As an accomplished builder, entertainer, television host and devoted family man, Mike Jackson is committed to inspiring audiences and his community with both his expertise in the construction and renovation world and what he’s learned as a husband and father. He's currently the co-host of HGTV’s Married to Real Estate with his wife, real estate entrepreneur Egypt Sherrod. Read on for the story of his early life and training, multifaceted career and ever-growing (and very well-deserved) reputation as a motivational figure.

History and Background

Mike was born and raised in Hempstead, Long Island, and first entered the construction world through an apprenticeship at his uncle and grandfather’s construction company. He then attended a New York trade school and specialized in sheet metal, HVAC and woodworking.

Mike has concurrently pursued a lifelong love of music. As he told Shoutout Atlanta, “From the moment I knew what two turntables were, and the effect the right song could have on people, I was hooked. I spun my first wedding at the age of 12, and the rest was history. I was dedicated to the craft. There wasn’t a day that went by that I wasn’t perfecting my skills, studying music and learning the technology.” Traveling the world as DJ Fadelf, he was the official DJ for The Product G&B, and he now co-owns Luxe Sound Entertainment. “I get asked a lot: 'Do you still DJ? If so When do you have the time?' FYI, YES,” he shared on Instagram. “I’ll never not be a DJ, the same way I’ll never not be into construction, design, renovation etc. I’m a creative spirit. I also have a company that provides DJs, bands, photographers/videographers etc. I’ve been doing music and construction since I was 12 years old.”

Mike's HGTV Shows

Mike stars with Egypt in Married to Real Estate, a program that depicts both their work helping clients find and renovate homes and a behind-the-scenes look at their family’s day-to-day experiences. They were inspired to pitch the series to HGTV when, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Mike began sharing smartphone videos of their working and personal lives. Yhe show about work-life balance they created as a result of those off-the-cuff clips and that pitch is now broadcast in more than 80 countries. As Mike told Black Enterprise, “The fact that some kid in Ethiopia or some kid in Dubai is sitting there watching us, being inspired … that’s what gets me the most. People see us, and they see themselves.”

Mike also hosted HGTV's Smart Home 2025, joined Egypt as a competitor (and Season 3 champion) on Rock the Block and the couple also competed on HGTV’s Barbie Dreamhouse Challenge.

Personal Life

Mike first met Egypt at a concert in New York City, where he was then working as a DJ and she was an on-air radio personality. Seeing her onstage from his seat in the audience, he knew he was experiencing love at first sight. He gave Egypt a CD with his phone number written on it, as he explained on the "Dear Future Wifey" podcast, but that first overture was unsuccessful; Egypt was not dating fellow members of the entertainment industry at the time. Their story as a couple began when they crossed paths in the real estate market: Egypt was a real estate agent working on a house flip, and Mike was the contractor referred to her job after she fired her previous team. As Mike told The List, "[She] needed some extra hands, and the team that showed up was mine. And from that point on, we were inseparable."

Mike and Egypt's Wedding

Six years after that fateful re-meeting on a mid-constuction rooftop, Egypt and Mike got married on September 11, 2010, at New Jersey’s Westmount Country Club. Simone (above), Mike’s then-8-year-old daughter from a previous relationship, had a special role as the ceremony’s “chime princess,” and she walked down the aisle shouting, “The bride is coming, the bride is coming!” Q Parker of the R&B group 112 sang Luther Vandross’ “Here and Now” as Egypt walked down the aisle, and Coko of Sisters With Voices performed the group’s song “Weak” at the couple's reception.

Mike and Egypt's Daughters

Mike and Egypt are now blessed with three daughters: Simone (who graduated from Marist College with a degree in fashion and merchandising in 2024), Kendall (born in January 2012) and Harper (born in February 2019). The girls have made their presence felt on Married to Real Estate, to put it mildly. “We're just the background because our kids steal the show,” Egypt told House Beautiful. “Harper steals the show. We were told today at lunch that it's Harper's show.”

Mike's Contracting Firm

Mike is a general contractor and the owner of Jackson Draper Renovations, an Atlanta-based firm he founded with Egypt’s uncle Mark Draper. “I believe what makes Jackson Draper Renovations stand out is our product, professionalism, follow-through, and personal touch,” Mike told Authority Magazine. "[A] client of ours chose to wait a year to have her sunroom renovated by our team because we were so booked up and she didn’t want to deal with any other company. She appreciated how our team respected her and her property, and how well her renovation turned out.”

Mike's Podcast

Broadcasting a blend of life hacks, humor and personal stories since 2023, "Marriage and Money Podcast With Egypt & Mike" is a weekly podcast that spotlights both relationship and finance issues and has featured celebrity guests such as Montell and Kristin Jordan, Trina Braxton and Von Scales, and Toya Johnson-Rushing and Robert “Red” Rushing.

Fun Facts About Mike

• Mike's birthday is November 12, making him a Scorpio (married to a Scorpio, as Egypt was born on November 16).
• Mike's first singer/songwriter role came at age 9, when he and his cousins formed a group called 4-U.
• Mike is a self-identified Girl Dad and has gone viral for posting parenting advice; he's also adept at fixing his daughters' hair. "There’s nothing 'soft,' or feminine about being a fully involved dad," he's said on Instagram. "There’s nothing 'corny' about fully loving your kids. There’s nothing wrong with being emotionally and spiritually present for your children. Don’t let society fool you into thinking you’re less of man for being transparent, vulnerable, and or sometimes emotional. You’re human first. You’re their first love. Loving them more doesn’t make you any less of a man."
• Mike and Egypt had such a fierce public debate over whether or not ketchup should be refrigerated that Heinz actually got involved (and sided with Egypt, who says that it should). Mike remains unconvinced.

Where to Find Him

Keep up with Mike on his socials: Instagram, YouTube and his website.