NWA Women in Business: Kim Minor

Residence: Bentonville

Education: Bentonville High School

Professional background: Minor started her real estate career 17 years ago with RE/MAX Real Estate Results. She’s been principal broker and owner of the company for 10 years. She and the more than 50 Realtors in the office sell over $100 million in real estate each year.

Why go into the real estate business? I happened upon the real estate industry in March 1999 as I looked for a part-time position with flexible hours. I had spent the previous two and a half years at home with my young children. I needed flexible hours because day care for all three would have been more than our mortgage payment.

What led you to earn your broker’s license? When I started in the industry, I began as an unlicensed office assistant, and I felt like my energies could be better spent helping agents develop real estate skills and establishing systems and practices within the office to better serve our agents and clients.

Why become broker and owner of RE/MAX Real Estate Results? My passion is problem solving and sharing any knowledge and information that I can. I also enjoy coaching and training agents to build their personal real estate businesses. My success is in watching my agents grow, accomplishing their goals.

How has the business changed since you took ownership? In many ways, things are much easier. We committed to go paperless. The biggest changes are the clients are inundated with information and resources that can help or hinder the transaction depending how it’s utilized to buy or sell property.

In 2015, how much real estate did you sell? I’m a little different than most brokers in Northwest Arkansas. I do not compete with my agents for listings or sales because I only work with people who choose to work directly with me, which includes a handful of properties for friends and family each year.

What’s been your most successful year? Because I consider myself a non-competing broker, my success is measured in the sales of my agents and office totals. Our highest total was $302.6 million in 2015.

How have you continued to succeed, especially during the recession? Consistency, and I am always looking for ways to help my agents through new products, new services and a new way of thinking to educate and improve their businesses and personal lives.

You’ve received numerous awards from RE/MAX. Which one means the most and why? The 2015 CMN Office of the Year. This award is given to the Arkansas office that gives the most to Children’s Miracle Network and has been my goal since I started at RE/MAX. It means the most because it’s derived through the personal efforts and donations from my agents and staff.

Who has inspired you the most in your life and why? My recent inspiration came from my real estate business coach, Ken McLachlan from Canada, who has the largest RE/MAX brokerage there. He has shared his structures and processes for work/life balance, which I challenge myself to achieve each year.

What’s your secret to success? Starting my days early is one and being available for my agents and staff, whether it’s a 30-second phone call or a two-hour meeting. One key to leadership is being accessible to those you lead. The other is surrounding myself with those who are equally committed to striving for something better in their lives, no matter how big or small the thought, item or action as long as it’s guided toward helping others.

What’s your degree in? My degrees have been earned in life and hard work. I chose to be a full-time mother after graduating high school, and later after my children were more grown, I focused my career on real estate opportunities. Today, I am the proud owner with the best agents and staff of the No. 1 RE/MAX office in Arkansas.

How do you spend your free time? My husband and I enjoy the outdoors of any kind with our three grown children, family and friends. Our love of nature makes this a high priority when we have free time. I love to fish, garden, cook, read and decorate our home for the different seasons and holidays.

Which nonprofit organizations do you support and why? Children’s Miracle Network. I found this organization through RE/MAX, but the need for a Northwest Arkansas hospital for some of my own agents drove my passion to giving to this organization even more. And one of my biggest whys is that all the funds raised by our office stay here in our state to benefit Arkansas Children’s Hospital. This is rare in any charity nowadays.