Dustin Carruthers started his journey in the Radiologic Technology Program at SRTC (formerly Moultrie Technical College). “I truly enjoyed my time in the Radiologic Technology Program. It was more than just technical skills. — it was a period of real growth.” He then was hired as a student technologist at Colquitt Regional Medical Center while still in school.
Upon graduating from the program, Dustin accepted a position at Tallahassee Memorial Healthcare in Tallahassee, where he started in the Radiology department and quickly stepped into a Lead Technologist role in the Emergency Room. Later, he transitioned into Interventional Radiology, where he worked alongside other Radiologists and Heart and Vascular Surgeons.
After Dustin and his wife welcomed their second baby into the world, they reevaluated their priorities — work, home and family. Dustin’s wife has a great career in IT, which allows her to stay home and also travel. That lead to the decision of Dustin going PRN at his job and stepping into the role of being a stay-at-home dad.
While being at home full time, Dustin became curious about real estate. His curiosity grew when he would walk with his kids in the neighborhood and see different homes. “That curiosity turned into a passion. I spent a year studying and preparing and eventually earned my real estate license.” Business took off for Dustin, he quickly made his way to the Top 10% of realtors in Tallahassee the past 4 years!
We asked Dustin what inspired his “Real Estate Baker” brand. This was his short story of how it came to be:
The idea for The Tallahassee Real Estate Baker came out of a random brainstorming session with my wife and a few friends. In real estate, having a strong social media presence is almost essential — and that was something totally new to me coming from the healthcare world. I started looking at what other realtors and influencers were doing and eventually decided to launch a YouTube channel.
The name ‘The Tallahassee Real Estate Baker’ was actually my wife’s favorite suggestion — and it stuck. I created a YouTube channel and an Instagram account (@tallahassee_realestate_baker) where I combine my passion for real estate with something else, I’ve always loved: baking.
I’m still learning and growing, but my goal is to create a fun and helpful space where followers can get real estate tips, home tours, and also learn how to make some great desserts. One series I started involves baking a popular dessert from the year each featured home was built — it’s been a fun way to bring history and personality into real estate content.
And one of my favorite things I’ve started doing is ‘Cakes at Closing’ — I bake a custom cake for my buyers or sellers as a thank-you. It’s personal, it’s sweet — literally — and it’s become a signature touch that people remember.
Dustin is a picture-perfect example of following your passions and dreams! There are many paths that you can take after graduation. Dustin’s advice to current SRTC students is to “- to learn and absorb as much as you can while you're at SRTC, no matter which program you're in. Right now, you're building the foundation for your future — and you never know where it might take you. This could be the start of a lifelong career doing something you love, or it could be a steppingstone to something you haven’t even imagined yet. Either way, stay open, stay curious, and keep growing.”