Meet Danielle Kempf

We were lucky to catch up with Danielle Kempf recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Danielle, really happy you were able to join us today and we’re looking forward to sharing your story and insights with our readers. Let’s start with the heart of it all – purpose. How did you find your purpose?

There are very few memories I have as a toddler where my parents were still married. For the majority of my life they’ve been divorced and co-parenting their only daughter. I will take a brief moment here to say both of my parents are fantastic in their own ways! I traveled back and forth between mom’s house and dad’s house throughout the week, thankfully their houses were only half a mile apart. There was an adjustment period, yet as I grew older, I came to enjoy the different routines and ground rules between the two houses. It wasn’t until college that for the first time I could remember, I had all my clothes in one place. It was such a simple thing, but for me it was the first time I got to experience that feeling. I was very excited about having all my clothes in one place, being able to decorate my dorm room with my best friend and roommate, and the overall new sense of freedom that college offers. I understood the importance of having a sense of security and having a place to come back to, day after day, a place to call home. Yet in college I still had to unpack and repack every school term, but it was home while I was there. That feeling and core memory I had freshman year of college I feel is what inspired me later in college to be open to a career in real estate.

Then the Summer going into my Junior year, I had my first experience in the real estate industry. One day before Spring Break, Jim, my dad, called me and told me the South County office was in need of a receptionist for the summer. So I called Kathy, the managing broker for that office, and she hired me. For that summer, I answered phones, helped agents with their marketing materials, and got to see the behind the scenes of a real estate office. Jim obtained his real estate license in 2007 so I knew the home life of living with a Realtor. Yet as a kid I didn’t quite understand what Jim did for work; I knew he went into houses, worked some weekends, and sometimes took calls during dinner time. On the occasional Sunday when I was younger, Jim would take me to an open house where I worked on homework while he worked. It wasn’t until after the first Summer as a receptionist, I learned what it meant to be a Realtor and that was my dream job.

While still in college, I stated and put my plan out to the universe that once I graduated, I would obtain my real estate license, start a team with my dad, learn all I can from him, and be a Coldwell Banker 30 Under 30 Real Estate Agent. And that’s what I did! That makes it sound easier than it sometimes was. Before I graduated, I was full-time student, finishing my last 2 semesters online, while working 40 hours a week at the office. Finally, I graduated in December 2019 and told my managing broker my plan was to move from the front desk to a sales desk. Between February and March 2020, I had essentially quit my job, attended real estate school, passed my real estate exam, started training within the office, and 2 weeks later St. Louis was shut down due to Covid-19. Jim was my mentor, he taught me the ins and outs of a transaction while we both learned how to successfully navigate the new real estate market. No job is perfect, no transaction is without a hiccup, but being able to look back at the last 5 years and being able to say I love my job and the clients I work with, it truly makes all the headaches and stress worth it.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?

I help unlock the door to new memories! Right after I graduated college, I partnered with my dad, he is now my business partner, and we created The Kempf Team. We are self-proclaimed “St. Louis’ Favorite Father Daughter Real Estate Team Powered by Coldwell Banker Premier Group.” Family businesses offer such unique experiences and opportunities; and I can brag about us and our combined 20+ years of experience and having helped over 300 clients, but it’s really our clients to thank for where we are. Since I’ve been in the business, I’ve been lucky to have such amazing clients. Our clients become a part of our family. I say it’s all thanks to our clients because they are the ones that pick us and trust us to help them navigate what will likely be, one of the largest investments in their lifetime. I personally love working with first time home buyers. They’re typically around my age, they’re fun to work with, they’re stressed and excited at the same time, and they understand there are going to be hiccups, but at the end of the transaction they will have the keys to their first home. Over a couple months of working together, I really get to know these people and can help them into a new chapter in their lives. Wow, it is truly an incredible feeling to help someone in that way and we are just as excited for them as they are. It’s also rewarding to work with home sellers where I can have more fun with marketing and showcasing these properties. We also work with investors where we can work with them through rehab projects or building their rental portfolio.

Late 2024, I received the biggest news of life when I needed it the most. I had been petal to the metal focused on real estate for nearly the last 5 years; and I had worked some tough deals throughout the year and was struggling with burnout. Then Coldwell Banker released their 2024 30 Under 30 Award Winners, their annual release of the top 30 realtors under 30 years old. The owner and brokers from my office were the ones who revealed the news to Jim and me. I didn’t believe it at first, I was speechless and smiling ear to ear. That night I went home and contemplated the last 5 years of my life, they were not always sunshine and rainbows, but I can look back and know I’ve come a long way and accomplished a great deal, both in my business and personal life. That award reignited the spark and love I have for real estate.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

These bits of knowledge I’m going to share are qualities/skills that I am still developing. I am still early in my journey. I have learned a lot by trial and error or leaning on my support system.

Real estate is a pressing job, like mail service it never stops. My friends would say I am ambitious. I have a habit of putting work and others before myself. I am learning that rest isn’t earned and self-care is empowering. I remind myself this, there is a time and place to put your energy into your work and just as important there is a time and place to disconnect from your phone to be present with yourself and loved ones. I am very thankful for my support system and especially my partner who understands and accepts that I have a crazy work schedule.

Next I’ll share two concepts that have a similar underlying meaning. First, every morning as I’m getting ready, I pick out my ‘Power Clothes’ for the day. Power Clothes are whatever outfit I feel most powerful or comfortable in, the outfit that best represents how I want to feel and express myself that day. Second, my therapist and I came up with ‘Own It Days’ as an alternative to saying ‘a day off work’. To me, the concept of a day off meant I could not check my emails or phone, which lead to more anxiety and me not taking time off for myself. On Own It Days, I do what I need to feel my best and fulfilled. My favorite example is going into the office in the morning to do what needs to be done then leaving for the afternoon to get lunch and go on a walk. Then if needed I can check my emails and follow up later in the evening. Real estate isn’t 9-5 Monday to Friday, so I am able to have a flexible schedule when needed. Own it Days started as ‘days off’ now I’m working to make it my mentality every day, doing what aligns with my sense of purpose. Both concepts are mindsets changes that instilled mindful ownership throughout my day.

Which leads into my third quality, know your why. If you think about the things you do every day, why do you do those activities? Does it bring you joy or fill your cup? It doesn’t just apply to your big activities, why you do the job you do, but the small routines in your life. Most mornings I take 10-30 minutes for my morning mindfulness. The activity can vary from yoga, meditation, or listening to a book while I shower, but the reason why is always the same. Through trial and error, I have been able to notice a difference in my body and thinking when I can be calm and present for a short time in the morning compared to days I do not take this time. It creates a ripple effect throughout the remainder of my day. If there is a routine you don’t like to do? I encourage you to find a way to reframe or re-invent the activity so that it creates that feeling of alignment.

Awesome, really appreciate you opening up with us today and before we close maybe you can share a book recommendation with us. Has there been a book that’s been impactful in your growth and development?

Currently, my favorite book and one that I am rereading is A New Earth by Eckhart Tolle. My therapist first recommended this book to me. As I read it for the first time, I realized that many of my therapist’s teachings were mirrored and elaborated upon by Tolle. There is so much information in this book that I’ve gained new insights during the second read through. Readers of all different backgrounds can gain individualized messages from the book, but the main concept that stuck with me is presence and awareness are the greatest agents for change. Tolle explains that thinking without awareness is the main dilemma of human existence. Our thoughts become our beliefs, which the ego then attaches to and identifies with. Awareness and ego cannot coexist. So the mantra ‘I am the observer of my thoughts’ has helped me to transcend the constant chatter or emotional blinders I have on in that moment. In most situations, the primary cause of unhappiness isn’t the experience itself, but rather our thoughts about it during and after it has happened. Tolle goes on to say that negativity and unhappiness are diseases. True happiness doesn’t come from form or achievement or one’s possession. Instead, it is the joy of being where we can find true happiness. At the end of the book, Tolle wraps it together perfectly when he tells us we can decide what kind of relationship we want to have in the present moment. We struggle with unhappiness because we are never fully here, we are always busy trying to get somewhere else, whether it be the past or future. Being present and aware is the pathway to change. In any given moment can you at minimum accept where you are and what you’re doing in this moment? Even better, find enjoyment or enthusiasm in the present moment? You’ll never know until you pause and discover the enormous power that flows through you into the world when you stop emphasizing with your form identity.

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