Fast 15: Kayla Reynolds

For Kayla Reynolds, the impact she has through her work for Walmart commercial real estate motivates her to be successful.

“Ninety percent of the U.S. population lives within 10 miles of a Walmart, so we’re able to serve communities that other retailers aren’t,” she said. “And so being able to be part of that from a real estate perspective is really cool.”

Reynolds graduated in 2022 with a double major in economics and political science from the University of Arkansas. During college and after she worked at Rogers-based law firm Smith Hurst PLC, she was exposed to and found she enjoyed commercial real estate. Her boss and mentor, Kristin Baldwin, helped her transition to the “real world,” teaching her the importance of investing in herself and “how that makes her a better employee.”

In 2023 Reynolds joined the Sam’s Club real estate portfolio management team, and in 2025 she was promoted to her current role where she helps manage the leased portion of Walmart’s U.S. portfolio. Her boss, Jessica Straub, taught her that “doing things right the first time will always give you a better end result.”

Working in commercial real estate allows Reynolds to work on high-volume deals, but “it’s also tangible because real estate is something you can go see.” She enjoys the different people she encounters. 

“Whether it’s design, the actual deal-making, and then down to the actual owners of the building or land, there’s a wide variety of people I get to work with and interact with,” Reynolds said. “That’s one of the best ways to learn, and also one of the most exciting pieces of the job.”

One of Reynolds’ career high points is helping found and now serving on the board of the NWA Chapter of CREW (Commercial Real Estate Women), a global organization that advances all women in commercial real estate.

“I wanted a community outside of work that would help me professionally, and it’s been a huge impact and allowed me to learn even more, even faster,” she said. “It’s a great community of women that teach me more about commercial real estate, and it also helps me individually with my own personal branding.”

A gravel cyclist, Reynolds enjoys mountain biking, walking with her dog, and sharing a good meal with her family, whom she credits with her success.