So, what is it you do exactly?
I’ll start this off with a confession: I’m partially writing this in earnest so that those interested can understand my career evolution, and I’m partially writing this so some of my closest friends and family understand what it is I actually do. Admittedly, I haven’t chosen the easiest career path to explain in a few seconds during reunions with friends, over a quick phone call, or at the Thanksgiving dinner table. So, if we’ve crossed professional paths over the years, or if you are a dear friend that doesn’t want to ask at this point what it is I actually do for a living, this is for you.
Simply put, I am a community developer, real estate agent and a DJ. In 2022, I made the transition to the Memphis Medical District Collaborative working on the Real Estate team. By nature of that transition and broader career aspirations, I’ve received my Tennessee Real Estate license as well. And of course, I’m still DJing on the radio and for some really special gigs I get to be a part of. On the surface it may seem like these three endeavors are disjointed, but to me they are a perfect union of building beautiful physical spaces, and bringing them to their fullest social life.
The Memphis Medical District Collaborative, or MMDC, is a non-profit community development organization working in 2.6 square miles of Memphis’ core. Our team works to seed equitable real estate development that creates attainable housing, builds community wealth, and weaves the urban fabric together to provide better urbanism for every neighbor. We primarily make this happen through relationships with the neighborhoods that we serve, as well as financing tools ranging from $5,000 - $3,000,000 of grant and loan products allowing us to have boots on the ground seeing communities develop and grow from the inside out. This is what I would categorize as community development through real estate. No days look the same here, but you could call this generalist and intersectional work encompassing real estate development, transactions, urban design, city planning and community engagement. Any given week looks like providing real estate developers with market analysis and technical assistance, connecting small businesses with the ideal space and capital, and urban design solutions built with community members and neighborhood stakeholders.
Next, in February 2023 I joined the Bluff City Realty team in Memphis as a licensed Tennessee REALTOR®. As an extension of community work, this license allows me to walk directly with neighbors, friends and businesses that drive the culture of a place and people. Real estate is perhaps the greatest driver of community-wealth and placemaking, and my hope is with every transaction and interaction to be a catalyst for that type of impact locally.
Lastly, I’m still DJing weekly and getting to curate sets and spaces to bring physical spaces to life. This looks like anywhere from sold out shows of a few thousand folks, or intimate sets on WYXR Memphis–with the pleasure of playing a part of creating greater community that is necessary for the times we are in.
Now that we’ve got that out of the way, there’s a lot of reasons we can intersect and connect. If you are looking to do a project or move your business to the Memphis Medical District, you should reach out. Maybe you are looking for your next home or a space for your small business to land, if so I’d love to meet with you. Or, you are planning your next event and looking for a DJ who will catch your vision, in which case I would love to talk.
Feel free to call or text me at (918) 207-8504, or reach out via my Real Estate email or DJ email anytime. Hope to work with you soon.
Peace,
—Travis
