Stephanie Shojaee Says 'RHOM' Represents 'Something Bigger' Than a TV Show Amid Pause: 'People Were Emotional'

Stephanie Shojaee made a major impression during her first season of The Real Housewives of Miami.

The business powerhouse jumped right into the drama on the Bravo series and didn't hold back from showing exactly who she is.

Shojaee speaks exclusively with OK! about the network pausing RHOM, what the show means to fans, joining an established group of women, showcasing her culture on television, keeping her marriage to Masoud Shojaee strong and the biggest lesson she's learned over the past two years.

Following the announcement that the Florida franchise is on pause for the time being, the entrepreneur realizes the impact the series had.

"I was genuinely touched. The passion from the fans reminded me how much this franchise means to people," she says. "But what stood out to me most was hearing from so many members of the Hispanic and Latin communities. I think RHOM represented something bigger than a television show. It gave people the opportunity to see successful Hispanic women, immigrant families, entrepreneurs and multicultural households represented on screen."

"Just as artists like Bad Bunny have broken barriers by proudly embracing their culture on a global stage, I think RHOM gave viewers an opportunity to see Hispanic success stories that aren't always represented in mainstream media," Stephanie notes. "Growing up, many of the Hispanic characters I saw on television were portrayed in very narrow roles, often as maids or domestic workers. RHOM helped showcase another side of our community: entrepreneurs, businesswomen, immigrant families and multicultural households. That's why I think so many people were emotional about seeing the show put on pause, and let's be honest, it's Miami. It's literally one of the hottest cities in the world."

Despite the decades-long history of the cast, Stephanie never felt out of place within the group.

"I never tried to be anyone other than myself. When you join a group with years of history, the worst thing you can do is force relationships or manufacture a version of yourself," she notes. "I came in exactly as I am, which is extremely opinionated, ambitious and unapologetically honest. Some people loved it, some people didn't, but it was real. I think authenticity is what ultimately earned me my place."

During her appearance on the series, Stephanie gave insight into her family's origin story and how they gained success in the United States.

"It was one of the things I was most proud of," she reveals. "My parents came to this country from Medellin, Colombia, looking for opportunity and they built a life through hard work and sacrifice. They might not speak English fluently, but they raised a daughter who now runs one of South Florida's largest real estate development companies."

"I think it's important for people to see stories like that. Representation matters," the reality star continues. "Hispanic families are incredibly diverse, and while many of us grew up seeing limited portrayals of what success looked like, RHOM gave me an opportunity to show another side of that story."

Stephanie wed the billionaire real estate developer in 2019. Despite making it look easy, the President of Shoma Group admits she and Masoud put work into their marriage.

"The secret is that I'm absolutely amazing. Just kidding!" she jokes. "I would say mutual respect. At the end of the day, love is important, but respect is what gets you through anything. My husband and I genuinely support one another, we communicate openly and we understand that we're on the same team. We don't always agree on everything, but we always remember that, at the end of the day, we have the same goal. And it's team 'us.' Every morning before we leave for work, we look at each other and say, 'It's you and me, babe. Let's go!' It's become an inside joke at this point."

Throughout her reality television journey, Stephanie learned just how resilient she really is.

"I can tell you this much, I learned I'm stronger than I thought I was," she explains. "It's one thing to face criticism in business. It's another to have your personal life, your relationships and your vulnerabilities discussed publicly. At one point, I didn't know what to do with myself. It felt like a floodgate had opened that I didn't know how to close. But the experience taught me that I can handle far more than I ever gave myself credit for."