Who is Emma Hernan? Get to know the 'Selling Sunset' star

Emma Hernan is a fan favourite on Netflix's Selling Sunset, but she has achieved much more beyond selling high-end LA properties with The Oppenheim Group. She is the ultimate girl boss with investments in real estate and the food industry. The self-taught investor told Nylon in 2021:

I love working. I love making money. I love inspiring people, and I love helping people.

Key takeaways

• Emma founded the plant-based food company Emma Leigh & Co.
• She made her debut on Netflix's Selling Sunset in season four as a realtor with The Oppenheim Group.
• Hernan started investing in the stock market as a teenager before transitioning into real estate and angel investing.

Emma Hernan's profile summary

Emma Hernan hails from the East Coast

The Selling Sunset star was born and raised in Scituate, a coastal town southeast of Boston, Massachusetts, to Stephanie Hernan and Tom Hernan. Her mother, Stephanie, is the CEO of Yankee Trader Seafood, a family-owned seafood company that was established by her father Gerry McAdams in 1994.

Emma Hernan's father previously worked as a firefighter. She has one big brother, whom she occasionally posts on her Instagram. The realtor lives on the West Coast in Los Angeles, where she moved when she was a teenager, but often visits the East Coast to see her family.

Emma is a savvy entrepreneur and investor

Hernan started her entrepreneurial journey by investing in her family's Yankee Trader Seafood in Boston. She also earned from babysitting, modelling, and selling ice cream, then put the money she made in the stock market.

After relocating to Los Angeles, she became an angel investor in companies like Nanotech (a battery company), Wheels (a bike company), and Green Gorilla (deals in CBD products). She also invests in cryptocurrency.

During the 2020 pandemic, Hernan established her frozen food company called Emma Leigh & Co., which sells plant-based empanadas. She told Forbes in November 2022 that she opened a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility on the East Coast.

I own 100% of my company, which is really rare today. We are in the 'Shark Tank' era where a lot of people want to play with other people's money because it's a lot easier... I feel really proud to be where I am today.

Hernan's journey to luxury real estate

Emma purchased her first home in the Hollywood Hills in 2017 with help from The Oppenheim Group co-founder Jason Oppenheim, who encouraged her to get a real estate license. She joined the West Hollywood-based high-end real estate brokerage firm in 2018.

Hernan has since acquired several real residential and commercial investment properties in Los Angeles and Boston. She told People in September 2021 that her entrepreneurial experience has helped with her real estate journey.

Being in the food industry is a huge part of my story — A lot of the ties that I made from that — I have met other CEOs who are now purchasing properties... It makes a big difference, me coming on and having that entrepreneurial background.

Emma had a smooth transition to reality TV

Hernan debuted on Netflix's Selling Sunset in season four in 2021 as part of The Oppenheim Group. Some of the mansions she has listed include Harry Styles' former Hollywood Hills property. She revealed in her October 2021 Nylon interview that she was hesitant at first when she signed up to appear on the series.

I did not know exactly what I was signing up for, and to be honest, it has been very second nature to me — I'm 100% myself, whether it's on or off camera... I feel more comfortable than I thought I would.

Hernan has built a multi-million-dollar empire

Emma Hernan is one of the richest cast members on Selling Sunset, with an estimated net worth of $4 million in 2025 from her ventures as a realtor and entrepreneur. In her September 2023 interview with The Street, the self-made multi-millionaire revealed that the sky is the limit when it comes to finding ways to make money and advised others on how to build their financial health, saying:

I cannot stress the importance of having multiple streams of income enough for anyone, but especially females! Creating financial stability is so important.

Emma Hernan has a fascinating dating history

The Selling Sunset star's relationships have made notable subplots on the Netflix real estate drama. Some of Emma Hernan's boyfriends have included:

Peter Cornell (2017-2018)

Cornell is Emma Hernan's ex-fiancé. He is a former basketball player and a fellow real estate agent at The Oppenheim Group. They got engaged in 2017 but broke up in 2018 after Emma learnt that he was also dating Christine Quinn. The relationship drama aired on Selling Sunset season 4. 

Micah McDonald (2021)

Hernan went on a few dates with property developer Micah McDonald, whom she met when she visited a luxury property he was developing in Beverly Hills. Their connection was featured on Selling Sunset season five. While talking to Today in April 2022, Emma said that she and Micah were not in a serious relationship. 

Blake Davis (2024-2025)

Emma Hernan and Blake Davis, a realtor and developer, were linked in July 2024 after being spotted holding hands at a Los Angeles restaurant. Their relationship caused a strain on Emma and Chrishell Stause's friendship.

Emma Hernan is building herself as an entrepreneurial powerhouse while navigating reality TV feuds and drama. She is also a key player at The Oppenheim Group, where she continues to close multi-million-dollar property deals.

READ ALSO: Who is Maya Vander? Meet the real estate star behind Selling Sunset

Briefly.co.za published the biography of Maya Vander, an Israeli-American real estate agent. She appeared on Netflix's Selling Sunset as part of The Oppenheim Group.

Maya founded her real estate firm, The Maya Vander Group, in 2020. She relocated to Miami where she lives with her husband David Miller and their three children.

Source: Briefly News