach to real estate is find a way or make one. You know, if the perfect house doesn't exist for you, we'll build it. Well, we'll find the land. But moreover, really using my skills in digital marketing and analysis to set me apart from my competitors.
Ray Gutierrez
Right on.
Colleen Marquez
Because the more eyes that see your property, the higher your chances are that it's going to sell and sell for a good profit. You wanted to create demand, and I'm a really good visual storyteller, so that is really a strength of mine. And just the education process and also in the negotiation process, I really leverage my emotional intelligence to appeal to a wide audience and to help achieve the goals of my clients.
Ray Gutierrez
Very cool. What are we going to learn about you and your episode? Give us a quick preview. How was your experience filming your episode?
Colleen Marquez
You're going to learn that the road is not always easy. And that's okay, because without those pieces, I wouldn't be who I am today. And, man, it was a good experience, but it was also a certain level of vulnerability.
Ray Gutierrez
Absolutely.
Colleen Marquez
You know, to just kind of invite people into certain parts of yourself that maybe they don't normally see, but I think in the world today, people are who they portray themselves, are online.
Ray Gutierrez
Yeah.
Colleen Marquez
And for you to be able to say, well, it's not all perfect. There are other pieces that, you know are not pretty and are not curated, you know, and that's okay. And you can still be successful. You know, you don't have to take things that were difficult and let them keep you down. And you can actually use your story of overcoming to bless others.
Ray Gutierrez
Right on. This is going to sound like a bizarre question. We'll wrap it up here. But for folks that are eyeing Miami and they're like, well, I don't speak Spanish. I don't know. Like, you don't need to do that. Miami's progressed a lot. We were looking for new entrepreneurs, looking for new energies. How do you speak to someone that is eyeing Miami, are eyeing Nashville or eyeing these east coast cities and going, those are too hip and too cool. But we're quite abnormally okay, and we're doing just fine. Right.
Colleen Marquez
Yeah. I think every. The world is just communities within communities. Right. And so when you go to a new place or you're thinking about a new place, understand that there is a period of discovery where you have to discover where your people are, where your community is, and it's okay if it looks different than what the last community looked like because you want to grow and you want to stretch and you want to expand in your experiences and your knowledge. So just because it's different doesn't mean it's wrong. And maybe step out of your comfort zone and see what the, you know, new community has to offer.
Ray Gutierrez
Rock and roll. Colleen, would you listen to your own podcast? Would you listen to this episode?
Colleen Marquez
Yeah.
Ray Gutierrez
Yeah. I think you did a good job. I'm looking forward to your partner and your kids, and everyone listens to this podcast. I think you did a really good job. Congratulate you. Congratulations on trolling this episode as much as you can. How can folks learn more about you? What's a website? What's a great plug for you?
Colleen Marquez
Yeah. At home on the rock. Tn on Instagram or it's homeontherocktn.com rock and roll. There you go.
Narrator
All right.
Ray Gutierrez
And this is Colleen Marquez, Home on the Rock real estate. And this is Inside Success.
Podcast: Living Your Legacy
Host: Ray Gutierrez (Guest Host for this episode)
Guest: Colleen Marquez, Founder of Home on the Rock Real Estate
Episode Title: How a Widow Turned Tragedy Into Purpose
Date: June 17, 2026
This episode features an honest, inspiring conversation with Colleen Marquez, founder and visionary leader of Home on the Rock Real Estate. Colleen shares her journey from a tech consultant in Miami to a driven real estate entrepreneur in Tennessee, opening up about her unconventional path, the lessons she learned from overcoming personal tragedy, and how she channels authenticity, spirituality, and emotional intelligence into her business and life.
Listeners gain insights into how adversity can become a powerful catalyst for purpose and how embracing one's unique story can forge deeper success and connection in both business and family life.
Miami Roots and Cultural Influence
Tattoos as Personal Branding & Accountability
Translating Authenticity into Business
Leveraging Tech Skills for Customer Advantage
Content Consumption & Competitive Edge
Meeting Clients Where They Are
Allowing Clients to Be Vulnerable
Devotion and Perspective Through Loss
Giving Back & Tithing
Building a Blended Family, Leaving a Legacy
Unique Real Estate Philosophy
Learning from Hardship
This episode stands as a testament to the power of resilience, authenticity, and faith in forging legacy—both in business and in personal life. Colleen Marquez offers actionable wisdom and heartfelt transparency, providing encouragement for listeners facing their own trials or seeking to lead with greater purpose.
Learn more or connect with Colleen: