Ke Qin

Ke Qin – The Three Pillars of Growth: Mindset, Capacity, and Identity

Ke Qin is the Co-founder and President of Paros Group, a Nashville-based real estate development and construction firm. In his role, he oversees land acquisitions, due diligence, development, and construction. Ke began his real estate career by specializing in high-end modern homes in The Gulch, an upscale neighborhood in Nashville.

Here's a Glimpse of What You'll Learn

[1:54] Ke Qin introduces Paros Group and its focus on luxury home development
[5:23] How tariffs on imported goods like lumber and appliances impact construction costs and margins
[7:56] Ke shares how working in his family’s restaurant shaped his entrepreneurial mindset
[10:32] Why Ke’s first business venture — a grocery optimization app — fell flat
[15:03] The lessons Ke learned from entering the real estate market through mentorship and renovation projects
[22:49] Navigating business uncertainty and developing emotional intelligence to lead with heart and logic
[25:54] How Ke sells market-specific, high-quality, and differentiated homes
[28:32] Ke’s motivation to join EO Nashville and expand his network beyond the real estate industry
[31:54] Ke talks about leveraging AI tools to generate home renderings and streamline the design process
[37:25] A three-part framework for self-development: mindset, capacity-building, and identity work

In This Episode

The looming threat of tariffs, rising construction costs, supply chain volatility, and shifting market demands are disrupting real estate development. For builders taking on speculative projects, these variables introduce massive risk, especially when investing millions before knowing if buyers will follow. How can developers manage that risk while continuing to scale sustainably?

Entrepreneur and real estate developer Ke Qin has built a systems-driven approach to luxury home development in a volatile market by beginning with small renovation projects. As demand surged, Ke scaled his operation by implementing processes and developing speculative homes that stood out by blending innovation, neighborhood fit, and design elements. He encourages other real estate entrepreneurs to expand their mindsets and skills through self-development and peer networks like EO.

In this episode of The Decision, Ke Qin, Co-founder and President of Paros Group, joins Robert Hartline and Eric Jackson to discuss scaling a real estate business through mindset, systems, and self-awareness. Ke discusses how tariffs impact his pricing models, why identity work is critical for leaders, and how AI is reshaping architectural design.

Quotable Moments:

“My job… is how things today is going to impact our business now, and probably 18 to 24 months.”
“We just don’t want to be completely just different than anything else on the street as well.”
“I think EO is a great place because most people in that environment want to grow.”
“If you don’t have strong identity, you may be subject to something people will say to you.”
“There’s the mindset work, there’s capacity work, but also there’s a third component too: identity work.”

Action Steps:

Develop systems to manage project complexity: Establishing repeatable processes helps ensure consistency, efficiency, and quality as your business scales. Clear systems also reduce errors and make onboarding new team members easier.
Monitor market conditions and external risks: Proactively analyzing economic trends and policy changes like tariffs helps anticipate challenges and adjust business strategies in advance. Staying ahead of disruptions gives you a competitive edge.
Invest in mindset, capacity, and identity development: Building a strong foundation of emotional intelligence, skills, and self-awareness enhances leadership and decision-making. These internal assets enable sustainable growth and resilience through uncertainty.
Use AI tools to streamline design processes: Leveraging AI for renderings and visualizations can reduce costs and accelerate planning timelines. This creates more agility in responding to client needs and market demand.
Diversify knowledge outside your industry: Engaging with professionals from other fields sparks innovation and broadens your strategic thinking. Exposure to different ideas can help you identify blind spots and new opportunities.