We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Kayla Anthony a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Kayla , so many exciting things to discuss, we can’t wait. Thanks for joining us and we appreciate you sharing your wisdom with our readers. So, maybe we can start by discussing optimism and where your optimism comes from?
Hmmm. . . .Growing up I have always been the kind of person that viewed everything from a positive lens; regardless of the situation I’ve always been hopeful. I was that person who saw the glass half full- no matter what. People would always tell me “Kayla, you are so optimistic” or “Kayla, you are always so positive” – I feel a huge part of my optimism comes from how I was raised and the support system my mom was for me. I was raised by a single mom, along with my brother Kam who has special needs- he is about 3 years younger than me. My brother needed assistance with things such as eating, getting dressed, and other tasks that I could do without hesitation, so there was always something for me to be grateful for; it was easy for me to see the brighter side of life. My mom, she was literally a superhero- times where I knew situations were tough for our family, she always remained optimistic and would explain that this was only a mini storm to prepare for better days. My mom would always tell me that I should be grateful and positive for everything we had; even if it wasn’t much because there could be someone with less. So, no matter what life threw at me, I would be sure to remember that things would get better.
I also feel that life sometimes gives you no choice but to be optimistic- it’s like the old saying “when life gives you lemons, make lemonade” haha. Getting pregnant at fifteen was probably one of the most depressing times of my life- yes as optimistic as I was growing up, I hit a rough patch- but even that didn’t stop me, I didn’t let myself stay stuck. This is where being optimistic was HUGE, I had to look on the brighter side and know that I can still have an amazing life regardless of the “statistical odds” that were stacked against me.
Now, in my adult life, my “everything will work out” mentality is more so driven by my faith- especially with running a full time Real Estate business and Team, also life in general can get overwhelming or heavy. This is where with being optimistic and faithful, you must keep supportive people around you. I will say this, God has never failed to slide me something greater even when I thought I was losing everything. *Drops Mic*
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
Of course, and again THANK YOU, I appreciate being able to tell my story on your platform; So, let’s see, I am 31 years old and a mother of 4! I was born in Augusta, GA and pretty much raised here most of my life. After working for employer after employer, I decided I just wanted something different, I wanted to work for myself. In November 2020 I took a leap of faith and decided to get my Real Estate license as soon as I obtained my license, I jumped into doing Real Estate FULL TIME and never looked back. I am beyond BLESSED- God clearly already had my story written. I assist people in making one of the biggest financial purchases and/or sells of their life and I enjoy it SO MUCH. I meet new people daily which allows me to expand my network- and I literally learn something new every day. From the moment I started my Real Estate class, I just knew this was for me. I decided to get into Real Estate because I wanted to be happy and enjoy what I did for a living every day; I also wanted to truly be rewarded for my work and skill set- not by a company’s watered-down opinion of me. Being a realtor means that there is no ceiling on earning potential, I can run my own race and own MY business how I see fit. I also wanted to help people generate wealth and own something, what’s better than Real Estate? A lot of people are missing the knowledge behind truly owning property/land, I like that I am now able to bridge that gap where I can.
Purchasing my first home as a single mom with two kids back in 2018 was such an indescribable but amazing feeling, I knew if I could make people feel how I felt on that day, then I had found my purpose.
Since getting into the Real Estate Industry, I can say I have made an impact. You hear all the horror stories of how “New Realtors” don’t prosper, or how you cannot financially survive being a full time Realtor; there was even an article recently published explaining how many Realtors have left the industry in the last year or so- but I stay optimistic, and I don’t let it get to me as God is always in control. In less than 3 years I have personally been a part of over 100+ Real Estate transactions. I’ve created a team where I can bring others along with me, and I’ve created a system that works. I have many Billboards around my city, and I was recently recognized as being “America’s BEST” of Real Estate Professionals for 2023, ranking in the TOP 1.5% of Realtors in the United States! It’s been a magical last couple of years. Our marketing, branding, and overall business logistics are expanding; every day we are searching for ways on how we can better service the industry, our clients, and our community. The partnerships I have created are more than preparing myself and the team to be pushed into something even greater.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
Ah, Great questions- The three qualities that truly helped me scale my business was/is having a great work ethic, being a great communicator, and being amazing at solving problems and negotiation. At the end of the day Real Estate is about being able to negotiate and seal the best deal for your clients- while ensuring your clients are happy with you, trust you, and understand that you are working for them. As far as advice, I would say, don’t be afraid to trust yourself and go against the grain. Trial and error will be your best friend. Be sure to find a work-life balance; oh, and make sure you are passionate. There will always be some trying days no matter what you decide to do in life, you must remember your purpose. Also, be able to flex your style and be readily available. – the Real Estate industry is heavily saturated; you must stand out and be the person that people want to work for them. Lastly, be resilient and be yourself- social media places such a stigma on what and how a person should look, act, etc.; be yourself, you will be more comfortable, and the right network of people and clients will automatically gravitate to you.
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?
Mmmm. . . So, I don’t read as much as I like (changing that), I am usually a podcast, YouTube kind of person, but a book titled “The Magic of Thinking Big” by David J. Schwartz kept coming up on some of the platforms that I would often listen to, so I decided to make the purchase. I just recently finished the book, and it was everything I needed and more- the book truly explained why mindset is so important in becoming the person you’re meant to be. The book further explains that success (Whatever that may look like to you) is very much attainable, you just must 1. Believe in yourself, 2. Stop making excuses, and 3. Don’t put limits on what you are wanting to accomplish in life. – These are just a few nuggets that I feel people may sometimes struggle with when it comes to reaching goals. The book does a great job of explaining how powerful the mind really is and how you can use your mid to get you to that next level in life. I highly recommend this book to anyone, a game changer for sure.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kaylashavonanthony/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Kayla.Anthony.RealEstate
