Meet Catherine Ann Agnes

We were lucky to catch up with Catherine Ann Agnes recently and have shared our conversation below.

Catherine Ann, so good to have you with us today. We’ve got so much planned, so let’s jump right into it. We live in such a diverse world, and in many ways the world is getting better and more understanding but it’s far from perfect. There are so many times where folks find themselves in rooms or situations where they are the only ones that look like them – that might mean being the only woman of color in the room or the only person who grew up in a certain environment etc. Can you talk to us about how you’ve managed to thrive even in situations where you were the only one in the room?

I have been battling a concept for most of my adult life…

“What does it mean to be Enough?”

As a young lady in the performing arts industry, I was surrounded by incredible talent on the daily. I knew so many incredible creatives. I loved to perform, and it didn’t matter to me if anyone was more accomplished than I. Their successes gave me something to aspire to become. There were many older girls in my community who dominated the center stage, and looked at them in awe. I also had an incredible voice teacher. She sang for John Paul II, she was a soloist at the Meyerhoff in Baltimore, and she played almost every major theatre role that I had dreamed of. Miss Paula was my biggest advocate, an outstanding mentor, a woman of high class, and a great technical teacher.

I expected everyone I had met in my collegiate career to be as encouraging as my mentors, I’d have friends that would lift me up, and I’d begin to receive opportunities that I had dreamed of as I trained in music. However that was not the case whatsoever… I found myself getting hazed for the first time in years by my peers. My choir director was pushing me to the back of the line in most arrangements, I never was on the cast list for school productions, and the discouragement was beginning to define every step I had taken…

For the first time in over a decade, I thought to myself:

“If I were better at my craft, would I still be alone? If I was like everyone else, would I begin to have opportunities?”

This mindset had only led me to grind until burnout. I became a workaholic… I believed that success would cultivate a space of personal safety. I was miserable. I kept falling down over and over again. I faced rejection in almost every avenue of my life. I experienced housing instability. I was in a long term domestically violent relationship. I had multiple health crises. I was in a major life changing car accident. I couldn’t hold onto friends whatsoever. I changed careers every moment that I felt like I wasn’t enough.

I found modeling in 2017, and I held onto it for dear life… I had become an overnight success in my network, and I finally had a thriving career. I could not deal with being a failure any longer, so why would I ever walk away from the thing that was remaking me? I thought that this fleeting opportunity was what I was called to do with my life. I allowed the joy of music to exit my life, and began to disregard any other passions that I had. I created this persona who was my protector… This model version of myself served as a fearless alter ego. She was flawless, and nothing could get in her way. She’s a blonde bombshell, a fearless mentor to the under-served, and highly successful…. But she was not real. I was living my life disguised as a “leading lady,” using her accomplishments to define her truth. That life was exciting, but incredibly inauthentic… and even after I did everything that I was “supposed” to, I had found that I was infinitely more miserable. I was the girl who had overcome homelessness, I had the dream car, I was multi-published, I was dining with royalty of the performance industry in my region, I finally found a community that stuck by me, I had finally left my horrific long term relationship, and all of my dreams were finally coming true. I was on the hottest streak of my adult life, and I was still crying out late at night, “I want to go home.” I didn’t know where home was…. But I knew that this life wasn’t home. I continued to ask myself in my lonely emotional breakdowns, “if I am finally receiving all that I desired, how am I still so miserable?”

I went out for a drink with a good friend on a breezy October day in 2019. I was unexpectedly introduced to someone who I never expected to change my life… my future husband, Jon Agnes. However he re-introduced me to someone that I hadn’t spoken to in years… my King, Jesus Christ. I always knew Jesus due to my Catholic upbringing… however it had been a very long time since I sat at His feet to share a conversation. I didn’t always get this “Christian Walk” completely right, and had a lot of distorted ideals. I decided to dive headfirst into my faith in 2021 and went through a complete deconstruction of my identity. I completely lost my modeling career due to the pandemic, and I had to sit by myself (as most of us did) to find out why I was looking to success to cultivate my personal identity. I discovered in my quiet time that I had rooted my emotional security to things that are only temporary, and I needed to root my life to the eternal life that awaits us. I needed to seek my identity in a frame of unconditional love, and truly understand what the sacrifice of Christ meant for me. I needed to let God tell me who I am, and who He fashioned me to be. Jesus is the King of the Universe, and he laid His life down for all the world…. Now isn’t that a confidence boost or what?! Through every trial since rededicating my life to Christ, He was there, and He did not fail me. God refined me by fire, and I would not change a thing. If gold and diamonds are refined by fire, how precious must we truly be? I was enough for the Alpha and the Omega to die for me, so I will no longer subscribe to the lie that I am not worthy of this life I am called to.

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

While I am still actively working on creative photography projects in my free time, I needed a career pivot. I got my Real Estate License in July of 2021 after a long period of prayer and fasting. I knew that I could do more with my life than just sales or working in the performance industry. In the licensing process, I became passionate about guiding families in their relocation journeys. Finding a home isn’t a legislative decision, it’s a life defining opportunity to be called to a new experience.

2 Peter 1:3 states:
“We have everything we need to live a life that pleases God.
It was all given to us by God’s own power,
when we learned he had invited us to share in his wonderful goodness.”

It’s terrifying to take the leap, try something new, and take steps forward in our call. However I can personally declare that God provides us with everything that we need to take that big jump. If we are called and willing to take that risk, God will make that leap possible. We cannot be held by one geographical place, physical thing, or fleeting career… and it is a privilege to be a guide to those on their next bold relocation journey.

This mindset is a true luxury rooted in biblical truth. I am honored to have walked through my trials to have earned this mindset for the sake of my present and future clients. I am on a mission to redefine real estate from “just a business transaction” to an opportunity to reposition our destiny. This is why I joined the eXp Luxury Division in 2025, and I am honored to serve buyers and sellers in the Greater Baltimore Region in partnership with the Dan Toth Team.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

I cultivated three major values for my business:
1. I believe in affordable, healthy, and safe living
2. I believe in pursuing a life with tailor-made purpose
3. I believe our geographical position has a major part in our destiny

These three values carry into my personal life as well, and have given me the opportunity to live in true wellness. It has freed me of the stressors and expectations of the world. With this perspective, we can live a life securely rooted in our own identity. If we aren’t living at the fullness of who we are created to be, what are we living for? Silence the noise, take care of your core needs, take the leap, and search for who you really are created to be in the region that you are called to.

Okay, so before we go, is there anyone you’d like to shoutout for the role they’ve played in helping you develop the essential skills or overcome challenges along the way?

I’ve talked about Jesus for the majority of this article… But I’d like to showcase someone in my community who has changed my life. Pam Gwaltney has been a champion of my personal development. Her wisdom has always come right on time, and her hand on my life has always given me that encouragement when I needed it. She supported me down the aisle when I married Jon in her backyard. Pam has held my hand while we are awaiting for the arrival of our son in October of this year. She never enabled me when I was falling short of my own personal standard. She has consistently provided laughter and a warm hug in every conversation that we’ve shared during the course of our relationship.

She helps me troubleshoot big ideas. Most importantly… She told me that I’m enough whenever I need to hear it, while also asking the character defining questions while I was being encouraged by her. She asked me a pivotal question a few weeks ago that I will share with you all…
“When are you going to stop lessening yourself for the comfort of everyone else?”

Here’s the big secret of this life… You were always enough, Friend. You are not too much either. Stop looking for affirmation in the wrong corners, and you will find your true identity. Be the vivacious YOU that you were always designed to be and you will never lack fulfillment.

Thank you for listening to my story, it’s always a privilege to share it. God bless you all.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://catherineagnes.exprealty.com/agents/1903442/Catherine+Agnes
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/catherineannagnes/

Image Credits

Personal Photo: Jon Caleb Photography
Maternity Photo: Ash Photography
Real Estate Promotion Photo: Zabala Studios
Studio Image: Eric Wong Photography
Branding Images: eXp Realty/The Dan Toth Team