“Life is simple; don’t complicate things if you don’t have to.”

It takes an optimistic and confident person to utter those words. Vicky Le, recognized as a Top 500 Producing Realtor® in Silicon Valley, exudes qualities of both optimism and confidence even though her early life was anything but simple.

Born in Vietnam, she was barely a year old when she, her parents, and four siblings made a perilous escape from their war-torn country in search of freedom and a better life. A harrowing two-year journey through various regions in Asia followed, ending only once Vicky’s father, fortunately, found a sponsor for her family. Only then were they able to make their move to America in 1982.

Life in America

With their tumultuous life behind them, Vicky and her family continued to experience hardships, as Vicky’s parents worked days and nights to provide for their large family. “I was never handed a silver spoon growing up in Oakland,” Vicky says. “We lived in a cramped two-bedroom apartment with two other large families in the worst part of town. My family home got robbed seven times. I even got robbed walking home from school.” Rather than allowing her ongoing struggles to defeat her, she adopted the work ethic and selfless dedication to others modeled by her immigrant parents.

Vicky worked hard all throughout school, and her diligence paid off. She obtained a degree in Electrical Engineering from California State Polytechnic University and landed a job as a systems engineer with Lockheed Martin’s Fleet Ballistic Missile team. Vicky is probably one of the rare people in this world who can say that she really was a rocket scientist.

Vicky found corporate life at a military subcontractor to be a bit restrictive of her creative capabilities, and not quite the challenging intellectual experience she had expected. As a result, she sought out a career in an area of interest with a better balance of mental stimulation, real-time problem solving, and social engagement. Always fascinated with architecture, but not wanting to spend even more years in school, Vicky decided to pursue a career in real estate.

A New Career On the Horizon

Vicky started to work part-time in real estate while still at Lockheed, but it quickly became apparent that her talents were well suited to the profession, and soon she left Lockheed to become a fulltime agent.

“I have always been told by others that I have a gift for understanding people and bringing people together. Real estate is just that, connecting the right people together,” she says. As the intensity of her real estate career picked up, Vicky prioritized her roles as wife and mother to her two young sons, Ethan and Matteo. When they got older, she felt more confident in arranging her parenting schedule and began to push her real estate career into high gear.

In 2018, Vicky began transforming her real estate venture. She focused on branding and streamlining all aspects of her business. The more she could automate the logistics of running her business, the more time she could devote to building relationships and serving her clients, and the more time she could spend with her family.

Vicky’s success is undoubtedly a result of applying the same hard work that got her parents through so much but also draws on her talent and ability to rise above complications. Rather than get bogged down by challenges, Vicky takes them in stride: “You simply have to deal with your situation and make the most of it,” she says.

For Vicky, perseverance performs like a genetic trait. It’s her goal to be the best in every aspect of her life, and that includes her real estate career. She strives to set examples for her young sons and wants them to know that they can achieve anything in life they set their minds to. “I wholeheartedly believe that anything is possible if you work hard,” Vicky says.

In addition to recognizing her strong work ethic and tenacity, Vicky’s clients are well aware of the high level of customer service she brings to them. She refrains from taking a one-size-fits-all approach just to complete a transaction, and instead focuses on honesty and transparency with her clients.

Serving the entire Bay Area with an emphasis on Santa Clara County, Vicky is quick to recognize ideal purchase opportunities and aggressively pursues off-market deals. She also has well-established relationships with other agents, builders, and developers, which enable her to serve as a real estate investment advisor for her clients and business partners. She uses her keen eye for architecture and design to help her clients in the areas of home improvement.

A Work-Life Balance

Vicky’s personal life primarily reflects her own childhood experiences. She is heavily focused on volunteer work in her community, which includes visits to hospitals, soup kitchens, and homeless shelters.

Her most memorable volunteer work was a trip to New Orleans to help build homes for the Katrina victims. “Not only did I help put smiles on these families when they saw their homes completed, but I also made lifelong friendships, which are very rewarding,” she says.

Vicky is also interested in volunteering at a Syrian refugee camp in Greece, as she recognizes that the struggles of people share parallels with her own childhood experience. “I don’t understand the politics behind it. We are all human. If someone needs help, reach out and help. Period. The image of the Syrian child’s body washed up on shore hits home for me. That child could have been me 37 years ago. As a parent myself, I could never put my kids in danger traveling across the sea unless I don’t have any other option from a war-torn country,” she says. Vicky’s goal is to volunteer in Greece by her 40th birthday.

Vicky loves to travel the world and enjoy different experiences and cultures. “Traveling the world keeps me grounded and humble. I do my best to share these experiences with my kids so that they too can be grounded and humble. I want my kids to be well-rounded individuals who give back to the community,” she says.

Vicky is also very much into physical fitness. She has already completed three marathons and has her eyes on completing a full Ironman in the near future. And admittedly, she’s a bit of a daredevil: “I have a need for speed, and I do a bunch of extreme sports: skydiving, repelling down waterfalls, river rafting, you name it. You only live once. Why not?” Vicky asks.

Vicky’s life story explains her success: a relentless work ethic and selfless devotion to others modeled by her immigrant parents, an embrace of calculated risks rooted in her family’s successful immigration story, and a tenacity to achieve goals despite multiple setbacks.

Given Vicky’s determination and stamina in everything she tackles, she likely won’t have much trouble in reaching her goals, professionally or personally.